West Coast Treetop Walk

Tower and treetop walkway

The West Coast Treetop Walk is a canopy walkway through mature rimu forest near Hokitika on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The tourist attraction was built by Australian eco-tourism company Canopy01[1] in 2012[2] and comprises a 450 metres (1,480 ft) long elevated steel walkway, viewing tower, and cantilever.[3]

The walkway leads through the canopy of mature native West Coast forest dominated by rimu at a height of around 20 to 25 metres (66 to 82 ft) above ground. It passes close to the crowns of mature rimu trees and sits well above smaller trees and tree ferns. The loop walk takes in views of the nearby Lake Mahinapua and includes a gently swaying cantilever extending out into the forest canopy. A 47 metres (154 ft)[3] tall steel viewing tower with a spiral staircase offers even more spectacular views over the surrounding forest and northern ranges of the Southern Alps including Toaroha Range, Diedrichs Range and Mt O'Connor, as well as further south in good viewing conditions.

The tourist attraction is locally run via a 45-year concession lease[4] from the Department of Conservation NZ and includes a car park and cafe, with the actual canopy walkway accessible via a 5-minute walk from the cafe.

References

  1. ↑ Deidre Mussen (7 Jan 2012). "Plans for NZ's first treetop walk". The Press. Retrieved 2015-03-18.
  2. ↑ NZN (15 Dec 2012). "Treetop walk opens on West Coast". 3 News. Retrieved 2015-03-18.
  3. 1 2 Roy Sinclair (4 Feb 2013). "Tiptoeing in the treetops". The Press. Retrieved 2015-03-18.
  4. ↑ Deidre Mussen (9 Dec 2012). "A bird's eye view". The Sunday Star-Times. Retrieved 2015-03-18.
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Coordinates: 42°48′24″S 170°55′18″E / 42.80667°S 170.92167°E / -42.80667; 170.92167


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