Blasting to clear potential dangers at Central Otago’s Nevis Bluff this spring-summer season is due to conclude with a third and final blast session next week. This final blasting is due to take place at 1pm on Tuesday 11 November.

Subject to weather conditions, the blasting on Tuesday next week will mean a one-hour delay, from 1pm to 2pm, for traffic on this affected area of State Highway 6. Video of the last blasting at the site can be viewed here.  

This precision use of explosives on unstable rock, approximately 100m above State Highway 6, is vital to ensure the ongoing safety of road users. The blasting is part of a spring/summer programme at the bluff, between Cromwell and Queenstown, taking place over four weeks and also involving rock scaling work and checking of monitoring equipment at the site.

Outside of the blasting times, people are advised to build an additional 10 minutes into their travels past the bluff site between 8am and 5pm weekdays. More broadly, road users can expect delays of about 30 minutes on SH6 through Kawarau Gorge due to issues such as slips from recent weather events.

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