The legacy of a keen outdoorsman and respected member of the Wakatipu and Southland communities last night helped the Queenstown Trails Trust raise $360,500 last night, leaving less than $140,000 to raise to complete the 90km Queenstown Trail.
Before last night's New World Wakatipu Trail Blazer, a bike, run or walk from Jacks Point to Jardine Park in Queenstown, the trust had to raise $500,000 and by 3pm yesterday, it had raised $177,000 through entry fees and donations. This was then matched by trustees of former Alliance Freezing Company chairman Peter Wilding's estate.
Trust chief executive Kaye Parker told the Otago Daily Times she was initially hoping to raise $20,000 from yesterday's event, but was told if she could raise $175,000 it would be matched by an "anonymous benefactor" - who she later discovered was Mr Wilding.
The Wildings, who previously farmed Wilanda Downs in Western Southland, moved to Lake Hayes in the 1980s where Mr Wilding continued to farm and undertook residential subdivisions.
Lawyer Graeme Todd, of GTodd Law, said prior to his death in May 2006, Mr Wilding had made provisions for some charitable donations to be made from his estate.
"The trustees have decided to assist the Trails Trust because Peter was very keen on the outdoors, both in his youth and retirement," Mr Todd said.
About 400 cyclists, runners and walkers braved windy conditions to explore a special course from Jacks Point to Jardine Park in Queenstown, during last night's event, the major fundraiser for the trail. The participants, supporters and sponsors were told with the help of the Wildings, trust was now left with only $148,000 to raise before next September to complete the Wakatipu trails network.
The Queenstown Trail will, for the first time, link the Kelvin Heights, Queenstown, Frankton, Lake Hayes, Queenstown and Gibbston communities through a network of tracks.
The latest sections of the track to progress are the Twin Rivers Trail, which begins at the historic Lower Shotover Bridge and ends at Morven Ferry and the Arrowtown Trail, which extends the Millennium Track along the Arrow River, joining eventually to State Highway 6.
