NPDC begins construction next week of a new car park at the popular Egmont Road entrance to Te Papakura o Taranaki.

NPDC Project Manager Lead Gordon Davenport says the 145-space car park is part of NPDC’s investment in the tourism sector by providing the right infrastructure where it’s needed.

“It’s well-known that there’s a parking crunch along Egmont Road up to the visitor centre during peak season – there just aren’t enough parking spaces to meet the demand, but also no-one wants to eat into the park’s natural environment by extending any of those existing parking areas,” says Gordon.

“The Waiwhakaiho Track will open directly onto the new car park, and there’ll be the opportunity for private shuttle bus operators to run services between the site and the visitor centre at the top of Egmont Road.

“Taranaki has a reputation for having great outdoor experiences and this car park will build on that by making it easier for people to enjoy our stunning maunga.”

NPDC bought the block of pastureland for the new car park in 2019. Construction will begin on 10 November and the car park is scheduled to open for public use in April next year (weather permitting).

The car park will include toilets, a hand sanitising station and a shelter.

The Mangorei Road car park at the entrance to Te Papakura o Taranaki’s Mangorei Track, which opened on Christmas Day 2018, has proved to be enormously popular during peak periods with overflow parking sometimes required on an adjacent grass area.

Fast facts:

• Te Papakura o Taranaki is jointly managed by iwi and the Crown, with the Department of Conservation in charge of day-to-day operations.
• NPDC manages 1,600ha of park and reserve land around the district.

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