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Morning Report

Morning Report

Kerry Purdy renews call for Blue Spring closure

Oct 26, 2026 · 6 min · 5 segments

South Waikato locals are pleased visitors seem to have heeded their calls to think twice before travelling to a popular tourist spot over the long weekend. More than 100,000 people have visited…

South Waikato locals are pleased visitors seem to have heeded their calls to think twice before travelling to a popular tourist spot over the long weekend. More than 100,000 people have visited Putaruru's Te Waihou Blue Spring since last year, and with it came worries about dangerous parking and rubbish dumping. Tirau ward councillor Kerry Purdy has been asking for a temporary closure of the attraction until solutions can be found. Purdy spoke to John Campbell.

South Waikato locals are pleased visitors seem to have heeded their calls to think twice before travelling to a popular tourist spot over the long weekend. More than 100,000 people have visited…

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Speakers: Kerry PurdyGuestJohn CampbellHost

Top entities: South Waikato District×2 Putāruru Tīrau State Highway 28×3 New Zealand×2

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈221k followers

Road Safety and Access Problems0:35 – 1:58

John CampbellHost

0:35

Morena.

John CampbellHost

0:36

Morena, how are you? Good, really good.

John CampbellHost

0:38

Were you a bit relieved about the weekend? Were you just standing there? If

Kerry PurdyGuest

0:46

I'm honest, the PMs and the techs did start early on Saturday morning, but...

Kerry PurdyGuest

0:51

They were going a positive way.

Kerry PurdyGuest

0:53

You know, oh, it's 10.30. We haven't got bad traffic yet.

Kerry PurdyGuest

0:56

So actually, I was relieved.

Kerry PurdyGuest

0:58

It actually made my job and weekend a lot easier.

John CampbellHost

1:00

Yeah, I bet it did.

John CampbellHost

1:01

So let's talk about it.

John CampbellHost

1:02

So this is State Highway 28, right?

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:04

Well, it's State Highway 28, one of the entrances for the Blue Springs on, but Leslie Road is where the big issue is sort of happening at the moment.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:12

Because if you can imagine a narrow country road with all the tour buses and the motorhomes going down, that's where sort of it's starting to become a little

John CampbellHost

1:21

bit of an issue.

John CampbellHost

1:22

It's not just a little bit of an issue, is it? It's actually, I mean, the place itself is truly special.

John CampbellHost

1:29

But that road situation is kind of hell on earth, really, isn't it?

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:33

It is, it is.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:34

And NZTA have worked with us to try and sort out the issues on the Whites Road, State Highway 28, to stop people parking on the sides of the road and walking little children across the State Highway with a 100km limit.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:44

Yeah, you wouldn't believe it.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:46

Yeah, anyway.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:47

But yeah, so personally, I think Whites Road should be closed, that entrance, on the State Highway.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:53

And we do concentrate on another entrance.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:55

But yeah, as we know, there's still an issue at Leslie Road.

South Waikato DistrictAdministrative Area
94%2 mentions
PutāruruCityTown in the North Island, New Zealand
81%1 mention
TīrauCityTown in the North Island, New Zealand
69%1 mention
State Highway 28PlaceHighway in New Zealand
56%3 mentions
New ZealandCountryCountry in Oceania
44%2 mentions
NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiGovernment OrganizationGovernment agency
31%1 mention
Hamilton GardensTourist AttractionGarden in Hamilton, New Zealand
19%1 mention
Lake TekapoCityTownship in the South Island, New Zealand
6%1 mention

Society
Environmental managementEnvironment
Public infrastructureGovernment > Local government
Natural placesGeography > Places
Blue SpringsGeography > Places > Natural places
Visitor access and infrastructureGeography > Places > Natural places > Blue Springs
Blue Springs visitor managementTravel > Tourism > Domestic tourism
Tourist pressure on local communitiesTravel > Tourism > Domestic tourism > Blue Springs visitor management
Tourism-related infrastructure fundingGovernment > Local government > Public infrastructure
Blue Springs facilities and maintenanceGovernment > Local government > Public infrastructure > Tourism-related infrastructure funding
State Highway 28 and Leslie RoadSociety > Public safety > Road safety
Pedestrian and tour-vehicle hazardsSociety > Public safety > Road safety > State Highway 28 and Leslie Road
Visitor-impact managementEnvironment > Environmental management
Litter and waste at natural attractionsEnvironment > Environmental management > Visitor-impact management
Rubbish and sanitation pressures at Blue SpringsEnvironment > Environmental management > Visitor-impact management > Litter and waste at natural attractions
TourismTravel
Local governmentGovernment
Road safetySociety > Public safety
Domestic tourismTravel > Tourism
Public safetySociety
PlacesGeography
Environment
Government
Geography
Travel

Road Safety and Access Problems0:35 – 1:58

John CampbellHost

0:35

Morena.

John CampbellHost

0:36

Morena, how are you? Good, really good.

John CampbellHost

0:38

Were you a bit relieved about the weekend? Were you just standing there? If

Kerry PurdyGuest

0:46

I'm honest, the PMs and the techs did start early on Saturday morning, but...

Kerry PurdyGuest

0:51

They were going a positive way.

Kerry PurdyGuest

0:53

You know, oh, it's 10.30. We haven't got bad traffic yet.

Kerry PurdyGuest

0:56

So actually, I was relieved.

Kerry PurdyGuest

0:58

It actually made my job and weekend a lot easier.

John CampbellHost

1:00

Yeah, I bet it did.

John CampbellHost

1:01

So let's talk about it.

John CampbellHost

1:02

So this is State Highway 28, right?

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:04

Well, it's State Highway 28, one of the entrances for the Blue Springs on, but Leslie Road is where the big issue is sort of happening at the moment.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:12

Because if you can imagine a narrow country road with all the tour buses and the motorhomes going down, that's where sort of it's starting to become a little

John CampbellHost

1:21

bit of an issue.

John CampbellHost

1:22

It's not just a little bit of an issue, is it? It's actually, I mean, the place itself is truly special.

John CampbellHost

1:29

But that road situation is kind of hell on earth, really, isn't it?

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:33

It is, it is.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:34

And NZTA have worked with us to try and sort out the issues on the Whites Road, State Highway 28, to stop people parking on the sides of the road and walking little children across the State Highway with a 100km limit.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:44

Yeah, you wouldn't believe it.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:46

Yeah, anyway.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:47

But yeah, so personally, I think Whites Road should be closed, that entrance, on the State Highway.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:53

And we do concentrate on another entrance.

Kerry PurdyGuest

1:55

But yeah, as we know, there's still an issue at Leslie Road.

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