Abseil Access is working on the design of our suspension bridge to be built by the hut at Whangawehi. The work is not completed yet but the company sent out a photo that gives a good idea of how the bridge will look like.

This bridge will allow bikers and trampers to cross safely the Whangawehi stream and enter into Grandy Lake Forest.

A big thank you to Martin and Stephan from Abseil for their work

On Tuesday the 23d of June 2020, Wairoa District Council granted a Work Access Permit. This will allow the construction of a waharoa on a road reserve, at the entrance of the walkway to take place.

A big thank you to the WDC team and Chris McGregor in particular for his guidance.

On Friday the 19th of June, Kevin Taylor our surveyor indicated that the digital survey plan, LT 547145, showing the proposed walkway easements in the Whangawehi Catchment on Mahia Peninsula were finally “approved as to survey” by Land Information NZ.

A big thank you to Kevin and his team for this very important work. The next step will consist in recording the easement against the land title of each properties. This will be done in the next few weeks.

On Friday the 19 th of June, several contractors followed a health and Safety induction prior to starting the work along the Whangawehi walkway. The group was presented a work plan, a hazard identification document as well as an emergency procedure protocole.

The group is now ready to start the work which will consist in clearing the track and cutting over hanging branches.

On Friday the 12th of June, Mike Wilson and Nickie Dowdell (from QRS) came to survey an access site for several truck loads of metal-donated towards the walkway. A big thank you to Wairoa District Council and QRS for their support to the Whangawehi Catchment Management Group. This is a dream coming to reality and we are extremely grateful.

Thank you all for your support.

Sophie will be remembered by the Whangawehi Catchment Management Group as a tireless advocate in making our community and environment better places to live in. She gave freely of her time  and was driven by passion for what she believed in making her a formidable opponent in any gathering or meeting. She was never afraid to speak up and speak her mind.

She was a woman of strong views, proud of who she was, honest in her opinions and we as a group respected the input she had into the group. She played a pivotal role in connecting people from all walks of life and working through issues in positve and meaningful ways.

Sophie spent many hours out on the whenua and at the schools working with us all, planning, planting, advising and sharing her wealth of knowledge.

She will be missed and remembered fondly as a woman of integrity and someone who walked the talk everyday

Pat OBrien Chair WCMG