Herenga ā Nuku welcomes Cape Palliser vehicle ban
Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa supports the South Wairarapa District Council’s decision to ban motor vehicles from the Cape Palliser unformed legal road for the next two years.
This decision strikes a balance between maintaining public access and allowing the land to recover from decades of damage. It responds thoughtfully to the concerns raised during the public consultation process, which received over 3,500 submissions — a record for the council.
We know that some recreation users will be disappointed by the exclusion of vehicles — especially surfers, hunters, and users with disabilities. However, the unformed legal road is currently in poor condition and does not connect directly to the foreshore, meaning legal 4WD access would be impractical without trespassing onto private land. The ban helps clarify boundaries and protects culturally significant sites, including wāhi tapu and historic pā.
A path forward
Herenga ā Nuku is proud to be part of the council’s newly formed stakeholder group tasked with guiding future access and management of the Cape Palliser coastline. We view this group as a fantastic initiative — a space for open discussion and collaboration that operates outside the constraints of formal bylaw processes.
This informal format allows for more creative and inclusive thinking, and we believe it will lead to better long-term outcomes for the land, its people, and many different types of outdoor recreationists.
Herenga ā Nuku was established to help resolve exactly these kinds of complex outdoor access issues. We will bring to the stakeholder group:
- Expertise in outdoor recreation and public access
- Technical and geospatial mapping capabilities
- Experience working in similar situations across Aotearoa
- Skills in facilitated group engagement and collaboration
Over the next two years, we hope to support the council, mana whenua, and other stakeholders to develop a shared vision for the future of access to Cape Palliser — one that respects the land, honours cultural values, and enables responsible recreation.