Historic milestone for The Whale Trail
From left, Nigel Muir, Lorens van der Vyver, Cody Hampton, Luke van Velthooven, John Forrest and Ian Bond celebrate the confirmation of the Awatere Bridge becoming part of The Whale Trail. Photo: Paula Hulburt
Its patina is marked by the passing of time, its paint dulled where once it gleamed.
The historical double decker Awatere River Bridge once attracted visitors from across the country.
Now the local landmark is to get a new lease of life as it officially becomes a key part of New Zealand’s newest cycling and walking track – The Whale Trail.
The move will see the bridge open once again to the public as part of a bid to showcase parts of the east coast normally not in the public eye.
Marlborough Kaikōura Trail Trust chairman Luke van Velthooven says it is an exciting step forward for the project.
“It’s all confirmed, it’s definitely happening, and we couldn’t be happier. This [Awatere Bridge] was always meant to be part of it.”
First floated as an idea after the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, the 204km trail is a shared walkway and cycle path that spans from Picton to Kaikōura.
Work on the multimillion-dollar initiative started in December 2020.
Trust member John Forrest says that despite some challenging moments, he always had faith in the concept.
“I never doubted it but it has been much more difficult than I ever imagined but that’s just part of dealing with a multi-faced project.”
Fulton Hogan were this afternoon appointed as official contractors for the project, with work on the Awatere refurbishment expected to begin in June with a completion date of December this year.
The single lane Awatere River Bridge was one of only three such bridges in New Zealand.
It was built by Christchurch company Scott Brothers Ltd and was opened officially on 10th of October 1902 by then Railways Minister Sir Joseph Ward.
The bridge is still used by KiwiRail today but closed to vehicle traffic in 2007. “KiwiRail have been great throughout the process,” says Trust member Nigel Muir.
Fulton Hogan contractors were on site this afternoon to sign the official agreement.
Civil Manager Cody Hampton says the biggest issue the crew face with the work is the height, which stretches to nine metres in parts.
A safety net will be placed underneath the bridge permanently, as part of a stipulation by KiwiRail bosses.