CAPE REINGA
www.transit.govt.nz/projects/capereinga/
NEWSLETTER NO.3
MAY 2008
Sealing starts on SH1
The SH1 Cape Reinga to Waitiki Landing project will see the last
19 kilometres of SH1 sealed, widened and improved, eliminating
dust clouds, sharp corners and potholes. This will make driving
conditions safer and more enjoyable for the thousands of visitors
to the Cape each year.
SH1 is smoother, wider and stronger, improving the driving
conditions for vistors to the Cape
Since our December newsletter, work has progressed to the
6.5 kilometre mark south of the Cape. Up to this point, the
road has been reshaped, widened and the first 2 kilometres
has been sealed.
The Cape experienced a typical kiwi summer with a combination
of wet and dry spells. Flooding closed the road briefly in February
where a recorded 160 mm of rain fell in six hours! Despite the
weather conditions work remains on track with contractors from
United Civil Construction Limited (UCL), supervised by Maunsell,
working at night laying culverts across the road, to avoid disrupting
the large numbers of visitors to the Cape during the day.
At present concrete dish channels are being built to channel runoff from the road to treatment ponds. This stops dirt and pollutants
from running into the surrounding vegetation.
Contractors working hard to make the most of the dry weather
Aupouri Peninsula’s budding artists
In March Transit and DOC invited budding
artists from five schools on the Aupouri
Peninsula, to create a picture illustrating
why Cape Reinga is special to them.
Junior, middle and senior students took
part, entering more than 100 pictures in
the competition which was judged by
representatives of DOC and Transit.
Auckland Regional Manager Peter Spies
says the competition was a great success.
“It involved local children in the project in
an informative, fun and interactive way.”
Winning students will be given a native
plant to look after for a month which they
will then plant at Cape Reinga in a special
planting ceremony. This will take place in
June when the winter weather is perfect
for the plants to thrive. A plaque with the
name of each student, and the school they
represent will be placed next to the planting.
Transit and DOC would like to congratulate
the winning students:
Te Hapua School: Abbey Brown, Renata
Horne, Dalton Maaka, Fahren Glynan,
Tori Norman, Raupo Brown,
Te Kao School: Ariah Kapa, Tyshana Nathan,
Nalani Karena, Mia Nelesini
Ngataki School: Isiah Naera, Marselle Naera,
Shyontei Murray-Josephs, Robert Dijkstra
Pukenui School: Thomas Huid, Tuesday LoGiacco, Jade McBirney-Warnes, Jos Spaans
Waiharara School: Kyra Stanisich, Simon
Allen, Stevie-Lee Hamilton, Saphyre Florian
Top left: A team effort from the junior class
at Te Kao School
Back row: left to right: William Nelesini, Naomi Lavemai,
Nalani Karena, Alysia Sinclair.
Second row: Manahuia Nathan, Nikayla Nelesini,
Wharewaka Wiperi, Troy Tepania
Front row: Mia Nelesini and Verity Rameka.
Bottom left: Robert Dijsktra with one of the winning
pictures. He will take part in the planting ceremony in June.
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UPDATE
Behind the scenes
To significantly strengthen the road, lime is added to the material
that makes up the base layer, which reacts with the road metal
(gravel) stabilising and binding it together. In an innovative approach
the two are being pre-mixed off-site in a machine called a pugmill,
essentially a large mixing bowl, before being transported to the road.
DOC Progress
More than 17,000 square metres of coconut
matting is being laid at Cape Reinga as part of
work to restore the land to its natural state.
The land has been contoured and reshaped
to improve visitor facilities and infrastructure,
while protecting and enhancing the integrity of
this sacred site.
Changes include new parking areas,
eco-friendly toilets, extensive replanting
and new walking tracks which will be
completed in 2010.
The coconut matting, which is being
laid by local workers from Te Kao and
Te Hapua, will provide erosion protection.
There are approximately 25 formally trained United Civil Construction
Limited workers on site and 20 of them are locals.
Te Hapua resident, Phillipa Evans, is one of the UCL workers who
graduated from an apprenticeship scheme to work on the Cape
Reinga project.
“I never thought in a million years I’d be driving a roller. I used to think,
‘How am I going to drive this?’ But practice makes perfect,” she says.
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In partnership with Transit and DOC, a plant
nursery - run by local iwi, Ngati Kuri - is
growing more than 300,000 native seedlings,
sourced from local seed, as part of the major
planting and rehabilitation of both the roadside
and Cape Reinga itself.
Interesting facts and figures
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• More than 140,000 local and foreign people visit the Cape each year
• An estimated 1300 vehicles travel on this stretch of road every day during the summer
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• The Transit sealing works will cost an estimated $14.5 million
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• Construction will be completed in 2010
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CONTACT US
• SH1 Cape Reinga was originally formed from a farm track around half a century ago
• Sealing the road, stormwater run-off will be collected and treated, reducing erosion and
pollution of the surrounding land
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Transit New Zealand
Level 13, Qantas House
Tel 64 9 368 2000
191 Queen Street
Fax 64 9 368 2059
PO Box 1459, Auckland Central
www.transit.govt.nz
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May 2008