New suspension bridge over Routeburn River opens

A new 42m suspension bridge across the Routeburn River is now open, restoring full access to the Lake Sylvan Track after the previous bridge was damaged in a storm in 2020, repaired, and then swept away in another storm in 2023.

Department of Conservation Whakatipu Wai Māori Operations Manager David Butt says resilience in the face of increasing storm events has been a big consideration for the replacement bridge.

“Nature is our biggest asset, and it’s important we do the work to ensure we’re investing our efforts across our network of tracks and bridges in the right places,” he says.

“The old bridge site at the Sylvan Campsite was prone to erosion, an issue that was likely to continue. After thorough investigations with our team of engineers we made the call to build a replacement at a more stable site, around 600m upriver from the campsite.”

The new bridge is also approximately 11m above the river’s median river height, increasing its resilience to erosion and flooding.

A new approximately 1.5km section of track has been constructed to connect the bridge to the Sylvan Campsite and other walking tracks in the area, such as Lake Sylvan Track. 

“Lake Sylvan Track is a great option for most visitors, offering scenic views, a gentle gradient and the chance to see native species like titipounamu, pīwakaka and toutouwai along the way," Butt says.

“It’s an excellent alternative for those who don’t have the time or experience for the three-day Routeburn Track but still want to experience a connection to nature.

“The Lake Sylvan area is a popular place for locals. We appreciate people’s patience as we’ve worked hard to get this new bridge open in a safer, more resilient spot.”

The bridge also provides access for experienced trampers to back country tracks like the Beans Burn and Sugarloaf/Rock Burn Track.