Recreational groups are pushing to give public access to a 40 kilometre road that runs through an Otago property owned by American TV host Matt Lauer.

Hunter Valley Station, on the shores of Lake Hawea, has been partly opened up to the public by Lauer in accordance with the Overseas Investment Office rules.

But Walking Access Commission chief executive Eric Pyle told Mike Hosking there's a precedent for the road access to be made available.

"We want the sort of access arrangements that is in place in a number of high country stations in the South Island where people have a code, have a padlock so that we know who's there."

LISTEN ABOVE AS ERIC PYLE SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING