The Point Wells Crier Spring 2023 Issue

IN THIS ISSUE:

• President’s Report

• PWCRA advocating for Ratepayers

• Croquet Club News

• Pest Eradication Update

• PW Community Resilience

• Neighbourhood Support

• Point Wells Library News

• Point Wells Village Literary Festival

• Local Folk - Lesley McCowan

• Pregnancy Workshops

• Change of Leadership at Matakana Fire & Emergency Trust

• Matakana Fire Brigade

• Point Wells Garden Circle

• Point Wells Boating Club

• The Point Wells Club

• A Note from Jodi Sterling

• Gardening with Andrew Steens

• Matakana Coast Trail Trust Update

• Vernon Pride rides Perth to Brisbane

• The Kauri Tree’s Legacy

• A Quick Chat with Our Val

• Beetopia

• Total Return Approach to Income Generation

• Kids’ Activity Page

• Point Wells Community Contacts

Point Wells Crier

Point Wells Fisherman

Photo by AmandaGarthwaite

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Kia ora

koutou, Greetings to you all.

It has been a busy quarter for the Point Wells committee with the opening of the newly renovated hall and library, holding a community open day, and of course advocating for our association members on issues with the Council, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi.

I would like to thank all our community members who have responded to recent requests for advice, and consultation and to the committee members for working so hard to support this work.

Amanda, Anne, Noeline, Howard, Priscilla and Alan in particular have been very busy undertaking different tasks on our committee’s behalf over the past few months, including setting up our new Community Resilience Group, Neighbourhood Support Group, keeping the hall going, managing our finances and administration.

Ali ran a committee event for our local kids using a donation we received through Jodi Sterling, which was a big success.

I would also like to say congratulations to our committee member Victoria and her family for welcoming a new baby.

Finally, even though summer is just around the corner, please take note of Amanda and Anne’s advice on preparation for severe weather events. Now is the time to prepare to support our community to be resilient and ready.

THE POINT WELLS HALL

Our newlyrefurbished hall is now available again for hire. A great medium-sized venue, the hall is perfect for meetings, classes and special events such as prizegivings, birthday celebrations, wedding receptions...

Welcome to the Spring 2023 issue of our quarterly village newsletter

Our aim is to provide items of local interest and/or from local contributors to advise, inform and amuse the residents of our beautiful community. We hope you enjoy reading it.

Thank you to our contributors. You are what makes this magazine special.

If you have something you’d like to share, please email it to our editor essex2801@gmail.com

We do, of course, rely on advertising revenue to be able to produce and print The Point Wells Crier, so our heartfelt thanks to all our current advertisers for their continued support. We ask that you please support them in return by buying local when you can.

If you would like to place an advertisement in The Crier, please email our Treasurer howardgeorge21@gmail.com

A 20% discount is available to all members of the PWCRA.

For bookings, availability and Terms & Conditions of Hire, please contact Priscilla McClintock pointwellshall@gmail.com

PWCRA Committee

Nga mihi Alana McClintock

HOW THE COMMITTEE IS ADVOCATING FOR RATEPAYERS

Seawall and Foreshore

This week, the Council discussed an ongoing issue with a privately-owned seawall structure and boat ramp that was built without Council consent some time ago.

The residents who built this had requested that the Rodney Board allow them to keep these structures, and the committee was asked if we supported this.

After committee discussion, we decided that we didn’t know enough about potential environmental damage these structures may be causing, or impact on other properties. However, we did agree that the Point Wells Foreshore Reserve in front of these properties now appears to be private and that many residents probably don’t know how far the reserve access goes towards Omaha. We advised the Rodney Board member Ivan Wagstaff that the property owners need to ensure theForeshore Reserve is accessibleto all our residents.

We notified other community ratepayers associations of our seawall OIA and they responded that they have the same concerns and are also in contact with the Rodney Board and Council on requests for upgrades.

Tree planting

On 4 July, the committee received an email from a Council contractor working under Rodney Town Centre Streetscape upgrades stating that Point Wells had been identified as a town that required ‘improvements including street tree planting and in some cases upgrades to garden areas. The Rodney Local Board identified Point Wells as one of the town centres we should investigate. We are tasked with further strengthening the ‘look and feel’ of existing town centres to make them more attractive, achieve further environmental outcomes, increase shading and more’

We were then informed that many Pohutukawa and Kowhai would be planted on our roadside areas ‘in the next few months’. There was no consultation beforehand, but the contractor said we had a week to provide feedback. She also stated that the feedback was only required for the proposed locations of the new tress - not if we wanted them or not.

We didn’t agree with that statement and put proposal out to association members for consultation. The feedback was resoundingly negative.

While most residents acknowledged we love trees (especially Kowhai) no one wanted a native tree like a Pohutukawa planted in front of their home that could grow extremely large and is protected.

There had been no consideration of our storm water drains function, and the impact growing trees over them would create on that system or private assets.

Even more unusual, many tree planting locations of the proposal already have new trees planted there.

The other common feedback theme was how can the council afford to plant new trees when they refuse to

maintain the ones we have, especially the hazardous Pohutukawa on Riverside Drive?

After presenting this feedback to the contractor, she confirmed that the trees would not be planted. What was disappointing was finding out the same approach had been taken with Omaha and Snells Beach and they also had to argue back that this was not a good way of spending ratepayers’ money.

We will work to co-ordinate responses to the Council on issues like this one.

Unstable bank on Matakana Hill

Every time we all drive up the Matakana Hill we are presented with red cones along the roadside under a large and unstable looking bank. This bank has been shifting for some time, and during our last big rainfall a large quantity of soil shifted.

The Council sent a contractor who appears to have undertaken some remedial work - but left large amounts of soil further down the hill in piles.

Several of the committee members have logged the issue with Waka Kotahi multiple times and urged them to immediately fix the problem.

Where did our benches go?

In May, residents noted that the Council replaced several park benches and picnic tables. Several complained to the committee as this upgrade had reduced seating available down at the boat ramp.

There was no warning of this work happening and the committee would have appreciated giving some feedback on locations new tables and benches. The original white benches were installed by our own community, so we wondered; where did they go?

We decided to go right to the top and send an email to Claudia Wyss, General Manager of Regional Services and Strategy at the Council. We had to follow up to get a response, but eventually they replied:

I have followed up with my team, and they have advised that the renewal of the picnic tables and benches was part of a programme to renew the ageing assets. The replacement of the furniture aligned with our current standards of furniture and sought to improve the picnic tables with new accessible picnic tables on larger concrete pads.

The assets were largely placed in the same place as before, the area is not in a flood zone, there is however a risk of coastal inundation noted in the next 20-50 years. Given the minor nature of these assets, it was considered acceptable to keep the assets in the same place.

As part of our normal procedures to maintain and renew minor assets, we do not typically engage with the community when delivering renewals like park furniture, unless there is notably a memorial asset being

considered for replacement or removal. In this case, there was nothing that identified the community had delivered the original park benches, so community consultation was not considered a requirement.

The original benches did fall apart when removed, the contractor has advised that the framing was in average condition and can be returned if required. If there is a need for additional seating or provision, this can be considered. I have copied in Geoff, the Area Operations manager for Rodney Local Board area, who can

arrange a meeting to discuss any additional need assessments and can be a point of contact for the matter at hand.

Next quarter

Please have your say on Council Proposals here Topics you can have your say on (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) and AK Have Your Say (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) regarding local Board plans.

WARKWORTH & DISTRICTS CROQUET CLUB

We are pleased to have the heavy rain behind us, and we are able to play on most club days now.

We have been carrying out a progressive lawn maintenance program, but this has been held up with unavailability of the specialist grounds people and supply of product.

We held a well-attended AGM and prizegiving in May and have a new committee for the year ahead. Peter Radley has stayed on as President, Marion Taylor is Club Captain and Secretary, and Sue Brodziak is Treasurer.

We have a busy program of events this season, with several Croquet Auckland events being held at the club in Point Wells. We also have two of our own events, the first of which is on 19 October. Entries for this will come from the wider Auckland area.

PEST ERADICATION UPDATE

While we’ve experienced one of the wettest winters on record, that doesn’t seem to have had anyimpact on the local “peskypests’ with strong numbers of rodents being caught in the strategically placed traps around the Point Wells Peninsula.

Weare very grateful to the more than 20 volunteers who are out doing the fortnightly rounds to inspect and rebait the traps.

Earlier this year we also supplied over 80 interested households with bait stations to help improve the overall effectiveness of our eradication programme.

As a result already, there is early signs of native birdlife becoming active with a number of raucous Kaka making themselves at home once again in the village.

This large parrot species could well be coming from Tawharanui Regional Park where they are successfully breeding.

On Saturday2September we are holding a season opening event where Jodi from Bayleys is coming to “run the first hoop” and declare the season open.

Preliminary planning has started for the refurbishment/ repair of our club house. Any offer of assistance from local tradies would be much appreciated.

Visitors and new members are welcome. Please phone Sue on 0210395921, or come along on a club day –Monday, Thursday, or Saturday at 9:30am for play at 9:45am.

We would like to thank Bayleys Real Estate and Jodi for her kind support of the club, and Summerset Falls, Warkworth.

Peter Radley, President

PWCRA Committee

Andrew Clearwater Acting Eradicator in Chief

POINT WELLS COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

After our successful Point Wells Hall Open Day on 17 June, a Community Resilience Group (CRG) has been set up for Point Wells. This is the new name for Civil Defence and is being coordinated by Amanda Stewart. We are grateful to the following Point Wells locals who have volunteered to be part of this group:

Amanda Stewart, Noeline Cranston, Alana McClintock, Priscilla McClintock, Anne Holman, Peter Marsh, Steve Hockey, Rob Mitchell, Marilyn Stacey, Keith Swasbrook, Mark O’Shea, Mark Brighouse

An inaugural meeting has been held and the following goals set…

• Work towards emergency preparedness, this includes resourcing the Point Wells Hall as a Community Hub.

• Increase the resilience of our community to hazard impacts.

• Become a more self-sufficient community thus reducing the reliance on first responders and Auckland Emergency Management.

• Develop a CRG database highlighting local resources such as generators, solar power, medical staff etc as well as at-risk community members.

• Foster a positive relationship with Rodney CRG and Auckland Emergency Management

Our newly formed Point Wells CRG group hosted the Rodney East, North & West CRG Cluster meeting at PointWells Hall on 27 July where we had guest speakers

- FENZ Matakana Fire Chief Jeremy Gibbons, followed by Nigel Keys from First Aid NZ who demonstrated the use of community Defibrillators.

If you’re interested in finding out more about our local CRG or would like to join, please email Amanda amandaandgeoff@gmail.com

Example of a Home Emergency Kit:

Meetings are monthly and the following dates have been booked at the Point Wells Hall, 7:30pm

Monday 21 August | Monday 18 September | Monday 16 October.

HOMEEMERGENCYKIT:

It’s important to be prepared at home for emergencies and power cuts, we recommend having the following located in an easy-to-access place at home.

Water storage container - bottled water - canned easyto-heat food - gas cooker or BBQ - lighters - radio (battery operated) - torches and lanterns (battery operated) - bucket - first aid kit - cleaning wipesbatteries

TIPSFORAPOWERCUT:

Seriously consider purchasing a generator or installing solar panels and batteries.

• Fill a bath with water if you have advance warning, you can use this water to bucket fill your toilet cistern.

• At each hand basin in your home make sure you have a bottle of water, wet wipes and a small LED light.

• Makesure you’re BBQ gas bottle is always at least ½ full or carry a spare.

• Keep several slicker pads or containers of water in your freezer at all times that you can transfer into your fridge to keep the contents cooler for longer.

• Turn off high-power usage appliances at the wall (induction cooktops, heaters etc) during the power outage.

• Make sure you have surge protector multi-boxes for all technology items.

NEIGHBOURHOOD SUPPORT

Neighbourhood Support (which used to be Neighbourhood Watch) has been reactivated for Point Wells and 26 locals have kindly signed up at the Open Day to be members.

Signage has goneup aroundPointWells and information packs have been delivered. Signs do make a difference in crime prevention. We are continuing to welcome more volunteers, so if you’d like to join please contact Anne Holman at anne@rsvpevents.co.nz

Neighbourhood Support is a community-led movement that brings people and neighbourhoods together to create safe, and connected communities. This network of people would also work in tandem with the Community Resilience Group in an emergency.

We encourage you to keep in touch with your neighbours, get their phone numbers and watch out for anything unusual. In the case of an emergency, we would contact our Neighbourhood Support volunteers to help check on neighbours.

Our emergency communications hub will be the Point Wells Hall, which will hopefully soon have its own

generator. People can congregate there for information, charge phones, use the kitchen and facilities and help neighbours.

Going forward, we will email this group of Point Wells Neighbourhood Support volunteers quarterly with any updates. You can also see regular updates on the Rodney Neighbourhood Support Facebook page.

CrimeSpotting

If you witness and wish to report any of the following in your neighbourhood: theft, burglary, destruction of property, disorder or manner of driving you can phone:

• Phone 105 if this has already happened

• Phone 111 if this is happening now

• Phone anonymously Crimestoppers 0800 555 111

The issue of a security camera for Point Wells is still under review. In the meantime, there is a new initiative between NZ Police and Neighbourhood Support called Community Cam (see below), where you may register your private security camera with the Police to help the community if you wish.

NEWS FROM THE POINT WELLS LIBRARY

Most days I am sure that most us of feel that we could possibly on the verge of Spring. In fact, I am almost looking forward to the day that we have to ring and order the water tanker - so don’t forget to bear MatakanaWater in mind as they kindly support the library.

It feels as though it has been a long winter, which included a summer that felt as though it could have almost been winter. However, our issued book record was fabulous so hopefully that habit is now firmly ingrained in everyone’s psyche and you will all continue to come to the library frequently. We have lots of new books on the shelves and with Jodi from Bayleys last donation we were able to buy more.

Thank you to all those who attended our film night - we managed an almost full house. Also, many thanks to our loyal sponsors:

Matakana Butchery, Matakana Liquor Centre, Aldos Matakana Botanicals, The Stihl Shop Warkworth, Matakana Estate, Morris & James, Matakana Village Books, Sculptureum and Cakes by Kim

We tend to allocate the funds raised to our subscription for the wonderful Accessit programme which runs the online system we have for the library.

We also very excited to have confirmed that not only do we have our grant from Auckland Rural Libraries, we also have the support of Rodney Board.

Enormous thanks to both parties for their support. Should you be wondering what Point Wells was like ten plus years ago, we do hold back issues of the PointWells Crier in the library (in the nonfiction section) and are in the process of putting them on the desktop of the library laptop should you be needing copies.

DonatingBooksfortheAnnualBookSale

If you have books you would like to donate, if possible, could you please store them until October/November when we will start preparing for our annual book sale.

AucklandBulkLoan

We hope you have found something of interest in the last batch of Auckland Loan Books. These will soon be returned to the Auckland Library system and we expect to have a new batch on our shelves by mid-September Thank you to anyone who has made a book request. It is most helpful to know what our readers would like.

LIBRARYHOURS:

• Monday evening 5pm – 6pm

• Wednesday morning 10am - 12pm

• Friday afternoon 3pm - 5pm

• Saturday morning 10am – 12pm

pointwellslibrary@gmail.com

The bright lights of Omaha

Photo by Marion Ransom

POINT WELLS VILLAGE LITERARY FESTIVAL

16 September 2023 at the Point Wells Hall

For the very first time, the Point Wells Village Literary Festival is being held in our very own Point Wells Hall. In the morning, we’ve invited four local children’s authors to captivate our young people. TaniaSickling and ChrisGurney will entertain children 3-7-year-olds, MariaGill will tell true adventure stories to 8-12-yearolds, and Janine Williams will read from her shortlisted horse novel to young adults (10-16 years old).

Entry fee is a koha, and we’ll donate it to the local school’s Dyslexia programme.

From 12pm onward, it’s time for the adults to be entertained.

Two crime writers, MadeleineEskedahl and Sherryl Clark will hook you with their crime stories. Debbie Aldred will tell true tales from her year-long sailing trip blog, while KitWillett will dazzle you with his poetry. BrigidDiMattina will sizzle your taste buds with sustainable cooking tips from her cookbook and make something in front of you.

Morning - Children:

Just when you think it can’t get any better, Avalon Hewitt will sing and play the guitar while you sip on OBV wines and nibble on cheese and crackers. It’s also a chance to meet other book-loving locals.

The entry fee for this fantastic afternoon is $30 including all adult talks, music, and wine/cheese (12pm - 7pm). If your partner only wants to come for the music, they can for $15.

Your admission price also enters you into the raffle. Al Brown has signed two gorgeous cookbooks, which could be yours! We’ll draw it at about 5.30pm. Tea/Coffee and a muffin will be available from the General Store across the road.

TIMETABLE

Tickets:https://www.trybooking.com/nz/events/landing/9636

Sponsors: OBV Wines, PaknSave, Creative New Zealand, Benefitz

Anyqueries contact: JulieSnowsill0210695317;MariaGill021057119;VanessaBarber0274758992

The beautiful place we live

Photo by Marion Ransom

LOCAL FOLK - LESLEY MCCOWAN

Our intrepid reporter, Gareth Eyres, caught up with Lesley recently and she graciously agreed to answer some questions.

Do you have any nicknames?

Not currently. People call me Les… I used to have nicknames at school but fortunately they’ve not carried over.

When and where were you born?

Cornwall Hospital, Auckland. My folks lived in Glendowie. Mum was from Winnipeg in Canada and met myfather when he was training with the NZ Airforce in Winnipeg.

Where have you lived?

Auckland mainly. We had a year in Hamilton working at Waikato Hospital which was a really good experience, and when we finished our speciality training we did fellowships in Toronto, and lived there for 18 months.

Stuart (husband) did a trauma fellowship and I did a research fellowship using Doppler ultrasound looking at blood flow in the fetus. Then we went and lived in Newfoundland for a few months before returning to NZ. That was an amazing experience - beautiful scenery and great people.

How long have you lived in Point Wells?

Permanently for two years, and loving it.

What is your favourite hobby?

Gardening’s up there. And we love fishing and snorkelling - getting out on the water. We’ve just had a lovely week in Fiji snorkelling which was fab…

What is your favourite travel destination?

Tahiti is up there ... because of the combination of food and snorkelling/water-based activities.

Do you have children? What are their names and ages?

We have two boys - Tom (38) and Laurie (34).

What kind of pets do you have, if any? What are their names?

We have Bella … she’s a springer poodle cross - a Sproodle

Are you a sports fan? If so, what is your favourite team?

The Black Ferns I guess ... but with the soccer world cup being on we’ve got into the Football lately.

What causes are you passionate about?

Reducing inequity, improving health outcomes for all New Zealanders.

Do you volunteer? If so, where?

Not currently ... I’m on the Point Wells Garden Circle committee, and once we get sorted at the property I’d

like to get involved with something that gives back to the community.

What’s the best thing about living in Point Wells?

The scenic beauty … and the friendly people. We wanted to be part of a community. Where we lived in Auckland (Maungakiekie Ave) was a community when we moved in, but it’s not that any longer. Being part of a community and all that it offers brought us here … and it’s been perfect.

What’s your least favourite thing about living in Point Wells?

I guess getting stuck in traffic when you have to go to Auckland … but that is a small price to pay.

Who is someone you admire, and why?

There’s lots of people, but Portia Woodman…and of course Ruby Tui leap to mind. Michelle Obama is great - wish she had pursued a political career.

Do you have any skills or talents that most people don’t know about?

In my former life I was an obstetrician and did a lot of research in Women’s Health. I think we ended up making a significant difference to some important health outcomes. One of our key research projects was trying to reduce stillbirth.

We identified that women who slept on their back in late pregnancy had a substantially increased risk of stillbirth so we put in place a public health campaign to change sleep position to lying on the side. The campaign had good results. It was a simple intervention that evolved from years of research and it’s been implemented internationally - so that was pretty cool.

Flashback to when you were 10 years old. What do you want to be when you grow up?

By early high school I was very interested in science. Continued over ….

What do you want to make sure you do before you die?

Some more travel. Spend more time with family. Keep as healthy as possible

What are you happiest doing?

Gardening, being on the water and spending time with family

What do you do with friends in your spare time?

Get together for drinks or dinner, go to a show or movie.

What has been the highlight of your year?

It’d have to be swimming with Manta rays off the coast of Vanua Levu.

Personal Motto?

Be kind.

Where is your favourite restaurant or café around here?

I like Jin Jin ... and Aldo’s in Warkworth. Farmer’s Daughter is good … we’re spoilt for choice.

What is your favourite movie of all time?

I really enjoyed Titanic … it was a moving story, well done.

What was your first job?

My first proper job was working as a House Surgeon. Did you go to a college or university? If so, where?

Went to Glendowie College in Auckland and Auckland University. Also spent time at the University of Toronto when we were in Canada. And I subsequently was employed by Auckland University for 30 plus years…

PREGNANCY WORKSHOPS

As well as being a yogateacher,I am aPregnancyYoga Teacher, Certified HypnoBirthing Educator (with the original Marie Mongan method) and proud mamma of 2. I hold regular Pregnancy Workshops where mum’s get to be nourished, connect with other mums and bond with their babies; while gaining practical information on pregnancy, birth and those super busy months with a newborn.

In these workshops we explore yoga postures, birth breathing, baby positioning, art, deep relaxations and practical preparations for birth and life with a newborn, in a beautiful supportive environment with plenty of delicious organic snacks, drinks and cake! An abundance of take-home handouts and recordings are also provided to continue on what is shared at home

What was the most valuable lesson you learned from your education?

Be inquisitive, don’t be afraid to speak up for what you believe in, respect the advice you get from wise colleagues (Senior Nurses and Midwives have a lot to share in my field).

What is your current job title?

Emeritus (retired) Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland.

Why did you choose to work in your industry?

I chose to specialise in Obstetrics because the patients were generally healthy and the mix of medicine and surgery was good and of course the pleasure when a healthy baby arrives.,

What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

Being part of a team that reviewed maternity services in Counties Manukau enabled us to raise awareness amongstmanagement, colleagues and politicians about how medically under-served that community wassome significant improvements resulted but they took time ...

If you could give a younger person career advice, what would it be?

Try to maintain a good work/life balance (which has been a challenge for me at times). As a woman with a busy career it can take you longer to achieve your goals but family is very important - so yes - work/life balance is important to get right.

What do you think is the key to professional success?

Hard work and a passion about what you are doing.

Lesley McCowan with Gareth Eyres

My next workshop is on Sunday,10September at Totara Park in Warkworth from 9:30am - 1:30pm, $95. Check out my website for more details www.rebeccaleaker.com/p regnancy-yoga. The next local workshop after that is on Sunday,12November at Bali Garden from 10am1pm, $95.

I am available for private or small group pregnancy classes too.

Rebecca Laker

CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP AT THE MATAKANA FIRE AND EMERGENCY TRUST

John Badham has been Chairman of the Matakana Fire and Emergency Trust since its inception in 2004. He recently retired and has been replaced by Rob Mitchell of Point Wells.

The trust was formed to provide emergency services for Omaha, Point Wells, Matakana, Whangateau, and Baddeley’s Beach.

To do this they needed to set up a Volunteer Fire Brigade, then build a fire station.

John Badham was elected Chairman, Jo Richards, Secretaryand Rob Hall,Treasurer. Other members were Noeline Cranston, Neville Fursdon, Sandi Halling, Ron McMahon, Jim Oxley, Peter Turner, and Margaret Simpson.

With the help of the then Rodney District Council and retired professional firefighter Barry Clarke, the Matakana Rural Fire Brigade was formed and volunteers trained. At first, they worked out of a large shed in OmahaFlats Road which was cramped,cold anddifficult.

Initially the Trust was looking at leasing a site at the Matakana Farm Park but this turned out to be financially unfeasible, so John Badham and Neville Fursden visited many land owners all along Omaha Flats Road to see if the Trust could lease land to build a fire station.

Bruce and Raewyn Whistler then generously offered to gift the Trust the land on which the fire station now stands.

In the meantime, two of the members of the Trust, Noeline Cranston and John Badham joined the Volunteers in their shed and began to train. Later, Jo Richards also joined the Brigade.

As John Badham held an HT licence he could soon be found behind the wheel of the old Tanker or driving the Fire Engine. Over the years, and after undertaking training, he became deputy fire chief.

Under John’s leadership, the Trust engaged in many fundraising activities from craft fairs to letter writing campaigns or even visiting individuals to solicit funds to build the station. The biggest event was the “Firemen’s Ball” held at Ascension Vineyard.

John Badham made many successful applications for funding from charities such as the ASB trust and, as soon as we had enough funds - many hundreds of thousands - construction of the station was begun.

Our fund-raising efforts bore fruit and towards the end of 2006 we were finally able to move into the Fire Station.

The Trust has funded many improvements to the station since then, providing a covered area where barbeques are held, and building and equipping a gym on the mezzanine floor at the back of the station.

The Matakana Fire and Emergency Trust is now looking to help fund a replacement vehicle for first response medical callouts.

The tradition of having Trust members who are also members of the Matakana Brigade has been continued as Chris Jensen is also a member of both the Trust and the Brigade.

However, the Matakana Fire Brigade, now led by Jeremy Gibbons, who is a professional fire fighter working out of the Mt Wellington Station when not in residence here, has a much younger group of volunteers and even a waiting list of those wanting to join.

John Badham has made a major contribution to the community with his time on the Trust and at the Brigade and we are very grateful for his work.

Noeline Cranston

John Badham - in vegetation fire-fighting gear, holding his white helmet which denotes his leadership position.

MATAKANA FIRE BRIGADE

Hands up everyone who thinks that their house is going to burn down in the next year or so??

Just as I thought, no one. And nope, I didn’t put my hand up either. So, what’s the point of that I hear you ask??

Why would we ever plan for something we don’t think will ever happen. However, if I asked what you would spend the money if you won lotto next week, I am sure you would all have lists as long as your arm of how you would do so. Me included.

A lotto win in the next 12 months is equally unlikely and yet we give more thought to spending unlikely winnings than we do to protecting our home and, more importantly, the safety and welfare of our families. Do you get my point now???

Recently (15/8/23), the news program Seven Sharp showed the controlled burn by FENZ staff of a derelict house. The fire started small but grew quickly until the house was fully ablaze. Had anyone have been in the house, they would surely have perished. This was filmed and televised to show how quickly fire spreads and how deadly it can be.

Fire spreads incredibly quickly and consumes all in its way. Frighteningly, smoke can incapacitate and kill occupants before the flames even reach them. TV dramas and movies showing people inside burning buildings seemingly unaffected by the smoke is not

realistic. Hence why firefighters wear breathing apparatus.

Make the effort and take the time to search out and watch the program as described. (Click the link here.)

So, what can you do to protect your home and family?? All simple stuff which you all know about already.

1. Install good quality smoke alarms and check regularly.

2. Educate children about fire dangers (Yes, your job, as well as ours!!!!).

3. Make an escape plan should the unthinkable happen. Discuss and rehearse the plan with the kids, so that everyone is clear on what to do and make a firm meeting point, so that everyone can be accounted for. The letterbox is recommended.

4. Keep matches, lighters, fire starters, or fuels and flammables out of reach or stored in safe places, even locked away.

5. Have a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket handy. At the end of the day, keeping your family safe and alive is far better than winning Lotto. But, in saying that I might just pop online and grab myweekly‘luckydip.’ Good luck to all.

Chris Jensen

A gathering of stilts on the incoming tide

Photo by Marion Ransom

POINT WELLS GARDEN CIRCLE

With an excellent turnout and a new committee elected at the 53rd AGM in late May, the club continues to thrive as a place for keen gardeners to meet and enjoy a lively programme of garden visits and speakers.

Local resident of ten years, Allison Roe, was the guest speaker following the AGM. She’s a mother and grandmother who has a passion for gardening but is best known for her record-breaking wins at the Boston and New York City Marathons in 1981.

Following her illustrious career as an athlete, she has pursued her interests in the environment and healthy living, including serving on our local Rodney Board

Now, as deputy chair of MatakanaCoastTrailTrust, she is focused on ensuring that a world-class recreation and adventure trail, linking communities from Puhoi to Mangawhai, comes to fruition.

The next stage of the trail will run from Point Wells to the Country Park. www.mctt.org.nz *see article by MCTT in this Crier.

Following our meetings in the hall in June and July, we carpooled to two local specialist nurseries.

In 6 years, Raewyn and Bruce Whistler have transformed bare paddocks into a beautiful private tropical oasis, which they use to showcase the large range of unusual palms and subtropical plants that they grow, mainly from seed and sell from their nursery at Matakana Palms on Omaha Flats Road. www.matakanapalms.co.nz

Carol Van Dyk and David Smitheram purchased their niche plant business, The Protea Patch, in 2016. The protea genus includes protea, leucadendron, leucospermum, grevillia, banksia, waratah and our indigenous rewarewa. They probably have the biggest range of these plants in NZ, growing them from cuttings at their nursery on Matakana Road. www.proteapatch.co.nz

Our thanks to Raewyn Whistler of Matakana Palms and Carol Van Dyk of The Protea Patch for giving generously of their time and sharing their expertise and knowledge, making our visits varied and interesting.

If you would like to join our local garden club, please email ptwellsgarden@gmail.com

Marion Ransom

Matakana Palms

Gumboot Glamour at The Protea Patch

POINT WELLS BOATING CLUB

What can we say, yet another members’ competition cancelled due to ongoing dubious weather conditions

We're now looking at making these competitions more flexible, looking ahead for favourable conditions to schedule them in.

Despite the conditions, our keener members get out there when they can, and are catching fish, as is evident from these pics

Going forward, we are continuing to chase the Harbourmaster regarding replacing the channel markers, with slow progress being made.

Also, following community feedback, we are looking into the possibility of merging our club with the Point Wells Club, reducing the number of village subs required and linking the biggest village event with the biggest club. However, the number of fish being weighed in for our ongoing members competition is currently low.

Consequently, our weighmasters are using their weighing skills in other areas as well...

Pat Leitch, Commodore

A NOTE FROM JODI STERLING

As we bid farewell to a wet and quiet winter, the buzz of spring is starting to fill the air.

It's no surprise that the property market takes a bit of a breather during the cooler months, but now, with spring almost here, we're seeing the energy pick up once again.

We have seen an uplift in the number of offers presented to vendors, multiple offers and sales.

It is always great to see our locals achieving their property goals and moving ahead with their plans.

With good reason, Point Wells remains an extremely sought-after area and the new motorway has certainly brought new buyers to the area who previously considered our village too far from AuckIand and potentially a difficult commute.

It is great to be working with new cash buyers as well as several existing buyers who I have been working with for over a year now, waiting for the right property. Feel free to give me a call if you would like to talk through your property plans and would like to learn more about what your property may be worth.

On a personal note, I recently celebrated my third year with Bayleys, which seems to have come around very quickly. Many of you will know that prior to this I spent several years in the Point Wells office before it was a Bayleys office.

I am so grateful to be living and working in Point Wells and getting to know you all. It really is the people who make this community the best in the country.

Another milestone worth celebrating was the fact that myself and Bayleys in the North have now donated over $25,000 to the local community.

These donations have been nominated by my fantastic vendors and the recipients have included the Point Wells Club, our fantastic Point Wells Library, several donations to the dedicated team at the Matakana Volunteer Fire Brigade, along with many other equally deserving charities and groups.

It's incredible to witness the positive impact we can make as a team.

Speaking of community, let's not forget that Halloween is just around the corner (October). We love seeing our neighbourhood embrace this event more and more each year. Above all, it is a great opportunity for children and their families to take time out of their busy lives and have some local fun.

While Christmas might seem distant, it's never too early to start thinking about those festive letterbox ideas. December 1st will arrive sooner than we think. Last year was an amazing community effort with many locals participating. Whilst we have a few very competitive locals (you know who you are!!) we encourage everyone to join in, simple and easy is fine.

Remember, our doors at the Bayleys office (next to the Point Wells General Store) are open, and I'm here to help in any way I can.

Whether you're ready to look at your next move or just want to say hello, feel free to drop by.

Warm regards.

Jodi and Team

GARDENING WITH ANDREW STEENS -

Spring – The Busy Time in the Garden!

Spring is always my busiest time in the garden, but this year the pressure will really be on as we don’t come back from our SE Asia holiday till Labour Weekend, about a month later than usual. But at least those of you who are in Point Wells can get started, the earlier the better!

Top of the task list will be pest and disease control, particularly important this year after such a wet year just been. Predictions are for a dry summer for the Eastern North Island due to the return of El Nino. This combination of a long-wet period followed by a long dry period is often fatal to many trees and shrubs on our peaty soils as their root systems struggle to cope with the change.

For plants that are prone to root rot I’ll be dusting around the root zone with Gypsum, covering with woody mulch and spraying with a chemical sold under various tradenames including Buxus Blight Fighter, Agri-phos 600, Aliette, Phosgard, Foscheck (just be aware of different strengths between the brand names).

I’ll probably still lose some mature trees, last time this happened several years ago I lost a Tangelo, an Orange, an Avocado and several ornamental shrubs. This year I’m looking at a Cherimoya, Pomegranate and a fig tree already struggling.

The entire garden will get a clean-up spray of insecticidal soap and neem oil; this organic solution is quite effective when used regularly. I focus spray any pests such as citrus white fly and passion vine hopper before they can begin their exponential population growth; repeating the spray every 1-2 weeks in spring on plants that harbour these pests.

It can be used on the whole garden but do be careful on fine leaved plants such as ferns, on frangipanis and on hairy leaved plants like tomatoes. For some reason these tend to burn more easily, so I’ll often spray everything else first, then dilute the remaining spray by half before spraying the sensitive plants.

There are some pests that I use low-toxicity non-organic sprays for, including Guava Moth (most fruit trees), Codling Moth (apples) and Bronze Beetle(canefruit). My

go-to for these is a combination of Success and Mavrik, sprayed only on the crops that need them and only when I see signs of these pests starting and only if the organic treatments are not keeping up.

In the end, I prefer to have a good supply of fruit that I know has been minimally treated rather than purchase fruit where I have no knowledge of what has been applied.

For mosquitos I’ll sprinkle Mozzie Bits on any standing water (including Bromeliads) while slugs and snails will get a monthly light sprinkle of slug pellets over all the gardens; with the veggie gardens getting an extra dose.

All parts of the garden will get some fertiliser and any mulch I can get my hands on. Slow-release pellets and sheep pellets for bulbs and potted plants; sheep pellets, Sulphate of Potash and Blood & Bone for the veggie garden and sheep pellets for the rest.

I lifted and replanted most of my bulbs before I left, as these will be in growth mode by the time I get back, but tropical bulbs such as Kra Chai, Galangal, Gloriosa and Tuberose are still able to be planted around this time as they need the soil to be warm before they sprout.

Ditto any tropical vegetable crops such as melons, pumpkins, corn, tomatoes etc. While these can be started earlier without much difficulty, I often find that seedlings transplanted after Labour Weekend catch up and even do better than the earlier planted crops, due to the more favourable soil temperatures.

Once all those jobs are done it will probably be midNovember at least, an ideal time to be bringing my tropical plants from the greenhouse and planting them outdoors to harden off. Pawpaws, various Bananas, several passionfruit species and even a couple of Mangos will be planted outside this year to join an already thriving collection of tropical fruit trees

Fingers crossed for a mild winter 2024!

Andrew Steens

MATAKANA COAST TRAIL TRUST - LINKING

POINT WELLS AND OMAHA WITH MATAKANA COUNTRY PARK

Like me, I am sure many of you will have experienced the wonderful cycle trails that have been developed around New Zealand over the past 10-15 years.

My wife Michelle and I discovered e-bikes 7-8 years ago and love riding them and have tackled many of New Zealand’s trails, including the Otago Rail Trail, The Alps to Ocean trail, Lake Dunstan, Thames to name a few. We have even done an e-bike tour in the heel of Italy.

We purchased our property in Point Wells four years ago, which was when I first heard about the Matakana Trail Trust’s ambition to build a network of fantastic trails in the area, between Puhoi and Mangawhai.

We love riding or walking the existing trail from Point Wells via Jones Road, Takatu Road, Tongue Farm Road to Matakana. For me, expanding the network is a no-brainer due to the huge benefits for all – the community, health, business, climate, safety, etc., etc. So, I put my hand up a little over two years ago to join local dynamo Allison Roe and other big contributors such as Shelley Trotter, on the community trust driving the project. The neat thing is that it’s a community driven project. I currentlychair the trust, stepping in with Craig Donaldson when the previous chair Graeme Stretch moved to the South Island.

Founding chair Allison Roe is still very much the driving force behind the project. We were thrilled to recently add local Point Wells resident Peter Marsh as a new trustee. Like us, Peter loves cycling and is passionate about getting the trail built. He is well known in the area for giving back to the community.

The amount of energy that has gone into the project from hardworking trustees, supporters and benevolent business people has been phenomenal. This has resulted in a project that is very well planned, and in parts shovel ready. Money remains our biggest challenge.

As most will clearly understand these past few years have been tough. The biggest challenge for the Matakana Coast Trail Trust is to raise the funds to build the trail. Funds that will need to ultimately come from a range of sources - government, local government and the community and private sector.

The benefits of the trail are huge. An independent report arrived at a return on investment (ROI) figure of 6.3 for stage one - the triangle linking Warkworth, Matakana and Snells Beach. That means for every dollar spent the community will get 6.3 dollars back annually in benefits.

The entire trail return is 2.9. That makes it a no-brainer. While planning continues for the wider trail, the Matakana Coast Trail Trust is currently focusing on a part of the network that we see as a key link. The Point Wells to Matakana Country Park piece. It’s a small part in the scheme of things (2.2km) but an important part, linking the Omaha and Point Wells cyclists and walkers to the Country Park. Eventually this will also link to the main trail to Matakana and Leigh.

The PointWells to Matakana CountryPark trail is shovel ready and fully consented. The capital cost is $1.4 million. It links with the Jones Road to Point Wells Road trail and then runs all the way through to the Matakana Country Park. It will offer much needed safety for cyclists and walkers.

So how can you help you may ask?

We want to start this section asap. We currently have $400,000 of funds in the bank and pledged towards this part of the project. The present likelihood of receiving public funding is very low due to the constraints on council and government coffers. We are seeking to raise the remaining $1m from other sources - the community being one. If you share our desire to see this stretch built as soon as possible, then please consider helping.

If you are interested in finding out more information, you can do so by contact Meg Eriksen via email meg@mctt.org.nz or visit www.mctt.org.nz

Aidan Bennett, Trust Chair

Meg Eriksen, Allison Roe, Aidan Bennett

VERNON PRYDE RIDES PERTH TO BRISBANE

PART 1: PERTH TO COOBER PEDY:

In 2022, I rode my KTM790R motorbike solo from Brisbane, through the Simpson Desert, up the Tanami to Darwin; flew home for a month, then returned to ride Darwin to Perth; stored the bike there for a year and now returned to continue, joined by Dave and Hamish on similar adventure bikes.

Compounding that, Hamish discovered he’d dropped his camping equipment. After a pub night in Coolgardie, Hamish retraced the last 50kms to recover his equipment spread along the track while Dave and I proceeded to Kalgoorlie. We checked out the “Super Pit” goldmine on the edge of town and sat at the lookout for an hour or so watching massive machines recover 800,000ozs of gold/year.

The next morning, my bike had a flat rear tyre so I replaced it and we departed at noon. Heading due east on tracks and mining roads I’d gleaned from Google Maps, passing “road trains”, across dry lakes - some roads being closed to us!. At one point, the road was arcing NW when we wanted to go NE. Checking our various navigation instruments we decided there was a track 10kms to our east heading the correct way so we just went desert busting, due east 10kms.

4 July 2023, we departed to Wave Rock - a 15m high by 100m long wave cast in “rock”. Our first night, we made a bush camp about 30kms NE of here. Broke out our tents, lilos and sleeping bags, lit a fire and sat back on our camp stools - our only concession to comfortthe main priorities being fuel and water. Via GPS, my wife, Sandra, back home could text and track me in real time while I navigated from my iPhone.

Day 2 started with light showers. Not ideal, as we started into the “Holland Track” which runs to Coolgardie - into Aussie mud that sticks like the proverbial, blocks up tyres, wheels and boots. So slippery it’s hard to stand up. The 2 x KTM’s were average, but the 1000cc Africa Twin (AT) has a low front mudguard which choked up and the front wheel stopped turning 8 times. You can sledge it for a few meters but then it topples. At 230kgs plus 40kg of supplies with a slippery footing, it required team work to pick it up and get it turning again. 260kms took all day, seeing no one else. A “hard day at the office!”

Once back on the new track, the GPS reconfigures and becomes good again! Further on the track I’d planned to traverse was just a faint fence line with no vehicle traffic in years. We decided it would be best to stick to the main track, but... we had good fuel reserves and water, so what the hell…! Eventually we emerged “somewhere” and into Laverton near dusk, checking into the camp ground through a security guard.

From Laverton, we intended to cross the “Great Victoria Desert” on the “Anne Beadell Highway” (ABH), direct to Coober Pedy. This meant several permits plus a military permit for Woomera. Laverton to the only fuel stop at Ilkurlka Roadhouse was 551kms then another 774kms to Coober Pedy. I rang Ilkurlka to check on fuel to be told no petrol, only diesel!! My bike holds 20 litres to get me 375kms in sandy conditions. I needed to carry 70 litres of fuel to go 1300kms (plus water/food/camping gear).

How to carry that amount of fuel? We located the local rubbish dump to do some “recycling”! Lots of discarded plastic containers. I found a couple of 20litre, Dave 2 x 15litre and Hamish a 20litre. The issue was how to secure them onto the bikes. I put one on each rear footpeg, “gaffa taped” them to the frame and departed to the gas station. Filled up plus two 8litre bladders. Hamish joined me but Dave finally called on his phone and was chucking it in. Every time he tightened the straps trying to hold his two plastic containers, one, the other, or both would pop out. He’d had a gut’s full and would go the easy way and meet us in Coober Pedy! We cajoled him to bring everything to the gas station where we copied my arrangement and got him back on board!

With grosslyoverloaded bikes which, if dropped, are too heavy to pick up alone, we agreed to a 10km “leap frog” arrangement. If someone didn’t arrive, it was only 10kms to go back. The road slowly deteriorated to an unmaintained sand track. Miles of “corrugations”, so

bad at times my vision was blurring, followed by deep sand ruts and the brush kept back only by 4WD mirrors. At times we could ride the centre of the road which avoids the corrugations but here the sand is often quite soft. Seriously hard riding with grossly overloaded bikes.

Lots of wild camel on the track and an occasional 4WD group of campers going the opposite direction. For us, the camels could be accelerated past, however, the 4WD’s complained that often the camels would stay on the track up to 10kms. Other wildlife was not to be seen. Water was our heaviest commodity but, it being winter, we didn’t need too much. Across the ABH is a mixture of wells and water tanks. We stopped in at the Ilkurlka Roadhouse and bought a couple of frozen steaks and some tins of sardines then back on the track to find a suitable camp - off the track with plenty of firewood as the temperature drops to near 0˚C.

The nights were absolutely silent. Just the occasional crackle from the fire. Dinner was freeze-dried food supplemented with the steak. Burn the container and lick the spoon clean for breakfast. The magic of the desert!

Often in a wheel rut you were trapped for long distances because trying to cut across the mound in the middle could up-end you. If in the left-hand wheel rut, left hand curves create issues as you have to lean the bike to the left, thus extending you out past the 4WD mirrors so we were oftenhitting the brush with our knuckles,shoulders or helmets. The worst was when a stick punctured one of my containers and I lost 10litres of valuable fuel, and Hamish got a stick through his 10litre bladder and sprayed fuel until Dave behind smelt it.

We battled on over this very tough track to Emu Field where the British detonated two nuclear bombs in 1953. Another bush camp with subtly different growth in a huge radius around the test site but plenty of bird life. Must be water nearby. We rode down the old runway but only a few blocks of concrete strewn around remain, the test site marked with a cairn.

A few kms on, Hamish’s radiator was leaking from the incessant pounding and needed a couple hours to patch up.

And so into Coober Pedy, where we stayed a couple of nights in the underground hotel. We washed our clothes, had a shower and ate a couple huge Aussie steaks, washed down with plenty cold beers.

Vernon Pryde

THE KAURI TREE'S LEGACY

Step back in time and imagine life on the Omaha Flats 150 years ago, a place quite different from the million-dollar mansions we see today.

Instead, picture a low-lying peaty flat covered with mature Manuka, Tī kōuka (Cabbage trees), and Harakeke (Flax), while along the foreshore stand the majestic Pohutukawa trees. The mature Kauri forest, long gone, laid down across the Flats by windfall in recent times and the c1500 tsunami and resulting backwash, which formed the Omaha Beach peninsula.

The Flats and the Point Wells foreshore were dotted with Whares made of manuka and flax, inhabited by small groups of transient Maori. Occasionally, one could find canvas and timber huts erected by a handful of Pakeha settlers. The air was filled with the scent of peat fires and ahi tuwhera (domestic fires) as these hardy individuals toiled, digging the peat to extract the valuable Kauri Gum (Kāpia), collecting cockles, and fishing daily, all in the pursuit of survival.

Kauri gum, a sticky resin produced by New Zealand's giant kauri trees, served as a valuable resource for the Maori, providing an easily burning fire source. In the early 1840s, a shipment of Kauri Gum made its way to London, where it was reportedly sold as fire starters and marine glue. However, in 1842 the ingenious New Zealand pioneer, Charles Heaphy VC, recognized its potential as a varnish for timber.

Around this time, an influx of "gum diggers" arrived in Auckland and headed north. The first evidence of European gum diggers on the Flats comes from the 1860’s when Kauri gum was traded at the Matakana store, and shipments were sent to Auckland.

By the early 1880s, Dalmatians arrived, having fled Yugoslavia after the Serbo-Bulgarian War broke out. These young men headed for the gum fields, joining the ranks of mainlyBritish gum diggers on the Omaha Flats.

In the early 1900s, another group of Dalmatians arrived in Matakana, escaping war once again. Among them was Lui Katavich, whosuccessfullyworkedthegum and harvested the swamp Kauri on my Omaha Flats property.

Amidst the success and prosperity, there were tales of hardship and tragedy. Londoner George Brown, who arrived on the Flats around 1888, was one such individual. He dug for gum and lived in a humble shack, but unfortunately, the circumstances proved overwhelming, and he decided to prepare for his demise. Studiously, he piled wood up in his hut, scattered gunpowder over it, and lit the fuse, the blast was heard in Matakana. George left a short note on a stick in the ground which said, "I’m tired of life and bade goodbye to this green earth." George was a single man from England, 29 years of age, with no known relatives, and he lies in an unmarked grave in the Matakana Cemetery. He is joined in rest by several other gum diggers, including young Stipan Pervan, who drowned at Point Wells in 1909, and Joseph Yorke, who died on the Flats in 1914.

By the 1860’s gum digging was the primary activity on the Omaha Flats, as evidenced by the substantial amounts of gum being shipped to Auckland by local merchants such as Enoch Evans and William Fenton. In 1900, Kauri Gum from the Omaha Flats was the biggest earner and export of the Matakana Parish.

These early diggers and merchants provided the basis for one of New Zealand’s largest ever export industries, earning our country even more revenue than farming in the early 1900s. The legacy is that between 1850 and 1950, Kauri gum exports totalled over 450,000 tons, worth over 25 million pounds.

As I've written before, we owe a debt of gratitude to the early settlers of the Omaha Flats. After the gum diggers drained the Flats and cleared the land of gum and swamp Kauri, farmers like the Migounoff’s, Rudussoff's, Tickles and Wells took over, cleaning up and revealing the "Black Gold" - that dark peaty soil we cherish so dearly.

As you dig over your garden this spring, reflect on the legacy of the Kauri tree and the gum diggers; their struggles and triumphs still echo through the history of the Omaha Flats and Point Wells, reminding us of their enduring contribution to the region's development.

Adrienne Miller (aka Dolly) July 2023

A QUICK CHAT WITH OUR VAL - A POINT WELLS TREASURE

You’d have to go a long way to find a nicer person than Val Aston. And I don’t tend to say that thing lightly.

The long-time Point Wells Resident’s says with a gleam in her eye, ”you have to try and make someone happy at least once a day.” - pretty much says it all…and when Val says it , she means it.

Valerie Aston was born in Feilding and moved to Otahuhu when she was six years old

”Dad loved boating and he wanted to live by the water, so we moved there. It was fabulous at Otahu collegeso many All Blacks went there - Macky Herewini (Auckland and All Black first five eighth) was in my class. I had a fabulous childhood.”

I ask about her interests, and did it involve chasing young All Blacks-to-be

“Oh, I didn’t get involved with boys as such - I was quite clueless like that. I loved running, dancing, tap dancing, dressing up for concerts - and I loved my goldfish. The guy next door gave me some goldfish and to be kind I put them in their bowl on the window sill to keep them warm. By the time I came home from school they’d cooked…so I wasn’t very wise.”

One day when she was fifteen she was at the dentist and he said, ”Val, my nurse is leaving and would you like to be my dental nurse… so I did. And I loved it, absolutely loved it.”

Val remained a dental nurse until she was 20 and got married. By the time she was 23, she had three children in a rumpty remote house in Titirangi, with no fridge or washing machine. Val had to do her washing in the bath as her concrete tubs leaked everywhere. She got her first fridge when her firstborn was 3 years old. ”It was so exciting. It was tough but we survived. Three years later another child came along and I had my fifth one when I was 32.”

It’s obvious Val is still very close to her family. ”I’m so lucky - I love them “

Val’s first husband died when he was 54 of prostate cancer. That was in 1994. Three years later Val’s now partner Jim’s wife Brenda died of lung cancer. “My husband was their best man and Jim was our best man We’ve known each other for 63 something years. These days we just look after each other.”

After raising her children Val worked at in the jewellery trade as a sales support for 5 years and then went to work for Wella hair care in Avondale.

“I loved it …I loved all the people there. Then Wella bought Red Seal and I went to work for them as a Customer Services rep.

My name was on everything they made - toothpaste, soaps, honey jars -and read: ”Any complaints about this product write to Val Aston at Red Seal Natural Health.” I was there 5 years and then my husband died.

Ten months later I fell off a ladder feeding fantailed pigeons and I broke my back”

The injury caused Val to lose her job as she wasn’t able to sit. “So that was it - no more work. And I was just 54.

So, I ended up learning shiatsu and massage and all sorts of things. Then I got a call from Jim to come up and see him at Point Wells.”

Val and Jim travelled overseas for 3 months and at the end of that time the couple moved in together in Jim’s house on Point Wells Road. Val dived into the garden and improved it with her creative flair -so much that it became a stop on various garden tours.

Val’s long involvement with Hospice started a year after her first husband Norm died. She called Hospice and went and learnt about Family Support for cancer victims.

“I had the most magic time, I learnt from every person, and every one of them I still treasure. My hardest one was a young boy who was just two and a half. He and I had the most wonderful time…”

Val’s eyes tear up as she remembers the loss of her young friend. “He used to rub myeyebrow as I read him stories. I asked his mother why does he do this? She replied “That’s because he loves you.”

“I’ve had some magic souls during my time. There was a couple down the road here. I used to ring up and say if it was okay to come and visit. One day, it was a Sunday and I’d been to a fashion parade (dressed as a fairy).

I leapt in in my fairy dress and danced around her bedroom for a while and sat on her bed, and then it came time to go and her husband said “don’t go just yet, it’s not every day we get a fairy visit, especially on a Sunday. They were lovely, I just loved them.”

Around 2010, Val got roped into doing the catering for funerals of Hospice patients - a task she still does today.

“I don’t even like cooking! But I LOVE it. I’m helping people. I’m taking pressure off people’s lives when they need it.”

We talk about her moving in with Jim in 1997 and how much shared history the two couples had. Brenda even gifted her wedding veil to Val when she married Norm way back then.

“I loved Brenda. We got on so well.“

Val was president of the Point Wells Garden Club for 5 years and from what I hear she reallyperkedmeetings and events up by telling jokes and having dress-up parties. “We had so much fun.”

As we wrap up and the late winter rain lashes the windows for the umpteenth time that day, I ask Val what is a valuable lesson about her time on this earth.

She replies with a warm smile. “Be kind, don’t be UNkind. It stays forever. I believe that anything bad that happens to you enables you to understand when something bad happens to others. I now have empathy.“

Warmth. Empathy. Friendship. Understanding. Caring for others. And above all, a sense of humour in the face of adversity.

The kind of friend you’d like to have.

Thanks Val. Thanks for being you.

Gareth Eyres

Heron and Royal Spoonbills feeding at low tide

BEETOPIA

As beekeepers, the 2022/23 season was sobering and scary due to the loss of entire hives and bee populations from floods, continued adverse weather conditions, lack of foraging and even more sadly - absolutely no honey production for the bees themselves let alone the beekeepers.

Unfortunately, I also fear our native bees, bumblebees and other ground nesting pollinators have suffered an even worse fate due to ground saturation levels and it is going to be rather difficult to monitor their survival ratesso look out for them in your gardens.

Now with the 2023/24 season and spring upon us once again, I write this article with anticipation and high hopes for a decent beekeeping and honeyseason for us all, and that the sun returns to shine down on us all again!

Moving on.

Spring is usually a time of contrasting emotions. Firstly, one of joyous amazement in observing queen bees building up their hive numbers by laying up to 1000 eggs a day and secondly, one of sadness knowing that each queen is born into a life of slavery and perpetual egg laying.

Did you know that a queen bee is constantly accompanied by her retinue (ladies-in-waiting) who nudge her, groom her, bite her, force feed her and sure she is laying the desired amount of eggs a day

She will never stop to smell the flowers, wriggle i nor bathe in the sunshine … her only consolation I suppose is being the ‘chosen one’ to perpetuate the species and being waited upon constantly but even t must be damn irksome after a while!

Spring is also the time for our beginners’ beekeepi courses and workshops held @Beetopia. If you are interested check our website for dates and more info www.nzhoneytasting.co.nz

Courses: Our Sunday morning beginners' courses provide theory and lots of practical hands-on insid beehive - the best way to get you started on your beekeeping journey. All protective gear and equipm provided plus a scrumptious morning tea.

OutdoorforestClassroom: We also offer educational tours of our recently planted native forest. This being able to identify various native trees, shrubs their flowers - Rewarewa, Tāwari, Kāmahi, K and then having the opportunity to taste the honey varietal associated with those native trees or shru

Weare also proud ambassadors for our Ngāro HuruhuruNative Bees and willingly give talks on how to iden them and what we can do to help these gorgeous litt native bees survive!

Honey: We stock the award-winning Manawa Honey range (Best Honey in the world award - it's been won twice!!!) plus a wide selection of our own handmade beeswax candles, food wraps and many other gift ideas.

We are also really pleased that our sensory table and tasting room continues to provide fun moments for all ages .... so, pop in when you're next passing.

Beebuddy: We also offer advice and help with DECA requirements, COI and ADR forms or simply help with a beekeeping issue. We also hold disease related courses which enable beginners to learn how to identify diseases within a hive and how to resolve their occurrence.

Bee Swarm collection: We assist with bee swarm removals and help with re-housing unwanted bees.

At present we are only open on Saturdays from 10-3pm although private bookings/viewing can be made by calling Grass on 02102649674 or by email: btopianz@gmail.com

Grass Esposti Beetopia NZ Ltd

181 Omaha Flats Road

“FOR ALL THINGS BEES”

A TOTAL RETURN APPROACH TO INCOME GENERATION

A total return approach uses both income and capital gains to meet an investor’s income requirements. A key benefit is that an investor’s asset allocation is determined by their tolerance for risk rather than their need for income Summary thoughts:

• Rather than thinking about the returns from your portfolio as two separate components – capital growth and income (interest and dividends) – another approach would be to view the total return of a portfolio (capital growth and income) as a pool of income available to be drawnon.

• While using income generated by the portfolio may be the preferred option of many investors to extract income, in our view, a total return approach is a practical alternative in a scenario where a portfolio does not generate sufficient income to meet requirements.

• A total return approach to income generation means the way you invest does not need to change. Investors can maintain a well-balanced and diversified portfolio of high-quality income and growth assets that matches their tolerance for risk rather than chasing a higher level of income through a lower qualityportfolio.

• Investors adopting a total return approach need to set clear objectives for their portfolio. They need to be realistic about what level of capital can be taken from the portfolio in order to balance income requirements with the longevity of the portfolio.

• Portfolios should be reviewed annually to evaluate the impact of any significant market changes on the ability of the portfolio to meet investment goals, and any necessary changes madeaccordingly.

• A focus on quality companies with the ability to pay sustainable and growing dividends remains paramount. This provides a cushion in down markets and means the requirement to draw down capital when markets move lower is minimised.

• Include an exposure to global shares in portfolios. While the yield on global companies may be low relative to those on offer in NZ and Australia, the payout ratio of these companies is also lower, allowing

them more scope to maintain or even grow their dividend in toughtimes.

• Minimise the impact of any adverse market fluctuations by holding a reasonable cash exposure (c6-12 months of drawings) in the portfolio that you can draw on ifrequired.

A total return approach allows focus on quality rather than yield

A focus on total return allows for long-term certainty of capital and a growing income stream as it shifts an investor’s focus from companies that may be distributing 100% of profits, and thus paying a higher dividend, towards companies with good growth opportunities but potentially a lower dividend yield.

While we understand the importance of income to many investors, a focus on high dividend paying stocks at the expense of companies that pay sustainable and growing dividends can result in an over-exposure to a particular sector, for example listed property stocks which tend to pay a higher income stream.

It can also impact the performance and level of income generated by a portfolio long-term. This can be seen below where we have graphed the capital value and income generation from two hypothetical portfolios. One is a broadly diversified 10 stock portfolio of companies we viewed as high quality back in January 2000, and a portfolio focused on higher yielding companies.

While the diversified 10 stock portfolio had an initial net yield of 4% (6% gross) versus a net yield of 5.5% (8.2% gross) for the high yield portfolio, the focus on quality over yield in the diversified 10 stock portfolio has delivered superior earnings and dividend growth (+8.9% pa) relative to the high yield portfolio (+2.7% pa).

The end result is that the net yield on cost for the diversified 10 stock portfolio has grown from 4% or c$20k in 2000 to 26.1% or c$130,000 in 2022.

This is in stark contrast to the high yield portfolio, which has seen its net yield on cost grow from 5.5% or c$27k in 2000 to 9.7% or c$49k in 2022 and supports our view that biasing portfolios towards higher income stocks at the expense of those paying sustainable and growing dividends can have a detrimental impact on the level of futureincomestreams. Thecapital growth of theportfolio focused on high yield companies has also lagged behind the diversified stock portfolio.

In practice, how would a total return approach to income generation work?

As previously mentioned, income generated from the portfolio will still be used to meet spending requirements. If necessary, this income would be supplemented by capital gains in the portfolio, and in practice would form part of the rebalancing process already undertaken by your adviser. Instead of 100% of the proceeds being reinvested back into the portfolio, a portion would be held in cash to supplement income when required.

For example, let’s assume on 1 January 2000 we had an equity portfolio with a market value of $500k and a forecast net yield of 4% (or $20k). Now assume you required a net annual income of $30k ($45k gross), and that this amount needs to keep pace with inflation.

Adopting a total return approach would have seen you supplement your income requirements for the first 6 years of investment, with two of those years requiring you to draw-down capital.

However, strong dividend growth from the underlying portfolio meant that by 2006, the income generated exceeded the inflation adjusted income requirement. The excess income would then be reinvested back into the portfolio, offsetting the capital drawn down in prior years.

Clearly, the level of drawings relative to the income generated by the portfolio and the size of the portfolio itself requires careful consideration when adopting a total return approach, to ensure the longevity of the portfolio. For example, if we increase the level of income required in the above scenario from 6% of the initial portfolio value to 8% ($40k net or $60k gross), then this extends the period that income would need to be supplemented from 6 years to 18 years. The higher income level taken from the portfolio naturally reduces the end value in 2022 to $2.7 million (versus $3.9 million under the lower income scenario).

Consideration also needs to be given to the market environment as this will influence the value of the portfolio when capital is being drawn down and plays a key role in determining the longevity of the portfolio.

If we adjusted the start date of our scenario to 1 January 2007 then, by the end of 2022 (or year 16), the portfolio would have grown to $657k versus $2.1 million after 16

years if the portfolio was invested at the beginning of 2000. This reflects the 28% decline in the value of the portfolio in year 2 (due to the global financial crisis) and the marked rise in the level of income being taken relative to the capital value of the portfolio over the preceding years – at the end of 2008 the income being taken from the portfolio ($31,519) was just shy of 9% of the portfolio’s value compared to 6% at the end of 2007.

To help minimise the impact of adverse market fluctuations on your portfolio, ensure you hold a reasonable cash balance (c6-12 months of drawings) in the portfolio that you can draw on if required.

How companies return profits to shareholders

While some investors may struggle with the concept of using capital to supplement income, it is perhaps worthwhile taking a step back to review the two key components of return from owning shares; dividends and capital growth (share price movements).

The payment of a dividend is one method companies use to return profits to shareholders. Other options include share buybacks or retaining profits within the business to reinvest in future growth, the latter, in theory, should result in a higher share price in the future.

When a company declares and pays a dividend it is essentially moving the value of that dividend from the company’s bank account to your bank account.

A share buyback is similar, in that the company is using some of its profits to buyback a portion of its shares. If you elect to sell some of your shares as part of the buyback, you will receive a cash payment. If you decide not to sell any shares, then the reduction in the total number of shares on issue following the buyback means you will enjoy a greater share of the company’s future profits.

Capital growth comes from an increase in a company’s share price, which itself is driven by the company’s performance in terms of growing profits and dividends.

Now assume we lived in a world where companies do not pay dividends to shareholders.

This would not change the make-up of the market or the fact that there would still be high and low growth companies, cyclical and defensive companies and high and low-quality companies.

However, the only way investors would have to realise the profits these companies make would be to sell shares in the company. This is similar to the total return approach we advocate for those investors requiring additional income from their portfolio.

Craigs Investment Partners

Speak with Nigel Scott, your local investment adviser with over 30 years’ experience.

Nigel Scott is an Investment Adviser at Craigs Investment Partners. His disclosure statement is available free of charge under his profile on craigsip.com. For investment advice contact Nigel on (09) 919 7404 or visit craigsip.com

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