Maintenance Update - Tree Damage - 19 April 2024

Half of a huge pine tree came down blocking the Hauraki Rail Trail (HRT) between Waikino and Waihi last weekend. The tree, which slid down the bank, landed across the trail and into the river below.

Our HDC HRT maintenance team arrived to find the tree and trail were extremely unstable so we were forced to close the trail and called in McPhersons Tree Care and Ireland Earthmovers Ltd to get work underway.

The problem we arrived to.....

The first job was bringing down the remainder of the tree just to make sure there was no danger of it falling.

There’s been a pretty impressive collection of big boy’s toys on site, including two 20T diggers, a 13T digger and a bobcat.

The first to arrive was a 13T Digger.....

Followed by 20T digger……

While the 13T digger stabilised the tree overnight, a 20T digger arrived the next day and attempted to lift the tree back up the bank but the tree was having none of it!

And then more reinforcements….another 20T digger…

And with the grunt of another 20T digger - finally success – both the tree and the root ball successfully back up the bank!

Ultimate Bobcat Services Ltd then had the job of reinstating the trail to make it safe for trail users.

There has been a lot of mahi from the HDC HRT maintenance team and contractors who have spent the best part of this week bringing down the remainder of the tree, clearing the fallen tree and reinstating the trail.

A big thank you to the Hauraki Rail Trail for applying for the funds from MBIE for the emergency work. This means we can do the work as quickly as possible getting people back on the trail safely as fast as possible.