C’mon Kaitāia, it’s time for a spring clean before Mangamukas reopening

Kaitāia Business Association chairman Josh Kirby is calling on businesses, organisations and community groups to get involved in a community spring clean-up of the town in the lead-up to SH1 over the Mangamukas reopening.

With State Highway 1 over the Mangamukas still on track to reopen before Christmas, Kaitāia business leaders have planned a big spring clean-up to prepare for the extra visitors expected when the road finally lets traffic through.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said work at Mangamuka Gorge continued at pace, with many of the 35-plus slip sites in the final stages of repair. State Highway 1 over the Mangamuka Gorge in the Far North has been closed twice in recent years.

The 13km stretch of highway was wiped out by a series of 15 slips in a major storm in August 2022, just over a year after the highway reopened after a 12-month closure. Repair work had been under way for less than six months when a storm in April last year resulted in another 20 slips — some of them massive — that covered 1.3km and required repairs.

Then heavy rain on June 19 and 20 threatened to further delay the opening with a massive slip falling down the hill. The two-year job to fully fix SH1 over the gorge has been so extensive and complex that an extra $60 million to finish it was allocated in May’s Budget. That takes the total cost to $160m.

Kaitāia Business Association (KBA) is calling on all businesses, organisations, and community groups in and around the town centre to grab a broom, a hose and a rubbish sack and help tidy up the town centre ready for the reopening of the Mangamuka Gorge.

“We’re hosting a working bee at the Kaitāia Town Square from 10am on Friday, November 15.

“There will be food and entertainment. Mayor Moko will also be joining us to help out. Don’t forget to bring your broom, wash cloth and rubbish sack,” KBA chairman Josh Kirby said.

“The reopening of SH1 Mangamuka has been a long time coming and we’re thrilled about the economic opportunities that improved access to our town will bring as we head into summer. So, let’s come together as a community to show our residents and visitors how proud we are of our little town and all that it has to offer.”

Work on one of the massive slips on SH1 at Mangamuka, with the project still on track to be finished and the road reopened before Christmas.

He said there were several tasks to do for anyone keen to help out including washing windows and cleaning building frontages; picking up rubbish; painting over or washing off any graffiti on their or other buildings; sweeping up footpaths and alleyways; fixing broken canopy lights; removing weeds and much more.

Kirby said businesses could also use it as an opportunity to refresh their window displays.

“You don’t have to wait for Friday. We’ll be spring cleaning all week from Monday, November 11, to Friday, November 15, so feel free to get stuck in whenever it suits you. Just don’t forget to capture your efforts and share them on Facebook to show the community what you’re up to. Use the hashtag #springcleankaitaia and tag the Kaitāia Business Association, and we’ll help spread the word.”

Anybody keen to get involved and support the working bee should email chair@kba.nz for more information.

Meanwhile, Kylie Harris, who is communications and engagement manager for main contractor CLL and is from the Far North, said she found it meaningful to contribute to restoring this important state highway and loved seeing the community sharing in the mana of the project.

“We’ve completed six of the critical slips in the gorge, with three more due to be completed by mid-October. The remaining seven critical slip repairs are in the final stages — these are progressing well and work left to complete includes installing anchors, crash barriers and rebuilding the road surface,” Harris said.

“We’re on track to reopen SH1 through the gorge by Christmas this year. Keep up to date with our work by signing up to our email newsletter. Visit our website to sign up and to find out more about the project: https://nzta.govt.nz/sh1-mangamuka-gorge-slip-repairs/”