Brian Dobbie: New Zealand Hut Hero
by Sam Demas
(Note: this is part of the larger work New Zealand Huts: Notes towards a Country Study)
Few have visited as many NZ huts, and even fewer know as much about the DoC hut system as Brian. Working in the Recreations and Historic Unit, he is part of the team of DoC staff planning and managing the hut
Brian Dobbie, courtesy Brian Dobbie
system at the national level. Since 1987 Brian has contributed greatly to shaping the development and operation of the world’s largest hut system. His perspective encompasses a broad understanding of the genesis and infrastructure of the system as a whole, the attendant policy and budget issues, how huts fit into tourism and Kiwi culture, and a deep knowledge of the nitty-gritty of hut operations. He seems to have been involved in every major controversy and policy decision related to DoC huts, wrote or helped to write the foundational operating documents and procedures, and helped figure out how best to respond to an endless series of budget cuts — and the occasional significant boost in funding — over the years. And he loves huts: as of early 2018 he had visited 770 of the roughly 962 huts in the DoC hut system.