Walking the Wither Hills Farm Park
Photo by MarlboroughNZ.com

Grigg Drive Track provides greater access to Wither Hills

A new track providing better walking access to the Wither Hills Farm Park will be officially opened on Wednesday 14 August.

The Grigg Drive to Rotary Lookout track will provide people with direct access from the Boulevard on Taylor subdivision to the Farm Park and its network of walking and biking tracks.

Marlborough Mayor John Leggett says it’s great to see new tracks like this one being added to the Farm Park.

“The Wither Hills tracks are a real asset to our community with thousands of walkers and cyclists making the most of them every year.  They’re also a draw card to those visiting our region with the Farm Park well known as an iconic sporting and leisure feature in Marlborough.”

Council invested $45,000 into this project and a grant from the Walking Access Commission saw the project through to its completion.

Mayor Leggett acknowledged the Walking Access Commission which granted the Bike Walk Marlborough Trust $4,000 from its Enhanced Access Fund towards designing and constructing gates and signposts for the new track.

Walking Access Commission Regional Field Adviser, Penny Wardle, said the Commission is glad to have contributed.

“Council staff and the Bike Walk Marlborough Trust worked extremely hard to complete the new route to the popular Rotary lookout and now we all get to enjoy it,” she said.

Each year the Commission grants up to $100,000 to support new tracks and trails around Aotearoa through its Enhanced Access Fund. The money goes towards projects that help to secure certain and enduring access to the outdoors for future generations. Applications for the latest round close on September 30.

Marlborough District Council manages the 1100 hectare Farm Park on Blenheim’s southern boundary for soil conservation and farming, as well as recreation.

The Grigg Drive Track will be officially opened on Wednesday August 14, depending on weather.  Media wishing to attend should meet at the track on Grigg Drive at 2:30 pm.