The popular Wairere Falls Track in Waikato will need at least $150,000 in repairs, the Department of Conservation (DoC) estimates.

The track has been closed since last June following the discovery of a three-metre-wide boulder which was unstable and a threat to users. The Waikato Times previously reported that people are still using the track.

The estimate, according to DoC, includes costs to date and work to come, adding that the complex nature of the project paired with the difficult location makes it a “very rough estimate”.

Currently, DoC’s main objective is stabilising the boulder and ensuring a “safer and significantly improved experience for visitors,” according to senior ranger heritage and visitors Matiu McQueen.

Designs are progressing through to standard engineering review processes, he said, with extra technical detail to be worked through before a final decision.

“While an exact reopening date has not yet been confirmed, we expect the track will remain closed for a further six months or more. We recognise how popular this track is, and that’s why we are taking the time to get the work right.

The usually bustling Wairere Falls Track has been closed for nearly a year. Photo / Christel Yardley / Waikato Times

“This site remains a top priority for the district, and progress will continue as quickly and safely as possible. We continue to work closely with geotechnical specialists and mana whenua - Ngāti Hinerangi, Ngāti Hauā, and Raukawa - to manage risk and plan necessary upgrades.”

However, some believe the chain is being dragged, especially for a hotspot which attracts 40,000 visitors a year.

Ashj Tanner would like to see a more thorough communication line between local council and DoC. Photo / Christel Yardley / Waikato Times

Matamata-Piako District Council Mayor Ash Tanner said it was a major asset loss for both the tourism sector as well as the local community, pointing to how the district council invested “a lot of money” into the track’s infrastructure, including the carpark and toilets.

He highlighted a lack of communication from DoC, saying the council has “almost been left in the dark” whilst having to provide answers to the local community.

“It’s just disappointing that it just seems to be dragging on ... surely it can’t be that hard. Why can’t it be addressed?“ Tanner said.

The expenditure gained from the track, which is 15km from Matamata, is vital to the regional town’s economic output, Tanner added.

“There’s a lot of out-of-towners that are going up there on a daily basis and that’s all economic development which is important to these regions with what’s been happening around.”

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