The latest information on Mount Iron Recreation Reserve in Wānaka.
Welcome to our eleventh newsletter about Mount Iron Recreation Reserve in Wānaka.
What’s the latest?
It’s time for you to have your say! Share your ideas, both big and small, for how you’d like to use, enjoy and manage Mount Iron Recreation Reserve now and for generations to come.
Our Parks team are looking for your insights to help guide the development of a Reserve Management Plan for our newest community reserve in the heart of Wānaka and the Upper Clutha.
It’s important we hear from all the different groups across the community about what you love about Mount Iron and Little Mount Iron, what you want to see made available on the site now and in the future and what you want protected or maintained.
Be part of the conversation!
The Parks team will be out and about over the coming weeks to chat about all things Mount Iron. There are plenty of opportunities to be involved.
Share you feedback online, take part in a community workshop, or visit us at our upcoming engagement pop up on the Mount Iron track to share your thoughts!
Share your ideas online
We’ve launched a Let’s Talk page for feedback on Mount Iron Recreation Reserve which you can find at letstalk.qldc.govt.nz. Take the opportunity to input ideas for your newest community reserve by dropping pins on our interactive map and adding comments. Feedback closes at 5.00pm on Monday 20 November 2023.
Join a community workshop
We’re holding two community workshops to explore what participants value about Mount Iron Recreation Reserve and ideas for how the local community would like the reserve used and managed now and for generations to come.
Community workshop #1
When: Monday 30 October at 6:00pm – 7.30pm
Where: Armstrong Room, Lake Wānaka Centre
Register your interest on the QLDC Facebook event here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2570285276479841/2570315913143444/
Community workshop #2
When: Tuesday 7 November at 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Where: Armstrong Room, Lake Wānaka Centre
Register your interest on the QLDC Facebook event here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2570285276479841/2570315306476838/
Join a stakeholder workshop
Is Mount Iron or Little Mount Iron particularly important to you? Do you belong to an association, club, group or trust involved with organised activity on or near the reserve?
We’re holding two workshops to discuss Mount Iron Recreation Reserve and how we can support local stakeholder interests in the area. If you’d like to take part in these workshops, please email Christine Skipworth at christine.skipworth@qldc.govt.nz with your group details and the date you’re interested in attending. We’ll then contact you with an invitation and confirm your attendance.
When: Monday 30 October at 12:00pm –1:30pm OR
Tuesday 7 November at 6:00pm – 7:30pm.
Where: Armstrong Room, Lake Wānaka Centre
Join an onsite drop in session
Our Parks team will be on the Mount Iron Reserve track and keen to chat with those enjoying the outdoors, maybe before they get stuck into tackling the tracks! Drop by to share ideas or feedback on your morning walk!
When: Saturday 4 November anytime between 9:00am – 11:00am
Where: Mount Iron track entrance near Allenby car park, Wānaka
Register your interest on the QLDC Facebook event here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/311270061651504/
Mount Iron Recreation Reserve Map
Please see the newly acquired QLDC Mount Iron Recreation Reserve land shaded in light green. We would also welcome ideas and comments on the Department of Conservation (DOC) land shaded in dark green.
What’s the latest on the partnership with the Department of Conservation?
Council is commencing a management agreement with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to manage the area in partnership until it is vested to Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) as a recreation reserve. When the DOC land is vested to QLDC, the Reserve Management Plan policies that we developed will apply.
Little Mount Iron trail update
The Upper Clutha Tracks Trust is currently marking out a walking route on an existing but old track on Little Mount Iron, and once complete, the trail will connect Albert Town from Racecourse Road through to Wānaka at Hidden Hills.
The markings are a temporary measure before we develop a draft RMP for the area, as they will help ensure users stay on the right path and get through bluffed and bushy sections safely.
Council is organising signage for the new trail so please don't lace up those hiking shoes just yet! We ask that you please hold off on using this track until the signage is in place. We’ll update the community once the track is ready to explore.
Have question or keen to find out more?
We welcome your questions on our Let's Talk page, please submit them here and have the answers published for all to see.
If you can’t make it along for a community event and are keen to chat to the project team, you are welcome to contact us at letstalk@qldc.govt.nz
Otherwise for all the project details head to letstalk.qldc.govt.nz or the QLDC webpage https://www.qldc.govt.nz/your-council/major-projects/mount-iron-reserve-management-plan
