Category:Blue Bluff Slip
Blue Bluff is made up of exposed and shattered greywacke rock
and is evidence of the geologic instability of the land.
Washouts and slips were common hardships faced by the settlers of Otaki Gorge.
Object location | ![]() | View all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap | ![]() |
---|
In December 2015 the instable slopes at the Blue Bluff came down again,
and the following weeks heavy rain caused more landslides.
The Otaki Gorge Road became closed for all traffic, even for pedestrians,
and Otaki Forks was only accessable either through the Otaki River or by a new
emergency access track.
Not until before seven months later the road was finally reopened again, mid of July 2016.[1]
the news (in case the reference link becomes dead) |
---|
David and Kathleen Campbell are relieved the Otaki Gorge Rd, at Blue Bluff, has finally reopened. The couple have been largely isolated at their home called The Gate, which is a prayer retreat centre, for seven months, after the road was closed. Another person affected was Steve Elgar, a Department of Conservation in-residence caretaker who lives nearby. The road was closed in mid December 2015 because of concerns over the stability of the hillside in the area. Contractors clearing debris from the bank, after a small slip at the time, had noticed deep fissures 300 metres above the road which showed the land was likely to be moving. The road was closed immediately to protect the safety of the workers and any public driving or walking on that part of the road. In mid-February, a fresh slip in the area occurred following heavy rain with a large amount of rocks and soil coming off the bank and big areas of debris hanging precariously above the road.
Once the best option to do this was confirmed, work commenced in early April. Work has included the cutting of wide steps into the slip face and reducing the angle of the slope to minimise the risk of debris blocking the road. About 100,000 tonnes of material [about 70,000m³] has been removed which equates to 9300 truckloads (in a 7.5m³ truck) and enough rocks and debris to fill the Coastlands Aquatic Centre 25 metre pool in Paraparaumu 47 times.
Commuter delays and disruptions continue for Wellington commuters "Kapiti Coast District Council has done an incredibly good job," Mr Campbell said on Friday. "They would have had all sorts of pie in their face if it hadn't fallen, but it did fall in February, and it proved it was a risk for people. "The job has gone well and there has been good communication with us. "I'm full of thanks." Kathleen said, "It has been an adventure. "I've learnt to drive a four wheel drive and we've learnt about quad bikes. "We've adapted to the situation but it has been hard at times." Mr Campbell said the couple had survived via "help from up above" as well as a couple of helicopter drops from the Department of Conservation. "We also had a fellow in a two man helicopter come down out of the sky one day and said 'can I help' so we said 'yes please' and he brought some stuff in." He praised people who put them up for the night when it was too dark to walk the hour long emergency track. And for the person who brought them about "20 litres of petrol one weekend and about 20 litres of diesel the next weekend". "You can imagine what that was like walking the fuel through the emergency track." Cr Jackie Elliott and her children made a special visit to the Campbell's and Mr Elgar on Saturday and gave them fresh bakery bread and a newspaper. "The reopening of the Otaki Gorge, the gateway to the entire southern Tararua to Wairarapa ranges, is something for Otaki residents and businesses to celebrate." Council infrastructure services group manager Sean Mallon said, "It has been massive job and we're delighted to get the road opened in time for the second week of the school holidays. "It's great news for Otaki and we know local businesses will be pleased to see visitors to the popular tourist attraction coming back into our district. "There's no guarantee slips may not happen again, but this work is all part of the on-going management of the slope that'll help reduce the risk of future road closures. "We'll continue to keep an eye on the active area and are establishing a monitoring and cleaning programme that'll help ensure safe access to the Tararua Forest Park from Otaki long-term." Work has taken more than three months and has an estimated price tag of $500,000 - almost half covered by a contribution from the Transport Agency's emergency works fund. - Kapiti News By David Haxton |
Two new landslides have occurred in the Blue Bluff area:
- The slow slip detected in September 2020 which has seen the road to slump towards the river and caused the original closure.
- A second significant slip 100m further towards Ōtaki Forks which has completely covered the road. This occurred during the heavy rain event of 6-8 December 2021.
- The wet winter of 2022 has sparked further movement in the slip area.
See below some images about the deviation for the New Blue Bluff Slip.
Media in category "Blue Bluff Slip"
The following 38 files are in this category, out of 38 total.
-
Blue Bluff Slip 06.jpg 480 × 640; 185 KB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 11.jpg 2,048 × 1,536; 704 KB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 14.jpg 2,048 × 1,536; 1,012 KB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 15.jpg 2,048 × 1,536; 691 KB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 16.jpg 2,048 × 1,536; 968 KB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 17.jpg 3,264 × 2,448; 3.63 MB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 18.jpg 2,048 × 1,536; 1.07 MB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 19.jpg 3,264 × 2,448; 3.57 MB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 26.jpg 2,592 × 1,944; 1.13 MB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 28.jpg 1,536 × 2,048; 1.1 MB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 33.jpg 1,536 × 2,048; 982 KB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 35.jpg 1,536 × 2,048; 1.09 MB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 37.jpg 1,536 × 2,048; 895 KB
-
Blue Bluff Slip 47.jpg 2,048 × 1,536; 657 KB
-
Blue Bluff Slip emergency access track 44.jpg 2,048 × 1,536; 835 KB
-
Blue Bluff Slip emergency access track 45.jpg 1,521 × 1,507; 848 KB
-
Blue Bluff Slip emergency access track 46.jpg 1,413 × 2,048; 281 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 0.jpg 787 × 920; 952 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 01.jpg 747 × 880; 825 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 02.jpg 658 × 900; 787 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 05.jpg 940 × 838; 937 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 06.jpg 2,448 × 1,712; 990 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 07.jpg 720 × 960; 902 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 08.jpg 720 × 960; 913 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 09.jpg 705 × 940; 811 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 10.jpg 920 × 731; 950 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 11.jpg 720 × 960; 729 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 13.jpg 940 × 946; 933 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 14.jpg 771 × 920; 924 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 15.jpg 705 × 940; 857 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 16.jpg 821 × 930; 950 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 17.jpg 705 × 940; 963 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 20.jpg 940 × 705; 811 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 22.jpg 705 × 940; 806 KB
-
New Blue Bluff Slip deviation 24.jpg 705 × 940; 852 KB
-
Waratahs at New Blue Bluff Slip.jpg 3,060 × 3,456; 1.75 MB
-
Ōtaki River from New Blue Bluff Slip deviation.jpg 960 × 720; 691 KB
-
Otaki River crossing.jpg 1,233 × 1,433; 529 KB