[Andrew]

I’d like some feedback on ideas for the future of Baring Head and the coastal area leading to it from Eastbourne and Wainui river. Some possible positive steps for enhancing the recreational/ecological value of the area might be obtaining recreational reserve status for Baring Head and coastal strip for access; footbridge across Wainui river or revegetation.

I’m after some ideas from people that regularly use the area or have a special affinity for it.

You might have heard recently the Hutt City Council has made noises about a road around the coast to boost Wainui with through traffic. The Council has also recently agreed to increasing the number of tourist buses on the coastal 4WD road for access to the luxury lodge in the hills up behind the south coast. The owners of this lodge are pressuring for more and better access. There has also been some pressure thru the East Harbour Park Management Plan to improve the road and increase traffic around the coast to improve access for the elderly, disabled etc to the other parts of the park around the lighthouse.

There is concern that other important recreational and environmental interests might lose out in the debate.

Sooooo – if you have any suggestions/ideas drop me a line. Or, better still, if you are willing to be an advocate step on up to the plate.

[JP]

do climbers use the baring head area? YES – all the time.

do climbers have a special affinity with the area? YES – speak to any climber out there (local or foreign) and they will tell you that there isn’t a climbing area in the WORLD like the Head

should it protected in some way? YES – at any cost. Subject to the need to avoid the restrictions imposed by DOC (and the likes) when ever they take control of anything. Climbers are always branded by these organisations as high impact users and suffer accordingly.

putting a road through Baring Head would be a complete disaster. as it stands, we are very fortunate indeed to have a virtually urban crag without graffiti, broken glass, used condoms and needles and the other sorts of rubbish that one finds at places like this abroad. we must keep it that way.

[Author]

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