Oteake Conservation Park proposal
Consultation closed: 14 July 2008
Background information
The proposed 64,805 hectare park encompasses large areas of conservation land on the St Bathans, Hawkdun, Ida, Ewe and St Marys Ranges, straddling the Department of Conservation's Otago and Canterbury Conservancies. It also includes several areas of Crown land yet to be gazetted as land managed by the Department of Conservation. These include tenure review outcomes agreed to by both the Crown and the lessee. The proposed park does not include any privately owned or occupied land.
The proposed park includes areas of high ecological and landscape value. It will protect a large section of Central Otago block mountain terrain and considerable areas of tussock grassland. It also includes a breeding site for New Zealand’s most endangered freshwater species, the lowland longjaw galaxiid. The historic and scenic Mt Buster diggings also lie within the proposed boundaries.
Oteake Conservation Park would provide a wide range of recreation: tramping, mountain biking, angling, backcountry skiing and hunting. There will also be opportunities for mountain touring with 4WD vehicles on designated tracks at appropriate times of year.
A discussion document outlining Oteake’s natural and recreational values, was prepared for stakeholders and the public, as part of the consultation process.
Park approval
The Minister of Conservation, the Hon Tim Groser, announced on 22 April 2009 that he had approved the formation of Oteake Conservation Park, subject to the exclusion of a 195 hectare area over the Hawkdun lignite deposit.
A report analysing the public submissions to the proposal to form the park is provided below.
Analysis of submissions - report (PDF, 71K)