“The Hillary” sporting event – 14 March 2015
As a valued stakeholder, this letter is to advise you that consent has been approved for Lactic Turkey Events, on behalf of the Hillary Trail Run Charitable Trust, to hold The Hillary event on The Hillary Trail.
The consent, which was approved by the Manager Regional Parks on 9 December 2014 is for three years, with the 2015 event is scheduled to take place on 14 March 2015, or on the rain date of 21 March 2015.
Key aspects of the approval include:
- granted a three-year event permit (for three annual events)
- approved for up to 500 participants in 2015
- increasing maximum participant numbers to 600 in 2016 and to 675 in 2017.
- Setting out requirements for organisers to prevent the spread of kauri dieback
- Traffic and parking management.
The format of the event is the same as the Hillary Trail Ultra Run held on the trail last year.
In 2015 the 80km full course between Arataki to Muriwai will cater for up to 125 participants, while up to 175 participants will be on the mid-distance course from Piha to Muriwai and up to 200 for shorter distance from Te Henga to Muriwai.
Over the following two years, participant numbers will be allowed to increase as follows:
- 600 in 2016 (comprising 125 participants on the 80km, 225 on the 34km and 250 on the 16km
- 675 in 2017 (comprising 125 participants on the 80km, 250 on the 34km and 300 on the 16km
To assist with traffic management and parking, event organisers are looking in to transporting participants by bus between Muriwai and Arataki and Piha and Te Henga.
A condition of the three-year consent, which will be issued annually, is that council must be advised of the event date and rain day, before 1 September of the year prior to the event.
Auckland Council can withdraw consent if new information on kauri dieback that impacts on the event, is discovered or the event organiser fails to comply with any other conditions of the consent.
Protecting the ranges
As with last year’s event, the council’s regional parks and biosecurity teams continue to work closely with the event organiser to ensure appropriate level of protection against the spread of kauri dieback is in place.
The Hillary Trail is an important part of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and it was created to inspire and challenge visitors to Auckland’s west coast. Sir Edmund Hillary himself used these tracks to train for his epic journeys and council supports the spirit of The Hillary.
It is also an opportunity to make more Aucklanders aware of the disease.
To that end, the consent includes a range of conditions and requirements including:
- Restricting the numbers of participants allowed on the course. In particular only 125 will be allowed to participate on the 80km course as this area is deemed to be more at risk kauri
- That event organisers minimise the risk of any further spread of Kauri Dieback disease by actively implementing phytosanitary and hygiene standards, including an event rule that all participants undertake phytosanitary measures and keep to route tracks at all times
- Phytosanitary tray and mat-style foot washing stations are to be located at places as outlined in the consent
- Tracks and critical sites identified by the principal ranger are cordoned off ensure there is no off-track activity
- That seven days before the event – especially if there has been extreme weather events or a sustained wet period – track surfaces and condition assessments are carried out within the five recognised Kauri Dieback disease zones and a 30 metre buffer each side
- Advise all participants that footwear and clothing must be cleaned before and after the event and provide the appropriate methods of doing this
- Ensure all materials and facilities provided to participants, supporters and event staff are cleaned to a suitable hygiene level and used appropriately
- The event organiser is to provide a report back on their compliance with the consent conditions and any issues encountered/complaints received
- Information regarding the high conservation values of the Waitakere Ranges and stringent phyto-sanitary measures will be put in place, including the placement and compulsory use of Trigene stations and monitoring of those stations
For any further details on the event or to discuss the matter further, please contact staff at the Western Regional Parks, Senior Ranger Reg Phillips (reg.phillips@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz; direct dial 09 817 0086) or myself at stephen.bell@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz; direct dial 09 817 0082.
Thank you for your continued interest in the recreational use and conservation of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park.
Yours sincerely,
Stephen Bell
Principal Ranger – Regional Parks West
Auckland Council