Just a small correction. I'm local in Ashhurst and the first big slip ISN'T the slip that closed the road. It's the next one at Kerry's Wall. The first slip, to my knowledge has never be publicised in any official channels
Thanks for the adventure...I remember riding the steam train through the gorge in the 90's & kayaking through on the river around 2000...:)...you stirred up the memories...thanks again.
Fantastic video guys, I went and visited the Woodville end for the first time since it closed in 2017, I only went as far as the first locked gate but it was still great to see the road again nonetheless. It’s crazy just how much nature has taken back in 5 years. Also I’m just watching some of your other videos too, interesting stuff.
Our family traveled that road many times in the 50's & 60s, last I drove on it was about 35yrs ago under overhead rock faces, 🥴 As a 5yr old I remember riding in a red passenger train & watching the cars traveling along from the other side.
Similar - first memory as a 6 year old. I was travelling alone from PN to Masterton. Elderly Road Services (?) bus got a flat tyre in the middle of the gorge. Everyone hopped off the bus while the menfolk got the hard yards done by the light of car headlights, thanks to other motorists. No cell phones of course, so frantic family friends waiting in Masterton. Only 45 minutes late! Used to love travelling to Hastings Blossom Festival, then in the New Year, travelling there for a boot full ('37 Ford) of sacks of fruit for Mum to bottle. The gorge was always fascinating - a highlight on any trips through to Wairarapa or Hawkes Bay.
@Aj C I remember those Blossom Festivals in the 60s, we had a peach orchard (they were the size of large apples). Those waiting for the late bus would have thaught the worst at the time.
Epic mate. Loving your videos, especially this one. Being an adventure junkie myself and having such a passion for our Aotearoa backyard, this vid hits the spot. It is such a shame that this road is now closed off
Early eighties myself and some friends on our ten speeds would ride from Palmy to Ashurst, get 3 largies each and then ride through to Balance and swim all day. Always had a bloody headwind on the way home. Great memories. Would fly through there faster than some car's. Fun
Just came across this. I didn't even know it was closed till right now. It makes me a little sad. Just because while i was at boarding school we used that road to travel to Hastings for school functions. I'll always remember looking over the side as we past hoping time would slow down before we'd make it back to school, or looking at the banks and wondering if it would slip as we drove past, even the graffiti that somehow managed to be put on the rail way crossing. This road, althought not traveled to often still holds fond memories in my heart
@@JohnnyHendrikus yeah it totally is a privilege yet we take a lot of things for granted in life. Just am blessed to be alive and healthy and breathing. Born and raised in the Waikato region when l was younger and then as I got older moved around a lot and haven't seen all the south island yet either yet some people tell me that I should try and travel overseas sometime in the future. I would like to yet it depends where I'm heading. I've also have a channel too. You're welcome.
Yes Iv driven thru here for many years 80s - 2000s since it's closing Iv ridden thru on my bike like most have "enjoyable ride" feed/kai in Woody then ride back couple cold ones in Ashurst DAMN good day out!!🙂
Good ones. I worked there in 1968/69 with the Ministry of Works. They got the work done not like contract companies today who seem to be out to make a buck. We saw plans in those years of the George's new roading - pity they didn't do it then. It wasn't going to be the George as we know it but it was going to take another route over the top but back from the road side.
Its not the only abandoned area, Mangamuka, Northland is the same. On the Number 1 highway, fractured by a previous storm. Now people wanting to get to Kaitaia further north via the No.1 Highway, have have no choice but to search out alternative routes. But, no one would have known, when or how devastated roads and gorges would have been impacted in our country. Look at Mohaka gorge,... devastated by mother nature.... just one of several areas drowned and taken out by the masse flooding. We arent the only country being hit either. Global warming.... Truely frightening.
There are a lot of roads in NZ that are a land slide or Major flood away from permanent closure..the road to Westport along the Buller river is the one I'm most familiar with..the repairs are of the standard you would expect on a road that's close to being abandoned in the near future!!!.♥️🇳🇿
I would really recommend that anyone wanting a first hand experience to jump the fence and see it for them selves. I did it on foot about 6 months ago it only takes about a hour from one end to the other.
Wow that road got messed up! I hope they put in another "better" road, the track they are using now just isn't cutting it. Anyway awesome footage guys, I hope they open it as a walking / hiking track for the public in the future.
That's a really nice video, nice photos as well This pandemic, well you can see what has happened. This covid is telling that there are too many people on this planet There are over half the population that has every existed on the planet right now.
Disagree its selfishness that's the problem, there's plenty of room and resources for everyone but the greedy elites are making sure the peasants get very little.
Back in the war the Americans wanted to build a bridge right through the centre of the gorge river but they went with the carving of the road instead. Should the river ever get dammed up in an earthquake woodville from the bottom of the coppermine hill to the entirety of ashurst and palmerston north have about 3hrs before they are completely flooded. The last big flood my daughters poppa remembers walking ontop of the railway tracks and the water slyshing halfway up his gumboots and watching cows float by below the tracks but above the road track. As a kid the gorge road was brutal i never made it through without vomiting multiple times, it toik around 20 mins to make it from 1 end to the other and by the age of 50 you could ( but shouldnt) get from 1 end to the other in just on 7mins if you knew the road. It also had its own local lads that filled their yellow mini with a keg of beer and just like the blondini crew in gd bye pork pie they set off for invercargill, HOWEVER, they didnt make past the ashurst end of the gorge after been accosted by the local coppa and dragged home to their parents they were at the time only 15years of age. Lol. I miss the gorge.
Best way to get to Woodville if you can't drive and have a will to live and avoid the saddle on a bike 😂 safe as don't see why they don't run tours and make some money off it
Typical bureaucratic glass half empty mentally...a huge profit could be made by quarrying the area and making the road-bed wider. Might take a few years...but the road could eventually re open
If you want to keep up to date with my adventures, silly buggers and shenanigans, hit us up on the gram! 😆
instagram.com/johnny_hendrikus/
Just a small correction. I'm local in Ashhurst and the first big slip ISN'T the slip that closed the road. It's the next one at Kerry's Wall. The first slip, to my knowledge has never be publicised in any official channels
Thanks for the adventure...I remember riding the steam train through the gorge in the 90's & kayaking through on the river around 2000...:)...you stirred up the memories...thanks again.
Fantastic video guys, I went and visited the Woodville end for the first time since it closed in 2017, I only went as far as the first locked gate but it was still great to see the road again nonetheless. It’s crazy just how much nature has taken back in 5 years.
Also I’m just watching some of your other videos too, interesting stuff.
such a shame, but a lot like our port hills in Christchurch, earthquake 9 years ago.
Amazing video, such good cinematography!!
Our family traveled that road many times in the 50's & 60s, last I drove on it was about 35yrs ago under overhead rock faces, 🥴 As a 5yr old I remember riding in a red passenger train & watching the cars traveling along from the other side.
Similar - first memory as a 6 year old. I was travelling alone from PN to Masterton. Elderly Road Services (?) bus got a flat tyre in the middle of the gorge. Everyone hopped off the bus while the menfolk got the hard yards done by the light of car headlights, thanks to other motorists. No cell phones of course, so frantic family friends waiting in Masterton. Only 45 minutes late!
Used to love travelling to Hastings Blossom Festival, then in the New Year, travelling there for a boot full ('37 Ford) of sacks of fruit for Mum to bottle. The gorge was always fascinating - a highlight on any trips through to Wairarapa or Hawkes Bay.
@Aj C I remember those Blossom Festivals in the 60s, we had a peach orchard (they were the size of large apples). Those waiting for the late bus would have thaught the worst at the time.
Totally agree, roads should be made to move with the land, not cut right through it.
I’m glad Manawatu gorge has told us this.
It's amazing how in just over three years nature has reclaimed so much.
Great Video, thanks for sharing
I miss driving through here at high speed. R.i.p gorge
Was awesome aye
Love the video I hope you will continue to do more of these abandoned roads series 👍🏼😁
This brings back memories of going from woodville to Palmerston North every day for school 😩
the pain 😭
Epic mate. Loving your videos, especially this one. Being an adventure junkie myself and having such a passion for our Aotearoa backyard, this vid hits the spot. It is such a shame that this road is now closed off
Early eighties myself and some friends on our ten speeds would ride from Palmy to Ashurst, get 3 largies each and then ride through to Balance and swim all day. Always had a bloody headwind on the way home. Great memories. Would fly through there faster than some car's. Fun
This makes me sad...I've travelled that road all my life.Sad to see its shut off
Thanks lads, really enjoyed your video. Many fond memories of that road
Awesome guys! Loved it..
Just came across this. I didn't even know it was closed till right now. It makes me a little sad. Just because while i was at boarding school we used that road to travel to Hastings for school functions. I'll always remember looking over the side as we past hoping time would slow down before we'd make it back to school, or looking at the banks and wondering if it would slip as we drove past, even the graffiti that somehow managed to be put on the rail way crossing. This road, althought not traveled to often still holds fond memories in my heart
Love this video. Great to explore on what our country has to offer. I hope to see more of this sometime soon too. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Our country is absolutely beautiful, its a privilege to have come from here huh! thanks for watching
@@JohnnyHendrikus yeah it totally is a privilege yet we take a lot of things for granted in life. Just am blessed to be alive and healthy and breathing. Born and raised in the Waikato region when l was younger and then as I got older moved around a lot and haven't seen all the south island yet either yet some people tell me that I should try and travel overseas sometime in the future. I would like to yet it depends where I'm heading. I've also have a channel too. You're welcome.
Yes Iv driven thru here for many years 80s - 2000s since it's closing Iv ridden thru on my bike like most have "enjoyable ride" feed/kai in Woody then ride back couple cold ones in Ashurst DAMN good day out!!🙂
Remarkable footage bro, looks awesome
Wow such an awesome work on the gorge
Very awesome video team loved it 😎👍
Thanks for sharing. I used to drive along there.
Mean venture bro! Keep em coming :)
Thank you Mohsin! more to come ;)
Great clip - good work.
Good ones. I worked there in 1968/69 with the Ministry of Works. They got the work done not like contract companies today who seem to be out to make a buck. We saw plans in those years of the George's new roading - pity they didn't do it then. It wasn't going to be the George as we know it but it was going to take another route over the top but back from the road side.
Its not the only abandoned area, Mangamuka, Northland is the same. On the Number 1 highway, fractured by a previous storm. Now people wanting to get to Kaitaia further north via the No.1 Highway, have have no choice but to search out alternative routes.
But, no one would have known, when or how devastated roads and gorges would have been impacted in our country. Look at Mohaka gorge,... devastated by mother nature.... just one of several areas drowned and taken out by the masse flooding.
We arent the only country being hit either.
Global warming.... Truely frightening.
Brilliant, you guys.
I always wanted to see that road one more time.
My curiosity is satisfied and grateful, and
Very good vid well done!
Great job guys... looooooove the footage! Well done :)
Thanks for watching Cindi!
Nice vid. I’m from Palmerston North.
Big rock in middle of river near the water fall is known as the taniwha/river monster of the manawatu gorge
ha dude I didn't know that! Thanks for this. Ol local knowledge eh
@@JohnnyHendrikus yup, I'm a long time woodvillian
@@anthonycrompton1980 mate that Fish stop in Woodville is absolutely delicious, not just that, it was only like 5 bucks for a piece of snapper!
this deserves 1mil
There are a lot of roads in NZ that are a land slide or Major flood away from permanent closure..the road to Westport along the Buller river is the one I'm most familiar with..the repairs are of the standard you would expect on a road that's close to being abandoned in the near future!!!.♥️🇳🇿
I would really recommend that anyone wanting a first hand experience to jump the fence and see it for them selves. I did it on foot about 6 months ago it only takes about a hour from one end to the other.
I miss the George
Cheers boys.
Wow that road got messed up!
I hope they put in another "better" road, the track they are using now just isn't cutting it.
Anyway awesome footage guys, I hope they open it as a walking / hiking track for the public in the future.
They're putting one over the hills next to the saddle which should be completed within the decade
Umm I think it will dude . 6 million cubes of cutting for starters
Last time I was in New Zealand the gorge was open, how do you get to Palmeston North now from the Hawkes Bay?
Saddle road thru ashurst
or the track
That's a really nice video, nice photos as well
This pandemic, well you can see what has happened. This covid is telling that there are too many people on this planet
There are over half the population that has every existed on the planet right now.
Disagree its selfishness that's the problem, there's plenty of room and resources for everyone but the greedy elites are making sure the peasants get very little.
It's Budleigha, a non native weed. Pull it out...if you can ;) but bees love it. It Shouldn't be in nz though.
Can you tell me where do road users travel down on now
Saddle road or Pahiatua Track. I drove both a few days ago.
I aWays looked at the edge and
my uncle is one of the other 'risk seekers'
Back in the war the Americans wanted to build a bridge right through the centre of the gorge river but they went with the carving of the road instead.
Should the river ever get dammed up in an earthquake woodville from the bottom of the coppermine hill to the entirety of ashurst and palmerston north have about 3hrs before they are completely flooded.
The last big flood my daughters poppa remembers walking ontop of the railway tracks and the water slyshing halfway up his gumboots and watching cows float by below the tracks but above the road track.
As a kid the gorge road was brutal i never made it through without vomiting multiple times, it toik around 20 mins to make it from 1 end to the other and by the age of 50 you could ( but shouldnt) get from 1 end to the other in just on 7mins if you knew the road.
It also had its own local lads that filled their yellow mini with a keg of beer and just like the blondini crew in gd bye pork pie they set off for invercargill, HOWEVER, they didnt make past the ashurst end of the gorge after been accosted by the local coppa and dragged home to their parents they were at the time only 15years of age. Lol.
I miss the gorge.
How did you get your bikes over the fence thats closed off the road? Lol i want to go and do this. Like right now 😂
When was it closed?.
Years ago now
Best way to get to Woodville if you can't drive and have a will to live and avoid the saddle on a bike 😂 safe as don't see why they don't run tours and make some money off it
Nz is a country that I always wanted to visit. But this country is too far from me.
It only started slip, slipping away when NZTA tried to make the road suitable for townies and Jaffa's!
good footage... sad pronunciation of Maanawatu
I absolutely agree with you
hey bro! Chasm is pronounced Kasm. Just so you know for next time.
manawatu gorge is only empty because they didnt fix it correctly the first time
Don't go in there it's tapu
Typical bureaucratic glass half empty mentally...a huge profit could be made by quarrying the area and making the road-bed wider. Might take a few years...but the road could eventually re open
Does the train still run on the other side of the river....?