“We need a bridge; we need to get stock across,” says Ian.
“We can’t function as a farm without this access. Other places have lost bridges but they can still function as a farm because there is an alternative road, even if it takes a few hours, whereas we can’t,” says Helen.
They have had two meetings with Mayor Rehette Stoltz and council staff about options for replacing the council-owned bridge.
“When you’re so emotionally involved with something, (Gisborne Mayor) Rehette Stoltz gave us the time to relax and chat. But they just don’t have the money.”
GDC director of community lifelines Tim Barry attended the meeting. He told them 37 bridges needed to be built/repaired in the Gisborne district with current funding available for only two and a half.
The council has installed a ford crossing which is only accessible by 4WD, and dependent on river levels.
It’s possble the crossing is accessible for only about two and a half months of the year, because of the Hangaroa River’s huge catchment.
“One heavy rainfall can change the river from a trickle to a torrent and take many days to go down,” Helen said.
“We’ve been proactive, very independent and doing what we can. We’ve walked the river, looking at any road that we could possibly connect with the neighbours. It’s just the topography — we can’t see how. If the engineers can come up with a way of connecting us to another road, then at this stage we would be very grateful.”
At one stage last year they had to get 2000 lambs out. It took three-and-a-half days cross-country, with Ian using his digger to make a route, and Helen shepherding the stock. Neighbours had cleared their holding paddocks for use.
“Everything we do involves the kindness of our neighbours,” said Helen.
The couple are grateful, and would like to acknowledge friends and family and all the different agencies that have offered support and help. This has included Rural Support Trust, Ministry for Primary Industries for animal welfare, vets, Farmlands, Hear4U charity, and the understanding and support of their bank managers.
“We were even given a trip to the Hamilton Fieldays last year, which was our first real break from the farm after the cyclone.”
Sleepless nights since the cyclone have seen Helen up many times with torch in hand checking for landslides.
“The force of the river was shaking the house on the night; the rumbling noise — you heard big boulders rolling along on the bottom of the river.”
They lost power at 8pm that first night and without a generator it was days before a helicopter was able to drop one off.
“Everything was still on the move. You could hear slips, and trees falling. We didn’t leave the house for the first three days.”
At least 20 helicopters would fly in over the following months.
Helen was excited to spot the first helicopter to reach Poariki five days after the cyclone had the name Christchurch Helicopter on the side. She knew former All Black Richie McCaw flew for that company and thought he might be at the controls.
“Out pops our bank manager, who was volunteering for Civil Defence. He got just as big a hug as if he had been Richie,” laughed Helen.
The latest update for the Burgesses is an on-site meeting later this month involving council engineers. They will look at the possibility of a road connection to Ellmers Road, but Ian and Helen don’t think this is feasible.
They have had to let go shearers and part-time farmhands who worked for them, and haven’t been able to do any stock trading. They are now concentrating on animals born on the farm over the last 12 months.
“We are doing our best. We are able to farm, but not to the optimum,” Helen says.
Their flying fox needs to get official certification, so for now it is locked off. The couple are seeking advice from experts as well as spending time at The Flying Fox retreat at Whanganui last year.
“Once we get this certified we want to mechanise it. If we are going to have to carry on for longer, we have to get an electric motor, it’s too hard work pulling it across,” said Ian. They are also expecting Rotorua Ziplines to visit soon with advice on certification compliance.
“We realise we are way down the list as far as terms of priority go, and we know there are a lot of people who have lost houses, livelihood and even their lives. We are lucky we have our house; you just feel powerless.”
“The upshot is they want to help us, council, but they just don’t have the funds. We’ve done everything we possibly can to make us move forward, so we can’t do any more until we have a bridge,” said Helen.
Asked how he would describe his family home, Ian says, “Passionate about the place”.
■ The Gisborne District Council website has the Burgess Bridge slated for replacement but says a new bridge is not likely to be built until the summer of 2028.
