Rocky heads 'home' to Mt Hutt

Arguably the most famous rock in New Zealand – Rocky the rock that tore into a Christchurch home during the February 2011 earthquake – is heading ‘home’ to Mt Hutt ski area.

Following the earthquake, homeowner Phil Johnson listed Rocky on TradeMe in a charity auction to raise earthquake relief funds and bring some fun into the lives of stressed Cantabrians.

A thousand Facebook postings, 300,000 TradeMe page views and a whole lot of laughter later, the huge rock was in the hands of NZSki, owner of Canterbury’s Mt Hutt ski area.

NZSki became Rocky’s ‘legal guardian’ after successfully bidding $50,000 for him, and in total, the on-line auction became the third biggest Trade Me ever had, raising over $60,000 for the Red Cross relief fund.

Now two years later the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has confirmed that Rocky can be removed on Thursday (May 30).

Contracting company SICON Ltd has been charged with getting Rocky on the move and taking him on a two-day ‘Rocky road trip’ to Methven and Mt Hutt with stops at the Ferrymead business area in Ferry Road at around 10:30am, then Burwood Park, Moorhouse Avenue, Yaldhurst Road, Main South Road and stopping overnight at the iconic Blue Pub in Methven from 6pm.

SICON spokesperson Dave Wilson said preparation for the move and demolition of Phil’s former home in Christchurch’s Heathcote Valley had been extensive, with the normal safety plans for the demolition, traffic management plans and site safety plans as well as additional safety plans to deal with the possibility of rockfall during the demolition.

“This has involved providing an additional shelter onsite if a rock starts to fall and roll towards the house, a spotter with an air horn who can see the hills and the site, and changes to our methodology to ensure the minimal amount of people are on site at any one time,” he said.

“There’s been a lot of speculation about how heavy Rocky is.

“The crane we’re using is a 50-tonne crane and we’re estimating he’s between 15and 25 tonne. Rocky is Basalt rock which usually has a high density as it’s volcanic and has been created under pressure. The only rock that has a higher density is a meteor.”

Mt Hutt ski area manager James McKenzie said word that Rocky was on the move had already re-ignited the rock’s Facebook page and his 3,000 fans.

“We’re anticipating a fair few people will turn out to see him on his long-awaited road trip and maybe even join us for a beer at the Blue Pub in Methven where $1 from each handle sold will go to the Red Cross,” he said.

“On the trip through Christchurch we’re also going to be selling limited edition numbered copies of a book written to recount Rocky’s most famous Facebook ‘sayings’, which I think will become collectors’ items, and special commemorative T-shirts, with all those proceeds too going to the Red Cross.”

Weather and road conditions permitting, Rocky will head to his final resting place on the snow at Mt Hutt near the base building on Friday (May 31).

Rocky Road Trip details – with The Rock Roadies

·         Ferrymead Business Area – Ferry Road 10:30am

·         Burwood Park 11:30am

·         Moorhouse Avenue 1:30pm

·         Yaldhurst Road 2:30pm

·         Main South Road 3:30pm

·         Blue Pub, Methven – from 6pm

·         Mt Hutt Ski Area – (Friday May 31 or as weather/road conditions allow)