Post weather event performance of interlocking concrete blocks.

Construction update

The severe weather event on the 1st of May proved to be an opportunity for our project team to witness the performance of the interlocking concrete blocks called XBlocPlus units that are placed along the coastal edges of Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

Developed in the Netherlands and constructed here in Wellington by local concrete contractors, each unit can weigh up to 2.6 tonnes; the equivalent of a sport utility vehicle or large ute. 

The main advantages of these XblocPlus units are:

• Cost effective solution requiring fewer blocks compared to conventional methods
• High resilience to climate change
• Low concrete consumption and CO2 footprint compared to other armour units
• Able to fit within the constrained footprint
• Fast and safe block placement

Through this innovation, our team of engineers and ecologists worked alongside mana whenua design lead Len Hetet to integrate cultural and environmental design into the unit's surface. This resulted in Te Ripowai, the name gifted by Hetet to the XBlocPlus unit, which expresses a cultural narrative whilst also providing surface patterns and textures to encourage the growth of marine plants.

Image below: Te Ripowai being placed onsite.

James briefing in the team at an early morning pre-start gathering.

People behind Te Ara Tupua

Meet James, our superintendent on Te Ara Tupua who works for our project partner Downer New Zealand. Responsible for the day-to-day operations of  Te Ara Tupua, James is the main point of contact for all the construction teams along Te Ara Tupua and Tupua Horo Nuku; the Hutt City Council project improving the resilience of Marine Drive in the Eastern Bays.

With 28 years of experience under his hard hat, including experience both here and abroad, James is an asset to the team.

"Every project you work on in this industry is different. Te Ara Tupua is a great example of the different expertise required to deliver a project like this. You've got marine and coastal with our seawalls and enhanced reef, rail and the use of the digital shield, civil works including paving, bridge and utilities as well as structures like Waimarino and the KiwiRail traction station."

It's also an industry that encourages professional growth and career development. He recently completed 18 months of full time study and received his Bachelor's degree in Applied Management.

One of his most memorable projects to date is the Central Plains Water project in Christchurch where he worked on the delivery of 200km of pipeline network and 12 pump stations within 15 months. These pump stations, along with 3 pressure-reducing stations, were crucial for delivering water to farms.

"Construction isn't just about driving big machines or being a traffic controller. You can start from there and shape it into whatever you want. With more projects like Te Ara Tupua on the cards for New Zealand, there's great opportunities here for people who want to build change."

The next generation of infrastructure and construction professionals

Last year, our team of designers, engineers and ecologists attended careers exhibitions to talk to inquisitive young minds while challenging their perspective on what a job in infrastructure and construction involves. Many were surprised that projects like Te Ara Tupua need the expertise of many different experts.

This year, our team will head back to the Hutt Valley Careerfest on Wednesday, 18th June 2025 at Hutt Valley Event Centre from 10am, which is an event organised by the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce dedicated to bridging connections between industries and our vibrant community of rangatahi.

This is a great opportunity for students to discover, explore and connect with infrastructure and construction organisations and projects like Te Ara Tupua while learning about the innovations that have been developed and used across a significant project in their own region.

About us

The Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One section of Te Ara Tupua is a project to provide better resilience to transport links between Wellington and Lower Hutt, with new walking and cycling choices.

It has been developed in partnership between NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika and Ngāti Toa Rangatira, alongside local councils.

It is being delivered by Te Ara Tupua Alliance, made up of Tonkin + Taylor, Downer NZ, and HEB Construction. 

More information

For more information on the Te Ara Tupua project, contact us at TeAraTupua@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/TeAraTupua