Black Billy Hut is set on the same high country property as the famous Washpen Falls Walk. Also on the same property are Shepherd's Hut and The Mai Mai.
It is a 50-minute drive from Christchurch Airport, one hour from Christchurch City and 20 minutes from the Mt Hutt access road. It's perfectly positioned geographically for a stopover to or from Queenstown, Tekapo, West Coast and beyond.
Black Billy Hut is a gorgeously rustic and charming building, beautifully crafted with native timbers and natural materials. Three rooms, each with french doors opening onto a verandah, contain a kitchen, living and bedroom space. A deluxe bathroom is undercover and set 2 metres away from the bedroom.
The hut is private, remote and surrounded by nature. It's set 500 metres above sea level, on the snowline. Expansive views take in the lush native forest, farmland and Canterbury high country. The bird song is incredible - the air filled with the sound of bellbirds, woodpigeons, fantails and tomtits. At night, the stars are brilliant. Stargaze through the skylights as you lie in bed.
A stay at Black Billy is a chance to reset and reconnect with nature and the seasons. Soak away your worries in the cedar hot tub, enjoying the mountainous views as you float. Enjoy a stroll to the spring-fed stream a short distance from the hut. Sit on the bench seat in the bush overlooking a miniature waterfall. In winter, curl up by the fire with a good book - and if you're lucky, watch the snowflakes drift down around you.
FROM $395
590 Washpen Rd, Windwhistle 7572
Black Billy Hut is set on the same property as the famous Washpen Falls Walk.
It is a 50-minute drive from Christchurch Airport, one hour from Christchurch City and 20 minutes from the Mt Hutt access road. It is also perfectly positioned geographically for a stopover to or from Queenstown, Tekapo, West Coast and beyond. Follow the Google Maps directions to get the address.
You will receive a pre-arrival email with detailed arrival instructions and your host's contact details 5 days prior to your stay.
Note: If you have booked within 5 days and haven't received a pre-arrival email shortly after booking, please email us at [email protected].
The hut sleeps two people in a queen-size bed.
Full linen, towels and bedding are supplied. The sheets are high quality, 100% cotton. The duvet has a woollen inner, with a comforter and extra blankets supplied if needed.
The kitchen and dining area are located inside the hut. There is a gas oven, a gas hob and a Weber BBQ for cooking. There is a small gas fridge and cupboard space for dry food storage. All the pots, pans and utensils you'll need for cooking and eating are provided. A coffee plunger is available.
Some pantry basics are supplied - tea, coffee, small milk, salt, pepper and olive oil.
The hut has a stunning bathroom with a huge double copper shower and three showerheads. It also has a large built-in vanity, flushing toilet and a heated towel rail.
Towels are provided.
Yes, there is mains power to the hut, and devices can be charged inside.
Yes, there is mobile phone reception at the hut. Devices can be charged in the hut.
There is a Roaring Meg fire that heats the kitchen, dining and living area and a panel heater for the bedroom.
The covered verandah area has an outdoor heater.
The hut is very well insulated and the doors and windows are all double-glazed. Extra blankets are provided.
No there are no outdoor fires allowed at Washpen Falls - Black Billy Hut.
Washpen Falls - Black Billy Hut is open for stays during winter, but bear in mind that you're booking an off-grid escape - without the usual luxuries of a fully powered home. Glamping is still a form of camping!
The hut has warm bedding, a Roaring Meg burner and a panel heater, plus lots of other elements to make your stay cosy and atmospheric. If you book a stay in winter, bring your sense of adventure and brush up on your fire-lighting skills.
Black Billy at Washpen Falls is adults only accommodation. If you're looking for a safe and family friendly glamping site, check out some of our other Canopy Camping Escapes campsites that are super-safe and fun for kids. You can select 'child-friendly' in the search bar to find these sites easily.
Washpen Falls - Black Billy Hut has a 'no dog' policy.
If you're looking for dog-friendly glamping, check out some of our other Canopy Camping Escapes sites that welcome dogs - you can select the 'dog-friendly' filter in the search bar to easily find them.
You'll feel a million miles away from civilisation at Washpen Falls Black Billy Hut. It's 100% private and the only signs of life you'll see will be the resident wildlife.
There is a loose shingle driveway to the hut that has a short steep gradient. It is well signposted.
Please note, a 4WD vehicle is needed to access the hut, however, if you don't have a 4WD your hosts can lend you a Suzuki 4WD vehicle to get up and down the short steep hill to the hut. You'll receive more information about this option in the pre-arrival email that you'll receive 5 days prior to your stay.
Most of our stays are nature-based with components of outdoor living, and Washpen Falls - Black Billy Hut is no exception. Because of this, you may be exposed to various creatures and critters that you wouldn't usually find at your average hotel or motel.
Black Billy Hut is set on a working farm, with hazards both farm related (ie. machinery and animals) and natural (ie. Ongaonga/stinging nettle). You'll need to exercise caution, as there are specific water hazards, such as troughs and streams. For your own safety please do not touch any farm machinery, and do not enter any buildings on the property.
All Year Round:
There is a standard minimum stay period of 2 nights.
Single nights are only allowed where there is a one night gap between bookings. One night gaps between bookings will be made available to book online.
Public Holiday Weekends:
The minimum booking period for long weekends such as Labour Weekend, Anniversary Weekend, etc is 3 nights. The minimum booking period for Easter is 4 nights. There are sometimes longer minimum stay periods across Christmas and New Year and these will be specified in the online availability calendar.
Our minimum night policies are strictly adhered to. Please note that there are no exceptions to the policies for Washpen Falls - Black Billy Hut.
Our minimum night policies are strictly adhered to. Please note that there are no exceptions to the policies outlined below for Washpen Falls - Black Billy Hut.
All Year Round:
There is a standard minimum stay period of 2 nights.
Single nights are only allowed where there is a one night gap between bookings. One night gaps between bookings will be made available to book online.
Public Holiday Weekends:
The minimum booking period for long weekends such as Labour Weekend, Anniversary Weekend, etc is 3 nights. The minimum booking period for Easter is 4 nights. There are sometimes longer minimum stay periods across Christmas and New Year and these will be specified in the online availability calendar.
All Year Round:
The nightly rate for weekends (Friday/Saturday) is $425* for up to two people
The nightly rate for midweek (Sunday - Thursday) is $395* for up to two people.
*This rate applies for stays of two nights or more.
Single Night Stays:
Where single-night stays are available on the online booking calendar, a higher nightly rate applies. This is to reflect the additional servicing time/costs that single-night stays incur.
Give the gift of glamping! Gift Vouchers are available for use at any of our Canopy Camping Escapes glamping sites. These are provided in electronic format, for you to print out and pop in a greeting card for the lucky recipient. Read more about our gift vouchers, including how to purchase one, here.
1.1 Canopy Camping Limited (Canopy Camping Escapes, also referred to as we, our and us) has a curated collection of unique nature-based properties throughout New Zealand, independently owned and operated by individual owners of the properties (Hosts).
1.2 By making a booking through our website (here) (Website), you, as the person making the booking, agree to be bound by these terms and conditions (Booking Conditions).
1.3 Canopy Camping Escapes enters into these Booking Conditions as an agent for the Host. That means that you are making an agreement with the Host for the use of its property. Anything Canopy Camping Escapes does (including enforcing any of the Host’s rights), it does so as agent for the Host and is not a party to your agreement with the Host.
1.4 In these terms:
2.1 If you book within 28 Days of your check-in time, full payment via credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) is required at the time of booking. If you book more than 28 Days prior to your check-in time, a deposit of 10% is required to confirm your booking and secure the property. This will be charged to your credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) at the time of booking. A credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payment surcharge of up to 2.5% will be applied to all credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payments.
2.2 Bookings are considered confirmed once you have made your online booking and payment and we have sent an email to the address provided to us which confirms both the payment and your booking details. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact us as soon as possible. However, we (as agent for the Host) reserve the right to cancel any booking within 12 Days of the confirmation email where we discover that you, or any of your guests, has previously breached these Booking Conditions in relation to a previous booking. In that case, you will receive an email advising you that the booking has been declined, and the full amount paid by you at the time of booking will be refunded to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) you provided during the booking process.
2.3 If you book more than 28 Days prior to your check-in time, the remaining balance of your stay will be due 28 Days prior to your check in time. An email reminder will be sent to you at this time requesting payment for the outstanding balance. The reminder email gives you the option to pay the remaining balance by A2A (Internet Banking) or credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard). If your payment has not been received within 24 hours, the remaining balance will automatically be charged to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) used at the time of booking. Please note: a 2.5% credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payment surcharge is applied to all payments made by credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard). Credit/Debit Card data is held in a secure and encrypted environment.
2.4 If any amount is not paid when due, you will forfeit your deposit and your booking will be cancelled.
3.1 Your 10% deposit (or 10% of the value of your stay if you have paid in full) is non-refundable, however it can be transferred to another booking made within 12 months of the date of confirmation of your original booking, if you cancel your stay more than 21 Days prior to your check-in time.
3.2 Cancellation or date changes by you that are between 3 and 21 Days prior to your check-in time will result in 50% of the total cost of your stay being charged. Cancellation or date changes made 3 Days (72 hours) or less prior to your check-in time will result in 100% of the total cost of your stay being charged.
3.3 Date changes made more than 21 Days prior to your check-in time are allowed without forfeit of any amounts paid.
3.4 Force Majeure
You are entitled to a full refund if you need to cancel for the following reasons:
Road closure. If at 1pm on the day before your arrival, a road on your route to your accommodation is designated by Waka Kotahi as closed or for essential travel only, and there is no detour, or the detour adds more than two hours to your travel according to the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner.
Metservice RED Weather Warning. If at 1pm on the day before your arrival, the Metservice has issued a RED warning/forecast in either your home region or the region of your accommodation, for either the day of your arrival or departure.
Natural disasters in New Zealand. Natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other severe and abnormal natural events causing large scale disruption of essential services and/or transport, specifically impacting your travel to or from your accommodation.
4.1 Exceptional or unforeseen circumstance
Hosts reserve the right to cancel a booking at any time in the event of exceptional or unforeseen circumstances. This right will only be exercised in good faith and in exceptional circumstances such as:
(a) Any alteration to the property or its surroundings which may pose a safety risk for the guest.
(b) Unexpected damage or destruction at the property.
(c) A death in the Host family.
(d) Our relationship with the Host ends for any other reason.
In the unlikely event a Host cancels under this clause, the guest may elect to receive a full refund or to credit the booking to another available date or Escape. The Host’s liability will be limited to the refund of amounts paid for any part of your stay that is cancelled.
4.2 Cancellation for breach
Hosts may terminate a booking at any time if they, or we, reasonably believe that there is, or has been, a breach of these Booking Conditions by you or any guest or visitor. Where a Host cancels under this clause, all amounts paid are forfeited and, where such termination occurs during the rental period, you and all guests and visitors must immediately leave the property.
5.1 Accommodation is often situated on working farms and there are hazards both natural and man-made. You accept that you, and any guests or visitors, enter the property at your own risk.
5.2 Participation by you and any guests or visitors in activities, such as, outdoor baths, climbing trees, walking on the property and any other activity on the property, is done so at your and their own risk.
5.3 To the extent permitted by law, neither we nor the Host accept any liability for accident, loss of property or personal injury during your stay.
No pets are allowed unless otherwise specified on the Website listing. Most accommodation is situated on working farms and therefore are not suitable for visiting pets.
Hunting or motorcycles are not permitted on the properties.
GST of 15% (where the accommodation is GST-registered) is included in the daily per night cost. A tax receipt will be supplied by Canopy Camping Escapes if requested.
8.1 Guests have a licence to occupy the Property for the paid holiday period only. You are responsible for ensuring that you and they arrive no earlier than the check-in date, and leave no later than the check-out time, specified on the Website.
8.2 You are required to, and must ensure that all guests and any approved day visitors, observe the rules and procedures in relation to the property:
8.3 You must, and must ensure that all guests and any approved visitors, take all reasonable and proper care of the property and its furniture, fittings and effects and leave them in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period. Where the property has not been left in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period, you will be required to pay an additional cleaning cost of $100 which may be charged to the credit or debit card used at the time of booking.
8.4 You are required to inform Canopy Camping Escapes of any damage or breakage occurring during the rental period in or around the property promptly so that it can be repaired and replaced for the next booking. You must reimburse the Host for the reasonable costs of replacement or repair of any damage caused by you or any guests or visitors and such costs may be charged to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) used at the time of booking.
8.5 You must ensure that any access information in relation to a property (including any access codes, location of keys, etc) is kept confidential and not disclosed to any person.
8.6 Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the properties.
8.7 The Host may access the property during the rental period to the extent reasonably necessary to undertake repairs or replacement or where we or the Host have reason to believe these Booking Terms are not being complied with.
8.8 The number of guests staying at the Escape overnight must be the same as the number of guests included in the booking. Any day visitors must be approved by the Host prior to your stay. No overnight visitors are permitted.
8.9 You and all guests and any approved day visitors must behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner with due respect to the Host, the Property, other guests and neighbouring properties and neighbours, and Canopy Camping Escapes’ staff and representatives.
If you encounter any issues or problems during your stay, you must first contact the Host to try to resolve the issue. The Host should be given the opportunity to address and fix the problem before any further steps are taken.
If you decide to leave the accommodation early due to an issue without first contacting the Host to resolve it, you will not be entitled to compensation. Essentially, if you don’t give the Host a chance to fix the problem, you cannot expect financial reimbursement for leaving early.
If you have a complaint that you'd like to alert Canopy Camping Escapes about after your stay, please contact us promptly at [email protected] with details of the complaint. As an agent, we will be the initial contact between you and the Host but may need to put you in direct contact to resolve any issues.
To the extent permitted by law, as agent for the Hosts, we have no liability, to you or any other person, in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise:
Your rights are against the Host, not Canopy Camping Escapes.
If, for any reason, Canopy Camping Escapes has any liability to you under or in relation to these Booking Terms or your stay, to the extent permitted by law, our liability is limited to the 20% of the amount paid by you in relation to the relevant booking.
Any liability the Host has to you under or in relation to these Booking Conditions or your stay is, to the extent permitted by law, limited to refund of amounts paid by you for the relevant booking and shall not extend to any other costs or loss incurred by you or any guest or other person.
Gift vouchers expire if not redeemed within 2 years of purchase. If a booking paid for using a gift voucher is cancelled, any refund will be by way of a gift voucher with the same expiry date as the original gift voucher. Gift vouchers are not refundable or redeemable for cash and cannot be transferred or on-sold.
These Booking Conditions are governed by New Zealand law and the New Zealand courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
We may amend these Booking Conditions at any time. Any changes shall apply to bookings made from the date of such changes. You are responsible for familiarising yourself with these Booking Conditions each time you make a booking.
Black Billy Hut is self-catering. Just bring your own food and cook meals using the equipment provided in the cabin kitchen. You'll find cutlery, crockery, pots and pans, and utensils.
It's a good idea to stock up on groceries before you leave home, although both Darfield and Methven (20 - 25 minutes away) do have small supermarkets.
If you want a break from cooking at any stage, you are spoilt for choice with a variety of dining options in Methven.
Black Billy Hut is the ultimate get-away-from-it-all escape. You might decide not to leave the hut at all during your stay. With a 2-person cedar hot tub, wildlife, starry skies and a beautiful hut to cosy up in - you can just relax and rejuvenate in nature.
The Washpen Falls Adventure Walk on the property is a 2-hour loop track offering majestic scenery. You’ll go through lush native bush to a volcanic canyon reserve, experience picturesque views across the Canterbury Plains and see sparkling spring-fed creeks and stunning waterfalls.
The hut is well situated to explore all the local region has to offer. Windwhistle is the gateway to the Lake Coleridge Back Country with numerous lakes, walkways, hunting and fishing, horse trekking, scenic drives, heliskiing, mountain biking, jet boating on the famous Rakaia River or playing golf at one of the popular local courses.
Keen skiers will love the fact that the Mt Hutt Ski Field is just a 20-minute drive to the access road from the hut. A number of other ski fields are also in the region including Mt Olympus, Craigburn, Temple Basin, Porter Heights, Mt Cheeseman and Broken River.
You may also want to check out the Opuke Thermal Pools & Spa in Methven. Surrounded by mountains, fed by the rivers and powered by the sun, this is your latest wellness destination.
It was an amazing experience. From the excellent facilities to the spotless cleanliness of the hut. The owners were incredibly helpful throughout our stay. I would highly recommend this place to friends and family.
"Chance Pere - 13 May 2025
1 / 12
Our four-night stay at the Black Billy Hut was everything we had hoped it would be and more. The well-thought-out decor, the serene setting, and the overall cosy vibe were perfect for an extra-long weekend getaway. Five stars.
"Lauren Westbrooke - 22 Apr 2025
2 / 12
We had a lovely two-night getaway. Autumn was the perfect time to go, as the trees were changing colour and it was cool enough to make use of the outdoor bath and fireplace. Cosy, romantic, and away from the hustle.
"Hannah - 16 Apr 2025
3 / 12
We enjoyed everything about staying at Black Billy Hut. Charming accommodation, secluded setting, had everything we needed, immersed in nature, the birds, the sound of water, the hot tub. Everything was perfect.
"Debbie Nobre - 29 Mar 2025
4 / 12
Unbelievable experience; a night away felt like days. The outdoor bath was stunning, with the mist rolling in and the bird chorus playing. It was truly a unique experience. I could not have planned a more memorable night away.
"Justin Ives - 28 Mar 2025
5 / 12
A great place to escape it all. Completely cut off and private. You can sit and listen to the bird song all day long.
"Andrew Farrow - 25 Mar 2025
6 / 12
This place is a definite "must stay." Beautiful setting, tranquil, well-maintained hut – loved it! Best stay ever.
"Paula Bishop - 07 Mar 2025
7 / 12
Awesome place, loved our stay!
"Max Linklater - 26 Feb 2025
8 / 12
A little slice of paradise completely away from anyone! It was an amazing two days of doing nothing.
"Steffan James - 29 Jan 2025
9 / 12
I cannot rate this place highly enough. Such a beautiful, tranquil place with the birds and the water sounds. It was incredible. Can't wait to go back. Just paradise.
"Kathryn Flood - 20 Jan 2025
10 / 12
Beautiful scenery, secluded location and comfortable cabin.
"Colin Grealy - 10 Jan 2025
11 / 12
A special slice of paradise where nothing else matters! Truly spectacular. We will absolutely be back!
"Laura Jesson - 09 Jan 2025
12 / 12
Beautiful tents surrounded by nature, quirky cabins with packets of personality and secret hideaways that offer something completely unique... Explore the other places in our collection.
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