Source: NZ Department of Conservation
Date: 01 November 2025 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation and Office of the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality
“I’m thrilled to announce the Government will fund the completion of Te Ara Mangawhero and progress Te Hangāruru, connecting them into the Mountains to Sea – Ngā Ara Tūhono cycle journey,” Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.
“These two routes are among the last sections needed to complete the full trail from Mount Ruapehu to the Tasman Sea, with just one section remaining before cyclists can complete the 231 km journey.”
Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka says “This kaupapa is linking our people, our stories, and our whenua (land). Completing these trails will strengthen local communities and regional economies while enhancing the environment that sustains us.
“Ngā Waihua o Paerangi Trust and Te Korowai o Wainuiārua are leading this mahi (work) alongside Ngā Ara Tūhono Trust and the Department of Conservation. This is another powerful example of partnership in action. Together, they’re creating experiences that honour the rich experiences and cultural significance of the land.
“Visitors come to Aotearoa New Zealand for our landscapes, our bush, and our stories. Te Ara Mangawhero and Te Hangāruru will nurture that connection, places where visitors and locals alike can experience the beauty, meaning, and identity of this region.
“We are focused on practical partnerships that protect our taiao, celebrate our culture, and strengthen regional economies, ensuring our natural heritage continues to sustain people, place, and purpose for generations to come.”
The works will be funded by the International Visitor Levy ($7.7 million) alongside $3.1 million from the recently announced Major Events and Tourism Package. Sections of the track will be open to the public as they are completed, with the full project due to be concluded in early 2027.
“Our Government’s Major Events and Tourism Package has been designed to drive visitor spending, support local businesses, and create jobs up and down the country. Ready-to-go projects like these cycle trails will bring more visitors to the region, entice them to stay longer, and build confidence in the local economy,” Louise Upston says.
“Adding to the diversity of experiences in the Ruapehu district will develop long term resilience in the regional tourism sector. It’s a stunning area of New Zealand and it deserves to be showcased.”
Notes to Editors:
- Ngā Ara Tūhono Mountains to Sea cycle journey is one of the Great Rides of New Zealand.
- The Great Ride is divided into ten sections which can be completed separately or completed as a full trail from mountains to sea (including a 32 km boat section on the Whanganui River).
- The trail extensions being funded are 13 km for Te Ara Mangawhero, and 1.1 km for Te Hangāruru (including a 99 m suspension bridge).
- The final short section between the Last Spike and Waimarino (National Park Village) will remain to fully realise the 320 km Ngā Ara Tūhono cycle trail. Ngā Ara Tūhono Trust is progressing this section with Te Korowai o Wainuiārua.
E eke paihikara ana ki te manawaroa ā-rohe ki Ruapehu
Ka maha ake ngā manuhiri ki te rohe o Ruapehu, ā, ka pakari ake te ōhanga ki te Puku o te Ika i ētahi ara paihikara e rua, ko ēnei ara ka peka atu ki ētahi wāhi ātaahua rawa.
“E hīkaka ana te ngākau ki te whakamōhio atu, ka utua e te Kāwanatanga te whakaotinga o Te Ara Mangawhero me te whakawhanake tonutanga o Te Hangāruru, kia honoa ai ēnei ara ki te haerenga paihikara e kīia nei ko Ngā Ara Tūhono,” hei tā te Minita mō te Tāpoi me te Manaaki, hei tā Louise Upston.
“Ko ēnei ara hou ētahi o ngā wāhanga whakamutunga e whakaotia ai te haerenga katoa mai i te maunga o Ruapehu ki te Tai-o-Rehua, ā kotahi noa iho te wāhanga e toe ana i mua i te wā ka āhei ngā kaieke paihikara ki te whakaoti i te haerenga katoa, e 231 kiromita te roanga.”
Ko te kī atu a te Minita Whāomoomo a Tama Potaka, “E tūhono ana tēnei kaupapa i ō tātou tāngata, ā tātou pūrākau, me tō tātou whenua. Mā te whakaoti i ngā ara ka pakari haere nei ngā hapori me ngā ōhanga ā-rohe me te whakahaumako tonu i te taiao e whāngai nei i a tātou.
“E ārahi ana a Ngā Waihua o Paerangi Trust rātou ko Te Korowai o Wainuiāura i tēnei mahi ki te taha o Ngā Ara Tūhono Trust me Te Papa Atawhai. He tauira whakahirahira anō tēnei o te mahi rangapū e whakatinanahia ana e te tangata. Ko rātou katoa e mahi ngātahi ana ki te waihanga i ngā wheako e whakahōnore nei i ngā wheako whairawa me te hiranga ā-ahurea o te whenua.
“Haere mai ai ngā manuhiri ki Aotearoa mō te horanuku, te ngahere, me ngā pūrākau te take. Ka tiakina taua hononga e Te Ara Mangawhero me Te Hangāruru, ngā wāhi e toro atu ai ngā manuhiri me te haukāinga ki te rerehua, te hiranga, me te tuakiri o tēnei rohe.
“E aro atu ana mātou ki ngā rangapū whaikiko e haumaru ai te taiao, e whakanuia ai tō tātou ahurea, e pakari ai hoki ngā ōhanga ā-rohe, kia taea tonutia ai e tō tātou tuku ihotanga ā-motu te tautīnei te tangata, te wāhi, me te take mō ngā reanga e tupu mai nei.”
Ka utua ēnei mahi e te International Visitor Levy (7.7 miriona tāra) ki te taha o te 3.1 miriona tāra i ahu mai rā i te Major Events and Tourism Package kātahi anō ka pānuitia atu. Hei te wā ka oti tētahi wāhanga o te ara, ka whakatuwherahia ki te marea, ā, ka oti katoa te kaupapa nei i te wāhanga tōmua o te tau 2027.
“Kua waihangatia te Major Events and Tourism Package a te Kāwanatanga hei whakakaha ake i te mahi hokohoko a ngā manuhiri, hei tautoko i ngā pakihi ā-rohe, hei whakarite hoki i ngā tūranga mahi huri noa i te motu. Mā ngā kaupapa rite pēnei i ēnei ara paihikara ka maha ake ngā manuhiri ki te rohe nei, ka poapoatia hoki rātou ki te whakaroa ake i tā rātou nohonga ki konei, ā, ka piki ake te whakapono ki te ōhanga ā-rohe,” te kī a Louise Upston.
“Mā te tāpiri atu ki te kanorautanga o ngā wheako ki te rohe o Ruapehu ka whanake ake te manawaroa mauroa i te rāngai tāpoitanga ā-rohe. He wāhi ātaahua rirerire tēnei ki Aotearoa nei, ā, e tika ana kia whakaaturia atu.”
He Kupu mā ngā Etita:
- Ko te haerenga paihikara o Ngā Ara Tūhono Mountains to Sea tētahi o ngā Great Rides o Aotearoa.
- Tekau ngā wāhanga o te ara ka taea e te tangata te whakaoti takitahi, ka taea hoki e te tangata te whakaoti te ara katoa mai i ngā maunga ki te moana i te wā kotahi (tae ana ki tētahi wāhanga waka ki runga i te awa o Whanganui, e 32 kiromita te roanga).
- Ko ngā ara tāpiri e utua ana ko te 13 kiromita o Te Ara Mangawhero, me te 1.1 kiromita o te ara o Te Hangāruru (tae ana ki tētahi arawhiti tārewa e 99 mita te roanga).
- Ko te wāhanga whakamutunga, he wāhanga poto noa nei kei waenga i te Last Spike me te Waimarino ka noho tonu mai hei whakaoti mā mātou ā muri nei e tutuki ai te 320 kiromita o te ara paihikara e kīia nei ko Ngā Ara Tūhono. Ka whakahaerehia tēnei mahi e Ngā Ara Tūhono Trust rātou ko Te Korowai o Wainuiārua.
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