Shania shines at opening of track

Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Canadian country music star Shania Twain eclipsed Prime Minister Helen Clark and Department of Conservation officials yesterday at a rare public appearance for the official opening of the new Motatapu Track and the Macetown Restoration Project.

The opening was also an occasion for Ms Clark to announce a third tramping hut worth $200,000 would be built on Motatapu Station.

More than 200 people attended the ceremony at the historic Macetown village near Arrowtown, including dozens of children from Arrowtown School, who were camping nearby.

After the speeches were over the children thronged around Twain - who yesterday was addressed by everyone using her real name, Eileen Lange - for photographs and autographs.

The petite singer warmly greeted the children, their parents and other Arrowtown residents, many of whom wore period costume in celebration of the area's gold mining history. But she did not give a speech.

Earlier, Twain and her close friend Kim Godreau accompanied Miss Clark, Department of Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick, the Canadian High Commissioner Penny Tweedie, Doc Wanaka area manager Paul Hellebrekers and others over part of the Motatapu Track at Roses Saddle.

There, they agreed to meet a large contingent of media and Twain briefly spoke to reporters of her love of the area, the New Zealand people and her musical career.

Twain and her husband Mutt Lange agreed to build the 29km track as part of the national Te Araroa Trail during the approval process to buy the pastoral leases for two high country stations in 2004.

The Langes paid a total of $21.4 million for 24,731ha and have also donated at least $171,000 towards building two tramping huts on the track.

They have also spent more than $276,000 setting aside conservation areas and implementing biodiversity programmes, as agreed with the Department of Conservation.

In addition, they have paid Doc $50,000 in donations for track and hut maintenance.

Twain yesterday described the land as ‘‘beautiful''.

Her horse-breeding operations were going well, New Zealanders were relaxed and easy to get along with and she was enjoying spending time with family and friends before leaving the country in two days, she said.

Twain is on an ‘‘indefinite sabbatical'' from her music career and laughingly declined to sing.

‘‘Maybe - the Prime Minister said I should sing it - These Boots Are Made For Walking would be good,'' she said, laughing, in reference to the Nancy Sinatra hit.

Twain has homes in other countries, including Switzerland. She said she was a ‘‘bit of a gypsy now'' and loved to move around, ‘‘coming and going''.

‘‘[Motatapu Station] is a great place to visit for inspiration and you go away recharged.''

Twain later sat in the front row of seats at the Macetown Historic Reserve to listen to speeches by Miss Clark, Otago Conservator Jeff Connell and Te Araroa Trust chief executive Geoff Chapple.

Miss Clark said the third track hut would be built next summer above the Fernburn catchment on Motatapu Station.

It would break up a very long tramp on the first day to Highland Creek Hut (an estimated 7-9 hours) and put the track within reach of people with a moderate tramping ability.

The Langes are giving $100,000 towards the project with Doc footing the rest of the bill.

Ms Clark said she and others were keen for the Te Araroa Trail to be completed.

‘‘We are now 80% of the way with the Te Araroa Trail.''

Mr Chapple thanked the Langes for their ‘‘gift to the nation'', Doc staff for putting in place ‘‘all the nuts and bolts' and other people who had supported him.

‘‘I always find the wind in my sails from these kind of people,'' he said.

- The Macetown Restoration project started in October 2005 after arson attacks destroyed some of the buildings. There were also concerns about damage being done to the historic reserve by four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Work included restoring a former bakery, Needham's Cottage, felling trees, drainage work, signs, fencing and other work designed to preserve the area from damage from vehicles.

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