On a very wild, wet and windy Tuesday August 17 - the day before alert level 4 lockdown began – a massive limb from a giant redwood tree in Dannevirke's Lower Domain split off and crashed to the ground blocking off access to the Dannevirke Camping Ground.
Such was the weather that no-one heard it fall – about 1pm in the afternoon - and it was not until visitors wanting to move into the camping ground picked their way through the mass of debris and informed camp manager Kim Spooner-Taylor of the problem that she knew about it.
![One of several snapped breaks in the limb.](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/VIIYMZQH4S5Z7GCS3ILUCXTRW4.jpg?auth=eeceb6d9e54143ed827eb80f934a4067678b23220c62f9575372c55e83202dbb&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
That resulted in a call to Tararua District Council plant and properties supervisor Kelly Christison, who activated the Tararua Alliance to come and assist.
The task was challenging; the massive tree stretched nearly 20 metres across the road and through the deer fence. Fortunately the deer were in another paddock.