DOC and the Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust have begun work on their joint Summit Walkway upgrade project with track work in the Montgomery Reserve track nearly complete, thanks to the hardwork of Banks Peninsula locals Steffan Kraberger and Bruce King. The duo have been turning hard to negotiate tracks into natural staircases using existing rocks. Remaining work to put some gravel on slippery areas will wait until autumn when it will bind in better.
The Montgomery Reserve is at the Hilltop end of the Summit Walkway and contains ancient tōtara forest, including one huge lowland tōtara that is estimated to be up to 2000 years old.
Other track upgrade work planned as part of this joint project include waymarkers and signage to help walkers negotiate the landscape of the Summit Walkway that can become disorientating during low cloud.
