Cyclone Update

The Te Mata Park Trust Board would like to convey our most sincere sympathies to those impacted by the cyclone that has wrought devastation across our region. It is heartening to see the incredible response from the community and the support given to families, friends, and businesses in the hardest hit areas.

We are aware that people are keen to return to our much loved Park. The Trustees and our management team are working on a plan to reopen the Park when it is safe to do so. Work has begun this week with a focus on clearing Chambers Walk, ensuring the road is safe, prioritising some key link walking tracks, and mountain bike trails. The Park remains closed at this stage – a phased reopening is looking likely. Please read on for more information about our current status and reopening plans.

Current status – inaccessible and hazardous 

An assessment by our team has revealed extensive damage throughout the Park, including:

• Slips and/or fallen trees on the vast majority of tracks
• Damage to many fences and gates
• Some tracks are completely blocked and require substantial work to clear
• Precarious partially fallen trees and dangerous slips on exposed tracks
• The new plantings (52,000 native trees) have suffered some damage from large slips, however we are confident that most will bounce back

Te Mata Park is currently too hazardous for the public to use and will remain closed, with access blocked at the Tauroa Rd end and the Main Gates Car Park.  We ask all Park users to please respect this closure.

Peak House will remain closed at this stage as there is still no power to the Park. Updates will be made via their Facebook page.

Looking forward – a staged reopening likely

We will work with contractors over the next one to two weeks to clear Chambers Walk and ensure the road is safe. A few key link walking tracks will also be addressed, and volunteers and contractors will be working on the mountain bike tracks which have been severely impacted. We are aware that professional contractors are stretched and their valuable time is being allocated to those most in need. Hence the timeline for work is heavily dependent on their availability.

It is likely that the Park will be opened in stages, with designated areas opening when they are deemed safe. Closed areas will be blocked with danger tape. We will keep Park users informed of progress and ask for your patience as we work through the challenges ahead.

If you wish to assist in the clean-up efforts, please contact Emma Buttle on info@tematapark.co.nz.

Ngā mihi,

Te Mata Park Trust Board
Te Mata Park Management Team