Latest updates

AccessBay of PlentyMangorewa Gorge
ACAT has been working closely with climbers, Rotorua Climbing Club, DOC, Tapuika iwi, and the Outdoor Access Commission over the past year, and we are now seeing signs of progress. Mangōrewa has been a top priority for ACAT since DOC investigated the crag last year. We have put a lot of work into discussions with DOC and Tapuika iwi to address...
AccessLegislation
The Aotearoa Climbing Access Trust (ACAT) will represent the interests of climbers and the outdoor recreation community in the upcoming High Court appeal by Whakaari Management Ltd.  ACAT is joining the proceedings as a third party to advocate for a judgment that goes some way to allaying landowners’ liability concerns regarding climber...
AccessWaikatoWharepapa Rock
Cleanup work after the 2023 tree fall damage is now mostly complete, and the crag is seeing considerable traffic – but future access remains uncertain because many climbers are not registering or paying the crag access fee. Recent observations of climber numbers at the crag vs registrations suggest that only a small minority of recreational...
AccessWaikatoPakeho
Since ACAT signed an MOU with the Pakeho landowners in January, Chris Hailey has been leading an epic community effort to get the crag ready for re-opening.  The main job has been re-bolting the existing routes with glue-in 316-grade stainless steel eye-bolts, so we can assure the landowners that all climbs have been safety-checked and the...
AccessWaikatoKinloch K1
The Kinloch K1 crag sits on a section of Maori land called the Whangamata No. 3 block, owned by an Ahu Whenua Trust. Over the past year, ACAT has been working with one of the Trustees to resolve issues around a wāhi tapu site at the crag. Unfortunately, there has been some disagreement within the wider owners’ group as to whether the land should...
AccessWaikatoPakeho
ACAT has been working behind the scenes toward re-opening Pakeho crag, and has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the landowners and started re-bolting the crag. Pakeho is a beautiful limestone crag in the Waitomo area popular with beginner-intermediate climbers and instruction groups. It was closed in 2022 for reasons including...
NorthlandAccessWairere Boulders
Wairere Boulders, one of the best bouldering areas in the North Island, can finally be publicised after a change of ownership. Wairere Boulders is a privately owned farm and nature reserve located a few hours north of Auckland, with the basalt boulders on this farm offering some of the best bouldering in the North Island. With more than 50...
About us
ACAT's Annual General Meeting was held on Monday 11 December, where the annual report was presented. The past year has been a period of consolidation for ACAT, building on the initial effort to set up the new organisation over the previous 18 months. With ongoing work occurring to develop robust finances, governance, and systems, we have...
AccessBay of PlentyMangorewa Gorge
ACAT and the Rotorua Climbing Club are consulting with DOC and iwi about the future of the crag. Key details:  Please consider Mangorewa Gorge crag CLOSED and refrain from climbing there until further notice.  The access track to the river remains open for walking and swimming purposes. Note that this track crosses private land...
AccessWaikatoKinloch K1
ACAT and local climbers have been discussing climbing at Kinloch with the Trust representing the landowners. We are excited to finally be talking with the right people and forging a positive connection between climbers and iwi in the area. Many thanks to Taupō locals Anthea and Michael for making these connections. For several years there has...
Donations
ACAT administers the Kimi Worrell Fund, which supports safe climbing access in New Zealand. Kimi tragically passed away in 2018 when a fixed line she was using to access a rap station snapped. The Kimi Worrell Fund was set up by Kimi’s close friends and family with funds raised from the climbing community. The fund aims to replace perishable and...
AccessAucklandAGS Rockwall
We get more inquiries about the status of the Quarry than any other crag, demonstrating the strength and scale of passion in the community for this crag even after 6 years of closure. It’s difficult to provide a meaningful update during an active access negotiation where there is no guarantee of success. However, we will do our best to say what...
About us
ACAT held our AGM on Monday 12 December, and presented our annual report. The past two years have been a whirlwind as we worked to build this ship and sail it at the same time. Over the past 18 months we have successfully established ACAT as a new organisation that is already making a difference to climbing access around New Zealand. We...
AccessWest CoastTuriwhate
Westland’s newest rock climbing area is very much alpine sport climbing that fits with the rugged landscape. Clean, fine-grained granite soaked in evening sun, with a little alpine vegetation to dry your fingers on.  Generously coined the ‘Yosemite of Te Tai Poutini’, the Turiwhati climbing project now sports 13 bolted pitches. Routes...
AccessWaikatoPakeho
We are gutted to announce that Pakeho crag has been indefinitely closed for climbing. Pakeho is a beautiful limestone sport climbing area in the Waitomo district. Pakeho was re-opened in 2017 with assistance from ACAT’s GM Edwin Sheppard and volunteer Michael Donovan (well before ACAT existed). Since then, thousands of climbers have enjoyed...
AccessLegislationWest Coast
We have submitted our opinion on the proposals set out in DOC’s Westland stewardship land reclassification consultation document, which affects 504 pieces of stewardship land on the West Coast. There are over 3000 pieces of stewardship land across the country – ACAT’s primary concern is to ensure that recreational access to and across...
AccessWaikatoWhanganui Bay
After over 5 years of closure, ACAT is stoked to announce that climbing at Whanganui Bay is now possible again under a trial climbing season. Whanganui Bay is one of the North Islandʻs premiere crags, with a mix of quality sport and trad on compact ignimbrite, and a climbing history reaching back into the 1970s. Its north-facing and sheltered...
AccessWaikatoKawakawa Bay
Excited for a weekend away at Kawakawa Bay? Who wouldn’t be! But remember it’s crucial that we behave respectfully, leave no trace, and keep climbing access open.  The campsite and many of the cliffs are on DOC or Iwi land, with Iwi co-governance, and there is no formally established agreement for camping or climbing activities. That means...
AccessAucklandLegislation
The old Waitakere Quarry on Te Henga Rd contains basalt walls with good climbing potential. Auckland Council is creating a new public park in the quarry (Waitipu Park), and ACAT has lodged a submission advocating for rock climbing to be permitted. You can read ACAT’s full submission (including more photos). This was a one-time opportunity to...
AccessLegislation
Stewardship land covers 9% of New Zealand’s landmass. It includes several climbing areas including Mt Somers and the Remarkables Ranges. ACAT has been advocating on behalf of the climbing community to ensure that climbing access is protected in these areas. There are over 3000 individual blocks of stewardship land and the government...