Summer has arrived with the red blossom on the pohutukawas, dig out your togs, clean off the bbq and get ready for a terrific holiday season.

It’s peak season here on the Coromandel, please take care on the Opoutere roads during this busy time – take care around cyclists and pedestrians and watch your speed as you travel around the village.

Fire Ban

The total fire ban over the Coromandel district takes effect on December 20 2016.

The Total Fire Ban will be in effect over the summer or later, if conditions warrant.

Until then, the fire risk is still high so a permit will be required to light most fires in the open. If you see an out of control fire, call the New Zealand Fire Service on 111.

This means no charcoal bbqs, braziers, beach fires, fire pits – basically anything with an open flame, even fireworks (hello, you New Year’s Eve party animals!)

If you see an out of control fire you need to call the NZ Fire Service on 111.

Fire permits are not required for gas-fuelled barbeques, portable gas cookers/stoves, in a public place or on private land providing they are used in a safe, considerate manner and attended by an adult.

Be warned: the local Rural Volunteer Fire Force chief Jo Adams has a very keen nose and will sniff out your romantic beach bonfire – this will not end well for you!

Dotterel Watch

The dotterels have been taking great care of their nests and soon the dotterel chicks will be ready to fledge. Dogs and their humans are the biggest threat these little birds face, please stay away from the nesting areas at this important time of year. Just the sight of a dog at 100m distance will frighten a dotterel away from their nest. Research has shown that the birds are reasonably habituated to people but dogs absolutely terrify them.

The Thames Coromandel District Council has strict dog control bylaws that forbid – year round- dogs on the Wharekawa Spit. This is the southern area of Opoutere beach that contains the Wharekawa Wildlife Refuge, home to many threatened and endangered birds. (Check out our bird page for some excellent avian info). Refer to the map in the carpark which explains the dog control bylaws for Opoutere Beach.

It’s fun to take an hour or two to volunteer on Dotterel Watch, the roster will be on the bus shelter on Opoutere Road. You will be stationed on the estuary side of the spit during low tide to protect the dotterels as they feed. It’s a good chance to quietly observe the oystercatchers and dotterels as they show their chicks how to feed and you are doing your bit to protect the birds from disturbance and harassment.

Our local Department of Conservation Dotterel ranger is Frouk Miller, if you have any concerns you can contact her on fmiller@doc.govt.nz.

Opoutere Ratepayers & Residents Association AGM 2017

Come along to catch up on local and regional news.

When: Monday 2nd January, 9.30am

Where: Opoutere School Hall

The Opoutere Regatta

One of the holiday season’s social highlights, the annual Opoutere Regatta shouldn’t be missed.

Here are the details from the organisers:

Dear Opoutere residents/rate-payers and holiday makers,

The annual Opoutere Regatta is coming up again, so mark your calendars.

Plan is 4 January 2017 (with 5 January 2017 as our rain day).

We’ll kick off at 1pm, as we need to plan around the high tide.
First up is the famous bucket race for the 5 and unders.
Then it will be on to the various age and gender swimming and kayak races.
Finishing up with the famous carnage of the family kayak relay.

Jo Adams and the Onemana Fire Brigade will run their brilliant BBQ on the Reserve at 5pm. Its fundraising for their very worthy volunteer fire service. So turn up at 5pm with your rug and beverages, for their mussel fritters, burgers and snags.

Please feel free to send this email on to anyone you know who is staying down at Opoutere on the 4th. And start crossing your fingers for fine weather.

See you all there!

TSUNAMI CONCERNS

The recent earthquakes caused a tsunami alert to be issued for our area, low-lying properties were evacuated and everyone’s tsunami preparedness came under the spotlight. Many people simply jumped in their cars and bolted to high ground with only the gas in their car tank and the pjs on their backs. This summer take the time to organise a survival kit for your property and a “go-bag” that you can quickly grab if you need  to evacuate.

WhitiangaTsunami Information Open Day

Coastal and tsunami scientists working on this project will be at the Open Day to meet with the public to talk about the latest research into the possible threat of tsunami to the region. Emergency Management staff members will also on-hand to provide information on what to do if a tsunami hit.

Saturday 28 January 2017
Time: 9:30am to 3:30pm

Whitianga Town Hall
24 Monk Street, Whitianga 3510

Coromandel Communities Guide to Emergencies

When a natural disaster hits, you may need to take care of yourself for up to seven (7) days before help can arrive.

A Community Response Plan has been developed to ensure there are measures in place to help the community look after itself.

The plan is designed to:

Help you to understand the hazards that exist in your community,
Let you know what level of risk these hazards pose to your community,
Help you to know what you can do to prepareyourself, and those who depend on you, to survive through an emergency, and
Ensure you know the warning signals to evacuate, and where to evacuate.
You can find the plans for Onemana, Opoutere, Pauanui, Tairua and Whangamata on our website. Plans are in the process of being developed for other communities and will be added to the website as the mapping has been done. In the meantime see the tsunami hazard mapping Civil Defence Waikato has made available here.