Waikaremoana, including the Great Walk, was closed after the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle and excessive lake levels washed out tracks, flooded huts and dump stations, and caused significant damage to the Waiopāoa cable bridge, requiring a replacement. Te Uru Taumatua, the Tūhoe iwi authority which manages Te Urewera on behalf of Te Urewera Board, led the repair and maintenance programme. DoC contributed $550,000 from its cyclone recovery funding, as well as technical support with the replacement bridge.
“The flooding was so extensive it wasn’t possible to even inspect the damage for a month after the cyclone,” Blair Waiwai from the Waikaremoana team said.
“It has been a huge effort by our wider tribal teams within Te Uru Taumatua, with help from DoC, friends and external contractors, to get the Great Walk up to or better than DoC standards to re-open on January 10.”
“We were also stoked that friends of Te Urewera pitched in to help,” Te Uru Taumatua operations group manager Chino Apiata said,
“They included volunteers from the New Zealand Back Country Trust who together repaired and refreshed Panekire hut, at the highest point of the Great Walk. We have all pulled together to re-open and welcome locals and manuhiri back.”
The work programme comprised:
• the repair and maintenance of the huts and staff quarters at Panekire, Waiopāoa, Maraunui/Marauiti and Waiharuru,
• hut/campsites and facilities — exteriors and interiors, shelters, water supply and toilets
• special purpose road repaired in Hopuruahine
• maintenance to short walks and structures at Lake Waikaremoana to reinstate the range of visitor experiences available at Waikaremoana — Lake Waikareiti, Black Beech Walk, Tawa Walk.
Bookings for the Waikaremoana Great Walk can be made through the Department of Conservation booking system.
