Leasing land for harbour zipline to be considered

THE company proposing a zipline for Oamaru Harbour has taken its next step towards developing the long talked about tourist attraction for the harbour.

Next week, the Waitaki District Council will formally consider a request to lease land at the takeoff and landing areas for the zipline.

Council assets group manager Neil Jorgensen said no resource consent had been lodged with the council.

But his report, to be tabled on Tuesday, recommends the council accepts in principle the request to lease the land ‘‘subject to meeting concerns raised by the community’’ through a publiclynotified resource consent application.

Mr Jorgensen outlines five options for councillors to consider: decline the request to negotiate a lease; request the applicant wait 12 months until the council completes a proposed harbour strategy; seek feedback from the public before making a decision; ask the company to go through the resource consent proposal before a lease is considered; or, the recommended option, to accept the request in principal.

Since the winter of 2015, a zipline in Oamaru Harbour has been a talking point in the community.

But community concerns — especially about the impact a zipline would have on Oamaru’s abundant birdlife, notably the rare Otago shag — caused the company to redesign its proposal.

A plan for a zipline over the old quarry at Cape Wanbrow and across the harbour to land on the Category 1 breakwater was scrapped, and in June a new proposal was promoted by the company.

The proposed 900mlong dual-line zipline would launch from Cape Wanbrow and land in possibly ‘‘an old rusty ship’’ as a piece of Steampunk art to complement the Steampunk Playground at Friendly Bay and the other public art pieces in the area.

Select Contracts regional director Darron Charity said at the time the company would survey the community to find out if the tourism venture would be embraced.

At the same time, an online petition opposing a zipline in the harbour area was launched. Last week it had attracted 761 signatures.

PHOTOS: DANIEL BIRCHFIELD Totara School pupil Harmony Robinson plays at Totara School’s playground. The school has grown steadily in recent years and now has 43 pupils from years 1 to 8. The school describes itself as a small community, focused on building a familylike atmosphere for its pupils. It takes pride in the leadership opportunities it offers it pupils and the high achievement results it consistently produces.

Totara Estate property manager Keren Mackay wanders the grounds of Totara Estate. The sprawling former farming property, now a tourism attraction, is best known as the birthplace of New Zealand’s frozen meat industry. Carcasses were prepared there then taken by farm dray to the nearby railway station for transport (in icecooled wagons) to Dunedin. Dunedin left Port Chalmers on February 15, 1882, with a shipment of 4311 sheep carcasses, 598 lamb carcasses, 26 pig carcasses, 2226 sheep tongues, small quantities of hams, rabbits and turkeys and 246 kegs of butter. It arrived in London in May and the goods were declared ‘‘by far superior to any other’’.

Liko Inkersell stocks up the vegetable department at Brydone Wholefoods off State Highway 1 at Totara. The business was opened by Sue Smith in Oamaru in 2002. The family previously owned 28ha market garden Brydone Growers. The shop and market garden were sold in 2008, but the family decided to buy the shop back in 2012, when it opened in its present location.

Harness racing driver Matthew Williamson drives 2yearold Ben at Williamson Racing’s training track at its Totara Base. Matthew is the son of leading trainer Phil Williamson. Matthew’s brothers Nathan and Brad are also drivers. All three have had success on the track and over the years the family has dominated the Otago Harness Racing Awards.

Russell Coveney prunes a tree at Totara Propagation. Owned by Trevor and Diane Lee, the business prepares trees for planting out for beautification, landscaping and riparian planting projects, among others.