Tourism Crunch - New Zealand 2020

Posted  15th February 2020 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper Dunedin N.Z

Apart from the Corona virus effecting our Asian Visitors and Crayfish Exports, the Rivers in the Sky event has changed Tourism in Fiordland drastically this month with many displaced seasonal tourism workers looking for support to live in our high rent resorts and I would like to take a moment to thank those people who are looking out for them.
Also my hat goes off to our promotional agents who try to keep local spirits up with  Keep Calm and Carry On determination.
Sadly this season is not going to function normally till the repairs are done and even then the pattern For Heavy Passenger Vehicles only might be the new normal on the Milford Road. Doubtful Sound has not been future proofed thanks to a decision last century and currently has a 4 to 5 day backlog an allegedly priority goes to Queenstown.
News is now adventuresome tourists are starting to seek out the secret places on Fiordland's Eastern Boundary by car so that may prove interesting especially for the spectacular Borland Saddle Area.
We look forward to next season where Climate Action will be the hot topic. 

Milford Sound NZ - Bottleneck

Posted 30th April 2019 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

So this summer the traffic cues at the Homer Tunnel reached the limit of feasibility and the traffic volume on a un ventilated tunnel also reached it’s sensible limit.
I think the community need to know what is going to happen if the authorities decide they are pushing their luck too far.

The Idea of closing the tunnel to Motor Homes seems to be the first obvious step but will that even be enough.

I know it sound like madness to the Federated Mountain Club
but perhaps it is time to develop another Fiordland experience to take pressure off the Milford Sound Obsession ?

I guarantee there are many other places of equal beauty in the park that are under lockdown for ill defined emotional reasons.
This begs the age old question, are the needs of the many subservient to the needs of the few.

We are living in the Anthropocene era  for better or worse we can not turn back the clock literally or figuratively.
Humans Rule, ignoring that is just as pointless as trying to stop time itself.

Department of Conservation Optics

Posted 12 September 2018 to the Advocate South Newspaper NZ

Dear Sir:
I just had a chat with our local Department of Conservation watchdog Ray Willet who is perplexed at the way the DOC
seems to be clueless when it comes to optics. Yes indeed the taxpayer must be wondering were the money goes
as the DOC are clearly not a public service nor are they a business. They do not have to have transparency nor do they have to generate profit. The Building of an expensive new hut on the Milford Track is just another example of this malaise .

There are just so many other things to be done to improve the Fiordland National Park experience that are ignored.
The department management is just not keeping up. The Milford Track is maxed out.

Try something new for goodness sake. Actually fixing problems and making a difference can be so much more rewarding! 

Fiordland NZ Trail makers and shakers

Posted 7th of June 2019 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

It was a great milestone for Manapouri township to finally get a trail to the near by National Park on Jun 3rd in the for of the 6th Leg of the Lake2Lake trail. So today our trails trust has by needs and determination become a self funded construction organisation. 

Here is hoping the Department of Conservation will use our FTT to make more much needed trails in the area or upgrade old ones for both cycling and walking.

Who knows one distant day locals will be able to cycle to the hidden lakes at entrance of South Fiord. Or follow the shore to Eglinton River Mouth and beyond.

I guess its all up to our Minister of Conservation now to enhance the health of our community. We should all write and thank them in some form for their help...  Oh and to finish their part of the Lake2Lake.

Fiordland Rescue Services Cuts

Posted 15th April 2018 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

Just using common sense one might think Fiordland would need a special Helicopter Response team just based on the number of Cruise Ships that frequent our coast. I should think if there was an emergency that they wont be too fussy about how many engines a recue Chopper has, especially if they are in danger of sinking or burning.
Every human activity contains risk, risk is the product of free will. I don’t think we have learned to be robots just yet.  

Fiordland's GODZone Adventure 2018

Posted 16th March 2018 to the Fiordland Advocate Newspaper Te Anau NZ

It is Interesting to ponder what lasting effects the recent GODZone adventure race have on Fiordland now that it’s all done and dusted.

It’s not clear just how many people have followed it beyond the personalities and Fans involved but they certainly showcased some areas less traveled to the public. Some of their routes will be begging to be revisited.

As for photographic coverage there where some classic snapshots of amazing landscape but quite a few gaps and a fair bit of rural Southland mixed in.

The real star of the race was the amazing Lake Herries between Lakes Manapouri & Te Anau high in the Kepler Mountains that proved to be a hidden Gem.

The Manapouri-Te Anau Cycle trail survey route showed itself to be very handy  and could well be a staple in future events  as well as the Lake2Lake trail.

Also a shame they all missed Mount Titiroa but where so close!

The Art of Signage Te Anau NZ

Posted 20th October 2017 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

What is it about public creativity that is polarising in this region ?
Te Anau’s Ray Willet  seems to be pushing buttons in that area of late
with his art work inspired by the Department of Conservations lake of advise on Toilet etiquette in the National Park.
I agree with Ray that words and signage are like art as some can be pleasant or disturbing but are an insight into our culture.

History too Is part of our Culture and it needs artistic hands to preserve it and care for it.  Signage might be a start.
But artwork is great too in Public Spaces... Years ago I mooted that a Statue of Quentin MacKinnon in the new Te Anau TOWN CENTRE might be a
A focal point. There are calls for a Statue of Donald Sutherland at Milford Sound  or a better mausoleum for him and his wife now forgotten behind the
Old THC buildings.

There has got to be more to a community than the here and now narrowly focusing on Utilitarian shows of Wealth Conformity & Comfort or we suffocate.
It’s not like we lack heart & soul. 

New Great Walks Ideas for New Zealand

Posted 26th October 2017 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

So the Department of Conservation is looking for some new “Great Walks” for it’s “brand” and are asking for suggestions.
As I have studied this very Idea for many years now I can point our some Southland places crying out for some attention
though not high in political importance are as worthy as any for shear ambience.. BTW a GRAND FIORDLAND track has been mooted before
linking the Park from North to South by joining existing trails and bridging gaps.

However if I had to pick,  these are some of the best for cycle / hiking:  Borland Lodge to Mt Titiroa, Hidden Lakes Te Anau to Hurricane Passage Manapouri,
Borland Lodge to West Arm Manapouri, Lake Hauroko to Lake Poteriteri or the Old Telegraph Track to Puysegur Point Lighthouse... all worthy places.

If D.O.C. really wanted to think out of the box they could get into running their own boats and open the old route between Crooked Arm Doubtful Sound
and Skinks Head Cove at Breaksea Sound for the mother of all kayak operations in the Dusky Sound area.

The Department may need to pay it’s workers performance bonuses and look after them better. If Southland is still in the running against Queenstown & Auckland. 

Published Sep 27th Page 8