The proposed Stage 1 walking trail alignment for the 500km Te Ara Tipuna. Graphic / Te Ara Tipuna Charitable Trust
The proposed Stage 1 walking trail alignment for the 500km Te Ara Tipuna. Graphic / Te Ara Tipuna Charitable Trust
Submissions have opened for a 500km walking trail from near Gisborne to Ōpōtiki that could be the East Coast’s answer to El Camino de Santiago in Spain.
An application for multiple resource consents has been lodged with Gisborne District Council for Te Ara Tipuna Trail overseen by the charitable trust Te Ara Tipuna.
The trail will start at Makorori and end near Ōpōtiki.
The trust chair is Rei Kohere and the trustees are Sir Selwyn Parata, Kylee Potae and Hekia Parata, who is also the project lead.
Parata said the idea came from his sister after walking the internationally renowned Camino de Santiago walkway in Spain.
“We thought we could do something like that here,” he said.
The proposed Stage 1 walking trail alignment for the 500km Te Ara Tipuna.
Graphic / Land Information NZ + Te Ara Tipuna Charitable Trust
Once the Ngāti Porou phase of the trail was complete, new trustees could be appointed representing Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāitai ki Tōrere and Whakatōhea ki Ōpōtiki.
“Te Ara Tipuna means ‘the ways of our forebears’,” a trust spokesman said. “It is designed to connect us with the ways of our ancestors, allowing us to both physically and figuratively walk in their footsteps.”
Weaving through diverse landscapes and with the infrastructure accessible to walkers, cyclists and horse trekkers, Te Ara Tipuna would complement and enhance the ecological and cultural sites of significance that existed within the rohe, the spokesman said.
“Te Ara Tipuna will provide for iwi, hapū and whānau to access, experience and connect to more of their whenua, share and preserve the stories of their wahi, and better connect to one another.”
Sir Selwyn Parata. Photo / Supplied
Aims of the project
Restore connectivity between communities by providing safe, everyday travel options for iwi kaenga, independent of State Highway 35.
Provide opportunities for local level enterprise, employment and economic development that revitalise communities, especially through the provision of ongoing services and experiences along the ara (path).
Provide an alternative and more resilient route for access along a vulnerable coastline, especially in emergency situations
Provide a distinct tourism experience into the heart of Tairāwhiti and its people.
The trust spokesman said the project had a long-term outlook.
“Te Ara Tipuna is not just a ‘walk’ or a short-term ‘project’.
“It will be a core part of the key infrastructure that underpins future public and private investment in the rohe.
The trail will allow for hiking, cycling and horse trekking when fully developed.
The design is one continuous trail expected to take 26 days to walk, with another three to five days for the Hikurangi Loop.
Users will be able to choose different routes, directions and start and end points, including single-day walks.
Te Ara Tipuna charitable trust estimates horse trekking the trail would take 12 days, while cycling would take eight days.
“Even though we are still in recovery mode from Cyclone Gabrielle and successive weather events, we can’t neglect the opportunities we have to ensure our future prosperity,” the trust spokesman said.
“[Te Ara Tipuna] will capture a broad perspective of the East Coast of the North Island, covering diverse terrain, including beach, farmland, dense bush, ridgelines and rivers,” the spokesman said.
“Te Ara Tipuna is designed to pass most marae and every community within its span.”
“Most days of the journey will end in one of these communities where there will be opportunities to stay in a variety of accommodation.”
How to make a submission
Any person may make a written submission on the application.
Submissions must be received no later than 5pm Friday, February 7, 2025.
An online submission form is available on Gisborne District Council’s website or a hard copy form is available for pick-up from Gisborne District Council, Ōpōtiki District Council, and Bay of Plenty Regional Council offices.
