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Otago Daily Times
19-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Frustration as Tomahawk plans stall
Locals are frustrated that plans to turn the former Tomahawk School site into a recreation space have gone nowhere. The Star reporter Sam Henderson explores why the land remains a blank canvas. The site of the former Tomahawk School at the end of Luke St has become a bone of contention as plans to develop it for the community appear to have stalled. The school was demolished in 2019, and six years on, the site remains underdeveloped: a bare concrete slab surrounded by a wide swathe of grass. The local community made a submission to the 2024 annual plan, asking for planning help so residents and council staff could design the space together. When that bid failed, residents spoke at the nine-year long-term plan hearing, asking for at least $800,000 to be set aside to develop the site as a recreation area. The submission noted two community meetings held in 2023, both showing strong backing for redeveloping the site. Otago Peninsula Community Board chairman Paul Pope organised a petition urging the council to fund landscaping at the site, which was signed by about 130 current and former residents. An online survey drew 85 responses, with support for a recreation hub featuring native planting, a playground for young children, a half-court for basketball or netball and a pump track. Resident Sally Dicey said the community was eager to see the site developed. "We are quite special in that we are close to the city, but we have got a strong community identity." But she was frustrated that discussions seemed to have gone nowhere. "There has just been no follow up at all." The area has seen new growth, such as 15 new houses on Sunset Tce and an additional 45 houses new houses expected. "There's a lot of kids in that subdivision, a lot of young kids," Ms Dicey said. "There is a really good vibe among the kids, so for them to actually come and have a basketball court, or a rebound wall for kicking a ball or that kind of thing [would be good]. "We are not asking for any buildings, we are asking for a recreation hub." At present, it felt like development plans were "spinning in circles", Ms Dicey said. Mr Pope said at least three facilitated meetings had been held previously with Dunedin City Council staff about the site's future. "It needs to be built into the parks and recreation's work plan from now until the end of the year to make sure that the community are on the right track." The community would even be willing to help fundraise if the council provided seed money in next year's annual plan and led the design and compliance work, he said. "This is why the group actually need the support of the DCC." Dunedin City Council group manager parks and recreation Heath Ellis said during the nine-year long-term plan process, councillors had considered a range of amenity requests, but decided not to allocate funding for the former Tomahawk School site. Councillors asked staff to work with the relevant Tomahawk groups to present a submission including a plan for consideration at the 2026-27 annual plan process. Dates for when the council's 2026-27 annual plan process would begin were yet to be set. Development stalled • Tomahawk School closed in 2010. • Ngāi Tahu Property bought the site before selling it to the Dunedin City Council in 2012. • Discussion about community uses for the site began as far back as 2012. • In 2016, the Dunedin City Council invited the community to suggest ways to use or develop the site. • For a time, it appeared those plans would be shelved when a 20-year lease was offered to a local kindergarten. • Those plans fell through in 2017, and the school was demolished in 2019.
Otago Daily Times
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Chris Parkers' Dunedin drama
As comedian Chris Parker hits the road with his latest show Stop Being So Dramatic , arriving at Glenroy Auditorium on Saturday, July 12, The Star reporter Sam Henderson asked the self-proclaimed "People's Princess" of Aotearoa how he would respond in dramatic fashion to participating in iconic Dunedin activities. Your latest show Stop Being So Dramatic sounds like it embraces the dramatic, over the top, cringe behaviour that people in the rainbow community can often be asked to "tone down''. If you were to arrive in Dunedin and participate in these activities, describe how you would buck that trend and "stand out'' in fabulous fashion. The St Clair Polar Plunge. Every June winter about 300 hardy locals run screaming into the surf, plunging into water that can be about 9°C. Chris Parker: Swimming in St Clair's icy waters in the peak of summer can still be too cold for me. The only waters you will catch me in is the wave pool at Moana Pool ... does that pool still have a wave pool? Or is that a memory I have made up from my time in Dunedin. Post-party cleanup on Castle St Cleaning up after a post-party student bash that might leave scorched couches and the odd accidental house fire in its wake. CP: Is this an actual event? Cleaning! Well my solution here would be to reuse, reduce and recycle the waste and turn all those burnt couches into some kind of gigantic sculpture. Dunedin loves a bit of public art, how about adding a new one to the city ... one that is a total fire risk. Water-runner for the Highlanders The forwards need hydration mid-scrum. Walk us through your most theatrical sprint on to the turf, the pep you would shout at a 120kg prop CP: I would like to swap my role for the man who gets lifted up by his shorts like a ballerina to catch the ball in a "lineout". I believe I have the beauty, grace and poise for that role ... sorry, position. Speed Sheep Shearing contest at the Taieri A&P Show The farmer hands you the clippers. How would you style your shearing outfit, what flourishes would you add to 'zhush' up the sheep's cut. CP: I think rather than shaving down the sheep and giving it a number one, buzz cut, I would opt for a more subtle cut and colour. Maybe some summery highlights. The mullet has come back into style, so short up the front, and long down the back with all the dags. In terms of my farmer outfit, I would make zero changes, I have always thought I would look good in a swannie and hot pants. Midnight ghost tour at Larnach Castle You are led through the darkened ballroom and a sudden gust slams the door behind you. What choice words would you deliver to southern ghosts. CP: I would invite the ghost to see my show at the Glenroy Auditorium on Saturday, July 12. It can even join and befriend all the ghosts in that theatre. I swear backstage is haunted!
Otago Daily Times
28-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Clarity sought over sea lion conservation
Sam Henderson outlines highlights from the Otago Peninsula Community for tackling weeds The Otago Peninsula Community Board has granted just over $1700 to Save The Otago Peninsula to buy tools such as loppers, saws and gardening gloves. Volunteers will use the tools for weed removal and native planting, especially the ''Gorse Force'' team clearing gorse in the Smith's Creek revegetation area. Sea lion management discussed The board has written to the Department of Conservation (Doc) seeking more detail on sea lion management on Peninsula beaches. Although the board was strongly supportive of sea lion conservation, it asked whether a longer-term management strategy existed. Board chairman Paul Pope said after a low point of one mainland sea lion birth in 1992, there were now roughly 30 each year. ''What I would like to see is like a memorandum of understanding between the [Dunedin City Council] and Doc around who does what and how it is managed. ''Let's plan out the season, what's happening, who's doing what.'' The board hopes to invite a Doc representative, such as coastal Otago operations manager Gabe Davies, to its next meeting. The board supports increasing sea lion numbers but wants a strategic approach that helps local organisations work together. Thanks for doctor's dedication The board has written to Otago Peninsula Medical Centre GP Dr Peter Cooke, who is retiring after 43 years, to thank him for outstanding service to Peninsula residents. Funds for museum The board approved a grant of just over $260 to the Otago Peninsula Museum and Historical Society, which is running an oral history project. The museum sought funds to buy a digital voice recorder and transcription kit to interview longtime Peninsula residents. The grant will help the museum preserve local memories for future generations. Youth scholarships extended With no initial applicants for the board's annual Youth Scholarship, the deadline has been extended to May 31, 2025. The $1000 scholarship is earmarked to support a local young person in education, leadership or community service . The board urges eligible Peninsula youth to apply before the new deadline so the money can go to a worthy recipient. An extra board meeting is planned in June to consider any late applications. The board will also decide how to allocate the remaining balance of its project fund at that meeting.
Otago Daily Times
14-05-2025
- Science
- Otago Daily Times
Rocket club holding workshops
As Techweek lifts-off on Monday, The Star reporter Sam Henderson explores the events and activities planned for the technology- and innovation-focused week. If your sights are set sky-high, an enthusiastic club may be just right for you. The Otago Rocketry Club was established last year in June and holds regular gatherings to make and launch model rockets. Budding aerospace innovators can get ready for blast-off when the club hosts build-and-fly workshops during Techweek. Sessions will run next week on Monday and Friday at Dunedin Community House. Participants aged eight and over will assemble a model rocket, learn the propulsion and safety basics and then participate in a public launch at Tonga Park, St Clair, on Saturday. Club founder Mike Turner said interest in the group had rocketed soon after he launched it. "I got into rocketry a few years back and found the nearest club to us here in Dunedin was in Christchurch, which is a bit of a trek." Working at engineering firm Fisher & Paykel, he guessed many colleagues and their families would share the same interests. "I thought I would just ask if anyone is interested in building some rockets and I had about 50 people say 'yes, we'd love to'," Mr Turner said. The models use compressed black-powder engines and fin stabilisation. "When the igniter sets fire to the powder, it expands very, very quickly. "It sends out a hot stream of gas through the nozzle, which pushes the rocket upwards." The rockets can rapidly ascend to heights of up to 100m, although larger motors can push similar airframes close to 300m. New Zealand's rocketry regulations mean hobbyists need only follow the New Zealand Rocketry Association's safety code and secure landowner permission for small-scale flights, though Civil Aviation Authority approval is required for larger projects. "The one I am currently working on will go about seven kilometres." For a rocket of that size, he will need to fly to Auckland and travel to Huntly, where the New Zealand Rocketry Association has a high-powered launch site just outside the town. Places for the Techweek workshops are free thanks to funding from TechStep and sponsorship by Dunedin Young Professionals. Participants can keep the rockets they build. Numbers were capped at 45 per session and were filling fast, Mr Turner said. However, membership of the Facebook-based club was informal and free. "Obviously, that is trying to get people excited about science and engineering." Build and launch a rocket When: Monday, May 19, or Friday, May 23, 5.30pm-7pm Where: Rimu Room, Dunedin Community House Minimum age: 8 Launch day: Sunday, May 25, noon-2pm at Tonga Park, St Clair — subject to weather and safety. Visit and search events for "rocket" to register
Otago Daily Times
23-04-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Well defended for centuries
From a hidden cavity, a deadly deterrent guarded against an enemy that never came. The Star reporter Sam Henderson heads underground to discover the secret defences that kept the colony safe. With commanding views out to the ocean, Fort Taiaroa was the first line of defence for seaborne threats to the European settlement of Dunedin. Situated above the Royal Albatross Centre, the historic site is now managed by the Otago Peninsula Trust. Eco-tourism manager Hoani Langsbury said it was the most significant pā site in Ngāi Tahu before European settlement. Māori long regarded the hilltop at the tip of the Otago Peninsula as a key defensive position. About 56km away on the horizon lay the pā site at Kātiki Point on the Moeraki Peninsula. The site also looks directly across to the pā at Huriawa Peninsula. "Which is Kati Huirapa ki Puketeraki." Over the centuries many tried to take the position, yet the only route was a fight up from Pilot's Beach because cliffs guarded the other three sides. Strategically, the headland remained occupied until about 1840, when Māori shifted to the site where Ōtakou Marae now is. "They moved there in 1857 and then after that it was taken by the military in the 1880s for strategic and military purposes." During the 1870s and 1880s British and Russian tensions soared and a series of Russian scares gripped the country. The government ordered heavy artillery and ammunition from Britain and built a network of coastal defences. Fort Taiaroa ordered an Armstrong Disappearing Gun about 1885. WG Armstrong & Co manufactured the gun in 1886 at Elswick, United Kingdom. The gun, comprised of more than 13 tonnes of steel, was barged into Pilot's Beach then hauled up the hill on a temporary tramway. The gun was not ready for action until 1889. Tour guide and maintenance worker Zach Barford said once installed the entire assembly weighed about 18 tonnes. The gun employed a hydro-pneumatic system, using water pressurised to 1200 pound-force per square inch (psi) to lift the barrel into firing position. The barrel sprang up from underground to fire in roughly a second, the recoil immediately recharged the system. Estimates for the turnaround time was one round a minute. Mr Langsbury said thinking of golf helped understand why the disappearing gun was developed. After each shot the gun emitted a smoke plume that revealed its position and invited return fire. "If they fire and miss, if gun was up here and they hit here, shrapnel would destroy the gun. "If it is down in its pit, you can only destroy the gun with a hole-in-one." Thanks to significant restoration work by the Antique Arms Association and Otago Peninsula Trust, the disappearing gun was given the Engineering Heritage Award by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. It was only the sixth time it had been given outside the UK. Despite significant work to install and maintain it, the gun was never used in conflict. "It was fired by our records 486 times in practice only," Mr Barford said. "I guess the best summary is it is a precaution for what could be and then basically as a result the best outcome is if you never have to fire it in anger."
