Latest updates

About us

ACAT is hiring!

We’re growing – and we want your help to build a sustainable future for climbing access in Aotearoa. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds who share our commitment to climbing access and outdoor equity. We currently have the following paid positions available: Deputy General Manager (Operations & Fundraising)ACAT is seeking a...
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AccessLegislation

Government commits to health and safety law reform in win for outdoor recreation access

After a dedicated advocacy effort by an ACAT-led coalition of organisations, the outdoor recreation community is celebrating a significant win with the government’s announcement of plans to reform NZ’s primary workplace health and safety law. Reform of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) will address liability concerns that have...
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AccessLegislation

Whakaari White Island case a turning point for recreational access

A recent High Court decision agreed with ACAT’s submissions, meaning the outdoor recreation community can reassure most landowners they take on no risk of liability if they permit public access. The High Court’s decision in Whakaari Management Ltd (WML) v WorkSafe relieves landowners of liability concerns around recreational activities...
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AccessBay of PlentyBowentown Heads

Bowentown rusty anchors replaced with council and mana whenua approval

Local climbers, with support from ACAT and the Kimi Worrell Fund, have revamped this seaside crag and developed relationships with the key stakeholders. What wall? Well you might ask. Bowentown Wall is a small seaside cliff near Waihi Beach. It was bolted over 20 years ago with some galvanised anchors (not the best choice – see below), plus there...
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AccessLegislation

ACAT’s submission on DOC’s ‘Modernising Conservation Management’ proposals

ACAT recently made a submission responding to the Department of Conservation’s proposals to overhaul conservation land management. Read our key points and the full submission below. Key pointsWe have read the Federated Mountain Clubs’ (FMC) excellent submission on the proposals and we endorse the positions taken. We would like to emphasise and...
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AccessLegislation

ACAT’s submission on proposed access charges for conservation land

ACAT recently made a submission to the Department of Conservation regarding its exploration of charges for access to some conservation land. We want to thank climbers for their ideas and input, these helped greatly in creating a submission that presented a well rounded picture from a climbing perspective. Read our executive summary and the full...
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AccessLegislation

High Court overturns Whakaari landowner’s conviction

The Court’s decision has far-reaching implications for climbing and other recreational access on private land. It may help to resolve many of the issues climbers have faced in recent years.   It was for this reason that ACAT joined the proceedings as a third party ‘intervener’ last year on behalf of the outdoor recreation community....
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AccessBay of PlentyMangorewa Gorge

Incremental progress at Mangorewa Gorge

Over the past six months ACAT has been regularly following up with DOC officers to check in on progress and offer our support and expertise. This is an active negotiation and that means there is a lot we can’t say about discussions behind the scenes. What we can say is below. Please respect the sensitivity of this matter and the need for...
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AccessLegislation

ACAT opposes the Treaty Principles Bill

ACAT firmly opposes the Treaty Principles Bill and will be making a submission against it. The Bill fundamentally contradicts the principles and spirit of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which we honour as the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand. As an organisation dedicated to preserving and regaining climbing access throughout Aotearoa, we recognise...
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AccessWaikatoBayley Road

Bayley Road crag reopens!

ACAT is thrilled to announce that Roadside and River Wall at Bayleys will reopen to climbers from Saturday 14 December 2024, after seven years of closure.  Bayley Road is a high-quality ignimbrite crag in the Wharepapa South region. Its accessibility and grade range make it well suited to beginner and intermediate climbers and groups. ...
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About us

Read ACAT's 2024 Annual Report

It has been another eventful year, with ACAT continuing to support, facilitate, and occasionally lead access efforts around Aotearoa New Zealand. We have contributed to many community-driven projects this year, including at Pakeho, the Castle Hill Basin crags, the Darrans, and many other important crags.  Read more including our new Strategic...
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AccessLegislation

Outdoor recreation groups call for health and safety law changes to protect public access

A coalition of organisations representing hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders in the outdoor recreation community has come together in a powerful call for legislative reform. In a joint submission to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), twelve leading recreation groups have urged the government to amend health and safety...
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AccessWaikatoPakeho

Pakeho crag reopens!

ACAT is stoked to announce that Pakeho will reopen to the public from the weekend of 9-10 November 2024. The crag reopens thanks to a massive community effort and crag-wide rebolting work that cost over $15,000.  Incredibly, the crag has also doubled in size! The original 68 routes plus 16 re-discovered routes have all been rebolted with 316-...
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AccessWaikatoSheridan Hills

Sheridan Hills access update

This Waikato farmland crag remains open and the toilet has been moved, thanks to the support of the landowners and volunteer work from the local climbing community. ACAT and the climbing community thank the landowners Craig and Julie Wards for their continued generosity in welcoming climbers onto their property. Access requirementsCompliance by...
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AccessBay of PlentyMangorewa Gorge

Mangorewa Gorge progress update

ACAT has been working closely with climbers, Rotorua Climbing Club, DOC, Tapuika iwi, and the Outdoor Access Commission over the past year, and we are now seeing signs of progress. Mangorewa has been a top priority for ACAT since DOC investigated the crag last year. We have put a lot of work into discussions with DOC and Tapuika iwi to address...
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AccessLegislation

ACAT intervenes in White Island case to address landowner liability concerns

The Aotearoa Climbing Access Trust (ACAT) will represent the interests of climbers and the outdoor recreation community in the upcoming High Court appeal by Whakaari Management Ltd.  ACAT is joining the proceedings as a third party to advocate for a judgment that goes some way to allaying landowners’ liability concerns regarding climber...
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AccessWaikatoWharepapa Rock

Wharepapa Rock cleanup done but access threatened by non-payment of fees

Cleanup work after the 2023 tree fall damage is now mostly complete, and the crag is seeing considerable traffic – but future access remains uncertain because many climbers are not registering or paying the crag access fee. Recent observations of climber numbers at the crag vs registrations suggest that only a small minority of recreational...
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AccessWaikatoPakeho

Pakeho Crag re-opening project update

Since ACAT signed an MOU with the Pakeho landowners in January, Chris Hailey has been leading an epic community effort to get the crag ready for re-opening.  The main job has been re-bolting the existing routes with glue-in 316-grade stainless steel eye-bolts, so we can assure the landowners that all climbs have been safety-checked and the...
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AccessWaikatoKinloch K1

Climbing at Kinloch K1 crag not recommended

The Kinloch K1 crag sits on a section of Maori land called the Whangamata No. 3 block, owned by an Ahu Whenua Trust. Over the past year, ACAT has been working with one of the Trustees to resolve issues around a wāhi tapu site at the crag. Unfortunately, there has been some disagreement within the wider owners’ group as to whether the land should...
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AccessWaikatoPakeho

Progress on Pakeho crag

ACAT has been working behind the scenes toward re-opening Pakeho crag, and has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the landowners and started re-bolting the crag. Pakeho is a beautiful limestone crag in the Waitomo area popular with beginner-intermediate climbers and instruction groups. It was closed in 2022 for reasons including...
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