June edition 2021 Editor: Mike Gray

Duntroon was well represented at the verbal presentations to the Council’s Long Term Plan last Tuesday. Faye and Mike made a presentation on behalf of Vanished World. A good crowd of supporters (Over 30 people) gathered to support the Geopark Presentation which preceded the Vanished World one. A prominent member of the group was Helen Brookes, first chairman of Vanished World Inc. It was a very good show of community support for both projects. We await the outcome of our appeal for financial support for a community facility that is based outside of . Jan Keeling spoke about the traffic issues in Duntroon and emphasised the safety issues that exist at present and sought the support of Council in approaching Transit to find solutions. Geoff Keeling spoke about the strong feelings of Duntroonians as to the proposed location of the new public toilets. He emphasised that pedestrians used the south side of the road, and this then was the best location, not the north side. He raised several of the so called ‘cost issues’ and indicated that the costs for either location should not be dramatically different. (Well done on the strong number of written submissions regarding this issue. I believe there were close to 30 submissions about the future location of the toilets.) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… While writing this page, I was interrupted by a phone call informing me of the death of a local identity, Helen Brookes. She died on Friday morning. She and husband Terry Fowler lived on a lifestyle block just west of Georgetown and had a small orchard. They had recently sold the property and retired into Oamaru. Helen will be well known in the area for her stand against Project Aqua, and as the first Chairman of Vanished World Inc when it was set up some 21 years ago. She was a Councillor on the Council and served on the Network Waitaki Board for many years. Our thoughts are with her family at this time of loss. 1

Judy’s newsletter to fellow Blacksmiths. Hi everyone Where to start, it has been so busy down at the forge, introduction courses, kids have a go, bus tours visiting, (with more booked in) Duntroon school having a go, 50 kids through in 3 days all making something and having a ball as well. Thanks to all who made it possible and hope we inspired some of the children. Of cause most of the boys wanted to make a knife or sword. The TV series “Fire and Forge” seems popular. I especially loved the wee 5 to 6 year olds who each made a wee spiral that they got to take way, while the rest made hooks, garden stakes, bird feeders and an assortment of other stuff which will go the school and their garden. We have another home educated school group keen to come through as well, only 20 or so! Phew! Introduction courses have been really popular with most weekends having someone learning and have 5 introduction course vouchers out there in the coming months not to mention heaps of enquires. We have become very popular with a large number of North Islanders visiting and buying heaps! The bike groups still riding through. Although it has become quieter over the last couple of weeks it is winter after all and it gives us more time to forge. We are only a week away from Queen’s Birthday when we normally close for the winter. I haven't rostered anyone on, so if any of you are free, please come and join in. I will continue to open up on a Sundays (11 till 3) over winter for courses and anyone who wants to come on down for a play. Have also a few new volunteers joining in as well which is exciting. I am planning a mid-winter BBQ working bee on Saturday 19th June. All welcome, not just blacksmith. A chance to gather and to discuss the next season. Your ideas are most welcome. Catch up with the other blacksmiths, especially the new volunteers. We need to sort out a bit of stuff, like the twisted pile of Standards. We want to clear that area for proposed display shed to house the dray currently stored in the container. The eagle has landed and the area around just needs a bit of a rake to get some plants planted, not to mention the zillion oak leaves falling at the moment. Let me know if you can make it, for catering purposes. Well that's it for now, will be in touch later. Thanks to everyone that has made this season so successful, we have all had such fun. Kind regards , Judy. [email protected]

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Local Notices:

Open invitation to interested people wanting to meet local blacksmiths at a working Bee and BBQ on Saturday June 19th at Nicol’s Blacksmith Shop.

Start time around 10am.

Next DDDA Committee Meeting: Thursday 10th June 7:00 pm at Vanished World Centre.

This Notice is for YOU! The Duntroon Fire Brigade would like to remind all Duntroon Residents to please check their smoke alarms are working. If you are living in Duntroon Village and need any assistance with this, or fitting a new alarm, please contact Mark at the Duntroon Fire Brigade Phone: 021 211 3366.

A Big Thank You to Meridian Power Up Community Fund – Waitaki from Vanished World Inc. and Duntroon & District Development Association

Your funding of a professional microscope and digital camera for use in our ‘Discovery Room’ at the VW Fossil Centre, Duntroon, And funding for flag brackets in the Duntroon Village Is very much appreciated by our community.

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Transpower’s Clutha Upper Waitaki Lines Project (CUWLP). What is Transpower doing in To increase northward capacity on the Roxburgh to Livingstone section of the Roxburgh to Islington 220kV line, we are replacing the existing single wire with two wires known as ‘duplexing’ (See the example opposite) on our existing transmission lines. There are 437 pylons, a line route of 142km, and 900km of electrical wire being installed for this project. That’s as far as driving Alexandra to Christchurch and back again. Our Autumn 2021 wiring, and pylon foundation strengthening programme are progressing well. A wiring crew of 70 is based in Alexandra and they and our foundation pylon strengthening crews are operational across the region. Right now, our foundation crews are working in the Danseys Pass Road area. Signage is visible at the south and north entry points to the Pass. You should be able to recognise our workers as our vehicles carry the Transpower logo.

Why is Transpower doing this project? The project is a big part of Transpower’s support to transform New Zealand to a low-carbon economy. (This was an update from our Danseys Pass Correspondent – Jo Todd.)

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A Tourist Excursion to Duntroon:

On Wednesday May 5th, two coach loads of visitors from the Auckland area visited Duntroon. Mike Gray gave the morning coach a commentary as they drove through the Waiareka Valley. They learned about the Great Estates that were formed in the mid 1800s. They passed through the area where Corriedale sheep were bred and heard the story of the Gallipoli Pine. A short stop at Quarry where they saw a coal seam, which has been transformed from a peat area that grew there some 70 million years ago. Some recalled buying Eclipse Flour in years gone by.

Then they travelled over the Ngapara Hill and down into the “Valley of the Whales” (Awamoko Valley) and on past Anatini and Elephant Rocks to Duntroon. They spent time in the Blacksmith Shop with locals working at the forge and then soaked up the Vanished World Fossil Story.

That coach returned to Oamaru and the second coach arrived early afternoon for the same experiences.

They were delighted with their day and their variety of experiences. I suspect they went home and began ‘spreading the word’ to their children and grandchildren. There were 89 on the tour that day.

The following week, the travel company booked a further 120 more visitors, to experience the same journey and activities. Well Done Duntroon!

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