Development plan wins award
Curio Bay’s newly finished visitor centre development has won national recognition at the New Zealand Planning Institute Awards.
The Tumu Toka Curioscape development at Curio Bay in the Catlins, received the award for Best Practice Integrated Planning and Investigations for its infrastructure collaboration.
More than a decade in the mak- ing, the development included the natural heritage centre, which features a cafe, interpretation area, and theatre.
A new wastewater treatment plant, carpark, ablution block, and penguin habitat planting were also constructed through the process.
South Catlins Charitable Trust chairman Paul Duffy says the win recognised a truly combined effort.
‘‘Here in Southland, we’ve always known what a special area Curio Bay is, and a growing number of people from around the world are coming here to celebrate Curio Bay too.
‘‘It was crucial that the right infrastructure was developed to protect and sustainably manage the area’s heritage.’’
The South Catlins Charitable Trust, Southland District Council, Opus International Consultants, Department of Conservation, Venture Southland and iwi worked alongside one another to develop the project, which aimed to educate the growing number of visitors to the area about the significance of the site and its local wildlife.
Curio Bay is home to several wildlife species including hoiho (yellow-eyed penguins), Hector’s dolphins, and native sea lions, and also features a nearby petrified forest.