Hikuai Community Plan 2014

Hikuai Community Plan 2014 serves to inform and direct both local and regional government bodies of the short and long term

needs and the desired outcomes for the Hikuai Community. Aerial Map of the Hikuai Area CONTENTS

Brief History of Hikuai Page 1

Introduction Page 2

Methods Page 2

Community, Culture and Identity Page 4

Growth and Development Page 5

Roads and Signs Page 6

Rivers and Reserves Page 7

Power, Telephone, Internet and Rubbish Page 8

Conclusion Page 9

What Hikuai would like Page 10

Acknowledgements Page 11

A Brief History of Hikuai Hikuai was the first European settlement in the area. Kauri logging and later mining brought workers to the area and, as so often happened, a thriving industry of services and businesses grew to support the workers and their families. The natural harbour at and the tidal made establishment of a prosperous Hikuai possible where river transport bought people and goods to and from the inland valley and hills to the coast. There had not been continual Maori settlement of Hikuai since the 1820’s when conflict between local Maori decimated the local population and the area was not repopulated with Maori. By the mid 1860’s Europeans pursuing the valuable Kauri trade moved into the area to establish a successful logging industry. William Jackson, who managed the Tairua sawmill, established Jacksons Landing

to process and distribute logs and to serve as a base for vessels to service the wider area. Commercial Kauri gum digging continued till a few years before the outbreak of World War Two but gum can still be found in the hills today though no longer mined on a commercial basis. Logging remains a feature of the Hikuai economy but is now new growth sustainable exotic forestry. The discovery of gold at Neavesville in 1875 and at Puketui provided the impetus for another influx of population and establishment of more commercial ventures further up the Puketui Valley. By 1897 a Post Office and Hikuai School were built for a booming community that enjoyed race meetings, sports events and concerts. Although there is still one commercial gold mine in the Puketui Valley it operates on a part time basis. The other mines are closed but now the trails and tracks provide tramping trails in the Valley. The next major industry for Hikuai was farming when soon after World War One, 2,181 acres of land was divided into 15 farms and made available to returning soldiers. Dairy farming remains an important industry in the Hikuai economy and descendants of early residents remain living in the area today. This part of the remained relatively 1 isolated until the improvement and sealing of the Kopu-Hikuai Road (SH 25A), from Thames to Hikuai, in 1967. Completion of a good quality sealed road enabled much faster and safer access to the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsular resulting in steady increases in tourist traffic along the coast. Although Hikuai is close the coast it is very much an inland rural community. The significant body of water is the Tairua River rather than the Pacific Ocean. This is reflected in the many more survey responses mentioning the importance of the river, bush and mountains rather than the beach or ocean. The gaze of the community, as expressed in responses to this community survey, is inwards to the land rather than outward towards the sea. The Hikuai School, for example, integrates the Pinnacles, a local rock formation that dominates the valley view, into the culture and values of the school.

Introduction In 2006 members of the Hikuai community mobilised to address the current issues and future needs of the community, resulting in the Hikuai Community Plan 2006. The plan was also used as a vehicle to guide the local Tairua - Community Board and the Thames- Coromandel Regional District Council (TCDC) as well as to communicate the concerns and needs of the community with regard to future infrastructure, fiscal spending and services provided in the area. The purpose of the 2014 survey was a natural extension of the original survey to create a similar document that can be submitted to the local Community Board. Approximately 150 surveys were distributed to the residents of Hikuai and 53 completed returns were collated and analysed. This is considered a good reply rate. Many of the questions asked people to answer in their own words and these answers have been re-coded to reflect the general themes of their comments. Three main foci of concern were introduced in the 2006 survey and remain pertinent today with the addition of a focus on stakeholder relationships:

• Condition of the roads and road signs • Commercial zoning in Hikuai • Managing the natural resources of Hikuai to maintain its rural landscape • Relationship with the local, regional and national government departments working in and around the Hikuai area.

Methods Approximately 150 surveys were distributed to the residents of Hikuai and 53 completed returns were collated and analysed. One third reply rate is considered good. Many of the questions were open ended and asked people to answer in their own words, then their answers were re-coded to reflect the general themes of their comments. This process results in many more responses than responders as some people made several comments within one answer. For example an answer to Question 1, ‘What I like about Hikuai?’ was, ‘Peace

2 and quiet. Panoramic views. Friendly neighbours’ (sic). This reply was coded to reflect themes of both the natural environment and community spirit. The survey consisted of 12 Questions about attitudes, thoughts, feelings and desired outcomes for and about Hikuai referencing local issues, identified by the community as being important. There were also three questions on demographics and contact information of which only the age range is reported. The questions are as follows: Question 1 asks what responders like about Hikuai. Question 2 asks what responders do not like about Hikuai. Question 3 asks for a description of the responder’s vision for the future of Hikuai as far as the economy, the social aspects and the environment is concerned. Question 4 asks if there is anything people don’t want for Hikuai. Question 5 asks about road issues in Hikuai including speeds, visibility at Duck Creek Bridge, Bailey Bridge realignment, and sealing of Puketui Valley Road. Question 6 asks about what kinds of commercial activity Hikuai should have. Question 7 asks responders for comments on the Hikuai Community Hall, the Ti Kouka Reserve, and reserves in general. Question 8 refers to community character and specifically asks opinions about activities in Hikuai, land subdivision and local signage. Question 9 asks about pest control in the area. Question 10 asks for comments on local rivers. Question 11 asks about the impact tourism has on the area and also specifically about the Broken Hills recreation area. Question 12 asks for comments on power supply, telephone and internet services, rubbish collection, Hikuai road signs, Hikuai School and the Pauanui Tairua cycleway. The survey was developed by the Hikuai Community Group based on a previous survey done in 2006, the themes of the questions are similar but the 2014 community group took the opportunity to expand on previous questions and add some additional lines of inquiry to develop insight into matters of interest. The survey was distributed in the early months of 2014 around the Hikuai area by word of mouth, hand delivery, letterbox drop and copies were also available at Prescott’s Garage. After responses were recorded Dr Alison Loveridge from the University of Canterbury (UC) Sociology Department was asked to assist with generation of a report to be submitted to local council. The report was incorporated into an Internship programme for a UC graduate sociology student (Averill Williamson-Moser), the report writer. Averill travelled to Hikuai in the first weekend of December 2014 to meet the Hikuai Community Committee members, view the area and talk to as many local residents as possible. The opportunity was also taken to meet representatives of the Tairua Pauanui 3

Community Board and TCDC representative to get a feel for the wider community attitudes and desired outcomes in an informal way.

Community Culture and Identity

Questions one, two, three, four and eight (see appendix 1) address the views and future vision of the people of Hikuai for their community about their identity and community culture. A constant and recurring theme of responders was that the special rural character of Hikuai is extremely important to the residents, that it must be treasured and protected for future generations. Hikuai is a rural community; the major economic activity in the area is dairy farming and farming support services. The natural beauty of the Coromandel Peninsula is increasingly popular as a holiday destination to relax and enjoy the many activities available. Proximity to a major population in has seen steady growth in the area. The Thames Coromandel District Council (TCDC) has indicated, in its long term plan, a goal of increasing permanent resident numbers as well as increasing employment opportunities and tourism within the region. Protecting the very natural resources that make Hikuai such an attractive place to live and visit is dependent on maintaining and protecting the landscape. The Hikuai area provides a rural inland environment that offers many types of activities and experiences for people to enjoy. Proximity to the coastal towns of Tairua and Pauanui offer unique outdoor opportunities both water based and land based to both residents and visitors in a compact geographical area. Having superb land and water based activities so close together makes Hikuai a valuable asset for the long term goals of the TCDC. Currently the pristine nature and enjoyment of local attractions are threatened by inadequate infrastructure to support the increased visitor numbers which in turn negatively impact the quality of life for both the residents and visitors.

Hikuai School, Hikuai Community Hall and Prescott Garage are important community anchors for the people of Hikuai. The School has been teaching the local children since 1897 and has enjoyed an increase in school roll as the Pauanui population has increased. There has been a lull in primary aged children from Hikuai but there are now young families with infants and young children that will soon be attending the school. The local community has always supported the school with fund raising and assistance with maintenance. The Hall is partly funded by TCDC but run by a local committee. There are

4 community and social functions on a regular basis and the community would like to see this resource used more and improvements made to the building and the site. Prescott’s Garage on SH 25 is the commercial centre of Hikuai. As well as providing petrol, mechanical services and sales of farm equipment it is the central meeting point for couriers, bus stop, it has a bank ATM and is a place to meet. The garage also offers limited food and household supplies. There is a strong message from the community that this area should have more commercial activity to provide amenities such as a café. The people of Hikuai want to have the opportunity to meet, relax, talk and enjoy their environment in a social and shared space such as a café, which is arguably a part of the typical experience of daily life. Currently people have to travel to Tairua or Pauanui for a café experience. Having some small business will also provide jobs for local residents and increase the economic sustainability for the area. There is no SH 25 sign to indicate Hikuai is a distinct community. Survey responses suggest that a sign identifying Hikuai and the DOC campground are supported. Naming is an integral part of identity both of people and places. Not having a Hikuai place sign lessens the visibility and outward signal that Hikuai is a valued and distinct part of the area. This in turn tends to diminish the prominence of Hikuai as it can blur into the space between Tairua and Pauanui.

Growth and Development Questions 6, 11 and 8 (see appendix 1) address the views and future vision of the people of Hikuai for their community regarding growth and development in and around the area. Comments made in the survey clearly support economic development in Hikuai to offer local employment, attract and retain permanent residents and provide opportunities for social interaction and economic sustainability for the area. Although having more commercial activity in Hikuai was favoured by most, responders indicated that it was important to balance economic development with retaining the special character of the community and that consultation with the local community was essential to a successful economic strategy. Presently there is limited commercial activity in Hikuai. Prescott’s Garage has been unsuccessful in getting resource consent for a café style addition to their services. Responses to Questions 6a and 6b indicated a support of re zoning to allow more commercial activity in the community. At the same time Question 8a responses express an overwhelming majority of people felt strongly how important the rural character of Hikuai was. This suggests that careful and controlled development is welcomed but must be in keeping with the rural nature of Hikuai. During informal discussions with Hikuai residents, at the time of the reporters’ site visit, several people commented on how the community would benefit from more employment opportunities for local residents and local youth. At the moment there is minimal local employment available in the area.

5

Roads and Signs Question 5 (see appendix 1) addresses the views and future vision of the people of Hikuai for their community regarding the condition, improvement and maintenance of local roads. This series of questions had one of the smallest amounts of ‘no reply’ responses of the survey, suggesting this is a significant issue for the area and that people feel strongly about it. The condition, usage and maintenance of the roads are very important to the people of Hikuai. The clear message illustrated from the responses is that Puketui Valley Road needs to be sealed and have a 50km per hour speed limit. Health and safety are the most cited reasons for sealing the road. There is substantial dust pollution, especially during the summer months, on the unsealed portion of Puketui Road which impacts significantly on those living up the valley. Families experience fouling of their clean linen from dust, they are unable to open windows because of the dust and families with young children and babies are concerned about quality of the air they are breathing. Sealing this road is seen as an urgent priority by the Hikuai community. As well as sealing the road, a lower speed limit of 50km per hour would be more appropriate for this road considering the condition of the road and the number of vehicles using the road. Tourists are more likely to be from larger towns and cities, driving with little experience on gravel roads at speed. Having safe roads to drive on in their community is what the residents of Hikuai want. The community is on a major thoroughfare with no signs indicating it is a populated area and has a narrow bridge poorly aligned for safe driving. Survey responses indicate a desire for clearer road signage in general including for the Broken Hills Campground on Puketui Valley Road.

6

River and Reserves Questions 7 and 10 (see appendix) address the views and future vision the people of Hikuai have for their community regarding the local waterways, parks, reserves and the use of public spaces by local residents and visitors. Generally the survey responders are satisfied with the parks and recreation services in the area. The Tairua River is a major feature for the people of Hikuai and they wish the river to remain healthy and available to both residents and visitors. In general people are supportive of public use of the river and other natural resources of the region. The residents of Hikuai want public use of the river and the bush to be well managed with adequate roads and infrastructure to avoid damage or destruction to the special character of Hikuai. Presently the community is not confident that the Council is doing as well as it could to manage the environmental pressure on the area from visitor use. The Hikuai Ti Kouka Reserve (Cabbage Tree Reserve) is designated as a significant natural area because it is a good example of remnant wetland with a substantial stand of Cabbage Trees. has lost over 90% of ancient wetland and Ti Kouka Reserve is an important natural treasure to reclaim and protect. The reserve has been undergoing clearing of pest plants and restoration of native vegetation over the last 5 plus years and it is anticipated it will take several more years to be restored to native condition. Presently the site is managed by Environment Waikato, however, at completion of restoration the reserve will be handed back to TCDC for management. It will then be a matter for the TCDC to designate use, fund and maintain. There is widespread support of the reserve becoming a public recreation space. If the reserve was to become open to the public a concern of the Hikuai community is that flood damage to the reserve infrastructure and the cost to maintain it would be problematic and expensive. There will be no recreational development on the site in the immediate future. Currently fences are in disrepair and individuals are using the Reserve to access the river damaging fences in the process. There is a whitebait fishing stand on the river within the reserve boundary. A number of comments indicated that river access in the reserve would be desirable however, it was not thought suitable for power boats this far up the river because of risks of damage to life and boats from submerged logs. There is also a desire to avoid noise pollution from recreational boat motors or jet skis that would compromise the rural and peaceful nature of Hikuai. Safely entering and exiting the reserve was also of concern because of the present alignment of the adjacent road and bridge.

7

The Tairua River is the primary feature of Hikuai, it is a tidal river as far as Ti Kouka Reserve and continues up the Puketui Valley providing many opportunities for river based activities such as swimming, kayaking and fishing. It is also a destructive force of nature that residents live with and adjust their lives accordingly. Effects of flooding on any future projects must include adequate assessment of the impact on the river and how flooding will impact each project. This reasoning was illustrated with the construction of the proposed cycleway connecting Pauanui and Tairua via Hikuai.

The Broken Hills campground is managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and is situated adjacent to the Tairua River towards the inland end of the Puketui Valley. It is considered a basic campground with limited services and only has a manager part of the year in the busy months. The road to the camp is narrow and unsealed. Having the campground is seen as a positive for the Valley and the Hikuai community want to preserve its beautiful natural environment. The survey indicates having better signs to the campground would benefit both visitors and locals. The campground is part of the Broken Hills recreation area which most survey responders indicated they used however it did not have the same emotional meaning to them as the Tairua River and surrounds. Presently there are many short walks in the area and improving the region to maximise visitor experience would be of benefit. A recurring theme in survey responses is that visitors are welcome in the area and they help the local economy. It is imperative that visitor numbers and the impact visitors have on the environment is managed well. There are many complaints of speeding, rubbish and human waste contaminating the land and waterways. Addressing these problems is of paramount importance to the residents of Hikuai.

Power, Telephone, Internet and Rubbish Question 12 (see appendix) addresses the views and future vision of the people of Hikuai for their community for other issues of the local infrastructure and public services provided by Council and private business.

8

In the past unreliable power supply has been a problem in the Valley, this has improved and no longer a major concern of Hikuai residents. The focus is now on telephone and internet access and quality in Hikuai. The majority of survey responders indicated poor or very poor telecommunication service in their homes. Council rubbish collection is variable and depending on location of houses. More people thought the service was ‘not needed’ or ‘satisfactory’ that those that thought it ‘needed improvement’. A desire for more and easier recycling was mentioned by some residents.

Conclusion The most urgent issues for the people of Hikuai are upgrades and maintenance of the local roads and the option of light commercial development to the extent that it does not detract from the special rural nature of the area. Equally as important is adequately managing the environmental effects to the land and character of the community from an excessive influx of people. There is a feeling that the local Council and Central Government agencies processes that support and manage the local environment and infrastructure of Hikuai is inadequate. Puketui Valley Road needs to be sealed, re zoning of parts of Hikuai needs to be done to support the local economy and provide an acceptable level of consumer services in Hikuai, and environmental management needs to reflect the increasing impact of visitor numbers in the local area. A strong desire to remain and maintain as a very special rural community is a recurring theme throughout the survey responses. Coromandel promotion generally reflects a coastal paradise and playground. Hikuai offers a valuable alternative and enriches the landscape and activity experience for residents and visitors of the Coromandel. The Hikuai community wants to build on its strengths and is eager to work with local and regional government to reach that goal. Community consultation and partnership is the most successful path for successful outcomes. The Hikuai community has taken the initiative to find out what and how its members are thinking, the next step is for Council and other pertinent government departments to listen and act on the community recommendations.

• Seal Puketui Valley Road • Speed limits on SH 25 and secondary Hikuai Roads • Install a Hikuai locality sign • Install road signs for Broken Hills Camp and Hikuai School • Protect Hikuai from human and pest damage • Improve consultation and interaction between the Hikuai community and TCDC and other government agencies about what happens in Hikuai.

9

What Hikuai would like: Roading Sealing of Puketui Valley Road needs to be urgently completed. Substantial increases in day visitor traffic are compromising the health and safety of the residents and visitors of the valley. The need to lower speed limits on primary and secondary roads and improved signage needs to be addressed. Commercial Zoning Commercial re zoning to allow more local businesses is supported by the residents of Hikuai. Presently there are limited services and opportunities for businesses and the residents want to see relaxing of restrictions to allow controlled growth to provide services and employment in the area. Reserves and Recreation The health and hygiene problems related to excessive dust, rubbish, food waste and human faecal contamination of the river bank and walkways during the peak holiday times of summer and long holiday weekends must be addressed. Power Hikuai businesses and residents rely heavily on having a reliable power supply. Although we realise that the power network is vulnerable to adverse weather events, more could be done by lines companies to mitigate this risk, by attending to clearing of vegetation and maintenance of lines in a timely manner. Telecommunications Hikuai requires a modern and reliable telecommunications service for all residents and businesses. At the moment many survey responders report poor or very poor telecommunications service in their homes. Relationships with Government Departments Better consultation and engagement with the Hikuai community is needed. Many responders indicated a concern about the relationship the Hikuai community has with local and regional council bodies and would like to see this improve. Environment The survey results indicate a strong engagement from the community on environmental matters, in particular pest control, weed control, and water quality.

10

Acknowledgements The Committee extend their thanks to the following for their participation in the collation and analysis of the survey results:-

Dr Alison Loveridge from the University of Canterbury (UC) Sociology Department Averill Williamson-Moser UC graduate sociology student

Committee members participating in preparation of the 2014 survey were:-

Chairman – Sid Ovesen Secretary – Jenny Morrison Committee Members – Mary Jury, Gary Fowler, Ann Fowler, Wendy Kennard, Andrew Kennard, Craig Morrison, Paul O’Brien, Anita Prescott, Dave Prescott, Keith Dalgety, Kim Coppersmith, Tracey Salkeld, Mark Milmine

Special thanks to Bill Prescott for assistance with the early history of Hikuai.

The Committee would like to thank those who provided photos – Anita Prescott, Jenny Morrison, Paul O’Brien, Bill Prescott. Additional photos have been sourced from Google Images.

11