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A historic Kinloch crib, used by Hollywood star Brad Pitt while filming in Central Otago last year, has been granted a concession by the Department of Conservation.
Pitt used the crib, or bach, when he was filming the movie Heart of the Beast in the area, and it was alsoin a photo shoot for GQ magazine, again featuring the legendary actor.
The application sought a 30-year concession lease for the continued occupation of the Kinloch crib and related facilities within the Greenstone Road Recreation Reserve for private accommodation purposes.
In a statement to the Herald, the Department of Conservation (DoC) said it could not provide further details while the matter remained under consideration by the applicants.
“For clarification: when an application is under consideration, DoC has no position on whether or not something will be granted,” it said.
“DoC has granted a concession which is currently with the applicant for their consideration.”
A morning sunrise over Mt Earnslaw as seen from Kinloch, near Glenorchy. Photo / George Heard
Public submissions lodged on the proposal show strong support for the continuation of the crib, which has become a longstanding feature of the head of Lake Wakatipu landscape.
One submitter, Phillip Robert Marshall, said his family had holidayed at Kinloch since the 1960s and described the crib as an enduring part of the area’s identity.
“Elliott’s crib and beach have always been part of the ‘Head of the Lake’ environment which I have enjoyed,” Marshall wrote.
“In fact, the crib has been in existence since 1938, according to the application.”
Marshall said the site represented a “wonderful amenity” and noted that “many people over the years have enjoyed its existence and benefited from the use of the beach and immediate surroundings”.
“The beach has always been accessible to the public and the presence of the crib has never prevented this.”
He said the private maintenance of the site had created a “considerable public benefit”.
Another submission from Katrina and Andrew Curtis described the crib as “part of the history and character of Kinloch” and said it “blends into the environment and is maintained to a high standard”.
Brad Pitt features on the Gentleman's Quarterly magazine cover in a shoot done in Glenorchy, Otago. Photo / Gentleman's Quarterly
“The applicants have clearly demonstrated respect for the area and have ensured the public can continue to enjoy access to the reserve,” they wrote.
A further submitter, John Glover, said the crib “adds character to the area and reflects the historic[al] use of these reserves by ordinary New Zealanders”.
The concession application was lodged by Carol Evans, Robin Evans, Rhonda Dunbavan, Michelle Mathews and Clifton Todd.
The Kinloch and Greenstone area is a popular gateway for trampers and visitors heading into the Fiordland and Mt Aspiring National Park tracks.
