Fiordland Trails Trust facts for kids
The Fiordland Trails Trust is a group in New Zealand. It was started in March 2007. This group is a charity that helps the community. They wanted to build a fun path for bikes and walking. This path would connect the towns of Manapouri and Te Anau. The area has beautiful views and lots of outdoor activities. The Trust's main goal is to build, pay for, and look after multi-use trails. These trails are for the Department of Conservation in the Fiordland and northern Southland areas.
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How the Trail Idea Started
The idea for the trail began with Mike McConachie and Aaron Nicholson. They both ran motor camps in Manapouri. They wanted a local walking path to connect to the Kepler Track. This track has been around since 1991. Mike and Aaron became founding members of the Trust. Aaron Nicholson is known for strongly supporting nature protection.
At the same time, Shaun Cantwell, a teacher from Fiordland College in Te Anau, was also working on a similar idea. He wanted the community to be interested in a local bike path to the same area. Then, a group called Venture Southland decided to hold a meeting. They brought everyone together at the Te Anau Library.
Checking if the Trail Was Possible
In May 2010, a company called Southern Land CKL looked into the project. They created a 12-page study. This study showed that a 28-kilometer (about 17.4 miles) path between Manapouri and Te Anau was possible. They estimated that a good quality bike path would cost around 1.2 million dollars.
Exploring the Trail Route
Since 2007, local people have looked after part of the path near Manapouri. This made it possible to walk from the Kepler Track exit at Rainbow Reach. You could walk all the way to the center of Manapouri town. This route passes two famous movie locations from The Lord of the Rings. These spots are on the Anduin Reach. The path crosses Supply Bay Road and follows the shore of Lake Manapouri. It goes past Post Office Rock and Fraser's Beach.
However, the Department of Conservation does not help look after or manage this part of the trail.
Progress Over Ten Years
By 2017, four out of six parts of the trail were finished. These sections went from the Department of Conservation Headquarters in Te Anau. They reached the Balloon Loop Road on Highway 95. This was almost two-thirds of the way to the town of Manapouri.
The section from Manapouri to Supply Bay was completed by June 3, 2018. The fifth part of the trail, which goes through Fiordland National Park, is still waiting to be built.
See also
- Anduin (Middle-earth)
