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High country tussock land and conservation parkThe South Island high country represents one of the iconic New Zealand landscapes. The high mountains and tussock covered hills have been the centre of Merino wool production. The land has been held by the Crown and leased for pastoral purposes. The recent legislative tenure review process has provided freehold ownership to some proprietors, restored some land to Crown ownership, extended the public conservation estate and opened up new access possibilities.

Resources and links

  • Walking Access Commission – Walking Access Mapping System – WAMS (wams.org.nz/wams/).
  • Walking Access Act 2008
  • Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998

Selected publications and outcomes

Strack Mick 2011. On course for Land Rights collision. Otago Daily Times. November 3. 2011.

Strack, M.S. 2011. Using and Stopping unformed legal roads. New Zealand Surveyor. No 301

Strack M & Bond A. 2011. Public access and recreation on high country conservation lands. Public Conservation Lands 2040 Symposium. 8-9 November Dunedin.

Strack M. 2010. Conflict and change in South Island High Country. Survey Quarterly Issue 61;8-11

Strack M . 2010. Case law Review: High Country property rights. Survey Quarterly Issue 61;12-13

Strack M. 2010. Property Rights for a New World: Adapting to an ethic of sustainability. FIG XXIV Congress. Sydney. April 2010.(pp 1-18)

Strack M. 2005. Back to the Land: Walking Access to the Outdoors. New Zealand Surveyor. No 295. 18-25

Delivered paper: - Strack M.S. 2005 “Back to the Land: Negotiating Access.” NZIS 117th Conference. “Back to the Future” 12 – 15 October 2005. Dunedin.

Strack M.S. 2004. Rethinking Property Rights in New Zealand. FIG Working Week 2004 “The Olympic Spirit in Surveying” 22-27 May 2004 (pp 1-16). Athens. Greece. Published on CD: ISBN 87-90907-30-2.

People Involved

Mick Strack

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