Tairāwhiti/Gisborne & Eastern Bay of Plenty combined state highway update

January weather event response

29 January 2026

Community update

Kia ora koutou,

This is an update on the state highway network in Tairāwhiti and the Eastern Bay of Plenty following the recent weather event.

This update focuses specifically on the latest emergency response information for State Highway 2 (SH2) Waioweka Gorge and State Highway 35 (SH35) between Pōtaka and Tikitiki.

If you're travelling on the state highways this week, please drive with extreme caution and check Journey Planner or Facebook before you go.

Please note that information in this update may shift at short notice due to weather or other unexpected factors. Information current as at 8pm Thursday 29 January. 

Current situation

• SH2 Waioweka Gorge on State Highway 2 between Ōpōtiki (Eastern Bay of Plenty) and Matawai (Tairāwhiti) remains closed.
• SH35 Pōtaka to Te Araroa remains closed. 
• Local contractors at both locations are working hard to clear slips and debris, safely remove trees and vegetation, and clear blocked culverts. The damage is extensive and some of the slips are still active.
• Crews have made great progress on clearing slips on SH35 Tikitiki to Te Araroa to restore safe, reliable access. Escorted convoys will continue for residents and essential services tomorrow morning. From 4pm tomorrow (Friday 30 January) wider access is expected to be available (see update below).
• SH35 Ōpōtiki to Pōtaka is closed, with residents and essential services only.
• The only detour route open is SH2 Gisborne to Napier/SH5 Napier to Taupō.

State Highway 35 update

State Highway 35 Pōtaka to Tikitiki
SH35 remains closed between Pōtaka and Te Araroa, with restricted access between Te Araroa and Tikitiki.

Pōtaka to Te Araroa
Geologists and engineers are on the ground every day this week assessing damage along this stretch of road. The damage is significant and access to this area is difficult.

The map below highlights the key damage sites and current road closure status. The map will be updated as assessments continue.

Photo: The Punaruku overslip on SH35 just north of Te Araroa.

Pōtaka to Hicks Bay
The road is closed. There are multiple under and overslips of varying size and complexity, multiple blocked culverts and damaged structures. Today, five crews were on site working to clear slips along this section of SH35. Local contractors are working hard and continue to make steady progress toward restoring safe and reliable access. It is too early to confirm when we will be able to share a reopening timeline.

Hicks Bay to Te Araroa
The road is closed. Extensive damage, including a major overslip we are calling the Punaruku slip (see 'Major overslip' on map above), is between Hicks Bay and Te Araroa. This large slip has been the focus of a safety assessment today, and work is expected to begin to establish contractor-only access.

Photo: Crews have made great progress to clear slips on sections of SH35.

Tikitiki to Te Araroa
Crews have made great progress today to clear slips and debris along the Tikitiki and Te Araroa section. As a result, from 4pm on Friday 30 January, access to this section is expected to be restored. To date, only residents and essential services have been permitted access to and from Te Araroa during the 3 scheduled daily convoy times. Two escorted convoys for residents and essential services only will continue from tomorrow morning, with this section of road expected to open again by 4pm.

Convoy update
The convoy schedule for tomorrow is below:

Friday 30 January
• 8:00am – 8:30am (30 minutes)
• 11:30am – 1pm (1.5 hours)
• From 4:00pm, road open with access restored

During these convoy times, traffic management crews will pilot vehicles to/from Te Araroa through Taurangakoau Bridge. Please take extra care when travelling through this area - active worksites are in place and opening and closing times are strictly enforced. If you miss the convoy window, you will need to wait for the next scheduled convoy.

From 4pm Friday, access is expected to be restored. Road users are advised to drive carefully and expect multiple sites with stop/go temporary traffic management. This reestablished access is an important link for community and services, and there are still multiple active worksites. The route is not suitable for sightseeing. From 4pm Friday, no further convoys are planned between Tikitiki and Te Araroa.

Convoy and road user access may be stopped at any time if there are new slips or safety concerns. The area is in a very fragile state, and short notice closures may be required to keep everyone safe.

See our traffic bulletin here for more information.

SH2 Waioweka Gorge update

Crews are making great progress and have cleared 90% of the slips and debris at multiple sites through the Waioweka Gorge on State Highway 2 (SH2) between Ōpōtiki (Eastern Bay of Plenty) and Matawai (Tairāwhiti). The road will re-open once it has been made safe by contractors and vehicles will initially be under convoy stop/go control. We expect to be able to confirm timeframes this week.

An incredible amount of material has been removed from the largest site, the Goldsmith slip (pictured above), with the biggest day yesterday recording 188 truckloads. Geotechnical and engineering assessments are underway, and a helicopter carried out sluicing today to clear loose material from the Goldsmith slip site.

At the same time teams are working hard to clear slips and debris on each side of the Goldsmith slip, and make it safe for use. They’re expected to connect sometime in the next 2 days. There is extensive damage at a blocked culvert nearby (pictured below) which is another key area of focus.

Once access through the gorge is restored, there will be months of recovery work to follow on this stretch of SH2 and it will remain an active worksite.

Crews are progressing as quickly as conditions safely allow, and have done incredible mahi in past 2 weeks at this challenging site, where the scale and instability of the slips have made this a highly complex operation.

• SH2 through the Waioweka Gorge remains closed between Ōpōtiki (Bay of Plenty) and Matawai (Tairāwhiti). 
• SH2 south of Gisborne is the only detour route open. State Highway 35 (SH35) remains closed to due to slips, flooding and debris. 

NZTA acknowledges that SH2 is the primary connection between Gisborne, Tairāwhiti, and the Bay of Plenty. There is no short or convenient detour, which has significant impacts on communities and freight movements.

Blocked culvert near Goldsmith slip site

Clean up underway on Gisborne side

Community travel information

We encourage you to delay travel where possible or allow plenty of extra time if you are taking the long detour via SH2/SH5 via Hawke’s Bay. A reminder that there is no detour via SH35.

If you have to travel, please do so with extreme caution and be alert for hazards including flooding, debris, newly formed pot holes and fallen vegetation on the road.

Report issues on the state highways to 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

Stay up to date on state highway conditions at NZTA’s Journey Planner.

SH2 road closure information – no change

Ōpōtiki side

• Soft closure starts at Warrington Road - 6km south of Opotiki (SH2/35). Resident access only.
• Hard closure and no access from Waioeka Pa Road (Opeke Marae access), 2km south of Warrington Road.

Gisborne side

• Soft closure starts at Kerei Street, Matawai, 65km in from Makaraka. Resident access only.
• Hard closure and no access from Te Wera Road, 7km east of Kerei Street.

Detour updates

SH2 between Gisborne and Napier and SH5 Napier to Taupō is open. There are some stop/go traffic management sites along the journey – please follow all signage instructions and be patient.

Reminder: The Waikare Acrow bridge on SH2 Pūtōrino, between Wairoa and Napier, is a single lane, priority give way bridge. If you’re heading south to Napier, prepare to stop and give way. If you’re heading north toward Wairoa, you have right of way.

SH35 between Ōpōtiki and Pōtaka is closed: People have been trying to get around SH35 through to Gisborne, only to be turned around at the Pōtaka closure point. The closure after Goring Street, Ōpōtiki will help to avoid unnecessary travel and delays to these road users. Access is available for residents, local deliveries and emergency vehicles only. More information.

Thank you

Thank you for your patience while we work to restore access. 

Kia kaha, stay safe and thank you for supporting the teams working hard to reconnect Tairāwhiti and the Eastern Bay of Plenty.