Residents living near Mt Tongariro in the central North Island say they were concerned by the lack of information from authorities after the volcano erupted on Monday night.
The volcano erupted about 11:50pm on Monday, spewing ash and prompting a threat warning for the central North Island.
Rocks fell within 1km of the eruption, damaging Ketetahi Hut - one of four trampers' huts on the mountain - but there have been no reports of injuries.
David Bennett, who lives 4km from the mountain, told the New Zealand Herald authorities failed to communicate directly with National Park locals.
"What really annoyed me this morning when I looked at the TV, there was all these departments making bold statements but none of them were on the ground last night."
Mr Bennett says locals set up checkpoints on State Highway 46 to ensure everyone was accounted for.
Taupo Police Area Commander Inspector Steve Bullock said he was satisfied procedures were followed, adding that police had liaised with local iwi.
"It was quickly established that the situation was very confined, there was no immediate risk to anyone outside of the park and no requirement for evacuation."
Scientists believe the small-scale eruption was driven by steam rather than molten rock, and say it came without warning.
A thin layer of ash covered areas surrounding the mountain and caused some flights to be delayed or cancelled in the central North Island, but the ash cloud had been blown offshore by Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday night only steam and gas was coming from a vent on the mountain and there were a number of minor earthquakes in the area.
GNS Science had downgraded its aviation alert from red to orange but Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Tongariro Northern Circuit and all four huts on the mountain remained closed.
Federated Farmers said they expected the ash to have minimal impact on farm pasture and stock drinking water as the ash had largely fallen in the National Park area.
Volcanologists were monitoring activity overnight.
Mt Tongariro last erupted from November 1896 until October 1897.
NZN