After years of lobbying, The Nuggets Rd leading to the Nugget Point Lighthouse has finally been sealed and was officially opened at a ceremony yesterday.
Work on the project began in June last year after it was identified by the NZ Transport Agency as a key project that would benefit Otago. The sealing was completed on March 31.
Local resident Marilyn Dunn helped cut the ribbon with local Waikoau Ngai Tahu Kaumatua Maureen Wylie.
Mrs Dunn said she and her husband, Oscar, had been lobbying the Clutha District Council and the Government for many years to get the road sealed.
To finally see it completed was ''magnificent''.
The popular tourist road had been terrible to drive on and had its fair share of crashes, which might have been why it was sealed, she said.
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said it was a significant day for the district.
''When I was a kid, there was billowing dust from Balclutha down to Kaka Point.''
''Hopefully [now] it's a safer drive for our tourists and our locals.''
At the ceremony, he thanked SouthRoads for completing the project on time and under budget.
''I'm quick enough to complain when it's the other way around so thank you ... especially after the last few weeks.''
The NZTA contributed $1.6million to the project and the remainder was covered by the council.
The projected complemented a $600,000 investment made by the Department of Conservation through the initial construction of a visitor car park, toilet facilities and viewing platforms.
An estimated 60,000 people visited the attraction annually and that number was expected to rise now the road had been sealed, Mr Cadogan said.
