Fear of rockfall forces closure of cove archway

Safety barriers will prevent visitors from walking between Cathedral Cove's two beaches. Photo / Alan Gibson

The main beach at popular Cathedral Cove is to get more crowded.

The cathedral-like arch separating the two white-sand beaches at the Coromandel site has been closed because of fear of a rockfall.

Engineers recommended closing the arch after about 3cu m of rock fell from the ceiling last Labour Weekend.

Department of Conservation community relations manager Joy Mickleson said permanent barriers would be built this week to replace temporary ones and warning signs would be put up in the carpark and along the path downhill to the beach.

The engineers' report said the arch might be unstable.

DoC said the natural sandstone feature was expected to gradually decay, and there were already cracks in the ceiling.

Closing the arch will block roughly 120,000 visitors a year from walking between the main beach and the beach to the left.

Boaties and kayakers will be able to reach the left-hand beach by going around the arch by sea.

The department will consider reopening the archway when it has considered the engineers' report.

Ms Mickleson did not know how long that would take.

"We need to consider the recommendations in that report before we make a decision."