Surf Club and Slip Repair | Media Release #4

Tuesday 4 March 2025

Debris removed behind damaged clubhouse

Since the Christmas break, contractor Earth Stability Limited has been utilising the best weather to progress the works as quickly as possible. Access was created around the front of the damaged clubhouse and the debris pile has been removed with two excavators and road trucks. This has allowed the design of the lower sections of the rock face to be completed and in addition, allows the building insurer to design, submit a building consent, and procure the repair of the clubhouse itself.

Members from Te Uri o Hau, Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service (MHVLS), Earth Stability Limited and Kaipara District Council met onsite earlier this month to inspect the now exposed back wall of the damaged clubhouse and witness the rock bolts being installed by the work crew.

Jess Costello, Chair of MHVLS, shared the good news that since the back of the building was exposed and recently reinspected, the building insurer had stated that the damage is consistent with what was seen from the inside, and the building is easily repairable.

Kaipara District Council Mayor Craig Jepson was pleased to see the considerable amount of progress made on the repairs.

“It’s fantastic news and a relief to hear that it’s a fairly straightforward fix for the building. We all just want to see the surf club back on its feet and operating normally. It’s been great to walk through the site and see how much work has already been done to repair the slip. I look forward to seeing them back in their clubhouse in summer.”

Shereen Worthington, member of Te Uri o Hau added:

It's been a pleasure working alongside the surf club and the construction team to successfully remove the debris behind the building in a sensitive area that is a special part of local cultural history.

Moving forward, the public will see two orange framed drill rigs, held by cables and ropes, working their way over the rock face drilling up to 8m long holes, which are then filled with large diameter steel bars, encased with high strength grout. These “rock bolts” hold the less stable rocks on the exposed face to the stronger rocks deeper within the slope. Approximately 300 of these will be installed over the next few months, followed by a mesh wire product being draped down over the slip area to hold the exposed rock and soil in place between each rock bolt. It is hoped that the slip repair will be completed by early winter, and that repairs to the damaged clubhouse can be undertaken directly after, with a target of the surf club being back into its building by Christmas 2025.

After the group inspected the slip repair works, a brief discussion was held regarding the repair of the damaged seawall (rocks and slope in front of the clubhouse) and boat ramp. Although this damage was not as significant as the slip behind the building, if not attended to, will have dire consequences for the club’s long-term security in the best location at the beach. Work has been underway since mid-2024 to provide a long-term solution that allows continual access during the worst weather events (all sand removed down to bedrock below – approx. 2-3m below today's beach height). Furthermore, a robust solution for repairing the seawall will ensure that the front of the clubhouse is protected from predicted sea level rise and storm surges.

Working alongside Northland Regional Council the surf club now has a design that can be consented and funds sourced for.