Te Anau Cycling Inc (TACI) is pedalling closer to securing the funding it needs for its vision to build a half-million dollar mountain biking park in Fiordland.

TACI secretary James Reardon said Meridian Energy recently pledged $50,000 towards the initiative. 

"This is great news as it really gets us started, along with the $18,000 from the Backcountry Trust and a further $12,000 pledged by local businesses supporting the project," he said.

Two years on the drawing board, the group's dream is to initially build 25km of different skilled tracks in the Henry's Creek section of the Snowdon Forest Conservation Area outside the Te Anau township.

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Dr Reardon said the group was preparing other funding applications as well, but was also welcoming community donations and volunteer help to build tracks "if they see this as a valuable asset for Te Anau's young and young-at-heart shredders".

The group's membership had risen dramatically following its first Perenuka mountain bike "Funduro" event earlier this year, he said.

Back in March, 13 "keen beans" arrived in Manapouri to take on the Percy Pass route between Lake Manapouri's West Arm and the Borland Road.

"We even have TACI club members from Invercargill and as far as Wanaka that make the trip for our events so we must be doing something right."