Locals see red as Blue Spring gets overrun by tourists

Wednesday, 29 October 2025

Tourists have been wandering farms, putting drones up over cowsheds, and parking illegally on a state highway causing traffic to slow to a crawl - all due to the popularity of Putāruru’s Blue Spring Walkway.

And with summer coming, locals living in the area are becoming increasingly concerned about the hundreds of visitors parking along State Highway 28 (Whites Road), and on Leslie Road near the Blue Spring Te Waihou Walkway.

Labour Day long weekend saw hundreds of cars parked illegally along the state highway near Putāruru’s Blue Spring Walkway.

The 4.7km-long walkway attracts 45,000 to 50,000 visitors a year, and was fully re-opened in July after two years and $2 million worth of repairs.

Locals have suggested police could start fining people parking on the broken yellow lines and using the revenue to build another carpark.

Putāruru’s Peter Bishop, left, and incoming South Waikato district councillor Zed Latinovic say safety around the spring is their main concern.

However, local man Peter Bishop says their complaints “have been falling on deaf ears” with organisations saying the problem should be dealt with by others.

“One doesn’t want to know, the other says its not their problem … we just want it straightened out.”

Putāruru’s popular Blue Spring Te Waihou Walkway re-opened in July, and has been a victim of its own success.

South Waikato Ratepayers and Residents Action Group committee member and Leslie Road resident Natasha Tanner said her driveway was often blocked by visitors, and the problem was getting worse by the week, not to mention the piles of rubbish being left behind.

“The new carpark was just a sticky plaster for a much bigger problems.

“We live on this intersection, and earlier this year we had two cars end up flying over a ditch and landing in between a power-pole and a tree, twice in two weeks.

The Waikato Times visited the Blue Spring Te Waihou Walkway near Putāruru on Tuesday, and by lunchtime the Leslie Road carpark was full to overflowing.

“How no one has been killed is a miracle.

“There's a constant tooting of horns, especially truckies, who have to put up with the most ridiculous road manoeuvres from tourists doing u-turns or overshooting their GPS directions to get to the springs.”

Newly-elected Putāruru Ward councillor Zed Latinovic said ideas such as park and ride options for tourists in Putāruru and Tīrau could be introduced to boost the local economy and provide jobs.

“The biggest issue is road safety … we have had a few accidents lately near the intersection … the carpark is not adequate for the amount of visitors we have.

Visiting the Blue Spring on Tuesday was Hampton Downs resident Erika Walpole, who said the spring was even better in person.

“The residents will have the best solution … so we need to speak to them and find the one that’s best for everyone.”

In one two-minute video viewed by the Waikato Times, at least 100 vehicles were counted parking over broken yellow lines.

According to the Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Regulations 1999, the infringement fee for parking on broken yellow lines is $100.

Police did not respond to questions put to them by the Waikato Times on Tuesday.

Both the South Waikato District Council and New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said they were aware of the problems caused by illegally parked cars and their occupants.

The two organisations are in discussions about a solution.

“In the meantime, NZTA is reminding people that it is illegal to park on no stopping lines.

“Motorists can be fined and/or have their vehicle towed away if parked in these places,” a spokesperson said.

A council spokesperson said it’s been “a recurring issue for a long time now, and reflects the popularity of the Blue Spring”.

“Earlier this year council upgraded the Leslie Road car park to triple its previous capacity.

“Council has also explored numerous possible solutions to this issue, including making use of surrounding farmland for additional parking at the Whites Road end, however there are safety concerns to consider with that also.”