Sinkhole opens next to public footpath in Pāpāmoa

A sinkhole opened up on Golden Sands Drive in Papamoa. Photo / Kaitlyn Morrell

A deep sinkhole has opened up in Golden Sands, Pāpāmoa.

The hole, estimated to be about 5m deep and 3m wide, opened next to a public footpath on Golden Sands Drive, opposite Golden Sands School, this morning.

A resident told the Bay of Plenty Times he had “never seen so much hi-vis”.

A sinkhole opened up on Golden Snads Drive in Papamoa. Photo / Kaitlyn Morrell

“I wouldn’t have expected that to happen around here,” he said.

Fulton Hogan workers were erecting fencing around the hole.

Almost 20 people were at the site assessing the sinkhole.

Tauranga City Council had a contractor on-site assessing the situation.

“We are making the site as safe as possible while this assessment takes place.”