Halter is a rapidly growing New Zealand company providing innovative solutions to farmers, helping them improve productivity of pastures, protect waterways and improve the welfare of stock. The company provides solar powered collars for cows that enable farmers to virtually fence their pastures, monitor the movements and health of stock and move stock using an app. Satellite imagery also enables farmers to optimize grazing areas to ensure pasture health.
Today we were very happy to once again welcome a team from Halter for a volunteer day at CUE Haven. The team included David, Dugan, Ian, Jack, Josh, Julia, Lachie, Mick, Nathan and Sam. Also joining us for the day were student volunteer Michael and our good friend and regular volunteer Alan.
The Halter team has grown, and several of the team were new to CUE Haven, so over morning tea Mahrukh gave a quick history of the restoration project, current activities and future plans.
Thomas then gave a safety briefing and description of the work planned for the day.
The plan for the day was to continue to work on some improvements to an old section of walking track, fix up some sections of the wetlands boardwalk and also to do some remediation and preparation for weather events which have caused significant issues over the past few years.
We carried the gear down to the work area and Thomas showed the group the areas requiring attention.
We broke into three teams and went to work.
One team worked on realigning the steps installing side boards on a section of the Tirairaka track.
The first step was to study the area and determine the best way to install the boards. Once they determined the timber needs, they went to the shed to get the boards.
The next part required a lot of digging to even off the steps and create a channel for the boards to sit in.
The boards were then installed by being nailed and pegged in position.
Positioning some of the boards correctly took a lot of teamwork.
Some of the boards needed to be cut to size and carefully positioned.
The team made major improvements to this section of the track which will make it easier to maintain in future. Thanks very much guys!!
Another team tackled a very messy challenge. The boardwalk in the wetlands crosses the stream at two points and when the boardwalk was built in 2014, we constructed bridges over both those sections which enabled comfortable access over the stream and into the wetlands. After the heavy rain events we’ve had since 2023, silt coming down from the farms upstream clogged the area under the main bridge and as a result, the stream found a new course along the side of the boardwalk. Aside from impacting the wetlands further downstream this also has the effect of undermining the boardwalk as the stream flows along the support structure.
In response, we did some remediation work to raise the bridge so that water could flow more freely underneath it and there would be less chance of silt blocking the stream.
The cleared channel and elevated boardwalk worked perfectly until January 2026 when another heavy rainstorm caused a further slip by the boundary fence which severely damaged a section of the Riroriro track and brought down a massive amount of silt. This had blocked the stream flow in the wetlands and sent the water along the side of the boardwalk and caused a variety of other issues upstream.
We requested the Halter team to undertake the challenge of clearing out the blockage under the bridge and restoring and improving the channel which would lead water away from the boardwalk and into the wetland ponds. It was a very messy job involving digging through thick vegetation.
This picture shows how the stream was blocked before the team went to work.
They started digging out and widening the channel.
Some of the team scouted ahead to determine the best route for the channel to join the downstream ponds.
As the stream started flowing, and the water cleared, the team were delighted to see eels and banded kokopu swimming along.
The team managed to dig a long and deep channel which quickly started draining properly.
A massive thank you to the team for taking on this challenging task.
The third team tackled another messy job. The wetlands boardwalk is over ten years old and in some places the wire mesh covering has deteriorated and needs to be replaced. Ground movement has also moved some sections out of alignment. The team worked on a variety of improvements.
The first task was to trim away some of the overhanging vegetation.
They then identified some areas of damaged mesh and replaced them.
A big challenge was dealing with a section of the boardwalk that had moved out of alignment and was tilted. The team used a spirit level to determine the proper alignment and dug out underneath the frame—a very messy job in the muddy ground.
They then used long poles to lever up the boardwalk so they could brace it with wood blocks.
The blocks were hammered into position and will provide enough surface area to prevent further sinking.
The result is a major improvement and we really appreciate the hard work involved!
The boardwalk team dealt with some big challenges and made some major improvements—thanks very much!
All of the teams finished up about the same time and we headed back for a well deserved lunch.
Needless to say, after all the messy work in the wetlands, it took them a while to clean up.
While the teams were in the field, Alan worked on some projects near the cottage.
A beautiful bird sign that had been designed by a Unitec graphic arts student was showing some wear and tear due to sun and rain. Alan studied the issue and came up with a solution to restore and protect the sign.
And he also installed a security camera near the rear of the cottage.
Many thanks Alan, for everything you do for CUE Haven.
Our many thanks to Drew for organising the team’s visit today and continued support. Drew we really value and appreciate your friendship and look forward to your ongoing involvement with CUE Haven. Sorry you couldn’t join in today but we look forward to seeing you again soon.
And a MASSIVE THANK YOU to everyone for all your hard work and efforts. It was great chatting with you all and spending time with you and we also very much enjoyed working with you. Thanks for your much valued contribution to CUE Haven.
We look forward to having you all out to CUE Haven soon to explore more of your community reserve with your family and friends. And back again with more of your colleagues for another productive and fun volunteer day!
Thank You!! Thank You!!
