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A Coastal Road From Takaka to Motueka?

J. N. W. Newport

Many trampers now follow well beaten tracks round the coastal areas of the Abel Tasman Natoional Park and enjoy the wonderful scenery which is opened up for them.

From earliest days of settlement shipping was the means of communication with the outside world and those people who settled round the coast must have lived very isolated lives. From quite an early stage of development there were suggestions that a road should be built round the coast from Takaka to Marahau. William Gibbs, a well-known personality in Golden Bay, had settled at Totaranui in 1857 and he believed that road communication round the coast was a practicable move. As a member of the Nelson Provincial Council he had some influence and he certainly believed that it would be impossible to make a good road over the Takaka Hill. About 1870 or earlier Gibbs had opened up a track from his home at Totaranui to Motupipi and this was regarded as public access.

In 1873 a better road line over Takaka Hill was explored and laid off with money provided by the Nelson Provincial Council. However this did not prevent suggestions being made at various times over the years that a road should be built by the coastal route. It was seen as being a logical development. Tracks from Motupipi to places beyond Awaroa were in use. Maori landowners, as well as settlers who moved in, offered no objections to the tracks being used through their land. These tracks extended well round the coast but we have no accurate information about them. Some of the landowners stated that they had used tracks beyond Awaroa from 1863 onwards. It was regarded as public access for the few settlers and the workers employed at the Tonga Bay Granite Company's works.

Perhaps the first attempt to develop a vehicle road was the construction of a road over the hill from Pohara to Wainui. This was laid off in 1900 but the work dragged on for years and it was 1909 before it had been widened into a road. Meanwhile tracks had been greatly improved between there and Awaroa. At the time there was still agitation to get a road right round the coast and in 1910 the Takaka County Council resolved to write to the Chief Surveyor asking if his department would survey a line of road to Marahau as the Council was not in the position to undertake the work. In reply the Assistant Under Secretary of the Public Works Department stated that he had the honour to inform the Council that, by the direction of the Minister of Public Works, since the road would give access to a large area of Crown Land when it is extended, it had been decided that the department would take the necessary steps to legalise it.

In 1913 some road work was being undertaken but another problem arose as some landowners were objecting to people using the track through their properties. (It was stated that the track had been in use since 1863). One settler was threatening the prosecution of trespassers. The result was a petition from people concerned asking the Government for the provision of a public road. The Commissioner of Crown Lands replied that a report would be obtained upon the circumstances of the track from Awaroa to Tonga with a view to the opening up of a proper road.

Further monies were spent during 1915 and 1916 in improving access as far as Awaroa but one landowner at Awaroa and Tonga objected to a public road being made through her properties. In 1918 this owner agreed to sell the necessary land provided that adequate compensation was offered. No deal was made and the Council decided that steps would be taken to acquire the land under the Public Works Act 1908 when it was required for a road. In the following year, June 1919, the Council, when asked for access, replied that it intended to take the land for a road when funds were available.

The simple fact remains that the road plan was not proceeded with and later developments do not come within the scope of this article.