Author Archives: Mike McGavin

The absurdity of Ruataniwha

Posted on 6 July, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

I’ve not previously written here about the Ruataniwha Dam situation. Today’s decision in the Supreme Court, however, is highly significant. It’s not just significant for the Ruahine Range, but for the future of all Conservation Parks and Forest Parks in … Continue reading →

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Media fanning the flames of regulation

Posted on 29 June, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Details are still thin, but it’s sad to learn of another death on Mt Taranaki. Not much detail has yet been released, except that an accident appears to have occurred somewhere in the vicinity of Ambury Bluff and Humphries Castle … Continue reading →

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FMC’s new magazine website

Posted on 29 May, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Federated Mountain Clubs has, over the last short while, been quietly introducing its new Wilderlife website (think “wilder life”) . It’s a magazine-style website which, so far at least, revives much of the really good content that was previously only … Continue reading →

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The Tararua on TV

Posted on 4 April, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Even if you’re not into hunting, the latest episode of NZ Hunter Adventures (Ep 9, Series 3) is probably of wider interest. It’s viewable online on Choice TV’s website for the next 3 weeks, free registration required. The episode features … Continue reading →

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Floyd Pond: A New Tararua Lake

Posted on 20 March, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

There’s an interesting report on Stuff this evening about a landslide in the upper Tauherenikau catchment of the Tararua, which has created a new lake in the catchment surrounded by the Dress Circle and Alpha. The new lake was reported … Continue reading →

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DOC’s Comments on Funding

Posted on 21 February, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Lou Sanson, Director-General of DOC, was on TV3/Newshub this evening. He was talking about the possibility of charging for entry to certain National Parks. The angle of the report from Samantha Hayes was that New Zealand should charge more for … Continue reading →

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Protecting Paradise, by Dave Hansford (my thoughts)

Posted on 31 January, 2017 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Before I launch into this, I’ll insert a word for one of the best presentations I’ve ever seen on how the world’s going, and the impact we’ve had on it. Less than a week before his death in May 2001, … Continue reading →

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It’s about the spending as much as the funding

Posted on 30 December, 2016 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

Last March I expressed my views here on calls to add more charges in various forms to parks and their facilities, and particularly on differential charging for tourists. Recently this topic has been refreshed in media. It might be because … Continue reading →

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Is this normal?

Posted on 18 November, 2016 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

On Friday 22nd October, 2016 (last couple of paragraphs): Pouakai Hut Meanwhile, police also rescued two people who had got lost on the Pouakai track on Friday. The pair were reached at Pouakai Hut on Friday afternoon, and were walked … Continue reading →

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LINZ seeking feedback on Topo Map Production

Posted on 3 November, 2016 by Mike McGavinPrint This Post Print This Post

New Zealand has a great official mapping system in place, thanks to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) having a mandate to produce and maintain consistent, national topographic mapping. Since 2009, this mandate has materialised in the Topo50 and Topo250 map … Continue reading →

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