The NZMCA’s 63rd Park has opened in the heart of one of the most popular parts of the country giving members a much-needed place to stay while walking, cycling and adventuring in the Queenstown Lakes District.
National Manager Property & Policy James Imlach says the opening of the Glenorchy NZMCA Park is a significant milestone for the Association and the result of an extensive search for the right location.
“We know members have struggled to find suitable places to stay due to the limited capacity in Queenstown’s motor camps and the council’s prohibitive stance on freedom camping," he says.
"We’re excited members will finally have somewhere in the Upper Wakatipu Basin where they can stay for a few nights at a safe, secure and well-located site."
The Park can accommodate 40-50 CSC motorhomes and caravans and is located at the end of Mull Street as it turns into Glenorchy-Paradise Road, adjacent to the golf course and Glenorchy Walkway and Lagoon.
Services include potable water, rubbish, a user pays dump station (with holding tanks) using Penny/KiwiCash (the fee will help offset costs to cart wastewater to Queenstown) and 10 user pays power points using Penny/KiwiCash.
Subject to available space and in accordance with the NZMCA bylaws, members can leave their vehicles unoccupied while they walk one of the local overnight hikes such as The Routeburn Track Great Walk or Rees-Dart Track.
James says the local community was instrumental in helping the Association find the site and have been very positive during the development process. In line with the NZMCA’s commitment to promoting regenerative tourism and supporting communities, the NZMCA Greenfund is supporting the Southern Lakes Sanctuary Trust’s Rees Valley predator control programme.
The Rees Valley is bounded by Mt Aspiring National Park and the Te Wahipounamu UNESCO world heritage area and is home to 16 threatened species including kea, pīwauwau/rock wren and takahē, who have recently been returned to the valley after being absent for hundreds of years.
“The generous support from NZMCA will help us to protect taonga species in the stunning Rees valley,” says Southern Lakes Sanctuary CEO Paul Kavanagh.
“It will enable us to integrate new tech and innovation by establishing a network of automated, self-resetting traps equipped with real-time, remote reporting. This allows predator control over remote and rugged terrains, reducing labour requirements while increasing efficiency. An A.I camera in the trap also helps to reduce the risk to non-target native species like the curious and intelligent kea.”
On behalf of the NZMCA, James would like to extend special thanks to local members Paul Ferris and Marilyn Pierson (also On-site Park Custodian) for their help managing this project.
Thanks also to the following local contractors:
- Reids Earthworks for developing the site
- Mike Kingan for the building work
- Dale Jefcoate, Harveys Tanks, and GM Designs for the dump station
- Penny & Laser Electrical for powering up the site
