17 March 2005

Te Araroa Trail To Go Through Manukau

Manukau City Council has approved in principle a route for the Te Araroa walking trail through the City. Te Araroa is a 2,900 km nationwide walking trail linking Cape Reinga to Bluff. The Te Araroa Trail is being co-ordinated by volunteers from the Te Araroa Trust who aim to have it completed by 2008.

The proposed route in Manukau enters the city at the end of Auckland City's Coast to Coast Walkway over the old Mangere Bridge and then follows Kiwi Esplanade through Ambury Regional Park, on to the recently-opened path around the newly restored section of the Manukau Harbour, into the Otuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve, around the airport, into Puhinui Reserve and up the Puhinui Stream to Manukau City Centre.

>From Manukau City Centre the proposed route heads through Totara Park and into Whitford, across Clevedon Scenic Reserve and the centre of Clevedon. The route then follows the Wairoa River to enter the Hunua Ranges Regional Park and south through Franklin District towards the Waikato. Most of the route in Manukau will be over existing public land. In some sections the walking trail will be accompanied by bridle trail and cycle tracks.

The Council is working closely with volunteers from the Te Araroa Trust on the project. Once the route is established, the volunteers will co-ordinate the construction of parts of the trail and installation of signage.

Mayor Sir Barry Curtis says the walkway is a brilliant idea and he wholeheartedly supports it going through Manukau. "It will be a great asset to the city although it will come at very little cost to ratepayers."

"We are expecting many tourists to walk the trail, either in part or from top to bottom. Walking is a great way to see many of the City's parks and reserves in a healthy way, and I am expecting many Manukau residents to take advantage of the trail too. For example, a wonderful afternoon's walk could take you along the beautiful restored Mangere foreshore and then on to the Otuataua Stonefields."

"The Te Araroa Trail will fit perfectly into our plan to make the most of Manukau's tourism and visitor potential. It is just one of a number of new initiatives being developed to attract tourists to the city."

Research indicates that walking is one of the most common and popular activities among overseas visitors to New Zealand.

ENDS

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