Department of Conservation cracking down on illegal off-roading after rangers abused

An incident happened on the Old Coach Road. Photo / Supplied

The Department of Conservation is cracking down on illegal dirt-biking following an incident on the Mountain to Sea trail where rangers were abused.

Rangers attempted to speak to two people illegally dirt-biking on Old Coach Road, a heritage site near Ohakune, on November 18.

One of the riders started doing wheelies and used their front tyre to push one of the rangers towards the railway barrier before fleeing the scene.

The rangers were not injured and the incident was reported to police.

DoC stated that although the incident was isolated, any motorised vehicle users on these tracks were putting other trail users and wildlife at risk.

“We’ve seen multiple cases in Tongariro, and across the country, of people thinking they can rip up tracks and endanger visitors, it’s not on,” DoC supervisor Danial van der Lubbe said.

It is an offence under the Tongariro National Park bylaw to drive a vehicle, including dirt bikes and quad bikes, on walking and mountain-biking tracks.

There is some public conservation land where dirt-biking and off-roading is legal which can be found on the Department of Conservation website.

The department encourages people to report any suspected illegal off-roading on public conservation land to its hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).