Stage One of the Coastal Connection is open

Riders reach the top of the track ahead of the opening event

In 2020 we had a vision to give the communities north of the city a way to connect to each other by walking or cycling - not getting in a car. On Friday 13th February at 1pm over 100 people came together in the wind and rain to see our vision becoming reality. Walkers and cyclists were asked to make their way up the track, which starts in Chelivode St, Waitati, and gains 300m in elevation over 4.3km to reach the end of Mopanui Rd. After a karakia and mihi by Suzi Flack of  Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki and speeches, in which I attempted to acknowledge all the people involved in the project, Mayor Sophie Barker cut the ribbon and we enjoyed homemade kai, before the walkers and cyclists returned back down the hill. 

The Coastal Connection is a walking and cycling trail that will run from Dunedin City's northernmost town of Waikouaiti, all the way to Port Chalmers, connecting to the harbour cycleway and linking the coastal communities in-between.One day you’ll be able to travel off-road all the way to Oamaru. This first section shows what is possible when the community wants it. 

The track allows pedestrian access to Orokonui Ecosanctuary from Waitati. It also links to the Ridgeline Track and McKessar Track. Please park on Doctor's Point Rd and enter the start of the trail there. There is no parking on Chelivode St. Orokonui Ecosanctuary also want to remind cyclists that it's important they use the formed road (Mopanui Rd) to get between the Ecosanctuary and the top of the new track at Waitati, rather than using their access track beside the predator-proof fence.

How does something like this happen? Through a lot of hard mahi by a lot of people. Most of it for free too. I want to start my thank yous by acknowledging all the people who believed in the grand idea, because that wave of support just carries the project forward and gathers momentum. 

To mana whenua,  Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki, thank you for supporting this trail along this part of the coast, this special place which carries so many stories. Ka mihi nui.

Suzi Flack

To all the people who came to the public meetings, thank you. To all the people who wrote a comment of support, those comments are so powerful in funding applications, they make such a difference. To Mandy Mayhem, you were my right hand woman in those first years, thank you. 

I want to thank the Dunedin Tracks Network Trust, which was formed by Rachel Elder to facilitate trails in Dunedin. We are grateful for the trust’s support. Coming under the trust’s umbrella means we are part of a bigger vision for a network of Dunedin trails and it opens up doors for funding. Thank you to Rachel and all the trustees, past and present.

Thank you to the people who got us shovel ready. James Taylor from Beca, you probably took on more than you bargained for when you offered to help prepare the resource consent application, but you’ve been an absolute gentleman. Professor of archaeology Richard Walter,  and Brian Allingham, thank you. Nigel Harwood, thank you. Antony Hamel, thank you. Rikki Cambridge and Jo Cushen, thank you. Shelley Gorman, thank you.

Thank you to my family for supporting me - and for your patience!

My right hand man is Hamish Seaton. Track designer extraordinaire and guiding light, there is absolutely no way any of this would have happened without Hamish. I have sought his wise counsel many a time and will continue to do so. We’re in it for the long haul aren’t we?! We made a pact.

To the funders, thank you. We had $3000 in donations from local people and the Blueskin A&P Society. $10,000 from Herenga a Nuku, $20,000 from the Sargood Bequest, $40,000 from the AAW Jones Trust, $105,000 from Otago Community Trust and $200,000 from Lottery Community Facilities Fund.

Thank you to the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board for your support. Thank you to the staff and councillors at Otago Regional Council, especially chairs Andrew Noone and Gretchen Robertson, who wrote letters of support. We are pleased the Coastal Connection is supported in the Long Term Plan to the tune of $50,000. Thank you to all the Dunedin City Council staff who have helped us and thank you to the councillors and CEO Sandy Graham for your support. Funding the trust with $50,000 over the next 9 years will give an excellent return on investment.

To those who have helped with planting days and plants, especially Angelina Young and Chris Baillie, thank you. To Mark Brown and team at Blueskin Nurseries, and the volunteers who are propagating all the native plants for planting the strips either side of the track over the next two years - thank you. We look forward to seeing how it is transformed.

Thank you to Amanda Symon and all at Orokonui Ecosanctuary for supporting our vision. We look forward to your visitor numbers increasing with this trail. May your cafe never run out of those delicious savoury scones.

To the contractors - thank you. George and team at Cargill Contracting, Nick and team at Custom Fencing.  Thank you Alan Dippie and Central Machine Hire. Thank you Rob Lawson for the many tonnes of gravel! Thank you A.D. from Little Tree Garden Craft for your amazing sculpted seats.

I’ve left the most important thank you as one of the last ones, which is to Graeme and Marie Bennett. They have given over 4 hectares of farmland to the public for this trail. This is an extraordinary act of generosity and selflessness. This gift will leave a lasting legacy. On behalf of the community, we just can’t thank them enough. But I know their reward will be seeing all the people out on the track, enjoying it.

Andy Parsons and Graeme Bennett

Now, the construction. If you know Graeme, you know he’s a man with ideas and a man who likes to get things done. And if you’re in his orbit, you’ll feel the pull to get things done too. This happened to his friend Andy Parsons, but I think he’s pretty happy about it. Graeme and Andy have built this track. Thousands of hours have been put in. They’ve had input from track designer Hamish Seaton and help from Cargill Contractors for the big stuff, and a merry band of helpers polishing it all up nearer the end. Thank you all. But really, this is Graeme and Andy’s track. We applaud you.

And to the landowners gifting their land for the next stages of the Coastal Connection, we salute you. This shared path will benefit our communities in a multitude of ways, for generations to come.

If you want to support this project, go here to donate. You can also help the team of volunteers at Blueskin Nurseries who are propagating all the native plants for planting the areas either side of the track over the next two years.

Stage One down, only a few more to go!

Emily Cooper, coordinator of the Coastal Connection project

Some of the crowd

After the ribbon-cutting, attendees pose for the Otago Daily Times photographer. Mayor Sophie Barker is in the red tartan.