NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Te Mata's Craggy Range has taken 'principled approach' over track

By Nicki Harper
Reporter·Hawkes Bay Today·
15 May, 2018 05:40 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The so-called Craggy Range Track behind Te Mata Peak is still popular with walkers and runners, despite the uncertainty over its future. Video by Duncan Brown.

Craggy Range chief executive Michael Wilding believes the winery has taken a principled approach since the development of Te Mata track divided opinion throughout the community.

Wilding said that as a successful New Zealand winery, the company was acutely aware of the importance of reputation.

"It would have been much easier for us to simply walk away from the track, but we could not leave the land and the community in a worse position, morally or legally," he said.

Read more:
• Iwi leader blasts Craggy Range Winery and 'racist' attitudes in Havelock North
• Havelock North's Te Mata track to remain? Mediation back on the table for controversial track
• Group formed to back retention of Te Mata Peak's 'Zorro' track
• Protest outside Craggy Range after Te Mata Peak trail backtrack

"We have not stepped out of the discussion at all, rather we have provided a number of potential solutions to iwi and council, and we and the community now need to understand what solution they support."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However a brand and marketing expert says Craggy Range Winery could damage its brand if it doesn't do whatever it can to find a resolution to the discord its track has created in the community.

Otago University Department of Marketing associate professor Robert Aitken said that Craggy Range was an established brand, and as such public awareness would not be dented by the furore.

From a reputational point of view, however, the potential for damage to the brand from the fallout was enormous, he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

While initially iwi were angered that they weren't consulted about the building of the track, which an independent review found was a failing on the part of the Hastings District Council, tensions had inflamed even further in ensuing weeks.

Most recently iwi expressed disappointment that the winery had put forward further proposals for the Te Mata track without consideration of the cultural implications of any ongoing developments.

After several weeks silence on the matter, Ngati Kahungunu chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana this week released an open letter to Craggy Range director Mary-Jeanne Hutchinson, outlining his dismay that the issue had divided the community, bringing "the worst of racist and class comments to the fore", and calling for the people at the top of the organisation to mitigate the situation.

In presenting the other proposals the winery put the matter in the hands of iwi and the council to sort out the best way forward, but Aitken said that Craggy Range still definitely had a part to play in finding a resolution.

Discover more

New Zealand

Protest at Craggy Range over trail backtrack

13 May 06:01 PM
New Zealand

Track row: Iwi boss blasts 'racist charge of lycra brigade'

14 May 06:00 PM
New Zealand

Watch: Te Mata Peak track protests continue

20 May 07:00 AM
New Zealand

Legal action lodged over Te Mata Peak track

04 Jul 06:04 PM

"When all the details are forgotten, what's the one thing they want to be remembered for in terms of behaviour?

"They can't step out of this - they started it, they need to be the ones to be remembered as finding a solution, and provide the resources and opportunity to do that."

He said Craggy Range did not need to take sides, rather they needed to recognise that something was not right and sort it out, even if it was not their direct responsibility.

"This could make them a hero brand rather than a loser brand."

In light of Tomoana's comments around a "racist one-way tirade" coming from Havelock North, Hawke's Bay Today canvassed councillors to see if they thought such comments were fair.

Councillor Damon Harvey responded that he was very disappointed that this issue had created a huge rift within the community.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"There is deep and strong feelings on the issue and it's important that there is a level of respect.

"It's important that the cultural history and significance on Te Mata Peak is better understood by our community. As councillors we have been given a good history lesson in recent times."

Councillor Simon Nixon also responded, saying he thought everyone involved in the track debate should concentrate on finding an agreeable resolution to that issue and avoid including issues that were not directly connected.

"It's easy to get annoyed, but ratcheting up arguments simply cements the views of those who already feel strongly on the matter."

Tukituki National MP Lawrence Yule said that if some things had been done differently the matter might not have ended up as it had.

However, now was the time to discuss options.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Somehow we as a community have to work together and find a way forward - I would be very sad if this ended up in some sort of racial tension greater than it needs to be - my understanding is everyone is trying to find a way through it."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Morning quiz: What does the term 'A5' signify in Wagyu beef grading?

12 Jul 08:40 PM
New Zealand

New Four Square and shops planned for Taradale town centre

12 Jul 06:00 PM
New Zealand

‘Still there’: Removal of logging machine sent tumbling over cliff proving tricky

12 Jul 05:59 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

New Four Square and shops planned for Taradale town centre

New Four Square and shops planned for Taradale town centre

12 Jul 06:00 PM

The existing Taradale Four Square would be demolished and rebuilt under the proposal.

‘Still there’: Removal of logging machine sent tumbling over cliff proving tricky

‘Still there’: Removal of logging machine sent tumbling over cliff proving tricky

12 Jul 05:59 PM
Premium
Editorial: Using immigration as a primary tool to drive economic growth is risky business

Editorial: Using immigration as a primary tool to drive economic growth is risky business

12 Jul 05:00 PM
Life in the balance: What it's like to be young on a transplant waitlist

Life in the balance: What it's like to be young on a transplant waitlist

12 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP