Located just 15 minutes drive from the centre of Nelson, The Cable Bay Adventure Park is Nelson's adventure destination. Home to a wide range of adventure activities, with an onsite licensed café and free access to the parks trails. Visit now and you’ll discover that really is something to cater for everyone.
The vision
The Cable Bay Adventure Park’s vision is of a mini national park like area, with a range of activities to suit everyone. Less than 15 minutes from Nelson city, on the way to the idyllic Cable Bay, people can experience a range of activities, utilise the on-site café or immerse themselves in nature, with options rain or shine.
The property has almost 400 Hectares of native forest, including massive Matai, Totara and Kahikatea, some of which are estimated to be over 2,000 years old, as well as almost every species of native NZ trees that are found naturally in the south island.
A large portion of the forested area is classified as a Significant Natural Area (SNA) by the Nelson City council and it is currently the top priority SNA site in the Nelson region
The development of the trail network has not only benefited the recreation opportunities but allowed access into previously inaccessible areas making proactive conservation management of the area possible. Our belief is that through creating access options and promoting responsible recreation and education opportunities, people develop a greater sense of worth of these areas and are more likely to actively help advocate for, nurture and protect these wonderful natural areas.
The Adventure Park is working with a range of organisations and individuals to help protect and enhance the area, possum trapping has so far seen almost 3000 possums removed from the block, through the Nelson City council and Future Ecology riparian planting on the Wakapuaka river banks and old Man’s beard eradication programs are on-going. Goat and pig populations are being reduced and native restoration programs are being developed for areas previously cleared and planning for native regeneration currently in plantation forest.
The Adventure Park is committed to developing the park in ways that align with Maori culture and the local tangata whenua, Ngati Tama
Community and Giving back
The public can access the Adventure park grounds at no charge to explore the Mountain Bike and walking trails, visit some of the stunning viewpoints or relax by the river.
The Adventure Park also works with a wide range of community groups including schools, NMIT and ecology workshops to utilise the area for educational purposes.
All the trail networks are built by a small and passionate group of volunteers with a real focus on minimising the impact of the trails on the areas they traverse through.
The Adventure Park also hosts a number of community fundraisers and contributes where ever possible to local organisations and individuals. Some of these include; Hira school, Nelson Marlborough Westpac Rescue Helicopter, and the Nelson Cancer Society.
Reducing our impact – carbon negative
The Adventure Park is on a mission to become Carbon negative – which means the reduction of our carbon emissions to less than neutral, so we have a net effect of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere rather than adding too it.
The park evaluated its emissions and had these verified through the Toitu carbon program in 2021 and 2022. In 2023 we are managing these independently due to the costs involved with independent verification and have continued to reduce our overall emissions. We have created a road map to continue to reduce our emissions in line with science based targets. On the journey we are looking at greener technologies and reductions rather than offsets. Management and preservation of pre carbon credit date forest and planting of new non plantation, permanent forest that will not be subject to felling in the future.
Since 2020 there have been over 40,000 native tress planted on the property with significant sections of low viability pastureland in the process of being restored to lowland forest and native riparian margins.
The Park embraces its responsibility of Kaitiakitanga, which means guardianship, protection or preservation. It is how we manage the environment based on the traditional Māori view of the world
Traditionally, Māori believe there is a deep kinship between humans and the natural world. All life is connected, and people are part of the natural order – not separated or superior from it. To understand the world, you must understand the relationships between all the different parts that make up the fabric of life.
At the Adventure Park we are extremely aware how every change will have an impact in another area and that we need to look at the whole picture as we develop new ideas, not just things in isolation. Many of the environmental projects have been started, knowing current generations will never live to see them in their full form given the growth and lifespans of native forests. Our planning has taken a view as to what can be achieved with a 500 year view, and these legacy projects will be protected by covenants to ensure the work now is not reversed in the future.
Our visitors
The Adventure Park welcomes a wide range of people and cultures every year and is committed to the traditional Māori value of Manaakitanga that loosely translates to hospitality. In Māori culture, manaakitanga is considered a hugely important and encompasses the art of hosting visitors. It is central to Māori society and inspires the way in which travellers are hosted, welcomed with generosity and care and respect for people no matter who they are or where they are from.
We also ask of our visitors to take the Tiaki Promise – a commitment to care for NZ while they are travelling here. Check out the video to see what the Tiaki Promise means to New Zealanders and what you can do as a visitor to help care for New Zealand as you explore this beautiful part of the world.
Our Services
We can cater for individuals or groups on all our activities and can create custom experiences for events or groups, wedding etc.
We are open year-round and can also customise hours of operation to suit our customers needs.
From the adventure activities to feeding the eels or enjoying something at the café, there is something for everyone, rain or shine. When the weather is wet, we have a range of waterproof clothing, so you don’t have to avoid the puddles on the quad bikes!
We can provide a pickup service to and from town for those without transport, minimum numbers apply. Open everyday of the year except Christmas day