Protecting Oamaru's Rail Infrastructure

As part of KiwiRail’s ongoing maintenance program, a significant project has been undertaken to protect Oamaru’s rail infrastructure, directly outside the Oamaru train station from coastal erosion. Originally planned to place just 4,000 tonnes of rock, a drone survey revealed a need for 40,000 tonnes to address critical areas at risk.

The urgency of the project was driven by a 2022 weather event, which saw 15 metres of coastline lost in this area, threatening the rail line. The immediate goal was to reinforce key sections of the coast and protect the infrastructure from further erosion. Over a six-week period, 1,400 cubic metres of rock were placed each week, with progress dependent on tides and weather conditions. While this phase addressed the most vulnerable areas, further engineering and design assessments are expected to guide future protection measures.

The project was expertly scoped, negotiated and managed by SouthRail’s Kayne Madden, with SouthRoads operator Dave Bowman handling the PC360 excavator. A top effort and result for KiwiRail and the Oamaru community which illustrates the skill set and great people within our SouthRail and SouthRoads divisions.