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Posts Tagged ‘Coromandel’

Preserve New Chum – Wainuiototo Beach for everyone

Posted by Carol Beaumont on January 4th, 2011

New ChumThis is the catch cry of the community campaign to save New Chum beach from development.

Imagine walking through the bush, a stand of nikau and then coming down into a beach of golden sands with pohutakawa trees right down to the sand.  A large bay with rocky headlands and rolling waves.  A beach that is completely pristine with absolutely no development at all.  No roads, no paths, no rubbish bins, toilets, ice cream sellers or anything other than the absolute natural beauty.  A beach on the Coromandel Peninsula that can only be accessed by a 30 minute walk or by water.   This beach is New Chum – Wainuiototo.

I first saw New Chum 10 years ago and I have to say it took my breath away.  I have visited many beautiful beaches but the absolute unspoiled nature of New Chum was something special.  Since that first visit I have been back many times to sit, to picnic, to walk, to swim and every time it takes my breath away.  On one occasion my partner and I ended up being the only people there at the end of the day – it was a magic feeling.  If you haven’t visited and you have the chance I would highly recommend it.  The beach lies north of Whangapoua beach on the eastern side of the Coromandel peninsula.  It is an easy 30 minute walk.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of joining over a thousand others who are fighting to stop development of New Chum.   There are so few beaches of this size and quality that remain undeveloped, especially so close to the large population centres of Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty.  We want to save this beach in its untouched state for our children, our grandchildren and future generations.

A wonderful community campaign -New Chum for everyone - has worked tirelessly over the last few months to oppose the development of New Chum.   They have submitted, they have lobbied, they have built community support and got the support of Labour leader Phil Goff and Green MP Catherine Delahunty.   Yesterdat a message was sent to the Prime Minister to put pressure on him to do what is a no brainer and that is to buy New Chum from the developer to ensure it protected now and into the future. 

It seems the developer is willing to do a deal that means this could cost as little as $10 million.  This is a small price to pay for something which has enormous economic, social and environmental value.  This beach has been described as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world by Lonely Planet and National Geographic.

Yesterday at Matarangi, led by Phil Keoghan (Host of the Amazing Race) and supported by many others including Linda at The Informer newsletter, we sent a visual message made up of over a thousand people;  it said “John Key Save Me! New Chum”.  Phil Goff, Steve Chadwick, Catherine Delahunty and I (but not Sandra Goudie the local MP) all participated.   The Mayor of Thames Coromandel District Council, Glenn Leach and a number of TCDC Councillors were also actively involved.  One person I was really pleased to see was Robyn Malcolm who was recently vilified for taking a very principled stance in the whole Hobbit debacle.

The Government can make a difference by buying this wonderful asset for the people of New Zealand.  As Phil Goff says ‘National can invest $1.7 billion in protecting South Canterbury Finance Investors and pay Warner Brothers up to $95 million in handouts for filming The Hobbit in New Zealand, $10 million is such a small price for protecting such an invaluable asset as New Chum beach”. 

This is something worth supporting.  We can save New Chum. Please go to www.preservenewchum.org.nz for more information.   As the community campaign states “Whatungarongaro te tangata Toitu te whenua – people come and go but the land remains”

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Filed under: environment, protest, recreation, tourism
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Too precious to mine

Posted by Carol Beaumont on December 28th, 2009

Last night at Smitty’s Bar and Grill in Whitianga I joined David Bennett (National) and Catherine Delahunty (Green) on the TV show Back Benches.

One of the issues we discussed is the potential mining of land protected because of its high conservation value under Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act.  The Government is undertaking a stocktake of this land which includes all DOC land, coastline and most offshore islands north of the Kopu-Hikuai Rd in the Coromandel.  On November 27 Gerry Brownlee indicated his view that mining should be allowed in this currently protected land in the Coromandel.

I, like many others, believe the Coromandel is one of the most beautiful and environmentally significant parts of New Zealand.  The peninsula includes a vast array of different environments from mountains to the coast.   The natural environment is a major drawcard for tourists and a major factor in local residents’ quality of life. Mining would potentially threaten the mountains, coasts, islands, water catchments and native forests that make this area the special place that it is.  All mining- underground or opencast has negative impacts.  Gold mining which is what is of interest in the Coromandel has consequences such as hazardous waste, damage to unstable areas, water pollution, impact on the landscape (even underground mines require roads), damage to habitats of native fauna and flora not to mention the disruption of noise, vibration and heavy truck movements.

In relation to economic development in places like the Coromandel it is important to compare the value of mining to that generated by tourism.  Across New Zealand the figures are $1.6 billion versus $21 billion.   Tourism relies on the preservation of the natural environment.

At Back Benches last night there were many people wearing Tshirts with the slogan ‘The Coromandel  is too precious to mine’.  They are members of the Coromandel Peninsula Watchdog.  I want to acknowledge the determination and commitment of this group which has fought to protect the Coromandel for 25 years, as they say “to ensure the unique wilderness heritage that the Coromandel offers is not lost to the short term exploitation of minerals”.  This National government has certainly got Watchdog members understandably worried and on alert.

Of course it is not just the Coromandel threatened by this review of Schedule 4.  

As we count down to 2010 it may be worth thinking about the things that are precious to us as New Zealanders.  In my uninterrupted 30 seconds Last Word last night I spoke of the Government’s plans to destroy our world class no fault ACC scheme.  This important piece of our social infrastructure is too precious to become a privatised insurance scheme. 

What does this National Government value?

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Filed under: ACC, conservation, environment
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