Centre puts Great Barrier case in spotlight

Great Barrier Island residents are hoping an injection of funds into a new outdoors centre on Great Barrier Island will bolster their case for better roads and transport.

The new Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Marine Centre, at Karaka Bay, near Okiwi to the north of the island, was opened by Prime Minister Helen Clark in March and has now been given almost $1 million by ASB Trusts to expand and improve facilities.

The OPC's new facility will cater for up to 1500 young people a year for a week of sea kayaking, coastal rock climbing and other outdoor activities.

OPC chief executive Grant Davidson said while the centre was set up to be close to the country's largest population base, the trip from Auckland to the island and transport costs while there ate away at funding.

The organisation was forced to charter small ferries and hire vans while on the island because the nearest sealed airport was south of the centre at Claris.

"It's a pain, to be honest, even the bigger ferry companies don't consider it economic to run a service to the north of the island," Mr Davidson said.

Tourist operator Paul Downie said at the rate Auckland City Council was allocating funding, sealing the main road from Claris to Okiwi would take 25 years.

Mr Downie said the OPC boosted the island's permanent population and would provide jobs, but lack of infrastructure was holding the island back.

"The airfield, wharves and roads are pretty Third World," he said.