Formed from a 2020 Lions project, the Ōpunakē Loop Trail Trust links smaller tracks into a 7km loop around Ōpunakē, promoting local wellbeing and drawing visitors to the area.
“It’s a diverse trail with coastline, a lake, bush, forest, farmland, parks, gardens, and the historic Te Namu pā,” said Trust Chair Brian Gasson. “You get great views and a real mix of scenery.”
Maintaining and developing such a diverse trail requires time and effort from many Ōpunakē volunteers.
“We tap into community groups who donate time and labour into developing the areas along the track, planting, maintaining, and so on. However, the biggest challenge is funding and labour for major works like bridges and flood repair,” said Brian.
In 2022, the Toi Foundation helped the Trust fund flood damage repairs and restoration after a major washout, and later Toi funding enabled urgent safety works on a steep gravel slope. Now, $4k from Toi has provided materials for a cooperative venture with students from Ōpunakē High School’s Tiny Homes Project.
“We asked them to build a bird hide by the lake. It’ll shelter hikers and give birdwatchers a spot to observe wildlife. We’ve also spoken to the local ornithological society about putting up bird info boards,” said Brian.
“The high school has also put in hundreds of hours—planting natives on scrub land and helping with maintenance. There’s real community buy-in, especially from the kids.”
The Ōpunakē Loop Trail has attracted thousands of people in recent years.
“Locals use it for fitness, cycling, walking and running. We get walking groups, events and out-of-town visitors all the time. They often stop to chat and are always full of praise. It’s a real asset—they love it.
“And when people visit Ōpunakē for the trail, they grab a coffee or refuel, so it brings wider economic and social benefits.
“We’re really grateful to Toi, our major funder—without their support and other sponsors, the trail wouldn’t be what it is today.”
Ōpunakē Trail delivers views and value
