Pouakai Crossing $3.4m upgrade

The Pouakai Crossing is to get a new name as part of its multi-million dollar spruce-up. A $3.4 million investment in the Taranaki tourist attraction was announced last week, as part of a $76m DOC tourism infrastructure package released through Budget 2017. And on Wednesday Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges, and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry revealed more about how the money would be spent. Barry said the finer details were still to be worked through with iwi and hapu, but the broader plan for the 'Taranaki Crossing' involved upgrading existing tracks, adding new bridges, toilets, signage and interpretation at an estimated cost of $1.8 million. A further estimated $1.6 million will be required for on-going operating and maintenance, and other associated costs, she said. The work is expected to be completed over a two to three-year period. "The Government's announcement of $3.4 million towards enhancing the infrastructure on this crossing will support the development of what will be a truly world class experience in Taranaki," Barry said. "We are developing a network of Great Short Walks and Great Day Walks because of increasing demand for activities that can be done in a day or less. "The DOC estate is our biggest and best-known tourism asset and the new walks networks will ensure we can maximise the tourism benefits for biodiversity and threatened species protection. "Overseas visitor numbers are set to reach 4.5 million in just five years and we need to be ready." Bridges said the funding was is part of Taranaki's economic action plan and the government's regional growth programme. The 'Make Way for Taranaki' project launched this week would help prepare an economic strategy and plan of action for Taranaki for the next 10 years. "This [crossing funding] is the first step in working towards an economic action plan for the Taranaki region," Bridges said. New Plymouth MP Jonathan Young said he welcomed the investment as a great step forward in establishing the crossing as a world class one-day walk. He said he had supported improving the crossing since 2014, an idea he said was initially promoted by Taranaki mountain guide Rob Needs. "This was all before Taranaki was in the international spotlight and poised for tourism growth. We believed in the project and now the crossing will be one of the centre-pieces of Taranaki's attraction." A crossing project team was formed towards the end of 2014, which included the Department of Conservation, New Plymouth District Council, iwi leaders, Venture Taranaki and other individuals who presented the business case to the Government. "It was a combined effort and great to see the 'Team Taranaki' approach we are proudly known for," Young said. The Taranaki Crossing will help to ease the pressure on the immensely popular Tongariro Crossing and could be considered as part of a suite of Great Day walks on offer in central North Island, he added. http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/92700260/pouakai-crossing-to-get-34m-toilet-and-track-upgrade