Welcome to our latest newsletter about Mount Iron Recreation Reserve in Wānaka.

What’s the latest? 

Our community is now the proud owner and guardian of this cherished local landmark, so it’s time to plan for how we protect, maintain, and preserve public land on Mount Iron and Little Mount Iron.

Just to note we’ll be changing the name of the our webpage and newsletter to "Mount Iron Reserve Management Plan" in the upcoming August edition to reflect the next stage of the project.

We’re pleased to share we recently received endorsement from the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board and Full Council to proceed with developing a draft Reserve Management Plan (RMP) for Mount Iron Recreation Reserve. Our Parks & Reserves team is now working to set out what this RMP process will look like, including plenty of opportunities for the community to have a say on Mount Iron Reserve! 

In September and October 2023, we plan to reach out to groups, organisations, and interested members of the community across Wānaka and the Upper Clutha to hear what they love about Mount Iron, how they’d like to use the area in the future, and what they’re keen to protect. These early insights will help guide the development of a RMP and support a shared vision for how this iconic landscape can be enjoyed by all.

We’ll share more information about ways you can be involved in the coming months, including how to share your thoughts, and opportunities to join community and stakeholder workshops planned during this engagement period.  

As a reminder, no new developments will be allowed on the site until the community has had a chance to provide feedback on future use of Mount Iron Recreation Reserve through the RMP process.

Map of public trails on Mount Iron  

Who maintains existing public trails on the Mount Iron site? 

Currently all tracks and trails on Mount Iron are under Department of Conservation (DOC) management. They’re responsible for keeping these routes maintained. We are continuing investigations with DOC about the possibility of transferring the management of the DOC land (shaded dark green on map) to QLDC.