Crumbling wall threatens Ruakaka Motor Camp

A seawall that has shored up part of the Ruakaka Reserve Motor Camp since 1954 is breaking up, leading to fears a chunk of the camping ground will be washed away.

Slabs of the 50 metre long wall on the estuary side of the camp ground fell a week ago , with signs much of the remaining wall could collapse any day.

Manager Mike Abel is worried high tides or storms could take away half the northern peninsula area the wall has protected since it was built by the community. Back then, before a road was put in to that end of Ruakaka beach, access to the camp and beach was across the estuary at low tide to the point now under threat.

Mr Abel said the wall's stability had been a problem for some time but the matter had come to a head.

"There's a number of contributing factors to its collapse but it should have been taken care of sooner. If we got some good storms you can guarantee we'll lose half the camp, and as it is now it's dangerous to the public."

Last week he put up danger signs in the area.

The camp ground is administered by a community-based board but is on a Crown reserve. Camp fees pay for the upkeep and improvement of what is one of Northland's biggest and busiest family holiday camp facilities. The estuary itself is a designated Department of Conservation wildlife reserve, well known for being a summer roosting and feeding site for godwits and other protected birds.

Mr Abel said he and camp board members had been trying to get DoC and Northland Regional Council to meet with them about the wall. He is frustrated at the slowness of DoC, as the Crown land overseer, to act.

"We don't want to create an uproar. I'm trying to go through all the right channels, but it's been hard to get anyone from DoC or NRC out here to take a look," he said.

NRC acting manager for coastal activities, Ricky Eyre said he was working with DoC to ascertain responsibility for the health and safety issue the wall's disrepair had created.

Discussions were also needed regarding the wall's replacement or other resolution to the problem, Mr Eyre said.

The NRC was currently surveying and researching all marine structure consents in the region and giving retrospective consent where necessary.

Mr Eyre said it was likely the Ruakaka estuary wall was an unconsented structure, a matter which would need to be addressed before further consent could be given for repairs.

DoC area manager Sue Reed-Thomas said she had not yet spoken to the other parties involved but was aware of the problem.

Meanwhile, the man on the ground is worried land could be lost before decisions are made, to the detriment of the estuarine environment as well as business.

"There's no quick fix," Mr Abel said.

"Everyone's got an idea on what to do about the wall but there will be a lot of red tape and bureaucracy to go through before work gets started, and then its going to be a very expensive job. We're just hoping someone takes responsibility soon."