A new Molesworth option

[PeterVahry]

Public Access New Zealand Inc. (PANZ) welcome the initiative of the Department of Conservation (DoC) in making more access available to vehicles on the iconic Molesworth conservation reserve. Over recent years, PANZ have been strongly encouraging DoC to review their previously restrictive policies for recreational access to Molesworth.

Please note these new arrangements are for a specified short period and for a trial period and all parties will need to take particular care when using this route so that we can eventually press for less restrictive conditions.

Clare Moore, the Partnerships Ranger for the Marlborough District Office said, “We have opened up a track between Sedgemere and the Severn, along the Alma River, for a trial period of 5 January to 28 February 2014. The road is open from 7am to 7pm (the same as the Acheron Rd).

This is suitable for high-clearance 4WD vehicles and mountain bikes, and can be driven without a permit during the above dates. There are several river crossings so please don’t attempt the track in heavy rain or flooding. It is about 24km from the Severn turnoff to Sedgemere Sleepout.

As with the rest of Molesworth, no dogs and no fires please. There is no camping along the Severn-Sedgemere track – camping is at the Cobb Cottage, Sedgemere Sleepout and Acheron Accommodation House. Please keep to the marked track (marked with orange triangles) – please keep away from farm operational areas at Tarndale and Red Gate.”
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Public Access New Zealand Inc. (PANZ) bases its advocacy on research, clear objectives, and a determination that comes from first-hand knowledge and love of the outdoors. We collaborate with kindred organisations who share our concerns and advocate rights of access for all forms of public recreation. http://www.PANZ.kiwi.nz

[drive it ...]

Thanks for the heads up Peter. Always wanted to make a look through there. Better try and get truck fixed soon before they close off.

[Suza]

Fantastic news, will defiantly be going for a drive

[Smurf]

Thanks for the heads up Peter. Always wanted to make a look through there. Better try and get truck fixed soon before they close off.

Meet you in there Steve, Could be a good excuse for a long weekend.

[Smurf]

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recrea ... h-station/

[Bulletproof]

I was invited in there about 10 years ago as an escort vehicle for seismologists setting up earthquake monitors alongside the roads incase they got stuck.

It can be greasy from the rainbow road to the homestead if it is wet. The historic Tarndale homestead and blacksmith shed are as they were a hundred years ago and very interesting . The road out to the Molesworth road is a proper road but the Severn river is not to be messed with if it is up as it is quite a big river.

The Molesworth Station takes the horses in there on the back of unimogs for the roundup. It is high country with no trees.

Cheers Richard

[Smurf]

Who would be interested in a trip Waitangi weekend? tie it in with a side trip into St James?

[PeterVahry]

A map of the route can be found at

http://www.nzfwda.org.nz/news/350

[drive it ...]

Who would be interested in a trip Waitangi weekend? tie it in with a side trip into St James?

Can't do Waitangi weekend but later in Feb, just for a weekend, I'll give you a shout when I get the truck sorted.

[Suza]

Wow can't believe how quite this has been kept
Spoke to some of the local DoC guys here over the weekend who work in with south Marlborough (common boundary) and they new nothing, rang the South Marlborough DoC office this morning just to confirm that you can drive from Sedgemere through and they had to ring me back cause no one there new anything about it, in fact we went from being told no you are thinking of the Clarence reserve to its only open for mountain Biking to I will have to ring you back, thank fully when they called back they confirmed that all is good so we are going to drive through on Saturday for a picnic

[Smurf]

... so we are going to drive through on Saturday for a picnic

I'm interested in hearing what it is like, I am keen for a few days in there and St James early next month if my Prado is still alive.

[Suza]

... so we are going to drive through on Saturday for a picnic

I'm interested in hearing what it is like, I am keen for a few days in there and St James early next month if my Prado is still alive.

I do a trip write up when we get back.
Heading through this Saturday and then going back over Maling's for Nelson anniversary weekend, the family really enjoyed it in there so we thought we would go back for the long weekend equipped with mountain bikes and either a bang stick or my bow

[basics]

wish i lived closer (had had a truck )

this is good news though,hopefuly the trial proves a sucsess

[Clint]

Great stuff, well done to those involved! DOC Marlborough have been doing well with access over the last couple of years, have really enjoyed exploring Edwards Pass & the Clarence on recent trips south. Hopefully the trial goes nicely & access becomes a regular summer thing, might be in the area for a look next year.

May I suggest that anybody that uses the track shoot a quick thankyou email to DOC? Say how much you enjoyed the trip & how it would be nice for it to be open every summer. southmarlboroughao@doc.govt.nz

Cheers
Clint

[drive it ...]

Just had a raft trip cancel so plan B was quickly invented - chuck the family and camping gear in the work ute (prado is still dead ) and tiki tour through here tomorrow. Camp at Lake T then quick nosy over Edward Pass on Sun to see if the hot pool is usable. Anyone sees a white ranger in distress please come and rescue me.

[Suza]

Just had a raft trip cancel so plan B was quickly invented - chuck the family and camping gear in the work ute (prado is still dead ) and tiki tour through here tomorrow. Camp at Lake T then quick nosy over Edward Pass on Sun to see if the hot pool is usable. Anyone sees a white ranger in distress please come and rescue me.

Might see you heading from Sedgemere to Molesworth and back tomorrow. I will be in a black low roof LWB Safari, I will be with another safari and a SWB cruiser.
The hot pools had a fair bit of sludge in them when we were there on the 31st Dec

[Suza]

Today we drove through this section of road for a picnic and then back home for dinner.
The road itself is a cross between the Rainbow RD and the Molesworth, we felt that all in all the surface was good there was nothing of a technical nature involved (2wd all the way). The road is narrow toward the Molesworth Rd end with not many places to easily pull off for other traffic to pass.
It took us about an hour to drive from one end to the other, not including our lunch and swim stops. We had lunch down by the river on our way through and the kids had a swim and then not long after we passed Drive it (I said hi to your wife, I hope she found a way down to join you) we found another swimming spot off the road with a rock outcrop we were jumping off .
All in all it was a nice piece of country to drive through and I would recommend it to anyone who can get through before it shuts again.

When I was talking to South Marlborough one of the things I said to them is that its a shame they haven't opened it up like they have Malings with the online registration system that gives you codes for the gates so that they could measure the use

[Smurf]

Just thought I would bump this back, The Severn to Sedgemere road is open again this year 5 Jan to Mid February

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recrea ... h-station/