Bounce Box storage: Boyle Outdoor Education Centre

Food box storage at the Boyle Outdoor Education Centre

Boyle Village lies at the mid point between St Arnaud and Arthurs Pass on the Te Araroa Trail. At usual TA pace you have 6-7 days travel either way to get to trail head villages.

Calling the settlement at the end of the Boyle River a 'village' is a misnomer as the majority of homes there are un occupied. There are NO shops, stores or petrol stations. The closest actual resupply point from here is either Hanmer (50 km's south-east on SH 7), or Murchison (nearly 100 km's north west). 

What you do have is the the Boyle Outdoor Education Centre or BOEC.  

Boyle Outdoor Education Centre web page

 The BOEC offer a number of services to trampers including accommodation, showers, clothes washing, DOC hut tickets and a 'bounce box' storage facility. They are located directly opposite the carpark at the end of the St James Walkway. Send a box of food supplies to yourself and you can collect them on the way through. Storage costs $10 per box, the cost is payable on collection (cash only).

Entrance to the Boyle Outdoor Centre

You can contact them at ph: 64 03 315 7082 or at Boyle Outdoor Education Centre, Private Bag 55002, Orchard Road, Christchurch, 8154. I would ring or email them before you fire a box off.

Boyle Outdoor Education Centre (BOEC)

Their collection times are from 8am-11 and 1.30-6pm, there may be staff available at other times but it is not guaranteed. 

One of the volunteer warden huts at BOEC

I note that there are NO outgoing postal services from the BOEC, so this is for resupply only, not a traditional bounce box.

My car parked behind the centre

If you want a zero day off the trail I recommend Hanmer as it has a number of cafes, bars,  restaurants, great accommodation and a small supermarket. There are also the famous hot pools- the reason the town is there. The road is quite busy so hitching possibilities are better than normal.