Marchers support walkway

The West Coast's "silent majority" made its voice heard yesterday in a bid to revive a $6 million plan for one of the country's most picturesque sites.

About 65 people marched on the Hokitika office of the Department of Conservation with a petition bearing 3334 names in support of a treetop walkway in the Hokitika Gorge scenic reserve.

The proposal has polarised the West Coast. Supporters of the 600m elevated steel walkway, cafe and shop say it will do wonders for tourism in the area, but opponents say it will ruin a tranquil area.

The debate is the latest in a long series of battles on the West Coast between development advocates and diehard conservationists that have at times turned nasty.

In May, DoC agreed with the opponents of the walkway and rejected the proposal by Airwalks New Zealand, saying it was not satisfied the attraction was appropriate for the gorge reserve, 30km inland from Hokitika.

After receiving the petition and a request from Airwalks for reconsideration, DoC yesterday said it would look again at the proposal for a 30-year concession.

Airwalks managing director Thomas Frank said the size of the petition and public march was gratifying.

"For the small population of the area, it has a huge number [of signatures]. Usually people only come out when they are opposed to something," Mr Frank said.

"We have maintained all along that the people opposed are a small, vocal minority. And the masses are getting sick of being told what they think and people speaking for them."

Marcher Tom Foster has lived in Hokitika for 24 years and believes the tourists will "roll in" to see the views of the gorge from the walkway.

"It is out of this world."

However his wife was against the walkway: "She thinks there are too many people coming to Hokitika. I tell her she is being narrow-minded."

Walkway supporters group chairman Mike Keenan said the West Coast needed the walkway. He knew of about four businesses looking to set up using the walkway as a springboard.

"We have always known there is a silent majority [in support]. Often they will sit on the fence until it gets to a heated debate. The Coast is sometimes where the conscience would be for the rest of New Zealand as far as conservation goes."

The Friends of the Gorge group said the treetop walkway proposal was "inconceivable".

"The outlook is that if DoC do change their minds, which they won't, then it will set a precedent for the rest of New Zealand," said group chairman Paul Breeze.

"The gorge doesn't just belong to us folk here, it belongs to the wider community. Probably about 3.5 million New Zealanders would want it to stay the way it is. We have got to think about our grandchildren and what we are going to leave for them."

Forest and Bird said the public had spoken before DoC decided to reject the proposal.

"The Hokitika Gorge is highly scenic and accessible rock gorge and a stunning natural feature" and did not need a walkway.