Rangitikei. This is the 5th season of weed control that Abseil Access have been awarded eradicating White Bryony from the Rangitikei river trench. 12 km of shear cliffs are grid searched with over 1000 abseils up to 150m long.

The 5 man team are committed to a 9 week work period living on site and searching for this noxious weed. Berries are meticulously collected and disposed of. All weed locations are GPS marked as well as plant size and sex being recorded.

We intend to be back next year for more until this weed is history!

Centre Island (Raratoka). The Abseil Access lighthouse painting crew tackled one of the country’s hardest lighthouses. This hardwood timber structure is situated in the Foveaux Strait and subject to constant strong winds, hail and rain.

Abseil Access re-coats all the Maritime NZ lighthouses nationwide on a 7-12 year cycle and this was the second cycle for Raratoka.

As well as re-painting the whole structure rot repairs were carried out and new Trafiguard deck was laid. The lightning protection system was replaced and a new set of solar panels installed.

Sept 2013. MacPherson bridge, West Coast Wilderness Trail.

Abseil Access were awarded this construction project for the Greymouth District Council. 78m long and the 1.5m wide deck can take 10 person, it crosses a spectacular slot canyon.

16m3 of concrete was poured using a helicopter and together with the bridge components 88 return flights were made.

Mokihinui South Branch bridge is Abseil Access 28th back country suspension bridge construction project and the 7th design and build bridge we have done for the Old Ghost Road.


Building consent was granted on 2nd December and the 88m span bridge completed in a record 16 days, including passing the 3 ton load test. At 30km from the road end it required 16 hours of helicopter time.

The site of the bridge has a history of high floods and the deck was designed to hog 2.5m above the river banks.

Ranking as one of our more unusual jobs, Wellington City Council chose us for the re-furbishment of the Nathan memorial fountain.

After 18 years of helping Maritime NZ and the HPT with lighthouses we have become the country historic cast iron experts. Nathan fountain is an 80 year old cast iron structure situated in Thorndon and was in dire need of an overhaul.

With the critical nature and extreme care required Abseil Access were chosen to tackle the project. It was fully dismantled and all the components carefully photographed, high pressure water blasted (45000psi) and garnet blasted to SA3 in a dedicated workshop.

7 coats of Resene epoxy were applied by air spray over a 10 day period. The final finish being superb.