DOC Closing Visitor Centre At Millers Acre

The Department of Conservation is closing its visitor centre in downtown Nelson after a drop-off in foot traffic.

But, Nelson mayor Nick Smith plans to fight the closure, saying it will be “detrimental” to the Nelson-Tasman visitor industry.

DOC confirmed its plans to the Nelson Mail, saying Saturday would be its last day operating out of the Millers Acre site.

From Tuesday, staff would be available in the department’s Nelson office in Albion Square.

“We’re not closing visitor centre services in Nelson – we’re moving where staff will be based,” northern South Island regional director Martin Rodd said.

Since July 2025, visitor centre staff had more than 31,800 interactions with the public – but just 5630 of those – or 17% – were face-to-face, he said.

Of the face-to-face interactions, a third were people asking for information that didn’t relate to DOC.

“In comparison, Nelson visitor centre staff helped about 10,800 people over the phone and approximately 15,450 by email over that time.”

It no longer made sense to rent a separate building, he said.

“Over the past few years we have seen more people accessing information digitally, and at the same time we have improved our online booking and permit systems, making it easier for people to interact with DOC and get the information they need.”

Service would continue – just from a different location, he said.

“DOC will still be providing visitor centre functions, it will just be from a different location.

“Staff are still available to provide advice. This move just reflects the changing ways people get in touch with us.”

But, at a Nelson City Council meeting on Thursday, Smith addressed the closure in his mayor’s report, and called on councillors’ support to write to the minsters of conservation and tourism “imploring them” to keep the visitor centre.

“We need to emphasise the importance of DOC maintaining a strong presence at the Millers Acre hub, retaining the strong association of our visitor industry with the stunning natural scenery and outdoor experiences in our three national parks and other DOC areas,” he wrote in his mayor’s report.

He added that there may be further opportunities to partner with DOC and other agencies to find a sustainable financial model for a visitor centre, saying a key outcome is a single visitor centre for tourists.

“The objective of the letter would be to persuade government to reconsider the closure, and to enable discussions between local DOC staff, council staff and other agencies such as Tourism NZ on how such a facility could be sustained,” he wrote in his report.

In the meeting he described the closure as a blow to the tourism sector, and the region’s economic recovery.

The visitor centre was a key part of the new hub being developed at Millers Acre, including the new $4.6 million bus interchange and the $1.25m Arts Hub currently being developed, Smith said.

He acknowledged the changing way people received information, but said “it is still my view that in the central city we require a people-faced visitor service”.

“I don’t give a toss as to where the IT, email, website management part of the information services occurs. The piece that I’m worried about is the shop front and presence at that facility of which we’ve invested millions of dollars in.”

Council chief executive Nigel Philpott said they had been talking to DOC for months.

“This is a last ditch attempt to persuade them to stay.”

Councillor Mel Courtney said he couldn’t understand why DOC would want to leave such a prominent spot.

“I just cannot believe … the Department of Conservation can’t see the merits of having a public facing presence.”

Councillor Kahu Paki Paki supported sending the letters, but said he wasn’t convinced a face-to-face service was still necessary, likening it to businesses that clung to the fax machine beyond its time.

“It’s kind of like a dying vestige.”

While the council voted in favour of sending the letters, councillor Aaron Stallard voted against it.

“I’m just uncomfortable with us saying to DOC, ‘Hey, we know you’re under funding pressure, but we really want you to keep this open’, when financially it’s probably not cost effective at all.”

By Warren Gamble, Nelson Mail