Repairs to the Mauao Base Track have officially been completed, allowing people to walk the full circuit without having to use stairs.

The repaired section reopened this morning, marking the conclusion of a successful project for iwi and the council after the track section was destroyed by a slip in April 2017.

A pre-Christmas repair blitz by council staff and contractors successfully allowed the section to open for the busy holiday season.

It was temporarily closed again last month for improvements such as boring drains and stabilising banks with ‘soil nails'.

The opening is especially good news for people with limited mobility, including those using prams and wheelchairs.

'The success of this project is a testament to the strong working relationship between council and the Mauao Trust,” says Mayor Tenby Powell.

'It's been fantastic to see so many people out walking the track over summer, and the new section will ensure that more people can enjoy our city's greatest taonga.”

The Mauao Trust has guided council staff in their engagement with experts to ensure the maunga is safe and accessible. The Trust represents the three iwi of Tauranga Moana, who collectively own Mauao.

'This is a great example of how iwi and Council can collaborate by engaging early, face-to-face, and with the right information,” says Dean Flavell, the chairman of Ngā Poutiri Ao ō Mauao joint management body.

'That process has built confidence in moving towards a practical outcome for the community.”

Council initially budgeted $4.65 million for a plan to re-route the track along the shore. The new plan, to re-build the track close to the old route, is expected to cost less than a revised budget of $718,600.