Rival transport ventures racing to Milford
Two separate groups of investors are each planning to spend $150 million to build new overland links between Queenstown and Milford Sound and both are hoping to float their companies and list them on the NZX.
Both proposals aim to solve a longstanding problem: the arduous road trip between Queenstown and Milford Sound.
About 550,000 people a year visit Milford, but because of the travelling involved, most arrive there around the middle of the day, causing severe crowding at peak times. Its thought that if the journey was shorter and easier, more people would travel there at different times, stay for longer and spend more money.
The Milford Dart project, involving a 10km tunnel, is backed by old Canterbury money with Christchurchs Gould and Elworthy families playing major roles. But last month the NZ Conservation Authority refused permission for a new access road in Mt Aspiring National Park, forcing backers to ponder alternatives.
Managing director Tom Elworthy said the company had plans to build the tunnel at another location but would not say where. He hoped to be lodging consent applications for plan B in the next few months.
Wed like to think that by the end of this year well be well through the consenting process, so were still optimistic, Elworthy said.
Fiordland Link has a more elaborate plan.
From Queenstown, travellers would take a fast ferry across Lake Wakatipu to Mt Nicholas Station from where they would travel along high country back roads in specially built all-terrain vehicles about the size of a small bus. This would connect with a monorail which would take them through the Snowdon Forest to Te Anau Downs, from where they could catch a bus on to Milford, shaving about 60km from the current Queenstown to Milford route.
The Fiordland Link is backed by new money, with local property developer Bob Robertsons Infinity Group holding an 80% stake and the balance held by Philip Phillips, a former managing director of Mt Cook Group.
Robertson said the company had already applied to DoC for an easement which would allow it to operate on DoC land and he expected the department to make a preliminary decision in the next two months.
The company would then have to go through the resource consent process.
Robertsons scheme also has an ace up its sleeve last June the environment minister granted it the right to be designated a requiring authority, a move which would give the rail line the status of a public utility and could speed up the consent process.
So I think we could be constructing it within a year, Robertson said.
He said the Link would be viable with about 250,000 passengers a year, but the company would probably also invest in new tourism-related ventures in the Te Anau area which would feed off the Link.
So what are the chances of them both going head to head?
I think they could. I dont see why not, Elworthy said.
Robertson was a little more cautious on that possibility. I think whoever is second will have to scratch their head.
We are definitely cranking ahead anyway but its expensive to put a tunnel through the rock and its expensive to put in a monorail, so its certainly not going to help their viability [if both go ahead]. If we are going to be second we may have to consider life a little differently.
www.fiordlandlink.com
www.milforddart.co.nz
Posted
on
Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 6:06 pm under