A giant wind turbine propeller, nearly the length of a rugby field, is hauled through the Ōtaika roundabout after leaving Northport about an hour and a half earlier. Video / Robyn
The first of the massive turbine‑component convoys for Mercury NZ’s $287 million Kaiwaikawe Wind Farm rolled out of Northport late last night – and some Northlanders stayed up to watch the unusual sight.
Whangārei local Robyn Anderson and her husband had heard the first oversized load would be leavingthe port about 10.30pm, so they headed to the Otaika roundabout, south of the city, where they knew they could watch safely without being in the way.
“We guessed it might take them (the convoy) an hour or so to get that far. It got there around midnight,” Anderson said.
The convoy is the first of more than 130 oversized loads that will move from Northport to the Kaiwaikawe site between now and the end of May.
Kaiwaikawe wind farm will house the country’s largest turbines - 12 in total, each tower 125m high with rotor diameters of 162m. The tip of a turbine blade will reach 206m above the ground.
The couple filmed several videos as the long, slow‑moving transporter crawled past, carrying what appeared to be one of the first enormous turbine blades (about 79.5m long) destined for the project site, 12km northwest of Dargaville.
“It was very impressive watching them go past. They made it look so easy for such a long vehicle. Almost the length of a rugby field,” she said.
They then drove on to the Maunu Rd intersection to watch the convoy tackle its next turn. The trucks arrived about 12.30am, turned right, and stopped briefly near the BP service station while the towing unit was unhooked and repositioned. Once the truck had swapped ends, the convoy continued toward Dargaville.
Anderson said the professionalism of the crews stood out.
“A great job by all the crew with minimal disruption,” she said.
While watching, Anderson and her husband also learned more about the complex logistics behind each run.
“We were talking to one of the team and he was telling us how someone was controlling the steering of the rear of the trailer from the vehicle following.
“They also had extra trucks waiting to help pull it up Conns Hill.”
The first convoy of windfarm parts leaves Northport for the Kaiwaikawe project site, 12 kms north of Dargaville. Photo / Robyn Anderson
The route transporters will use to move wind turbine components from Northport to the Kaiwaikawe Wind Farm construction site, 12 km northwest of Dargaville. Photo / Google
Glen Twining, principal project manager, told the Northern Advocatethe first delivery of wind turbine components had arrived safely on site.
“This milestone follows extensive planning and co-ordination to ensure the transport and arrival were completed smoothly.
“Deliveries will continue nightly this week, with multiple component movements scheduled through to the end of May 2026 as construction progresses.”
Massive components for the Kaiwaikawe Wind Farm await specialist delivery on the wharf at Northport.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi - Northland advises motorists who see the oversized loads to:
Watch for pilot vehicles and “oversize” signs
Slow down when they see them
Follow instructions from pilot and traffic management staff
Be prepared to stop if required
Overtake only when signalled that it’s safe to do so.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, much of which she spent reporting on the courts in Gisborne and on the East Coast.
