The trail recently received $30,000 towards its construction from the Otago Community Trust.
The aim is to create a safe, off-road path from the Hinahina Bridge to the Pounawea Department of Conservation reserve — connecting the two isolated communities in a loop for local and visiting users.
"The group is made up of leadership from other local groups like Lions, the school, Plunket, churches and so forth and for this project we chose to achieve something small done well.
"We became a registered charity last year and had a grant from district council for studies and legal admin, and their backing helped us make a solid and successful request to the trust.
"We’re very grateful, the huge amount of volunteer work feels very rewarding when it earns support like this."
A Lotteries grant in February began actual ground breaking and track basing towards a planned 2.5km of baby-buggy friendly trail tracing the last bushy curl of the Catlins River to its singular estuary.
"It’s a great idea and we’re very happy to be able to help connect communities in such a beautiful part of the country," Otago Community Trust representative Jen Stokes said.
The trust allocated $555,653 in grants for its July funding round, reinforcing a range of community projects aimed at enhancing wellbeing, preserving heritage and promoting conservation.
"And lots of local people with bikes are looking forward to a cruisey course for the next lot of long summer evenings too," Mrs Leslie said.
