DOC outlines its “tourism sector” projects
The Department of Conservation’s current “tourism sector” works were outlined at this month’s Golden Bay Promotions meeting by DOC’s Golden Bay area manager, John Mason.
Recent projects include improvements at Totaranui, trackworks, two hut replacements, provision for mountain-biking and an upgrade at Te Waikoropupu Springs.
Visitor numbers at Totaranui had been slightly down over the first part of the last summer, but picked up in March and April of this year, said Mr Mason.
“We’ve just drawn the Totaranui ballot for the coming summer holidays, and this year there were 689 envelopes in the ballot compared to 707 the year before, so it seems the level of interest is roughly the same and will probably be oversubscribed.”
He said DOC had plans to build three new ablution blocks at Totaranui in time for summer, but in practicality that was now more likely to happen during the autumn in 2012.
Mr Mason described the Heaphy Track mountain-biking trial that began on 1 May as starting successfully despite some heavy bouts of wet weather since.
“So far over 1500 mountain bikers have ridden the track and there have been very few complaints from other users. There’s been some damage to the track on the western side due to the increased use in wet weather, but bike groups and associated businesses have now contributed $10,000 to assist with the repairs, which we are very grateful for. Businesses in Golden Bay and particularly Karamea have benefited from the increased visitor numbers in the winter months.”
DOC has drawn up concept plans for the replacement of Perry Saddle and Heaphy Huts. Both existing huts are very cramped when operating at maximum capacity. The replacement huts will have a greater living area. Construction of the new Perry Saddle Hut should begin after Christmas. It will be built on the site of the existing campground and the old hut will remain open for use while the new one is constructed.
The Brown River changed its course during the Christmas floods and now endangers the Brown Hut. A large chunk of the bank has been washed away and the hut now sits only a few metres from the water.
“We have been working with MWH [consultants Montgomery Watson Harza] and TDC to get consent to carry out some work to reroute the river channel and hopefully save the hut. That work should be carried out shortly.” Mr Mason said that DOC was also discussing possible options for bridging the three fords with TDC and was hopeful of eventually providing some form of all-weather crossing.
The track to Shakespeare Flat has also been cleared of windfalls and reopened. “There are still a number of slips across the track that need to be traversed but most people should be able to get across these OK.”
A new viewing platform has been constructed at Rawhiti Cave. A safe, all-weather path takes visitors into the cave and gives them a good view of its interior. People will be encouraged to stay on the formed path to give the trampled cave vegetation an opportunity to recover.
At Paynes Ford, the car park has been regravelled and a new toilet is planned for the far end of the climbing area.
DOC is also considering ideas for an upgrade to the visitor facilities at Te Waikoropupu Springs, said Mr Mason.
“It has the highest visitor numbers of any site managed by the department in Golden Bay, with 81,000 visitors recorded last year. The ideas being considered include alterations to the car park to improve traffic flow and parking, a new track entrance and interpretation (possibly at the site of the current toilet), alterations to the track to make it wheelchair-accessible, and a new viewing platform. Any work is conditional on a successful bid for funding. Another funding-dependent project would be replacing the visitor information at the main entranceways into Abel Tasman National Park, which would include both land- and sea-based access points.”
Gerard Hindmarsh
