About 50 people gathered on an island in the middle of the
Waitaki River on Saturday to "celebrate the magnificence" of
the Waitaki River.
Lower Waitaki River Management Society chairman Bill Penno
said the celebration was the culmination of a year of
activity by the society, which included organising and
conducting an appeal to the Environment Court against
granting water for a new power scheme proposed on the river
by Meridian Energy Ltd.
"The river is important not just to locals but to the whole
of New Zealand, and the South Island in particular. It is the
heartbeat of the South Island," he said.
The celebration included talks on protecting rare
braided-river birds and protecting streams and rivers from
pollution, bird-watching, a look at fish life with Central
South Island Fish and Game Council officer Graeme Hughes,
flax-weaving with Anne Te Maiharoa Dodds and a tour of the
Kurow island by the Kurow Town Enhancement Group.
People were told about plans to develop features of the
island for public use.
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