Kaituna helicopter tourism application polarises wider community
Both opposition and support are escalating over an application to establish a commercial helipad at Kaituna and operate commercial flights from there.
The resource consent application, by Anatoki Helicopters in conjunction with The Naked Possum, applies for the right to operate two helicopters (a five-passenger Squirrel and a three-passenger Robinson 44) from a private hangar based at Nelson Airport, with at least one of the machines based at The Naked Possum’s helipad, situated just over the Kaituna River, for much of the busy summer season.
Currently there are no full-time passenger-carrying helicopters based in the Bay. There are however at least five other helicopter firms based in the region advertising heli-transfers to tracks and wilderness sites for fishing, hunting, mountainbiking and tramping.
Flights would operate from the helipad between the hours of 8am and 8pm during the December to April tourist season, and are expected to reduce by half during the quieter winter months.
Anatoki Helicopters is paying all costs associated with this resource consent application.
Naked Possum owner Jocelyn Rae said she is extremely surprised about the reaction to their application.
“We just love helicopters and thought this would be a great thing for the area. Nearly everyone we spoke to in the community around here was supportive of the idea. It’s absolutely shocked us who has come out of the woodwork since this application went in. But we’ve also had some great support. Since the opposition started up, we’ve filled pages of a petition here in support of our application. To my mind it’s very much a vocal minority who are making their opposition known, and most of them live on the other side of the Bay. If it’s not granted here, then the helicopter company is well within their right to offer unlimited flights from Takaka aerodrome, providing they adhere to CAA flying rules about operating heights, etc.”
Without a doubt, it hasn’t helped that flights from The Naked Possum are already being advertised by Anatoki Helicopters on their website (www.anatokiheli.co.nz). This includes Kaituna and Heaphy Track transfers, scenic flights to destinations like Kahurangi Lighthouse and Lord of the Rings locations, along with wilderness hut overnighters, where you can be dropped off and picked up the following day, champagne included. The Naked Possum has also included ‘heli-transfers’ in its advertisements for next season, such as that placed in the Guide to Artists in Golden Bay 2010.
One person who has opposed the helicopter flights right from the start is Robyn Darney, who lives just under 200m from the café and 400m from the proposed helipad, and is one of three close neighbours who have expressed serious concerns about the operation.
Robyn timed take-offs and landings on June 21, when Anatoki Helicopters ran promotional scenic flights in conjunction with a market day at the café.
“The helicopter was taking off and landing every 15 to 20 minutes for the two hours I monitored it between 1pm and 3pm, and the near-continuous noise was not pleasant,” said Robyn. “I support sustainable tourism, but surely boundaries must be laid down to protect this tranquil valley. It’s a sad day when chasing the tourist dollars takes precedence over the lifestyle we have come here for.”
The Naked Possum owners are arguing that the noise levels from the helicopters will be less than that generated by current traffic flows to the café. In July, and in conjunction with Anatoki Helicopters, they contracted consultants ViaStrada from Christchurch to monitor not only operating helicopter noise levels around Kaituna, but also Robyn Darney’s three large dogs, which were barking behind her gate. In a letter from Jocelyn Rae to Laurie Davidson dated 10 August 09, Jocelyn argued (amongst other points) that this monitoring showed that Robyn’s dogs were in fact louder than the helicopter.
“We most definitely did not ask the sound monitors to check the noise level on Robyn’s barking dogs. This was simply one of the noise levels that was recorded by them at the time and they chose to state the fact in their report,” said Jocelyn. “We located the heli pad site across the river so that it was further away from the neighbours’ houses and the cafe.”
“It’s all plainly silly,” said Robyn. “The results didn’t take into account that the helicopter was not only in the distance [at the site of the proposed helipad, says Jocelyn] but that there was a rare easterly blowing that day.”
Another vocal opponent of the helicopters has been Lorna Scurr of Clifton.
“It seems bizarre that this café, which markets itself under this eco-friendly banner, is now wanting to partake in a tourism venture that is anything but eco-friendly.”
There are now 761 registered helicopters in New Zealand, and this country currently has the highest per capita usage for such aircraft. Australia, which has four times the population, has half the number of helicopters in operation.
Jocelyn doesn’t feel the helicopter’s noise and activity is excessive. “People talk about this making Golden Bay another Franz Josef or Milford Sound, but it won’t. Our application ‘anticipates’ only 40 flights a month. People go on about the Aorere Valley being a pristine environment, but in fact it’s already industrial. Farmers are generating noise like this all the time with crop spraying, weed control and aerial topdressing. Why can’t we extend our business to help our livelihood? Golden Bay is a tourist destination in its own right now.”
At a stall at last Saturday’s Village Market in Takaka, the application’s opponents had a high-profile stall and collected submission signatures from another 68 people. Submissions to TDC regarding this resource consent application close on Monday 23 November at 4.30pm, and although TDC won’t give any details about numbers for or against until after that time, they do admit they have received to date ‘more than a few’. The level of public interest means the matter will likely have to go to a public hearing. Watch this space.
Gerard Hindmarsh
