$3.9m Govt investment to help offset 'huge blow' of losing Fox Glacier access road

Tuesday, 27 August 2019

The Government will spend $3.9m to develop South Westland’s natural visitor attractions.

A $3.9 million Government investment will help offset the 'huge blow' of losing an access road to Fox Glacier, a West Coast tourism group says.

Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced on Saturday the Government would use funds from the International Conservation and Tourism Levy for tourism projects around Fox Glacier to offset the closure of the Fox Glacier Valley access road.

An engineers report showed there were no practical solutions to reopen the road after a major landslide blocked it in February.

DOC will extend the cycle/walking trail from Fox Glacier township to Lake Matheson.

Glacier Country Tourism chairman Ashley Cassin said the investment was a 'huge step' towards establishing new and upgrading existing infrastructure in the area.

**READ MORE:

DOC will create a day walk around Lake Gault in South Westland.

* Closure of road to Fox Glacier will have 'negative effect on township'

* Closed Fox Glacier access road to be abandoned; cash diverted to tourism projects

Plans include re-openin a coastal walkway to Galway Beach.

* Workers racing the clock at Fox River to save West Coast wildlife and reputation**

'This is a situation where metaphorically we have been thrown a lemon, but the opportunity presented out of the International Visitor Levy is our chance to make lemonade.'

DOC intends to boost cycling opportunities in the area.

It was a 'huge blow' to lose the road, but alternative vantage points and other infrastructure would now get a serious upgrade before the next tourist season, he said.

The $3.9m funding will go towards redesigning the Fox Glacier experience and valley walks, creating a car park and cycle/walkway for access to the south side of the valley and glacier views, and building trails to connect existing facilities.

It will also be used to build a day walk around Lake Gault and Peak Viewpoint and reopen the coastal walkway to Galway Beach, which has been closed due to flood damage. The cycle/walking trail on Cook Flat Rd from Fox Glacier township to Lake Matheson will be extended and more car parks will be added to Lake Matheson. There will also be new signage and tourist information added around the Fox Glacier area.

Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis said the majority of the work could start immediately and would be completed this summer.

Federated Mountain Clubs (FMC) president Jan Finlayson said the road closure would help restore the quiet to the Fox Valley.

'People will just need to take a bit more time [to get to the glacier] and arguably they will have a much better experience for it.'

New Zealand was likely to see more road collapses as climate change 'bites', she said.

'This is not an isolated incident and we should take it as an opportunity to develop walking and cycling, more climate friendly ways of accessing these places. This is a national park and driving through it at a rate of knots with many degrees of separation between you and nature doesn't give you the experience you came a long way for anyway.

'It's a crying shame that the tourist helicopters are so much of climate disruption behind the collapse of this valley will still buzz around overhead unabated,' she said.

The FMC had requested Sage reduce the amount of carbon emissions allowed by concession holders using Department of Conservation land.

Development West Coast regional tourism manager Jim Little said the $3.9m would provide more tourism opportunities for the area.

'Getting the south side walking track will alleviate part of the valley access issue,' he said.

'Lake Matheson is one of the most beautiful places in New Zealand with awesome views of Mt Cook.'