Blue Duck Station

Wonderful weekend away to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. The location is magical and pristine, the service is fabulous and everyone you meet is so very friendly. We stayed a night at Frontier lodge with dinner breakfast and lunch at the Blue Duck Cafe. We jet boated, we 4WD safari-ed up to Chefs Table and we have dinner and breakfast up there. Can't recommend enough - thank you all - we will be back.

Very unique experience. If you are interested in nature conservation, restoration and preserving nature and native animals, this destination is a must. Interesting and throughout enjoyable. Comfortable cottage. Very tasty food and welcoming hospitality. Well worth supporting.

A great way to see true country NZ. and share it with people who care so much about it. We even saw a blue duck thanks to their great conservation efforts. The jet boat trip was highly informative and the native bush was spectacular. The safari was great and I learnt some useful tips about up to date trapping methods. Should have taken a change of clothing as I then would have jumped in a kayak to the base of the waterfall. Our accommodation, overlooking the river was just perfect.

This was an interesting experience. No mobile reception, no internet - except at the cafe during the daytime, no television, no radio, no newspapers. It made me wonder if this is what life was like for the pioneers. The silence was often total. It also made me wonder about our busy life today, and how we aren't - as a society - really able to cope without constant entertainment. They provide a few board games, and a few books, but the clear expectation is you will be going outside - that's what they do. They do walks, jet boats, rides, hunts, and so on. But it might be an idea to give a few more indoor activities, as it can rain a lot in this isolated Central North Island hill country. I had my laptop and kindle, and was well prepared, and would suggest everyone else staying more than a day or so does the same, just in case. I had wanted to go riding, as although I have ridden an elephant, I have never ridden a horse - which is rather ironic. But there is a minimum of two bookings for horse rides, and I didn't want one so much that I would pay double. Some other place, some other time. So instead, I walked up to the Kaiwhakauka Falls. It was an easy walk on a well graded, if muddy, four-wheel-drive track. Some cows were rather interested in what I might be doing, and headed to their fence to try and find out. Once you turn off the track and head down to the falls though, it's very steep. You end up at the top of the falls - if you have children, make sure they do as you tell them, because it's a fifteen metre drop. The track to the base of the falls heads off to the right, and requires some scrambling over tree roots, before you hit some steps over the steepest bits. There are kayaks at the bottom, and you can return to your lodge via the gorge, but kayaks and I have had a nasty history over the past thirty years - overturned, crashed, stuck between rocks, you name it it's happened - so I just walked back. The falls plunge down a cliff into a punch bowl in several cascades, and they are very beautiful. I had brought my own breakfasts and lunches in, but in the evenings I ate at their cafe. What you see is what you get - this is an operation at the end of a gravel road, about an hour and a half from the nearest supermarket, so a varied menu will not be yours. They can easily do a vegetarian dish, other restrictions are more difficult, so do make sure you tell them before you arrive, if you need food specially prepared - or bring your own. The lodges all have kitchens. The first night, it was a beautifully cooked beef stew with carrots, and roast potatoes, with a bit of brownie for 'afters'. I stayed at the Frontier Lodge, very new, very comfortable, and a great bed to lie in. All the bedrooms have a private bathroom, and they're panelled with plywood in a very natural, relaxed, style. Sheepskin rugs on the floor add to the country vibe. The kitchen was well equipped, with everything you needed, from knives

From start to finish, we really enjoyed our stay. We spent the first night in the cabins, that were clean & tidy with communal facilities. We unfortunately didn't book any activities, but at the last minute we were offered a jet boat ride which we thoroughly enjoyed. The next night we had the fortune of dining & staying at the Chefs Table, outstanding experience. If you're wanting a get away from it all experience, don't hesitate, we will return! Thanks to all the staff, that made our stay

A talented team of people who have used what is around them to create an amazing meal and experience. Love the repurposed timber and items from the farm that have been used throughout the restaurant and in the cabins (although they are not your typical cabins!). The food was just beautiful - works of art and tasted incredible. Would love to be back.