Installation prepares for cable landing

Mangawhai is a lot closer to becoming the New Zealand landing point for the Hawaiki Submarine Cable on its journey from the USA to Australia.

Work is underway at Bream Tail Farm where Hawaiki Submarine Cable NZ has been installing underground ducting in preparation for the arrival of their submarine fibre cable later this year.

Stretching from under the sand dunes north of the surf club inland via Bream Tail Farm, the two kilometres of underground pipes allow the submarine cable to connect to the land-based fibre network at their Cable Landing Station at Cove Road.

Virtually all the duct pipe has been installed using underground Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology, which allows the pipes to be installed with minimal disturbance to the surface. Utilising this technology ensured that Hawaiki could install the pipes without disturbing the sand dunes.

Joining the installation team were Bream Tail Farm archaeologist Dianne Harlow and Shereen Worthington representing Te Uri o Hau.

A pre-construction archaeological survey was performed along the route in July, which identified nothing of interest. And no findings of significance have been uncovered during the actual duct route construction works.

Meanwhile, on Cove Rd near the Bream Tail Farm entrance, construction of Hawaiki’s cable station is well under way.

Site preparation works commenced in June, and two weeks ago the contoured site turned three-dimensional with the ‘standing up’ of some 44 pre-cast concrete wall panels. The entire operation took less than two days.

“We are very pleased with our Bream Tail Farm works progress,” says Hawaiki’s New Zealand Programme Manager, Richard Howarth. “Completion of the duct route means we are ready for the submarine cable landing late this year which is a major milestone. The cable landing station construction is on target for installation of the specialised submarine cable terminal equipment in early 2018.”

On it’s way to Mangawhai heads the $500 million, 15,000km cable will traverse the ocean from Oregon, USA to Sydney, Australia with landings in American Samoa and Hawaii, bringing much improved internet speed and a significant capacity increase when it’s turned on in June 2018.

Hawaiki are proud sponsors of the Mangawhai Museum special communications exhibition. The exhibition, which opened in late June, tells the story of communication in the region from early settler days to submarine cables and the Hawaiki project in particular.

“If you haven’t done so already, I’d urge you to take the opportunity to visit your superb community Museum to check out the special exhibition – and of course the truly excellent exhibits and displays setting out history of the Mangawhai region.”

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PROGRESS: Once ashore, underground ducting will help join the Hawaiki Cable to the fibre network at the Cove Road landing station.

STARTED: Construction of Hawaiki’s Cove Road cable station is well under way