Cyclone Gabrielle caused large amounts of damage to trees at Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary. Photo /Merv Richdale
Cyclone Gabrielle caused large amounts of damage to trees at Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary. Photo /Merv Richdale
The world-class Wairakei Golf Course and wildlife sanctuary near Taupō has suffered extensive damage with more than 1500 trees destroyed during Cyclone Gabrielle.
Wairakei Golf+ Sanctuary has been closed since the cyclone, but some of the course will soon reopen.
General Manager Operations Warren Collett said large portions of the course were badly hit.
“We have an estimated 1500 large trees uprooted or need to be felled.”
Head professional Steve Jessup said initial progress towards the clean-up was positive and thanks to sustained efforts by staff, the front nine holes of the course would reopen for play on February 25.
The golf course acts as a conservation hub, housing young kiwi in a safe environment until they grow large enough to be released into native forests around the North Island.
It is also a retirement home for ex-breeding pairs of takahē, as well as hosting kārearea/ New Zealand falcons.
Luckily, help wasn’t far away to keep these native taonga safe, said Erin Reilly, marketing and communications manager for Save the Kiwi.
“The fence was damaged in parts, however fencing contractors who happened to be working at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari came down to Wairakei almost immediately to start repairing the fence.”
Wairakei International Golf Course, pictured here in 2008. Photo / Supplied
Restrictions on access and prioritising the safety of personnel meant that the fate of the 13 kiwi chicks living in the forest around the course when the cyclone hit could not yet be determined.
To give them the best chance at survival, plans were made to rapidly increase anti-predator operations on site.
“[We have] an incursion plan including additional trapping and camera monitoring to identify if any predators got into the sanctuary while the fence was damaged, and subsequently target them appropriately.”
The course is also home to the Crombie Lockwood Kiwi Burrow, where eggs are incubated and newly hatched chicks are reared.
Fortunately, despite slight damage, all of the birds were safe and well.
“Some trees fell onto the Crombie Lockwood Kiwi Burrow but damage was minimal.
“Inside, none of the seven eggs or 12 chicks onsite at the time were harmed.”
Ultimately, the feeling of staff at the course is that things were not as bad as they could have been.
Collett said that in the big picture, the course had got off lightly.
“Although we have been impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle our situation does not compare to the destruction caused to other people, districts, towns and cities that have been left far worse than us.
