DOC issues plans to ease crowds on 'greatest walk in the world'

Noise pollution and the sheer weight of numbers are threatening the tranquillity that attracts visitors to Milford Sound.

Limits will be imposed on the number of day walkers using Milford Track and a $100 million gondola project may struggle to get approval under plans to manage the growing appeal of Fiordland National Park.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) yesterday released its draft plan for Fiordland National Park, which did not include a designated "amenity area" at Milford for the Skyline Enterprises/Ngai Tahu gondola project.

"The plan gives us cause to pause but I emphasise [the project] has only been deferred," said Skyline Enterprises spokesperson Ken Matthews.

"Of course we would have been happier if [the amenity area] was there but we have to accept it's not."

Two other projects, a $150 million, 10.2km tunnel from Glenorchy to Milford Rd and a $150 million monorail from Queenstown to Te Anau, are not directly affected by this plan but could help spread visitor numbers over the day, a key goal of the plan because of increasing concerns over congestion and crowding at Milford Sound.

Riverstone Holdings' monorail might be more likely to go ahead now the gondola looked less likely, said spokesman Philip Phillips .

"The gondola is obviously a competitive activity," he said.

The monorail proposal is currently being considered by DOC.

The third project, the "Dart Passage" tunnel, would cut travel time between Queenstown and Milford from a 10-hour round trip to just four hours.

Spokesman for Milford Dart Ltd, Tom Elworthy, said he was confident the project's 40 diesel/electric hybrid coaches would be making the journey beneath Mt Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks by 2011.

Shying away from imposing a visitor cap at Milford, DOC has given tourist operators the chance to" self-regulate" for the next five years but if the "perception of crowding and congestion are not reduced then visitor number limits will be implemented".

Air access to Milford was a controversial issue in the lead-up to the release of the draft plan and yesterday tourist operators were unsure how provisions would affect business.

"We're reasonably happy with what we have seen from the Milford end of it but unsure about the rest of the proposals," said Fiordland Aviation Users Group spokesman Lloyd Matheson.

Flight restrictions over wilderness areas was an issue the group would look at closely in coming days, he said.

DOC spokesman Martin Rodd said operators were being asked to avoid flying over the Milford Track at peak times, fly higher to reduce noise and update aircraft to more modern, quieter, models.

"Up to 40 planes fly up the track in one hour and that was considered unacceptable," he said.

Currently around 39 day walkers use the first sections of the Milford Track at either Milford or Te Anau but that number was likely to be cut to 34 and restrictions on how far day trampers could go.

"The purpose is to maintain those tracks predominantly for overnight trampers," he said.

A loop track, that would fork off the main section, was currently being considered and would take pressure off the main track, he said.

The Fiordland National Park draft management plan will undergo more consultation before it becomes final.

Fiordland National Park:

* Covers 1.2 million hectares. A world heritage site containing some of New Zealand's most spectacular and remote wilderness areas.

* Milford Sound visitor numbers have grown from 247,000 in 1992 to around 470,000 last year with crowds spilling from around 40 to 50 buses at peak times.