The 2.8km section of scenic road is temporarily closed with no immediate plans to reinstate it following the cleanup of two old coastal dumps along the road edge late last year.
The Waitaki District Council installed locked gates in November to prevent people entering the closed road which was left with two massive holes.
But earlier this month the gate at the Awamoa Central Rd end was broken open.
As a result, the council sent an update to Google Maps indicating that section of Beach Road is closed.
But Old Bones Lodge on Beach Rd has had "ongoing issues" since the GPS change, co-owner Grant Abrams said.
In the past fortnight they had been dealing with misdirected travellers believing the entire road was now closed, including the section via Gardiners Rd.
"On Google they think that all of Beach Road is shut, so what they're doing is sending the campers to the wrong address."
Mr Abrams has put up a sign near a Gardiners Rd driveway to try to direct travellers to the lodge.
Meanwhile, droves of GPS-confused motorists had been directed into their property via that private driveway.
That driveway was built as new access when the adjoining section of Beach Rd was abandoned 17 years ago.
A resident in the area said camper vehicles were now being directed to the long closed piece of road via the driveway and getting stuck.
The only option for stranded motorists was to reverse from the seafront through a long section of the single-lane driveway to get out.
This raised serious concerns about "risks to people walking or cycling, and cattle, with vehicles speeding down the gravel [drive]".
"I saw a car and campervan over the weekend get stuck. It’s still happening.
"The GPS instructions on Google Maps appear to be correct when asking for directions by foot or cycle, but not by car," the resident said.
Mr Abrams said safety of those directed by GPS off Gardiners Road on to the private driveway was worrying.
"I have to, [put signs up] because they’re going down the driveway with caravans. It’s going to get them stuck," he said.
A campervan visitor trying to find Old Bones Lodge this week told the Oamaru Mail they had followed GPS instructions and got into a predicament.
"It took us through people’s places and along the front of the old road, and then we couldn’t turn around. It was terrible," Christchurch resident Liz Knewstubb said.
She said the "havoc" began when they tried to search the Old Bones address via GPS, initially 50km outside Oamaru.
It gave the incorrect route.
They only discovered the correct route after getting lost on the private driveway, calling Mr Abrams to confirm where they were.
Mr Abrams drove out to meet her on Gardiners Rd.
"That tells you exactly what people are experiencing, and that’s just today alone," Mr Abrams said last Thursday.
Council network manager Erik van Der Spek said they were aware of the issue.
He had contacted Google Maps on February 20 "to make it clear the road is open all the way to Old Bones Lodge".
