December - January Issue

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER |December 2017 January 2018 | No.189

THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE Email coatesvillechronicle@gmail.com | ph 021 724 001 | online coatesville.org.nz

Santa visits Coatesville Market

Santa 'sleighed it' in his other car, a 1955 Vauxhall Velox, on his visit to Coatesville Market

S

ummer arrived at Coatesville Market on Sunday, 3 December and so did Santa in his Vauxhall car to spread seasonal good cheer among market goers.

There was a huge crowd present with carparks crammed and sunhants essential, under the bluest of skies and temperatures over 25°C. While shoppers meandered between stalls, sampling the treats and eyeing-up lunch options, Stephen Small on piano and bassist Jo Shum entertained the crowd with quality jazz music from outside the Settlers Hall. Meanwhile Ross Paterson (above) in the hi-viz vest helped with Santa crowd control and superivsed lolly deployment.

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CONTENTS December news MP moves in Ride for road safety Intrepid adventure Summer security Pondering a pond?

Scouts get awards CRRA restructures Classifieds Timing is everything Leanne gets a hug from Santa

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3 5 7 8 10 12 13 14 15 16

The last market for 2017 will be on 17 December from 2pm till 7pm.

Editorial

Vanessa Johnson

T

hey say you should do something every once in a while that scares you. The idea being that venturing outside your comfort zone; overcoming challenges, is supposed to lead to personal growth. So I put this into practice this month, producing a 16-page issue, including some colour pages. My decision to go large was dictated by the number of stories that arrived in time for the deadline. And, since there's no Chronicle in January, I had to include them all in a bumper December/January issue.

The feature story this month is by local resident Glenn Easley who shares the story of the offroad motorcycle adventure he undertook with his son, Joe. The journey took six weeks to complete, not to mention bags of

Got a good news story?

courage and physical endurance.

You'll need some sustenance just reading about it.

Speaking of heading for the cake tins, I asked foodie Liz Curtis for permission to reprint her Salted Caramel Crackers recipe. Liz agreed and you'll find the recipe on page 4. Be warned though, these crackers are dangerously good. I suggest you make a batch then put on the kettle and settle in to read your Chronicle.

As always, thanks to Ailsa McArthur and the Chronicle's advertisers who make the newsletter possible, and thanks to all the community groups who have written updates this year and others who have shared their personal experiences. It's my absolute pleasure to put this paper together and I couldn't do it without you all.

Take care on the roads over the holidays and don't scare yourself too much – maybe just try tea without milk to start your personal growth journey – it's all relative.

I look forward to sharing your adventures with readers next year.

Merry Christmas,

Your editor,

Vanessa Johnson Email: coatesvillechronicle@gmail.com, Phone: 021 724 001

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Contact Vanessa on 021 724 001 or email

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Fire Season has started so you will need a fire permit for outdoor fires. ∞ 17 DECEMBER, Sunday The Twilight Market - last Coatesville Market before Christmas. ∞ 20 DECEMBER, Wednesday School ends for the holidays. ∞ 24 DECEMBER, Sunday, Christmas Eve. ∞ 25 DECEMBER, Monday, Christmas Day. ∞ 26 DECEMBER, Tuesday, Boxing Day. ∞ 31 DECEMBER, Sunday, New Year's Eve ∞ 1 JANUARY, Monday, Gone fishing.

Your next Chronicle will be out on Friday, 9 February.

Feedback

We recently had reason to use Jonathan from Your Mobile Vet for our 22-year-old cat, Katie. He is new to the area and for three months he has been the most caring and amazing vet to Katie, getting her back to health. Sadly Katie had a stroke last Thursday, Jonathan and his wonderful partner Sarah came at night to Katie, they were so kind and caring.

Katie was found in the Coatesville Reserve 22 years ago and lived on our property in Oak Lane, she had not been to a vet for 10 years so it was marvellous for her to have Jonathan come to her.

Erica Lacy, CWI

The Coatesville Chronicle is distributed free to homes in the RD3 postal area. Deadline for content is 20th of the month prior to publication. The opinions published herein are not necessarily those of the publisher, Cradle Publications Limited. © 2017 All rights reserved.

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DECEMBER NEWS AT LAST - A BED SYSTEM FOR THE WORLD'S MOST UNIQUE BODY – YOURS By studying the science of the sleep environment Sleep Well developed the Harmony Intelligent Bedding System.

Harmony = Base + Mattress + Pillow We invite you to view Harmony and our range of premium bedding products in the privacy of our Sleep Studio.

After 37 years we are leaving the district and we would like to thank all our friends and wonderful neighbours for their love and support, specially this last year, after my husband Gerrit had a stroke.

The area has changed a lot since we bought our twenty acres in 1980 and most families were either still farming or growing fruit and veges or came to live “The Good Life”, a couple of chickens, some sheep or cattle or their children’s horses.

My husband had some experience of the rural life because he grew up on a small island in the part of the Netherlands called “Zeeland”. That is where the name New Zealand comes from, but I was a city girl and hardly knew the front end of a sheep from the back, although you find out pretty quickly. We relied on our neighbours to introduce us to the finer details of crutching and drenching and we became quite adept at that.

One day we even performed a caesarean on a sheep and she and her lamb survived.

I joined the WI shortly after we moved out here and got to know the most amazing and talented people and made friends for life.

I thoroughly enjoyed my years of teaching music and recorder at Coatesville school, at one stage I knew most of the children and their families in the district and had quite a number of them playing music.

At the end of November we will move to Orewa and that is not too far from here, so it won’t be too hard to keep in touch with the special “Coatesvillains” (sorry, I mean Coatesvillians of course) Thank you all and enjoy this very special place.

Marian Stolte

Another arrest!

Detective Warren Mills has confirmed that the fourth offender involved in the Coatesville Store robbery on Mother's Day has been charged with Aggravated Robbery and appeared in the Waitakere District Court. That leaves only one offender left to locate.

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THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018 | 3

Recipe Salted Caramel Crackers Ingredients: ∞ Craisins ¾ cup ∞ Salada crackers or Huntley & Palmers ∞ 250g butter ∞ 1 cup brown sugar ∞ 200g dark chocolate chopped ∞ 50g flakes almonds (toasted) Method: Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a 27cm sandwich tin with baking paper and then with crackers. Fill in any spaces with broken pieces.

Melt butter and sugar in saucepan and boil 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally and then pour over crackers.

Cook 8–10 minutes until bubbles all over and mixture darkens in colour.

Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate over crackers.

Return to oven until melted then spread evenly over the slice with a knife.

Sprinkle flaked almonds and craisins on top of the chocolate.

Lightly pat down with a spatula. Allow to set and cut into squares.

Keep in an airtight container.

ENJOY! Liz Curtis

Centennial booklet available

If you've been wanting a copy of the Coatesville School Centennial souvenir booklet – there's good news. Extra copies are available to purchase from the school office before 20 December at $15 each (cash only, please - no eftpos).

Coatesville School year ends on a high Swimming Pool upgrade Our community swimming pool will be opening around 11 December. Thank you for your patience as we undertake the significant task of repainting the pool and taking the opportunity to make the pool complex look wonderful for the summer swimming season. It is a tremendous asset for our community!

If you would like a key or need more information, please contact the school office (09 415 9218) before 20 December.

Ag Day We had a wonderful Ag Day this year. It was very successful, being very well supported by our community – thank you so much to those who came and were a part of it! And we raised $32,000! What an effort! Thank you to sponsors, vendors, visitors, community members, special Ag Day helpers and our brilliant Friends of the School group who did a staggering amount of preparation. A fabulous sum to

help fund essential projects around our school.

Library/Artec Redevelopment Plans have been drawn to substantially redevelop and extend our Library/Artec space to become a learning hub/multipurpose learning space. The staff and parents are very excited by the plans which are currently being examined by the BOT. It will give us a large space for a number of indoor school activities, team and class activities. An exciting addition to our school facilities.

We end the year with 292 students and we look forward to a starting with a significant group next year.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our school this year.

It has been a difficult year for me personally but the support of many people has helped the second half of the year be extremely productive. We will hit the ground running very fast in 2018 and we look forward to a fantastic year!

Merry Christmas! Happy holidays!

Richard Johnson, Principal

Humans to animals

When Jo Bentley, a South Africantrained chiropractor, moved to New Zealand with her husband Len she found that it would be both expensive and time-consuming to transfer her qualifications.

So when she had the opportunity to train in the United States as an animal chiropractor she jumped at the chance.

Jo has always been an animal lover. She and Len could not bear to leave their dog Gnu and cat Boo behind them when they left South Africa, so they negotiated the import hurdles and brought them to their new home in Auckland.

A keen horse rider since she was a child, Jo has now established a practice in the local area dealing with horses and dogs in particular.

As with humans, an animal chiropractor’s role is to use her hands to correct bio-mechanical problems and nerve interference so that the animal can move freely and be at its best.

Jo has found it useful having dealt

4 | THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018

Jo gives a patient an upper thoracic treatment

with humans initially. “I got the chance to practise on them,” she laughs.

Animals cannot describe their problems, so does that make it harder for the chiropractor?

“With animals I have to listen to their feedback,” she says. “It takes practice, because their instinct is to conceal their weaknesses.”

Graham Wear Find out more about Jo's practice at www.facebook.com/ welladjustedanimals/

Helensville MP Chris Penk has moved into the office on Main Road, Kumeu

MP moves in to Kumeu It’s a pleasure to address the readers of the Coatesville Chronicle – as constituents of the Helensville electorate – in my new capacity as local MP for the area. (Many thanks to the editor, Vanessa for the chance to do so.)

First, I’m grateful to everyone who voted in the recent election, whether or not that was for my Party and me. It’s strange how distant the election campaign feels already, even with the subsequent negotiations and a certain announcement that took some time!

In any case, my mandate as the local Member of Parliament is clearly to work hard to assist every individual and group within the area. Doing that requires a couple of key things from me, one of which is being an active participant within the community.

To do that I’ll be taking the chance to attend every local event that I’m able to, so please do let me know what you’ve got going on.

That leads into the second main aspect of my role, which is advocacy. I’m here to help you raise issues with government Ministers, select committees of Parliament and other key decision-makers. That said, I can do it meaningfully on your behalf only if I know what’s most important to you. Some issues will be in the realm of local government more so than central government, but even then I’ll be

happy to work alongside your elected local representatives as needed to put your case strongly.

During the election campaign I was made aware of a few key local issues but no doubt there will be others, so please do stay in touch. A key one I’m keen to advocate is the availability of better internet coverage and mobile connectivity for Coatesville. I’ve put together a letter to the Communications Minister seeking an in-depth discussion about the importance of these services to a rural community. It seems to me that we have a great opportunity to improve life and work opportunities if the availability of such technology is provided more quickly by government.

I’ll keep you posted!

To assist with all this, I’ve been setting up an office (in the same location as John Key occupied until recently) and getting a couple of excellent staff members onboard.

Finally, please do say ‘hi’ when you see me out and about. And if you’d like to get in touch at any other time, please do so in the way that best suits you. phone: 021 0230 6106, email: chris.penk@parliament govt.nz, or follow me on Facebook.

Cheers and Merry Christmas, Chris Penk (MP, Helensville)

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THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018 | 5

Gifts galore

Local couple Trish and Jason Delamore have turned their sevenacre lavender farm into a hive of industry since moving to the area in 2015. They offer farmstay accommodation and tours as well as a range of products made from crops grown on their property.

These include lavender, spray-free lemons and olives, which are used to make Lavender Hill's essential oil, olive oil, honey, lavender infused gin, limoncello, moisturiser and hydrosol, all available in the farm shop. They recently partnered with Enchanted Beauty and Pamper Parties to provide beauty treatments and pamper parties in the on-site beauty spa. To make a booking, find out about their business hours, or shop online, go to www. lavenderhill.co.nz.

The CCGC at Fernside, one of the gardens visited on their tour through the Wairarapa

CCGC visits the Wairarapa

The Coatesville Country Garden Club took to the skies and roads and headed for the environs of the Wairarapa. A short en route stop in Wellington for most proved the most cost and time efficient means of gathering the group before heading over the Rimutaka ranges.

Once over the ranges our exploration of all the best gardens and sites of the Wairarapa region began; stunning vineyards in Martinborough, historic

Hibiscus Rodders Festival

Hibiscus Rodders’ 2017 Beach Festival drew big crowds to Orewa’s main street

If youhad like rumbly Ever mess engines and pretty cars of the older variety, mark these dates in your diary: 26, 27 and 28 January.

That’s when hundreds of classy cars from the left behind?

pre-1975 era and any of American origin will roll into Orewa for the Hibiscus Rodders’ annual Beach Festival.

Go to hibiscusrodders.co.nz for full details of the 2018 event. And if you’re a car owner and you’d like to be part of the festival you can pre-register at the website and go in the draw for all sorts of extra goodies including the chance to win a six-night trip for two to No mess, no dodgy products & Los Angeles.

Now for its ninthWe year,guarantee the popular threenoheaded run around. it.

day Rodders Beach Festival attracts classic and hot rod vehicles from throughout the North Island each Auckland Anniversary Weekend, and has raised nearly $140,000 for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust since the first event in 2010.

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homesteads and gardens around Masterton, Pukaha Wild Life Sanctuary to the north followed by the renown Crosshills Rhododendron Gardens and Nursery.

The hospitality, fine food and wines of the region as well as the sense of space and open uncluttered roads made for an excellent trip to a stunning corner of New Zealand.

Tanya Ankersmit, President, CCGC

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6 | THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018

Coatesville posse, from left: Karen Stevens, Lynette Herbke, Christine Crawford and Polly Joseph saddled-up for the ride for road safety.

Safer roads for all road users

T

hey may be wearing hi-vis vests and helmets but the message these Coatesville riders helped deliver on 19 November was about improving road safety for all road users.

The Ride for Road Safety held in Dairy Flat, organised by Simone Frewin and Karen Rutherford, was part of a national campaign to highlight how horses and riders are treated on rural roads by Kiwi motorists. Recent statistics suggest there's room for improvement from those behind the wheel with more than 66 percent of riders claiming to have experienced a near-miss with a vehicle while riding their horses on the road.

Oddly, the Road Code is worded vaguely about what drivers should do around horses and riders. Rutherford and Frewin distilled their message down to two core components to make it simple and clear. The first is that the safe speed to pass a horse and rider on the road is 20 km/ph and the second is for drivers to maintain at least a 2 metre distance between their vehicle and a horse at all times.

"Generally drivers don't understand horses so it's best to expect the unexpected when approaching or passing a horse and rider," explains Frewin. "Horses are unpredictable and change direction very fast. Unlike a cyclist they can suddenly go sideways,"she says.

And it's not only the horse and rider who are at risk, adds Rutherford. "A 500 kilo horse will do massive damage to a vehicle if they connect. Not only does a driver put their vehicle at risk of significant damage, they will likely face a hefty court fine and sentence for breaking the law.”"

Most riders only take their horses on the road when they have to, says Coatesville rider Lynette Herbke. "Horses need to be exercised on a hard surface, so when the the ground is too wet, like it has been this winter, the road is the only place where we can take them."

Legally, they're entitled to share the road and Coatesville wouldn't be the same without them. Remember: 20km/ph and keep 2 metres away and all road users will be safer.

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THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018 | 7

Intrepid Trail Blazers A shared love of the outdoors and motorbikes took Coatesville father and son duo Glenn and Joe Easley on a gnarly off-road adventure across the USA. Together with three friends they took on the Trans American Trail, almost 9000km with no guide, no support vehicle and no tar-seal.

O

ur journey started in the rain.

In fact, it rained for the first week, but although conditions were slippery, the terrain across the eastern states was relatively easy going. Lots of woodlands and river crossings with only occasional big views as we popped out of woodland canopies. We wove in and out of Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Alabama. Averaging 350kms a day, it was a good way to get the fitness up a bit for what was ahead.

Joe, who had just completed his diploma in Outdoor Recreation, had by this stage defaulted to leading the group, navigating from the front most of the time. This

Trans American Trail map

Glenn and Joe stop for a break on one of the high passes in the Rocky Mountains. Joe was a Scout and Venturer with the Coatesville Scouts and received the prestigious Chief Scouts Award from Prime Minister John Key in 2013.

meant he was the first to see the wildlife... everything from bears to moose, which often ran off before the rest of us got to see them.

Out of the eastern states and we headed through Mississippi, where much of what we saw could only be described as absolute poverty.

People told us that ‘Trump is the answer’ as the ‘real’ politicians had forgotten them! The minimum wage being $3.40 p/h, and with little help from the state in any way, we got a glimpse of why the US has taken its present political direction.

As we hit Oklahoma, one of the guys took a spill on a river crossing and broke a rib! Although he

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8 | THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018

continued, broken ribs and offroading don’t mix well! Oklahoma was flat and monotonous.

In the eastern part, hot and uncomfortably humid, though by the west even hotter but a lot easier going. As we hit New Mexico the terrain changed... interesting, vast and the riding more challenging. This change was spectacular and the trail suddenly took on a new dimension. Rattle snakes, marmots, prong horned deer all seemed so much hardier than the cute ‘Bambie’ white tailed deer and tortoises which crossed our paths in the east. The terrain now was much less groomed, and sand was mixed with rocks making the riding less predictable. Joe’s riding had improved a thousandfold by now… riding flat out in deep sand had become the norm.

But the riding here presented new

challenges when going at speed.

We only cut off the north-east corner of New Mexico and then into Colorado, climbing gradually up to the Rocky Mountains. The mountain passes were high and the air thin. Not too bad when riding (though the engines didn’t like it), but if someone came off, you would be out of breath just picking up a bike. We hit 4000 metres on four occasions, and the last pass we crossed was the Opiha Pass.

Easy going up, but coming down the west side the trail comprised huge, loose scoria which was near impossible to negotiate. Not for the first time, we had a drop-off of well over 500 metres to the side, and could only do 100kms a day.

Now into week three we headed to Moab, Utah where we met up with my wife (Joe's mum), Mel and the other wives, and spent three days together touring Canyonlands, an unbelievably vast area with the most bizarre geology imaginable. This was the first and only time the boys saw tourists on the entire trip. From here the girls took their own road trip via the Grand and Zion Canyons, then on a big loop south and back up to San Francisco to meet up with us again three weeks later.

We continued heading northwest going through little-known canyons, seeing few other people day after day and crossing places where you’d feel very vulnerable riding by yourself. We had the odd puncture and although it was an easy fix with five of us to do a quick pit stop, temperatures of up to 43 degrees, made it a challenge. Here Joe missed seeing an improvised barbed wire gate across a track and hit it hard. A bit of damage to himself and his bike, and a reminder that riding alone, the situation would have been much worse.

By now it became apparent just

how un-united the USA actually is.

A gas station straddled the Utah/ Nevada border with gas on one side where the tax is cheap... and a casino on the other where they can sell decent (strong) beer! We couldn’t keep up with what was legal where. Each state was like a different country.

As we headed to the north of Utah we rode alongside the Salt Flats for nearly 1000kms.

Of course, we had to have the obligatory race at Bonneville… (we’re all still kids at heart!)

As we headed out of the dry, hot deserts of Utah, we got into Idaho where once again the climate and terrain changed dramatically. Now vast arable farms and warnings on our maps that the trail is impassable in wet conditions.

It wasn't long before we were stopped on a forest road which was actually impassable because of a vast washout that stretched as far as we could see. We camped for the night, but realised that the deep gashes in a tree close by were bear claw marks. They went nearly three metres up the tree, so one night there was enough, particularly as the temperature

had dropped below freezing. So the following morning when one bike’s ignition failed, we were more than a bit frustrated. Having the prospect of towing the broken bike out over a high sandy pass wasn’t a great thought, so getting it started after three hours was a huge relief, even though it only lasted another 200kms where we had to resort to a major repair with the help of a local garage.

Heading into Oregon, we met up with the guy who’d helped us buy the bikes. A great bloke who we only knew from telephone calls. It was great to have his local knowledge for alternative routes as Oregon was hit by huge wildfires which forced the closure of all forest roads. At one point ash was raining down on us with a massive burning tree blocking our way. It was a relief to hit the Pacific Coast, even though we’d had to divert 150kms north.

Overall we had a truly great experience, though has it achieved the goal of getting the ‘big trip’ out of our systems? No. Probably the opposite.  Glenn Easley

From left: Joe and Glenn Easley, Glenn Dunwell and Guy Bentley whose dad Tom Bentley took the photo.

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THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018 | 9

Security over summer If you're about to lock up and leave your lifestyle block property and head away for a summer holiday, securing your home should be a priorty.

A

ccording to Senior Sergeant Steven Pivac, Rural Manager for Rodney Police, the weather has a lot more to do with the number of burglaries than the fact that Christmas is around the corner.

"We can relate incidents of burglary to the weather,” says Sergeant Pivac, “It's a natural human response when it's mild and fine for people – including burglars – to be out and about, whereas when the weather's inclement, they won't be."

Although Christmas itself doesn't increase the likelihood of a burglary, there are robberies reported each year of homes having gifts stolen from beneath their Christmas trees. However, he says that this is because burglars provide for their families in illegal ways, whether we like it or not. So they need Christmas presents for their families too.

Although many burglaries occur at night, many also happen during the day while people are at work.

In some cases, a dog may be useful to alert homeowners that someone is on the property but experienced burglars will bring dog treats or be confident with dogs, so you can't always rely on a dog to deter a burglar. However, making sure all tools are secured inside locked sheds can help prevent them from being able to break into garages and outbuildings.

The top two things homeowners can do to protect their properties are simple. Firstly, keep front gates closed and locked. “If you drive along a rural road and take a moment to look, you'll see many houses with gates kept open and although this may look welcoming to visitors, it also increases the risk of burglary," he says.

And the second is to speak up and report things that look suspicious to the police.

Particularly people who don't look as though they belong, for example two young men you don't know on your neighbour's land.

"Although people can feel reluctant to call 111 when they see something that's out of place and they're not sure something is an emergency, nine times out of 10 when it's people who look out of place in some way, if we get the chance to investigate it will turn out they will have been there for no good reason. At the very least ask them for an explanation. The reality is, when you don't call, we can't act," he says.

Phoning the emergency 111 number will illicit an immediate police response. But if it's something less sinister, call the Crimestopper number which allows people to report things anonymously by phone and email.

Crimestoppers call 0800 555 111 go to www.crimestoppers-nz.org.

NZ Police Advice Home security checklists Before you go out check: • All doors locked • Garage locked • All windows shut securely • Tools and ladders put away securely • Spare keys with neighbour (not 'hidden') • Doors clear (no notes on them) Before you go away: • Tell your neighbour when and where you’re going • Cancel mail, paper etc • Give your neighbour a contact phone number • Put a lamp on a timer • Curtains open, blinds up • Turn telephone ringer sound down • Lock all doors, close all windows.

Ask your neighbour to: • Clear your letterbox • Close your curtains at night • Use your clothesline occasionally • Watch your home • Use your driveway occasionally • Report any suspicious behaviour.

• For more information, see Keep yourself safe at home.

Vehicle secuirty: Vehicles can be protected by anti-theft devices which slow down or foil thieves. The more time a criminal spends attempting to steal a vehicle increases the likelihood of discovery and apprehension.

Coatesville's Christmas closing dates Coatesville Motors Closes

Thursday, 21 December

Opens

Monday, 8 January

Customers needing help over the Christmas break can call Andrew on 027 414 7795

Coatesville Store Closes

Sunday, 24 December

The Black Cottage Closes

Sunday, 24 December

Fernielea Cafe Opens

Monday, 8 January

10 | THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018

Closes

Sunday, 24 December

Opens

Friday, 5 January

Opens

Friday, 5 January

THE TORO TITAN RANGE OF RIDE ON MOWERS:

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30/10/17 5:37 PM

Is a pond right for your garden?

Few pastimes feel more tranquil than watching fish in a pond. Arne Diependaele of Red Fish Blue Fish offers some advice for those thinking of building a pond at home.

E

ver since I was a young boy I've been passionate about ponds. It started with digging out the sandpit and putting water in it, only to find it would drain away immediately in the sandyloam bottoms of the area where I grew up. Persistent as I was, I lined it with a basic liner, then I put my aquarium goldfish in it only to find out the next day that the cat had brought it back inside.

That’s how my learning curve with ponds and water features started.

A learning curve that took me through fish farming, obtaining a master’s degree in agriculture and eventually owning a successful business specialising in ponds and aquariums.

Ponds come in many shapes and sizes and can serve many different purposes. From purely ornamental man-made geometric ponds completing an architectural design to the big natural pond that gives a lifestyle block that picturesque park-like look. From serving a purely aesthetic purpose to functioning as a natural water catchment area, or even an extension of a natural swimming pool, there is really no limit when it comes to water features and ponds. However, one thing they all

This pond extends a swimming pool, enhancing its visual appeal

have in common is that they are ecosystems. And, the amount of maintenance a pond will require comes down to how well you can establish that ecosystem. In general, the smaller the feature, the more maintenance intensive the pond becomes. Having said that, with the right filtration and circulation, achieving a balanced ecosystem is attainable and maintainable.

Size, depth and location all need to be taken into account. It’s obvious that a fish pond located under a tree will behave differently from one that has no leaves falling into it, but is exposed to sunlight and predators.

Some sites allow for a natural pond to form because they are at the lowest natural point on the site where ground water naturally drains and the bottom is such that it can hold the water. However, most ponds will need to be lined or made of concrete to retain water.

In those cases, drainage around the pond is an often-overlooked aspect of the location. Quite

naturally a pond can belong in the lower lying areas of a section, but don’t forget that that’s where naturally the ground water table can be higher in the wetter times of the year, putting pressure on the pond.

Lastly, there are factors like flora and fauna (fish, frogs and turtles etc) put into the pond. They often serve an ornamental purpose, but we shouldn’t forget they also need to be incorporated properly into the pond ecosystem. They are often the focal point of a pond feature and need a proper life support system with the right pump and appropriate filtration to thrive.

Pond projects often start off with an idea and once implementation begins, the project develops a life of its own. Often the end result maybe satisfying but quite different from the original concept.

To achieve a great result, seek professional advice right from the start. This will help to ensure you get what you want, avoid running into problems and prevent overspending. 

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12 | THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018

All aspects of tree work, stump grinding, land clearance.

Qualified arborists.

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Free Quotes.

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Call Stu 09 446 1258 or 021 175 8660.

Scouts earn top awards in 2017 T he highlight of term three was a visit by the Zone Scout Leader Nigel Boyce who presented two of our scouts with their Chief Scout’s Award.

Parents, friends and families of the scout group assembled at the end of the scout night to witness Jared Main and Oliver Burton receive their awards and to learn about what is involved for other scouts who may wish to attempt this award.

Jared and Oliver had both spent the best part of two years completing the requirements for the award, which had involved them initially completing their Bronze, Silver and Gold Scout Awards and then working through the elements of the Chief Scout’s Award.

Part of their efforts saw them spend over 20 weeks helping out with our Cubs on Tuesday evenings as well as attending Scouts on Mondays. They had to take a lead role in planning and helping organise a weekend camp for the troop and also had to undertake a new hobby and participate in an organised sporting activity, each for a minimum of three months.

The Explorer Challenge involved them organising a trip of over 150km using three different modes of transport and including three nights camping. This section proved the biggest obstacle as it needed to be held over a long weekend or during the holidays and involved scouts over 13 years.

Being a small scout group, it took several months and a couple of postponed attempts before they were finally able to get this signed off. Jared and Oliver were eventually joined on their challenge by Andy Stone and were supervised by Joseph Easley (our last Chief Scout’s Award winner in 2013).

The Chief Scout’s Award is the highest award a Scout can achieve before becoming a Venturer.

As a Venturer they can attempt their Queen’s Scout Award which is the highest award in scouting, so hopefully in a couple of years we may have another name or two to

Jared (cenre left) and Oliver receive their certificates and badges from Nigel Boyce (far left) with Scout Leader Phil Smith (far right)

put on the Queen Scout plaque.

Wet weather meant that term three was rather quiet for activities and unfortunately saw the cancellation of our annual working bee and camp on the reserve.

However, term four has begun flat out. The second night of the term saw nine scouts and six parents shovel barrow and spread over five cubic metres of mulch from the reserve into the Wildwood.

The mulch had been dumped, blocking vehicle access onto paddocks that are used for car parking for the Coatesville Market.

Just less than two hours of hard work accounted for the entire pile and car parking the next weekend went ahead unimpeded.

Early November saw our annual Bonfire Night and family BBQ

which is a highlight for all Cubs, Scouts and their families. The Cubs make guys for the bonfire and Scouts build and light small fires which are later used for toasting marshmallows. A great night was had by all those who attended.

Highlights still to come this term will be Cubs and Scouts going eel fishing in Mahoenui Stream, the Scouts cooking meals over open fires and our end of year Group BBQ for families at Long Bay. A big thanks to Jacky, Dean and Ryan for their great work with our Cubs and to Garth for his help and support with the Scouts. We look forward to another action-packed year in 2018 and we still have spaces for both Cubs and Scouts.

If you would like to join us, email phil.lesley.smith@xtra.co.nz 

Scouts and their parents shovel mulch to clear the way for carparking on the reserve THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018 | 13

New approach for CRRA Your Healthy Food Store SHOP INSTORE OR ONLINE EVERY DAY For all your Organic Produce & Groceries

www.naturallyorganic.co.nz Visit our Café Bar Now serving Organic Smoothies, Juices, Vegan, Paleo, Raw & Gluten-free food to go all day, every day.

Shop 23, Northridge Plaza, 100 Don McKinnon Drive, Albany, Auckland (09) 447 3508

Foot Clinic

Lynley K McDonald Podiatrist 155 Tawa Road, Kumeu 0274 828 683, 412 9058

F

irstly, the Coatesville Residents and Ratepayers Association would love to wish all our neighbours and fellow residents a truly jolly and fabulous festive season. The gardens and backyards come alive at this time of the year and it’s when we love being countryside residents.

And a little more on “What your CRRA have planned for 2018" We plan to move forward into 2018 continuing our monthly, public “whole committee” meetings but we also plan ro create four sub committees to which members align themselves so we can better achieve results for the community. These sub committees will have specific areas of focus and will report back monthly.

So, we have restructured and are seeking support from from the community interested in co-opting or supporting to help drive progress in the following area: 1. Communication ∞ Chronicle ∞ Facebook ∞ Website ∞ Technology ∞ Community groups ∞ ANZAC Day 2. Greenways ∞ To create safe recreational paths for all to enjoy in and around the area in conjunction with the Local Board and Council. The first plan is to upgrade the “round-the-blockwalk” then ultimately link into walkways connecting us from the east coast to Riverhead using stream margins and the Holdaway Farm Park.

3. Area Enhancements ∞ Clean and green improvements ∞ Roadside verge management ∞ Community pride * Leave Reserve enhancements to CHARAC 4. AT and Road Safety ∞ Development of improved road safety measures in conjunction with Local Board and AT liaison ∞ Civil Defence

14 | THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018

Other Business Fitness Station: It has been a long and arduous road with a degree of Council prevarication. However Louise Johnston has helped us clarify what Council are prepared to contribute which means we need to fund 80% of the costs including a “softfall” area required

by Council, which has added to the cost.

If you would like to help us get this project “over-the-line”, we would love your support.

Traffic reforms: If we are to push hard for traffic reforms in the area we need a coordinated voice and evidence of incidents. So please support our Facebook page. At present we keep an eye on other local pages and have to “share”. hard to gain the complete picture this way and build a case.

A “shout-out” to Louise Johnston our Local Board rep who is doing an outstanding job on our behalf.

But we need the ammunition. www.facebook.com/CoatesvilleResidents-Ratepayers Contact us anytime via our email: information.crra@gmail.com We are working on the website upgrade.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Jacqui Cantell,Secretary CRRA

Louise Johnston

As Christmas is fast approaching, I wanted to take the opportunity to say a special thank you to all the Coatesville Community volunteers.

Behind the scenes of the Coatesville Hall, village reserve and Chronicle are groups of individuals that work really hard to make Coatesville such a special place.

Thank you also to everybody who has supported the projects that I haveve been championing from the Greenways, to Green Road and road safety. Progress has been slow but we are making head way. Have a very happy and safe Christmas.

Louise Johnston Rodney Local Board

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Qualified arborists. Full Insurance.

Free quotes. 446 1258 or 021 175 8660 Affordable garden maintenance Local gardener with years of experience and the physical capabilities to tackle any of those summer tasks. Give me a call and I will come have a chat about your needs. Phone Dan 022 187 6470 Agricultural contractor mulching/ gorse clearing, mowing (& lawns), rotary hoeing/seeding, stump grinding, Graeme 027 533 3114 Albany Fences and Retaining Ph Mike 021 635 021 Lifestyle specialist and advice Ph Mike 021 635 021 Bridal & Ball NZ in Albany village have affordable wedding, bridesmaid, pageant, ball and evening dresses for sale or hire.

Call Karen on 0800BRIDAL or go to: www.bridalandball.co.nz Carol’s Beauty Therapy & Spray Tanning At 86 The Avenue, Albany.

Phone 415 4445. Professional services at affordable prices.

Clean Queen I'll have your house looking like a castle. References supplied. Ph Angela 021 0832 9352 Clothes from Shellz Design, made to order, and my range of designer clothing. Michelle 027 472 9080.

Coatesville Handyman All building work and odd jobs around the home, fast and efficient.

Call Mark 022 195 5746 Coatesville Mulch Mowing 1 to 50 acres, local contractor, affordable rates. Phone Warren and Brenda Mills on 415 6503 or 021 191 4195 Connect Electrics For all your electrical solutions, Phone Kris 022 332 6663 or 412 6066 Drapes, Blinds, Shutters: For the perfect fitting window treatments call Linda 09 416 0408, 021 914 121 Alterations & Repair service available. www.interiortailor.co.nz Gardener Does your garden need a tidy up or do you need a hand to maintain it? Give us a call at Fresh Look Gardens, Debbie 021 101 4913 GET IN SHAPE. Local private gym for one on one training or small group sessions.

Call Debbie 027 441 8769.

Grazing wanted for 2 horses by Coatesville resident now living in town. Ph 021 043 8039 or 378 1302.

GrrRUMA Canine Styling Parlour - Dog grooming with a difference.

For the best possible experience I use modern dog training techniques, including positive reinforcement and distraction learnt in Certificate of Canine Behaviour and Training. I also use and sell all natural NZ-made WASHBAR shampoo and natural dog treats. Call or text me on 021

100 2509 Jarrod Vivier Jenny Armstrong Dog Grooming, 021 053 1609 / 09 426 9904 Local Shearer, Kevin Abel, 021 223 5033 Maths & Physics Tuition. NCEA, IB, Cambridge & Tertiary. Contact Martyn Smit 021 170 9059 msmi042@aucklanduni.ac.nz Music Academy - Inspiring all ages. Piano, singing and preschool music classes available. Always wanted to play - now’s the time to start!

Ph Eliette 021 067 6333 Pilates in Coatesville Hall, Thursday @ 6pm. Special – 2 free lessons for new clients. $12 school term, $15 concession card and $20 casual class. Contact Abraham on 021 122 1530 or abrahampardo@ gmail.com Scout Marquee for hire, 6m x 8m, $250 per day. Call Garth 447 1863 Subdivision in Coatesville Thinking of subdividing in the Countryside Living Zone? You may require Transferable Titles. For advice and information on available titles, contact Havard Daniels by phone on 027 493 1134 or email him at havard@havarddaniels.com.

Upholstery Bespoke loose covers sewn to revive that old chair.

Phone Barbara 021-117-2069 Who’s your caterer? Beautifully presented, great tasting food, at competitive prices. Phone Helen Cato 415 7771 or 021 211 8223.

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THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018 | 15

Timing is

everything

Are you looking for that window of opportunity? Well, as the saying goes timing is everything. And at this time of year the grass is still green and the sun is starting to shine, so it's the perfect time to take photos of your property if you're looking to sell in the New Year.

Prioritising photography now, while your paddocks are still lush and green, will pay off later when you're ready to start marketing because by then the grass may have turned brown.

It feels like business as usual leading into Christmas.

With the real estate season starting late this year due to the election and the wet weather, I am staying focused on selling property into the New Year. Viewings over the Christmas and holiday period are traditionally by appointment with open homes starting up from the third week in January onwards.

In terms of buyers who are looking in the New Year, there are often expats in town visiting family over Christmas. These people can want a short settlement so their families have moved into their new home in time to start the new school year so it's worthwhile making that viewing appointment.

Another factor affecting the market at the start of the year are New Year's resolutions. It's a time when people decide to take a leap in a different direction and commit to a move they may have been thinking about for ages.

Take the pressure off by completing the photography and setting the strategy now so you can enjoy the festive season knowing what is ahead of you. Call me today and we'll get the timing right for your next move.

And on that note, I would like to wish everybody in the community from young to old a very happy, adventurous and safe Christmas and holiday season with plenty of time to relax with family and friends!

0272 984 000

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16 | THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | December 2017 January 2018