A bush hut in an urban setting
By Ray Cleaver
Photographs: Rob Tucker
Many guys like to retreat to a space they have created and feel comfortable in. For some, it’s a shed to tinker in and build things, for others it’s some sort of man cave where they can socialise with their mates.
Gary Were of Stratford, in Taranaki, has gone a step further. The 71-year-old year semi-retired builder and deer hunter has re-created a replica of his favourite bush hut under his urban house.
For 30 years, Gary has been deer hunting in the Urewera ranges in the centre of the North Island. It’s an isolated place, where the boys get flown in by Heliseka Helicopter and spend a week each year, hunting sika and sometimes red deer. For seven days, they are surrounded by natural landscape and retreat each night to a basic hunters’ hut.
Now Gary has brought the bush-covered hills to his house where they can be present all year round, thanks to the recent completion of his 7 x 3.5 metre basement hideaway, complete with bunks and bush views.
After you descend some winding stairs, the first thing to hit you is a wall that’s covered with a full-sized photo of a bush scene. The photo was taken from the original hut, looking out across the bush-clad ranges. It’s a bit eerie; you can almost hear the moreporks. The photo was printed onto vinyl and hung in three drops on the 4 x 2.3 metre wall.
From there, you come to the door into the ‘hut.’ Above the door, there’s a mock-up of a protruding corrugated iron roof. The sign on the door says Te Matai Hunting Lodge (after the original hut). Inside, there are two bunks and a window built into the wall with a smaller bush scene. The bottom bunk slides out to become a double bed, and there’s even a hidden ventilation system to keep the air fresh.
Antlers and pig tusk trophies hang on the walls. The bunks, stairs and shelves are made of stained tanalised pine.
Gary built the house with concrete blocks in the mid-70s and originally put in the basement room for storage. Then eight years ago he thought again and came up with the idea of re-creating the hut as somewhere to store his hunting gear and have a few drinks with his mates.
Leak causes some problems
It was not all straightforward. An underground spring leaking into the room gave him water problems.
“The water seepage was a real headache,” he said. “I pumped the water out and put two coats of Aquella waterproof coating on the concrete walls. I attached 12 mm polystyrene foam to the wall, then put polythene sheeting on the walls and floor.”
He followed that up with another layer of polystyrene foam, then sheets of plywood, then a layer of Pink Batts and sealed it all with water retardant Gib board.
“No more problems. It’s as dry as, and the temperature is constant,” he said.
Opening up one cupboard, Gary slid out a beautifully created, full wine rack. It’s on wheels with wine glasses hooked onto the back. Today’s hunters have a bit of class, it seems.
Gary has been very involved in the local Search and Rescue organisation from 1971 until five years ago. He has taken part in many rescues over the years, a lot of them on Mount Taranaki.
As you can tell, tramping, hunting and being in the bush are close to his heart. He even slept in the basement hut one night and was impressed with the complete silence.
“You would never know you were in the middle of town,” he grinned.
Gary’s wife, Elaine, is very supportive. She has made curtains for the hut and helped hang wallpaper.
The hut was finished a few months ago and is shortly to be christened with a gathering of the lads who still go hunting in the bush every year.
“We’ll be having a bit of a session,” said Gary. “As well as it is nearing 30 years that we have been using the Ureweras hut, we are reaching the 100 mark of deer we have shot out there, so there’s a bit to celebrate.”
