In the interest of public safety, Queenstown Lakes District Council  Harbourmaster Marty Black has closed the Shotover River between Deep Creek and the Oxenbridge tunnel to all water users until further notice.  Shotover Jet operates outside this area and is not affected by the closure.

"The subsiding rock above a section of the Shotover River poses danger and the area needs to remain closed to the public," Mr Black said.

Track users too in the area were being cautioned to keep clear.

The Department of Conservation in Queenstown had closed tracks providing access to the Shotover River through the Morning Star Recreation Reserve and the Shotover Creek Conservation Area above Shotover Jets base of operations at the Edith Cavell bridge, DOC Manager of Community Relations John Roberts said. The Oxenbridge Tunnel Reserve was also closed.

The Wakatipu Trails Trust advised that the Moonlight Track, from Arthur's Point to Moke Lake, had also been closed to the public until further notice, Trust CEO Renee Bowman said. Clear warning signs had been posted to keep people away. "The area is extremely unstable and anyone who chooses to ignore the caution signs is putting themselves at risk," Ms Bowman said.

At this stage, it's not certain whether the rock would collapse into the river as a mass or crumble piecemeal.  The rockfall has the potential to block the Shotover River.

The Otago Regional Council had engaged a survey team that was monitoring the movement of the rockfall site, ORC Director of Director of Environmental Engineering and Natural Hazards, Dr Gavin Palmer, said

The affected areas of the track and river remained extremely hazardous, re-iterated
QLDC Emergency Management Officer Brenden Winder. "Public safety is paramount, and until we are satisfied that risk has been mitigated, those areas will be closed and monitoring will continue," Mr Winder said.

The cooperation of the commercial rivers uses has been excellent and all parties would continue to work with them to identify a suitable resolution.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Dr Gavin Palmer, Otago Regional Council, 03 474 0827, 0274 933 960

Brenden Winder, Emergency Management Officer, Queenstown Lakes District Council, 03 441 0499, 027 230 1266

John Roberts, Dept of Conservation, Programme Manager, Community Relations, 03 442 7933

Renee Bowman, Wakatipu Trails Trust, Chief Executive Officer, 03 409 0190, 0274 801 556

By: Tamah