1 IN CONVERSATION MAYOR GARY TONG

It is a privilege to have been elected to opportunities and issues in-depth. While represent you as your Mayor for a second we come from different places and all term, and I am looking forward to speaking walks of life, as Southlanders we know up on behalf of your communities for another there is more we share in common than three years. divides us. Although no two communities are the same, many common themes Following the local government elections and aspirations have come out of the in October, councillors were sworn in for the 2016 – 2019 term and we’re now a few conversations we have had so far. months in. It’s still early days yet, but it One of the key issues facing Southland has been fantastic getting to talk to each of District Council this term is something them about the things that matter to their affecting communities all over communities. You can get to know all of New Zealand. The reality is that population your councillors a bit better later on in this growth is shifting heavily towards our issue of First Edition (page 13). major urban centres. We must meet many challenges – and many The ramifi cations that result from a opportunities – face on. Hard decisions lie declining population have the potential Southland, ahead. But the future is always exciting, to affect our district signifi cantly. Council and I’m looking forward to cracking into it. must be a part of a solution addressing Our district tour gave councillors and the issue of a declining population and the THANK YOU. I a chance to talk about some of those impact it has on Southland. STEVE RURU Looking to Southland District Council Chief Executive the Future

More than 50 years ago the late Sam The numbers are eye-watering. Cooke sang that a change is going to come. He was so right. Visitor arrivals to New Zealand increased 24 percent between January 2013 and Change has come, and if anything January 2016, with a further 10 percent is certain it’s that change will keep increase in the year to March. coming. With change comes new challenges, and we as a district need to Visitor arrivals to New Zealand are be ready to meet them. expected to grow 5.4 percent a year, reaching 4.5 million in 2022, with a tourism The recent release of the Southland spend of $16 billion by that year. Regional Development Strategy Action Plan puts the need for more people Meanwhile, Milford cruise boat adult and new ways of doing things under passenger numbers continue to grow at a the microscope. There’s no doubt that great rate of knots, from 492,000 in 2015 SoRDS is a vast work programme. to a 585,000 for 2016. These numbers are It creates huge opportunities for the projected to continue to grow by at least 4 region, but there is a lot of process to percent compounding growth over the next go through. fi ve years. A key objective is to drive growth The Milford Opportunities Project is in two critical areas - tourism and giving serious thought to how to deal aquaculture – thereby bringing more with the massive growth in that area, people to Southland, creating more massaging the pressure points while social and economic diversity and maximising the visitor experience and protein producer. We’re truly blessed generating more growth. Success increasing economic returns. It is not to have the perfect climatic and water breeds success. The thinking is that a cruise boat capacity problem. There conditions to establish a world-class farm- with signifi cant economic runs on the are already 6200 seats a day of existing fi shery right here off our own coastline, board, Southland’s desirability as a capacity in the current summer schedule. but it is probably still fi ve to 10 years away, place to live in and do business in will The issue is how to spread the volume of with a good tail wind. rise accordingly. arrivals throughout the day. One answer On the other hand, tourism opportunities may be to have more of them camping Southland District Council is working are happening now, and as a community on the corridor, and to do that further proactively with these initiatives to we need to learn how to manage the effects development of accommodation options on move them forward. Tourism, in of the challenges that will inevitably follow. the corridor might be needed. particular, presents a real opportunity for the district in the next fi ve years. Some of this work is already happening. Council is working with the Department of Aquaculture offers the potential for The Milford Opportunities Project is one Conservation to form a governance group Southland to become a signifi cant prime example. to manage the infl ux and fl ow-on effects. 2 Among the other challenges in Southland this fi eld – which include the farming of are problems around digital connectivity, species such as oysters and crayfi sh, as Christmas with both mobile and broadband well as fi n-fi sh like salmon. The growth Hours coverage, freedom camping, making of aquaculture has been identifi ed as an sure our governance structure here in important component in the Southland All Southland District Council the district is fi t for purpose, and the Regional Development Strategy (page 8), offi ces will close on Friday, 23 sustainability of ageing infrastructure. a plan that intends to lay the framework to December at 12 noon. There are plenty of positives too. When build on and further diversify our region’s social and economic opportunities. you live in a place like Southland – a OFFICE OPENING HOURS district abundant in natural beauty, We’ve talked about many aspects of the fantastic people and resources aplenty – Invercargill Wed 4 Jan 8.30-5pm work our organisation does since the term they’re pretty easy to come by. began. From roading to ensuring our Lumsden Wed 4 Jan 11-4pm Take our tourism industry. Our district governance structure is fi t for purpose Otautau Wed 4 Jan 8.30-5pm is home to marquee-worthy areas like and how we can infl uence Southland’s Riverton Wed 4 Jan 8.30-5pm Fiordland, Stewart Island and the Catlins. young people to continue calling our Stewart Island Wed 4 Jan 8.30-12 Visitor numbers are booming, they’re district home, the issues are complex and forecast to grow even more, and the long-term. Te Anau Mon 9 Jan 8.30-5pm growing interest in our part of the world Winton Wed 4 Jan 8.30-5pm can bring huge economic opportunities to Council can’t always be the fi x. What us all. we can do, though, is be part of leading During the holiday period, staff will be the way to create a vibrant, thriving available to respond to urgent service requests. Similarly, the potential to unlock further Southland for our people. Call us for: opportunities in the aquaculture industry • Cemetery burials is incredibly exciting. Researchers are Making the right decisions is far from • Wandering stock looking at fi ve marine sites here in the an easy task – but as far as jobs go, it’s a • Infectious diseases south to see what opportunities exist in worthy one. • Noise control • Roading faults • Sewerage faults The growth in self-drive independent Other concepts at various stages of • Water supply faults travellers, whether they be freedom development include a Stewart Island • Dog and animal control campers or people staying in commercial Heritage Centre, Stewart Island Dark accommodation options, is also a hot issue Skies Sanctuary, Nature Exploratorium, and an opportunity. Experience Mandeville and a living Transfer Stations museum at Anderson Park. Add to The new tourism reality is that increased and Refuse Sites numbers of visitors are driving themselves this the Curio Bay Tumu Toka Natural so that they have the freedom to go where Heritage Centre, the development of they want, when they want. This includes which is already under way, and you get All Council transfer stations will be closed an ever-increasing number of freedom an idea of the scale and scope of work on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. All other days will be normal opening hours. campers who by their very defi nition will SoRDS has on its agenda. often bypass traditional accommodation Broadening Southland’s economy is A list of transfer/refuse station addresses, options such as camping grounds. needed to offset not only the demographic information about what you can dispose of at each one and where to buy tokens Businesses might feel aggrieved that change our district is experiencing, but can be found on the Wastenet website they are not clipping the ticket. Indeed, also increased effi ciencies in the rural www.wastenet.org.nz sector, as demonstrated recently by the anecdotally, camping ground owners are Please note transfer stations now take EFTPOS. reporting a drop-off in visitor numbers closure of the Silver Fern Farms Mossburn venison plant. because more people are camping on the Wheelie Bin side of the road. This is a very real example of the kind The challenge for Southland as a district of challenges we face, and will continue Collection is how to embrace those visitors, to face. whether they be freedom campers or It’s happening daily in our district. Thirty There will be no collection on Monday 26 self-drive people staying in commercial years ago, the number of farm workers December 2016 and Monday 2 January accommodation, to get more benefi ts from 2017. Collection days for the rest of the employed on the land was signifi cantly them being here. We have to grapple with week will be one day later than normal for greater than now. This is refl ected these challenges because if we are going all residents. in the makeup and size of our rural to continue to prosper as a community, communities today. - Monday becomes Tuesday collection freedom camping is a new growth - Tuesday becomes Wednesday collection industry we need to manage. This is our reality. It drives our need - Wednesday becomes Thursday collection to diversify and to try to attract more - Thursday becomes Friday collection Work done on the SoRDS strategy by people. - Friday becomes Saturday collection the nine action groups has thrown forward a raft of excellent proposals for There will be a Saturday collection on both It makes the diversifi cation of our Saturday 31 December 2016 & Saturday 7 world-class tourism products designed to economy even more important, and January 2017. Normal collection will resume showcase our natural assets and provide highlights the need to pursue aquaculture on Monday, 9 January 2017. a marketable and memorable and tourism. PLEASE NOTE: Due to increased demand visitor experience. Council will continue to take a leadership in some areas, the time during the day of the These include big-ticket ideas for role in these activities as together we face collection may vary, so please ensure that your wheelie bin is out by 7am on your collection day. Bluff Oyster World and Conservation a new year of hard work and challenges HQ, a world-class interactive wildlife in the Southland district. A 24-hour phone conservation centre in Te Anau which service is available on would be a major tourist attraction and May your Christmas and New Year be 0800 732 732 operating conservation facility. happy, safe and prosperous. 3 Youth Council

Southland District Youth councillors Chloe Gorton (left) and Kataraina Harris with Riverton Community Board chairperson Blair Stewart at the shelter opening. Community celebrates skatepark shelter opening

The Riverton community turned out in force to celebrate communities. A lot of effort went into pulling this project the opening of a project led by two local youngsters. together, and everybody involved should feel proud of themselves for the work they have done for Riverton’s Former Southland district youth councillors Kataraina young people,” he says. Harris and Chloe Gorton came up with the idea to build a shelter at the town’s skatepark as part of the youth council’s LeadLab Southland initiative. The initiative, run by Southland District Youth Council, paired young people up Youth councillor wins award with mentors from Southland District Council and Venture Southland to learn how to run community projects. The generosity of a Southland district youth councillor has been recognised in a prestigious awards ceremony. The shelter was opened by Mayor Gary Tong at a community day, which included a sausage sizzle, prizes, Sophia Humphries, a year 13 student at Fiordland College, and plenty of fun. received a Trustpower Youth Community Spirit Award this year for her involvement in her school and community. Chloe says it was great to see the project draw the community together. “It’s a great feeling knowing that we Sophia says she was blown away to win the award. contributed something to our community that we will look “It felt incredible. I was being recognised for stuff that isn’t back on in the years to come.” usually noticed and recognised and I was very honoured Chloe and Kataraina turned to the Riverton Aparima to have won it,” she says. Community Board for support as well, and it was Sophia’s involvement in the Te Anau community spans a instrumental in turning the project into a reality. It variety of interests. provided fi nancial assistance, along with Council’s Waiau Aparima Ward, Southland District Council Community “I have been a Cub leader in Scouts since the start of 2014, Initiatives Fund, Riverton Youth Focus Group, Aparima been involved with the school productions and Stage College, Riverton Lions, Riverton and Districts School Challenge. I have been a volunteer at the local Children’s Sesquicentennial Committee, and Riverton Youth Group. Day both this year and last. From 2013 to 2015 I was on the Kids Restore the Kepler leadership team. I also The design was based on one by artist Wayne Hill, and volunteered my time on the Deaf Aotearoa Spirit of the shelter was constructed out of fi breglass by the team New Zealand voyage in April of this year,” she says. at Riverton business Marinecraft & Fibreglass Ltd. Ocean Shell donated the commemorative plaque installed at the To Sophia, being active in her community is a chance to shelter, while SouthCoast Skate & Surf and the Riverton do something positive for others and she encourages other Holiday Park donated prizes to be used as giveaways for young people to follow suit. the kids on opening day. “I like getting involved with my community because I love Mayor Tong says he commends the efforts of the two girls, being able to give back after all that I’ve gained from it … as well as the community for showing their support for it’s a good feeling that you receive knowing that you’ve the project. “It’s great to see a youth-led initiative for the helped someone out, and very fulfi lling. I defi nitely benefi t of other young people happening out there in our recommend getting involved if you’re not already.” 4 Council GIS analyst Adrian Buddle.

Southland District Council has broken new ground developing its public map viewer. Southland District Maps is based on Hexagon’s Consumer Portal software which is new to New Zealand. SDC is the fi rst council in the country to use it. “We’re pretty much the guinea pigs,” says digital assets team leader Mark Day. Southland District Maps is hosted on the council website. It replaces the http://maps.southlanddc.govt.nz/maps/ former EMap software which had become tired and unstable and will be phased out by Christmas. The council map layers are shown “We’ll have the buttons down the side over Open Street Map imagery, but in one location – one viewer to rule EMap is 11 years old and has been eventually Adrian will build his own them all.” “a great workhorse, but it’s about to basemap, which will give “a lot more Adrian says the new system’s die and we know that’’, says council control over the content of what’s simplicity makes it attractive but geographical information systems shown on the map, for ease of use”. analyst Adrian Buddle. there will be a one page ‘how-to’ For instance, paper roads are shown instruction to help new users. Adrian says they wanted to develop on the OpenStreetMap image, which The website’s base aerial image of a map viewer that was intuitive to won’t be on the fi nal version. use, would load quickly and require Southland District is actually built minimal to no training. It has just seven One of the layers available is Grid- from a series of photographs taken buttons, which turn viewing layers on less Topographic Map imagery, sporadically over the past nine years, and off. “You can’t go terribly wrong.” which is hosted in Wellington by since 2007. The images were then Land Information New Zealand. This stitched together using software, like Initially it will primarily be a property shows the versatility of the program a “patchwork quilt”. search tool, but more functions will be in that it is not limited to data layers Adrian says Southland District added over time. held by the SDC. Maps will be good to use on mobile Anyone can search for an address, In time the mapping software will host devices. “It will be as pared down as zoom in on a property, see an aerial a lot of useful public information, possible - quick view, to see just what photograph or street map view of “quick information grabs” on such you need” it, and click a tab that opens up the things as hazard warnings, the District It has taken “a lot of work” to get property’s rating information. Plan, freedom camping and dog Southland District Maps ready to roll exercise maps, incident events, the Other searches include valuation out, and development and design mobile library timetable, cemetery number, town, Southland District tweaks will be ongoing. Council offi ces, rating boundaries information, wheelie bin collection and road names. times and area offi ce hours. 5 Road Safety

What goes on tour can stay with kids “She is fantastic, and the teachers, Although technically he’s the mascot for the rest of their lives. Plunket and police who all contribute of the Bright Sparks programme for their time are often left in awe with kindergarten-age kids, Glo Bro is a well- That’s certainly what Maureen her leadership and having children known road safety fi gure, popping up Deuchrass hopes when she brings actually latch on to what can save all over the place, including at Share the Glo Bro and his road safety messages their lives. It’s very, very cool.” Road events, Kidzone, the road patrol into Southland schools. Orange Parade and Southern Field One of Road Safety Southland’s most Maureen is the road user safety Days at Waimumu. recognisable faces belongs to mascot advisor for Road Safety Southland. Glo Bro, a furry purple hippo. He’s “We’re really proud of those kind of For more than eight years the former a hit with kids at primary schools connections that we’re developing school teacher has been working throughout Southland, attracting into schools and communities,” tirelessly to fi ll young minds with swarms of eager little fans. Maureen says. memorable road safety knowledge. She says she’s passionate about it. Glo Bro goes into every kindy on Different iterations of the Share the a two-year rotation. He had his Road programme have been around The recent Tour of Southland own book, Glo Bro Goes To Kindy, since Road Safety Southland started, provided the backdrop for one of published last year. Illustrated by with long-time co-ordinator Jane her organisation’s most successful Kathryn Harper, of Wanaka, the Ballantyne at the helm. When she programmes, Share the Road, which colourful book is in every southern retired at the beginning of 2016, also links to the Burt Munro Challenge. kindergarten and some primary Maureen stepped up to fi ll the co- “We really feel the quality of this schools too. ordination role. programme is great, and that’s why we have buy-in from the police,” she says. Road Safety Southland started in the late 1990s. It’s a service shared between all four Southland councils and has the support of New Zealand Police and Cycling Southland as it takes road safety messages into Southland schools. Southland District Council strategic manager transport Joe Bourque says Maureen is an unsung hero. “Southlanders often don’t know the depth and dimension of SDC’s Maureen Deuchrass on the job. contribution in this area,’’ he says. 6 Share the Road is one of its fl agship “I would say all our schools know Devised by Maureen, Bright Sparks education programmes, with a dream that now.” is a curriculum-based road safety delivery system since Road Safety programme. It’s recognised as a Southland became a feature sponsor This year the programme went into successful and innovative programme of the Tour of Southland in 2013. how cyclists communicate with traffi c, at a national level, and has been held involving arm signals, wearing your up as a positive example of road safety The programme is a great mutual fi t vest, wearing your helmet properly and education by the NZ Transport Agency. between the tour and schools along showing drivers where you’re going. the tour route. Children in colourful “We found there was no road safety hi-vis vests, geed up by Maureen Later in the month the key message education, and so we did our own,” and Glo Bro, turn out in force to shifted to sharing the road with Maureen says. loudly cheer on riders passing their motorbikes, coinciding with the Burt “We called it Bright Sparks [because schools, and in return the children get Munro Challenge. it’s about] how can they be bright as unprecedented access to some high- Before the cycle tour there was a a pedestrian, a rider and passenger? profi le riders. colouring competition involving all We’ve given kindies lots of ideas “The support we get from schools is Southland schools in which entrants about how they can incorporate so phenomenal,” Maureen says. “For had to come up with the best phrase. teaching and learning … us it’s a great opportunity to make “There were oodles and oodles of “I’m particularly proud of Bright Sparks. sure they’re wearing hi-vis. entries this year.” Winners were Karly Holland, 8, of Sacred Heart School, in It’s one of my favourite programmes.” “It also highlights cyclists and Invercargill, and Doreen Dabilo, 10, of Before that comes Seen and Safe, pedestrians sharing the road, so our Tisbury School. which is pitched at two-year-olds and two most vulnerable road users are their parents. there sharing the road together. Woodlands Primary School principal Fiona Murray says Maureen and Road “Our families are becoming role “We target schools primarily on the Safety Southland are always great to models without them really tour route but we try and cover off work with. “They’re really helpful.” knowing that,” Maureen says. about 35 schools each year.” Since Fiona became principal six years “We’re not explicit about that, but Road Safety Southland partners ago she’s had perhaps three Tours we give them information and with Cycling Southland, police and of Southland pass by her school. She encouragement to be that fi rst role major sponsor Ricoh for the Share the says the children are always bubbly model in road safety education.” Road Roadshow. Cycling Southland and excited about Glo Bro being there. Road Safety Southland also supports arranges access to tour riders, who go secondary school programmes into schools and speak with children. “Having a character like that really engages the kids, and makes them such as SADD (Students Against Two of the riders involved in the want to listen and take notice. Dangerous Driving). 60th edition of the tour this year were It’s not just children who benefi t rising Southland stars Nick Kergozou, “I think with the little kids, in from the Road Safety Southland who won the overall tour sprint ace particular, having Glo Bro helps messages, however. Just before jersey, and Hayden Strong. them remember - a bit like Ronald McDonald.” the Tour of Southland, Maureen Olympic gold medal-winning rowing ran two day-long courses for older superstar Hamish Bond, who was Other programmes run by Road drivers, one at Riverton and one in cycling in this year’s tour, also made Safety Southland include Bright Invercargill – “so it’s from two years himself available. Sparks, run in kindies, and Seen and old to 90-year-olds that I run those Safe, in partnership with Plunket. road user education programmes”. “They were so gracious,’’ Maureen says. “At the end of the Gore stage he was freezing. He said, ‘I can’t feel my Young pupils from Mrs Tuliau’s fi ngers’, but he still made time to sign Room Kea at Woodlands School their T-shirts.” meet Glo Bro. She changes the key messages every year to keep it fresh for kids. “It’s so fresh and interactive each year that the schools want us back ... The demand is such that sometimes we have to put schools on a two-year rotation.” There are many messages in the programme, including health and mind benefi ts of cycling, safety, road rules knowledge and environmental benefi ts. “We invented the helmet salute – 2-4- 1 … But now Safekids New Zealand wide have taken that and put it on to big posters. That started with us, eight or nine years ago. 7 SoRDS

Come and see

Destination Fiordland hosted overseas As visitor numbers reach saturation New tourism products launched travel buyers this year. in tourist hotspots the Southland in Southland include Welcome Regional Development Strategy’s Rock Trails at Garston, Wild Rides tourism action team is weighing up in Te Anau and Tussock Country opportunities to grow the industry Glamping. Samantha and in the south. Garth Milichich, who Along with new businesses, some established Wild Rides. For the year ended September, existing operators in Southland are compared with the previous year, looking at expanding or enhancing Southland guest nights rose 9.9 their offerings. percent. International guest nights While the visitor growth is rose 27.9 percent to 142,038 and encouraging, Southland needs to domestic guest nights rose 3.1 become a destination rather than just percent to 299,629. a through-route, she says. Venture Southland group manager With Queenstown experiencing tourism, events and community visitor capacity and saturation issues, Bobbi Brown has been part of the there is opportunity to grow tourism SoRDS tourism action team and signifi cantly in Southland. The says increasing the amount tourists Government is aware of these issues Tussock Country Glamping. spend in the region is one of the big and is trying to direct more visitors challenges, as many of Southland’s into the regions. attractions are free. Cycle trails, cruise ships and golf Tourists spend more than $500 are some of Tourism New Zealand’s million in Southland a year hottest growing products and and the vision is to double that Southland is well placed to service all amount by 2025 by encouraging alongside traditional offerings set in the development of more tourism our unique natural environment, Ms products to complement the region’s Brown says. world-class natural attractions. The Cycle Fiordland initiative of “We want to encourage investment the Te Anau community working in tourism and in the past six together to attract visitors by of- months we’ve had 33 new products fering a suite of trails is a good Welcome Rock Trails, northern being developed in the region, Southland. Photo: Ben Arthur example, she says. which shows people are starting to see opportunities with the Down-to-earth offerings like visitor numbers increasing,” homestays and farmstays with Ms Brown says. fantastic hospitality are examples of “Southland’s unique story” which are in demand, she says.

• The SoRDS Action Plan was launched at Invercargill’s Bill Richardson Transport World on November 30. For full details of the action plan go to www.sords.co.nz

8 Time enemy in Te Anau wastewater talks Southland district councillors have asked members of a the governance group to report back with their preferred governance group looking at the Te Anau wastewater alternative option before March 2017. This would then treatment project to come back with a proposal for a enable a fi nal decision to be made on whether to pursue preferred alternative by early next year. fi eld investigations to determine the viability of their Time constraints are now a critical factor, with preferred alternative. councillors warned of the risks if there are further delays Council strategic manager water and waste Ian Evans in making a decision. said resource consent for the current discharge to the Last year Southland District Council was granted consent Upukerora River expired in December 2020, and a new for an upgrade of the existing wastewater scheme in Te consent application would have to be made if Council Anau, which would involve changes to the treatment needed to continue with the current discharge beyond that process and subsequent disposal of treated wastewater date. However, Environment Southland had informally to land north of Te Anau Airport Manapouri, known as indicated that any new application would have to be the Kepler block. However, the consent was appealed and assessed against new planning rules and be subject to subsequently moved into mediation, with an agreement public notifi cation, meaning that there was no guarantee of unable to be reached between the parties involved. As a such a consent being granted. result the appeal will now go to the Environment Court in Council would also have fi ve years to give effect to mid-2017. whichever consent was granted, or it would lapse. A governance group, the Te Anau Wastewater Discharge Project Committee, was formed to bring together Council offi cers considered it was unlikely, under current representatives from the local community to have a peer planning parameters, that any alternative scheme would review of the Kepler option completed and determine be able to be investigated, consented, constructed and whether it remained the most suitable option. The peer made operational before December 2020. Mr Evans noted review confi rmed that while the Kepler option was a that Council would need to complete at least 12 months of viable option there were others which may provide on-site investigations to determine the suitability of a site additional benefi ts and hence were potentially worth before a resource consent application could be developed investigating further. These options were centred around and lodged. two blocks of land, the Smith block in Sinclair Road and Mr Evans told councillors that they also needed to be the Slee block, which adjoins the current wastewater confi dent that they could get a 25-year consent, and that it treatment plant in Upukerora Road. could also be renewed for a similarly long period once that At their November meeting, councillors agreed to ask initial period expired. Wastewater plant nearing completion Work on a new wastewater treatment plant in one of is working the way it should be.” Southland’s tourism hotspots is almost fi nished – just in The treatment plant is part of a wider project in the works time for the start of the new holiday season. for the area. The development of the Curio Bay Natural The new wastewater treatment plant at Curio Bay is part Heritage Centre Tumu Toka also includes the construction of a 14-year-long bid to build a natural heritage centre and of a new carpark, an ablution block with toilets, showers, associated facilities in the area, an increasingly-popular a kitchen and a common area for visitors, and the heritage visitor destination in the Catlins. centre itself, which will incorporate a café, interpretation area and theatrette. Southland District Council project engineer Joe Findley says that work on the wastewater plant is well under way The project has been a collaborative one, with the South and was due to start commissioning in early December. Catlins Charitable Trust, Southland District Council and the Department of Conservation all signatories of “Essentially that’s a run-through to get the plant a Memorandum of Understanding for the project. Iwi operational,” he says. and Venture Southland have also had considerable “The commissioning phase will look at a variety of factors involvement in the development, which has garnered including establishing the biomass, which is the culture strong support from a number of community of bacteria, within the plant, testing all the electrical funders and locals alike. equipment and checks on all of the other critical elements On the Southern Scenic Route, such as valves, warning alarms and the Curio Bay is home to hoiho, overall general process sea lions, Hector’s dolphins, to ensure everything a 180 million-year-old petrifi ed forest and a living forest.

9 buildings and chatting animatedly about their school days.

Mrs Howden went to Pine Bush School in 1935, and Mr Brash, from nearby Titiroa, started in 1938.

They remember the railway well. “It was a busy line,” Mrs Howden says, bringing super and fertiliser to the farming community.

“It was the only way we could get to town to go to manual,” says Mr Brash, as it was during the war, and there was no petrol.

Violet Howden’s grandparents Matthew and Johanna Beattie ran the Titiroa Post Offi ce.

A horse-drawn coach ran from Wyndham to Fortrose, stopping at a pub which used to stand at the corner of the Mataura Island- Fortrose highway and Oliver Road, across the road from where the Violet Howden information shelter now stands. ready to cut They both remember that was the ribbon at Pine Bush, with where the coaches would stop Mayor Gary Tong. so the horses could be watered Sign at Pine Bush and refreshed.

It’s inspiring to be in a community ago between Ken Somerville and that cares. Cr Duffy. A meeting was held with district council staff and Venture This was never truer than at the Southland representatives and opening of new information shelter money was sought from council and for Pine Bush, when more than 60 community funders. local people turned out. The memorial plaque, which bears The panels present historical the names of Pine Bush area soldiers information and photographs, killed in wartime, had been stored in biographies of servicemen from the a shearing shed since the old district area who died in the World Wars church was sold, and as part of the and school rolls, preserving some project it was decided to mount this to of the southern Southland area’s a stone at the site. industrious past for the benefi t of future generations and visitors. “This is a great way to document the old businesses and institutions that At the invitation of Mayor Gary were the life blood of the old district Tong, former Pine Bush pupil Violet communities and to understand their Howden, nee Beattie, cut the ribbon, part in the development of our modern offi cially opening the shelter. community,” John Somerville says.

Pine Bush farmer John Somerville, A lot of the information on the panels who led the project on behalf of came from the book A High Point of his community, Waihopai Toetoes Vantage, by Marjory A Smith, and councillor Paul Duffy, Southland architect Roger Beattie, who grew up in District Council community engineer the district, sourced many of the photos Kushla Tapper, resident Carmen and created a map which pinpoints the Andrews and Mayor Tong all spoke historical layout of the community. at the opening. Before the opening, Violet Howden The idea for the panel came from and Russell Brash pored over the a discussion more than two years panels, pointing out familiar faces or 10 Sarah’s Story

Menzies College student Sarah Andrews, 15, started helping at the Pine Bush information shelter site before Anzac Day this year. It was a project towards the community service component of her Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award.

As well as being involved with the design of the memorial site, along with John Somerville and her own family, Sarah also helped with tidying up the section, planting and bark chipping.

She thinks that overall she put about 30 hours of work into the project, but “it’s been a good experience”.

She says he panels are a good way to preserve the history of the area, and she will stay involved in maintaining the section for the benefi t of the community.

Her mother Carmen says that the site had already become a community focal point since the war memorial stone and plaque were installed a couple of years ago, with some locals turning up there for an impromptu Anzac Day service this year.

11 New representatives elected throughout district

New representatives for seats at the Council table and on Southland’s community boards have been elected. Local government elections were held throughout New Zealand in October. In the Southland District, elections were held for the positions of Mayor, councillor representatives for the Stewart Island/Rakiura and Winton Wallacetown wards, and the Stewart Island/Rakiura Community Board, Otautau Community Board and Winton Community Board. Gary Tong was re-elected as Mayor of Southland for his second term. His opponent, Steve Fagerlund, announced he no longer wished to stand after elections closed. By-elections will be held for community boards in Tuatapere and Edendale-Wyndham, as the required number of nominations (six) were not received. Nominations for the by-elections opened last month, and will close on 22 December. Voting papers will arrive in late January and the by-election will be held on 17 February.

Southland District Mayor Stewart Island/Rakiura Winton Community Community Board Board Gary Tong Steve Lawrence Doreen McNaught Mararoa Waimea Ward Greg Everest Brian Somerville John Douglas, Anita Geeson Natasha Mangels Ebel Kremer, Jon Spraggon Geoff rey Jukes Mayor Brian Dillon Dale Chittenden Neville McPherson Aaron Conner Peter Schmidt Stewart Island/ Gary Tong Rakiura Ward Riverton Aparima Wallacetown Bruce Ford Community Board Community Board What attributes do you Blair Stewart Peter Laurie bring to Council? Waiau Aparima Ward Graeme Stuart Trina Eade A vast knowledge of George Harpur, Neil Linscott Francis Shearing Southland, Southlanders Nicholas Perham, Jan Breayley Treena Symons and what is expected Stuart Baird of me. Corey Mennell Anthony Billyard Andrew Wilson Raeburn Wilson What are the biggest Waihopai Toetoes Ward issues facing Southland? Paul Duff y, What do you want Tuatapere Community Edendale Wyndham Council to achieve this Julie Keast Board Community Board triennium? Margaret Thomas Melanie Shepherd To have the Around the Winton Wallacetown Maurice Green (Wyndham subdivision) Mountains Cycle Trail Ward and Te Anau treated Simon Blayne De Vries Pamela Yorke Gavin MacPherson, (Wyndham subdivision) wastewater projects Darren Frazer, Joanne Sanford completed. Neil Paterson Stephen Crack Denise Fodie (Edendale subdivision) What do you want Southland district to Te Anau Community Otautau Community Andrew Roy look like in 10 years? Board Board (Edendale subdivision) To continue to be a place Kara Matheson Andre Bekhuis where people want to come and settle. To do Mary Chartres Peter Gutsell this we must achieve Sarah Greaney David Cowie the goals identifi ed in Rachel Cockburn Maureen Johnston the Southland Regional Anthony O’Loughlin Amber Joyce Development Strategy. Shaun Cantwell Bill Marshall 12 Meet the Councillors

13 I do a lot of different jobs What are the biggest Bruce Ford here – mostly those that Brian Dillon issues facing your ward? no-one else wants! Farmer, semi-retired We do have several big Stewart Island/ issues facing our ward My island background Rakiura Mararoa Waimea and I am very confi dent encompasses fi shing, that they can be aquaculture and tourism. successfully resolved.

What attributes do you bring to Council? What attributes do you bring to Council? I want to represent the “community can-do” typifi ed by our I am representing the Mararoa Waimea ward for the second term, residents here. having previously been the councillor for the Waikaia ward for fi ve terms. I believe that I bring strong successful business ethics What are the biggest issues facing your ward and what do you to the district council , and will continue to do so for the collective want Council to achieve this triennium? good of our great province. The major item we need to sort for the island is the issue of cheaper and renewable energy, but there are a lot of projects What do you want Council to achieve this triennium? currently on the Council programme and I want to see this ticked Farming and tourism will continue to be the mainstays of our off on behalf of the district. province. We have many very hard-working and enthusiastic people working in Southland and we must as a council ensure What do you want Southland district to look like in 10 years? that our province can continue to grow and prosper by making I see Southland as invigorating, vibrant and fl ourishing, with sure that our businesses are not stifl ed by over-regulation. innovative communities - the envy of other regions. What do you want Southland district to look like in 10 years? People are our greatest asset and we must encourage What attributes do you development for the betterment of our wonderful province. Paul Duffy bring to Council? Farmer Long-time experience What do you want of living and working Ebel Kremer Southland district to Waihopai Toetoes in and with Southland’s Self-employed look like in 10 years? rural communities. Mararoa Waimea To have communities that are environmentally What are the biggest issues facing your ward and what do you friendly, fi nancially want Council to achieve this triennium? sustainable and safe for The biggest issues are roading and the need to support strong our residents. communities. I want Council to achieve a sound business model What attributes do you bring to Council? for the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail, affordable solutions to 20-plus years as an executive manager in the health sector and storm and wastewater challenges, and an effi cient management consultant. Governance, leadership and senior delivery of services. management, fi nancial, project and strategic management. I now What do you want Southland district to look like in 10 years? own my own property maintenance business. Productive with full employment and a more even spread of age What are the biggest issues facing your ward and what do you groups in our communities across the district. want Council to achieve this triennium? Ever-increasing tourist numbers, while positive for our region, do Gavin What attributes do you place additional pressure on infrastructure. Signifi cant decisions bring to Council? will need to be made by councillors as to the future of the Around Macpherson Fourth term on Council. the Mountain Cycle Trail. It is important the right decision is Dairy farming Straight to the point and reached for the Te Anau wastewater project. Winton Wallacetown make hard decisions. We must also continue on the pathway of achieving “ease of Care about ratepayers as business” in Southland, which will attract business to Southland. well as communities. Take responsibility and get on with the job. What attributes do Neil Paterson you bring to Council? What are the biggest issues facing your ward? Semi-retired Local government The way that communities are changing all the time, where do experience along with we replace infrastructure and when? Winton’s Main Street and Winton Wallacetown a commonsense and the earthquake-prone buildings. practical approach. Balancing people’s level of expectation for roading against the costs and decreasing government funding. What are the biggest issues facing your ward and what do you want Council to achieve this triennium? What do you want the Council to achieve this triennium? Council has already begun to address all of these issues and Broadband and cellphone coverage in parts of our ward are very more. The fi rst step forward is through communication with our substandard. For too long we have been paying our internet individual communities. providers for a service we are not receiving, creating diffi culties for business and home users. What do you want Southland district to look like in 10 years? If there is a Southland District Council in 10 years it will have This ward has a very large roading network that needs to be survived some pretty big changes in local government. maintained to a high standard. Hopefully have a strong population, strong economy and be an What do you want Southland district to look like in 10 years? attractive part of the world to live because of the lifestyle A district with all its infrastructure up to date and to be the envy it provides. of other rural regions of New Zealand.

14 What do you want What attributes do Julie Keast Southland district to Stuart Baird you bring to Council? Self-employed look like in 10 years? Sheep and beef Experience, farmer for 30 years A collective of vibrant certifi ed hearing Waihopai communities with Toetoes Ward Waiau Aparima commissioner. well-maintained infrastructure. What are the biggest issues facing your ward? A place residents will be proud to live in. A declining and an ageing population that requires a different What attributes do you bring to Council? range of services. This presents particular challenges for Council, I bring a female perspective to Council table! Through my which is faced with a declining ratepayer base. It also puts previous banking career and current business operation I have a pressure on clubs and organisations, where fewer members and good appreciation of business, fi nance and customer service. volunteers are called on to carry the load. What are the biggest issues facing your ward and what do you What do you want the Council to achieve this triennium? want the Council to achieve this triennium? We’re all looking for economic development in our communities. Roading. Infrastructure that meets requirements. Improved Council must become more transparent to its ratepayers. The communication with our residents and communities. SDC to be standard of road maintenance must be raised to a higher level. effi cient and effective in the delivery of Council business with What do you want Southland district to look like in 10 years? the completion of current major projects such as the Curio Bay Reversing Southland’s population decline. SoRDS is doing good wastewater, sealing the Curio Bay, Haldane, Slope Point and work. It’s important that this keeps progressing. We need more Waipapa roads along with completion of the Te Anau wastewater economic growth in our communities. We defi nitely require project and the Around The Mountains Cycle Trail. better quality broadband. It’s so important, not only for business but to connect our communities. What do you want George Harpur the Council to achieve What attributes do Retired this triennium? Darren Frazer you bring to Council? To live up to our Waiau Aparima Youth worker/ 20-plus years of motto, People First. self-employed working in local Winton Wallacetown communities, mainly Clean up the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail and the with younger people. Te Anau sewerage fi ascos and put that behind us. Promote the Haast Hollyford highway and be proactive with the good things I’ve also run a small business for 18 years. for Southland. What are the biggest issues facing your ward and what do you What attributes do you bring to Council? want Council to achieve this triennium? I bring some 60 years of rural Southland work experience to the We live in one of the best places in the world. We’ve got some Council table. Having managed hotels and various sectors of big issues around population growth and age, and with a push the transport industry I have a wide knowledge of the activities to bring in new people to Southland, for me the big issue is to in the rural farming and forestry areas. I am very familiar with ensure we continue to have strong communities and maintain the Western Southland area and the logistics of the people who the things that makes Southland a great place to live. I want to be reside there. I fully understand the turmoil that some of our part of a council that makes good decisions for the future. My test elderly citizens face on retirement and their ongoing needs. question will always be ‘is this good for my son?’ What are the biggest issues facing your ward? What do you want Southland district to look like in 10 years? The large increase in tourist numbers who cannot handle A vibrant community of people who support each other. A place gravel roads. The road to Lake Hauroko and Lake Monowai that is great to bring up families and offers opportunities to grow need immediate upgrading to a sealed surface funded from the and develop. A community that values its environment and tourism sector and more promotion of the many attractions in ensures that it is looked after for those following us. our area. What attributes do Nick Perham you bring to Council? What do you want Public servant Passion! Ten years’ John Douglas Southland district to Farmer Waiau Aparima experience in public look like in 10 years? sector management. Mararoa Waimea Southland needs to retain its I have almost completed a Degree in Economics and Geography. uniqueness while Strategy, leadership and engagement, entrepreneurship. growing its appeal. What are the biggest issues facing your ward? What attributes do you bring to Council? Urban migration. More people moving from rural areas, I believe that my involvement in farming and community including towns, to urban areas, changing the dynamics. organisations has given me an insight and experience to provide Infrastructure needs an overhaul. Railway upgrade. leadership governance and strategic planning to the district. What do you want the Council to achieve this triennium? What are the biggest issues facing your ward and what do you Complete the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail. Sound want Council to achieve this triennium? infrastructure, including quality roading and footpaths, children’s The main projects in my ward would be the cycle trail, Te Anau playgrounds, reliable broadband. Support economic growth. wastewater, Haast Hollyford road and the infl ux of tourists and freedom campers. There has to be more formal planning on how What do you want Southland district to look like in 10 years? best to complete the cycle trail, subject to gaining both the courts’ A stable, sustainable and world-leading agricultural community. and Council approval. Tourists should be made to contribute A world-leading tourist destination, especially eco-tourism. A more to local infrastructure. signifi cant increase in population – migration from major urban centres back to New Zealand’s rural heritage. 15 A community can’t really become a community unless everybody feels like they have a part to play. That’s what Tanya Colyer reckons. Tanya has spent much of her energy helping Riverton’s young people fi nd their voice since moving there in 2010. To her, the benefi ts that come with engaged, active youth are worth the hard yards. “It’s just about encouraging the kids and helping them understand that they do play a big role in our community,” she says.

“We need to make sure we invest The group supported a variety of in them. You hear lots of those community-positive initiatives, The group also took on anti-bullying big words, like ‘empowering’ and ranging from cleanup days to movie efforts as a pet project. The Boo to nights and throwing their support ‘enabling’, that get thrown around, Bullying campaign encompassed a behind events planned by others, but it’s actually true – if you can do number of initiatives; opportunities to such as the Between the Tides that, you can build a really great place get their anti-bullying message across initiative – an outdoor art exhibition to live.” included the ‘Riverton’s Got Talent’ held at the beach – and the show, a Christmas tree hunt that got Tanya had the opportunity to work Southland District Youth Council’s businesses in town involved, events closely with Riverton’s young people LeadLab Southland project. Youth aimed at parents to reinforce ideas of for fi ve years, as youth facilitator for focus group members were also prevention and intervention, and a Community House. responsible for a Halloween- pink shirt day, to name just a few. themed skateathon to fundraise From that sprang the idea of creating for participants Chloe Gorton and Their efforts garnered a win at the a Youth Focus Group: 16 kids Kataraina Harris’ bid to build a 2014 Trustpower Awards, where the representing their community, from skatepark shelter in the town. youth focus group took out the title of Year 7 to Year 13. It held a monthly Regional Winners in Education and “That’s what those things are all breakfast meeting: food fi rst, then Child/Youth Development. down to business. about, really: getting people to come together and connect with Tanya didn’t know they were going The youth group was a space for one each other, by supporting what to win, but she wanted to make sure the kids to talk to one another, and we already had here in Riverton. It every member of the youth focus other members of the community would create those conversations group was present in the audience: not keen to join in. It was also behind a all through the community. The only to feel valued for the work they calendar chock-full of events aimed at purpose of the job was about the had been part of, but to be inspired by connecting the town’s young people kids and the youth, but it went so far those creating positive change in other with those around them. beyond just them,” Tanya says. southern communities. 16 They all went to town for the awards ceremony. “I wanted them to feel inspired. I wanted the kids to see what other people have done in their communities, and go, ‘I can do that too’.” Working with young people has been part of Tanya’s life for close to two decades. Previously, she worked with young people as a high-performance junior squash coach. “When I was growing up and playing squash myself, I did have a really good support network and I think I’ve always been really lucky in terms of having good mentors and stuff. I think sometimes all kids need is somebody else helping them out,” she says. When she arrived in Riverton to live with partner Adrian and his two boys (Levi, now 13, and Nick, 11), Tanya was “very naïve” and admits it took some time to fi gure out how a small community worked. Now their family has grown to include daughters Lakisha, 5, and three-year-old Mia. Tanya’s parents have since made the move south too, relocating to Riverton from Taupo.

“I guess, with our kids, I have a vested interest in making sure Riverton’s young people have opportunities available to them. Now, with my parents living here as well, it’s really made me think about how important it is to get everybody supporting one another. “I think for me, you just want to be in a community that’s really positive. You want life to be fun and interesting with lots of opportunities, whether you live in a big city or not. You just want people to have the chance to give different things a go,” Tanya says.

While the youth facilitator role is no longer in operation, Tanya says she was incredibly lucky to have been able to work with Riverton’s young people while in the role. Now in real estate, she would love to continue helping young people make a difference. “The thing with kids is, you don’t know the impact you have on them. You don’t really know what impact you’re making on them, because it’s such a long-term thing. But if you can bring people together, that’s got to be a good thing.” 17 Winton hall gets mod makeover

John “Chub” McHugh and Cr Darren Frazer in the new-look Winton Memorial Hall.

Winton’s Memorial Hall has been A raft of improvements were $560,000 to complete the job, out of a given a contemporary makeover to scheduled, with Barry Stewart Builders total project budget of about $900,000. celebrate its 60th birthday. the main contractors. The massive refurbishment The hall was opened in 1956, and Foremost was seismic strengthening programme included electrical former Winton Community Board work. While the hall met the minimum upgrades, painting the hall, plumbing chairman John “Chub” McHugh said standard, Mr McHugh said the board and fl ooring improvements, double- that before the revamp she looked felt that if they were going to spend a glazed windows with aluminium every one of her 60 years. frames, new toilets and foyer for the women’s toilet, a wheelchair- The upgrade was instigated by the accessible toilet, new kitchen and Winton Community Board and servery, new bar and servery, was three years in the making. improved insulation throughout and Recently retired Winton Wallacetown new furniture. councillor Lyall Bailey was a passionate proponent of the project. Some changes are cosmetic, but some have a more practical purpose. “We Venture Southland community widened the foyer by changing the development planner Tina Harvey doors,” Mr McHugh said. “One of the was tasked with surveying user requests I had one day was from the groups to fi nd out what they wanted lot of money on improvements they local undertaker. They had diffi culty to see done about the hall. Feedback wanted to see the seismic resistance getting caskets in through the doors.” included better heating and lighting, improved. and making the facility more user Electric window openers were friendly. This work was probably the most installed and acoustic panels fi tted time-consuming aspect of the work, throughout, to dampen the sound of Council’s property management he said. The hall had a false ceiling the big airy room. department was responsible for and no-one knew what was above it. ensuring the project was completed A lick of paint on the outside has The whole ceiling required alteration. to meet the Council and community brightened the hall’s exterior and board’s expectations and Doug Riley Southland District Council, which added a smart sheen to a facility that from Southern Quantity Surveyors owns the building, approved should serve its community well for was commissioned to manage the job. unbudgeted expenditure of more than many years to come.

Did you know our District Plan variations have made it easier to build a house in some of Southland’s townships? Variation 2 of the District Plan makes it easier for people to meet the rules required to build a house in the rural townships of Athol, Curio Bay, Dipton, Drummond, Fortrose, Garston, Gorge Road, Limehills/ Centre Bush, Orepuki, Thornbury, Waianawa, Waikawa, Waimahaka, Wairio and Woodlands. To fi nd out more, visit www.southlanddc.govt.nz or talk to the Resource Management team on 0800 732 732.

18 Wood Energy South model wins praise at national level Southland businesses embrace product innovation

A leading consultant has heaped praise on Southland businesses’ positive approach to new concepts and product innovation. Saskia van der Geest has fronted three of the four business innovation breakfasts facilitated by Venture Southland. The breakfasts have proved popular, with Southland businesses wanting to progress new product concepts. Saskia van der Geest says the enthusiasm to embrace Bioenergy Association chief executive Brian Cox wants innovation around product development is evident to clone the Wood Energy South model and replicate it within the Southland business community. nationwide. Mr Cox says the Wood Energy South initiative provides a pathway for other regions to follow. “The work being undertaken by Wood Energy South is invaluable and proves that real progress can be made towards the large-scale conversion of industry and other large fossil fuel users to a bioenergy alternative. “Wood Energy South have not just successfully sold the concept, they’ve proved ongoing fuel supply in the region and highlighted long-term fi nancial and environmental gains. We now need to see the same work undertaken all over New Zealand.” The three-year $1.5 million partnership between Saskia van der Geest with Alistair Adam. Venture Southland and the Energy Effi ciency and Conservation Authority is proving to be a successful “Southlanders have a very positive and forward- one, with 17 biomass boilers installed or in the thinking approach to product innovation. There’s commissioning stage in Southland. There are also a no problem with taking advice or trying something number of large-scale systems in the pipeline. new. Southland businesses have a progressive can-do attitude that is often lacking elsewhere. Wood Energy South co-ordinator Cathy Jordan says that the project is now gaining really positive traction “Venture Southland is to be applauded for the as it reaches its fi nal six months. In the past few years work being undertaken to promote diversifi cation we have focused on establishing the foundations and product development within the southern and building confi dence by identifying and business sector.” mitigating barriers. Venture Southland business services manager Alistair “One of the most valuable components of this project Adam says it’s been great to see so many businesses has been the partnership between Venture Southland learn about innovation and design thinking. and EECA. This, combined with the knowledge This series is a progression of the work that Venture sharing and support with Bioenergy Association Southland has undertaken over the past three years to and industry, is an incredibly progressive and introduce new innovation and development pathways positive approach. for businesses. “With the collaboration between EECA and Bioenergy “These programmes tie in well with the R&D grants Association and its members it is possible to make and support programmes that Venture Southland some strong headway over the next few years as New delivers in partnership with Callaghan Innovation,” Zealand works towards meeting its Paris targets.” Mr Adam says. “On the back of this success, Businesses have until 31 December to be eligible for a Venture Southland is now looking at extending the subsidy towards a feasibility study, and until 31 March programme to provide more education and direct for capital grants towards a conversion to learning and support for Southland businesses.” wood energy. 19 Action on OOretireti BBeacheach Southland has a new action plan to protect its famous Oreti Beach.

Seven southern agencies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the management of the beach, after grave concerns were voiced about damage caused by years of motorbikes, quad bikes and four-wheel drives being driven over the fragile sand dunes, as well as dangerous driving on the beach, littering and dumping of abandoned vehicles. The agreement specifi es responsibilities for monitoring activities on the beach, its conservation and maintenance. Sharing the task are Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council, Department of Conservation, Environment Southland, New Zealand Police, the Ministry for Primary Industries and Waihopai runaka. Southland District Council group manager environmental services Bruce Halligan says “it’s really positive that there’s an inter-agency memo and we need to work with the other agencies. Collectively we need to build more community buy-in and awareness around the asset that we’ve got there”. The memorandum was developed after a steering group of interested parties was formed in 2014. The group was chaired by Invercargill city councillor Alan Dennis. One of the most vocal proponents of the management scheme is Invercargill resident Allan McMurdo, who has witnessed the “devastation” and reckless, dangerous behaviour on the beach for much of his life. An avid fi sherman, whitebaiter and duckshooter at the mouth of the Waimatuku River, about 2km north of the Ferry Road entrance to the beach, he says he has been pushing for action for 12 years. “We’re always picking up their pieces after they’ve left from the damage they do,’’ he says. “And giving them rides back to their cars after they come off their motorbikes and injure themselves. Broken collarbones, ankles, wrists … yyouou name it.

“They just go hell for leather down the beach, and no idea. As soon as they hit the soft sand they keep going and the bike just digs in.” - Allan McMurdo 20 A public meeting will be held soon to discuss how the resolutions in the memorandum will be put in place, and what effects these will have on Southlanders using the beach. Mr McMurdo hopes user groups like motorcycle and four-wheel-drive clubs will come along to talk about the issues, “and hopefully we’ll minimise the damage that’s happening to our beach”. This includes the potential damage to the fragile toheroa fi shery that exists below the beach surface. Mr Halligan says before the memorandum was signed, there used to some “grey areas” about which agency was responsible if, for instance, cars were dumped or carcasses washed up. The memorandum clarifi ed each agency’s role so that members of the public didn’t get “bumped around from one place to another”. By law, New Zealand beaches are classifi ed as roads, allowing local authorities to set speed limits and police to enforce traffi c laws, such as registration requirements. Mr McMurdo says people often don’t understand that road rules apply on the beach. “When you’re walking through the sand dunes you don’t want to be confronted by a motorbike doing 30 or 40 k’s. “If you took your car down Oreti Beach and you didn’t have a warrant of fi tness or registration, and a cop stopped you, you’d get prosecuted. But a motorbike can go on Allan McMurdo points out some of the beach that’s not warranted or registered, rip up the the damage done at Oreti Beach. sand dunes, go racing up and down the beach at 60 or 70 kilometres and hour and get away with it.”

Despite this, both he and Bruce Halligan believe education is a better way of spreading the message than brute enforcement. Letter drops on the windscreens of cars parked at the beach and information leafl ets at motorcycle dealerships are just two suggestions Mr McMurdo will bring to the table. Mr Halligan also thinks initiatives such as having schoolchildren involved in beach regeneration projects might create better community buy-in than stern public warnings. “You’d like to think that in 100 years’ time maybe you’ve got much less vandalism and more community ownership,’’ he says. “I’m not sure we’ll do that by putting signs up everywhere telling people not to do this, that or the next thing.” Mr McMurdo hopes the management plan will be in effect by Christmas, an opportune time to spread the word with more people at the beach. In the meantime, people should report instances of dangerous driving, littering, abandoned cars or distressed marine life directly to Invercargill City Council.

2121 22 Mr Garthwaite knows the area well. “Leasing the grounds to a motivated New adventures at He went to school at Wyndham individual such as James Garthwaite Primary School and Menzies College, is a win-win situation for the local and his mother was a teacher at community and private enterprise,” Wyndham Menzies and is still a relief teacher she said. there. Historically, the camping ground had The Wyndham camping ground He’s returned after going to required signifi cant local rate funding has been given a new lease of life. university and spending eight years to support it, she said. working for Fonterra in Taranaki. Leasing the camp ground had been in Mr Garthwaite has formed a new the pipeline for about fi ve years. business, Southern Style Adventures. Mr Garthwaite has spent his fi rst Initially, it’s set up as a campervan weeks on site improving the grounds rental company, but he has big plans and facilities and is approaching to run guided fi shing tours. He see the local groups and businesses to form two businesses as complementary. mutually benefi cial relationships. “If they’re renting campervans off me “We hope that this new venture will they can stay at the camping ground help bring more visitors to the town for free,” he said. and encourage them to stay longer, He’s also telling locals, “hey, we’re energising the town and creating Adventure tourism operator James still here, accommodation’s available, more business opportunities,” Mrs Garthwaite has taken over the come down for a barbecue and a night Tapper said. lease and day-to-day running of away from home”. the camping ground, which was The Wyndham Community Board previously administered by the Community engineer Kushla Tapper and Council thank Lynley Wright, Wyndham Community Board and said running camp grounds was not who was custodian of the camping council community engineer. Council’s area of expertise. ground for more than 18 years.

Fortrose beach cleanup The Fortrose community came out in force to celebrate their beach. About 40 children and 60 adults pitched in to clear rubbish off the beach and informally launch fi ve years’ worth of enhancement projects on the foreshore. Four quad bikes with trailers carted rubbish collected off the beach while ute crews worked on roadside cleanup. Southland District Council community engineer Kushla Tapper said an old dump site in the area that was slowly eroding into the sea added to the list of interesting items found. “Two wheelbarrow loads of red bricks were separated out to put in someone’s garden as edging. There were a few slabs of concrete, quite a lot of glass, big chunks of corroded iron, and something that looked like an old engine piece. “Some netting and subsoil drainage pipe had washed down the river from a past fl ood.” In all, about three trailer loads of rubbish were take away.

Afterwards, an unoffi cial Fortrose foreshore improvements opening was held, to say thank you to the many groups who had been involved with various enhancement projects at the foreshore in the past fi ve years. Speeches were led by Waihopai Toetoes councillor Paul Duffy, with contributions from Toi Tois Tokanui Lions Club president Russell Crosbie, Steve Beker, John Ellenden, Phillip Golden and Mrs Tapper. 23 Rural Fire

The new national fi re service is taking shape. In future a fi t-for-purpose service for your local areas will be developed. FENZ will establish local committees to provide A transition project is under way to establish Fire and the regional voice in the delivery of services. Committees Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) from more than 40 will consult with the wider community and stakeholders to separate organisations including rural fi re authorities, the ensure risks and needs are well understood. It is important New Zealand Fire Service and the National Rural you have your say during this process. You will be kept Fire Authority. informed on when this will happen. Cabinet this year agreed to unify urban and rural fi re In most areas there will be little change, and in others there services, which required a new funding model, repealing may be a shift to better fi t the local community’s needs. two current acts of Parliament and creating new At present a levy is collected from property and motor legislation. The Fire and Emergency New Zealand Bill is vehicle fi re insurance which funds the New Zealand Fire before the House of Representatives and, subject to the bill Service. Rural Fire Authorities are largely funded from local passing, New Zealand’s fi re services will be amalgamated government, Department of Conservation and the forest on 1 July 2017. industry. This has historically been an area of disparity as So what does this mean for you?Under present legislation rural people pay the same insurances but are also expected Rural Fire Authorities are only legally mandated to to cover the cost associated with any wildfi re. respond to fi res within their area while the New Zealand The proposed new levy FENZ will collect will fund the Fire Service also has a rescue role., The role of fi refi ghters whole of the service and be the primary source of has changed greatly, with teams responding to medical funding. Currently the bill is in the select committee stage. calls, motor vehicle accidents, civil defence emergencies, Only when the bill is passed can FENZ start to put in hazardous substances, swift water rescue and urban search place the requirements of the new legislation and form and rescue. The FENZ Bill refl ects the changing needs of one organisation. the fi re services and communities’ expectations.

For advice call 0800 7733 63, or fi nd out more at www.southernruralfi re.org.nz

STEWART ISLAND Rubbish and recycling tips for Stewart Rakiura Resource Recovery Centre Island this summer CHRISTMAS HOURS

Keep it simple. Mon 26 Dec 2016 Closed That’s the message from SIESA this holiday season. Those on the island are urged to put their rubbish and recycling out on Tuesday mornings during December and (Community & business collection as normal) January – notot the night before – to prevent the risk of kaka and rats attacking the items. Some handydy ttipsips fofor rubbish and recycling collection this summer are: Tues 27 Dec 2016 Closed (Rubbish truck will collect as normal) • Don’t forget to wrap all sharp items before placing Wed 28 Dec 2016 9.30am - 4.30pm ththem in your rubbish bags Thurs 29 Dec 2016 9.30am - 4.30pm • Ba Bags weighing more than 15kg will not be collected Fri 30 Dec 2016 9.30am - 4.30pm • Recycling bins should only contain clean, recyclable Sat 31 Dec 2016 8am - 12 noon products. Put bottles on the bottom, followed by tins, cans and plastics, with paper and cardboard on the top. Sun 1 Jan 2017 Closed Goods for 2nd Chance will not be collected. Mon 2 Jan 2017 Closed (Community & business collection as normal) DON’T FORGET – people looking after holiday homes are responsible for checking the rubbish and recycling guests put out. Make sure you follow Tues 3 Jan 2017 Closed these basic rules to ensure your rubbish and recycling collection stays (Rubbish truck will collect as normal) hassle-free this summer. 24 Emergency Management

Beach safety this summer One handy tip to remember in the and have plans in place to stay event of an earthquake while near connected with family and friends. Not much beats lazy summer days the water is ‘Long or Strong, Be If you are on holiday when a at the beach. Gone’. disaster happens, you may be far With the festive season almost here, The best warning system that a from home and it might not be so Kiwis are fl ocking to the seaside tsunami is on its way is the natural easy to drive to where you need to enjoy some time in the sun with warning system. If you feel an to be. If mobile devices have no family and friends. earthquake that is long (more than connectivity, how do you get in But a disaster could happen any a minute) or strong (knocks you off- touch with our loved ones? If you time. It could happen while you’re balance), don’t delay. Head inland are on holiday or even at home, it on holiday. or to high ground immediately, is crucial you have plans to stay and keep an ear out on the radio connected in place and your loved That’s why it is so important to for more information about the ones all know how they can reach ensure you know how to stay safe tsunami risk for your area. If you’re one another. in the event of an emergency, no holidaying overseas, make sure you If you take some basic emergency matter when or where it strikes. know how to stay up-to-date with preparedness steps before heading emergency alerts there. Spending so much time near the away these holidays, you can water is a great time to remind No matter what type of disaster prevent yourself from being in a ourselves of the need to be ready for hits, it is important you are ready scary situation. natural disasters such as tsunamis.

Plan well, understand your environment, and have a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.

Work to prepare a co-ordinated a magnitude eight earthquake happen when the fault erupts: how response to a major earthquake in every 300 years. The last time this the earthquake may occur, the the South Island is under way. happened was in 1717, so we need effect it will have on the landscape, to have a plan in place for when the and the impacts of this event on Project AF8, funded by the Ministry next event happens.” people and infrastructure. of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, is being led by Project AF8 started with a two- The next step of the project will Emergency Management Southland day workshop in Christchurch, be to hold regional civil defence and involves civil defence groups which brought leading earthquake workshops to understand the local from throughout the South Island. scientists from across the country response and identify potential together. gaps in planning and resources. Emergency Management Southland manager Angus McKay says the recent The workshop was organised by Dr Those involved in the project are earthquakes in north Canterbury are Caroline Orchiston of the University working closely with government a timely reminder of what the entire of Otago, who is leading the risk agencies, emergency services and South Island will face when the Alpine workstream of the project. key lifeline providers throughout Fault – the border between the Pacifi c New Zealand. A full-time project “Project AF8 has started with a and Indo-Australian tectonic plates – manager, Jon Mitchell, has been bang, bringing together science and ruptures. appointed to co-ordinate the work emergency management to come being carried out through the “An Alpine Fault rupture will affect up with a credible scenario for an project and produce a response every region in the South Island and Alpine Fault rupture and to defi ne plan. will require co-ordination across the impacts that will affect the South regional borders, nationally and Island,” she says. Once the response plan is internationally,” he says. completed, it is expected a South Discussions at the workshop Island-wide exercise will be held. “The fault line is estimated to produce produced a scenario on what will

25 compliant wiwith all Environment Southland consent standardstandards. There were some iinitial performance issues, which have now been resoresolved, he says. Worm bed sites were extended, and fi ne screening was installed to furtherfurth reduce the amount of solid matter makingmaking its wayw into the worm beds. Now ththe plant is servicing about 530 houses in the Edendale and Wyndham area, with a typical average Worms daily fl ow of 300 cubic metres. Wonders Wastewater passes through two sets of screens to doing remove solids that could block the sawdust bed, then passes into balance tanks from where it is pumped onto the worm beds. The humble earthworm is doing the hard yards for the environment in the Edendale and Wyndham area. After the worms have done their magic work the wastewater is pumped into a series of settlement Worms are chewing their way through about tanks where a chemical is added to remove 300 cubic metres of wastewater every day at the phosphorous before it passes through an ultraviolet Edendale/Wyndham sewage plant, breaking it down disinfection unit and out to the Mataura River. and performing an important function in the treatment process. When the innovative technique was conceived Mr Evans says he cannot say how many worms more than fi ve years ago, it was the fi rst of its kind are in the beds, “but it is fair to say having a in the country. reasonably consistent product and keeping the beds well aerated are the key to maintaining a healthy Southland District Council strategic manager water worm population”. and waste Ian Evans says a signifi cant amount of work has been done since the plant opened in 2011 to get the The system relies on the natural breeding cycle of the system working effi ciently and to ensure that it is fully worms to maintain a healthy, stable population.

Cycle Trail decision ‘disappointing’

The economies of areas like the development of cycle tourism Lumsden, Mossburn, Five Rivers, throughout the country, as part of Southland District Council is Garston and Athol are reporting the Prime Minister’s national disappointed the Environment Court signifi cant benefi ts, which small cycleway project.” Council would has found in favour of an appeal business owners and locals attribute now need to evaluate its next steps in by Fish and Game Southland against to increased visitor numbers as regards to the project, Mr Tong said. the Oreti River section of Stage Two a direct result of the Around the of the Around the Mountains Mountains Cycle trail development,” “We need to assess the fi ndings Cycle Trail. Southland District Mayor Gary of the Environment Court more Tong said. “On behalf of our communities in thoroughly and complete an analysis Northern Southland, I am deeply “This is a blow not only for those of where we go from here in regards disappointed by the Environment communities but for the good work a to the Around the Mountains Cycle Court decision. large number of people have put into Trail project.”

26 27 Water

Water Engineer takes out top award Upgrade to pipe at bridge given the go-ahead

A proposal to upgrade a water pipe at one of Southland’s historical landmarks has been given the green light. Council’s strategic manager water and waste Ian Evans says plans to upgrade the pipe at the Clifden swing bridge, just outside Tuatapere, have been in the works for about three years. The proposal has now been approved by Heritage New Zealand. Built at the end of the 19th century, the suspension bridge spans the mighty Waiau River. It is built out of 27 steel cables attached to concrete pillars and still has its historic wooden decking, which hundreds of people walk across every year as part of their visit to the area. Equally popular with local visitors and those from outside the region, the swing bridge is listed as a Category I Place by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. “This project is not one of our Water and waste operations/project engineer Matt Keil (left) with Trevor Whyte, who owns the team’s more signifi cant projects farm where the new water intake, reservoir and treatment plant is located at Orawia. in terms of cost, but it is very Southland District Council has once again been recognised for its work signifi cant in terms of the nationally, with water and waste operations/project engineer Matt Keil complexities around actually winning a prestigious award for his work on upgrading the Orawia completing the upgrade, given the water supply. historical nature of the site and other aspects tied in with that, The win in the Improving Water Quality section of the Water NZ awards including working with multiple recognises the hard yards that went into designing and building a new water agencies even before the project can system for the small western Southland community. begin,” he says. Mr Keil says the upgrade aims to improve the community’s water supply The pipe that will be upgraded and ensure it meets national drinking water standards. “It’s been one of is part of the Eastern Bush Otahu those jobs that a few people had a go at over the years. I’m just pleased we’ve Flat Water Scheme and runs been able to deliver a tidy project for the Orawia community, on time and underneath the spans of the bridge. under budget,” he says. It is currently not usable, and so the Financially the upgrade was not one of the water team’s bigger projects – it cost scheme relies on a temporary pipe about $100,000. However, it provided some unique complexities because of the that has been placed over the top of wide range of issues that had to be considered. the bridge. Those includes limitations around the supply’s geographical location, power “We’ve now got permission to supply, treatment process and the physical location for the new water use the pipe under the bridge as a treatment plant. conduit to put another pipe through The Orawia upgrade was a collaborative effort between Te Anau Earthworks, to connect the different parts of the Downers, Filtec and the rest of the water department. Council was fortunate to supply,” Mr Evans says. work with an accommodating landowner – also on the Orawia Water Supply It is hoped the new pipe will be Committee – which made for ease of delivery during the project, he says. installed before Christmas. 28 Animal Control Visitors reminded RESPONSIBLE to protect one of dog ownership this Southland’s gems summer Visitors to Curio Bay are being Dog owners are being reminded to reminded to ensure they practice take care of their furry friends as responsible dog owner behaviour the weather warms up. this summer. Dog control offi cer Jill Munro says Southland District Council people need to be particularly environmental health manager vigilant that their pets are well Michael Sarfaiti says it is important looked after during summer. “It’s everybody plays their part in making great to be out and about enjoying sure the pristine natural environment the sunshine with your family, at Curio Bay – and the wildlife that friends, and your dogs. lives within it – is protected. Curio Bay in the Catlins is home to wildlife including hoiho (yellow- eyed penguins), sea lions, Hector’s dolphins and little blue penguins, as well as a 180 million-year-old petrifi ed forest. “Curio Bay is such a special part of our district. We want to encourage all Southlanders to go and explore the area, but they have to make sure that if they are taking their dog with them they stick to the rules about where they can and can’t go,” he says. “If you’re visiting the area, please make sure you do not take your dog But there are a few things dog into areas where they are prohibited, owners need to remember as the and make sure your dog remains temperatures rise,” she says. on a lead if you are in an on-leash area. Council’s dog control offi cers • If you’re out and about with regularly patrol the area, and if Visitors are also urged to report your dog, make sure you stick you’re found breaking the rules irresponsible behaviour by others. to rules around the areas you may be issued with a $300 you can walk your pet on and “If you see anybody breaching the infringement notice.” off-leash rules, please call the animal control Signage in the area makes it clear team on 0800 732 732. You can call 24 • Don’t leave your dog where dog owners can and cannot hours a day, and your details will be unattended in public places take their pets, he says. kept confi dential.” where they may come into contact with strangers including children The new signs make it easy for • Don’t leave your dog in your dog owners in our district to remember where they can and car. Even a vehicle with the can’t take their pets, where windows wound down can they have to be on a leash, and heat up rapidly, and dogs where they can be exercised. cannot regulate their body temperature. Keep your pet safe They will help you know if the area you’re in is a dog exercise • Make sure your dog has access area, a dogs prohibited area, or to plenty of fresh water at all an area where dogs must be on times a leash. “It’s important we all play our part If you break the rules, you in keeping not only our dogs safe, could be fi ned up to $300. but other people around us safe too,” Mrs Munro says. 29 Libraries

Getting

craftyin Te Anau

After school on Fridays is giving With children in Te Anau the chance to Te Anau fi ne-tune their crafty skills in the being home to their own library’s Crazy Craft Group. a diverse range crafty bats. Each week the children taking part of cultures, the work with a selection of different children are also The only limit materials. So far the kids – and even encouraged to share is the children’s some parents – have tried their their own talents, own imagination. hand at knitting, making pom poms, interests and knowledge, If you’re keen to get puppet-making, baking, crafting salt so origami and other Japanese involved or have a great dough models, wind socks and lots arts have also featured. At the session idea about some crafts that could be of paper crafts. before Halloween, children made featured, contact the Te Anau Library.

All Southland District Council libraries LibraryLib will close at 12 noon on Friday, 23 December (or the nearest usual ChristmasChristm Hours opening date and time).

RIVERTON LIBRARY Fri 23 Dec 2016 8am - 12 noon Sat 24 Dec - Tues 27 Dec 2016 Closed Wed 28 Dec - Fri 30 Dec 2016 10am - 4pm Sat 1 Jan 2017 - Tues 3 Jan 2017 Closed WINTON LIBRALIBRARYRY Normal hours resume Wednesday 4 January 2017 Fri 23 Dec 2016 8.30am - 12 noon Sat 24 Dec 2016 - Tues 3 Jan 2017 Closed OTAUTAU LIBRARY Normal hours resume Wednesday 4 January 2017 Fri 23 Dec 8am - 12 noon Sat 24 Dec 2016 - Tues 3 Jan 2017 Closed LUMSDEN LIBRARY Normal hours resume Wednesday 4 January 2017 Fri 23 Dec 10am - 5pm Sat 24 Dec 2016 - Tues 3 Jan 2017 Closed TE ANAU LIBRARY Wed 4 Jan 2017 11am - 4pm Fri 23 Dec 2016 8am - 12 noon Normal hours resume Thursday 5 January 2017 Sat 24 Dec - Tues 27 Dec 2016 Closed Wed 28 Dec - Fri 30 Dec 2016 10am - 5pm WYNDHAM LIBRARY Sat 1 Jan 2017 - Tues 3 Jan 2017 Closed Fri 23 Dec 2016 Closed Normal hours resume Wednesday 4 January 2017 Thurs 5 Jan 2017 2 - 5pm & 6.30pm - 8pm Normal hours resume Friday 6 January 2017 STEWART ISLAND LIBRARY Fri 23 Dec 2016 8.30am - 12 noon MOBILE BOOKBUS Sat 24 Dec 2016 - Tues 3 Jan 2017 Closed Normal timetable until Friday 16 December 2016 Wed 4 Jan 2017 8.30am - 12 noon Service resumes Tuesday 23 January 2017 Normal hours resume Thursday 5 January 2017 30 Mobile Library Timetable

Nov 2016 – April 2017 * Denotes a public holiday Athol Shop Noon-1pm Tues 29-Nov 24-Jan 21-Feb 21-Mar * Balfour Tavern 4.30-6.30pm Tues 13-Dec 7-Feb 7-Mar 4-Apr School 1.30-3.00pm Thurs 1-Dec 26-Jan 23-Feb 23-Mar 20-Apr Blackmount School 10-11am Mon 28-Nov 23-Jan 20-Feb 20-Mar * Dacre Hall 9-10am Fri 16-Dec 10-Feb 10-Mar 7-Apr Dipton School 11-Noon Tues 13-Dec 7-Feb 7-Mar 4-Apr Drummond School 10.30-Noon Wed 14-Dec 8-Feb 8-Mar 5-Apr Edendale Car Park 1-4pm Fri 2-Dec 27-Jan 24-Feb 24-Mar 21-Apr School 10.30-Noon Fri 16-Dec 10-Feb 10-Mar 7-Apr Fortrose Picnic Area 3-4pm Fri 16-Dec 10-Feb 10-Mar 7-Apr Garston School 1.30-2.30pm Tues 29-Nov 24-Jan 21-Feb 21-Mar * Village 2.30-3.30pm Tues 29-Nov 24-Jan 21-Feb 21-Mar * Glenham School 1-2pm Fri 16-Dec 10-Feb 10-Mar 7-Apr Gorge Rd Hall 11am-12.30pm Tues 17-Jan 14-Feb 14-Mar 11-Apr Hauroko Valley School 1-2pm Mon 28-Nov 23-Jan 20-Feb 20-Mar * Heddon Bush School 1.30-2.30pm Wed 14-Dec 8-Feb 8-Mar 5-Apr Hedgehope Hall 11am-12.30pm Fri 9-Dec 3-Feb 3-Mar 31-Mar 28-Apr Isla Bank School 9-10am Wed 14-Dec 8-Feb 8-Mar 5-Apr Limehills School 9.15am-10.30am Thurs 8-Dec 2-Feb 2-Mar 30-Mar 27-Apr Longbush Kindergarten 9-10am Fri 2-Dec 27-Jan 24-Feb 24-Mar 21-Apr Mossburn RSA 9.30-10.30am Tues 29-Nov 24-Jan 21-Feb 21-Mar * School 1.30-3.30pm Tues 13-Dec 7-Feb 7-Mar 4-Apr Ohai Community Centre 2-4pm Thurs 8-Dec 2-Feb 2-Mar 30-Mar 27-Apr Orepuki Main Street 3-4pm Mon 28-Nov 23-Jan 20-Feb 20-Mar * Otara Hall 2.30-4pm Wed 18-Jan 15-Feb 15-Mar 12-Apr Pukerau School 9.30-11.30am Wed 30-Nov 25-Jan 22-Feb 22-Mar 19-Apr Rimu School 10.30-11.30am Fri 2-Dec 27-Jan 24-Feb 24-Mar 21-Apr Riversdale School 11am-12.30pm Thurs 1-Dec 26-Jan 23-Feb 23-Mar 20-Apr Community Centre 2-4.30pm Thurs 15-Dec 9-Feb 9-Mar 6-Apr Roslyn Bush Playcentre 9.15-10am Tues 17-Jan 14-Feb 14-Mar 11-Apr Ryal Bush Community Centre 2.30-4pm Fri 9-Dec 3-Feb 3-Mar 31-Mar 28-Apr Te Tipua School 9.30-10.30am Fri 9-Dec 3-Feb 3-Mar 31-Mar 28-Apr Thornbury Hall 3-4pm Wed 7-Dec 1-Feb 1-Mar 29-Mar 26-Apr Tokanui Main Street 1.30-4pm Fri 25-Nov 20-Jan 17-Feb 17-Mar * School 9.30-11am Mon 12-Dec * 6-Mar 3-Apr Waianiwa Hall 1-2pm Wed 7-Dec 1-Feb 1-Mar 29-Mar 26-Apr Waikaia School 9-10.30am Thurs 1-Dec 26-Jan 23-Feb 23-Mar 20-Apr Community Centre 10.15-11.30am Thurs 15-Dec 9-Feb 9-Mar 6-Apr Waikaka Main Street 2-4pm Wed 30-Nov 25-Jan 22-Feb 22-Mar 19-Apr Waikawa Hall 10am-Noon Fri 25-Nov 20-Jan 17-Feb 17-Mar * Waimahaka School 11.30am-1pm Wed 18-Jan 15-Feb 15-Mar 12-Apr Waituna PlayCentre 9.30-10.30am Wed 18-Jan 15-Feb 15-Mar 12-Apr Wallacetown Community Centre 9am-Noon Wed 7-Dec 1-Feb 1-Mar 29-Mar 26-Apr Wendon Hall Noon-12.30pm Thurs 15-Dec 9-Feb 9-Mar 6-Apr Wendonside Hall 9.30-10am Thurs 15-Dec 9-Feb 9-Mar 6-Apr Willowbank School 12.30-1.30pm Wed 30-Nov 25-Jan 22-Feb 22-Mar 19-Apr Woodlands Shop 2-4pm Tues 17-Jan 14-Feb 14-Mar 11-Apr School 2-4pm Mon * * 6-Mar 3-Apr Any queries, requests or renewals: please telephone the Winton Library 0800 732 542. Note: the following areas have fortnightly visits: Balfour, Riversdale, Waikaia, Mossburn, Edendale, Tokanui, Woodlands. Renewals can be made by email to: [email protected] 31 Community Service Awards

Three Tuatapere people have received Southland District Council Community Service Awards. Quinton Donald and Clifden farmers Wendy and John Knowler were nominated by the Tuatapere Community Board for outstanding service to their community. They received their awards from Mayor Gary Tong. All three are deeply involved in organisations and activities in the western Southland town. Mr Donald, former owner of Waiau Hotel, was a staunch supporter of sporting clubs, the Tuatapere Pipe Band and Highland Dancing and the Quinton Donald, left, Wendy Knowler and John Knowler with their Community Service Awards. Axemen’s Athletic Club. He is a member of the Tuatapere Victim Support and the Western includes serving on the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Charitable Trust, Southland Parish Church council. Community Board, Tuatapere Lions Club, Clifden School PTA, Tuatapere Lions Club, Tuatapere She has been a co-ordinator for Clifden the Clidfen Hall Committee, Waiau Golf Club, and the Pukemaori Meals on Wheels, a member of the River Liaison Group, Clifden Domain Bowling Club. Tuatapere Medical Services Trust Board, Tuatapere Cemetery Trust, the and Lions Club, and she is patron of Mrs Knowler has been in a long list Tuatapere Amenities Trust, Western Tuatapere Plunket. of community groups, including Southland Catholic Parish Committee Clifden Rural Women, Tuatapere Mr Knowler’s extensive involvement and the Operatic Society. Opening hours change in Te Anau

The opening hours for Te Anau Library have changed to better suit those in the community. At the end of November, the new hours of 8.30am – 5.30pm during the week and 10am – 3pm on Saturdays were introduced. CONTACT District libraries manager Lynda Hodge says while the hours may have DETAILS changed, customers could still expect the same high level of service from All Offi ces & Inquiries....0800 732 732 their librarians. The changes to the Te Anau Library’s Fax ...... 0800 732 329 opening hours made accessibility around the district more consistent. District Libraries ...... 0800 732 542 “These hours are in line with other Southland District Council libraries Rural Fire Permits ...... 0800 773 363 and offi ces and refl ect the times that Email ...... [email protected] WiFi access is available residents in our communities like to access our services,” she says. from 8.30am - 6pm Website ...... www.southlanddc.govt.nz between Monday and Friday, and 10am - 3pm Internet services are available within the library during opening hours. on Saturdays. 15 Forth Street, PO Box 903, Invercargill 9840

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