The walking tracks up the northern face of Mauao, the Waikorire and Oruahine tracks will be closed during the second week of November while the Waikorire track is resurfaced ahead of the busy summer season.

The resurfacing is scheduled to take five days, from November 7th to 11th, but is weather dependent and may run into the following week.

The closure will be in effect from the stone steps at the Mount Maunganui Beach entrance up to the summit. The base track will remain open and unaffected, and the public will still be able to access the Mauao summit from the Pilot Bay entrance, via the 4WD track.

With approximately 1,000,000 people walking Mauao each year, this work is critical to ensuring the public can enjoy the reserve safely, says Tauranga City Council's Parks and Recreation Manager, Warren Aitken.

'The Council is committed to getting the work done as quickly as possible and will re-open the tracks as soon as it is safe to do so.”

A heavy lift helicopter is determined as the most cost-effective way to supply resurfacing materials to the track, and has cut down the closure period considerably. The Oruahine track will be closed for visitor safety during the helicopter phase of the work as it will fly over that area.

It is likely the helicopter work will take 2-3 days, after which the Oruahine track will be reopened.

The closures will be signposted at each of the park entrances and temporary fencing will be in place ahead of restricted areas. Security staff will be on site at key locations to ensure people are directed to open tracks.