The successful removal involved a complex exercise which was led by Otago Regional Council staff.
The tree had fallen into the river after December’s high river flows accelerated riverbank erosion.
ORC manager engineering Michelle Mifflin said the tree needed to be removed for safety and to protect infrastructure.
“It was a bit like an iceberg, because a lot of it was invisible under the water, and that could have posed a safety risk to swimmers and kayakers.
‘‘There was also risk that it could damage the riverbank or the downstream bridge if it was mobilised by the current,” she said.
She thanked those who helped to remove the tree, saying it involved a ‘‘great extended team’’ of ORC staff, the Queenstown Lakes District Harbourmaster and Parks and Reserves, and NZ Transport Agency’s contractor Aspiring Highways, along with Go Jets Wanaka and Mike Hurring Logging and Contracting.
Using a bulldozer and excavator upstream on the far bank, and winching the tree across the river had proved the best solution, she said.
