The North Canterbury Alpine Trust Inc. (N.C.A.T) was formed in 1973 as a non-profit organisation. It's aim was to provide a mountain hut for the youth of North Canterbury.

A group of volunteers from the communities of Belfast, Kaiapoi and Rangiora led by their Rotary Clubs, combined with volunteers from the Rangiora and Kaiapoi High Schools to make the vision a reality.

They set up the North Canterbury Alpine Trust to plan, lobby, raise funds, and find a suitable site for the Lodge. On September 23rd 1978, after much hard work and hundreds of work hours, the centre was opened for groups.

Since then the building has been expanded and has undergone major renovations. Electricity arrived, as did a phone line and the old diesel generator shed now has bunkrooms in it!

"The Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre is the longest ongoing project undertaken by Rotary," says trustee Arthur Sutherland. "It is the result of the work of a lot of people beginning with the visionary Colin East who approached the foundation principal of Kaiapoi High School, Ernie French with his idea of a mountain hut."  Trust records show that Colin and Ernie served as trustees for a considerable period of time.

Over the years the trust has been supported by groups such as the Community Trust, the Lotteries Board, the Keith Laugesen Trust, the R.J. McKenzie Trust, the Canterbury Community Organisation Grant Scheme, Macpac, Belfast, Rangiora and Kaiapoi Rotary club members, and the Rangiora and Kaiapoi parent teacher associations.

Originally built for the pupils of the North Canterbury schools, the centre is now regularly used by Christchurch schools such as Rangi Ruru, Villa Maria, St Margaret’s College, Avonside Girls High, Marian College, Hillmorton High, and Roncalli College from Timaru. It also serves schools on the West Coast, Nelson and Marlborough regions. Occasionally students even travel up from Wanaka and Haast!

Community groups, social clubs, sports clubs and work groups also use the centre for team building, recreation and social activities. Lots of organisations, including some corporate groups, see the Boyle as the ideal place to stage seminars and training.

The Boyle also runs activities and courses away from the Lodge such as rafting and kayaking. It caters for education, training, leisure and recreation, people of all ages and experience, and people with disability.