Haast Department of Conservation staff have been among the first to benefit from a trial video-conferencing link to the remote South Westland community.
Earlier this year, Haast Primary School bought a video-conferencing unit after a Ministry of Education pilot scheme. Much of South Westland remains without terrestrial broadband or cellphone coverage.
Doc staff participated in a workshop, set up as part of a pilot link to Tai Poutini Polytechnic in Greymouth - which is also trialling its own new video-conferencing facilities - to test the strength of the connection.
West Coast ICT Project manager Jackie Gurden said the new technology would benefit the whole community.
"Having this type of facility in Haast enables all types of link-ups, not only for the school but also for the community."
