Click here to read the Aroha Islands September 2016 Newsletter

Aroha Islands News March 2016

Aroha Island held another successful AGM ont he 23rd of August, thank you to all involved and those who attended the meeting it is great to have support. Below is the chairperson’s report from the AGM:

AROHA ISLAND CHARITABLE TRUST CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT 2013/14

It has been a busy year with a few ups and downs, but looking good for the future.

The year started with our 2013 managers Tim and Helen coming up with a whole bunch of ideas for Aroha, then walking the new committee through the buildings and grounds. Thanks Tim and Helen for all your hard work and enthusiasm.

Our replacement managers Hayden and Laura have been a great find for Aroha. Both are tertiary trained in ecology and practical to boot. Hayden has sound practical and leadership skills. Laura is a good administrator and organiser.

We are conscious that our managers need time off to recharge. We have had excellent relief managers. First Rodney and Rawinea who were invaluable over the summer busy season. Rodney has continued on at Aroha helping with maintenance and daily tasks.

Evan and Lynda from DOC in Kaitaia so liked Aroha when they stayed, that they are coming for a weekend once a month to relieve Hayden and Laura.

Bruce and Marguerita have their own camper van and so far have helped in two stints and will be coming back from late November to February next year. They are ex orchardists and camp ground operators, and it shows in their practical skills and their quick adaption to the Aroha environment.

The following, are some of the projects undertaken at Aroha this year:

• Removal of large cryptomeria trees that were dominating the area behind the shade sail.   Jeremy and Hayden ran this project.

We mulched the branches and used the mulch for the 600 native trees planted in 2013 and the 500 planted in 2014. Hayden has peeled and covered the logs in preparation for carving.   It is planned to run a carving school and carve signs and features for Aroha.

• The dry summer reinforced the need for more water storage rather than depending on town water delivered.   Three new tanks installed – total 65,000 litres, bringing total storage to 175,000 litres.   Thanks to Pub Charity for funding the tank cost.

• We decided our gardens around the Lodge and the Cottages needed a revamp.   Thanks to Glen from Tuatara Landscapes who provided his time and ideas free of charge.   Great bunch of volunteers turned up on a Saturday and got all the gardens planted and mulched.   As well, Hayden led a team that planted and mulched the native trees mainly in the ex cryptomeria area.   Thanks to QE11 for providing funding for the trees.

• Volunteers and woofers painted the Lodge/Centre roof.   A small area remains to be painted once the weather improves.

• Wade and Yvonne are leading a project to revamp the Lodge.   Currently the three bedrooms are being redecorated.
• QE11 has provided funds to upgrade the switch board as we have out-grown the current one.
• Our school visits and education days have continued.   Tiwai’s weaving classes have been a real success, using Aroha grown flax.   Jeremy, Kerry, Tiwai and beekeeper Mark have been invaluable in keeping school children fascinated with stories of kiwis, bees, the coast and bush, and Maori attachment to Aroha.

A special mention to David Hill (and Mavis) our original managers who did three summer terms.   David prepares and edits Aroha’s magazine from 19,000km away in southern England.   A fascinating read.   See our web site for copy.

QE11 held their May board and covenanters meeting at Aroha.   A beautiful fine afternoon, with Hayden and Laura turning on the hospitality.   Chairperson James Guild and CEO Mike Gibson congratulated the Trust on providing a successful example of a community environmental project.

Finally, a big thanks to our Trustees and committee members for their help throughout the year.

Special thanks to our retiring trustees Inge, Rolf and Jeremy.

Inge has been our treasurer right from the start.   It is fair to say she has been a big part of Aroha’s success.   Rolf has been there for Aroha and has supported Inge every step of the way.

Jeremy has been a mine of knowledge and enthusiasm.   He set up the bees, led the tree planting project, and most of all, helped with education, especially on school visits.

Thanks to Wade on being a good keen secretary who is bursting with ideas and always makes sure things get done properly.

Thanks to Yvonne and Tiwai for providing leadership when it was really needed and thanks also to Terry, Adrianne and Helen Ough Dealy for their input.

Howard Smith

23.08.14.

With a new Queen Bed and fresh new decoration, our Tui Cottage would make the perfect hideaway for a relaxing break at Aroha Island. Nestled in the bush and close to all the birds it is a beautiful setting to relax and enjoy island time.  Picture yourself dining on the deck or just relaxing in the garden and listening and watching the birds.  You will be right near the walking track for going and looking for kiwi at night, or why not book a guided kiwi walk for $40 per person.

We offer a 2 person rate, but the cottage will accommodate up to 6 people with bunks and a single (additional single for 6 by prior request).

With a grant from Pub Charities we have been able to purchase 500+ trees.  The project is to enhance the number and variety of native trees and at the same time encourage more birds to Aroha Island.

The first big job was collecting all the trees from Plant Production.  Thanks to our trustees Anne and Dr Jeremy Gibb and also Sue and Wade Rowsell who spent a very wet Sunday bringing them to the Island.

Time has been spent planning the best place for each of the trees to give them the best chance to mature and thrive.

The first trees were planted by our volunteers on Monday 4th June, and we have a new kauri grove near to the largest existing Kauri Tree on the island. The planting was completed in the third week in June.  Thank you to all the volunteers who made this possible.

The kiwi are enjoying the tree planting too, as there is plenty of loose soil for them and we have lots of new probe holes in the area.

A full report is available for those who are interested and is under the Eco Centre section on the web site.

Dr Colin Little and his wife Margaret purchased Aroha Island from Bill Cook in 1971, moving there to live in 1974.  Colin, back from Africa briefly, was in Kerikeri for 3 days in 1971, when he was told the island was up for sale. It was as good as sold to a developer when Colin stepped in, increased his own recent offer to equal the developer’s offer, and attained ownership of Aroha Island to preserve its natural beauty for posterity.  Colin says, had his visit to Kerikeri been timed one day later, he would have missed out on buying Aroha Island. Not surprisingly, he regards this as “the remarkable coincidence factor”. In 1984 Colin, being the original instigator of the current concept of Aroha Island, protected it with a QEll covenant, and in 1991 sold the island to the QEll National Trust.

I would like to tell you a little about Dr Colin Little, as he is a remarkable man and a visionary.  Thanks to his early efforts of enhancing the ecology and improving the Island he loved, and further hard work and effort by many more people since, we now have a remarkable place for all to enjoy.

The story of the Little family began in Kerikeri in 1928, with Colin’s grandfather moving here from China, buying 250 acres and setting up two companies, Uplands Farm Ltd and Kingston Orchards Ltd.  Kingston House was the family home.  In 1934 Colin, grandson of Edward Little, arrived from England, having graduated in horticulture at Reading University.  Colin took over the management of the Little Estate, living and working in Kerikeri for the following 4 years, this being where he began his long involvement in the Kerikeri community.  Colin returned to England and later during World War ll saw service in France, Scotland, India and Burma before being repatriated to New Zealand.  Further study followed at Auckland University, and Colin was employed here in New Zealand for the next 8 years.  Attaining a Doctorate in Philosophy in Britain, he set off in 1960 starting in Burma, and travelled the world for the next 13 years as an agricultural scientist on a variety of projects.  This article cannot cover the many and valuable facets of his work.  His research both in NZ and overseas was internationally recognised, and he has written, and is still writing today, scientific papers for publication.  He tells me that while at Aroha Island alone, he continued writing and produced 1000 published articles.

Colin took up residence on Aroha Island from 1974, and began 17 years of hard work, most of which he did himself with whatever help he could find.  He lived in the cottage until the house, now known as the Lodge, was moved onto the island.  There are some very interesting and historically valuable, early slides showing the then topography and vegetation, plus a rather hair raising moving of the house down the causeway and into position.  In the time Colin lived on the island, he improved and developed it out of all recognition, landscaping it, and planting a variety of both exotic and native trees.  He allowed access to the public for their enjoyment, although it was not officially opened to public access until 1996.

In 1991, Colin sold Aroha Island to the QEll National Trust, seeking to protect this sanctuary forever for the public of NZ.  Colin now lives in Auckland, enjoying his retirement at a young 97 years of age.  He has a deep affection for Aroha and maintains a keen interest in the activities and well being of the island.