Tasman's Great Taste Trail opened with limited access through Moturoa/Rabbit Island

Tasman's Great Taste Trail has been reopened with limited access on Moturoa/Rabbit Island from Saturday on a trial basis to enable riders to use the Trail to get to and from Mapua.

Other sections of Tasman's Great Taste Trail through Nelson Forests estates remain closed including:

• Wai-iti Domain to Quail Valley Road
• Spooners Tunnel

The Council has worked closely with FENZ, Kiwi Journeys and Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust to develop a safety plan that will provide guided access across Moturoa Rabbit Island to the ferry landing. Kiwi Journeys has not only offered to provide guided access to those who will use the track to and from Mapua, they have also pledged $1 per ferry trip toward the Mayoral Relief Fund.

Closed since the recent fire, in line with the rest of Moturoa/Rabbit Island, the Trail is open for guided access only to and from Mapua by bike. Access will be allowed by guided ‘convoy‘ where the ferry operator, Kiwi Journeys, will meet people at the Island gate and escort those groups to the ferry and in reverse for those who have accessed the island by ferry.

As the fire danger has not diminished since the island fire of 9 February the trial does not allow open access to island or the beach.

We hope in providing the trial ‘convoy’ system we can provide some enjoyment of the Trail and support associated businesses despite the heightened fire risk. However, we cannot risk unsupervised access and we don’t have the resources to provide supervised access. 

The ‘convoy’ will be managed by the Kiwi Journeys company and other companies must work with them. Kiwi Journeys is responsible for the safe operation of this opportunity. 

The Council is working closely with FENZ to open Moturoa/Rabbit Island beach access as soon as it is safe to do so.

Daily timetable

  For further information: www.facebook.com/kiwijourneys.co.nz/(external link)