Wetlands have been torn up and new hill climbs and off-road tracks illegally created by negligent four-wheel-drive (4WD) and off-road motorcyclists at Macetown, near Arrowtown.
Department of Conservation (DoC) operations manager David Butt said a recent site inspection revealed the damage, which Joanna Booker, of landowner Soho Properties, said would take years to repair due to the extreme fragility of the land.
“We have been extremely disappointed to see a small group of trail bikers blatantly ignoring barriers and signage and destroying scrub to access walking and cycling tracks,” she said.
“Soho Property Ltd would like to remind all track users that the land is private land.
“Access is a privilege which has been generously given by the landowner, and we ask that track users respect the landowners’ conditions of access.”