Second Marlborough swimming gap falls to flood harm

By Kira Carrington, Local Democracy Reporting

A second standard swimming spot in Marlborough will shut this summer time, attributable to flood restore works.

Marlborough District Council introduced that Ferry Bridge could be closed till June 2027, as long-awaited stopbank repairs get underway.

Council’s infrastructure and providers supervisor Richard Coningham stated that, with massive equipment working on each side of the Wairau River disturbing the river’s silt, it had been judged too hazardous for swimming.

“This is not a decision taken lightly,” he stated. “It is for the safety of the public and to allow us to progress this important flood control work for the protection of the Spring Creek community.”

Coningham stated that, if the chance to quickly open Ferry Bridge for swimmers introduced itself, they’d take it, however he could not make any guarantees.

“Council apologises for any inconvenience, as we know how popular this area is,” he stated.

“However, we are lucky in Marlborough that we do have plenty of rivers and seaside destinations, and we encourage regular users of the river and the wider public to take this opportunity to explore some new places.”

Those new locations wouldn’t embrace the favored Whites Bay seashore. The Department of Conservation (DOC) closed its Whites Bay campsite in July, attributable to “significant flood damage”, asking guests to “stay clear”.

DOC operations supervisor Stacey Wrenn stated that, with the campsite closed, there was no seashore entry.

“The remediation work is complex and will take time to ensure the site is safe for visitors, but we’re working hard to get this restored and reopened as soon as we safely can,” he stated. “We expect to have more information on a timeframe later this year.”

The DOC web site stated the campsite could be closed over the Christmas and New Year interval.

The council presently monitored water high quality at 9 seashores and 10 rivers, as leisure swimming spots, though not all of them had suitable water quality for swimming.

Check the newest water high quality take a look at outcomes at www.lawa.org.nz.

LDR is native physique journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.