Community group Owaka Going Forward, which has been spearheading the project, received funding to complete its construction in the latest funding round of the Otago Community Trust.
The trail, which received $30,000 towards its development from the trust, will run from the Hinahina Bridge to the Pounawea Department of Conservation reserve to create a safe, off-road path connecting the two isolated communities in a loop for local and visiting users.
Going Forward chairwoman Marion Lesley said around 2021-22 a local conversation started up over the fact that every second car that went through seemed to have bikes on the back.
"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’re very grateful. The huge amount of volunteer work feels very rewarding when it earns support like this.
"And lots of local people with bikes are looking forward to a cruisy course for the next lot of long summer evenings too," Mrs Leslie said.
A Lotteries grant in February activated the actual ground breaking and track basing towards building a planned 2.5km of baby-buggy-friendly trail, which traces the last bushy curl of the Catlins River to its singular estuary.
Community Trust representative Jen Stokes said it was a great idea.
"We’re very happy to be able to help connect communities in such a beautiful part of the country."
Otago Community Trust allocated of $555,653 in grants for its July funding round, reinforcing a range of community projects aimed at enhancing wellbeing, preserving heritage and promoting conservation.
