Date: 25 March 2008

Work underway on the Atiwhakatu track

Work starts today on diverting a section of the popular Atiwhakatu valley walking track around a major reoccurring slip.

Contractors are forming approximately 350m of walking track across the marked stable area of the slip, about 1.7km up the track from the Holdsworth road end, Tararua Forest Park. Dave Reiri and his team from Eketahuna Farm Services Ltd are expected to be onsite for around three to five weeks, starting with the clearing of vegetation.

Department of Conservation programme manager visitor Garry Foster said the alternative route through the slip would continue to be available for the duration of the project, details of which would be signposted.

“We want to ensure that people visiting the area are not unnecessarily disrupted, but they need to be aware that there is major construction work underway just above them.”

Garry Foster says maintaining tracks in the Atiwhakatu Valley is challenging because of the significant rainfall it receives. But he is optimistic the weather will remain fine while the work is underway to prepare the track for winter.

“We are hopeful that this re-route will provide a better solution to a problematic area. The dry summer weather has allowed us to carefully plan the best course of action, in the hope that future slips at this site will cause minimal disruption to the track,” Garry Foster says.

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