Lake Hawea Trust wants access prioritised

Public access to the west side of Lake Hawea has been "historically unsatisfactory" and walkers and cyclists have not enjoyed a great deal of co-operation in getting it, a hearing has been told.

Upper Clutha Tracks Trust spokeswoman Helen Tait was speaking to a Department of Conservation hearings panel.

The panel was in Wanaka yesterday and on Monday to consider 67 written and up to 30 verbal submissions on the proposed 105,000ha Hawea Conservation Park.

It reconvenes in Dunedin tomorrow to hear submissions from consultant Ray McLeod on behalf of Hunter Valley Station owners Taff and Penny Cochrane.

The sought-after access is through their farm.

Mrs Tait said "commercial operations" was the main obstacle faced by cyclists and trampers and the trust would like Doc to make a bigger effort to obtain access right around Lake Hawea before the park is formed.

The trust distinguished between getting access "into an area" and access "through an area", where use of motorised transport becomes the purpose of recreation.

The trust supported access "into the area", Mrs Tait said.

The trust also wants Land Information New Zealand to give a high priority to road access into the Hunter Valley and is calling on the QLDC to confirm its willingness to form and maintain the road.

Its concerns were shared by other submitters.

The Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of New Zealand said, in a brief written submission, the road had been rerouted through floods and by the pastoral lessees, creating the lack of public road access.

John Turnbull, on behalf of the Upper Clutha branch of the Forest and Bird Society, described the Hunter Valley road situation as a "mish-mash" of issues that should be finalised before the park was created.

QLDC roads manager Ian Marshall said in a brief written submission although the park discussion document indicated the council was willing to form a road through the Hunter Valley, the council would reserve its position until route issues had been resolved.

Submitters yesterday continued to raise concerns the park was being formed before Doc reviews its conservancy management strategy (CMS).

Wanaka Community Board chairman Lyal Cocks said the community was concerned the park was going ahead without attention to details such as "who does what and who pays for what".

Earlier discussion would be useful and the process seemed "about face".

The board has delegated authority to deal with funding and priorities of local roading projects and wants Hunter Valley road uncertainties cleared up.

Mr Cocks said he accepted the park would be administered under the present CMS - which, among other things, disallows aerial access into the Dingleburn - but said the board would be taking a greater interest in the CMS review next year.

Panel chairwoman Marian van der Goes repeated earlier assurances submitters could repeat their concerns during the CMS review.