Imagine a tourist trail to cycle around the edge of Lake Taupo – it would be such a winner…

Such an interesting additional comment to the TRM Daily Report on Monday sparked lots of interest – that local iwi had given up waiting for DOC and Council and Government to assist with a bike trail around the eastern side of Lake Taupo (following SH1).  They are now investigating the possibilities of developing their own track at a fraction of the cost advised by Council. 

Since then, not unexpectedly, the report sparked lots of simple questions…  In particular the big question was about the $18.3 Million construction cost in Council’s “independent” feasibility study that had been prepared for the 47 km bike ride.  That is what looked so ridiculously high, so locals did their own basic simple arithmetic.  They investigated precedents of costs of similar bike trails.  That is so unfair.

i.e. The most recent local bike trail was the other big bike ride in this region – the Timber Trail.  (More info below.)  This was an 84km trail in such difficult terrain they had to erect 35 bridges including some huge swing bridges – the longest of 141 m – see images – in a very remote location.  Total cost: $5 to 5.5 Million (varies depending on which report to believe).  OK?  On our primary school arithmetic tables that equates to about $60-65/metre.  Meanwhile the council feasibility report for the T2T analysed to $390/metre – six times more?  That appears obviously excessive when the lake edge contour is far easier than the other precedents and when access directly off SH1 are factored into the equation? 

Another precedent in 2009 was the last stage of the Waikato River Trail received $3 Million Government funding to complete 41 km of track = $73/metre?

Bike Taupo are understandably very proud of their 200km of challenging bike trails on much more difficult (Bikers call it ‘technical’) terrain – W2K, Kawakawa Bay, Waihaha, etc.  If the T2T was going to cost $390/metre, then Bike Taupo’s equivalent total cost would have been more than $75 Million!.  But they cost nothing like that.  So naturally Turangi locals were feeling conned and rather suspicious of the motives behind the council report.  Even the 47km was questioned as the existing Lions Walk bike trail from Taupo is already extended to Waitahanui.  So that means the remaining trail is only 42 km…

And that is just the preliminary costing estimates.  One can understand why they deliberately over estimate costs to provide for every contingency but what really upset local Iwi was when the report suggested that the most difficult hurdle would be gaining access to Maori owned land due to their multiple ownership structure.  Yet the Iwi who initiated this proposal advise no bike trail access issues have never been been discussed with them. 

(The W2K and Kawakawa Bay and Waihaha trails are designed for more serious mountain bikers – not tourists cycling.  There is a fundamental difference.  Tourist trails were the aim and the market that Te Haerenga was aiming at with about $75 Million of Government subsides – like the Otago Rail Trail.  Instead in Taupo they tell us the Government funding was used on bike club trails which do not link up with Te Haerenga trails such as the Waikato River Trails.  It is not difficult to understand why the T2T was ignored as it was competing for the same Government funding?.) 

On the Timber Trail they are now building a wonderful new tourist accommodation complex (see image on right – opening April) to cope with the growth and demand from bikers.  For the Hauraki Trail a new motel has been completed to try to satisfy the demand from tourists. etc.  I am sure you get the picture.  These confirm the growth in demand for biking tourism.

Meanwhile between Turangi and Taupo five motels and even schools have closed in recent years.  So imagine what would happen to them if a new bike trail was developed.  Consider all the pleasant little settlements around the lake that would change character to provide cafes and B&B accommodation – like the Otago Rail Trail – etc. to satisfy demand from tourists biking past. 

From the other NZ Cycleway projects the local Iwi realise that for every $1 of initial construction cost the benefits to the local community are over $3.50 per annum.  Wow!  No wonder they cannot wait any longer to get started!

The council’s consultant advised that:  “Funding and tenure have been identified as being the greatest challenges in the project.  The proposed route crosses 19 blocks of land in maori freehold title.  Prior to the funding formal agreements will need to be entered into for each of these land blocks.  This alone will be a lengthy and challenging exercise, especially given that a large number of these blocks do not have trusts set up to administer them.”

So yesterday we invited the senior Kaumatua (Chiefs) representing all the iwi and hapu (land owners) from Turangi to Waitahanui for a special TRM hui (meeting) with council officials and DGLT (Destination Great Lake Taupo are council’s tourism promotion team).  Despite the claims of consultation in the report, the four chiefs advised that they had never heard from the council consultants, and the T2T proposal and route had never been discussed formally as they had never seen the feasibility study.  They also advised of old walking trails across DOC land that were unknown to DOC or Council that could be used after upgrading for a bike trail.  They confirmed their full support for the concept and wanted to know how they could get started on the construction. 

They too have given up waiting for the bureaucratic process – if nothing is done we will still be in the same situation in another five years.  So much for Council’s consultants report – they were disappointed to discover the two main points of the council’s consultants feasibility report were completely misleading as to construction costs and land access.  You do have to wonder…  Watch this space.

The Timber Trail, on Te Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycleway, is an 84 km, 2 day mountain bike ride that, after three years, is already attracting over 8000 riders per year to Pureora Forest Park, in the central North Island.  The Trail opened in 2013, at a cost of $5 million. It includes several specially built pedestrian and cycle swing bridges spanning spectacular gorges, including New Zealand’s longest at 141m.