A Western Bay of Plenty hapū wants a slip damaged road in Te Puna to remain closed because it is an “incredible site of value”. 

Slips damaged Te Puna Station Road in the rural settlement of Te Puna in October 2022. Severe weather further eroded the area in January 2023, forcing a 600m section of the road to be closed. 

Hapū are concerned for Pukewhanake Pā, which sits above the road and has been eroded by the multiple slips. 

The road runs through the Te Hakao Valley, between Te Puna Road and State Highway 2, alongside the Wairoa River. 

Western Bay of Plenty District Council consulted on three options for the road as part of the 2024-34 long-term plan. 

Speaking at the long-term plan hearings last week, Pirirākau Tribal Authority representative Julie Shepherd said the hapū supported closing the road because the area is an “incredible site of value”.  

One of the slips on Te Puna Station Road. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

The Pukewhanake Pā, which sits above the road and has been eroded by multiple slips, was their primary concern, she said. 

The pā is now on private property but was still a cultural asset and a site Pirirākau sought to protect, said Shepherd. 

“The cut face [of the pā] that's an open wound that our hapu, our kaumatua see.  

“So many of our kaumatua have sought and desired the restoration of that cut face.” 

There was an opportunity to restore it and the landowners approved of this as well, she said. 

Pukewhanake Pā is at the headland of the valley and the wetland below was once an important food source for mana whenua, Pirirākau. 

In the 1940s extensive earthworks occurred in the valley and the Minden Stream was diverted, draining the wetland that meets the Wairoa River, for pastoral land. 

The hapū wanted the slip-damaged land alongside the river to naturally recover, said Shepherd.  

“Pirirākau don’t want anything different than what the community wants.” 

Pirirākau kaumatua Neville Bidois said: “We totally opposed the opening road on cultural grounds, safety grounds and cost wise.” 

Pirirākau kaumatua Neville Bidois said Pukewhanake Pā is one of the oldest pā in New Zealand. Photo: Alisha Evans/SunLive. 

Pukewhanake Pā was one of the oldest in New Zealand, said Bidois.  

The area held significant mana for the hapu of Ngāti Ranginui Iwi, he said. 

It symbolised the common ancestral, traditional and spiritual links between tīpuna (ancestors) and their living descendants, said Bidois. 

The pā was also a place where tīpuna were buried and is considered wāhi tapu (sacred). 

The council’s preferred option was to close the road to vehicles and relocate the shared cycleway and footpath at a cost of $1m.  

Option two was to open one lane for vehicles at a cost of $2m with and yearly maintenance cost of $50,000. 

The most expensive option was to open the road fully at a cost of $5m with yearly maintenance cost of $100,000. 

Te Puna Heartland spokesperson Beth Bowden said the organisation had no settled opinion on its preferred option for the road. 

Te Puna Heartland spokesperson Beth Bowden said there needed to be well informed consulation about the future of the road. Photo: Alisha Evans/SunLive.

“This is not a weakness, this is a very strong indication to you of just how divisive such an issue in this community is going to be.” 

The organisation was advocating for “close and well informed” community consultation instead, said Bowden. 

A citizens’ assembly would be a good way for the community to get an understanding of the issues surrounding the future of Te Puna Station Road, she said. 

Citizens’ assemblies are made up of randomly selected residents and are tasked with reaching a consensus and providing recommendations, based on local and external evidence, to elected members.  

Long-term plan deliberations will take place before the final plan is adopted in late September. 

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.