Welcome

Kia ora and welcome to the last edition of the Milford Opportunities Newsletter for Stage 3, Phase 1 of the project.

At the end of this week, the Milford Opportunities Board is due to hand over the project’s advice to Ministers Tama Potaka and Matt Doocey on options for better managing tourism to Piopiotahi. The advice is based on detailed research and engagement as we worked to test the feasibility of the Milford Opportunities Masterplan recommendations over the last 2 years.

I must say, I write this with mixed feelings – I have thoroughly enjoyed this work.  It’s been challenging, insightful and rewarding.  And, while I lived in Te Anau for a number of years, my understanding of the area and its community has increased as a result of this work. A highlight for me has been having had the opportunity to meet some amazing people with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints.

We have heard people’s knowledge and passion for the place, whether that’s from a business, tourism, environment, or social perspective. We have also heard how these elements are interconnected in what some described as a self-supporting ecosystem.

I truly hope this project delivers on its objectives to support people and place.

I truly hope this project delivers on its objectives to support people and place.

If you want to check in on the project over the coming weeks and months, the best place to find information remains our website www.milfordopportunities.nz

I’d like to close out with a Māori proverb which many of you will know:

He aha te mea nui o tea o?  He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
What is the most important thing in the world?  It is people, it is people, it is people!

We have the responsibility to make good decisions, because our decisions have far-reaching implications for all things.

A huge thank you to everyone who has given time to support this work.

Phil Tisch

Engagement & Communications Lead

Updates from Milford Opportunities Board Chair Jenn Bestwick

Community thank you

On Saturday 15 June we held a small event in Te Anau to mark the end of this phase of the Milford Opportunities project.

Thanks to everyone who braved the cold to attend this event. In particular Nathan Benfell (Fiordland Business Association), Roz Hawkes-Hermann (Visit Fiordland) and Rosco Gaudin (Milford Sound Kayaks) for sharing their thoughts on how things have gone, and hopes for the future.

The event was an opportunity for us to show our gratitude for the generosity many of you have shown in providing your time and expertise to lift and inform this important work. To ensure it embodies, as far as it possibly can, community aspirations for the area.

All of us working on the Milford Opportunities Project feel a huge privilege and awe at playing a part in the future of incredible Milford Sound Piopiotahi and wider Fiordland.

We have also felt a great privilege and responsibility to be doing this alongside the communities who call this place home.

A world class experience is delivered by a community of providers – agencies, locals, mana whenua, operators, conservationists – ensuring that collectively, we deliver to a world-class standard.

The Milford corridor is comprised of an ecosystem of operators, offering an extensive range of visitor experiences, each with intrinsic knowledge of the customer base they serve.

Engaging with all of you as the subject matter experts has been a key priority throughout this phase of the project.

Championed by Chris and lead by Phil Tisch, the team has completed roughly 700 engagements over this time. We have also had a local champion in John Twidle.

The team reports back that no matter what people’s views were on the project, every engagement was informative, respectful, generous and genuine. What a reflection on this community and the businesses that operate here, and on your commitment to caring for Fiordland!

I wanted to reflect on what we’re heard from you over the last 18 months.

There is consensus that Piopiotahi is a taonga – a treasure, and that some change is needed to protect the place, its communities, and the visitor experience.

We’ve heard that these conversations have been taking place in some form for several decades and this has caused some frustration.

Most of those spoken to are excited by the prospect of improvements, and that the project will finally get the cut through needed to bring positive change for Piopiotahi.

While priorities differ for different stakeholders and groups, there is consistent support for the following:

• making the journey safer and less congested
• increasing investment in safeguarding and up-lifting Piopiotahi to reflect the importance of this national taonga, and
• making it easier to run a successful business in Piopiotahi by reducing red tape and complexity.

We have heard that you would like to see greater cultural storytelling along the journey, and that carefully planned wet weather opportunities in or nearby to Te Anau would benefit the town.

We know that Te Anau is incredibly special – the community looks after each other, kids can safely bike to school, visitors are immersed in clean air, a warm welcome and tranquillity and they are telling their friends about it – the secret’s out!

We’ve also heard that, while Te Anau should receive acknowledgement as the gateway to Milford Sound and Fiordland, and some gradual growth in tourism is appropriate, ensuring the Te Anau’s peaceful character is maintained.

We have heard from Milford Sound locals that your community is special and has its own voice. While more investment in infrastructure is needed – we must protect the natural essence of this place.

We’ve heard that the challenges we are seeking to address are complex – and after years of work – we are with you on that!

It has not been an easy road and there is no silver bullet.

Preparing for the future requires a step change that would be novel for New Zealand, challenging how existing regulatory systems are set up. 

That change is not simple or easy.

Once we have delivered a business case, depending on ministerial decisions, any implementation will rely on innovative and dedicated people working together to lead this place through long-term transformation. It will be a 10-year and upwards programme of work to embed a new way of operating.

Much of this change, such as a greater focus on Te Anau as the main visitor hub, must take place over the longer-term and be led by the community.

Whatever lies ahead, on behalf of the whole project team I’d like to say thank you for the vital part you’ve played on this journey so far.

Update from the Board Chair continued… Paul Norris

For the final few months of the project we have been lucky enough to have Te Anau local and Chief Conservation Officer at RealNZ Paul Norris appointed to the Milford Opportunities Board by Tourism & Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.

As an expert on tourism, Fiordland, and conservation, we couldn’t have asked for a better qualified addition.

Prior to joining the board Paul had already been extremely generous to the project with his knowledge and time.

Paul Norris received the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to the tourism industry and conservation in 2020. He has almost 40 years’ experience in the tourism industry, including wide logistical and management knowledge in running operations in the lower South Island. He has been a part of RealNZ since 1993, which he says has been a major supporter of his conservation work which includes Cooper Island Restoration Project, Cruise-for-a-Cause (raising money to help conservation organisations), and Predator Free Rakiura.

To manage any conflict of interest arising from his role at RealNZ, Paul joined the board as a non-voting member meaning he could advise but was not able to vote on board matters.

The project team has undertaken a significant engagement programme with operators actively working in the area, to ensure broad and balanced input from the sector.

Find out more about who was on the Board and the team behind the Stage 3, Phase 1 of the Milford Opportunities Project by visiting The team – Milford Opportunities.

In Paul’s words:

“I’m passionate about Fiordland, tourism and conservation, so it’s been gratifying to be in a position to assist the Milford Opportunities Project team to bring together the many strands of the work in a way that will set Piopiotahi up for the future.

“Te Anau has been my home for thirty years, I’m able to ensure the project is informed from both a local and an operator perspective, while also caring deeply about what is best for the place.

“I know first-hand that tourism and conservation can be mutually beneficial – it’s about working with community to get the right balance.”

Milford Sound Piopiotahi community updates

We visited the community in Piopiotahi in April and May this year to see how the summer had gone and reflect back what we had heard during this phase of the project.

What we’ve heard

The community values its tight-knit village atmosphere and sense of belonging. Residents appreciate and support the need to address complex, deep-seated challenges in Piopiotahi, but are concerned about any impacts on their way of life and the place itself resulting from this work.

“The big worry for me is that this place is my home. I don’t want to lose my home…the place where I live and also the things I go and do.”

Changes to staff accommodation is an important issue for residents: 

• Residents oppose a large staff accommodation block, emphasising its infeasibility.
• Separation between tourist accommodation and residential areas is crucial.

“We just want to have our own places. We don’t want to be near the customers, we’ve spent the day with them.”

• Workers prefer bespoke staff accommodation options that suit the range of workers’ preferences and life stages.
• Natural hazard risks are high for those living in the village and generally understood and accepted, given the unique environment.
• Social facilities, including multi-use communal spaces, are desired for residents.

While residents see a need for some improvements to infrastructure and facilities in Piopiotahi, it’s important to maintain the natural essence of the place:

“This is the jewel in the crown of NZ Tourism – the whole place needs a birthday!”

• Workers are often drawn to their jobs through the appeal of living amongst Piopiotahi’s wild natural beauty.
• Residents want conservation efforts to be prioritised over unnecessary construction and new structures.
• Residents do not support the gondola/cable car proposal

“A gondola is not viable. If you get people up there then you’ve got to have someone looking after them. It’s hazardous up there.“

Some wider activities including wet weather options would improve the visitor experience.

“You are in one of the wettest places in the world but [there’s]…nowhere out of the rain…You’ve got elderly, you’ve got families.”

Residents agree with encouraging more visitors to use buses and guided tours. They want to maintain a diversity of visitors and are opposed to creating an experience only for the elite.

“I first came to Milford as a customer… Part of the charm of the place is that it has a variety of people coming here.”

Managed access options need to maintain freedom of access and flexibility for Milford Sound residents.

“Our work hours, they’re always changing, so you really need flexibility to be able to access the outdoors. We need a flexible system.”

Residents want to continue to have their voices heard in decisions affecting Piopiotahi.

Read a full summary of feedback from the Piopiotahi community:

• Milford Sound Piopiotahi community engagement session 9 April 2024 (PDF file, 636KB)
• Milford Sound Piopiotahi community engagement session 22 May 2024 (PDF file, 798KB)

Ngā mihi – Thank you!

I feel fortunate to have been given an opportunity to work with the community, conservation, recreation and tourism experts to safeguard this treasured place.

Coming from a mining and engineering background, this has been a legacy project for me, to contribute to a part of New Zealand that is significant to me and so many others.

The level of support and input from across the country has made the work shine. Thank you!

On behalf of us all, it has been a real privilege.

Chris Goddard
Milford Opportunities Programme Director 

Caption: Milford Opportunities Project Team Stage 3, Phase 1