NZTA confirmed it mowed the roundabout just six times a year, which meant it often grew long and dry.
When it was cut, the leftovers made for a messy focal point for the community.
Acting regional maintenance and operations manager Roger Brady said they did not recommend locals take matters into their own hands, but to contact them with their concerns.
He said the Waihī to Tauranga corridor was mowed about six times a year.
‘’NZTA is working to optimise the maintenance and renewal of our state highways at a time when there is a finite amount of funding available and growing demands on the roading network.
‘’Unfortunately, vegetation maintenance doesn’t always get prioritised unless it is deemed a safety concern.’’
One Te Puna Facebook user believed it was an ‘’imaginative protest’' from a community member who was tired of the unkempt entrance to Te Puna. Another resident said the untidy entrance was not welcoming and suggested the hay bale look should become the community’s identity.
Ōmokoroa Facebookers also chimed in, with more than 300 people liking a photo of the bales. A few made suggestions for areas in Katikati and Ōmokoroa that the evasive baler could visit and work their magic.
One suggested adding sheep to the roundabout, another wanted to add a pergola and coffee cart.
Some thought the bales could be seating for long-suffering State Highway 2 users stuck in traffic during disruptive road works which were ongoing throughout February and March.
A local business owner, who did not want to be named, believed the same farmer was coming back to collect the bales at night.
The Katikati Advertiser would love to hear from the phantom baler.
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