That is a task Rotary Club of Dunedin president Derek Valentine did contemplate, but after a trial run with other club members realised it would be an "almost impossible" job.
Club members and friends have spent the last weekend of each of the past 14 months on the end of eight wheelbarrows, shifting gravel as they upgraded the 2.4km track, which runs from the top of the sanctuary to New Zealand's tallest tree at the bottom. About 900m of track has been completed.
Yesterday the sound of the Iroquois helicopter drowned out the birdsong, but the day of airlifting had been carefully planned to take into account the sanctuary inhabitants and was timed outside the birds' nesting season, Mr Valentine said.
For the project team, it will now be back to wheelbarrows to shift the 40 tonnes of gravel stockpiled at 13 sites along the lower parts of the track, to finish the remaining 1.5km.
"Now, it is not going to be so back-breaking. The hardest part is getting the gravel to the point where you need it," Mr Valentine said.
The club also hoped to get the bridges in place before the sanctuary opened so people could walk down and cross the Orokonui Stream, Mr Valentine said.
Sanctuary general manager Chris Baillie said the visitor centre building was planned to be completed this month, the fitting out finished the following month, followed soon after by the official opening.
The upgraded track will provide a pleasant 90-minute walk for sanctuary visitors.
