NEW ZEALAND; THE PAPAROA GREAT WALK

The first new great walk unveiled in 25 years, Paparoa Track is a multi-day walking track opened in 2019. The tenth Great Walk to be constructed in stone cliffs, beech forest and glades of subtropical nīkau palms at one end, on the climbto a unique alpine setting with incredible views out to the Tasman Sea. The Paparoa Track is of significant meaning to the locals and will act as a tribute to the 29 Pike River miners who lost their lives in the 2010 disaster.

The West Coast community has been preparing to welcome visitors

The West Coast of New Zealand is the home to the spectacular Haast World Heritage Area including five each national parks and marine reserves.

The Paparoa Track was officially opened in an event in Blackball on 30 November 2019 before the first walkers and bikers took the maiden trip on December 1. Due to a recent land slip in the middle section of the track, the Great Walk was only partially opened until December 22. But Walkers were able to reach the Moonlight Tops hut from the east or the Pororari Hut from the west.

Commenting on the newly launched track, Hamish Seaton, Track Router – MTB Specialist, “I don’t think any other track in the country has had such a high focus to their precious part of the world since the announcement of the track in 2017.

Locals, or ‘Coasters’ as they are colloquially known, are well known for their hospitality and extremely passionate about their home.

The West Coast is home to the spectacular Haast World Heritage Area, five of New Zealand’s 14 national parks and five marine reserves. Conservation and sustainability are important to the West Coast, where 86 per cent of the land is administered by the Department of Conservation (DOC).

New Zealand’s 10th Great Walk officially opens and explores some of the most rugged, diverse and untouched environments in the country

on minimising impact and then remediating around the track. Within each build crew there has been at least one person dedicated to remediation, so the track is wrapped up and bedded in as soon as it’s built. Six months later the track looks like it’s been there for years. This environmental focus is now rubbing off on other trail projects around the country.”

Fun Facts about the track: l New Zealand’s tenth Great Walk – multi-day hiking trail l First Great Walk designed for both mountain bikers and walkers l The 55km track crosses the

Paparoa Range from Blackball (east) to Punakaiki (west) l The track required 41km of new track to be built, as well as 4 major suspension bridges and two new 20 bunk huts with hut warden quarters. l The Paparoa Track links with the Pike29 Memorial Track, a memorial site and interpretation centre commemorating 29 miners who lost their lives in the 2010 Pike River Mine Disaster l The Pike29 Memorial Track will open once efforts to re-enter the mine have been completed and the site is transferred from the Pike River Recovery Agency

to DOC to manage. l The Paparoa Track has been built by DOC on behalf of the NZ Government at the request of the Pike River families. The project was created as a thank you from the families to provide a lasting economic benefit to the West Coast, and as a tribute to the 29 miners who died in the 2010 Pike River Mine Disaster.