Bluff’s Motupōhue Adventure Park Nears Completion

• Bluff’s new adventure park set for completion in a few weeks.
• The park features over 10km of mountain biking and walking tracks.
• Signage costs covered by MBIE, maintenance by the council.

Bluff’s outdoor adventure park is on track to open in a few weeks, set to be named Motupōhue Adventure Park. On Tuesday, Invercargill City Council reviewed a report detailing updates to the name and trails of the Bluff Hill Motupōhue Active Recreation Precinct.

Scheduled to open in September, the park will offer more than 10km of tracks for mountain biking and walking. New tracks are being built, and existing ones are being upgraded, with some receiving updated names.

Council strategic advisor for open spaces and recreation, Chris Bowen, said there had been discussions with Te Ao Mārama Incorporated — representing Ngāi Tahu in Murihiku — and local rūnaka on the variety of names proposed for the trails.

Councillor Darren Ludlow, who chaired the committee reviewing the report, emphasized the importance of local input. “And I don’t want to dilute their voice at all, because they know their town better than we do.”

Funding from MBIE covers the costs of designing and installing signage, while the council will handle maintenance costs. Mountain bike signage will be managed by the Southland Mountain Bike Club.

The report indicated that the carpark and associated infrastructure are nearly complete, with ongoing work on the track network. “Bluff Hill Motupōhue Active Recreation Precinct project is now reaching the sign development stage, where trail names and a park name are currently being considered,” it noted.