Tauranga City Council has bought a property near Omanawa Falls that it plans to use as a car park that will allow safer public access to the beautiful but dangerous area.

The property, on Omanawa Road, was bought with some of the $1,896 million earlier approved in the council's Long Term Plan.

The Government has pledged an additional $1 million towards the council's plans, through its Tourism and Infrastructure Fund.

The city council has briefed elected members on the plans, which include a walking track to the falls, car parking, toilets and several viewing platforms that would extend down the side of a cliff.

Environmental Services general manager Rebecca Perrett says the plans aimed to provide safe access to the falls, while also recognising ‘significant opportunities for tourism'.

The council's parks and recreation manager Mark Smith says the plans would provide a controlled environment that would discourage people from taking dangerous risks to access the site.

The falls are closed to the public because of safety concerns, but many people access the site anyway and this has resulted in a drowning, many injuries and several helicopter rescues during the past five years.

Mark says warning signs and barriers were constantly ignored and vandalised.

'The more work we put in to securing the falls, the more dangerous they become to access.”

Among other ongoing problems, rubbish and human waste have been left near the falls, cars parked dangerously on the 100 km/h Omanawa Road, and nearby residents affected by people trying to access the falls through their properties.

In a report presented to council, staff say the works could support a future commercial venture as well as enhance safety.