Camp-site shortage for Mackenzie seen

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33942, 8 September 1975, Page 11

Camp-site shortage for Mackenzie seen

(From Our Own Kepov (<r/ GERALDINE. There is likely to be an accommodation problem for campers and caravan owners in the Mount Cook. Hermitage, and Lake Pukaki areas of the upper Mackenzie after January 31 next year.

But in view of the Mackenzie County Council this could be overcome, in the meantime, if the Ministry of Works developed the proposed motor camp at Lake Ruataniwha to a capacity of 100 camp sites instead of proceeding with only 28 sites as planned at present.

The Mount Cook National Park Board has announced that it will not cater in the future for campers other than climbers in the park, and the Ministry of Works has now made it clear to the county council that the occupants of the present camping grounds at Lake Pukaki will have to leave the area by January 31 next year.

The present occupants of the Lake Pukaki camp have no title to the camp area and therefore will not qualify for compensation, said Mr Max Smith, the project engineer at Twizel. “I acccept it as a moral obligation that we replace the facilities provided at the Lake Pukaki camp,” said Mr Smith.

For a camp site the ministry has chosen an area on the fringes of the proposed Lake Ruataniwha, which will be created by building a dam across the Ohau River valley.

: The full potential of the site will not be available until the lake is formed and the other recreational facI ilities come into use, said IMr Smith. But he is sure [that eventually the area will ibe attractive. In addition it is handy to Twizel for service facilities. The plan is now being prepared which shows the general layout, said Mr Smith. Ultimately there is provision for 100 caravans [and some tent camping. There are four ablution blocks and a caretakers house, a shop, office, garage and hall.

ei At this stage, however, it Jis planned to build one abluJtion block and prepare sites J [for 28 caravans. He did not ' expect any of the other ’ main buildings to be provided until the rundown of ‘ Twizel. . I The county chairman (Mr ’ M. G. H. Murray) said after a recent visit to Twizel he K had told the councillors that e |he expected Twizel to rer main a town of 1000 to 2000 5 people when the present 8 [ construction work was com->-[pleted. This would be in ad--11 idition to a high-class toursjist village with hotel and e motel sites at Lake Pukaki. J Mr Murray said that the (proposed camp site was a [most attractive one and (when Lake Ruataniwha was [finished it would be right ’beside a national rowing course and with excellent [facilities for boating and [sailing. SITES INADEQUATE i However, in view of the closing of the Lake Pukaki camp as well as the facilities in the Mount Cook j | National Park he felt that .jithe provision of 28 caravan .sites would be quite inadequate. e “It is already almost irn- .[ possible for visitors to obtain camping accommodation e |in the upper Mackenzie,” he 3 said. Councillors also expressed 1 concern about the likely pol--3 lution to the lakes if "septic . tanks were installed. They f said that as the camp would 1 accommodate up to 400 ) people sewerage should be I pumped «to an oxidation pond away from the lake s shore. » Mr -Murray said that the had set a high stanildard throughout the county i and it would be a pity if the - installation of septic tanks now caused a pollution s problem later. 1 The council was endeavouring to overcome prob- . lems at Lake Tekapo by ar- >- ranging to pump sewerage bat considerable cost from j I the motor camp to oxidation t ponds so that septic tanks e !could be eliminated. [ Councillors felt that it [was obvious that there was going to be inadequate pro- . I vision for campers in the !l I Mackenzie in the coming 31 year. It was agreed that a hi sub-committee of the chairelman and the county clerk (Mr B. J. Dwyer) and Cr D ’ W. Moys should have fu> a |ther discussions with t ’project engineer at Twize'