Community feedback sought on Dunedin’s Otago Harbour reserves

With the current management plan for the Otago Harbour reserves being reviewed, Dunedin City Council is seeking the views of residents in the wider Dunedin area on the 14 Council-owned reserves around Otago Harbour.

The reserves are well-used, enjoyed and appreciated by Dunedin people as they provide access to and encourage use of the harbour for a wide range of aquatic recreation activities.

Feedback will help to shape the updated draft management plan for the harbour reserves which aims to protect, maintain and enhance the recreational, landscape, amenity, ecological, cultural, historical and educational values of the reserves.

The harbour reserves included in the plan are at Andersons Bay Inlet, Bayfield, Broad, Careys and Deborah Bays, Glenfalloch jetty, Kitchener Street, Macandrew Bay, Port Chalmers, Roseneath, Te Rauone, Vauxhall and Wellers Rock.

The DCC Acting Group Manager Parks and Recreation Heath Ellis notes “Dunedin people have told us in the past they think the harbour reserves and their facilities are excellent assets that should be protected. They are used by many people for activities such as fishing, boating, windsurfing, paddleboarding, swimming, walking, photography, driving, picnicking and bird-watching.

“We want to hear what they value about the harbour reserves, how they use them, how they can be improved, what their problems are and how they can be solved. This could include things like demand for wharves, ramps and jetties, conservation, preservation of historic sites, pests, traffic, access, safety and signs.

“This feedback will help us make good decisions about how our harbour reserves are used and protected. The plan we prepare will reflect what Dunedin people value about these spaces.

“People will also be able to have their say on the draft management plan for the harbour reserves later in 2024.

Submissions can be made at www.dunedin.govt.nz/consultation until Monday, 1st April 2024.

Image. Credit: Otago Kayak racing club