Shirley Sparks says nobody thought volunteers could turn the vast Te Puna Quarry into something worthwhile. Photo / NZME.
Vision transforms run-down 33ha quarry into garden wonderland.
Shirley Sparks
Environmental
Twenty years ago, Shirley Sparks called a meeting between a group of friends.
Mrs Sparks and those friends have spent the past two decades, with the help of many other volunteers, transforming the Te Puna Quarry west of Tauranga into a garden wonderland.
The 85-year-old has been nominated for Pride of New Zealand Awards in the environmental category.
Mrs Sparks' nominator said many people initially thought her idea was mad "but her vision and enthusiasm was infectious and thus the transformation of the park took place".
"Under Shirley's guidance a few people set to cleaning and clearing a huge area of quarry - a seemingly impossible task.
"But as small areas emerged from the rubble more volunteers and garden enthusiasts began to take note and create their individual areas of expertise like roses, orchids or herbs with the list continuing to grow.
"Today there is something to grab the attention of all visitors young and old."
Mrs Sparks said she was delighted with the nomination.
Her property borders the Te Puna Quarry and when mining there stopped it became overgrown with plants and pests, she said.
"Goats and possums, weeds and gorse.
"The council in the early 1990s decided they wanted to open the quarry again, by which time our farm had been subdivided.
"So there were a lot more residents and we didn't want the quarry opened again.
"We got together and had it closed but my kids said to me, 'It's all very well to have it closed, but it's 82 acres [33ha] of wasteland, what are they going to do with it - why don't you do something with it Mum.'
"So that's how it started. Of course nobody believed us. Nobody thought volunteers could turn 82 acres into something worthwhile - but we did."
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Nominations for the 2015 awards have now closed.
To see more stories of our wonderful nominees click here.
For more information on the awards go to the official website.
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