$3.4m to extend Hauraki Rail Trail
Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis today announced up to $3.4 million in funding to help improve and extend Waikato’s Hauraki Rail Trail.
This is the second major investment to be made through the Ngā Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail Enhancement and Extension Fund and will see the trail extended from Miranda to Kaiaua at one end and from Te Aroha to Matamata at the other.This investment will bring the current 120 km trail up to about 168 km, providing a more attractive multi-day ride. The enhanced trail, which offers access to accommodation, food and beverage, shows different facets of the region – from the rich Māori and goldmining histories to the beauty of the Kaimai Ranges and the Coromandel Peninsula.
Funding also covers a smaller project to install bike racks in Te Aroha created by local artist Adrian Worsley, whose quirky sculptures are made entirely from recycled materials and will be a unique feature of the trail.
Extensions to the trail are expected to take up to two years to complete.
TRM posted this on our facebook which raised a number of questions from readers wanting to make their own submission to support the Turangi to Taupo biking/walking trail concept. So below is TRM’s submission to the Taupo District Council long term plan. If you wish to support the biking/walking trail then applications close today.
This is your last chance so do it now!
Submission to Taupo Council 10 year plan…
Democracy in action is alive and well in small town New Zealand. Apologies to fishos – this TRM Daily Report is more for local consumption (boring politics?). Comment is invited from all others who visit Turangi regularly but may not live here permanently.Taupo District Council (TDC) have requested submissions (by 16 April) as part of their 10 year plan review.
The survival of Turangi relies one major industry. Tourism is the future. The main local problem, shared with many other small regional towns, is the lack of employment opportunities. Apart from temporary jobs during construction, the above suggestions fail to address this problem long term. As the resident population of Turangi continues to steadily decline, any sensible new initiatives must be directed at correcting these issues – to provide long term local employment.
Therefore this visionary submission addresses these issues. It offers a much more practical plan based on other successful precedents to secure Turangi’s economic future. So if you prefer TDC’s future investment is better directed at a tourism/employment solution then we also invite you to:click on this link and submit on the Long Term Plan –
https://submissions.taupo.govt.nz/submission.aspx
Fill in the fields/boxes as required.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and under ”Do you have any further comment or feedback for the 2018-28 Long-term Plan? ‘’ copy and paste the submission below – or feel free to write in what is important to you (including supporting what is already in the Consultation Document) and then hit ‘Submit’
Following info for Taupo Council’s 10 year plan:
Taupo Council need to allocate top priority to the biking/walking track from Turangi to Motuoapa, as the first stage of the longer Turangi to Taupo Trail. All the research and feasibility reports have already been completed to confirm the likely success.
A feasibility study of the Turangi to Taupo bike trail was completed in 2015 with supporting evidence from TRC (Tourism Resource Consultants).
In 2016 they estimated within 5 years over 20,000 tourists would use the trail between Turangi and Motuoapa to generate between $2.87 & $4.71 million annual income.The continued growth of biking/walking trails has been remarkable. Biking is the new golf, etc. TRC confirm one in every four visitors, who participate in a walking or biking activity, stay longer and spend more. Based on the success of other trails – Timber Trail, Hauraki Trail, etc. we believe these $$$ forecasts are now conservative. i.e. On both these trails new tourist accommodation was developed due to high demand from visitor numbers. Comparatively several motels on SH1 along this eastern edge of Lake Taupo have closed in the last five years…
The independent TRC report confirms the Turangi to Taupo trail possesses all of the attributes that make successful trails. Formal and informal discussions (by Turangi Councillor Tong Kingi) with land owners and trustees of multiple owned blocks of land have continued for over the last year. We understand they have nearly all been consulted and are equally enthusiastic about supporting the trail. To them it is needed as much as a long term business creation scheme as a tourist trail. They cannot afford further delays. It is now time to commence development.
In TDC’s own study in 2017 – “Turangi Economic Development Strategy” this trail was considered the top priority – assessed as “transformational” for the economic future survival of Turangi.
Since then, in November 2017, TDC prepared a submission to DOC for this trail to be part of the next Great NZ Walks extending from Taupo through Turangi to Whakapapa. Much of the trail south of Turangi is linking existing DOC tracks. Only the Turangi to Taupo section involves new trails.
The initial first step needed will be to link Turangi via the Tongariro River Trail to Lake Taupo at Stump Bay and on to Motuoapa. DGLT (Destination Great Lake Taupo – Damian Coutts) are totally supportive of this proposal and have already investigated the likely route. From Taupo the lakefront “Lions Walk” already extends their popular biking/walking trail to Waitahanui.
If this first 11km section north of Turangi is completed it will add to the existing 13 km Tongariro River Trail to provide a full day biking/walking experience out of Turangi.
Nothing else is more important to encourage tourist growth to secure the economic future of Turangi. i.e. TDC’s own demographic projections indicate Turangi population could fall 25% in the next 25 years (from 3,340 in 2013 to 2,475 in 2043). Property values struggle as there are limited employment opportunities and limited demand. The demand is for holiday homes rather than from new permanent residents. i.e. Recently one Auckland buyer invested in seven properties to rent out as Airbnb holiday homes – for about the same price as an average house in Auckland..
MBIE analysis confirms such biking/walking trails provide an average return of $3.50 for every $1 invested. For Turangi residents it is more important to provide long term employment as a tourist trail – in addition to initial short term jobs during construction.
Irrefutable evidence from other trails (i.e. Hauraki Trail) confirms the growth of other localised business to support bike trails.
It would be a win-win for everyone.
The completion of this trail will increase international awareness for Taupo region as a biking destination – already claiming to be the “bike hub” of the North Island. Existing Bike Taupo trails around the north western side of Lake Taupo do not link with other trails such as “Waikato River Trail” and “Mountain to Sea” trails.
As a result Taupo misses out on events such as the “Tour Aotearoa” bike-packing market from Cape Reinga to Bluff. This has been a huge success.
i.e. In February 2018 over 600 bikers left on the Tour Aotearoa. None visited Taupo. Completion of this new “Great Walk” through to Whakapapa could bring the “Tour Aotearoa” (NZ’s 3000km bike-packing odyssey) to Taupo.
This is not a new proposal. Turangi have been promoting this trail for the last ten years with support from Taupo MP Louise Upston and previous Mayor, Rick Cooper.
i.e. It was subject to a feature article in the January 2010 issue of Wilderness Magazine.
A video prepared in 2011 featured the MP and Mayor supporting the proposal. The Turangi Chronicle dated April 29 2010 front page featured it.
Taupo Times, 12 February 2016 heading was “Taupo to Turangi bike trail reaches stage two” (?) etc.
Meanwhile over the same time frame other trails – i.e. Waihaha etc. have been conceived and completed… It is time the construction of this biking/walking trail to link Tuangi with Lake Taupo and Motuoapa commenced…
Above is a team of keen optimistic bikers leaving on the 2006 Great NZ Trek – biking from Cape Reinga to Bluff in 14 stages – they will arrive in Bluff in 2019.
