A dream of linking towns in the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago districts by an off-road cycling and walking track is being considered by recreational organisations throughout the region.
Parts of the network had already been built. To complete it, a track between Luggate and Pisa Moorings was needed, along with one from Gibbston Back Rd to Cromwell, and from Cromwell to Clyde.
Upper Clutha Tracks Trust treasurer John Wellington said the trust was investigating the Luggate to Pisa Moorings leg and a draft feasibility study had just been completed. Providing land access was obtained, it was possible the track would be built in stages, he said.
The Cromwell and District Community Trust announced a year ago that a Cromwell-to-Clyde track, called the Cromwell Gorge Trail, seemed likely.
A feasibility study by surveying and planning firm, Southern Land, had identified the true right bank of Lake Dunstan as the best route for the 40km track.
When contacted by the Otago Daily Times, the Queenstown Trails Trust's Kaye Parker said a memorandum of understanding had been signed by several tracks groups which supported a complete network ''in principle''.
Each organisation was working on its own part of the network.
The groups included the Queenstown Trails Trust, Upper Clutha Tracks Trust, Lower Lake Dunstan Trails Trust, Central Clutha Trail Trust, Kawarau Gorge Trails Charitable Trust and the Otago Central Rail Trust.
Mrs Parker, the former Queenstown Trails Trust chief executive who now worked on special projects and initiated the idea, emphasised it was early days and how the consistent network would be achieved was yet to be determined.
''There's great support for the idea of linking the trails up at some stage ... but no idea how it will work and how to fund it.''
Mr Wellington said, if the vision was realised, people could cycle or walk off-road between Wanaka and Queenstown, or from those centres to Lawrence or Middlemarch.
He understood a separate group was also investigating a Lawrence-to-Milton track.
- Jessica Maddock