Call for ‘The Remarkables National Park’

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Alistair is the editor and publisher of Wilderness. His favourite tramping ground is Tongariro National Park.

The Federated Mountain Clubs (FMC) has proposed a new national park – The Remarkables National Park in the Otago Southland high-country near Queenstown.

FMC President Peter Wilson said: “The proposed park is a long-held dream of conservationists and recreationalists, notably Sir Alan Mark, who was one of the first to see the beauty and the botanical richness in our high-country tussock landscapes.”

The proposed park would span a vast area of Otago Southland including the watersheds of the Wye, Nevis, Waikaia and Pomahaka rivers, the iconic The Remarkables Range, along with the Hector/Tapuae o Uenuku, Garvie, Old Man Kopuwai and Old Woman ranges.

The Remarkables National Park would also be symbolic. “We are forging a new consensus for conservation and outdoor opportunities in New Zealand,” Wilson said. “We see The Remarkables National Park as another step forward which would honour the past while providing for the future”.

The proposal is part of FMC’s broader Remarkable Outdoors campaign which contains a series of challenges for the public to put to politicians. “We want conservation and outdoor issues to be dinner table conversations around the country heading into the general election.” Wilson said.

“We are asking political parties for their responses directly, but we would also like our 20,000 members and the wider outdoor community to think about these challenges and put them to politicians that are seeking their vote.”

The proposed national park links four district councils, traverses or neighbours many iconic high country stations. A public meeting and the official launch of the national park proposal will be held in conjunction with the New Zealand Mountain Film Festival in Queenstown on July 8.

View images of the landscapes and features of the proposed The Remarkables National Park: