Brynderwyns closure: What it’s really like driving the Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd detour route

The mission was simple - to drive the Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd detour to see if it was up to scratch. Photo / Michael Cunningham

OPINION

It started, as most long road trips do, with a cache of snacks, bottled water and directions researched on Google Maps and scribbled in my notebook.

The mission was simple, to drive one of the suggested detour routes - Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd - just before the 10-week Brynderwyns closure to see if it was up to scratch.

I’d already driven the Cove Rd route via Mangawhai and Waipu on a recent trip back from Auckland and was pleasantly surprised with the state of those roads.

But I’d never been along Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd, which links SH1 in Whangārei with SH12 in Kaipara, so after some careful research I set off from Kerikeri on Tuesday with my cashews and walnuts.

There was a quick stop in Kawakawa to visit the famous Hunderwasser toilets, where the road was slumping so badly in the middle of town that I made a mental note to add it to my story list.

I made another mental note while driving along SH1 between Barnes and Rusk Rds near Hūkerenui, a beautiful stretch of road when it was straightened and reworked in 2018 but is now littered with potholes and uneven patches motorists must dodge.

I eventually reached Mangapai Rd, where there was a huge sign reminding people the Brynderwyns closure was starting on Monday.

Confident I was on the right track, I drove along Mangapai Rd, keeping an eye out for the turnoff onto Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd.

And I kept driving, on, and on, and on.

Mild panic set in as I navigated 2km worth of 35km/h bends. Surely I haven’t passed it, I thought. It can’t be this far along.

There are plenty of signs reminding motorists of the Brynderwyns closure from Monday. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Certain I’d missed the turnoff and would have to go back, and nibbling nervously on my snacks, I suddenly saw the signpost and sighed with relief.

It’d be plain sailing now, I reckoned.

At first, I marvelled at the rolling countryside before knuckling down and concentrating on that narrow, winding road.

Though my car told me it was a 100km/h area, realistically you can’t do more than 60km/h or 70km/h unless you’re a rally driver.

There was no shoulder on either side of the road, which had me wondering - what if a 50-tonne truck-and-trailer unit, which are allowed on this route - breaks down?

There was certainly no room for reporters to pull over and make notes.

With these thoughts swirling in my head, I approached the first lot of roadworks, a 2km stretch of loose chip seal with no road markings.

One of many sets of roadworks along Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd. Photo / Jenny Ling

It was very much like driving on a country gravel road.

And it was a sign of things to come - there were about a dozen separate sets of road works along the 32km road, which was littered with road cones, loose chip seal and signs warning motorists to reduce their speed.

As I was also wondering how trucks would navigate the five narrow, one-lane bridges, an impatient driver overtook me on a short straight, taking his life into his own hands.

I met a handful of trucks coming in the opposite direction, and each time I held my breath as they whooshed past.

There was no room for error. If any driver was distracted even the tiniest bit or misjudged a bend just a little, there would be a head-on collision.

By the time I reached my destination, an interview with Russell and Melanie Miller near Paparoa village to hear how the Brynderwyns closure would impact them, I was mentally exhausted.

Thankfully, Melanie made me a huge mug of tea.

NZTA, which is funding the work being delivered by NTA and its contractors, reassured the Northern Advocate the roadworks would be finished by the time the closure begins.

The Cove Rd detour through Langs Beach, Mangawhai and Waipu is scenic and relaxed. Photo / Michael Cunningham

To their credit, there were long stretches of Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd with freshly painted white markings.

Both agencies are confident the detour routes can handle the extra traffic and that the one-lane bridges are wide enough for trucks to cross safely.

Even so, I don’t think mixing a whole lot of extra cars and trucks on the unforgiving Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd is a good idea.

It’s an accident waiting to happen, and hopefully, I am proved wrong.

But just a month ago, a man died when his car lost control on a bend and crashed into a tree.

My advice is to take the Cove Rd detour through Mangawhai and Waipu – where truck-and-trailer units are banned – which is way more scenic and relaxed.

There is also the bonus of being able to stop and refuel at various cafes and restaurants, reducing the need for messy snacking in the car.

If you decide to go via Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd, make sure you have windscreen insurance.

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.