Cyclone Gabrielle damage prompts sand replacement at Pilot Bay in Mt Maunganui

Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui. Photo: 123rf.com

Sand dredged from the Port of Tauranga is to be used to replenish the beach at Pilot Bay in Mt Maunganui.

The Tauranga City Council said the sand is to replace what's been lost to storm damage, drift, and wind and wave action.

It said Cyclone Gabrielle in February caused considerable coastal erosion.

A manager at Tauranga City Council, Alison Law, said the work will begin on Monday, but it could be delayed by the changing weather.

Sand will be replaced in small sections along Pilot Bay, meaning parts of the beach will be temporarily fenced off and inaccessible for short periods for about five days.

Working this way would still maintain some beach access for the community, the council said in a statement.

The sand will be delivered by truck and tipped from the Salisbury Wharf car park directly onto the foreshore.

During the work, several carparks located near Salisbury Wharf and the corner of Salisbury Ave and The Mall, will be unavailable. The public toilets located along The Mall (near Pacific Ave) will remain open.

The last time sand needed to be replenished on the beach was in 2021.