Trail trust milestone

Work started last week on a new section of The Coastal Trail from Point Wells to Matakana Country Park.

Live music, food stalls, kids, games and the launch of a brand new beer to raise funds for the Matakana Coast Trail Trust’s Coastal Trail project are among the attractions at a special Trail Raiser event at the Sawmill Brewery & Smoko Room on November 17.

The fundraiser is being held to celebrate the start of a new 2.2km section of the trail last week, connecting Point Wells with Matakana Country Park, and to raise awareness of The Coastal Trail, which it is hoped will eventually run from Mangawhai to Puhoi.

The event will also have raffles, face painting and Charlies Gelato on-site, plus a chance to try The Trail Raiser beer, a limited edition Matakana Oyster stout created in collaboration with Sawmill Brewery to raise funds for the trail.

Trust fundraising manager Meg Eriksen says the new section is a significant milestone for the project and demonstrates strong local support, which raised more than $1 million in donations.

“This is an exciting and transformative time for The Coastal Trail,” she says. “This gathering presents a wonderful opportunity for locals to come together and celebrate community spirit, while supporting a project that will enhance our outdoor recreational offerings and connect our beautiful coastal communities sustainably.”

Eriksen says The Trail Raiser canned stout will continue to give locals a fun way to help support the project, with different can designs being brought in as the trail progresses.

“This silky, complex stout, crafted with Matakana oysters and kawakawa, celebrates both local flavours and community spirit. Every sip helps to ‘raise a can to raise some cash’, directly funding the next stages of the trail,” she says.

Once launched, The Trail Raiser will be available at Sawmill Brewery, The Omaha Superette, Matakana Liquor, or online at www.thecoastaltrail.co.nz/trailraiser.

The Trail Raiser event at the Sawmill Brewery starts at 3pm on Sunday, November 17.

Project info: https://www.thecoastaltrail.co.nz/