8 | Doppelmayr NZ T T Kim Bowden It’s all about the snow at Cardrona The Soho Basin Express opens access to 150 hectares of fresh terrain between Queenstown and Wānaka. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Cardrona’s alpine playground is now a whole lot bigger, thanks to a new highspeed chairlift that opened this winter. The Soho Basin Express opens access to 150 hectares of fresh terrain between Queenstown and Wānaka. Powered by Doppelmayr’s latest D-Line technology, it can whisk up to 3000 passengers per hour up the mountain slope, covering 1.2 kilometres and a 379-metre vertical rise in just four-and-a-half minutes. For Doppelmayr New Zealand chief executive Garreth Hayman, the development is a milestone, not just for skiers, but for the country’s tourism sector. “This is a landmark development for New Zealand’s alpine tourism industry,” he says. “It’s not often new skiable terrain is opened up in Aotearoa, and we’re excited to be working with Cardrona to deliver this long-awaited project.” Doppelmayr, which is celebrating 50 years of operation in New Zealand, was a natural fit for the job. “The partnership was built on shared values – safety, innovation and sustainability,” Garreth says. “Doppelmayr’s ability to deliver complex projects in challenging terrain made us the ideal partner.” Getting the chairlift in place wasn’t straightforward. Soho Basin sat beyond the existing ski area in steep, exposed country, with limited access and a fragile alpine environment. Construction was staged over two summer seasons to work around the snow and reduce impact. A specialised walking excavator – a Menzi Muck – helped crews reach difficult tower sites, and a Black Hawk helicopter was brought in for tower installation. One of the biggest logistical headaches? A longer-than-usual snowfall at the end of the 2024 season, which delayed early access. Yet despite the conditions, the project came in on time. Milestones included flying towers into place in February, rope splicing by a Swiss specialist in March, and the start of testing and commissioning in April. The chairlift was officially opened on June 29, as scheduled, for the winter season. Environmental care was central throughout. The chairlift’s alignment was carefully chosen to minimise disruption, with native tussocks transplanted rather than removed and disturbed ground re-vegetated immediately. “We had a big focus on reducing single-use materials and construction waste,” Garreth says. The project is part of a wider vision for the rapidly growing Southern Lakes region. Looking ahead, Doppelmayr is supporting the Queenstown Cable Car Project, a proposed fully electric, zero-emissions urban gondola that would connect downtown Queenstown to Frankton and the airport. The system aims to move 3000 people per hour and is set to break ground in 2027. For now, though, it’s all about the snow. “What excites me most is seeing a long-held vision become reality,” Garreth says. “It’s a boost for the skiers, for the local economy, and delivered with care for the environment throughout its execution.” More than a decade in the making, the project coming together this winter was a proud moment for the whole Doppelmayr team. “I was in there about two weeks ago and snow conditions were fantastic – and there were plenty of people out there in the basin exploring that new terrain,” he says. Structural steel fabrication & INSTALLATION STAINLESS & ALUMINIUM WORK - BALUSTRADES & hANDRAILS FULL MACHINE SHOP FACILITY - ARCHITECTURAL METALWORK FARM & eARTHMOVING MACHINERY REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE STAIRS & STAIRCASES A: 38 Gordon Road, Wanaka, 9305 p: 03 443 6007 m: 021 289 0443 e: info@centrallakesengineering.nz
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