Macetown Access

The gate has now been installed and will be left unlocked and open for an interim period. The full system will be operational by late January. Until then, no permit is required and the gate remains unlocked and open.

No. Macetown Road is a very popular 4WD track and, despite its name, is not a legal road or paper road and there are no legal easements for ongoing vehicle access. Macetown Road runs

from Arrowtown to the Macetown Historic Reserve alongside and crossing the Arrow River. It primarily crosses private land (pastoral leases for Glencoe, Mt Soho and Coronet Peak stations held by Soho Property Ltd that are subject to the Mahu Whenua Covenants overseen by QEII National Trust) and traverses various other property parcels including QLDC land, DOC marginal strips and hydro parcels (Crown riverbed managed by LINZ).

The Macetown Ruins and Reserve, Scholes Tunnel, the Macetown Road itself and various archaeological and historical features along and accessible via the 4WD Tracks are listed as Heritage Features to be protected within QLDC’s District Plan. The Macetown Historic Reserve is listed as an Historic Feature for DOC’s Western Lakes and Mountains / Nga Puna Wai Karikari a Rakaihautu Place as a ‘Local Treasure’ with 4WD access. The DOC listing notes the area is subject to visitor impacts from vehicles and vandalism. The Managed Access System aims to address numerous issues, including:

• No existing easements providing for enduring public vehicle access.

• No funding for maintenance or repairs.

• Ongoing environmental damage and vandalism by 4WD vehicles and off-road motorcycles.

• Off-road vehicle traffic volumes causing accelerated deterioration of the track.

• Safety due to hazards and risks especially for inexperienced drivers.

• Potential liability for property owners.

• Increased occurrence of weather-related slips requiring remedial maintenance.

• Potential damage to archaeological sites and risk of potential unlawful modification or destruction of archaeological sites.

• If nothing is done, Macetown Rd will deteriorate over time, become inaccessible for vehicles and will be closed.

The Managed Access System includes:

• A combination gateway structure incorporating a ‘squeeze barrier’ structure providing unrestricted access for walkers and cyclists and an opening vehicle gate secured by a combination padlock.

• A camera surveillance system with image capture and number plate recognition capability.

• An online fee-based system to process permit applications for vehicle access to the 4WD Tracks (Online Permit System).

• An annual programme to protect and preserve the 4WD Tracks including regular track condition assessments, track maintenance and improvements, management of contractors for upgrades or improvements, and hosting the online permit system.

• Easements over Crown Riverbed and Crown Pastoral Lease lands (to be registered on the land titles).

The Mahu Whenua 4WD Tracks Access Advisory Group (4WD Access Advisory Group) has been established to ensure Macetown Road 4WD tracks are managed efficiently and effectively without undue negative impacts on the surrounding land. Their purpose is not to close Macetown Rd but to preserve enduring public vehicle access. The group includes QEII National Trust, Soho Property Limited, The Department of Conservation, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Arrowtown Village Association, Queenstown Trails Trust, Herenga ā Nuku | Outdoor Access Commission, New Zealand Four Wheel Drive Association, the Shotover Four Wheel Drive

Club and Arrowtown Charitable Trust.

Permit fees are required to fund the annual work programme.

Individual 4WD vehicles or off-road motorcycles fees will initially be set at $40 per trip. Local residents (living within the QLDC boundaries) can access an Annual Pass for $100 allowing unlimited trips. The Annual Pass is not transferable and applies to a specified vehicle.

Permit fees go into a dedicated Macetown Rd account managed by Arrowtown Charitable Trust.

The funds collected can only be used to fund the annual work programme or specific costs associated with slip repairs or projects related to preserving and protecting Macetown Rd.

The permit system is not available yet. It will be accessible from websites and QR codes on signage at the track start. Further publicity will advise on where to get the permits.

Yes. QLDC is the applicant and nominated grantee for the easements.

Yes, that is a condition of the permit.

Horse riders continue to have free access and processes are being developed to ensure horse riders have access to the gate code.

The gate structure is approximately 3 kms from the track start and about 750 metres up hill from the turn-off to Scholes Tunnel track at Britannia Terrace.

No

Yes, there is a safe turn-around place at the start of the Scholes Tunnel track / Britannia Terrace.

Commercial operators are required to obtain concessions from DOC and a recreation permit from LINZ. In addition, they will have a separate fees arrangement that will be paid into the Macetown Rd account with Arrowtown Charitable Trust.

Yes, we recommend users tune to Channel 15 when on Macetown Rd.

Generous donations have been received from Central Lakes Trust, Community Trust South, QLDC, NZ Four Wheel Drive Association, Scope Surveying, Queenstown Lions, Shotover 4WD Club, Central Otago 4WD Club, Otago Landrover Owners Club, Otago Recreational 4WD Group and Nelson 4WD Club, plus many hours of work from volunteers.