Date: 18 September 2024

Time: 5.30pm

Location: Lohi Linen

1. Next meeting

Derek proposed the next meeting to be an early morning meeting – 8.00am. A chance for those unable to attend at the 5.30pm time slot to come.

2. Rail Trail business network

Derek attended the network meeting and talked to them about what the business group is doing.

• Geoff Marks, Tourism Central Otago, Executive-Otago Trails Marketing Group, talked about marketing the five trails together.
• Talks about incorporating Big Sky and the Gravel cyclists.

Although the five trails are being marketed, overall numbers haven’t increased.

Discussion of concerns; acknowledgment that it is a bit tough at present. One of the biggest issues is the turnover of people/businesses, and food outlets (or lack of) remain a concern.

3. Flags – Fletcher Dowling

Fletcher talked through the work he has been doing on the Maniototo flag design. It has progressed since the example below – including removing the words and the insignia.

Would be great to have a design for merchandising, could be used for special occasions, sports teams, and in the main street.

Fletcher is working on designs for Ranfurly and for Naseby too.

Will look good flying next to the Otago flag.

Tanya to work with Fletcher on developing the design. Local businesses could think about how to support him.

4. Beatification project update

Tanya informed the meeting:

• We have a light on the clock now
• The shrubs outside the Miner’s cottage are being remove. Tiaki will take them on Friday and plant something low growing in their place.
• Still working on lights above – have to find bulbs that fit. Holly – we may be able to get LED lights throughout.
• Will work with Gordon on metal photography – picture of places that tourists can visit.
• We need to figure out how to generate some money from our visitors, eg develop merchandise with Ranfurly on it.

Stu Duncan noted that it would be beneficial to work through council to ensure there is funding available for the work we would like to do.

Russ asked Stu if it would be possible to have a dedicated gardener here in Ranfurly that we could work with directly.

Tanya noted that there are more people coming through, independent travellers.

5. Southern Dash

All planning in place for Saturday – everything to be prepped on Friday with plants from Tiaki Maniototo being distributed early Saturday morning. Tiaki are keen to keep working with us. We also have a few people who are keen to upkeep the new plantings.

OTD will be here on Saturday morning for photos of the handover of the goods Southern Dash are donating to the schools.

6. Business Group communications

Derek said that he will be doing a regular update of the Business Group activities in Positively Maniototo to keep people appraised of our activities. John will give updates on the Maniototo Adventure Park, Tanya on the Street updates, Russ on marketing the Moa.

We will be sharing on the FB page more too, update the banner and change it on a regular basis.

7. Christmas

Derek asked if the group was keen to hold the late-night shopping night. Everyone was keen, people do support it.

• Open until 7pm has worked best
• Market is a good way to bring in fledgling businesses. Usually about a dozen of them, spread down the street – they pay $20 each.
• Can ask stall holders at October market if they are keen
• Always have activities for the kids, may need some new ideas for this
• Moa egg hunt?
• Run a raffle
• Santa’s Grotto
• School keen to help
• Event marketing – Janyne has templates

Janyne to pass on her templates, project management plans to Derek.

Derek to get a project team together

Lights on our business – will ask Ewen Mason to talk to us about this

Tanya to talk to Janice re flags

Stu to find out what the process is

7. Community Workshops – CODC

On tomorrow 6-8pm at the Rugby Club. We need to give our input. Ensure that the Maniototo gets what it needs.

8. Residential land in Ranfurly

General discussion held about the need for more land for residential development.

At present there is a lot of land that is subdivisible held by a small number of landowners.

Next Meeting

Date: 18 October 2024

Time: 8.00am

Location: LoHi Linen

Please email any Agenda items to Derek - [email protected]

Please email or text any apologies to Derek - 027 626 4730