Rakino News

Subscriptions for 2009 are now due. Pay by New Year's Eve at the old price of just $25!

The illustrated Rakino News is published 10 times a year. Subscription is otherwise $30 per annum, including postage within New Zealand. Delivery on the island is by arrangement.

Send subscription payments, contributions and advertising enquiries to:
Rakino News
PO Box 5297
Wellesley Street
Auckland

Publishing editor:
Colin Maclaren

Dragon Boat Races

Dragon Boat races are once again occurring in Home Bay on 2nd January. There will be a picnic and registration starts at 10am, the races should start at 11am.

The Dragon Boat events:

• Children
  
• Mixed
  
• Men’s
  
• Women’s
  

The Kayak events:

• Children
  
• Mixed
  
• Men's
  
• Women's
  

Please bring your picnic, kayaks, life-jackets, beach towels and whatever else you think appropriate.

Labour weekend ferries

Pine Harbour will be operating a public holiday timetable for the Rakino service this coming Labour weekend (25th/26th/27th Oct).

Ferries will depart Pine Harbour for Rakino on Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and Monday afternoon.
Times are as follows for Saturday 25th October 2008:

• Depart Pine Harbour 8.30 am, Arrive Matiatia (Waiheke) 8.55 am
  
• Depart Maitiatia (Waiheke)9.00 am, Arrive Rakino 9.15 am
  
• Depart Rakino 9.20 am, Arrive Matiatia (Waiheke) 9.35 am
  
• Depart Matiatia (Waiheke) 9.40 am, Arrive Pine Harbour 10.05 am
  

The Pine Harbour Monday Evening service will operate at the same times as our usual Sunday evening service (see timetable for more info).

-THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE RAKINO RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION 2008

As usual Reuben's Water Taxi will be running its ferries, bookings essential, 0800 111 616.

Labour Weekend 25-27 October

Arts & Crafts fair - Saturday 25th October 11 am - 1 pm at the Hall.

Fishing Competition - 25th-26th October, weigh in 3 pm Sunday. Unfortunately a $10 registration is requested for, 8 am Saturday at the Hall. Fish must be caught within 200m of the Rakino coast.

Rakino Ratepayers Association AGM - Sunday 26th October 4 pm in the Hall followed by a BBQ and fishing prizes at 6 pm. BYO booze.

Craft fair! update

The craft fair will held on Labour weekend. It will occur 11 am to 1 pm SATURDAY 25th October, not Sunday as previously advertised.

Free entry if you can find the craft fair, so get cracking and make some stuff. Please register with Harriet Somerville or just turn up on the day.

Children are welcome. Cash, cheques and credit cards will be accepted but NO EFTPOS!

Fishing Competition

The annual fishing competition will be held on Labour weekend. The final weigh in will occur at 3.30 pm on Sunday 26th October. See Lez if you urgently need to weigh in your huge snapper prior to that on Labour weekend.

This is a free competition open to all the people of Rakino in all their shapes and sizes.

The Snapper Shield was originally awarded to the person who caught the largest snapper that year, off the rocks of Rakino.

More information and this year's rules may be posted closer to the time. Thanks to Lez for once again being the man behind the competition.

Michael

New ferries...

Details of a new Rakino ferry service are on the Maxx website under the ‘Travel Updates’ tab along the top. Or click here for a direct link. From Friday 1 August the service will operate on Friday and Sunday evenings. Extra services will operate on certain public holidays and details will be advertised nearer the appropriate dates on the Maxx website.

Reuben's Water Taxi is still providing its service.

This was possibly not the desired outcome of the Rakino Ratepayers Association's battle to maintain the ferry service but certainly wasn't a failure. Our thanks go to them for their hard work.

Michael

Fire fighting demo, 7 June

Apologies for the short notice but we have heard from Ken Wickenden that there will be a demonstration of the fire fighting equipment (The Fire Lords) on the Island this SATURDAY (7th June).

MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

Update: Obviously we were too slow, no details have flowed through this far at this late date.

Regards
RAKINO RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION

Queen's Birthday Weekend

The Pine Harbour Ferry is running extra services – we have not been formally informed and it is not on their website but there should be:
•A ferry on Friday evening at 7pm
•Normal Sat/Sun service
•A return ferry on Monday

Please check with Pine Harbour directly but may help you make those travel plans for this weekend…


AND


SALE OF WORK @ QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY
ALBIE & ANN MCCABE:
• TURNED WOOD
• FABRIC ART
• PAINTINGS
• CUSHIONS
• THROWS
• WOOD WORK
• QUILTS

6/ 8 OCEANVIEW CRESENT, 10AM ------- 1PM, SAT/SUN/MONDAY…

Kakariki

Many people will be aware of the following project which has been approved by the Department of Conservation and will take place on Rakino Island early next year. These birds will be a unique and valued addition to Rakino Island, complementing our growing population of Bellbird.

Kakariki were released on Motuihe on Saturday 17 May 2008 and TV1 is screening a segment on either the news or Closeup of the capture process and release, the same process will be followed for Rakino. This will be screened on Monday 19 May.

Cheers John



"Rare parakeets to populate gulf islands

An ambitious plan to translocate 100 kakariki (red-crowned parakeets) from Little Barrier Island to two other Hauraki Gulf islands as well as a mainland site means more people will be able to see the rare birds.

Conservation researcher Luis Ortiz-Catedral, based at Massey University in Auckland, is from Mexico, a land of more raucous, garishly coloured parrots than New Zealand’s subtle-hued species. But it is our small green, long-tailed kakariki that have captured his interest in recent years.

As well as studying a small population of translocated orange-fronted kakariki, which are extremely rare and critically endangered, on remote Maud Island in the Marlborough Sounds, he is planning a large-scale translocation further north of their relative, the red-crowned kakariki. The two-pronged project is part of his doctoral thesis as a researcher at the Institute of Natural Resources, comparing how wild and captive birds cope with translocation.

The red-crowned kakariki thrive in abundance on Little Barrier Island, a protected conservation reserve. Mr Ortiz-Catedral is organising a project to capture then release the 100 birds at Rakino and Motuihe Islands as well as Tawharanui conservation reserve north of Auckland.

This will expand the geographical range of the species and enable scientists and conservationists to better understand how newly located translocated kakariki cope with the change.

A team of volunteers will help him record data of the birds’ health before they are taken by helicopter to neighbouring locations for release. They will then track, observe and record the birds’ feeding, social and breeding behaviour using electronic transmitters once they are in their new habitats.

Since 2004, he has studied the nesting biology and nesting growth of the red-crowned kakariki on Tiritiri Matangi Island, a world famous bird sanctuary also in the Hauraki Gulf.

The outlook for the next series of translocations is promising, he says. The birds, once populous throughout New Zealand but now found only on predator-free offshore islands, are good breeders. A female can produce up to nine chicks in a season. But it was their habit of foraging and nesting on the ground that evolved during New Zealand’s isolated, predator-free epoch that made them fatally vulnerable to predators such as rats, cats and stoats that were later introduced.

The project, he says, is not purely scientific. "There’s also the spiritual appeal that we are returning the parakeets to places they once belonged. It has a powerful symbolic side to it.”

Kakariki may even take flight and do their own relocating once closer to other islands and the mainland, he adds. “Who knows, one day we might see kakariki in Albert Park.”"

Source: Massey University

FW: Fighting Fires on Rakino - doing what you can to be ready....

 

Subject: Fighting Fires on Rakino - doing what you can to be ready....

 

HI – Please see message from Ken who is doing a fantastic job of trying to keep us and our properties safe from fire…

---

 

Rakino Fire.

      Hi all, time to make some progress on keeping the island prepared to combat a fire. After a long dry summer where I was somewhat cautious about playing with water tanks, I would like to push forward with placement of camlock fittings, updating fire training and confirming details from the fire contacts list.

 

1) 6 RRPA supplied Camlock fittings. There are a number of sites where I have agreed to install a camlock fitting. I will be progressing this over the next months. We still have a few left, and the Rate Payers Association are keen to ensure that we have adequate numbers of fitting out on the island. I am particularly looking for places in both Marine Park Ave and  Ocean View Cres.

To be a good candidate for installation the following criteria are considered.

      a) The tank has a 50mm outlet that is accessible - don't worry if this has already got a supply off it, we have T connections

      b) The tank is minimum of 5,000l - doesn't matter if it is full, the tanks I have installed so far have only lost a couple of buckets of water.

      c) Tanks must be back from a fire risk slope. - We do not want to be trying to connect and disconnect a fitting above a fire. (this is particularly relevant for Marine Park Ave)

      d) Fitting should be accessible in the event of a fire.

I would also like to ensure that the location of these outlets are visible so I'm looking to create a sign that can be positioned where visible from the street. Any budding graphic designers out there who would like to propose a design for the 'Rakino Fire Hydrant' please send me some ideas!

 

2) Fire Training. It's time to run another set of courses to train those who want to become involved in fighting fires. This also provide an opportunity to refresh your training if you have already completed some training. The NZ Fire Service encourages (strongly) all those who would like to participate in actively fighting rural fires to have completed an assessed course called "Personal Safety at Vegetative Fires". This will be run by Lance Dixon - the Primary Rural Fire Officer for the gulf islands, and we have historically run this on week nights after 7:30pm at the Marine Rescue Centre at Mechanics Bay.

Lance is really helpful at making sure that everyone who attends passes the assessment, so don't have any concerns regarding your ability to 'pass'. Those who are interested in attending, please respond with a suggested day of the week that would suit you to attend. My preference is for Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Below is the list of people I have as completing this course.

 

3) Fire contacts list. Time to update the fire contacts list. The following is a list of people who have previously displayed an interest in being involved in fire fighting on Rakino.

 Contacts

 Completed  "Personal Safety at Vegetative Fires"

 Lance Dixon Fire officer                                09 429 0258 09 429 0145

 Becky Wickenden                                            027 541 8325          09 623 7475

 Brendon Massey                                              021-630 331           09 575 9016

 Caroline Williams                                             027 286 5895          09 376 5426

 Charlie O’Dwyer                                              021 999 124

 David Parker                                                     027 2173555           09 445 9010

 John Beasley                                                     027 475 8323          09 445 4316

 John MacKenzie                                               027 259 1234          07 827 8850

 Ken Wickenden                                               021 400 434           09 379 8344

 Kevin Brennan                                                 021 159 2806          09 412 6959

 Kevin Hester                                                     0274406999            09 834 1235

 Kevin Wragge                                                   021 2304660           09 630 7407

 Linley Murray                                                   021 0516262           09 630 7407

 Lyndon Lewis                                                     0274831415            09 836 7308

 Mitch Cuevas                                                    021 513 794           09 376 5426

 Phil Whyte                                                         021 954 782           09 525 2029

 

 Incomplete  "Personal Safety at Vegetative Fires"

 Alan Boylan                                                       09 372 6044

 Angelo Parente                                               021 579 753

 Caroline Beasley                                              09 445 4316

 David Coombe                                                 021 272 9022          09 369 1950

 Robyn Armstrong                                           021 939947            09 5287565

 Vea Faumuina                                                  021 445 720           09 274 7114

 

My apologies if I have missed you - please remind me!

Please let me know if you want to be included/removed from the list or your contact details have changed.

From this I will review the fire call tree and alerting systems.

 

 

regards… Ken

Ken Wickenden

ddi:      +64 9 351 1477

mob:    +64 21 400 434

fax:      +64 9 351 1855

e-mail. ken.wickenden@db.com

 

Regards

RAKINO RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION

---

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ANZAC weekend

Les will be holding the ANNUAL FISHING COMPETITION for the kids on ANZAC weekend. SATURDAY (not Sunday as previously stated) morning at 9am – meet Les at the wharf…

There is a General Meeting this Saturday afternoon 26th April at 4 pm in the Community hall with a BBQ to follow. We will supply steak /sausages & wine and a warm welcome - bring a salad to go with it…
A great opportunity to meet and discuss the items that affect our community and to catch up with old (and new) friends afterwards. AGENDA attached.
Come along and contribute to the discussion and why not think about joining the Committee to help take care of the Island we all love.

regards
Rakino Ratepayers Association

Barge

It is reported that, "Sealink Barge, Sealink have a barge timetabled for Rakino on the 10th April, leaving half moon bay at 9:30am abd departing Rakino at 12:30. Contact Sealink for more details/bookings"

Rats or no rats?

The rat that was reportedly sighted on Rakino on 11 March has not been located. Neither has any independent evidence of its presence.

The weekend following the sighting saw a large operation swing into action which included several hundred traps, a number of monitoring tunnels and a certified rodent detection dog searching the island for two days. Another certified dog was on the island for two days following Easter. Neither of these dogs indicated a rodent. Likewise, no tracks, or other indications of rodent presence have emerged.

This does not necessarily mean the original sighting was wrong. There may still be a rat on the island. The Department of Conservation has now removed most of their traps and left the island after two weeks of trapping and searching.

The existing network of bait stations and tracking cards will hopefully be renewed next weekend.

Please remain vigilant and report anything you think may be of interest.

This operation was led on the ground by the Department of Conservation and supported financially by the Auckland Regional Council. The cost is likely to have exceeded $10,000. From the first indication that there was a rat on Rakino both agencies immediately and unconditionally threw there support behind us. This was extremely reassuring, and came at what was probably the most difficult time of the year with over 1000 people on Rakino for the Jazz festival and high numbers in general over the long weekend.

As a community our gratitude should be extended to DOC and the ARC who have responded to this crisis [whether it be real or imagined].

Please feel free to contact the following key people, and show them as a community we are very grateful for their support:

Jack Craw Biosecurity Manager ARC jack.craw@arc.govt.nz

Phil Brown DOC – Incident Controller pbrown@doc.govt.nz

Ditch Keeling DOC – Operation Manager pkeeling@doc.govt.nz

Cheers John

Thanks to all our RAKINO ARTISTS

Many thanks to all you wonderful people who helped to make this year's Art Exhibition such a roaring success -the standard was high --very high -how we will better it will be difficult --- but we will .

We had 100 entries from 16 Artists and sold a total of $4400 art work -- a great effort from Artists helpers and buyers ---not forgetting the Rakino Rate Payers Ass who backed us up all the way.

Many thanks everyone ----- see you all next year…

Albie McCabe.

Rats!

The rat that had been sighted on Rakino Island on 11 March has not yet been located.

The Department of Conservation, supported by the Auckland Regional Council, has led a response to this sighting which has seen a significant operation put in place in an attempt to locate and trap the rat. DOC has had three staff on the island since Friday 14 March. They will continue to have a number of staff on the Island in the coming week/s. There have been 250 traps set in the general area of Sandy Bay, Home Bay, South Pacific Road (South end) and Golden Heights bush escarpment. These traps are identified by a red “corflute” cover. The trap is located under this and pegged to the ground with wire. They are baited with a non toxic formula. No poison has been distributed around the Island.

A large number of these traps have been set on private property in the area mentioned above. They are not hidden and if there is one on your property it will be obvious. Unfortunately given the urgency of the situation it has not been possible to consult with all persons affected. If you have any issues in relation to the traps please see me, I will be on the island from Thursday night. These traps will be checked daily by myself.

Please do not tamper with any traps you see around the Island, it is important pressure is maintained on this rat. If you see anyone tampering with any traps please mention to them how important it is that they are left untouched. PLEASE TREAT ALL TRAPS AS SET AND DISCUSS WITH YOUR CHILDREN WHAT THEY ARE AND WHY THEY ARE THERE. Please keep pets under control near the traps.

The traps in the immediate area of the jazz festival will be deactivated on Saturday morning and reset on Saturday night, once again please treat all traps as set.

Please try not to leave alternative food sources for the rat in an accessible location.

I will be asking fullers to alert passengers on the ferry on Saturday to the situation upon leaving Auckland and again just prior to arrival at Rakino. Please discuss this email with your neighbours in case they have not seen it.

Capturing this rat is an expensive and difficult exercise, and we are very fortunate to have DOC and the ARC right behind us on this.

Any issues or questions please call in on the island (bach with flagpole on Woody Bay Rd) or catch me as I am going around the island checking the traps.

Many thanks

John MacKenzie

rakinoisland@xtra.co.nz

Jazz and Art Picnic 2008

Jazz and Art Picnic 2008, please click on this link to view more details including ferry times.



For those of you who will be exhibiting in the art side of the festival:

Calling all Rakino Artists,
Easter Art Show - don't forget closing time for your entries 10am Good Friday morning. We will be in the wharf Hall from 9am onwards. Entry numbers are looking good so don't be late otherwise you will have to hang them on a tree somewhere yourself.
Albie McCabe



See you at Easter
Rakino Ratepayers

A Rat on Rakino

On 11 March a rat was sighted at Sandy Bay. A joint response will be commencing on 14 March in order to trap this rat. Please be aware that there will be rat poison and traps around the island. Further signage will be erected over the next few days. This response is going to require a significant effort, and assistance is requested from the Rakino community. If you are able to help, please meet at the hall on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th March (or either day) at 9.00am.

The community will be assisted by the Department of Conservation and the Auckland Regional Council.

We have all enjoyed rat free status for the last 6 years. We need to act quickly to preserve the way of life we have enjoyed for those 6 years.

If you need to contact me please phone Anne 372 6087. I will be on the Island from Friday 14 through to Monday 17, otherwise my e-mail address is rakinoisland@xtra.co.nz

See you there,

John MacKenzie

Pine Harbour EASTER FERRY TIMETABLE 2008

Calling all RAKINO Artists (from Albie McCabe)

Hi Rakino artists ----- we will be holding our now annual Easter art show in conjunction with the Jazz festival on Easter Saturday ------ I'm hoping you have all been busy painting for this event ----- if not--please ---please --put brushes to paper and canvas and lets make this years show the best ever.

Easter is early this year --- Easter sat the 22nd of march---- I would like to have all work on the Island a week before ---- Entry forms will be emailed --any queries email or call Albie Telephone --3726087 --email McCabe.@kiwilink.co.nz

 Regards

RAKINO RATEPAYERS