Shania Twain opens backyard to public

WILL HINE/ID 121659

On walkabout: (From left) Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick, Prime Minister Helen Clark and singer Shania Twain on the Motatapu track.

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The newest section of New Zealand's Te Araroa public walkway was opened near Arrowtown yesterday with a walkabout by Prime Minister Helen Clark and landowner Eileen Lange — better known as Canadian singing star Shania Twain.

The 30km Motatapu track, which links Wanaka and Arrowtown, winds partly through the hill-country property owned by Ms Twain and husband Mutt Lange.

It is the first back-country section of the Te Araroa public walkway to open in the South Island.

The walkway, when fully completed, will run from Cape Reinga to Bluff.

Miss Clark and Ms Twain yesterday sampled a small, heavily tussocked section of the track with a group that included Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick and Canadian High Commissioner Penny Reedie.

The group then went to Macetown for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which was attended by about 150 people, including Arrowtown schoolchildren and residents wearing 19th century goldmining attire.

A keen tramper, Miss Clark likened the trail to the Kepler track.

"I think it compares most to the Kepler, with the very high steep hillsides. It's quite a challenging track," she said.

Her appraisal was similar to that of Te Araroa Trust chief executive Geoff Chapple, who suggested a musical analogy was in order.

He said the track was like indie music.

"It's demanding, a little rough in places and like indie rock, inaccessible to some, but don't doubt it's music for a moment." Ms Twain said she had not yet walked the entire length of her backyard track.

A resident of both Switzerland and New Zealand, she said she had been back in the Lakes District for about eight weeks, but would leave again in a couple of days.

Ms Chadwick said the formation of the Motatapu track demonstrated what could be done when the Department of Conservation, Te Araroa Trust and private land owners worked together.

"The Langes have paid for the marking and construction of the track, and for two huts on the route.

They're also contributing $100,000 to ... help build a third hut in the Fern Burn," Ms Chadwick said.

Delays in opening the track, originally set down for Easter 2006, were caused by negotiations about marginal land owned by the McRae family, she said.

Miss Clark laughed when asked what her favourite Shania song was.

"I'm a Mozart fan, I'm a Mozart fan," she replied.

- © Fairfax NZ News