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Ōtaki Gorge Road slips
Ōtaki Forks and Tararua Forest Park are taonga which provide opportunities for recreation, education, fun, adventure, peace and much more. It’s also on the Te Araroa Trail route.
Ōtaki Gorge Road at Blue Bluff is now open.
Almost five years after being closed following two slips, the five-month project has:
- cleared the underslip and the overslip
- removed approximately 16,000 cubic metres of rock material from the slips
- installed drainage on the slip face
- rebuilt the road through the area and moved it back away from the cliff
- shored up the road with a new retaining wall
- removed the five years of growth from the road past the slip.
People should not rush there as soon as it’s open because Ōtaki Gorge Road is still a narrow gravel lane in places with few turning points. It’s unsuitable for high volumes of traffic.
The road has been reopened up to the swing bridge, where there’s parking and access to the Tararua Forest Park. The Department of Conservation is taking more time to get the Ōtaki Forks Campsite ready for visitors
Ōtaki Gorge Road at Blue Bluff is open.
Restoring access
Slips on Ōtaki Gorge Road in 2020 and 2021 at the area known as Blue Bluff, closed the road to vehicles and pedestrians.
After a significant period of monitoring and investigation Council opted to proceed with reopening the road.
A range of options were explored and presented for consideration. These included:
- closing the road completely
- building swing bridges across the river
- building long-term walking access over the existing slips.
Staff recommended reinstating the road access and this option was adopted by Council.
More information on all the options and the proposed construction methodology for rebuilding the road is available in the Agenda for the Council meeting on Thursday 9 May 2024.
Timeline
- September 2020 – Slow slip detected at Blue Bluff, Ōtaki Gorge Road closed for safety reasons.
- Early 2021 – Geotechnical monitoring and investigation into restoring access to Ōtaki Forks commences.
- June 2021 – Heavy rain reactivates slow slip, causing significant deformation of the road and the slip face to slump into the river.
- October 2021 – The road stabilised enough to reopen part of it for a walking and cycling track along the wall side of the road. Site works had progressed to allow this to happen.
- December 2021 – Heavy rain on 6–8 December triggers over slip across the road. Cycling track destroyed.
- June 2022 – Walking track built to allow for monitoring and geotechnical work. Plans to open it to the public put on hold due to continuing instability on the over slip.
- 2023–May 2024 – Ongoing investigations into options for restoring access.
- May 2024 – Council adopts plan to restore road access.
- October 2024 Detailed design work finished. Consent applications lodged.
- Early 2025 Physical work to begin
- 11 July 2025 Road reopened
About Blue Bluff
The Blue Bluff section of the Ōtaki Gorge Road, 12 kilometres inland from the Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway, is an area that becomes active during wet weather.
The road is on a steep embankment above the Ōtaki River, which is naturally degrading the riverbed and embankments. The Ōtaki Forks area receives intensive rainfall further adding to the challenges of this road.
Media releases
- Council opts to re-open Ōtaki Gorge Rd at Blue Bluff (10 May 2024)
- Improving access to Ōtaki Forks (30 June 2022)
- Investigative work to restore access to Ōtaki Forks kicks off (20 April 2021)
- Ōtaki Gorge Road to remain closed at Blue Bluff for summer peak (3 Nov 2020)
- New damage at Blue Bluff, Ōtaki Gorge Road causing concern (25 Sept 2020)
- Minor slip cleared at Ōtaki Gorge Road (24 August 2016)
- Ōtaki Gorge Road reopens after seven-month closure (15 July 2016)
- Council urges people to stay clear of Blue Bluff slip (22 Feb 2016)
- Fresh slip at Blue Bluff, Ōtaki Gorge Road (20 Feb 2016)