Rakaia Gorge walkway opening

Press, 9 May 1985, Page 2

Rakaia Gorge walkway opening

A new walkway along the edge of the Rakaia River gorge will be opened by the member of Parliament for Selwyn, Miss Ruth Richardson, on Sunday.

The Rakaia Gorge walkway will start at the Rakaia Gorge bridge on State highway 72, 11 kilometres from Methven. It is five kilometres long (one way) and the Lands and Survey Department says a return trip would take between three and four hours.

The walkway would let people see parts of the spectacular gorge which previously could be seen only by boat, said the chairman of the Canterbury District Walkway Committee, Mr Brian Sly. “A unique feature of this walkway is that by making arrangements with commercial jet boat firms in the area, it is possible to walk one way and be brought back by jet boat,” Mr Sly said.

The walkway goes through several areas of regenerating forest and scrub, and past an old ferryman’s cottage and the ruins of a Home Guard observation post. The track returns on an alternative route through bush back to the creek near the coalmine. Construction of the walkway has taken about a year, using Project Employment Programme and Special Employment Scheme staff. It will be the eighteenth walkway in Canterbury. The opening ceremony would be held at 11 a.m. with an inaugural walk for those wanting to take part, Mr Sly said. Jet boats would be running at a charge of $5 for adults and $1.50 for children.