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Milford tunnel a ‘PR disaster’ for Queenstown Hobbit tourism

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02 Aug 2012

No shortcuts: Middle-Earth’s Gandalf stands guard over Milford Sound

Opponents warn a mega-bucks Milford tunnel project could be a PR disaster for The Hobbit movies’ anticipated Queenstown tourism boost.

Campaigners against the proposed $170 million Milford Dart Tunnel – which will shorten trips from Queenstown to Milford Sound – say it must be rejected by the Department of Conservation before The Hobbit film release.

Stop The Tunnel Glenorchy members claim tourism benefits could be lost if stunning southern landscapes from the film are reported to be under threat.

Director Peter Jackson confirmed this week on his Facebook page The Hobbit will be a trilogy. The previous Lord of the Rings film trilogy created a huge tourism boom for New Zealand throughout the past decade.

Tourism New Zealand bosses are working with the studios on branding and slogans for The Hobbit – with a ‘where fantasy meets reality’ option.

Anti-tunnel campaigner Patricia Ko, of Glenorchy, says: “It’ll create so much negative publicity. The NZ scenery will be in the spotlight.

“The international media already know about this issue and it will be interesting for them to write about.

“It will be ‘look at this beautiful scenery, what is New Zealand doing?’” she says.

“The next step in our campaign is to get the politicians to decline this proposal before The Hobbit comes out.”

The proposal to build an 11.3km private bus tunnel through mountains in Mt Aspiring and Fiordland National Park will shorten the 600km Queenstown-to-Milford Sound trip to 240km for about 40 tourist buses a day.

Opponents claim it’ll threaten the environment, endangered species and ruin the national park and Glenorchy.

Milford Dart Ltd boss Tom Elworthy rejects the claims.

Elworthy says: “It’s nonsense because it is not going to spoil it one iota – there’s basically no impact.

“This lovely Lord of the Rings land will still look just as lovely the day this project is finished as the day before it starts.”

Destination Queenstown boss Graham Budd declined to comment on the potential for the tunnel to taint The Hobbit fever.

But he says: “It’s really good news, the third movie.

“Frankly, even though the movie is shot in some wonderful locations around the whole country, from an iconic landscape perspective this is one of the principal regions that represents the best of NZ.

“We’re certainly going to get significant direct and indirect benefits from this as we did with The Lord of the Rings.”

Jackson has confirmed he plans to return to NZ to shoot more footage for a third movie.

“We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the
Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance,” his Facebook statement reads.

“The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth.

“So, without further ado…I’d like to announce that two films will become three.”

The announcement means Queenstown will likely once again see stars such as Orlando Bloom and Sir Ian McKellen about town.

Your say

Okay so let me get this straight...

So... just to recap... Glenorchy doesn't want the tunnel to happen because it'll turn the place into a truck-stop (and only if someone needs to pee, otherwise they'll just roll straight on by) Te Anau doesn't want it because it'll cut off (or at least put a serious dent in) their visitor numbers... and from what I gather most of Queenstown doesn't want it because among other things it'll be further evidence that New Zealand isn't living up to the 100% Pure promise, misunderstood as it may be.

It's not really going to do the businesses in Milford Sound any favours as it gives a monopoly on access to the sounds to one company, who will presumably charge an extortionate fee. It'll pinch their time-poor, cash-rich customers away from the pilots, and the various bus companies that currently ply a trade on the Milford Road will be out of luck too.

So other than MDL employees and the "Drill baby, drill!" types who think all 'progress' is good progress... who thinks this thing's a good idea again?

10 Aug 2012 01:26PM outthere

Open your eyes

while i can understand that this tunnel will change things, accept that some people are scared of change and have mixed feelings about it all given it will be privately owned can everyone who is predicting an environmental disaster please open your eyes, engage brain and then shut up?
Last time i drove to milford i went through a tunnel, holy cow I even think the tunnel was in a national park and the last time i checked the world was still spinning and tourists were still coming to QT!!!!
I also remember a time not so long ago when someone built another tunnel that was about as long as currently proposed but probably twice as big! Whoa, now I think about it that was in a national park too and obviously that didn't stop the tourists either. Its amaxing what modern construction and careful environmental planning can achieve i guess
All this has got me a bit suspious really, could it be that these whinging naysayers really are just another bunch of nimby's??

03 Aug 2012 10:15AM kiwi2

Freethinker, I've been to Milford, and both times were by car. It actually works out cheaper than by car if there are two or more of you...

I'm neither a greenneck nor an eco-bully. And whilst I do occasionally ride a high horse, it's currently being re-shoed.

The tunnel will not make Milford any more accessible. The journey of the buses will still be the same experience, regardless of journey time, and if you think the tunnel will make the journey cheaper, then you really aren't much of a realist.

Come back when you have a solid argument.

02 Aug 2012 07:23PM kernow

Glenorchy Businesses

While driving through Glenorchy recently we noticed two businesses for sale and apparently struggling. Some businesses, quitely are looking for increased visitor numbers. This town alone needs visitor growth to sustain some kind of infrastructure for not only the locals but for the various visitors that enjoy the wilderness that it provides.
If you dont want growth in tourism then perhapes the Queestown area and regional Otago/Southland is not the place to live if you expect it to stay the same for ever. It wont!

02 Aug 2012 07:00PM Brisbane 1

Freethinker - you missed out 'BY CAR' from your list of options, and stopping in Te Anau to break the journey.

02 Aug 2012 06:10PM tobybear

Bring on the Milford Tunnel

The latest outburst from the anti tunnel mob shows their desperation and the bankruptcy of their
position.It always interests me that the eco-bullies always believe that wilderness areas belong
solely to those who are young,fit enough or have the time to tramp into these areas.
As someone who has had considerable involvement in Queenstown tourism I have seen the choices available to visitors who wish to go to Milford.
If you have money you can go by helicopter or if you also have the time you can do the guided
walk of the track.For the rest there's the bus which, believe me, is an ordeal.
Along come 2 companies with proposals to make the place more accessible for more people and predictably the arrogant and selfish greennecks sanctimoniously mount their high horse and
dictate who can go and how without regard to the circumstances,comfort and needs of our visitors.I hope that a more balanced approach will prevail in this case.

02 Aug 2012 05:46PM freethinker

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