As the busy summer season starts, DOC will begin charging for car parking at various sites throughout the country from December 2026, including Te-Hāwere-a-Maki/Goat Island.
“Following a successful paid car parking pilot programme in the South Island earlier this year, DOC decided to extend the programme to several other popular sites as a way for visitors to contribute to nature experiences they enjoy,” says DOC Director of Heritage and Visitors David Butt.
Te Hāwere-a-Maki/Goat Island was New Zealand’s first marine reserve and is one of the most popular sites in the North Island, with more than 300,000 annual visitors.
“DOC is investing in this location to improve the visitor experience, for example maintaining the toilet block with a new roof, floor, added water tank capacity and a new filtration system, plus resurfacing the carparks. We will use paid parking to generate revenue to contribute to the long-term care of places like Goat Island as well as our work protecting native wildlife,” explains David.
Details of the car park fees are:
- Free parking period for 10 minutes to allow for drop-offs/pick-ups.
- Half-hourly rate of $2.50.
- $15 daily rate during winter months (May to September).
- Annual permit for locals (within designated boundaries) of $10, which allows for unlimited access for the year.
Locals will be able to apply online from December onwards for an annual permit through the paid car parking web page on the DOC website, which details the boundaries for each site. Two licence plates can be covered by each local permit.
School groups, DOC volunteer groups, community groups and DOC contractors can also apply online for exemptions.
Commercial tourism operators who hold a valid concession will be granted a parking fee exemption.
Payment machines will be installed at the sites. There are licence plate recognition cameras at the entrance and exit of the carpark. Non-payment of parking fees will incur breach notices of $75, which will be enforced by Stellar, the hardware and parking services supplier.
The other sites where paid parking will be introduced are Tasman Glacier, Kepler Track (control gates), Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill, Blue Pools, Routeburn Divide, Deepwater Basin (Milford), and Devils Punchbowl.
DOC’s estimated combined revenue from all the sites is expected to be approximately $3 million over the next year (December 2026 to December 2027).
