British university student Kaikoura Stuart, named for the South Island town by her travelling parents. Photo/Supplied.
British university student Kaikoura Stuart, named for the South Island town by her travelling parents. Photo/Supplied.
British university student Kaikoura Stuart has a message for the town she was named after.
She wants to come back and she wants others to as well.
The 19-year-old Southampton University student was named after the town visited by her travelling parents nine months before she was born.
The family, including younger brother Harry, visited Kaikoura six years ago, and Stuart felt a kinship with her "hometown".
That was strengthened by this week's devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake, which took two lives, damaged homes and buildings and cut off road and rail access to Kaikoura.
There was also significant damage in other parts of the South Island, including at Waiau, close to the epicentre.
Sheand her parents, Adrian and Sue, were "absolutely devastated" by news of the disaster, Stuart said.
"We keep seeing photos and reading stories about the impact on the sites, people and wildlife that we visited . . . as a family our visit is still very fresh in our minds.
"We have pictures up on the walls at home, and I can still remember the words to the Maori song we were taught on our tour, Manawatu te ra.
"We wish the people of Kaikoura a speedy recovery and very much hope to visit again one day."
Kaikoura Stuart, centre, with her parents, Adrian and Sue, and brother, Harry, during a visit to Kaikoura in 2010. Photo/Supplied.
They were heartened by the community response to the quake, especially Takahanga Marae, which has housed and fed hundreds of stranded people, Stuart said.
"What's clear from the news is the amazing way that the people of Kaikoura have pulled together to help out tourists and locals. We have been keeping an eye on the work that the Takahanga Marae has been doing to help locals and visitors.
"One of our fondest memories of our time in Kaikoura was the Maori Tours trip we did which visited the grounds of the marae."
She was used to questions about her name, Stuart said.
"It's been six years since I visited my 'hometown'. I'm at university now in Southampton, but I still get quizzed on my name - it's a great ice-breaker for job interviews, and I always have great pride when people tell me they've visited Kaikoura.
"Over the years, it's become clear to me that Kaikoura is a well-known and well-loved town, and I have met many people who have warm memories of their time spent there."
Brit Kaikoura Stuart, during a visit to the town she was named after, aged 13. Photo/Supplied.
Her parents were already thinking about a return visit in a few years, and she also wanted to go back after finishing her teaching studies.
She hoped the quakes would not deter others once the town, which relies heavily on tourism, is again open to visitors.
"Whilst it's clear the devastation will have a big impact on tourism in the immediate future, we think it's really important that people aren't put off travelling to see this amazing part of the world."
