Road safety - adults

Tauranga City Council is working alongside partner agencies to ensure public safety, support affected residents, and maintain access to essential services. Find recent updates for the community here.

The State of Emergency declared for Tauranga following the recent severe weather has been extended until Wednesday, 4 February as recovery operations and community support efforts continue across the city.

Recent updates for the community are listed below.

• The cordoned area around the Mauao landslide site has been reduced to allow businesses to open on the Marine Parade side of Mauao. Safety of the public and the teams involved in the recovery at the site remains paramount. The changes will mean that Marine Parade, as far as Adams Avenue, will be open to pedestrians. Our dedicated business support team is working directly with local businesses affected by the cordon to provide ongoing assistance and support during this difficult period. Any businesses affected who need assistance should email business.support@tauranga.govt.nz
• Parking enforcement in Mount Maunganui has been suspended in the area from Sutherland Avenue, along Maunganui Road through to Marine Parade. This suspension will remain in place until the recovery operation at the Mount Beachside Holiday Park is complete, and road cordons have been lifted. A designated section of Coronation Park will be available for free public parking daily from 6am to 9pm. Access to this area will be via the Nikau Crescent entrance. The parking area will be fenced off; however, it will not be actively monitored. We ask all drivers to use common sense and park considerately to ensure safe and easy access for all users. Please note that Parking Officers will still attend callouts where vehicles are parked in a way that causes safety concerns or requires enforcement attention. The road closures remain in place from Commons Avenue, towards Mauao.
• He Maimai Aroha Community Care Centre - The centre at 249 Maunganui Road (former Bay Cinemas) remains open daily from 9am to 9pm, providing a quiet and respectful space for the community to gather, reflect, and honour those who lost their lives. Volunteers from the Salvation Army, Curate Church, and local community volunteers are on site. If you need further support or psychosocial counselling, please call or text 1737 at any time to connect with trained counsellors and peer support workers.
• A community gathering - He Rau Aroha - The many branches of compassion - will take place from 7pm on Thursday, 29 January at Coronation Park in Mount Maunganui, providing a space for quiet connection, shared grief, and peaceful reflection. https://letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/community-events
• The Mauao Trust has placed a Rāhui over parts of Waikorire (Pilot Bay) and Hīnekite (Mount Main Beach). The Rāhui applies to the cordoned area. Waikorire side: from Leinster Avenue to Mauao, and Hīnekite side: from Commons Avenue to Mauao. We respectfully ask everyone to refrain from entering the rāhui zone; avoid swimming, gathering kaimoana, or undertaking recreational activities in the affected area; and support the intent of the rāhui in upholding tikanga and ensuring safety.
• Maclaren Falls is now open, including for camping. Waikareao Estuary Walkway (Daisy Hardwick Walkway) and Omanawa Falls Reserve have also reopened.
• Council has received reports from concerned dog owners in the Pāpāmoa area that their pets may have been exposed to blue green algae within the reserve. Staff have been onsite to assess and there is no sign of toxic algae present in the waterways, however given the volume of stormwater from the surrounding areas and the potential contamination, the previous cautions around refraining from contact with flood waters remains. Warning signage along the Wairakei Reserve will remain in place until water quality testing indicates otherwise. 

We also recommend checking our Newsbeat page for the latest news.