Thames Coromandel District Council Files – Tairua/Pauanui

Thames Coromandel District Council was formed from the amalgamation of Thames and Coromandel County Councils. Early file records are sparse for both areas and the best coverage of development is to be found in the Ministry of Works and Marine Department file records. Many of the county council’s efforts in the coastal zone centered around providing shipping services around the Peninsula due to the lack of adequate roading. The later file records indicate in influx of people to the district with the development of recreational centres such as Pauanui and Hotwater Beach as distinct from the historical farming or timber milling areas of Whitianga and Tairua. By the mid 1970s, a lot of files were opened that refer to coastal erosion problems at many of the coastal settlements. Erosion included wave damage during storms and more subtle erosion caused by rivers and streams changing course and eroding dunes threatening new established housing areas. The mid to late 1970s also saw the development of the concept of coastal hazards and the development of the concept of set back distances between the front of the housing and the high water mark. Sand mining was another coastal activity. Sand was taken for industrial purposes the golf course bunkers, while shell was used for poultry farms and also for laying power cables. The beaches of the Coromandel had a limited supply of sand available and after the mid 1980s the practice of removing sand from beaches was severely curtailed. Purpose: See data abstract below

Tairua • V11/10 Coastal Erosion Tairua (Paku) Report starts in August 1976. Tairua beach was thought to be affected by erosion. Lot 20 DPS 11723 had a 60 m setback line from the dune toe to the front of the building. The land owner had to sign an agreement where they could not blame the Council if erosion to their section occurred. In July 1977 the section was cleared and wind-blown sand became an immediate problem. The sand built up on the road and around the toilet block. • V3/101 Tairua Harbour Volume 4 Report starts in 1988. In an attempt to improve facilities at the Tairua Wharf, a proposal was launched to dredge out a 70 x 35 m area on the seaward side of the wharf. As part of the construction a rock groyne was to be constructed at the eastern end, presumably to block sediment movement into the area. Another proposal was to dredge the harbour to improve depths and sell the sand to offset costs. A review was submitted by Marshall (O.H. 28-10-88, Review of the dredging proposal) which noted that there had been substantial infilling of the harbour over the last 100 years. Auburn and Gibb as part of their coastal hazard assessment estimated infilling at 500,000 m3 over the previous 80 years. They suggested that Pauanui was in a state of balance at the present time. Between 1989 and 1990 the bar was very shallow. During April there was an application to dredge the harbour from Paku Wharf to the entrance at a depth of 1.2 m below LWM. The bathymetric chart of the entrance was done by Neil Engineering, with levels based on the OIT (old iron tube) on Tairua wharf. Notes on the marina proposal refer back to the 1970’s. DOC approval for the dredging proposal was given in September 1990 but there is no record of it ever being carried out. • V11/101 Coastal Erosion Report mentions the HCB report (No. 167 Soil and Water Conservation Plan) concerning Tairua Beach. The report also notes the erosion occurring at Manaia Beach. Opposite No. 77 had previously been a headland. Pauanui • V11/102 Coastal Erosion Pauanui Report starts in 1980. No coastal information was given. • V11/102 Erosion Pauanui Report starts August 1982 This file refers to the HCB report 114, which recommends a 60 m setback line for buildings on the Pauanui Spit. The HCB report estimated a 131 m retreat/100 years at the Northern end of the Spit and 56 m retreat at the Southern end. There was no allowance for the effects of rising sea level in the report estimations. A report by Raudkivi questioned the erosion hazard suggested by the HCB reports. Raudkivi noted that analysis of aerial photographs indicated stability or very slight accretion, the same conclusion reached as with the survey data. Much of the file deals with the administration associated with the Auburn Gibb Coastal Hazard Report on Pauanui. • V11/1 Coastal Erosion General This file discusses the introduction of hazard responsibility for Territorial Authorities under the Town and Country Planning Act. • V11 Coastal General Report starts in 1979. This file contains copies of letters of exoneration to the council by people wanting to build on their sections, within the 60m hazard zone. No further coastal information was given.

Tairua and Pauanui Beaches and Tairua Estuary/Harbour

1976 - 1988

Frequency of collection: Infrequent

Quality variable Gaps in collection: Some gaps in data collection Data quality: Quality variable

Hard copy written files

This data is publicly available in TCDC archives. Sensitivity/Confidentiality: No confidentiality – public information.

Files closed

Contains several reports from; Raudkivi Auburn Gibb Coastal Hazard Report Marshall: O.H. 28-10-88, ‘Review of the dredging proposal’ Related information: These files are related to Ministry of Works, Ministry of Transport and Hauraki Catchment Board files.