Mount Iron Reserve Management Plan
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About Mount Iron Reserve
Mount Iron is an iconic landmark in the Upper Clutha. Approximately 2km from the town centre, it offers panoramic views of Wānaka and its surrounds, and is arguably one of the most popular walking tracks in the Upper Clutha with over 180,000 visitors heading up the Mount Iron slopes each year.
Queenstown Lakes District Council purchased nearly 100ha of land around Mount Iron and Little Mount Iron in May 2023 from private ownership. The land was designed a recreation reserve, which ensures it’s held as public land in perpetuity. The Department of Conservation administers the remaining reserve land at Mount Iron.
What's the latest?
Developing a Mount Iron Trail Plan
Council is developing a Trail Plan for Mount Iron that will outline what an integrated network of walking, biking and horse-riding trails could look like in the future. We're working with Bike Wānaka, the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust (who are inputting on walking and biking trails) and the Upper Clutha Lakes Equestrian Access Group on this plan.
For more details on how the Trail Plan is progressing go to <insert link>
Mount Iron Reserve Management Plan
The Mount Iron Reserve Management Plan (RMP) provides a community led vision for how the Mount Iron Reserve can be experienced and valued, now and into the future. The plan was adopted in April 2025 and guides Council officers in making day-to-day and long-term decisions about how the reserve is used, managed, or developed. It is a document prepared under the Reserves Act 1977.
The Mount Iron Reserve Management Plan only applies to the Council recreation reserve land on Mount Iron. It does not apply to the DOC scenic reserve land at Mount Iron.
The Mount Iron RMP was developed through engagement with the Upper Clutha community. In 2023, the community came together to discuss what they wanted to see for the future of Mount Iron, and in 2024 over 400 people provided feedback on the draft plan.
Management of DOC land at Mount Iron
The Department of Conservation (DOC) administers approximately 55 hectares of scenic reserve land at Mount Iron. Council has applied to DOC to have the land legally ‘vested’ to Council. The application is currently being processed by DOC with an outcome likely to be known in 2026.
If the vesting application is successful, Council will take over all management of the scenic reserve and will manage all the public land at Mount Iron as one reserve. The Reserve Management Plan would also apply to this land.
The day-to-day operational management of the DOC land is currently managed by Council. This follows a management agreement being signed by DOC and Council in May 2024. Council is responsible for things like the maintenance of routes including track upkeep, signage and safety notifications to the public. DOC retain their statutory responsibilities.
Wildfire risk
The Mount Iron Reserve is subject to a year-round total fire ban. Since summer 2023-2024, Council has implemented a Wildfire Reserve Closure Plan for when fire indices reach extreme levels. This is to remove the potential for a fire to happen and ensure people are out of harm's way if it does.
For more information on how Council manages wildfire risk and how we'll let you know if a reserve is closed go to www.qldc.govt.nz/managing-wildfire-risk
Get regular updates
If you'd like to be kept up to date with the latest information relating to Council's management of Mount Iron Reserve, we've created a newsletter to share information.
Now that we have Reserve Management Plan for Mount Iron Recreation Reserve these newsletters will come out every three months to share happenings of interest.
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