Work is set to start on progress improvements at two flood-prone sections of state highways in Tairāwhiti.
A section of State Highway 2 at Nesbitt’s Dip and SH35 at Rototahe will be upgraded.
Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC), on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), will continue to work closely with iwi, hapū and property owners as the design progresses.
TREC project manager Richard Bayley said the upgrades would raise the stretches of highways and improve drainage, boosting resilience and minimising the risk of future flooding.
Both stretches of highway were highlighted as critical lifeline areas by emergency responders, iwi and hapū, and communities.
“Nesbitt’s Dip at Te Karaka on SH2 is a crucial link for freight between Bay of Plenty and the East Coast. Improving the resilience of this area is essential for communities along this state highway and for daily freight travel,” Bayley said.
“In addition, improving the stretch of SH35 at Rototahe continues to boost the resilience, safety and ultimately the efficiency of the coastal state highway.”
The two important projects will be delivered within current recovery funding and add to existing work on both highways, at Otoko Hill on SH2, and Hikuwai and Mangahauini on SH35.
“This excellent TREC decision will reduce the road closures caused by seasonal flooding in this area and give communities more time to evacuate during major weather events,” Bayley said.
“These essential repairs at Nesbitt’s Dip and Rototahe represent a significant step towards enhancing the resilience of Tairāwhiti’s state highway network, alongside all the recovery work being delivered in the region.”
Pimia Wehi, kaitiaki of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, said the decision to improve SH2 at Nesbitt’s Dip was greatly appreciated by the people of Te Karaka, Puha and Whatatutu, and the iwi of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki.
Trust Tairāwhiti wins Economic Development New Zealand award
Trust Tairāwhiti and its wellbeing framework, He Rangitapu He Tohu Ora, was recognised at the Economic Development New Zealand (EDNZ) Best Practice Awards.
The Trust Tairāwhiti wellbeing framework took out the award for Innovation and Primary Research, announced at an awards dinner held during the EDNZ Annual Conference in Dunedin late last month.
The Innovation and Primary Research Award recognises a “groundbreaking approach that is pioneering and impactful for the organisation or the region” and initiatives that showcase excellence and inspire others to adopt similar innovative practices.
In accepting the award, Trust Tairāwhiti chief executive Doug Jones acknowledged past and present trustees and the influence and leadership of its cultural advisers, Ta Derek and Lady Rose Lardelli, in guiding the organisation on a journey to invest in wellbeing and grounding the team in how they applied it.
Trust Tairāwhiti’s website states that He Rangitapu He Tohu Ora guides all its investment decisions and internal operations.
It is described as a “co-design based on the obligations under the trust deed, the research, community engagement, plus technical and expert support”.
All funding applications go through the waharoa, a gateway built on pou (pillars) of equity and sustainability with integrity as the “taahu” (connector) joining the two pou.
Six “muka” (fibrous strands that come from harakeke) represent aspirational wellbeing outcomes for Tairāwhiti. They are mātauranga (knowledge), taiao (environment), hapori (communities), ōhanga (economy), tūtangata (cultural identity) and tūhono (relationships).
World Travellers Gisborne - Elliott Travel wins big at national awards
A Gisborne travel agency has won several top national awards, thanks to the hard work of staff.
World Travellers, a co-operative of more than 20 independently owned travel agencies across the country, held its annual conference in Auckland over the weekend.
World Travellers Gisborne – Elliott Travel won awards in four categories - the Air New Zealand Growth award (top growth for World Travellers agencies), Globus Cosmos Tours top store award, Total Holiday Options top store award and the Cover-More Travel Insurance top store award.
Managing director Luisa Walsh said one of the biggest kudos for the shop was senior consultant Kylie Thompson winning the Top Customer Service Award, which took into account factors like sales and customer feedback.
She said the travel industry had gradually picked up since Covid and she believed people now had relatively more confidence in physical travel agents compared to online booking.
“That is something that we have really built on with the business - to provide that really good customer service - and the customers are obviously coming in the door and using our service, which is fantastic,” Walsh said.
She said there was a great, hardworking team at World Travellers Gisborne – Elliott Travel and that had paid off at the awards.
Hot weekend weather expected to be about 5 degrees above average for Gisborne
An early taste of summer will continue undisrupted throughout the weekend in Tairāwhiti.
Temperatures will be warmer than typical for Gisborne for this time of year, according to MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan.
“Looking at what Gisborne would normally reach on an afternoon in early November, typically they would get about 20 or 21 degrees.
“Twenty-six degrees is the forecast for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Even Monday is looking on the warm side at 25 degrees so we are getting a bit of an early taster of summer here with these temperatures as we go through the weekend in Gisborne.”
He said a ridge of high pressure over the upper North Island would keep the weather relatively settled.
“Looks like the weather is going to play ball as well. There might be a few clouds about, but it doesn’t look like there will be much significant weather at all over the weekend apart from sunshine and a few clouds.
“The wind is going to be noticeable. The northwesterly winds are going to be a warm wind rather than a cool wind.”
Corrigan said the increased temperature was also partially due to a “Föhn” (German for hairdryer) wind, named for its warm and dry nature.
