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ALBUM - OMOTO SLIP. 1980` s and 2019.
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Location (city or town)OmotoLandmark (Place)OMOTO SLIPEventOMOTO SLIP. 1980` s.
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Date Created26th December 2022CommentsAnn Knipe
I am wondering if this is earlier than 1980 as the photo and fashions look older. I worked at River View Motel in the early 1980's and remember the big slip there in August 1984.
May be an image of 2 people and outdoors
Tony Kokshoorn
Hi Anne. The photos were taken by a Grey Star reporter and have early 1980,s on the back. There is an 80, s van in background and the slab of concrete is in the same position as the colour photo showing advanced earth works which were carried out to stabilise the area.
Ann Knipe
Tony Kokshoorn it would of been August 1984. Barry and Viv Straight had just sold the motels and moved back to Christchurch roughly two weeks before the culvert to the left blocked and the hillside slipped..
Wayne Leckie
The old greasy back.
Phyllis Aberhart
I'm sure it's not the 1980's slip. I think had to take my father over the river to take him to hospital
Marcia Martini
Phyllis Aberhart Early 1980's - 1984
Sandra Arnott
Not 1980 I was living in kaiata with three kids,yes there were slips but not like this!
Ann Knipe
Sandra Arnott the coloured pic that I posted above I took in 1984 when I was working at the motels. The photo is dated August so the slip happened either late July, or a date in August.
Marcia Martini
Ann Knipe We had band practice nights there back in the day we owned them,1972-early 1980's the other musicians would come every Tuesday night Rod Beck, John Lowe , my husband Gerard Martini on keyboard etc Fun rehearsals on the hill. Motels were kn… See more
Leeanne Sneddon
That van looks 80's but the people look like they're 50s or 60s!
Judy Davis
There was a big slip there in the early 50.s
Marcia Martini
Judy Davis My husband built the twin driveway & installed those lights 1972-1980 so that identifies as after early 1980 so not 1950's but there was a slip in 50's.
Murry McKendry
Reminds me of the slip just after the road and railway were relocated
Marcia Martini
We owned these motels freehold until just before 1980 when we sold them to Barry Straight, then the slip happened around that year. When we bought them in 1972 there was an old single gravel & part concrete broken driveway & Gerard built the two new concrete driveway & we installed the lights between drives. So 1980 is correct. But I have to agree that the clothing on those people would make you think it was older.
Marcia Martini
So it happened after 1980 after we sold them so maybe 1980-1984 ish
Ann Knipe
Marcia Martini I have photo's of the slip dated August 1984. Viv and Barry had left two weeks before the slip occured.
Marcia Martini
Ann Knipe I wonder who bought them after Barry & Viv
Ann Knipe
Marcia Martini I have just messaged Viv. I am not sure but I think that the lease may have been bought back by the owner. I may however be incorrect.
Anne Honey
Sure was Judy had a photo of my grand.mother and i walking over the slip to get on the Blackball bus.
Tania Tones Lawrence
Was there another slip later in the 80's too? Maybe nearer the 88 flood. I was working at the Meat Tavern and staying at Omoto and would drive up near the slip walk across it and carry on to work.
Brian McIntyre
At the time it looked that the whole area was going to be a write off and talk was that the new deviation road north was to be on the other side of the river through Taylorville to Stillwater. Prior to the 80s though. Late 50s early 60s
Alan Smith
I worked on that back when I was in the ngahere track gang
Chris Farrington
October 2019
May be an image of 2 people, railroad and text
Murry McKendry
They forgot to add rocks to the base of the fill as protection all along the river bank.
Aileen Thornley
Goodness I have never seen this photo, my honorary Aunt Nancy Birchfield had the Motel back in the 6O’s and mum used to help her out.
Anne Honey
I remember the slip in the 1950s and the workmen carrying me to get on the Blackball bus parked on the other side.
Stephen Hudson
I remember watching them drop old steam locomotives into the river to stop those banks collapsing ... late 50s /early 60s
I am wondering if this is earlier than 1980 as the photo and fashions look older. I worked at River View Motel in the early 1980's and remember the big slip there in August 1984.
May be an image of 2 people and outdoors
Tony Kokshoorn
Hi Anne. The photos were taken by a Grey Star reporter and have early 1980,s on the back. There is an 80, s van in background and the slab of concrete is in the same position as the colour photo showing advanced earth works which were carried out to stabilise the area.
Ann Knipe
Tony Kokshoorn it would of been August 1984. Barry and Viv Straight had just sold the motels and moved back to Christchurch roughly two weeks before the culvert to the left blocked and the hillside slipped..
Wayne Leckie
The old greasy back.
Phyllis Aberhart
I'm sure it's not the 1980's slip. I think had to take my father over the river to take him to hospital
Marcia Martini
Phyllis Aberhart Early 1980's - 1984
Sandra Arnott
Not 1980 I was living in kaiata with three kids,yes there were slips but not like this!
Ann Knipe
Sandra Arnott the coloured pic that I posted above I took in 1984 when I was working at the motels. The photo is dated August so the slip happened either late July, or a date in August.
Marcia Martini
Ann Knipe We had band practice nights there back in the day we owned them,1972-early 1980's the other musicians would come every Tuesday night Rod Beck, John Lowe , my husband Gerard Martini on keyboard etc Fun rehearsals on the hill. Motels were kn… See more
Leeanne Sneddon
That van looks 80's but the people look like they're 50s or 60s!
Judy Davis
There was a big slip there in the early 50.s
Marcia Martini
Judy Davis My husband built the twin driveway & installed those lights 1972-1980 so that identifies as after early 1980 so not 1950's but there was a slip in 50's.
Murry McKendry
Reminds me of the slip just after the road and railway were relocated
Marcia Martini
We owned these motels freehold until just before 1980 when we sold them to Barry Straight, then the slip happened around that year. When we bought them in 1972 there was an old single gravel & part concrete broken driveway & Gerard built the two new concrete driveway & we installed the lights between drives. So 1980 is correct. But I have to agree that the clothing on those people would make you think it was older.
Marcia Martini
So it happened after 1980 after we sold them so maybe 1980-1984 ish
Ann Knipe
Marcia Martini I have photo's of the slip dated August 1984. Viv and Barry had left two weeks before the slip occured.
Marcia Martini
Ann Knipe I wonder who bought them after Barry & Viv
Ann Knipe
Marcia Martini I have just messaged Viv. I am not sure but I think that the lease may have been bought back by the owner. I may however be incorrect.
Anne Honey
Sure was Judy had a photo of my grand.mother and i walking over the slip to get on the Blackball bus.
Tania Tones Lawrence
Was there another slip later in the 80's too? Maybe nearer the 88 flood. I was working at the Meat Tavern and staying at Omoto and would drive up near the slip walk across it and carry on to work.
Brian McIntyre
At the time it looked that the whole area was going to be a write off and talk was that the new deviation road north was to be on the other side of the river through Taylorville to Stillwater. Prior to the 80s though. Late 50s early 60s
Alan Smith
I worked on that back when I was in the ngahere track gang
Chris Farrington
October 2019
May be an image of 2 people, railroad and text
Murry McKendry
They forgot to add rocks to the base of the fill as protection all along the river bank.
Aileen Thornley
Goodness I have never seen this photo, my honorary Aunt Nancy Birchfield had the Motel back in the 6O’s and mum used to help her out.
Anne Honey
I remember the slip in the 1950s and the workmen carrying me to get on the Blackball bus parked on the other side.
Stephen Hudson
I remember watching them drop old steam locomotives into the river to stop those banks collapsing ... late 50s /early 60s
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West Coast New Zealand History (6th Jan 2025). ALBUM - OMOTO SLIP. 1980` s and 2019.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 2nd Apr 2026 16:53, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/31747