Bayleys—12 December 2018

We finished off our 2018 volunteering season on a high note as an enthusiastic team from Bayleys Auckland’s Property Management department combined community service with their Christmas party.

This is the first time Bayleys, New Zealand’s largest full service real estate company, have volunteered at CUE Haven and today we welcomed Andrea, Anna, Ashleigh, Ayden, Braden, Cathy, Chris,  Craig I., Craig S., Craig W., David, Grace, Hamish Mack., Hamish Macr., James, Jason, Jayneil, Jessica, Kane, Kev, Leilani, Massimo, Nicole, Paul, Reece, Ria, Savanna, Stacey, Tiana, Todd, Tracey, Warren and William.

Also joining us for the day was our friend Alan.

The group arrived at around nine and after a welcome morning tea, Mahrukh gave an orientation to CUE Haven.

Thomas then gave a description of the work planned for the day and a safety briefing.

The plan for the day was to do some track remediation work and we broke the group of 33 into four teams.

The first challenge was to get the big group up to the work site.  Thomas drove them up in small groups and while the others waited, they helped out by moving the timber.  It had been delivered the day before to the car park, but we wanted it out of the sun and stored in the nursery/workshop.

The teams were all working in the same general area and people moved around from team to team over the course of the day.

One team was assigned to do some trimming of vegetation growing over the tracks.  They were the first team to get to the site so they could start work trimming away weeds and vegetation that had grown up along the track.

The other three teams worked with Alan and Thomas on fixing up sections of a walking track that connects the main race to the main walking track.

One team worked with Alan to widen a section of the track that cuts across a steep grade.  The work involved benching the bank and shoring up the exposed wall with timber.

They started out by doing a lot of digging . . .

Some of the team members brought up the timber that would be used for the side boards.

Once the track was widened, the boards were positioned and adjustments made to ensure the boards were straight.

The boards were secured with pegs and nailed into place.

In no time the team became experts in hammering in nails!

In the meantime, the other two teams worked to put side boards along long sections of track that linked up steps and a small bridge.  The side boards will make it easier to maintain the track and will also provide a visual cue to visitors to stay on the tracks.

The first task was to dig out channels for the boards.

The teams then positioned the boards.  Each section was a new challenge in terms of how the boards were attached to the existing track structures.  The boards also needed to be cut to size and kept parallel with each other.  It was great to see the teamwork as the groups worked together to come up with creative solutions to the different track issues.

The side boards were secured with pegs and nails.

Getting corners just right was another challenge.

To improve traction on the track, we spread a layer of gravel and a small team went up to collect some gravel.

The gravel was raked and levelled to finish off the track.

When we were finished, the team gathered up all the gear and loaded it in the ute before heading back to the cottage for some refreshing drinks and fruits.

In just a couple of hours, the teams managed to make major improvements in the track.  Future teams will pick up from where we left off to complete upgrading the entire track.

A big thank you to our dear friend Alan for helping out today.  Alan – we really appreciate your time, expertise, hard work and your continued support.

Many thanks too to Barry for organizing the day and championing CUE Haven at Bayleys.  Barry – sorry you couldn’t join us today, but we look forward to having you out for a visit soon.

And a special BIG THANK YOU to the Bayleys team for all their hard work and efforts. You have all made a major contribution to the CUE Haven project and your efforts will be appreciated by visitors as they walk the tracks to explore the growing native forest. What a great Christmas gift!!

We hope you enjoyed the start of your Christmas celebration and we very much look forward to having you back for a more leisurely visit with your family and friends to explore your community native forest. And of course back next year for another productive volunteer day!!

THANK YOU!!