The latest information on Mount Iron Recreation Reserve in Wānaka.
Welcome to our latest newsletter about Mount Iron Recreation Reserve in Wānaka.
Have your say on the draft Mount Iron Reserve Management Plan this September
We’re pleased to share that we plan to release the draft Mount Iron Reserve Management Plan (RMP) for community feedback in late September. The draft plan has been guided by valuable community insights and feedback provided during early engagement in October and November 2023.
We are now in the formal part of the process, as set out in the Reserves Act 1977. The next step is for the draft RMP to be considered by the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board. Following this, it will go to Council on 19 September to provide approval for the plan to go out for public consultation.
If approved, the draft Mount Iron RMP will be open for public submissions from 23 September to 29 November 2024. People will also have the chance to speak to their submission at a public hearing in December.
Keep an eye on letstalk.qldc.govt.nz/mount-iron-recreation-reserve-management-plan for opportunities to have your say when engagement kicks off on 23 September. We'll be in touch with a reminder too!
Keeping count of trail users
A track counter was installed in May to help us understand how many people are using the Mount Iron Reserve. We now know around 300 people are using the lower trails every day, with the majority being walkers and around 70 of those trips being by bike. The counter was installed in a location (see map) that allows it to track those walking the Mount Iron Loop Track and those walking and cycling around the bottom of Mount Iron. The data is publicly available to view on the QLDC website here: Parks and Walkways - QLDC.
Planning for the risk of wildfire
While it might feel like we are in the depths of winter, it won’t be long until conditions get warmer and dryer, increasing the risk of wildfire. Mount Iron is a high-risk reserve and subject to a year-round total fire ban.
Thousands of people enjoy Mount Iron in summer and an uncontrolled wildfire presents a safety risk to those using the reserve. We've developed a reserve closure procedure when fire indices reach extreme levels. Closing the reserve during these times means all appropriate steps are being taken to reduce the risk to people.
You can find more information, including FAQs, on how we’re managing the wildfire risk on our website: Managing the risk of wildfire | Queenstown Lakes District Council (qldc.govt.nz)
Spotlight on pest control
Predator trapping
Wānaka Backyard Trapping now has three lines on the Mount Iron Reserve with the addition of the North Face line in July. The lines include traps which target mustelids, rats and possums and have been consistently capturing these predators with 10 rats and 2 possums being caught in July.
Thanks to this group for their ongoing predator control efforts to support a thriving biodiversity on Mount Iron.
Photo credit: Wānaka Backyard Trapping
Wilding pine working bees
Volunteers from the Upper Clutha Wilding Tree Group have had several visits to Mount Iron, felling the smaller wilding conifers on the Little Mount Iron side of the reserve. As the temperatures rise the group will focus on the face above the Sir Tim Wallis Drive roundabout. All trees removed are recorded and mapped (see image) and show a record of the trees felled by one of the volunteers on the most recent visit.
A big thank you to all volunteers involved in helping to control wilding spread.
Tidy up projects underway
The vegetation at the Rob Roy Lane accessway (near Allenby Park) has been tidied up to create a more accessible space and connect it to the wider reserve (check out the before and after pics). Further tidy up and planting is planned to enhance this area over time.
More work will be undertaken over the coming months. This will include removing old plant guards from the plantings near the SH84 carpark, smaller rocks from alongside the new shared pathway, and piles of old fencing near the woolshed.
New signs on Mount Iron
You may notice a few new signs popping up on Mount Iron later this month as we switch out Department of Conservation (DOC) signage with Council ones. This follows an agreement in May to transfer the day-to-day management of DOC land to QLDC, meaning all tracks and trails on Mount Iron and Little Mount Iron will now be maintained by Council.
Being responsible for the maintenance of these routes includes things like track upkeep, signage and safety notifications to the public. So, if you spot something that needs attention while out wandering the trails, let us know by using the Snap Send Solve app and QLDC can help ‘fix it’. For more options to submit a 'fix it' request, either online or by contacting our friendly customer services team, head to https://www.qldc.govt.nz/do-it-online/contact-us-fix-it/
Reminder: No bikes on summit track
A friendly reminder not to dig, prune, rake, or try to develop new trails up on Mount Iron, or to take your bike up there! It’s important the reserve remains as is until its future is agreed through the Reserve Management Plan. Biking is only allowed around the bottom of Mount Iron between Anderson Road and Old Racecourse Road.
Have a question or keen to find out more?
We’re happy to answer questions you may have about the Mount Iron Reserve Management Plan, and we’ve got an online Q&A portal available on our Let's Talk page. Check out the questions others have submitted and the answers, or ask your own question here. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can!
For more details on this project, head to Let's Talk or the QLDC webpage.
