Hump Ridge Track and South Coast Swing Bridges

Project location
Fiordland National Park and Tuatapere

Client
Department of Conservation

Services provided by Frame Group

• Detailed Design and Engineering

• Construction Management

Partners
Edifice Structures – Construction Contractor

Frame Group provided detailed engineering design and construction monitoring for a series of swing bridges along the remote backcountry Hump Ridge Track, which has re-opened as one of Aotearoa’s Great Walks.

The bridges span harsh environments and rugged bush locations on the southern edge of Fiordland National Park. Design and delivery needed to account for helicopter-only access, extreme weather conditions and long-term resilience. Structures were engineered to modern New Zealand standards for pedestrian cable structure bridges, with a focus on reduced maintenance, durability and seismic resistance, including performance in an Alpine Fault event.

These backcountry structures now support increased visitor access along one of the country’s most iconic wilderness tracks, built to last in some of its most demanding terrain.