Locked gate upsets Manakau locals
The Department of Conservation has closed vehicle access and slashed maintenance of a community reserve and free river camping site near Manakau.
A huge new $10,000 steel gate has appeared at the top of the hill leading to the popular day-time swimming spot, and some Manakau residents are fuming at the lack of consultation.
The Waikawa Reserve campsite and river is a publicly-owned reserve overseen by DoC, which this week locked the gate and gave keys to a select few private landowners, and forestry and electricity contractors.
But some locals and regular users of the reserve are outraged at a lack of consultation.
Kuku man Greg Moffatt said he was concerned the decision to close vehicle access to a public reserve and cease maintenance obligations was made without any public consultation.
“Very few people realise this is happening and the reasons we have been given are spurious,” he said.
It was the only public swimming or camping site in the area, made even more important with the 2020 slip blocking road access to O¯ taki Forks Reserve further south, he said.
Moffatt said in 2017 locals had a huge working bee, painting and cleaning up the site, but the onus to maintain what was a public reserve should really be funded and remain the responsibility of DoC.
“An immense amount of people use the site. It’s a great swimming hole for kids. You can’t put a price on it.”
Local man Paul Hapeta said there should be enough money in any annual budget to maintain the site to a respectable level.
“What would it cost?” he asked. “DoC administer it. But we all own it. They are the mandated authority to look after these parks and reserves on our behalf. They are reneging in
their responsibility in saying they haven’t got the budget.”
He was concerned that any reviews into its closure chewed up money that was better spent on the
site itself.
“And how much did that big gate cost?” he said.
Hapeta said a major problem brewing was the absence of a parking area, and cars would now be prone to theft. Forcing cars to park on the roadside well away from the site would only lead to trouble.
“Everywhere where you can’t provide visual security is an open invitation ... ”
Nearby property owner John Page was concerned there had been no consultation pre-decision, and said there were underlying questions about DoC’s short-term plans, too.
“It’s not so much about being for or against. It’s about full disclosure and process. Why? And what are the options?”
“How are they going to manage any problems in the interim? What is the tenure going to be short-term?”
Keen mountain runner Briar Moffatt said it wasn’t just swimmers and campers using the site. The car park was used regularly by a large amount of cyclists, runners and trampers as an access point to Tararua Forest Park.
It was important for the well-being of communities that shared green spaces and camping sites remained accessible and were maintained, she said. “We should at least talk about it,” she said.
DoC operations manager Ka¯pitiWellington Angus Hulme-Moir said at this stage the closure was temporary because there was no money in the current budget to continue maintaining the reserve. The issue would not be revisited until DoC’s next budget round at the beginning of the financial year, July 1.
Long-drop toilets at the reserve