Trust chairman David Howard said this week the trust planned to develop a new 4km track along the Cardrona River from The Hook upstream to the one-lane Ballantyne Rd bridge.
Mr Howard said it would include the short section linking the Clutha River track to State Highway 6 and the entrance to Wānaka.
"This would be the start or finish of Wānaka’s future commuter route to Luggate," he said.
"It would also be the start or finish of the long-discussed recreation track further up the Cardrona River, eventually providing access for walkers and cyclists to the start of the Department of Conservation’s Little Criffel Track leading to the top of the Pisa Range."
The trust has applied to the Queenstown Lakes District Council for resource consent and trust founding member John Wellington said he was delighted many years of talk and many months of planning had reached this point.
"It’s fantastic to finally begin the process."
Mr Howard said the lower part of the river margin was "a bit shabby" with low ecological values, according to the UCTT’s ecological survey.
"It has the potential to be so much more.
"Creating the track will be a great way to improve recreation and conservation opportunities in the Upper Clutha’s outdoor spaces."
Some parts of the track towards Little Criffel already exist but about 6.35km of new track would need to be formed.
It would cross river terraces, follow four-wheel-drive tracks in places, pass by indigenous vegetation and pass through areas of lupins, willows and poplars.
The track would be at a distance from the river to avoid users damaging the river environment.
Before construction, an ecologist would determine the track’s final alignment.
It is expected the new track would have a similar surface to the existing track along Lake Dunstan at Pisa Moorings.
Mr Wellington said affected landowners, government agencies and the trust had come together to formulate the application.
However, while he was aware of enthusiasm in some quarters for the track to eventually continue right through to Cardrona, any such plans for a track beyond Little Criffel would only be at the invitation of the local Cardrona community and landowners.
The trust’s application is seeking a restricted discretionary activity resource consent and Mr Wellington said he hoped to hear from the council by October.
The initial section of track to Ballantyne Rd would cost $180,000 and fundraising could begin once consent is granted.
