Govt Invests $1 M to Reopen Tarawera and Ōkataina Tracks in Tourism and Conservation Upgrade

“Tarawera and Ōkataina are some of Rotorua’s most iconic visitor destinations, attracting thousands of people every year and supporting local tourism and jobs,” Mr Potaka said.

The Government has announced a major investment to restore and upgrade some of Rotorua's most popular outdoor destinations, with NZ$1 million allocated to improve tracks, campgrounds, and visitor infrastructure around Lake Tarawera and Lake Ōkataina.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka confirmed the funding today, saying the investment — sourced from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) — will help reopen the long-closed Eastern Ōkataina Walkway while strengthening tourism infrastructure, biodiversity protection, and public safety across the region.

The project represents one of the latest efforts by the Government to modernise visitor facilities on conservation land while also advancing wider reforms aimed at accelerating infrastructure upgrades in high-demand tourism areas.

"Tarawera and Ōkataina are some of Rotorua's most iconic visitor destinations, attracting thousands of people every year and supporting local tourism and jobs," Mr Potaka said.

"This funding will improve tracks, campgrounds, toilets, and visitor facilities, while also helping address safety and resilience issues following the 2021 rockfall event that closed the Eastern Ōkataina Walkway."

Major Track and Campground Upgrades Planned

The investment will support improvements across more than 22 kilometres of walking tracks and three campgrounds in the Tarawera–Ōkataina area, which is widely regarded as one of New Zealand's premier geothermal and wilderness tourism destinations.

Key projects include upgrades to:

• Eastern Ōkataina Walkway

• Northern Tarawera Track

• Tarawera Falls Track

• Humphries Bay Campsite

• Te Tapahoro Campground

Officials say the work will improve visitor access, track safety, environmental resilience, and camping infrastructure while helping accommodate increasing visitor demand in the region.

The Eastern Ōkataina Walkway has remained closed since a major rockfall event in 2021 raised serious safety concerns along parts of the track corridor.

The reopening of the walkway is expected to restore an important recreational and tourism connection around Lake Ōkataina, which attracts walkers, campers, anglers, mountain bikers, and eco-tourists throughout the year.

Infrastructure improvements are also expected to include upgraded toilets, visitor amenities, track surfacing, drainage systems, signage, and resilience works aimed at reducing future weather-related damage.

Rotorua Tourism and Regional Economy to Benefit

Tourism operators say the Tarawera and Ōkataina area forms a critical part of Rotorua's broader tourism economy, which depends heavily on nature-based experiences, cultural tourism, and outdoor recreation.

The lakes and surrounding forest parks attract both domestic and international visitors and are closely linked to:

• Hiking and eco-tourism

• Water recreation

• Camping and holiday travel

• Mountain biking

• Māori cultural tourism

• Adventure tourism activities

Officials say improved visitor infrastructure will strengthen the region's ability to attract tourists while supporting local employment and business activity.

The funding comes from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, which collects fees from international visitors to help fund tourism infrastructure and environmental protection projects across New Zealand.

The IVL has increasingly become a major source of funding for conservation-related tourism infrastructure upgrades in high-visitation areas.

Iwi Partnerships Central to Future of the Area

The Government highlighted the important role local iwi and landowners will continue to play in shaping the future of the Tarawera and Ōkataina region.

Mr Potaka acknowledged the involvement of:

• Ngāti Rangitihi

• Tūhourangi

• Ngāti Tarāwhai

• Ruawahia 2B Trust

• Lake Ōkataina Scenic Reserve Board

"Ngāti Rangitihi, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Tarāwhai, Ruawahia 2B Trust, and the Lake Ōkataina Scenic Reserve Board all play an important role in the future of this area and the experiences it offers visitors," he said.

The Rotorua lakes region carries deep cultural and historical significance for iwi, with many sites holding important ancestral, spiritual, and ecological value.

Conservation and tourism projects in the area increasingly involve co-management arrangements, iwi consultation, and cultural input into visitor experiences and environmental restoration initiatives.

Biodiversity Protection and Wallaby Control Included

Alongside tourism infrastructure improvements, the project will also support wider biodiversity restoration efforts in the region, including wallaby control operations.

Wallabies are considered a major invasive pest species in parts of New Zealand and have become a growing ecological concern in the central North Island due to their impact on native vegetation and forest ecosystems.

The Government says integrating biodiversity management alongside tourism investment reflects a broader strategy of balancing visitor growth with environmental protection.

Officials argue upgraded infrastructure can help reduce environmental pressure by directing visitor movement more effectively while supporting long-term ecosystem management.

Government Links Project to Wider Conservation Law Reforms

Mr Potaka also used the announcement to promote the Government's proposed Conservation Amendment Bill, which is currently before Parliament.

The legislation aims to simplify and speed up approval processes for infrastructure projects on conservation land.

"This announcement also shows why the Government is reforming conservation legislation," Mr Potaka said.

"The Conservation Amendment Bill currently before Parliament is about making it easier to deliver practical upgrades like this in the future."

The Government argues current conservation approval processes are overly complex, expensive, and slow, often delaying essential upgrades to visitor facilities and public infrastructure.

"For too long, outdated processes have slowed investment into tracks, huts, campgrounds, and visitor infrastructure on conservation land," Mr Potaka said.

"Our reforms will help cut unnecessary delays while maintaining strong environmental protections and reinvesting back into conservation."

The proposed reforms are expected to face scrutiny from environmental groups, conservation advocates, and iwi organisations concerned about balancing faster development approvals with ecological safeguards.

However, supporters say streamlining the system is essential as visitor numbers increase and ageing conservation infrastructure requires major reinvestment nationwide.