KEY POINTS:
Owners of an exclusive lifestyle development on the Northland coast have built a $1 million public walkway through their property and handed it over to the Department of Conservation.
The new track is part of the 5km Mangawhai Heads cliff-top walk, which is acclaimed for its spectacular views from Whangarei to Pakiri.
DoC assets manager Shaughan Anderson said the Bream Tail Development had provided a quality track which improved the visitor's experience. It deviated from the previous route along an old farm track to include coastal forest featuring dense groves of nikau palms.
The developer had to negotiate the route shift with the department and also paid costs of iwi liaison, archaeological inspection and landscaping.
"It's a pretty walk with magnificent views and outstanding bush," said Mr Anderson. "It's walkable and open now."
John Greenwood, an owner at the 41-lot development on a 439ha farm, said the track was finished and handed over just before Christmas. "Most people don't realise we have done it - they think these things just happen."
About $1 million had been spent on the track and planting native species.
The former walkway on the farm was not registered and as part of negotiations for a resource consent, Bream Tail Development, or Birnie Capital, agreed to upgrade the walkway, with an easement for a permanent public thoroughfare.
"It's a beautiful walk and adds value to everything, including the development itself."
Mr Greenwood said 21 lots were sold, including a $6 million property, and those still available ranged from $1.5 million to $3 million.
The development has 186ha of conservation area and 20km of walking and riding trails, as well as internal roads.
Mangawhai Walkway Weekend co-ordinator Jean Goldschmidt said thousands of people did the loop walk, which takes two to three hours.
The walk had been one of the most popular things to do in Mangawhai for 30 years.
It featured in the Lonely Planet guidebook and was called the "most spectacular seaside walkway in New Zealand" by author Geoff Chapple, of Te Araroa, a trust that is trying to establish a public walkway nationally.
Mrs Goldschmidt said the community was pleased with the result after waiting four years for completion. People were delighted to find the nikau grove, which had been hidden to walkers on the former track.
The walk begins north of the surf lifesaving clubhouse, goes along the beach and then heads towards the cliff top, through bush and private property, and descends to the beach again.
Walkers can choose to return via the bush or the beach, if it is low tide.
