Stranding 'sign of support'

Lucy Hale of Houhora, comforting a distressed calf on Karikari Beach yesterday. Photo / Peter De Graaf

The stranding of 58 pilot whales on a Far North beach was a sign of support for an iwi battling against a subdivision on an historic burial ground, a kaumatua says.

Ngati Kahu kaumatua Alan Hetaraka said last week's mass stranding on the Karikari Peninsula was just a few hundred metres from a subdivision which the iwi was due to fight in the High Court in less than two weeks' time.

"It's ironic that these things turn up at that spot. You could say it's nature doing what nature does. But to us it's a sign ... It's a sign that they've come to support us."

The court battle centres on a former campground behind the dunes, where an American millionaire is creating eight sections. The 7km-long beach is so far untouched by development.

Mr Hetaraka said the developer wanted to build houses on a slight rise where burial caves were. The caves were used for the children of Ngati Kahu ancestor Kahukura; ordinary people were buried in the dunes.

Mr Hetaraka said the iwi had been granted an injunction to stop further work, and a hearing between Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngati Kahu and landowner Carrington Farms was set for September 7 in the High Court at Whangarei.

Consent was granted on September 5, 2005, to subdivide the former campground into 11 house sites. The consent was varied on November 21, 2007, to reduce the number of houses to eight.

The firm behind the subdivision is Auckland-based MBR Developments, while Carrington Farms is owned by American Paul Kelly, who owns the adjacent golf course, hotel and vineyard.

The land has been subdivided, an ornamental stone gate has been built and a new road has been put in. The road was put to use by the convoy carrying the surviving whales to Maitai Bay.

Historic Places Trust Maori heritage adviser Atareiria Heihei said she was aware of the site but it was up to iwi, hapu and whanau whether they wanted to register it with the trust.

Forty-five dead whales were buried in the dunes behind Karikari Beach on Sunday. The four that were euthanased were buried at Maitai Bay.

- APN