Central Otago Recreational Users Forum
An incorporated society providing a forum for recreational users in Central Otago.
- Committee meets every 2 months with a DOC representative; may include District Council, LINZ.
- News and information: to and from members.
- Advocacy on behalf of the otherwise non-represented recreating public and responses to public land managers.
- One public meetings per year: Autumn Forum and monthly committee meetings.
News:
A brief record of our meeting with Mike Tubbs re: Hunter valley outcome;
We attended a meeting with Mike Tubbs DOC, who was on the negotiating team re: Hunter valley.
At first glance, the signed agreement appeared to be simply a public statement of what Orange Investments (the owners of the Hunter Valley Lease) had said it was already offering.
In addition Walking Access New Zealand (WANZ) were stepping back and not pursuing their push for an easement up the valley.
A positive is that DOC are ensuring that the contact details for the manager of Hunter Valley Station are readily available
Mike went over most points, emphasising that DOC were monitoring what was happening by receiving landowner reports and public reports. ie. Land owner must disclose numbers requesting permission and obtaining permission.
The public should contact DOC if a reasonable request was turned down and why.
Public behaviour is paramount to on-going access from both the landowner and DOC perspective.
Hunters with currant gun licence and permit should expect access to be granted –providing weather, station farm activity and vehicle is up to scratch.
If farm activity is given as the reason for denial over a large number of periods this should show up in the reports to DOC.
Any non-reply to a contact attempt should be reported to DOC.
The manager has the right to ask if you are hunting and Mike had to admit they do have the right to turn access down. DOC should be notified if this happens.
Travel will only be allowed in daylight hours. So if an early morning or late evening hunt is your aim it will mean staying overnight which can only happen on DOC land.
In the main, WANZ LINZ and DOC will be monitoring the situation at various intervals. WANZ have only stepped back at this stage from their pursuing an easement to see how this works out.
Mike considers the Managers don’t know what they are in for, ie; the work it will involve.
Hopefully the public will make good use of the arrangements, once access is available again when lambing finishes on Dec 1st and that DOC only receives positive reports.
At the end of the meeting I let Mike know (CORUF) has been informed by our members that we don’t expect landowners to pay for track maintenance. So in this instance we accept that a payment should be made. However this situation and Tenure review access easements must change with Government departments doing what is promised in the CPL act, to give the public who wish to recreate on their conservation land a reasonable access route. Poor negotiations leaving the public and especially hunters to buy their way across farm land to get to Conservation lands is increasing and we will be vigorously pursuing better outcomes.
