New zealand's First free and public via ferrata

Our mission and PROJECT

GOAL setting

OUR mission is...

... to benefit the community by setting up, maintaining and supporting the development of publicly accessible and free to use Via Ferratas in New Zealand. Since this is a big mission we start with one first project: We have built New Zealand's first free, non-commercial and publicly accessible fixed-rope climbing route (“Via Ferrata”) up on Takaka Hill in 2024. Thousands of visitors came to climb it in just the first three months after opening and the project has so far been a great success!
Background

Where are the via Ferratas?!?

Till Middelhauve (now chair of the society) has been climbing loads of Via Ferratas in the European Alps with his family and friends as a hobby. After he immigrated to New Zealand in early 2020 he noticed that there were only two highly commercialized Via Ferratas around (Wildwire Wanaka & Canyon Explorers Queenstown). As almost all Via Ferratas in Europe are free to use for the public Till thought New Zealand deserves its first free, non-commercial and publicly accessible Via Ferrata, too! The project was born to go and build one and promote the sport in New Zealand!
the project

via ferrata takaka hill

We identified a suitable area with several cliff faces near the very high point of the Takaka Hill road (State Highway 60), between Tasman Bay and Golden Bay. The site allows for several Via Ferrata routes to be built, comprising varying degrees of difficulty. Here we have successfully showcased that it is legally and practically possible to build, run and maintain a community driven, publicly accessible Via Ferrata in New Zealand. Since 2021 we were working on obtaining all the required consents, access rights and funding. We have started building in winter 2024 and in late November 2024 opened the first climbing routes to the public.
Progress

Current project status and timeline

Initial work on the project started when Till Middelhauve wrote a concept document in a MIQ covid quarantine hotel room in 2021. As of April 2025 the status of the project is:
  • First document written (10.08.2021)
  • Confirmed legal feasibility (16.11.2022)
  • Founded an incorporated society (21.11.2022)
  • Obtained charitable status (23.11.2022)
  • Consulted with Iwi and got consent (06.12.2022)
  • Got contractual permission from landowner (24.05.2023)
  • Funding applications (Jul & Aug 2023)
  • Obtained funding for a first major route (09.10.2023)
  • Built a dummy route to work out what parts needed (Jan 2024)
  • Ordered building materials from Austria (28.02.2023)
  • Got contractual permission from QEII National Trust (an entity that protects the site via a covenant) - (10.04.2024)
  • Build the Via Ferrata (done, first routes opened in late November 2024)
  • Promote the Via Ferrata and the sport (ongoing)
  • Build more routes (in progress, funded, hopefully open by December 2025)
  • Maintain the Via Ferrata (ongoing)