A 2.8km section of Beach Rd is temporarily closed with no immediate plans for its reinstatement after a cleanup of vulnerable coastal dumps in the area between August and November last year. The road now has two massive holes.
Earlier this month, a locked gate at the Awamoa Central Rd access to the closed Beach Rd was broken open.
Following that, the Waitaki District Council sent an update to Google Maps to say that particular section of Beach Rd was closed.
The move was to prevent anyone who was using GPS being directed to the shut road.
But the owner of a Beach Rd business, just south of the closed section, has since had "ongoing issues" with misdirected travellers.
Old Bones Lodge co-owner Grant Abrams said this was due to the GPS map changes.
"On Google they think that all of Beach Rd is shut, so what they’re doing is sending the campers to the wrong address."
Mr Abrams has put up a sign at a nearby resident’s driveway to try to direct travellers to the lodge.
In the past 10 days, droves of confused motorists have been directed to the nearby private property off Gardiners Rd.
The motorists are on a private driveway installed as alternative access to the property when previous access of Beach Rd south was blocked 17 years ago, when that section of the coastal route was abandoned.
A resident said camper vehicles were being driven down the drive and getting stuck.
The only option was to reverse through a long section of 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 road", the resident said.
"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 Rd on to the 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.
The Otago Daily Times spoke to a visitor trying to find Old Bones Lodge.
Christchurch resident Liz Knewstubb said they followed the GPS instructions and got into a predicament with their campervan.
Mrs Knewstubb said the "havoc" first began when they tried to search the 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.
Council network manager Erik van Der Spek contacted Google Maps last Thursday "to make it clear the road is open all the way to Old Bones Lodge".
