Two changes are coming for property owners in Central Otago - one likely to be good for the pocket, the other not so much.An update of all registered property valuations has been scheduled, with owners to be notified of the new figure on March 15 next year, according to a Central Otago District Council (CODC) spokesperson. Since the previous valuation in September 2019, property prices have leapt up with houses and lifestyle blocks often selling for two to three hundred thousand dollars over their 2019 registered valuations.Quotable Value (QV) will begin the reassessment process in October this year and after owners are notified of their new valuation, they will have about a month to object if they wish. The revised values will become effective from July 1, 2023.Meanwhile, the council’s new district rates will come into effect next month, with an average increase of 7.5 per cent across Central Otago.There is a marked difference between areas, however, with Maniototo’s average rates dropping by 0.4 per cent and the Teviot Valley residents paying an extra 5.2 per cent. Cromwell’s ward-specific average rates increase is 4.1 per cent and Vincent’s ward-specific average rates increase is five per cent.“These variances reflect the various ward specific projects going on in their areas”, CODC corporate services executive manager Leanne Macdonald said.“Increases or decreases are specific to these communities and do not include the district-wide charges and metered water charges.”The 2.5 per cent discount that was previously applied when ratepayers paid their property’s annual rates in full, on or before the first instalment has been removed. Council says this is “in line with many other councils given the low interest rates and also to keep rate costs down”.Rates increased by an average of 6.7 per cent across the district last year and are predicted to go up another 7.6 per cent next year, bringing the total percentage increase over three years to nearly 22 per cent.They are the main source of income for councils, with CODC drawing about 60 per cent of its revenue from rates.Council had seen increased costs relating to wastewater and waste (rubbish) collection and disposal, Leanne said.The effects varied across the district and between ratepayers causing anomalies in increases this year.As the effects filtered through to property owners, hotels and motels (for example) that had additional toilets might feel the increase of waste charges more than residential ratepayers, who had rubbish bins included in their rates for the first time. “Waste collection has also increased, so our bins increased by six per cent from $448 to $475 for a set of three bins and the waste management charge went from $69.92 to $73.98, so while not much in terms of dollars, is still a 5.8 per cent increase in this area,” she said.There was an ongoing need to drive waste down to minimise costs across the district, she said.Central Otago District mayor Tim CadoganCentral Otago mayor Tim Cadogan believed the average rates increase was “a good result”. “To do the things we have committed to doing in the Long-term Plan last year after significant consultation with the community, we were anticipating a 7.8 per cent average rate rise which has come back to 7.5 per cent. That is not a bad effort compared to the current rate of inflation, although rates and inflation aren’t totally directly linked.”

Borrowing money, establishing a targeted rate and lobbying government for more support were three suggestions made yesterday (Wednesday June 1) as possible ways to fill a huge funding gap in fixing Central Otago’s aging bridge network.The state of the district’s bridges made sobering reading for Central Otago District councillors at their monthly meeting, with four bridges closed, eight soon requiring closure or replacement, and 17 needing “priority repairs”.While costs had not yet been fully assessed, the huge amount of work required was beyond the scope of what the Central Otago District Council (CODC) was currently set up to deal with, the meeting heard.Councillor Nigel McKinlay emphasised that he believed the scale of investment was well outside CODC’s rating capability and the government needed to be made aware of this. The frustrations of residents in the Maniototo who had suffered inconvenience for the past 18 months after damaged bridges were closed was acknowledged by council. Much of this was based on lack of communication, the meeting heard, rather than the length of time for solutions to be found.Councillor Tracy Paterson “We need to be upfront with our community,” Councillor Tracy Paterson said, “and they are going to have to trust that we are moving forward.”Around half the cost of infrastructure work such as bridge building was funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency(NZTA) and half by council.Applications had to be made every three years to the agency with specific project requests. Because large projects were dependent on NZTA funding, residents (such as those who used the Scott Lane Bridge before it washed away in a flood in January 2021) will likely have to continue to ford the Kyeburn River or take a 14km detour to get to their homes and farms, at least until the next funding round. NZTA funding is allocated for a three-year period, and applications are due in mid-2023 for funding provided from 1 July, 2024.Costings for individual bridge repairs or replacements were not outlined as more information was needed from engineering inspections to allow council to prioritise tasks.The engineering inspections already completed to gather the information presented yesterday had cost around $168,000.The Little Valley Bridge over the Manuherikia River was given as an example, however, to illustrate potential costs.“The timber deck requires replacing, and cost estimates that have been received for this are between $900,000 and $1.9 million for the decking only.Significant component replacement may not be economically prudent,” the report stated.CODC infrastructure services executive manager Julie Muir said until all information was gathered it would not be known how best to tackle the issues.It did not make sense to replace components such as decking then to later find other parts supporting the decking were coming due for repair, she said.The council yesterday approved a swathe of actions including the appointment of a dedicated bridge project manager, instructions to staff to investigate the installation of a temporary Bailey bridge on Maniototo Road at the Halls Ford crossing, engagement of engineers to complete inspections and Fulton Hogan Ltd to begin planning work and cost estimates.It was agreed that no further bridge replacements be undertaken until a prioritised list of work, with implications of deferral for each structure, was available for council to consider in February next year.

With growth pressures not abating, the Central Otago District Council (CODC) is moving to get ahead of the game by planning for growth management across the district.The days when developers led the way on where new houses or businesses would go appear to be consigned to the past as another major spatial planning exercise gets underway.The Teviot Valley Spatial Plan exercise, approved this week, will be the third undertaken by council. The Cromwell Spatial Plan was adopted in 2019 and the Vincent Spatial Plan adopted earlier this year. The work is aimed at ensuring development occurs in a sustainable, sympathetic manner, which protects the aesthetics, heritage and environment of the area, council says. “At the same time, the spatial plan seeks to balance the needs of existing land uses with the demands of a growing community. “The spatial plan provides a blueprint for what our towns could look like and how infrastructure, housing and productive land use could fit together, offering guidance to the private and public sector, including direction for infrastructure investment and council’s future planning.”While growth pressures have not been as pronounced in the Teviot Valley as in other parts of the area, the huge importance and value of agricultural and horticultural land limits where new housing and industry can go.The area also lacks infrastructure like reticulated water in some places where suitable land is available and has natural hazard zones relating to flooding and alluvial fans that would limit developments. Roxburgh area could have to host large numbers of workers…the possibility of another massive hydro-electricity project happening in the valley is something planners have to think about. Image: Jill HerronThe possibility that New Zealand’s largest-ever hydro project at Lake Onslow may go ahead was another huge factor. A four-year build requiring around 4,000 workers is predicted for the NZ Battery project but its feasibility is yet to be established.CODC’s principal policy planner, Ann Rodgers, says efforts would be made to get as wide as possible representation of local people involved in engagement with the upcoming spatial plan process.“We will dig a bit deeper across each town. We want to understand what individual communities want for the future.”Population data states the valley has around 1,900 residents, most living rurally and within Roxburgh township.Consultancy costs associated with the development of the spatial plan is estimated to be $190,000 for planning and urban design; and community and key stakeholder engagement. These costs will be funded from the existing district plan review budget.The changing face of our townsMeanwhile the council has approved the public notification on Plan Change 19 which aims to legally put in place the outcomes of spatial planning, including rules around housing densities.“Plan Change 19 (PC 19) is intended to implement the direction set out in the Vincent and Cromwell Spatial Plans, in relation to the district’s residential areas. The spatial plans have been prepared to respond to demand for residential land and housing affordability concerns in the district, and in order to plan for the anticipated growth over the next 30 years. PC19, in implementing the direction set out in the two spatial plans, involves rezoning new land for residential use, identifying some areas for future growth, aligning existing zoning with the proposed new zones, and includes new provisions for managing land use and subdivision within the residential zones.The council will also release for public scrutiny a new set of medium housing density guidelines.

Yarns, family stories and precious memories of Central Otago’s recent but somewhat more pioneering days are being recorded for all to enjoy, supported by the Central Otago Heritage Trust.The Trust, who employ a heritage co-ordinator, was one of three organisations to gain a community grant last week from the Central Otago District Council(CODC).   The gathering of oral histories is one of many projects which the organisation - the founding body of Heritage Central Otago – support.Established in 2008, it represents the collective interests of local heritage community groups in protecting, preserving, and celebrating the region’s heritage.On Wednesday the CODC granted $13,334 to the group for work for the next six months and $40,000 for programme co-ordination for the 2022/2023 financial year.Central Otago Heritage Trust chairperson, David Ritchie of Clyde. Image COHTIt had also successfully gained funds from other sources for the oral histories project and this would enable it to continue for another two years. It was planned that an online repository for the stories, gathered by a large group of trained volunteers, would be set up, chairperson David Ritchie told council on Wednesday.Arts and Pipe Band supportedThe Central Otago District Arts Trust(CODAT) gained identical funding and $2,500 was granted to the Alexandra and Districts Pipe Band to help with hall hire.Speaking to council during a public forum, CODAT arts co-ordinator Rebekah de Jong said demand for the group’s services were growing and the work was carried out “on a very tight budget”.The group work to ensure the arts in Central Otago are well resourced, supported and promoted.Council have now opened the next round of grants, and applications close at the end of July. For district wide community grants, there is $60,727 left to allocate for the 2022/2023 financial year following this week’s decisions.

The Otago Regional Council will today begin discussions on the plentiful and wide-ranging responses on its latest Annual Plan, with some in Central Otago asking for more action and less talk.The ORC’s call for public feedback has drawn diverse views, on how it’s shaping up to best to tackle climate change, transport challenges and caring for the region’s environment. The ORC is tasked with managing air, land and water quality, pests, coordinating regional land transport and developing far-reaching plans and policies for the whole of Otago.Thirty-three letters were received about the proposed plan from organisations across the province including Central Otago’s dark skies and wilding pine action groups. Nearly 100 individual submissions were also received, as people responded to ORC’s future programmes and perspectives. The issues, similar to those being felt globally, are weighing heavy on the council.Among the Central Otago submissions were calls for less monitoring and report-writing and more tangible, in-the-field work. Another urged council to show courage, particularly in air and water quality management, and “do what we need to do for our succeeding generations”.According to an ORC statement, respondents across the region were split 60:40 when asked whether ORC should stick to its long-term plan – 60 per cent supporting the plan, 40 per cent saying no, don’t.Make a plan for the Manuherekia(above) and all waterways …submitters are urging the ORC to quit arguing and get on with completing important environmental planning to protect air and water quality in Otago.In a related question on long-term work programmes, almost 30 per cent wanted an “immediate pause” of the proposed programme, something that would result in delayed or reduced work programmes. The issue of households’ ability to pay their annual rates bill – which has increased significantly - was also canvassed, with 63 per cent of respondents saying the effect was either “modest” or of “little to no impact”, while 37 per cent signalled the impact was “significant” on their household budget. While the level of engagement was praised, statistics showed younger people were missing in action when it came to using the opportunity to have their say.Of the 98 respondents, the largest submitter group (35 people) were more than 65-years-old, more than double the next largest group (15 people) aged 55-64.Interest waned as ages decreased, with 15 submitters aged 45-54, six aged 35-44, seven aged 25-34 and just two submissions from people under 25.Acting chief executive and corporate services general manager Nick Donnelly said he was pleased with the amount of public engagement, and the wide variety of topics canvassed by the submitters.These included rabbit control, wilding pines, tracks and trails and transport, to name a few.“The feedback and letters showed there’s a high degree of understanding and engagement on what the council’s aims and policies are for environmental protection,” Nick said. ORC new deputy chair and finance committee chair Kevin Malcolm said public input is a critical component of the Annual Plan decision making process. “We thank all those who responded and will ensure we give their views full consideration as we deliberate on our final rate figure. It’s imperative that the ORC is efficient and fit for purpose and we work with our people to ensure a quality environment and strong resilient communities. Together we will get there,” he said.Council will be considering the responses at its finance committee and annual plan deliberations meeting, which could run for two days.

If the bank manager is okay with it and it’s bringing joy to man, beast, bird and bee… then why not have a water feature in your bull paddock.There is a greater purpose, of course, to all the planting and landscaping going on at Anna and Ben Gillespie’s 394ha beef and dairy-grazing farm near Omakau.In what is one of the country’s most arid areas, the native plants, ponds and islands provide shelter for stock and a habitat for native birds, insects, reptiles and fish, where there was none. And it doesn’t take long for new residents to turn up when you provide an enticing environment, the couple say.“This year for the first time we had masses of frogs back on the farm and our Pukeko population is split now, they used to only be on the top end of the farm, now they’re down the bottom as well.We had a flock of juvenile blue herons, all that biodiversity… the birds are coming back and you can’t put a price on that,” Anna says. “It just gives so much more joy on the farm when you see these things while you’re driving around.”Native falcons had been spotted and the South Island pied oyster-catchers who come inland to breed each year had arrived early this year, she said.Watching a habitat gradually come to life was a pretty cool thing, not just for the couple but for their two children and others in the community who are taking part. Milly(9) and Will(11) have their own wetland gully on the farm, as do their fellow pupils from Omakau Primary School, who come out each year to plant and check on its progress.It had not been a huge financial investment, as much of fencing was associated with a change in farming practice involving the installation of two centre pivot irrigators. Most of the approximately 10ha of wetland was under the pivots, providing water for plants and for filling ponds.The couple have purchased some native plants each year - after an initial mass planting of exotic species for shelter belts - but with now producing cuttings by the hundred and growing plants from collected seed, orders to commercial nurseries are becoming a thing of the past.It is time consuming – the couple reckon they can plant 35 plants an hour – and if any then succumb to the wind or cold or dry after all the effort that’s gone in to get them that far, it can be costly.Islands are safe places for birds to nest and live. This new wetland is one of six where planting will continue for many years to come.Using a digger that comes on to the farm for other tasks, the couple have created ponds in shallow gullies and depressions in six areas. These are fenced off from stock but still provide shelter.Wetlands are like giant sponges and do absorb runoff from stock, if farms need this. On Gillespie’s intensively-managed property there is no run-off, Anna says, as the couple give as great a weight to science as they do to commerce, in running their business.Anna has a Master’s Degree in of Applied Science in Farm Management Consultancy as well as a BCom and Certificate in Sustainable Nutrient Management.Ben is also tertiary qualified and has extensive management experience although you certainly don’t need all that to propagate your own natives, he says.He reckons anyone that can grow a carrot in a home veggie plot can do it and hundreds of plants can be propagated for next to nothing, with just a “basic set-up”.“It’s no harder than growing vegetables and when you’re starting out you might just have an old table in the garage.”Success is not hard to come by and getting a bit hooked on what for many is a hobby, can happen rather easily.When there is resistance to a gentle tug on those first little cuttings, that tells the grower they’ve grown roots in their tray, new propagators can feel a bit like they have discovered a new super power… no more buying plants when you can create your own.Ben says running the plant nursery is integrated into work time on the farm and isn’t really a hobby - although he does admit he’s put lights in his potting shed for occasions when he might be inclined to potter in the evening.The Gillespies only began the project four years ago but the speed with which young plants have become ready to leave the sheltered nursery has been a surprise.Ben now has a steady flow of seedlings graduating out of the potting shed and instead of two years to establish and harden off before being planted out to survive on their own, many have been large and robust enough after one year. Many have established themselves much quicker than anticipated once out in the wetlands too.Carex secta has taken to Omakau’s microclimate like a duck to water, readily growing from seed and quickly establishing itself out on the farm.Surpluses of young plants have even been too much at times for the couple to deal with, but a quick post on social media sees them off to a new home somewhere in the valley.That and workshops held at the property, led by Cromwell-based dryland plant expert Jo Wakelin, is encouraging the propagation bug to spread in the valley.The couple with a young Kowhai tree that will eventually go out for planting on the farm.Thriving now in the wetlands in their hundreds are Olearia, Pittosporum, Coprosma, Totara, Ribbonwood, Cabbage Trees, Mountain and Swamp Flax, Kowhai and more.The Kowhai seeds are gathered by the whole family each year from an old tree on a typically dry local hillside, in what’s become a family tradition.This is, perhaps, what the project is about – leaving the land better than it was, for the next generation. And having fun doing it.

Motorists and residents will get a welcome reprieve from traffic detours around Cromwell, from Thursday this week. The simultaneous installation of two large roundabouts has led to considerable disruption including traffic noise for residents where detours were directed. While the winter break is welcome there will be another period of work starting in spring, to complete the work. A temporary seal has been laid on the top roundabout near Nichols Garden Centre in recent days, to ensure it is safe to use over the winter, according to Brendon French, principal project manager for Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency(NZTA). Just along the way, off Barry Avenue, a developer-funded roundabout partially opened in May for traffic. People had quickly got comfortable using it, Brendon said. The Barry Avenue work was made necessary by the development of the Wooing Tree subdivision and would eventually include an underpass for pedestrians and cyclists, opening onto the Big Fruit grassed area. The original subdivision contained 210 sections, consented through the council’s publicly-notified process but the developer had then reapplied to extend this under a government Fast Track scheme aimed at addressing a nationwide housing shortage.The process overrode previous agreements between the developer and council, neighbours and other submitters, allowing section numbers to increase to around 360.The cost of the roundabout was expected to be in the vicinity of $4.4M and would be paid in full by the developer, according to a Central Otago District Council report.  Contractor Fulton Hogan has been busy on the two roundabouts since February this year, with sunny, warm weather contributing to good progress, Brendon French said. The Waka Kotahi roundabout, estimated at around $5 million to design and build, is funded through the Government’s NZ Upgrade safety programme. The aim is to make this increasingly busy intersection safer for all Cromwell residents, visitors and daily commuters. Workers lay the permanent asphaltic concrete base for the roundabout at the intersection of SH8b and SH6 near Nichols Garden Centre, ahead of its winter opening on Thursday.“We know local people will be happy to see the end of the local road detours around these two sites for a few months at least,” says Mr French. “Even though we will put the detours in place again for spring when we work on the final top sealings, people will see the end in sight at that point.”Work over winter includes building footpaths and getting ready for planting and landscaping. Construction of the developer-funded cycling and pedestrian underpass near the Barry Avenue and Wooing Tree roundabout was expected to begin in Spring. An official opening is planned for both before Christmas 2022.                                                          

Cromwell’s housing style is evolving in response to continuing demand, a recent illustration being a proposal for eight city-style townhouses fronting onto Barry Avenue.The double-storey apartments would breach a range of current planning rules but the application is supported by a favourable expert assessment and only two submissions have been received in opposition to it.The developer’s expert assessment of the urban design is, however, set to be independently reviewed by the Central Otago District Council’s own planning experts, council’s principal policy planner Ann Rodgers confirmed yesterday.The apartment block, previously home to a garden centre, would be over 7m tall and occupy a prominent site near Cromwell College.Crum Developments Ltd are applying to build the two-bedroom, two-bathroom units then subdivide and sell each as separate titles. The plot and unit size are considerably smaller than what is permitted in Cromwell’s traditionally spacious residential streets but with housing affordability anongoing issue, the company say their plan has merit.The aim, according to the company’s application to CODC, was to provide a housing type that was not currently prevalent within Cromwell.“The two-bedroom townhouses are intended to be an alternative to the typical standalone larger dwellings within Cromwell and will be suitable for first home buyers, single parents, people who live alone or people who are downsizing,” the company report stated.The bulk and density of the proposed block is more than what is allowed for in the council’s District Plan, but it’s impact on the surrounding street and residents would be lessened by landscaping and alternating frontages which broke up it’s solidity, the company say.Opposers questioned the actual demand for such housing and were concerned by potential shading of neighbouring properties, road safety and parking issues.“A development of this density is not consistent with the surrounding buildings and is not required in Cromwell while large amounts of land still exist for further residential development within the town boundary. For example, the large amount of undeveloped land in Waenga Drive and Gair Ave, and remaining sections in the Wooing Tree and Prospector's Park developments,” one submission stated.Another opposer felt the change in style was a bridge too far for the location.“Introducing a multiplex of residential apartments is a sharp move in style and use within a residential suburb that is essentially single dwellings of like construction and size and is, in our mind, very much not in keeping with the character of this area.”Four submissions supported the development as a suitable way of filling a gap in the housing market and providing options that were within walk-able distance of the town centre.One stated that Cromwell had a critical need for more centrally-located, intensive housing options.Availability of affordable housing has been an issue in Cromwell for many years and is currently the subject of a council survey. The council is seeking the public’s opinion to help it decide whether to donate land for an affordable housing project from its Gair Avenue and Dunstan Park subdivisions in Cromwell and Alexandra.The next and final stage of council’s Gair Avenue development is set to have a “mixed-typology” of housing, as Cromwell’s traditional spacious bungalows set on large leafy gardens start to lose dominance.The intensification at the Gair Avenue site was aimed at delivering on Cromwell Spatial Plan aspirations, council say.A date is yet to be set for a council planning hearing to decide the fate of the Barry Avenue proposal, with Ann Rodgers estimating this was likely to be in late July.

Motorists are being warned to watch out for wild animals as the season changes and rising numbers bring them closer to roads.A large sign at the entrance to the Cromwell Gorge between Cromwell and Clyde warns of wandering wildlife and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency(NZTA) say theworst culprits here are goats.“Last year two emergency response vehicles struck two goats within a few hours of one another,” Robert Choveaux, senior NZTA network manager for Central Otagosaid. Goats, pigs and deer are often seen on Central Otago roadsides, particularly as winter closes in and they move to lower altitudes and look for fresh food sources.Choveaux says it is a sort of “seasonal migration” mostly involving goats. “It catches numerous people off guard. We used the term wildlife as “stock” suggestssheep or cows and we want people to be aware it may not be a domestic or farm animal.”Wild deer numbers are on the rise across Otago and Southland, as are the incidents of associated road accidents.Handsome chap…a stag snapped by a game camera near Naseby. Image: Ossie BrownBetween 2017 and mid last year there were 43 accidents involving deer wandering on roads in Otago and Southland. Two of these caused serious injuries and threeminor injuries, according to NZTA data.The number of deer-related accidents more than doubled from 2018 to 2019 but subsequently dropped, likely due to the dramatic drop in traffic levels followingCovid-19 restrictions. NZTA say the number of accidents were likely to be under- reported as people tended not to report minor and non-injury incidents.Wild deer are being sighted more frequently near residential areas in Central Otago, especially in and around remoter settlements such as Naseby.

No action will be taken by police regarding an alleged incident centered around the Clyde Holiday Park nearly six months ago.Police confirmed three months ago that they were investigating a complaint from a camper.The Central App understands it related to a camper whose family holidayed there in December 2021.The group had stated that a young female family member had being followed along a public street at night by a camp manager.Yesterday police confirmed their complaint investigation was completed.“Police spoke with the parties involved a couple of weeks ago, including the complainant and the District Council, and advised them that Police will not be taking the matter further as there is insufficient evidence to do so,” a NZ Police spokesperson said.The Central App has viewed numerous emails from campers who took issue with how they were treated at the popular campsite.The issues prompted the owners, the Central Otago District Council, to implement a complaints policy and work with the managers to improve communications.The camp managers are just over three years into a 10-year-lease of the business. They have previously stated that they intend to see the lease out.

A damaged public bridge could now become inaccessible to motorists long-term due to it not being repaired or replaced 18 months after it was temporarily closed.Frustrated farmer James Paterson, whose property is dissected by the Taieri River, is demanding answers from the Central Otago District Council on whether the bridge will be replaced.If no decisions were forthcoming, Paterson told the Maniototo Community Board last week, he would soon be purchasing and installing his own farm bridge for the Halls Ford crossing and no public use would be possible.“The biggest issue in the last 18 months has been lack of communication, lack of direction, lack of anything happening, really. The outcome will be what it will be, but I just need to know so I can make a move in a direction that fits my business.”Paterson said he was already tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket from having to fix damaged barriers put up to block the public, spend time and resources gaining quotes that were now outdated, missing out on cheaper materials and loss of work time.He wanted council to either “get on with it” or make the decision not to replace the bridge so he could install his own.He believed the delays were unwarranted, as discussions about what to do with the 94-year-old structure had been happening for 20 years.After its closure in early 2021, inspections had been delayed several times due to river levels, lack of engineers and Covid-19 lockdowns. Two other bridges were closed in the area following severe flooding at the time.As the crow flies...motorists and a farmer whose daily work is effected have been frustrated by the closure of the Halls Ford bridge on Maniototo Road. Image Jill HerronA replacement for Halls Ford bridge, which links a public route running the length of the plain, had been estimated by council at around $540,000. Repairing the existing damaged structure was not recommended.Three months ago, council’s infrastructure services executive manager, Julie Muir said there were enough funds to fix one bridge – around $500,000 – as well as a maintenance budget for minor work but other major works would have to go through an application process to Waka Kotahi Transport Agency(NZTA). Funds from that round would be available in mid-2024.At that time Board member and CODC councillor Stu Duncan had said Halls Ford should take priority. He said options for others such as Scott’s Lane where the bridge was destroyed, could follow.Last week Julie Muir said staff had been continuing to work hard on the issue, assessing information and liaising with the Otago Regional Council.Questioned by board chairman Robert Hazlett as to what the next step would be, she said work priorities across other damaged bridge sites had to be considered.“I think we can put information in front of the councillors to enable them to understand the risk of making a commitment to replacing one bridge on a very low-use road that has alternative routes.”James Paterson addresses the Maniototo Community Board last week. Image CODCCr Duncan acknowledged that the delays were frustrating and asked whether a public-private arrangement would be a possibility. Council relies heavily on funding from Waka Kotahi to provide roading infrastructure across Central Otago.

They buried him with his boots but no one could give him a name.An early goldminer who died long ago, like many others in pursuit of gold by the Mata-Au/Clutha River, was buried today in Cromwell.His end came during the frenzied rush of the late 1800s when gold was easily found along the riverbanks and hopefuls clamboured to be a part of the action. The living was rugged at best and likely so was the dying. One hundred years on archaeologists working ahead of the Clyde Dam construction came across the miner and his boots and arranged for the careful transfer of both to Otago University’s anatomy department.The formal procession and proper burial of the unknown goldminer served to acknowledge the many miners who may have been less ceremoniously laid to rest during the 1800s goldrushAfter decades there, bio-archaeologist Professor Hallie Buckley, honorary research fellow, Dr Peter Petchey, and Dr Neville Ritchie, who originally discovered the remains, researched what they could of his history.All three were pallbearers at today's service.The man was thought to have likely drown and was European, tall, aged around 30-40 years, but little else was known about him. Professor Buckley says the work had been a team effort from archaeologists here and in the UK.Over 200 people attended the service with many walking with the procession from Cromwell Heritage Precinct to the cemetery.Riders and a second cart travelled through Cromwell to support the processionLynley Claridge of Affinity Funerals hoped the service would bring a sense of solace and closure for many families who lost loved ones during that time.“We’re proud to be able to bring home the gold miner to Central Otago and lay to rest a man who has become a symbol for the community of all the miners whose lives were lost during the gold rush period,”says Lynley Claridge.Lynley Claridge of Affinity Funerals and Reverend Barry Entwisle“This is an important event for all of us who live in Central Otago against the backdrop of the goldfields, with everything they brought and took away from our community. We’ve heard from many locals whose relativeswere lost during those hard times, and for whatever reason, didn’t have the burial they deserved. Mr Goldminer is at rest now, his work is done.”Mandy and Mark McFarlane of Cromwell with(from left) Scout, Neve and TrooperSuzy the Clydesdale and driver Zara-Lee Macdonald take a rest after safely delivering the casket of the unknown goldminer across town to Cromwell CemeteryThe casket of the goldminer awaits burial. At right Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust secretary Terry Davis of Cromwell chats to Fleur Sullivan of MoerakiReverend Barry Entwisle(left) looks on as the unknown goldminer is laid to restReverend Barry Entwisle leads a hymn during the servicePaul Tamati closes the burial service for the unknown goldminer at Cromwell Cemetery

Delivering on big projects, adjusting to reforms and keeping the place staffed are ever-present challenges for the Central Otago District Council’s CEO Sanchia Jacobs.Not to mention a global pandemic.The former-diplomat recently had her tenure in the top job extended for another four years. Reflecting on the past four-plus years, she says managing growth in Central Otago has played a large part in determining the council’s focus.“When I came into the role almost 4.5 years ago there was a large work programme to deliver –both with business as usual but also in regard to accommodating growth.Reform and Covid-19 were not a thing, but those two things came along and have become front and centre. Navigating them at the same time as trying to continue to deliver on everything else has proven challenging.”She credits her staff’s perseverance in keeping the wheels turning through the challenges of the pandemic.“The team at CODC has been amazing. In a time of great uncertainty, they have backed the organisation and each other. They have been totally on board with the range of measures taken to get through the pandemic and continue to astound me with their commitment to showing up and getting the job done.”As anywhere in New Zealand securing professionals is tricky and making the council an attractive workplace is key. Finding planners and filling some engineering roles was proving particularly difficult, she said.Looking forward there are a swathe of big ticket projects to work on, through a continuing Covid-19- hampered environment. “We will be looking to deliver on those projects identified in the Long-term Plan - Cromwell Masterplan, district museum function, Alexandra Riverside Park, Omakau Community Hub, RoxburghPool - and those major capital projects, like the Clyde reticulated wastewater system and Lake Dunstan water supply, that are ongoing. How we engage with and respond to reform will continue to occupy considerable time as well.”  The Central Otago District Council executive team from left rear is Saskia Righarts, Leanne Macdonald, Julie Muir, front from left, Louise van de Voort, Sanchia Jacobs and Louise Fleck.“Having an all-female executive is noteworthy because it is unique. On the one hand it is worth celebrating, but on the other hand it is just as un-diverse as an all-male executive team.We have a fantastic team, and I wouldn’t trade a single one of them, but we all agree that in an ideal world a spread of a range of diversity indicators would be ideal.”CODC mayor, Tim Cadogan, says Sanchia had led council “extremely well” through some of the most challenging times in its history.“Sanchia has led a transformation that has improved the Council in many significant ways, both in our culture and in how we serve our community. At a time of huge change in local government, having consistency at the top of the organisation is crucial.” Outside of council, Sanchia serves as president of Taituarā, the national membership organisation for local government professionals.The position, Mayor Cadogan says, gives her, and Central Otago, connections into the highest levels of Central Government thinking.”Council has not been without its critics over recent years, however, with some requesting a performance review be undertaken. Alexandra residents Hugh McIntyre and Don Sparks have twice pushed for council to adopt the CouncilMARK organisational performance review system, which is widely used in New Zealand.In November last year council delayed their decision on it to allow feedback to be gained from other mayors and in January resolved not to undertake the review for at least 12 months due to workload pressures and it being an election year.In a report to the council the pair had raised concerns over how enquiries were dealt with by staff and said they desired a “change of culture”.They felt a system was needed to properly deal with complaints and said a negative attitude was held by much of the business community toward council, which needed to change.At the time Ms Jacobs said she believed review was a good thing. “At a philosophical level there’s no issue with it all. It is reasonable that we should want to do it. All staff should want it.”According to the Taxpayers Union’s statistics from 2021, the CODC has the fourth lowest borrowing cost to ratepayers of any council in the country.While salaries for council CEOs across New Zealand have come under scrutiny as being fairly high, CODC’s at just over $272,000 is below the national average of $322,000. It is however higher than the average salary for city councils(approx. $250,000.) CODC have 13 staff members -or 9% of staff - earning over $100,000(the national average sits at 15%) and the council’s operational cost per household is around $1000 per year lower than the national average.

The hard yards put in by the Cromwell and Districts Promotion Group(CDPG) to organise events in the town were recognised yesterday by the Cromwell Community Board.In granting a further $21,373 to the mainly-volunteer group, the Board acknowledged their contribution in providing numerous events with only two part-time employees.“They are very hard-working and do a hell of a lot of work organising events for the community,” board member Bob Scott said.While the group had already been issued around $79,000 in this year’s promotional grants, board chairperson Anna Harrison said the group “made it go an awful long way” to provide the events.CDPG chairperson Carolyn Murray, speaking during a public forum, said while efforts were made to secure funding from corporate sponsors and other funders, these groups often desired their name to be attached to an aspect of an event.When monies were needed for operational work it was harder to attract such interest.The next event would be ‘Light Up Winter’ in early July, which would be longer this year with new attractions such as a temporary ice-skating rink, she said.The additional $21,373 brings the total grant to the group for the 2021-2022 year to $100,646. This was an increase over the previous full years funding of 16.75%, according to a council report.In the only other application heard yesterday, the Cromwell and Districts Community Arts Trust were granted $2,240 in promotional funds to assist in hosting four concerts in a series of chamber music.Members suggested clearer communication to groups about the availability of council’s community grant funds, following a lack of applications for these.Annually, there is $49,925 to distribute in the Cromwell community grants scheme and $106,219 to distribute in the promotions grants scheme.Have your say…public submissions will soon be invited on a draft management plan for the Bannockburn Domain.Bannockburn Reserve PlanningSubmissions will be invited from the public on a draft management plan for the Bannockburn Domain, which is predominantly used as a camping ground.The current plan was 22 years old and with significant growth and development happening in the area, an update was needed.Deputy mayor Neil Gillespie suggested a change in perception may be needed that the public domain was essentially a camping ground and that it could be made more inviting so people were aware it was available for other uses such as sports.Board less than tickled pink by namesThe developers of the Wooing Tree subdivision will be asked to provide “more appropriate” road name options after their ten wine and family-related suggestions were rejected.Suggestions including Tickled Pink Lane, Cellar Court and Sparkling Close were not favoured by the board who felt those with a direct meaning or connection to the district and its history would be better.Previous road names approved for earlier stages of the development had included Blondie Drive,Vintage Street and Magnum Drive and Ms Harrison felt it would be remiss of the board to allow the wine-related theme to continue for whole site.The developer would also be given the opportunity to provide back-stories for the suggestions, which the board may reconsider.

Passionate Central Otago plantsman Gordon Bailey has been rewarded for decades of work in horticulture with a fellowship with the Royal New Zealand Institute ofHorticulture (RNZIH). Gordon, who has been the Central Otago District Council’s parks and recreation manager since 2018, is one of five horticulturists nationally to be awarded a fellowship for services to horticulture.   As well as an active and innovative career spanning more than 30 years in parks and recreation, Gordon has worked and volunteered across a range of conservation andhorticultural institutions, at national and international level. His work with rhododendrons includes identifying and saving some species from extinction in their native habitat, as part of an international, co-ordinated effort,according to a council media statement.Under his chairmanship, the Taranaki-based Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust Board has taken the lead on this initiative. Pukeiti is owned by Taranaki Regional Council and isone the Southern Hemisphere’s largest collection of rhododendrons. In the past five years, the Pukeiti Ex-Situ Rhododendron Conservation Strategy has beenestablished. ‘Ex situ’ is a botanists’ term to ensure species are not lost. “The basis of this strategy is to determine what rhododendron species grow or have at one time been grown in New Zealand; are they endangered or extinct in theirnative habitat,” Mr Bailey said. “It means obtaining propagation material, growing that on and distributing to identified sites to grow. It is hoped longer term that we can then supply plant materialback to where they used to grow in the wild.” One of the many beautiful rhododendron species Gordon has been helping to save.Rhododendrons are a very large genus of 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae), which are either evergreen or deciduous and found mainly in Asia – Sumatra, China, Vietnam, Sikkim, Nepal and India.The plants grow in a variety of conditions, from the forest floor in the tropics to more than 4500 metres above sea level in the Himalayas. “They grow well in Central Otago and most established gardens would have at least one plant – probably a hybrid rather than a species.” A big rhodo fan, the plants have taken Mr Bailey to China six times in the past 30 years. “I like them not just for their flowers but also their leaves, bark and new growth. Having said that, I like all plants.”  Traditionally, the institute’s awards are made in a ceremony associated with the Annual General Meeting of the Institute. However, because of Covid-19, it is likely that the AGM for 2022 will be virtual, in which case, the awards ceremony for Mr Bailey to get his fellowship will be held in2023, the centenary year for the RNZIH. Among his achievements and horticultural highlights are NZRA Ian Galloway Award (2000) and a Fellowship (2012) for work with Recreation Aotearoa, six trips to Chinaas part of rhododendron projects, memberships of the International Dendrology Society (since 1988); NZ Horticultural Industry Training Organisation (chairman from2000 to 2007); New Zealand Rhododendron Association for 36 years (president from 2009 to 2012); Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust Inc., as a board member since 2003,and President since 2012; and the Royal NZ Institute of Horticulture (since 1985).He has also been an enthusiastic garden and Rotary club member.

With the community starting to ask questions and initial findings due from government, the Teviot Valley Community Board will soon assess how a group could be formed to discuss social impacts of the NZ Battery Project at Lake Onslow.The Board yesterday discussed ways of preparing for community engagement with the Ministry ofBusiness, Innovation and Employment(MBIE) on the possible pumped-hydro project.Board chairman Raymond Gunn, who is also on MBIE’s technical advisory group for the project, told the board he had recently attended a gathering in Wellington and had discussed community input.He had also been learning more about the significant size of the project. “The more I’ve learnt about it the more blown away I am by the scale of it.”The project could affect council’s spatial planning for the area which was another reason the Board would be looking into ways the community could come together to discuss impacts.Board member Norman Dalley said the Board should act sooner rather than later to drive the unification of the community over the proposal.“There has to be some momentum created. I don’t think we can just sit back and let time pass and not form a group.”This month the government will review initial findings from scientific and other studies undertaken during past months. They would then refine where the focus should be for the second stage of the $30M feasibility study, according to a MBIE spokesperson.The results of recent drilling work and the environmental cost involved in the build, will not be assessed until the end of the year, but preliminary ideas on how and where the dam and tunnels might be built are expected this month.The project aims to guarantee a ‘greener’ power supply year-round, even in very dry years, although there would be no guarantee of cheaper power prices. There are predictions of a four-year build with 3000 direct jobs created.The government is also looking at other types of energy generation elsewhere but may decide not to pursue these further. Lake Onslow is by far the largest and would be New Zealand’s biggest hydro project ever, if it goes ahead.MBIE say that at this stage they are engaging “directly with those affected by the Lake Onslow investigations, including landowners, mana whenua and councils.”Engagement with the wider community would be considered as part of Phase 2 of the NZ Battery Project, should the pumped hydro scheme at Lake Onslow pass this first feasibility stage.Rates hike less than thoughtTeviot Valley rates are expected to increase by 5.2% when the new financial year begins, rather than 6.9 as earlier predicted. Reserves balances had altered and some errors had been present in the equations which had now been corrected, the Teviot Valley Community Board were told yesterday.This is lower than the average increase for the district which was initially predicted at 7.7% but is yet to be finalised.Average rates across the district increased by 6.7% last year and are predicted to go up around $7.4 to 7.5% this year and another 7.6% next year, bringing the total percentageincrease over three years to nearly $22%.One factor effecting the new Teviot rate was the cost of the new Roxburgh pool which involved servicing a loan.

Taking a sensitive approach to carving cycle tracks into Central Otago’s landscape is a high priority for Neil and Katrine Gellatly. Teaching the next generation of riders that doing it by hand is better than machine is part of their mission.The couple own and live on a 18ha block at Butchers Point Road near Alexandra called ‘Badlands’.It’s a rocky, steep, mountain-bikers heaven but there’s not much in the way of topsoil or vegetation.The area is not yet open to the public, Neil says, but work is slowly progressing and many in the community were lending support.Tracks for biking and walking have been carefully created over the past three years to prevent scarring of the hill and eight more are planned over the next four years.Four kilometres of track have been built at the sedate rate of about 4m per hour, on land which slopes down to the RoxburghGorge cycle trail. Access, once the facility was open, would only be via this trail to protect privacy of residents.The trails constructed to date had been independently audited as being ‘uphill grade 3’ and two trails as ‘downhill grade 6’, according to a council report.Grading of tracks would be varied to ensure there was something suitable for all skill levels, the meeting heard, with ‘ride around’ options on more challenging sections.It was anticipated that the tracks could be open to the public for 8 months of year during spring, summer and autumn, from September this year.An event organiser by trade, Neil told the Vincent Community Board this week that no diggers are used and high school students keen on biking had been employed as a way of teaching the next generation how to build “sustainable trails”.Plans include running events with any profits being donated to the Mountain Bikers of Alexandra(MOA) club to encourage youth.“The aims of future events run on the land would be to fundraise for MOA to assist young passionate mountain-bike youth in the community with coaching, event entry fees and travel and possibly bikes. The funding would be managed by the club”, Neil said.The couple’s commitment to protecting the land long-term is such that 14ha is subject to an application to the QEII National Trust to become a covenant with public access, by 2027.Otago has the largest land area protected by covenants in New Zealand, covering over 63,000ha. Gaining the status will help Badland’s fund the project, with the VCB granting $3130 this week toward signage.This was $1800 less than requested and was granted on the proviso that the application to the Trust is successful.Board member Dr Roger Browne described the project as a “great innovation”.

The days of aiming expensive marketing at big spenders and pumping tourists through hotspots by the busload may be fading into the past, with new strategies aimed at attracting visitors with the right “mindset” being adopted for Central Otago.Last week the Central Otago District Council adopted its new 60-page Draft Destination Management Plan(DMP), compiled over the past 18 months with input from tourism operators, the community, two consultancy firms and mana whenua.Leading the work, which progressed the local authority’s earlier evolutions in tourism strategy, was Tourism Central Otago general manager, Dylan Rushbrook.“Our ideal visitor is not defined by age or income, or by where they come from, but instead by their values, motivations or ‘mindset’,” the plan states.In 2018, Tourism Central Otago led the national tourism industry, Rushbrook says, in its thinking about the region’s visitor markets through developing a set of‘personas’ to describe the people who “best understand and appreciate the essential character of Central Otago, and who our communitieswould most like to welcome as visitors.”When the Covid-19 pandemic closed borders in 2020 the Government & seized the moment to address tourism’s issues, offering to make funds available to Regional Tourism Organisations(RTOs) across New Zealand to develop Destination Management Plans.The plans highlight a shift in focus for RTOs from destination marketing to destination management. .The aim of the DMP was to “very deliberately shape the kind of future for tourism that communities of Central Otago want and to avoid inadvertently becoming a spill-over destination from other places,” the plan states.The document, which is yet to be edited and publicly released, was likely to become an exemplar to other regions, council CEO Sanchia Jacobs said at the meeting.It focuses on aspirations for short and longer-term tourism management, from a 12-month plan to 10-year plans, with a view right out to how the industry will evolve over fifty years.The meeting of the waters, Cromwell. Image CODCThe plan is broken into nine sections and includes statements of ambition and challenge, values, strategies and key performance indicators for long term planning. It also contains 80 pages of results from a community engagement survey.Highlighted were the risks of unmanaged tourism growth, such as disillusioned communities, damage to the environment and pressure on infrastructure.One section outlines what is called “the irrefutable truths” of the changing face of tourism, many of which involve significant change…climate change action is needed now, legislative and regulatory frameworks are changing fast, consumer markets and behaviours are changing.Working to create better understandings with Maori and having a genuine point of difference were other key “truths”, the plan states.“Partnership with mana whenua and embracing Te Ao Māori can only be a real partnership when it is based on shared understandings.”The council have estimated that resourcing and implementation of the plan will cost between $250,000-300,000 per annum, according to a council report. There would also be another $70,000- 100,000 spent every five years for updating research and the plan itself. Some costs may be covered through international visitor levies and, for the coming financial year, a possible Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment fund.More detailed figures were not available yesterday regarding the cost of compiling the document. The draft document can be viewed on the CODC website in the meetings and agendas section, alongside the council agenda.

Clyde is one step closer to securing its large avian sculpture after a $20,000 grant was approved by the Vincent Community Board yesterday.The placement of a huge recycled-metal sculpture of a Karearea - this country’s only native falcon - is being planned by volunteer group Historic Clyde Inc.It’s application for $28,500 was one of four heard yesterday as part of a funding round for community and promotional grants.Annually, the Board have $120,000 to distribute in through the Vincent community grants scheme and $41,750 to distribute in the promotions grants scheme.The grant applications are considered in two rounds each financial year with this being the second round, which closed at the end of March.The total cost for the falcon sculpture is expected to be around $74,000 project.With a wingspan of 5.5m, it will be transported from Glenorchy in one piece, once completed by renown sculptor Dan Kelly. It is hoped the striking artwork, to sit atop the Clyde hill, will attract people to the town.A & P Show receive $3000Organisers of the Central Otago A & P show at Omakau will have an additional $3000 to spend on children’s entertainment next February for its 125th celebration.The milestone was to have been celebrated this year but due to the pandemic was postponed until February 11, 2023.Association president Dayna Paterson told the Vincent Community Board yesterday that the show was growing and attracting more people but the risk of poor weather hitting the gate take was one reason financial support was welcomed.She said the group were very proud of their show which showcased some of New Zealand’s best wool and stock as well as high-level equestrian competitors.The group had requested $7,500 but council’s Media and Marketing manager Alison Mason said the Association had to be encouraged to also look to other sources of funding.Galloway HallThe Galloway and Springvale Hall Society received a community grant of $5000 to help upkeep and “future proofing” of its community hall.The group expect to spend the funds on replacement of entrance doors, an insulation upgrade and new bore pump, according to a council report.