This page last modified 17 September 1998
Ps 12
Mid Dome area
Southland Land District
Tenure review approved by Commissioner of Crown Lands October
1993
Landcorp Property Limited
(December) 1992
EXCHANGE OF PROPERTY RIGHTS
FIERY CREEK PASTORAL LEASE
BACKGROUND TO PROPOSAL
FILE: Ps 12
PROPERTY NAME: Fiery Creek
LESSEE: B L & M A Hore
LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Run 622 and Section 187, Blocks 10, 7 and 8 Nokomai Survey District.
AREA: 3813.0062 hectares
OTHER LAND: Presently farmed with adjoining Nokomai Pastoral lease.
LOCATION: South east of Parawa on the Nokomai Road off Highway 6, 25 kms north of Lumsden.
PRESENT USE: Fiery Creek pastoral lease is being farmed with the adjoining Nokomai pastoral lease. Present capacity is approximately 3500 stock units. The majority of the area proposed for freehold has been oversown up to 900 meters altitude. The area proposed for addition to the conservation estate is known as the Fiery Block. This block was fenced off under a Southland Catchment Board Run Plan under which grazing was restricted to 800 dry sheep for 3 months.
KNOWN CONSERVATION VALUES:
1. BOTANICAL:
PNAP SURVEY RESULTS - NOKOMAI ECOLOGICAL DISTRICT
The survey recommended the protection of the RAP NOK 6, Mid Dome comprising 980 hectares of which approximately 830 hectares are located on the Fiery Creek PastoraL Lease. The balance of the RAP is located on the adjacent Jollies Pastoral Lease (50 hectares approximately), and 100 hectares approximately on DOC Stewardship land.
The RAP is notable for containing a significant number of plant species of restricted distribution or that are at geographic limits, eg, Ranunculus haustii ssp. piliferus on the south-western scree slopes, and Raoulia buchananii at its south-eastern limit.
Other features are the representative vegetation of montane to low-alpine bioclimatic zones in the south-west of the ecological district on a greywacke landscape. The tussockland and shrubland communities are species rich, particularly the Hebe propinqua shrubland north of the Mid Dome Summit. The RAP is also a key invertebrate site for the district.
A wide range of vegetation types and landforms exist in the RAP,ie:
A more detailed analysis and description of the vegetation composition is contained in the extract of the PNAP survey report.
The proximity of the RAP to the erosion control plantings mostly of Pinus contorta in the adjacent soil conservation reserve has resulted in a significant wilding pine infestation. The erosion plantings were established with the intention of stabilising the erosion-prone western slopes of Mid- Dome. The wilding spread threatens valuable areas for both conservation and pastoral farming in the vicinity.
2. ADDITIONAL NATURE CONSERVATION FEATURES:
The Dome Creek area contains low altitude tall tussockland, shrubland and mixed beech forest with a southerly aspect.
The Fiery Creek area gives the nature conservation features a north-easterly aspect missing from the RAP. Much of the catchment is already retired from grazing and consists of a deeply incised gorge regenerating strongly into shrubland, especially of Coprosma, Pittosporum and native broom species and a small beech forest remnant.
3. LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT:
The attached RAP report describes the landscape within the RAP in some detail.
On the remainder of the pastoral lease the Fiery Creek catchment was identified as being a landscape management unit in a predominantly natural state. This catchment contains a rapid altitudinal sequence rising quickly from the Mataura River to the Mid Dome Summit. The lower section of the Catchment is very open' but rapidly becomes more enclosed with shrubs converging down to the stream edge. A small beech forest fills the gorge and access is difficult until more open tussock and scree country is encountered. The main creek and its major tributaries comprise a practical management unit.
4. SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION:
The upper slopes within the lease and particularly within the Fiery Block are comprised of highly erosion-prone greywacke basement material with extensive colluvial slopes and rock bluffs and associated derivative slopes, with deeply incised streams.
5. RECREATION:
Some limited day walking opportunities exist, mostly via the 4WD track to the summit of Mid Dome and from the Mataura Valley up the Fiery Creek catchment. The former would require an easement over the existing line of the track. The latter could be developed into an interesting walk and would require an easement along one bank of the creek from the formed legal road or a marginal strip if the stream size warrants.
There is potential for the development of short duration tramping trips extending into the existing adjacent DOC Stewardship and other nearby Crown lands, but demand currently is believed to be low.
6. HISTORIC/ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES:
No sites are known to exist within the pastoral lease.
BRIEF PROPOSAL:
1. To accept the surrender of Pastoral Lease Ps12 (Fiery Creek) total area 3694.5562 hectares.
2. To classify an area of approximately 1694 hectares as farmland and to dispose of this on freehold title to the present lessee.
3. To set aside 2,000 hectares approximately as reserve to be administered by the Department of Conservation.
4. To register an easement on the freehold title over the existing 4WD track to Mid Dome to facilitate foot access.
5. To alternatively register an easement or
establish a marginal strip along Fiery Creek from the existing
legal road for the purpose of providing for walking access into
the upper Fiery Creek catchment.
Landcorp Property Limited
Our Ref: Ps12
RE: EXCHANGE OF PROPERTY RIGHTS - FIERY CREEK
I am pleased to advise the Commissioner of Crown Lands has approved [on 21 October 1993] the following with respect to the exchange of property rights over the area presently held within Fiery Creek Pastoral Lease.
1. The surrender of Pastoral Lease Ps12 (Fiery Creek) total area 3694.5562 hectares.
2. The classification of an area of approximately 1230 hectares as farmland subject to Section 51 (l) of the Land Act 1948 and disposal of this on freehold title to the present lessee, B L & M A Hore.
3. The disposal of approximately 464 hectares of land considered not suitable or adaptable to any type of farming on freehold title to B L & M A Hore subject to Section 67 (1) of the Land Act 1948.
4. Setting aside approximately 2000 hectares as reserves to be administered by the Department of Conservation.
5. Registration of an easement in favour of the public from the end of the legal road up Fiery Creek to the proposed boundary between the freehold and reserve land for the purpose of providing for practical public access to the reserve land and to the summit of Mid Dome.
6. Registration of an easement over existing freehold title and proposed freehold to provide for Department of Conservation vehicle access over the existing track from Nokomai road to Mid Dome summit. Easement is required for DOC management purposes.
fered to above are outlined on the attached maps.