The most recent rockfall from the arch at Cathedral Cove. Photo / Josh Angell, Department of Conservation
The most recent rockfall from the arch at Cathedral Cove. Photo / Josh Angell, Department of Conservation
Department of Conservation (DoC) staff in Coromandel are urging the community to respect a rāhui and adhere to warnings after a Hahei resident used social media to explain how they reached Cathedral Cove using a closed and damaged track.
Extreme weather in January and February – including Cyclone Gabrielle – caused storm surges, landslides, erosion and rockfall at the cove.
The damage to tracks, stairs and natural features such as cliff faces and slopes was significant.
In August, DoC said tracks to the famous Cathedral Cove in the Coromandel would be closed over the summer with “no quick fixes” available.
A report commissioned by DoC said landslips and rockfalls caused by this year’s extreme weather had damaged tracks to the point some were impassable.
An internal review of the report determined an increased risk of injury or death at the formation. The extensively damaged and potentially unstable main track to Cathedral Cove would not be fixed for summer.
A landslide came crashing down on popular Coromandel beach Cathedral Cove in February. Photo / DoC Whitianga
Nick Kelly, DoC’s Coromandel operations manager, said his team was alerted to a post in a community Facebook group in which the person described using the damaged track at the site, before they leapt two metres from a rock face to reach the beach itself.
The person’s Facebook post explained the need to climb under or over a temporary fence DoC staff installed to discourage visitors from using the track. The person went on to say accessing the beach is “not easy”, taking a rope would be helpful, and posted pictures of the damaged track.
DoC staff contacted administrators for the community Facebook group, who promptly removed the post.
Kelly said having a member of community actively explaining how to access the cove on foot, via closed a track, directly contradicts DOC’s clear and well-publicised advice, and disrespects a rāhui placed by Ngāti Hei.
“We understand people are frustrated and may not agree with the decision we’ve taken.
“But this Facebook post demonstrated behaviour we are actively discouraging. By visiting the cove on foot people put themselves at risk, and if they get into trouble it puts emergency services personnel at risk, too.”
Kelly said the rāhui in place at Cathedral Cove was also to ensure the safety of manuhiri (visitors), a sentiment Ngāti Hei has expressed on several occasions.
“We do not want people to get hurt, it’s really that simple,” Kelly said.
“The health and safety risk is one of the main reasons we won’t be reinstating the track this summer. We want to come up with long-term resilient solutions in a coastal area that will continue to be impacted by climate change.”
Visitors will soon be able to access Cathedral Cove from the adjacent Te Whanganui-o-Hei Marine Reserve, either on private vessels or craft, or with a commercial operator. DoC staff are in the final stages of arranging signage and working with commercial operators on health and safety plans.
Anyone planning to visit the cove from the sea was urged to fully inform themselves of the risk before visiting, and check weather and sea conditions.
