Cathedral Cove landscape changed forever

Date:  27 October 2009

One of the Coromandel’s iconic landscapes changed forever over Labour Weekend when a portion of the archway, colloquially known as the ‘Mare’s leg’, collapsed at Cathedral Cove, Hahei. 

'Some of the roof section of the arch has come down over the weekend’ says the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) Hauraki Area Manager, John Gaukrodger.  ‘Until we can get some geotech experts in there to advise on the stability of the land, we are having to restrict access to some parts of the beach’.

The Mare’s leg forms the arch seen in thousands of images of the reserve.  While access from the carpark down to the beach at Cathedral Cove remains open, people cannot walk through the arch to the beach beyond. Signs, barricades and tape have been erected to warn people of the danger. Local visitor information centres have also been advised of the restricted access through the arch.

‘You can still get down to the beach – the track is open, but when you get there, you cannot go through the arch’ says John. Other parts of the track also remain open, including access to the snorkel trail at Gemstone Bay.

Cathedral Cove is one of the most popular beaches in the Waikato region, visited by over 120,000 people annually.  Aside from the stunning landscape, visitors swim and snorkel in the Te Whanganui-A-Hei marine reserve which forms the seaward boundary of the reserve.

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