Campers watch floodwaters rise at holiday park in Tauranga, rush to save tents

Campers and permanent residents at Silver Birch Holiday Park in Tauranga rushed to rescue tents and outdoor furniture yesterday as estuary waters rose over the banks.

All they could do then was watch as the water lapped at the base of some of the park's units, everyone hopeful the king tide would recede in time.

One family staying at the park in a unit had their car and motorbike trapped as the only way out for the vehicles was under water.

By 11.30am, some tent sites were no longer visible and a park bench had to be pulled onto dry land, out of the swollen Waimapu Estuary.

"I've never seen flooding in Tauranga like this before," permanent resident Tui Davies, 49, said.

He has been living at the park in a caravan for about four months.

"Fortunately, we're up on the higher block area where the permanent caravans are. But the area where we are standing in now is where all the tents used to be this morning.

"There would have been about three or four tents down here and maybe two or three more out the back, but that's all under water now. Some people were out so we had to shift their tents for them."

Davies was hopeful the flooding would not get any worse, but he was aware the weather conditions were expected to deteriorate further last night.

"I think we'll be pretty good really, as long as the wind doesn't pick up and whip the water up towards the camp. There's still maybe half a metre or so of height left so it's not too bad. But if there's a lot of rain, we could be in trouble."

Another permanent resident, Eileen McIntosh, said it was a bit frightening, "especially when it's this high".

"We've never seen it this high at all. We had the ducks swimming over there and it's coming up pretty high around the road as well. And we've got a lot of debris floating around in the water."

Eileen McIntosh, a permanent resident at Silver Birch Holiday Park, said the flood waters there were the highest she had ever seen and it was a bit frightening. Photo / Scott Yeoman

The 61-year-old, who has lived at the park in a caravan for about four years, pointed out a trapped car parked in front of a family unit on the water's edge.

"There's no way out for it and the bike as well. The family are just sitting inside unable to move."

She said if the flooding got worse some people might have to evacuate.

"I think that we should evacuate if it comes back further. At the moment, the tide's going out … we hope it will subside and that everybody will be safe."

Co-owner of the park Sharon Makai said she had not seen flooding like that before.

"That's the worst. It has come up before but nowhere near as bad as it is this morning."

She has owned the park with her husband, Tony, since 2015.

A family's car and motorbike were trapped at Silver Birch Holiday Park as the only way out for the vehicles was under water. Photo / Scott Yeoman

Mrs Makai said the flooding started to get particularly bad about 9am yesterday.

"We had to run down and save a tent because he wasn't there," she said.

About midday yesterday, Mrs Makai said there were no plans for evacuation.

"I don't think it will come that high to be honest. They're [the units] actually quite high up and the tide is turning soon so that should be safe."

She said she had received a phone call from a kind woman offering accommodation and help for anyone at the park who needed it.

Earlier in the day, Tony Makai said he also had never seen the water reach that height.

Further up Turret Rd, past the Hairini Bridge towards Welcome Bay, water flooded the road from both sides. Traffic crawled to a standstill, before part of the road was eventually closed.

Turret Rd, past the Hairini Bridge towards Welcome Bay, flooded from both sides. Photo / Scott Yeoman