Alternative walking track at Pāpāmoa Hills on track to open in March

Work to restore public access at Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park following January’s severe weather event is progressing well, with an alternative walking track expected to open in March.

The heavy rain caused significant damage throughout the park, blocking walking tracks and restricting vehicle access.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Coastal Catchments Manager, Pim De Monchy, says the scale of damage is substantial, and reopening the park safely requires careful planning.

“Crews have been on site over the past two weeks assessing the impacts and clearing debris so we can begin constructing an alternative walking track. This will allow people to reach the Karangaumu trig while the wider restoration work continues,” he says.

The alternative track will restore access to the main walking track while repairs continue across the rest of the park.

De Monchy says, “We know how eager people are to return to the park and get back out on the tracks. While this work is underway, we ask everyone to respect the closure and stay out of the park, for their safety and for the safety of our crews.”

All access points to the park are currently closed, including the Summerhill Carpark entry and both Poplar Lane carparks.

The Regional Council acknowledges how important the park is to locals and visitors for recreation, wellbeing and daily routines. Regional Council staff have been working closely in partnership with mana whenua to ensure all decisions continue to respect the cultural and environmental significance of the site.

For further media information, please contact media@boprc.govt.nz