Last summer the Tararua Tramping Club got free paint for the roof of their lodge, on the northern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, thanks to the Department of Conservation and Dulux New Zealand Community Contribution scheme.
Tararua Hut: Before
Tararua Hut: After
Any hut or asset on public conservation land, that is available for public use, is eligible to apply for free paint under the scheme, which is part our Protecting Our Place partnership with Dulux.
Preparing Tararua Hut roof for painting
Preparation
Preparation
Preparation
Preparation complete!
We’d love to see more communities and clubs take advantage of the Community Contribution scheme. You could be eligible to get free paint for your project. Find out more on the Protecting Our Place website.
There has been some good news for the cheeky kea with Dulux recently announcing they will be contributing $150,000 to the Kea Conservation Trust nest monitoring programme over the next three years as they continue to build upon their partnership with DOC.
This photo by Mat Goodman shows the amazing colours found in kea feathers
In addition to that funding, Dulux will also be raising funds through through the sale of specially marked promotional pails of paint, with one dollar being donated to the Kea Conservation Trust with every pail purchase.
Sample artwork for promotional pails. Look out for them at a store near you!
Dulux’s involvement in the Kea Nest Monitoring Programme means the programme can continue, and grow into other areas to improve our knowledge about how well predator control is working and how quickly kea are declining in areas without predator control.
Female kea and chick in their nest. Photo: Corey Mosen
Dulux began working together with DOC under the Protecting Our Place partnership this year to help protect and preserve huts all around New Zealand. By supporting programmes to protect our wildlife and backcountry shelters, Dulux is helping to ensure that our future generations can experience the unique sights and sounds of New Zealand.
By Moana Smith-Dunlop, Community Relations Ranger, Whakatane
Te Urewera, centre of the universe, now has the most beautiful hut in the universe too, thanks to the DOC-Dulux partnership.
Makomako hut after a DOC/Dulux makeover
Not to be outdone by our Tauranga cohorts, our DOC/Dulux ‘paint a hut’ party also had a film crew — DOC’s talented Community Outreach Coordinator from Otago, Claudia Babirat. Makomako Hut was sooo stunning she just had to come and enjoy the atmosphere and film the astonishing efficiency of our Visitor Assets and Community Relations teams!
Our team was made up of Jade Connelly (Visitor Assets power ranger and team leader), three volunteers (Gavin Muir, Waitangi Tait and Hikurangi Rurehe), and DOCies Moana Smith-Dunlop (Community Relations Ranger) and Earl Rewi (Programme Manager Visitor and Historic Assets).
Left: Hiks and Wai painting the deck. Right: Gavin and Wai starting the inside.
Makomako Hut lives below Maungapohatu in the Te Urewera National Park, and along the famous six foot track. While we were there, there was obvious sign of deer in the area, and the hut clearing looked almost good enough to be a golfing green. With a forecast of three days of sun we launched into the painting with a ferocity that stunned our intrepid film maker.
Roof and front door: Porari
Outside walls: Tinkertown
Deck, windows and chimney: a beautiful shade of Masterton
By the end of day one, all our supplies and people had arrived at the hut and we’d completed the outside preparation and the first coat on the outside walls and roof. With the sun setting it was time to down tools, light the fire and get dinner going.
Day two saw the outside walls and roof finished, the first swathes of Masterton on the deck, the windows and chimney done, and the start and finish of the inside. By the end of day two all we had to do was a few touch ups on the outside.
Day three dawned clear, cold and full of promise that the end was near. So with that in mind, eating all the leftover food from the previous night’s dinner became our first task, as did teaching our southern friend the finer points of the northern lingo ‘chuurrr’. That done, we finished off the painting, cleaned up, packed up, kicked back and waited for the chopper to arrive to take us home.
Left: Moana, Jade, Gavin, Claudia, Waitangi, Hikurangi and Earl at the conclusion of the painting. Right: Makomako Hut sign.
A mammoth effort by the team! Go team Te Urewera! We could not have got through all the work without the efforts of our hard working vollies.
