2025
Auckland
Woods collaborated with Downer to restore road access to the iconic Manukau Heads lighthouse after major storm damage.
Following a significant landslip during the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods in January 2023, Manukau Heads Road on the Āwhitu Peninsula was left impassable. A staggering 90,000 cubic metres of soil — the equivalent of 36 Olympic swimming pools — collapsed down an 80-metre slope taking both lanes of a 50m length of the road with it and severing public access to the iconic Manukau Heads Lighthouse.
The original road was deemed too unstable and costly to repair. Woods was engaged to support Auckland Transport and delivery partner Downer NZ in designing and implementing a resilient solution. Our civil engineering team provided technical advice and oversight during the business case, geotechnical testing, design development, and consenting phases. A new section of road was constructed approximately 20 metres from the slip site — reconnecting the community and restoring access to an important regional destination.
The site presented multiple engineering challenges — from its steep, unstable terrain to the constraints of working in a remote location. The solution required smart stormwater management, significant earthworks, and slope stabilisation measures to ensure the long-term safety of the new alignment.
Woods helped develop and implement several preventative measures to mitigate future landslip risk, including:
Installation of stormwater culverts to divert water away from the slip site
Trimming and replanting the top of the slope with native vegetation to improve land stability
Reprofiling the new alignment to reduce vulnerability to erosion and overland flow
Despite continued heavy rain and high winds during construction, the $4 million project was delivered within its anticipated 3–4 month timeframe.
The newly aligned road was reopened in August 2025 with a karakia and dawn blessing. The success of the project has been widely acknowledged by the community, local leaders, and iwi.
Woods is proud to have contributed to an outcome that provides long-term resilience. The civil engineering team helped deliver a practical solution which has reconnected the community to a landmark and protects vital infrastructure for the future.
