Te Arai, a popular beach for horse riding, is on the trail. Photo / Greg Bowker.
Te Arai, a popular beach for horse riding, is on the trail. Photo / Greg Bowker.
Plans for a $30 million walking, cycling and horse trail from Puhoi to Mangawhai will be launched on Friday.
"It will be the largest, the most popular, the most accessible and arguably the most beautiful trail in New Zealand," said Gary Browne, of the Matakana Coast Trail Trust.
The trailbegins at Wenderholm and winds its way through regional parks, reserves, beaches and forests via connections to the Mahurangi Peninsula and Omaha/Tawharanui before continuing to Leigh, Pakiri, Te Arai and Mangawhai.
For most of the way, the trail crosses the country rather than following a road. Some of the path will cater to horses.
The trail will go through Leigh where the Goat Island Marine Reserve is located. Photo / File
Browne said several dozen private landowners have agreed to allow access across their land, including Asia Pacific Industries(API), which is freeing up access through 12km of forestry land between Puhoi and Warkworth.
"Such is the community spirit, some of these landowners are paying for the trail that will cross their land," he said.
Browne said unlike the Otago and other cycling trails in New Zealand, Auckland does not have a comparable trail. All going well, the trail will join a 1000km network of trails planned and under way in Northland.
The trust believes the trail, on Auckland's doorstep, will be used by about 750,000 people a year and provide a safe active transport network for Rodney, which lacks footpaths and has the highest rate of deaths and serious injuries in the Auckland region.
The historic Puhoi Village is on the trail. Photo / Paul Estcourt
By comparison, 400,000 cyclists use the Woodhill Bike Park every year.
Browne said the trust is seeking funding from the Government because Auckland Transport does not see the trail as a priority in an area experiencing strong population growth.
Despite the growth, he said, the area is unlikely to receive priority sport and recreation investment when considered against the needs of urban Auckland.
An AT spokesman said the trial is an exciting and ambitious project.
Tawharanui Regional Park is on the trail. Photo / Alex Robertson
He said the council has worked alongside the trust on a new pedestrian and cycle bridge in Matakana and provided design and project management support on the trail project.
He said funding for the physical works needs to be looked at in relation to other priorities and "something we will continue to work with the trust on".
The $30m will be used to complete the construction of the trail.
