Date:  14 October 2026

The Hahei Beach Short Walk is part of the popular Mautohe Cathedral Cove Reserve, connecting Hahei Beach to the track leading to the globally renowned cove and its famous rock arch. The Hahei Beach Short Walk was damaged by a landslide in early 2026, thwarting DOC’s earlier reroute project and leading to questions about the track’s ongoing viability.

DOC Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly says the first meeting with the HRRA, in August, came about from DOC's public engagement on the future of the walk, during which the HRRA made a submission outlining a proposed way forward.

The HRRA’s preferred approach was to retain access along the existing Hahei Short Walk while constructing a new section of track that would bypass the landslide-affected area.

During those discussions, DOC staff proposed the community take a larger role in looking after the track, with a community agreement on the table. The HRRA's preferred approach is to undertake routine maintenance and trapping activities, with DOC continuing to carry responsibility for visitor safety, major asset replacement, and post-event recovery works.

Nick says DOC staff and HRRA representatives acknowledge the fiscal barriers to reopening tracks vulnerable to landslides. Stabilising the track around two bridges located on the top section of the Hahei Short Walk was estimated to cost $303,000 in 2024, compared with $121,000 now to build the reroute.

DOC's position on the existing track alignment has been consistent throughout its discussions with the community.

“Given the ongoing risks to infrastructure and the costs associated with stabilisation, the reroute provides a more practical and resilient long-term option for walking access,” Nick says.

A representative from engineering consultancy Tonkin + Taylor attended last week’s site meeting, sharing background on the work the company undertook for DOC, including landslide risk assessments across the wider Cathedral Cove Reserve.

Nick says there are issues along the length of the track, and investing in individual sections would not remove those wider risks.

“Given the increasing cost of responding to storm damage across the country, DOC prioritises investment in infrastructure that is better able to withstand future events and provide long-term value.”

The new reroute will offer views across Hahei Beach to Te Pare Pā and Hereheretaura Pā, particularly on the descent from Grange Road.

New infrastructure previously installed at Waimata Gemstone Bay is planned for removal and reuse on the reroute. DOC will build a new barrier across the area where the old stairs were damaged at Waimata, and seating will be installed at the bottom of the bay for visitors to enjoy. Te Karaka Stingray Bay infrastructure will be removed as planned.

Existing bridges on the track are also planned for removal once the rerouted track is completed. Nick urges the public to respect the current closure and not use the track which will become a work site when contractors begin on 14 November.

Both organisations acknowledge the cultural connection Ngāti Hei has to Mautohe, protected through whakapapa and settlement legislation. Working with Ngāti Hei will be critical to future success.

Meetings were also attended by representatives from the Harsant and Carter families who have an interest in the area through previous and current land ownership, and Thames Coromandel District Council Mercury Bay Community Board Chair Richard Shelford-Woodcock.

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