Vehicles will not be able to access the beach between Friday 31 December 2021 and Monday 17 January 2022.
The popular west coast beach will still be accessible via foot, but vehicles must be parked in the Muriwai Regional Park carparks or near beach access points.
Rodney Local Board Chair Phelan Pirrie says Auckland Council’s governing body, together with other agencies with an interest in Muriwai Beach, decided to close the beach to vehicles again for safety reasons.
“Muriwai – the township, the beach and the surrounding area – is incredibly popular during the summer and holiday season and this year is likely to be no exception. "The success of last summer’s closure has shown that limiting vehicles on the beach during the busiest weeks of summer significantly reduces risks to other beach goers.”
Auckland Council’s Western Principal Ranger Stephen Bell agrees.
“Having thousands of people using the beach over summer, including children, it just makes sense to remove vehicles from the mix.”
Auckland Council park ranger checking permits at one of the access points to Muriwai Beach.
Stephen says that there have been challenges with some drivers but having the New Zealand Four Wheel Drive Association working with council around the ongoing management of vehicle access does make things easier.
“Many four-wheel drive owners who want to use the beach are responsible, but it is about education. In the build up to summer we’ve had some of our rangers out checking permits and having the Four-Wheel Drive Association there alongside us talking to drivers has been great.”
Following public consultation in April/May this year, Auckland Council formed a working group to explore management of the beach access and invited four-wheel drive groups to participate in the working group alongside resident groups, park rangers, environment representatives and other recreation groups.
NZ Four Wheel Drive Association Northern Zone president John Hickey says four-wheel drive groups on that working group came together to create a trailer billboard that could be moved around the various beach entry points, to increase awareness of the need for a beach driving permit and identify the only area of the beach where vehicles are allowed.
“This sign is a demonstration of the support by the New Zealand Four Wheel Drive Association and its members for the Auckland Council efforts to raise awareness of the need to follow the rules when driving on Muriwai Beach, to minimise risks to other beach users and the environment, and so that the beach remains open for all users who follow the rules.”
A permit system was introduced in 2015 to manage the volume of traffic and to ensure drivers were aware of their responsibilities and restrictions when traveling along the beach.
Checks by park rangers and police over recent months highlighted many drivers either did not have a permit or claimed to be unaware of the requirement to have one.
Similar checks on vehicle compliance after Auckland came out of Level 4 revealed a number of vehicles towing trail bikes, most if which are unregistered and do not have a WOF. Trail bikes are not permitted on the beach, so these vehicles were turned around.
Not following the rules can result in some dangerous situations.
The permit checks will start up again when the beach is reopened on 17 January.
The joint agency group of agencies that have responsibilities associated with the management of Muriwai, and who are supportive of this summer’s initiative, include Auckland Council, Auckland Transport, New Zealand Police, Department of Conservation, Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara Ngahere Ltd, Hancock Forestry, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Muriwai First Response and Muriwai Surf Life Saving Club.
Access will be closed at Coast Road, Rimmer Road and Wilson Road. Tasman Road remains closed under normal seasonal restrictions.
