Date:  04 May 2026

Graham Valley Rd was badly damaged during storms in June and July last year. Six slips came down including one which dropped a section of the road 8 m into the river below.

Department of Conservation (DOC) Motueka Acting Operations Manager Helen Otley says the road leads up to the Flora car park, which is the gateway to alpine experiences in the region, ranging from family-friendly day walks through to challenging multi-day adventures. The area is also an important biodiversity hotspot.

"It's great to see this work underway with equipment on the ground and materials being delivered. If the weather plays ball and the repair work goes to plan, the road will be open by the end of August.

"The road is closed at all times for the reconstruction work, and we ask people to respect that this is a worksite so the crews can get on with the repairs."

Helen says DOC and Tasman District Council, who co-manage the road, have put in a big effort planning the repairs.

"It's a challenging site given the steep terrain, geological features and history of slips in the area. We've worked hard to make sure any repairs are fit for purpose and as resilient as possible in any future storms.

"Planning has involved geotechnical assessments, 3D engineering designs and specialist civil engineering expertise for river works. The work also needed specific large boulders to be quarried to rebuild the road’s foundations from the bottom up."

When the road opens, the Mt Arthur Tablelands tracks, which it provides access to, will be in top condition for those getting out naturing, thanks to six weeks of recently completed track upgrade work, says Helen.

"While the road was closed and the tracks were quieter than usual, we took the opportunity to carry out some maintenance and improve the surface of some of the popular tracks up in the alpine area."

Flora car park provides access to popular tramps including the Tableland Circuit, Mt Arthur Summit Route, Flora Circuit and Ellis Basin Route.

These trips range in difficulty from family friendly to expert. When the road has reopened, please pick a trip that suits your experience and make sure to take all the appropriate gear for spending time in the outdoors.

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