The future of walking access to one of the North Island’s most famous beaches remains uncertain, with the Cathedral Cove track in Hahei closed at least for this summer, and possibly much longer.
Extreme weather events in January and February caused significant slips – which have left the tracks “so severely damaged that people can’t practically walk down that way”, Department of Conservation (DOC) Hauraki-Waikato-Taranaki regional director Tinaka Mearns said.
Access will once again be available by sea via the Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve in the coming weeks, but DOC was “strongly urging” visitors not the go through the cove’s famous arch, with debris falling from the rockface as recently as last weekend.
“There is still potential for rockfall landslides at these sites, and we need to emphasise this to the public. You go at your own risk.”
Mearns said it will be six months to a year before DOC has a clearer idea of what the future of the track might be.
“We’re not at a point where we can say yes or no [to opening the track]. At this point in time – we’re saying no for right now.”
She said the severe weather events of last summer have caused significant damage, and DOC’s now looking to what’s most practical for the future of the site.
“I think it’s fair to say climate change is right upon us and making good decisions within that landscape, within the environment... How do we have the right type of experiences that will be resilient.”
It comes as an independent report confirmed the risk of potentially harmful rockfall and landslides at Cathedral Cove and its adjacent bays and tracks.
DOC’s Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly said part of the efforts going forward will involve working to highlight other visitor experiences in the area.
“There are other tracks and there are other great experiences out in Hahei also, so potentially, how can we work with the community to really leverage and help realise some of those other opportunities that potentially don’t carry the same amount of risk as the Cathedral Cove track.”
DOC will also decommission the toilet block at Cathedral Cove beach. Visitor numbers to Cathedral Cove will be monitored by DOC’s Coromandel District team.
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