Fragile wetlands near Arrowtown torn up by off-roaders

Fragile wetlands at Macetown, near Arrowtown, will take years to recover from recent vandalism, caused by negligent 4WD-ers and off-road motorcyclists. Photo / Jim Croawell

Wetlands have been torn up and new hill climbs and off-road tracks illegally created by negligent four-wheel-drive (4WD) and off-road motorcyclists at Macetown, near Arrowtown.

Department of Conservation (DoC) operations manager David Butt said a recent site inspection revealed the damage, which Joanna Booker, of landowner Soho Properties, said would take years to repair due to the extreme fragility of the land.

“We have been extremely disappointed to see a small group of trail bikers blatantly ignoring barriers and signage and destroying scrub to access walking and cycling tracks,” she said.

“Soho Property Ltd would like to remind all track users that the land is private land.

“Access is a privilege which has been generously given by the landowner, and we ask that track users respect the landowners’ conditions of access.”

New illegal off-road tracks which have been formed on private, fragile land at Macetown. Photo / Jim Croawell

Macetown is about 15 kilometres from Arrowtown and was established in the early 1860s when gold was discovered in the Arrow River — which can be accessed via a 4WD track that crosses the river 23 times. By the 1930s, the township had become a ghost town.

Now an historic reserve, Macetown’s historic structures have been restored, including a gold-mining battery, cottage, bakehouse, and building remnants of the old schoolroom and stone fences.

Butt said this was not the first time the area had been damaged by visitors.

“The old cemetery slopes are still bearing scars from water scouring in old wheel ruts.

“The land has been slowly healing, so it is a blow to learn of the recent vandalism.”

He asked anyone who saw any illegal or suspicious activity to call the 24-hour DoC emergency hotline and report it, confidentially.