The revelations come after the resignation of Doc’s Central Otago operations manager Nicola Holmes last month.
In a since-removed listing for the Central Otago operations manager position on Doc’s careers page, a description of the role said although it was currently situated in Wānaka, "it’s anticipated it will relocate to Cromwell".
When approached, Doc South Island southern operations director Aaron Fleming told the Otago Daily Times the operations manager role "could" relocate to Cromwell in an effort to place the role in a more central location and that other roles may be considered for relocation in future.
"A process would need to be run with our staff before any decisions were made."
Doc’s Central Otago district stretches from Makarora through to Ranfurly, employing approximately 38 staff between offices in Alexandra, Makarora and Wānaka and Doc’s Tititea/Mount Aspiring National Park Visitor Centre.
When asked if the potential relocation of roles would carry implications for Wānaka’s visitor centre, Mr Fleming said there were "no current proposals" but acknowledged the site was undergoing a review.
"We have recently commenced a review of the services offered there, as part of Doc’s national visitor centre network strategy 2020-25 which considers all visitor centres nationwide."
Published by Doc in June 2020, the strategy outlined recommendations for improving the centres by addressing a "lack of clarity around the direction and purpose of the role visitor centres play", the document’s introduction reads.
The recommendations included a review of the role performed by several of Doc’s 19 visitor centres, including the site in Wānaka.
The document stated the Wānaka visitor centre’s location, a five-minute walk from the town centre, was "not ideal" and encouraged a review of opportunities with the local i-SITE and ways to increase visitation to the centre.
Services the centre offers include hut bookings, personal locator beacon hire, hunting permits, information on conditions and recreational activities and a retail section selling books, postcards and gifts.
Annual visitation to the centre was recorded 49,648 in the 2017-18 financial year, and 45,082 the following year.
The document said the centre had experienced a net operating loss of $128,972 in the 2018-19 financial year.
Since 2020, four urban visitor centres recommended for review have been closed, including those in Wellington, Dunedin, Auckland and Christchurch.
A Doc spokeswoman said Wānaka’s review was still in its early stages and there was no available timeline for completion.
"It will consider the strategy along with any new context since that time."
