Image: Peter Marshall Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park Master Plan Prepared for Wellington City Council by Trails by Dafydd Davis and Morphum Environmental Ltd – June 2017 Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park Master Plan J003270 Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park Master Plan 3 Contents 1. Executive Summary .................................................. 4 7. Key recommendations ............................................ 34 7.1 Governance and Resourcing ................................... 34 2. Introduction .............................................................. 5 7.2 Access, Parking and Facilities ................................. 34 2.1 Master Plan context .................................................. 6 7.3 Trail development .................................................. 34 3. Frame of reference .................................................... 8 7.4 Conservation .......................................................... 35 7.5 Land Acquisition/Zoning ........................................ 35 4. Sustainability framework ........................................ 11 7.6 Regional Strategic Framework ................................ 35 4.1 Community benefits ................................................ 11 7.7 Community and iwi Engagement ........................... 36 4.2 Landscape benefits .................................................. 11 4.3 Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity ................... 12 Appendix A – Makara Peak mapping ................................ 37 4.4 Tangata Whenua ..................................................... 13 Appendix B – Key track works .......................................... 49 4.5 Management .......................................................... 14 Appendix C – Implementation Plan ...................................78 5. Existing site assessment ......................................... 15 5.1 Site Assessment ....................................................... 15 6. Makara Peak master plan ........................................ 17 6.1 Status of Makara Peak ............................................. 17 6.2 Governance of the Park ........................................... 17 6.3 Track Model ........................................................... 20 6.3.1 Track Layout .......................................................... 23 6.3.2 Makara Peak Track Itineraries ................................ 23 6.3.3 Track Developments ............................................... 27 6.4 Infrastructure and Facilities ................................... 27 6.4.1 Car parking and access ........................................... 27 6.4.2 Signage and wayfinding ......................................... 27 6.4.3 Rest areas and information nodes ........................... 29 6.4.4 Shelters in isolated areas of the park ....................... 29 6.4.5 Provision of water at the summit ............................ 29 6.5 Conservation and Biodiversity ............................... 29 6.5.1 Regional role/context ............................................. 30 6.5.2 Vegetation and pest control .....................................30 6.5.3 Maintenance and operations .................................. 30 6.5.4 Waterways and receiving environments ................. 32 6.5.5 Track development................................................. 32 4 Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park Master Plan 1. Executive summary Trails by Dafydd Davis Limited and Morphum The master plan has been informed by engagement Environmental Limited were engaged by Wellington with a range of stakeholders. Seven workshops with City Council to develop a master plan for the Makara Council personnel, the Supporters, mountain bike Peak Mountain Bike Park in Karori, Wellington. groups and other general users have been supported The park was established in 1998 and has developed by user surveys (undertaken by the Supporters prior over the past 18 years through a collaborative to this process) and strava data (an app that tracks management approach by Wellington City Council and runs and rides using GPS) to provide an understanding the Makara Peak Supporters Group (the Supporters). of the existing user profile and status of the park. This has included an initial establishment phase Focussed discussions on existing constraints, issues (with contracted professional staff engaged to and aspirations for future improvements have manage early planning and development) followed by provided a basis for recommendations relating to ongoing development supported by a memorandum further development and management frameworks of understanding by the Council and the Supporters. required to facilitate implementation of these. This historical development has been funded This includes extensive new track development, through a mix of Council support (in terms of modification to existing tracks and redevelopment of capital and resources), public donations, contested the main car park area to address existing access issues. grants and corporate sponsorship with a substantial Formal consultation took place between 7 November amount of physical and logistical work provided by and 12 December 2016. 128 submissions were received. a highly committed group of volunteers. This has The final plan was completed in April 2017. included extensive track construction, maintenance, Implementation of the plan will help Makara revegetation and pest (plant and animal) control, Peak maintain its status as a facility of regional which has been instrumental in creating the network significance, and provide a world-class experience of over 35 kilometres of mountain bike priority tracks for riders of different technical skill levels in a regenerating native forest landscape. and experience. As the majority of visitors are This master plan is intended to establish formalised intermediate users (Grades 3 and 4), the Master Plan objectives and principles to inform the management will make sure new tracks and increased itineraries or of the park over the next 10 years, including further loops are available in this grade range. In addition, it is development of the track network to ensure that the concluded that significant parts of the track network facility is able to support and promote the current and overall site (ie Southwest and Northern Tracks) growth in recreational mountain biking in the region. are currently underused and offer opportunities to Any growth must align with the conservation and increase scope and scale. The Master Plan therefore ecological restoration aspirations that have defined proposes extensive new track development (and the park to date, which are consistent with the redevelopment of some existing tracks) to expand into Council’s Outer Green Belt Management Plan and these areas with the added benefit of improved access Biodiversity Plan (Our Natural Capital). for conservation restoration. Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park Master Plan 5 2. Introduction Figure 1: The eastern slopes of Makara Peak from Karori Road. Since it was established in 1998, the Makara Peak Peak Supporters Group (the Supporters). This model Mountain Bike Park (Makara Peak) has evolved to (and the limitations incurred through substantial become the Wellington region’s most significant reliance on volunteers) has significantly influenced mountain bike destination. It was set up as a bike the establishment of the park and the alignment and priority facility, and has continued to expand and nature of existing tracks. respond to the increasing demands of a steadily Typically, tracks have been planned, designed and growing mountain bike market, without the constructed in the absence of any comprehensive challenges associated with other mixed-use areas site strategy. There has been a tendency to create within the open space network. Makara Peak’s numerous linked tracks, which have progressively establishment has been underpinned by extensive built on the original tracks that were planned at the input, resource and commitment from a core group outset. Similarly, in the south west of the park, track of highly motivated volunteers. This model has alignments have been fitted within the boundaries of enabled the existing extensive track network to be the park rather than following the natural alignment constructed and maintained with only moderate of the landscape. The reliance on volunteer labour input from the Council. This input has varied over the (almost entirely manual with only limited use of years from the initial establishment phase through machinery for rock breaking and material transport) to the current management model, which relies on has also influenced the pace of development and, a close working relationship (and memorandum of in some locations, the nature of tracks and ongoing understanding) between the Council and the Makara 6 Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park Master Plan maintenance to preserve the intended standards. 1.1 Master Plan context Whilst the recent increased input from the Council Makara Peak has evolved over the past 20 years is intended to alleviate these challenges it is evident largely through the dedicated efforts of the Makara that a strategic approach is required. Peak Supporters Group (the Supporters). With the Additional to the track network itself, a strong ongoing support of the Council, the Supporters have commitment to ecological restoration has guided been able to progressively develop new trails whilst Makara Peak from the outset. With a clear vision maintaining a strong focus on the habitat restoration/ to establish