The trust now needs to raise another $500,000 over the next three years to fulfil its commitment to the Ministry of Tourism should the Wakatipu be accepted into the New Zealand Cycle Trail project.
About 400 cyclists, runners and walkers gathered at Jacks Point to complete the 7km run or walk or 15km cycle on a largely unmarked track across the undulating hills between Jacks Point and Kelvin Heights.
Event sponsors, of which there were about 30 including platinum sponsor New World, and entry fees raised $95,000, with the Edgar Family Trust giving another $100,000 to the trust, leaving it to raise $500,000 over the next three years.
In February, the ministry announced Wakatipu had been one of 13 sites earmarked for feasibility studies for the national cycleway from 55 applicants.
The 109km easy to intermediate trail network of existing and possible tracks between Gibbs-ton, Arrowtown and Queenstown would cost $3.6 million to establish.
If it were included in the national cycle way, the trail network was estimated to generate $20 million for the Queenstown economy over a five-year period.
The ministry would contribute $1.8 million to the Wakatipu project, with the community expected to match that.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council had included $300,000 over three years for the development of trails in its annual budgets, while the trust would be applying for $375,000 from the Central Lakes Trust and Community Trust of Southland.
"We are confident they will look on that favourably," trails trust CEO Kaye Parker said.
"It's a fantastic [asset] for all of us ... for lots of us we're going to be able to choose not to take our cars.
"We are so grateful to the CTOS and CLT. They have [already] given hundreds of thousands of dollars. But they have said we need to see the Queenstown community financially supporting this."
Mrs Parker said in the past 12 months the Wakatipu Trails Trust had opened the Millbrook Link, the Lake Hayes track continued to be developed, the Jardine Park to Jacks Point trail had opened and the Kelvin Peninsula Track had been upgraded and was on track for completion at the end of April.
The next trail to come on stream would then be the Gibbston River Trail.
"It's not open yet, but when it is, we are in for a treat. I've had a little bit of a recce and it's beautiful."
In announcing the $100,000 contribution from the family trust, Sir Eion, a patron of the trust, encouraged others to support the Wakatipu Trails Trust.
"Can I just say ... in life you can be lucky and if you're lucky you should put something back into the community," Sir Eion said.
"It's always better to be a warm heart than a cold hand, better to give it while you're alive than under the ground.
"We've still got $500,000 to raise and we need it.
"This is a fantastic addition to this region and we will all benefit from it."
