Rocks to be removed from Orewa foreshore

Rodney District Council contractors will begin removing rocks from a 256 metre section of beach in front of the Orewa Reserve carpark from mid-August.

The decision follows recommendations from independent coastal engineers and the Auckland Regional Council, findings from 24 years of monitoring Orewa Beach in one of the country’s most comprehensive coastal data studies and growing concerns about public health and safety.

Rodney District Council’s Coastal Service Delivery Engineer, Paul Klinac, says the rocks, which were originally put there to protect reclaimed land, offer little protection and removing them will have no adverse environmental effects, but will immediately improve its safety and amenity value.

“Quite simply the beach is slowly reverting back to its natural ‘pre-reclamation’ state, and in doing so the rocks have become more of a hindrance than a help,” says Mr Klinac.

“We have had several incidents of people being hurt having tripped over the rocks or being swept into them at high tide. This coupled with the overwhelming evidence that they do nothing to protect the foreshore means the only responsible thing to do is to have them removed,” he says.

The decision is fully supported by the Orewa Beach Reef Charitable Trust whose chairman says as well as being ineffective the rocks do nothing for the aesthetics of the beach.

“Research shows that while beaches are the biggest tourist draw-card in the world, poor aesthetics and safety issues are the things that put people off visiting beaches the most,” says Zane Taylor, Chairman of the Orewa Beach Reef Charitable Trust.

“Every 10,000 people that visit Orewa Beach contribute $0.5 million to the local economy so from a tourism perspective we fully support the removal of these rocks,” he says.

The rock removal, which is part of the Orewa Beach Esplanade Enhancement Project, will take four to five days to complete and there will be strict pedestrian and vehicle controls in place in the vicinity the work.

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