Lake Tarawera beach access dispute remains unsettled

The Rotorua District Council is still unable to say if the public has the right to walk on the beach at Lake Tarawera's Waitangi Bay.

The issue arose after an argument between the owners of the nearby Waitangi Lodge, Chris and Janet Watmore, and Whakatane man Mark Sdrowym who claimed he had been ordered off the beach when he and his family visited the area shortly before Christmas.

Since then it was discovered the Waitangi Bay beachfront included a strip of exposed lakebed that was neither under the council's jurisdiction nor within the Watmore's property boundary.

Council parks and recreation manager Garry Page said it seemed Land Information New Zealand could not tell the council much more than it already knew.

Land Information New Zealand crown property manager Paul Jackson said he could not say for certain who owned the beachfront strip.

The situation could be resolved by the Watmores applying for a certificate of ownership of the beachfront or the council moving to vest it as a public reserve, he said.

Mr Watmore said he was not very worried about how the public access question would be resolved because he had no objection at all to people coming to the bay.

"It's just that you get the occasional idiot who tries to mess around with it. It's such a beautiful, natural spot and we want to do our best to keep it that way."

- NZPA