Stories from Mount Maunganui · New Zealand

Tauranga City Council estimated it could be months before Mount Maunganui is fully reopened following a deadly landslide in January. A residents group attended a meeting with over 300 locals to discuss the slow progress. Residents expressed that while council recovery intentions seem genuine, there are concerns regarding governance and experience. The recovery process is currently described as being behind safety requirements. Hundreds of Mount Maunganui residents attended a community meeting last night regarding the reopening of the track to Moal Summit. The track has remained closed since a fatal landslide occurred in January. Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford attended the meeting and stated that the council admits there has been a communication gap with the community. Repairs on the track are currently being discussed.

Repairs on the track leading up to Moawe are scheduled to begin this Monday. The project follows a landslide that killed six people nearly 100 days ago. Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford stated the council confirmed the repairs could take up to three months to complete.