/news/upper-south-island/rss 九一星空无限 Keep up with the latest in Upper South Island news with 九一星空无限talk ZB. Sun, 24 Aug 2025 10:35:05 Z en /news/upper-south-island/canterbury-farmers-call-on-government-ministers-to-cut-red-tape/ /news/upper-south-island/canterbury-farmers-call-on-government-ministers-to-cut-red-tape/ North Canterbury farmers want to help boost the economy but say the red tape needs to go. Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg and Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey listened to farmers’ concerns at a woolshed meeting at Cust, near Oxford, on Friday, April 4. The farmers raised a number of concerns, including the Resource Management Act (RMA) reform, methane emissions, freshwater farm plans, and tariffs. Grigg said the tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump reinforced the need to diversify trade markets. Resource management reform would allow farmers to maximise those opportunities, she said. “If we don’t get the settings right at home and farmers aren’t productive, then there is no point securing these trade arrangements.” New Zealand was in a strong position compared to other countries to get through the economic uncertainty posed by the tariffs, the Minister said. Grigg also acknowledged that farmers were “burdened” by paperwork. “We have paused the freshwater farm plans, but we haven’t looked at what farm environment plans will look like yet, but we are working through this. “But we are aware that you are spending 30% of your time on paperwork, and you don’t need to be doing that. “You’re having to fill out the same forms whether it is Beef and Lamb, DairyNZ or ECan (Environment Canterbury). “We need one point of entry.” Grigg said the dairy sector is strong, while the meat sector is improving, but horticulture was “being hamstrung” by the RMA with the “ongoing need for consent renewals”. The Government had followed Labour’s lead in splitting the RMA reform into two separate pieces of legislation to “strike the balance between food production and growth”, she said “We need to free up land for housing, so the reform will allow for development of class three land, but you can also apply for a special exemption to protect highly productive land.” The National Policy Statement on highly productive land has three classes based on soil types, but Grigg said the criteria should be based on whether the land was productive rather than soil type. The Government has announced it will introduce two pieces of legislation to replace the RMA later this year, one focused on housing and the other focused on environmental protection and managing environmental effects. Several farmers questioned why New Zealand had committed to the Paris Accord and its requirements around methane emissions, but Grigg said the Government remained committed to addressing climate change. “We are not going to pull New Zealand out of the Paris Accord because we would lose our trade deals with the UK [United Kingdom] and the EU [European Union]. “Do you think they will miss our product from the supermarket shelves? “But we are not going to drive agriculture out of business to meet those targets.” Grigg said farmers were already close to meeting the 10% reduction target on methane emissions. “We will hit those targets by just being good farmers.” Responding to a question about ECan’sNgāi Tahu councillors, Grigg said the legislation could only be repealed by another local bill from ECan. The Minister reminded the farmers that local government elections are happening in October. - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air. Sun, 06 Apr 2025 23:37:44 Z /news/upper-south-island/marlborough-sounds-jetty-closure-isolates-waitaria-bay-school/ /news/upper-south-island/marlborough-sounds-jetty-closure-isolates-waitaria-bay-school/ A new Waitaria Bay jetty will cost $650,000, with construction starting mid-2025. The existing jetty was closed due to significant deterioration and safety concerns. Principal Tineke Giddy said the closure made the school feel “more isolated than ever”. A new jetty for Waitaria Bay will cost about $650,000 and construction is expected to start mid-2025, reports show. The Marlborough District Council earlier this month announced the jetty, in Kenepuru, Marlborough Sounds, has been closed because of safety concerns as it had “deteriorated significantly” since its last inspection mid-2023. The move has made the remote Waitaria Bay school feel “more isolated than ever”, principal Tineke Giddy said. The main road to the school, Kenepuru Rd, still had temporary closures for roadworks despite reopening to the public in December, currently including daytime closures at the Onahau Rd intersection. Although no pupils were using the jetty to get to school at the moment, their relief teacher took a water taxi to school each day, and would need to be driven to and from the nearest jetty at Fish Bay, which Giddy said was about a 15-minute drive. The new water taxi route could also add extra cost to the relief teacher’s commute, Giddy said. The water taxi had been subsidised while Kenepuru Rd was only open to homeowners during repairs. The jetty was damaged in the August 2022 storm and has deteriorated quickly since. Photo / Maia Hart / LDR The Waitaria Bay jetty was damaged in the August 2022 storm after a landslide lifted the section of the jetty closest to land and shunted part of it forward. Marlborough Roads transport recovery manager Steve Murrin said earlier this month the jetty was “well past its prime” and over the past 18 months its deterioration had “accelerated quickly”. Defects included failed corbels (supports) and a loss of piles and bolted connections so the jetty was closed immediately. “Unfortunately in certain conditions, such as rough seas, overloading or a vessel strike, these defects could cause a sudden collapse of the jetty,” Murrin said. Waitaria Bay school is located near the jetty. Photo / Maia Hart / LDR An update on the situation would go to the council’s assets and services committee on Tuesday. The agenda for that meeting said an insurance claim was settled for damage from the storm in late 2024. Because of the age and condition of the jetty, the insurance settlement totalled $229,000, less than half of the replacement cost, estimated at $650,000. Marlborough Roads’ “jetties account” provided extra budget for the replacement. Construction was expected to start mid-year, and take about three months, according to the report. However, a resource consent was needed first, which was applied for in September last year. The application said the new jetty would be 31m long. The existing floating pontoon and connecting aluminium gangway would be retained and attached to the new fixed jetty. The floating jetty would be fixed in place by four piles. Consent for 15 years of use was also sought. The council expected to have the resource consent settled in late February, according to the assets and services agenda. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air. Sun, 26 Jan 2025 21:57:48 Z /news/upper-south-island/christchurch-crash-woman-allegedly-steals-car-crashes-on-bealey-ave/ /news/upper-south-island/christchurch-crash-woman-allegedly-steals-car-crashes-on-bealey-ave/ A Christchurch woman has allegedly stolen a car and crashed it after the vehicle was spiked on a busy main road. A police spokesman said inquiries were under way after the woman allegedly stole a car on Breens Road in Burnside just before midday. A woman allegedly stole this car in Burnside before getting it spiked and crashing it on Bealey Avenue. Photo / George Heard Officers then spotted the car on Bealey Avenue a short time later, the spokesman said. “It was not pursued, however, it was spiked,” he said. Officers spiked this car on Bealey Ave before it crashed. Photo / George Heard “It has then crashed at the intersection of Bealey and Fitzgerald aves.” The woman was moderately injured and was taken to hospital. The driver, who allegedly stole the car, has been moderately injured and taken to hospital while charges against her are considered. Photo / George Heard Police inquiries into the crash were ongoing and charges were being considered. Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022. Tue, 14 Jan 2025 02:41:53 Z /news/upper-south-island/scooter-rider-hospitalised-with-critical-injuries-after-crash-with-car-in-christchurch/ /news/upper-south-island/scooter-rider-hospitalised-with-critical-injuries-after-crash-with-car-in-christchurch/ A scooter rider has been critically injured following a serious crash with a car in Christchurch. Emergency services rushed to the intersection of Queen Elizabeth II Dr and Travis Rd in Burwood shortly after 1pm. “Initial indications are there have been serious injuries,” a police spokesperson said. Hato Hone St John said three ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and an operations manager attended the scene and one patient was being transported to Christchurch Hospital in a critical condition. Police said the road has been closed and diversions were in place. Motorists and members of the public were asked to avoid the area if possible. Images from the scene show an electric scooter under the front wheel of a HealthCare New Zealand-branded car. Healthcare NZ said it is unable to comment as it is a current investigation. Tue, 14 Jan 2025 02:35:21 Z /news/upper-south-island/family-mourn-aspiring-artist-sportswoman-phoebe-slade-17-killed-in-north-canterbury-crash/ /news/upper-south-island/family-mourn-aspiring-artist-sportswoman-phoebe-slade-17-killed-in-north-canterbury-crash/ Family and friends are devastated by the loss of a “beautiful, powerful” 17-year-old killed in a high-speed crash in North Canterbury. Remembered as a talented artist and cricketer, Phoebe Lilly-Grace Slade and 20-year-old Joey Young died early Saturday morning when the car they were in struck a power pole. A third passenger suffered moderate injuries. Her father Jeremy Slade told the Herald the Burnside High School student had friends and family all over the world who would be in mourning. “She was so popular - she lit up the room every time she walked in.” Phoebe Slade, 17, aspired to be a tattoo artist. “This is such a massive shock - for Phoebe to be taken like that, so suddenly. It’s like there’s a big hole now. She was so talented, with her whole life ahead of her ... She was such a bright star.” Slade wanted to acknowledge the supportive efforts of her extended family throughout the previous days, as well as his partner Libby and Phoebe’s brother Connor. “We just want all of Phoebe’s friends to know they can reach out to us. It’s comforting to connect with them; it feels like we’re connecting with Phoebe too.” Her mother, Khymne Methven, said Phoebe was building a life for herself and “learning who she wanted to be”. “Her smile is amazing and it’s crippling to know that we won’t see her impact in the world anymore.” Methven said the family would be welcoming contact due to the “incredible loss for so many people”. “We understand that many people need to grieve and I’m here to help them in that and share her with them.” Phoebe Lilly-Grace Slade, 17, and Joey Young, 20, died when the car they were travelling in crashed at speed on Saturday morning. In a social media tribute, Methven wrote: “Our hearts are broken. Two lives are gone. Our family has changed forever. We miss her,” she wrote. “She was beautiful, powerful, a talented artist, an incredible friend, and when she was in the room - she owned it. “To everyone who met her, I’m so sorry that she has left you too. She leaves a hole in our lives that will never ever be filled.” Methven asked that in lieu of flowers, donations could be made to RAC - Riders Against Cancer Canterbury Branch or Bellyful Christchurch in Slade’s name. “If you cannot help sending flowers, please ask for pink ones. Phoebe loved pink and so should be surrounded by it while she waits for us to pull together the send off we know she would love.” She thanked friends for support, as well as the Christchurch branch of RAC. Slade, who was born in New Zealand to English immigrant parents, was passionate about cricket and aspiring to be a tattoo artist. Joey Young, 20, a Broadcasting School student, was also killed in the crash. Her loss is also deeply felt by family, friends, and the cricket community. Friend Jorja Hodgson wrote: “Your name will be said with love. No matter where you look, the name Phoebe Darcy-Slade will be loved. Online, from person to place, you will be loved. I will make damn sure of it. “You were my best friend, wifey for life. You’ll be missed by all, adored, admired, and will forever inspire me in everything I do.” Christchurch Metro Cricket Association also wrote a tribute post to Slade on social media. “Phoebe started her cricket in Year 5 as a junior player for Halswell Cricket Club and moved to North-West Women’s Cricket at the beginning of the 2021-2022 season playing in the Under 16 team and was a current player in the Women’s Division 1 side,” they said. “Phoebe was a pleasure to coach and a wonderful teammate with a wonderful bright and bubbly personality. “She was recognised with the Coaches Award in her first season and MVP in her second season. She will be greatly missed and we send our condolences to her family, many friends and the North West Women’s Club.” Joey Young, 20, was a student at the New Zealand Broadcasting School, and a passionate go-karter. Christchurch Grass Kart Club president Stan McKenzie told Stuff Young’s death would have a significant impact on the karting community and the club would look to plan some kind of memorial to remember him. Slade’s funeral is to take place in Christchurch next week. Tue, 14 Jan 2025 01:39:05 Z /news/upper-south-island/earthquake-near-blenheim-causes-shaking-in-upper-south-island-lower-north-island/ /news/upper-south-island/earthquake-near-blenheim-causes-shaking-in-upper-south-island-lower-north-island/ A 4.9 magnitude earthquake has struck in the upper South Island, with one person describing it as “quick and rough”. The quake struck at 10.11am and was centred 30km west of Blenheim at a depth of 48 km. The shaking was classed as ‘light’ and users of the Geonet site reporting feeling shaking in Nelson, Blenheim, the West Coast and parts of the Wellington region. The earthquake comes hours before the anniversary of the deadly 2011 Christchurch earthquake, which struck at 12.51pm and killed 185 people. Jesus that was quick and rough #EQNZ— Emma Helleur (@EmmaHelleur) February 21, 2023 Tue, 21 Feb 2023 21:58:03 Z /news/upper-south-island/two-seriously-injured-in-nelson-assault-police-seek-witnesses/ /news/upper-south-island/two-seriously-injured-in-nelson-assault-police-seek-witnesses/ Two men were stabbed in Nelson last night and police are appealing for witnesses. The men, one aged 20 and the other 51, were stabbed about 9pm in Halifax St and taken to hospital. Police said the men are in a stable condition. Witnesses to the assault or anyone with information relevant to the investigation is asked to contact police via 105 phone service referencing event number P052537072. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org   Tue, 08 Nov 2022 21:32:15 Z /news/upper-south-island/methamphetamine-use-a-factor-in-fatal-nelson-motorcycle-crash-coroner-finds/ /news/upper-south-island/methamphetamine-use-a-factor-in-fatal-nelson-motorcycle-crash-coroner-finds/ By RNZ A motorcyclist killed in Nelson was trying to overtake a truck when he crashed and was hit by a truck coming in the other direction. Auckland man Kerry Wayne Phillips, 45, died on August 3, 2020, on State Highway 6 while travelling with other members of a motorcycle gang heading to Picton. Coroner Marcus Elliott found Phillips had methamphetamine in his blood at the time of the crash, which impaired his riding ability. He did not have 100 metres of clear visibility to pass the truck and was not following the vehicle in front at a safe distance. Phillips held a restricted motorcycle licence and had borrowed the Harley Davidson he was riding from a colleague in Auckland. The 1690CC bike required a full motorcycle licence to ride it. The group of around 20 motorcyclists had spent the weekend in Nelson and were travelling on a winding stretch of the highway near the Whangamoa Saddle en route to the Picton ferry when some began to overtake a truck and trailer unit. The speed limit at the time on that stretch of road was 100km/h but has since been reduced to 80km/h. When the two trucks came into view of each other, 10 of the motorcyclists had already overtaken the truck. Dash cam footage from the truck travelling towards Nelson, showed four motorcycles on the opposite side of the road, overtaking on a bend. Both trucks had moved as far left as they could in their respective lanes, but there were around 10m between them when the last two motorcycles tried to finish overtaking. The first made it, but Phillips crashed and slid into the path of the oncoming truck. Tasman District crash investigator constable Brett Burns said it was more than likely he clipped the back wheel of the motorcycle in front, causing him to fall in the path of the truck coming in the other direction. Burns found no fault with the road and inspections showed the motorcycle and trucks had no mechanical faults. The weather was fine at the time of the crash, the road surface was dry and visibility was good. Passing motorists and paramedics provided assistance, but Phillips died at the scene from extensive injuries to his pelvis and lower limbs. - RNZ Tue, 30 Aug 2022 21:43:56 Z /news/upper-south-island/nelson-floods-homes-empty-due-to-rain-damage-targeted-by-burglars/ /news/upper-south-island/nelson-floods-homes-empty-due-to-rain-damage-targeted-by-burglars/ By RNZ Police in Nelson are calling on the community to report any suspicious behaviour in their neighbourhoods after flood-affected homes were targeted by burglars. Nelson bays area commander inspector Matt Scoles said at least three yellow-stickered homes had been burgled in the past week. An officer on a routine patrol in Nelson South on Monday came across an unoccupied vehicle containing items thought to be stolen from a slip-damaged home. A police dog unit searched the area and a person of interest was found at a nearby address and taken into custody. A 31-year-old man was remanded on bail on a charge of breach of community work, and is due in Nelson District Court on September 13. Bill Moore, who lives in the quiet residential street in Nelson South, said the house was that of his neighbour's and it was the third time it had been burgled in a week. At about 4am on August 29, the burglars were filling a car with items taken from a yellow-stickered home when they were disturbed by a police patrol car. Moore said they had gained entry by smashing in a door and left suitcases filled with stolen clothes and household items on the driveway when they scarpered. His neighbours were shocked to find burglars had returned for a third time, ignoring extra security measures that neighbours had taken to protect the house. "It is despicable behaviour, preying on good people who have already suffered an enormous blow due to the flood damage." Moore said it was great police had answered requests to step up patrols around stickered houses and hoped the criminals would be held accountable for their actions. Police had seized the vehicle, which contained stolen items and would carry out routine forensic work as part of the investigation. Scoles said it was extremely disappointing people were taking advantage of empty buildings for their own gain during such a tough time for the community. "Police are patrolling areas of need where we can, but we can't do it alone." Suspicious behaviour should be reported while it was happening, if possible, and any victims of crime were also urged to contact police. Tue, 30 Aug 2022 04:10:25 Z /news/upper-south-island/nelson-floods-man-winched-to-safety-in-dramatic-night-time-rescue/ /news/upper-south-island/nelson-floods-man-winched-to-safety-in-dramatic-night-time-rescue/ A Nelson man unable to walk had to be winched to safety in a dramatic rescue operation in the early hours of this morning amidst wild weather. Dramatic footage has emerged of Maitai resident Francis Lagrutta lying flat on a stretcher, tied to the hook of a fire truck's extended crane arm. He is then lifted into the air from his Attmore Tce home which was under threat from slips. A man who is unable to walk had to be airlifted to safety after his Nelson home was deemed unsafe due to high risk of slips. Photo / Supplied His partner Victoria Fisher told the Herald they had been awoken by the wild weather in the region, and at 10.30pm last night, three of the eight pine trees in front of the house fell on to their cars, resulting in a massive blockage to access the street. "At that time the fire and emergency services did not think we were in immediate danger, so we stayed in. "However, this morning at 4am, they came back and told us the property was unsafe due to water coming down and moving the earth below us." Fisher said they all had to be evacuated using the fire truck, as there was no way to walk, or use a vehicle to get out. "We were trapped on our property with no way to exit. A Nelson man who is unable to walk was airlifted by a fire truck after home was deemed unsafe following a slip this morning. Photo / George Heard "Firefighters had to extend their ladder to where we were up at the top, and then one by one we came down the ladder, one of the firemen took my two dogs down to us." She said her husband had recently had a hip operation, so he had to be lifted out by a crane arm as he lay prone on the stretcher. Firefighters had to rescue a Nelson family after 40-year-old pine trees in front of their property fell due to saturated ground. Photo / George Heard Fisher said she was a little bit worried about the rest of the trees falling as they were huge and could cause great damage limiting access to her property. "There is a volume of water coming down from the hillside at the back of my house, this water can compromise the roots of these 40-year-old trees causing them to fall." Fri, 19 Aug 2022 00:21:59 Z /news/upper-south-island/northern-buller-residents-in-west-coast-encouraged-to-evacuate-as-severe-weather-lashes-area/ /news/upper-south-island/northern-buller-residents-in-west-coast-encouraged-to-evacuate-as-severe-weather-lashes-area/ Residents in parts of Northern Buller are being encouraged to evacuate as severe weather, including flooding and strong sea surges, continues to lash the area. Metservice has issued severe weather watches and warnings for heavy winds and swells for Buller. This comes after significant flooding has already hit some areas. Parts of Granity have already been affected by strong sea surges, causing State Highway 67 to close temporarily due to debris on the road, and moderate flooding to some coastal houses this morning. Flooding damage in Buller on the West Coast on Monday. Photo / Supplied Mayor Jamie Cleine said emergency operations staff have been out this afternoon meeting with residents in Ngakawau, Granity, Hector and Mokihinui. "We anticipated that tonight will be a similar night to last night with rain, wind and high sea swells and encourage self-evacuation of residents whose properties have been impacted by this morning's sea surges." Waka Kotahi has advised SH67 will be closed from Granity to Mokihinui from 8.30pm to 11.00pm during the high tide, which is at 9.50pm. Cleine said staff had gone into these rural areas and encouraged residents to stay the night with friends and family on higher ground. Storm damage in Buller. Photo / Supplied Most of this morning's damage was centralised around northern Buller, but caution is encouraged around all coastal areas. Evacuation is not mandatory at this stage, Cleine said, but they strongly recommend residents self-evacuate to friends or family at higher ground if they feel unsafe. People are advised to take bedding, water, food, medication, warm clothes and to remember their pets when self-evacuating to friends and family. If residents need assistance to self-evacuate, they can call the Civil Defence Duty phone on 03 769 9323. Some residents are being asked to evacuate. Photo / Supplied Further south a mammoth effort is underway to clear the Lindis Pass of more than a metre of snow. A number of alpine passes in the South Island were closed after a dump of heavy snow over the weekend. An 九一星空无限 photojournalist at the scene says 1.5m of snow has fallen on the summit of the Lindis Pass over the last few days. Contractors were doing everything they can to get the road open, they said. "We know this is a very stressful time for Buller residents who have been through several weather events in the last 12-months." Mon, 13 Jun 2022 06:32:26 Z /news/upper-south-island/fire-crews-are-responding-to-a-large-blaze-in-an-old-school-building-in-greymouth/ /news/upper-south-island/fire-crews-are-responding-to-a-large-blaze-in-an-old-school-building-in-greymouth/ Fire crews are responding to a large blaze in an old school building in Greymouth.  Large plumes of smoke can be seen coming from the former Karoro Learning site on Tainui St, next to Dixon Park.  Fire and Emergency said four appliances are on site, with a fifth on the way.  Fire crews are responding to a large blaze in an old school building in Greymouth. Photo / George Heard  Traffic is being diverted.  A suspicious blaze damaged another old empty school building on the site in 2020.  More to come  Fire and Emergency said four appliances are on site, with a fifth on the way. Traffic is being diverted. Photo / George Heard  - by Georgia O’Connor-Harding, NZ Herald Mon, 06 Jun 2022 04:33:39 Z /news/upper-south-island/police-searching-for-man-who-did-indecent-act-on-nelson-walkway/ /news/upper-south-island/police-searching-for-man-who-did-indecent-act-on-nelson-walkway/ Police are trying to find a man who allegedly performed an indecent act while on a walkway in Nelson. The incident happened on the walkway on Annesbrooke Drive about 8am on May 11. Police say the man is of a medium build, in his 20s to 30s, and has short dark hair and tanned skin. He was wearing dark coloured clothing and drove a black van with a large, fluffy, black dog inside. Anyone with information that could help in identifying the person, is asked to contact Police on 105 and quote file number 220512/3662. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. Mon, 23 May 2022 21:07:41 Z /news/upper-south-island/rail-line-between-buller-river-and-ng%C4%81kawau-damaged-in-heavy-rain/ /news/upper-south-island/rail-line-between-buller-river-and-ng%C4%81kawau-damaged-in-heavy-rain/ Heavy rain that hit the West Coast this week has damaged and forced the closure of a rail line between Buller and Ngākawau. Severe weather hit the area on Monday causing slips and road closures. A spokesperson for KiwiRail said the rail line suffered "considerable damage". They said they will be working hard over the coming days to re-open the line which has been washed away in places. On Monday, two slips also closed off a West Coast highway. State Highway 6 Punakaiki to Greymouth was closed at Ten Mile and was closed at Lyell between Eight Mile and Inangahua. The highway was reopened later in the day. Heavy rain that hit the West Coast this week has damaged and forced the closure of a rail line between Buller and Ngākawau. Photo / Supplied A heavy rain watch was in place for Buller and Westland from Otira northwards from 9pm on Sunday to 8am on Monday. MetService warned the period of heavy rain could approach short-duration warning criteria, Tue, 10 May 2022 22:38:00 Z /news/upper-south-island/delays-on-porters-pass-in-canterbury-for-next-10-weeks/ /news/upper-south-island/delays-on-porters-pass-in-canterbury-for-next-10-weeks/ Motorists travelling between the West Coast and Canterbury will be faced with delays for the next 10 weeks. From today, until early July, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will be repairing a retaining wall at Porters Pass, west of Springfield on State Highway 73. The retaining wall has been in urgent need of repair, but Covid-19 supply chain delays have meant the work has only been able to be carried out now. Traffic signals combined with a 30km/h speed restriction will allow single-lane traffic to pass the site safely over a 1.2 km stretch for the duration of the work, Waka Kotahi NZTA journey manager Tresca Forrester said. Crews will be working daytime hours and motorists will be affected 24/7, she said. "On weekends, manual traffic management [stop/go] may be used at peak times, for example, to ensure people can get to skifields in the mornings and away in the afternoons without undue delay." Some ski operators fear the upcoming season could be impacted by the roadworks. Porters Alpine Resort general manager Blair James said there could be a bottleneck of traffic, similar to when the road was impacted by a large fire in 2019. Forrester said they have talked to the skifield operators on SH73. "And are in close communication with them if they open in June or early July. In the event of snow falling on the highway, crews will disestablish for the day and if possible, open the route to two lanes." Sun, 08 May 2022 23:34:36 Z /news/upper-south-island/picton-community-warming-to-ferry-terminal-port-upgrade-plans/ /news/upper-south-island/picton-community-warming-to-ferry-terminal-port-upgrade-plans/ Helen Baxter used to be one of the "flower ladies" – a group of keen Picton locals who would welcome cruise ship passengers to the port-side town.  Baxter, along with fellow flower ladies Margaret Frisken and Yvonne Rigby, attended a drop-in session at the Picton Library last Thursday, to learn more about the Picton ferry terminal upgrade.  On a large screen, people were able to view a 3D digital walk-through of the new ferry precinct, which would be upgraded to make way for larger Interislander ferries.  Asked why she attended, Rigby said it was her first chance to properly understand more about the project.  "I feel quite comfortable with the project," Baxter said.  "We've heard a lot about it, but to see certain things like this [walk-through], it's even better than I thought."  The "flower ladies" attended one of the two drop-ins held in Picton last week, designed to give residents the chance to speak to those directly involved in the project. A community business meeting was also held on Wednesday night.  Picton "flower ladies" Helen Baxter, left, Margaret Frisken and Yvonne Rigby at a drop-in session where residents could learn more about the Picton ferry terminal upgrade. Photo / Maia Hart  The project was a collaboration between Port Marlborough, the Marlborough District Council, KiwiRail and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency. The first ferry was expected to arrive in New Zealand, from Korea, by 2025.  Inter-island Resilient Connection (iReX) Project programme director Stephen O'Keefe said they were in the process with the shipyard in selecting the "major components" for the ferries.  This included things like the battery packs, as the ferries would be hybrid, fin stabilisers, and bow thrusters, O'Keefe said.  "They're purchased by the shipyard, and installed by the shipyard, but we've got an approval process to make sure we get the right equipment and that it meets our specifications," he said.  They anticipated they would start approving "technical designs" for the ferries in July.  "Really the challenging timeline is not around the ships, that challenging timeline is around the terminal facilities," O'Keefe said.  Other than the Marlborough District Council's consultation on the $110 million Picton ferry precinct loan to Port Marlborough, O'Keefe said it was the first opportunity for the public to meet with those involved with the project face-to-face.  "We had to revisit the design to get it right, which we did early part of last year, into the middle of the year," he said.  He thought most questions asked by the community had been in relation to traffic management.  Following Wednesday night's business meeting, specific "themes" had emerged, including how the community could capitalise on the terminal upgrade and construction.  Proposed changes to Picton as part of the ferry terminal upgrade. Photo / LDR  "We said it before, this is an incredible opportunity, it's a significant investment that will impact Picton and Blenheim from an economic point of view, as an opportunity," O'Keefe said.  "We'll probably look to have some smaller workshops and things like that to see how we capture that opportunity."  Port Marlborough chief executive Rhys Welbourn said given the emphasis made on the sustainability aspects of the project – like the promise of greener ferries – a lot of interest from the community had been on this.  He said Port Marlborough was currently working with KiwiRail on the contractual side of things.  "This is a very long lease licence, it's 60 years, so we're spending a lot of time making sure we get that lease right," Welbourn said.  He was pleased to meet with the community, so soon after the council funding consultation.  "We said we will keep coming back and communicating."  "We've had a lot of Covid interruptions and we've had to be a little bit innovative about how we do the consultations, but it's a lot nicer to be able to work face-to-face."  Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui trustee Ron Riwaka said he liked the ongoing "transparency" of the project.  KiwiRail last year signed a kawenata (agreement) with Te Ātiawa, which recognised a partnership with "a shared view to exploring mutually beneficial and collaborative opportunity". The agreement was a first of its kind for KiwiRail.  "We've formed a great relationship and partnership with them," Riwaka said.  "It's about keeping that communication going, and taking the people along for the journey."  Port Marlborough project manager Kate Cushing said the project was particularly exciting for her as a "bit of a greeny".  "It really is, it's big, it's exciting, it's innovative," Cushing said.  "I really like the sustainability side. Not only the ships, with the hybrid and the batteries and using shore power to charge the batteries.  "But also, with the rest of the terminal, as well, we're looking for sustainable construction in the materials that we use."  More information about the project can be found by visiting the website. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.  - by Maia Hart, Local Democracy Reporter Sun, 01 May 2022 01:10:29 Z /news/upper-south-island/westport-buller-floods-cost-kiwirail-more-than-3-million/ /news/upper-south-island/westport-buller-floods-cost-kiwirail-more-than-3-million/ KiwiRail has spent more than $3 million fixing rail assets as a direct result of the July 2021 and February 2022 floods which hammered the Westport area. The State-rail operator is now on board as work is finalised on the business case for a $10.2m-plus flood protection scheme for Westport, which the Government says is a "test case" for future co-investment in flood protection schemes around the country. Questions were raised at the West Coast Regional Council table recently about the apparent absence of KiwiRail as a substantial stakeholder in the Westport area. Cr Peter Ewen has repeatedly questioned KiwiRail's involvement and said its apparent absence as the State rail operator did not bode well given it was a Government entity. They wanted to know if KiwiRail planned to front up. "I've been asking where the hell are they ... They are an important presence there," he said. A flood consultant had noted KiwiRail assets. "He identified that as a chink in the armour - a weak link," Cr Ewen said. While KiwiRail had installed new culverts around Westport a few years ago, "we've also seen photos of railway lines swinging in the air". "They're an important player here - they should be. A Government entity should be there to fix the problem for Westport. That's my concern," Cr Ewen said. KiwiRail said it would attend the next meeting of the Westport Technical Advisory Group.The group is made up of various stakeholders in the Westport area including the Buller and West Coast Regional councils along with engineers, and the consultant preparing the flood scheme business case for the Government. "It is a great opportunity to discuss the impacts on rail that flooding has and ensure that all the work on flood protection is integrated," KiwiRail South Island general manager of operations Mark Heissenbuttle said. "KiwiRail is looking forward to working with the West Coast Regional Council on flooding prevention and identifying any improvement changes." Heissenbuttle said KiwiRail had spent about $2m fixing its rail line assets in the Buller area as a result of the July 2021 weather event, which flooded Westport. The latest flooding in February resulted in about a $1.1m fix for KiwiRail lines, north and east of the township. Meanwhile, the NZ Transport Agency had signed an agreement to participate on the Westport Joint Rating District Committee, the agency's West Coast senior network manager Colin Hey said. "Waka Kotahi sought and was given an assurance that no financial contribution would be expected by being party to the agreement," he said. Public interest journalism funded through NZ On Air. Fri, 29 Apr 2022 03:01:40 Z /news/upper-south-island/lawyer-costs-could-have-helped-brother-buy-bach-off-feuding-siblings/ /news/upper-south-island/lawyer-costs-could-have-helped-brother-buy-bach-off-feuding-siblings/ After a lengthy battle over a family bach Grant Parkins is on the brink of believing if justice exists.   The middle brother of three is the reluctant star of the Parkins family drama over a property in the Marlborough Sounds which was left to the siblings in their father's will.  He went to court believing he was right but after a judge recently ruled against him he's questioning whether it was all worth it.  "I realise that going on a gut feeling means nothing in the legal process but I'd be disappointed if in years to come I didn't try and then thought, 'why the hell didn't I do that'?"  Parkins initially declined to be interviewed for a story featured in the Herald on Sunday last week after a judge dismissed his latest effort be recognised as being the larger contributor to the property than his brothers but has now decided to speak out about how the Parkins rift became a rupture.  The shame of it all, he said, was the money that could have been used to help buy the property off his brothers has instead been swallowed by legal fees – about $100,000 so far and rising.  The Parkins' family bach in the Marlborough Sounds. Photo / Supplied  The 49-hectare property at Oyster Bay, in a part of the Sounds known as Croisilles Harbour, was developed by Morris and Rosalie Parkins, together with their three sons, Steve, Grant and Reece.  Rosalie died in 1999, not long after the bach was finished, and Morris in 2010, after which the three brothers inherited an equal share in the property.  At the heart of the dispute was Grant's desire for a greater interest in the property than the three-way split given in the will. He claimed to have contributed more than his brothers to its development and was therefore entitled to a larger share of the value of improvements.  While there was no dispute about Grant's early input, there was disagreement over how much he claimed to have spent on the property, and his brothers' input later.  Grant took up the fight in the belief he was on solid ground. Failure to agree at mediation forged the path to the District Court, which dismissed Grant's claim. The High Court reached the same conclusion and recently dismissed his appeal.  The process has been stressful for everyone involved with Grant's older brother Steve telling Open Justice last week that the battle is something their father never would have wanted.  Another family member said it been "absolute devastation".  "It's a place where we used to love to go, as it was all about family."  Grant's partner, Debra Jane Henderson said she gave up any hope of a solution, or reconciliation a couple of years ago at mediation.  Grant, like Steve, told Open Justice they were fighting for what each believed was right.  Grant Parkins says of the fight over family property, "how could I lose'?" Photo / Tracy Neal  From his engineering workshop in Nelson, where Grant once made some famous props for the Lord Of The Rings trilogy – and now uses one ring as a paperweight, he wonders how it all went so wrong.  "I went in thinking, 'how can I lose'?"  It was a big question that often went unanswered, but Grant has learned that watertight evidence and an eloquent argument was what made the difference – photographs of him working on the land were no match for the story that receipts and solid timelines told.  And that is where the story begins.  Grant was living at home with his parents when Rosalie began her private war with the cancer which eventually claimed her life.  The land in the Sounds had been bought in 1990, but the house came later. Grant said he initiated the project, with his father's support, finally settling on a slice of former farmland and forest in Oyster Bay.  It had been a fruitless search until they placed a "land wanted" ad in a newspaper.  "I jumped on my motorbike and spent a couple of months riding that side of the Sounds. I went down every driveway and knocked on doors, and in the end we settled on this place."  Oyster Bay was one of many nooks and crannies in the Croisilles Harbour, whose name bore reference to French naval officer and explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville who charted the Tasman Bay coastline.  Grant said the property appealed because it was "away from everyone" and had a good source of fresh water. He helped with its early development, hauling trailer loads of Summerhill stone cladding and timber linings for the new bach.  "There were a hell of a lot of trips getting stuff down there."  Grant said it was he who put in moorings used by everyone from local boaties to Hollywood royalty, including Tom Cruise and his former wife Katie Holmes who once pulled in on a giant sailing catamaran.  He said it was quite the sight to see Cruise wakeboarding past their front yard. Debra Jane said they knew best not to bother them.  "We ignored him… but if it had been Matthew McConaughey then I would have been all over that," said the Chicago-born, Florida-raised businesswoman who breezed into Grant's workshop one day in 2003 while in Nelson on business, and never left.  Those were the glory years. What the Parkins family could not have known then was the scale of the looming dispute, fuelled in part by an almighty and ongoing fight over road access. Grant believed it has played a part in the bach dispute.  Oyster Bay sat within a wider area known as Wairangi Bay, around which were dotted a few private homes and holiday homes. Landowners went to court in 2011 over plans by a private forestry partnership to close a road to their properties, which crossed a strip of land the foresters owned.  A new $300,000 road was built by one of the forestry partners to serve a new subdivision, and users were then asked to help pay for it.  The dispute grew so bitter that lives were said to be at stake. Rumours of a wild west "pistols at dawn" duel were confirmed by Grant, who stopped short of saying who held a gun to whose head.  "I went through a lot of shit over this roading matter, and other stuff like trying to prevent mussel farms jamming up all our bays.  Grant Parkins in his engineering workshop in Nelson. Photo / Tracy Neal  "I went through friggin' hell for years. I spent $50,000 to try and get that sorted. I'd been through so much I felt I couldn't just walk away," Grant said of the reason he was fighting.  He said the relationship with his older brother had soured some years earlier over alleged debts linked to their respective trades, but things really curdled when heirlooms were being decided upon after their father died.  "We were splitting things up and it was getting difficult so I said, 'you know what, I'm just going to let this go', but when it came to the property in the Sounds I knew I'd have to put my foot down."  Grant said he had offered to buy out his brothers, including forestry he and Morris has planted, but no one could agree on a price.  "They wanted me to pay for my trees."  Grant said was he still exploring legal options including whether to apply for leave to appeal, but he knew the stakes were high.  "How am I going to win and how much will it cost, and am I better to suffer the loss so far, or an even greater one down the track?  In truth, he did not know if it had all been worth it.  "I don't know. I really don't know but if I was going to break, I would have by now.  - by Tracy Neal, Open Justice Mon, 25 Apr 2022 00:08:23 Z /news/upper-south-island/drone-operator-sought-as-police-try-to-identify-womans-body-found-near-charleston/ /news/upper-south-island/drone-operator-sought-as-police-try-to-identify-womans-body-found-near-charleston/ Police are searching for the operator of a drone as part of an investigation into the identity of a woman found dead near Charleston on the West Coast of the South Island.  The woman was found by a member of the public at the base of a bluff a short distance from a local walking track south of Constant Bay.  Police say they are grateful to everyone who has gotten in touch since the appeal for information yesterday.  "The information provided so far has given us some positive lines of inquiry," a spokesperson said.  Police would like to identify the owner of a drone seen flying in the Constant Bay/Doctor Bay area on April 9.  "We would also like to hear from anyone who was in that area between 7–9 April, who may have seen a person matching the description of the deceased woman."  Police earlier said no missing person reports had been received for a person matching the description of the deceased woman.  She is believed to be in her 30s to mid-50s.  She was wearing grey/pale blue three-quarter leggings, a floral top under a dark blue top, and grey sneakers.  If you can help, contact police via 105 and quote file number 220420/6925.  Thu, 21 Apr 2022 01:30:07 Z /news/upper-south-island/police-seek-help-identifying-woman-found-dead-near-charleston-west-coast/ /news/upper-south-island/police-seek-help-identifying-woman-found-dead-near-charleston-west-coast/ Police are asking the public for help to identify the body of a woman found near Charleston yesterday. The woman was found by a member of the public at the base of a bluff a short distance from a local walking track south of Constant Bay.Police say they have not received any missing person reports for a person matching the description of the deceased woman."We are hoping someone in the community may be able to help. Given the recent long weekend, it is also possible this person was a visitor to the area," they said.The woman is believed to be in her 30s to mid-50s.She was wearing grey/pale blue three-quarter leggings, a floral top under a dark blue top, and grey sneakers. The woman was wearing grey/pale blue three-quarter leggings, a floral top under a dark blue top, and grey sneakers (pictured). Photo / Supplied "Police have not located any vehicles in the vicinity, so believe the woman may have walked from an address in the wider Charleston area." Tue, 19 Apr 2022 23:48:19 Z /news/upper-south-island/rescue-under-way-of-man-stuck-in-arthurs-pass-national-park-overnight/ /news/upper-south-island/rescue-under-way-of-man-stuck-in-arthurs-pass-national-park-overnight/ A man has been rescued after spending the night in Arthur's Pass National Park.  The Rescue Coordination Centre was alerted at 7.10pm on Sunday after a safety locator beacon was activated near the summit of Mt Rolleston.  The beacon was activated by a 52-year-old experienced climber who was 'bluffed out' on the cliff face, a spokesperson for GHC said.  The man can just be seen on the cliff face. Photo / GHC Christchurch  A spokesperson said phone contact was established with the man and he informed them he was well equipped to stay where he is, but could not move from the location.  "The Greymouth Rescue Helicopter assessed the situation and advised an Alpine Cliff Rescue Team would be needed to reach him."  The Alpine Cliff Rescue team drove to Arthur's Pass Village early this morning and was later joined by a Garden City Rescue helicopter.  Plans were made to assist the man as soon as possible while the weather was favourable, they said.  The man has now been rescued and was dropped off at Arthur's Pass Village at about 12.45pm. He was uninjured.  Sun, 10 Apr 2022 23:01:22 Z /news/upper-south-island/west-coast-rain-planning-under-way-to-return-evacuated-residents-home/ /news/upper-south-island/west-coast-rain-planning-under-way-to-return-evacuated-residents-home/ Heavy rain has eased on the West Coast and the clean-up is underway after the region suffered serious damage. Some houses have had water through them as Westport experiences its wettest February in 78 years. The heavy rain overnight arrived as the trough weather system was set to move northwards across the South Island before weakening over central New Zealand today, MetService said. Coast to Coast curve ball High river levels in the Waimakariri Gorge have forced a course change to the 70-kilometre paddle ahead of the event on Saturday. The original course saw paddlers put in at Mt White Bridge just off State Highway 73 near the Arthurs Pass National Park and paddle through the narrow gorge before exiting at the Gorge bridge, between Sheffield and Oxford. However, they'll now bypass the gorge by bike, turning the original second cycle leg from a 17-kilometre jaunt into a 112 km grind from Klondyke, over the Porters Pass and down to Thompsons Road, just off the Old West Coast Rd. There they'll slip into their kayaks and dash 30 kilometres in the lower reaches of the Waimakariri down towards the motorway bridge in Kaianga, before getting back on their bike for an all-out sprint to the finish line in New Brighton, 12 km away. Race director Glen Currie said as always athlete safety came first. "We've been monitoring the weather for the best part of two weeks now and while we hoped we could have run the original course, especially while celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the race, it's simply not feasible." A spokesperson for Buller Emergency Management said yesterday was a challenging day with extensive flooding throughout the region causing damage to homes, property, roads and slips. "We know this is a stressful time for our community but we also know the region has the ability to adjust, adapt and work together. "Big thanks go to the Police, Fire and Emergency NZ, a host of other agencies throughout the town, including LandSAR and the team from Bathurst who both provided support during this latest weather event." The West Coast was battered again by heavy rain this week. Photo / Supplied Residents whose houses did not flood were able to return home on Friday. Karamea Highway State Highway 67 between Karamea and Mokihinui is currently closed while road crews work to clear more than 30 slips on the 23km stretch of road. State Highway 67 between Karamea and Mokihinui is currently closed while road crews work to clear more than 30 slips on the 23km stretch of road. Photo / Supplied Helicopters are being used to support St John Ambulance and the District Health Board to transport residents requiring medical attention to hospital. Blue skies over the Emergency Operations Centre in Buller on Friday morning. Photo / Supplied Helicopters moving tourists out of the area are returning with essential supplies to ensure the town does not run out. Buller District Council Roading and Transport Coordinator Neil Hateley said the council expects to open to the road at 9am on Saturday. "However, the opening will depend on geotechnical assessment, and any potential rain and wind issues may delay this." A number of other highways were still closed at midday on Friday. SH 6 Inangahua to Westport SH6, 65 Murchison to Springs Junction SH67 Westport to Mokihinui SH67 Mokihinui to Karamea SH7 Springs Junction to Reefton Rubbish spilling from landfill The severe weather has caused issues at the historic Reefton Landfill site. The front has reportedly had major impacts on Buller water catchments, resulting in extreme river flows throughout the district. A spokesperson for West Coast Emergency Management said the Reefton Landfill site, located to the west of the town adjacent to the Inangahua River, was impacted by high river levels on Thursday night, causing a breach in the rock wall defence. The West Coast was battered again by heavy rain this week. Photo / Supplied Erosion has caused rubbish to be released, travelling downstream from the site. "Work is currently underway to re-train the river from around 100m upstream, to allow time for remediation works to be undertaken. "Once river levels have dropped, the site will be assessed for an engineered response. Clean-up is planned to be undertaken once the site is safe to access." Protection measures for this inactive legacy landfill site were put in place in 2014, to protect against events such as this, said Eric de Boer, Buller District Council's infrastructure delivery manager. "However, increasingly extreme weather is exposing how vulnerable some of these historic sites are. Heaphy Track closure Repairs to the Heaphy Great Walk are likely to affect the May mountain biking season. Photo / Supplied The Department of Conservation says the Heaphy Track may be out of action for months following flood damage. The Great Walk from Golden Bay was closed to walkers on February 2, during severe MetService warnings. DoC rangers inspecting the track on Wednesday made the decision to further extend the closure after the extent of damage to bridges and tracks was made clear. But the fine weather seen in the region this morning is expected to be short-lived. An orange heavy rain warning has been issued for Tasman west of Motueka and the Marlborough Sounds from 9pm on Friday. A heavy rain watch is in place for the ranges of Buller and Nelson Lakes from midnight on Saturday. Fri, 11 Feb 2022 01:44:24 Z /news/upper-south-island/west-coast-downpour-family-rescued-from-tractor-as-flooding-rises/ /news/upper-south-island/west-coast-downpour-family-rescued-from-tractor-as-flooding-rises/ A West Coast family of four huddled on top of a tractor from rising floodwaters have been rescued by helicopter as rain hammers the region. The mother and two young children in nappies were helped off the helicopter at the flooding response operations centre at the rugby grounds in Westport. The small children were crying but the mother was relieved and smiling. A search and rescue operation was launched this afternoon by emergency services, dealing with the rising threat of torrential rain and flooding around the town of Westport on the South Island's West Coast. At around 3pm they were alerted to a family of four – two adults and two children – who were last seen on top of a tractor. Rivers are flowing high and a dam has reportedly burst in the area while hundreds have been evacuated from Westport to higher ground. A family of four was rescued from rising floodwaters on the West Coast today. Photo / George Heard Fire, police, and search and rescue teams were deployed in the search. A helicopter was also scrambled to try and air rescue the stricken family. A police spokeswoman said the helicopter reached them at 3.41pm and they were airlifted to safety just minutes later. There are no reports of injury. SAR are on the scene in a jetboat and are now checking the area to make sure nobody else needs assistance. Photo / George Heard At a 4pm press conference, the latest modelling suggests there doesn't need to be any more evacuations, at this stage, Buller district mayor Jamie Cleine said. It will be reviewed at 6.30pm. The Buller River, and rivers further north, are being monitored hourly, Cleine said, adding that the weather is happening exactly as was forecast, he said. It wasn't expected, at the current rate, that the Buller River would get as high as it did last July. The peak time for the rivers and flooding fears remains around 2am-2.30am overnight. The mayor praised locals for self-evacuating and said that around half of those who were subject to mandatory evacuations, had already left. Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor said all the modelling so far has been accurate and praised the preparations and response. "Everything that can be done, is being done," he said. Some people have chosen to stay behind – but at this stage police have chosen not to strictly enforce the mandatory evacuation order. Heavy rain is expected to pass through overnight, Cleine said, and ease to just passing showers by tomorrow afternoon. Minister for Emergency Management Kiri Allan is due to make her way to the West Coast, O'Connor said. People required to evacuate should take a grab bag of clothes, essential medicines, and personal documents. People with pets should also take their animals. "We advise people to go to friends or relatives on high ground if at all possible," Cleine said. Earlier, "heartbroken" evacuee Linda Evans was distressed to be leaving her home this afternoon, which still hasn't been completely refurbished since it was damaged in last July's flooding. "It was a Christmas present to come home," she says. "And now it will go again." A "very basic" evacuation facility at the former Holcim cement plant at Cape Foulwind Rd, just out of Westport, will provide food and shelter for people with no other option. They should take sleeping bags or bedding and be prepared to sleep in their vehicles, he said. Photo / George Heard Cleine didn't know exactly how many properties would be affected at this stage. Compulsory evacuation orders initially covered Snodgrass Rd, Coates St, Derby St and the area between Cobden St and the beach, Roebuck St, Menzies St, Marrs Beach area, Martins Creek, Kawatiri Pl and Colvin St. At 2pm, it was extended to residents of Golf Links Rd, Marine Rd, Rotary Rd, Schadick Rd, Tiphead Rd, SH67A, Brunings Rd, and Keoghans Rd, as well as all roads south of Disraeli and Stephen to Kehua, and all streets south of Craddock to Cobden, Orowaiti, Brougham and Snodgrass. It also covers the area bordered by Wakefield-Derby-Mill-Domett-Eastons-Kew-Kawatiri. Fri, 04 Feb 2022 03:57:19 Z /news/upper-south-island/weather-west-coast-downpour-buller-mayor-announces-evacuations-with-worst-rain-to-come/ /news/upper-south-island/weather-west-coast-downpour-buller-mayor-announces-evacuations-with-worst-rain-to-come/ Buller district mayor Jamie Cleine has announced partial evacuations for areas of Westport that are at risk from flooding, with a severe rainstorm set to hit the West Coast today. The decision has been made to safeguard lives, he said, and based on the "best available information" about the risk of high rainfall and high tides, combined with the experience of previous floods. A complete town evacuation would not be ruled out either, the mayor said, with another announcement likely after 3pm. "People should leave as soon as possible." He said people should be prepared to be away from home for up to three days. Satellite image shows an atmospheric river of cloud flowing from the tropical region funneling down over the west coast of New Zealand bringing heavy rain to the region. Photo / Supplied They should take a grab bag of clothes, essential medicines, and personal documents. People with pets should also take their animals. "We advise people to go to friends or relatives on high ground if at all possible," Cleine said. A "very basic" evacuation facility at the former Holcim cement plant at Cape Foulwind Rd, just out of Westport will provide food and shelter for people with no other option. They should take sleeping bags or bedding and be prepared to sleep in their vehicles, he said. Buller district mayor Jamie Cleine. Photo / George Heard There is significant potential for a flooding event tonight or tomorrow morning. Cleine didn't know exactly how many properties would be affected at this stage. Compulsory evacuation orders cover Snodgrass Rd, Coates St, Derby St and the area between Cobden St and the beach, Roebuck St, Menzies St, Marrs Beach area, Martins Creek, Kawatiri Pl and Colvin St. The emergency text alert for the people of Westport. It's not predicted that the town would be cut-off at this stage. An emergency text alert sounded off during the press conference. Local Jim McKinlay packed up his car today after being told he needed to evacuate. He hoped that his property avoids getting flooded like last July when he "lost everything". "I'd like to have been able to stay here a bit longer but when they say they're going to do something, you'd better do it," he said. "We got prepared yesterday but we didn't think we'd have to leave until later this afternoon." He's booked a motel and taking his dog with him. Flood protection barriers were installed around Buller Health today. Photo / George Heard Heavy rain has slowly moved up the West Coast of the South Island over the last few days, causing surface flooding, slips, closing roads and schools, and knocking out power and phonelines. The Army has been scrambled to help while an NZDF NH90 Air Force helicopter was scheduled to fly into Westport this morning to help with getting supplies to cut-off communities. Locals with helicopters are also understood to be on standby. 'The old slaughterhouse accommodation' has been damaged after a slip has gone through its property north of Granity. Photo / George Heard Work to clear away a large slip blocking the Seddonville settlement wasn't possible during the night – and this morning Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says crews are working in continual rain trying to move heavy soil. But Buller district controller Chris Hawker this morning said Emergency Management hadn't received any more major reports, other than surface flooding. Red warnings remain in place for parts of Westland and Buller as the second phase of the rain hits. "For Buller until 1am Saturday, extended periods of heavy rain will continue. Expect 250 to 350mm of rain to accumulate about the ranges on top of what has already fallen, and 120 to 220mm near the coast. Peak rates of 20 to 30mm/h about the ranges are anticipated," Westland District Council said. 🌧🌧 Extreme rainfall continues to affect the West CoastWarning info at https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5 will be updated at around 10am📡 Rainfall over Buller and Tasman isn't as well represented towards the end of this radar video due to attenuation of the radar beam by heavy rain. pic.twitter.com/lTXwVzUpQO— MetService (@MetService) February 3, 2022 "For Westland to Midnight Friday expect another 150 to 250mm of rain to accumulate near the ranges about and north of Fox Glacier, and 80 to 120mm near the coast. Peak intensities of 20 to 30mm about the ranges are anticipated. Te Aroha Cook, West Coast group controller, said that there was still a significant amount of rain to fall in this event. The West Coast is preparing for a huge amount of rain in the coming days. Westport has declared a local state of emergency. Photo / George Heard Council workers and locals have been out sandbagging and preparing for the worst, with fears of another major flood like the one that devastated the town last winter. Yesterday, authorities asked residents to self-evacuate if they can easily do so to friends and family outside of Westport. State Highway 67 this morning. Photo / George Heard Police say they will be running 24/7 patrols of evacuated properties. "Self-evacuation is encouraged for those who experienced flooding in July last year as a precaution," said local controller Bob Dickson said yesterday. "The coast road and the Buller Gorge are open, so moving east and south out of town are still safe options. The forecast is showing significant rain for northern Buller, so residents should avoid travelling north." MetService extended the timing of the red warnings for heavy rain in Buller and Westland as an "atmospheric river" of warm and moist air continues to bring heavy rain to the West Coast. Buller district mayor Jamie Cleine. Photo / George Heard Meteorologist Andrew James said there has already been significant rainfall in the region. "This weather system brought 123mm to Westport airport in the 24 hours to 9am Thursday, the wettest February day there since records began in 1944," he said. "The severe weather is still ongoing for some areas and people in these areas need to remain alert and keep up to date with the forecasts." Severe weather warning on the West Coast. Photo / George Heard Westland District's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) remains operational today, with the MetService lowering the heavy rain warning to orange for Westland south of Otira. Peak intensities are expected about the ranges on Friday morning. "EOC staff in coordination with the WCRC have been checking the river levels and Waiho, Whataroa and Wanganui River are currently fine," local controller Simon Bastion said. The West Coast is preparing for a huge amount of rain in the coming days, with towns like Hokitika (pictured here) preparing for the deluge. Photo / George Heard "We are aware that the capacity in the headwaters of the Hokitika is rising and we will be keeping a watch on this throughout the day. "Based on the current conditions and discussions with the MetService, we do not predict any significant flooding in low lying areas. There may be intermittent surface flooding dependent on isolated rainfall intensity. Our advice to business owners and residents remains the same, if they feel unsafe, please make plans to evacuate to higher ground." The Country's Rowena Duncum told Gold AM six weeks without rain on the coast equates to about 18 weeks for the rest of the country. She says it's positive the dry spell has broken, but there are big concerns for Westport. Duncum says they're still considering mass evacuations in the coming days - and if there's a lot of flooding, this will be the second time in six months. Fri, 04 Feb 2022 01:28:56 Z /news/upper-south-island/body-recovered-from-waimakariri-river-likely-that-of-missing-18-yr-old/ /news/upper-south-island/body-recovered-from-waimakariri-river-likely-that-of-missing-18-yr-old/ A body believed to be that of a missing swimmer has been recovered from the Waimakariri River.  The 18-year-old has been missing since December 22 and was one of many to die in a spate of water-related incidents across the country the past week.  Six people have died since Christmas Eve while a 2-year-old Raglan boy is valiantly fighting for his life after an incident in a pool on Boxing Day.  The teen had been visiting the Canterbury river and didn't resurface after diving into the water on the south bank of the river, just east of the Main North Rd bridge with a friend about 7.10pm.  Police today said the body was found about 3.30pm yesterday by a member of the public.  "While formal identification is yet to take place, it is believed to be that of an 18-year-old missing in the river since 22 December.  "Police's thoughts and sympathies go out to his family, who have requested privacy at this difficult time.  "Police would like to thank everyone who assisted with the search since he went missing.  "The death has been referred to the coroner and the finding will be released in due course."  The police dive squad had joined the river searches this morning after Coastguard, helicopter, private jetboats, kayaks, surf lifesavers, and shore searches came up empty last night.  Mon, 27 Dec 2021 21:41:11 Z /news/upper-south-island/lucky-trampers-found-on-snowy-mount-robert-ridge/ /news/upper-south-island/lucky-trampers-found-on-snowy-mount-robert-ridge/ A couple were rescued after spending hours stuck in the cold on Mount Robert in Nelson on Saturday. Nelson Police Sergeant Steve Savage says the couple were tramping about 700 metres from Angelus Hut but could not continue because of insufficient gear for the alpine environment. They found themselves on a snowy ridge in the dark, but were able to find cellphone coverage. They called police, and the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter located them around midnight. "Both were feeling the cold, but otherwise in good health," said Savage. "This is a route in which conditions can change from being hot and sunny to strong winds, snow or rain with subzero temperatures in the matter of one hour." Savage says the couple were lucky to be located as they did not have enough gear to spend the night out in the snow. There have been two fatalities in this area in recent years, and numerous lives saved. Advice for trampers: Always be prepared and take sufficient clothing and equipment for an unplanned overnight stay. Torches, emergency shelter and Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) are a must. People should never rely on cellphones solely as their means of communication. "A quality PLB can be purchased for under $500 which will last up to 10 years, that's $50 a year to potentially save your life, alternatively you can hire them from various trusts for the price of a box of beer," said Savage. Distress beacons work almost anywhere in the world, showing rescuers the user's approximate location, taking the "search" out of search and rescue. "The sooner rescuers can help you, the more likely you are to survive." Police say trampers should not be afraid to turn back when it becomes clear that they will not make it to their destination. They should also have another location organised to tramp to in case the weather at the first location is not right. People heading into the mountains should seek information from Department of Conversation visitor centres or via the DoC website for weather forecasts, track issues and snow conditions. Mon, 25 Oct 2021 03:20:10 Z /news/upper-south-island/weather-heavy-rain-strong-winds-batter-south-as-flood-hit-areas-in-the-firing-line-again/ /news/upper-south-island/weather-heavy-rain-strong-winds-batter-south-as-flood-hit-areas-in-the-firing-line-again/ The South Island is being battered by heavy rain and strong winds as forecasters warn areas that are already waterlogged are in the firing line again. Rocks Rd (SH6) near Nelson is closed after flooding caused by heavy waves - it is the coastal road between Tahunanui and the port. An NZTA spokesperson said the road is closed between Bisley Ave and Russell St. Motorists should detour via Whakatu Rd and Waimea Rd. Rocks Rd (SH6) near Nelson is closed after flooding caused by heavy waves. Photo / Supplied "Please note the detour is not suitable for heavy vehicles." State Highway 6 between Kohatu to Glenhope was closed due to fallen trees caused by high winds but reopened at about 9.30am. Contractors have since cleared away debris and ensured the road is safe for motorists. A Waka Kotahi spokesman says the road will be managed with stop/go controls while it is down to one lane. While the rain in the south won't be as heavy as last weekend's deluge, forecasters are warning food-hit areas are in the firing line again. MetService has heavy rain warnings in place for parts of Nelson and Westland, where up to 150mm of rain could accumulate about the ranges. Streams and rivers could rise rapidly and surface flooding and slips are possible, the warnings say. A strong wind warning is also in place for parts of Nelson west of Motueka, Buller and Banks Peninsula. The warning - which could potentially see northeast gales become severe in exposed places - will remain in place until this evening. MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan said gusts reaching 90km/h have already been recorded in Nelson. He said the strong wind will continue - especially until about 10am. The NZTA is warning those northwest of Nelson and through Marlborough to take extra care this morning as they set off for work. "Drive to the conditions and be aware that there could be slips, surface flooding, or debris on the road which will be hard to see overnight. "Our crews will be out and about monitoring the roads but we need everyone to take extra care," a spokesperson said. 🌧 Heavy rain moving onto the country 🌧The front bringing severe weather has well and truly arrived. Track the heavy rain on the radar at https://t.co/prKU7O2R01, and the latest severe weather info at https://t.co/qHyE5zhh6X ^Dan pic.twitter.com/Y8svxCu0hL— MetService (@MetService) July 25, 2021 Heavy rain is due for inland Marlborough, the Tasman district and parts of Buller, where the ground's already saturated. The Marlborough Emergency Operations Centre say it is keeping an eye on the weather system "Our emergency response teams will continue to monitor already compromised areas and we will continue to liaise with MetService and Niwa for the latest weather information," incident controller Dean Heiford said. Torrential rain in the region last week saw the Buller River topping its banks and flooding Westport. The "one-in-100-year" flood event left many people homeless, and more than 100 homes unliveable. Niwa is forecasting "extremely high river flows" in response to the forecast heavy rain over the top of the South Island and is warning people to never drive through floodwaters. The incoming poor weather is due to an active front that would hit Fiordland and the West Coast before moving up over the top of the South Island overnight, Corrigan said. Strong wind watches are also in place for much of the North Island, Banks Peninsula and the Canterbury high country on Monday. MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan said most of the country would be affected to some extent. Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:59:08 Z /news/upper-south-island/dead-cows-lining-westport-beach-riverbeds-in-aftermath-of-horror-flooding/ /news/upper-south-island/dead-cows-lining-westport-beach-riverbeds-in-aftermath-of-horror-flooding/ WARNING: Graphic content Cows killed as raging floodwaters invaded the Buller District are washing up on the beach and riverbeds around Westport. Contractors are out in the area with diggers removing the carcasses from the sand and sodden banks but the clean up effort is slow going. It is still unclear how many animals were lost on farms in the area when the floodwaters rose to unprecedented levels at the weekend. Authorities say one farmer lost upward of 700 cows and other properties may have suffered similar losses. Mayor Jamie Cleine said he was aware of up to 1000 animals that had been lost. Cleine, a farmer himself, said the situation was "concerning". "It will be devastating for some - for some it's whole herds or close to it. "And at this time of year it will likely be all heavily pregnant dairy cows." Cleine was yet to investigate the damage to the rural sector. He was focused on the township where about 1000 people were waiting for news about when and if they can go home. He expected "the bulk" of those displaced would be able to go back to their properties this afternoon after rapid assessments had been completed. But that was under the caveat of them taking care in houses filled with contaminated water - while structurally sound, hygiene and health safety may be an issue. Cleine said the loss of stock was still being assessed. "It's really widespread." The cows are likely pregnant dairy cows and may be whole herds. Photo / George Heard "As the mayor, and as a farmer myself, I am concerned for the rural community - but my focus has been on the town centre and getting that up and running. "I'd like to get out and about and check farmers are doing okay as well." The Herald has reached out to the farm owner who lost the most stock. He said he couldn't talk about the situation yet. Many of his cows were seen on the northern section of Westport Beach. There are hundreds of animals lying dead on the sand. Mon, 19 Jul 2021 01:21:14 Z /news/upper-south-island/former-gloriavale-member-john-ready-launches-civil-court-action-against-leadership-trust/ /news/upper-south-island/former-gloriavale-member-john-ready-launches-civil-court-action-against-leadership-trust/ A former Gloriavale member who has launched a potentially landmark legal case to try and remove the leadership of the West Coast religious commune has got his first day in court today. Ex-member John Ready, who was banished from Gloriavale more than three years ago and who still has family members inside the community, has launched a civil claim at the High Court. Ready wants the courts to intervene and remove the board of trustees of the Christian Church Community Trust - the registered charity behind the remote community based at Haupiri, inland from Greymouth – and have them replaced with a public trust "until a fit board can be found". Senior Gloriavale "Shepherds" and figures, including leader Howard Temple, Fervent Stedfast, Faithful Pilgrim, can now be named as defendants. It's expected that Ready – and his mother Sharon Ready, who has also been named as a plaintiff – along with others, will allege inappropriate sexual conduct inside the community. "We want to show the court that [the board of trustees] is not fit for their job and have not acted in accordance with their own policies," Gloriavale-born dairy farmer Ready says. Former Gloriavale member John Ready, who still has family at the commune, wants a change in leadership. Photo / File "The Gloriavale leadership aren't the highest authority in the land, despite what they think. "There's no discussion with the Gloriavale leadership and this is the only way to bring them to account." Today, at the High Court in Christchurch, John Ready v The Christian Church Community Trust and others, got its first appearance before a judge. Teams of lawyers appeared at the largely administrative "case management conference" first calling of the proceeding before Associate Judge Dale Lester. Prominent Auckland barrister Brian Henry has teamed up with fellow experienced lawyer Dennis Gates, who worked together on the Winebox inquiry, appeared for Ready. Ready alleges that Gloriavale, which has nearly 600 members, is run by a controlling leadership group who "brainwash" its members. His lawyer Henry today said the trust's leadership group needs to be removed and "proper sexual conduct set of rules" brought in. He alleged that the current set-up at Gloriavale was "breeding predators" and that members were "literally in slave labour". He claimed that the leadership uses "food as a weapon to control people" and that people are put on "porridge for weeks at a time". "The trust has set up a village to look after people for life," Henry said, adding that they were obliged to provide a "proper and safe environment". Richard Raymond QC, who is acting for several defendants including Temple, vehemently denied many of Henry's accusations in court today. Raymond said the accusations were either untrue or historical. It's likely that the court action faces a number of hearings in the future. Henry said he hopes that the court action will result in outsiders coming in to take over the running of the trust. "Someone has to take responsibility for the culture in the community and that person must initially at least be boots on the ground. There is no other way to stop this," he said. "The power's in the money." Ready says that his decision to go to court is not personal. But he says he's not motivated by revenge or by a victim-mentality, rather he's wanting to speak up for others who have no voice. "It's mainly about those who can't stand up for themselves." Ready appreciates that the court action will be expensive and potentially drawn-out but is prepared for a long battle. "There's just no going back," he says. "We've crossed the line and we're going all the way." The Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust, which helps people who have left the reclusive community, has described Ready's legal action as a "David and Goliath battle". Liz Gregory of the Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust called Ready's move "historic". "Most of the people who leave Gloriavale have grave concerns about the unhealthy nature of the community and they have remained silent and voiceless for a very long time," she said. "We are supporting the leavers to speak and tell their stories and get change for their families and loved ones who are still in there."   Thu, 11 Feb 2021 00:16:02 Z /news/upper-south-island/mongrel-mob-gang-members-returning-from-south-island-warned-by-ferry-bosses-to-be-on-good-behaviour/ /news/upper-south-island/mongrel-mob-gang-members-returning-from-south-island-warned-by-ferry-bosses-to-be-on-good-behaviour/ Members of the Mongrel Mob who travelled down to the South Island for a weekend meet-up have been warned by Cook Strait ferry bosses to be on their best behaviour for the return trip. The Mighty Mongrel Mob Barbarian MC – a motorcycle chapter offshoot of New Zealand's biggest gang – held a national hui in Christchurch over the weekend. More than 100 riders and associates roared into the Garden City from around the country for the meet. On Friday, many members crossed the Cook Strait on the Interislander ferry, wearing gang patches and regalia, and posing for photographs. Mongrel Mob members were spotted around Christchurch over the weekend, including Riverside Market and inner city bars, with the hui being held at Halswell Quarry. Several then continued their southern tour to tourist hotspot Queenstown where they were seen going around the sights. They were believed to be staying for a few days before returning home. Some of the gang members continued their southern tour to the tourism hotspot of Queenstown. Photo / James Allan However, if they want to get themselves and their motorcycles back to the North Island they will have to be on their best behaviour. Interislander executive general manager Walter Rushbrook denied that Mongrel Mob members had been barred from travelling on the ferries. "However, KiwiRail has held discussions with the gang and made it clear that members travelling must adhere to the same standards of behaviour as other passengers in order to continue using the service," Rushbrook told the Herald today. Some of the gang members continued their southern tour to the tourism hotspot of Queenstown. Photo / James Allan Police also say that a Mongrel Mob member was allegedly involved in a nasty, unprovoked attack on Oxford Terrace – a busy nightspot alongside the Avon River – around 1am on Sunday. Detective Senior Sergeant Nicola Reeves said a man sucker-punched another man, causing the victim to fall to the ground and hit his head on the pavement. Nineteen-year-old promising rugby player Leni Taufateau remains in hospital with a fractured skull after his head hit the pavement in the attack. His friend, Eddy Sunia, said there have been lots of prayers coming from Tonga and it hasn't been easy for his parents. He said it's been hard with the Covid-19 situation, but everyone is sending messages of support with his recovery. "The victim became unconscious and was transported to hospital where he remains," Reeves said. "The offender was one of a group of Mongrel Mob who were socialising in town at the time and is described as Māori with tattoos on his arms, wearing black clothing, a black hat and a red bandanna wrapped around his wrist," he alleged. Many people were in the area at the time, Reeves said, and police believe some may have videos or photographs of the assault and/or the offender. "Anyone who has information about the assault is encouraged to contact police on 105 quoting file number 210131/5776 or anonymously on 0800 Crimestoppers." Police say inquiries are ongoing. There have been no arrests at this stage. There has been a flare-up in gang violence in the city since New Year, with a suspected gang-related homicide and double shooting in Kaiapoi which left Fairmont Joseph Wiringi, son of Joseph Wiringi, the local Mongrel Mob president with gunshot wounds. Wed, 03 Feb 2021 02:50:10 Z