A tree in Kauri Park on Auckland's North Shore has kauri dieback disease, tests have confirmed.
The tree was identified during Auckland Council's ongoing surveillance programme of kauri dieback across the region, which has most recently been focused on the northern section of Auckland.
Auckland Council biosecurity manager Phil Brown said it was incredibly disappointing to have the kauri dieback confirmed in an area previously thought to be non-symptomatic of the disease.
"We are acting quickly and will be closing the park today, while we await further results and develop a plan for managing this response. It is crucial that we limit immediate use to confirm mechanisms to manage the risk in the area," Brown said.
The track that connects Kauri Rd and Balmain Rd will be included in the closure but it will be a priority to reopen the track when confirmed it is safe for use.