Fresh Mauao slips force road closure near fatal campground site

<p>The main landslide at Mount Maunganui's Beachside Holiday Park, which killed six in January, has reactivated over the weekend, prompting a higher alert level and an extended road closure, Tauranga City Council says.</p> <p>"Over the weekend we have seen reactivations of the main landslide of January 22 within the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park," a council spokesperson said.</p> <p>"We have seen a major regression at the site of the original landslide. The regression extends approximately 20 metres, with a run-out of approximately 100m. While it has not extended as far as the original run-out, the material is saturated, mobile and fluid."</p> <p>Adams Ave between Pilot Bay and the Maunganui Rd roundabout has closed, with council unable to confirm whether it would reopen by tomorrow.</p> <p>Tauranga City Council recovery manager Charlie Rahiri told 1News three slips had occurred over 48 hours, on Friday night, Saturday morning and early Sunday, each moving a volume of earth close to that of the original January slide.</p> <p>"It's very wet, it's liquefied, and obviously it's not finished," the representative said.</p> <p>Further slips have not been ruled out. "Absolutely, it can happen again," Rahiri said, adding that fresh movement was visible on Sunday morning.</p> <p>Monitoring equipment triggered alerts to geotechnical staff ahead of each slip. No one was in the area during any of the three events.</p> <p>Access has been retained for residents and businesses via the southern footpath, but the council has asked people not to linger in the area and to follow any signage or directions from on-site staff.</p> <h2>Front row seat to the slip</h2> <p>Stephanie Kennard, who lives in an apartment overlooking the site, said she had watched the slip grow significantly in just a few days.</p> <p>Kennard said she had been checking on the spa area below when she noticed the new slip. "It is massive compared to what it was just a few days ago," she told 1News, adding she was shocked no one else appeared to have noticed it happen.</p> <p>"It's very sad for the mountain and Mauao. It's very worrying."</p> <p>She described the view from her balcony as "crazy" and "pretty surreal," adding: "It's a lot of damage … it's just very sad because it's all happened on our doorstep."</p> <p>Friday night's slips occurred within the same campground site that has continued to experience slips and ground movement in the months since January's disaster.</p> <p>This week marked six months since the <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/01/24/mt-maunganui-slip-victims-named-as-recovery-phase-begins/" target="_blank">fatal landslide at the Mount Maunganui Holiday Park, which killed six people</a>.</p> <p>An external review of the council's actions in the lead-up to January's disaster is under way, led by retired High Court judge Paul Davison KC, and is set to conclude next week.</p>