Hillside Track/Road Refurbishment and Extension in Waipu

In Waipu, a rural property owner needed help completing a partially built access road and making it safe for regular use. The original track was steep, uneven, and risky for vehicles and horses—particularly for the owner's granddaughters who ride on the property. Our job was to extend the road and refurbish the existing section to create a safe, all-weather route.

Project Summary

This project took place adjacent to a recently completed hillside track we built in Waipu. The existing road was only half finished and had been left in poor condition—too steep, uneven, and unsafe to use, even in dry weather.

Using our 8-tonne excavator, we started by extending the road to a more level, secure landing spot lower down the slope. This created a natural end point for the track and reduced the overall gradient. We then turned to the old section of the road, which required significant reworking. We scraped the surface to remove uneven layers, re-levelled the gradient, and compacted the base to ensure stability.

This job was all about improving safety and usability. Even horses struggled on the old track. The new and refurbished sections are now wide, firm, and graded to handle year-round use—even in winter conditions.

Outcome + Client Benefit

The property now has a properly finished access road that can be used safely in all seasons. The owner's granddaughters can ride horses along it without concern, and the track is now functional for general farm access. What was once a risky path is now a reliable part of the property’s infrastructure.

Project Location

Located in Waipu, just off South Road, the terrain is typical of the area—rolling hills with patches of clay that become treacherous when wet. This job, like the one next to it, was a practical solution to a common Northland challenge: how to safely manage access on steep rural land.