News
Sandy Point could become a world famous playground for nature buffs and petrol-heads, Invercargill City Council candidate Allan Arnold says.
The life-long Invercargill resident, who owns and runs city cafe-bars Ziffs and Buster Crabb, said he wanted to sow the seeds of a 100-year native bush regeneration programme at Sandy Point.
“Wouldn’t it be cool if we let it regenerate into a completely native-bush covered peninsula.Imagine the bird-life that would come back,” he said. “We should be leaving a beautiful legacy for the generations to come.”
Allan Arnold – supplied
The city council’s Sandy Point Management Plan says native regeneration should be encouraged where reasonable likelihood exists and that the regenerative qualities of the bush are strong.
Arnold said Sandy Point was home to many great clubs and recreational facilities but continual logging was damaging the area’s beauty, limiting its appeal and removing much needed wind breaks.
“The logged areas look like a wasteland and it’s going to stay that way for 10 to 20 years until the new pine trees grow.”
The management plan says clear-felling of trees leaves a scar on the landscape giving visitors a lessened perception of the domain.
Sandy Point’s potential had never been properly explored and the area had never really been marketed as the visitor and tourism asset it should and could be, he said.
Arnold said there could be potential for a two-day tramp around the peninsula featuring beach, bush and riverside walking, with an overnight stay in a hut at a picturesque location.
The peninsula’s natural resources were already complemented by the likes of Teretonga Park, Oreti Park Speedway, a great Go Kart track, the Oreti Sands links golf course, mountain-biking tracks and a paintball course.
Several of these exisiting facilities had huge potential to become tourist drawcards, such as the idea of a “hot-lap” driving experience at Teretonga.
The stunning peninsula was far more valuable as a recreational area, which everyone could enjoy, as opposed to an ad-hoc forestry block, he said.
“We should develop self-contained camper-van facilities at Sandy Point. A picturesque facility would be a real attraction to visitors to the city.
“This will generate more visitors and existing accommodation providers will benefit from this tourism growth as the tourism pie will grow.”
A cafe near the beach, set back in the sand dunes with a view out to Omaui and Stewart Island, would be amazing, Arnold said.
The Oreti River was a great natural resource and had a lot more potential as a recreational asset, Arnold said.
“We must be the only city in New Zealand with a great beach, and major river flowing nearby, with nothing to attract the wider public and visitors.”