Lake Dunstan Charitable Trust

Lake Dunstan is one of Cromwell’s greatest treasures — a place where families walk, swim, picnic, ride, fish, gather and enjoy the landscape that makes Central Otago so special.

But the lakeside does not look after itself. Without regular care, broom, briar, weeds and overgrown grass quickly take over. Tracks become harder to use, views disappear, access points close in, and the shoreline becomes less welcoming for the community.

The Lake Dunstan Charitable Trust was established to protect and improve the recreational and environmental values around Lake Dunstan. Over recent years, thousands of native plants have been planted and large areas of shoreline have been cleared and restored for public use.

This fundraising page is focused on lakeside access. We are raising funds to help local volunteers keep more than 3km of shoreline open, tidy and accessible from Deadmans Bridge through McNulty Inlet and toward Lowburn.

The land is public land, but the budgets to maintain it are limited. That means if locals want this work done, we need to come together and help make it happen.

Our volunteers are ready to do the hard work. Your donation will help cover the tools, safety gear, weed control equipment, insurance and operating costs needed to keep the project moving.

Every contribution, big or small, helps keep Lake Dunstan open, cared for and available for everyone to enjoy — now and into the future.