Cyclone Gabrielle mercy dash: Offroaders race to disaster zone to help those in need

When Auckland offroad race enthusiast Caleb Thompson first saw the heartbreaking footage of Cyclone Gabrielle’s devastation in parts of Hawke’s Bay he knew he had to help out.

Thompson – who runs Offroad Addiction TV – said it “didn’t sit right” watching from afar when he was fit and able to go and help out in the early days of the recovery effort.

So he and fellow offroaders Tony Stubbs, John Carson and Karl Goodall loaded up their offroad vehicles with supplies – including an initial 800kg of sponsored meat via Neat Meat, and also a trailer-load of diesel – to help the people of flood-ravaged Wairoa.

When they eventually start their return journey to Auckland on Sunday, the group’s mercy dash will be responsible for the donation of more than 4 tonnes of meat for those badly impacted around Hawke’s Bay, a generator, the supply of about 3000 litres of diesel to refuel contractors’ and volunteers’ machinery around sites of devastation, large quantities of ice, and gifts such as lollies for kids traumatised at losing their house and belongings in the tragedy.

“We are just Kiwis doing our bit,” Thompson said.

“It wasn’t about going down and being heroes. It was more like, we have these skills and these vehicles and we can work unassisted to get into these locations to help people.

“We just thought, ‘Now is the time to go, let’s get it done and help people’.

Esk Valley is now a scene of utter devastation. Photo / Supplied

“But it wasn’t until we got down here that we realised how bad it was.”

The Herald spoke to Thompson as he took a break on the side of SH5 through Esk Valley.

Here is a bit of an update on what the team has been up to over the last week bringing supplies to those in need: So...

Posted by Offroad Addiction TV on Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Until Cyclone Gabrielle struck with its deadly impact, the area was a picturesque rural hamlet; the side of SH5 was lined with orchards, vineyards and lifestyle blocks.

Now it is a scene of complete devastation.

Lives have been lost; homes and livelihoods destroyed.

An aerial view from the hills looking down on the valley is almost beyond belief; where greenery once was, there is now a thick surface of mud and silt, in some places up to 2 metres deep.

Cyclone Gabrielle has destroyed many properties through Esk Valley. Photo / Neil Reid

“We have been talking about it all week and we have been struggling to put it into words,” Thompson said of the destruction.

“To have the boys come through Esk Valley and stop at the other side shaking, and [need to] wind down for a bit, that spoke volumes for how bad it is. They are hearty guys and they can take a lot on the chin; but to see them like that was eye-opening.

“It is like a war-zone and an armageddon at the same time. It is apocalyptic; it is mind-boggling.”

The quartet travelled down with their offroad trucks; one had a trailer-load of diesel, another had a trailer of meat and another had his rock crawler buggy on the back.

“We thought if we can’t get our road vehicles, which are pretty well set-up, then we could get that off the trailer and get things in or people out,” Thompson said.

“We came down very well prepared. Everyone just booted up and went, ‘We have a job to do’. It was pretty cool to help with that.”

Caleb Thompson, an Auckland-based 4WD off-road enthusiast, says he has been left shell-shocked at what he has witnessed in Esk Valley. Photo / George Heard

First stop was Wairoa, with where 800kg of meat was distributed.

“I have not met such a strong-hearted community in a long time,” he said of the resilience being shown in the town.

“We initially saw the devastation and thought we would help out. We all had chainsaws and that sort of thing and had it in our head that we would come down and do what we do. We would clear tracks, get people out, gain access to whatever we have to do.”

With roads being cleared by the time they got there, the group then decided to head to Napier.

A further 3000kg of meat had been provided by sponsors, which will go to those whose lives have been turned upside down.

“We ended up with, to date, about 4 tonnes of meat, over 3000 litres of diesel that has gone straight into contractors’ vehicles and diggers to help them out,” Thompson said.

“We have had about 300 litres of petrol to go into people’s generators.

“That has all just come off the back of people going, ‘These guys are going, let’s give them donations’.

“We have even bought lollies for kids ... just anything we can do to help out.”