Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, the Outdoor Access Commission
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herengaanuku.govt.nz
Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, the Outdoor Access Commission
@herengaanuku.govt.nz
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The Outdoor Access Commission is the New Zealand Crown agent responsible for providing leadership on outdoor access issues. Our role is to advise on and advocate for free, certain, enduring, and practical access to the outdoors.
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herengaanuku.govt.nz
We're sending a chocolate fish to lawyer Charlie Brown to thank him for registering an esplanade strip along Waitatari/Harts Creek, pro bono, for the Ellesmere Lions Club. Waitātari is a 2.4 km walk along a stream overlooking Te Waihora. Pictured: three signatories to the registered esplanade strip.
Three signatories to the registered esplanade strip sitting on a park bench beside the walkway.
October 5, 2026 at 9:42 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
There’s a public road at the end of South Makara Road that few people know about. It’s unformed and unsigned, but it follows a stream out to Wellington’s wild south coast.

Follow our chief executive, Dan Wildy, along it.
October 1, 2026 at 7:57 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
An Aussie food writer just cycled the Otago Rail Trail, Roxburgh Gorge and Lake Dunstan Trail — and came away convinced our cycleways run on pies as much as they do on scenery. 🚴🥧 www.smh.com.au/traveller/in...
Sorry, Australia - our neighbour does pies better than we do
I ask if there’s a good place to get a pie around here. The answer is far more detailed than I expected.
www.smh.com.au
September 9, 2026 at 10:12 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Nice one Pan Pac. Kept public access open through its Kaweka Forest Park harvest — rerouted tracks, safer carpark near the road, marshals during operations, and even a permanent 400m detour on the Tūtaekurī River Track for future harvests. Affected tracks reopen by 15 Sept 2026. Ngā mihi, Pan Pac.
Herenga ā Nuku staff presenting chocolate fish to the team at Pan Pac, thanking them for going above and beyond to support public access in Kaweka Forest.
August 26, 2026 at 3:45 AM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Heading off the beaten track? You can draw lines over unformed legal roads, marginal strips and easements on our maps, then export as GPX or KMZ to your GPS or phone — so you know you’re on legal public access, even with zero signal. 🗺️ maps.herengaanuku.govt.nz/Viewer/?map=...
Diagram showing how to draw polylines on our outdoor access maps Diagram showing how to select layers on our Outdoor Access Map Diagram showing how to draw a line on our Outdoor Access Map
July 23, 2026 at 3:01 AM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
We advocated for and recently secured esplanade strips running around 3km along both banks of the Mangati Stream near Te Akau. The strips connect to Te Akau Road in several places, giving the rural community a place to collect kai from the stream in the form of watercress. 🌿
Overseas Investment Office outcome map showing esplanade strips running alongside Mangati Stream near Te Akau, Waikato.
July 17, 2026 at 3:53 AM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
We asked — they delivered. A horse rider flagged that Palmerston North City Council had locked a gate which kept horses off the Back Track in the Kahuterawa Reserves. Our Regional Field Advisor found Back Track is actually a legal road — not part of the reserve. 🧵
A specially constructed horse gate at Back Track, through Kahuterawa Reserve. The gate allows horses through but keeps out motorised vehicles and dirt bikes.
July 13, 2026 at 9:05 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Mānawatia a Matariki! As we mark the Māori New Year, we’ve submitted Te Here ā Nuku (Nelson Tenths) Bill — returning legal title to Te Here ā Nuku Trust, as kaitiaki on behalf of the owners, is a significant step that we support. 🌌 #matariki #publicaccess www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/assets/Publi...
Beach stream flowing through Abel Tasman National Park Weka at a picnic table at Abel Tasman National Park
July 8, 2026 at 9:42 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Following our advocacy, DOC has signposted the turnoff to Mt Reeves in the Tararua Forest Park — home to the centre of the Zealandia continent. The new sign is now up just past the Waiohine Gorge swingbridge.
Cartoon image of Mt Reeves in the middle of a map of NZ, with a large sign on top of it saying "Middle". New DOC signpost, showing the way from Waiohine Gorge to Mt Reeves. Photo credit: Franz Hubmann
June 25, 2026 at 9:00 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Horse riding is a valued recreation activity and, for some communities, an important transport option. When planning shared paths, an inclusive approach works best — one that accommodates a wide range of users where practical, with separation where safety requires it.
www.1news.co.nz/2026/06/24/m...
Manawatū horse riders bristle at exclusion from proposed shared path
The 30km City to Sea Rail Trail will begin in Longburn and go out towards the coast at Himatangi and Foxton – but a 6km section is in dispute.
www.1news.co.nz
June 25, 2026 at 1:10 AM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Great to see the Waitatari/Harts Creek Track near Leeston re-open! 🎉
Access was secured through a variable-width esplanade and two easements under the Walking Access Act — made possible with Enhanced Access Grant funding.
A barbecue lunch is being enjoyed by the Ellesmere Lions Club and locals at the re-opening of the Waitatari/Harts Creek, near Leeston, Canterbury.
June 12, 2026 at 1:44 AM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Like us, the miromiro is a small, energetic and nimble bird and a big fan of access to NZ's natural environment.

📷: Dan Wildy
Male Miromiro (NZ Tomtit) sitting on a mossy tree trunk in the Southern Alps.
June 5, 2026 at 2:42 AM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
$10,000 in seed funding → $345,000 raised for a new Golden Bay trail. 🚴🌿
Our early support helped the Golden Bay Cycle and Walkways Society turn an early plan into a credible, fundable project: www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/our-work/new...

📷: Golden Bay Cycle and Walkways Society
Golden Bay Cycle and Walkways Society map of proposed cycle and walking trail network for Golden Bay (2020).
June 4, 2026 at 9:40 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Our CE Dan Wildy is sending a chocy fish to Richard Murcott, who worked diligently with LINZ to digitise public access to Lowes Bush Scenic Reserve. This work has allowed us to make it visible on our digital maps and, in so doing, share it with everyone.
🗺️ maps.herengaanuku.govt.nz/Viewer/?map=...
Outdoor Access Commission Chief Executive, Dan Wildy, holding a chocolate fish while standing on the public right of way that gives access to Lowes Bush Scenic Reserve in the background.
May 28, 2026 at 9:53 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Fish&Game has pioneered an innovative land-purchase-and-access model to create new access at Stone Jug Rd, allowing anglers to reach the beautiful Whakapapa River. To support this project, we granted $8800 to Fish&Game for survey work to legalise the access.
www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/our-work/new...
Marvin Daniel (left) holding Dougal McGregor’s (right) first ever trout caught on the Fish & Game Stone Jug Road Access property. Photo credit Fish & Game
May 7, 2026 at 4:01 AM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Te Araroa walkers are now safer in Northland thanks to an awesome community effort. We helped locals reroute a dangerous stretch of Whananaki North Road onto a 3.5km unformed legal road through native bush. The new route cuts 10km of risky road walking:

www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/our-work/new...
Sign on fencepost showing Te Araroa walkers the entrance to an off-road track heading south. Outdoor Access Commission chief executive Dan Wildy is standing beside a stile on Kaiikanui Track in Northland.
March 24, 2026 at 10:51 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
New trail milestone in Canterbury. After years of effort, the Ashley Gorge Tracks Group has secured the final easement needed to complete the Ashley Gorge Skyline Trail.
Huge shoutout to the surveyor and solicitor who donated to help make it happen.
🔗 www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/our-work/new...
Surveyor on the Ashley Gorge Skyline Trail, with sweeping Canterbury views behind him
March 16, 2026 at 8:48 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
The Outdoor Access Commission and DOC have teamed up to reveal hundreds of #publicaccess easements have not previously been visible on public maps.
858 parcels representing 175 access easements are now visible on our maps. 🗺️
www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/our-work/new...
Map reveals hundreds of DOC public access easements | Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, the Outdoor Access Commission
Hundreds of public access easements are now visible to the public for the first time, marking a significant step forward for public access transparency.
www.herengaanuku.govt.nz
March 16, 2026 at 1:00 AM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
The Outdoor Access Commission is supporting plans for a coast-to-coast walking and cycling trail that will connect communities across Golden Bay — unlocking new opportunities for recreation, tourism, and connection with the whenua. 🚶‍♂️🚴‍♀️
Read the story: www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/our-work/new...
Cyclists arriving on the walking and cycling trail at the Mussel Inn, Golden Bay. Photo by Golden Bay Cycle and Walkways Society
March 11, 2026 at 2:04 AM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Trail building in Aotearoa? Make sure you’re protecting the archaeology beneath your feet.
Herenga ā Nuku has a quick guide to help you do it right.
www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/advice/trail...
Protecting archaeological heritage | Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, the Outdoor Access Commission
The Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act makes it unlawful for any person to modify or destroy any part of an archaeological site without prior authority.
www.herengaanuku.govt.nz
February 24, 2026 at 7:57 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Our inaugural State of Public Outdoor Access Report provides a comprehensive snapshot of public access to the outdoors across Aotearoa.

www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/our-work/new...
New report reveals state of nation’s outdoor access | Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, the Outdoor Access Commission
The Outdoor Access Commission, Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, has published its inaugural “state of the nation”-style report, State of Public Outdoor Access 2026.
www.herengaanuku.govt.nz
January 21, 2026 at 8:48 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Our new Chief Executive, Dan Wildy, started working for us this week. One of his first jobs was sending chocolate fish to Matt Hoggard and his colleagues at Kaikōura District Council for the work they did developing the council’s proposed walking and riding strategy.
Dan Wildy, in the Herenga ā Nuku office, holding a chocolate fish.
November 26, 2025 at 10:29 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Our mapping system is experiencing technical issues, a consequence of the recent high demand on it, which we are working to resolve as quickly as possible. Apologies for any performance degradation you may experience in the interim.
A cartoon hand holding a mobile phone displaying the Outdoor Access Commission Mapping System loading slowly.
November 26, 2025 at 7:30 PM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
Today is World GIS Day, and we’re proud to show how our geospatial technology connects people and places across Aotearoa.
www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/our-work/new...
#WorldGISDay #PublicAccess #GIS
Picture of a map of NZ with title saying "Celebrating public access on World GIS Day" and then subheadings highlighting the types of public access on Herenga ā Nuku maps: road parcels, easements, publicly accessible conservation land, other parks and reserves, other public access areas.
November 19, 2025 at 1:06 AM
herengaanuku.govt.nz
We're proud to have supported the early stages of the Dunedin Tunnels Trail by providing $10,000 to cover the project’s legal costs, enabling it to move forward. With the project now ready to grow, the Minister for Tourism has announced the Government will invest $2 million to extend the trail.
Minister for Tourism Louise Upston, standing on the trail site with Herenga ā Nuku regional field advisor Amie Pont and Gerard Hyland from Dunedin Tunnels Trails Trust.
November 14, 2025 at 4:03 AM