DOC has confirmed the pricing plan for car parking at Aoraki/ Mt Cook as part of its' paid car parking trial which will start mid-December this year.
DOC Director of Heritage and Visitors Catherine Wilson says the prices are similar to those set for sites at Punakaiki and Franz Josef/Waiau where carpark charging is also being trialled.
"The prices were decided on once we reviewed all the submissions from locals, tourism operators and businesses. They've been set in response to submitters' calls for an initial free period, special consideration for locals, free parking for concessionaires, and a reasonable price for both regular users and occasional visitors," she says.
The details of the car park fees are:
- A free parking period for 20 minutes to allow for drop-offs/pick-ups or for staying a short time.
- An hourly rate of $5 per hour
- A daily rate of $25 per day
- An annual pass for locals (within Mackenzie district boundaries) of $10 per vehicle per year, which allows for unlimited access during the year
- An annual pass for other regular visitors for $60 per vehicle per year
- Commercial tourism operators who hold a valid concession will be granted a parking fee exemption for the duration of the pilot.
Payment machines will be installed, and cameras will record the entry and exit of vehicles. Non-payment of parking fees will incur breach notices, which will be enforced by Stellar Projects, who have been appointed to install the paid parking hardware.
DOC's estimated combined revenue from the three pilot sites of Punakaiki, Franz Josef and Aoraki Mt Cook is expected to be approximately $1.5 million over the 7-month pilot period (December 2025 to June 2026 inclusive).
Once the pilot is completed and the outcomes have been reviewed, a decision will be made whether to continue with paid parking at the three sites, and if it should be extended to other busy sites.
Catherine Wilson says the introduction of a paid parking programme enables visitors to contribute to the conservation facilities and naturing experiences they enjoy.
"This is standard practice at many national parks overseas, and most international visitors accept this as a necessary contribution to support amazing nature sites."
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