Application for visitor terminal authorisations by Milford Sound Tourism Limited

Applicant: Milford Sound Tourism Limited (MSTL)

Location of proposed activity: Milford Sound / Piopiotahi

Concession applied for: Lease and licence concession and renewal of National Parks Act authorisations

Summary of decision: DOC has made a decision on the first part of Milford Sound Tourism Limited’s application to renew their lease and licence to operate the Milford Sound / Piopiotahi visitor terminal. The decision was complex, and has been split into two parts.

Part 1 of the decision – DOC has granted:

• A lease and licence to MSTL to continue operating at the site expiring in December 2028.
• A right of renewal of 30-years for a lease of an extension to the terminal building and a shed that was originally granted in 2004.
• The decision-maker has also decided to run an allocation process under section 17ZG(2)(a) of the Conservation Act before the Terms expire. The allocation process will involve MSTL and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and will commence well before the expiry of the lease and licence referred to above.

Decision-maker Henry Weston has summarised his decision and reasons - see 4 December 2023 letter (PDF, 244K)

What happens next

Part 2 of the decision: Terms and conditions of the lease and licence concessions outlined in the decision above have yet to be finalised. These will be decided in early 2024.

Allocation process

The opportunity

MSTL carry out a range of activities at the Freshwater Basin, Visitor Services and Foreshore Activity Areas within Milford Sound / Piopiotahi. These activities relate primarily to support boat passengers embarking/disembarking from vessels, harbour facilities, visitor terminal facilities building, access-ways and covered walkways, toilets, car parking, Bowen Falls walkway and associated structures (pontoon, track and viewing platform), and utility structures/services.

DOC plans to investigate management options in respect of this opportunity through section 17ZG(2)(a) of the Conservation Act 1987 (the process).

About the process

To run this process, DOC implemented the provision of section 17ZG(2)(a) of the Conservation Act 1987. This section of the Act enables us to undertake an array of activities such as tender the right to make an application or carry out other actions that may encourage specific applications.

In making the decision to run this process, the Department has also determined the process is as follows:

• It is to be a closed process to be offered to MSTL and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu (Te Rūnanga) only; and
• The process will expire on 17 December 2028.

Note that while this process is in place, we will not be accepting applications relating to any activities included in “the Opportunity” if they are deemed inconsistent with section 17R(2) of the Conservation Act 1987.