March 2023

Welcome Back Welcome Back

fter four months of waiting, the bunting fluttered once again on 5 March signalling the return of Coateville Market. People came from all over Auckland to shop for handmade treasures and must haves, and of course lunch was a highlight. Food and beverage vendors were kept busy churning out their specialities and the sunhats and sunglasses were essential wear in the late summer sunshine. Live performers entertained the crowd which included plenty

of pooches who were on their best behaviour. From Obie the labrador to Frankie the bulldog, as well as oodles of poodles on a club outing from Devonport, there was barely a bark heard between them.

Coatesville Scouts did an awesome job overseeing the car parking and the Pony Club made the front paddock available for overflow parking, so the community support helped make it a successful day. With any luck, the April market will take place on 2 April.

Editorial

It was great to go to the Coatesville Market on Sunday and see Aucklanders turn out to support this landmark Coatesville event. It's always fun to wander round and visit your favourite stalls as well as check out what's new.

To take the photos on the cover, I need to chat to people I don't know, and let them know what I'm doing to see if they mind having their photo taken. Most of the time they're full of bonhomie and very accommodating. Sometimes though, it's more tricky. On Sunday I found myself saying a sentence to a stranger that I never thought I'd say. I was taking photos of people enjoying lunch and the guy next to me was holding a hot dog that looked so camera ready, I had to snap it. So I asked him, "Can I please take a photo of you and your sausage?"

We were both a little shocked by how that sounded. Quite understandably, he declined. But instead of cutting my losses and leaving the poor man alone, I said "Well, what about just your sausage then?" I was in too deep to back off, so I snapped the snag and skedaddled. It's on the cover. Note to self: no more sausage photos. However that will only hold true until the CRRA finally gets to hold the

community BBQ and sausage sizzle. I'll definitely be there with my camera.

The recent spell of late summer sunshine has been a welcome change. It seems to restore optimism and make people smile. Let's hope it continues, because Aucklanders need to stay positive.

This month on page 8, Louise Johnston has the facts on everything relating to the floods and where to go for help. She also asks the community to please provide feedback.

Owen Aspden shares his perspective on the future of the Rangitopuni Stream on page 6 and our Pony Club is holding a special fundraising event called A Taste of HOY this Sunday to support the Hawke's Bay relief fund. The community is invited to come along and show their support fingers crossed for good weather.

There's pest plant advice about getting rid of wild ginger on page 10 and some top performances from the Coatesville Half Marathon on pages 4 and 5.

Happy reading!

Your editor, Vanessa Johnson

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

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. © 2023 All rights reserved.

SUBDIVIDING?

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Diary Dates

Remember to check that the events listed below are still taking place on the organisers' websites and social media pages.

∞ 12 March, Sunday, Coatesville Pony Club's A Taste of HOY fundraiser for Hawkes Bay relief fund, all welcome.

∞ 17 March, St Patrick's Day.

∞ 22 March, Wednesday CRRA March meeting from 6pm.

∞ 28 March, Tuesday, Deadline for feedback to the Auckland Council 2023-24 Budgets. Read Louise Johnston's item on page 8 for more information and go to AKhaveyoursay. aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

∞ 1 April, Saturday, Watch out for April Fool's Day pranks.

∞ 2 April, Sunday, Coatesville Market 10am-2pm

∞ 6 April, Thursday, Term one ends at Coatesville School.

∞ 7 April, Good Friday

∞ 9 April, Easter Sunday

∞ 10 April, Easter Monday

∞ 25 April , Monday, Term two starts today at Coatesville School.

∞ 26 April, Wednesday, ANZAC Day.

Proud Family Ties

Last week while at the Coatesville School pool we saw this sign naming the founders of the pool.

My husband Andy and his three siblings moved to Coatesville 40 odd years ago, helped build the pool (Andy enjoys telling Ardie the story of how he dug the pool with a spade) and all went to the school 25+ years ago.

Here's a picture of our son, Ardie, who's now in year two at Coatesville School. Pretty fitting with the singlet he happened to be wearing on the day. An amazing circle with the next generation of Staples coming through.

Kylie McCaw

NSAC Celebrates Aviation History

North Shore Aero Club recently celebrated its 60-year anniversary, a lofty milestone for any club. It began in 1963 with only 8 members and has grown over six decades to become the largest aero club in New Zealand with 600 members, and one of only a few that continue to own its own aerodrome.

A book celebrating its first 50 years (1963 to 2013) was launched in February and is bound to interest local history buffs. From The Paddocks To The Skies is written by Ivan Prince, North Shore resident and long-time Club member with the assistance of other Club members, including Sue Campbell from Albany. Sue was a part-time flying instructor for three years, and is also a booklover, so she got to indulge both of her passions in assisting Ivan to complete the 450page volume.

From The Paddocks To The Skies chronicles the first fifty years of the North Shore Aero Club and its affiliated airfield, originally known as Dairy Flat Airfield, but today named North Shore Airport. The history is supported by newsletters and records from the times and is illustrated with photographs.

The second part of the book

includes the names of Club Officers, Club Flying Instructors, Club trophies and holders, Club highlights and achievements over the years, aircraft operated by the Club and a detailed history and photograph of some of the most popular aircraft that the Club has operated. Also in print for the first time is the story of the only Club member to have had his aircraft hijacked, written by the pilot himself.

Copies are available from the Club for $79.95. Please contact Anton Ramenskiy– Phone 0800 494 647 or 09 426-4273 or email anton.ramenskiy@nsac.co.nz if you'd like to purchase a copy.

Ardie Staples

Author Ivan Prince (centre) with David Saunders, NSAC President and Sue Campbell.

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Flowers direct to you

Brighten up your home or spoil someone special with a delivery from Honeysuckle Flowers. Every Friday your local florist Annie Cody makes deliveries of bouquets, vase arrangements and Ashley & Co products direct to you. Check out the website www.honeysuckleflowers. co.nz under SHOP.

8K Classic start Rob briefs the kids before the 2K starts

Marathon Effort Pays Off

Almost 800 runners and walkers completed this year's Coatesville Half Marathon, one of the summer race series organised by Running Events. Originally scheduled to be held on 5 February, the Coatesvlle Half had to be delayed two weeks because of Cyclone Gabrielle. And only days before the rescheduled event was to take place, trees were toppling on Glenmore Road because of the wet conditions which threatened to see the run called off again.

However, the Running Events team remained optimistic even though the date collided with associated summer races, leaving them short-staffed, race director Rob Docherty pressed ahead with only a fraction of his usual support crew. That meant he had to start every race, giving a comprehensive safety briefing before sounding the starting hooter. Competitors were urged to be mindful of the conditions and to stay on the right-hand side of the road, watch out for cars and that crossing the centre line was grounds for automatic disqualification.

But that was only part of Rob's duties. After getting everyone started, he then had to leg it over to the commentating tent and announce the runners by name as they crossed the finish line. By the end of the morning he'd almost run a half marathon himself.

So how did the results look this year? There were fewer participants but the diehard fitness freaks still attended. Several runners told the Chronicle it is the hardest but the best of the Running Event summer series.

The times this year were a little slower, not much, but the fastest Coatesville half marathon race time I've seen is just under 1:14 mins and this year the first runner home, Sam Walker (1) arrived at 1:19:08 followed by Ben Parker (2) 1:19:39 then Oliver Norman (2) 1:20:42. First woman home was Sophie Markwick (3) from Riverhead in 1:30:41, Rachel O'Brien (4) 1:32.29 then Kate Pineda, 1:36:10. The 8K Classic was won by Pat Kalin in 00:29:19 followed by Laurence Walsh 00:30:47 and Isaac Happy 00:30:49. First woman home was Mel Chan Chui (5) in 00:36:57 followed closely by Caroline Guedes (5) in 00:37:21 and Rachel Gower in 00:38:44.

Amazing achievements all round.

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Coatesville Motors

Full

The Death of the Rangitopuni Stream

By Owen Aspden

Local resident Owen Aspden is a retired MAF biosecurity specialist and a respected member of Coatesville's community. Owen's efforts to help others on the night of the flood on 27 January prevented loss of life on at least one occasion. And as Sunnyside Road residents, he and his wife Carol have worked hard to clear and improve the section of the Rangitopuni Stream that borders their property. Owen's career background and keen interest in the environment give him first-hand understanding of what's taking place in Coatesville's main waterway. Here he shares his concerns about what's to come if we don't learn from the lessons of the past.

We knew little of the Rangitopuni Stream until we owned part of it. Choked with privet we worked hard to clear it from the stream banks to allow native plants to return which they did rather rapidly.

Our river track became a great asset and gave us access for pest and privet control and a place to walk the dog.

All of that is now gone. With three floods in a short space of time the stream is now wrecked with the last of the original forest gone or about to slip away forever.

We should look back 200 years and imagine what this place looked like with a large covering of magnificent trees, puriri, totara, kahikatea, kowhai, kanuka and many others and ask ourselves how did we destroy so

much in such a short time.

I know that my grandfather was a member of the Waitemata Acclimatization Society and in the 1920s the group attempted to introduce trout into these streams, the Rangitopuni and Sunnyside were names mentioned, the streams must have still been clear at that time.

Early settlers used puriri and totara for fence posts and kaihikatea was used to make butter boxes for export, kanuka had no value and was mostly used for firewood.

During the 1900s a number of dairy farms existed here and cowsheds were regularly hosed down morning and night with effluent travelling directly or indirectly to the Rangitopuni Stream.

In recent years landowners and council have generally been

Thinking of selling

ambivalent towards the health of the stream and its tributaries and today we are paying the price for our indifference to this important part of our ecology.

The future development of Dairy Flat as a high density suburb will be the final nail in the coffin for this valuable asset unless the issue is addressed head on.

The boss once said to me don’t come to me with problems unless you have answers so the following are some ideas that should be discussed.

The Green Road Farm which we all own should be developed rapidly and contoured to mitigate heavy run off. A large amount of reforestation should be undertaken including wet land planting in the flood zone. Be aware that the catchment for the Rangitopuni is massive, extending beyond the Dairy Flat School and well up Bawden Road towards the Northern Motorway.

The Rangitopuni has for reasons unknown formed a near circle at the Robinson Road bridges with the Mahoenui adding pressure at this point and this should be straightened to allow proper flow. Imagine one two-lane bridge instead of two one lane bridges.

If we do nothing now we can say goodbye to this important part of our landscape and learn to live with further devastation that will follow.

By Owen Aspden, 27 February 2023

Rangitopuni Stream in flood on 28 January.

Pony Club Fun in the Sun

They say timing is everything, well for the pony club, the timing has been perfect for the club to host two of its biggest events of the year; the mini ODE in January and the Open Show jumping day in February

Anna Jones, the president of the pony club says “these events are a fabulous way for us to bring the equestrian community together and give our riders the opportunity to test their skills. They are also critical to our fundraising activities so that we can invest back in our riders and facilities. We have been very fortunate for everything to come together so we can run these events.”

One of the highlights of the events this season has been the support and help we have had from the team at Bayleys who are the platinum sponsors of the club. They have been at our grounds at the crack of dawn helping with parking as well as providing much needed gazebos to keep our volunteers in the shade, spot prizes and raffles. The Club is very lucky to have such a supportive community, and our visitors were very impressed to see the Bayleys team welcoming them at the gate!

This year the Pony club has started its Riders Without Horses programme. This is a 10-week programme to introduce those horse crazy enthusiasts to the world of horse ownership, where they learn all about horse management, and the principles of horse ownership and how to look after a pony. It’s been great to see so much interest in this course within the local community, especially as we haven’t been able to run it the past few years because of Covid restrictions.

The Pony Club season is over half-way through with only a handful of rallies left (until the end of daylight savings) and in that time there’s so much to do! So the club is crossing all its fingers and toes that the weather plays ball and the members can enjoy the last few weeks. As usual the season will finish with our Easterthemed rally, with lots of fun and games and of course plenty of chocolate treats!

The local equestrian community has been deeply shocked by the devastation following cyclone Gabrielle and the tragic death of Dave from Vets North. Dave was a fabulous equine vet, very knowledgeable, reassuring and calm in a crisis, and he had a great sense of humour. He will be missed.

It’s been heart-breaking to hear of so many people in the Hawkes Bay losing their horses and livelihood. The next event that we will run will be called the Taste of HOY to pay our respects and will be fundraising this time for Hawkes Bay relief fund. We hope the local community comes out to support us.

By Zoe Chamel

A selection of images from the Open Show jumping day in February.

Rodney Local Board Update

By Louise Johnston

This month I will keep this factual as there is a lot to cover and I will need your help please.

Flooding

The intensive rain that fell on the afternoon of Friday 24 February was unprecedented. Personally, I have never seen rain like this. It was frightening as roads became rivers in a matter of minutes. It was very localised and the recorded 60-minute rainfall at Rangitopuni and Paremoremo was 25% and 20% more intensive than what was experienced in the area on the Friday of Anniversary weekend.

Residents that are near flood-prone areas are understandably feeling anxious as this is the third time they have had to deal with flood waters in a matter of weeks

If you are having any issues with insurance, please contact the New Zealand Claims Resolution Service (NZCRS) . This has been launched to provide expert support to homeowners with insurance claims after natural disasters to avoid disputes, resolve issues, and ensure claims are settled in a timely manner.

Homeowners who are impacted by the floods and Cyclone Gabrielle are advised to talk with their insurer in the first instance. If they have concerns about their claim or are unsure about the process, they can contact NZCRS on 0508 624 327, email contact@nzcrs.govt.nz, or visit www.nzcrs.govt.nz

For anyone who has slips close to their property, please contact RBAcomms@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

Stream blockages

As a result of the flooding, there are severe large blockages in our streams from both slips and debris. This is creating dams and causing unwanted flooding. For streams that run through private property it is usually the landowner’s responsibility to clear the debris but this time the scale is just too massive. Council’s, Healthy Waters department are now working with landowners to clear these blockages. They are conducting drone surveys of problematic streams, including parts of the Rangitopuni Stream, but drone footage is limited. Firsthand knowledge of blockages is paramount. Please report any known stream blockages that you are unable to clear to the call centre immediately on (09) 301 0101. There are thousands of kilometres of streams in Auckland and already hundreds of serious blockages have been reported. At a political level, we will need to push to ensure that both funding and resources are available to ensure that our streams are cleared before winter

Auckland Transport

Below is a quick summary of the major slips around Coatesville:

∞ Ridge Road – one lane with temporary traffic lights, ground investigation in progress.

∞ Coatesville-Riverhead Highway – one lane with temporary traffic lights, design is being finalised.

∞ Potter Road – one lane priority with give way, ground investigation in progress.

I am awaiting an update from Mahoenui Valley Road slip

After our most recent flooding, several bridges in the area were reinspected for structural integrity including the Sunnyside Road bridge in Coatesville. No issues have been reported for these bridges but the Green Road Bridge on Dairy Flat Highway will require further investigation although it is not presently subject to any restrictions.

Council’s Annual Budget 2023-24

Council’s Annual budget is now open for feedback. Before the floods and cyclone, Council had a massive $300 million shortfall in the budget, and I am yet to see an estimate of the cost of the rebuild but it will be billions. Everything is on the table for this budget including rate hikes, selling Council’s shares in Auckland Airport, cutting regional grants in the Arts, culture, sport, and slashing Local Board funding.

Rodney Local Board is being asked to cut $921K from our operating budget. We are going to have make tough decisions. To understand what is important to our community we need to hear what three services out of the following you would like to retain:

∞ Non contestable grants to community groups/ organisation for rates remission on community halls,

∞ Grants to local arts centres in Rodney,

∞ Event funding for Anzac services, A&P shows and Christmas Parades,

∞ Planning for the Green Road Masterplan implementation,

∞ Funding for the environmental volunteers in our Rodney parks,

∞ Ecological restoration programmes including Pest Free Groups,

∞ Reduced opening hours and services of Libraries,

∞ Reduce or stop mowing specific areas of our local parks,

∞ Community programmes,and

∞ Waste Minimisation programmes.

Please provide this feedback on the Annual budget at AKhaveyousay.co.nz before 28 March.

If you have any questions or issues, please email me: Louise.Johnston@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. I am always here and happy to meet up.

It Doesn't Have to be Complicated

Barb and Roger had known each other since High School but hadn’t been in touch for several years. Skip forward 35 years and Roger’s wife had sadly passed away and Barb had been through a divorce. Roger and Barb re-connected at a dinner hosted by a mutual high school friend. They picked up on the mutual attraction they had had at high school. It wasn’t long before they were spending most of their time together and holidaying together. Both their adult kids were fine with it and pleased that their parents were now happy with their new partners. Roger and Barb agreed that it would be sensible for Barb to move into Roger’s apartment in Milford but they both agreed that they each had substantial assets that they each needed to protect. It was important to each of them that they protected the assets they had acquired, for their children.

Barb and Roger agreed to go and see Barb’s lawyer as she was an asset protection specialist. Barb’s lawyer congratulated them on addressing the potential issues early on. She said that too many couples either buried their heads in the sand, thought their children would be ok with what

Tammy McLeod

happened in the future or thought that their trusts would protect them.

She advised that while trusts were still amazing asset protection vehicles and would do a great job of helping with the transfer of assets to the next generation, Barb and Roger needed a comprehensive relationship property agreement. This sets out what their respective assets were, how they were held and what would happen in the event of not just separation, but also death.

As Barb and Roger talked, they realized that while they wanted each other to be comfortable during their lifetimes if one of them died, they wanted to balance that with making sure that their children were ok and were able to get ahead in tough financial times. They also wanted to ensure that there were no fights within

Understanding Relationship Property.

CRAFTED LEGAL ADVICE FOR PEACE OF MIND.

The protection of assets that we have all worked so hard to acquire is an important consideration for most people.

Income, property, Kiwisaver, intermingled inheritances and gifts from third parties are all considered relationship property when in a de facto relationship — unless both parties have entered into a Contracting Out Agreement. Without one, relationship property would be shared equally upon separation, or even the death of one party, regardless of what anyone’s will said.

Know when your relationship is considered a de facto relationship under New Zealand legislation and protect your assets with a Contracting Out Agreement. Contact Tammy McLeod or one of her team for specialist advice.

the families – they had seen this happen in friend’s families.

The lawyer recommended that they made sure that whoever they appointed as the executors of their wills and trustees of their trusts were appropriate people who wouldn’t be conflicted between the survivor of them and respective children. She gave them good advice around using professionals and making sure there was a balance of interests. They talked about structures that would give each of them security but would also ensure that their kids were ok too.

Blended families can provide situations that require quite complex asset protection structures. The key is to be like Barb and Roger and seek advice early. The longer you leave it, the more difficult it is to have the conversations and the more likely it is that children and others get involved and over-complicate the situation. There can be quite simple solutions to complex situations, but it pays to get advice from a specialist as to the best structure.

Tammy McLeod, Trust Law specialist, Managing Director, Davenports Law.

Pest Plant: Wild Ginger

The conditions this summer have been exactly right for wild ginger to thrive. However, this tropical-looking and quite attractive plant is on the National Pest Plant Accord, meaning it's a risk to NZ's ecology and economy, so it's gotta go when you find it on your property.

There are two types of wild ginger, kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum), a native of India and Nepal, and yellow ginger (Hedychium flavescens), a native of India and Madagascar. Both species are non-woody perennials, growing up to 2m tall from thick-branching rhizomes (swollen underground stems). Their dense underground root system spreads up to onemetre deep excluding all other species. Both species produce shiny leaves 20 to 45cm long.

Both species prefer forest environments, where soils are fertile and damp, thus wild ginger has been termed a 'forest invader'.

Areas where it can commonly be seen growing include forests, streamsides, alluvial forest, light gaps and gullies. It cannot tolerate

very dry or rocky areas, due to the generally low fertility of the soil in such environments.

Why is it a problem?

Wild ginger can still successfully multiply when rhizomes are damaged. Young plants are very palatable to livestock, and both species tend to invade all areas where stock are excluded, including within native bush and on road sides and riverbanks

Due to its all-smothering nature, it will eventually replace all other species, being extremely shade tolerant, somewhat tolerant of frost and drought and can withstand immersion in sea water.

Control Methods: Physical control

Small seedlings can be hand pulled and disposed of carefully. Small clumps can be dug out, as long as all of the root system is removed and disposed of safely. Rhizomes can be placed in a black plastic bag and rotted, or placed in a weak herbicide mix, crushed, dried then burned. Larger clumps should be sprayed.

When removing kahili ginger, remove flower heads as a stopgap before spraying or removing the whole plant. This won’t kill the plant but will stop it from seeding that year. Burn the seed heads.

Herbicide control

Cut stems and paint stumps with 1g metsulfuron-methyl (600g/kg e.g. Escort®) per 1L water.

Spray 5g metsulfuron-methyl + 10ml penetrant (e.g. organosilicone) per 10 litres of water.

Reprinted with permission from the Northern Regional Council's website.

Setting High Goals and Achieving Them

Matthew Morrison, the director of Deluxe Plumbing & Gas Ltd, is always up for a challenge. That’s one of the reasons that he decided to set up his own Plumbing & Gas company five years ago at the age of 24. “You can be the best plumber and gas fitter, but you’ve got to learn all about the business side of things, and that’s been a challenge that I’ve enjoyed,” says Matthew.

He started on his own, working with a business mentor, knowing he wanted to build his own team with a reputation for good skills and hard work. Clients seemed to like what he had to offer and within a year the business was flourishing. Five years later, they are a team of seven, including two office staff, servicing all of Auckland, from Wellsford to Mt Wellington and recently growing the business in Riverhead and Coatesville areas.

Matthew himself has recently moved to Riverhead and is enjoying being part of the tight-knit community. Post the devastating flooding, Matthew’s road, which abuts the creek, saw a lot of damage. “The silver lining of the unfortunate events was seeing the community come together, get stuck in and help out with the clean up,” recalls Matthew.

Deluxe Plumbing & Gas have a 70 percent referral rate, which no doubt owes a lot to Matthew’s clear focus on the three fundamentals: “communication, operational excellence and professionalism.” They pride themselves on seeing the job through to the end, problem-solving as required, and guaranteeing all their work.

They’re a friendly team and enjoy each other's company outside of work. Deluxe Plumbing & Gas work hard to deliver quality, efficient and dependable service every time.

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Agricultural contractor mulching/ gorse clearing, mowing (& lawns), rotary hoeing/seeding, stump grinding, Graeme 027 533 3114

Bruce Gillespie Fencing For all lifestyle block and farm fencing. Phone 027 273 1793

Clean Queen I'll have your house looking like a castle. References supplied. Ph Angela 021 0832 9352 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 GET IN SHAPE Local private gym for one-on-one training or small group sessions, specialising in weight loss, general fitness and rehabilitation. Call Debbie 027 441 8769.

Haven Hair Design Need a completely new look or just a trim? Senior hair stylist and salon owner Lisa Cross will help you look and feel your best. Call today to book your next appointment at Haven Hair Design in Albany village. Phone 09 415 4424 or book online www.havenhairdesign.co.nz

LAWN MOWING, You Grow & Joe will mow. Lifestyle, commercial and residential. Ph Joe 021 624 494 / joseph@propertyfit.co.nz

Local Shearer, Kevin Abel, 021 223 5033 Painters & Decorators Marshall Painters can help with all your painting needs; interiors, exteriors, even waterblasting to make sure you get the top quality finish we're famous for. With over 50 years experience in the company, we have the skills you need. Call Marcus on 021 024 86516 or email marshallpainters@gmail.com. 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

Professional Oven Cleaning

All size ovens, local references and great service from an experienced professional. Text Kiri 021 233 6028 Scout Marquee for hire, 6m x 8m, $250 per day. Call Garth 447 1863 The Blooming Beekeeper fully maintained beehive service. The ideal eco-friendly gift. Bee packages; beekeeping lessons; artisan bee products; swarm catching. Coatesville based. Call Val 021 755 833.

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

Zumba at the Coatesville Settlers Hall on Mondays at 10am. $15 per session or $12 each if you buy five. For more information, or to book your space at the next class, call Hana 021 02212714.

Autumn here already?

Autumn is just around the corner, although luckily the last week has felt a bit like the summer we never had. Autumn transforms our community into a magnificent array of vibrant colours. In my opinion, Coatesville supersedes all other suburbs at this time of year once the trees come alive with their oranges and reds. It's often the perfect time for buyers to view our property.

This brings to mind the maintenance required at this time of year to make sure you're presenting your property at its absolute best. And particularly with all the rain that we have had recently, buyers are certainly very cautious around any property damage that may have happened. With this said, I have found that it has not stopped buyers viewing a property if it was affected, it's more about knowing the facts and what can be done to negate as much as possible of this damage in the future.

The gutters need to be cleaned or fixed if leaking and leaves kept away from drains, vermin traps should also be set. If you're putting your house on the market these jobs are not always a one-off, particularly with property taking longer to sell at the moment. If you need to repeat this type of maintenance several times in a season you may prefer to get someone in to help you. The cost of a professional handyman or gutter cleaning company will quickly pay for itself because gutters and valleys in the roof that are left full of leaves can lead to costly leaks that can cause cracks in ceiling plaster and around windows.

Jumping forward, once you get an offer, more than likely it will be subject to building inspection, which is a comprehensive report obtained usually by the buyer (see my previous column for more details around a building g inspection). They are carried out by a qualified inspector who visits the property and checks the home and outbuildings from the roof, gutters, roof cavity, construction, house ground levels and may be asked to take interior and exterior moisture readings. Generally, a building inspection report costs between $500–$800.

I have found that if the inspector comes to the property and sees that the maintenance has been completed regularly, the building inspection runs more smoothly. I refer to these as ‘eyes wide open’ reports. They are detailed and an important part of the process. In certain circumstances I would recommend that a vendor obtain their own building inspection prior to going to market. However, this is property specific, depending on construction of the property, age and sometimes design.

Call me to discuss necessary maintenance requirements at your home and whether obtaining a building inspection report is the right move for you.