Unauthorised closure of Te Paki stream in Northland investigated

Signs and traffic cones blocking the entrance to Te Paki stream. Photo / supplied

The Department of Conservation is investigating the "unauthorised closure" of a popular tourist spot in the Far North.

Warning signs and road cones have been erected to block vehicles from Te Paki stream, a public road used by tour bus companies and tourists which leads to the iconic sand dunes and Te Oneroa a Tōhē, Ninety Mile Beach.

One tour bus company has admitted becoming frustrated at the closure, which has been enforced by a local woman concerned about the health of the stream and its wildlife.

Rose Raharuhi's post on social media says; "Because of the unhealthy over-abuse of Te Paki stream, we have closed it down indefinitely, to give her time to heal."

"Our poor eels, after four months of travelling from Tonga, from two days old, arrive and have to swim through this. They arrive here to rotten, polluted water, then to cap it all off, they get run over by vehicles in the last stage of travel."

The signs and road cones have been in place since January 29.

However, local iwi, Ngāti Kuri and DoC remain adamant the stream is open.

"The steam is not closed," DoC Kaitaia operations manager Meirene Hardy-Birch said.

"This is a member of the public who decided to undertake what she believed to be the right thing, and we're working through that at the moment."

"The primary concern she's articulated is concern for the stream and wildlife. We get that. What she doesn't have authority to do is close the road.

"She's entitled to her opinion. However, she has to comply with the law."

Local resident Rose Raharuhi closed Te Paki stream due to concerns about its health. Photo / Facebook

Hardy-Birch said DoC staff met Raharuhi on Friday and the signs were taken down.

Soon afterwards they popped up again, so Doc staff returned on Monday.

Hardy-Birch said staff were to visit the site again yesterday because the signs had reappeared.

DoC would "have to go through a compliance process" if she continues to breach the Conservation Act, she said.

"We're working with her directly to come to a reasonable, amicable state.

"But Te Paki stream is on a public road, it's classified as a road, and it's the department's role to maintain the road."

Raharuhi said she did not wish to comment.

"I don't want the focus on anything else but the health and wellbeing of the stream and its creatures," she said. "It's about educating people first."

DoC isn't worried about the state of the steam, saying it is "intact". Photo / Facebook

Hardy-Birch empathised with her reason for enforcing the closure, but said vehicles were not the issue.

The original source was "brown mineralised water" which happened due to naturally shifting sand dunes caused by the weather, she said.

"Most locals are well aware the stream goes through different changes. You could have a big storm pushing the dunes to a different location, it blocks the stream, and all sorts of things.

"This is a natural process that's occurring. In terms of the health of the stream, the section she's blocked off is the end section. The source comes from further up. Holistically the stream is still in-tact."

Fullers GreatSights general manager Charles Parker said the company's buses only travel a portion of the stream, not the entire length, "so we're not affected".

He confirmed the company's drivers "have had run-ins in the past with the person and persons related to her".

"It's frustrating, but it's a sensitive issue. DoC and Ngāti Kuri are the ones to manage the situation and it appears they're doing so and we're comfortable with that."

Te Paki Stream is a popular spot with tourists which leads to the iconic sand dunes. Photo / file

Ngāti Kuri chairman Harry Burkhardt said he became aware of the closure last week.

Raharuhi is "exercising what she believes is the right thing to do," he said.

"She'll have a reason, we just need to understand what she did, but from a board perspective the stream is not closed.

"We're going to have a conversation with ourselves around whether we should close it or leave it open. In our view it's open until we understand why we should close it."

Harrisons Cape Runner owner Cheryl Harrison said the company was not affected, as it has a concession to travel through the stream.