A group of Kiwi families invented a dozen infants in order to fully book out a tramping hut.

But their plan was stymied by a Department of Conservation worker.

Volunteer warden Hedley Timbs was expecting a full house at the 26-bunk Waitawheta Hut in the Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park on January 30.

But by evening only 14 people had turned up to the Bay of Plenty tramping hut. Timbs soon checked their booking and worked out what had happened.

"They had booked in a dozen non-existent infants," Timbs told Wilderness Magazine.

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"They tried to tell me they had friends coming but their car had broken down. Then later they offered me food and wine – it was really embarrassing how they tried to dig themselves out of the hole."

Infants stay free at DOC tramping huts.

Timbs told Wilderness he was particularly annoyed because this stopped others from being able to use the hut.

"The problem with the online booking system is that people might want to go for a tramp, see the hut's full and think there's no point in going.



"Is the bush about to go the way of small beach communities? As baches have been replaced by 'holiday homes', will huts become 'private cabins'?"

Timbs had no authority to force payment, but reported the actions to his superiors in Tauranga, who are following up on the incident.