Waterpark granted permit to operate on Lake Dunstan

Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) has granted approval to the Kiwi Waterpark for a one-year recreation permit to operate on Lake Dunstan.

Road works are currently underway to install a turning bay at the entrance to the Lowburn lakeside area where the waterpark is now approved to operate.

Waka Kotahi is managing this work on LINZ’s behalf and a traffic management plan is in place while the turning bay is under construction. This includes a reduction in the speed limit along the highway and enables the water park to operate within consent requirements.

It’s anticipated the new turning bay will be completed by early 2023.

The approval of a recreation permit to the Kiwi Waterpark for 2022-23 season was conditional on the operator meeting a range of consent conditions set down by the Central Otago District Council. These conditions have now been met.

LINZ Head of Crown Property Sonya Wikitera says a previous recreation permit was granted allowing Kiwi Waterpark to operate over the 2020–21 and 2021–22 summer seasons. However, traffic safety concerns slowed down processing the water park’s permit application for the 2022–23 season.

An assessment of traffic at the site over the 2021–22 summer season concluded that, based on the volume of traffic accessing the site, turning bays were required to ensure safe and efficient access from the state highway.

The report indicated that the amount of traffic accessing the site generally is an issue, apportioning about one-third of this to the waterpark.

All agencies have worked hard to ensure traffic safety at this popular multi-use site that is well used by the local community and visitors to the region.

LINZ is responsible for the lakebed, and adjacent Lowburn camping area and boat ramp, on behalf of the Crown.

LINZ assesses recreation permit applications for proposed use of Crown land on a case-by-case basis. This includes consulting with various third parties, assessing other activities in the area, and – if required – ensuring it has a valid resource consent from the respective local council.