The popular Pukatea/Whites Bay site will reopen to the public at midday on December 22 - just in time for Christmas - after extensive storm damage repairs.
The Marlborough beach and campsite offers family-friendly swimming thanks to the Rārangi Surf Life Saving Club patrols. The area is also popular for kayaking, swimming, walking and mountain biking, and has significant ecological, historic and cultural values.
DOC South Marlborough Operations Manager Stacey Wrenn says the site will reopen at midday on December 22 with a low-key community event.
"Critical infrastructure at Whites Bay was badly damaged by the storms in July.
"The campsite needed significant repairs including the reinstatement of pathways to the beach, restoration and protection work in the creek that runs through the site, restoration of a historic building that suffered flood damage, and some general landscaping.
"We also took the opportunity to replace the septic system, which was due an overhaul, while the site was closed. This was a technically complex and time-consuming piece of work."
Stacey says the remediation work was achieved thanks to a thorough process in collaboration with local iwi Ngāti Rārua, Rangitāne o Wairau, and Ngāti Toa, Marlborough District Council, and Heritage NZ. Through this work, the site has been both remediated, and future-proofed.
"We know Whites Bay is important to the local community for some summer naturing, and everyone has worked really hard to get the site up and running for the summer holidays.
"It will look a little different to how people remember, until nature takes over again in some areas where there was flood damage, but we're thrilled to be getting it open to the public again.
"Everyone is welcome to the low-key celebration on December 22. We'll do a quick ribbon cutting, then there will be a sausage sizzle and the flags will go out for swimming – a classic kiwi summer's day at the beach."
Campsite bookings will also be available through the DOC website from December 22. Campsites must be booked online.
The major repairs Marlborough Roads were working on near Whites Bay are now completed. However, there are still storm damaged sites where the road is down to single lane as well as some seal damage. The road to Whites Bay is open but it is still damaged in some sections from the winter storms and people should drive carefully.
NATURE LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM HERE
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