Part of Pounawea jetty closed for holiday period
Part of the flood-damaged Pounawea jetty near Owaka in the Catlins will be out of action during the Christmas-New Year period.
Clutha District Council service delivery group manager Jules Witt said there was some damage from the November flood to the bracing at the platform’s landward end on the main walkway that contractors hoped to have fixed in the next few days, subject to the materials arriving.
However, the piles at the end of the jetty were in a poor state of repair and needed to be replaced, which made this part unsafe for access in the meantime.
The work could not be carried out until February at the very earliest, he said.
‘‘The majority of the jetty will be open to locals and visitors for the Christmas/New Year holiday period but unfortunately the platform at the end will be out of action.’’
Pounawea is a popular tourist destination with a number of holiday cribs and accommodation.
Pounawea Motor Camp manager Glenn Maxwell, who leases the operation from the council a short distance from the jetty, said the partial closure was unlikely to put off visitors. ‘‘I don’t think people will cancel their holiday because of it. It’s only the last few metres that are affected. There’s plenty of other places they can go fishing.’’
‘‘The majority of the jetty will be open to locals and visitors for the Christmas/New Year holiday period but unfortunately the platform at the end will be out of action.’’ Jules Witt, Clutha District Council service delivery group manager