This application is notified under section 17SC of the Conservation Act 1987. The Minister of Conservation has received an application for a lease licence concession from:
Application details
Applicant: Victoria Battery Tramway Society Incorporated
Location of proposed activity: Victoria Battery Historic Reserve
Concession applied for:
- Leasing of a historic building, 'the Transformer House', to continue operating a museum. The contents of the museum relate to surrounding gold mining areas such as Waihi, Waikino, and Karangahake.
- Operation of a tramway taking visitors around the site.
- Guided tours of the museum, Kilns and Kiln Tunnel by volunteers. The Kiln Tunnel is locked when not in use for health and safety reasons.
- Use of the public car park for the purpose of NZMC overnight events involving a maximum of 40 self-contained vehicles being parked overnight.
- Occasional day events limited to a maximum of 100 vehicles.
Summary of proposal: A lease licence for the operation of a museum and a tramway, along with short-guided tours of the Kiln Tunnel, and occasional hosting of NZMC Association overnight stays, on Victoria Battery Historic Reserve, for a term of 30 years with a 30-year right of renewal.
A lease licence concession for multiple activities including; the operation of a museum and a tramway, short-guided tours of the Kiln Tunnel, and the hosting of overnight stays on the guest car park for the NZMC Association for a couple of nights a year.
Application documents:
How to make a submission
Any person or organisation may make a submission in writing to the Director-General on the proposal.
Submissions close on Sunday 24 May 2026 at 5 pm.
1. Prepare your submission
Record what you think in the submission form.
Any person or organisation wishing to be heard at a possible hearing in support of their submission must request an opportunity to appear before the Director-General. This request must be included in your submission.
2. Send us your submission
You may make a submission by sending a written or electronic submission to:
Email: awmason@doc.govt.nz
Post:
Director-General
Department of Conservation
Permissions Team
Private Bag 3072
Hamilton 3204
Attention: Akasha Warner-Mason Senior Permissions Treaty Advisor
Once submitted, submitters' information is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 and may be released under that Act. If you wish to keep any part of your submission confidential, you need to state this in writing when making your submission.
What happens next
After submissions close:
- DOC will analyse and consider all submissions.
- A hearing will be held if there have been requests to be heard by the Director-General. If you have expressed an interest in presenting your submission at a hearing, you'll be contacted by DOC regarding this.
- DOC will analyse and consider information raised at the hearing if a hearing occurred.
- DOC will make a recommendation to the Minister of Conservation.
- The Minister of Conservation will make a decision on the application.
Hearing details
If a hearing is required, it is likely to occur on the week starting 8 June 2026.
Decision
No details at this point. Details, such as submissions and the decision outcome, will be added when they are available.
DOC comment regarding publicly notified applications
The Minister of Conservation has made no determination regarding the suitability of this proposed concession on public conservation land. This public notification should not be interpreted as an intention on the part of the Minister of Conservation to grant the proposed concession.
Contact
If you have any questions about the application or the submission process, you can contact Akasha Warner-Mason Senior Permissions Treaty Advisor via email: awmason@doc.govt.nz