Crack appears at landmark Stanley Point lookout

A crack appears to have widened near the cliff edge at a popular Stanley Point lookout.

The Flagstaff first observed the crack at the Cyril Bassett Lookout at the end of Stanley Point Rd on 16 June. A further visit on 21 June found the crack under fencing on the western side of the lookout, had become larger.

Auckland Council northern operations manager, Sarah Jones, said if the potential slip risk increased the council “might” consider moving the lookout fence further into the reserve.

Council hasn’t shut off access to the lookout but is monitoring the site to “check for future movement”.

A landslip occurred on the cliff beneath the lookout after heavy rain early this year.

A member of the public alerted the Flagstaff to the crack, and to the risk of a child slipping through the fence, where four pickets had been missing. The pickets were replaced by council on 20 June.

Council had logged the missing pickets in an earlier audit but did not close the lookout before repairs.

Jones said parks do have hazards and the council expected the public to be responsible for their own safety, where feasible.

The park was small, mostly visited by locals who know the area, and the provision of a fence “clearly” indicated the hazard, she said.