Protecting the pot of gold
The residents of a tiny West Coast settlement are uniting to ensure their little town remains a pristine paradise for all, writes Sam Strong.
Known as the ‘‘jewel in the crown’’ of the West Coast, the mountainous landscape of Punakaiki has enough natural wonder to amaze any visitor.
Once a hideaway for craftspeople, artists, hippies and those escaping retribution from the law, the small village of around 100 permanent residents now welcomes around 450,000 people a year, with many drawn to the wild coastal vistas and the area’s bestknown feature, the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes.
And with a new Great Walk due to open in 2019, it’s expected to see visitor numbers soar.
Hydrangea Cottages owner Karen Dickson believes theinflux will be a good thing for the region, but is unsure how Punakaiki will manage.
‘‘Me and other people are thinking, ‘are there enough services and facilities to cope’?’’ she says.
‘‘Certainly there’s an issue about parking and too many people going through the Pancake Rocks at certain times when all the buses are there. It’s too much, that’s probably a numbers management issue.’’
Given its remote location, about 45 minutes south of Westport, or north of Greymouth, catering for staggering numbers of travellers has its challenges.
There’s no general store, so stocks such as milk or bread can’t be bought in the village, and there is an increasing need for more parking and public toilet facilities.
Its two eateries, the Punakaiki Tavern and Pancake Rocks Cafe, punch well above their weight catering for busloads of visitors, backpackers or locals on road trips during the peak season from October to May.
And the small collection of guest houses and the village’s backpackers cram in guests from all over the world. Many more freedom campers park up in their cars and campervans for the night.
The explosion in visitors, and the preference for spending a penny without dropping a dime, has stirred resentment between locals and their half million or so annual guests.
Concerns came to the fore a year ago when 95 per cent of Punakaiki’s residents signed a petition to ban campers, whether they were self-contained or not.
Both the Grey and Buller district councils rejected the call. Instead, each council promised to work with the Department of Conservation [DOC] and the community to come up with a solution to the residents’ concerns.
Some business owners have spent the past two decades quietly building their operations now stand to reap the rewards of increased visitor numbers in the quieter winter months.
A lack of rental properties and employable locals have also created challenges.
Beach Hostel owner and Pancake Rocks Cafe manager Patrick Volk says most New Zealanders don’t want to do the dirty work.
‘‘I would love [to employ locals], but who wants to do those dishes, clean toilets, sell sausages, be on the coffee machine all day, who wants to be on the till?’’ he says.
Punakaiki and the wider West Coast region need incentives to attract workers given the isolation, Volk believes.
Mobile phone reception also drops off outside the village and south of the Pancake Rocks.
While some visitors may relish the chance to be disconnected from their workplace, tourists have come to expect these services, Punakaiki Tavern owner Lorraine Ryder says.
‘‘Visitors expect cell phone coverage, wi-fi. They have to look at services in the village,’’ Ryder says.
She was also proud to report the Tavern has had success employing locals – 13 in summer and five through winter.
‘‘It’s a fantastic place to live. It’s a lifestyle for us, it’s not always money that makes a life,’’ she says.
Water quality is another issue. Last year residents were on boil water notices for 60 per cent of the year – 221 days.
Buller Mayor Garry Howard has requested help from the Government, citing Punakaiki’s ‘‘national significance’’ because of its tourism and hospitality industries.
A report to the Buller District Council tabled options to ensure the 81 ratepayers of Punakaiki had a stable water supply, but the cost could reach $2.5 million.
By comparison, the village’s homeowners contributed about $61,000 in rates a year to their water scheme – an average of $753 each.
A new filtration membrane was forecast to cost $107,000 a year, while a new water supply would cost $316,000 annually – creating a funding shortfall of $255,000.
‘‘I definitely hope they find a solution because there is no money and the small village of Punakaiki can’t pay a water plant in the millions,’’ Volk says.
Protection against sea erosion was completed in time for Christmas, after the West Coast Regional Council approved an extension of the new 180m sea wall that protects properties including a hostel, camp ground, the tavern and homes.
A council spokeswoman says the cost will be in the range of $450,000.
Ryder welcomes the investment in erosion prevention.
On the other hand, the village knows that managing the tide of visitors every summer is a lot more complicated.