Whanganui Journey / 'Great Walks': Covid Vaccination passes required by DoC / Department of Conservation

The accommodation DoC provides on the Whanganui River can be crowded, and visitors are asked to take Covid-19 precautions. Photo / Bevan Conley

People using Department of Conservation facilities on the Whanganui River this summer are asked to have their My Vaccine Pass handy.

From December 15, vaccination will be mandatory for all Department of Conservation (DoC) accommodation - huts, campsites, campgrounds and lodges, the department's Whanganui operations manager Connie Norgate says.

Evidence that eligible people over 12 are vaccinated may be requested. Either a printed or digital version of the pass can be used as proof.

It's especially important in Whanganui National Park.

"As the Whanganui Journey accommodation is remote, off the grid and brings people together from all locations, vaccination provides a higher level of protection and significantly reduces the risk of infection spreading and people suffering serious illness," Norgate said.

However, DoC staff will not be checking for passes at all facilities. The department cannot guarantee compliance, though it is more likely in booked accommodation.

The Whanganui River facilities are ready for use. Bookings for New Zealand's Great Walks, which include the Whanganui Journey through Whanganui National Park, are up 2 per cent on previous years.

Norgate was unsure whether a request from Whanganui iwi to stay out of their rohe this year would reduce numbers.

She said Whanganui's Covid-19 red light status meant there was a lot for people venturing onto the river or into the bush and mountains this year to think about.

At DoC facilities, they will be expected to wear masks where practical, maintain social distancing, sanitise or wash hands regularly and stay home if they are unwell.

They might also want to consider whether to take vulnerable children or unvaccinated people on trips, how crowded facilities will be, whether distancing will be possible and whether camping outside a hut might be safer than sleeping indoors on a shared platform.

Aside from all that, Norgate said she was confident everything was in place for people to have a great experience on the Whanganui Journey this summer.