Albatross Centre reopens after slips

Photo: DOC
Photo: DOC

The Royal Albatross Centre has reopened to the public after being closed by slips during July 21 and 22's deluge, which cut off Taiaroa Head from the Otago Peninsula.

Harington Pt Rd had been opened to one lane and staff had been able to access the centre by car for the past week, Otago Peninsula Trust operations manager Hoani Langsbury said.

However, following the installation of lights to control traffic and reassurances from geotechnical experts that the road was safe, it would reopen to the public today.

''We should be operating as normal by 10.15am,'' Mr Langsbury said.

Two penguin carcasses were discovered after the storm but the albatross were unaffected with the majority of nesting pairs thought to have survived the slips at the colony.

''We are pleased that the wildlife have come through well,'' he said.

The trust was pleased to reopen, although there were concerns about the ability to cope with demand during the coming cruise ship season.

''We certainly, going forward, have some infrastructure issues in regard to getting the second lane open,'' he said.

''My gut feeling is we won't have the road up and open [to two lanes of traffic] for this coming cruise ship season.''

That would create strains on the ability to cope with tourist numbers as many took their own vehicles to the site.

''It's safe for one lane but there are some drop-offs that go straight down the road to the harbour.''

It was hoped the trust would meet the Dunedin City Council in coming weeks to discuss options for reopening the second lane and establishing stability of the land surrounding the road.

timothy.brown@odt.co.nz

Comments

Good luck getting DCC to quickly repair the road. It has taken them 2 years to start working on the slips on Highgate road. God knows how long it will take them to fix all the new slips.

 

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