Botanical Hill Completion, Nelson
Client : Nelson City Council
Scope of works : Slope stabilisation
Earlier this year the team wrapped up a challenging slope stabilisation project on Botanical Hill in Nelson, delivered for Nelson City Council alongside Tonkin + Taylor.
Before a single bolt could go in, our rope access team manually cleared around 90m³ of material and vegetation from the face entirely by hand. With no machinery access and limited room to move, it was a significant undertaking.
From there, 30 rock bolts were drilled 6 metres into the slope, with all drilling carried out from a basket suspended by a 60 tonne crane to keep the work safe and accurate on a steep face. The bolts then anchored the steel detail and drainage system before 50m³ of steel reinforced shotcrete was applied over two days, working from a fixed man cage on a hiab truck.
Black oxide was added to the mix to help the finished surface sit naturally within the environment, an important detail on a landmark like Botanical Hill.
We're really happy with how this one came together, and looking forward to more work with NCC and Tonkin + Taylor down the track.
Takaka Hill, Nelson
Takaka Hill Works Completed
Client : NZTA
Head Contractor : Fulton Hogan
Six months of hard work on Takaka Hill are now complete!
Following the major storm event in 2025, Ground Anchor Systems was engaged by Fulton Hogan and NZTA to deliver the anchored shotcrete and horizontal drainage works across multiple sites on Takaka Hill. The slips caused significant ground movement, elevated groundwater pressures, and a loss of road width, requiring a fast, coordinated response to stabilise the hillside, dewater the slope, and keep this vital State Highway route open.
Ground Anchor Systems, working alongside Fulton Hogan and Stantec, has delivered all site works on this critical project strengthening the only route between Golden Bay and Nelson.
Across the programme we installed 1000m of ground anchors, 350m² of shotcrete, 1700m of horizontal drains, and 2000m² of coconut matting, all while keeping traffic moving through the site.
This was a huge effort from the crew and a project we’re proud to deliver, improving long term stability and resilience on this vital corridor. Even better, it’s been great to see the works performing exactly as intended. Effective, stable, and already proving their value to the route.
A big thank you to all collaborators for their teamwork and commitment throughout this project.