Hauraki Rail Trail opening postponed

The opening of the Pūkorokoro-Miranda to Thames section of the Hauraki Rail Trail has been postponed due to the forecast poor weather on Saturday.

A provisional new date for the opening has been set for 18 November, to enable ministerial special guests to attend post-election.

The Associate Minister of Tourism, the Hon Nicky Wagner, approved Grade 1 Great Ride status for this latest section of the Hauraki Rail Trail yesterday. This means that the ride is suitable for all ages and abilities.

The entire Hauraki Rail Trail is a joint project between our Council and Hauraki and Matamata-Piako district councils.

The new section runs mostly along the top of the stop banks beside the Firth of Thames, bordering one of the most important areas for shorebirds in the country.

This section is a joint project between our Council and Hauraki District Council who contributed $1M each to the project. NZ Transport Agency also contributed $1M for the construction of a `clip-on’ cycle lane attached to the downstream side of the Piako Bridge, which spans the Piako River on SH25, to provide a safe crossing for Rail Trail users and road cyclists.

Pūkorokoro-Miranda is recognised as an internationally significant habitat for migratory birds by the Wetlands Convention, established at Ramsar in Iran in 1971.

Its mudflats and shell banks are a seasonal home for around 40 species of shorebirds including bar-tailed godwits and red knots, which breed in Alaska and Siberia.

These birds fly from Pūkorokoro-Miranda to their breeding sites and back again every year, with a stopover in China.

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