The Black Robin Bush Hut is a vibrant glamping retreat in Wellington for those looking to decompress. Our stay spanned over Halloween weekend and I couldn’t have picked a better place to celebrate the turning of the seasons, up close to wild nature, mystical weather, and bird spirits in the open sky.
Beyond the Brooklyn Wind Turbine, land unfurls. Hills green with native bush climb into the clouds. Somewhere along the winding road, timber steps creep into a canopy, leading to a tree hut where we found ourselves on Halloween, counting birds and swaying to the hum of nature.
Busy adults that we are, Shaun and I haven’t celebrated Halloween in three years. With five jobs between two of us, it slips our minds every year and I’m left bereft of spooky theatrics. This year, we vowed to spend Halloween doing what we love best… hiding away in nature with pen and camera for company.
I chose the Black Robin Bush Hut for the occasion. From the listing, I sensed solitude. I hadn’t been aware of anything existing beyond the Wind Turbine, which meant this retreat would be remote and quiet… just what we needed to get out of Wellington city.
I didn’t realise at the time how fitting our stay would be to celebrate Samhain. Weeks later, I still carry the quietude, infected by the ethereal energy of the place. Enjoy below a recount of our stay at the Black Robin Bush Hut, a mystical glamping retreat and a prime example of tiny eco accommodation in Wellington, New Zealand.
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Glamping retreat at the Black Robin Bush Hut – eco accommodation in Wellington, New Zealand
A Wellington Canopy Escape
Black Robin Bush Hut is listed on Canopy Camping, a reputable directory of New Zealand nature retreats. A day before our stay, we received a key code that would give us exclusive access to private land beyond the Brooklyn Wind Turbine.
The drive to the Wind Turbine is a pleasant ascent. Views unfold in every direction, the rolling land, house-plugged valleys and meandering waters. We rolled up to a gate below the colossal turbine and punched in the code. The way opened and we trundled into a part of Wellington we’d never been before.
Long Gully Station is private land, where the Black Robin Bush Hut (and its hosts) reside. The road narrows, scenic and serpentine, climbing higher into the hills.
We parked on arrival, guided by the small Canopy Camping signposts. A home stood in solitude, perched strategically over the gully for views and privacy. Our host, Anika, wandered out with a warm welcome and ushered us further up the road.
A wooden archway marked the entry to our abode. Wooden steps carved a path upward, leading past a platform deck and arriving at a darling red cabin, nestled inside the bush. It would be our home for the next few days, a fitting locale to be among nature.
Black Robin Bush Hut is a commitment to eco-friendly accommodation
The Black Robin Bush Hut is a study on tiny economical living.
The bedroom cabin glowed with natural light from three windows, illuminating the warm space and old paintings of Wellington harbour. There was just enough room to fit a queen bed and side table. In a nook, the hosts had prepared for us clean towels, a colourful pile of throws, and hot water bottles.
Through another door is a small kitchen, a covered breeze room equipped with a double gas ring and exposed wooden shelves.
Beyond was an outdoor space, a stacking of decks equipped with a hammock, fire pit, and outdoor bath. Trees and ferns hung low, and everything glowed in emerald green.
The place sent comfort through my body. I couldn’t stop smiling as Anika explained the mechanics of how everything worked. The hut is solar-powered. A flued gas system keeps the cabin and kitchen warm. And hot water is provided by a califont, a no-waste water heater that maximises energy.
The front deck faced the valley and hills in the far. Anika noted how trees obstructed some of the view, though the family opted not to cut them down to honour the mana of the land. I concurred with the decision. Nature wrapped its arms around the hut, canopies bent over the macrocarpa slabs, enclosing every space. It was mana whenua, entirely New Zealand, and earned its place to remain untouched.
According to Anika, everything save the bedroom hut was handbuilt by her partner Nigel. His set-building skills from the film industry contributed to the quirk and character, all the small touches lovingly made.
The build and set of the Black Robin Bush Hut, particularly over Halloween weekend, contributed to a rather ethereal glamping experience. It was love at first sight and the ensuing stay enriched our spirits in an unexpected way.
The gully and valleys of the Black Robin Bush Hut
When in a new space, I have a ritual to open my heart and make home. I eat.
On the deck is a set of table and chairs where I unwrapped a snack and flipped open my journal. The sun shone and in the distance, wind turbines spun.
I sat there, tuning into my senses, watching a fern bob in the wind. The sound was different to our city apartment. There are the birds and the whisper of trees. And there is also a sort of large silence. Without the obstruction of objects, the wind moved freely above. It hummed and sank into me, a soothing balm.
As evening descended, the air twinkled with birdsong. Long Gully Station is adjacent to Zealandia, a wildlife eco-sanctuary where forty species of birds thrive. As they filled the forest around us, a gloom rolled in from afar.
I was surprised how quickly the weather moved. A sunny Wellington was now blanketed in cloud.
The rain came down and we sheltered in the kitchen. Our phones lay forgotten in the bedroom. Shaun cooked dinner, and I made use of the luxurious shower. Rain pattered on the roof, the sound of dreams.
Then the rain stopped and the most glorious sunset pierced through the clouds. At high elevation over the gully, I started to understand the power of the wind, how rapidly the conditions changed. The sun beamed straight into the hut and I entertained myself with my own shadows. In the distance, the sky burned, a dystopian view against the wind turbines.
Then the night filled with stars.
Serenaded by spirits at the Black Robin Bush Hut
During our stay, the weather cycled through every season.
This time of year is notorious for mercurial weather. Mist rolls in, followed by a clear blue sky. Then a rainstorm arrives, and once you’ve finished fumbling for an umbrella, it’s sunny again.
It’s not so unstable down in the city. But beyond the Wind Turbine at the Black Robin Bush Hut, we are where the weather is.
It is said during Samhain, the portal between worlds is thin. Upon these hills, I could sense it. A forlorn fog followed by sunshine, the world turned on and off around us, like we were oscillating between worlds. It was all rather unearthly as we made use of every condition.
During a moody afternoon, I foraged for flowers. Fog clung to the peaks, and I was struck again by the quietude… silence with real estate, mellowing my senses. The mist fed the soil and plants, deepening the green of everything.
The hut commands view of a large barren tree, rising above the rest. Against the grey, it filled with birds that looked like wraiths. The screech of the kākā rent the air, contrasted by the melodic song of the Tui.
We explored the lonely road, looked for ghost trees in the fog. And when the mist cleared, we found ourselves above glorious Wellington and the sea stretching in the far.
We returned home, intent on the outdoor bath. Dappled sunlight decorated the tub, enclosed by wet trees. It filled with hot water, and as soon as I sank in, the rain started again. Though I didn’t mind. Any weather was welcome.
I lit candles and sat and breathed, serenity sinking into my bones.
A review of our stay at the Black Robin Bush Hut
When we arrived at the Black Robin Bush Hut, Shaun and I were full of tension, in our heads and behind our eyes, in every nerve and muscle.
The setting of Long Gully Station permitted a gentle release. We appreciated the simplicity of the hut, the creativity and aroha of its build. Mental clutter withered away, replaced by blessed quiet.
My brain felt restored. It drank the silence like parched soil in the rain.
We delighted in the capricious weather, and although I am a sun creature, I loved the poetry of the mist, how it veiled the valley and erased the world. How vibrant the spring flowers seemed, how the bush swayed in the green, everything alive and gleaming all around.
Halloween is a celebration of the equinox, a festival for the turning of the seasons. High on the peaks, where the mana of the land shimmered, we celebrated.
Getting there – Brooklyn, Wellington
The Black Robin Bush Hut is a short 15-minute drive from the CBD. Bring a car that doesn’t mind a few bumps in the road, and take the singular path toward the Brooklyn Wind Turbine.
After that, your hosts will tell you what to do.
What to do in the area
The Black Robin Bush Hut is adjacent to Zealandia and Te Kopahou Reserve. If lounging around the hut isn’t enough, a path exists to take you into Zealandia. Ask your hosts and they will tell you the way.
Te Kopahou Reserve is incredibly scenic and carved with a range of walkways. It’s even equipped with its own haunted castle, what used to be Woofington’s Luxury Dog Stay.
On Hawkins Hill, you’ll find the white radar dome, the highest peak in the reserve. On a good day, you can see the peaks of the South Island across the ocean. Paired with unending views of Wellington below, it is one of the most scenic trails in Wellington.
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