State Highway 6 near Wānaka opens to continuous traffic after August storm damage
State Highway 6 between Makarora and Hāwea will open to continuous traffic over the weekend as crews continue clearing storm debris, though full restoration has no set date.
What happened
State Highway 6 between Makarora and Hāwea was closed on 28 August following heavy rain and snow that caused multiple slips, washouts and rockfalls. It reopened to three escorted convoys daily soon after. From 5.30pm on Friday, the road will open to continuous traffic over the weekend with temporary reduced speed limits and single-lane sections where drivers must stop on demand. From Monday, escorted convoys will resume during weekdays from 8am to 5.30pm, with continuous traffic available at night outside those hours. The closure area has been halved to 11 kilometres. The New Zealand Transport Agency said remaining restrictions are shrinking dramatically as crews clear fallen rock and debris, but there is no set date for full restoration to normal traffic conditions. Further snow and rainfall pose an ongoing risk of fresh rockfalls or slips.
Why it matters
State Highway 6 was closed after severe August weather, then reopened to limited convoy access affecting tourism operators and residents. The road has been damaged in multiple places along this critical West Coast–Central Otago link, and separate weather events in mid-September affected nearby Crown Range Road. This weekend's expansion to continuous traffic marks the next phase of restoration after weeks of severely restricted access.
Follow the whole thread: Queenstown road infrastructure deterioration
Key facts
- State Highway 6 closed on 28 August due to heavy rain, snow, slips, washouts and rockfalls
- Affected section between Makarora and Hāwea now reduced to 11 kilometres
- Weekday convoys resume 8am to 5.30pm from Monday
- Road opens to continuous traffic outside weekday daytime hours and throughout weekends
What happens next
Full restoration to normal traffic conditions, with NZTA to provide a more definitive date soon.
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Coverage across the news outlets we track, as at publication.
Where the outlets differ
Otago Daily Times provides convoy timetables for the following week and quotes NZTA area manager Chris Harris on the recovery effort; RNZ does not include these details.
What outlets are saying
RNZ
SH6 near Wānaka opens to continuous traffic after slips
NZTA said remaining restrictions are shrinking but there's no set date for the return to normal traffic.