Birdcage pub begins move home tomorrow

The Birdcage Tavern. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Auckland's historic Birdcage Tavern is due to begin crawling back to its original location tomorrow after the 125-year-old building was moved up the road to allow a new motorway tunnel to be built.

The tavern, built on the city's waterfront as the Rob Roy Hotel, was shoved 40m up Franklin Rd by hydraulic rams last August.

The 600-tonne brick building will begin the move back to its original location tomorrow morning. It is expected to take at least two days.

There will be a viewing area off Franklin Rd for anyone wanting to see the building inching its way back down the hill. The initial move attracted thousands of onlookers.

- NZPA