A volunteer group "as fit as buck rats'' has been recognised for its work maintaining back-country walking tracks in Dunedin.
The Green Hut Track Group won the Outdoor Access Champion Award in Dunedin on September 12.
Group co-ordinator Graeme Elliot, of Dunedin, said he joined the group about eight years ago.
Every week, about 10 group members cleared a section of one of about 40 Department of Conservation and Dunedin City Council tracks.
The group had a pool of about 30 members, he said.
The group met at 8.30am in Kaikorai on a Wednesday and car pooled in vehicles packed with handsaws, hedge sears, grubbers, scrub cutters and spades for a day's work.
Each year, the group worked for more than 2500 hours maintaining more than 100km of remote tracks on the western side of State Highway 1.
The members' ages ranged between mid-20s and early 80s.
Most members were aged in their 70s and were "as fit as buck rats'', he said.
About 90% of the group were retired and the work helped them keep fit.
"If you want to last a bit longer you've got to keep fit ... it's a good physical workout, provides social interaction, as well as a good walk.''
The group was founded by the late George Sutherland more than 20 years ago.
Doc nominated the group for the annual award, organised by the New Zealand Walking Access Commission.
The group was always seeking new members. Anyone interested could contact Volunteering Otago.
SHAWN.MCAVINUE @thestar.co.nz
