Source: NZ Department of Conservation
Date: 11 August 2025
Waimata Gemstone Bay was one of several Coromandel locations impacted by extreme weather events in 2023 which damaged DOC-managed tracks. In July, DOC announced it would be reinstating tracks to Waimata Gemstone Bay, following news in May the Hahei Beach Short Walk would be rerouted and repaired.
Michael Sparrow, DOC’s Mautohe Cathedral Cove Sustainability Project Manager, says work to remove the weeds at Waimata Gemstone starts this week.
“It’s a small but important first step on this project. We’ve arranged for four kaimahi (workers) from Coromandel iwi Ngāti Hei to remove these weed species from the reserve,” Michael says.
The Ngāti Hei team will spend a week at the site clearing woolly nightshade, gorse, pampas grass, cherry, pine, moth plant and any other undesirable plant species identified.
This will be followed by the planting of native vegetation to enhance the site’s biodiversity and mauri, with underplanting included to suppress weeds and reduce ongoing maintenance. Local businesses, the community and tourists have donated close to 300 trees, which will be planted at the location as part of Destination Hauraki Coromandel’s ‘Good for your soul’ initiative.
“They’ll focus on around two hectares of land in total, spread along both sides of the track,” Michael says.
Ngāti Hei conservation representative Shelley Balsom welcomed the shared environmental improvement initiative and efforts at Waimata Gemstone Bay.
“Ngāti Hei support this kaupapa,” Shelley says. “It is in alignment with Ngāti Hei values as restoration is a priority for us. We thank the tourism industry for this initiative.”
The repair to the Waimata Gemstone Bay track will see the track rerouted and an extra 40 metres constructed. Reinstating the track will restore land access to a popular snorkelling destination within Te Whanganui-O-Hei Marine Reserve enjoyed by educational groups and the local community.
The Hahei Reroute and Gemstone Bay Track projects are part of the wider Mautohe Cathedral Cove Sustainability Project, a long-term initiative focused on enhancing the visitor experience, managing visitor impacts and safeguarding the cultural and environmental values of this iconic site.
With visitor numbers returning to pre-COVID levels, long-standing challenges like littering, graffiti overcrowding, marine safety, and environmental pressures have resurfaced.
In response, DOC, Ngāti Hei, and community partners are working together to develop a Visitor Management Plan and sustainable operating model that addresses transport links, visitor flow, site maintenance, and infrastructure resilience, while supporting local businesses to thrive. This comprehensive approach ensures Cathedral Cove remains a taonga for future generations, with the mauri enhanced.
Nature is vital to New Zealand’s economy, and a significant proportion of tourism is based in, on or around our unique natural environment. Tourism on public conservation land (PCL) is worth $3.4 billion each year. More than 50% of international visitors and 80% of New Zealanders visit protected natural areas every year.
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