23rd June 2016

Canterbury-Aoraki Conservation Board calls for ECan to include Quail Island in the public transport network.

The Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board has called upon ECan to extend its support for Lyttleton harbour ferry services to include Quail Island.

“Currently, Ecan supports ferry travel to Diamond Harbour, making day trips affordable for families. We would like that support extended to trips to Quail Island – a local treasure and conservation success story,” said Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board Chair Dr. Mick Abbott.

“Currently, a return ferry trip to Quail Island costs $30 for adults and $15 for children, making a family excursions or school trips simply unaffordable,” he said.

“Quail Island has been transformed into a fascinating and important natural enclave. DoC staff and volunteers from the Quail Island Trust have done a fantastic job eradicating pests and restoring native vegetation,” he said.

“It doesn’t take much imagination to envisage Quail island assuming a role as significant and beneficial to Christchurch, as Zealandia is to Wellington,” he said.

“However, the current ferry tariff makes access difficult for most families and school groups. Including Quail Island into the public transport network is an easyfix,” he said.

“Conservation is social. It would be wonderful to see a greater level of public interaction on Quail Island. It is a conservation treasure in the backyard of NZs 2nd biggest city,” he said.

“We ask that Ecan give our proposal serious consideration and make Quail islandaccessible to people from all walks of life,” he said.

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