Molesworth perilous in winter, users warn amid access battle

The country’s biggest farm can be a dangerous and unforgiving place in winter, users warn as a charitable trust legally challenges its seasonal closure.

The publicly-owned Molesworth Recreation Reserve covers 180,000 hectares of tussock land, rivers and mountains between Marlborough’s Awatere Valley, Hanmer Springs, Tasman District and the Kaiko¯ ura Ranges. It is managed by the Department of Conservation and leased for farming by Landcorp.

Acheron Rd is the main route through the station, a scenic but challenging 207-kilometre drive from south Marlborough to Hanmer Springs. The route closes every year from April to October.

Charitable trust Public Access New Zealand (PANZ) wants to end the closure, claiming it is illegal to close a public road except in limited circumstances such as an extreme weather event. PANZ filed legal proceedings against Land Information New Zealand last week, seeking a declaration Acheron Rd and others in the vast reserve were public roads and would remain open.

Land Information surveyor-general Anselm Haanen said last week his department did not have the authority to determine road legality, and had advised the trust to seek clarification either with the Marlborough District and DOC, or through the courts.

Molesworth Tour Company owneroperator Lee Swift said driving the Acheron Rd was not for the fainthearted, even in the warmer months.

‘‘The road is not very well maintained, you can just about shake your vehicle to bits on it,’’ Swift said.

‘‘Sometimes the road can be dangerous,’’ she said.

‘‘People have to look out for other traffic on the road, especially when the roads are open to the public, people think they’ve got the road to themselves and forget there could be people coming around the other way. And if you have a breakdown, it can be very difficult to get help.’’

Swift’s tour business ran scenic cycle tours and 4-wheel-drive journeys through the reserve, but even if the seasonal closure was lifted she said she would not be adding any winter tours.

‘‘It’s a very iconic piece of New Zealand, it’s got wonderful history that a lot of people have heard about, and it’s a special place that people want to visit,’’ she said.

‘‘But there’s just no way to access it during winter. Often the road will be covered in snow, so it’s physically impossible to access.’’

With Landcorp farmers working on the property as well, Swift said she hoped an agreement could be worked out that suited everyone involved.

‘‘It can be quite an emotive thing for people because it’s such a special place. But it’s nice for the farm to have a rest from the public, and they can just get on with their jobs.

‘‘But younger people may not realise, it’s already open much longer than it used to be . . . the public is already getting a better deal.’’

DOC was unable to comment directly on the court case.

However, its south Marlborough operations manager, Phil Bradfield, said safety was a key reason for the seasonal closure of Molesworth roads.

‘‘[The roads] are unsealed, narrow and winding and the area is also subject to extreme weather, including snow,’’ Bradfield said.

Some of the restrictions on public access were required for the farming lease.

Access for activities such as hunting and fishing had increased, with support of farm management, since Molesworth became a recreation reserve in 2005. Before then, Acheron Rd opened for only a few months over summer, he said.

‘‘We are currently working with Te Ru¯nanga o Kaiko¯ura to prepare for a review of the 2013 Molesworth Management Plan which will include public consultation.’’

PANZ had last week referred to the closure of Acheron Rd after the 2016 Kaiko¯ura earthquake as evidence of how useful the route could be. It was a useful alternate route when State Highway 1 was damaged, but was closed after the quake making the Lewis Pass diversion congested, he said.

Bradley clarified the closure was due to earthquake damage, and a major slip on the Awatere Valley Rd that led to Molesworth.

When it was reopened in January 2017 after repairs, many drivers used Acheron Rd as it was 30 minutes faster than the Lewis Pass route.

But police warned at the time that the Molesworth option was not a sensible option for motorists as the remote route had communication issues and nowhere to buy fuel or food.