Relatively settled weather is returning in time for the weekend.A cold west to southwest blast galloped across the country on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing gales and showers with snow down to 300m inland in places. Thunderstorms also rolled past the Waitaki coast on Wednesday afternoon, with cumulonimbus clouds and lightning putting on a spectacular display near Oamaru. Metservice reported over 12,000 lightning strikes were detected over the whole of Aotearoa New Zealand and surrounding waters during the 24 hours to 8am Thursday, although the bulk of these occurred over the Tasman Sea to the west of the North Island. Lightning show off the Kakanui coast. PHOTO: Ashley SmythLooking ahead, Coastal Waitaki is looking mostly fine with light winds, turning to showers on Sunday afternoon and evening. Metservice forecast graphic: OamaruThe weekend forecast inland for Omarama is mostly fine with lingering showers clearing later on Friday. Light to moderate westerlies develop late Saturday, turning lighter southerly on Sunday with isolated showers. With overnight lows hovering around zero some frosts are likely in sheltered areas.Metservice forecast graphic: OmaramaSee current conditions and real time weather forecasts for Oamaru and Omarama

An outline of outcomes and priorities the council wants to achieve over the next three years has been set.The Waitaki District Council updated its Strategic Framework for the next triennium at a meeting held at the end of April, which will help guide decision making, and provide a focus for staff and elected members around the services the council delivers.Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said the elected members had put lot of thought and deliberation into getting to the essence of what they want to achieve for the district.“When we are planning our work for the year ahead, our vision will be at the heart of everything we do: ‘Waitaki the best place to be – empowering our people and place tothrive’.“Our four community outcomes are the pillars that we strive to deliver on to support our communities to flourish, and to make Waitaki a place where people are proud to live and work in, a destination that is welcoming, offering something for everyone,” he said.The community outcomes are:Strong CommunitiesEnabling safe, healthy communitiesConnected, inclusive communitiesPromoting a greater voice for WaitakiCelebrating our community identityValued EnvironmentProtecting our diverse landscapes and water bodiesMeeting environmental and climate change challengesProsperous DistrictAttracting new opportunitiesSupporting local businessesFostering a diverse and resilient economyQuality ServicesRobust core infrastructure and servicesCommunity facilities and services we are proud ofDelivering on these outcomes will be a key consideration in any work the council does, Gary said.All projects which progress to the 2023-24 Annual Plan will need to align with at least one of the community outcomes.The agreed Strategic Priorities for the triennium aim to strengthen the community development role of the council, help local people thrive, attract skills for the benefit of local communities, and facilitate strategic relationships, establish the Economic Development Agency (currently under consultation), finish the District Plan, and deliver the Transformation Programme.Council chief executive Alex Parmley said the strategic priorities reflect the focus of council work for the next three years, to realise its ambitions for the district and deliver the desired community outcomes. “These are objectives that we’ve determined to be essential to achieve, where we need to target and align our work and resources.”

One solution to a number of environmental issues farmers are facing could lie with a lot of little beetles that eat poop.Waitaki Boys’ High School’s Fraser Farm will be the first active agricultural/horticultural school farm in the South Island to introduce dung beetles to its operations, thanks to North Otago Sustainable Land Management (Noslam) and partners.Dr Shaun Forgie, of Dung Beetle Innovations, travelled from the Whenuapai-based business to Ōamaru this week, with funding sourced from the Otago Regional Council Eco Fund’s Soil Your Undies programme and the NZ Landcare Trust.Shaun spoke to the Year 10 agriculture pupils at Waitaki Boys’ yesterday (May 11) and they will today release 1000 of the excrement-eating bugs onto the school’s farm paddocks.He explained to the boys the benefits of establishing dung beetles on-farm, which include improved soil health and reduced run-off - due to beetles tunnelling into and aerating soil; increased pasture productivity; reduced infection of livestock by parasitic worms; reduced fly pests and human disease; and there is evidence of reduced greenhouse gas emissions.Shaun is an entomologist, with PhD and MSc (Hons) degrees specialising in dung beetle reproduction, ecology and evolution. While working for Landcare Research he played a key role in the Dung Beetle Project, which ultimately led to him setting up the business with co-founder Andrew Barber in 2014.Approval for the importation and release of 11 species of dung beetles was given in 2011, and the first farm release of 500 beetles took place in Gore in 2013.By February 2014, Dung Beetle Innovations had released beetles onto 74 farms in seven regions across New Zealand. The mass rearing facility has millions of beetles, which consume 6000 kg of dung per week, and the business continues to supply beetles for large-scale commercial releases country-wide.It takes about nine years to get a sufficient build-up of beetles to eliminate a farm’s “poo problem”, so now is a “critical point” in realising the benefits for those initial farms, he said.The beetles had the ability to to spread about 1 km per year, through tunnelling, so were not confined to the farms on which they were initially placed, Shaun said.Noslam engagement officer Nicola Neal said the organisation wanted to introduce the dung beetles to Fraser Farm to not only educate the next generation of farmers, but “as an example for other people to see how it can be done”. 

The end is near for the New Zealand Organ Museum, based in the small North Otago town of Herbert.The museum, which has been housed in St John’s Presbyterian Church since 2016, a year after the church stopped holding services, will close at the end of May, with the building going on the market. Organ builder, restorer, and tuner Dr Ron Newton is one of three trustees of the Organ Museum Trust. "And I also style myself as the curator, which is probably true”.He said it was “heartbreaking” to have to leave the premises, which has been home to 19th Century pipe organs, harmoniums, reed organs, electronic organs, and other instruments, along with an enormous amount of books, music and other papers of significance.“We’ve just got hundreds and hundreds and they’re all packed into boxes. We’ve got 288 storage boxes which all the books, records and music are going into.”Although, arguably the most valuable part of the museum is the limitless wealth of knowledge Ron himself brings to every piece stored in the 1866 Ōamaru stone chapel, along with other items scattered elsewhere around the country.“This isn’t the only place. It has been the main place for a while, but the whole museum has been in and out of storage for a long time, because finding a permanent home may never happen.”The museum trust began in 1989 with the acquisition of two pipe organs - an 1885 Sanford, built in Christchurch, which is a copy of the other one - an 1881 kitset organ built in London by Henry Jones.Ron likes to keep the organs together, but it is the New Zealand-built one which holds particular significance.“That one’s special, because in 1911, Captain Scott and the crew of the Terra Nova attended church in Lyttelton where that organ was. They were there for quite a number of months, so they would have taken turns pumping the bellows handle for whoever was the organist at the time.” The Jones (left) and Sandford organs. PHOTO: SuppliedThe organ ended up at Hanmer Springs, and Ron got some people together who bought it, and put it in the Lyttelton Museum. “So that was the beginning of the Organ Museum Trust, was the purchase of that instrument.”The organ remained at Lyttelton Museum until the building was damaged in the 2011 earthquake.“I brought it down after the earthquakes and put it in the Oamaru Railway Station where it was going for the Scott 100 year commemoration in 2013.”Ron is hoping the Lyttelton Museum, now that it has been rebuilt, will take the piece back again.He did not know what he would do with its other half, but the Ashburton Museum was a possibility.Two other pipe organs have been moved to Dunedin, one in St Joseph’s Cathedral, and one is in the convent chapel next door, he said.“A lot of stuff isn’t going to be kept . . . A lot of other instruments may have to be turned into other things.”There is a container on the property for Ron’s workshop gear and tools, which will be filled then removed.Most of the instruments in the old church are still playable, Ron said.“If anyone wants a reed organ, or something like that - they are more than welcome.”He has until the end of May to get everything out.“We will be loaning out as much as we can, but a lot of stuff is going to have to be trashed, unfortunately. It’s got nowhere to go, and it’s really sad. “All these instruments would not have survived, if I hadn’t rescued them in the first place, and given them another lease of life. At the end of day . . . there’s nowhere for it to go.”Ron has a mammoth task ahead. The building is full to overflowing, and he has been spending time, when he would usually be travelling the country tuning instruments, sorting and clearing it out.“I only earn money three times a year, so I’ve lost a whole income until September . . . [but] I can’t leave this.” Ron has always been involved with churches, music, building and engineering . . . and running the museum has been a culmination of all those passions.“I’ve been working by myself for 26 years, and collecting . . . I bought everything out of my own very, very meagre income, or people have gifted me stuff, but I’ve had to go and get it. “So it’s basically my life wrapped up in everything. I still think it’s been worthwhile. We’ve had a lot of people through.”St John's Presbyterian Church, Herbert, has been home to the New Zealand Organ Museum since 2016. PHOTO: Supplied

“The actions of the few spoil it for the many,” Duntroon farmer Geoff Keeling says.Geoff discovered dumped rubbish and a “substantial mai-mai” on Sunday (May 7), following the opening weekend of duck shooting. The mai-mai included bunks and a pot belly stove, and was set up on the Waitaki River bank, which had been accessed via his land.Littering the surrounds of the structure, and also in the river, were empty beer cans and bottles, food wrappers, empty shell casings, and used toilet paper.Geoff posted about the mess left on his personal Facebook page on Sunday night, including photographs.“Along with the majority of other farmers along the banks of the Waitaki River we provide public access through our properties for fishing and recreation purposes,” he said.The points of access are promoted by Fish and Game and have been for many years. “Virtually all of those farmers also state quite clearly that this unfettered access is for fishing purposes only. Any access for hunting and use of firearms must be requested on a case by case basis.”But some people seem to think the rules did not apply to them, he said.“This is primarily for safety of our own staff, families and animals.”Bullets could travel a long distance, and he did not want one lodged in a member of his staff, he said.“To the people who think this is acceptable - it is this type of behaviour that ruins it for everyone.”Since Sunday night, Geoff had received a lot of support from other duck shooters, the post “had the desired effect”, and the responsible parties had been in touch with him.“Contact has been made, and humble pie eaten,” he said.Shell casings left lying in the Waitaki River, following a weekend of duck shooting.

Contributor - Fraser Lewry - Online Editor, Classic Rock MagazineMay is NZ Music Month. For more than 20 years it has been an integral part of the cultural calendar, bringing together musicians and industry bodies in a month-long celebration of all things musical. Most importantly, it is a reminder that New Zealand produces magnificent, world-class music, and that some of it can be found right on your doorstep. Here are six things you can do to get involved.1. Enjoy some live musicLocally, Bulletproof Convertible will bring their swamp rock stylings to the Dead Rockers Ball at Ōamaru's Scottish Hall on Tyne St on May 27. Tickets are $30 from Rose's General Store, $32.50 via Eventfinda, or $40 on the door.Support comes from one-man blues explosion Callum Gerry Hamptone, who's on day release from his regular job playing bass for Dunedin legends The Chills.Elsewhere in town, the always lovely Grainstore Gallery on Harbour Street will host its 21st birthday on May 19, an event that promises to be as memorable as it will almost certainly be unique. The lineup is so top secret we can't tell you who's playing, but sign up to the Grainstore's mailing list and you're almost certain to find out.  In other iconic venue news, long-running Penguin Club is joining forces with the even longer-running Opera House to showcase some local talent, with a jam night lined up for May 27. Tickets for Jamming In The House are just $5, with doors at 6.30pm for a 7.30pm start. Back at Penguin Club HQ, there's a Kiwiana Night on May 20, where local musicians will be playing Kiwi tunes. There's also a jam night – where local musicians will be playing whatever the hell they like – this Saturday (May 12).Finally, if a road trip's an option, we recommend Kurow sensation Mads Harrop, who'll be playing at Dive in Dunedin this Saturday (May 12), with support from Powder Chutes.2. Gaze in awe at some historic gig posters In further news from the Penguin Club/Opera House axis of entertainment, the club members have gifted the Waitaki Archive folk a selection of gig posters from across the years for their freshly renovated archive.If you've been to one of the jam nights and examined the club's history-drenched walls you'll know what to expect, because it's a lot of history, and a lot of posters: The Chills, Anika Moa, The Feelers, Supergroove, The Clean, and many more, have passed through the club's hallowed doors, and the posters are on display at the Opera House and the archive until the end of the month. 3. Buy some musicLocal musician Matthew P. Schöbs and his band The Flaming Bridges put out an EP in January with the rather glorious title Fear And Loathing In Oamaru, complete with cover art from the Grainstore Gallery's Donna Demente. It's a rather mournful, somewhat spooky affair, and highlight When I Dream In Technicolour Part One may appeal to anyone who enjoys the quieter side of Spritualized. A digital-only release, it's just $5 from Bandcamp, and there's a full album to come.  4. Visit an actual record storeTwo new record shops have opened up within driving distance in the last six months. Boutique store The Vinyl Revolution can be found in Woollcombe Street, Timaru, and is extremely rock-friendly (those after spiritual jazz or alternative hip hop should probably look elsewhere) while a more rounded mix can be found at The Record Keeper in Geraldine, who also serve coffee.Other crate-digging locations you may have missed include the Living With Style furniture store in Timaru, where you'll find a mix of old and new vinyl, and two off-the-beaten-track locations in Dunedin: The Restore second-hand shop on Gordon Street has some interesting vinyl, and Kuku Coffee on South Road, Caversham, has a small but excellent selection, including (last time we checked) some rare Flying Nun goodies.5. Show off your favourite New Zealand band t-shirtThe annual NZ Music T-Shirt Day takes place on Friday, May 26, and raises money for the MusicHelps charity.It's a simple process: sign up at the NZ Music T-Shirt Day website, start collecting donations, take a picture of yourself wearing your favourite NZ band t-shirt, upload it to twitter using #NZMusicTShirtDay and @musichelpsnz, and Hey! Presto! Instant online celebrity, and it's all for a good cause.  6. Vote for the best New Zealand album everThe excellent folk at popular music website AudioCulture are running a poll all month, asking their readers to vote for the greatest NZ album of all time. They've made it easy for you, listing dozens of albums to choose from, thus helpfully removing the need for independent thought (although you can add your own choice if it's not listed).For more information about New Zealand Music Month, visit the official website

Repairs to the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail have begun.Sections of the cycle trail which suffered significant damage from flooding in July and August last year, are being restored, and also reinforced to make them less susceptible to future damage.The work is being carried out by Wilson & Keen Contracting (WKC), at a cost of $688,000 - $500,000 of which is funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise. Cycle trail manager Robyn Hyde said it will be great to see the trail “fully restored to its former glory”, and she appreciated riders’ patience when negotiating the applicable parts of the trail. The work is expected to take five months, but the trail will remain open and cyclists are encouraged to say hello when passing by the contractors, Robyn said. Work will continue in the Otematapaio Stream area, as fresh building material arrives on site, for the trail alignment and preparation for the new bridge to go in. Cyclists are advised to keep on the lookout for contractors in this section, and dismount in the vicinity of operating machinery. WKC will be working on the Tarnbrae section, close to Lake Ohau, this week.The WKC team will manage the flow of cyclists through the worksites and trail users are urged to be patient and follow instructions.“We will try our best to make sure the trail remains open at all times, and repair works are carried out with minimal disruption to users,” Robyn said. A new Lonely Planet book called The Bikepackers’ Guide to the World has just named the Alps 2 Ocean in its top five New Zealand cycling trails for a bike-focused trip. The repairs will ensure it continues to be one of the best cycling trails in the world, Robyn said.Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher emphasised the extra work being carried out is to help prevent some of the more frequent washouts happening as often in the future. “While this is costing some extra money now, it will save a lot of interruptions and future costs.”Weekly information on live work sites will be posted on the A2O website to inform users of sections where repairs are currently taking place.Work happening on the Otematapaio Stream area of the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail. PHOTO: Supplied

Metservice has issued a heavy snow watch and road snowfall warning for the Lindis Pass overnight on Wednesday (May 10).Snow is expected to develop above 600m from the northern hills of Southland, further north to the Waitaki River, excluding the lower-lying parts of North Otago, Dunedin and Clutha.There is a chance 1-3cm of snow may accumulate above 800m late Wednesday afternoon and in the evening, between about 4pm and 11pm, affecting the Lindis Pass (State Highway 8). Caution should be taken on this road during this time.

Ōamaru man Scott Elliffe has been appointed manager of Observatory Village Lifecare.Observatory Village board chairman Peter Robinson said Scott had been appointed to replace Moira Kliegl as manager of the Ōamaru retirement complex.Moira is returning to Dunedin to be closer to family and the board was grateful for her “commitment and dedication” over the past two and a half years, Peter said.Scott is well known in Ōamaru and the wider Waitaki District through his time with Heritage New Zealand at Totara Estate and Clarks Mill. He also stood for the Waitaki District Council in last year’s local body elections.More recently, he has managed heritage attractions as far north as Coromandel and the Bay of Islands. “Scott brings a broad range of management skills that will assist us forward on our next stage of the village’s development,” Peter said.“We’re very pleased to have him on board and we believe the community will feel likewise.”As the district’s first full-care retirement complex, Observatory Village has been something of a Waitaki success story since it opened in August, 2017 - almost six years ago. “It has meant a lot of Waitakians who would likely have left, have been able to stay in the region they love,” Peter said. The community’s response to the village had been overwhelming, he said. So much so that occupancy rates are close to 100%, and waitlists are in place.Scott joins Observatory Village as it heads into its next phase of growth.As of August last year, there were 81 care suites filled, 32 apartments, and 21 villas. Stage 2 of the development was now taking place, and was expected to be finished by 2026. The number of independent-living villas will double and additional capacity will be offered in serviced apartments and care suites, together with a purpose-built community lodge. Scott said it was an exciting time to be joining the organisation as it looks to expand the range of facilities and services it offers to residents. “There’s a tremendous community of staff, residents and their families here. “My focus will be on both building the community spirit of the village and in further connecting our community to the town. “I’m very much looking forward to the challenge ahead”.

Three teenagers were taken into police custody following an alleged robbery at a Waitati retail premises yesterday morning (May 8).Police responded to reports of a robbery at a retail premises on Waikouaiti-Waitati Road, near Harvey Street, Waitati around 10.20am.It is alleged cigarettes and a cash till were stolen, before a fog cannon was activated.The offenders fled the scene in a vehicle which had been reported stolen on Sunday (May 7), from a Gore address.Police conducted inquiries yesterday at a number of retail stores, gaining CCTV footage, and following up leads regarding sightings of the vehicle.They found the car about 2pm on Coast Road and observed from a distance, before attempting to spike the vehicle. During the operation, one of the offenders allegedly attempted to drive into one of the officers at the scene with the vehicle, but the officer was not hit.The offenders fled on foot and were located on Palmerston-Waikouaiti Road.The stolen items, including the car, were recovered.The trio are expected to appear in the Youth Court in due course.

It looks like it’s the end of the golden weather for the Waitaki, at least for a few days. The relatively warm, settled, autumn conditions seen in eastern Otago during the last few weeks are likely to give way to colder southerlies and showers later on Tuesday (May 9), while Wednesday and Thursday will bring strong southwesterlies, with daytime highs struggling to stay in the low teens and overnight lows around 5º Celsius, according to Metservice.At this stage, the end of the week is looking slightly warmer, with light northerly winds, and temperatures reaching a maximum of 15ºC , falling to around 6ºC overnight.Meanwhile, further up the Waitaki Valley, Metservice has issued a heavy rain watch for the Otago lakes and river headwaters, forecasting periods of heavy rain in the 24hrs from 8pm tonight (May 8).Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria within 20km east of the main divide.Omarama’s Wednesday forecast turns showers to rain, with southwesterlies developing, gales about the foothills and snow lowering to 700 metres with a high of around 11ºC and a sub-zero overnight low.Showers should clear on Thursday but gale southerlies and a single digit high of around 7ºC will keep things chilly, clearing to a fine but cool weekend with light winds and daytime highs of around 11-12ºC, with temperatures down to zero again overnight.Stay updated throughout Waitaki by clicking on the Waitaki App Weather button.

Ōamaru Intermediate School pupils were part of a group to make verbal submissions to council about road safety near schools last week.Waitaki District Council elected members considered verbal and written submissions received in response to the public consultation on the "Safer speeds around schools" interim Speed Management Plan.Seventy-six written submissions were received on the plan consultation, which ran from March 3-31. Speakers at the hearing included eight pupils from Oamaru Intermediate School, along with representatives from the Education Ministry and CCS Disability Action.Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher was pleased to see such a wide-ranging community interest in the safety of our streets.“It’s particularly encouraging to get the input of school pupils who are directly affected by the speeds of drivers around them as they walk and cycle to school,” he said. “Council has a responsibility to do everything we can to ensure Waitaki is a place where we can all share the roads as safely as possible.”Prior to the hearings and deliberations, council officers analysed the submissions and the results were 79% in favour of introducing safer speed limits around schools within our district, with 77% in favour of the proposal as outlined in the draft plan.Common themes raised in the responses were:1. Implementing the 30kph speed limit around Ōamaru Intermediate School as soon as possible.2. Preferences for some schools to have electronic variable speed limits at certain times of day (ie start and end of school day) instead of permanent speed limits.3. Requests that traffic calming devices, such as speed bumps and kerb crossings, are constructed in conjunction with the 30kph speed limit.4. Requests for the introduction of ‘no parking’ areas outside schools in conjunction with the 30kph speed limit.5. Concerns held around compliance of the new speed limit(s) by drivers and enforcement by policeCouncil network infrastructure engineer Rodger McGaw was happy with the number and quality of submissions. “We got good engagement on the consultation and well-considered responses from a broad section of our community and stakeholders.”The plan will be considered at a council meeting on May 30, and then submitted to Waka Kotahi for certification, before the full Speed Management Plan goes out to consultation later in the year. A further hearings process will be held before it is submitted to the 2024- 27 National Land Transport Plan.

An award-winning community science talk about the Alpine Fault is coming to Ōamaru next Tuesday (May 16).AF8 (Alpine Fault magnitude 8) is bringing the award-winning AF8 Roadshow to Oamaru, in collaboration with leading earthquake scientists and Emergency Management Otago. It aims to share the Alpine Fault hazard science with our communities to improve understanding of the hazard risk and enable conversations on how to be better prepared.Toka Tū Ake EQC chief resilience and research officer Dr Jo Horrocks said recent weather events have shown how important it is we be prepared for different natural hazards.“Cyclone Gabrielle and other recent storms have shown how much our lives can be turned upside down by natural hazards. “A significant event on the Alpine Fault has the potential to impact the entire South Island and beyond, so it’s so important that we’re well-informed and doing all we can to build our resilience now.”Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said the more opportunities our communities have to learn about the hazards and the potential impacts, the more we can plan and prepare for disruption. “The Alpine Fault will rupture again at some stage, and it will likely cause a very significant level of damage and create a huge impact on the people of the South Island. “We’re pleased to be hosting the AF8 team in Ōamaru and encourage members of the public to attend this talk to join the conversation on how to be better prepared.”AF8 science-lead associate professor Caroline Orchiston said when earthquakes will occur can’t be predicted, but scientific research has shown the Alpine Fault has a history of generating regular, large earthquakes.“The next major Alpine Fault event is likely to occur within our lifetime, and we must take steps now to prepare.”

Waitaki District Health Services board chair Helen Algar QSM is stepping down.Oamaru Hospital Chief Executive Keith Marshall said WDHS is saddened by Helen’s pending retirement, which will be effective from the end of June.She has been a member of the board for more than 10 years.“Helen will be hugely missed by us all. She has been an absolute rock for our hospital, and, on a personal level, Helen has been an absolute delight to work alongside as chair,” Keith said.“Her insight and commitment to our community and to our hospital, staff and patients, has been enormously inspiring to me.”Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher also paid tribute to Helen and her work. “I know I speak on behalf of council, and for our wider community, when I say that Helen has been a stalwart and unrelenting champion for our hospital.“She has had an unwavering commitment to securing the future of our hospital and its essential role in the health services for our community. “Our community owes Helen a huge debt of gratitude for all her efforts over many years.”Helen was grateful to Keith and the Ōamaru Hospital team, for their ongoing effort to ensure the turnaround at the hospital over the past 18 months.A funding boost of $3.5million per annum (more than 30%) was secured through Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand earlier this year.“Having sat on this board for such a long time, I can safely say that Oamaru Hospital is in the best hands possible,” she said. “Indeed, I am hugely grateful that Keith and the team’s efforts pulled off the amazing job they did around our securing a new funding contract.“Ongoing council support for the hospital has been incredibly important throughout my timeon the board”, she said.“Before I left the board, I wanted to make sure that Oamaru Hospital was in good shape and had a solid future.It was “extremely satisfying” for Helen personally to have years of work pay off, with the funding contract.“We have at last, properly secured the future of our local hospital . . . Accordingly, now feels like the right time for me to step aside and let others take the reins and guide the future of Oamaru Hospital,” she said.

It’s books galore again at this year’s Bookarama, with public enthusiasm for the event still as high as ever.The annual Rotary second-hand book sale, which raised a record $56,000 last year, looks on track to reach another substantial amount, with a long queue of bargain hunters waiting outside before the doors opened this morning (May 5).Ōamaru Rotary Club member Christine Dorsey said a “huge amount” of volunteers, both Rotarians and non-Rotarians, have been putting in big hours to get the books sorted for the nine-day sale, at the former Noel Leeming building on Ōamaru's Thames Street.“There’s some really good quality books,” she said.“It’s great the community gets behind this. Lots of people buy books one year, read them, and then bring them back the next year.” There were always too many books to display all at once, and so people who could not get along in the first few days did not need to worry about missing out. There were new books being brought out all the time, Christine said.The sale runs every day, 10am-5pm, until Sunday, May 14, when it ends at 12 noon.Bookarama is buzzing on opening day. PHOTO: Supplied/Christine Dorsey

“The world is changing, the country is changing and this place is changing, and so we can either sit back and see where we end up, or we can work together as a community to try and shape that change so it works for all of us.” (8-minute read)With submissions closing this Sunday (May 7), the Waitaki App sat down with Waitaki District Council chief executive Alex Parmley to discuss the proposed economic development plans. There's a lot to take in, so we've broken it down into some key areas below.Up for discussion is the council's proposal to set up an Economic Development Agency (EDA) as a council controlled organisation (CCO) and to close Tourism Waitaki, also a CCO. The purpose of the EDA will be to drive economic growth in the district.Also under consideration, is the potential of investigating a partnership opportunity for the Ōamaru Blue Penguin Colony.Why not keep the status quo?Alex says it is wrong to think that by doing nothing, things will stay the same.“It will change, but the danger is it will change for the worse, rather than change for the better.” If brought in, the EDA will help implement the Waitaki Economic Development strategy, which was adopted by the council in September last year, and which Alex describes as “a really aspirational document”. The document was developed with input from local businesses and Te Rūnanga o Moeraki, using consultancy firm Polis. “So we’re effectively proposing doing away with one CCO . . . and replacing it with another one, but one that operates in much more of a partnership way - so that we can bring the people together to work together to deliver what is a really ambitious plan for the district and its economy.”Tourism makes up one portion of the strategy, so it makes sense to create an organisation that will oversee that, together with the other parts, Alex says.Why do we need an Economic Development strategy?When he arrived in Ōamaru from the United Kingdom, in 2021, there were concerns about what was being delivered into the economic development and tourism sector, and whether it was good enough.“There seemed quite a lot of support from the business community to pull something together we could all agree on - well most people, you can never get everyone to agree on all things - but certainly the feedback we’ve had is there’s a lot of support for the direction that the economic development strategy is trying to take, and it sets out some clear priorities and outcomes and some projects to actually get us there.”He concedes the biggest challenge to implementing the plan will be finding the money.The total cost of the agency, including staffing costs, is estimated at $1.8m per annum. Currently, the council puts approximately $500,000pa into the tourism/economic development space. The strategy focuses on five core areas - land (the primary sector - exploring land and water use, secondary industry opportunities, and innovation), place (revitalising Ōamaru’s harbour, central business district, and Victorian precinct, as well as the district’s rural townships), visitors (tourism), business (making the most of opportunities, supporting growth and innovation, and encouraging entrepreneurship), and people (increasing the skills base of potential employees, cushioning skills losses in an ageing workforce, and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset).“So there’s a lot of ambition in there, it can’t all be and it won’t all be funded by council and the ratepayers.”He hopes having the strategy in place will put the council in a better position to access available funding from the government as with private enterprise, to enable it to be realised.Poor timing?Alex disputes the suggestion this is the wrong economic climate to introduce such an ambitious plan.“What better time to really focus on how we drive economic growth and, in particular, this strategy.The goal is growth that is sustainable, both in terms of the environment, but also longevity, for the district.“But more importantly than that, we want growth that is inclusive. So growth that the whole community can benefit from.”As a district, Waitaki lags behind in terms of wage levels compared with the national average, and that is something the council wants to see change. “If we want people to have more money in their pockets, to have a better quality of life and standard of living, then we need to tackle that, so what better time to do it than now,” Alex says.What makes Waitaki stand out?Waitaki shares common problems with other districts across New Zealand, one of the biggest being the issues farmers are facing in the primary sector - a big driver of the local economy.“Swathes of environmental regulations and targets” need to be met, which means the sector needs to change. “So if we can work together . . . as a district, as a community, with those food producers . . . to work our way through that - that can still be a real strength of our economy, I think, that will stand out across the rest of the country,” Alex says.The assets the Waitaki has, both environmental and more urban, are unique, and rather than boost tourism numbers exponentially, the target is to entice visitors to stay longer and spend more money.“I think that’s probably different from a lot of places in New Zealand.“I think a lot are focused on ‘how do we increase the visitor numbers’ . . . Numbers could maybe go up a little bit, but it’s more about the visitor spend and getting people that are here to really understand what this district has to offer.”There is a challenge for people to upgrade skills locally, with the majority of skills training out of town, which is an opportunity to be explored. People want to improve their skills, and businesses want more highly-skilled workers, Alex says.“That’s a key part of our future going forward, both in terms of our businesses growing, but also the standard of the wage levels growing for our community as well.”What happens next, if the EDA goes ahead?“The strategy we’ve adopted is really ambitious,” he says.“If we can implement it, it will benefit everyone in the district - everyone should be better off. But we can’t do it alone, we need the right vehicles to do it, and it’s about making the investment that will produce a return for the whole community, and that’s why we’re going down the road we’re going down.”If the agency gets approval, the first step is going through the legalities of setting up a new company, followed by establishing a board which Alex envisages will be a “partnership body”. It will be a matter of ensuring the “right voices” are around the table representing all sectors. Once the board is established, staff will gradually be recruited. In the interim, Business South Waitaki navigator Rebecca Finlay has been seconded to the council as the business and enterprise growth lead, and a place lead position is in the process of being filled.“We recognise we haven’t got the funds to fully staff up this agency from day one - that’s going to be a build process . . . but recruiting some key posts.” The place, and business and enterprise growth lead positions are funded by the Government’s Better Off funding, and this means parts of the strategy can be progressed without waiting for the agency to be established.“The price for the economy and our community is too great. We can’t just invest all our time in the process. We need to be getting on with things as well and try and get some early wins.”Rebecca is “very much engaged” in looking at how to support entrepreneurs and is working with the business community on how to set up a support system for that, Alex says.The place lead position is about revitalising the central business district in Ōamaru and some of the more rural town centres, to make them more vibrant. “I don’t think anyone can have failed to have noticed that the CBD here and in our other towns they’ve come under pressure from a variety of things.” A direction needs to be agreed on between the council and the local community.“Some of it might be about, what are the practical incentives we can put in place, to encourage new businesses to set up . . . and more people to visit here and use it as a place to shop.” The possibility of converting some of the older buildings to homes, can be explored, and the process may be simplified, he suggests.“The more people we’ve got living in the town centre, the more vibrant it will be. So, it’s that sort of thing really we’re looking at.”People have differing views on things, and there is never going to be an issue where people are 100% in agreement, and Alex says that is what the council is for.“They’re the body elected by the community to represent the community interests, and our role is to work with the whole community to find a way forward, but clearly we’re not going to be able to please everyone, and if we set out to try and do that we’d never get anywhere.”Let’s not forget about the Penguin Colony . . . The Ōamaru Blue Penguin Colony is not for sale.“No-one is suggesting that and no one wants that,” Alex says.The colony is currently run by Tourism Waitaki, and so if Tourism Waitaki is no longer, a decision needs to be made on what happens with the penguin colony.“It’s a great environmental and community asset, and so we want to do the right thing. “We think there’s potential for . . . the return [the colony] gives the community, to increase, without compromising its environmental credentials, but we don’t think the council can do that on its own.“So the question being asked is, you know, are people happy for us to investigate whether there’s a partner out there that can work with us, that could, you know, really add value to that, but without compromising a really important environmental community asset. “If we were going to find a partner, that would be the starting point to any discussion. Do they have the right values, do they share what’s important to us?”There has been interest shown and some of the possibilities are “potentially exciting”, but no discussions will take place until the end of the consultation, Alex says.Submissions on the proposals close on Sunday (May 7) and can be made online here, or a form can be picked up from council offices or the Waitaki District Libraries.Members of the public will speak on their submissions on May 15 and 16, and a decision will be made no later than June 27. 

A hands-on experience with sea creatures is a great way to engage children in a conversation about water, Noslam engagement officer Nicola Neal says.North Otago Sustainable Land Management, with funding from the Otago Catchment community, has brought the Aquavan to Ōamaru, to create awareness around the connections between river health and the coastal environment.The van, which is equipped with chilled recirculating seawater tanks, has travelled from the Portobello-based New Zealand Marine Study Centre, and is stationed at Ōamaru Intermediate School this week (May 1 to May 5). About 320 students from Intermediate, Pembroke School and St Joseph’s School, were visiting for two-hour sessions throughout the week, with a public drop-in session being held on Thursday (May 4) between 5-7pm, Nicola said.“The programme is all about engaging with your catchment, and understanding what happens when we put water down the drain, what happens when we flush the loo, what happens when we wash our car in the driveway - where does that water come from and where does it go? And I guess what are the flow-on effects downstream. “So, say in Ōamaru, we’ve got a penguin colony, and a whole lot of stuff happening out there, and any sediment that comes down the river ends up out there, so what effect will that have?” Supper is being provided for Thursday’s drop-in session, and people did not need to book, Nicola said.“It would be great to get as many people along to that as possible, so that they can see what a cool thing it is.” This is the first time Noslam had worked with the Aquavan, but members saw it as a “really valuable” learning tool.“Which can get our families and whanau understanding and . . . engaged in the conversation around what’s going on with the water quality, and what’s affecting it,” she said.“They’re using this really cool opportunity of bringing marine creatures to play with, as a way of engaging that conversation.”New Zealand Marine Study Centre curator Aaron Heimann, who brought the van to Ōamaru, said the species in the touch tank were the “hardy varieties” that could withstand travel.It was a way of bringing some of the marine lab to groups that could not easily visit the Portobello base.“So the Aquavan is filling that gap of the schools who couldn’t make it, and allows us to ethically transport these species out to those places.“We’ve got five different species of starfish or sea stars, kina, and cockles and mussels. Six species of crabs that we bring along . . . we’ve got a few that are a bit stroppy, so we keep them separate.”There was also a collection of marine plant life to keep the creatures feeling at home and happy in the tanks.“That’s the benefit of our van, we can take our seawater - you know, we’re on the coast here - but we go right up into Central, right through Canterbury, Southland and Otago - and a smidgen to the West Coast,” he said.“The other thing the van does is, researchers also use it if they need to transport species over a distance or they need to monitor them. So we transported crayfish recently from Bluff for a research project.”Those interested in checking out the Aquavan and its displays are encouraged to drop in to Oamaru Intermediate School Hall between 5pm and 7pm, on Thursday (May 4).

Police are continuing to investigate an unexplained death in Palmerston at the weekend.Police were called to a Mull Street address about 12.15am on Saturday (April 29), and a post mortem has been completed as part of the investigation.Inquiries are continuing, and they would like to speak with anyone who might have information which could assist the investigation team, a Police Media Centre release said.Contact can be made by phoning 105 and quoting file number 230429/9600, or information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

National Party Waitaki electorate candidate Miles Anderson is far from daunted by the vastness of the area, and the distances he will be covering in the lead-up to October’s general election. (4-minute read)“I like it, I really do. It’s spectacular - it’s beautiful. I like the major points of difference between each little area. I find that diversity really interesting. “It’s where I’ve chosen to live and raise my kids. So I think, for me, it’s the best part of the country.”Miles was raised in Southburn, on the family’s 220-hectare, mostly sheep and crop farm, inland from St Andrews, in South Canterbury. He now runs the farm with his wife Kim, and they raised their three adult children there.It’s a dry land farm which his great grandfather bought from the New Zealand and Australian Land Company in the 1890s, Miles said. “He’d been farming in the area 10 years before that.”Miles attended Ōamaru’s St Kevin’s College, as did his children, and on leaving high school worked for about 16 months in the Commercial Affairs Division in Christchurch, before gaining a degree in agriculture from Massey University.After finishing his degree he “happened to fall into a new business” in 1992, which became Animal Scanning Services.“So a group of farmers had been investigating the possibility of introducing ultrasound scanning for farm animals, and I got offered the job to run the business.”“That was a very interesting journey, because, one, I had no one to learn from, because it was new to New Zealand. And, two, obviously the business side of things [when] you’re 24.”He immersed himself in the business, and when the first season finished in September, travelled to Europe.“While I was over there I tracked down a contractor who’d been doing the same thing as I was doing for two or three years. I just harassed him to give me a job, I worked for him for free, and he taught me the bits that I’d been missing, I guess.” On his return to New Zealand in 1993, with more knowledge and confidence under his belt, the business “just went nuts”. He had also met his Australian wife Kim while in Europe, and they married the following year.In 1995, the business expanded into South Australia, and that was the focus until 2001, when the couple’s eldest child started school.“We thought we’ve got to be in one place. So we sold the business in Australia, and it’s still going over there, and at the same time I’d taken over the family farm, so things were getting really busy.”In 2013, they sold the New Zealand business to a person in Geraldine and he has been focused on farming ever since.In the interim, Miles became involved in Federated Farmers, and was the Meat & Wool Industry Group chairman from 2017 to 2020. It was this experience which whet his appetite for the possibility of politics.“I spent a lot of time in Wellington and around the country and that job is all about advocacy really.“I really enjoyed it, and so I guess for me, I believe an electorate MP is all about advocacy as well, and I think I’ve had experience doing that. I enjoyed it. “You don’t always win, but I enjoyed doing it.”When Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean decided to retire after almost 17 years in the job, Miles decided he had nothing to lose.“I thought bugger it, I’ll throw my hat in the ring and see where I am.”While an obvious advocate for farmers, he is also passionate about education, trade, crime, and recognises housing, and health - particularly for those living south of the Waitaki Bridge - are also big issues.“Obviously, my experience has been in lobbying farming-wise, but I have lots of different interests I guess, around that sort of stuff,” he said.“Sentiment in farming at the moment is quite negative, and it shouldn’t be - it doesn’t need to be, put it that way. “It’s just the amount of legislation and regulation that’s been thrown at farming over the last five years is unprecedented, and the ability of farming to adapt is - you can’t keep up with what’s being asked.”Extra work that has been required of farmers in the regulatory space is taking a lot of spare time, and is adding to the stress, he said.“So farming is probably at a turning point at the moment.” Also in the farming sector, Miles has been involved with Primary ITO, which facilitates on the job industry training, and setting the standards and course guidelines as a group for NCEA-affiliated vocational courses. “So, sort of an apprenticeship,” he said.“We were finding that a lot of our resource was being spent on teaching these kids to read and write, and basic maths. And they’d got through school with NCEA Level 1, or whatever, so that is scary. Because if you can’t read or write, you’re very limited in what you can do with your life, and nowadays what’s regarded as the most basic job, you need to be able to read and you need to be able to do basic maths.He saw education as a growing issue, particularly training and retaining teachers, and keeping children engaged.Also having them, not only ready for tertiary education, but ready to enter a fast-changing job scene.“There’s going to have to be a bit of crystal ball gazing there I guess, but IT is obviously such a big thing nowadays, and having children and students trained up or educated in those things is really important at the moment.” Statistics have shown national literacy and numeracy rates are dropping, which is “unacceptable” and often stems back to parental engagement, Miles said.“There just seems to be disengagement now at primary and secondary level from parents about what their child, or children, are doing, and that encouragement and expectation from a parental point of view doesn’t exist as much as I’d like.“ . . . If you could leave school with good reading and comprehension and basic maths, you can teach yourself - you can learn for the rest of your life.” In the build up to the October 14 election, Miles is planning to get “out and about” in the Waitaki electorate and speak to people about their concerns, as well as communicating National’s policies as they are rolled out.He encourages voters to get in touch with him, and is available through Facebook, phone and email.