Waitakere Ranges trail named after Sir Edmund Hillary

A four-day trail through the Waitakere Ranges and along Auckland's west coast is being named the Hillary Trail after pre-eminent mountaineer and explorer Sir Edmund Hillary.

The Hillary Trail combines an Auckland Regional Council (ARC) vision to create a "long trail" or multi-day tramp through the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park with a tribute to New Zealand's most celebrated outdoorsman. The trail will open in January 2010.

ARC Chairman Michael Lee says the Hillary name will add stature and recognition to this grand concept.

"We are delighted that Ed Hillary's family have granted us the use of the Hillary name. The ‘Hillary Trail' conveys a sense of adventure and a focus on youth in the wilderness, which is just what we wanted to achieve when we began work on this concept," he says.

"On behalf of the people of the Auckland region, I would like to thank Peter and Sarah Hillary for the honour of using their family name, and to acknowledge June, Lady Hillary for her blessings.

"As well as acknowledging the great legacy of Ed Hillary, this connection marks the long association that this family has had with the Waitakere Ranges and Auckland's west coast, including the donation of land at White's Beach - trail walkers will go through this land."

Peter Hillary, son of Ed Hillary and the late Louise Hillary, is delighted his father's name is to be recognised on Auckland's west coast.

The Hillary Trail is a back-to-basics tramping experience that begins at the Arataki Visitor Centre and takes trampers on a freedom trail along the west coast to Muriwai.

For more information about the Hillary Trail visit www.arc.govt.nz/hillarytrail