Coronet Peak Conservation Resources Report
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Crown Pastoral Land Tenure Review Lease name : CORONET PEAK Lease number : PO 195 Conservation Resources Report - Part 1 As part of the process of Tenure Review, advice on significant inherent values within the pastoral lease is provided by Department of Conservation officials in the form of a Conservation Resources Report. This report is the result of outdoor survey and inspection. It is a key piece of information for the development of a preliminary consultation document. Note: Plans which form part of the Conservation Resources Report are published separately. These documents are all released under the Official information Act 1982. January 06 RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT DOC CONSERVATION RESOURCES REPORT ON TENURE REVIEW OF CORONET PEAK PASTORAL LEASE (P195) UNDER PART 2 CROWN PASTORAL LAND ACT DOCDM-370553 Coronet Peak CRR - upated lizard info.doc RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1: INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... 4 PART 2: INHERENT VALUES: DESCRIPTION OF CONSERVATION RESOURCES AND ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE .............................................. 6 2.1 Landscape ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.2 Geology, Landforms and Soils .............................................................................................16 2.3 New Zealand’s Biodiversity Protection Needs....................................................................18 2.4 Climate ................................................................................................................................ 20 2.5 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................... 20 2.5.1 Problem Plants ....................................................................................................................... 29 2.6 Fauna................................................................................................................................... 29 2.6.1 Invertebrates........................................................................................................................... 29 2.6.2 Herpetofauna.......................................................................................................................... 41 2.6.3 Avifauna .................................................................................................................................. 43 2.6.4 Aquatic Fauna......................................................................................................................... 44 2.6.5 Problem Animals.................................................................................................................... 46 2.7 Historic................................................................................................................................ 47 2.7.1 Maori Cultural Values............................................................................................................ 47 2.7.2 European Heritage Values.................................................................................................... 47 2.8 Public Recreation.................................................................................................................61 2.8.1 Physical Characteristics ......................................................................................................... 61 2.8.2 Legal Access............................................................................................................................ 62 2.8.3 Activities.................................................................................................................................. 63 PART 3: OTHER RELEVANT MATTERS & PLANS .................................................. 67 3.1 Consultation ........................................................................................................................ 67 3.2 Regional Policy Statements & Plans................................................................................... 69 3.3 District Plans....................................................................................................................... 70 3.4 Conservation Management Strategies & Plans................................................................... 70 3.5 Water Conservation (Kawarau) Order............................................................................... 73 3.6 New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy..................................................................................... 73 PART 4: ATTACHMENTS .............................................................................................. 74 DOCDM-370553 Coronet Peak CRR - upated lizard info.doc 2 DOCDM-370553 Coronet Peak CRR - upated lizard info.doc RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT 4.1 Additional information........................................................................................................ 74 4.1.1 References............................................................................................................................... 74 4.1.2 Appendices.............................................................................................................................. 77 4.1.3 Photographs................................................................................................................................. 4.2 ILLUSTRATIVE MAPS ......................................................................................................... DOCDM-370553 Coronet Peak CRR - upated lizard info.doc 3 DOCDM-370553 Coronet Peak CRR - upated lizard info.doc RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT PART 1: INTRODUCTION The lessees of Coronet Peak Pastoral Lease have applied to the Commissioner of Crown Lands for a review of the property’s pastoral lease tenure. Coronet Peak Station is leased by Coronet Peak Holdings Ltd. The 22,211 ha property is located immediately north of Arrowtown in Central Otago. The Skippers and The Branches Roads provide vehicle access to the western part of the property, while the front country is accessed from Malaghan Road in the Wakatipu Basin. The property is at the southern end of the Harris Mountains. It is bound by the Shotover River to the west, Polnoon Burn to the north, Arrow River to the east, and the northern Wakatipu Basin to the south. The homestead is situated on adjacent freehold land immediately to the south of the Lease, off Malaghan Road. The Lease ranges in altitude from 400 m at Arrowtown to 2056 m at Mt Hyde. The majority of the property is steep and rugged, with a numerous slips and extensive historic gold mining activities present. The Lease lies within the Lakes Ecological Region and Shotover and Richardson Ecological Districts. No Protected Natural Areas Survey Programme (PNAP) of these districts has been carried out. No parts of the Lease are currently subject to protection for conservation purposes. The following areas which adjoin the property are managed by the Department of Conservation (Conservation Management Strategy Inventory Number in brackets): • Coronet Peak Recreation Reserve (F41123) • Macetown Historic Reserve (F41127, F41128) • Feehly Hill Scenic Reserve (F41114) • Arrowtown Chinese Settlement Historic Reserve (F41116) • Mt Aurum Recreation Reserve (E40059) • North Motatapu Conservation Area (F40002) • Maori Point Conservation Area (E41115) • Shotover Creek Conservation Area (E41195) • Coronet Peak and Skipper Road Faces Covenant (E41196) • Arrow River Marginal Strip (F41124, F41125, F41126) • Bush Creek Marginal Strip (F41 183) • Deep Creek Marginal Strip (E41193) • Shotover River Marginal Strip (E41448) • Long Gully Marginal Strip (E41184) DOCDM-370553 Coronet Peak CRR - upated lizard info.doc 4 DOCDM-370553 Coronet Peak CRR - upated lizard info.doc RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT The tenure review inspection of the Lease was undertaken between 29th November and 3rd December 2004 by a range of specialists. DOCDM-370553 Coronet Peak CRR - upated lizard info.doc 5 DOCDM-370553 Coronet Peak CRR - upated lizard info.doc RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT PART 2: INHERENT VALUES: DESCRIPTION OF CONSERVATION RESOURCES AND ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE 2.1 LANDSCAPE Landscape Context Coronet Peak Pastoral Lease lies to the north of Queenstown and Arrowtown. It covers a large land area and extends some twenty-seven kilometres north into the Upper Shotover and Arrow catchments. The front faces form the northern enclosing mountains to the Wakatipu Basin. The whole Lease is steep and mountainous. A strong degree of homogeneity occurs across the Lease. This homogeneity is derived from the high-grade schist rock and its’ extensive exposure over the whole of the property; the distinctive and dominant tussock grassland vegetation; and the legacy of early gold mining, which has left a significant imprint in many locations. The front of the Pastoral Lease is close to the populated and tourist areas of Queenstown and Arrowtown, and adjoins the Coronet Peak Ski Area. In addition the Lease adjoins and forms part of the high use areas of the Shotover Canyon and Skippers Road, and the Arrow Gorge and Macetown area. The Lease also contains remote areas, which few people visit. Methods The Lease has been divided into defined landscape units (LUs). These units reflect areas of similar landscape