Te Whau Pathway – Te Kōwhai Nui Custom Gantry

Customer:  HEB Construction Contract: Construct only Location: West Auckland, Te Whau waterway

Fast Facts:  Temporary works crane to assist with building the $37 million shared path The pathway will pass through 33 reserves The 8.5T custom gantry can lift 4 tonnes travel around corners, whilst remaining straight is AS/NZS 1554.1 & SFC CC3 compliant and Certified under the Crane Regulations

Te Kōwhai Nui is an innovative new gantry crane, fabricated, assembled and commissioned by the Te Whau Pathway project team.

The crane’s name was chosen by a local school to celebrate its striking yellow paint job.

The Auckland City Council pathway project is led by HEB Construction, and we were subcontracted by them to complete the mechanical work scope.

During the value engineering stage, we adapted the mechanical and electrical design, adding functionality such as the ability to turn corners.

This clever travelling gantry system showcases the Mechanical Division’s expertise in steel fabrication and temporary works as well as Mechanical and Electrical systems.

Services such as lifting equipment, power supply, and control systems were fully integrated within the gantry structure, maintaining a clean, efficient profile and eliminating the need for separate support systems.

The electrical systems are all controlled from a single panel, and it incorporate existing available hoist parts for the powered and unpowered trolleys, making repairs and maintenance simpler.

The gantry was custom designed to move between head stocks and safely install precast deck sections, and significantly minimised impacts to the sensitive tidal zone the pathway needs to cross.

Te Kōwhai Nui has improved access, safety for the team working onsite and reduced reliance on cranes and other permanent access structures.

It is an ideal solution for constrained sites and the team can install new segments, efficiently and with precision.

The steel framework was engineered for modular assembly, enabling rapid deployment and disassembly while accommodating variable span lengths and terrain.

The Auckland Council project, which began construction 2015, will run alongside the Whau River connecting neighbouring suburbs, the two harbours, New Lynn and Te Atatū.

When complete, the new pathway will unlock access to amazing recreational choices and safer and more sustainable travel alternatives.