Boaties await ruling on summer access to Waikare

Leisure boaters are hoping to use Kai Iwi Lakes' Lake Waikare this summer. Photo / Supplied

Leisure boaters hoping to use Kai Iwi Lakes' Lake Waikare this summer are waiting with bated breath to see if a temporary exemption application will allow them access to the lake.

The need for an exemption application comes after a recent Kaipara District Council review of the Taharoa Domain Reserve Management Plan revealed that a Northland Regional Council bylaw allowing the operation of watercraft at speed close to the lake's shores had lapsed in 2010. As a result, the use of powered watercraft on the lake, as well as on the larger Lake Taharoa, has been restricted to 5 knots or less within 200m of the shoreline under Maritime NZ rules, and can only be revoked if an exemption can be approved.

Advising of the progress made over the past month, Kai Iwi Lakes Water Ski Club secretary Tim Robinson said an exemption "is being processed as we speak, and we hope to have clearance to commence activities within the next few weeks".

After meeting with the Taharoa Domain Governance Committee recently, the Kaipara District Council agreed to support an application for the temporary exemption to Maritime NZ.

"At the last meeting of the Taharoa Domain Governance Committee we passed a resolution to ask Maritime NZ for a temporary exemption until April 20," Kaipara District Council commissioner and Taharoa Domain governance committee chairman Peter Winder said.

With it taking 20 working days for Maritime NZ to process, Winder said it was hoped a result would be known before Christmas.