Source: Herenga ā Nuku – the Outdoor Access Commission
Steve Gwilliam, a dedicated advocate for cycling in Tai Tokerau, will receive an Outdoor Access Champion Award this month. Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, the Outdoor Access Commission, presents the award each year to people who have made significant and lasting contributions to public outdoor access in New Zealand.
Gwilliam has worked for more than a decade building trails and promoting public access to the outdoors.
Gwilliam has helped design and construct over 20 projects that comprise more than 130km of Northland’s trail network. These trails have an asset value of over $50 million. These projects include the Hatea Loop, Old Ngunguru Coach Trail, McLeod Bay to Parua Bay trail, One Tree Point to Waipu Cove cycle trail, Waipu Cove Walk/Cycle Trail, Bream Bay Trail, Limeburner’s Creek trail, the recent Kaipara’s Kaihu Valley Trail, Bay Of lslands’ Pou Herenga Tai and the Whangarei District Councils flagship project Kamo Shared Path.
As well as his engineering contributions, Gwilliam often volunteers his time and resources to construct new trails and provides trail planning information to many groups building community trails.
The Northland Regional Trails (NRT) Project Team nominated Gwilliam for the award.
Amanda Bennett from NRT believes Gwilliam’s passion for cycling tracks makes him a local hero.
“He’s unwavering in his commitment to enhance outdoor experiences for everyone,” says Bennett. “When Kaihu Valley Trail had its opening day in June 2023, Steve didn’t like the look of a shed and the weeds right where the opening ceremony was taking place. So he took over his weed eater and a tin of paint from Whangarei to brighten up the area the day before the opening.”
Phil Culling, the deputy chief executive of Herenga ā Nuku, says Gwilliam has sparked his community’s desire to build and link trails around Tai Tokerau. “The trails Steve Gwilliam has contributed to will significantly improve Northland’s health, wellbeing and economic development. He has had a remarkable impact on Tai Tokerau.”
“Steve is someone who leads from the back by doing. He’s almost never in the limelight. Steve’s comfortable providing advice or designs or perhaps working at the site. This event is about shining the light on a quiet, unassuming advocate who has done and is still doing much for walking and cycling in Te Tai Tokerau”.
