Keep off the Breakwater this summer (and all other seasons!)

Published on 16 December 2024

Summer is here, and so is the annual reminder that locals and tourists are not permitted on the Oamaru Harbour Breakwater.

As you may know, Waitaki District Council has ownership of the Macandrew Wharf and Harbour Breakwater. As part of the resource consent issued by the Otago Regional Council in 2007, public access is not permitted.

Last year Council wrote to accommodation providers and provided bilingual posters highlighting the prohibited areas of the breakwater and encouraging them to either view the korora at the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony or at any of the other locations not covered by the Coastal Consent issued by the Otago Regional Council.

A reminder letter and a poster showing which areas are prohibited will also be sent to accommodation providers this week. Council is also publishing the thirty-five year consent, issued in 2007, so the community can clearly see the conditions it must meet.

Failure to comply with a Coastal Consent could result in infringement fines being issued to Waitaki District Council, costs of investigating the compliance being paid by Council, and the cost of additional barriers or increased monitoring of the site.

To meet the conditions Council has spent $6,000 dollars on call-outs to a local security firm to ask people to disperse during the 2023/24 summer.

While we recognize that for some walking on the breakwater was an essential part of their child or adulthood, Council would like to encourage the community and visitors to find another spot to view korora or fur seals and avoid any further expense to the ratepayer.

Otago Regional Council Coastal Consent: Coastal-Consent-Breakwater.pdf(PDF, 194KB)