Walkers will soon be able to access a popular attraction at Canterbury’s Mt Somers that has been closed since 2017. 

There has been no public access to Sharplin Falls due to rockfall (which destroyed part of a gantry access to the track) and dangerous conditions. The Mount Somers Walkway Society has been overseeing repairs to the new track. 

DOC Geraldine operations manager Tony Preston said the society had an easement concession to build the new track to Sharplin Falls. “It will be on a new route that is mostly on the true right of the stream. This was chosen to avoid the rockfall issues the old route suffered from.” 

The society sought advice from geotechnical engineers for the new design and its opening would be announced once it was deemed safe to do so.

Two nearly 30m steel bridges were installed by helicopter in January. Timber steps, a lookout and track shingling are scheduled. The Sharplin Falls Track is connected to a pathway that leads towards Pinnacles Hut. 

The Mount Somers Walkways Society was established in 1983 and it created the Mt Somers Walkway that links the popular Pinnacles and Woolshed Creek huts.