Project lead Felicity Sime said the work over the next month was necessary to progress the repairs and upgrade of the walk.
‘‘We’ll be improving the drainage at the site by installing new culverts and drains, repairing timber structures, installing seats, furniture and signs, planting and gravelling the walkway.
‘‘We’re aiming to keep the walkway open through most of the work, but there will be partial closures when it is not safe for the public to pass the rangers working there. For example, visitors will be able to walk to the first viewpoint while a lower part of the walkway is closed.’’
The upgrade work was being undertaken to protect the sensitive coastal turf environment, improve the resilience of the walkway during storms and enhance safety for the large numbers of people who visited.
The repair work completed last year to open the walk held up well in the flood earlier this month.
‘‘We’re pleased that the work done so far is encouraging people out nature walking to stay on the walkway, which helps the fragile coastal vegetation on the headland to regenerate.
‘‘This headland is cloaked in coastal turf — a community of low-growing plants that has evolved to survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth. This micro-sized habitat also supports a variety of invertebrates, including beetles and species of moth that have evolved to jump because it’s too windy to fly.’’
Since the walk opened at the end of November last year, 108,137 people had visited, she said. — Allied Media
