Wrestle Now To Open Coastal Walkway

By John Freer

A wrestle now over another of the iconic Coromandel Peninsula walking tracks. The Coastal Walkway between Fletcher Bay and Stony Bay remains closed due to a number of storm related landslides.

Coromandel Colville Community Board chairman and local tour operator, Gavin Jeffcoat, along with CFM, recently walked part of the closed track.

Our findings were more damage than the original track closing slip, leaving the track very narrow in places.

When approached a Department of Conservation spokesman said the coastal walkway was still under partial closure due to several significant landslides.

“These landslides are still at risk of further movement.

“There is scoping work happening at present to have a diversion put in place around these landslides, this would change the visitor experience and track standard through this section but would reinstate through access from Fletcher Bay to Stony Bay Campsites.

“There is through-access available at present through the Stony Bay Mountain Bike Track.”

Gavin said he had been in regular contact with the Department of Conservation. For him though it is about finding the funding resource to enable relevant work to reopen the original walkway.

For people like Gavin with businesses in the upper Coromandel Peninsula, having the track closed does mean a significant impact as people will stay away not be able to undertake the walk.

Hear our interview with Gavin by opening the link below.