Short answer: The Department of Conservation (DOC) will reroute the Hāhei Beach Short Walk in the Mautohe Cathedral Cove Reserve around landslide damage. The walk is closed, and contractors start work on 14 November 2026. DOC has not confirmed a reopening date. Explera DMC New Zealand plans Coromandel days that do not depend on this walk.
The Hāhei Beach Short Walk links Hāhei Beach to the track to Cathedral Cove. This briefing is for travel agents and tour operators who include Cathedral Cove in a Coromandel programme for the 2026/27 summer.
What has DOC decided for the Hāhei Beach Short Walk?
- The damage. DOC said on 14 October 2026 that a landslide in early 2026 damaged the track and put an earlier reroute project off course.
- The decision. DOC will build a reroute around the landslide zone. It said the reroute is a more practical and resilient long-term option than repairing individual sections.
- The cost. DOC estimated the reroute at $121,000. Stabilising the top section around two bridges was estimated at $303,000 in 2024.
- Community care. DOC has proposed a community agreement under which the Hāhei Residents and Ratepayers Association would handle routine maintenance and trapping, while DOC stays responsible for visitor safety and major repairs.
When does the work happen?
- Closed now. The Hāhei Beach Short Walk is closed.
- Work from 14 November 2026. Contractors start then, and DOC says the track will be a work site. Visitors must stay off it.
- No confirmed opening date. Local reporting on 23 October 2026 said the walk could reopen before Christmas, but DOC has not confirmed a date. We treat the walk as unavailable until DOC says it has reopened.
- The new views. DOC says the reroute will look across Hāhei Beach to Te Pare Pā and Hereheretaura Pā, especially on the descent from Grange Road.
What else changes in the reserve?
- Waimata Gemstone Bay. DOC will remove the infrastructure there and reuse it on the reroute. A new barrier will replace the damaged stairs, with seating at the bottom of the bay.
- Te Karaka Stingray Bay. The infrastructure there will be removed, as planned.
- The old bridges. DOC will remove the existing bridges once the reroute is complete.
- Mana whenua. DOC says working with Ngāti Hei, who have a cultural connection to Mautohe, will be critical to the future of the reserve.
What should agents tell clients?
- Do not plan the beach walk yet. Clients should not plan to walk from Hāhei Beach to the Cathedral Cove track until DOC confirms the walk has reopened.
- Check the main track. The main track to the cove is a separate track. DOC closes it after heavy rain, so we confirm its status before each departure.
- Keep a plan B. A boat or kayak trip where operators run, a beach afternoon in Hāhei or a drive across the peninsula all work on a closure day.
How Explera DMC New Zealand can help
We plan Coromandel days for group tours and FIT and tailor-made clients, with coach and private transfers and cruises and water experiences. See our Coromandel page, our Cathedral Cove access briefing and our weather contingency briefing.
FAQ
Is the Hāhei Beach Short Walk open? No. It is closed, and contractors start work on 14 November 2026. Local reporting says it could reopen before Christmas, but DOC has not confirmed a date.
Why is DOC rerouting the walk? A landslide in early 2026 damaged the track. DOC said a reroute is a more practical and resilient long-term option.
How much will the reroute cost? DOC estimated $121,000, against $303,000 estimated in 2024 to stabilise the top section.
Does this close Cathedral Cove? The main track to the cove is a separate track. DOC closes it after heavy rain, so we confirm its status before each departure.
What changes at Gemstone Bay and Stingray Bay? DOC will remove the infrastructure at both bays. A new barrier will replace the damaged stairs at Gemstone Bay.
Sources
- Way forward found in a reroute of Hahei Beach Short Walk, Department of Conservation, 14 October 2026
- New Cathedral Cove track to open at a third of original cost, 1News (Local Democracy Reporting), 23 October 2026
Talk to the trade desk
Explera DMC New Zealand trade desk — b2b@explera.co.nz, WhatsApp +66 93 656 8090, B2B portal b2b.expleradmc.com.
