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Archives For 30/11/1999

Jobs at DOC: Andrew Blanshard – Services Ranger

Department of Conservation —  25/04/2014

Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Today we profile DOC ranger Andrew Blanshard, based in the Bay of Islands.

At work

Some things I do in my job include… I’m an archaeologist, historic assets project manager, boat skipper/manager, rodent dog handler, as well as looking after GIS,  island biosecurity, rural fire and marine mammal disentanglement.

Andrew excavating at Marsden Cross.

Andrew in his hole, excavating at Marsden Cross

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by helping to protect our historic heritage so that it will still be there for the next generation to appreciate and learn from. I help to keep our islands and special places pest free so that our unique wildlife can flourish.

The best bit about my job is managing, protecting and promoting some of the country’s most significant historic and archaeological sites. Also, working with my rodent dog on offshore islands with only the birds for company and getting out on the beautiful waters of Pewhairangi (Bay of Islands).

The awesome-est DOC moment I’ve had so far is…It’s hard to narrow down to one. They include seeing the Cape Brett Lighthouse with her new coat of paint; finding the remains of New Zealand’s first Government house at Okiato; helping excavate New Zealand’s first school at Marsden Cross; spending 12 days on Kapiti with my Rodent Dog ‘Tike’ and getting to know this wonderful Island a bit better.

Tike looking at orca from a boat.

My rodent dog ‘Tike’ getting a view of orca

On a personal note

If I could trade places with any other person for a week it would be a crewman on Captain Cook’s voyages. I would love to see what the Pacific looked like before European Influences.

My best ever holiday was a working holiday sailing to 80 degrees north above Svalbard (Norway).

Andrew after 6 weeks in the field in Mongolia.

Looking a bit grubby after 6 weeks in the field

In my spare time I am involved in ongoing archaeological projects in Mongolia and Colorado.

If I wasn’t working at DOC, I’d like to be floating around the Pacific on a boat or being a ski bum…

Before working at DOC I was an archaeologist, driving instructor, kitchen designer and salesman.

The excavation crew just after uncovering New Zealand's first Government House.

The excavation crew just after uncovering New Zealand’s first Government House

Deep and meaningful

My favourite quote is “Give out, don’t give up!”

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is You have two ears and one mouth therefore listen twice as much as you talk!! (a hard one for me!!)

Training for disentangling large marine mammals.

Learning how to disentangle large marine mammals.

In work and life I am motivated by sharing my passion for Aotearoa/New Zealand’s unique and varied history.

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is before going on an OE, make sure you have seen the beauties of your own country! Once you realise how special it is, GET INVOLVED with one of the brilliant conservation focused community groups/projects that we are lucky enough to have in abundance.

Andrew in Colorado, USA.

In red rock canyon country: Paradox Valley, Colorado.

Question of the week…

What was your favourite childhood toy and do you still have it?

A little Snoopy stuffed toy, which yes, is still with me in the garage.

In Historic, Jobs at DOC , , , , ,
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Photo of the week: Sandhill Point viaduct

Department of Conservation —  26/02/2014

Today’s photo of the week is the 17 metre high and 59 metre long Sandhill Point viaduct in the rugged Waitutu Forest.

It is one of four giant timber viaducts built nearly a century ago on the south coast of the Fiordland National Park that will be restored under an agreement announced by the Minister of Conservation last week.

Sandhill Point viaduct. Photo: digitaltrails | CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

The viaducts were originally built in the early 1920s as part of a timber tramline to a local logging and sawmill operation.

Nowadays the viaducts are a spectacular part of the Hump Ridge Track which travels along the south coast of Fiordland. The restoration will mean that generations of New Zealanders and international visitors will continue to enjoy the historic features of this track.

This photo was taken by digitaltrails | CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

In Historic, Photo of the week , , , , , ,
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The ‘Freedom Walk’ revolution

Department of Conservation —  16/01/2014

By Herb Christophers

It seems that revolutions were not that uncommon in 1965. There was the Dominican Republic uprising and the Indonesian revolution and counter revolution. Then there was the less contentious ‘Freedom Walk’ on the Milford Track. It was that sort of action packed year.

A boat with Otago Tramping Club members at Milford Track in 1965.

Robyn Armstrong and Otago Tramping Club members get ready to freedom walk the Milford Track in 1965

It was reasoned by some in the New Zealand outdoors fraternity that, because the Milford Track was in Fiordland National Park, there should be no restriction on access. Walking the Milford Track up until that time meant that you had to be part of a Tourism Hotel Corporation guided trip.

So, a hardy group of Otago Tramping Club members staged a two pronged assault on the track in April (Easter) 1965 to force the authorities of the day to review the status of access to the Milford Track.

A boat with Otago Tramping Club members arriving at Sandfly Point.

Otago Tramping Club members arrive at Sandfly Point in 1965

The plan was for some of the group to ascend Hutt Creek and Glade Pass from the Eglinton Valley. They would then drop in at the head of Lake Te Anau, behind Glade House, and walk through to Milford. The other party went to Milford, planning to do some climbing after walking through to Mackinnon Pass.

Robyn Armstrong (nee Norton) was one of the revolutionaries who came over Glade Pass:

“The phrase ‘Freedom Walk’ was adopted because it was the same time as Martin Luther King was doing his ‘Freedom Marches’ throughout America. It’s a loose connection but it was a well broadcast phrase and the name stuck!”

John Armstrong and his team had come in from the Milford end of the track, but the foul weather put a dampener on any ideas of getting much further up the track:

“The Fiordland rain had the last laugh. We spent a couple of days trapped just three or four hours walk up the track and, in the end, we had to turn around at The Boatshed and go back out to Milford with our colleagues, but we had made our point!”

Campsite set up in the Clinton Valley along the Milford Track.

Otago Tramping Club members camping in the Clinton Valley in 1965

Soon after the Otago Tramping Club trip, the infrastructure of alternative huts on the Milford was put in place and those are the facilities that we all enjoy today – Clinton, Mintaro and Dumpling Huts.

Of course the guided walks are still very much a part of the scene but, since 1966, there has been the freedom to choose how you will engage with the track.

Robyn and John were recently on the 125th anniversary walk of the Milford Track. Their pioneering efforts on the Milford Track have opened the way for many thousands of people to enjoy the Milford Track as Freedom Walkers. Viva la Revolution!

Milford 125th Anniversary Heritage Walk 2013

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In Fiordland, Great Walks, Historic, Walking/hiking/tramping , , ,
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Dress-ups on the Milford Track

Department of Conservation —  17/12/2013
Herb Christophers: The only thing that held up the long johns were the shorts over the top!

Herb Christophers: The only thing that held up the long johns were the shorts over the top!

By Herb Christophers

When I was kid, I loved playing dress-ups and pretending to be a cowboy or a captain of a battleship. So imagine my delight when I was told we had to dress up for the Milford Track 125th anniversary heritage walk, held in October this year. Four whole days of playing dress-ups!

The DOC Te Anau locals had been planning their costumes for months and had come up with their interpretation of ‘old school’ garb—some came as historic figures; others came in the style of an era.

The staff at the Te Anau Visitor Centre also got into the spirit of the event and dressed in Victorian costume to farewell us.

I went along dressed in the moth-ridden leftovers from the seventies that I had thrown in the attic decades ago.

‘It’s merino Herb but not as you know it!’

My 42 year old pack was sewn up to make it waterproof for the occasion and the gear felt familiarly uncomfortable and even smelt of mothballs and mould.

The home spun raw wool hand knitted mittens, given to me as a present in 1970, and the japara over mitts had their last foray outdoors in about 1975—but they still worked. You have to love the smell of wet wool and linseed-oil!

Ken Bradley, the person who conceived the idea of the 125th Milford Track celebration, got so far into character as Samuel Moreton, the 19th century artist and explorer, that he carried his gear in an old japara coat strapped across his back. His food was a lump of bacon and a stack of cabin bread (hard biscuits designed to last many weeks at sea on sailing ships in the absence of fresh bread). I kept my food strictly 21st century.

Ray’s 85 year old Bergen pack

Ray’s 85 year old Bergen pack

Whether or not the women of the day might have worn full length dresses all the way on the route, we will never know, but it was awkward enough for the impersonators to walk a few hundred metres without ‘sweeping’ the track with their skirts!

Beth, one of the pillars of the 125th event, carried her dress in the bottom of her pack and pulled it out at appropriate venues to get in character!

Others, who were part of the reopening of the Sutherland Falls Track, came in for the day from the Milford end, but joined in the spirit of the occasion by dressing in period costume.

Anyone stumbling on the party might have been mistaken for thinking they had warped in time to the 1880s!

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In Fiordland, Great Walks, Historic, Recreation, Walking/hiking/tramping ,
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Guardians of Maungauika/North Head

Department of Conservation —  05/12/2013

By Trish Irvine, Community Relations Ranger, Auckland

Eleven students from the ‘Gifted and Talented’ programme at James Cook High School in South Auckland recently came to a ‘Guardians of Maungauika Workshop’ hosted by Pou Tairangahau Nick Turoa and Partnerships Rangers from the Tamaki Makaurau Office.

Students being taught about the history of the area.

Students learn about the history of Maungauika

Following introductions and morning tea, Nick (a Historic Ranger in a previous life) led our group on a tour of the maunga including the Barracks building at North Head (a former defence fort, set up in the 1800s to defend Auckland from a feared Russian attack). The students all seemed to delight in exploring the myriad of caves, underground rooms and tunnels of the barracks and former pā.

Students in a long, dark tunnel underground.

In a long dark tunnel, a remnant of the military history of the mountain

As we clambered out of a long dark tunnel and down the steps to the coastal track, the sea spray from the high tide and abating storm licked our faces. As we raised our eyes, a pair of maki or orca coming around North Head suddenly emerged from the waves near us on the shore. We could not have timed it any better. We alerted a colleague up in the Field Base who advised that we should call 0800 SEE ORCA as soon as possible with sightings. Dedicated orca researcher—Ingrid Visser—loves to hear about them as early as possible in the hope of getting out on the water for her ongoing research.

Two orca in Waitemata Harbour.

A rare sighting of two young orca

Stories about the value of the sea for kaimoana and a coastal cave for waka transport were also shared as we continued our walk around the base of the maunga. This highlighted to these future leaders why we all need to treasure our marine environment and encouraged them to take action like beach clean-ups and preventing litter and waste getting into the sea.

At lunchtime we took part in an afternoon workshop with the group that was designed to help DOC learn more about what makes conservation tick for young people, how to better engage with youth in their communities and what support DOC could provide for their conservation efforts. In small groups the students shared their ideas and expressed some valuable insights.

Based on their own feelings, opinions and experiences, the group came up with a range of ideas that they believed would help to develop their peers’ interest in conservation—ranging from making conservation fun and ‘easier’ to do with groups of friends, to including incentives such as food, competitions, prizes, and music.

Students cleaning up the harakeke/flax bushes.

Conservation work is ‘easier’ with a group of friends

We are looking forward to meeting these students again and supporting their efforts to engage with conservation on a stronger footing and in particular, assisting their involvement in the restoration of a wetland habitat in the Wattle Farm Reserve near the school.

In Auckland, Historic , , , , , , ,
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