ARTHUR’S PASS PARK

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28897, 18 May 1959, Page 5

ARTHUR’S PASS PARK

Improvements Planned

The improvement of tracks in the township area to tourist standard is proposed this year by the Arthur’s Pass National Park Board, the chairman (Mr T. W. Preston) said in his annual report. Other work proposed, he said, was the repair of the Hawdon hut, replacement of the old road bridge over Avalanche creek with a footbridge and sowing of approaches down in grass, intensified noxious weed control, planning and landscaping of the museum site, the completion, including bridging, of the Bridal Veil track, improvement and extension of camping ground facilities, improvement of rubbish disposal in outlying huts, the recutting of the Kelly creek track, and the erection of a workshopgarage on the assistant ranger’s section.

Preparatory work had been carried out at the Range creek camping area, Mr Preston reported. , As at March 31, the board had a balance of £5036 16s lOd. Expenditure on capital works was £4429. The assets were £22,888. or £18,259 above liabilities. The main revenue was grants of £6946 from the Lands and Survey Department and donations of £1773.

Suggestions by the secretary (Mr D. C. Morse) and senior ranger (Mr J. H. Sullivan) on a five-year development plan, involving a capital outlay of £6OOO, were discussed. Excluded from the sum was £5OOO for the purchase of private land in Otira Valley. Proposals were to spend £4OO on the camping ground at Rough creek, £l5OO on the raising to tourist standard of the Punchbowl, Blimit and Bealey tracks and a new trampers’ track to Crow hut, and development of tracks, £750 for new 12-bunk huts at Hawdon Forks, CaseyPoulter junction and Lake Minchin; £lOOO for public shelters, and £l5OO on development of tracks. Works approved for which specialised assistance was required were development of the museum (£1000) and workshop (£1000). For the second stage of the museum, the setting aside of £4OOO was also approved.