Southland’s 61km Hump Ridge Track is set to be New Zealand’s next Great Walk the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced in Tuatapere, Southland.
“This will be a fantastic addition to New Zealand’s Great Walks network. The Track provides access to a spectacular southern coastline and forests, dramatic alpine tops and historic viaducts. Hump Ridge offers the walker remote and unforgettable beauty and history,” says Eugenie Sage
“This is a significant investment in Southland tourism and the Tuatapere community. Great Walk status can draw more visitors to this beautiful part of the country.”
“Great Walks showcase some of the best parts of our country and are a great way to enable more people to enjoy and be inspired by nature to help protect it.
“The Department of Conservation will now work with the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Trust to bring the walk up to Great Walk standard and change it from a current two night walk to a three night experience. Approximately $5 million of funding is dedicated to the upgrade.”
The Minister signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Trust to progress this work. The new Great Walk will be set to open in late 2022 after the track upgrades are complete.
Hump Ridge Track is one of three finalist walks (the other two being Te Paki Coastal Track and Queen Charlotte Track) identified through DOC’s search for potential Great Walks, which began in 2017 with a call for public nominations.
Photos_Laura Waters. (Laura wrote about her experience on the Hump Ridge Track in Great Walks, Issue 68: June-July 2017)