You may have noticed that we have not sent out our annual $20 subscription notice. This is because we are proposing to change how FOBC is structured. We will preserve our charitable status but will form a new trust which will be managed by appointed Trustees. As an incorporated society, on an annual basis we were required to hold a AGM and elect people to specific positions. To be a member of FOBC required the payment of an annual sub.

The sending out of notices, collecting membership subscriptions, and recording who had paid and who had not, required an onerous amount of administration time. Furthermore, only paid up members could vote at the annual AGM.

Under the proposed structure, we will encourage supporters of FOBC to make a tax deductible donation, as an alternative to an annual subscription.

We are hoping that the change in structure will not have a material impact on the monies kindly donated to FOBC to continue with the site restoration.

We are in the process of applying for a new trust structure. Once this has been completed, we will be required to hold a Special General Meeting to vote to wind up Friends of Bullock Creek Incorporated, and transfer all monies and assets to the Friends of Bullock Creek Trust.

We will be holding a Special General Meeting of all FOBC Inc., members on Saturday 11 November 4:30PM at the Bullock Creek Wetlands. Formal notification of the Special General Meeting will be circulated by email to all members and also advertised in the local papers. Mark the date in your calendar.

If you have any questions or concerns about this change in structure please contact Roger Gardiner, FOBC Secretary 021 117 7220

In case you missed it, here’s the link to the FOBC email to members detailing recent correspondence with QLDC.

FOBC and our Community Stakeholders continue to express our extreme disappointment with QLDC's lack of urgent and substantive commitment to protecting our fresh water bodies in the Roy's Bay catchment.

NEXT STEPS…

Our plan is to discuss QLDC's response at our next Friends of Bullock Creek committee meeting. We will also liaise with our Community Stakeholders, to work out what actions we can take going forward. It is proposed that our actions will be to get traction for local government investment in infrastructure and operational initiatives for freshwater protection and look forward to the continue support of our FOBC Members.

big thanks to our volunteers!

Incredibly, despite the miserable cold inversion days, our dedicated FOBC volunteers are continuing to plant up the wetlands. Paul van Klink has been amazed at the hardy souls who don their warmest gear and gardening gloves and head to the Wetlands on a Thursday afternoon. Thanks also to Brian Anderson for the recent use of his mini-digger.

During winter months volunteer sessions are held 2 - 4PM at the Bullock Creek Wetlands. If you’d like to get involved or have any questions, don’t hesitate to call Paul 021 0569 146.

WATER QUALITY Vs. HOUSING

Regardless of your views whether or not we need more housing in Wanaka - this month sees a real push by QLDC :

• to open new areas up for housing development: Spatial Plan 2024 Gen 2.0 - Call for urban growth sites: https://letstalk.qldc.govt.nz/spatial-plan-2024-gen-2

• and make district planning changes for the intensification of existing residential areas. Variation to Proposed District Plan - Urban Intensification

The question is: "Can this development be done in a way to ensure no further contamination of our precious Bullock Creek and Lake Wanaka?"

FOBC will be submitting on the QLDC Spatial Plan to ensure that our views regarding the importance of fit for purpose urban stormwater management are recorded. Submissions close on 16 July.

If you'd like to support our submission (or make your own) more details will be posted in this News Section of the FOBC website in the week 3 - 10 July. You can also make your own submission via the QLDC Lets Talk portal - click here.

Also coming down the line in mid July is a variation to the Proposed District Plan regarding Urban Intensification. Importantly many of the areas proposed for intensification are directly south of the headwaters of Bullock Creek and will impact the creek’s health if not managed well.

Further information

• Map showing areas in Wanaka affected - click here and go to Map 4

• Interesting news article from law firm Todd & Walker summarising some of the proposed changes

HAVE YOU SEEN OUR NEW ALL WEATHER NOTICEBOARD YET?

Thanks to the handy work of Roger Gardiner and Paul van Klink, we now have an all-weather noticeboard at the Stone St entrance to Bullock Creek. At the moment, we have our planting day information there, but keep your eyes for other information about our doings if you’re a regular visitor.

FOBC recently attended and gave their input to a workshop facilitated by Wai Wanaka and held at the Lake Wanaka Centre on 14 June. Over 50 people representing a broad range of environmental groups and government agencies (ORC and DOC) from the UC Catchment Area attended. An UC Community Board member, Linda Joll, also attended.

Overall the workshop was very well run, but at this stage, the Draft Strategy is in a very early stage of development. The most impressive aspect of the Workshop was the turnout and level of engagement of the attendees.

Further Background about the workshop:

An expert reference group, led by Emeritus professor David Norton, has produced a draft Biodiversity Strategy, and is seeking input and feedback from those working in the UC Biodiversity space. [ Also see a copy of the powerpoint presentation here.]

The overall objective of the strategy is to sustain and enhance our unique native biodiversity by:

• co-ordinating and prioritising the efforts of the many organisations and individuals restoring, maintaining, protecting and enhancing the indigenous biodiversity of the Upper Clutha,

• connecting residents and visitors to our unique biodiversity, increasing their knowledge and encouraging them to get involved,

• assisting with funding applications by connecting work in with larger strategy,

• and providing learning opportunities.

  By the end of this workshop the aim was to have:

• Feedback and input from a large number of the community involved in environmental activities,

• Agreed priorities for the management goals,

• Ideas for communicating the strategy once finalised.

FOBC is continuing to strengthen its connections with environmental groups and agencies, particularly those with expertise in the urban space. In accordance with our charter we continue to work and advocate for the restoration and enhancement of Bullock Creek and the preservation of its water quality into the future.

We are looking forward to seeing the next draft of the proposed strategy. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any input on this proposed strategy or you would like to be involved in the process.

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY …FROM 30 YEARS AGO

NOTE from Andy : Please excuse the poor quality of the video production, I just took photos of the pages on the mobile phone and stitched them together!

Jenny Moss recently gifted Roger Gardiner with a couple of school project books detailing a school adventure down Bullock Creek in 1993.

Please let us know if you recognise any of the young people in the photos…now 30 years on! And while you’re at it please forward any worthy historical or recent images you may have of Bullock Creek and we’ll keep them in our archives!

There’s koura in the creek!

Freshwater koura in Bullock Creek

A note from Andy Oxley- our NEW Admin Assistant

“Bullock Creek never ceases to surprise! As the new gal on the block, I wasn't sure whether seeing a koura was a big deal, so I checked with Paul van Klink our Fish & Game expert and he confirmed that he had never seen one before.”

“A keen eyed resident on Bullock Creek spied this beauty and kindly sent FOBC some images and footage. Intrigued, i forwarded these images to Professor Gerry Closs - Zoology Dept. at the University of Otago to see what he thought and also to add the sightings to the Otago freshwater fauna database.”

From: Gerard Closs <gerry.closs@otago.ac.nz>
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2023 1:53 PM
To: FOBC Incorporated <info@fobc.kiwi>
Subject: Fwd: Kōura

 Hi Andy

Here are the records on the Freshwater Fish Database for koura in Bullock Creek. It does look like the koura in Bullock Creek are the only ones in the Wanaka area. Is that significant???  Hard to say, given that koura have been moved around quite widely. People keep them as pets and then let them go. Māori moved them around for food as well.

So, I’d say interesting, potentially a bit significant, but also not that surprising as they do turn up regularly in odd places. That said, nice to have a population in Wānaka.

All the best

Gerry

Begin forwarded message:

From: Ryan Easton <ryan.easton@postgrad.otago.ac.nz>
Subject: RE: Kōura
Date: 19 June 2023 at 11:30:41 AM NZST
To: Gerard Closs <gerry.closs@otago.ac.nz>
Kia ora Gerry,

 So there are only two records for bullock creek in the database, both in 2019, with ORC doing hand netting and Wildlands e-fishing. ORC recorded koaro only, and Wildlands koaro, brown trout and rainbow trout. No records of koura anywhere close to Wanaka

Cheers,

Ryan

“Interesting stuff - hey?!?”

Don’t hesitate to snap & send us a photo of anything that you think we might find interesting in and around Bullock Creek.

It’s been quite a week for FOBC in the press. Press coverage has been received from all the major local media outlets for our protest against the 7 year deferral by QLDC of the $6M stormwater remediation works for Bullock Creek. Here’s a wrap up of the articles - just click on the images below to read the full story.

Wanaka Sun 26 May 2023

Wanaka Sun 26 May 2023

ODT 23 May 2023

Crux 22 May 2023

ODT 20/05/2023

Wanaka App 22 May 2023

Wanaka App 24 May 2023

Source: F&G Council Facebook Post 19 May 2023

The Otago Fish and Game Council have added their voice to the FOBC calls for the promised $6M remedial works to be re-instated in the QLDC Annual Plan.

A media release by the Otago Fish and Game Council has been made today and should appear in the ODT. A full copy of which you can read here, but in summary:

Hearings on the QLDC Annual Plan are being held this coming Monday 22 May in the Armstrong Room at Lake Wanaka Centre. Nancy Latham will be presenting the FOBC submission. Please come and support her if you have a moment.

Stormwater remedial works deferred for 7 years!

As you maybe aware, FOBC recently submitted on the QLDC Annual Plan which has proposed the deferral of $6M Stormwater remedial works for a period of 7 years.    Please feel free to read our full submission here - QLDC Draft Annual Plan  But in summary, FOBC has submitted that:

"Deferring investment in the Stone Street stormwater upgrades as proposed in the QLDC Draft Annual Plan 2023 – 2024 is offloading past generational financial liability as a result of consented regulatory failure, to future governing bodies; and creates an unjustifiable legacy for future generations. 

The ecological health of Roy’s Bay and the tributary creeks will continue to decline with no redress, and the financial and social wellbeing of segments of our community will be impacted. Investment in upgrading the stormwater infrastructure now would enable protection of Lake Wanaka and Bullock Creek, and prevent another seven years of degradation. This timely investment would support the objective of being committed to Te Man o Te Wai, and complying with the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. 

Friends of Bullock Creek request that not only is this deferral of $ 6 million for the Stone Street Storm Water upgrade within the Draft Annual Plan 2023 – 2024 reversed, but a further $4 million is added to this sum to ensure that the upgrades are carried out in an expedient manner and supported by robust analysis to reflect the value we place on our environment and our dependence on our infrastructure for resilience."

Dear Friend of Bullock Creek,

breaking news!

QLDC Annual Plan submissions close on the 26th of April 5pm

Within the Draft Annual Plan, Stone Street Stormwater upgrades are being deferred by 7 years to YE 2030. Deferring investment in stormwater infrastructure so that Bullock Creek will continue to be contaminated for another 7 years will have dire consequences on the ecology of Bullock Creek and ultimately Lake Wanaka.  Submission forms are online at QLDC Lets Talk ( https://letstalk.qldc.govt.nz/annual-plan-2023-24) and this would be a great way to  support our mandate to protect Bullock Creek.

Now, back to the Newsletter….

Where does the year go? April already! 

Thanks as always to our dedicated band of hard working volunteers and committee members. We've been busy. Here's a snapshot:

New Committee

At the well attended AGM in March, a new committee was elected. Really not so much a new committee but rather a re-shuffle as we endeavour to share the workload. The committee is now:-

Office bearers

• President: Ben Irving

• Vice President: Sam Smoothy

• Treasurer: Charlotte Gardiner

• Secretary: Roger Gardiner

Committee members :

• Barry Mitchell

• Jacquie Staley

• Nancy Latham

• David Payton

• Maggie Domingo

Here's a copy of the AGM Minutes. 

New Admin Assistant

We welcome Andy Oxley to FOBC as a new Admin Assistant. Andy has been living in Wanaka since 2000 and moved to the Bullock Creek neighbourhood 6 years ago. As a local business woman, Andy has a wealth of general administration skills and local knowledge to offer to our group. She is also a keen environmentalist and a regular trapper with Forest & Bird in Mt Aspiring National Park. The committee in particular is looking forward to her contributions going forward.

Autumn Planting

Paul van Klink, our Wetlands manager and conduit with our partners Fish and Game has ambitious plans that are already well underway. 1000 plants in the ground this Autumn. Thanks to our native plant suppliers Corrections Otago and Te Kakano, our dedicated volunteers have been busy planting beech, carex, ribbonwood and comprosma. As at 20 April, Paul is well on his way to reaching his goal, with 345 plants in the ground

To make the most of the mild autumn weather, planting sessions are happening at the wetlands every Thursday in 2 sessions 10AM - Noon and 2 - 4PM. Nice short sessions that help all our busy helpers fit a session into their busy weeks. If you are keen to join the crew of volunteers, please don't hesitate to email us or call Paul on 021 056 9146

Evil Weeds

Joining Paul's weed "hit list"...morning glory or bindweed (Convolvulaceae) has appeared in the wetlands.

So why is it "weedy". This plant has a very fast growth rate, longevity, dense smothering habit. It climbs over all other species, ultimately killing them. Can replace forest with low weedy blanket, and is the last species in many cases when a bush area totally succumbs to weeds." (Source: Weedbusters.org.nz) Ably assisted by Eva Fernandez, Paul has been tracking down this beastie weed and Eva has been fanatical in her painstaking approach to its destruction.

As you wander through the wetlands....keep your eyes open. Let's keep these invasive weeds out.

The QE2 Covenant

As many of you will know, Fish and Game has applied to register the FOBC wetlands under a QE2 covenant. The covenant will protect the land in perpetuity against development. At the moment it is with LINZ and we will be sure to "shout" it from the rooftops when it is registered.

To find out more about QE2 Covenants - take a look at the website.