DOC Auckland Operations Director Alex Rogers says New Zealand’s first marine reserve – Cape Rodney to Ōkakari Point, also known as Goat Island or Leigh marine reserve – is one of DOC’s most popular visitor sites in the North Island. The revenue raised will be reinvested into regional and national conservation areas, ensuring sites like Goat Island remain quality destinations and visitors contribute to the facilities and natural areas they enjoy. Feedback on the pricing structure will close in September and the final pricing structure for Te Hāwere-a-Maki / Goat Island will be released in October 2026. The Goat Island Marine Reserve was established in 1975 and its boundaries tripled in size in 2025 under new marine protection legislation. DOC currently charges for car parking at three high-use sites in the South Island: Punakaiki Pancake Rocks, Franz Josef Glacier and Aoraki Mount Cook.