Tracks to Mautohe Cathedral Cove will be closed this weekend as weather warnings have been issued for much of the North Island.
Periods of rain, some it heavy, are predicted for Coromandel through 13, 14 and 15 February. A MetService Orange Weather Warning for the area was issued at 11 am today.
DOC's Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly says the Trigger Response Action Plan for Mautohe Cathedral Cove requires tracks to close whenever weather warnings are issued amid rainfall events.
"DOC has a vital responsibility to manage visitor risk at the site," Nick says.
"That approach means closing the tracks to Mautohe Cathedral Cove when we see heavy rain events coming in.
"We want people to be safe, that's our priority. This is not the time to go naturing at Mautohe Cathedral Cove – do not put yourself at risk.
"The local team hopes to reopen the tracks to the cove once the storm passed, and inspections have been undertaken by DOC staff," Nick says.
Nick says DOC's north Coromandel campsites are open – but visitors should consider whether camping is sensible with wet weather forecast, and should check Thames Coromandel District Council and NZTA websites for road information.
DOC closed the tracks to Mautohe Cathedral Cove on 21 January due to a storm that swept across the North Island. The tracks were damaged and remained closed until 30 January while a geotechnical inspection was undertaken.
Earlier geological assessments at Mautohe Cathedral Cove have also shown there is a residual risk of landslides and rockfalls as the soil above and around the cove dries out following rain events.
The cove can still be accessed from the sea but anyone planning to do this should think carefully about the risks – including the possibility of rockfall and further landslides – and whether visiting is sensible at this time.
Tracks to Mautohe Cathedral Cove were closed in February 2023 due to extensive damage caused by Cyclone Garbrielle. DOC repaired the tracks through the second half of 2024, and they reopened to visitors in December 2024.
