Dunedin Tunnels Trail

The Outdoor Access Commission is proud to have supported the early stages of the Dunedin Tunnels Trail by providing $10,000 from our Enhanced Access Grant fund. This funding helped cover legal costs for private landowners to review easements, making it easier for the project to move forward.

The Dunedin Tunnels Trail will turn two old railway tunnels into a safe, off-road path for walking and cycling between Mosgiel and Dunedin. With the project now ready to grow, the Minister for Tourism, Louise Upston, has announced the Government will invest $2 million to extend the trail through Fairfield, Abbotsford, Green Island, and Kaikorai Valley, eventually reaching Dunedin City via the historic Caversham Tunnel.

Once finished, the trail will stretch 15 kilometres and feature the Chain Hills Tunnel at Wingatui and the Caversham Tunnel at Burnside. It will also link up with Otago’s popular Great Rides, including the Otago Central Rail Trail, Clutha Gold Trail, Lake Dunstan Trail, Roxburgh Gorge Trail, and Queenstown Trails—creating even more opportunities for people to explore the region.