A slip has narrowly missed a new build home in the Tauranga suburb of Welcome Bay, viewed from Te Auhi Reserve. NZ Herald photo by Michael Craig
A slip has narrowly missed a new build home in the Tauranga suburb of Welcome Bay, viewed from Te Auhi Reserve. NZ Herald photo by Michael Craig
A Tauranga couple whose newly-built home appears precariously placed above a “horrendous looking” slip after this week’s storms say they “absolutely” still feel comfortable moving in.
Denise Andrews and her husband have owned the property sloping down a Welcome Bay hill for 38 years. They demolished their family homeand have been constructing a new home they have not yet moved into.
But despite the large slip appearing to come right up to the fence of the new home overnight on Wednesday, the Andrews say they have been told the earth and house are completely secure and safe.
“We’re very fortunate, we’re one of the lucky ones,” Denise Andrews said.
“I mean it looks horrendous looking across [at the house from a distance] but when you’re looking down at it, it’s quite a long way away from our retaining walls.
“Because it’s a new build we’ve got huge pillars that go down many metres, and we’ve had a lot of design for this scenario, so we’re very happy everything has worked so well.”
The couple were at the property this morning, and had no idea specifically when the slip occurred, but suggested “maybe Thursday night”.
The Andrews have since had geotechnical staff from Tauranga City Council come out to the property to inform them the home is still safe and they don’t have to do anything to secure it, despite the collapsed earth below it.
“Yeah well we’ll wait for them, because they’re going to come back when it dries and present us with options,” Denise Andrews’ husband said. “One option is for us to do nothing.”
The couple said in their almost four decades at the property they have never had issues with landslides before.
A slip has narrowly missed a new build home in the Tauranga suburb of Welcome Bay, viewed from Te Auhi Reserve. NZ Herald photo by Michael Craig
However, the couple were reluctant to have any particular focus on the slip at their property given there are “too many awful things” happening around Tauranga this week of much greater significance.
“We’re devastated,” Denise Andrews said of the fatal landslips at a Mount Manganui campground and in Pāpāmoa.
Multiple landslides can be seen along the hills extending from Welcome Bay down the coast to Pāpāmoa, with dozens of residents having to evacuate after a tropical storm swept through overnight Wednesday.
One of those slips turned fatal on Welcome Bay Rd in Pāpāmoa after a slip tore through a house about 4am Thursday.
A neighbour said three generations of the “lovely” family lived in the home.
“They were one of those families that don’t hesitate to come and help you for any reason and check on you, and see how you were. Excellent neighbours, honestly. It’s just unfair.”
Six people remained unaccounted for, police said on Saturday afternoon, indicating they are set to name the individuals.
A slip has narrowly missed a new build home in the Tauranga suburb of Welcome Bay, viewed from Te Auhi Reserve on January 24, 2026. NZ Herald photo by Michael Craig
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