The application was subsequently returned because council said there was missing information, including detail showing there had been genuine and meaningful consultation with Tangata Whenua.
Other missing information included accurate proposed subdivision boundaries, an assessment of environmental effects, a full description of land use, what earthworks will be done.
Tomoana and Graham are founding trustees with Hapu and Marae representing the mana whenua set to be 50 per cent partners in the new park with the regional council.
Tomoana said the lack of consultation with was an "oversight".
"Probably enthusiasm got in the way of reality from my part. I'm not talking about the regional council but I know it from my part.
"I just think we got ahead of ourselves on that - too enthusiastic and we leg-tripped ourselves," Tomoana said.
He said he thought it had already been done. "I stand corrected."
He said the fact iwi was a partner in the trust did "not necessarily" mean Tangata Whenua had been consulted.
"That's the issue that's happened at Ihumātao where the iwi and the hapu have come to grief and that's the last thing I want to do here, so going back to the process is the right thing to do."
He says he had spoken with three of the four hapu involved, who responded "positively".
The fourth, Waimarama, "didn't respond".
"But that doesn't make it right, so going through that process will," Tomoana said.
Graham said on this, he will follow Tomoana's advice: "He's the expert in this area, I'm not."
The original track controversy came about after the Council gave resource consent without Craggy Range consulting iwi. Tomoana said it is a "positive sign that council are going through the due process this time" and he supports it.
"Once bitten, twice shy. Two wrongs don't make a right and I'm just keen to get on with the process so that in due course, the park can be a regional park with marae representatives or Tangata Whenua representatives on it, that's my ambition."
However, Tomoana says he is "still very happy with the park".
"There has been general support from the Havelock North community from the bike riders and everybody else and so I think we are just one clip away but that clip is a very important step.
He said they don't want to get "too excited about it until the next process has been had".
Hastings Mayor, Sandra Hazlehurst said she met with Iwi chief executive Chrissie Hape and Graham on Friday to discuss the issue.
Hazlehurst said they had to follow "proper process".
She said they are planning a meeting with the community in the next few weeks to make sure everyone is on the "same page".
"Everyone is very pleased that the land has been gifted for a regional park and I think that we need to just make sure that everybody is engaged in what a regional park will look like."
