Cape Maria van Diemen seen from the Te Paki coastal trail
Cape Maria van Diemen seen from the Te Paki coastal trail
The Te Paki Coastal Walk in Northland is one of seven routes on a short list for one to join the nine Great Walks network.
The trail traverses the top of Far North from east to west coasts, passing Spirits Bay, Cape Reinga, Cape Maria Van Diemen, Te Paki Stream and the famous sand dunes at the streams outlet on Ninety Mile Beach.
Along the way the trail takes in subtropical coastal forest and bushland, dune country, views of New Zealand's most spiritual tree - the pohutukawa on Cape Reinga where Māori spirits leap off on the journey to mythical Hawai'ki, and the white-water meeting of the Pacific and the Tasman.
If it makes the cut, it will be the only Great Walk north of Tongariro.
In the 2017 budget, $12.7 million funding was announced for the Department of Conservation to expand the prestigious, multi-day Great Walk network by two more walks.
New Zealand's Great Walks are proving so popular, the extra one or two routes are needed to ease some of the pressure on the environment, and upkeep of the required facilities to cater for thousands of people a year.
The Te Paki trail in the Far North.
"This project is part of DoC's work to ease visitor pressure at some high-use sites, focusing on protecting our natural heritage and ensuring New Zealanders continue to enjoy their great outdoors," said Jennie Marks, acting director, recreation tourism and heritage.
Building the extra facilities needed to bring them up to the Great Walk standard would cost more on some routes than others, so DoC might yet opt to just upgrade one.
But it is not just a question of the cost of an upgrade. Key considerations for any new walk include opportunities to engage with Māori culture; accessibility for New Zealanders; and environmental impacts.
"Community support is also a vital part of choosing any new Great Walk and we'll be engaging with community groups, along with local whānau, hapū and iwi. We'll also talk with recreation, conservation and tourism sector representatives through this process," Marks said.
Initial submissions were received through a public participation process and the announcement of which one makes the cut is expected by the end of this year.
The submissions were assessed by a panel of representatives from national tramping and outdoor associations, government, Māori and independent tourism organisations, Air New Zealand and DoC.
The contenders are Te Paki Coastal Walk; Aotea Track, Great Barrier Island; Timber Trail, Waikato; Tarawera Trail, Bay of Plenty; Queen Charlotte Track, Marlborough; Waiau-Toa/Molesworth, Canterbury and Hump Ridge Track, Fiordland.
It is expected any new Great Walks would be ready for the beginning of the 2021 summer season.
