(November, 2023) The Lake2Lake Trail is set to be completed in the near(ish) future.

The Fiordland Trails Trust trustees have put in a power of work to get to this point, although there’s still a way to go.

Check out this Q&A with Trustee Graeme Crouchley, which gives a great outline of what is to come from Leg 5 – the final leg to complete the Lake2Lake Trail from Te Anau to Manapouri.

Where will Leg 5 go from and to?
Leg 5 of the Lake2Lake Trail will run from the unofficially named Balloon Loop Road south to Supply Bay Road. It connects the existing sections of Lake2Lake trail, completing it and eliminating the need for trail users to use the on-road section which is the current situation.

How long is this section?
5.5km

Will it be constructed to Grade 2 cycle trail standards, as per the rest of the Lake2Lake Trail?
Yes, the intention is to construct Leg 5 to the same high standard as the rest of the trail and it will meet Grade 2 cycle trail standards.

What can users expect from Leg 5 once it’s complete?
This section of the trail will offer one of the best viewpoints along the Waiau River, and passes through some unique terrain. After leaving Balloon Loop Road trail users will shortly arrive at Boulders Reach which offers an expansive and unobstructed view of the Waiau River and Kepler Mountains beyond. After the trail leaves the riverbank it passes through open country with scattered bog pine and manuka with a thick lichen and moss ground cover. The trail then crosses over a wetland (Oioi/wire rush and dracophyllum bog), this section of the trail will need to be boardwalk, before traversing through a mix of beech forest and native shrubs on the perimeter of the Kepler Farm until it meets Supply Bay Road and the existing Lake2Lake Trail.

It is quite a process to plan and then develop a cycle trail – what’s the first part of the plan?
Yes, the construction of the trail in many ways is the easiest part. Obtaining the necessary consents and permissions and determining the final alignment of the trail can take considerable time and costs. A scoping report has been prepared, which details the proposed route and the terrain encountered, and outlines the consenting requirements, key stakeholders, and professional consultant inputs required, construction scope, costs and time frames. We are still waiting on feedback from DOC’s legal team before the route can be finalised.

The next step is to obtain necessary consents (permissions from the regulatory authorities) which are required before Leg 5 can be constructed and are therefore a critical first step in this project. Consents will need to be obtained from Southland District Council and Environment Southland as set out by the rules of the District Plan, Regional Land and Water Plan and the National Environmental Standard for Freshwater.

We will engage a planner to support the Trust through this stage of the proposal, who will prepare the consent applications and liaise closely with other professional consultants that will be involved. A critical component of any consent application is the assessment of environmental effects. Given the nature of the application and the location in which the trail is proposed, to adequately address the environmental effects of the proposal and to support the consent applications above, a report will need to be prepared by a qualified ecologist. This report will also be used to refine the alignment of the proposed trail, outline the appropriate construction methodologies and any other measures that need to be followed to protect the environment. Without the ecological assessment any consent application would be rejected as it would not be considered to adequately address the environmental effects of the proposal.

What other sort of things need to happen before consents are applied for?
As well as all of the above, including the ecological assessment, we will also need feedback from DOC’s legal team.

What sort of timeframe will you be working to?
Timeframes won’t be clear until we get further into the consenting phase. The consenting phase can take considerable time as it is dependent on many factors, most of which are out of our control such as response times and whether consents are notified and a public hearing needs to be held. Furthermore, all of this is dependent on funding which could influence timeframes significantly. The Trust will work hard to source funding that is available in a timely manner but not having funds available would inevitably delay this project.

The big question – when do you think it will be officially opened, and the Lake2Lake Trail complete?
Assuming funding is available I would think a realistic timeframe is for the trail to officially be opened at the start of summer 2025/2026, although we would like to bring this date forward as much as possible.

How can people get on board and support this mahi?
This part of the trail will need to funded before it can be built. If people would like to support the completion of the Lake2Lake then financially supporting it will ensure it can happen in a timely manner. Any level of donation can be made and you can do so here on our website or any of the QR Codes located on the current Trails.

Furthermore, if the consent application is publicly notified, Council will seek feedback/input from the public regarding the consent. We would strongly encourage that those supporting the Trail submit a response in support of the Trail as this feedback is considered by Council when making their decisions.

Several small sections of this Trail will enter the Kepler Farm (Landcorp/Pāmu) whose generous support of this project has made this trail possible and for which the Trust is very grateful.

… watch this space for more updates as this exciting project progresses!