Walking is not easy for Makarora landowner Gary Charteris.

An accident decades ago means he now spends more time in a wheelchair or on his mobility scooter than he does on his feet.

But that has not discouraged him from pushing ahead with the creation of a new walking track through the native forest on his hillside farm around the back of the small settlement.

The idea came to him 20 years ago, and this week the signs for the Charteris Track were finally put in place, marking its completion, and a formal opening with around 50 people was held this morning (Thursday May 29).

Gary took his track idea to the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust (UCTT) six years ago, and ever since the trust has been working through the paperwork - a Queenstown Lakes District Council resource consent and Department of Conservation (DOC) approval - and track planning and construction.

While it is only 1.1km long, the Charteris Track is a valuable last link in a loop taking in the Makarora township on State Highway 6, the camping ground, and DOC’s short nature walk in Mt Aspiring National Park.

UCTT project manager and retired surveyor Brian Weedon says the route had to follow the contours of the hillside, all the while (with the guidance of an ecologist) ensuring there was no damage to rare and endangered plants.

The gravel track gently winds its way through huge matai, kahikatea, rimu and beech trees.

A crowd of 50 or so people walked the new track today during its formal opening.

The high rainfall at Makarora required considerable work on managing water flows, by way of drainage ditches, culverts and bridges.

Brian said the trust would have liked the track to have been wheelchair accessible, with slopes of no more than three degrees, but the substantial amount of earthworks that would have been required made that too difficult.

The track does however have relatively gentle slopes Gary negotiates with ease on his mobility scooter, and he gets a kick out of seeing members of the public walking and running through his forest.

Gary was fully engaged in the planning and construction of the track and plans to help with maintenance as required.

The forest is covered by a QE2 covenant meaning it cannot be cleared or damaged by future owners.

Gary, a former possum hunter, has taken care of that problem over the years, and the track has allowed the Aspiring Biodiversity Trust to put 50-60 new stoat traps in place to help protect the forest’s birds, including kaka.

UCTT secretary John Wellington said the track cost the trust about $180,000.

Gary, UCTT trustees, DOC staff, QE2 National Trust representatives, Makarora School students and other Makarora locals gathered this morning for the Charteris Track’s official opening, walking the track together before enjoying a sausage sizzle.

PHOTOS: Caroline Harker