Top of the South Island trampers will be pleased to hear that a badly damaged access road to one of the region’s best tramping areas should be reopened by spring.

Graham Valley Road near Motueka offers access to a popular section of Kahurangi National Park, including the track network of Mt Arthur Tablelands, the Cobb Valley region and beyond.

The steep 4WD-only road has a long history of storm damage, closures and repairs. Its latest closure was due to six slips in winter 2025, including one that dropped a road section 8m into the river.

Department of Conservation acting Motueka operations manager Helen Otley said DOC and Tasman District Council had put in a big effort to repair the road, and work was well underway with equipment on the ground and materials delivered. The road should be reopened by the end of August, “if the weather plays ball and repair work goes to plan”.

“It’s a challenging site given the steep terrain, geological features and history of slips in the area,” she said. “We’ve worked hard to make sure any repairs are fit for purpose and as resilient as possible in any future storms.”

Waimea Tramping Club president Esther Sassenburg said the long closure had seriously affected the club’s planning, particularly with Cobb Valley Road also closed for repairs at times.

“We all love the area for its diversity,” she said. “The Graham Valley road offers trips for all sorts of levels from easy walks to Mt Arthur Hut to harder multi-day trips.”

The closure had, however, “emphasised how lucky we are to have lots of other options”. The club had been incentivised to look for new walks, including on private farms, and had spent more time in Nelson Lakes National Park, Richmond Forest Park and the Marlborough Sounds.