Help Save Leaning Lodge – Treasured Historic Otago Hut

We have had a very successful start to our overall fund-raising activities. Currently we have confirmed funding of $175,000 of our overall target of $240,000. Our target includes a substantial contingency and if we can raise an additional $15,000 from public donations in the next 2 months, we can commence the project in Spring of this year.

We wish to acknowledge the following organisations for supporting the Leaning Lodge rebuild project:

AAW Jones Trust $20,000

Alexandra McMillan Trust $20,000

Harry J Wilson Trust $20,000

Otago Community Trust $40,000

Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club $15,000

Private Donation $50,000

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Our new website is www.leaninglodge.nz

We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to return the Leaning Lodge back to its former glory.

The lodge has brought together people with a passion for the outdoors since 1958 , creating many treasured memories over the years.

These visitors have included experience adventure seekers, such as skiers, bikers, trampers and backcountry enthusiasts. The lodge has provided a comfortable refuge for journeys of all durations, ranging from day visits to multi-night stays. It now requires replacement and a completely new steel-framed steel-clad hut has been designed to comply with the site’s extreme winter alpine conditions high up (altitude 1,220m) on the Rock and Pillar range above Middlemarch in Otago.

The lodge completion is targeted to coincide with the Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club's (OTMC) centenary, in 2023.

This fundraiser is a crucial step towards the overall goal of raising $240,000 for the full cost of the hut re-build. The build needs to happen during summer months in fine weather. This Give-a-Little fundraiser page and the 'Leaning Lodge Trust' Facebook page have been kick-started by marketing staff and students of the Digital Marketing (MART466) course at the University of Otago, who are passionate about seeing the lodge back in action

Sadly, the lodge has been closed since 2014 due to it becoming non-compliant with building codes, particularly as regard to its alpine site. However, with the help of this fundraiser, the aim is to remove the old structure and build a new modern hut which has been specifically designed and engineered in accordance with DOC back-country-hut standards, DCC building code compliance, and the (DOC owned) site lease conditions. It will comprise an entrance foyer, kitchen and dining facilities, 10 bunks, together with a deck looking over the Middlemarch valley way below. A safe and welcoming refuge for trampers, cyclists, skiers, university researchers, and all outdoor enthusiasts visiting this special alpine retreat just an hour’s drive from Dunedin and just up the road from the Central Otago Rail Trail.

An excellent article on Leaning Lodge was recently published in the ODT, follow this link to read... https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/travel/place-above-plains

With your help, we can save the historic Leaning Lodge, for future generations to appreciate.

Check out our Facebook page too (link below). We thank you for your time.

Note: The Leaning Lodge Trust would like to acknowledge your contribution and (infrequently) let you know of the re-build progress, so we would prefer you keep your name visible.

About us:

The Leaning Lodge Trust was formed by OTMC to act on their behalf to investigate options to reinstate the Lodge to be fit-for-purpose, and manage the on-going work task. After many hours deliberation and using the advice of professionals in design and engineering, the option to fly in a new pre-manufactured steel-frame hut onto a new base structure was chosen as the safest and most economical option, with the old structure to be removed from site.