Clifford Bay facts for kids
Clifford Bay is a large bay located in the northeast part of New Zealand's South Island. It is found in the Marlborough Region. This bay sits between Cloudy Bay and Cape Campbell. One of the most interesting things about Clifford Bay is the special solar salt extraction works at Lake Grassmere. Here, salt is taken from the sea using the sun's power.
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Inter-island Ferry Terminal Plans
Since the 1920s, there have been ideas to build a new port and ferry terminal at Clifford Bay. This new port would replace the one in Picton. The goal was to make it easier and faster for ferries to travel between New Zealand's main islands. However, these plans have often been too expensive to build.
1990s Proposal
In 1997, a company called Tranz Rail suggested building a new ferry terminal at Clifford Bay. Tranz Rail was the company that operated the Interisland Line ferries at that time.
2010s Proposal
In May 2011, new plans were announced to develop a port at Clifford Bay. This project would use money from both private companies and the government.
Why a New Port?
A new port at Clifford Bay would offer several benefits:
- It would make the ferry trip across the Cook Strait from Wellington shorter.
- It would also reduce the driving distance to Christchurch on the South Island.
- Ferries could travel faster in the open bay. They have to go slower in the sensitive Marlborough Sounds area.
- The new port would also avoid the steep hills on the Main North Line railway between Blenheim and Picton.
Impact on Picton
Building a new port at Clifford Bay would have changed the economy of Picton. However, there were ideas to help Picton become a bigger tourist center. It could become the main entry point to the beautiful Marlborough Sounds.
Decision Not to Build
In November 2013, the New Zealand Government announced its decision. They would not be building a new port at Clifford Bay. This decision ended two years of discussion and planning.
