A park is planned along the banks of Marlborough's Wairau River, and if the proposal goes ahead, will be the first of its kind in the region.
The Wairau is one of the South Island's most intensely managed rivers, flowing from its source in the Southern Alps, to Cook Strait 170 kilometres away.
It is a life-blood of Marlborough, yet its story is not widely known.
Tracy Neal joined some locals for a walk along its banks.
