NATIONAL CAVE AND KARST INTERPRETATION STRATEGY
INTRODUCTION
This paper puts forward a proposal to prepare a national interpretation strategy for the cave and karst resource of New Zealand. The aim is to ensure that the interpretation themes (and therefore marketing) of the various areas within New Zealand are complementary. Each major cave and karst area has its own particular attributes which should be promoted rather than attempting to interpret all aspects of the cave and karst resource at every site. In this way; the visitor is encouraged to visit several areas and build up a 'picture'.
WHERE ARE THE IMPORTANT CAVE AND KARST AREAS?
New Zealand has a number of widely scattered karst areas (see Figure 1). Many are rather small and contain little interest for cave explorers. As a result many karst areas have kept a relatively low profile as 'promotion' has generally developed from the flow-on effect of information from cavers.
When planning a national interpretation strategy for visitors there is no need to be constrained by the information bias toward karst areas of interest to cavers. Therefore, in the enthusiasm to interpret the three key karst areas i.e. Waitomo, North West Nelson and Paparoa/Karamea we should not overlook the 'lesser' areas e.g. Fiordland, Northland, East Coast, Castle Hill (Canterbury). However Waitomo with its famous Glowworm Cave, extensive and readily accessible lowland karst and already high visitor numbers (250,000/yr), is by far the most important. The Paparoa National Park with its Pancake Rocks and spectacular and easily visible limestone gorges is currently the second most notable karst area.
North West Nelson although by far the most spectacular is relatively unknown. The marble peaks of the Mt. Arthur and Owen massifs are comparatively remote and inaccesible although for cavers they act as magnets as they contain some of the most extensive and deepest cave systems in the Southern Hemisphere. By contrast the Takaka Hill karst is usually viewed from the road over to Golden Bay and has potential as a fully interpreted karst area. For example: Harwoods Hole; the sinkholes along the Takaka Hill, Takaka Valley and Canaan Roads that feed the Riwaka and Pupu Springs; the spectacular marble rock formations amongst the farmland; and a small tourist cave all currently attract attention. At present these features are not interpreted or integrated as a cave and karst 'package'.
Other areas outside the big three include Te Ana-au Cave, a major tourist attraction for the Fiordland National Park; the show cave and limestone cliffs at Kaikoura; the dry valleys and cliffs at Cave near Timaru, the limestone formations at Castle Hill and the nearby Broken River cave on the Arthur's Pass road; and the limestone rocks and tourist caves near Waipu in Northland.
WHICH AREAS SHOULD BE PROMOTED?
All cave and karst areas should be covered in a national interpretation strategy. The degree to which each area is covered will depend on several factors such as inherent interest; potential development of features and visitor facilities provided; robustness and onsite management. As Waitomo is already the prime cave and karst area we believe that it should be developed as the gateway to the New Zealand karst, promoting all other areas by providing scintillating previews to attract and funnel visitors to other cave and karst areas of the country.
There is a need to 'package' New Zealand cave and karst experiences so that the visitor can see at a glance how various attractions and venues can be chosen to help give an interesting thematic perspective to a tour of flew Zealand. Traditional guided cave tour; adventure tours, underground rafting; walks; self-guided cave tours; views of karst features from the car, campervan or aircraft; and short thematic tours (e.g. Riwaka - Pupu Springs over Takaka Hill) could all be covered in the one handbook. More detailed information such as a tourist cave guide book or national park booklets could cover individual areas. The New Zealand Cave and Karst 'handbook' could take the form of a coffee table book or a regularly updated section in a thematic guide to New Zealand (e.g. NZTP's NZ Outdoors Action Holidays Guide).
WHAT INTERPRETATION THEMES RELATE TO EACH AREA?
As outlined in the introduction there must be selection of which features are best interpreted at each site. There is little point in presenting a national 'menu' of New Zealand's cave and karst with identical explanations and features at each location.
There should be little doubt about the selection of features that are currently well known and promoted e.g. glowworms at Waitomo and Te Ana-au; marine karst at Punakaiki; subfossil bones at Honeycomb Hill Cave (Karamea); hydrology/geomorphology interpreted between Riwaka and Pupu Springs via Takaka Hill and Canaan Road.
However in the less 'developed' karst tourist areas there is potential to decide on what is 'missing' from the existing national 'menu', e.g. Maori rock art, archaeological sites, karst geomorphology, self-guided cave tours, history of cave exploration, descent of deep shafts on winches, cave diving etc.
When planning the details of a national strategy all known cave and karst features need to be identified and investigated. The current interpretation themes would then form the basis for expanding and unifying the national theme of an overall appreciation for New Zealand's karst and cave resource.
WHAT INTERPRETATION METHODS SHOULD BE USED?
A national strategy should build on the current situation by using the current cave and karst interpretation centre at the Waitomo Museum of Caves as a 'gateway'. The national interpretation 'handbook' displays, audiovisual shows, promotional pamphlets etc could all help promote karst and cave areas of New Zealand. This should not of course detract from local promotion of Waitomo's cave and karst themes. The national 'handbook' could leave room for local promoters of cave and karst to publish their own detailed information e.g. a drive guide to the Takaka Hill hydrology (Riwaka - Pupu Springs); Te Ana-au Cave guide; Pancake Rocks, Honeycomb Hill Cave. The 'handbook' would be 'whetting the appetite' rather than giving away every intimate detail of each of the features presented The 'handbook' should also have regard to the protection of sensitive sites.
A video would complement the 'handbook' and could be shown at the Waitomo Museum of Caves and the Arthurs Pass, Paparoa and Fiordland National Park visitor centres.
Local promoters (tourist cave operations/DOC/local tourism and information groups) could organise their own style of product from postcards/posters to pamphlets/booklets, videos, T-shirts. Help and advice on style and content could be given by a group who would co-ordinate the publication of the national 'handbook' . This group should probably be coordinated by DOC as the main New Zealand cave and karst land manager, but include representation from ACKMA, NZTP, tourist industry representatives (local government and private sector), NZ Speleological Society and cave and karst research scientists. By agreement this group could set some basic standards for interpretative material to ensure accurate information, quality products, public safety etc. However this should not be seen as a 'cartel' group, as in fact the whole implementation of any national cave and karst interpretation or marketing strategy would have to be voluntary.
Besides the printed/display/products already discussed, an important aspect particularly for DOC would be to consider what physical and management changes are needed on the ground i.e. signs, interpretation panels, tracks, self guided cave tours, concessionaires etc. Many of the presently non-commercial areas of our cave and karst resource are not interpreted, the classic case being the Mt Arthur and Mt Owen marble mountains of NW Nelson Forest Park. Others such as Broken River Cave seem to have evolved as attractions because of visitor demand, the information and tracks to the cave being developed to help encourage public safety and conservation of the cave and the surface environment.
Signs and interpretative panels should be carefully planned to fit the national interpretive scheme. The alpine karst of Mt Arthur and Owen could perhaps be covered by having panels in the huts (Mt Arthur and Granity Pass). More information could also be provided at the road end parking areas. The road route from Riwaka to Pupu Springs could be suitably signposted to draw attention to the karst features now missed by many as they drive past.
Information on 'non scheduled stops' e.g. the small community of Cave, could be difficult as there would be a need to create completely new roadside stopping areas.
CONCLUSION
The development of a national cave and karst interpretation/marketing strategy for New Zealand is proposed which would ensure that promotion of each attraction or area was complementary. This would enhance visitors appreciation of the variety and scale of karst landscapes in New Zealand. By using an integrated thematic approach, visitors could be encouraged to visit several cave and karst areas. They would then steadily build up a more complete understanding of the resource rather than currently trying to see it all at one site. This strategy would also help spread the tourist dollars more widely.
Promotion of karst should be balanced against conservation of the resource. The options exist under the Department of Conservation's Cave and Karst Policy and Management guidelines for a variety of uses, including no use, of New Zealand's karst areas.