Towering over Lake Whakatipu, the Remarkables are one of Aotearoa’s most iconic mountain ranges — rich in biodiversity, home to rare species, and offering world-class backcountry recreation.

In 2017, FMC launched a campaign calling for the Remarkables and surrounding landscapes to be protected as a new National Park. While the park has not yet been created, the campaign helped spark public awareness and reframe how we value this extraordinary alpine region.

The dry highlands of Otago and Southland — shaped by wind, weather, and time — hold a different kind of beauty from the lush forests and alpine parks we often associate with conservation in Aotearoa. A Remarkables National Park would celebrate this distinctive landscape, protecting its rugged peaks, open valleys, and the diverse recreational opportunities.

At the moment, the lands in the proposed national park have various classifications, from Crown-administered high country to public conservation land. However, the area is rich in ecological, cultural, and recreational values. It is home to rare species, stunning landscapes, and some of the best high-country tramping, climbing, and ski touring in the country.

FMC’s vision for a Remarkables National Park draws on decades of FMC’s advocacy for this area to become a National Park. In 2000, FMC and Forest & Bird launched the “Six Pack of Parks” campaign, which led to the creation of several conservation parks: Kaikōura Ranges; St James/Spenser Mountains; Hawkdun/Oteake Range; Pisa Range; Upper Rangitata/Arrowsmith Range/Lake Heron; and the Remarkables. Creation of Remarkables National Park was a logical next step.

The idea of creating a Remarkables National Park first emerged in the 1970s. Building on decades of advocacy, FMC launched a campaign in 2017—supported by Forest & Bird—calling for greater protection of The Remarkables and the creation of a new National Park. To showcase the area’s ecological, historical, and recreational significance, we produced a dedicated booklet.

Reclassification work, sparked by our advocacy, stalled when the stewardship reclassification process began. In 2021, as part of DOC’s review, we submitted a formal proposal for the Kawarau/Remarkables Conservation Area, reaffirming our call for National Park status.

More recently in 2025, we’ve been engaging with the local recreation community in response to the proposed expansion of The Remarkables Ski Field into the Doolans — one of the proposed fast-track projects. We’re working to understand local perspectives and ensure that public recreation and conservation values are properly considered.