Coromandel tourism: Cathedral Cove track closure worries businesses reliant on summer trade even as SH25a set to reopen

Rockfall from the arch at Cathedral Cove. Photo / DoC

By Marika Khabazi and Louise Ternouth of RNZ

The Coromandel is getting an early Christmas, with State Highway 25A opening three months ahead of schedule. But holding back their cheers are some near Cathedral Cove who may miss out on the usual summer trade.

According to a recovery plan update from Thames-Coromandel District Council and the Mercury Bay Business Association, in November 38 per cent of businesses expected their position to worsen.

Tourism expenditure in June this year was up 31.7 per cent overall for the country compared with the same period last year. Meanwhile expenditure for the Thames-Coromandel district was down 4.6 per cent.

Since Cyclone Gabrielle hit the area in February, the popular walking track to Cathedral Cove has been closed.

The Department of Conservation closed the tourism drawcard after 180 landslides, historic and recent, were discovered along the track. Large piles of debris still cover the sandy beach.

View of the Cathedral Cove from the ocean. Photo/ RNZ

In October, a rāhui for the area was lifted but the only access to the cove remains by boat or kayak.

Upon landing on the shore, people must remain 10m away from any cliffs or rock, and they cannot walk underneath the famed archway.

RNZ spoke to several tourists in the area who were there hoping to visit the cove.

“We were hoping to do the walk. We were told it was 75 minutes from here, but there was no sign up to say it was closed and we only found out by speaking to somebody on the beach.”

“They told us that we could only get there by boat and unfortunately, due to the weather, we weren’t able to do it at this time in the afternoon,” said one woman.

Another person RNZ spoke to had kayaked to Cathedral Cove.

“It’s doable for persons below 50, I think ... you have to be in a good condition then it’s possible, but it’s a bit windy.”

Hahei Eatery and Ice Cream shop owners Gavvy Mohd and Preethi Arora said word of the cove’s closure had not reached many tourists, leaving them disappointed when they arrived.

“They really drive [a] long way to come over here and visit the Cathedral Cove, so it is frustrating for everyone.”

Hahei Eatery and Ice Cream shop owners Gavvy Mohd and Preethi Arora. Photo / RNZ

The pair took over the business last September, expecting a busy summer. Instead, the wild weather, slips and road closures have caused their business to plummet more than 50 per cent on last year.

They said the DoC had not been keeping businesses in the loop.

“We are not getting any updates like when they’re gonna open it.”

Ray Van Beynen, of the Mercury Bay Business Association, said Cathedral Cove usually attracted up to 300,000 people a year.

However, because of the tracks’ closure, they were going to places like Rotorua or Taupō.

“People are phoning up from overseas, as soon as they hear that the cove or the cove track is closed, they are bypassing us. You know, from an economic and social perspective, the peninsula can’t handle that tremendous loss of revenue,” said Van Beynen.

He said they had tried to offer materials, funding and labour to help repair the track. However, the offers had either been declined or were not even responded to.

DoC was not taking the impact of the closure on businesses seriously, Vaan Beynen said.

“Under their charter, under their act, they’ve got responsibilities for providing access for recreation and tourism and they’re just focusing on what they say is conservation. There has to be a happy balance with this.”

The Cathedral Cove Water Taxi operates from Hahei beach. Richie McNabb has been operating the boat service while the owner is on leave.

He said the track closure had been another huge blow for the Coromandel, but encouraged visitors to keep boat tours in mind.

Richie McNabb and Briar Palmer, of Cathedral Cove Water Taxi. Photo / RNZ

“It’s no secret, it’s devastating what’s been going on over the last couple of summers, you know, everyone’s getting absolutely flogged from it, but you know, the good times will come back ... there’s a lot of good operating boat tours.”

The Department of Conservation confirmed the Cathedral Cove track would not be open this summer and signage has been installed at the beach to let visitors know what the rules are.

While out at the cove, however, RNZ saw some tourists running underneath the archway. Many tourists said the rules were not well signposted.

“I don’t think there was enough signs, at least to the falling rocks and not to go under.”

One tourist said people were aware of the signs, but chose to ignore them.

“There were a couple of stragglers that managed to go under some of the fallen debris and weren’t paying attention to the signs.”

DoC has strongly urged people not to use the closed track or venture beneath the arch this summer.

— RNZ

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