Walkers on the coast track

Golden Bay’s mild climate, native bush and numerous golden sand beaches make the Abel Tasman coast track popular throughout the year. The Abel Tasman National Park is New Zealand’s smallest national park and is named after Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, who was the first European explorer known to sight New Zealand. The park was established in 1942 to mark the 300th anniversary of his arrival. Project Janszoon is working to restore the park’s ecology. Their timeframe is thirty years; the end of their work in the year 2042 will mark 100 years since the park was established and 400 years since Abel Tasman visited New Zealand. This photo of walkers in Goat Bay was taken in early April, when the track tends to be quieter than during the peak summer season.