Loose rock removed from Victoria Park bluff

Geotechnical engineers and abseilers have spent this morning trying to make safe a rocky bluff above Dyers Pass Rd and the Harry Ell walking track.

Abseilers use a crowbar to pry loose an unstable boulder.

They have been prying loose unstable rocks that could potentially fall onto the road and the popular track.

“The rock is very unstable, probably due to the high volume of water that was sluiced over it during the aerial assault on the Port Hills fire. If we don’t remove it, there’s a high risk it will come down of its own accord,’’ said Christchurch City Council Port Hills Recovery Manager Murray Sinclair.

“If that were to happen, it is almost certain that some of the rock would fall onto the Harry Ell walkway and onto Dyers Pass Rd, potentially putting the public at risk.’’

During the rock scaling work this morning, some large rocks did fall onto the road.

No vehicles were on the road when the rocks fell as the traffic on Dyers Pass Rd was being controlled using stop/go signs so the scaling work could be safely carried out. The Harry Ell walkway was also closed to the public for the day.

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