High winds earlier this month dislodged the swimming pontoon at Burton Creek on Lake Dunstan, but a team of divers was able to reattach it in time for Christmas.

The Central Otago District Council (CODC) owns the assets on the lake and is responsible for their maintenance. In 2022 the same pontoon became water logged and had to be removed from the lake right on Christmas.

A council spokesperson said the pontoon at the popular swimming spot had become dislodged from its mooring and the chain broken, but divers were able to carry out repairs on Monday - right in time for the summer holiday period.

Council’s communications team said there had not been any issues with the other pontoons around the lake for a few years now, apart from the standard repairs and maintenance.

“Last time this one had problems was due to holes in its tanks which were repaired.”

Council managers at the time said because the pontoons were made of plastic, it did make it difficult to repair them quickly.

The council used to have its own harbourmaster but in 2020 the Otago Regional Council took over that contract from its Dunedin base.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council also has its own separate harbourmaster for the busier lakes (Wakatipu, Lake Wanaka, and Lake Hawea). 

The regional council has a team of three based in Dunedin providing year round cover for Lake Dunstan, including the maintenance of navigation marks pre-season.

They also monitor Poolburn Dam, the Blue Lake and the Clutha River, and over the holiday period are out on the lake daily.

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