Mikonui River

Saturday 28 November

Mikonui River mouth

The wonderful West Coast weather ruled the day on Saturday 28 Novl!
It looked like we would be both the wildest and wettest of them all on the Mikonui River in northern South Westland, chosen for its inaccessability and untouched nature as well as it's name being very close to Mokihinui. However it turned out so wet on Friday night, we had to cancel two out of the three activities.

Josh Marcotte from Eco Rafting offered to guide two rafts down the Mikonui River from above the gorge and eleven rafters and several kayakers were ready to go. The rise in water level (10mm rain per hour during the night) meant that the trip was no longer viable as a standard experience and coupled with the distance needed to be travelled by car the cancellation decision had to be made by early morning. This impacted on the picnic due to be held at 3pm at the beach and meeting up with the rafters.

However it was a perfect tree planting day and a lunch time picnic was held on the beach. About 30 people including children and ages ranging from 2 to 80 year olds, enjoyed a lovely time playing in the puddles and on the beach and planting 160 indigenous trees as part of a Community Conservation Project with DoC on the verge of Shearer Swamp, just south of the Mikonui River mouth.

The greatest thing was that Forest and Bird West Coast had not seen a day where so many members travelled so far for a fun get together, for many years. Members travelled from as far away as Haast (280km) and Greymouth (75km) to attend the day. "Had the Mokihinui resource consent decision come out this week we would have attracted more attention", but we were thrilled that so many people came and many requested that they want to do this more regularly and throughout the Coast. Forest and Bird members, Fish and Game representation and representation from Greymouth Canoe Club planted trees along with past and present members of West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board and Friends of Shearer Swamp. A lovely group of people!

Jason Blair our cameraman from Greymouth took photos of the day and the group made a huge impact on revegetating a previously grazed area of the Kakapotahi Ecological Reserve. Our ecologist helped identify plants in the area, some went walking and there was lots of talk as new friendships were made.

Josh has agreed to keep the rafting offer in place for another time. I will suggest that we take this offfer up when the Mokihinui decision does come out, - by the end of this year - when everyone is on holiday and no one reads the news!!! Smells positive! We're keeping our fingers crossed anyway!

Jeanette Fitzsimmons and her husband were going to join us from the Green Party for the weekend and for the raft trip but the Nats call for an urgent ETS debate in the House all week dashed her plans! We had lots of well wishes from the Mayor, Councillors and our three MP's and tried very hard to bring attention to the West Coast - but as usual we were more than happy to go it alone and have the place to ourselves!! It wasn't as wet after all.

Kathy Gilbert
Chair West Coast Branch

Further Information

Contact Clare Backes, clarebackes@gmail.com