Kamo Connect Issue 3 Spring 2021

Kamo’s Cricket Legend

achieved in Northland cricket - the big influence on me has been my old mate Karl Trieber.”

A fan of Kamo (“I was born and bred here - there is only one town in the country!!!”) and a stalwart of the Kamo Cricket Club and Kamo High School cricket, Roger ‘Rocket’ Turner was instrumental with others in the funding and building of a brand new pavilion at the Kamo Recreation ground which was opened last year. The new cricket pitch and grounds at Kamo High School are formally named the ‘Rocket Oval’ after Roger, who is both an ex-pupil and long-time Northland cricket representative.

their time with the game. The Youth Hub section of this edition of Kamo Connect profiles Roger, how he got into cricket and his advice to youngsters keen on the game. A true legend of Northland and of the local community, Roger has always put the children before himself and, wherever and whenever the matches are, Roger will get the teams there and make sure they remember the best moments of any opportunity.

Northland Cricket recently announced Roger Turner as the winner of the Allan McBride Trophy for outstanding contribution to Northland junior cricket. “The award was very humbling. When I was rung and they asked me if I would go down to the awards, I had to ask if they had the correct person. But it’s something I really enjoyed. And others have also

He single handedly restarted and kept cricket going at Kamo High School, which included achieving two new sets of practice pitches plus an artificial pitch. A kind and generous man, he is a tireless worker on behalf of the players and is much loved by all the boys, girls and parents of the teams he has been involved with. From camp mother, to cooking, washing, transport to yelling out for them to play straight, Roger is a loyal friend of the game and a strong advocate for the enjoyment it can bring to those who play.

Roger’s priority has always been for children to have a go and enjoy

He has served on the Northland Junior Board (15 years) and Northland Senior Boards (8 years) as well as holding various selector, coach and manager roles across various Northland Junior sides for about 15 years. He was also one of 3 board members to oversee the construction of the new Cobham Oval building in 2005. He has this year had a new Northland Cricket ‘Roger Turner Award’ named after him - to be given annually for the ‘Greatest playing contribution to a Northland junior team’. The first winner of the Roger Turner Award was Makayla Templeton of Whangārei for 100 runs not out off 56 balls against the Bay of Plenty SSS. Wow!

Source: Northland Cricket website and interview

Roger with awards from Northland Cricket

Kia Ora from the Editors Desk

So much has happened since our last edition! The Olympics, the Hundertwasser Art Centre installing the gold cupola, Matariki celebrations, the farmers’ Howl of a Protest, the Council proposing ward boundary changes to the Kamo ward, the national three waters review process…and all in the context of a global pandemic.

This spring edition contains the first editions of a number of new columns (as spring is a time of new beginnings after all!) including news from the Fire Brigade, the real estate sector and Pukenui forest. Thank you, all Kamo Connect writers, for putting your hands up to share your news, views, expertise and knowledge on an ongoing basis. Your contribution makes this truly a community magazine.

Keep it coming folks - we’re very keen to cover your stories, so please get in touch if you have any local news to share, no matter how small you think it is. Happy Diwali to everyone for the week 2-6 November,

The Kamo Connect Team - Margie, Meg and Shona

IN ERRATUM

Please note that the Nulook Northland article in the Winter Edition contained content errors which need to be rectified. The text should have read:

Nulook Northland want to give everyone a heads up - they have moved down the hill to 15 Waipanga Road in Kamo. After being based in Clark Road for many years, they have now moved to a larger premises with more space for production of their aluminium windows and doors. With fabricators and sales staff with many years’ experience in the building and window industry; they are looking forward to having an increased capacity to meet growing demand for quality joinery.

Nulook Northland have always prided themselves on trying to meet customers' varying needs. The sales team have experience in dealing with a wide range of projects. A large portion of their work is supplying insert and replacement joinery for existing homes, whether that is in keeping with the original style, or changing the style and function completely. Nulook Northland also supply joinery for new homes, including high end architectural designs. No project is too small or too big. They also have the Garador licence for Whangārei and supply and install garage doors into many new homes.

With increased commercial building activity in Whangārei, Nulook has also increased its involvement in this market, supplying some prominent local buildings with their joinery, including the new Kensington Crossing development and the new Northland Rugby Union building. They enjoy working with local companies and fostering ongoing relationships with both suppliers and customers.

Nulook Northland is an approved fabricator of Altus window systems. Altus window systems is the leading brand behind some of New Zealand's most innovative window and door designs, specifically designed for the New Zealand climate and lifestyle. As such, Nulook Northland has access to all the technical expertise and support of one of the largest suppliers in the window and door industry. They are looking forward to showcasing a new residential joinery suite in the next few months.

Follow

Editor: Margie Kent

Email: margie.kent9@gmail.com

Advertising: Shona Beeston 027 654 3999

Design: Megan Lavin-McIsaac 022 641 9786

Email: graphics@megatype-publishing.co.nz

Accounts: Rebecca Reynolds

Email: reb.reynolds@xtra.co.nz

ChairNotes

By Colin Twyman, Chairman Kamo Community Inc.

The Kamo Community Inc Annual General meeting elected me as the Chairman once again. I tried to get some new blood; however, for some reason, I was persuaded that I was the best person for the task.

There were several issues raised after the formal meeting that will be of interest to the community. The first was the expansion of the security cameras around the village and their effectiveness. Kamo police Sergeant Paul Nicholas and Adam were in attendance with their input. Several locations were identified; also they were able to suggest a source of funding through the Proceeds of Crime fund. A grant application from this source is being investigated. Other issues were around traffic and parking in the village.

Kamo Community Inc has put in a submission regarding the proposed Council Ward changes that would have put a significant portion of Kamo out of the single proposed Urban Ward and into the Rural Hikurangi/Coastal Ward. While recognising the legislation dictating how many households each councillor represents, we felt that shifting a major grouping from an urban to a rural ward would be against the intent of the system (where councillors should represent their constituent).

This would have included the area bounded by Ford Avenue, Butler Place, Crawford Avenue, Pipiwai Rd and Dip Rd. This is an area the committee felt was within the Kamo Community of Interest and that the residents would agree.

Due to time restraints (we had less than a week to submit) the committee conducted an informal survey of people whom they knew in the area in

concluding and making the submission on behalf of those residents.

We represent Kamo and we need your feedback on Kamo issues for the committee to do this and present a combined voice for you to the Council. Please do not hesitate to contact any of the KCi members as listed on this page.

CONTACTS KCi

Colin

Kamo Volunteer Fire Brigade

Hi everyone,

As this is the first time the Kamo Volunteer Fire Brigade has written an article for this bulletin, I would like to introduce myself. I`m Colin Thomson and I joined the local brigade back in 1988 and am currently the Chief Fire Officer. The brigade was formed back in 1980 and we currently have 24 operational firefighters, three recruits and six brigade support personnel.

We are always looking for new operational firefighters, so if you’re over 16 years of age, come along on a Monday night so we can have a chat about the recruitment process and what it entails in being a brigade member. We train every Monday night except public holidays, starting at 6.30pm.

So far this year the brigade has responded to 185 incidents ranging from domestic flooding to structure fires that included backing up our neighbouring brigades i.e. Whangārei, Hikurangi and Ngunguru.

We attend a lot of calls in the Kamo area relating to residents burning rubbish in their back yards that the Northland Regional Council has a bylaw for, forbidding this in certain circumstances – refer to their website for more information on www.nrc.govt/backyardburning. Your cooperation with this will save us responding to unnecessary incidents and not only losing quality family time but just as important, having the team available for major call-outs.

In May 2021, 7 members competed in the sky tower challenge that involved climbing 1103 stairs to the top of the tower in full firefighting kit (weighing 25kgs) with all 7 men and women achieving the climb. Prior to the event the Kamo Volunteer Fire Brigade raised $7,625 for the Blood and Leukaemia Foundation, nationally there was $1,376,574 raised.

We, as a brigade, attend many community organised events throughout the year allowing the team to have some fun along the way.

Just to finish here are a couple of fire safety tips :-

• With it having been wet and cold lately, remember not to place your clothes airers too close to heaters and fireplaces as the radiant heat could cause the clothing to ignite. Place them at least ONE metre away.

• If you are using a clothes dryer, remember to clean the lint off the filter after each use.

Stay safe out there, Colin (Whitebait) Thomson

Colin Thomson, Chief Fire Officer Kamo

By Colin Thomson, Chief Fire Officer Kamo

GOOD SORTS

By Ruth Marsh

Graham Cawood - our first Kamo Good

Have you noticed how clean

Three Mile Bush Road and side streets are these days? There is very little rubbish to be seen. That’s because Graham Cawood, one of our Kamo Good Sorts, takes a two hour walk each afternoon and picks up unwanted rubbish that has turned up on the side of the road.

Graham likes taking care of the environment around him and enjoys the beauty of a clean healthy neighbourhood. He picks up mostly plastics to prevent these from getting into the ocean, where they disintegrate to microplastics causing all sorts of damage to fish and marine life. He also picks up cans and bottles and various other “odd” pieces of rubbish he finds. Mostly this rubbish goes into his household collection and at the end of the week his rubbish bins are full.

Keeping fit and healthy is another motivation to get out into the fresh air. And whilst out walking for exercise Graham believes he might as well be doing something else useful at the same time. It was a natural fit for him

Clean Up Week

to pick up rubbish as he has done this for many years - starting as a rower picking up rubbish from the Tamaki River in Auckland where he lived before coming to Kamo. The ethic of recycling and reusing, caring, and not wasting is well instilled.

Sort

Graham says, “it’s nice being useful in the community” and occasionally he hears a thank you or a toot as people pass by. We’d like to also say thank you to Graham for his efforts to keep Kamo clean.

25 - 31 October 2021

Keep New Zealand Beautiful is running Clean Up Week between 25-31 October. Clean Up Week is a great opportunity to get your friends, family, school, business or local community group together to participate in New Zealand’s largest clean up event and make a significant difference in your local area.

In 2020, Keep New Zealand Beautiful had a total number of 57,936 volunteers take part in cleaning up an area equivalent to 4,935 rugby fields and collecting a total of 561,979kg of litter.

Check out the dates to diarise section (page 20) for events in Kamo during Clean Up week. If you want to register your own event, registrations for Clean Up Week 2021 are now open. Please register your details on the Keep New Zealand Beautiful website knzb.org.nz and a confirmation email will be sent to you, including all the information you need to make your clean up event a success. By registering your clean up event you gain access to free resources as well as free litter disposal.

By Tanya Maich

Spring: Dreaming of Change

Along with warmer days and blooming daffodils, spring brings a sense of excitement. It’s time to shake off winter’s cobwebs and look forward to the future. With the Whangārei market still running hot, spring is the perfect time to list your property. With record low listings and intense buyer engagement, prices continue to hit new highs, and Kamo is no exception. Rising median prices are well-reported and Whangārei overall is up 4.34% since January. Kamo’s performance is outstanding: a whopping 33% increase in median prices year on year for July alone!

If you’re considering selling, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Look at your property through the eyes of the buyer. Declutter and depersonalise. Presentation is key.

• Keep the current market conditions in mind. When listings are low and buyer engagement is high, it is important to consider a method of sale that will

create competition and capitalise on FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), which helps you get premium results.

• Consider your circumstances. The current market conditions may be challenging if you also need to purchase a new property. You have options. Why not include clauses, such as a longer settlement date, in your sale and purchase agreement.

(statistics source: REINZ)

Whangārei’s Minister in Parliament Kamo High School gets $7 million top-up for infrastructure

By Dr Emily Henderson, MP for Whangārei

My regular catch up at Kamo High turned into a bit of a celebration last week. Not only were we celebrating the $7 million announced last week to get the school started on its long over-due rebuild, but Principal Natasha Hemara introduced me to the awesome group of students heading off to the Involve Youth Leadership Conference in Wellington, together with their teacher, Ebony Peeni.

The group were off to join about 1000 other rangatahi from around NZ to talk about making change happen. Events like this are a wonderful way to connect and inspire young people and I want to thank Natasha, Ebony and all the whanau who made this trip happen.

In the not-too-distant future, these students and their younger fellows will be saying goodbye to their dilapidated old classroom buildings and hello to a beautiful new 22 classroom block.

The investment that is allowing this project to finally get under way was announced by the Prime Minister on her recent visit to Whangārei, making Kamo High the first school to benefit from a new $150 million top-up fund for existing shovelready school building projects which need a boost due to cost escalation or other pressures. “Shovel-ready” is exactly what this one is: Principal Hemara expects to open the new building as early as 2023.

This adds to the existing School Investment Package which includes projects for almost every public school eligible for between $50,000 and $400,000 based on roll size.

Not only is this a much-needed investment in Kamo High, but investment in school property is also part of a deliberate policy to boost our local economy as our recovery from COVID continues, with projects announced estimated to create more than 200 employment opportunities.

Over the next five years, we’re investing a record $57.3 billion into public infrastructure to drive our recovery from COVID, create local jobs and strengthen regional economies.

In Whangārei 34 schools were eligible for funding. This includes over $814,000 in school infrastructure projects which have been completed, and a further $1 million in projects underway.

We’re also focused on building the workforce needed to build infrastructure. Last year’s Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Fund (TTAF) has contributed to strong growth in apprentices in building and construction, over 20,000 new building and construction apprentices, 11,630 of whom are also benefiting from the Apprenticeship Boost, a cash payment to employers to help them keep and take on new apprentices. All in all, building apprenticeships have nearly doubled since 2017 (and the overall numbers of women apprentices have doubled, too).

It’s great to see our schools, like Kamo High with its Trades Academy, doing their bit to grow our young builder workforce. And what better time to get involved in the trades? Not only is the government intent on creating a steady stream of public construction, but new home consents are at an all-time high. For all the challenges in our COVID world, there are real opportunities, and it’s so good to see our young people getting these chances for a brighter future.

As your local MP, it’s important for me to know what you think. Keep an eye out in your letterbox or let me know your thoughts in our Electorate-wide survey launched this week at labour.org.nz/emilyhenderson_survey.

MP for Whangārei

To make an appointment to discuss constituent issues please get in touch:

(09) 430 7922

Emily.HendersonMP@parliament.govt.nz /EmilyHendersonMP

Authorised by Emily Henderson MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

Emily Henderson

We back farmers

Twoweeks ago we had one of the biggest protest marches for decades. It was as if matters had reached boiling point, a line had been crossed and as many signs stated – enough is enough. There were a range of issues under protest including SNAs, climate change, fresh water policies, ute tax, labour shortages and high country pastoral leases. I was privileged to be invited into the lead tractor as we made our way from Barge Park to Okara Park. I live streamed this on my Facebook page here https://bit. ly/2WqHszL As we passed the hospital on Maunu road, it was almost as if people got out of their hospital beds to give us a thumbs up.

I think New Zealanders spoke on the protest march and demanded change. What I saw was Māori and non-Māori walking side by side saying don’t SNA land grab our land. How often do you see Māori and non-Māori walking side by side on a land issue? The National Party believes SNAs should be paused with more community discussion, that local communities are better at managing freshwater collectives than Wellington e.g. the local Kotuku block water collective, that the ETS should be the main lever for agriculture. Border settings should safely allow more rural labour into the country. We will fight the Pastoral Lease Land Bill which removes high country farmers and the ute tax is just silly.

Stay Safe!

• WASH YOUR HANDS

• STAY AT HOME IF UNWELL

• COUGH OR SNEEZE INTO YOUR ELBOW

• KEEP TRACK OF WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN

Kia Kaha Kamo

Clinic Hours: Mon – Fri: 7:30 – 5 Weekends / Public Holidays: Closed

6/1 Three Mile Bush Road, Kamo

Phone: 09 435 0692 (After Hours - White Cross)

Covid vaccination initiative by Bush Road Medical Centre

Anew collaborative initiative by Bush Road Medical Centre has seen them team up with Central Family Health Care and Kensington Health Clinic. They realised that together they would have a good population base to work through and the appropriate staffing levels to offer a clinic in Kensington. “Between ourselves, Bush Road Medical Centre and Central Family Health Care, we have the oldest population base in Whangārei. This helps in targeting those in higher need, and around 20-22 percent of our clients are Māori, which gives us good economies of scale and volume to target for vaccinations – so we’re really stoked.” said Kensington Health Clinic director Nick Swain.

“Our priority is to get through our combined enrolled population of 23,000 patients. Then we will look at opening it up to the wider community because geographically this is the centre of Whangārei, and we’re doing it for the community,” said Nick.

Initially, the Clinic will run from Tuesday until Saturday and include after-hour clinics from 5pm-8pm. They could potentially vaccinate up to 4,200 people per week and run the Clinic seven days a week. Staff include a range of nurses, authorised vaccinators, provisional vaccinators, pharmacist vaccinators and Jane Mander Residential Care nurses who offered to support the initiative.

After blessing the site Kaumātua Albert Sadler was one of the first people booked in for their first dose. At 72, Albert said for the elderly (over 65 years), having the vaccination is a must, “If you recall earlier when COVID-19 first hit us, most of those who were affected were from rest homes. So, I thought if it affects our elderly when the opportunity comes along, I’ll go and get my jab. And I encourage everyone else to book in and get it done as well.”

All people over 12 are eligible for a COVID vaccination from 1 September 2021. Call your local pharmacy to make an appointment, book online by visiting BookMyVaccine.covid 19.health. nz, emailing booking@vaccine. covid19.health.nz; or call the COVID vaccination healthline 0800 28 29 26 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week).

If you know or can find your National Health Index (NHI) number, please have this available when you make your booking. Don’t worry if you don’t know it, you can still book. You’ll find your NHI number on a

prescription or prescription receipt, x-ray or test result, or a letter from the hospital.

It is really important that you provide your full legal name when you book – not an alias name or a nickname. Families can be vaccinated together when one member of the family is eligible to be vaccinated. To make a whānau booking, call the 0800 28 29 26 number and ask for a whānau booking.

(Source: Northland DHB and https:// www.healthpoint.co.nz/)

Roger ‘Rocket’ Turner – playing junior cricket

When did you first start playing cricket and why were you drawn to the game?

I started playing cricket when I was eight at Kamo Primary School and got very excited when I bowled out the captain at practice - 1st ball! (I had actually hit a stone or a bump in the ground and the ball jagged sideways, but I still got him!)

Is it expensive to play cricket?

There is a cost for gear, which is not cheap, but for people who want to give it a go don’t let this hold you back - all clubs supply gear for teams to use.

What would you say to boys and girls who are considering giving cricket a go?

The International Cricket Council and New Zealand are currently setting up new formats to speed up the game such as looking at developing a new format of a ‘100 balls per innings’ game. Watch out for these new formats, they will make the game much more exciting to both play and watch.

Do you have a story from playing or coaching junior cricket? Years ago, some mates gave me a hard time in jest when I was coaching them that everyone should play into the V. They would tease me and say “play in the V with RT”. So I kept telling this to my junior boys until before long, before I could mention anything, they would shout in tandem “PLAY IN THE V WITH RT”!

How do you think cricket has contributed to your life? It has taught me life skills that I use all the time.

What would you say to boys and girls who want to do really well at cricket? Just keep on practicing!

By Tissy Batelaan

Amazing Magazines

Just like all our branches, Kamo Library has a ‘sample’ selection of nearly everything available from Whangārei District Libraries and this includes magazines. There are magazines for everyone! As I write this, there are 186 magazines on the shelves in the Kamo Library, with 102 different titles, out of the 152 print subscriptions in total that we subscribe to on your behalf. This doesn’t include any of the online subscriptions you have access to through our website: there are 538 titles just through the “Libby” platform alone.

Magazines can be borrowed for two weeks before they need to be returned (or renewed), so keep an eye on the shelves in the library, there will always be something new, as various magazines are borrowed, and others returned. The most popular magazine titles, the ones borrowed most often, are Country Life, Spectator, and the Economist. The least popular titles are Art New Zealand and Cruise Travel. I wonder what this says about us. My own favourites are Molly Makes, Simply Crotchet and Frankie…

A Secure Home and Peace of Mind

By Evon Morgan

Bird Land

The Northern Advocate of Sat 7.8.21 reports fantastic news for Whangārei’s Native Bird Recovery Centre. Lightforce Solar teamed up with The Hits radio station to find a charity to give $30.000 worth of solar panels to. One of the callers to The Hits, Sonya Costello, said of the Centre “They’re out at all times 24/7 to care for all types of birds. They don’t get government funding, only sponsorship and fundraising and live on the smell of an oily rag.’ Robert Webb from NBR says the panels will save about $8000 per year. “That’s money we can use for our service of helping birds and educating the public.” What a great gesture from Lightforce Solar, they even upgraded the deal with back up battery storage, crucial for kiwi eggs in incubators. Robert and his wife Robyn work tirelessly for our birdlife. Any one wishing to donate to NBR can do so at www. nbr.org.nz

These 3 books, including Art Nahill’s poetry in Murmurations are shop cat Theo’s favorite books that he has on his personal recommendations shelf. He swears he only watches birds! He also suggests two others: Bring Back The Birdsong by locals Wade and Jan Doak, another couple of passionate conservationists; and Tea For The Tui by Rosemary Tully. This book has many recipes for bird feeding. Steve Braunias uses this book and makes his backyard birds’ breakfast daily. I am sure they bless him in song.

The books featured above, and The Heritage Trail brochures, are available at Book Inn, 240 Kamo Road, Kamo Village, www.bookinn.nz

“Whenthe Endeavour entered Queen Charlotte Sound on 17.1.1770, the dawn chorus sang it’s head off- ‘a melodious wild musick’, as heard by the ship’s naturalist Joseph Banks. The sound we hear now is an unplugged version. The catastrophe of two waves of human settlement had diminished bird populations, forced many onto offshore islands. Over the last 50 years efforts by conservationists have attempted, and sometimes succeeded, in bringing endangered birds back to the mainland and in extreme cases back from the brink”. Written 14 years ago in Steve Braunias’s wonderful book, How To Watch A Bird. Even in those years much more progress had been made in bird protection. Including our icon, the Kiwi. The dawn chorus is soaring to new notes.

Local Christina Feren’s exquisite bird photos and accompanying text is a joy to peruse. It covers not just native and endemic birds, but even sparrows and thrush feature in the 40 species covered. The Chatham Island Taiko (magenta petrel) was thought to be extinct, until re-found in 1978.

Kamo ornithologist David Crockett and a team made this discovery to great acclaim. See www.taiko.org.nz for what is happening now.

Pukenui Western Hills Forest Charitable Trust

By Trish Clarke

Thanks to our Volunteers

Our volunteer involvement has been huge over the last few months. “Kiwi Listening” in June/July had volunteers in pairs waiting at dusk in the forest and we recorded a grand total of 95 kiwi calls (76 male and 19 female) being heard over the three-week period! This is a huge jump when compared to last year, but COVID did influence our listening period. An amazing result nonetheless and a huge thank you to all the volunteers involved! Check out Kiwi Coast website for the Northland wide kiwi stats.

“Spend a day in the Forest with the Rangers.”

A recent Facebook post and an ad on the Volunteering Northland Website asking people to come into the forest with the Rangers saw 24 volunteers put their hands up to help. These volunteer legends have been hauling 45 heavy AT220 Auto traps and large wooden ramps along the Taraire Ridge Track. Over 2 days, that is about 200 volunteer hours. We hope all enjoyed the packed lunch and home baking supplied by the Trust. The traps installed last week from Amalin Drive have been checked and are already clocking great results on rats and possums. Auto traps are a NZ design, which self-set, auto bait refill, are deactivated during the daytime for safety and only need to be reset every 6 months. We hope these snazzy new traps ease the ranger’s workload and support forest health.

Introducing Te Kāhu-Neighbours of Pukenui Western Hills land care group.

One of our youngest volunteers Arlo White is involved in the newly formed Landcare Group “Te Kāhu-Neighbours of Pukenui Western Hills” which is mostly situated around the Northern side of the forest, being the Three Mile Bush

Road area. Arlo, aged 10, has been helping deliver pamphlets about kiwi and dogs, has his own trapping network and is planning some experiments on best lures to use and for tracking tunnels. Go Arlo, we think this is a winning idea!

Dogs and Kiwi

Great news is that Kamo residents are now hearing Kiwi in Pukenui Forest. We just want to remind all that Kiwi and dogs don’t mix. The best option is always to keep dogs on a lead and away from kiwi areas. Kiwi aversion training is a tool to help reduce the threat dogs pose to kiwi.

A free Kiwi aversion training for dogs is scheduled for Sunday 12th September at Hurapaki School, Kamo. 10mins per dog. Please contact the Pukenui Trust to book. 021 137 8911

Thanks again to our awesome volunteers, contact us if you have some time and want to help out. We will be looking for volunteers for the Great Kereru Count starting 17 Sept. Thanks from the team at Pukenui Western Hills Charitable Trust: info@pukenuitrust.org.nz

Volunteers and rangers ready to head out installing Auto setting traps along Taraire Ridge Track

Budding environmentalist Arlo (10)

Basic Facts - the Diwali festival

Diwali is a five-day Festival of Lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. It is a festival of new beginnings, the triumph of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and light over darkness. The word Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word deepavali, meaning “rows of lighted lamps”. The main aim of the festival is to bring happiness, and provide a time for introspection (to contemplate and dispel our own darkness and take away our sorrows). It is a time to let light shine within yourself, and also shine this light outwards.

The festival is usually celebrated some time between October and November, with the date changing each year. The height of the festival is celebrated on the third day, which is timed to coincide with the darkest night of the lunar month. This year the third day of Diwali falls on Thursday, November 4th.

In the lead-up to Diwali, celebrants prepare by cleaning, renovating, and decorating their homes and workplaces with diyas (oil lamps) and rangolis (colorful art circle patterns). During Diwali, people wear their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with diyas and rangoli, perform worship ceremonies, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where sweets and gifts are shared (so it’s really popular with children!).

The first day, Dhanteras, is for celebrating Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity, youth and beauty. On this first day, people buy new items such as jewelry, clothing and utensils and light lamps to welcome Lakshmi.

The second day, known as Chhoti Diwali, Naraka Chaturdasi or Kali Chaudas, focuses on a story from Hindu mythology about the god Krishna and his defeat of the demon god Narakasura. On this day, some people put up twinkling lights to celebrate his victory.

The third day, known as Diwali, Deepawali, or Lakshmi Puja, is the most important day of the Diwali festival. On this day, people visit family and friends to feast and exchange sweets and gifts. People also continue to light lamps and candles to welcome light and prosperity from the goddess Lakshmi.

On the fourth day, known as Govardhan Puja or Padva, some people in northern India build small piles of cow dung as a symbol of how Krishna defeated the king of the Hindu gods, Indra, by lifting up a mountain.

The fifth day, known as Bhai Dooj or Yama Dwitiva, is a day for brothers and sisters to honor one another. Siblings perform a ceremony called tilak and pray for one another.

On this final day of Diwali, many people also set off fireworks.

Sources: BBC, India Today, Wikipedia

Kamo Community Policing

by Sergeant Paul Nicholas, Kamo Police

Hi there readers, from the Kamo Police Team of Paul, Adam and Sand…. nope that’s right, Sandra has moved on to colder climates. Unfortunately, this month we said goodbye to Constable Sandra Mortensen, who has made a move to a South Island station. While we all wish her well in her new area, we will miss her being part of our team. Not to worry, we will soon be joined by Senior Constable Gareth Worswick, who was the successful candidate for the vacant position. Then we will be up to full strength again, and out and about doing police stuff.

Winter Woollies

The weather is getting a bit cooler now, and you may have seen local Police staff sporting their new beanies. For those of us who are follicly challenged, they are a welcome addition to our uniform to keep our ears warm.

You would think the cold weather would result in burglars, thieves and crooks, sitting at home, in front of the fire, with a warm milo, binge watching the latest season of Ru Paul’s Drag Race…but you would be wrong!

Winter is a burglar’s friend. They can still carry out their nefarious activities, as the cold, often wet weather provides them with cover for any sounds they might make, while they are breaking into your property. Winter is a time to be even more vigilant about your security.

Check your windows and doors before you go to bed, and

make sure any windows are secured with window latches or security stays. Security lights tend to play up a bit in the wet windy weather, but better to have them on randomly throughout the night than not have them at all.

And I can’t stress enough how useful security cameras are. There are a lot of different models available, some allow you to live view the camera so you are able to see what is happening in real time, and most if not all will record footage to a storage system where you can recall the footage if you need to. The footage is helpful in identifying offenders, number plates, clothing, and other useful pieces of information, which can lead to the apprehension of the bad guys.

Door Knocking

There has been a trend of people door knocking in the Kamo area. Now while this can be innocent, each case should be taken on its own merit, as it can be a way of looking for potential places to burgle.

Door knocking is basically when a person approaches a dwelling, knocks on the door, and then asks for $5.00 for petrol as their car has run out of gas. They continue down the street either pocketing the cash or moving on if they get no answer.

There is no law to stop people making these approaches, and it is up to the individual homeowner if they want

to part with their cash. However, I would suggest that encouraging this behaviour could lead to petty crime in the neighbourhood, and I advise you to politely ask them to leave.

Neighbourhood Support

This is the perfect reason to start up a Neighbourhood Support Group in your area.

We have the packs at the Kamo Station if you are wanting to start up a group. It’s actually not that daunting and is basically getting back to the old fashioned ‘know your neighbour’ style of neighbourhood.

Basically, there is one street coordinator who does the admin for the group, and you are part of a nationwide organisation that can offer support and resources to make our community safer. Police support the initiative and are available for advice on crime prevention etc.

Vandalism

No, we haven’t suddenly been invaded by the Germanic tribe, but we do have a bunch of their ilk among us. One morning while patrolling out towards Ngunguru, I pulled into Scows Landing rest area. I was immediately struck by the utter destruction of public

property, and disgusting mess that a small group, of what can only be described as wanton vandals, had left in the area. This sort of thing needs to be reported on 111 if you see it happening or 105 if you discover it after these cretins have left the area. After alerting the council, the gate has now been repaired and the rubbish these idiots left behind was cleaned up. We live in a beautiful part of the country, let’s try and keep it that way.

Early One Moggy Morning

Finally, you may have seen the article about the cat that was rescued from a tin can by me early one morning. Now that was something I didn’t think was going to go as nuts as it did.

I thought it would be a nice feel good story for our local internal Police news…little did I know that once I submitted it, plans were afoot to send it globally. Suddenly, the poor puss with the tin hat became a global superstar, if only for a few days. Luckily the cat’s owner recognised him, and he was returned to the family minus his tin hat.

In the immortal words of Porky Pig

That’s all folks!

Civic Engagement - The Regional Report

By Councillor Jack Craw, Northland Regional Council Elected member

One of the most important functions of a Councillor is ensuring value for ratepayer investment. This includes auditing programme performance. In my role as Chair of the Biosecurity & Biodiversity Working Party, I oversee $12m expenditure which is essentially the Northland Regional Council’s (NRC’s) biggest single budget area. Most of this is managed under the Biosecurity Operational Plan. In the past this Plan contained all of the desired actions but lacked measurable targets in some areas. I’ve been firm in ensuring all programme areas now have targets that must be reached. This means better outcomes and ratepayer value for kauri dieback, feral deer eradication, marine biosecurity and contracted possum control in particular.

The Government has been dragging its feet over funding kauri dieback for many years. Several months ago I went to Wellington to meet with the Minister of Biosecurity Damien O’Connor and recently met with Minister of Finance Grant Robertson and Northland MPs to drive home the message. I’m pleased that we have achieved an $8M pa programme, most of which will be spent in Northland. There will be jobs in this.

One of NRC’s biggest current successes is the Whangārei Urban Awa project, which protects stream water quality, prevents erosion and contributes to flood prevention. We have tweaked the formula so landowners now get a 80% subsidy for fencing and planting, all done by contractors. Over the past 6 months a lot of the Waiarohia and Raumanga Stream banks have been fenced off and planted and more is planned.

NRC has arranged for increased water quality testing of swimming spots in the Whangārei area over summer. In the past the quality has not been ideal at some spots on the Hatea River and it’s important that we have accurate data during the swimming season. Water quality in our local rivers and streams is improving generally and it’s vital that we continue this progress.

I’m here to represent you so feel free to contact me on jackc@nrc.govt.nz.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent official policy of the Northland Regional Council.

The City Report - Ward Boundary Changes

By Councillor Tricia Cutforth, Whangārei District Council Elected Member

Do you identify with Kamo or with the Hikurangi/coastal area?

If you say ‘Kamo’, and you live on the north side of town, then you’ll be interested in the current review of local representation.

Every 6 years, all Councils have to look at how they are configured to ensure there is fair and effective representation for local citizens – boundaries, whether to have wards and/ or community boards, what type of wards to have, and so on. Council’s decision earlier this year to establish Māori wards has triggered another representation review.

Council did an informal survey to help Councillors put together a draft proposal to take out to the community. Opinions – as always- were mixed – but most city residents viewed Whangārei city as one area – they didn’t relate to Denby and Okara. This ‘one ward’ system was also supported in terms of establishing one Māori ward, with two Councillors. Most people were also relatively happy with the number of Councillors (13), and also didn’t feel there was a need for community boards.

So the final proposal that went out for consultation was to continue to have 13 Councillors and the Mayor, to establish a single Māori ward with 2 Councillors and to establish a single urban ward with 5 Councillors (down from the 4 – Okara – and 3 Denby).

However again, as always, the devil is in the detail! To ensure equitable representation, ward boundaries have had to be adjusted. At the moment what that means is this: the following areas have had to be moved from the current Denby ward into the Hikurangi-Coastal General Ward:

The Springs Flat area, including Taylor Road, Rose Place, Great North Road, Winger Crescent, Springs Flat Road and all roads to the west of Great North Road down to Station

Road (including the beginning of Pipiwai Road, Hiko Road, Waipanga Road, Onoke Lane, Northcroft Drive, Oakwood Rise, east side of Dip Road, Georgia Lane, Brickworks Lane, Whitelaw Place, Butler Place, Tustian Way, Lilian Street, west side of Kamo Road to Station Road, Ford Avenue, Moehau Road, Tuatara Drive, Crawford Crescent, Iti Street and Wentworth Place).

All affected households were notified and as you can imagine, this has caused a wave of concern, with a strong submission to keep these streets part of Denby (and later, the Whangārei urban area) coming from Kamo Community Inc on residents’ behalf, as well as a number of individual submissions.

These were heard by Council in mid August. If Council decides that these changes split people from their community of interest – that is, Kamo – Council can appeal to the Local Government Commission to make an exception to the numbers legally required per ward. There is a similar, though less dramatic impact on part of the Maunu area.

Suffice to say, your local Denby Councillors think moving the local Fire Station, Kamo Club and even the Kamo Library – which used to be the Kamo Council building! – to the Hikurangi ward is not a reasonable move. We expect this to be appealed by Council to the Local Govt Commission so that these areas can stay part of the Kamo – and Whangārei urban – community.

Civic Engagement - Trade Waste Bylaw consultation

Submission period closes on 04 October 2021.

Whangārei District Council is proposing to make changes to its Trade Waste Bylaw, and wants to hear your feedback. The Trade Waste Bylaw applies to the discharge of trade waste into the public wastewater network.

Trade waste is any waste produced during any trade or industrial process that is then discharged from trade premises to our wastewater system. This includes discharges from businesses such as restaurants and hairdressers, and any other premises discharging nondomestic wastewater, as well as tankered waste.

The Bylaw provides for the protection of the public sewer, protection of the environment and public health, and for recovery of the costs associated with disposing of trade waste.

Dates to diarise:

1 September

7 September

18 September

12 September

4 October

10 September - 11 October

19 October

25 - 31 October

Key features

• removing the Physical and Chemical Characteristic Schedules to the Bylaw as they are primarily technical items that do not need to form part of the Bylaw. These will be moved to a separate policy;

• amending clause 6.4.3. of the Bylaw allowing Council to set by resolution a preferred waste tracking system;

• improving the drafting and wording of the bylaw and reorganisation of the definitions table.

The Statement of Proposal sets out what the Council is proposing and the reasons for it. It’s available on Council’s website in the ‘Have your say” section.

Source: Whangārei District Council

COVID vaccinations - All people over 12 in New Zealand are eligible for a vaccine. Refer to page 9 for Kamo vaccination locations.

WDC final Representation Review proposal completed (New ward boundaries for elections)

10-12 noon - Lions Club have registered a Kamo Shopping Centre carpark and environment clean up. Contact Judy or Allison on Phone: 0274384481 or Email: jaallison@xtra.co.nz

FREE Kiwi aversion training for dogs - scheduled for Sunday 12th September at Hurupaki School, Kamo. 10mins per dog. Please contact Trish Clarke from the Pukenui Western Hills Forest Trust on 021 137 8911 to book your place.

Trade Waste Bylaw consultation by the Whangārei District Council closes 05:00 PM on 4 October. Forms are available online on their website or write your own submission to Council.

Representation Review appeals and objections close

Trade Waste Bylaw consultation hearings at Whangārei District Council

Clean Up Week - Keep New Zealand Beautiful is once again asking Northlanders to work together and get involved in this year’s Clean Up Week.To register a clean up event for your local area or to register to join in a public event visit knzb.org.nz

2 - 6 November

Diwali celebrations - Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, notably Newar Buddhists. The festival usually lasts five days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika

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Labour Day means tomato time

Tomatoes are an interesting plant to grow - some seasons you can plant and reap a great harvest with little effort, and at other times you may struggle to get any fruit.

1. Choose the right place

Tomatoes need a sunny and warm spot with good drainage - with some shade in the afternoons and air flow. Consider wind breaks and/or wind tunnels and potential reflected heat off walls and retained heat from stones and brick when choosing where to plant them. Consider the different tomato types and choose the ones that suit you best.

2. Get your soil right

If you are growing in the ground or a raised bed (as opposed to containers or grow bags), make sure to fertilise the planting hole well. Plant ordinary tomato seedlings deep, up to their first set of leaves, as the plants will grow roots all up the stem. The more roots your plants can grow, the better they will produce. But do not do this if they have been grafted.

3. Growing in containers

Container-grown tomatoes can be shifted around so they follow the sun. In a pot or bag, allocate 10 litres of potting mix or more to each seeding. Ensure that there are drainage holes. Because the soil in your pots will be warmer than the soil in your veggie beds, you can look forward to your container-grown tomatoes ripening about two weeks faster than those in the ground.

4. Mulch

If you are growing in the ground, then pile on compost, aged manure (or sheep pellets) and leaf mould in the spot you’ve selected, even before you plant. If the soil there is already good, it’s never a bad idea to increase the organic matter content of a vege bed. Tomatoes like a rich soil.

5. Feed & tend

Only remove laterals and old leaves when humidity is low, as disease can easily enter these wounds. Larger laterals can be placed in water to grow roots to become new plants. For larger plant varieties, stake or support the plant in some way. Periodically place neem granules around the plants to control white fly. Spray with baking soda (1teaspoon to a litre of water with some dishwashing liquid to help it to stick) if the plants develop a mould problem. If pollination is a problem, tap the flowers on nice sunny days to release the pollen. Feed the plants again when the fruit starts to grow. Keep the soil moist but don’t overwater. If birds are a problem, remove the fruit when it starts to yellow - these can ripen indoors. Big fruit varieties might need a third feed in January if you want them to keep fruiting until March.

1.95%

Kamo Club A place where you can meet and have fun in a safe environment

by John Nuttall

In previous articles we have touched on the importance of socialising and the many groups and organisations who meet at the Kamo Club. Now is a good time to gather some friends together and come on down Meldrum Street and meet us. I have recently seen many excellent articles about the organisations who use the Kamo Club during the day, please check these out. The Kamo Club has a list of all its activities, they are all friendly and want more members. The Kamo Club office will help you with any inquiries. As we get toward spring the Club is looking to open the doors to potential new membership, we have our annual open Weekend Dance and Music Festival “ Spring Fever”. This event is into its 18th year and is a good chance for you to call in and see what the Club has to offer. There is a Weekend Pass and apart from the excellent entertainment, make sure you check out the whole Club and what it can offer you, from the restaurant to all the sports areas. As a member you can come to the Club anytime during the Club’s hours of trading.

In this issue we introduce The Kamo Club Gardening Section. This group meets on the third Thursday of the Month. It is a small group and the meetings are relaxed and casual. There is always someone there to tell you when and what to plant each month. Over the years they have

travelled to Rotorua, Hamilton and Taranaki. What they call local tours are Kaitaia, Kerikeri, Kaipara, Hudsonville, Matakana as well as in and around Whangārei. The Section has supported the Quarry Gardens and the Jassy Dean Trust on Waiheke Island for a number of years. This year there is a plan to visit the Coromandel and do more day trips out of Whangārei. If you are interested, you can contact Jill Dahl phone 0272 853 369 or contact the Kamo Club Office 09 435 1765.

Pets’ Corner

Cat Fouling

There’s nothing as infuriating as finding that numerous cats in the neighbourhood have taken to using your garden as a toilet. Cat poo can contain a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, a disease that causes flu-like symptoms (and the most severe cases can damage the eyes, brain and other organs; and it is also dangerous for pregnant women). There is very little that cat owners can do to keep their cats out of your garden, but together there are solutions available for your garden that you and the cat owners can work through.

Commercial repellants

These can be very effective and work by making the area unpleasant for cats. Many products sold to deter cat fouling should not be used in food cropping areas. Unfortunately, this is where cats are attracted to, because of the bare soil between the neat rows of vegetables. If you do use commercial products, be careful to read directions carefully before using them in food growing areas, or place them on lids to stop soil contamination (rather than using them directly onto the soil).

Citronella Oil

Soaking used, dry tea bags in citronella oil and placing these around the veggie garden on lids can be very effective. Renew them regularly every three or four days and replace them if they get wet. Old ones can be used as fire lighters.

Deterrent Plants

Some plants have scents that cats detest. They include rue, lavender, rosemary, pennyroyal, coleus canina and lemon thyme. Eucalyptus scents are also unpleasant to cats. Ask the owners to get a catnip plant. This will encourage the cats to stay home as they love this plant.

Other Deterrents

Spread sheep pellets, ground pepper or coffee grounds on top of the soil but don’t dig it in. Cats don’t like their scents and back off and make ablution arrangements

Microchip cat feeder:

• Designed for m ulti-pet hom es to stop pets stealing food

• Great for cats on weight m anagem ent diets

• Sealed bowls k eep food fresh, k eeps insects away

• Suitable for wet and dr y food

• 6 m onth batter y life

• Com patible with all m icro-chips

elsewhere. Repeat the application once they start to break down. Alternatively, place upside-down plastic plant pots on all the exposed ground area, leaving no room for the cats, secured into place by bamboo or wire pegs through their drainage holes. Use them as snail and slug traps too.

Ground Coverings

Cats don’t like surfaces that feel tangly or wobbly. So, creating a web of string a few centimetres above the ground will keep them off your seed beds, and old net curtains draped over no 8 wire hoops, bamboo stakes or any other support will protect small veggie patches. But this obviously isn’t a solution for your whole garden.

Water Sprays

Water sprays are not recommended as a solution as the cat will change its behaviour to visit only when they are sure you are not there to spray them. If you have no other options, a children’s water pistol could be tried. Put a small amount of vinegar in the water. This tastes awful to the cat and they will stay away. There are also sprinkler systems available now which are activated by movement.

Microchip cat door:

• Keeps unwanted pets out of your home

• W orks with your cat’s existing microchip

• Can have up to 32 pets using the door

• Can install in glass or wood doors

• Can have display screen & timer control (certain doors)

• Battery powered

NEW Whau Valley Water Treatment Plant

Kamo’s new, $30m Whau Valley water treatment plant is now officially 100% complete and the Whau Valley dam is 100% full, which bodes well for summer. The plant was officially opened in July, and began producing water for the network at the end of May 2021. The plant will secure Whangārei’s urban water supply for decades to come. The new plant will treat raw water from the existing Whau Valley Dam and the Hatea River.

This will increase the capacity of Whangārei water supply from 15,000 cubic metres processed each day by the existing plant, to 22,000 cubic metres a day. It uses new filtration systems and the latest technology for cleaning, filtering, controlling and monitoring our water supply.

The new Whau Valley Water Treatment Plant is modern, future-proofed, more robust and will provide greater resilience when it comes to water

Rates:

security. This is especially important considering the growth in our district, and the increased climate challenges facing us in the future.

Source: Whangārei District Council

• Casual - $22.50/day

• Regular $20/day

• Full time $17.50/day

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm.

UV treatment pumps at Whau Valley (photo credit - Tania Whyte)

The opening of the new water treatment plant.

New building consent process from

The Whangārei District Council will begin a new online way for customers to get building consents, starting 1 September 2021.

The Council will also continue to provide face-to-face assistance for those customers who aren’t able to make their application online. If you are not computer savvy, you can still head down to the Customer Services department at Forum North and they will assist you to get going with your building consent application.

Acting Building Control Manager Lesley Ashcroft says the new online AlphaOne building application system will “provide customers with an easy to use, step by step process, for applying for and managing building consents online”.

The new online portal will provide improved transparency throughout the application process, including the ability for customers to easily provide extra information and to track progress daily. Customers will also be able to withdraw applications and to save partially completed applications.

The Council chose AlphaOne because it is a system with a proven positive track record that can keep pace with customer and industry expectations. AlphaOne is already used by 16 other councils in New Zealand. Using a system that is consistent with other councils means that customers (and more particularly their agents, such as housing companies) will be familiar with the system and

have an understanding of how it works. Another advantage is that it does away with printed and scanned forms which reduces the use of paper, and the risks that come with paper documents and double data entry.

(Source: Whangārei District Council)

Kamo Groups and Organisations

Let us know if you want your group added to this list – margie.kent9@gmail.com

Kamo Scout Group - There are five Scout sections: Keas school yrs 1-3 [ages 6-8], Cubs school yrs 3-6 [ages 8-10], Scouts school yrs 6-10 (ages 10-14), Venturers school yrs 10-13 [ages 14-18], 15 Three Mile Bush Road, PO Box 4437, Kamo, Whangārei. Ph number 022 0405064 kamo@ group.scouts.nz

Rock’n’Roll Live Northland - Dance Rock’n’Roll rocknrollive@gmail.com

124 Kamo Road, Whau Valley, Whangārei. Contact Helen Harwood, Ph: 4376500 Mob: 0210465478 helen. stephen@vodafone.co.nz

The Kamo Club - latest entertainment, events, sports and activities. The Pick n Shovel Restaurant is open from Wednesday to Sunday, darts every Saturday afternoon/ evening, fishing first Tuesday night of the month, gardening third Thursday of the month after draw at 6:30pm, lots more come check it out.The Kamo Club (Inc.), Meldrum Street, Kamo. Phone 09 435 1765 Fax 09 435 0274

Whangārei Writers’ Workshop - We are a friendly group of writers who meet every Friday at 10:00 am at the Kamo Club - to give help and feedback to writers in all genres. Contact Heather 0274375163

Are There Levels Of Fake News And Misinformation?

Fake news or even ‘fake media’ are popular terms used to describe the types of false information created to mislead people into believing lies or doubting the truth. These two types of false information are called disinformation and misinformation.

Disinformation

false information created with the intention of harming a person, group, organisation or even a country

Misinformation false information that people didn’t create with the intention to hurt others

Malinformation a third type of fake news. This is is true information used with ill intent. For example, spreading information about someone’s sexual activities when it is of no public interes

HOW TO SPOT FAKE NEWS AND MISINFORMATION

Understand the context: Information is presented to you everywhere. Check where the original story appeared and who is promoting it. Find out if the source is credible before sharing it

Check the facts: Fake news often contains incorrect details, unreliable sources or altered timelines. You can often research and cross reference key facts with a simple web search.

Understand the subtlety: Sometimes real information can be distorted to become fake news. Be especially wary of image or video descriptions that might be misrepresenting what is happening in them

Compare other sources: Every news source has its limitations. When news is important, it’s hard to contain. If you can only find it in one place, you should be cautious. Check the differences between similar reports to understand the facts before sharing it

Know your biases: We quickly and subconsciously accept news that aligns with our beliefs and negatively react to information that is different. It’s important to take time and reflect on how news is making you feel before reacting or sharing

Stop the spread:

You can minimise the spread of misinformation by reporting fake accounts, or pages and domains repeatedly sharing misinformation using the Help Centre on the social media platform you are using

Use trusted sources: Netsafe is advising people wanting the most accurate health information about COVID-19 to rely on the Ministry of Health, covid19.govt.nz or Hāpai Te Hauora websites

TYPES OF FAKE NEWS

Clickbait: These articles use words and phrases that sensationalise a story to reel in the clicks and generate attention

Satire: Some sites and social media accounts are specifically designed for entertainment and parody purposes

Incorrect facts: Incorrect details are often a giveaway. Misinformation such as altered timelines, incorrect place names or unreliable sources can easily mislead and trick readers

Commercial agenda: Examine the article to see if it’s clearly ‘sponsored’. If you find anything that resembles an advertisement, it’s probably trying to get you to open your wallet

Manufactured photos: As the old saying goes, a picture’s worth a thousand words. That’s why you’ll often find digitally altered images on fake news articles that are intentionally designed to deceive readers

Unconscious bias: We’re hardwired to believe news that affirms our beliefs and discredits information that doesn’t. It means you may see fake news because of the things you like

The beginning of Kamo Village

Whangārei formerly belonged to the Ngai Tahuhu people who landed at Te Arai in the canoe Tu Nui a Rangi in the 14th century, and whose rohe once extended from Auckland to about 80km north of Whangārei. Whangārei was a desirable place to live due to its sheltered harbour, ample marine and freshwater resources and temperate climate.

Around Kamo, volcanic soils provided similar conditions for gardening as the fertile soils of Central Auckland. Archaeological investigations include evidence of Māori occupation dating to the 17th century, with nearby evidence of 19th century activities relating to the transformation of the landscape for farming.

On the 23rd of February in 1858 the Te Kamo transaction (the name on the cover sheet of the original deed) saw 296 acres bought for £50.00. A sketch plan was included in the deed showing the configuration of the block. Over time, the ‘Te’ was dropped and became Kamo Village.

Wikipedia tells us that coal mining first started in 1875, but it was not practical to carry the coal over the unmetalled roads to Whangārei wharf. In 1882 a short railway line was completed between Kamo and Whangārei to carry the coal. This was one of Northland’s first railways. The railway still exists as part of the North Auckland Line.

Kamo became a Town District in 1884, at which point it had a population of 410, slightly smaller than Whangārei. The town was known for its hot springs in the early 20th century, and the iron-rich water was promoted as a health tonic.

In the early 1960s the boundaries of Whangārei city expanded to include Kamo.

Sources: Bickler, S, and R. Clough. 2017. Marsden Refinery Whangārei Harbour Dredging: Archaeological Assessment. Rigby, B, 2015. Wai 1040 local issues research programme: Pre-1865 Te Raki

Crown purchase validation report

Wikipedia: Kamo, New Zealand

1962 View over Kamo towards Whangārei - Facebook - Kamo.A history in pictures

The Kamo Rail Line Upgrade

KiwiRail recently announced that funding has been allocated to reopen the currently mothballed line between Kauri (just north of Kamo) and Otiria, and to build a rail/road transfer site at Otiria. Additional funding through the New Zealand Upgrade Programme will allow the line between Whangārei central and Otiria to be further upgraded so it is capable of carrying 18 tonne axle loads.

Upper North Island General Manager, Reuben Araroa recently noted that “We expect the work on this section of line to begin in 2022. Our teams will then begin the work to upgrade the line north of Whangārei to Otiria, where a new road/rail container interchange will be constructed.”

In total, KiwiRail has received Government investment of more than $200 million tagged for use in and around Whangārei, including:

* Upgrade the line between Swanson (Auckland) and Whangārei, including replacing five bridges and lowering tracks in 13 tunnels (largely complete with the exception of sleeper replacement)

* Reopen the currently mothballed line between Kauri (on the line from Whangārei just north of Kamo) and Otiria, and build a road/rail interchange at Otiria

* Purchase land along the route of the Marsden Harbour Line extension from Whangārei.

Work already completed on the North Auckland Line between Swanson and Whangārei has allowed hi-cube shipping containers to be carried on the line for the first time, by lowering the track in 13 tunnels. For context, as pointed out by KiwiRail’s Group Chief

Executive, Greg Miller, trucks on roads need to take 2000 trips to move 1000 containers. The same amount of containers can be moved with just 9 trains when using rail. Fewer trucks on roads also means less congestion, lower road maintenance costs, and greater road safety.

It also means fewer emissions. Every tonne of freight carried by rail produces 70 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the equivalent freight carried by road.

Around 30,000 containers leave Northland each year; so rail can now move this freight faster and more sustainably than by road, while offering another reliable transport option for Northland’s producers and manufacturers.

Once the 19km Marsden Point spur line is built, Northland businesses will have the option of sending their goods by rail, either directly to Northport or Auckland and beyond. A rail-connected Northport will be a major benefit for the region’s producers, providing a seamless connection to the national rail network.

With freight volumes in the region expected to increase from 18 million tonnes a year currently to 23 million tonnes by 2042, rail is a crucial part of developing an efficient, integrated transport system for Northland. KiwiRail works closely with existing and potential customers in Northland to keep them up to date with project progress. And that’s not all. As Reuben Araroa points out “While the current focus is on freight, it is possible that once the upgrade works are finished, that charter passenger services could be operated.”

(Source: KiwiRail website and information from the KiwiRail communications team)