Asking permission to enter Hunter Valley Station is nigh on impossible, a South Island mountaineer says.
Former NBC anchor Matt Lauer. Photo: AFP
The Walking Access Commission and the Department of Conservation are seeking a vehicle easement through Hunter Valley Station to the Hawea Conservation Park. The station is owned by former television personality Matt Lauer.
Mr Lauer told Checkpoint's John Campbell last night that if someone wanted to access the property they just had to call and ask.
But mountaineer and guide-book editor James Thornton said getting a contact number for the farm was almost impossible.
He had called DOC asking for the number, but they refused, and getting in contact with the farm managers was challenging as voice messages were not returned when left on the number published online.
"I think it is disingenuous of them to say, 'Just call us up and we'll let through.' Because they obviously don't want anyone to have the number."
Other trampers RNZ spoke to said they had similar frustrations.
DOC said its refusal to give out the phone number for the station was not unusual.
They said the phone number for Hunter Valley Station could be found publicly in the White Pages.