WELLINGTON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The 61 km Hump Ridge Track in New Zealand's Southland is set to be the country's next Great Walk in 2022, Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said on Sunday.
"This will be a fantastic addition to New Zealand's Great Walks network," Sage said in a statement, adding the track provides access to a spectacular southern coastline and forests, dramatic alpine tops and historic viaducts.
"Hump Ridge offers the walker remote and unforgettable beauty and history," Sage said.
This is a significant investment in Southland tourism and the local community as the Great Walk status can draw more visitors to this beautiful part of the country, the minister said.
"Great Walks showcase some of the best parts of our country and are a great way to enable more people to enjoy and be inspired by nature to help protect it," she said.
The Department of Conservation will now work with the Hump Ridge Trust to bring the walk up to Great Walk standard and change it from a current two-night walk to a three-night experience. Approximately 5 million NZ dollars (3.3 million U.S. dollars) of funding is dedicated to the upgrade.
The new Great Walk will be set to open in late 2022 after the track upgrades are complete.
