Missing Bulls man Kevin Hartley not found, police press pause on search

Missing man Kevin Hartley. Photo / Supplied

Bulls man Kevin Hartley is still missing after five days, and police will stop active searching until the weekend.

Search data would be reviewed over the next few days, police said, and planning would start for the weekend.

"After five days of searching police have failed to find Kevin, despite the enormous effort by all the agencies and volunteer civilians involved," Sergeant Andy Brooke said.

"This has been a very difficult time for Kevin's family and police continue to liaise closely with them."

The 54-year-old was last seen driving a quad bike from Scott's Ferry to the beach last Friday evening. The quad bike was later found in nearby sand dunes.

The search has been hampered by bad weather over the last few days due to Cyclone Gita.

The dive squad could not deploy today due to rough seas, but police, LandSAR, NZDF and local volunteers searched for Hartley on land.

Searchers have been concentrating on the area north of the bombing range, but have also been searching the forest area, shelter belt and sand dunes.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts was urged to contact their local police station.