Mōrere Hot Springs closure extended for at least three more months

Mōrere Hot Springs' reopening has been delayed due to global supply chain issues and bad weather. Photo / NZME

Community members are urging the Department of Conservation to hasten work to reopen Mōrere Hot Springs.

DOC has confirmed at least another three-month wait before the community can reconnect with the natural taonga.

A popular tourist attraction and swimming venue for locals and schools nestled in the rainforest along State Highway 2 between Wairoa and Gisborne, Mōrere Hot Springs was closed on December 21, 2022, due to a failing septic tank system.

At the time, a Mōrere Hot Springs Facebook post said the old infrastructure dated back almost 40 years and had been infrequently maintained. DOC took on site management in 2019.

Cyclone Gabrielle delayed DOC in securing contractors, while global supply chain delays impacted the delivery of key septic system components for the remedial works.

Hopes of reopening the facility in April or May shifted to July earlier in the year, but persistent issues mean October is now the expected reopening date.

Moira Lee, DOC senior ranger - heritage and visitors - said there were supply chain issues in getting materials from overseas, and poor weather also contributed to delays.

“Currently the contractors are on site, working to replace the septic system and doing a good job. We expect the pools to reopen [in] October 2024, although again this date may change,” Lee said.

“Further updates on Mōrere Hot Pools reopening will be shared as work progresses.”

Rangi Mitchell, a Napier resident who grew up in Nūhaka and often visited Mōrere, said the entire Mōrere Springs Scenic Reserve was “special to tamariki of Nūhaka”.

“We spent so much time going for walks, swimming in the creek, and enjoying the whole reserve. As a youngster, we used to spend many days in both summer and winter at Mōrere,” Mitchell said.

“The pools used to be a good spot to soothe the muscles after sports and other strenuous activities.”

He said it was disheartening to see the pools remaining closed for so long, describing them as a “precious resource”.

“The pools have a healing effect - for our physical form and our wairua. The springs the water comes from are special, and the only type found in Aotearoa.”

He said everyone from Wairoa and elsewhere missed the pools and wanted them open.

“Whānau from out of town always ask when it is going to open, and we can not tell them.”

Trenches dug at Morere Hot Springs for pipelines from the main hot and cold pools to holding tanks as part of the ongoing repair work. Photo / DOC

Wendy Gibb, a former lessee and manager of Mōrere Hot Springs, said not a lot of money had been invested into the facilities and they needed an upgrade.

Gibb said the hot pools were one of a kind in New Zealand due to the water’s salt content and mineral composition, and she understood that only Wiesbaden’s thermal water in Germany was similar to it globally.

“It is a treasure, it is pretty unique as well. You’d see it on people’s [faces] as they walked out just how therapeutic it was. It was a privilege to look after [Mōrere Hot Springs],” Gibb said.

“[DOC] needs to get it running again.”

James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on the environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. james.pocock@nzme.co.nz