West Auckland road cordons lifted: Media release 15 June 2023

Large landslip at Te Henga Walkway

Image: Sarah Dwyer | ©

Archived content: This media release was accurate on the date of publication.

Introduction

As the road cordon to Muriwai in west Auckland is lifted, DOC and Auckland Council are warning the public that many tracks remain closed in and around the Waitākere Ranges.

Date: 20 June 2023

There has been extensive damage to the tracks maintained by DOC and Auckland Council throughout the ranges following the extreme weather earlier this year.

One example, the Te Henga Walkway, which traverses the cliffs from Te Henga/Bethells Beach to Muriwai, has suffered around 20 landslides destroying large lengths of track. It is closed for the foreseeable future while DOC considers the future of the track.

Stefan Sebregts, Senior Ranger for DOC, says some members of public are ignoring closures and putting themselves at serious risk.

“Major sections of cliff have collapsed and taken the track with it,” says Stefan. “The storms also took out one bridge in the valley and one on the hillside.”

An average of 30,000 visitors hike the Te Henga Walkway each year.

Closures and other safety alerts are on the DOC website, and Stefan advises that visitors check online before they set out for a walk.

Auckland Council’s Western Regional Parks Principal Ranger Reg Phillips says preliminary assessment shows that, except for slips, many of the recently upgraded tracks held up well despite the unprecedented weather.

“However, some tracks remain closed due to slips, damaged structures, or dangerous trees. Our park rangers and staff are continuing to assess damage and accessibility, with a view to opening more areas as soon as possible while considering the impact on locals.

“We ask everyone heading out to respect all closures and not remove any barriers or signage currently in place for their own safety – and, to not add to environmental damage in the area, including the threat of spreading kauri dieback disease.

“We encourage all visitors to check our map of open and closed tracks on the Auckland Council website before heading out.”

Many regional parks and walks across Tāmaki Makaurau have been cleared of trees and repaired, ready for the public to recreate and enjoy the beautiful scenery. These include: