Tunnel Beach track upgrades finish, with cultural panels and planting

A celebration on 21 October marked the end of upgrade work on the Tunnel Beach track, which now has cultural panels and native planting.

The track attracts more than 200,000 visitors per year. Over the years the work has made it safer, more resilient to weather and richer in cultural and historical detail, according to the Department of Conservation (DOC).

“Projects like these help tell our stories in a visual way while supporting our aspirations to restore the mauri of our taiao and revitalise our forests,” said Dr Megan Potiki, Kai Tahu.

Mana whenua Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou shared their knowledge, whakapapa and stories of the place. These now appear in interpretation panels and in native planting along the track and rest areas.

Dr Potiki wrote the cultural narrative that inspired the panels. She said the work reflects the traditional names of the coastline, and the manu and mahika kai practices used to catch kai.

Aukaha Design Lead and artist Aroha Novak (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Kahungunu, Tūhoe) turned the narrative into artworks. They draw on mahika kai, native manu that once lived in the area, and traditional cultural practices.

The planting aims to attract native manu back to the area. The plants can also be used for weaving.

“What has been achieved here is much bigger than the physical infrastructure,” said DOC Coastal Otago Operations Manager Gabe Davies.

Davies said the finished site gives visitors cultural and historical insight while they enjoy the Otago coastline.

The project involved mana whenua, Dunedin City Council, DOC, Aukaha, contractors, consultants, volunteers and neighbours.