Two more tenure reviews settled
18 July 2005
Land adjoining a busy tourism route near Queenstown and a station near Marlborough's landmark Tophouse feature in a set of two tenure reviews just completed by Land Information New Zealand. The reviews will see a total of 5901 hectares become public conservation land. Public access will not be available until Department of Conservation signs are in place. Freehold title for further 7433 hectares has been issued to the former leaseholders.
Eastburn/Waitiri Station is located at the southern end of the Pisa Range in Otago. Part of the new conservation lands are the backdrop to the historic Kawarau Suspension bridge, probably more famous as the world's first commercial bungy jump site.
Comprising two adjacent leases, this tenure review covers an area popular for outdoor recreation. Many visitors will be familiar with the Roaring Meg pack track, an old bridle path that runs through the newly created conservation area. The recreation reserve is a long narrow strip adjacent to the spectacular Kawarau River gorge and State Highway 6, the major tourist route to Queenstown. The reserve contains opportunities for the travelling public to stop and view the wild and scenic river gorge in safety.
An area set aside for an historic reserve, known as Whatatorere to Māori, is a site of immense cultural importance to Ngai Tahu, being at the location of the "Natural Bridge" across the Kawarau river gorge. Parties would camp at the site and use the crossing over the dangerous river to access the Wakatipu Basin, Wanaka and the Cardrona Valley via the Roaring Meg valley. The reserve is to be vested in Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu. Public foot access to the river for launching of kayaks and river rafting will be available.
Another 5806 hectares of the lower-lying land on the former Eastburn and Waitiri pastoral leases has been passed into freehold ownership.
Further north, at the head of the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, Raglan Run Station has also completed its tenure review. Raglan Run lies near the historic Canterbury-Nelson route used by both settlers and their livestock. Sheep first grazed the area in the 1840s. The station adjoins the southern banks of the Wairau River, a popular location for anglers, and runs up to the northern flanks of the Raglan Range.
The review involves a transfer of 680 hectares to the conservation estate. This will protect a small wetland and the upper slopes of the Raglan Range, which includes remnants of kanuka and manuka shrub lands growing on alluvial terraces, and areas of beech forest. Freehold title to the remaining 1573 hectares of Raglan Run has been issued to the former leaseholders.
With the completion of these tenure reviews, 21 properties have now finished the process under the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998: Eastburn; Waitiri; Raglan Run; Glenlapa; Stonehurst; Cairnhill; The Knobbies; Dome Hills I and II; Peak Hill; Dalrachney; Rhoboro Downs; Double Hill; Ben Avon; Alphaburn; Glen Nevis; Mt Pisa I and II; Quailburn; Clayton; Ben Ohau.
Leaseholders of a further 18 properties have accepted final proposals for their leasehold land at Otamatapaio, Merrivale, Geordie Hills, Long Acre, Nine Mile, Shirlmar, Timburn, West Wanaka, Glen Dhu, Mataura Valley, Glenariffe, Glenfoyle, Silverbirch, Omahau Downs, Longslip, Dingleburn, Wyuna and Woodbank Special Lease.
For further information please contact:
Paul Jackson
Manager, Crown Property
Land Information New Zealand
Private Box 5501
WELLINGTON
PH: 04 460 0158
FAX: 04 460 0590
EMAIL: pjackson@linz.govt.nz
LINZ media liaison:
Michael Mead
Senior Communications Advisor
Land Information New Zealand
Private Box 5501
WELLINGTON
PH: 04 498 3516
FAX: 04 472 1864
CELL: 027 444 3901
EMAIL: mmead@linz.govt.nz
Department of Conservation media liaison:
Tony Perrett
High Country Tenure Review Manager
PH: 03 474 6904
CELL: 027 4811 936
EMAIL: tperrett@doc.govt.nz
Leanne Scott / Sarah Mankelow
Community Relations Officer, media
Canterbury Conservancy
PH: 03 379 9758
CELL: 025 643 8881
Department of Conservation technical contact
Mike Clare
Tenure Review Manager
Department of Conservation
Canterbury Conservancy
Private Bag 4715
Christchurch
PH: 03 371 3726
FAX: 03 365 1388
CELL: 027 4415 632
EMAIL: mclare@doc.govt.nz
Federated Farmers media liaison
Bob Douglas
Industry Manager South Island High Country Committee
Farming House
PO Box 665
Timaru
PH: 0800 327-646
FAX: 03 688-4096
HM TEL/FAX: 03 686-4762
MOBILE: 021 622 822
Email: southcanterbury.ff@fedfarm.org.nz
