A source told the Northland Age it was astonishing consent had been granted to work on an historic site with such a high historic places category rating.
‘’They’ve really destroyed it, and I don’t think it could be repaired at all now.
“Why would they let anybody go in there to do work, given its historic significance and the risk of kauri dieback? It was such a well-built coach road, but it’s now gone, it’s beyond repair.’'
Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga confirmed it is investigating the alleged destruction and declined to comment further.
The road is an archaeological site, as it was constructed before 1900, with a section also recognised as a Category 1 Historic Place on the New Zealand Heritage List Rārangi Kōrero.
A DoC spokesperson said: ‘‘at this stage we can’t comment as the investigation is under way. We are currently having an archaeologist report prepared as part of this investigation”.
The 27.5km road is managed by DoC which advertises it as a tramping track, with dogs only allowed with a DoC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes.
The track follows an historic coach road through the highland plateau of the Mataraua Forest and into the Waima Forest.
It’s a good multi-day tramp with areas that are suitable for camping 100m along from the junction of the Waima Main Range Track and also at the Honeymoon Clearing.
The track is isolated and challenging − trampers need to be prepared and experienced in the back country. The track may be damaged with slips, flooding or fallen trees from severe weather, DOC said on its website.
The track passes through mature podocarp and taraire dominated forest, as well as some of the last remaining strongholds of North Island kokako.
Intensive predator control since the 1990s has brought this population back from the brink of extinction and it is now used to populate other forests.
The northern section of the Waoku Coach Road Track, from the end on Waoku Road near Waima to the intersection with the Waima Main Range Track, is closed due to long-term logging operations.
The southern section of the track, from the end on Waoku Road near Tutamoe to the intersection with the Waima Main Range Track, is still open.
After it was constructed, settlement in the area didn’t work out due to the harsh weather, high rainfall and isolation.
The Waoku Coach Road was originally built in the 1880s to connect Dargaville and the Hokianga region, allowing horse-drawn coaches to transport people and goods. Today, the road has returned to nature, but the remnants of this historic route offer a tangible connection to New Zealand’s past.
More information about the coach road’s significance can be found at www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/7400/Waoku%20Coach%20Road.
