New Zealand: Kuratau Beach to Receive New Sand

Waikato Regional Council and Taupō District Council will be undertaking work at Kuratau to replenish the northern part of the beach.

Approximately 3,500 cubic metres of sand will be placed on the beach over approximately three days.

The beach replenishment work will supplement an earlier placement of 500 cubic metres of sand prior to Christmas. That work was undertaken with the assistance of the harbour master using sand cleared away from the Kuratau boat ramp.

There have been ongoing erosion issues with the beach at Kuratau, with parts of the reserve and specimen trees being undermined. There is also stormwater and wastewater infrastructure located in the reserve which is under threat.

The replenishment work will help rebuild the beach, while preserving the natural character of the area. Over time the beach will need to be topped up with more sand. This approach is preferable to hard structures like a wall, which can lead to longer term erosion issues.

The work has been made possible as a result of the councils collaborating and combining their resources with those of Genesis Energy, King Country Energy, TrustPower and Mighty River Power. Crucially, the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board has also endorsed the replenishment works.

Waikato Regional Council’s Taupō councillor Laurie Burdett said that it is positive to see so many parties collaborating for the greater community good. Cr Burdett, who is spokesperson for the joint project team, said: “This one-off funding arrangement agreed to by the parties will ensure that the work can proceed as quickly as possible, ahead of the winter months when conditions aren’t so favorable.”

The work is planned to take place after the busy school holiday period to avoid impacting on users of the beach and reserve.

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Press Release, April 19, 2013