New Zealand-designed chambers to measure the amount of methane produced by sheep are now being rolled out in other countries.Scientists here have been breeding low emission sheep since 2008 when they discovered that the amount of methane a sheep emits was a heritable trait.In order to figure out the low emitters from the rest, sheep were placed in chambers which measure their burps.Other countries have now started adopting the tech with the chambers in use in Norway, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.Rob Hodgkins, a sheep farmer in Hertfordshire, just north of London, was the first to use them in England.He recently tested some of his 2500 New Zealand romneys."It was really neat, it was like putting a sheep in a washing machine, you load them in and it only takes 15 minutes, they were really chill. We could tell they weren't stressed because they weren't respirating heavily."We measured their methane, carbon dioxide and oxygen levels and we should get the results in a couple of weeks."Hodgkins said he was interested to see the results as his flock were from New Zealand genetics."My dad has been importing rams from New Zealand since 2000 and I started importing sheep from the South Island in 2016, so the flock might already have the better genetics."I don't want to blow too much smoke up New Zealand's backside but we're big fans of what you're doing there, you're probably five to ten years ahead of the UK when it comes to emission reduction technology."The chambers were brought to the area by Scottish Rural University College, with funding help from the UK government.Hodgkins said that with farmers from different countries using the same technology to measure methane a global body of data was being created.He found social media posts with photos of the sheep being tested on Twitter had got mixed reactions from his fellow farmers."It created an awful lot of discussion and dialog. I think about half were fully in favour of measuring methane, they understand if the government and our customers are going to be demanding low methane sheep then we better start breeding them."The other half are dead against it saying we're creating a false agenda as methane produced by livestock is part of a complete looped system. So yeah, it's been interesting reading peoples' thoughts."AgResearch senior scientist Suzanne Rowe, and a picture of the testing chamber. Photo: AgResearchAgResearch senior scientist Suzanne Rowe was part of the team that made the methane heritable trait breakthrough, and said it was great to see the chambers being used internationally."It's really exciting but it's also a little scary as we let our technology go and we wait with bated breath to hear the results. And so far in every country the results are very similar in terms of heritability or genetic component of what we're measuring is similar in differentcountries and different breeds."So it's a really clear scientific validation, that what we've got is working and it's working well."Rowe said the measuring chambers were now widely used in New Zealand, with about 10,000 sheep being tested annually.She said the number of sheep being tested was expected to continue to grow, as would the number of countries using the tech."We're in talks with France and Australia about sending the measuring chambers there."

Taking up squash last year is paying dividends for Ōamaru woman Emma Paton, who is now in the running for Otago Para Athlete of the Year.The 31-year-old, who works in administration support at Milligans Food Group, was born profoundly deaf, but went undiagnosed until she was three.“It was a challenge to get a diagnosis. My parents took me to several audiologists," she said. “Hearing aids didn’t help me much, so at almost 10 years old I got my first cochlear implant and 10 years later I got a second implant in my other ear.”She also uses sound processors. “Cochlear implants have been life changing for me,” she said. “[It’s] amazing technology.”As a newcomer to the sport of squash in 2022, Emma was happy to place at the first few tournaments she entered, and it encouraged her to continue.She was forced to have a four-month break due to a rotator cuff injury, but this year, in her first competition back, placed third in the E Grade at the Queenstown Easter Tournament, and won her grade at the Pirates Black Pearl 2 Tournament in Dunedin a few weeks ago, she said.Her placings at tournaments last year, and playing against hearing competitors, earned her the Athlete with a Disability Award at the Waitaki Sports Awards, in March.“So that put me through as a nomination for the Otago awards, and then the judges selected me as one of the three finalists. “I have won the Waitaki Sports Athlete with a Disability Award before, but that was for table tennis,” she said.Emma belongs to Excelsior, Papakaio and Ōamaru squash clubs, which means she gets to play against a variety of players each week, which helps to improve her game and prepare for tournaments.She is coached by Wayne Collett, who she said is “really supportive” and has helped develop her playing skills.“I’m playing two pennant nights each week, plus practice matches. “Wayne and I try to have regular coaching sessions to work on my techniques and fitness. Also I do my own solo training. With being new to squash, I have lots to learn.”Emma’s deafness does have an effect on her squash. She only wears one sound processor, and uses a “snugfit” to stop it falling off during a match.“Most squash courts are echoey and very difficult for me to hear the referee call the score, lets or strokes. Often I have to ask the referee to repeat the call. “Not hearing the ball means I have to watch the ball extra carefully. Some squash clubs have got a screen above the court with the live score, this makes it so much easier for me. Before a game Emma always lets the organiser and referee know she is deaf and may not hear the calls.Outside of squash and work, Emma is interested in photography, gardening and cooking. Before Covid, she had also enjoyed overseas travel.Being deaf means communication can be really challenging for her, and "clear, accurate and timely" communication is important, she said“Sometimes I need signed support or a writer to take notes for me.“Social situations can be hard, but the people who smile, say hello, take the time to chat, make sure I know what’s happening and are supportive and welcoming make it so much easier. “Being included is important to me and others who are deaf. It’s actually not that hard to be inclusive,” she said.Winners of the Otago Sports Awards will be announced at the awards evening next Friday (June 9).

We were treated to an absolutely spectacular sunrise in the Waitaki this morning!Social media was running hot with some beautiful images of it taken from all around the district. In New Zealand, because weather systems often move from west to east, the ‘red sky in the morning, shepherds warning’ saying often holds true. A red sky sunrise indicates that an area of high pressure and associated fine weather containing trapped dust and other particles, has moved out to the east. At sunrise and sunset, light must travel further through the atmosphere to reach us, and as it does it is scattered, especially when there is dust, smoke and other particles present. This scattering affects blue light the most, so more of the red and yellow parts of the spectrum remain visible.At sunset, a red sky means that the worst of the weather has passed, with higher pressure and improving weather conditions approaching us from the west, hence ‘red sky at night, shepherds delight’.So after a lovely sunny week with mild temperatures on the coast, it's not looking that great for later today with high cloud building, and some rain this evening. A northwesterly will keep temperatures mild though, with a high of 17 degrees, dropping to 8 tonight.There is also a strong wind watch for North Otago, Dunedin, and Clutha through to 9pm tonight with northwest winds possibly approaching severe gale in exposed places. Saturday sees conditions improve again with high cloud breaking up later in the day and light winds, and Sunday’s forecast is similar with northerly winds and mild temperatures.Metservice forecast graphic: Oamaru                Up the Waitaki valley, Omarama and surrounding areas in the Mackenzie basin will be a bit worse for wear with both a heavy rain and a strong wind warning through to Saturday morning. Metservice weather warning.Widespread rain will set in by Friday evening, with strong to severe gale northwesterlies. Rain turns to heavy scattered falls on Saturday morning, with gale northwesterlies easing. Sunday will be mostly cloudy with isolated showers, while northerly winds become strong during the day. Metservice forecast graphic: OmaramaFor updated forecasts and the latest real time conditions for local areas, click on the towns below.OamaruPalmerstonOtematataLake Ohau Alpine Village

Weston School pupils are on new turf, literally.The school recently had some sand-based artificial turf installed between its junior and senior playgrounds, using funding from the Education Ministry, principal Deidre Senior said.The money was part of the School Investments Package (SIPS), which was introduced as an opportunity for schools to bring forward their discretionary projects and enhance their facilities for students now.“So pre-Covid, the ministry gave every school so much funding to do something that you normally wouldn’t be able to afford to do.”Installation of the turf was delayed while three new classrooms were installed on the former concrete court area, and then a new hard court was laid, Deidre said.Now it is in, it is “very cool”.“In the winter we don’t have a lot of hard court space for the kids when the grounds get too wet, so it means that more than two classes can be out doing activities in the winter.”It is also used as an extra teaching space outside, and allows the school’s hockey players to practise on the same surface they have to play on, she said. “So they’re getting used to being able to control the ball, and things, on that, so it’s not a surprise when they have to go out and play hockey.”The Weston Home and School will also pay for fencing, portable hockey goals, basketball and netball hoops, she said. 

“I burst into tears . . . I think it’s that relief that the wait is finally over.” Waitaki Whitestone Geopark Trust chair Helen Jansen is ecstatic at the news that more than 7,200 sq km of the Waitaki has been rubber-stamped as an official United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organisation (Unesco) accredited Global Geopark.A Global Geopark is defined by the organisation as: “a single, unified geographical area where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.” The Waitaki Whitestone Geopark Trust submitted its application to Unesco in November 2019. After a two-year wait due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Unesco assessors Nickolas Zouros, of Greece, and Anchel Belmonte Ribas, of Spain, visited the district for a three-day evaluation last July.The Unesco Global Geopark Council recommended the application made by Waitaki Whitestone be accepted by the Unesco executive board in September last year.It was one of 18 nominations presented to the board for its endorsement during their session this week.“We were told, assured, that it was all fine, but until you have had that official sign off, you cannot [know] for sure. Oh, the relief, the joy,” Helen said. “Absolute joy!”Whitestone Waitaki is Australasia’s first and only Unesco accredited Geopark, and New Zealand is one of only 48 countries globally to have received the recognition. The accolade highlights the importance of the region's unique geological and cultural heritage. “This is big-deal stuff,” Helen said.“We’ve joined a very elite group of Geoparks with the highest designation - because there are about 1000 Geoparks around the world, but only 195 have got that ultimate UNESCO Global certification.”Geopark manager Lisa Heinz said the desire to create a Geopark in the Waitaki started with the establishment of the Vanished World Trail, and the Vanished World Centre, in Duntroon. “[It] would not have been possible without the enormous contribution that the volunteer members of the Vanished World Incorporated Society have made,” she said. “It is humbling to see how more and more communities have become an active part of the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark over the years.” Te Kaihinaki (Moeraki Boulders). PHOTO: Supplied/Whitestone Waitaki GeoparkA celebration weekend is being planned for the end of October, when the weather is warmer, with a variety of events and activities on offer, Lisa said. The trust hopes this will allow everybody to celebrate the milestone, learn more about the area, and feel part of a global network of Geoparks that care for its environment and people, she said.Now accreditation has been received, the next step is “knocking on doors” for funding.“Which we’ve been trying to do for the last couple of years, and been told ‘come back when you have the stamp’. “So now’s the time to see whether that actually comes true - with corporates, with Government, with other grants . . . so it will help us in that process of gaining the funds for the things we have to do - for community engagement, events, education, sustainable tourism initiatives.” A Unesco Global Geopark is re-evaluated every four years, Lisa said.“So it’s a constant improvement concept.”The main projects recommended by Unesco are mainly around improving visibility, and encouraging more Geopark products and experiences.“So these are sort of the two main bits that we will be working on. And of course continuing our community engagement, education programme,” she said.“It’s such a collaborative endeavour. While we are the Geopark Trust, this is for the whole district and everyone in it.” The designation will benefit the Waitaki District and New Zealand as a whole, by boosting tourism and providing opportunities for local businesses and communities to develop sustainable tourism initiatives, Lisa said.It will also provide opportunities for students and researchers to study the area's geology and cultural heritage, Helen said“We are making a significant contribution to the global understanding of the land and its cultures.” The partnership with Mana Whenua has been key to the success of the Geopark application, providing a significant means of telling the story of the people of the land.Te Rūnanga o Moeraki Upoko David Higgins welcomed the announcement and saw the support from Unesco, as recognition of the Waitaki’s “ancestral landscape and cultural sites and their significance to Kāi Tahu whānui”. “We see this as a positive step forward to support our aspirations to protect these sites for visitors and future generations to enjoy.”  Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said the certification had been a long time coming, and was thanks to the work of many volunteers.“The opportunities this creates for us now need to be built on, to make Waitaki the best Global Geopark in the Southern Hemisphere, sharing our stories with the world.” Unesco’s New Zealand National Commission chairperson Liz Longworth offered her congratulations on the achievement. “As a designated Unesco Global Geopark, Waitaki Whitestone Geopark is no longer a single entity, but part of a network that raises awareness of our geological heritage on a global scale. A network that will help promote and enhance sustainable geotourism in the Waitaki region to a domestic and international audience.”  The Waitaki River. PHOTO: Supplied/Whitestone Waitaki Geopark

Moeraki landowners’ fight against rabbits has just been given a $50,000 boost.The money awarded to the Moeraki MR BLKXVI Ahu Whenua Trust comes from the Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) latest round of Incentive Funding, which was signed off by councilors at a meeting yesterday (May 24).The trust is one of 32 Otago groups which were successful recipients of a total of $536,470 - from both the ORC annual ECO Fund and its Incentives Fund this year.An initial 49 applications were received, with $1.17 million being sought from an available $568,000.Other Waitaki recipients of the funding are Five Forks School, which received $10,000 for native revegetation; the East Otago Catchment Group which was given $21,000 for biosecurity and native fauna enhancement, and the Herbert Heritage Group which received $847 for native revegetation.A total of $1.37 million has now been released by the ORC ECO Fund and Incentives Funding during the past nine funding rounds, since it began mid-2018.ORC environmental implementation manager Libby Caldwell said the annual oversubscription reflects the need in the community for this important funding stream.“The work that can now be undertaken from these two funds is a great example of the ORC working in partnership with local communities throughout Otago, to improve the state of the environment across numerous needs.”That includes funding for water quality monitoring, trap purchases, animal and weed pest control, native plant nurseries and plantings and biodiversity enhancement.The assessment panel, made up of councillors Alexa Forbes, Kate Wilson and Alan Somerville, were “delighted with the quality and breadth of the applications,” Alan said.“We're just sorry the funds available didn't allow us to approve more of them.“Communities know what matters most to them in their own areas, and funding from the ECO Fund can empower them to turn those ideas into action.”Local groups across Otago, and the people involved, build valuable skills and knowledge and strengthen their community connections, he said.“Current and future generations will live in neighbourhoods with cleaner water and more native bush at their back door.”Libby said the ECO Fund also helps support administration costs for largely voluntary organisations, project co-ordinators and educational programmes and also for the use of contractors for projects.“Assisting with these costs is an essential part to underpin communities’ environmental projects and ensure their sustainability.”Each application was assessed by three ORC staff then the assessment panel of three councillors and one mana whenua representative, with those recommendations going to council. Incentives Funding is ring-fenced, and cannot be reallocated to applications in different categories.Following the assessment process for the March 2023 round, the assessment panel recommended 32 applications for funding at a total value of $536,470, with 16 applications totalling $328,000 from ECO Fund and 16 applications totalling $208,470 from the additional Incentives Funding.At a full ORC meeting yesterday (May 24), councillors signed off the successful applications.Applications came from across Otago; with six successful applications around Dunedin environs, five around Queenstown and the balance of 37 spread as far afield as Ōamaru, Lake Hawea, the Catlins, Wanaka and South Otago.

Palmerston's Courtney Duncan won both races at the Women's Motocross World Championship round in France to extend her overall lead and claim the record for the most ever Grand Prix wins with 22.The New Zealand rider won the second race in Villars-sous-Écot by seven seconds from Italy's Kiara Fontanesi, who she also beat in the first race.It was Duncan's 22nd career Grand Prix win, moving her one ahead of long-time rival and six-time world champion Fontanesi.Duncan, herself a three-time world champion, is on a purple patch of form, having won both races in the previous round in Spain two weeks ago to go to the top of this year's standings.The 27-year-old was a comfortable race one winner on Sunday morning on her Kawasaki, finishing nearly 30 seconds clear of Fontanesi.The New Zealander recovered from a fall in heavy conditions midway through the race to reclaim the lead and notch a fourth race win from seven starts.

Scotts Brewing Co. in Oamaru has had a 10-metre extension added to its leased area for landscaping, fencing and safety improvements.The approval for the extension was granted under delegated authority by Waitaki District Council to address significant health and safety issues related to truck and forklift movements at the rear of the site. The extension adds an extra 10m to the current 20m space at the rear of the building under the previous lease and the entire area will be fenced for safety.A resource consent application for landscaping and planting within the extended area has been submitted by the brewery and is currently being processed. Fencing works, which do not require resource consent, are scheduled to commence later this week.Council officers considered impacts on parking and any future development of the site when granting the lease extension area.Scotts owner Phil Scott acknowledged the public interest in the site and the harbour area."We are committed to maintaining a great relationship with the community, continuing to contribute to the vibrancy of the area and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations throughout this process," he said.“Trying to turn a truck in our original 20m area has been proving very difficult. This has become a safety concern with public walking and driving behind an operating forklift loading and unloading trucks. “The extra 10m extension to the leased area and fencing off of the 30m space allows for easier truck and forklift manoeuvres, in a safe area which is separate from pedestrians and other vehicles.“We are really pleased to have received approval for the extension of our leased area, and look forward to the completion of the landscaping and planting project, which will enable us to create an aesthetically pleasing and safe environment surrounding our brewery.”A deed of variation will be executed to modify the existing lease agreement, incorporating the extended area.

North Otago farmers who still have questions about their Intensive Winter Grazing consents, can get them answered at a workshop in Ōamaru this Thursday (May 25).The workshop is the last of three one-on-one Intensive Winter Grazing (IWG) workshops run by the Otago Regional Council over the past two weeks, despite the deadline for applications closing on May 1. The others were held in Dunedin and Balclutha.The workshop provides a chance for planners to walk farmers through their applications to completion.More than 200 consents have been issued by the council to farmers in recent months for winter 2023, and beyond.Council consents acting manager Alexandra King said the focus in recent months has been on education around how farmers can either meet the permitted activity rules, or how to apply for IWG consents - which can cover a three to five-year period.To date 234 consents had so far been issued, with 69 in North Otago.“We’re hoping to see a high level of good practice this winter, building on the work from previous years.” The Ōamaru workshop will be held at the Kakanui Room of the ORC Office on 32 Ribble Street from 9am-5pm.There has been “great engagement” from the rural community and stakeholders, with people thinking about their activity and how they reduce any risks, and all those farmers now with consents also have grazing management plans in place for winter 2023, Alexandra said.“People have been thinking about how they will manage their winter grazing and reduce any on-farm risks.” Recent flyovers focus on educationMeanwhile, ORC principal compliance specialist Mike Cummings said the first round of flyovers, pre-May, were over areas historically used for IWG practices and looking at slope, rather than where there was an absence of consents.They had a focus on education, and the data was still being processed, he said.Planning is now underway for the next round of flyovers, which will shift to aiding compliance with the regulations and consents, including through further flyovers planned this winter. “It’s great that people have applied for consents or adapted their practices to meet the permitted activity, but the focus now is on how people manage their activity over winter to continue to meet the permitted activity requirements and the conditions of their consents,” Mike said.The flyover follow up has a focus on education, and the data is still being processed. Planning is now underway for the next round of flyovers. The focus will shift to ensuring farmers are meeting the regulations or consent conditions, he said.They will be looking at any in-stream disturbances, forestry and IWG areas with a goal to provide targeted information about rules and timeframes and to link farmers with further support around this farming practice.

Ōamaru is one of around 55 regional New Zealand towns in line for faster rollout of 5G, which will provide better mobile wireless coverage for black spots in rural areas.The Government signed contracts with major telecommunications network operators earlier this month to speed up the rollout of 5G to towns across New Zealand, Digital Economy and Communications minister Ginny Andersen said.“The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone in New Zealand can get access to good mobile wireless coverage – no matter where you are,” she said.The Government has struck a deal with New Zealand’s three major network operators – Spark, 2Degrees and One New Zealand – which will deliver a faster rollout of 5G services to around rural and regional towns across New Zealand and provide mobile wireless coverage to further rural black spot areas.“By working together with our major mobile network operators many more Kiwis will gain access to 5G services quicker, which is expected to provide faster data transmission speeds and capacity compared to 4G,” Ginny said. “As part of this new agreement, our three major mobile network operators must increase the pace of the 5G roll-out to small towns across New Zealand and to continue their efforts to further expand mobile wireless coverage in rural areas.”Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said this is good news for Ōamaru and the surrounding area from an economic perspective, as it provides faster broadband to a range of users, but there is still more work to be done.It will provide improved safety with the removal of black spot areas, and access to better internet and communications services will help businesses, especially rural ones, carry out their work more effiiciently.“It also benefits their customers and helps decrease any rural/urban digital divide.”Getting services into areas not previously covered, increases people's ability to communicate and access information, and also allows for a much better emergency management service, he said. “That helps keep people safe, and allows them to get help when they most need it.“While this is a good step forward, there is still more work to be done though, with many of our rural communities still not covered under this current initiative. Hopefully that will happen soon,” Gary said.Ginny said the deal is a “huge step forward” for rural New Zealand when it comes to connectivity.In return for the commitments from the major network operators, the Government will provide long-term access to the 3.5GHz spectrum band, used for 5G services worldwide, through a direct allocation process. This exchange provides an opportunity to expand and improve coverage to regional and rural New Zealand.New Zealand’s three major operators will each receive 80MHz of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band. This is enough for all three to run nationwide 5G networks.The Interim Māori Spectrum Commission will receive 100 MHz of spectrum. The Interim Māori Spectrum Commission will manage this spectrum, on behalf of all Māori.This agreement builds on the $60 million allocated through last year’s budget for rural connectivity improvements, as well as the $47 million of rural capacity upgrades that commenced in February, last year.“This is a significant win for rural and regional New Zealand. I am certain that Kiwis, especially those living in regional and rural areas, will soon reap the benefits coming out of this allocation,” Ginny said.Long-term rights to the 3.5GHz spectrum band for 5G services will come into effect from 1 July 2023, as the short-term rights that were extended in October 2022 come to an end.In return for the allocated spectrum, Spark, One New Zealand and 2Degrees will each pay the government $24 million between 2023 and 2025. This funding will be used to pay the Rural Connectivity Group to expand mobile coverage into areas of rural New Zealand which would not otherwise have been provided with coverage commercially (for example, rural areas where there are mobile black spots). This funding is additional to the value of the works required to provide 5G to towns.Dense Air New Zealand, which is a current interim holder of 3.5GHz spectrum rights and had previously been in negotiations with the government for long-term rights to the 3.5GHz spectrum, has since decided to withdraw from the process.Further information is available on the Radio Spectrum Management website.

Almost 90 percent of Kiwis shop mindfully as result of cost-of-living crises.The consumer watchdog has found almost 90 percent of New Zealanders have adopted mindful shopping habits as a result of the cost-of-living and climate crises.Latest data from Consumer NZ's sentiment tracker highlighted a recent spike in shoppers concern over the impacts of climate change, particularly for people aged 50 and over.It showed around 85 percent of residents have maintained or increased their efforts to shop sustainably.Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said climate concerns were a high priority for consumers."People are keen to make environmentally sustainable purchases, but at the same time they are constrained by the ongoing cost-of-living squeeze," he said.The cost-of-living crisis was also impacting shoppers across the country, with data showing it remained the highest concern across all age brackets.Duffy said more than three in every five people were choosing to buy less expensive products in an effort to save money."Whether you're 18 or 80, right now the cost-of-living is highly likely to be your number one worry," Duffy said.More than 70 percent of New Zealanders have reported spending more of their income on essential goods, he said.The cost of living has been consumers primary concern since early 2022, he continued.

A settled week ahead for the Waitaki district.As we kick off the working week, the weather for the Waitaki district is looking relatively settled with mostly sunny skies and average temperatures. On the coast, precipitation will be fairly minimal, with just a few showers likely on Tuesday night. Daytime highs will vary between 12 and 16 degrees, with overnight lows between 4 & 8 degrees. Thursday looks to be the pick of the days this week - with warmer temperatures and cloudless skies forecast, you may even get the laundry dry outside!Metservice forecast graphic: OamaruMuch further inland at 420m above sea level, Omarama is a bit cloudier and cooler this week, with some isolated showers possible overnight on Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning. Northwesterlies will ramp up later on Thursday afternoon, with some rain developing on Friday. Highs will be in the low teens, except for Wednesday which remains in single digit territory. Overnight temperatures will hover around freezing except Friday night, when it will only drop down to 5 degrees.Metservice forecast graphic: OmaramaClick on the towns below for the real time conditions and updated forecasts for those areas.OamaruNgaparaDuntroonOmarama

From the Editor - Ashley SmythI have some questions.As a reporter, I have done my best to avoid the council news round. I always thought covering day-long meetings, giving everyone a voice, and summing it all up, in around 500 words, was a bridge too far for me.Now, after listening to two days of public submissions this week at the Waitaki District Council via Zoom - both on proposed aspects of the economic development strategy, and the Annual Plan, I still think it.So, I’m not writing about the submissions - those who are interested can watch the hours upon hours of footage on the council website. It is fascinating viewing and I can’t do it justice here.Instead, my question is - using what I’ve learned as a reporter who, in a team of one, is now covering council news - could there be a better way?We all agree that democracy is a fundamental part of how this country operates. But is democracy being served if people who make submissions misunderstand, misread or are ill-informed on what they are submitting about?  A few weeks back, I spent a decent amount of time talking with Waitaki District Council chief executive Alex Parmley. I had read (and I think have gained a vague grasp on) the adopted Uplifting Waitaki: Hāpaitia te Waitaki Economic Development Strategy. I also saw misleading information on Facebook about it.People are angry about things they think are happening and going to happen, that actually aren’t happening or going to happen. No matter how many times people are told Ōamaru’s Blue Penguin Colony is not going to be sold, they are determined to believe otherwise. I think deputy mayor Hana Halalele summed it up well in her deliberations, at the end of the second day of hearings, when she expressed her disappointment at the “one-sidedness” of a lot of the verbal submissions received on the questions of whether an Economic Development Agency should be established (and Tourism Waitaki disestablished), and whether a partnership opportunity for the Ōamaru Blue Penguin colony should be investigated.“I felt like they didn’t fully comprehend or understand what we were trying to achieve through the strategy,” Hana said. “And I guess for me personally, it’s more around the people and the skills and building the capability of our community that they weren’t quite seeing, and they didn’t really fully appreciate all of the levers and opportunities that the strategy could actually provide.“We haven’t fully developed an actual plan yet, it’s just a high-level strategy,” she said.I thought if I could sit down with Alex, and go over some of the misconceptions the public had, maybe clear some up… there would be a better understanding of things going forward, but that didn’t appear to happen. You can read that article here 'Change inevitable, council chief says'.  I am just one ratepayer with one (possibly naïve) opinion - but to me, most of these things seem like a good idea, and these are not ideas just plucked out of the sky - they came from groups of good Waitaki people, who gave up hours of their time to sit around tables with each other, trying to figure out what would be best for their district.These were people working in the thick of each of the particular areas addressed in the strategy. They certainly don’t agree on all things, but mostly agree on the same end goal - a better Waitaki.We want the Waitaki, its businesses, its farmers, its employees - all its people, and its environment, to thrive, don’t we? Don’t we want people to be more educated? Don’t we want more workers? Don’t we want more housing? Don’t we want our towns and surrounding areas to be nice places to live? These things don’t happen in a vacuum. There needs to be a plan, and maybe it needs to be ambitious.Rates are going up, that is a given, and whatever the cost is to have all those councillors, council staff, and members of the public sitting in that room for two days straight, seems like an inefficient way to spend ratepayers’ money.Especially, if then, the councillors decided to go ahead with the strategy, and there will no doubt be comments that they were acting against the views of the majority - regardless of whether the majority of that majority is ill-informed.I don’t know what the answer is. I suspect I’m not the only one!There were of course a number of valid submissions - especially to do with the annual plan - which needed to be heard for councillors to understand and consider different perspectives, but maybe there needs to be some sort of screening process?Maybe verbal submitters should be required to fill out a questionnaire or speak to a member of council beforehand, to ensure they fully grasp what they’re speaking on, and see if their concerns can’t be addressed, prior to adding their name to the list… or should anybody just be able to sit there and waste time and ratepayers’ money. Is that the beauty of the submissions process? I guess listening to The Wizard suggesting the Victorian precinct should return to the way it used to be, and everything should be run by volunteers, because who doesn’t love giving up their time for nothing, was entertaining?We have elected a council - from what I can see, a pretty competent one - with a mix of youth and experience, small business owners, farmers and parents. They are more well-informed on local issues than the general public - that’s their job. Can we just trust this council, who we chose, to make the best decisions for the district on our behalf. Is that not why we chose them?

It’s full steam ahead for this year’s Steampunk Festival.After a Covid-affected last few years, the King’s Birthday Weekend event (June 2-5) has a packed programme, one of the organisers, Lea Campbell said.The theme is transported, and fitting in nicely with that theme, tethered hot air balloon rides are on offer at the Ōamaru Harbour on both the Saturday and Sunday. Most of Saturday’s tickets are sold, but tickets for Sunday have just been released, she said.“With that Sunday . . . there’s some really cool photo opportunities around town, because the train will be running. So there’ll be opportunities for a hot air balloon and train in the same photo in the harbour, kind of thing, which is cool.”There has been a concerted effort to make the festival more child-friendly this year too, Lea said.“One of the funniest things about that, is we put on an event called Steampunk Penguin, where you get a soft toy penguin, and we’re going to have some stuff there to help the kids dress the penguin like our little mascot . . . that event sold out in 24 hours, and not one of those tickets was bought by a child!“So we’re running a second session of that.”Pedalmania will be set up near the Galley Cafe with a selection of crazy bikes for riding, and House of Bricks is bringing its cog and gear Lego for people to play with.“The couple that run House of Bricks were recently on TV on New Zealand Lego Masters . . . so we’ve got another Lego Masters couple bringing two trestles worth of Steampunk Lego build.”It was possible more Lego Masters competitors would come too, she said.“For us it’s not just about the Lego, it’s the creativity, you know. Getting them interested in cogs and gears and all that kind of stuff - and it’s open to the public, and it’s free.”The always popular teapot racing has a new section this year, for people just wanting to have a go.It involves racing remote control “steampunked-up teapots” around an obstacle course. “The course has got some really quirky weird stuff in it,” Lea said.Saturday’s parade will also be worth a look, with extra steampunk vehicles “never before seen in Ōamaru” and a few extra special touches to add to the experience.The parade begins at 11am from Scotts Brewery carpark, with the best viewing spots at the southern end of Thames St and all around the Victorian precinct, she said.In the absence of the popular Fire and Steam event from previous years, on Friday night, there will be an opening ceremony instead, followed by a Steampunk street night. Formalities will kick off at 5.30pm, and are based loosely on the Ceremony of Keys at the Tower of London.“We’ve got (Waitaki mayor) Gary Kircher along with our festival ambassadors Helen Jansen (AKA La Falconese) and Ian Clark (Agent Darling), doing that initial ceremony thing, and then the gates will be open,” Lea said. Fog machines and lighting will set the scene, like a “foggy old Victorian town”, with food trucks and also live music.“There’s a whole series of musicians tucked away in windows and doorways - that all have an allocated start time, so they will pop up and they will play and then they’ll disappear, and then someone else will play . . . and that will just be rolling round and round.” Lea encouraged families to come along, and wear lights and/or bring lanterns.Steampunk fans are coming from all over the country, and even Australia, to attend festival, and sales for ticketed events are going well. It is great to be back on track after an uncertain few years, Lea said.“It really is. It’s an incredibly full programme, lots of stuff happening and we’ve reached a point where people can’t do everything.”

Showers and cool weather to continue.As the weekend rolls around again (woo hoo!) the weather for the next three days is forecast to be fairly unremarkable for coastal Waitaki, with patchy drizzle turning to rain and southerlies later on Friday afternoon. The temperatures today will hit an autumnal high of 11 degrees, falling to 9 degrees tonight.Showers will clear away on Saturday morning, but cloud and southwesterlies will hang about, and skies remain cloudy on Sunday with light winds. The temperature range for the weekend will sit between 13 & 5 degrees. Metservice forecast graphic: Oamaru    Up the valley, Omarama has a high of 8 degrees and rain on Friday, falling as snow to 1800 metres with 40km/h northeasterlies rising to gale for a time. Saturday will see cloud with isolated showers becoming widespread in the afternoon with light winds.  Metservice forecast graphic: Omarama  The overnight temperature will fall to 3 degrees, rising to 10 degrees on Sunday with showers and snow to 1400m, clearing but remaining overcast with fresh northwesterlies developing.Click on the towns below to see current conditions and updated real time forecasts for these areas.OamaruMoerakiKurowOmarama

Graeme Clark may be finished for now in his role as Ōamaru Whitestone Civic Trust chairperson, but he’s far from finished with the Victorian precinct. (4-minute read)Known to most as Clarkie, Graeme became involved with the old part of town when he was hired as an electrician for a job in one of the buildings in 1990. Most of the buildings were still boarded up, he says.Thirty-three years later, he still spends the majority of his days in Ōamaru’s Harbour Street area, but the area had “advanced a hell of a lot” in that time. Rather than easing into volunteering back in the early days, he dove straight in and quickly became part of the now defunct Victorian Town at Work, the Ōamaru Steam and Rail, and was a founding member of The Penguin Club. “I wired it for them, actually, initially.” He also played a part in “a bit of a movement” at the old red sheds on the waterfront.A strong interest in “the whole heritage thing” developed, and Graeme became a member of the local branch of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT), and then the branch’s representative on the civic trust. The NZHPT was replaced by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga in 2014.Graeme says he joined the civic trust at a time when it was “kind of like a ‘them and us’ thing” between the old part of town and the rest of Ōamaru, but things had changed a lot since then.“I think Ōamaru has come a long way since 1990, and I think people are proud of our heritage.”From a trustee, he became vice-chair to Kate Proctor, and when she moved to Christchurch in 2018, he stepped up to the top job.Graeme is one of three Waitaki District Council representatives on the trust - “we’re autonomous, we don’t get told what to do” - for a term determined by the council, and the other four trustees are elected by members of the trust on a two-year rotational term.Former Harbour Street tenant Richard Vinbrux has been named the new trust chair, and Graeme is again vice. The other trustees are Frances McElhinney, Jan Omnet, David Wilson, Brian Harrison and Janette McKenzie. The Ōamaru Whitestone Civic Trust trustees, who were decided at a meeting on Tuesday night. Back, from left, Frances McElhinney, Graeme Clark (vice chair), and Richard Vinbrux (chair); front, from left, David Wilson, Brian Harrison, Janette McKenzie and Jan Omnet. Photo: SuppliedThe trust owns 16 buildings, all of which are tenanted, which is “really important”, Graeme says.There are 137 people either employed or self-employed within those buildings.Graeme’s almost five years as chair brought with it the added complexity of Covid. One of the biggest challenges for the trust was keeping the tenants in the buildings.“Obviously we had to do some rental rebates and discounts. We tried to pick up on any Government help we could. “What we did do, was make sure - a lot of these small tenants didn’t really know what to do, and our staff really helped them, and got all the subsidies they could for them, which was really cool.”Graeme believes the Victorian precinct is incredibly important for the town. “If it didn’t exist, Scotts Brewery wouldn’t be here, Mariner Suites wouldn’t have invested, Steampunk wouldn’t exist - you know, there’s all these indirect things that are there because of our buildings.”There is a good relationship between the civic trust and the council, but he has concerns the precinct has not been taken into consideration enough in the council’s economic development plans.The precinct “ticks all the boxes” of the desired community outcomes outlined in the Strategic Framework the council has adopted (strong communities, valued environment, prosperous district, and quality services), he says.He describes the precinct as like a “hub”.“You’ve got to ask yourself, would a lot of people have come to Ōamaru if this wasn’t here.”He is also bothered by an outstanding $410,000 loan “hanging over our heads”, which the council provided the trust with in 2009, paired with a grant for $60,000 in free interest. The $60,000 ran out last year, and now interest repayments of $17,000 have been made over the past two years - money Graeme thinks can be put to better use. The loan works out as $29,285 a year in the 14 years since it had been granted, he says. “Really? It’s only $410,000. What contribution has council really been giving us?“This is a community asset - we’re just looking after this for the community. We’ve got two paid employees, all the rest are volunteers. I think we’ve done very well. “Most of the buildings have been earthquake strengthened, we’ve put new roofs on them, new gutters - you know, 16 150-year-old buildings right beside the sea take a bit of maintenance.”The tenants pay “fair rent” which keeps the buildings full. Some pay more, and some pay less. The tenants who pay less, have less money spent on their buildings, but contribute to the whole culture of the area, and are a very important part of the place, he says.And businesses continue to come here, with Cycle Journeys the latest to relocate its operations, moving from Twizel into the Catto Wool building.“They’re going to spend about $60,000 down there.”Clarkie is proud of a number of things from his stint as trust chair. “We managed to retain all our tenants during Covid, which is important. “I think we have built good relationships with our tenants and council, and council staff - who have been very good.“I’m proud of the fact that we’ve got the Criterion up and running well.“I’m proud that we’re 100% tenanted.“My role here has been, I’m kind of like, sort of a moderate. I think I have a good relationship with everybody here, and we’re just a really good community, and I’ve always tried to push the helping one another.”He is happy to continue to be part of the trust - there is still more work to do.“I don’t feel like I’m finished here yet. It takes a lot of time . . . I don’t have to be here, but I do it because I think it’s important for Ōamaru.”Future goals for the long term (maybe the next 30 to 50 years) is to eventually reinstate all the original facades on the buildings, and to continue to develop the Criterion building. There are derelict rooms upstairs he wants to see as bedrooms with proper ensuites. This will add to the value of what the Criterion had to offer.Bringing the Ōamaru stone buildings up to the New Building Standards is also an ongoing task. All meet more than 40% of requirements, with some up to 80%, and all have fire protection, with sprinkler systems fitted throughout.“You imagine, one day, when all this is restored, it’s going to be even more important for Oamaru. And really, if you think about it . . . We all sort of bathe in the glory of this precinct.”So, why does he do it? The Clark name goes back a long way in Ōamaru. Graeme’s grandfather and great uncles owned Clarks Mill, one of the country’s earliest flour mills - which is still operational, between Reidston and Maheno. “I guess I’m just carrying on. My grandfather was a councillor for 10 years way back in the 1920s. I feel that I can make a difference.”

Contributor - Christine Dorsey - Waitaki Neighbourhood Support Coordinator on Fire SafetyAs the chilly winter months approach, it’s important to not only keep warm but also to prioritise fire safety in your home.Fortunately, Fire and Emergency NZ can do Home Fire Safety Visits and I have recently been involved with this very valuable initiative which involves going into a home and looking at all the things that may be a fire risk.Smoke alarms are checked, and escape plans are also discussed. During these visits, my knowledge of fire safety has significantly increased, so I will take this opportunity to share my key learnings to make everyone a little safer.1. Smoke alarms have expiry dates. They only last ten years. On visits, we have seen several people who are diligently replacing the smoke alarm batteries, when the actual alarm has expired. Although the smoke alarm battery continues to beep when tested, the actual alarm is past its best by date and therefore may no longer be reliable.2. Many teenagers shut their doors when they are sleeping. If this is the case, there needs to be a smoke alarm in their bedroom. 3. Vaping does not activate smoke alarms, so no need to worry about that.4. Smoke alarms ideally should not be in the kitchen. This is because they are likely to go off when you burn the toast and consequently people will be frustrated and take them down. Also, when you are cooking you should always be present, so will see a fire straight away.5. Smoke alarms are predominantly for protection while we are sleeping. If a smoke alarm goes off, there should be sufficient time to safely exit the home without needing to climb out windows.6. Fire Hawk is a very reliable brand to purchase.7. Electric blankets are fabulous, but it is recommended you replace them every five years, roll them, not fold, if you remove them from the bed during summer. Plus, of course, turn them off once you are in bed.8. Clean your chimney annually. I knew this, but we met people who didn’t. However, we did learn that most plumbers’ clean chimneys, as does Murrays Chimney Services and landlords are responsible for this annual cost.9. All fan heaters should be vacuumed regularly. Not just the front, but also the part where the air is sucked in, as dust can ignite.10. Don’t stack firewood against a wooden house.11. Test your smoke alarms at the start of every season, not just at daylight saving.12. Finally, remember the rhymes, “keep a metre from the heater” and “keep looking while you’re cooking”.If you have concerns about any aspect of fire safety and would like to have a discussion with a fire safety expert, then please either ring me on 0272410589 or email me on [email protected]. Please also do your part, to check that friends and family have smoke alarms - and if they don’t, please contact me urgently, as we all want to prevent a catastrophe in our community.

The sun rose with Sunrise in Ōamaru’s historic precinct on Monday (May 15) morning.Australian’s Channel 7 breakfast show Sunrise, with roving reporter Katie Brown, was in town to experience the best of what it has to offer and share it across the ditch.Whitestone Civic Trust property manager Michelle Harrison said Ōamaru stakeholders received an email from Tourism New Zealand, inviting them to come up with an idea collaboratively to promote the area.“It’s just really brought the operators together, everyone’s wanting to not just promote their own business, but also promote the town,” she said. The production crew began filming on Harbour Street, before moving into Whitestone City for a carousel ride, followed by a visit to Steampunk HQ, a Whitestone Cheese taster, and then a listen of local band Fabulous Bs at the Criterion Hotel. The morning was wrapped up with a well-earned morning beer at Craftwork Brewery. There were seven live crosses from Ōamaru to Australia.Acting Tourism Waitaki manager Phillippa Agnew said the trick was to run the morning from the precinct.“And try and get as much of the district in one spot as we possibly could.”Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher and deputy mayor Hana Halalele made appearances on the show, along with BuggyRobot man Martin Horspool and his partner Wendy Jones. The crew is heading further south to broadcast from Dunedin on Tuesday, Michelle said.“It was just an opportunity for us to promote the area that was too good to pass up on.“I think it also illustrates the importance of this area, and that we should all be working together, ideally.”Coming at you live from Ōamaru. PHOTO: Facebook/Waitaki District Council

A cool and wet week forecast.It looks like the next two days will be nice and fine for the Waitaki region, until wet conditions return midweek with the arrival of another southerly front on Wednesday.It will bring light rain at first, becoming heavier on Thursday with strong southerlies, easing overnight. Friday will see a return to rain and south easterlies continuing into Saturday.Metservice forecast graphic: Oamaru.The forecast further up at Omarama paints a similar picture, with strong northwesterlies turning southerly with showers on Wednesday. Compared to the coast, overnight temperatures up the valley will be around 5 degrees cooler all week, with snow possible down to 1000m on Thursday. Southerlies will turn southwest with rain on Friday, easing on Saturday.Metservice forecast graphic: Omarama.Click on the towns below to see the current conditions and updated real time forecasts.OamaruPalmerstonDuntroonOmarama