Slip work to finish next month

The Diana Falls slip one year ago. Photo by NZTA.
The Diana Falls slip one year ago. Photo by NZTA.
The completion date for repairs to the Diana Falls slip on State Highway 6, the Haast Pass, has been pushed back a month.

The New Zealand Transport Agency had hoped to complete the work in September but is now aiming for ''later in October''.

The agency's regional performance manager, Pete Connors, said yesterday work in the past three weeks had not progressed as quickly as had been hoped.

Contractors had experienced ''a number of issues'' putting in place the rockfall protection fence above the road.

''The Diana Falls slip sits on fractured rock, therefore it is important we take the time to find the most secure anchor sites to ensure the greatest protection is achieved with the rockfall fences,'' Mr Connors said.

Lake Wanaka Tourism general manager James Helmore said yesterday tourism businesses appreciated the complex nature of the stabilisation work.

They hoped the road would be fully open in time for the busy November to March season.

The opening hours for the road have been extended by an hour, with traffic now able to use it between 8am and 6pm.

It was a year ago today that the slip came down, killing Canadian campervan tourists Joanna Lam (24) and Connor Hayes (25).

The couple's van was hit by the landslip and hurled into the flooded Haast River.

At the time, the Otago Daily Times reported a ''wild front'' was lashing the Haast Pass alpine area with torrential rain and gale-force winds.

In contrast, the weather in the past month has been as dry and fine as many locals can remember.

The last rainfall in Wanaka was 3.3mm on August 11.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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