National cycleway - Hauraki Plains Trail

The Prime Minister’s announcement today that the Hauraki Plains Trail is one of the7 quick starts for the National Cycleway project is excellent news and some of themore positive for the Hauraki District in recent times.

The Hauraki District has been blessed with some of the most stunning scenery andhistoric heritage features in the New Zealand and these have progressively beenopened up for the public and tourists alike by the work of the Council and theDepartment of Conservation.

“It is my opinion that the Karangahake Gorge area, which was voted one of the 7wonders in the Waikato Region in 2008, is a “national treasure” and the opening upof access by the Hauraki Plains Trail will result in a significant boost to local andnational tourism” stated Deputy Mayor Mary Carmine.

The Council, the Hauraki Rail Trust and the Waihi Walkways groups’ dream for anationally significant walking and cycling route through the Hauraki District will nowcome to fruition in the immediate future and will be a shot in the arm for the tourismsector.

It is anticipated that a number of local businesses will be actively involvedwith the planning and development of the trail.

The timing of the announcement could not have come at a better time with the MajorRegional Initiative, the $20 million dollar Waihi Gold Discover Centre Project about toseek resource consents with initial site works and construction planned to start thiscoming construction session.Council will be confirming at its Ordinary Meeting on Thursday 30 July 2009 whetherworks that it has already included in future years in its LTCCP should be broughtforward to fit in with the Government’s proposed funding timetable