Sustainable Trails Conference
Marlborough
New Zealand 

Sustainable Trails Conference 2019
Conference Overview

The second Sustainable Trails Conference was held in picturesque Marlborough, New Zealand in 2019. With an exciting line-up of speakers representing the industry’s leading trails experts 85 delegates came together from Australia and New Zealand to explore the conference themes:

  • Creating experiences, not trails
  • Making trails count – how to attract investment
  • Effective governance, management and good planning
  • Selling the experience – innovation in marketing

With networking opportunities a plenty delegates were also spoilt with field trip experiences to explore some of New Zealand’s most exceptional trail experiences.

TRC is committed to bringing together trails people to learn, share and grow and achieve Sustainable Trails now and in the future and we hope you will join us for future conferences

See the conference program

See the conference out takes

Image Gallery

What did past attendees think?

This year’s Sustainable Trails Conference was well worth the 4 days excursion to NZ to hear from a range of major trail experts, business operators, associated companies and government bodies all trying to help achieve the same goals. It gave me the opportunity to network with professionals in all forms of trail experiences.
Juanita Bloomfield | Environment & Sustainability Manager | Tourism Noosa

As a long-term professional in the trails industry, I am most pleased that we now have a stable, high-level, strategic conference for Australia and New Zealand.

Steve Bennett | Senior Policy Officer- Outdoor Recreation | DLGSC

Being a Shire that is new to the trails development, I found this conference as outstanding in delivering the process from the embryonic stage right through to development, and all the issues and challenges that are faced throughout that journey.

Dean Unsworth | CEO | Shire of Murray

The TRC Trails Conference provided a great opportunity to network with colleagues from New Zealand and Australia and share key learnings from a range of trail projects.

Lenore Lyons | Executive Director | GSCORE

This was a great insight into the bigger picture of international cycle and hiking tourism.  Planning to succeed is essential and look out for those Aussies cos they have got money, cunning and want to take us down!

Geoff Gabites | Director | Cycle Journeys

The TRC Sustainable Trails conference has been fantastic in giving me new ideas, confirming old ideas & allowing me to discard misheld ideas about how we should best build & operate our new Trail.

John Forrest | Forrest Wines

A fantastic conference. Great speaker line-up with leaders in the field. Learned a lot and made new connections.

Francesca Governali | Conservation & Tourism Fellow | Dartmouth College

The Sustainable Trails conference provides a unique opportunity to appreciate the importance of trails to local economies and tourism, the amount of work going on in this space, and to share and learn from others working in the field.

Suky Thompson | Trust Manager | Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust

The Sustainable Trails Conference provided an excellent opportunity to share best practice across a variety of topics from trail building to governance.  Each session was valuable in its own right.  Great to see the collaboration between our two countries as we all strive to make the most of this growing community.

Diane Drummond | General Manager | Hauraki Rail Trail Charitable Trust

All land managers need to place this conference on their ongoing attendance list.  Very informative and engaging content with experts in all fields on hand.

Matthew Ackland | Adelaide Mount Lofty Ranges Regional Trails Office | Department for Environment | Water and Natural Resources SA

As a trail project manager I found the Conference really relevant and interesting. All the speakers presented well and I gained learnings from the presentations.

Philip Royle | Projects Manager | Porirua City Council

My team attended the Sustainable Trails Conference with a late RSVP. We could not believe how easily we were catered for and included into everything with such short notice. The event was fantastic, with a ride variety of delegates. Oh, and the TRC team were a delight!

Kirsty Marshall, Producer | Trail Towns

The sustainable trails conference is a must do for all those involved in the planning, development and marketing of tracks and trails

Anthony Burton | Principal | Anthony Burton & Associates

Enjoyed the conference, great to meet so many like-minded people focused on creating great walks/trails – inspiring!

Vicki Butterworth | Cycle Network Coordinator

A well run and organised conference, excellent speakers who certainly provided a range of information in the topics presented. Took away some key learnings.

Jane Tito, Marlborough

I have been to a lot of conferences before, this was one of the best I have ever attended

Mick Tucker | Mayor | Break O'Day Council