It wasn t until New Zealand First s Shane Jones came along with his $3b fund the following year that an application for the full $9.36m was lodged with the Government. Niederer said the trust quickly got to work securing designs, resource consents and landowner access. It hired a project manager and, despite a delay caused by the Covid-19 lockdown, the first section – from Westport to Carters Beach – opened in December to much fanfare.
Jules Anderson
The opening of the Kawatiri Coastal Trail in Westport brought joy to the community. Once the full trail is completed, this extraordinary West Coast adventure will journey along near the coastline between Westport and Charleston, following in the footsteps of the ancient Māori and the 1860s gold miners, he said.