29 April, 2026

$10K spent on ferry wharf plans just the first step

Watch your steps… the existing unusable steps at Devonport Wharf (left) and the planned replacement (right)

Replacing a set of five steps at Devonport Wharf has cost more than $10,000 in consultants’ reports before construction even starts.
The stairs, at the ferry car park end of the wharf, are no longer usable as their undermined piles dangle off the ground.

They have been closed for more than two years after being damaged in a storm.
A breakdown of consultant costs provided by Auckland Transport included: a construction methodology report by LDE engineering consultants, $550; a heritage impact report done by Lloyd Macomber for Salmond Reed architects, $5055; a Tonkin and Taylor coastal hazard risk assessment, $4900.
The proposed new set of 14 timber steps include stainless steel handrails. The structure will be connected into the seawall and include new footings.
No construction costs have yet been calculated but if the resource consent is approved building is expected to take place in this financial year.
An Auckland Transport spokesperson said: “Our aim has been to keep costs as low as possible while still providing asset longevity for the local community.”