The country's newest Great Walk, the Paparoa Track, is expected to be be a much needed boon for the West Coast economy.
The $12 million track, designed for both trampers and mountain bikers, is 80-percent booked between now and the end of April.
It's been built as a tribute to the 29 men who died in the Pike River mine and over three hundred mostly West Coast locals were at the official opening in Blackball.
RNZ's Conan Young was there.
