Airport runway resealed
Central Otago District Council property officer Tara Bates said the project had been in the council's long-term plan for years, with the runway not having been resealed since it was first built in the 1980s.
The resurfacing cost $470,000 — about half the cost of earlier estimates — and involved applying a SteelGuard surface over the existing chipseal.
Ms Bates said the new surface would enhance safety by reducing the risk of loose stones that could damage aircraft.
Nigel Forrester, a resident of an apartment at the airport, welcomed the work.
Mr Forrester said the upgrade would not only improve safety for pilots and passengers but would also help preserve an important council asset. — APL
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Otago Daily Times
25-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Cottage dream turns to ‘misery'
A distraught woman fears her rebuilt Central Otago gold rush-era cottage will be reduced to rubble after it came to the attention of council bureaucrats. Roxburgh East resident Lou Farrand said she was facing fines she could not pay, the cost of securing a retrospective building consent, or losing the "dream" stone cottage she bought nine years ago and preserved. "I didn't expect a damehood but thought they might have said thank you for looking after it," Mrs Farrand, 76, said. "If they'd just come to visit and had a cuppa we could have sorted it out without all this threatening me with fines. "I just love the place, but it has caused me more misery than I've ever had in my life." The work done at the cottage came to the Central Otago District Council's attention years after it was completed and, the council said, only when Mrs Farrand complained about neighbouring dogs barking that would have affected her ability to rent out the property. Lou Farrand, of Crossan's Cottage, in East Roxburgh, holds a letter from the Ministry of Justice regarding a fine from the Central Otago District Council relating to work done on the cottage, which was built in 1865 and preserved in 2015 by Mrs Farrand. Inset (top): The cottage's restored interior and (bottom) exterior. The council, for its part, said Mrs Farrand bought a "deteriorated and fallen down" property, in Roxburgh East Rd — and then rebuilt it without a building consent. Mrs Farrand said in December last year she got a phone message while at a Christmas event from a council enforcement officer. "I felt sick — there had been no prior contact," she said. The message said she had made extensive modifications to the building and would have to seek retrospective permissions for them. Council regulatory services manager Lee Webster said the council issued a notice to fix under section 40 of the Building Act that gave Mrs Farrand two options to remedy the non-compliance — either apply for a certificate of acceptance, essentially a retrospective building consent for the works, or remove the unconsented building works. Mrs Farrand said removing the unconsented building works, including her new replacement roof, macrocarpa ceiling and a wall removed when the cottage was used by a blacksmith, would mean demolishing the building. Mrs Farrand said she could not afford to pay fines for non-compliance or to engage a structural engineer to gain the certificate of acceptance the council sought. "I wish I'd died [before hearing from the council] because I'm quite old and I would have kept my dream and not be going through this." Mr Webster said a visit to the property had not been necessary as the council had details regarding the unconsented building works from Mrs Farrand herself. Photos she posted to social media showed the building was in a collapsed state, consisting of only about half the exterior walls and no internal structure or roof, he said. Mrs Farrand said she bought the property after selling her Auckland property in 2015 and started her remedial work in September that year. It was finished nine months later. At least 90% of the original walls were still standing when she bought the property, she said. She had first seen the cottage from the road. She viewed it as a "poor little darling" and had hoped someone would fix it up. When she found it was for sale, Mrs Farrand took up the challenge herself. The roof and ceiling needed replacing, along with one wall that had been removed so horses could access a forge when the building housed a blacksmith's shop. The East Roxburgh cottage as it was when built. PHOTOS: JULIE ASHER & SUPPLIED There were no internal walls and it had been left an open space with the original fireplace at one end and a coal range at the other, she said. Mr Webster said the council looked forward to hearing from Mrs Farrand and preferred not to have to issue infringement notices "and that Ms Farrand worked with council to address the non-compliance". "However, if Ms Farrand cannot afford to pay the infringement, this would be referred to the courts, with the additional court costs, too. "If Ms Farrand speaks with council, we can discuss a payment plan, negating the need to refer this to the courts to recover these costs." However, Mrs Farrand said she had already been fined $1000 by the council because she had not returned some forms they had requested. She had not paid the fine and it had now been passed on to the Ministry of Justice, from whom she had received a letter to which she had not responded. The cottage was originally built by the Crossan family in 1865. The older Crossan children arrived in Roxburgh from Scotland and, with the help of Chinese neighbours, built the stone cottage. Eventually the rest of the family — mother, father and 11 siblings — lived at the property.
Otago Daily Times
24-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Programme helping those settling in
New people are essential to filling all roles needed in Central Otago's ever-expanding work force but settling in to a new place is often difficult, making newcomers hard to retain. Central Otago District Council community and engagement manager Paula Penno said Welcoming Communities was a programme led by Immigration New Zealand in partnership with the Human Rights Commission. It was so successful that after the government funding ran out the council agreed in the 2024-25 annual plan to extend the programme for a further two years. The council approached Central Lakes Trust for support and received $16,000 — 20% of the programme cost of $80,000 per year which included a part-time paid position, Ms Penno said. Welcoming Communities officer Heather Harries said her part-time role worked well alongside her other role as an ESOL teacher with Reap. Helping people feel part of the community led to better outcomes for the newcomers and the rest of society, she said. Most newcomers in Central Otago arrived from somewhere else in New Zealand. Some were from overseas and needed assistance with residency and visas and others needed to find their place in the community. Challenges included finding accommodation and then travelling to work given the lack of public transport in the region. A lack of childcare options often meant a family could only have one parent working which led to unanticipated financial pressures, Ms Harries said. One family she had worked with were struggling as the father had to pass an academic English exam but his wife was working 5pm to 10pm, so instead of attending his English lessons he was minding the children. With few contacts in the community and no family around those were traps people found themselves in, she said. "Creating networks and connections between the families, schools, employers, and support networks is crucial in guiding the families through the settlement process." Other newcomers were older Kiwis from other parts of the country and remote workers. They sometimes found it difficult trying to make friends in a new community without the easy introductions that came with meeting people through work or having children at school. The ultimate aim of Welcoming Communities was that it would be self-supporting and not need a paid leader, Ms Harries said. However, volunteers came and went as their circumstances changed and they settled into their new lives, so someone was needed to keep the momentum going. A wide range of activities were organised by the group, from international potluck meals, sporting events, evening drinks, walking groups and a women's swimming group. Ms Harries said she identified with newcomers as she had moved to Central Otago more than six years ago and found things difficult initially. "As an ESOL teacher I realised everything I felt was magnified. I had New Zealand residency... a government department rejecting an application feels like a personal rejection but it's just them doing their job." Moving from Mumbai, in India, to Cromwell seven years ago brought many surprises for Mamta Nerurkar. From finding familiar food to much more limited shopping options and no public transport were some of the things she had to adjust to, along with very short days in winter and long ones in summer. Meeting other mums and families through Welcoming Communities and other community groups had made the transition easier, she said.
Otago Daily Times
22-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Doc alarmed by discovery of dead stoat on Stewart Island/Rakiura
A dead stoat found in the middle of a Stewart Island/Rakiura track is concerning, Department of Conservation southern South Island director of operations Aaron Fleming says. A member of the public walking on the Rakiura Great Walk Track on July 12 reported the dead stoat to Doc, who retrieved it the next day. The stoat's skull was crushed, indicating it had died instantaneously from either a trap or similar blunt force prior to being found on the track. "Rakiura is known to be stoat free," Mr Fleming said. "The nearest stoat population is 30km across the Foveaux Strait. Their swimming range is 2km and they are not known to stow away on vessels. This stoat has died from a head injury then mysteriously turned up on a busy walking track." "We need to know if we are dealing with a new significant threat to Rakiura's native species, or if this stoat has been transported from elsewhere and planted deliberately. Both scenarios are disturbing. We are taking this seriously." The dead stoat has been sent to an expert to see what further information can be obtained. Samples are being sent for genetic testing to try to determine where it has come from. Doc is appealing to the public to come forward if they have any information about the dead stoat's origins. "It would have devastating implications for native wildlife if stoats were to take hold on Rakiura," Mr Fleming said. "In other places in New Zealand where there are stoats, kiwi chick survival can be as low as zero without sustained pest control. Imagine the damage stoats could do on Rakiura, which is known for its tokoeka or southern brown kiwi population." "If stoats were to establish on Rakiura they would threaten efforts to create a predator-free space for kākāpō to be returned, and they would quickly decimate other native species on the island." The Predator Free Rakiura project is working on the removal of Rakiura's existing pest species — rats, possums, feral cats and hedgehogs — in one of the largest and most complex predator eradication projects ever attempted on an inhabited island. Introducing pests such as stoats constitutes an offence in New Zealand, with serious consequences and penalties including imprisonment of up to five years and significant fines. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468). — APL
