Walkers and mountainbikers on the Queen Charlotte Track will be charged $12 from July 1.

Landowners along the 71km track announced in March they would start charging people on the track for using their land.

They talked about fees between $10 and $15, depending on the number of days people were planning to be on the track.

The landowners formed the Queen Charlotte Track Land Co-operative this year and, after further discussions with commercial operators on the track, settled on a $12 fee.

School children, including secondary school students, would not have to pay the fee.

Originally, everyone over the age of 15 was to pay the fee, but co-operative chairman Neville Sumby said this would be unfair for some school groups.

The 10 landowners on the track have sought compensation and recognition for the use of their land, which covers 21 per cent of the track. The Department of Conservation owns the rest.

A voluntary $5 contribution by track users to the landowners had not been well supported.

While DOC would continue to maintain the track, a portion of the new fee would also be put back into the track, Mr Sumby said.

A Queen Charlotte Track Sustainability Trust, to be officially launched on July 1, will oversee use of the money. The trust will include representatives of Destination Marlborough, landowners, commercial operators, DOC and the Marlborough District Council.

Track tickets would be sold by water taxis, tourist accommodation and i-Site information centres.

The co-operation has also attracted corporate sponsorship from the Interislander and Kathmandu. Track ticket buyers would get a 10 per cent discount on Interisland ferry tickets and Kathmandu would drop the $10 membership to its Summit Club. News source: The Marlborough Express