Russell beach excavation raises environmentalists' hackles

A photo of the dune restoration project at the southeastern end of Russell's Long Beach appears to show beach sand being used to build up the dune. Photo / Bob Drey

Private earthworks on Russell's Long Beach have concerned environmental advocates who say the beach was ''mined'' to build up dunes in front of an Austrian tennis star's property.

That is disputed, however, by the Northland Regional Council, which says the dune restoration work is consented and a recent site visit uncovered no breaches.

The project, which started at the southeastern end of the beach late last month, involves building up a beachfront dune and installing a stormwater culvert.

The 37ha property was bought in 2016 by Thomas Muster, known as the ''King of Clay'' for his dominance of clay courts in the 1990s. Career highlights included winning the French Open in 1995.

Muster paid $5.65 million for the property, which included two houses and riparian rights to part of Long Beach.

Russell's Long Beach. Photo / file

While the dune restoration work is permitted, Russell Protection Society chairman Bob Drey said the consent did not allow ''sand mining''.

He had seen, and photographed, sand being removed from below the high water mark.

He claimed the sand was used to build up the dune, effectively moving the land seawards and creating a barrier to people and little blue penguins.

Drey said the reaction to his posts on social media had been along the lines of ''how dare you tell a private land owner what to do''.

However, he said the removal of sand had lowered the level of the beach so high tide now reached the base of the dune.

That meant there was no beach left for the public to use at high tide, and the base of the dune was already being eroded.

''The regional council is putting its head in the sand, no pun intended, by pretending the beach hasn't been mined.''

A digger at work on Long Beach. Photo / David McKenzie

Russell Landcare chairman David Mckenzie said his group had previously carried out dune restoration on the public part of the beach and had to follow strict consent conditions forbidding sand removal from the beach.

''So I was really astonished to see the extent of the digging and how far below the high tide mark it went,'' he said.

Muster's lawyer could not be contacted but NRC regulatory services manager Colin Dall said the resource consent allowed earthworks and dune restoration outside the coastal marine area (CMA).

The CMA is defined as the area below mean high water springs, or the average highest level reached by spring tides.

Based on Lidar laser surveying data, and a site visit on May 25 when no breaches were observed, the council was satisfied the work had been done outside the CMA, Dall said.

Conditions attached to the consent, which was issued in August 2018, include implementing a sediment and erosion control plan, replanting dunes with native dune vegetation, and stopping work if any archaeological sites or kōiwi (bones) are found. The consent expires on August 31.

The project includes installation of a stormwater culvert. Photo / Bob Drey

Muster has also applied to the Far North District Council for a one-year extension to an earlier consent allowing him to construct a gatehouse dwelling. That consent expired on May 29.

The application stated that work had been delayed by the Covid-19 crisis.

When Muster sought permission from the Overseas Investment Office to buy the property he said he intended to use it for a holiday home. He pledged an extensive ecological programme to restore native vegetation on the property and to create a public walkway around the coast.

Since then pine forest on the property has been felled and replanted in native trees.