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$10,000 grant unlocks $345,000 for Golden Bay trail
A small seed grant made a big difference for the Golden Bay Cycle and Walkways Society, helping them tell their story compellingly enough to attract substantial further investment in a new community trail. It’s a great example of how modest early support for community groups can open much larger doors.
Great Taste Trail route sparks public access debate
A storm-damaged section of the Great Taste Trail in the Nelson-Tasman region has put public access firmly in the news. An unformed legal road has been proposed as the new route — but the proposal has raised concerns among farmers whose land it adjoins. The commission’s regional advisor, Ange van der Laan, has acknowledged that landowners adjoining paper roads generally provide “excellent” maintenance of the land and benefit from its unchallenged and free use. “Neither of these confers a right of occupation or ownership.”
Fourteen years on: Teme River dispute still unresolved
One of the commission’s longest-running access disputes involves an unformed legal road alongside the Teme River in Marlborough, where trampers, hunters and fishers have been shut out of the Ferny Gair conservation area for over a decade — despite a marginal strip and unformed legal road providing a legal route. The Post’s investigation into this case is a powerful illustration of why the commission’s work matters.
Read the story at The Post (paywall)
Waitatari/Harts Creek Track reopens near Leeston
The Waitatari/Harts Creek Track near Leeston has reopened, with access secured through a variable-width esplanade and two easements under the Walking Access Act — made possible with Enhanced Access Grant funding from the commission. It’s a tidy outcome that shows how the right tools and funding can bring a community track back to life.
Hunter's champion recognised with national access award
Nelson hunter Richard Wells, who has spent years advocating for hunters’ access to the outdoors, received an Outdoor Access Champion Award from the commission. The award recognises Well’s disciplined, strategic approach to access advocacy that has made a real difference for hunters across the country.
Anglers' Access Fund opens Whakapapa River access
Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game has pioneered a novel approach to access, using its Anglers’ Access Fund to purchase land and secure legal access to the Whakapapa River via Stone Jug Road. To support this project, the Outdoor Access Commission granted $8800 to the Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game Council for survey work to legalise the existing informal access from Stone Jug Road to and along the Whakapapa River.
Rock climbing access: our maps can help
Access for rock climbers is a growing area of interest, and the commission’s public access maps can help climbers find legal routes and connect with the right people to work through any issues. If climbing access is on your radar, this is worth a look.
Celebrate Matariki in the outdoors
Matariki, the Māori New Year, returns with the public holiday on Friday 10 July. Matariki’s themes — remembering those we’ve lost, celebrating the present, and looking ahead — are intertwined with the public’s free and legal right to get outdoors and reconnect with the natural world. Check out some of our tips for marking the occasion on public land.
Te Araroa Trust takes next step as an independent organisation
After six years of working closely together under a memorandum of understanding, the Outdoor Access Commission and Te Araroa Trust are beginning a new chapter in their relationship.
Chocolate fish for Richard Murcott
CE Dan Wildy recently sent a well-earned chocolate fish to Richard Murcott, who worked diligently with LINZ to digitise public access to Lowes Bush Scenic Reserve — allowing the commission to make it visible on its digital maps and share it with everyone. A small but meaningful win for public access visibility.
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