How a keen nature lover formed the Matatā Trappers group, and the work they’re doing to make a difference for nature on their back doorstep.
Dean checks a new Sentinel trap for possums | Mal Harison, DOC
Connections in the community make things happen
Dean has always loved being in the outdoors. Long runs that took him off the beaten track as a kid, later turned into casual hunting, yet another excuse to get outside. Now he is grateful to his two dogs who demand he gets regular exercise outdoors.
Dean’s hometown of Matatā has two incredibly special reserves right on the doorstep, the steep slopes of the Scenic Reserve are home to a unique stand of hard beech, pōhutukawa and kānuka, and the Matatā Wildlife Refuge is home to a small population of matatā/fernbird, which have disappeared from Wairarapa, Wellington, and Canterbury, as similar wetlands have been converted to farmland.
Back in 2022, DOC Senior Community Ranger Jesse presented to the Matatā Residents Association. He described how the Scenic Reserve was the only area with no predator control in a line of bush running from Lake Rotomā to the coast. Jesse appealed for volunteers to form a group to help protect the bush from the spread of weeds and give native birds like the kōkako safe place to live, breed, and forage for food.
Dean rose to the challenge.
North Island Kōkako | Leon Berard – leonberardphotography.co.nz
Feeling inspired by this talk, and the urgent need to save the community’s precious biodiversity, Dean thought, “This is something I can help with.”
The Matatā Trappers group was born.
Dean and the group started trap runs as soon as DOC and the Kōkako Trust had installed box traps for rats and stoats on the lagoon track and in the campground. A set of old possum traps in the steep Scenic Reserve from a previous initiative had fallen to pieces and the track had become overgrown.
“We didn’t have the know-how or the funds to do anything about it.”
DOC’s Predator Free 2050 Ranger Freddy Matariki Carr offered to help with a plan to protect the special birds and plants which call the reserve home.
DOC Regional Predator Free Ranger Freddy Matariki Carr putting the well-used Predator Free tohu (logo) to good use on a new Sentinel trap cover | DOC
Six months later and with Freddy’s help, the group has eight lines of completely renovated Sentinel possum traps running through the hills of the Scenic Reserve, and a network of rat and mustelid traps in the lagoon area and campground.
Thanks to their trapping work, there are fewer rats, possums and mustelids which means the matatā (fernbird), kōkako, matuku hurepō (Australasian bittern), and the rare trees on the hills have a much better chance of surviving.
Matuku hurepō (Australasian bittern) | Matthew HerringThe Matatā (fernbird) | Leon Berard – leonberardphotography.co.nz
“Community is what we create, together,” Dean says, “and we’re slowly making a difference for our community right here in Matatā.”
Dean shows Tipene Marr and Tracey Raureti examples of pest plants in the Reserve | DOC
Growing support for the group
Dean has big plans for the group. He is working to get a trapline roster going and to start tackling pest plants in both reserves.
“We also need to do something about the number of deer in the Scenic Reserve, and we could do with help to find more funding too.”
Ranger Freddy is thrilled with the community support so far and encourages more locals to get involved, “there is lots to do and a role for everyone in the Predator Free 2050 movement. Working together builds communities, and everyone has skills to help in some way.”
This is the power of community. If we all play a part in supporting Predator Free 2050, the difference will be even greater. Freddy and Dean show what an impact people can make for nature.
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
6 mins ago
EIT Auckland Campus Director Cherie Freeman with Nick Larsen of Tataki Auckland Unlimited.
EIT Auckland students and recent graduates have had the opportunity to engage with industry representatives at the Mahi Heke Mai – Working Futures industry-focused forum.
Held on EIT’s Auckland Campus earlier this month, the inaugural Mahi Heke Mai – Working Futures industry-focused forum saw recent graduates and current students meet industry representatives from the IT, supply chain, health and wellbeing and recruitment sectors.
The organiser of the event, Brendon Hickey, said that the occasion provided “an informative and interactive experience for the next generation of Auckland’s workforce talent to share the room with and gain invaluable insights from the experts”.
Brendon, who is the Industry Partnerships Manager at EIT’s Auckland Campus, said that the aim of the event was to provide “a platform and an opportunity for our most recent graduates in the first instance, as well as current students”.
“The opportunity was to enable them to have the curtain pulled back on their spheres of interest, their professional domain, their relevant industry sectors, just to hear directly from people in those areas, so that they could have that credible, authentic exchange with them.”
A high-calibre roster of distinguished presenters and panelists included Nick Larsen, Tech Workforce Lead at Tataki Auckland Unlimited (TAU), the region’s economic development agency. Nick’s presentation contextualised the role skilled migrants and international students play in the local tech, digital commerce and innovation ecosystem, linking their contribution to TAU’s strategic, inclusive workforce development goals.
Garry Green, Founder and Managing Director of Quanton, an Auckland-based AI and automation business transformation enterprise, detailed how his company attracts, nurtures and retains the talent that makes up Quanton’s diverse workforce.
In a similar vein, Dan Kabuuka, Programme Director at Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, gave attendees first-hand insights into workplace environments and cultures. Personal journeys toward fulfilling professional positions of responsibility, involving responding positively to multiple and complex challenges, were shared by Harini Nanayakkara, Group Compliance Manager at Xplor and high-profile technologist and leadership specialist Gareth Cronin.
Critical and up to date labour market and recruitment expertise was provided by Simon Meehan of Absolute IT and Wayne Fry of Hunter Campbell.
Both experts were able to elaborate on current trends and developments, employer requirements and expectations, and connect these to ongoing and forecast economic cycles, with Wayne generously commenting: “I enjoyed the experience and was impressed with the rest of the panel, the interaction with the students and a well-planned and run event. I’d be delighted to be involved or support future events that you might have.”
Brendon says that he was happy at how successful the event was.
“It was pleasing to see industry guests and attendees mingling enthusiastically long after the scheduled ending of the session. Feedback from all participants was extremely positive, positioning us well to repeat the event in 2025.
A recent EIT IT graduate Rahul Mathew said: “As an attendee, I found the talks truly thought-provoking and insightful. I appreciate the opportunity to engage with industry experts and hope this initiative continues to support future talents in New Zealand’s job market.”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
3 mins ago
Te Kura i Awarua’s Professor David Tipene-Leach (left) and Chris Bryant-Toi with the awards the Maori Research Centre won at the 2024 Hawke’s Bay Heritage Awards.
EIT’s Te Kura i Awarua Rangahau Māori Research Centre has scooped top awards at this year’s 2024 Hawke’s Bay Heritage Awards, winning both the Māori Realm and the Supreme Winner awards.
Te Kura i Awarua, led by Professor Annemarie Gillies and Professor David Tipene-Leach runs a number of ‘heritage projects’ including the Henare Matua collection of Repudiation Movement letters of the 1870s, the JT Blake manuscripts of the 1880-90s and the raising of two Heritage Symposiums, bringing archivists and curators nationally to Hawke’s Bay. The team has also been involved in the repatriation of Te Poho-o-Kahungunu wharenui carvings, bringing them to Hastings for the 2023 Symposium before they returned to Pōrangahau.
The Hawke’s Bay Heritage Awards are, according to the Art Deco Napier website, “the Hawke’s Bay communities’ opportunity to recognise and celebrate those whose talents and energies preserve our cultural heritage and inspire us to connect with our past, so that we can all feel more confident in our future”.
Professor Tipene-Leach says:“ I think that the nomination originated from the 2023 Auaka Tumutumu Symposium which Archives manager Chris Bryant-Toi curated.”
“We are excited to have won these awards because our work has significance for this region. But it wasn’t just Te Kura I Awarua winning the awards – it was great to see a range of Māori recognised.”
“One example is Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu which won the Future Heritage Award for the wonderful design and construction of their new premises. Another was my uncle, Rangitane Tipene, who won the Heritage Hero of Hawke’s Bay Award. He has been working on the Te Poho o Kahungunu carvings for 45 years including retrieving and restoring the 12 we did own and tracking down the six that had been lost to museums in the 1910s. He also curated three exhibitions himself, supported two major MTG exhibitions, filed a Treaty of Waitangi claim for their return and then was here to receive them back. Many of them were part of our 2023 Symposium.”
“The Tamateapōkaiwhenua Post-Settlement Governance Entity also got nominated and Highly Commended for the Future Heritage Award. They have been great with their steadfast support of the claim process over an 11 year period and facilitated Ngāti Kere and Heretaunga contact with the Auckland, Otago and Whanganui Museums.”
Professor Tipene-Leach says that the projects Te Kura i Awarua has worked on shining a spotlight on some little-known history of Hawke’s Bay.
“I have been involved with the Henare Matua letters for five years. Matua was the leader of the Hawke’s Bay ‘Komiti’, which was based around several mid to late-19th century rangatira in the area who banded together to both prevent land sales and repudiate land sales that were clandestine, fraudulent or otherwise damaging to local hapū.”
“We also have the JT Blake records – Blake was a Native Land Court translator and his own records are more detailed records of court proceedings than what he provided to the Judge”.
Other work being done by Te Kura i Awarua Rangahau Research Māori Centre includes projects being done by a team led by Professor Gillies on improving the listing of archaeological sites at Waimārama and the development of what are called Traditional Knowledge Labels for those sites.
“These labels give more detailed and specifically local information on listings and the process connects local hapū more closely with significant sites.”
Mr Bryant-Toi is working on the restoration of the Te Ara a Tāwhaki wharenui at EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus and the design of the newly furbished building and facilities on campus.
“It has been a privilege to be involved in such significant work, which showcases important periods in the history of Te Matau-a-Māui,” he says.
Professors Tipene-Leach and Gillies hope that this sort of recognition assists the Centre to navigate the challenges currently facing EIT and to continue the ongoing development of Māori research capacity in Hawke’s Bay.
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
11 mins ago
Paul Hursthouse, EIT’s Director – Business Relationships and Transitions, with Meriama Taufale, Team Leader – Engagement and Transitions, Business Relationship Unit at EIT, in a vineyard on the Hawke’s Bay campus after the announcement that EIT has been awarded a contract to provide Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers with education and training opportunities.
EIT has been awarded a contract to provide Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers with education and training opportunities over the next five years.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) confirmed that EIT won the tender for Phase III of the RSE Worker Training Programme, which provides opportunities for Pacific RSE workers to access skills training while in New Zealand. The programme offers opportunities for RSE workers to develop meaningful and transferable skills that support the sectors that work in and deliver tangible benefits to the participating Pacific countries.
More than 7,000 RSE workers have benefited from training over the last six years. Phase III will see New Zealand commit NZ$10.7 million over the next five years to support over 10,000 RSE workers to engage in training opportunities. This phase will focus on increasing the number of RSE workers who can participate in courses, piloting new courses to respond to Pacific countries’ and workers priorities including agricultural skills, and a pilot on formal recognition of learning.
Paul Hursthouse, EIT’s Director – Business Relationships and Transitions, welcomed the news and said that EIT was excited and proud to have been chosen to provide training for the workers.
“EIT has a proven reputation of providing top-quality education and vocational training across all tertiary levels. EIT is part of the Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti communities with strong links to the primary sector, and looks forward to delivering training to RSE workers across New Zealand. We are a trusted education provider with a proven track record.”
“The RSE scheme plays a significant role in New Zealand’s economy and we are pleased to partner with MFAT and horticulture employers to offer RSE workers opportunities to develop and acquire new skills.”
The programme is set to be begin next year and will initially be delivered in Hawke’s Bay, Bay of Plenty and Malborough/Nelson.
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
22 seconds ago
EIT student Ngaun Siau (right) won the EIT Top Student Wine Award at this year’s A&P Society’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards. She is pictured at the awards ceremony with EIT’s Head of the School of Viticulture and Wine Science.
A second year Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student at EIT has won the award for the Top Student Wine at this year’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.
Ngaun Siau, 26, won the award at this month’s A&P Society’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards for her wine – Dalan Cabernet Franc 2024. The student wines are judged by the same criteria as all the other classes and Ngaun’s wine received 95 points from the judges – a Gold medal.
Ngaun, who is from Taiwan, says that she was very excited that her wine was chosen as the Top Student Wine, sponsored by EIT, and says that she enjoyed the awards evening.
“I made four red wines this year. The award-winning Cabernet Franc was harvested from the Te Awa vineyard, where I worked for the summer.”
“It took me three days to harvest and a month to make my wine. The grapes were hand-harvested, partially whole bunch fermented for a fruitful wine style.”
She got the name for her wine, Dalan, from the language of a tribe in Taiwan.
“It means ‘roads’ in Puyuma, but it’s more like the things that your heart is calling; the path you take to follow your dream.”
Winning the award was a highlight of what has, at times, been a challenging, but reward two years at EIT Hawke’s Bay.
Ngaun arrived in New Zealand to begin her first year one month before Cyclone Gabrielle struck last year. She moved into EIT student accommodation where she made friends with other students.
“We received a lot of help from the Hawke’s Bay community after the Cyclone. I appreciate how people here care for each other.”
“The most difficult thing was that we were not able to use the wine-making resources on campus since we had all moved online.”
Ngaun says that she comes from an agricultural background with her family having grown rice and other crops for centuries.
“Agriculture has always been fascinating to me. What caught my eye about viticulture was how everything starts from a small vine and becomes an aged wine.”
Ngaun says that it was New Zealand’s approach to organic and regenerative agriculture that attracted her to study here.
“I realised that it would be a good place for me to study and understand more about sustainable wine growing.”
After school Ngaun worked in the construction industry and also in farming, but soon decided that studying viticulture and wine science was what she wanted to do.
“Once the worst of COVID-19 had passed, I decided to make the move to New Zealand. I did my research and really liked what EIT had to offer, especially its strong practical component.”
Ngaun credits her success to the nurturing and supportive environment at EIT.
“The staff are really friendly and the lecturers’ doors are always open. Our school winery staff, the winery manager and the lab staff there are quite amazing. They always have new ideas or something they would suggest us to try.”
“We share a strong connection with the local wine industry, where our lecturers have worked or are still involved. There is no boundary for us in accessing the industry.”
“It is a very supportive programme for me to study here. In this environment I can fully immerse myself in my studies, knowing that the entire programme will have my back.”
Sue Blackmore, EIT Head of School for Viticulture and Wine Science said: “The whole V&W Team are excited that Ngaun received a Gold for her student wine.”
“She spent long hours in the winery tinkering with ‘Dalan’. And as the wine name suggests Ngaun is passionate about winemaking and her future in the wine industry. We wish her well”.
“All Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science students get a chance to make wine from year one of the degree, work a commercial internship in year 2 and complete a research project aligned with industry in year 3.”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
1 min ago
EIT Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student Tammy Madigan has won the A&P Society’s Young Vintners Scholarship at this year’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.
A third-year Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student at EIT has won the A&P Society’s Young Vintners Scholarship at this year’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.
Tammy Madigan, 37, is an adult student who has had to juggle family life to complete the degree. She relocated from Australia in 2021 to do her qualification at EIT in Hawke’s Bay.
Tammy, who grew up in the Blue Mountains of Western Sydney, but lived for many years in Brisbane, was awarded the scholarship at a ceremony earlier this month. The scholarship includes money towards her fees, the opportunity to work on a vintage at Craggy Range Winery and the opportunity to be an associate judge at next year’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.
She says that she was honoured to be selected as the scholarship recipient and excited to accept the award at the Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards surrounded by the leaders and legends of the industry.
Having worked for many years in the retail industry in Australia, as the years went by, she became progressively more interested in viticulture and decided that she wanted to pursue her studies at EIT. She has moved over with her husband Niall, who works as a cardiac sonographer at Hawke’s Bay Hospital, and her three children – two girls and a boy.
“Although it took a while for me to be able to commit to full-time study, I made the decision to permanently re-locate to NZ with my family in January 2021.”
“I’m a very practical kind of person and I really enjoyed the idea of doing a degree that also had a lot of practical learning. I’m more of a hands-on learner and enjoy learning on the job. There’s a little tiny vineyard on campus and there is just a lot of practical elements that I really enjoy.”
“I am extremely grateful that I am finally pursuing the dream, and I now consider Hawke’s Bay home. Since arriving I have immersed myself in various aspects of the industry while studying to obtain as much knowledge as possible.”
This has included stewarding for the Wine Awards and various DISH tasting events, cellar door work at Clearview Estate, a vintage internship at Te Mata Estate in 2023, and as a field technician for Croptide, an agricultural technology company specialising in real time crop monitoring solutions.
Tammy says that all these experiences have provided invaluable knowledge and connection to various people in the industry while developing a love for the Hawke’s Bay region
“While my interest in the industry was sparked by viticulture, I discovered a love for winemaking and would like to gain more experience and knowledge in this area as I pursue the goal of becoming a winemaker in my own right.”
She says that while Cyclone Gabrielle did disrupt her studies last year, especially having to move online and then off campus for a while, she and her cohort were not too badly affected.
“It was definitely a pretty interesting time. Initially it probably didn’t impact as heavily, being that I was in my second year and I was out doing the vintage at Te Mata Estate, which I was able to continue doing.”
With a hectic life of family, work and study, Tammy had to move her studies part-time for a semester last year, so will complete her degree during the second semester next year. She is also looking forward to taking part in the harvest at Craggy Range, which is part of her prize.
One thing is for sure, she is grateful that she chose EIT for a degree and she plans to stay on in Hawke’s Bay after she finishes her studies.
“I would like to purchase a house and settle in Hawke’s Bay for a little while. I might be able to duck off for some short stints to get some experience overseas or back home in Australia, but primarily, I’ll be basing myself here in Hawke’s Bay.
As for what path she wants to pursue in the future – viticulture or winemaking – Tammy says that she is unsure because she likes them both.
Sue Blackmore, Head of School for Viticulture and Wine Science says: “The V&W School wants to congratulate Tammy on this great opportunity provided for EIT students by the A&P Society and Craggy Range. Tammy is a very worthy recipient who as an adult student has managed to juggle the balance of a busy home life, full-time study and part-time work. Congratulations Tammy!”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
4 days ago
Dr Sean Coyle is the new Head of School: IDEAschool at EIT.
An award-winning theatre designer, visual artist and researcher has been appointed to lead EIT’s IDEAschool.
Dr Sean Coyle started at EIT as the Head of School: IDEAschool last month. He came from Toi Whakaari – New Zealand Drama School in Wellington, where he was Academic Director. He completed an MA (Hons) in Art and Design at AUT and a PhD at the University of Tasmania.
“I am pleased to be taking this next step as Head of School, because I am really interested in the potential of what the IDEAschool can be. I’m incredibly passionate about creative education and I’m familiar with the creativity that exists in the Bay.”
Sean says that his father is from Napier, so he has spent time in Hawke’s Bay over the years. He is keen to be returning full-time.
“I’m 100 percent committed to getting to know the creative sector and the community in Hawke’s Bay because I feel it’s vital for a creative industry school to be connected in some way to those industries that we are training in. So, one of my number one goals is to touch base with and get advice from the local industry stakeholders.”
Sean, who was born in Melbourne to New Zealand parents, has built a career in the arts over a number of decades. Having spent his formative years in Australia, he finished his schooling at Bay of Island College in Kawakawa, where his family had a bookshop.
His journey into creative practice began with a stint at Art School in Otago and then at Toi Whakaari, where he would later return as Academic Director. After achieving a Diploma in Professional Theatre, he worked in theatre and television in Wellington before going to Melbourne where he did a Graduate Diploma in Dramatic Arts Design at the University of Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts. He also worked as a set, costume and lighting designer.
Sean’s career saw him teach at Toi Whakaari, at Northland Polytech in Whangarei, and then at the Pacific Institute of Performing Arts in Auckland where he became Head of School. His latest stint at Toi Whakaari – the last four years- saw him move from being the Head of Design and Arts Management to the Academic Director.
“I had been really interested in moving to Hawke’s Bay for some time, so when this job at EIT came up, it felt like the absolute right fit for me at this time in my life.”
Sean, who has relocated to Napier with his artist partner Grant, says he has always been “a fan” of smaller cities, so is looking forward to living here.
Another important aspect of his new role that Sean is looking forward to, is fostering a research culture in IDEAschool.
“I’m very passionate about creative research and I am an active researcher. I’m publishing as well as doing practice-based research. I also think it’s a necessity for staff that are involved in teaching degree programmes to be research active.”
“I’m interested in the ways that we can do really authentic and valuable research projects that utilise our practice as creative artists, designers and musicians. My aim is to push forward the IDEAschool as a hub of practice-based research.”
Dr Helen Ryan-Stewart, EIT’s Executive Dean, Education, Humanities and Health Science, says: “We are incredibly fortunate to welcome Dr Sean Coyle as the new Head of School: IDEAschool.”
“With a wealth of experience and a passion for nurturing creative talent, Sean brings a fresh perspective and innovative approach to our Faculty. His commitment to fostering creativity, critical thinking, and artistic expression aligns perfectly with the school’s mission. We are excited to see the positive impact he will have on our students, staff and the stakeholders across our local creative industries.”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
4 days ago
Completing a Master of Information Technology at EIT has marked a significant milestone for three students, who balanced years of hard work, dedication, and full-time roles at Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga with their academic pursuits.
Teriwa Graham, Tane Edwards, and Juanita Teariki dedicated their final projects to areas such as digital inclusion, cybersecurity, and the development of team-focused IT systems—projects that align closely with Te Taiwhenua mission – to deliver essential health and social services across Hawke’s Bay.
The trio credits EIT’s supportive environment and the guidance of Associate Professor Dr Emre Erturk for their success in achieving this challenging goal.
Teriwa, Te Taiwhenua General Manager of IT, developed ‘people-centric’ IT solutions that simplify processes for staff and enhance service delivery.
“It’s about making sure high-quality data and information are provided to staff in a way that’s clear and helpful,” said Teriwa.
“Our goal is to give our frontline team the tools they need to make quick, informed decisions.”
Tane, a Business Analyst with 17 years at Te Taiwhenua, and Master of Digital Business graduate, addressed digital inclusion by promoting digital literacy and training community members who may lack confidence with technology.
“We live in a digital world, and there are those who embrace it and those who don’t,” he explained.
“The aim is to help people become more independent by equipping them with basic digital skills—whether it’s using apps, online banking, or other essential tools.”
Juanita, Te Taiwhenua IT Manager, concentrated on building cybersecurity awareness to protect the organisation and its users from cyber threats.
“Cybersecurity awareness is crucial, especially in today’s digital age, where anyone can fall victim to cybercrime. My goal was to improve our team’s understanding of cybersecurity and create strategies to keep everyone safer online.”
Reflecting on the support they received from EIT and Associate Professor Dr Emre Erturk, all three students credited his guidance as essential for balancing full-time work and studies.
“Emre has been incredibly supportive throughout our journey,” Teriwa stated.
Emre congratulated Teriwa, Tane and Juanita.
“Every student is unique and needs tailored guidance. Anyhow, our common interest in digital inclusion and transformation has made our synergies even greater.”
Tane added that this support was crucial as they navigated their demanding schedules, noting, “It’s rewarding to work on projects that not only improve our work environment but also benefit our community.”
Juanita concluded, “EIT has provided us with the tools and knowledge to drive meaningful change, and we are excited to implement these solutions in our roles”.
Evaluating if a river is safe to cross, and knowing the best way to do so is a vital skill for trampers in the backcountry.
Here are some of the lessons I learned at a river safety course, and why I think you should do one too.
I’ve heard a lot of stories of river crossings gone wrong, but this one stuck with me.
A couple I met at the river safety course told me about a recent overnight tramp they did with a group of friends. They were all quite new to tramping and had just started doing overnight trips. They’d picked a relatively easy track, with one small unbridged stream close to the car park.
On the way in the stream was about ankle deep, clear and slow moving. They all crossed it without issue.
But overnight, it rained. A lot.
The rain continued to pour the next morning, but everyone was itching to get home and dry, so they packed up and headed back down the track.
The stream was unrecognisable.
It was in flood: the dirty water was swollen and surging, waist-deep in places with tree branches were being swept rapidly down-stream.
The group knew the car was close. It was Sunday, they needed to get back for work the next day. Only this flooded stream stood in their way.
So: they crossed it anyway. And very nearly didn’t make it home.
Wading through the thundering dirty water, each step forward nearly toppled them into the river and swept them away.
An example of a dangerous flooded river, Snowy Creek by Dart hut | Gareth Jones, DOC
They were very lucky not to have drowned that day.
The experience shook them. Which is how we came to be on the same river safety course.
Lesson #1: Don’t
Right off the bat, the course instructors hammered this point: you never have to cross an unsafe river.
It may sound too simple but it’s some solid advice.
The couple made the decision to cross the flooded river because they felt it was their only option. They were on the last day of their trip, soaked and tired, just wanting to get home. They disregarded the danger and chose to go in anyway.
They were lucky. One misstep, one loss of balance in the surging water and they could have been killed.
Many of the course instructors were search and rescue volunteers. They all had stories of trampers, both experienced and new, underestimating the danger of crossing an unsafe river. Horror stories where if they just hadn’t got in the water, if they’d waited for the water level to drop, if they’d only crossed at the bridge instead, they would still be alive.
Lesson one sunk in for all of us. If a river is unsafe, do not attempt to cross it.
It’s not worth your life.
A bridge over flooded Snowy Creek | Gareth Jones, DOC
Lesson #2: Preparation is crucial
The instructors were clear that the first method for avoiding unsafe river crossings is to do your research before you head out.
During your planning, make sure you:
Choose a track that is suitable for every tramper’s skill and experience. If there are members of your party that are not comfortable with river crossings, choose a different track.
Identify any river crossings on your intended route, as well as alternate track options if the river is unsafe. Choose routes with bridged crossings where possible.
Always check the weather before you go. Be prepared to choose a different track without river crossings if the weather forecast predicts heavy or prolonged rain.
Have a plan if you need to wait for a flooded river to drop. Take extra food, warm clothes and emergency shelter in case you need to wait a few extra days. Consider taking a satellite communication device so you can tell someone you will be late out.
Doing this prep beforehand sets you up to make safe, informed decisions around rivers while you’re out there.
Lesson #3: What to do instead of crossing an unsafe river
Sometimes, no matter how well we prepare, things can go wrong. If you find yourself standing in front of a river that isn’t safe to cross, what do you do instead?
Option 1: Wait it out.
River levels can drop as quickly as they rise. Sometimes that can mean that if you wait a few hours, a swollen river can become safe to cross.
But it could also take days for the water level to drop, depending on the weather or snow melt conditions. This is where your extra food, clothes and shelter come in. Once the river levels have dropped, crossing may be possible again.
Option 2: Use your ‘Plan B’
Check your map for your chosen alternative routes without river crossings and take those instead. Sometimes there may be a bridge further along the river, so always check your map for these!
Option 3: Return the way you came
If you can get home safely by turning around and returning the way you came, do it.
Option 4: Call for help
If options 1-3 fail, call for help. It’s safer than attempting a potentially fatal river crossing. Always take a distress beacon with you, just in case.
Whitcombe Pass track, Whitcombe river in flood | Brian Dobbie
Lesson #3: The warning signs of an unsafe river
You might be wondering, what exactly is an unsafe river?
The instructors broke down the key things to look for when assessing whether a river is unsafe.
Some rivers are naturally deep and fast flowing, even without being in flood. These can be unsafe to cross at any time. Flooded rivers are very dangerous to cross.
Here’s how to spot an unsafe river:
The sound of rolling rocks on the riverbed
Dirty, discoloured and/or cloudy surging water
Visible debris in the river such as tree branches
Water moving faster than normal walking speed
If these features are present, the river should not be crossed.
Sometimes only one of these features may be present. For example, if a river is flowing faster than walking speed but is only ankle deep and there are no nearby debris up or down stream, crossing may be possible.
You should always look for the features of an unsafe river and assess them against the crossing location, considering any upstream and downstream hazards that could make your crossing dangerous.
Even if deemed a safe river, crossing can still be risky – the place you chose to cross is vital.
Trampers looking for a safe spot to cross a river | NZSAR
Lesson #4: Crossing a river involves careful assessment
We broke into small groups to learn how to identify a safe place to cross. The instructors told us that no matter the river, always stop to discuss and assess as a group.
We learnt to look for a spot that has:
Water depth below thigh deep on the shortest person
Water speed no faster than walking pace
Accessible entry and exit points (steep banks can be a hazard and may prevent safe entry/exit)
No white water or rapids (turbulent, frothy water)
Flat riverbed surface with minimal obstacles like large rocks
Runout with minimal hazards (where the river will lead you if you are swept downstream)
Not only are you selecting the safest place to cross, but you’re also choosing your emergency path down the river, if you do get swept down. This is why it’s vital to identify the risks downstream as well as where you plan to cross. It’s all about minimising the risk if you do get swept down.
I was particularly horrified by the concept of getting caught by a strainer – which is when an object like a tree branch lets water flow through but can trap other objects underwater (like people…) with the power of the current keeping them stuck.
Being a strong swimmer is not a guarantee against drowning if you are swept down a river. There are so many hazards present in rivers that could cause even the strongest swimmers to drown – which is why choosing the right spot is so important.
Lesson #5: The mutual support method is the safest way to cross
If you do cross: how do you do it safely? That was what my group and I were all here to learn.
After a morning of learning theory, we got to practice crossing a river as a group.
Wading in by myself first, the water flow was surprisingly strong. It was easy to see how you could lose your footing. Especially if you were on your own in the water.
Lining up in our group of three, we practiced the mutual support method, which is designed to give you extra stability and safeguard against anyone losing their footing and being swept.
As a group we waded into the water wearing our boots, clothes and packs. The strongest of the group were at the upstream end, with the less confident members in the middle.
Our chest straps were left undone and our waist belts were secured but loosened. We wove our hands between our neighbours back and their pack, grabbing on tightly to the top of their pants on their other side.
Keeping our bodies side on to the current, we crossed the river in slow, small steps, moving in a diagonal line downstream so we weren’t fighting against the current.
In moments when peoples’ footing became unstable, the strength of the rest of the group kept them upright and they were able to regain their footing.
It was incredible just how much safer using this method felt, compared to standing in the river alone.
Trampers practicing the mutual support method | DOC
Lesson #6: You really don’t want to be swept down a river
At the end of the course, we got to experience what it’s like to be swept down a river (with careful precautions in place).
In mutual support formation, three of us waded into a section of the river that was deliberately too deep in the centre. We walked along the riverbed until our feet couldn’t touch the bottom.
Then the water swept us off our feet.
Feeling ourselves begin to float was honestly terrifying. I felt an immediate loss of control and had to fight the rising feeling of panic. We’d waded into a safe spot and the instructors were on hand with floatation rings on ropes, so my brain knew I was safe. But my body didn’t quite get the message.
Putting theory into practice, we didn’t let go of each other, staying with our arms linked. We lifted our legs up in front of us, leaning back against our packs. While we don’t take life jackets on tramps into the backcountry, our packs are the next best thing, full of pockets of air in between your gear.
The people on either end used their free arms to try and steer us to shore. And it wasn’t easy! On our first attempt, we couldn’t get out on our own and the instructors had to throw in the rope for us to grab. But they let us feel the fear first!
Please don’t underestimate the danger of being swept down a river! One trapped boot, one boulder to the head or one unavoidable waterfall is all it could take to cause a drowning.
If you take anything away from this blog, let it be that. If you have any doubts about whether a river is safe to cross, or whether you have the skills and experience to cross safely, stay out of the water.
Doing the river safety training was one of the most helpful outdoor trainings I’ve done as a tramper. Knowing how to identify if a river is unsafe gives me the confidence to make hard decisions when I’m outdoors. And honestly, learning about all the ways a river could drown me was quite the reality check!
If you like to spend your time in the backcountry, please consider doing some formal training. It could save your life.
The Mountain Safety Council’s website is a great place to start learning the skills you need to be safe around rivers in the backcountry.
Before we get started, let me address the truly confusing fact that teal is both a colour and a bird. It seems the bird came first, and the colour is based on that Eurasian bird. My question is: if we continue our groundbreaking naming of teals in New Zealand (brown teal, grey teal), what happens if we find a teal-coloured teal? Moving on…
Pāteke/Brown teal
Honestly, ornithologists (bird-nerds) are pretty uncreative with their names. Brown teal indeed. Pāteke are ADORABLE. I think it’s the wee white ring around their eye. Oh, and may I introduce the ducklings?
A pāteke family at Auckland Zoo. Image credit: Aja Pendergrast/Auckland Zoo.
Like the mallards in Episode 1, these are dabblers (it’s a popular pastime); pāteke have seriously low numbers but are listed as at risk-recovering, thanks to some excellent conservation efforts. In places where they don’t have specific conservation efforts, they’re still vulnerable to habitat loss and predation.
Up close they are unmistakeable, but from a distance pāteke may appear similar to other ducks. Look out for a duck smaller than a mallard flying low and fast over water, most commonly around the northern half of the North Island.
See a brown looking teal with a white eye-ring on mainland New Zealand? It’s probably a pāteke. Image credit: Paul Jansen/DOC.
The case of pāteke v mallard on Aotea Great Barrier Island
In a troubling turn of events, the pāteke population on Aotea is under threat from the insurgent mallard population. Prosecutors claim introduced mallards are outbreeding the endemic pāteke, with the injury centred on humans artificially increasing mallard success by feeding them. The judge has not ordered any recompense, but humans are reminded to avoid feeding any wild bird and continue to be ‘decent to ducks’ (more below).
Tētē/grey teal
Aussie cousins of our teals, grey teal are now considered native and aren’t threatened. Grey teal are nomadic dabblers with one stand-out feature – brilliant red eyes. Despite their alarming gaze, experts assure me they are not vampires, but feed on insects, molluscs and seeds. I’m still not inviting one in at nighttime.
Easily confused with the occasional visitor the chestnut teal.
With eyes like that, surely grey ducks are up to no good? Image credit: Paul Jansen/DOC.
WAY down South
Two endemic teals live on our subantarctic islands, and both are flightless so don’t expect to be seeing them in your backyard anytime soon (or anywhere else in the world). Auckland Island and Campbell Island teals are each similar in appearance to their mainland cousin the pāteke. Your best bet for identification is location – see a brown-looking teal? Check what island you are on, and you probably have your answer! Campbell Island teal are among the world’s rarest ducks, fortunately now increasing thanks to rat eradication on their home ground.
