Cangaroo-III observations of the 2006 outburst of PKS 2155-304

We have used the CANGAROO-III imaging atmospheric Cerenkov telescopes to observe the high-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae (HBL) object PKS 2155 - 304 between 2006 July 28 (MJD 53,944) and August 2, triggered by the H. E. S. S. report that the source was in a high state of TeV gamma-ray emission. A signal was detected at the 4.8 - level in an effective live time of 25.1 hr during the outburst period. The flux of very high energy gamma rays from the CANGAROO-III observations shows variability on the timescale of less than a few hours. The averaged integral flux above 660 GeV is ( 1.6 +/- 0.3(stat) +/- 0.5(syst)) x 10(-11) cm(-2) s(-1), which corresponds to similar to 45% of the flux observed from the Crab Nebula. Follow-up observations between August 17 (MJD 53,964) and 25 indicate that the source activity had decreased.