Matawai Store

02/04/2026

SH2 Waioweka Gorge – open 24/7 for Easter travel

State Highway 2 through Waioweka Gorge will stay open day and night under stop/go traffic control for the Easter period. From 6am Thursday 2 April to 8pm Tuesday 7 April, there will be no overnight closures for five nights.

After Easter, night closures from 8pm to 6am will return on Tuesday 7, Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 April. During the day, the road will stay open under stop/go. From Friday 10 April, the gorge will remain open 24/7 under stop/go, with short closures only if needed for safety.

When stop/go is in place, people driving should expect delays of up to an hour. The site is still challenging with loose hillside material, so take care and be ready for short-notice closures if conditions change.

Electronic signs are in place before the gorge. Check these and our social media for the latest updates. You can read more here https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic-bulletins/sh2-waioweka-gorge-opening-247-for-easter

17/02/2026

A further slip in the Waioweka Gorge this morning has cancelled guided convoys for at least the next 25 hours.

12/02/2026

18/01/2026

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NZTA says the scale of damage means the closure will last weeks.

16/01/2026

More than 40 people have been evacuated after flooding and slips shut State Highway 2 between Matawai and Ōpōtiki yesterday.

Police were alerted to the first slip about 9am yesterday, following heavy rain in the area.

Eastern Bay of Plenty Area Commander Inspector Nicky Cooney says by midnight helicopters had brought out everyone stuck between the slips. Another eight people in two private addresses will be evacuated by helicopter this morning.

“It’s been a significant effort to reach so many people who were trapped, and I want to acknowledge the efforts of local helicopter pilots, New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) staff, local and regional councils, and Police Search and Rescue staff.

“It’s been a long operation, but we’re just thankful that everyone is safe – everyone we know about has been accounted for.”

Inspector Cooney says helicopters took the evacuated motorists to a local campsite, where an NZDF NH90 helicopter ferried them to evacuation centres at Matawai and Ōpōtiki.

“The recovery of the vehicles will take some time given the significant damage and number of slips through the gorge, but the main thing is nobody was hurt.”

Motorists are advised to use NZTA’s Journey Planner tool to keep up to date with the latest highway conditions: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/

16/01/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DbRu7dtod/?mibextid=wwXIfr

SH2 WAIOWEKA GORGE, BAY OF PLENTY - SLIP – UPDATE 12:55PM, SUN 8 FEB

Controlled one-lane access to begin through SH2 Waioweka Gorge for essential travel

After three weeks of intensive work, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has cleared and stabilised significant slips and debris and can now safely allow single-lane controlled access through State Highway 2 Waioweka Gorge.

NZTA has worked tirelessly to re-establish this vital connection between Ōpōtiki (Eastern Bay of Plenty) and Matawai (Tairāwhiti), with one lane opening for essential travel only under piloted convoy conditions from 7am tomorrow, Monday 9 February.

More information here: https://www.facebook.com/nztawbop/posts/pfbid037jUvUkFmnK3Qr1CRgnDSLA3DWyCgFpkqcGvPx6EazXgZUmUhQ2xp9tP4Lm9ufveql

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UPDATE 2:55PM, FRI 23 JAN

SH2 through the Waioweka Gorge is likely to stay closed for several weeks.

A huge 322mm rain in 48 hours (double the area’s January average) turned gullies into waterfalls, overwhelmed and blocked culverts and triggered widespread debris flows across the road.

Crews have been working hard throughout the weekend, at both ends of the gorge, to clear smaller slips to gain access to larger areas of damage.

People are urged to delay travel where possible or allow plenty of extra time for a long detour via State Highway 5. State Highway 35 cannot be used as a detour as it's closed on the Tairawhiti side between Potaka and Tikitiki.

NZTA crews will continue monitoring and maintaining the detour route to ensure it remains safe and accessible. ^KF
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UPDATE 12:25PM, SAT 17 JAN

Waioweka Gorge is still closed and will stay closed over the weekend to allow for further assessment of the slips. An update on the situation will be provided on Monday.

Motorists can detour via Taupō or SH35. SH35 has height restrictions and a series of one-way bridges, SH2 is the preferred detour route. Planned works on SH2 in Tutira have now been postponed. The road will remain open this weekend to allow for detour traffic. ^KF
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UPDATE 5:25PM, FRI 16 JAN

Waioweka Gorge will be closed over the weekend. A helicopter assessment showed multiple slips and flooding, and crews are onsite clearing debris. Use the detours provided or consider delaying your journey.

The detour via Taupō will be unavailable from 9pm Sunday, 18 Jan due to a SH2 closure in Tutira. Detour via SH35 instead. An update on the Gorge closure will be given on Monday morning, 19 Jan. ^JS
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12:45PM

The road remains closed. Contractors are on site assessing the slip. An update will be provided when we better understand how long the closure will be in place. ^JS
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9:20AM

Waioweka Gorge is closed due to a slip. Allow extra time for a long detour via SH30 and SH5. ^KF

09/01/2026

New lot of drink bottles ready to design, let me know if your after a particular design or want personalisation 💕

03/12/2025

Short notice sorry
Closed tomorrow for a few appointments in town. Bit if you need anything in town let us know or ring bell once we’re back 🎄🤶

12/11/2025

Store will be closed tomorrow Friday 14/11
Ghostie is having a little op (nothing major) but the kids and I will need to hang around in town to drive him home.
Back on deck Saturday 🤞

11/09/2025

Local election ballot box arrived in store today.

09/08/2025

How impressive are these cards! Ideal for enclosing gift cards or Lotto tickets. Check out more of her work at:
https://www.facebook.com/share/179Uw1YmHM/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Artist