Paid parking trial planned for Franz Josef Glacier, Aoraki/Mt Cook and other South Island spots

Paid parking will be tested for 12 months at three South Island destinations. Photo / West Coast New Zealand, Herald

Three South Island tourist hotspots will require visitors to pay for parking summer of 2025-2026 to help manage visitor demand and bolster conservation efforts.

The Department of Conservation (DoC) will test paid parking at Franz Josef Glacier, Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and White Horse Hill in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park.

DoC heritage & visitors director Catherine Wilson said user-paid parking was not unusual in other countries and meant people could contribute to maintaining places they visit.

“The approach brings us in line with overseas solutions for similar issues,” she said.

“By contributing to costs at high-use sites, visitors give back to the places they enjoy, helping create a more regenerative model to sustain New Zealand’s precious biodiversity.”

The Franz Josef Glacier car park. Photo / DoC

Wilson said the three carparks were some of DoC’s busiest and the organisation has discussed the “sensible” option of paid parking for a long time.

“We can’t just keep building bigger car parks – it doesn’t solve the issue or uphold these outstanding areas,” she said.

White Horse Hill car park is often filled past capacity on peak days, Wilson said, with approximately 700 vehicles per day.

“At times there are up to 150 vehicles parked up to 1.5km down the access road,” she said, adding that they will explore making visitors pre-book carparks.

The 12-month pilot will receive $3.8 million from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) which will fund the paid parking systems and car park improvements at all three locations.

Details regarding pricing or charging mechanisms have not been released. Currently, DoC is engaging with stakeholders and partners about the plan.

After 12 months, DoC will assess the pilot and determine “how and where DoC might charge for car parks in the future”.

The Government has already actioned a 200% rise in the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, which jumped from $35 to $100.

Car park fees aren’t the only charge Kiwis and foreigners may face at popular destinations.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka is seeking public feedback on charging Kiwis $20 and non-Kiwis $30 to access iconic destinations on public conservation land.

The charges could contribute $70 million to the $1.7 billion DoC needs annually to maintain biodiversity responsibilities, the Herald reported today.