Public Access vs Club Access

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Public Access vs Club Access

Postby slidenyo » Fri Jun 03, 2016 9:30 am

It seems the clubs are baring the brunt of track closures by doc as a result of by in large muppets from the public.
Would lobbying for locked gates and solely club member access be a way to a/ boost membership numbers in nzfwda b/ monitor user numbers to better establish the level of maintenance required
c/ take the onus off doc in a management role and rest it with nzfwda and its members (joe public joins for access)
D/ lobby for a special registration for 4x4 vehicles that plan to use paper roads and public access areas to include the nzfwda levy?

All just ideas but its looking to be a slippery slope towards shut gates and a doc lockout.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby muddy » Fri Jun 03, 2016 10:28 am

Unfortunately we don't want the irresponsible muppets to be club members. And if they get automatic access to areas through a Rego levy and NZFWDA membership, it won't stop them being irresponsible muppets - but they will then drag the rest of us into disrepute.
Best (imo) to have clubs maintain direct links to the local DOC office , and NZFWDA at national level, to keep key access for clubs without publicity as we really don't want those guys as members.

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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby slidenyo » Fri Jun 03, 2016 3:20 pm

Not automatic access, the key system for tracks in the SI work quite well.
The problem i see now is clubs can be a bit tricky to join,
I'm on shift so getting to three events isn't always easy to pass membership criteria.
if track users are having to use keys to pass the gate it gives some control to the clubs to hand out these keys to responsible users.
Leave the clubs in each area to look after there tracks. But force the public too pool there funding if they want access. Take there money muppet or not to further lobby the beehive and regulate access through the clubs. We leave it to doc and gate will get closed for good?
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Mudde1 » Fri Jun 03, 2016 7:49 pm

I can certainly understand the benefits of Club only access and it is working well in some arears already and has been suggested from time to time for various other arears. In every case where this is suggested publicly I have a deluge of complaint from non-members who think that NZFWDA should be working for all4x4ers, not just members and they always have a whole range of excuses why they shouldn’t be members. People also seem to think they should be able to drive wherever they like whenever they like. My opinion is that 4 wheel drive recreation, especially in Auckland, will have no option but to move towards organized events, ( such as school safaris) commercially run sites and club event only access to areas such as Maratoto. The days of easy open access close to the city are behind us.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby slidenyo » Fri Jun 03, 2016 8:28 pm

Well thats about the most defeatist attitude i've heard in a while,
Does the nzfwda have a lobbyist?
Have you spoken to all parties in parliament.
If you the head is willing to roll over an take what comes, where is the hope for any of us?
Look at your so called professional event last week? Where was the silt management for mudfest? Waikato river is where.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Mudde1 » Fri Jun 03, 2016 10:55 pm

slidenyo wrote:Well thats about the most defeatist attitude i've heard in a while,
Does the nzfwda have a lobbyist?
Have you spoken to all parties in parliament.
If you the head is willing to roll over an take what comes, where is the hope for any of us?
Look at your so called professional event last week? Where was the silt management for mudfest? Waikato river is where.

Have we spoken to all parties in Parlement. Yes, many times. Have put submissions on changes to legeslation and have meet with DoC many times.
Look at your so called professional event last week? Where was the silt management for mudfest? Waikato river is where
I presume you are talking about Mud fest, that event was a commerical event which had no links to any clubs. We expressed our concerns about several issuses to the organizing company. But it is their event, not ours and we had no control of it.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby TJ » Sat Jun 04, 2016 2:01 pm

Mudde1 wrote:I can certainly understand the benefits of Club only access and it is working well in some arears already and has been suggested from time to time for various other arears. In every case where this is suggested publicly I have a deluge of complaint from non-members who think that NZFWDA should be working for all4x4ers, not just members and they always have a whole range of excuses why they shouldn’t be members. People also seem to think they should be able to drive wherever they like whenever they like. My opinion is that 4 wheel drive recreation, especially in Auckland, will have no option but to move towards organized events, ( such as school safaris) commercially run sites and club event only access to areas such as Maratoto. The days of easy open access close to the city are behind us.
Tony Burgess
Public Relations Officer
NZ Four Wheel Drive Association.


Tony, my suggestion to your using the "title" or position you hold at the NZFWDA, please put the correct one next time. Details matter when you want to speak on behalf of an organisation [url]nzfwda.org.nz/people/73[/url]

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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Twodiffs » Sun Jun 05, 2016 10:18 am

This starting to be a big concern for some down here as well, we have general river areas that are being hammered by Facebook 4wd groups, next to nil training, would bet most don't carry a fire extinguisher, first aid kit etc. Half of their 'missions' are night trips and posts go up on FB when they need help or recovering.

Now they are venturing into DOC areas slowly....not going to end well publicly for genuine clubs and enthusiasts who abide by either NZ4WDA or Combined Clubs criteria!!

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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby De-Ranged » Sun Jun 05, 2016 10:36 pm

As Tony has eluded to this issue and similar has been talked about before and end up with people claiming it is a move to force people to support NZ4WDA
As for clubs being safer, a few yrs back I watched a club trespass into a block after they were told by a trust member of plans to start a 4wd park and that they required permission to access, they felt it was there right to access since they had previously had open access..... the end result the plans for the park and all 4wd access (other than personal) has stopped
I do agree that club access is a better option but as I've pointed out isn't perfect..... personally I think local clubs need to work in with local DoC offices and councils to maintain and police local areas a bit like in America

As for Tony's thoughts that commercial access is the only way.... I don't think this is viable, from what I understand of the new H & S laws the liability on the organizers will be too great unless it's large scale events able to cover insurance costs
At the club level I'm still unsure how this sits with the old laws if there was no gain for organizers there was no liability from what I've heard this no longer applies so anyone organizing is putting there neck out there

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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Suza » Mon Jun 06, 2016 7:59 am

The big down side to commercial is the Adventure Activities regulations that would require the operator to under go a full safety audit that must meet the standard (at last count there were only 3 or 4 audit providers)this audit is carried out every 1 to 3 years with a surveillance audit every year you don't have a full audit.
I know first hand that the regs added about 25% to our operating costs without the audit cost which last year came in at about $12k excl
Makes it very hard to stay viable with out pricing your self out of the market

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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby slidenyo » Tue Jun 07, 2016 7:34 pm

Even if clubs manage the tracks and trips differently its not all doom and gloom.
it only requires one member to be permit and hazop trained ; write a permit , establish a plan and control measures for hazards , identify stakeholders and establish a rescue and recovery plan.
Possibly nzfwda should be the logging point for these permits with an online system to satisfy worksafe beit for a trip an event or track maintenance.
just like coastguard logs boats and activities theres an opportunity to become proactive an establish a system for nzfwda
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Mudde1 » Wed Jun 08, 2016 6:22 pm

slidenyo wrote:Even if clubs manage the tracks and trips differently its not all doom and gloom.
it only requires one member to be permit and hazop trained ; write a permit , establish a plan and control measures for hazards , identify stakeholders and establish a rescue and recovery plan.
Possibly nzfwda should be the logging point for these permits with an online system to satisfy worksafe beit for a trip an event or track maintenance.
just like coastguard logs boats and activities theres an opportunity to become proactive an establish a system for nzfwda

That is something we have considered as part of a review of health and safety within clubs. There is curently a lot of work happening in regardes to advise to clubs on health and safety.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby nuts » Wed Jun 15, 2016 2:44 pm

doesnt matter what laws are brought about in what ever aspect there are those that wont obey .... i myself dont see why i should have to pay to go thru tracks as a comercial trip or be a member of a club just because there are a few dickwads out there
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Mudde1 » Wed Jun 15, 2016 6:39 pm

nuts wrote:doesnt matter what laws are brought about in what ever aspect there are those that wont obey .... i myself dont see why i should have to pay to go thru tracks as a comercial trip or be a member of a club just because there are a few dickwads out there

These tracks require maintance to keep them open. Who do you think should be paying for that maintance?
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby DieselBoy » Wed Jun 15, 2016 8:21 pm

We all muck in and fix them up with volunteer labour and equipment on organised working bees like we always have??

Maybe the way Whanga road is managed goes some way to providing ideas to mull over further.

I'm with Nuts, I'm an old school wheeler, I respect where I go, I drain bogs, fix water tables, fill in ruts, clean up other people's crap, but I'm also very individualistic. I go 4 wheeling to step away from everyday b.s. Some of us spend everyday following the rules and regulations at work under the watchful eye of the powers that be, and the last thing we want is to head out on a draconian club trip and get lectured about recovery point bolt ratings, fire extinguisher placement and listen constant drivel on the PRS by over excited wanna be's trying to one up each other in who's got the best brand of Bunnings garden spade. On top of that there's always a Bighorn or a Terrano on the trip that's never seen a spanner in its entire life and you end up sitting in a bloody Auckland motorway style traffic jam for hours while they debate if it's a CV or diff that's blown......

I personally like to head out with a couple of like minded folks in well prepped trucks and escape into the wild, leaving all that crap behind.

Yes track managment in the upper and mid nth island is a huge issue, purely due to the huge and growing population base and the limited opportunities for 4wd related recreation. If a club adopts a track, or a similar model to Whanga road is used, that's great.

To excluded mum n dad, average joe and the vigorous youth from experiencing what NZ has to offer by placing further restrictions on their freedom of access to public spaces is just not sensible.

More recreational opportunities, created by improved access and availability of areas to the general public, should be what any national organisation (NZ4WDA) is focused on. Promoting positive public awareness and interest in the recreational opportunities provided by 4wd access, to the wider community could only have a beneficial effect in terms of maintenance funding.

Closing and restricting access to this recreational opportunity to only those that are willing and able to join exclusive groups and clubs, does nothing but harm in the long run. Our numbers will dwindle and gates will continue to shut.
Last edited by DieselBoy on Wed Jun 15, 2016 8:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Crash bandicoot » Wed Jun 15, 2016 8:29 pm

42nd traverse is an example its closed 2 3rds of the year to 4wds and then people have to organize a clearing party with h&s issues around machinery.

Just shove more trucks through on a regular basis and a dozer once a year to flatten it out. Job done.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby drive it ... » Wed Jun 15, 2016 9:58 pm

Mudde1 wrote:
nuts wrote:doesnt matter what laws are brought about in what ever aspect there are those that wont obey .... i myself dont see why i should have to pay to go thru tracks as a comercial trip or be a member of a club just because there are a few dickwads out there

These tracks require maintance to keep them open. Who do you think should be paying for that maintance?



You'd go a fair way to find many that do more personal work to keep tracks open than Nuts - just sayin. 1/2 doz trucks and a dozen people with saws and shovels can knock a track through most problems. Fixing tracks - even more fun than fixing trucks 8)

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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Smurf » Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:19 pm

drive it ... wrote:
Mudde1 wrote:
nuts wrote:doesnt matter what laws are brought about in what ever aspect there are those that wont obey .... i myself dont see why i should have to pay to go thru tracks as a comercial trip or be a member of a club just because there are a few dickwads out there

These tracks require maintance to keep them open. Who do you think should be paying for that maintance?



You'd go a fair way to find many that do more personal work to keep tracks open than Nuts - just sayin. 1/2 doz trucks and a dozen people with saws and shovels can knock a track through most problems. Fixing tracks - even more fun than fixing trucks 8)


exactly. well put.

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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Mudde1 » Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:38 pm

drive it ... wrote:
Mudde1 wrote:
nuts wrote:doesnt matter what laws are brought about in what ever aspect there are those that wont obey .... i myself dont see why i should have to pay to go thru tracks as a comercial trip or be a member of a club just because there are a few dickwads out there

These tracks require maintance to keep them open. Who do you think should be paying for that maintance?



You'd go a fair way to find many that do more personal work to keep tracks open than Nuts - just sayin. 1/2 doz trucks and a dozen people with saws and shovels can knock a track through most problems. Fixing tracks - even more fun than fixing trucks 8)

That’s very easy to say, but those of us who are working the coal face realised a long time ago that the idea of a few guys with shovels on working bees is not going to keep tracks open. I often hear people say that we will get a few guys together for a working bee and fix the track. That sort of comment tells me straight away that they have no real idea of the complexities of keeping some of these tracks open. What is often required is, professional town planners, civil engineers, lawyers, environmental engineers and heavy machinery driven by skilled operators, health and safety professionals etc. I recently sat in on a meeting with high level managers at DoC and worked out that if we had to pay the normal charge out rate of the members of our team of professional town planners, civil engineers, lawyers, environmental engineers and heavy machinery operators, NZFWDA Northern Zone would have spent their entire annual income in one meeting.
It would be nice if could gain greater funding to pay for this by promoting our recreation to the general public and allowing anyone and everyone to use the tracks, but our experience with places like Maratoto is that the general public will not pay unless they have to. We have had cases of people saying to our face that they have paid track fees when we know it is a blatant lie. They simply want a free ride.
Incidentally, this problem isn’t restricted to 4x4 groups only. I am involved in two other recreation sectors and they all have problems with people not paying their fair share.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby De-Ranged » Thu Jun 16, 2016 6:23 am

Yes it is expensive to hire these people/skills/equipment... I understand this from running my own business, heres a few figures off the top of my head from when I was contracting
Somebody mentioned just get a dozer in and she'll be all good
Day rate for a 20ton dozer with an opperator, $1000 - $1500
Transporting to site and back @ $80 - $125 Hr (remember ist a round trip each time and loading time) so lets say 16hrs ($1280 - $2000)
So for $3000 you've got one day with a dozer lol but hey its all good as an ex contractor I can tell you when its a guy asking for a freebe so he could do his thing I was all keen to help

Now its not all doom and gloom.... in fact its not even expensive bigger companies advertise... and they are willing to put time, eqiupment and materials into helping us..... if we can prove to them that doing this will get there name out there to enough people
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby DieselBoy » Thu Jun 16, 2016 8:57 am

You say that, but nz4wda and local council walked away from Thompsons track because it was to "complex" and it's kept open and drivable by those who use it now. There's dudes up there everyday rolling their trucks off the sides of the slips and burning out stolen cars ;) ;)
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Eddieb » Thu Jun 16, 2016 1:43 pm

Crash bandicoot wrote:42nd traverse is an example its closed 2 3rds of the year to 4wds and then people have to organize a clearing party with h&s issues around machinery.

Just shove more trucks through on a regular basis and a dozer once a year to flatten it out. Job done.


It's closed 2/3's of the year as running trucks through there in winter or the wet would totally wreck the track for other users like walkers, mountain bikers and motorcyclists. Access for the 4wd community hasn't been helped this year by someone winching the concrete entry barriers out of the way at Kapoors Road and driving in during the closed session doing a bit of damage.

With Old Whanga road, the road had only been open 3 weeks this year after months of significant track work to remedy damage caused by storms and land slips when a bunch of trucks went through and dug a big hole at the entry of one of the tunnels. The locals were very unimpressed.

Thompsons Track is a good example of what happens with unfettered open 4WD access year round in all conditions. Once upon a time you could drive a Corolla most of the way up and it was a pristine piece of bush great for walking and mountain biking, look at it now.
I've seen idiots charging off into the bush bowling over trees and last time I was up there a signposted 'protected' clearing had been completely torn up and destroyed.

Unless the muppets can be controlled I think some form of restricted access is the way to go in a lot of places. It's better to have access part of the year than no access at all.

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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Mudde1 » Thu Jun 16, 2016 5:40 pm

DieselBoy wrote:You say that, but nz4wda and local council walked away from Thompsons track because it was to "complex" ;) ;)

You are misinformed.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Crash bandicoot » Thu Jun 16, 2016 6:08 pm

Eddieb wrote:
Crash bandicoot wrote:42nd traverse is an example its closed 2 3rds of the year to 4wds and then people have to organize a clearing party with h&s issues around machinery.

Just shove more trucks through on a regular basis and a dozer once a year to flatten it out. Job done.


It's closed 2/3's of the year as running trucks through there in winter or the wet would totally wreck the track for other users like walkers, mountain bikers and motorcyclists. Access for the 4wd community hasn't been helped this year by someone winching the concrete entry barriers out of the way at Kapoors Road and driving in during the closed session doing a bit of damage.

With Old Whanga road, the road had only been open 3 weeks this year after months of significant track work to remedy damage caused by storms and land slips when a bunch of trucks went through and dug a big hole at the entry of one of the tunnels. The locals were very unimpressed.

Thompsons Track is a good example of what happens with unfettered open 4WD access year round in all conditions. Once upon a time you could drive a Corolla most of the way up and it was a pristine piece of bush great for walking and mountain biking, look at it now.
I've seen idiots charging off into the bush bowling over trees and last time I was up there a signposted 'protected' clearing had been completely torn up and destroyed.

Unless the muppets can be controlled I think some form of restricted access is the way to go in a lot of places. It's better to have access part of the year than no access at all.


That is an irrelevant point. Once apon a time a logging crew used to drive a Chevy belair into the logging site on odlins road too. Try that now aye?

Why not now....because there is no need for the road so it has little maintainance and falls into disrepair which is now closed due to lack of drainage creating massive water table issues, water logging the ground under the road and has slipped away...... And considering that the 42nd government alotted native logging block access road yes a logging road.... I'll let that sink in...,.. Was never put there for public access or docs convenience to access there land.
So why doc thinks they have the right to"manage" access is bullshit. And even 5000 a year to send a blade through annually is an acceptable expense.

Because quite frankly you lot would waste more then 5 k a year in tying up government consultants time to create a "management" plan that not everyone will be happy with.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Madaz » Thu Jun 16, 2016 7:03 pm

Mudde1 wrote:
DieselBoy wrote:You say that, but nz4wda and local council walked away from Thompsons track because it was to "complex" ;) ;)

You are misinformed.



Inform us then, because what Dieselboy has said is pretty much what we are all thinking?

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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Madaz » Thu Jun 16, 2016 7:07 pm

Eddieb wrote: signposted 'protected' clearing


Where is this protected area? Ive been going up there for the last 20 years and have never seen such a sign?

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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby drive it ... » Thu Jun 16, 2016 8:39 pm

those of us who are working the coal face realised a long time ago that the idea of a few guys with shovels on working bees is not going to keep tracks open.

When I hear that I hear too many user group, consultation forum, management committee, operational analysist, strategic planner, value engineering, optimised retirement seat warmers speaking.
As well as knocking round as a 4x4 rookie, at the other end of the backcountry user spectrum I'm also chair of a tramping club, and belong to a few other recreation areas in between. Do most of my 4x4 with clubs, have arranged co-ordinated work parties with Doc, have been a local council roading engineer and been a roading contractor. Seen a few sides of the coin and with a few exceptions staying away from publicity and just getting on with something has better results. Appreciate though that what works in the back blocks of Greymouth may not cut it with the population pressures in the Coromandel.
Why focus on club only though? For sure we need methods to keep out the 5% that wreck it for the rest . The system doc has in a couple of areas down here shows potential - locked gate, the code is available via internet, I think with a day or so delay. So that cuts it down to groups that actually plan a trip and straight away removes most of the "got wasted, went for a spin" problem . That works for the responsible guys that just don't like clubs, as well as the club groups.
In recent times Government has stumped up some serious user group funds (targeted at huts and walking tracks) and that is from 10 or more years of groups showing doc they would do it themselves when doc started backing away from back-country maintenance. The most successful is Permalat - an internet based group that just got on with fixing doc huts and has now become pretty much a partner group with doc. But they started with doing stuff, then telling doc what they had fixed, not talking first.
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Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Mudde1 » Thu Jun 16, 2016 9:40 pm

drive it ... wrote:
those of us who are working the coal face realised a long time ago that the idea of a few guys with shovels on working bees is not going to keep tracks open.

When I hear that I hear too many user group, consultation forum, management committee, operational analysist, strategic planner, value engineering, optimised retirement seat warmers speaking.
As well as knocking round as a 4x4 rookie, at the other end of the backcountry user spectrum I'm also chair of a tramping club, and belong to a few other recreation areas in between. Do most of my 4x4 with clubs, have arranged co-ordinated work parties with Doc, have been a local council roading engineer and been a roading contractor. Seen a few sides of the coin and with a few exceptions staying away from publicity and just getting on with something has better results. Appreciate though that what works in the back blocks of Greymouth may not cut it with the population pressures in the Coromandel.
Why focus on club only though? For sure we need methods to keep out the 5% that wreck it for the rest . The system doc has in a couple of areas down here shows potential - locked gate, the code is available via internet, I think with a day or so delay. So that cuts it down to groups that actually plan a trip and straight away removes most of the "got wasted, went for a spin" problem . That works for the responsible guys that just don't like clubs, as well as the club groups.



In recent times Government has stumped up some serious user group funds (targeted at huts and walking tracks) and that is from 10 or more years of groups showing doc they would do it themselves when doc started backing away from back-country maintenance. The most successful is Permalat - an internet based group that just got on with fixing doc huts and has now become pretty much a partner group with doc. But they started with doing stuff, then telling doc what they had fixed, not talking first.
Keep the chainsaw handy.


Not very long ago things weren’t as difficult as they are now. The introduction of ever increasing Health and Safety rules and the requirement to use heavy machinery make for a frustrating situation. Chain saw use on DoC land requires formal quals nowadays so even use of chain saws on Doc land is a complex exercise, let alone a 6 ton digger. There are environmental rules in place administered by Regional council, who have no interest in keeping 4x4 tracks open and are very willing to take court action against those who ignore their rules. Add to that (North of raglen) the need to protect against the spread of kauri Dieback and even the Adventure Activities regulations and you have a minefield to work through every time you try to get something done. I often hear that people who winch out posts blocking access to DoC land should be prosecuted, and the same people are also telling me that we should be ignoring the various Health and safety and environmental rules that often hold us back.
I recently heard of a group saying that they had a working bee and repaired part of a track. That’s great and I congratulate that group. The problem is that they repaired 5 M of track, there is 7000m left to do.
The NZFWDA Northern Zone meeting is on Saturday in Huntly. Make sure you or your club rep is there so you know exactly what is going on, and make sure that your club rep gives a full and detailed report back to clubs.
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Madaz
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Posts: 1040
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 12:00 pm
Location: Hamilton

Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Madaz » Thu Jun 16, 2016 10:39 pm

So what about Thompsons?

NZFWDA asked us to stay out, so we did.
You also said that NZFWDA was working positively with the council in regards to reconstituting the track.....
Money was Promised to NZFWDA and also rebuilding the track to a certain extent, but whats happening now?

Great news. Matamata-Piako District Council corporate and operations committee have found $23,000 to repair Thompson's Track. Work will be done this summer. Thanks to everyone who has shown restraint in keeping away, and please continue to keep away until the track is repaired which makes us look like a responsible group.
I will keep you informed.
Tony Burgess

NZFWDA
Tony.



The last post you wrote was...........

Council have made it clear that if they get involved in doing anything, it will be made into a forestry track capable of being safely used by logging trucks, or they will close it completely.
Our best option is to do nothing and enjoy it as it is.
Tony.

So what is going on now? Come on give us NZFWDA members something for our $30...........

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Mudde1
Hard Yaka
Posts: 496
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 5:56 pm

Re: Public Access vs Club Access

Postby Mudde1 » Thu Jun 16, 2016 11:04 pm

Madaz wrote:So what about Thompsons?

NZFWDA asked us to stay out, so we did.
You also said that NZFWDA was working positively with the council in regards to reconstituting the track.....
Money was Promised to NZFWDA and also rebuilding the track to a certain extent, but whats happening now?

Great news. Matamata-Piako District Council corporate and operations committee have found $23,000 to repair Thompson's Track. Work will be done this summer. Thanks to everyone who has shown restraint in keeping away, and please continue to keep away until the track is repaired which makes us look like a responsible group.
I will keep you informed.
Tony Burgess

NZFWDA
Tony.



The last post you wrote was...........

Council have made it clear that if they get involved in doing anything, it will be made into a forestry track capable of being safely used by logging trucks, or they will close it completely.
Our best option is to do nothing and enjoy it as it is.
Tony.

So what is going on now? Come on give us NZFWDA members something for our $30...........
Which club are you with? There has been 3 monthly updates about Thompsons to clubs since those posts and your delegate should have been keeping you informed. If they haven’t been doing that, ask them why they haven’t been keeping you up to date.
There Matamata-Piako District Council and Waikato Regional Council (who own the tress above the track and are responsible water quality in the streams) have very different views on how, and to what standard, the track should be repaired too, and that has been a big hold up. on-going forestry work has been a factor as well. For now I suggest you enjoy the track as it is. My current feeling is that one of two things will happen, either someone will tell council it is unsafe it will be closed to all traffic, or it will be repaired to a standard that logging trucks can use, making it of little value to us. Either way I think we are better of leaving it exactly as it is.
Tony.

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