Rock and debris have once again fallen from Cathedral Cove's iconic arch following the extreme weather events from last summer and Cyclone Gabrielle.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) had earlier discouraged access to the crumbling cove's track in March and disallowed walking access in August, as parts of the area were either destroyed or significantly damaged.
Now, rocks the "size of large chilly bins" have fallen from the arch of the Hahei tourist destination, with the slip believed to have occurred on Monday 28 August.
DOC Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly is urging the public to prioritise their safety.
“We’re really concerned people are not heeding the warnings,” he said. “We’ve consistently said the tracks are closed and there is a danger of rockfall at the beach which could lead to injury.
“I can’t stress this enough – please do not use the tracks, and do not stand or walk under the arch.”
DOC staff are finalising semi-permanent signage that warn of rockfall risk to deter people from visiting the arch and its surrounding cliff faces.
Boats will be able to resume landing at the cove from the adjacent Te Whanganui a Hei Marine Reserve in the coming weeks.
With this long-term issue of rockfall, however, a project team will be reimagining the local and visitor experience in collaboration with stakeholders and the public.
“We need to find resilient solutions to the long-term challenges at this site,” Nick Kelly said.
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