Key Takeaways
- Mauao’s walking tracks and base facilities remain closed after numerous slips caused by a recent landslide.
- A community meeting hosted by Tauranga City Council provided updates, gathered resident memories, and discussed recovery steps.
- Officials emphasized improving communication, consulting the community, and exploring alternatives to current protective measures (e.g., shipping containers, bunding).
- Residents expressed deep personal connections to Mauao, stressing the importance of reopening the campground and tracks as a tribute to those lost.
- Council leaders, MPs, and the Mauao Trust highlighted the mountain’s cultural, economic, and lifestyle significance, and pledged to involve iwi, families, and the public in memorial planning and redevelopment.
- Recovery manager Charlie Rahiri outlined three priorities: better communication, meaningful consultation, and restoring a sense of normality while reshaping how the mountain is cared for and used.
Damage and Meeting Context
Mauao’s walking tracks were damaged by dozens of slips, and several facilities at its base remain closed due to slip damage or ongoing risks. The damage followed a significant landslide that prompted safety closures and disrupted access for hikers, campers, and local businesses. In response, Tauranga City Council organised a community meeting to update residents on rehabilitation progress, address concerns, and gather input on the mountain’s future. The meeting followed a similar session held the previous week for Mount Maunganui businesses, during which the Q&A became heated as owners demanded clearer council communication and stronger support.
Attendance and Speakers
The community meeting drew a diverse crowd, including longtime residents, business owners, and representatives from various agencies. Speakers included Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular, newly appointed recovery manager Charlie Rahiri, Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale, a Mauao Trust representative, and two Members of Parliament. Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford and Act Party MP Cameron Luxton also addressed the gathering, providing national perspectives on the mountain’s importance. The presence of iwi trustees underscored the cultural significance of Mauao to Tauranga Moana, while local journalists documented the proceedings for wider dissemination.
Resident Memories: The Gyde Family
Long‑time Mount Maunganui residents Sue and Merv Gyde, who have lived in the area for 16 years, shared poignant memories of the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park. Merv recalled holidaying there since he was three years old and emphasized that reopening the campground would be a mark of respect for those who died in the landslide. He spoke of forming lifelong friendships while camping there and expressed frustration at the focus on assigning blame rather than on healing. Sue recounted how a close friend staying at the campsite during the landslide lost two good friends from Rotorua, leaving him deeply shaken. She described the campground as a happy place where her family created lasting memories and “lifelong friends,” and she missed walking around Mauao, staying at the site, and gazing at the stars against the mountain’s outline at night.
Additional Resident Perspectives
Phil McEwen, a Mount resident of five years, noted that he used to climb Mauao three times a week but had recently switched to cycling, saying he “got sick of biking.” Jan Gyenge, who moved to the Mount in 1998 but had visited since childhood, described Mauao as part of everyday life and said being unable to go up or around it was a significant loss. Both residents echoed the Gyde family’s sentiment that the mountain’s accessibility is intertwined with community wellbeing, personal recreation, and a sense of identity. Their testimonies highlighted the emotional toll of the closures and the strong desire for a timely, respectful reopening.
Council Vision and Communication
Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale addressed the meeting, affirming that the council shared the community’s vision for Mauao to reopen “as quickly as they can.” He acknowledged an existing “information deficit” and said the meeting aimed to catch residents up on where the council stood in the recovery process. Drysdale stressed that there were no secrets and that the council would share whatever knowledge it had, while also admitting that not all details were finalized and remedial work was still being worked out. He mentioned that the council was evaluating alternatives to the shipping containers currently placed at Mauao’s foot as a protective measure against slips, including exploring bunding options that could provide safer, more aesthetically pleasing protection.
Deputy Mayor’s Commitment
Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular, who also serves as the Mount Maunganui ward councillor, organised the meeting and reiterated her focus on supporting local businesses and events to restore vibrancy to the city. She conceded that council communication could have been better but emphasized that no one could have fully anticipated managing a disaster of this scale. Scoular noted that the council had consulted with leaders from Auckland and Christchurch to learn from their natural‑disaster recovery experiences, especially regarding community involvement. She expressed a willingness to incorporate resident feedback into planning and promised ongoing updates as the recovery progresses.
National Perspective and Memorial Discussion
Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford highlighted that Mauao holds significance not just for the local community but for the entire nation, describing it as a drawcard for visitors across New Zealand. He urged central government to contribute financial and logistical support to the recovery effort. Rutherford also asked how the council intended to remember those lost in the landslide. Scoular responded that no formal memorial plan existed yet, but she wanted input from the families of victims, the broader community, and the Mauao Trust. Mauao trustee Jack Thatcher explained that soil taken from the mountain during the recovery of the deceased would be returned and could be used in any bunding work. He noted that while a policy prohibits memorials on Mauao itself, the campground—being non‑trust‑owned—was a likely site for any commemorative installation.
Tourism, Events, and Infrastructure
Act Party MP Cameron Luxton argued that the narrative of Mount Maunganui being “closed” needed to change to protect tourism and local economies. He advocated for clear communication that provides certainty to businesses and signals to the country and the world that the Mount remains open for business. City development programme lead Emily McLean outlined the council’s plans to rebuild visitor confidence through events, foot‑traffic initiatives, and local‑spending campaigns. She said the council would continue investing in everyday spaces, planning playground upgrades, public‑art installations, and toilet‑facility improvements to make the area more welcoming and enjoyable. McLean encouraged residents to support recovery by patronising local businesses and attending community events.
Recovery Manager’s Priorities and Closing Thoughts
Recovery manager Charlie Rahiri, who had been involved in the project for three weeks, identified three key areas for his work: enhancing communication, ensuring meaningful consultation, and returning the city to some level of normality while reshaping how Mauao is cared for, protected, and used. He acknowledged that the mountain means different things to different people—an economic driver for some, a source of mauri and life force for others, and a pinnacle for lifestyle choices. Rahiri expressed optimism that the recovery process presents an opportunity to do things differently, creating a more resilient and inclusive relationship with Mauao. The meeting concluded with a reminder that local democracy journalism, co‑funded by RNZ and NZ On Air, would continue to cover the story, with journalist Ayla Yeoman documenting developments for the public.