Ongoing delays by the Department of Conservation (DOC) in upgrading infrastructure are having a serious impact on local tourism, according to Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT) general manager Tim Barke.

Suspension bridges which provide access to the Rob Roy glacier track in the Matukituki Valley and the Blue Pools near Makarora were both closed in May last year and a local campground has been closed for three years because the toilets have not been upgraded.

The nine month closure of the bridges has resulted in Wānaka’s iSite getting daily feedback from visitors who are “disappointed and at times angry that they can't access the bridges”, Tim said.

“These tracks are some of the most popular attractions for people visiting here,” he said.

Tenders are open for work to upgrade the suspension bridge accessing the Blue Pools. PHOTO: Supplied

Tim said tourism operators were “severely impacted, particularly by the ongoing delays in getting the bridges completed”. 

“They take bookings many months in advance and are repeatedly having to go back to customers apologising and trying to change or having to cancel bookings. 

“Aside from the inconvenience, this can seriously impact the reputation of the businesses and destination through no fault of their own,” he said.

DOC operations manager Nicola Holmes told the Wānaka App there is still no timeframe for when the bridges will reopen.

“The geotechnical and engineering work is complete for the two bridges at the Blue Pools site, and tenders are currently open for the construction phase of the work. 

“Once we have contractors in place we will be able to provide a clearer timeline for when the bridges can safely reopen, and we look forward to seeing the community enjoying them once more.”

Design work is still underway for the Rob Roy bridge which will not be constructed until later this year, DOC says. PHOTO: Supplied

She said the Rob Roy bridge is still “currently under the design phase and will go to the market for construction works later in the year”.

Nicola said the decision to close the bridges while DOC undertakes critical upgrade work “has visitor safety at its heart”, and DOC is working with businesses and groups that have been affected by the closures.

“We appreciate businesses have been dealing with uncertainty over timeframes for future bookings. Once we have a contractor in place we will be able to provide a clear timeframe for when the bridges can be safely reopened,” she said.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors back to these locations and thank the community for their patience.”

The bridges are not the only DOC infrastructure which has been suffering delays. 

Locals have told the Wānaka App that ‘front country’ areas of the DOC estate have been neglected over the past few years since management of the local estate has been centralised.

One example is the Boundary Creek Campground near Makarora, which has been closed for three years since DOC identified the toilets to be “non-compliant with their resource consents”.

“Important upgrade work” to upgrade the toilets was announced in 2021. PHOTO: Wānaka App

In 2021 DOC said it was “undertaking important upgrade work to rectify the situation”, but the campground remains closed in summer 2024.

DOC said it planned to replace the toilets with new containment vault systems – the same as the toilets installed at the Haast Pass Highway’s Cameron Flat Campsite and Blue Pools.

DOC had not supplied an update on the Boundary Creek toilets by the time this article was published.