Dunedin (Thursday, 17 April 2025) – The Dunedin Gasworks Museum will be cordoned off while options for its chimney stack are considered, but neighbouring businesses will be able to continue trading, the Dunedin City Council says.

Dunedin City Council Group Manager Property Services Anna Nilsen says that while cracks in the upper part of the chimney remain of concern, an engineer’s report has found the chimney’s lower sections have not significantly changed in recent times.

“This means that should the chimney fall, it would likely be limited to its upper section, reducing the size of the area around the chimney that would be affected.

“Based on this, our Building Services staff are confident surrounding businesses can remain open with only limited temporary arrangements in place.”

Based on the engineer’s report, the DCC has also today issued a Dangerous Building Notice to the Gasworks site, meaning public access will be prohibited until issues with the chimney are resolved.

An Affected Building Notice has also been issued to the neighbouring Woolworths supermarket, requiring them to take steps to mitigate any potential risks from a collapse in one small corner of their building.

“We’re working with all affected parties and endeavouring to keep everyone informed as we respond to this situation, and public safety remains our top priority,” Ms Nilsen says.

The Gasworks Museum is expected to remain closed over the weekend, but may be able to reopen next week with restricted access to parts of the facility.

“The gasworks site is an incredibly important and well used community gathering space for a wide range of groups, and we’re working hard to allow them to continue to provide this valuable service as soon as possible.”

The site is a Category 1 historic place owned by the DCC and operated by the Dunedin Gasworks Museum Trust.

“The issue is not just with a large crack in the structure which appears to be pre-date last month’s earthquake. Comparing drone footage taken in 2024 to the most recent footage, we can see evidence of new cracks and movement within the structure, as well as a further deterioration of the large crack.

“Based on the expert advice we’ve now received, we’re taking precautionary steps to ensure public safety while these issues are addressed.”

Ms Nilsen says DCC staff are regularly on site and work collaboratively with the trust across the whole site.

“We recognise the efforts of the trust and the incredible value of the Gasworks Museum to its supporters and the wider community, and we’re working hard to make sure it’s safe to reopen the site as soon as we can.”

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