Mautohe Cathedral Cove closed until further notice, damaged identified

Date: 23 January 2026

There are concerns sections the track may not be safe after more than 200 mm of rain lashed the region this week.

"The track has been assessed by staff, and there are visible signs of slumping caused by the saturation of the hillside the track traverses," DOC Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly says.

"There are also parts of the track covered in deep mud and debris which will need to be cleared so further assessments can be undertaken - including geotechnical inspections."

Geological assessments undertaken previously at Mautohe Cathedral Cove have also shown there is a residual risk of landslides and rockfalls as the soil above and around the cove dries out after rain events.

DOC has a vital responsibility to manage visitor risk at the site, and Nick says right now the focus is on gaining a full understanding of that risk following the storm and intense rain.

Nick says the message is clear - do not use the Mautohe Cathedral Cove track until further notice.

"This is not the time to go naturing at Mautohe Cathedral Cove - do not put yourself at risk," Nick says.

Representatives from Ngāti Hei will be at track entrance points urging people to not use the track.

The cove can still be accessed from the sea but anyone planning to do this should think carefully about the risks - including the possibility of rockfall and further landslides - and whether visiting is sensible at this time.

The storm this week has also impacted track reinstatement works at nearby Waimata Gemstone Bay. Contractors have been withdrawn from the site and a section of track they had been working on is damaged.

A section of the coastal track network between Hahei and the Mautohe Cathedral Cove track start, which was permanently closed, has also subsided - reinforcing the decision to close this part of the track network.

Nick says the Coromandel Peninsula is in clean-up mode and visitors are now being actively discouraged from visiting the peninsula while the recovery continues. Coromandel's roading network is compromised in several places.

Tracks to Mautohe Cathedral Cove were closed in February 2023 due to extensive damage caused by Cyclone Garbrielle. DOC repaired the tracks through the second half of 2024, and they reopened to visitors in December 2024.

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