The Guardians of Lake Hāwea’s concerns about ongoing lakeside erosion from high water levels were confirmed by a new slip above a popular beach - and the group is now awaiting a formal response on an erosion management plan.

The slip at Scotts Beach last month happened ‘without warning”, one onlooker said.

Hāwea Community Association (HCA) chairperson Jennie Harding said both the HCA and the Guardians were aware of the most recent slip, as was Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), which was looking into safety concerns.

“[We] highly recommend not going there; clearly unstable unfortunately,” Jennie wrote on the Hāwea Facebook page.

January lake levels approached the maximum height of 346 metres which Contact Energy is consented to operate up to, and on January 10 heavy rainfall raised the lake over this threshold.

This, combined with gale force winds, caused multiple slips around the lake and “significant land loss” along the Flora Dora cliffs, according to Guardians chair Dave Currie.

Read more: Erosion causes ‘significant land loss’ along Hāwea shore

Erosion below Flora Dora Parade.

The Guardians have asked Otago Regional Council (ORC) and Contact for an update on the company’s 2024 erosion management plan, which required Contact to identify actions to avoid, remedy or mitigate erosion on the lake margins and adjacent land adjoining Lake Hāwea township.

It also required Contact to submit a new plan to ORC within two years, in consultation with QLDC and the HCA.

ORC science manager Tom Dyer said ORC compliance staff are “engaging with all relevant parties” regarding implementation of the erosion management plan and consent compliance. 

However, ORC has not yet formally responded to the Guardians’ request, Tom said, as it is still collecting information.

Contact Energy head of hydro Boyd Brinsdon told the Wānaka App the company has “interim works planned to further mitigate any risk to public safety (subject to consents)”.

“We already had plans underway to build a large retaining wall with rock armour along the Flora Dora cliffs,” he said.

“We’re working with the Hāwea Community Association to agree the best type of retaining wall. From there, we will seek resource consents before this work can commence.”

PHOTOS: Supplied