Gravel on a new walking track at McLaren Falls Park plus an upgrade of facilities have now been completed – just in time for the summer camping season.

The new walking track, which runs along the side of the lake from the park entrance toward the information centre, is barrier free and wheelchair accessible.

'We built the retaining wall that holds the track up using timber that had been removed from the boardwalk on Marine Parade, at Mount Maunganui Main Beach,” says McLaren Falls Park Ranger Gary Borman.

'The posts were recycled from work Tauranga City Council did in the Elizabeth Street parking building, so all we've paid for is nails and gravel. It's been really cost-effective and the timber is still as strong as ever.”

Gary and his two staff designed the track, and the city council worked with the Department of Corrections to arrange labour through the Community Work programme.

The community work crews have worked at McLaren Falls for a couple of years and enjoy the variety of jobs, from building tracks to spreading mulch.

In addition to the new walking track, many of the gravel roads have been sealed, and fully accessible solar-powered toilet facilities have also been installed at McLaren Falls Park.

Cattle stops have also been installed at key locations to prevent sheep from accessing the front of the park, allowing McLaren Falls staff to plant a wider variety of plants and trees.

McLaren Falls Park comprises of 190 hectares of pastoral and horticultural parkland set alongside Lake McLaren and features six kilometres of road and 12 kilometres of walking tracks.

It has around 250,000 visitors a year and is a popular camping spot over summer.