An indicative design of the future bridge and trail along the north bank of the Tairua River. Image and design Abseil Access
An indicative design of the future bridge and trail along the north bank of the Tairua River. Image and design Abseil Access
A long-awaited walking and cycle trail connecting the Pāuanui and Tairua communities is set to become a reality with the project gaining resource consent.
Thames-Coromandel District Council and Waikato Regional Council approved an extension of the existing Tairua River Trail, through a 120-metre suspension bridge across the river and 7km of new trail along its north bank - creating a fully off-road route between the towns.
Once the trail to Tairua is finished, walkers and cyclists will be able to complete it as a loop, connecting with local streets in each town and a short ferry across the estuary.
The trail’s construction is overseen by the Hikuai District Trust, a charitable trust that works with the trail operations committee, which carries out the day-to-day work of building and maintaining the trail, as well as repairing slips, monitoring pest traps, and planting native trees.
The existing trail which currently ends near Hikuai, has been built piece by piece over the past 20 years.
The original plan was for a path to Hikuai along the south bank of the river and then into Tairua along the north bank.
Hikuai District Trust chair Derrick Adams said to date, it has cost $1.5 million with an estimated $5m needed to complete the project including the suspension bridge across the river.
Hikuai District Trust chairman Derrick Adams (right) with trustee Max Bania. Photo / Paul Schrader
Adams said the bridge construction would cost $1.5m while another $2m had been estimated for the construction of a boardwalk on the northern side of the river near Tairua.
The project would be funded via donations and community grants with Thames Coromandel District Council having assisted over the past decade.
Completing the trail into Tairua was the next big step and the trust hoped to be able to do that in the next three years.
A section of the Tairua River Trail.
“With its amazing views up and down the river, wide and mainly-flat trail surface, and soon a bridge across the river that will make an impressive sight from nearby SH25, this is a trail the wider Eastern Coromandel community can be proud of,” Adams said.
“The trail has been community-led from day one, and we’re very thankful for the ongoing public support from around the region,” he said.
“We’re also grateful to local iwi, landowners, Waka Kotahi, Environment Waikato, the local community board and many community groups for assisting us in the process.”
An indicative design of the future bridge and trail along the north bank of the Tairua River. Image and design Abseil Access
With regulatory approvals in place, construction on the first portion of the new trail stage would start this summer.
Ongoing construction would continue to be funded by a mix of public and private sources.
While the trust had anticipated having the trail completed within three years, Adams said he was mindful that was dependent on funding.
“It is not a great time in the economy, but having said that, the project has a lot of support.”
Adams thanked the more than 800 members of the public who gave feedback as part of the resource consent application process, as well as the district and regional councils for their work on the application.
“We have a fabulous group of volunteers from far and wide who have helped fund, build and maintain the trail for many years. If you want to get involved in any aspect of our future plans, we’d love to hear from you.”
