Blue Springs, Te Waihou walkway reopening tipped for November as contractors shortlisted

The Te Waihou Walkway, which passes by Blue Springs, has been closed since June 2023.

South Waikato District Council hasn’t started work on reinstating access to the popular Te Waihou Walkway, one year after the track was closed.

However, a council spokesperson told the Waikato Herald they had shortlisted contractors to carry out the repairs on the walkway, which leads visitors past the Blue Spring.

“No works have begun in relation to the track realignment work,” the spokesperson said.

There had been “no change” at the walkway since the council’s May update, which announced the council was going through an “open public tender process” that would allow track repairs to start after the winter months.

“Work will occur once a contractor has been appointed and the Waikato Regional Council winter earthworks shutdown period has finished,” the spokesperson said this week.

Asked whether the track was still on schedule to reopen in November, the spokesperson replied positively.

“Yes, [we are] all on track for opening early to mid-November 2024.”

Te Waihou Walkway / Blue Spring drew between 34,000 and 44,000 visitors to Waikato annually before its closure last June.

The council said the closure was caused by a landslip at the Leslie Rd end of a track.

“The cliff is unstable,” the council’s website said.

“The area is hazardous with subsequent additional rockfalls.”

Before its closure the Te Waihou Walkway drew up to 44,000 visitors each year.

Closing the Leslie Rd end of the track then drove increased traffic to the walkway’s entrance at Whites Rd.

“Overflow parking onto the immediate section of a state highway is causing extremely dangerous situations for members of the public and other vehicle occupants,” the council’s website said.

In March, the council issued a statement saying “various parties” had been “actively engaged” to address the issue.

“In November last year, the council engaged a consultant to develop draft plans for a new access track from Leslie Rd to Te Waihou Walkway / Blue Spring.”

The council’s statement said the the draft plan was finalised in February and a detailed design was shared with Raukawa.

“The relocation of the walkway takes it away from the dangerous area below the unstable cliffs and is entirely on the easement the council has over the land,” the statement said.

“A resource consent application submitted to Waikato Regional Council has now been approved.

“This marks an important milestone for the project and council staff are currently working on delivery of the approved solution. Further updates will be provided as the project progresses.”

Maryana Garcia is a Hamilton-based multimedia reporter covering breaking news in Waikato. She previously wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times.