Walking to raise awareness of NZ’s ‘amazing treasure’
"Our ocean and environment is worth fighting for."
Athol Steward
Athol Steward decided raising awareness and funding for seabed mining took more than bake sales and sausage sizzles.
The Whanganui doctor arrived in New Plymouth on Friday, halfway along his 400km walk from Raglan to Whanganui to protest seabed mining.
‘‘I feel pretty good,’’ he said. ‘‘The first few days were obviously a bit challenging; the muscles were sore and so forth.
‘‘When you’ve got a distance to go you just seem to get over it and carry on.’’
He met up with the Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) group on Saturday who held a hikoi at Bell Block Beach and walked in protest from there to the Wind Wand along the Coastal Walkway and Fitzroy Beach.
He’d had a lot of support along the journey, he said.
‘‘It enforces for us just what an amazing treasure we have. ‘‘It’s been a privilege.’’ Steward has been accompanied by his oldest son, Lloyd, from Raglan to New Plymouth and younger son Jono will walk the second half to Whanganui.
His wife Lari has come in the campervan along with their mascot, Lulu the dog.
‘‘The primary objective is to create awareness about the environment and seabed mining among New Zealanders and for them to understand that our ocean and environment is worth fighting for.
‘‘It’s just to get the word out there, and then New Zealanders can say no.’’ He is also fundraising for the KASM High Court appeal against the Environment Protection Authority decision to allow iron ore mining off the Patea coast.
Steward is hoping to be able to raise $10,000 on his Givealittle page.
‘‘We needed to do something that was going to gain some attention. Bake sales and sausage sizzles are just not going to do it.’’
New Plymouth residents Mike and Marnie Taylor were among about 50 people who turned out in support.
‘‘It just annoys me so much that someone can come and mine our seabed,’’ she said.
‘‘I hope the new government will repeal their licence.’’