In a recent statement, the Department of Conservation announced a delay in the opening of the new Paparoa Track. The track was originally scheduled to open next April but has been pushed back until September 2019.

The date change is to align the opening with the better summer walking conditions. As the Paparoa Track Project Director, Tom Hopkins, explains: “The new date in spring means the expected rush of people keen to experience the track when it first opens will enjoy better conditions for their adventure.”

The Paparoa Track will be New Zealand’s 10th Great Walk, and the first designed for both mountain bikers and walkers. It stretches along 55 km of the Paparoa Range, between Blackball and Punakaiki, on the South Island’s West Coast.