The 314km trail is a joint initiative of the Waitaki and Mackenzie district councils, the Mackenzie Tourism and Development Trust and Nga Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail project.
It will take cyclists from Aoraki/Mt Cook, through the Mackenzie Basin to Omarama, past Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki to Duntroon.
It then follows the Fossil Trail past Elephant Rocks, down the Waiareka Valley to the Oamaru harbour.
The trail will provide business opportunities for the provision of food, accommodation and tourism ventures en route.
The Otago Central Rail Trail has shown the economic, social and environmental gains which can come from such a project.
The Department of Conservation recently won the International Park Forums Economic Award for its role in establishing and developing the Central trail. It now attracts some 20,000 cyclists each year, contributing more than $7 million to the economy. It has reinvigorated rural communities with people along the trail making the most of money-making opportunities. It has been of particular benefit for rural women.
Those who followed husbands to isolated country districts have seen and made the most of the chance to earn off-farm income.
It would be difficult to find anyone who does not recognise that the Alps to Ocean trail will provide similar opportunities and benefits for individuals and the community in the Mackenzie and Waitaki districts.
The route the trail follows goes through small towns which boomed when the hydro dams were being built then declined, losing population and services.
Irrigation, some tourism and more recently grapes have helped to reverse the economic and social decline. That will provide a solid base from which those with vision and energy can build to make the most of opportunities the rail trail will bring.
There is however, a major difference between the Central Otago Trail and the Alps to Ocean one.
The Central trail was built on a disused railway line which minimised issues with neighbouring landowners.
The Alps to Ocean trail will use a mixture of existing trails and roads but the preferred route would pass through some private farm land. This means there are some issues which need to be addressed with property owners.
The trail won't need to be very wide and the idea is for it to go along boundaries so there is no need for crossings on farms.
But farmers will still be asked to give up some land, and perhaps more importantly, the privacy they now have.
There are also security concerns.
There is a plan B - the trail could take to the road and by-pass a few farms.
But hopefully, with goodwill, common sense and some give and take on both sides, the trail will be able to take the optimum route from the Alps to the Ocean.
- Ele Ludemann is a North Otago farmer