Southern Discoveries' workmen (above) work to reattach the floating pontoon at the Milford Discovery Centre in Milford Sound.
The centre and observatory had to close in July, after a severe storm battered the landing pontoon, leaving it unsafe to berth boats.
The Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory did not suffer any structural damage, nor did the observatory's prized black coral beds. Neither attraction could be accessed by visiting cruise boats, because of the pontoon damage.
Southern Discoveries' general manager John Robson said the 33m floating pontoon had been recovered from the sound and taken by road to Wanaka for repair.
"It weighs 17 tonnes and is a fairly large structure that needed four truck-and-trailer units to get it out to Wanaka and back again."
