Lands and Survey walkways

Press, 15 June 1978, Page 26

Lands and Survey walkways

The beauties of the West Coast can be appreciated on several levels. The country can be driven through, flown over and walked through. The last method of travel offers the deepest satisfaction, but in many cases, because of the roughness of the terrain and the sketchy nature of tracks, large areas of scenicallyattractive land are beyond the scope of the amateur walker. The formation of the New Zealand Walkways Commission in 1975 was seen as a national move to remedy this situation, to “establish a walkway network in New Zealand to cater for all types of users.” The initial impetus came from the climbing and tramping fraternity and the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand. Since then, the local administration of the improved and newly-formed walkways has been handled by 12 district walkway committees, with the Commissioner of Crown Lands in each area acting as chairman, under the general auspices of the Lands and Survey Department

The Commissioner of Crown Lands in Hokitika, Mr Colin Christie, and his Lands and Survey Department staff, are enthusiastically working towards the establishment of high-stan-dard walking tracks on the Coast, that cater for older walkers and family parties. Mr Christie points out that users of rugged mountain country are already provided for. The valleys they use have had rough tracks up them since the gold-prospecting days. “The Coast is well endowed with hunting and tramping tracks,” he says, “and we consider it our job to concentrate on the shorter walks, that can be traversed comfortably in walking shoes.” In March of this year, the West Coast Walkways Committee opened the beautiful Mahinapuha Track, 5.5 km of easy walking through lowland bush, lakeland and forest, which starts on State highway 6,14 km from Hokitika, and finishes at Mananui on the Ruatapu Road 9km south of Hokitika. The walk is well

sign-posted and takes two hours. A short side-track leads down to the shores of Lake Mahinapuha at Picnic Point, giving incomparable views of bush and water. Another track that is currently being constructed is the Point Elizabeth Track, a coastal walk between Cobden and Rapahoe. Twelve kilometres long and an average 150 m above the sea, it is in damper country than the Mahinapua Track, and the muddier sections will need to be improved. It is hoped to open the Point Elizabeth Track towards the end of the year. Permission is also being sought from the N.Z. Walkways Commission to start work on a walk of historic interest, behind Ross township. This area has a background of goldmining interest and is still sprinkled with old waterraces, tunnels and fluming. Colin Christie feels that these tracks have distinctive and varying experiences to offer walkers, as well as the attraction of physical exercise. ‘‘Point Elizabeth has scenic coastal views, the Mahinapua Track follows

a tramway and centres on the saw-milling in the area, and Ross has the gold-mining,” he says. A future project, and perhaps the West Coast Walkways most ambitious yet, is a two-day track between Okarito township, and Gillespies Beach. “The theme would be a longer walk, mainly on beaches, through easy country,” says Mr Christie. "Something the average family with 8-10 year-old children could do in easy stages.” Part of the track would traverse an old pack trail, used in the old days before roads were built. Thought has been given to putting in a hut at Hauraki Creek. A later extension to the Okarito-Gillespies Track could well be a track from the Waiho River mouth to the Waiho Bridge, making the trip an enjoyable three-day one. Before plans for this track can be finalised, there must be a thorough investigation, negotiation with farmers and other land owners, resulting in a full report to the N.Z. Walkways Commission of the factors involved.