NEW SCENIC ROAD PROPOSED

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26726, 9 May 1952, Page 7

NEW SCENIC ROAD PROPOSED

MOUNT NGAURUHOE TO MOUNT RUAPEHU "The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, May 7. The Tongariro National Park Board is supporting plans for the North Island’s newest projected scenic drive, which may run between Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu, and link the Desert road and the National Park-Tokaanu State Highway. The board has commended the route to the Ministry of Works. Now it is planning to assist the department on a survey. Arising from consideration of a comprehensive roading scheme designed to give better access to the mountain region from west and south, the board is asking that a 25-mile highway be made through the centre of the 160.000acre Tongariro National Park. It would take motorists 5000 feet up on the eastern side of Mount Ruapehu, then into the Tama Lake area (where a fork would run left to the Chateau Tongariro), into the Mangatepopo Valiev at the foot of Mount Ngauruhoe, to Ketatahi Springs (4800 ft on the side of Mount Tongariro, and then on to the Tokaanu road. The board considers that the proposition has much merit, and would present no great engineering difficulty. It feels that Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Tongariro possibly present more interest to the average New Zealand tourist than Mount Ruapehu, and that at present access to these mountains is Inadequate. The greatest advantage to be derived from sucn a route would be the direct access it would give visitors from the Wellington, .Manawatu, and Rangitikei district*.