“She was warning everyone that there were slips and she recommended that they move.”“I think she’s a hero. Macfarlane said he notified the campground manager of the slips at the campground itself. “We told him that there were slips and eventually he came through with the council guy in his golf buggy. A photo at the Mount Maunganui campsite taken early Thursday show Lance Macfarlane's waterlogged tent and staff in a golf buggy at 7.42am. At 8.56am council staff set up cordons to prevent walkers heading up Mount Maunganui, but at no stage were campers beneath Mauao formally warned to evacuate.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 25, 2026 04:34 UTC