The retreating Fox Glacier has forced operators to expand tourism opportunities to include a flying visit to the otherwise inaccessible Chancellor Hut. Photo: Kathy Ombler

Weathering change in Westland

Features, National Parks

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Kathy Ombler

A long-time Wilderness contributor and freelance author, Kathy writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation.

By Kathy Ombler

As the glaciers retreat and the tourists advance, helicopters buzz the valleys from dawn ‘till dusk flying people to the ice. And with less ice to bind their rock, the mountains are falling down. Kathy Ombler looks at tourism growth, storms, erosion, and new proposals to address these challenges in Westland/Tai Poutini National Park

Wherever he looks, DOC South Westland operations manager Wayne Costello is faced with a challenge. In the front country, the glamour glaciers hog the attention of thousands of camper-vanning, helicoptering tourists. In the backcountry, ongoing track and route upgrades serve the needs of trampers and hunters (with current focus in the Whataroa, Karangarua and Wanganui […]

About the author

Kathy Ombler

Freelance author Kathy Ombler mostly writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation, and has contributed to Wilderness for many years. She has also written and edited for other publications and websites, most recently Federated Mountain Club’s Backcountry, Forest & Bird, and the Backcountry Trust. Books she has authored include Where to Watch Birds in New Zealand, Walking Wellington and New Zealand National Parks and Other Wild Places. She is currently a trustee for Wellington’s Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust.