Land Access and Rainbow Road

[loosenut]

I am a new member and have been glancing at various articles on access for four wheel drivers and hunters etc. While my particular subject is possibly a hunters forum article, access, whether by foot or vehicle is the issue and in this case both modes of transport were effected.
If someone has a clear understanding of access through the Rainbow Road, it would be good to here, I've heard mixed stories about this route, one being that it is a paper road; that Rainbow Station, while maintaining locked gates does not reserve the right to restrict vehicle access through here and so on. Who should I believe? I have been through this road when it was open to the public about five years ago.
This leads to my main article. During that trip my wife and I and companions stopped at Connors Creek hut, about five minutes from the northern most locked gate. After reading the hut booked, and began formulating a plan to bring a hunting companion in for a chamois hunt. He was keen so I rang Rainbow Station to organise access to this hut. The manager, apparently new to the job (I believe Rainbow Station to be leased to Lone Star farms), was a little unsure about the access side of things but was none the less approachable, at least to start with. I say this because after a brief, amicable chat he asked what we would be intending to do. My response was walk up the valley from the hut to the base of Mt. Chittenden (forgive me if I'm wrong about this spot) and hunt for chamois, however in my naivity I also with honesty said that we would look around for a deer as well. At that point his attitude became very cool and his response was that they wanted the deer left for the workers to hunt and would not be particularly keen on our presence. It was not calving time which is one time access can be restricted.
Now the area to be hunted is not leased by the station, It is very much part of Nelson Lakes National Park. When I first approached DOC staff at St Arnaud about this, I was told that the manager could do what he liked. When I raised this question again a while later at the same office but with a different officer, I was told that while he may restrict access during such times as calving, they have no jurisdiction over what goes on in areas not leased by the station.
Sounds too much like a "landowner" preserving an asset for their own use that is well outside of their rights.
I have heard of people having issues with access through this road for school groups and the like.
Anyone else had issues here? Would be interesting to hear other views or incidents, as well as peoples understanding of the status of the route.

[lneil]

The actual owner is an american guy here in Nelson, and he is an extremely nice, approachable and helpful chap. He leaves the station management to the on-site station manger, but if you arrange a DOC permit for their land there are usually no problems in getting access, with the key obtained from the top homestead. I've been in there hunting a couple of times, with no trouble whatsoever. I've also been through there on group drives with no challenges.

I think you may have just got him on a bad day?