Tommy Lodge backflips from the top of the falls at Charlie’s Rock, on Kerikeri’s Waipapa River. Photo / RNZ / Peter de Graaf
By Peter de Graaf - RNZ
Record temperatures in Kerikeri have highlighted a long-standing bugbear in the Northland town – declining access to once-popular swimming spots.
According to MetService, last Saturday’s maximum of 32.3C set a new January record for the town.
That was broken just 24 hours later by Sunday’s high of 32.7C.
Sweltering temperatures send Northlanders, like 17-year-old Te Moemoea Milne, flocking to streams and waterholes.
“It’s been ridiculously hot. Just boiling,” he said.
When RNZ caught up with him he was cooling off by doing bombs off Charlie’s Rock, a scenic waterfall on Kerikeri’s Waipapa River.
“If I have money, I just ask the boys to come and pick me up and go somewhere. Anywhere with a wharf or any jumping spots.”
Over recent decades, however, the fast-growing town has lost access to beaches because of the coastal property boom and the closure of privately owned roads once used by the public.
The most recent swimming spot to become off-limits is Fairy Pools, on the Kerikeri River, which used to be accessed from a public road in the town centre.
Fairy Pools Lane was closed by the Far North District Council in November 2024 for what was supposed to be a four-month period, because of a major housing development on the surrounding land.
Late last month, the closure, already three times longer than originally intended, was extended indefinitely.
At the time a council statement said the closure was for safety reasons, and the extension was because the developer’s work programme had expanded.
“Heavy machinery, tree felling, bush clearance, and earthworks in and around the accessway make public entry unsafe,” the council said. To ensure public safety during the ongoing works, a full closure of access to the reserve is required … The extended closure will remain until all major development works have been completed."
Young swimmers told RNZ that Charlie’s Rock was far superior for its jumping-off places and cool water, but Fairy Pools was close to the town centre and easy to access.
Charlie’s Rock was reached via a 20-minute, bouldery path, which was challenging for less mobile residents.
Tommy Lodge, 17, said Charlie’s Rock was easily the town’s best freshwater swimming spot.
“But Fairy Pools is nice and accessible, real close and still good for a swim.”
He described the closure as “pretty stupid”.
“I reckon it should be open, especially for people that don’t have as much access to cars or transport.”
RNZ contacted the Matakana-based developer, Turnstone, and the council for an estimate of when Fairy Pools Lane would officially reopen. Neither had responded before this story was due to be published.
Long-time Kerikeri resident Anne Trussler lamented the loss of what she described as “a serene and beautiful spot”.
She said Fairy Pools was her late father’s favourite place, where he used to take his dog for daily walks. Now she was unable to go there to remember him.
“More and more of these very, very special places, uniquely Kerikeri places, are slowly being denied to us. It’s wrong, and nobody’s really looking out for the people of Kerikeri. So I am deeply concerned.”
Fairy Pools Lane and reserve was until recently surrounded by the Bing property, named after a previous owner, and planted in gum and redwood trees about 90 years ago.
The roughly 20ha property, between Kerikeri’s town centre, the Heritage Bypass and Kerikeri River, was sold to a developer in 2021. Transfer of the land was delayed by a legal dispute until 2024.
Plans for the land included up to 350 homes, a “lifestyle village”, new roads and commercial premises.
Most of the trees have now been cut down but felling is continuing this week alongside the river, prompting a two-day closure of part of the Rainbow Falls Track in the nearby Department of Conservation reserve.
Firefighters were called to at least two fires in the property late last year.
In the most recent blaze, on December 14, two helicopters and firefighters from five Far North brigades were needed to bring the flames under control.
Fire and Emergency NZ said the fire started when high winds fanned a burn pile back into life.
Recent record-breaking temperatures prompted community group Our Kerikeri to compile a list of the town’s remaining swimming spots.
As well as Charlie’s Rock, the list included the pool at the bottom of Rainbow Falls, Waipapa Landing, and waterholes along Wairoa Stream, accessed via a bush track off Cobham Rd.
The nearest beach was Wharau Bay, 14km away at the entrance to Kerikeri Inlet.