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Lake Matheson

Tucked between two moraine terraces on the northern side of the Cook River Flats Lake Matheson is one of the most well known ‘postcard’ scenes in New Zealand. It has featured on chocolate boxes, beer bottles, calendars and even the 1946 New Zealand Peace Stamp.

Named after Murdoch Matheson a farmer who ran cattle in the area during 1870’s the Lake circuit is one of the most popular short walks in Westland Tai Poutini National Park. In 2010 there was the added bonus of a 1.1 kilometre track to the Jetty Viewpoint being made wheelchair friendly.
To be a ‘Wheelchair Access Walk’ the track must be well formed with an even surface, and any slopes have to be within an angle of five degrees elevation. This poses an interesting engineering challenge and Luke Archbold, Programme Manager Visitor Assets, South Westland Weheka: Department of Conservation (DOC) explained that creating a wheelchair access track is no ‘walk in the park.’
The project design and primary surveying was completed by Mark Nelson, and Gary Patterson over a year ago. Since then a crew of up to a dozen rangers have worked on the track construction with the help of Ian Hartshorne from Franz Hire. Scrub bars, chainsaws, power carriers, compactors and a 1.5T digger were all used to tame the landscape which runs through dense podocarp forest.
 
The DOC Visitor Information team led by Frans Dellebeke completed research for new information boards and Rebecca Reid of TELLTALE created the final graphic design masterpieces - located under cover outside the Reflectionz Gift Shop at the beginning of the track. The DOC Community Relations team then organised a ‘Community Day’ as part of World Wetlands Day. Locals from Fox Glacier Village took ownership of their own back garden and spread gravel to help finish the track surface.
Luke’s favourite section is where they have cut into a piece of the hillside to maintain the wheelchair gradient. In a year’s time when moss has reclaimed the walls it will become a truly impressive feature for people to walk through.
The full 2.6 kilometre circuit around the Lake takes around 1½ hours return. If you go don’t forget your camera and be sure to reward yourself with a coffee and some gourmet food at the Matheson Café afterwards.