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This project is now complete!
A new covered viewing platform has been built at Minden Lookout, to replace the original structure, which was removed in early 2024 due to safety concerns.
The popular sightseeing location, near the corner of Minden and Junction Roads, is 286m above sea level and offers panoramic views over Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Matakana Island and the surrounding coastline.
Built around the existing stone plinth and viewing dial, the new structure was designed to meet modern building code requirements. One of the key differences is its steel roof beams, compared to the original platform which was mainly made of timber. A new accessible path was also built, to make the platform easier for everyone to reach.
Under the Kaimai Reserve Management Plan 2025, Council has committed to working with mana whenua to include heritage information at the lookout site in the future.
History
The original two-storey structure was built in 1977 by the Ōmokoroa Te Puna Lions Club (now the Bethlehem Te Puna Lions Club) and handed over to the Tauranga Council in 1978 (which later merged with other county councils to become Western Bay of Plenty District Council). It was closed in March 2023 for a structural investigation which deemed it unsafe.
Council worked closely with Bethlehem Te Puna Lions Club to make sure the new design met modern safety standards, while respecting the history of this much-loved community facility.
This project is now complete!
A new covered viewing platform has been built at Minden Lookout, to replace the original structure, which was removed in early 2024 due to safety concerns.
The popular sightseeing location, near the corner of Minden and Junction Roads, is 286m above sea level and offers panoramic views over Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Matakana Island and the surrounding coastline.
Built around the existing stone plinth and viewing dial, the new structure was designed to meet modern building code requirements. One of the key differences is its steel roof beams, compared to the original platform which was mainly made of timber. A new accessible path was also built, to make the platform easier for everyone to reach.
Under the Kaimai Reserve Management Plan 2025, Council has committed to working with mana whenua to include heritage information at the lookout site in the future.
History
The original two-storey structure was built in 1977 by the Ōmokoroa Te Puna Lions Club (now the Bethlehem Te Puna Lions Club) and handed over to the Tauranga Council in 1978 (which later merged with other county councils to become Western Bay of Plenty District Council). It was closed in March 2023 for a structural investigation which deemed it unsafe.
Council worked closely with Bethlehem Te Puna Lions Club to make sure the new design met modern safety standards, while respecting the history of this much-loved community facility.
