Kahu NZ Helicopters crew take off after delivering Civil Defence provisions to Tūtira School community hub. Photo / Warren Buckland
Kahu NZ Helicopters crew take off after delivering Civil Defence provisions to Tūtira School community hub. Photo / Warren Buckland
Daily life has taken on a new look in the rural and cut-off community of Tūtira in northern Hawke’s Bay, a month on from Cyclone Gabrielle.
Helicopters come and go from the Tūtira School field - dropping off food, essentials and even nurses and doctors - while a bustling community hub operates up the bank in the school hall.
Residents share stories, pick up supplies, and support one another at the hub while children learn and play in the adjoining classrooms.
The tight-knit farming community has been cut off from the rest of the region due to a bridge being destroyed to the north at Pūtōrino and large slips closing State Highway 2 to the south.
Te Whatu Ora Hawke's Bay ED nurse practitioner Annatjie Pretorius with Tūtira School student Zoe Boon, 9, after being helicoptered into the community. Photo / Warren Buckland
Even the school principal, Lynne Horrobin, had to be choppered in to get classes running again.
Road access remains the main issue for the more than 400 residents of the community, who tragically lost one Tūtira resident to a deadly slip during the cyclone.
Tūtira resident and community hub co-ordinator Jess Turnbull said the community had been fantastic supporting one another, but their biggest concern now was the reopening of SH2 to the south.
”Our biggest problem in the community is people’s incomes are affected.
Tūtira resident and community hub co-ordinator Jess Turnbull with her daughter Charlotte, 2, at the community hub. Photo / Warren Buckland
“We are a rural community, but half of our community relies on income coming in from town - a lot of people work in Napier and Hastings.
“So for many of us that is half your household that can’t bring an income in.”
Turnbull, whose Hastings employer TRG Imaging has been very supportive of her and her family, said the farming community of Tūtira was facing a lot of issues.
She said farmers could not get livestock in and out of the area while SH2 remained closed.
A major dropout at Devil's Elbow on SH2, between Tūtira and Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland
“Access is our biggest issue here. If farmers can’t sell their stock they can’t pay their bills.”
Turnbull’s husband Max and his brother Reubyn have a farm bordering Lake Tūtira. About 140 of their lambs died in the floods.
Turnbull, who is 30 weeks’ pregnant, said they have electricity back in the area and a medical team flies in once a week from Te Whatu Ora Hawke’s Bay to provide medical support.
Once a week, Civil Defence also drops a large load of supplies by helicopter to the school.
Hill slips near Devil's Elbow on SH2, not far from Tūtira. Photo / Warren Buckland
Tūtira School principal Lynne Horrobin had to be flown in from her home in Mahanga, near Māhia, about a week after the cyclone, and has been pivotal in getting classes running again.
Horrobin has been staying in the school house and said she wanted to be at the school rather than at home.
“I would rather be here at this stage because it provides a little bit of stability for the children.”
Tūtira School student Zoe Boon, 9, said it was good to be back at school after the cyclone.
“I’ve enjoyed seeing all my friends and making sure they are okay.”
Horrobin paid special thanks to Greening Taupō and Field-Based Stem, who had quickly sent through activities and supplies for the children at the school.
