Inspiring stories, real news and the hard questions

The big news this week is the announcement of government funding for the restoration of Seddon House in Hokitika.

What a saving grace this is for one of the coast’s most historic landmarks.

And in the not-so-good news department, we learn that the Green Party want to ban bottom trawling. We get some reaction to this proposed policy from the fishing industry on the Coast.

We profile the iconic Buller Marathon, talk to some Coast Characters and tempt you with a Coaster’s pass offer from Franz Josef Rainforest.

We highlight our top posts, talk to Shona McClean and bring you our updates from Aratuna Freighter and Williams Hotels Group. All this while listening to a poem from Mark Raffills and a song from ‘Neil Young”!!

Have a listen to my take on all the good stuff that’s happening in this issue of Coaster’s Weekly here:

Enjoy this issue of the Coaster’s Weekly

Bruce Smith

About The Coaster’s Club

The Coaster’s Club is of course the vehicle by which we can all stay connected, so I would encourage you to join up.

I know we can’t always agree on all things, but we can agree that we all want the best for the Coast and the people whose lives and history are intrinsically tied to this wonderful place.

Here’s how you can be part of the Coaster’s Club:

• Follow us on Facebook: The Coaster’s Club
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• Subscribe to our You Tube channel and see dozens of videos that don’t get published anywhere else.
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Hope to see you soon
Bruce Smith

Breaking News continued

History Restored

Seddon House, a brick, timber and corrugated iron construction, is a Category 1 historic place on the New Zealand Heritage List, Rārangi Kōrero.

It was built between 1907 and 1914.

Heritage New Zealand – Pouhere Taonga – will own and manage the Edwardian Baroque-style building, also known as the Government Buildings and Courthouse. As part of the restoration Seddon House will undergo seismic strengthening and be refitted for use as offices for DOC.

In this video, taken at the beginning of the drive for restoration, Bruce Smith, Mark Patterson (NZ First MP) and Tanka Davidson (WDC Councilor) kick some ideas around about how the dream could be realised.

Breaking News continued

Heart-felt thanks to all involved

To Andrew Coleman, from every person in Westland, Grey and Buller, a huge thank you.

To get a project like Seddon House up to the start line takes a tremendous amount of hard work, passion and support from the right quarters. And you need people who walk the talk.

So on that note, Coaster’s Weekly acknowledges the support of Andrew Coleman, CEO of Heritage New Zealand – Pouhere Taonga, for his support of the Seddon House project. Seddon House will form part of the Tohu Whenua programme where local history is highlighted by local landmarks and the stories associated with them.

We also acknowledge the huge support and commitment of Mark Patterson, Tanka Davidson our local MPs Damien O’Connor and Maureen Pugh and our local Council teams.

Meet Andrew Coleman here:

Coast Events

Run the most scenic marathon in NZ

The Buller Marathon – 13 February 2021

If you want take part in the various events the marathon offers, or if you are just coming to enjoy this brilliant spectacle, you should book your accommodation now.

Once you have done that you can relax into what will be one of the most scenic events on the NZ sporting calendar.

New Zealand’s most scenic marathon course commences at Hawks Crag and heads up the gorge to a turning point near Berlin’s, then back down the scenic, undulating Buller Gorge Highway to a finish at Victoria Square, Westport. Be inspired with these spectacular videos, first from 2001 (yes, the event has a long history!) and more recently from the 2017 event.

2001:

Drone footage from 2017:

Coast Events

Local support for the marathon is a Westport community thing

Have a look at how the community rallies behind the iconic Buller Marathon in this video series filmed over the 2018 event.

Clip 1- Veranda party:

Clip 2 – Keeping tradition alive:

Clip 3 – Meet the youngest competitor:

Clip 4 – At the finish line:

West Coast Fishing – An industry of opportunity

Westfleet – born out of a passion for fishing

In 1979, a group of some 25 hard working, forward thinking fisherman joined efforts and resources, starting the Westfleet Fishermans’ Cooperative Limited, by buying out what was at the time, Nelson Fisheries.

With an aim of securing a say in their own fishing future – faced with the ever expanding growth of large factories around New Zealand – the fisherman got to work, putting their vessels and their livelihoods out to sea on the Westcoast of New Zealand. With ownership of quota, wharf facilities, processing capacity and a distribution chain, Westfleet has supplied demanding markets with West Coast fish for many years.

Managing Director & CEO of Westfleet, Craig Boote, tells the story here:

“Having the best maintained inshore fleet with on board quality control and best practice fish handling, an efficient wharf facility and the new factory just ‘a forklift away,’ Westfleet is leading the way in Australasia when it comes to vertical integration.”

Craig Boote, Managing Director & CEO

West Coast Fishing – An industry of opportunity

Greens target another West Coast industry

The Green Party has announced, as an election pledge, to ban bottom trawling across the whole NZ fishery to end what they call ‘destructive commercial fishing.’

Now, while such a policy may have some relevance to the Hauraki Gulf, it is utterly without scientific basis to apply the same policies to the West Coast.

Should such a policy be imposed on our industry on the Coast, it will kill the fish processing plants in Greymouth and Westport with a resulting loss in jobs. It seems the Green Party wants to add fishing to the ‘let’s kill it off’ list.

Bruce Smith of the Coaster’s Club, asks Craig Boote of Westfleet Fishing, what such a policy would mean for our industry on the Coast. Judith Collins has a comment to make too.

Watch video of Judith Collins at Westfleet here>

Williams Hotels Group Update

The Williams Family – Coast pioneers

There are people and families whose vision, determination and perseverance helped establish the West Coast and its indomitable character.

And in so doing, they provided a strong foundation on which the Coast has continued to be built by others who have been drawn to this wonderful place.

This week we talk again with Mark Williams who gives us the inside story on the Ashley Hotel in Greymouth.

Williams Hotels Group Update

The Ashley Hotel in Greymouth

Your first port of call when booking AgFest accommodation.

Ag Fest 2020 is sold out. So, if you have your tickets but still need accommodation, you had better call The Ashley Hotel in Greymouth real soon on 03 768 5135.

AGFest has grown to become the #1 event on the West Coast. Coaster’s Weekly gets the latest on the festival from Andy Thompson.

Aratuna Freighter’s Update

Aratuna Freighters – a competitive road service throughout the South Island

Aratuna Freighters operate a large configuration of Iveco and Hino trucks and trailers throughout the South Island.

The management and staff take great pride in their company, the whole team working together to see that the freight is delivered on time. They are proud of their consistent commitment and service to their customers, always offering competitive prices. The company’s Head Office is in Greymouth and the Rural Office is based in Hokitika.

Aratuna Freighters has a comprehensive freight and courier service that covers the whole of the South Island. Here’s what the service and schedule looks like:

General freight overnight to Christchurch – five days a week (Monday to Friday)

General freight to South Westland – four days a week service

Worldwide & Nationwide freight on-forwarding – being the West Coast Branch of Mainfreight we are able to offer this service

Courier Service – ARAMEX Courier Service 5 Days a week.

Bulk Fuel Distribution Service – our BP fuel distribution offers a reliable service of bulk fuel deliveries to farmers, miners and contractors throughout the West Coast including Westport and Karamea areas.

Home heating delivery service – a small truck home heating delivery service for Greymouth and Hokitika Areas.

Refrigerated and frozen freight service – Greymouth to Christchurch & South Westland with a Nationwide on forwarding service available.

Stock Transportation – our service offers reliable, humane cartage of stock to farms or meat works daily.

Farming freight requirements – we offer South Island-wide cartage of hay, bulk fertilizer and timber for all farming requirements.

Container swing lifts and hiab services – a West Coast-wide service for all hiab and swing lift container requirements. We can arrange a nationwide forwarding service for containers also.

Aratuna Freighters look forward to having the opportunity to quote for all Coast transportation needs. For a quote on freight, fuel or other services they provide, please call their toll-free number 0800 756 666. If you have a rural enquiry, please call the Hokitika team on 03 756 8012.

Aratuna Freighter’s Update

Wanted now!

Would you like a change? Come and join the movement to the Coast.

Class five drivers and mechanics are needed to become part of the team at Aratuna Freighters.

In this week’s update, we talk with Managing Director, Andrew Havill as he takes us through the workshop and outlines the opportunities on offer with the company:

Coast Characters

Merv Grewer – a Coaster

Merv Grewer has a knack of making anything possible.

He is over the hill at present and no doubt teaching someone to swim!

This is his story:

Coast Characters

Dulcie McNabb – a Coaster

Dulcie McNabb lives in Karamea and has an amazing knowledge of the Karamea area from 1300AD until today!

“In Karamea terms, I’m a local, with mixed Shetland, Scottish, English and Irish ancestry,” she says.

“My mother’s people came to Karamea with the original ‘special settlers’ in 1874, while my father’s people arrived in Nelson as early as 1843. The menfolk made their way to Karamea from Sandy Bay in 1882 via the Mt Arthur tableland and down the Karamea River, returning home along the Heaphy coastline to collect their families.

Hear her story here:

of words, pictures and the arts

To the unknown busker

A Nelson man – we don’t know him, but would love to!

Bruce Smith videoed this street busker in Nelson recently and got this uncanny feeling that he was listening to a very famous singer from the States. The buskers voice, says Bruce, has that familiar ring to it.

What do you reckon?

of words, pictures and the arts

Delivering the Thursday Poem with Mark Raffills

Grey days – farewelling our fathers

In the natural order of things – and in the not so natural order of things – we all farewell our fathers. At that point, we are left to fill the space and take our place in the place he once stood. It is how it works.