Access to nude spot impeded
An Auckland nudist beach is set to lose its public walkway.
The walkway, extending from Glover Park to Gentlemen’s Bay in the suburb of St Heliers, will be removed at a cost of $38,000 due to erosion and unstable ground conditions.
Public access to Gentlemen’s Bay will remain available from neighbouring Ladies Bay and Karaka Bay, but only at low tide.
Gentlemen’s Bay is located below Glover Park between Achilles Pt and West Tamaki Pt at the coastal edge of St Heliers.
The small, sheltered bay with views across the Waitemata Harbour is one of Auckland’s male nudist beaches.
The land around the steps leading down to the beach has a history of slippage and coastal erosion and has been closed since 2006 due to safety issues.
However, people have continued to bypass orange hazard mesh fencing blocking the path, to walk to the beach via the Glover Park entrance.
On May 25 the Orakei Local Board approved for the pathway to be dismantled and permanently blocked off with planting. Orakei Local Board chairman Colin Davis said the access had become dangerous.
‘‘This cliff area is subject to erosion and the ground is unstable,’’ Davis said.
‘‘The board had a legal duty to warn people of potential risks and decided for safety reasons to close the access and remove the steps to the walkway,’’ he said.
Pete Waldron from Glendowie, who walked through Glover Park most afternoons, said it was not unusual to see people heading down the access path to Gentlemen’s Bay.
‘‘I know it’s dangerous down there because of slips and people shouldn’t go down.’’
The decision to remove the beach access came following the submission of a geotech report to the board.
The report said repairing the pathway would cost upwards of $500,000 and the best option was to decommission it.
After steps and railings are removed, drainage will be installed to ensure the remnants of the walkway would not contribute further to erosion.