Cannot Get Home 

What to do if roads between Wānaka and Hāwea are blocked after a major earthquake 

What to do if roads between Wānaka and Hāwea are blocked after a major earthquake. 

After a major earthquake, State Highway 6 between Wānaka and Hāwea is likely to be impassable. Maungawera Hill will probably be blocked by slips and fallen trees. The Albert Town and Luggate bridges may be damaged or closed for safety checks. The dam crossing could be affected by slips or wave-topping. 

You may not be able to get home by car. You may need to walk.

See Identify Your Risks for more detail on the specific road hazards. See Family Whereabouts for what to do about children and family members in different locations.

The most important thing to have in your car 

If you work in Wānaka or travel regularly between Wānaka and Hāwea, keep sturdy footwear in your car at all times. Not jandals. Not dress shoes. Shoes or boots you could actually walk several kilometres in, on rough terrain, through debris.

After a major earthquake, trees will be down across the road. The road surface itself may be damaged. If you have to walk home from Wānaka — or walk part of the way — you will need footwear you can trust.

This is the single most practical thing you can do today. Put a pair of walking shoes or boots in your car before you finish reading this page.

Your grab bag 

Keep a grab bag at work and a basic kit in your car. If you have to leave your vehicle and walk, this is what you will need:

• Sturdy footwear — the most important item

• Warm, weatherproof clothing — the Hāwea corridor is exposed and conditions can change quickly

• Water — at least one litre

• Food — enough for a day

• A torch with spare batteries

• A battery-powered or hand-crank radio

• A basic first aid kit

• A charged portable power bank

• Any essential medications

• A written copy of key contacts and your home address — phones may be flat or broken

• Cash — EFTPOS will not work

If you have to walk 

Wānaka to Hāwea is approximately 16–18 km. Walking the full distance is a serious undertaking, particularly in cold or wet weather, through damaged terrain. Before you set out:

• Do not walk alone — travel in groups where possible

• Do not use the Hāwea River or riverbank as a route — the river corridor is exposed to wave-topping risk after a major earthquake. See Identify Your Risks for why

• If Maungawera Hill is blocked, the road itself may not be passable on foot — cross-country travel through farmland may be the only option. This is rough terrain. Do not attempt it in darkness

• Tell someone where you are going before you leave — if phones are working, leave a message with your out-of-district contact

If you cannot get home at all 

You may need to stay in Wānaka overnight or for several days. Plan for this before an emergency happens. Mobile networks will likely be down or overloaded. Some New Zealand carriers now offer satellite-to-mobile calling on eligible phones and plans — but the person you are calling also needs to be reachable. If they are on a standard mobile network that is down, your call will not connect regardless of your own phone's capability. The plan needs to exist before an emergency — not be arranged on the day. 

Before an emergency:

• Know who you will stay within Wānaka — a friend, family member, or colleague whose address you know

• Ask your employer whether staying at the office is an option if needed

• Make sure your family at home already knows this plan without needing a phone call — write it down, tell everyone

Your family at home should not be waiting and worrying about where you are. If they already know the plan, they know you are safe and where you are. 

See Family Whereabouts for the full plan covering children at school and the parent stranded in Wānaka scenario.

Planning in a panic never works. The plan that keeps your family safe is the one you made on a calm Tuesday afternoon, wrote down, and made sure everyone knows. 

If family at home are waiting for someone who has not arrived 

Stay home. Follow the household plan. Do not attempt to drive to Wānaka. The same road barriers blocking the route home will block the return journey — and a second person stranded makes the situation worse, not better. The plan made in advance is the one to trust.

Your workplace emergency plan 

It is worth having a personal workplace emergency plan — a simple written document covering how you will get home, where you will shelter if you cannot, and who your contacts are.

Get Ready NZ provides a workplace emergency planning guide:

Get Ready NZ — work emergencies

Last reviewed: May 2026.