Whakatāne District Council has installed new fencing and signs around the Ōhope Beach Lookout to West End section of Ngā Tapuwae o Toi Track.

Twelve new signs were installed last week to warn that the track is closed because of extreme danger and risk to life due to severe and ongoing landslide risk. They have been attached to more secure safety fencing blocking access from the lookout end of the section of the track.

This follows a statement from council staff last month that unauthorised track repairs that had been carried out on slip sites were “reckless and unacceptable”.

Austin Oliver, a spokesperson for a team of volunteers who have made a proposal to the council to fix the track at their own expense, said it was disappointing that the council was putting money toward blocking the track.

“That’s money that could have been put toward fixing it,” he said.

A council spokesperson said the replacement signs and fencing were required as previous signs and fencing had been removed or damaged. The signs and other materials cost around $1500.

Austin said the council was being overly cautious around track safety. He believed the track was less dangerous than many Department of Conservation managed tracks in New Zealand.

He recently climbed a high peak near Dargaville he considered far riskier than the track at West End, which had one small sign at the bottom warning the track was “slippery when wet, be careful”.

The track volunteers are awaiting a decision by council staff on whether their proposal meets the criteria of the request for proposals put out by the council for repair of the track.

He said another area of the Ngā Tapuwae o Toi circuit he is awaiting permission from the council to repair was between Seaview Road and Kōhī Point, where steps had been washed out.

“I’ve got about $4000 worth of timber that has been donated by ITM. We were set to do that but [the council] don’t have an archeological permit to do it.”

He was told that the Archeological Authority, which must be applied for by the council, to maintain the track had expired two years ago and had not been renewed.

“We’ve got all the volunteers and materials ready to go. You would think the council would be falling over themselves to help us any way they can.”