Date:  03 September 2024

Last week, DOC announced the start of physical work at the famous cove, with arborists set to remove dozens of hazardous and exotic trees.

The Lees Road car park is on private land, and the landowner has traditionally allowed visitors to access neighbouring public conservation land from the location.

With arborists on site from this week, DOC and the adjacent landowner have agreed to close the Lees Road car park until further notice.

The landowners support the temporary closure of the car park, which will be part of a wider active worksite for the walking access reinstatement.

The closure means the McHand’s Lookout Track will be off-limits to the public for the next few months while walking access to the cove is reinstated. McHand’s Lookout has been an alternative visitor option while the walking track to Mautohe Cathedral Cove has been closed.

Te Pare Pa remains open to the public and is not impacted by this closure.

Visiting Mautohe Cathedral Cove is a marine-only experience, and visitors are strongly urged to stay out of the recreation reserve while walking access reinstatement is completed.

Background information

The walking track to Mautohe Cathedral Cove was closed in February 2023 after it sustained significant damage during Cyclone Gabrielle. In July, funding of a work programme to reinstate walking access to the cove’s famous beach was announced by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.

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