$5.2m for 28 new tourism infrastructure projects
Hon Paula Bennett
Minister of Tourism
8 June
2017
$5.2m for 28 new tourism infrastructure
projects
Tourism Minister Paula Bennett has today announced $5.2 million in co-funding for sixteen councils around New Zealand. Councils from Queenstown to Whangarei will receive funding for 28 new tourism infrastructure projects that include include toilets, showers and parking facilities.
Projects were funded through the second round of the Regional Mid-sized Tourism Facilities Grant Fund and provide support for councils with high visitor numbers and small ratepayer bases, says Mrs Bennett.
“This funding will be a relief for these communities and will help them respond to the steady stream of visitors they are seeing. Tourism is hugely important to many of our regional economies and infrastructure is essential to harnessing the benefits of growth in the sector,” says Mrs Bennett.
“Quality infrastructure and facilities also help to ensure New Zealanders can continue to enjoy their own spaces – whether they are at home or visiting other parts of the country. This is important if the tourism sector is to retain the support of New Zealanders.
“This is the second and final round of the Regional Mid-sized Tourism Facilities Grant Fund, which will be subsumed by the new Tourism Infrastructure Fund of $100 million over four years. This new fund will also support local communities who are facing pressure from tourism growth need assistance.
“We’ve heard from industry and local government that infrastructure is their number one priority and have responded accordingly. Now I am interested in what the projects are that we can fund to support our growing and successful tourism sector.”
Successful
applicants for round two of the Regional Mid-sized Tourism
Facilities Grant Fund
Applicant
Co-funding
Ashburton District
Council
$105,000 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities at Lake Camp. The new facilities will respond to
the significant increase in visitor numbers around the
Ashburton Lakes and help manage existing pressure, with the
Council currently having to use portaloos during peak summer
months.
Buller District Council
$153,600 of
funding for works to construct toilet facilities at Fox
River. The facilities will increase the area’s capacity
for growing numbers of visitors travelling along the SH 6
West Coast touring route.
Buller District
Council
$101,580 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities at North Beach, Westport. The facilities will
support the growing number of visitors coming within the
vicinity of North Beach, including freedom campers and users
of the Kawatiri River Trail and other walking tracks.
Central Otago District Council
$139,200 of funding
for works to install rubbish compactors at eight sites
around Lake Dunstan. The project will increase the
Council’s ability to respond to growing visitor demand and
ensure the surrounding area is kept rubbish free.
Central Otago District Council
$178,800 of funding
for works to upgrade the plumbing systems of two existing
toilet facilities at Lake Dunstan (Weatherall Creek and
Champagne Gully), and construct new toilet facilities in the
Cromwell Mall. The plumbing upgrades will improve capacity
at both sites, enhancing their ability to respond to
increased visitor numbers, including freedom campers. The
Cromwell Mall toilet facilities will help address strong
visitor growth in the town.
Gisborne District
Council
$256,228 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities at four sites on the East Cape (Hicks Bay,
Waipiro Bay, East Cape Lighthouse and Anaura Bay) to
increase the area’s capacity for growing numbers of
visitors.
Hastings District Council
$380,000 of
funding for works to construct additional parking, toilets
and visitor facilities at Te Mata Peak. The additional
facilities will increase the site’s capacity to respond to
growing visitor demand.
Horizons Regional
Council
$105,880 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities in the Te Apiti-Manawatu Gorge to increase
capacity for growing numbers of visitors attracted to the
popular walking area.
Hurunui District
Council
$224,254 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities and a dump station for motorhome use on Mountain
View Road in Culverden. The new facilities will help respond
to the significant increase in visitor numbers to Culverden,
particularly following the Kaikoura Earthquake, which saw
the town being incorporated into the South Island inland
touring route and portaloos being required to respond to
increased demand.
Mackenzie District
Council
$100,000 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities at the Lake Pukaki lookout. The facilities will
meet an immediate need with growing numbers of visitors to
the site.
Mackenzie District Council
$275,000 of
funding for works to construct toilet facilities at The
Pines Campground, next to Lake Pukaki lookout. The
facilities will meet an immediate need with growing numbers
of freedom campers to the site.
Mackenzie District
Council
$267,000 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities on Lakeside Drive, next to Lake Tekapo, and
upgrade an existing effluent dump station in the township.
Both facilities will meet an immediate need with growing
numbers of visitors to the site.
Queenstown Lakes
District Council
$150,000 of funding for works to
construct toilet facilities in Makaroa. The facilities will
respond to the estimated 400,000 vehicles travelling through
the township on SH 6 en route to Haast per year.
Rangitikei District Council
$120,550 of funding for
works to construct toilet facilities at three sites across
Rangitikei district (Mangaweka Village, Papakai Park in
Taihape and Bruce Park Reserve in Hunterville). The
facilities will serve as rest stops for users travelling
through the Rangitikei along SH 1.
Ruapehu District
Council
$622,500 of funding for works to construct toilet
and parking facilities at the Carrot Park in Ohakune. The
new facilities will help respond to significant growth in
visitor numbers in Ohakune both over winter months and
throughout the year (including those travelling to the
Tongariro Crossing).
Ruapehu District
Council
$140,000 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities at the Tangiwai Memorial near Waioura. The new
facilities are part of a larger programme of work being led
by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Department of
Internal Affairs and Department of Conservation, and will
encourage visitors to stop at the site en route to Ohakune
and the Desert Road.
Ruapehu District
Council
$140,000 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities in Ohura. The new facilities will support the
steady growth of visitors travelling on the Forgotten World
Highway, and also users of the Mountains to the Sea cycle
trail travelling between National Park and Wanganui.
Ruapehu District Council
$140,000 of funding for
works to construct toilet facilities in Owhango. The new
facilities will support the steady growth of visitors
travelling between Taumarunui and the National Park on SH 4,
and also users of the Mountains to the Sea cycle trail along
the border of Tongariro National Park.
Thames
Coromandel District Council
$130,000 of funding for works
to construct toilet facilities at the Park and Ride carpark
in Hahei. The new facilities will support the Council’s
wider visitor management strategy for responding to the
significant growth in visitor numbers to Cathedral Cove.
Waitaki District Council
$110,000 of funding for
works to construct new toilet and shower facilities, and a
wastewater disposal field at Dunback Domain Campground. The
new facilities will replace the existing toilets, which are
no longer able to meet demand for visitors travelling
towards Central Otago, including freedom campers.
Waitaki District Council
$113,000 of funding for
works to construct new toilet and parking facilities in
Duntroon. The parking facilities include a pick up/drop off
area for tourism operators associated with the Alps 2 Ocean
cycle trail, and will help to address the existing lack of
an organised parking system in the township. The new toilet
facilities will replace aged facilities that are unable to
meet increased demand.
Westland District
Council
$463,068 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities on the main street in Franz Josef. The new
facilities will replace the existing toilets, which are no
longer able to meet demand for visitors travelling between
the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.
Westland District
Council
$100,000 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities and upgrade parking at Dillman’s (Kapitea) Dam.
The new facilities will help respond to significant growth
in visitor numbers travelling past Dillman’s Dam (near
Kumara) via Arthur’s Pass, and along the SH 6 West Coast
touring route.
Westland District Council
$204,435
of funding for works to construct toilet facilities and
upgrade parking in Okarito. The new facilities will help
respond to significant growth in visitor numbers travelling
through the township along the SH 6 West Coast touring
route.
Westland District Council
$117,216 of
funding for works to construct toilet facilities and upgrade
parking in Bruce Bay. The new facilities will help respond
to significant growth in visitor numbers travelling through
the township along the SH 6 West Coast touring route between
Fox Glacier and Haast.
Westland District
Council
$136,125 of funding for works to construct toilet
facilities and upgrade parking in Fox Glacier. The new
facilities will help respond to significant growth in
visitor numbers travelling through the township along the SH
6 West Coast touring route between Fox Glacier and
Haast.
Whakatane District Council
$100,000 of
funding for works to construct toilet facilities in
Murupara, and upgrade existing toilet and carpark facilities
at Eivers Park in Te Teko. The Te Teko facilities will
benefit the increased number of visitors travelling between
Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty, while the Murupara facilities
will benefit visitors travelling to Te Urewera National
Park.
Whangarei District Council
$160,000 of
funding for works to construct toilet facilities at the Abby
Caves and Parihaka sites. The new facilities will support
visitor growth at both sites, as well as the nearby
Whangarei city centre.
Total
$5,233,336
ends