‘Amazing small community’: Pouto residents band together to weather Cyclone Gabrielle

Ernie Unkovich is a frequent visitor to Kelly's Bay and weathered the storm in the isolated community. Photo / Michael Cunningham

While a number of Northlanders found the going tough during Cyclone Gabrielle, residents in a rural community banded together and checked on the elderly and the sick at the height of the natural disaster.

The cyclone last week caused slips and flooding that closed roads, cut off power and damaged crops, resulting in tens of millions of dollars worth of damage to infrastructure.

Northern Advocate reporter Brodie Stone and photographer Michael Cunningham travelled to the isolated community of Pouto Peninsula, 70 kilometres southeast of Dargaville, and spoke to locals about how they fared in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

The Advocate’s visit to Pouto coincided with a monthly visit from an iwi that provided a pop-up medical centre for residents.

A nurse at the centre said residents remained a strong community, with some checking in on elderly or unwell people during the cyclone.

“They look after each other. It’s the most amazing small community. When it’s time to come together, they are amazing,” she said.

Residents have been sharing generators with one another, ensuring frozen food didn’t go to waste.

“People have been opening their homes up for those who have solar power to charge their homes and have a shower and do whatever they need to do.”

The road out to Pouto is a long one, stretching about 55km south. The land changes dramatically the further one goes, from undulating hillsides, valleys with lakes and wetlands, to the end of the peninsula, which is marked by a wind-exposed settlement and white sandy beach.

Large slips litter the road to Pouto, and hundreds of trees lie uprooted on hillsides, in valleys and forests. Many parts of the road are reduced to one lane, making the drive hazardous as logging trucks rush to pick up fallen trees.

Remnants of floodwaters remain in valleys on the way to Pouto. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The Advocate spoke to those at the pop-up medical centre about their experiences during the cyclone.

A resident of 30 years, Brian Malam said the cyclone didn’t worry him because he was “used to the wind”.

He and his wife live at the point at Pouto, and said the marae kept them involved.

“It’s good, they go around and make sure everyone’s all right during times like this.”

Another resident, Stephen Middleton, works in farming, and said cowsheds that have been on land for “centuries” were now gone, flattened by the strong winds.

The local marae provided cellphone coverage and internet when needed and was also a base when a Unimog ventured to Pouto, delivering medical supplies as well as water and kai packages last week.

Stephanie Barnes has lived in Pouto for 13 years and said the cyclone was unlike “anything I’ve ever seen in my life”.

“It was extreme and quite scary,” she said.

She recalled feeling shocked after seeing the “devastation” the following morning, with massive trees that had been uprooted or cracked in half during the storm.

“You think, ‘I never even heard that!’ Because the noise was so strong that I didn’t even hear a massive tree coming down.”

She said the forest near her home was now full of ‘widow-makers’, trees teetering on weird angles waiting to crash down.

Before Pouto lies Kelly’s Bay. The 6km route down to the beach goes through forestry, and lines appear snapped, with some entirely toppled over. Uprooted pine trees also litter the ground.

The road through Rototuna Forest to Kelly's Bay is littered with hundreds of trees toppled over from the strong winds during Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Resident Ernie Unkovich said the small settlement where around seven people lived permanently still remained without power.

Much like out at the Pouto Peninsula, the community has rallied together to ensure everyone is safe and well.

Unkovich pointed out a hillside of Rototuna Forest behind him.

“You see the daylight through there? That shouldn’t be there. All the trees have smashed down.”

On the other hillside, more trees lay toppled. He described it as being “like a twister went through”.