Mount Maunganui walkway closed over weather concerns

Monday, 24 May 2021

Moturiki Island/ Leisure Island at Mount Maunganui as well as the Mauao base track have been closed (file photo)

Two popular walking tracks at Mount Maunganui have been closed overnight as a precaution due to bad weather.

The Tauranga City Council closed the Mauao base track and access to the Moturiki/ Leisure Island on Monday due to the high incoming tide.

Council parks and environment team Leader Warren Aitken, said the team had been keeping a close eye on the incoming tide during the afternoon and as a precaution had decided to close both tracks.

* Fishing charter boat runs aground at the base of Mauao, Mount Maunganui

“Given the dangerous sea swells which occurred yesterday, we have safety concerns today so have closed the tracks again,” he said.

The closures will be reassessed on Tuesday morning once the high tide has subsided.

Warning signs are in place.

Tracks to the summit of Mauao remain open but with strong winds forecast, people are urged to exercise caution.

Both tracks were only reopened on Monday morning on the outgoing tide after dangerous sea swells caused their closure on Sunday.

During this time rough swells breached the Mauao base track and crossed over the sandbar at the back of Moturiki.