The more sparsely populated parts of the South are always on the lookout for ways to share the cost of maintaining remote parts of their public infrastructure. The ''user-should-pay'' model is often talked of as a way of lessening the ratepayer burden and, as Mark Price reports, that idea has again bubbled to the surface.
It costs tourists $31 to take a look inside Edinburgh Castle in Scotland.
So why should tourists not be charged to visit somewhere like the Nugget Point lighthouse near Balclutha?
This is one of the questions Clutha Development Trust chairman Rob Hewett is asking as he calls for tourists to pay to see the best of New Zealand's attractions.
''We regularly dip into our pocket to gain entry to European castles and art galleries.
''So why don't we mandate a charge to maintain and enhance our own assets for the benefit of the users?
''Why are the Nuggets different to the castle from a tourist's perspective?''
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times, Mr Hewett said he had raised the issue because the Department of Conservation, which manages many of the attractions tourists come to New Zealand to see, had its hands tied.
Mr Hewett noted the ''tension'' whereby Doc had to balance its legislative requirement of allowing free and unfettered access to public land with the need to attract funding.
''Doc cannot charge people to access the conservation estate, yet Doc have to pay for the development and upkeep of assets like tracks, huts, walkways ...''
And local authorities also got caught up in the expense of providing for tourists, he said.
The road to the Nuggets lighthouse was maintained by Clutha District Council ratepayers, yet many of the 110,000 vehicles that used it each year were tourist vehicles.
''A road toll of $5-$10 per vehicle captured through a car park entrance gate would provide options for road sealing, and probably enough funds to go a long way towards looking after the conservation estate in the rest of the Catlins.''
Queenstown Lakes District Council deputy mayor Lyal Cocks said yesterday Mr Hewett's argument was the same one he had been making in respect of the road leading into the Mount Aspiring National Park, near Wanaka.
''There are not many national parks you can go to around the world without having to pay some sort of fee.''
The Mount Aspiring road has cost the council $456,000 over the past five years.
The annual cost of re-gravelling fluctuates between $50,000 and $165,000.
The council has approached the New Zealand Transport Agency to have the road designated a ''special-purpose road'' - such as the Crown Range and Glenorchy roads - so the government picks up more of the cost of maintenance.
However, the agency's funding system was under review, Mr Cocks said.
The ODT has reported previously, as a result of the review, the council is likely to have to pay a greater share of the costs of maintaining these roads.
Mr Cocks believed imposing a toll on tourists would be ''a great way to go'', and he noted the legislation had been changed to allow a $5 charge to be imposed on those visiting Stewart Island.
The council had taken ''a quick look'' at the practicalities of working with Doc to impose a toll system on the Mount Aspiring road, he said.
''But it hasn't gone anywhere at this stage because the legislation doesn't enable it.''
He believed the council should ''push it again'' after the NZTA review had been completed.
Mr Hewett believed that the majority of tourists would have no issue about paying and he had met tourists ''only too happy to pay for the privilege of going and visiting''.
''Why aren't we helping them release a bit of willing cash from their wallets in appreciation of our abundance of natural beauty?''
He also believed cyclists should be charged for using cycleways.
''It should not be free to ride the Otago Central Rail Trail, the Roxburgh Gorge Trail and the Clutha Gold Trail.
''When visitors are prepared to pay the equivalent of a couple of cups of coffee to access our world-class natural wonders, why don't we let them?''
