Tourism vs Purism: The Gentrification of The Crown Range.

Once a harrowing journey of loose gravel, hairpin turns and vertical drops, the Crown Range was a natural barrier between mass tourism of Queenstown and the purism of Wanaka in the deep south of New Zealand. Now paved and fenced with crash barriers and speed limits, this once precarious rite of passage allows the moneyed elite to safely traverse the range to get to Wanaka, changing the landscape, affordability, and essence.

For the Maori populations of Wanaka, this transformation represents a complex and bittersweet shift in their ancestral lands. Wanaka holds immense historical and spiritual significance for the Ngāi Tahu, the iwi (tribe) whose connections to this land are etched in its mountains, waterways, and valleys. These sacred places, intertwined with stories of whakapapa (genealogy) and spiritual identity, were once relatively safeguarded by Wanaka’s isolation. However, the modernisation and gentrification of the Crown Range have ushered in new levels of accessibility, bringing waves of tourism that disrupt the cultural and spiritual sanctity of the land.

This increased accessibility has also resulted in the displacement of local families and communities. Rising property prices, fueled by foreign investment and the influx of affluent settlers, are making the region uninhabitable for many of its original residents. These shifts have fractured long-established ties to whenua (land) and whānau (family), as many are forced to relocate to areas outside their tūrangawaewae— where they have a right to stand. What was once a culturally rich and inclusive community now gives way to an exclusivity that caters to tourists and second-home owners rather than locals, threatening the legacy and traditions that have long defined Wanaka.

Inextricably linked to these cultural and social challenges are the environmental consequences of gentrification. The once raw and rugged Crown Range road, with its loose gravel and barrier free vertical drops, resonated with the natural essence of New Zealand’s high country environment. Paving the road and installing crash barriers have inevitably altered the terrain, fragmenting habitats and displacing native species like the karearea (New Zealand falcon) that once soared undisturbed in this area. As native flora like tussocks and matagouri plants struggle to persist alongside human modifications, the balance of this delicate alpine ecosystem is under stress.

Moreover, the increased traffic flowing to Wanaka has brought a new wave of environmental pressures. The carbon emissions from vehicles navigating the busy route now overshadow the minimal footprint left by earlier generations. Construction materials, runoff from road maintenance, and the sheer scale of modern tourism infrastructure further degrades the environment. These transformations are at odds with Wanaka’s historic identity as a sanctuary for tranquility and unspoiled beauty, pushing its land and inhabitants into a precarious state of imbalance.

The gentrification of the Crown Range illustrates a poignant, multifaceted struggle. It is not only a story of a road made safer for the influx of tourism but also one of a community being reshaped, both culturally and environmentally. As Wanaka is drawn into the orbit of global tourism and affluence, it faces an identity crisis. The challenge now lies in finding ways to safeguard its natural wonders and cultural heritage, ensuring that its essence remains intact for the people who hold it dear, and for the generations to come who may only ever glimpse its former purity from behind the lens of mass tourism.