Help us protect Griffin Creek
We’re raising funds for an ongoing court case so DOC clarifies how much water Griffin Creek Hydro Ltd is allowed to take from Griffin Creek.
West Coast
Griffin Creek flows into the Taramakau River on South Island's West Coast, Te Tai Poutini. A conservation and recreation gem, it has potential for inclusion in the Arthur’s Pass National Park. The creek’s canyon is one of the top canyoning trips in Aotearoa and the surrounding forest is ecologically significant, home to many endangered species, including whio.
Griffin Creek Hydro Limited’s concession to construct a hydro scheme on Griffin Creek is an example of commercial exploitation of public conservation land and the concessions system. Even though the GCHL's application did specify the maximum amount of water that can be taken from the creek, the latest concession from DOC does not clarify that.
To save this wild pristine river from diminishing, we believe that the maximum amount of water intake should be determined. Therefore we continue the legal battle against GCHL and DOC and are taking the Griffin case to the Court of Appeal.
If we want to protect our land from unnecessary economic development, we need more clarity in the concession processes and how conservation law is applied and interpreted. Griffin is just one of many places that are under threat at the moment. Let's not allow commercial interests to destroy precious land and free-flowing rivers, which belong to nature itself.
We can win this, but we need your support. The hearing is coming up in May 2024. Please donate to save the Griffin and keep it roaring!
See www.fmc.org.nz/griffincreek for more.
About us
Federated Mountain Clubs is an independent not-for-profit founded in 1931. Representing over 22,000 outdoors people exploring Aotearoa New Zealand's wild places, we celebrate outdoor recreation and our backcountry and protect both for future generations.
Use of funds
We’re raising funds for our legal challenge in May and for the costs already accrued by the Griffin Creek case. Any amount raised will go towards covering the costs of the Court hearing and anything over and above would be a general donation to the MFT.
Latest update
Wish our legal team all the best! 15 May 2024
Kia ora koutou,
a massive thank you to everyone who has supported us and donated towards protecting Griffin Creek from diminishing. Please be assured your funds and support mean a lot to us. Reading your encouraging comments just made our week! It is wonderful to know there are people out there, who believe in this cause and our work.
Today, we are sending roaring vibes to our legal team at the hearing at the Court of Appeal in Auckland and wishing them all the best. This is another milestone in the Griffin Creek case. An ending to this one will be clear once the judgment is made, which we expect will take some time. We will keep you posted.
Until then, we continue with the campaign. If you haven't yet, do share the news about our campaign with your friends, colleagues and wider community. Just by spreading the news, you are contributing towards making this world a little better, a little brighter.
Let our wild places remain. Let the Griffin roar!
Ngā mihi nui,
your FMC team
P.S. We are attaching images of Griffin Creek in its natural flow and the way it would look if the hydro scheme gets implemented. Photos made by FMC exec member and photographer Neil Silverwood.
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