Okere Falls zipline gets green light
Okere Falls venture three years in the making
When Sam Sutton set out to establish a new ziplining adventure at Okere Falls, the acclaimed sportsman and tourism operator expected it to be operating within a year.
But nearly three years of pushbacks, red tape and an unforeseen global pandemic forced his timeline out.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, Sutton persevered with his vision and has now finally been given the green light for Rotorua Ziplines.
He hopes to have the scenic and cultural tourist attraction up and running by December, with building expected to start in July.
“I was probably a bit optimistic about my timeframes when I first started out but it’s actually been a blessing the process has taken this long as we’ve been able to hear good suggestions from the community.
“It’s great to finally have the green light after spending three years building something but it has come at probably the worst time for tourism.
“I’m not worried about that though, it has always been my primary goal to use this as an educational experience for people and something to benefit the area.
“I am confident we’ll be able to maintain business off domestic tourism but the Australian bubble does give us more confidence.”
Sutton, who owns Rotorua Rafting, applied under the name Okere Adventures to establish the three-hour tour in the canopy and farmlands of the Okere Falls Scenic Reserve.
In partnership with Māori landowners from Ngāti Hinerangi-ngā ti Hinekiri, Sutton’s vision is to reduce his stake over time until the venture is entirely iwi-owned.
And he’s hoping to hire local people. He expects to create 18 jobs in the first six months with more on the horizon, depending on tourism bouncing back. He hopes to be able to hire mostly tangata whenua.
The application was originally for six ziplines that would be reached from 12 platforms, however, the ziplines have since been reduced to four and the course revised following feedback in the submission process.
Three ziplines will run near the river, and the a fourth over farmland which, Sutton says, will be the steepest and fastest zipline in the country. He says the experience has been designed to suit all abilities and would be wheelchair accessible.
Tours of up to 10 people would run from 8am to 5pm, weather permitting, seven days a week. The idea of night tours was scrapped to allow river users key times before and after work to experience the isolation and “wilderness” feeling the gorge offers.
Sutton has maintained the primary focus was sustainable tourism and enhancing the scenic reserve, supported by his plans to include pest control and revegetation as part of the venture.
“Since we’ve been given the green light we’ve already cleared 10,000sq m of gorse and planted 5000 native plants.
“What we want to be is the pinnacle of adventure tourism mixed with cultural tourism.
“This new attraction will be a hands-on experience that will ensure papatūānuku is left in a better state when we leave.”
Sutton said it had already been “super rewarding” clearing out gorse and seeing what the uplift was going to be. “I’m excited to share with people this part of the world that has had a huge role in shaping my life.”
He wasn’t willing to discuss how much the venture would cost.
Destination Rotorua chief executive Andrew Wilson said the best destinations were always evolving to ensure people wanted to visit more, stay longer and could have a different experience every time they came.
“We’ve seen so much innovation in Rotorua over the past six months as tourism businesses continue to create interesting new products that are focused on the interests of New Zealanders.
“It will be great to see this new zipline product come to life to add to our tourism offering.”
Department of Conservation operations director for the Central North Island, Damian Coutts, said Sutton’s initial concession application received on May 16, 2019 comprised six ziplines, totalling 700m in length, with 12 platforms.
“The applicant later refined their application to address concerns raised during public consultation submissions/objections and expressed at the public hearing in Rotorua on October 21, 2019.
“The application had multiple amendments with the final version eventually being submitted for three ziplines located away from areas in the reserve where there is existing public use and with an additional zipline across adjacent private land.
“The applicant also proposed to reinvest part of the zipline revenue into the reserve’s maintenance and restoration, including weed and pest control.”
Coutts said submitters in favour of the application said the proposal would “provide jobs for local people, enhance planting and revegetation of the reserve as well as other positive benefits”.
Both the reserve board and local iwi supported the application. “The Department considered the concession application against the tests of the concession regime and approved it.”