Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Local woman gets concrete result
A Marlborough woman’s name is now set in stone as the first woman to win a prestigious award within the concrete industry.
Megan Blance, plant supervisor at Allied Concrete in Blenheim, took home the Concrete Industry Apprentice of the Year Award at Concrete NZ’s annual conference, held in Rotorua from October 13-15.
It was the first time a woman had won the award, with 2022 marking the sixth year it had been up for grabs. The award finalists worked and trained in the areas of precast concrete, placing and finishing, concrete production, and concrete construction.
Though Blance’s win was an industry first, she said the concrete sector’s diversity was growing quickly, and there were opportunities for people willing to learn.
‘‘For the workplace I’m in, there are women involved in all parts of the plant, so I’ve never felt hampered in what I can and can’t do. In fact, it’s been the complete opposite, and I am truly grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given to date.’’
Blanche said she didn’t know what she wanted to do for a career after she left school, and completing concrete qualifications was ‘‘not even on my radar’’.
Blanche started working for Allied Concrete in 2016 after a friend introduced her to the industry, but said she had not envisaged herself contributing to large projects such as the Waikawa Marina extension six years later.
‘‘I am extremely passionate about the industry and love coming to work each day. Be it preparing work schedules for concrete labourers, estimating the materials required, and consulting blueprints and drawings to ensure accuracy, I love being in an environment where no one day is ever the same, and you’re always learning,’’ she said.
‘‘There are plenty of opportunities out there for those who are willing to go out there and grab them. Because at the end of the day, you don’t know what you are capable of if you don’t challenge yourself.’’
‘‘I am extremely passionate about the industry . . . I love being in an environment where no one day is ever the same, and you’re always learning. ’’
Did you know that Marlborough is lucky enough to have five different species of dolphin that call the waters of the
Marlborough Sounds home at different times? A trip out on the water often offers a glimpse of these majestic, sleek and beautiful creatures – their dorsal fins are a dead giveaway, as they come to the surface to breathe.
Most Kiwis are familiar with our iconic Hector’s dolphin – one of the smallest and rarest dolphins in the world. Their rounded dorsal fin looks like Mickey Mouse’s ear, which is unique to this species. Growing a mere 150cm in length, these tiny dolphins are found only around New Zealand.
Common dolphins are, contrary to what their name suggests, rather uncommon visitors to the Sounds, preferring the open ocean. Their sleek bodies are built for speed and they have a telltale tan-coloured stripe down each side of their body.
Dusky dolphins are seasonal visitors, usually turning up in the cooler months. Although a similar size and length to the common dolphin (about 2m long), their blunt noses, lightning bolt pattern along their sides and acrobatic ability sets them apart.
The bottlenose dolphin is what people most often think of when visualising a dolphin. There is a resident population of bottlenose dolphins that cruise through the Sounds and they are easily identifiable simply by their size. Growing up to four metres in length, our bottlenose are some of the largest in the world.
Finally, there is the orca. Often referred to as a killer whale, orca are in fact dolphins. They received their ‘‘killer’’ name from their ability to hunt and kill whales. These ‘‘sea pandas’’ are unmistakable in size, shape and colour, and sporadically visit the Sounds, usually on the hunt for stingrays.
Over the coming months, on behalf of the Picton Environment Centre and Envirohub Marlborough, this column will introduce you to each of these species in more detail, including ways in which you can help to protect them.
Dolphins have captivated humans for as long as we’ve interacted with them. Highly intelligent and super-social creatures, dolphins are as curious about us as we are about them. Unfortunately, that’s when they can also run into trouble. Dolphins appear to love playing in the waves and bow riding in front of boats.
There’s nothing more uplifting than having an encounter with one or more of these wild animals, considering how rare it is for any wild animal to seek out the attention of a human.
Sadly, if we do not behave responsibly around dolphins, they can easily be injured or even killed.
In New Zealand, we have the Marine Mammals Protection Regulations, which help to protect all marine mammals.
The rules are fairly straightforward, and if boaties keep these in mind, we can help protect these stunning creatures while also increasing the chances of having an amazing interaction.
The key is to show respect: Slow down! Try to approach from behind or to the side, and only three vessels should be within 300m of a pod at any one time.
If dolphins are actively swimming away from you or frequently diving, leave them be. They are not interested and want to be left alone.
Finally, act deliberately and with no surprises. As smart as dolphins are, they can’t read your mind! Unpredictable behaviour (such as suddenly stopping, speeding up or changing direction) can lead to boat or propeller strike, causing injury or even death.
The more respectful we are, especially here in the Sounds where the waters are calm and really accessible to humans, the more likely the dolphins will be to interact in a positive way around you!
Want to learn more? Drop us a line (info@envirohub.co.nz) or come and visit the Picton Environment Centre at 14 Auckland St in Picton and support our amazing three local environmental charities: Kaipupu Wildlife Sanctuary, Picton Dawn Chorus and Envirohub Marlborough.