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

January weather event response

31 January 2026

Community update 2

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 11am Saturday 31 January.

Current situation

• SH2 Waioweka Gorge on State Highway 2 between Ōpōtiki (Eastern Bay of Plenty) and Matawai (Tairāwhiti) remains closed. Preparing for single lane opening and assisted convoys, within coming days.
• SH35 Pōtaka to Te Araroa remains closed. 
• SH35 from Ōpōtiki reopened to Pōtaka (Cape Runway) on Friday 30 January.
• SH35 Te Araroa to Tikitiki reopened on Friday 30 January.
• The only detour route open is SH2 Gisborne to Napier/SH5 Napier to Taupō.

Crews reached the Gisborne side of Goldsmith slip yesterday (Friday 30 January)

State Highway 2 Waioweka Gorge update

Several crews have been focused on clearing 40 slips through the Waioweka Gorge on State Highway 2 between Ōpōtiki (Eastern Bay of Plenty) and Matawai (Tairāwhiti), including 4 - 8 major slip sites. 

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.  

The road will re-open once it has been made safe and vehicles will initially be under convoy stop/go control. Our team is working through these arrangements and we expect to open one lane within the coming days. 

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

This section of SH2 will remain vulnerable, and when we re-open, we ask people travelling this route to do so with caution, to follow the advice of traffic management crews, be patient and mindful that we may need to close the road at short notice.

State Highway 35 Pōtaka to Tikitiki update

SH35 remains closed between Pōtaka and Te Araroa. Access has been restored between Te Araroa and Tikitiki.

Pōtaka to Te Araroa
The road is closed. Crews are continuing to work hard to clear slips and debris along SH35. There is still significant damage on this route, with access restricted.

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

Pōtaka to Hicks Bay
The road is closed. There are multiple underslips and overslips of varying size and complexity, multiple blocked culverts and damaged structures.

Seven crews continue to work hard and make steady progress toward restoring safe and reliable access. On Friday, crews were working on a major underslip that needs a retreat (realignment) and is key to restoring future access. It is too early to confirm when we will be able to share a reopening timeline.

Photo: Crews are working at multiple slip and damage sites on SH35 between Pōtaka and Te Araroa.

Hicks Bay to Te Araroa
The road is closed. Three crews are working in the area. Extensive damage remains, including at the major Punaruku overslip (labelled 'major overslip' on above map). On Friday, works began at the Punaruku overslip to clear trees and debris and create an access track for contractors only. Geotechnical engineers remain on site.

There is also a significant underslip south of Hicks Bay with extensive work required. It is too early to confirm when we will be able to share a reopening timeline.

Tikitiki to Te Araroa
The road is now open. On Friday 30 January, access was restored between Tikitiki and Te Araroa on SH35.

Prior to the road reopening at 4pm on Friday, only residents and essential services were permitted access to and from Te Araroa during the 3 scheduled daily convoy times.

A big thanks from us to the roadworkers for their tremendous efforts working in very difficult conditions to clear the slips and restore access for everyone.

The photo below was taken at Hospital Hill on SH35, with slips cleared on the road as you can see.

While this section has reopened, road users can expect multiple sites with stop/go temporary traffic management, including temporary traffic lights and reduced speed limits. It's important you follow the traffic management and take extreme care to ensure everyone's safety. This reestablished access is an important link for community and services.

For more information, see our Facebook post here.

Community travel information

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. 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 potholes 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 Waioweka Gorge 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 status
SH2 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.

SH35 from Ōpōtiki reopened to Pōtaka (Cape Runway) to the public on evening Friday 30 January. The closure from Pōtaka to Te Araroa remains in place.