The White Horse Hill car park in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park provides access to several popular day and overnight walks. Photo: SUPPLIED / DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
Visitors will have to pay $5 per hour to park at Aoraki-Mount Cook as part of a seven-month trial.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is trialing paid parking at White Horse Hill car park from December to June next year.
The car park provides access to several popular day walks, including Hooker Valley Track, Kea Point Track and the Mueller and Hooker huts, and is next to the busy White Horse Hill Campground.
Fees included a rate of $25 per day, a $10 annual pass for locals with unlimited access and $60 annually for regular visitors living outside the Mackenzie District.
Free parking would be available for 20 minutes to allow for drop-offs/pick-ups or short stops.
Paid parking is also being introduced at Dolomite Point in Punakaiki and Franz Josef as part of the trial.
DOC director of heritage and visitors Catherine Wilson said the pilot would generate an estimated $1.5 million in revenue across all three sites.
"We think the pricing proposal is fair and reasonable. It responds to calls for an initial free period, special consideration for locals and a reasonable fee for visitors," she said.
"It is designed to be simple and easy to understand and provide different fee options for different users of the car park."
Payment machines will be installed and cameras will record the entry and exit of vehicles. A parking company will issue breach notices to people who do not pay.
Wilson said local community members and businesses provided feedback on paid parking earlier this year.
"Legislation allows us to charge people fair and reasonable fees to use our facilities, which include campsites, huts and car parks," she said.
"This is standard practice at many national parks overseas. Most international visitors accept this as a necessary contribution to support the amazing nature they come to New Zealand to enjoy."
Once the pilot is finished and the results reviewed, DOC said it would make a decision about whether to keep paid parking at the three sites and whether to extend it to other busy places.
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