Rural Women NZ members who allow public access across their property will soon be able to signpost contact details and access conditions for visitors, thanks to a partnership between Rural Women NZ and the New Zealand Walking Access Commission.

A joint project between the two organisations will provide public access signs for landowners to use to show access points, often along a fence. Conditions, such as ‘no dogs’, ‘no guns’ or ‘closed during lambing’ can be marked on the signs with waterproof pictorial stickers, and a contact phone number can be provided to prompt people to ask permission.

Rural Women NZ Executive Officer Noeline Holt said: “we are really excited to be able offer these signs free to all our members, we will certainly be encouraging everyone to make the most of this opportunity.”

New Zealand Walking Access Commission Chief Executive Mark Neeson said the partnership between the Commission and Rural Women NZ would benefit both landowners and those seeking access.

“These signs smooth the access process for everyone involved. They allow landowners to provide contact details for the members of the public, who no longer need to walk down a landowner’s driveway to ask for permission to cross a property, and they clearly mark any desired conditions of access.

“The Commission produced signs in partnership with Federated Farmers New Zealand last year and these are now being used to good effect in many places across New Zealand.”

The signs will be free to Rural Women NZ members and production of the signs is currently funded by the New Zealand Walking Access Commission. The signs are for use by Rural Women NZ members who wish to voluntarily grant access across their property. They are not being used to mark or impose conditions of access on an unformed legal road.