Issue 948 - 4 May 2021 Phone (07) 866 2090 Circulation 8,000 Scheduled air service to Auckland Airport later this year By Tony Stickley Whitianga will later this year have a daily a lot of sense for us and we think we will be scheduled air service connecting the town quite successful with it.” directly to Auckland Airport, with its relatively Mr Bacon said that flying into Auckland easy connections to the rest of the city. Airport was considerably more convenient From mid-December, Barrier Air is than Ardmore in terms of connectivity with planning to start operating two flights a day, rental cars, buses or people being picked up. one in either direction, in an ultra-modern, Recommissioning the GPS approach to turbine engine-powered Cessna Grand Whitianga would also provide a level of Caravan, which will whisk passengers to their dependability, as planes could fly in pretty destination in a smidgen over 20 minutes. much all weather, using instruments to The new service will appeal to people navigate. “It is a much better experience wanting to avoid the road journey over the for passengers because they are above the hills between Whitianga and Kopu and then weather,” Mr Bacon said. the gridlocked Southern Motorway. It will In addition, the Grand Caravan offered a also find favour with people who currently high degree of comfort and safety. “Being a use charter aircraft to and from Ardmore 14-seater, they offer a really nice passenger Airport, which is not ideally located so far experience,” Mr Bacon said. “They have south of Auckland. leather seats and air conditioning and all Barrier Air CEO, Grant Bacon, said they the latest safety equipment, which provides were looking to operate six or seven days a good experience compared to some a week. smaller planes. In preparation for the new service, Barrier Ticket prices would be a little over or under Air is recommissioning the Whitianga $80 one way, depending on peaks and troughs, Airfield’s GPS approach, meaning the planes and passengers would likely be allowed 20kg can fly in almost all weather as visibility will baggage and 7kg carry-on. not be an issue. However, as there are no Planes would overnight in Whitianga, landing lights at Whitianga, the planes will probably leaving around 7:30am and only operate during daylight hours. returning from Auckland at 5:00pm in Barrier Air will be drawing on its experience summer or 4:30pm in winter. in flying between Auckland Airport and both Mr Bacon said they had worked closely Great Barrier Island and Kaitaia in Northland, with the Mercury Bay Aero Club, the owner and between North Shore Airport and of the Whitianga Airfield, and had also kept Great Barrier. the Civil Aviation Authority informed of Currently the airline operates three 14-seat their proposals. Cessna Grand Caravans and is in the process Barrier Air had also discussed its plans with of purchasing a fourth for the Whitianga Thames-Coromandel District Council which route. In peak season it has 35 or 36 staff was keen to promote the new service for Barrier Air CEO, Grant Bacon, at one of the airline’s Cessna Caravans. members, but this will rise to 37 when the the town and the benefits it would bring for The airline plans to start a scheduled service between Whitianga and Auckland new service comes on stream. local businesses. Airport using the Caravans later this year. Mr Bacon said that their experience with Local tourism operators would reap the the Kaitaia route since 2015 made them in Kaitaia and we think that we are ready for this route will actually be easier, because rewards, not just from day trippers but also confident that Whitianga would be at least as another route and we think that Whitianga is Whitianga has a bigger population base and from visitors who might want to stay two successful. “It is a town that is going places the place to be. the drive to Auckland is arguably worse, or three nights in Whitianga. “We will be and it is a community with a lot of ties to “Whitianga is something that we had been having to battle South Auckland traffic. offering accommodation packages, so we Auckland,” he told The Informer. “We have talking about for a while. Following the “So, it is a similar type of journey [by road will be putting tourism dollars into the town,” actually built up quite a successful operation success we have had with Kaitaia, I think compared to Kaitaia] and that is why it makes Mr Bacon said. Distributed throughout the Coromandel Peninsula, coast to coast from Thames to north of Colville - www.theinformer.co.nz Final act of kindness from a true community man By Suzanne Hansen Earlier this year, Alan Arbuckle, a long-time past community contributions. Glenn remembers his a single block story under it, and then lowered optimism, Alan dove into a long treatment plan resident of Whitianga, who in life was known time with Alan at the Mercury Bay Golf Club the original house to create a two-story home which gave him much more time than expected. for his generosity and community service, where Alan was instrumental in keeping all of the with panoramic views of the Bay. He enjoyed He eventually moved to Ohinemuri Resthome in made his last contribution to two Mercury electrics going, often negotiating underground welcoming and entertaining his extended family Paeroa because it was closer to family. He was Bay organisations - the Mercury Bay Golf cables where people had unwisely planted trees. and their friends, especially on the front balcony, happy there and lived a simple life of playing Club and St John - as well as the New Zealand Alan would sometimes dig for days to find the where the nieces and nephews and guests would housie, reading the paper and walking around Cancer Society. origins of faults to fix. spend many summer evenings with a beverage the grounds. The generous bequests in his will, made In 1984, the Golf Club purchased the land in hand watching the many passers-by. Alan passed away on 21 November 2019 through Alan’s lawyer, was the final gesture that is now the back nine, financed by member When Alan sold Mercury Bay Electrical in and at his funeral was remembered by Grant of community kindness from a man known in debentures. In 2004, Alan generously forgave 1991, he retired and took up a new passion of as “a man of great humility, never thinking of Whitianga for giving his time and resources to his $6,000 debenture. According to Glenn, Alan cruising and travel. Grant says his uncle loved himself.” so many. was a quiet man who had a wry sense of humour the life on cruise ships, wearing his tuxedo to According to Graham Eccles, president of the Born on an orchard in Richmond Nelson, and enjoyed the camaraderie of the game. dinners and events, and even did a 109-day Mercury bay Golf Club, Alan’s bequest to the the only boy with five sisters, Alan was schooled Alan’s nephew, Grant Signal, said that the trip around the world. Plans for another cruise club “will be put to good use.” and trained as an electrician in Feilding. Golf Club was a happy place for Alan who loved a few years ago were unfortunately interrupted Alan’s contribution to St John was used in the One weekend in the early 1960s Alan and a golf, although golf did not always love Alan or by a dire cancer diagnosis. But with his usual purchase of the new Mercury Bay Health Shuttle. friend travelled to Whitianga on holiday and he treat him kindly. immediately fell in love with the area. He went A long-term member of the Lions, back to Feilding, sold everything and came Alan joined the organisation in Feilding in 1963 to Whitianga permanently. He got a job with and transferred his membership to Whitianga Mercury Bay Electrical and rented a room in a in 1970. When he transferred, it was noted on boarding house. He joined several community his membership form that, “Alan has been a groups and became the “go to man” for numerous particularly good Lion in our club. He has been working bees and fix-it jobs. a very willing worker and accepted many special Alan’s deep connections with the community jobs for projects and carried them out willingly spanned but was not limited to the Mercury and efficiently.” Bay Golf Club, the Whitianga Lions and Kauri During his time with the Whitianga Lions, 2000, and he was an original investor in getting Alan served in many leadership positions, the Whitianga Marina project started. He even including vice-president in 1975 and president had a berth in the marina, although he never from 1976 to 1977. had a boat. As former Thames-Coromandel Over his 52 years as a Lion, although Alan District Council mayor, Glenn Leach, said, received a number of awards and accolades, “Alan belonged to everything he needed to fellow Lion Gordon Barnaby remembers Alan belong to, to keep the community running.” as humble man, a quiet bachelor who never A respected businessman, Alan had the sought kudos. opportunity to buy Mercury Bay Electrical In 1981, Alan bought 10 Buffalo Beach Road in 1980 and ran that until 1991 when it was in Whitianga, which at the time was a modest purchased by 100% Electrical. Throughout single story house on the beachfront. A keen Long-time past resident of Whitianga, Alan Arbuckle, passed away on 21 November 2019.