Mautohe Cathedral Cove is open for walking access, but the area is naturally unstable and can be affected by severe weather.
This means track closures may happen at short notice to keep visitors safe. If NIWA publishes an orange or red weather warning for Hahei, then the track will be closed and the shuttles will not run. Check the weather before visiting.
After major damage from 2022-23 summer storms and cyclones, walking access was restored in December 2024.
View the latest updates on Waimata-Gemstone Bay Track and Hahei Beach Short Walk below.
July 2026 update
Mautohe Cathedral Cove side tracks submissions – June 2026
DOC proposed removing the Waimata Gemstone Bay Track, not proceeding with the Hahei Reroute as designed and publicised, and removing and decommissioning the existing Hahei Short Walk.
Public feedback closed at 5 pm Friday, 19 June 2026.
We’ve compiled all the submissions we received and have assessed the themes they covered.
You can read all the themes in their raw unedited form – with the names of submitters removed – and our analysis of the submissions, on the Have Your Say page for this project.
Thank you to the organisations and people who took the time to make submissions and share their views.
Community feedback key themes
Hahei Short Walk
The Hahei Short Walk is widely regarded as an important part of the Mautohe Cathedral Cove experience, rather than a secondary or optional sidetrack.
The track is valued by both locals and visitors as a walking route, recreational amenity, and free access option. Submitters were concerned about the effect its loss would have on community use and visitor experience.
Many submitters did not consider Grange Road to be an equivalent replacement, citing concerns about the quality of the experience, pedestrian safety, and impacts on residential areas.
Many submitters preferred risks to be managed through measures such as warnings, monitoring, temporary closures, maintenance, or targeted works, rather than permanent track removal.
Many submitters sought a clearer explanation of why the proposed reroute is no longer proceeding after previously being identified as a priority project.
Some submitters considered the benefits of the track, including community, conservation, tourism and economic outcomes, outweighed the costs and challenges associated with maintaining it.
Waimata Gemstone Bay
Waimata Gemstone Bay is widely valued for its recreational, educational, and marine reserve access opportunities.
Many submitters highlighted the importance of maintaining land-based access to the marine reserve for snorkelling, marine education, community and visitor use.
Boat-based access was not considered an equitable substitute for land-based access, particularly for schools, families, and those unable to afford access to the reserve by water.
Many submitters supported retaining access through alternative infrastructure solutions and encouraged further investigation of practical options before permanent removal is considered.
Many submitters sought a clearer explanation of why recent rebuilding efforts did not lead to a long-term access solution.
Some submitters considered the recreational, educational, conservation, community, and visitor benefits of retaining access outweighed the costs and challenges associated with ongoing maintenance.Te Karaka Stingray Bay
Existing viewing point above Stingray Bay could be improved with a platform and barrier.
General
Many submitters expected continued investment in tracks and visitor infrastructure across the Mautohe Cathedral Cove Recreation Reserve, despite the geological challenges, ongoing hazards, and associated costs. Future visitor charging and the International Visitor Levy were frequently referenced as potential funding sources.
Many submitters considered maintaining public access should remain a priority for an iconic destination and publicly gifted reserve and stated future visitor revenue should contribute to maintaining access and visitor experiences.
Some submitters considered the proposals to place too much weight on cost and infrastructure challenges relative to public access, visitor experience, and the wider value of the track network.
Some submitters questioned the consistency of potentially introducing visitor charges while reducing aspects of the current visitor experience and access network.
Many submitters encouraged DOC to explore alternatives to traditional DOC-funded maintenance, including partnerships, volunteer involvement, community stewardship, and alternative funding arrangements.
Many submitters highlighted the importance of Mautohe Cathedral Cove to the local and regional economy and expressed concern that reducing access options could affect visitor experience, visitor spending, and length of stay.
Next steps
We now need to consider the submissions and discuss the feedback with key staff involved in decision-making and ongoing management of the site.
We expect to announce our decision on the future of these tracks at the end of July.
June 2026 update
We received 33 submissions on our proposal to remove tracks at Waimata Gemstone Bay, and the Hahei Beach Short Walk.
It's clear the community's strong connection and sense of ownership to the tracks remain.
Our next step will be to consider the submissions and feedback. We'll post the summary of submissions, and our response to the feedback, on this page once it's complete. We aim to do this by 6 July.
May 2026 update
Recent efforts to reinstate the Waimata-Gemstone Bay Track and Hahei Beach Short Walk were undone by the January 2026 storm. Although DOC contractors were able to clear a large volume of debris from the main slip to reopen the track to Mautohe Cathedral Cove, responding to storm damage across the wider reserve in this way is not considered sustainable.
The situation has reached a tipping point and continued investment in the Waimata Gemstone Track and the Hahei Short Walk is not considered sensible or sustainable.
A proposal has been put forward to remove Waimata/Gemstone Bay and Hahei Beach Short Walk reroute. Submissions on this proposal closed 5 pm 19 June 2026.
Media release - DOC proposes track removals as iconic Mautohe Cathedral Cove prioritised
How DOC manages the site
We'll maintain overland walking access as long as it remains safe and practical.
Any rebuild or maintenance work is assessed against criteria such as visitor risk, technical feasibility, cultural and natural values, cost, and long term benefit.
Following the 2022-23 storm damage, a $5M International Visitor Levy investment enabled the restoration of walking access (reopened in December 2024) and a reset of the visitor experience to:
- enhance visitor outcomes
- address resilience issues
- manage tourism impacts
- make operating model improvements
Understanding the risks
Visiting outdoor places like Mautohe Cathedral Cove will always involve some risk.
DOC does not remove every hazard because this would damage natural and cultural values and limit how people enjoy the outdoors.
Instead, we aim to manage risks to an acceptable level.
Visitors should always:
- choose activities that match their skills and comfort level
- be responsible for their own risk decisions
- check site information (including weather information for the area) before visiting
What risks exist at Mautohe Cathedral Cove?
The main ongoing risks are geological – including landslides and rockfall.
To manage these, DOC:
- monitors weather and seismic data
- inspects the track when any of four "trigger" conditions are met
- provides clear on-site and online information
- closes the track when conditions become unsafe
If a closure is needed, we will update the DOC website and notify key stakeholders.
We urge visitors to respect track closures.