Frigate will visit during Doc project

The Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Kaha will stop in Port Chalmers for two hours on its return from delivering materials to the sub-Antarctic islands next week.

The ship will deliver to Campbell Island about 30 tonnes of boardwalk materials for the Department of Conservation.

The materials will be airlifted from the ship via helicopter and unloaded on the island, 700km south of New Zealand's mainland, where Doc staff will lay the boardwalk, which will complete work begun in 1989, while other staff members carry out monitoring and research work.

Doc outlying islands' programme manager Pete McClelland said the delay was partially because of the difficulty getting materials to the site.

It had taken three years to get this material shifted and would not have been possible without the Navy's help.

Doc planned to extend the boardwalk to a viewing point and loop it back.

Te Kaha arrived at South Port in Bluff on Thursday to pick up its load, as well as the 30 civilians it would be taking to the islands on its second journey so far south.

The ship would leave Bluff on Monday morning and, depending on weather conditions, would head directly for Campbell Island, arriving the following day.

Passengers would include Doc staff, representatives and guests of the Royal Society of New Zealand, invited guests of the Navy, media, Southland District Council chief executive Dave Adamson and Venture Southland enterprise and strategic group manager Steve Canny.

A maximum of about 800 people visited the Campbell Islands annually. However, there was increasing pressure from tourism operators for more to be allowed, Mr McClelland said.

This trip would address whether increasing numbers was possible or whether they should be reduced.

Any proposed changes would be required to go through a consultation process.

The ship is scheduled to return to Port Chalmers on February 3, minus the Doc staff, who will remain on the island until the end of February to finish the boardwalk.