Coromandel businesses are struggling to stay afloat after a series of cyclones and storms.
Among the businesses having a tough time is the UMU cafe.
"It's been a really hard slog. We thought we were finally over it, we were out of lockdowns," owner Josie Fraser said.
"The weather has just killed us, killed everyone in town. Certainly have had a lot of sleepless nights and quite a few tears.
"It's been really, really hard."
Hot Water Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park is also feeling the pinch.
"This one's really kicked us in the guts, these weather events, these sustained weather events over summer. We've never had that before," co-owner Grant Webster said.
Co-owner Sheree Webster said from January 5, "I've sat in my office at 6.30 every morning just dealing with hundreds and hundreds of cancellations. Probably 50% down on our income."
The region's visitor spend for January was down by 30% compared to last year, when the borders were closed.
Damage to roads from the recent floods have made access harder.
Authorities say State Highway 25A, a vital route for the Coromandel, could take up to one year to fix.
"You've added on another hour on a good day and for a lot of people to come down to the Coromandel for just a normal weekend, that extra hour — it is a sticking point," Sheree said.
Thames-Coromandel Mayor Len Salt said more investment is needed from central government.
"The days of 'patch it up and move on', those days are gone. We can't continue to do that," he said.
"We need to have some significant investment in long-term resilience for our roading network."
The council plans to announce further support for businesses in the coming weeks.
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