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A $ 3.8 million upgrade is being spent to save the lives of thrill seekers looking to take pictures at an off-limits Tauranga waterfall.
Omanawa Falls has been closed to the public for years, but people continue to ignore the signs and risk their lives and limbs to access the site.
The waterfall lagoon is only accessible by going down a steep cliff and using roots and branches as handholds.
Matt Shand / Stuff
The Omanawa Falls have been closed to the public for years, but people continue to risk their lives and limbs to visit the lagoon.
There have been two helicopter rescues in recent weeks due to people falling while trying to access the waterfall. In 2018, Kishore Kumar Arvindan drowned after being dragged into the water.
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His death prompted a coroner warning that kept people from visiting the site.
The Tauranga City Council has committed to reopening access to Omanawa Falls once it can do so safely.
A $ 3.8 million project is underway to design safe access to the falls and reopen the site to the public.
About $ 1.8 million has already been raised through the Tourism Infrastructure Fund, as well as $ 857,000 allocated in the Annual Plan. An additional $ 2 million is being raised elsewhere.
Matt Shand / Stuff
People are warned that the Omanawa Falls, south of Tauranga, are still too dangerous to access.
Tauranga City Council Community Services General Manager Gareth Wallis said final design options are still being identified.
Early evaluations conclude the most feasible way to build a bush track and set of stairs, but the location presents many engineering challenges.
“Creating a design that is deliverable at this location is one of the first and most pragmatic steps in reopening the falls,” Wallis said.
“We also continue to argue with Ngāti Hangarau [the hapu in the territory of the falls] your future aspirations for the management, governance and ownership of the land or whenua “.
Work is expected to begin on the project in 2021.
“In the meantime, we keep asking people not to visit the falls and if you find out that a friend is planning to go, tell him not to,” said Wallis.
“To ensure that people are aware of the dangers, the road closure is clearly marked for visitors.”
