Work has started on Northland's first dedicated mountain bike park with its backers saying it could be a game-changer for the Bay of Islands.
The Focus Paihia project aims to eventually open up 70km of trails in the hills behind Waitangi.
It is the brainchild of Tiffany and Robin Holland, keen mountain bikers who say the park will encourage healthy exercise and create a badly needed land-based attraction to complement Paihia's water activities.
Inspired by the success of Rotorua's Whakarewarewa Forest trails, the park is being created in the 570ha Waitangi Endowment Forest.
Work began on October 12 by a crew from Rotorua firm Southstar Trails.
They are currently building an easy grade 2 trail and a more advanced grade 4 in young pine forest with and some open country offering views across the Bay of Islands.
The firm expects to have 14km complete by Christmas but it is likely to be late summer before the trails are ready to ride.
Site manager Rohan Alton, 26, said the company had previously built trails at Whakarewarewa, Napier's Esk Forest, Wellington's Makara Peak and Colonial Knob near Porirua.
One of the special things about the Waitangi project was the blessing ceremony by Ngati Kawa Taituha, acting chair of Waitangi Marae.
"And the views are awesome. It's pretty cool to be up this end of the country. The terrain is pretty steep but nothing we haven't built on before," he said.
The Southstar crew of four is due to be joined by Northland workers who will help clear the way through gorse and pine slash before the diggers can get to work shaping trails.
Mrs Holland said the aim was to get 3three pilot trails open by late summer. The clay needed time to cure and the trails had to be surfaced and signposted.
Getting permission for the project had taken three years and been complicated by the land's unusual status. It is owned by the Crown, administered by DoC, linked to the Waitangi National Trust and governed by its own Act of Parliament.
"So it's really exciting to be finally turning some dirt," she said.
Building all planned trails will cost at least $1.3 million. Funding so far had come from the Far North District Council, businesses and donations.
Two big funding applications were in the pipeline and regional development organisation Northland Inc had signalled it would come to the party.
Mr Holland said the park would bring major health and tourism benefits. The Bay of Islands needed land-based activities which could drive business throughout the year, not just the four months of summer.
Mrs Holland said the park would be a "game changer" encouraging more visitors and longer stays. Rotorua's mountain bike park had added $13 million to the city's economy last year, she said.
The park's two-year plan includes a car park, cafe and bike hub accessed from Bayly Rd. A temporary car park will be located on Haruru Falls Rd.
The Hollands have also developed safe riding etiquette to avoid conflict with other forest users, including horse trekkers and Te Araroa trail hikers.