For Immediate Use

3^rd June 2010

Commercial Operators Accept New Track Access Fee

Recent announcements regarding a $12 fee to walk the Queen Charlotte Track only apply to multi-day and single day users that cross private land on the track.

Twenty one percent of the track crosses private property located primarily between Camp Bay in Endeavour Inlet and Waimea Way in Waterfall Bay (around 10kms from Anakiwa in the Grove Arm). The charge does not apply for any sections that are owned and administered by the Department of Conservation and the Marlborough District Council including either end of the track from Ship Cove and Anakiwa.

It is expected that the new fee will be included in relevant ticket prices, or can be purchased individually from various agents in Picton and around the track. Operators are working with the landowners co-operative now to implement the fee smoothly.

Queen Charlotte Track Incorporated, the marketing organization representing the tourism operators, recently held a Special General Meeting where it was agreed by majority vote to support this initiative. A robust review is planned between all stakeholders in 12 months time to assess any impact of the new fee.

The new fee comes after many years of negotiation to find a workable solution between the parties involved with establishing the track – the private landowners, Department of Conservation, Marlborough District Council – along with tourism operators to secure public access to this iconic tourism attraction.

“The issue of recognition of access to private land has been ongoing for many years.  The introduction of this fee will now guarantee access to private land for the next 10 years and assist with improvements and maintenance to the track.  QCT Inc, as the representative body for the commercial operators, has been working with the landowner group to find a satisfactory solution to the issue and has now accepted the arrangement,” says QCT Inc. chair Juliet Gibbons.

The Queen Charlotte Track is a 71km walking and mountain biking track stretching from Ship Cove to Anakiwa in the Queen Charlotte Sound.  Users can enjoy a section of the track in a day or take a multi-day option which is usually four or five days.  The track is recognized as one of the major walking tracks in New Zealand but it is unique due to its land ownership arrangements being a mix of private and public ownership. 

For further information please contact:

Juliet Gibbons – QCT Inc. Chair – 021 482 183

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