Lake Tūtira long-drop toilet ripped apart by vandals

One of Lake Tūtira's long drop toilets was ripped from its cubical and thrown outside by vandals, leaving just a hole in the ground for those who needed to go.

The Department of Conservation says it may be forced to close the toilets at Lake Tūtira if they continue to be vandalised.

DoC says it has nothing to go on when it comes to finding the culprits after discovering one long-drop toilet ripped off the floor and thrown outside in late November.

Road users travelling between Napier and Wairoa on State Highway 2 have labelled the toilets embarrassing and disgusting, with the other cubicle also left filled with rubbish.

Wairoa resident Richard (Dick) Decker said he would rather have done his business in the field than use the dirty toilets during a trip to Hastings for a hearing appointment on December 5.

The 86-year-old was travelling on the Wairoa Hospital bus with others and said he felt sorry for the women, who he said found it either too disgusting or difficult to use.

One of the toilets at Lake Tūtira was found filled with rubbish and vandalised.

“You couldn’t sit on that toilet,” he said of the hole in the ground.

Decker said the toilets hadn’t always been a mess and he would like to see something happen to fix the issue.

“In earlier times, both in our own vehicles and with the hospital bus, we made regular stops there. It was a nice break.”

Another road user who went to use the facility before Decker’s visit was Marea Ormond.

Travelling back to Wairoa from Napier on November 24, she and a friend called in to use the facility.

“One had no toilet because the toilet bowl was outside lying on the ground and the other one was just disgraceful.”

She said people were camping at the site and another vehicle had arrived after them to use the toilets.

“It was an embarrassment.”

She hoped cameras could be installed nearby to observe the outside of the area and catch anyone destroying the cubicles.

“It’s a shame to see that because the toilet that had been ripped out left a gaping hole full of flies and mess.”

DoC is responsible for maintaining the toilets.

Marea Ormond says the toilets are an embarrassment.

DoC operations manager for Hawke’s Bay Grant Bennett said several members of the public had been in contact about the issue. He said the organisation didn’t know who was responsible for the vandalism and had not involved the police.

“We do not want to close these toilets, but if they continue to be damaged we may be forced to.”

He said the toilets were maintained regularly and were experiencing a higher demand than intended due to the ongoing traffic delays from nearby Cyclone Gabrielle recovery work.

Bennett said the toilets were built for visitors to the park and not as a regular roadside stop for passing motorists, and asked users to treat them as they wanted to find them.

“Our staff are currently repairing the vandalised toilet and have engaged a contractor to undertake regular cleaning of the facilities.”

Anyone who finds DoC facilities in poor condition should report it to 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) or use the online damage report form.

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.