Community invited to have a say on a plan for the Kawarau Riverside Reserves in Frankton

Queenstown Lakes District Council has developed a draft Reserve Management Plan (RMP) for a collection of land parcels located alongside the Kawarau River in Frankton, jointly referred to as the Kawarau Riverside Reserves.

The area is popular with locals and visitors walking and biking the Twin Rivers Trail, part of the Queenstown Trail ‘Great Ride’ network, which connects the reserves while hugging one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most iconic and picturesque rivers. Also included in the scope of the plan is the Ivan Young Zoological Reserve, which used to house the Zoological Gardens.

QLDC General Manager Community Services Kenneth Bailey encouraged the community, especially Frankton residents and users of the reserve areas, to read the draft plan and share their views.

“Early engagement with the community showed strong support for biodiversity and ecological enhancement, retaining the informal and natural character of the reserves, and improved access to the river,” said Mr Bailey.

“The resulting draft plan is guided by this feedback, along with consultation with mana whenua, and aims to provide a shared vision for these reserves that supports the community and those that visit.”

What you can expect to see in the plan:

• The vision for the reserves: This reflects the communities’ long-term aspirations for the site
• The objectives for the reserves: These represent the key goals of the plan and provide the framework for managing the reserves
• The policies that help to achieve the objectives: These guide all actions, decisions and behaviours within the reserves and are grouped under nine topics: community, recreation, infrastructure, access, ecology, community events, services, encroachment, and smoke and vape free.

Mr Bailey encouraged those with any questions on the draft plan to view the Let’s Talk page online or visit the Parks team at a drop-in session when they are out enjoying the reserves next month.

“All are welcome to come along and chat with us at community drop-in sessions to be held on Saturday 14 February between 10.00am-12.00pm and Thursday 19 February between 4.00pm-6.00pm at the Twin Rivers Trail at the end of Riverside Road in Frankton,” said Mr Bailey.

To view the draft plan and provide a submission go to letstalk.qldc.govt.nz by Sunday 29 March 2026.

Following the close of public submissions there will be an opportunity for submitters to speak at a public hearing in April. The hearing panel will then consider all submissions and recommend final changes to the Kawarau Riverside Reserve Management Plan. This plan will then be presented to Community & Environment Committee for approval in June and then shared with Full Council for adoption in August 2026.

ENDS|KUA MUTU.

Media contact

TEL: 03 441 1802

communications@qldc.govt.nz

FURTHER INFORMATION | Kā pāroko tāpiri

• The formal submission period for the draft Kawarau Riverside RMP is over two months from 26 January to 29 March 2026.
• How to share your views:
• Head to our Let’s Talk page to make a submission - https://letstalk.qldc.govt.nz.
• Post to Kawarau Riverside RMP submission, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Freepost 191078, Private Bag 50072, Queenstown 9348.
• Email your submission with the subject line: Kawarau Riverside RMP submission.
  letstalk@qldc.govt.nz
• In February-March 2024 we engaged with the community to gather early insights and aspirations for how they’d like to use and enjoy these reserves to inform the draft plan. Go to Let's Talk to read the 120 comments pinned to ideas map from 54 submitters.
• RMPs are used by Council to detail the objectives and policies for different public spaces and help with day-to-day and long-term decisions on how reserves and open spaces are used, managed, and developed.
• Councils (as administering bodies) are required to prepare and maintain a Reserve Management Plan under Part 3 of the Reserves Act 1977.
• Map of the group of land parcels jointly referred to as Kawarau Riverside Reserves: