Timeline

Work is progressing well, with the new platform expected to be finished in April.

The work has taken a little longer than originally planned, as we needed to add another retaining wall underneath the new platform to increase the structural integrity of the wider site.

Additional repair work has also been done on the decorative stone plinth. This was carried out by skilled stone masons, and included fixing loose cladding, re-grouting, and filling the plinth with concrete to strengthen it.

The steel beams are now in place, and the concrete access footpath and timber boardwalk are largely finished.

Next up, we’ll be doing the roofing, cladding and platform decking – before welcoming visitors back to this much-loved sightseeing location.

The new viewing platform has been completed and is officially open!

A small event was held to mark the opening, with a karakia by Heta Gardiner of Pirirākau, and ribbon cutting by Western Bay Mayor James Denyer.

Representatives from Pirirākau and Ngati Taka hapu and the Bethlehem Te Puna Lions Club also attended the event, together with Western Bay of Plenty District Councillors, Community Board Members, staff and contractors.

“This is an iconic visitor attraction. It’s an awesome spot, with beautiful panoramic views, but it’s not only for tourists - it also gives us a sense of place,” says Mayor James.

“Looking out from Te Kura a Maia in Bowentown, to Mauao, Whakaari and beyond, it really gives a sense of what our District and the wider region looks like and the geography of where we live. It reminds us that the Western Bay of Plenty is one of the loveliest places in New Zealand to live.”