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Six months after construction started on the Kawarau Gorge Trail, seven kilometres of the trail has been formed out of 27 kilometres to build – 26 per cent.
Two experienced contractor companies are working in five different locations within the Kawarau Gorge creating the trail, some of which can be easily seen from the State Highway 6.
Southern Lakes Trails Trust is delighted with progress to date, especially during the freezing winter months.
Working with the trail contractors are ecological and archaeological experts who have been on the ground, identifying features and completing actions to protect all the treasures in the gorge.
In addition, specialist rock scalers addressing those areas with potential rock fall. They have been scaling and removing those rocks, to ensure that the area below is safe for our contractors to work below and ultimately the trail users.
Some of the landowners, who have given easement through their properties, have also started to contribute to the work with some physical enhancements of their land in preparation for the trail coming through their properties.
NZ Transport Agency/Waka Kotahi has started on their specialised sections of the trail around the Nevis Bluff starting on the from the Gibbston Valley side of the Bluff.
“We know the riding public will be as enthusiastic as we are, however, we remind the public to stay out of hazardous work areas,” says Southern Lakes Trails Trust chair Aaron Halstead.
“We are well on target for an opening for the summer of 2025,” he says.
