17 June 2014
Walking access champions sought for awards
People and organisations across New Zealand are being urged to send in their nominations for the 2014 Walking Access
Awards.
The annual awards, run by the New Zealand Walking Access Commission, recognise the leadership, achievements and
contributions of people and organisations that are enhancing access opportunities in the outdoors or strengthening New
Zealand’s walking access heritage.
Commission Chief Executive Mark Neeson said all significant contributions to walking access were eligible for
recognition.
“These awards are the Commission’s way of saying: ‘your work is not going unnoticed. New Zealanders from all walks of
life will benefit from your efforts - and we are saying thank you on their behalf’”.
Nominations are open to individuals, community organisations and central or local government agencies.
Mr Neeson said nominees might include people whose dedication sees them maintaining a particular walkway, a community
group that has worked hard to open up a track or a territorial authority that has gone “above and beyond” to enhance or
maintain access, actively resolve a dispute over public access or undertake a significant programme to enhance access
opportunities.
The recipients of the inaugural awards last year were Nelson farmers Ian and Barbara Stuart, Dunedin public access
advocate Alan McMillan, and legal advisor and author Brian Hayes, who divides his time between Wellington and Dunedin.
The Stuart’s were one of the first private landowners to create a formal public walkway across their farm when Ian’s
father established the Cable Bay Walkway in 1984. Brian Hayes is the author of numerous research reports and papers on
the law regarding access, especially on unformed legal roads and rivers. And Alan McMillan is chairman of community
organisation Public Access New Zealand and works tirelessly to uphold public rights of access to the outdoors.
Mr Neeson said the New Zealand Walking Access Commission wants to cast the net wide in its search for deserving
recipients of these awards. “If you know someone or an organisation that deserves one of these awards, please consider
putting their name forward.”
Nomination forms and information about the awards can be found on the Walking Access Awards page of the Commission’s
website: www.walkingaccess.govt.nz.
Nominations close at 5pm on Friday 18 July. Winners will be announced at the Commission’s National Forum in September
2014.
ENDS