Date:  07 August 2018

Cathedral Cove was closed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), after heavy rainfall in the area loosened sections of rock and materials on the archway, making it unsafe for public.

Cordons and barriers were placed around the site until the archway could be inspected and a strategy developed to make it safe for visitors.

Senior geotechnical engineers from Tonkin + Taylor and DOC rangers inspected the site last week and abseilers from Avalon Industrial removed loose materials making the archway safe to reopen to the public.

DOC Recreation Ranger Karl Fisher who has been on site said “[the] team have successfully removed any loose materials and we thank the public for staying out of the safety cordon during the closure and their patience while we undertake this work.”

Risk of falling rocks posed a danger to visitors to the area, so the removal of loose materials safely and in a timely manner was important to ensure visitors can enjoy the area.

Cathedral Cove is a popular visitor destination that is only accessible by foot, boat or kayak, attracts around 320,000 visitors per year and is one the of “must visit” sites on the Coromandel Peninsula.

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