Omanawa Falls safety: Kaitiaki on site to help

Omanawa Falls. Photo / File

Kaitiaki are at the Omanawa Falls in an advisory role, to help those working on reopening the site which closed due to safety concerns.

They will be on site most days through summer from Monday, December 21 2020 until April 2021.

"The Omanawa Falls area is in the rohe of Ngāti Hangarau and we are partnering directly on the care, design and development of this important cultural site," Tauranga City Council parks and recreation manager Mark Smith said.

The Omanawa Falls are currently closed to the public for safety reasons and the council is working closely with Ngāti Hangarau and Tourism Bay of Plenty to reopen the falls by constructing safe access with full consideration given to the historical, cultural and environmental significance of the site.

"The kaitiaki are present at Omanawa Falls in their capacity as tangata whenua to protect this special place," Ngāti Hangarau's Koro Nicholas said.

"We are there to look after the mauri of our rohe - our awa, our wairere, our whenua and our manuhiri."

Once access to the falls has been made safe, Ngāti Hangarau looked forward to the opportunity to host all manuhiri to the area and help to ensure they would also rediscover the special nature of the mauri of Omanawa, Nicholas said.

"This is a mahi that we can proactively fulfill our role as kaitiaki of our rohe and help all our manuhiri to understand why places like Omanawa Falls are very special and that they need to be respected."

Smith said the council was committed to reopening the Omanawa Falls, but the falls and surrounds had significant ecological status, and the steep cliffs, which are unstable in parts, mean creating safe access will be challenging.

Omanawa Falls track remains closed to the public. Photo / File

To ensure people are aware of the dangers, the track closure is clearly signposted to visitors to deter visitors from the area while the site is closed and safety issues have not been resolved.

"We will continue with this education approach and the presence of the kaitiaki is an important part of this," Smith said.

Increasing community understanding of the cultural significance of the area will be another key benefit of development.

Features of the design will likely include a viewing platform and upgraded track as well as supporting infrastructure, including car parking and public toilets.

The council, Ngāti Hangarau and Tourism BOP continue to ask people not to visit the falls and highlight that there are a number of other fantastic falls in the Bay people can visit.