UPDATE: 3 August 2026 – Further SH8 closure for pest control not required

A third and final scheduled short closure of State Highway 8/Cromwell-Clyde Road this weekend will be no longer be necessary, after aerial pest control work near the highway achieved what was required over the last two weekends.

SH8/Cromwell-Clyde Road between Cromwell and Clyde Dam was closed for an hour on each of the last two Sunday mornings, so that the work to control feral goats could be safely carried out. The operations have targeted a feral goat population that has been increasing in number and posing a safety risk when the goats wander onto or near the highway.

The count from the two completed operations is 560 goats. Because of the effectiveness of these operations, the planned hour-long closure of SH8/Cromwell-Clyde Road at 8am this Sunday (9 August) will not proceed.

People may still see some aerial control activity happening in the wider area however this will be at a safe distance from the highway and will not impact on road users.

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) thanks people for their patience and understanding over the last two weekends while this important work has been done to keep road users safe.      

30 July 2026 – Another short SH8 closure for pest control

Central Otago road users are being reminded about a further short closure of State Highway 8 through the Cromwell Gorge scheduled for this weekend to allow pest control operations to take place.

SH8/Cromwell-Clyde Road between Cromwell and Clyde Dam is scheduled to close for one hour, from 8am to 9am, this Sunday (2 August), just as it did last weekend (see map below). Road users should plan their travel accordingly. The closure is to ensure peoples’ safety while helicopter operations are undertaken targeting a feral goat population that has been increasing in number and posing a safety risk when the goats wander onto or near the highway.

This aerial control work is weather dependent, so people can check if there is any change to the schedule at NZTA’s Journey Planner site. We thank people for their patience and understanding as this necessary work is carried out for the safety of all road users.

20 July 2026 – Short closures to keep SH8 users safe from pests

Users of State Highway 8 through the Cromwell Gorge in Central Otago are being advised of short weekend closures coming up to allow important pest control work to be carried out.

SH8 between Cromwell and Clyde Dam is scheduled to close for one hour, from 8am to 9am, on three consecutive Sundays, starting this Sunday, 26 July (see map below). Road users should plan their travel accordingly. These closures will allow NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and pest management staff to safely carry out helicopter pest control work on the steep slopes near the highway.

The work over a 23km section of SH8 will target feral goats which are increasing in number in the area and pose a safety risk when they wander onto or near the road, potentially leading to crashes. The goats also damage vegetation and contribute to erosion on the hillsides above the highway, which can increase the rockfall risk.

For safety reasons, public campsites and rest areas in the Cromwell Gorge will close before the control work is happening, reopening at 9am Sunday after the SH8 closures end. During the closures, people can use nearby LINZ freedom camping sites at Bendigo and Lowburn. More information on these is available here (external link).

Further helicopter control work will be carried out a safe distance up the slopes from the road between 9am and 11am on each Sunday, without any impact on use of SH8. In addition to these helicopter operations, ground control work will be ongoing throughout the winter. This will not impact on use of SH8, but people may notice activity happening on the hillside or hear gunshots.

The helicopter control work from this Sunday is weather dependent, so people can check if there is any change to the schedule at NZTA’s Journey Planner site. We thank people for their patience and understanding as this necessary work is carried out for the safety of all road users.