The first 11km section of the Lower Hollyford Road, which has been closed due to extensive flood damage in February, will be repaired.

A meeting of key stakeholders including Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), Southland District Council, Ngāi Tahu and the Department of Conservation agreed this morning that work on this would begin as soon as possible. The aim is to have this section of the road repaired and a safe road access by December 20, this year, subject to weather.

The 11km section takes the road up to the point pictured above. NZTA has funding available up to $400,000 to carry out this work.

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Waka Kotahi Otago Southland System Manager Graeme Hall said a working group comprising Waka Kotahi, Southland District Council, Ngāi Tahu and DOC would discuss options for the remaining 5km to the end of the road, which was extensively damaged during the February floods. The options could include reinstatement of that section of the road, which has been estimated to cost at least $2 million, or identifying alternative access.

“The key partners who met today agreed that the working group will investigate the options for the last five kilometres of this access road to the Hollyford Track and report back mid-October. We need to review more closely the cost of reinstating this section which was significantly damaged in February and we need to explore the alternative options for access to the start of the track,” he said.

All transport partners were strongly aware the road connects to the Ngāi Tahu pounamu/greenstone trail and their associated tourism businesses linked to the trail. It was important to reach a workable outcome for Ngāi Tahu, as well as other road and track users, Mr Hall said.