The Bowentown boardwalk has been closed off to the public due to damage from erosion to the sand dunes along the beach.

On Thursday October 20, Western Bay of Plenty District Council posted to their Facebook page that the boardwalk in front of the holiday park at Seaforth Rd had been closed for public safety.

"Recent dune erosion has damaged the boardwalk, and exposed concrete slabs and metal bars from an old structure," says a council spokesperson.

"We recommend that for now, everyone avoids the boardwalk and the beach area below the dune. We'll update you as more information comes in. Thanks for understanding, as always your safety is our priority."

The track was closed until contractors could adequately assess the damage and remove the hazards.

On Friday, October 21, council provided a further update.

"The concrete and metal bars have been cleaned up off the beach. If you'd like to access the beach you can but please don't use the boardwalk - it's fenced off for everyone's safety," says a council spokesperson.

"Thanks for your patience, we'll update you when more info comes through."

A further update is expected following Labour Weekend.