Te Pūwaha port project: South Mole reinstatement begins in Whanganui

Scientist James Lambie shares his find (a black cobweb spider) during an ecological survey of the South Mole stockpile site with representatives from Horizons Regional Council, Te Mata Pūau, Mills-Albert Ltd and Whanganui District Employment Training Trust.

Work has started on the complex job of reinstating the South Mole, a significant milestone in Te Pūwaha, the Whanganui Port Revitalisation Project.

The construction follows months of discussion involving hapū and Te Pūwaha project partners on how best to proceed.

“It is a complex project in which we have had to weigh up the priority construction areas to be completed, while also deciding on suitable access to a very remote location,” Te Pūwaha project director Hayden Turoa said.

“We have done this alongside taking care of the surrounding environment, and creating opportunities for abundance, not only in the physical construction works, but also in the way the work is carried out and how the community is brought along on the journey.”

Hapū and project partners, including the Horizons Regional Council, will provide opportunities for community understanding and feedback on the work.

There are plans to host guided hīkoi near the construction site later this year, giving people the opportunity to learn more about the project, the river structures and the role they play in supporting a sustainable future for the port.

A key focus of this phase of work is on the repair of the Tanea Groyne and downstream interface wall on the southern side of the Whanganui River mouth. These structures play a critical role in shaping the river mouth, enabling safe navigation and enhancing flood protection.

As the first infrastructure project to operate under the Te Awa Tupua framework, Te Pūwaha is guided by Tupua te Kawa – the innate values of the Whanganui River. This ensures project partners and contractors are committed to upholding the mana of Te Awa Tupua through collaborative, integrated and respectful development.

“Every element of Te Pūwaha is grounded in a values-based approach, where environmental stewardship, community wellbeing and cultural integrity go hand in hand,” Turoa said.

“The South Mole reinstatement is a continuation of that commitment, as the work on the south side will complement what has already been achieved along the northern embankment and out to the North Mole.”

This month, contractor Mills-Albert began preparing a hardstand area near the South Mole to receive rock deliveries. This follows an ecological survey of the stockpile site.

Trucks will transport rock from Taranaki via Whanganui’s main arterial routes and turn on to Airport Rd. Deliveries will continue until the end of October.

By late July, once 5000 tonnes of rock are on site, physical works will begin at the Tanea Groyne and interface wall. Off-road dump trucks will carry rock about 2.7km to the work site via an existing track along the beach. These movements will be piloted for safety.

“A considerable amount of rock has to be moved a fair distance, so our contractors have come up with a plan which causes as little disruption as possible, not only for the local community and recreational users of the beach, but also the surrounding landscape,” said the Horizons group manager – catchment operations, Dr Jon Roygard.

“This work is critical in terms of the wider Te Pūwaha project,” Roygard said.

“It will provide protection to the end of the South Spit and maintain the river course. The structures will also contribute to stabilising a small sand bank downstream of the groyne that will reduce the impact of wave energy travelling in from the sea and maintain hydraulic flushing.”

All works on the southern side are expected to be completed by December. Once construction ends, the hardstand area for the rock stockpile site will be removed, and the site restored to its natural state.

Information on the community hīkoi will be shared on www.facebook.com/TePuwaha as details are finalised. People who want to be involved can contact Nga Remu Tahuparae via email at ntahuparae@gmail.com or phone 0275 011503.