Kia Ora, Welcome

Access to New Zealand’s lakes, beaches, rivers and mountains is at the heart of our Kiwi way of life. The beauty and diversity of our landscapes enrich and inspire us, and having access to these places is part of New Zealand’s culture and heritage.

The New Zealand Walking Access Commission is the Crown entity that plays a lead role in protecting this heritage by promoting free, certain, enduring and practical access to the outdoors. We work to strengthen the links between rural and urban New Zealand by identifying publicly accessible land, providing information about public access rights and responsibilities, assisting with dispute resolution and facilitating new opportunities for people to access and enjoy the great outdoors.