In July, a landslip affected 100 Motutara Road and part of the adjoining roadway. With land stability an ongoing concern for locals in Muriwai, we wanted to update you with the latest information and activities related to the slip.
Property risk at the slip site
Since we visited the site after the slip in July, new information about the land has come to light.
Geotechnical experts believe the slip was likely caused by hidden slope damage from Cyclone Gabrielle that wasn’t visible in earlier assessments (due to dense vegetation). The slip also exposed a spring which hadn’t been apparent before.
This is information we didn’t know about at the time of the 2024 GHD categorisation assessment but if the existing slope damage and the spring had been identified at the time of the 2024 assessment, the boundary between Zone 1 and Zone 2 would have been set to the north-west of the current line, and both 42 Motutara Road and 100 Motutara Road would have been included in Zone 2 with an intolerable risk.
Based on this new information and expert recommendations, both 100 Motutara Road and neighbouring 42 Motutara Road will now be included in Zone 2 of the GHD study, where landslide risk is considered not tolerable. This means the two properties have been recategorised to Category 3, and the owners will be eligible for a voluntary buy-out.
What this means for other categories
We know locals may be wondering if this means other categories in the area will change. To be clear, this recategorisation is an isolated case based on the unique situation at this site, connected to 2023 events. No other properties are affected.
The rest of Zone 1 is unchanged because the topography of the rest of the area is different, with two gullies to the northeast that help drain groundwater and reduce the impact of springs.
Road repair status
Auckland Transport (AT) is already working on urgent plans to repair the slip affecting the road.
Funding for the repair has recently been approved by council’s investment committee and the project team are working on the investigation and design. Once this is finalised, AT will update the community with the programme of work.
In the meantime, the road remains open with one-lane access, and monitoring is ongoing.
Stormwater resilience project
A longer-term stormwater project for the area is progressing and it’s currently on track to begin construction in early 2026.
Come along and hear the latest update from Healthy Waters:
Muriwai Stormwater Project Community Update
14 October, 6-8pm
Muriwai Surf Club
Refreshments provided
Further information and support
In the meantime, council’s chief engineer has provided some expert advice on landslips that would be very useful for homeowners living in the area. Please check out these resources at the Landslides website.
While this is an isolated event, we know that events like this may be triggering for communities. Even if it did not impact you directly, there is support available. Find out more on OurAuckland.
Thank you for your ongoing engagement with us, and with your local representatives. We’ll continue to share updates as more information becomes available.
