The Mokau Jetty has closed temporarily due to safety concerns.

Waitomo District Council (WDC) which owns the jetty made the decision after concerns were expressed earlier this week by the Mokau Fishing Club.

Tony Hale, GM infrastructure services says, “Our priority must be the safety of the community, which is why we’ve made the decision to temporarily close the jetty.  On first inspection it looks like worms may have eaten parts of the legs away meaning the jetty could be at risk of collapsing if it was hit by large debris in the river.”

An engineer has visited the site to carry out an assessment of the jetty.

The jetty is used by rescue services and fishermen, including white baiters.

“We know any closure is inconvenient, especially at this time of year.  Once an inspection is complete, we will know exactly what we are dealing with. We can then look to put a temporary measure in place so the jetty can safely be reopened as soon as possible.  Until then the jetty will remain closed.”

WDC will review the engineers report to develop a permanent repair solution for the jetty.