Southland District Council (SDC) have announced they will proceed with plans to dispose of Ulva Island’s existing wharf and install a new structure nearby at Bathing Bay.  

The budget for the project is $1.2 million, half of which will be locally funded, with the other half funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment through its Tourism Infrastructure Fund.

The existing wharf at Post Office Cove provides visitors access to the island, a predator-free sanctuary in Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island.

The wooden wharf was identified in 2014 as requiring immediate remedial work, which was carried out.

However, a report to SDC at the time recommended other options be investigated, as any further maintenance expenditure may be uneconomical or any benefits short-lived.

SDC say their staff worked with the Stewart Island Rakiura Community Board, the Stewart Island jetties subcommittee (and subsequently the Jetties Advisory Group), property owners and other stakeholders, commercial operators, iwi and the community to investigate options for the wharf’s replacement.

Initially, a like-for-like replacement structure on the same site was proposed, but council says due diligence carried out by their staff identified that this would not meet SDC’s legal and operational requirements.

A feasibility study into building a new structure at the nearby Bathing Bay was undertaken by a marine engineer, and as a result staff presented the option of a newly designed wharf to the Stewart Island Rakiura Community Board on 9 June 2022. 

The board recommended that council make a decision to proceed with the renewal of the Ulva Island wharf “based on the current revised design or not”.

Councillors decided at a meeting today to proceed with the Bathing Bay wharf. 

Resource and building consents are yet to be lodged for the new wharf. 

Funding for connection to the DOC infrastructure is also yet to be resolved, but SDC say discussions are in progress to secure funding.

Options for disposal of the existing wharf will be discussed at a later date.