Part of an artifical reef washed up on Mount Maunganui beach near Tay St. Photo / Mead Norton
Part of an artifical reef washed up on Mount Maunganui beach near Tay St. Photo / Mead Norton
A large amount of artificial reef has washed up on Mount Maunganui beach.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council compliance team leader Trudy Richards said it was notified it had washed ashore on Mount Maunganui Beach, in front of Sutherland Ave beach access.
“Officers have been out to assess the siteand its removal is planned for later tonight,” she said.
“The fabric will be disposed at Te Maunga Transfer Station.”
It was to be part of ongoing research into artificial reef development by the University of Waikato, as well as providing a superior surf break for surfers, but the structure was never fully completed.
The five-year consent term granted lapsed in 2010 and the regional council needed to consider options for its future management.
At the time, the council said the reef - built from 2005 to 2008 with donations from the public and community funding groups - had “never functioned as intended”.
The $1.5 million artificial reef had drawn criticism, with surfers saying it did not provide the intended surf breaks, and surf lifesaving organisations concerned it was creating dangerous rips for swimmers.
