Tourists are being reminded that they need to stay away from the dangerous Omanawa Falls after videos from the tapu site were recently posted on social media.
Two clips were shared on TikTok by user wendyjamaima and have been viewed more than 400,000 times, with dozens of comments warning that the area is sacred and should not be visited.
'Bro that ain't secret that place is tapu,” was one comment.
”It's secret for a reason, babe. Leave it alone,” was another.
The Omanawa Falls in the Kaimai Range near Tauranga can only be accessed by climbing down a hazardous cliff face and there are numerous signs warning visitors not to enter.
In 2021, a man died at the waterfall, and three years earlier one person drowned. There have also been numerous serious injuries and rescues in the area.
Tauranga City Council spaces and places senior project manager Ana Hancock says it's 'disappointing” to see people accessing Omanawa Falls 'despite numerous signs advising of the track closure and the dangers of visiting”.
'Over the years a number of people have seriously injured themselves while trying to reach the waterfall or have had to be rescued after becoming trapped in the basin. Sadly, there have also been two fatalities.
'The cliffs around the falls are also unstable and there is rock fall on a regular basis.”
She says the council, along with Ngāti Hangarau and Tourism Bay of Plenty are working together to provide safe public access to the waterfall, however 'swimming ... will not be permitted as the waterfall is tapu”.
'Construction at the site, including cliff stabilisation is now underway as part of the Omanawa Falls Development Project. This creates additional safety risks as it's now an active construction zone.”
Ana says the falls will remain closed to the public until works are complete, which is likely to be the end of 2023.
Over the years photos and video of Omanawa have been tagged in many social media accounts, including a Red Bull cliff diver who posted footage of her daring jump off the falls.
Stuff Travel reached out to the TikTok user who posted the videos but hasn't had a response.
Alan Granville/Stuff
3 comments
They're not tourists...
Posted on 13-12-2022 16:05 | By fair game
and should be old enough to read signs and know better.
Hester
Posted on 13-12-2022 18:57 | By Hester
Having had contact with young foreign backpackers who don’t even know a lot of English /Maori I urge you to fast track a track that is reasonably safe until you can put in your proposed one. More lives will be lost if you don’t as these young ones are invincible.
One Way
Posted on 13-12-2022 19:45 | By Yadick
Only one way some people will learn. Unfortunately it puts rescuers at risk but at least it's managed risk. Enough signage, enough telling - let them learn the hard way. Let them have a hmmm moment - hmmm, looks like I shouldn't have done that.
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