Beach a privilege 'for all'

By WAYNE THOMPSON

For Anna Mason, being able to roam the windswept 48km of Muriwai Beach, west of Auckland, is a privilege.

"It's a place to restore the inner spirit, a place everybody needs access to, a playground for all," she said yesterday at the coastal village house that she and husband Brian have owned for 30 years.

But Mrs Mason said the privilege of access made her feel a sense of responsibility. In her time at the beach, rights to harvest the shellfish delicacy toheroa and to drive vehicles on to the beach at the surf club end have been extinguished.

The Government's moves on coastal access and ownership met her wishes that the beach be available to all. She recalled how local Maori and Pakeha had banded together to repel the threat of mining of the beach's ironsands.

"We never had problems with beach access from the tangata whenua - even where they owned the land down to the high water mark ... because we respect their rights and share ideas about conservation."