‘Stupidity’ of drivers ‘incredible to see’ at Te Waihou Walkway

Wednesday, 8 November 2023

Cars parked on broken yellow lines and people wandering across State Highway 28 at Putāruru’s Blue Spring entrance contributed to the attraction’s temporary closure.

Drivers treating the state highway at Blue Spring like a parking lot contributed to the tourist attraction’s temporary closure.

Police have taken to ticketing vehicles parked on broken yellow lines on Whites Rd near Putāruru and a councillor has described the situation as an accident waiting to happen.

The South Waikato District Council made the decision last week to temporarily close the 4.5km Blue Spring - Te Waihou walkway from November 13 due to safety concerns.

Part of the walkway was closed in June after a rockfall forced the council to close the main car park entrance near Leslie Rd.

Since then, visitors have been using the Whites Rd car park on State Highway 28, but according to a council statement, this means cars and their occupants spill out on to the state highway causing issues for road users.

South Waikato deputy mayor Bill Machen said police had been issuing tickets to drivers who had been parking on broken yellow lines near the Whites Rd car park.

“Two weeks ago when I drove past I thought there was an event going on,” Machen told the Waikato Times.

“There were in the order of 100 cars on both sides of the road for 50 to 100 yards either side of the state highway.

Te Waihou Walkway has seen more rocks fall from an unstable cliff above the path.

“There were people wandering around everywhere.”

Machen said the council had to be “ultra careful” when it came to public safety.

“We don’t have too many natural beauties in the district, so this [closure] will be a problem … but safety must be paramount, not only because of the the slip there but the danger of rocks falling from the cliff above.”

Putāruru’s Te Waihou Walkway rockfall closed the track at the Leslie Rd end.

The council said it did not know how much it would cost to repair the walkway but was working on options to open it sooner.

Maintenance of the walkway is carried out by the council, but the land over which the walkway runs is owned or managed by local iwi, farmers, private land owners, the Department of Conservation and the council.

In her response to social media feedback regarding the closure, district councillor Kerry Purdy said it was a hard pill to swallow, but a necessary one.

“I don’t believe anyone in council or any of your councillors wanted this to happen.

“It all comes down to safety, to stop anyone being hurt or even killed.”

She said the rockfall at the Leslie Rd end was significant.

“While I was there the other day there was another rockfall and a reasonably sized branch also fell down the cliff face, it was scary and surreal to actually see it happening if I’m honest.

“Then there is Whites Rd - the stupidity of some of the drivers is incredible to see - it’s a 100kph state highway and people are parking on the sides of the road and walking children across, an accident waiting to happen, and it will if it’s not addressed.”

Putāruru ward councillor Marie Farrell said it was important to acknowledge the huge response from the community to the temporary closure of the walkway.

“Te Waihou is a beautiful walkway - the vision was introduced by Putāruru College staff and students and became a community project we are immensely proud of.

“As a community we feel invested in its future. It is a local treasure.

“My personal stance has been that consultation with our community is always an important part of decision making especially considering Te Waihou was community driven.”