Fence Progress

Fence Diary

• 16th to 20th June With 130mm of rain Sunday and Monday and intermittent showers every day all week only the surveillance system has been able to be worked on.
• 9th to 14th June With another 3 days of SW wind the last steep slope to the stream was finally dry enough to work on. By Wednesday all the posts were in and Friday and Saturday finished the steepest section of the fence. The team used crampons on their boots in order to operate on this slope and just finished as rain began to fall.
• 2nd to 5th June With a fresh SW blowing the fence was capped and completed down the FitzRoy hill to the last drop off to the stream. The front gate fence was completed to the bridge; the low rat fence along the shoreline was completed and the vehicular gate hung. The pedestrian gate frame is in place and pad poured.
• 26th to 30th May Work continued on finishing the capping on the incomplete sections. By the end of the week the posts were installed and meshed, the culvert beside the gate installed and the concrete for the gate base was poured. Flax was planted along the fence platform from the front gate to the stream culvert.
• 12th to 18th May –Fine weather at last! The last post holes bored below 3 Kings then finished the remaining sections to the top of the hill. The Unimog was used to lower the post ramming tractor down the Fitzroy hill on a wire hawser then driven down the Telecom line to pull the tractor up again. The last fence section to the shoreline at Arthur’s Bay was completed and the concrete pad laid for the pedestrian gate. The team worked through the weekend to get posts bored and rammed down the FitzRoy hill to just above the last drop to the stream.
• 6th to 10th May – Rain held up all work on the 5th and 6th then two fine days on the 7th and 8th with additional members of the team on site achieved a lot with installing mesh and capping on the Orama section of fence from Arthur’s Bay up the Telecom line. The 9th and 10th it rained again although they managed to get the posts bored and rammed at the bottom of the FitzRoy hill and sediment control fences installed.
• 1st to 3rd May – Rain finally stops on Thursday. Meanwhile off island workers have gone back to the mainland leaving two on site with two locals to continue with fence erection. Mesh applied to fence up most of the telecom line hill while the weather is fine leaving a gap on the flat section below 3 Kings. Pigs have re-invaded the peninsula in force with one boar shot this week.
• 21st to 26th April – Platform completed through to FitzRoy House front gate. Stream crossing culvert installed. Fence erection continues up Orama hill.
  Rain stops work.
• 14th to 16th April – Platform formed down FitzRoy hill to just above stream. Fence erection starts from Arthur’s Bay with battens and channel capping. Rain stops work.
• 7th to 12th April – Fencing team arrive, holes drilled, posts rammed and wires stretched. Battens and capping shifted to Port FitzRoy. Pad for Pedestrian gate is cut. Merck Sharp & Dohme workers arrive. Pine limbs are cut and chipped. Finish track and install culvert below 3 Kings. Finish platform and cut-outs to top of FitzRoy hill. Start clearing platform down FitzRoy hill.
• 1st to 6th April – Access road to assembly area is completed. Pine stumps removed and logs moved aside. Fence platform is formed from Arthur’s Bay to top of Telecom line. Pine logs are moved by Unimog from Arthur’s Bay to FitzRoy House for disposal. Culverts for stream crossing, mesh, capping and posts shifted to Port FitzRoy. Platform for vehicular gate is cut.
• 31st March – Pre-construction meeting with consent authorities and landowners who walk the line. Bulldozer and digger start clearing the pine logs and forming the platform down to Arthur’s Bay.
• 30th March – Digger and bulldozer reform access tracks up from Orama and Arthur’s Bay to assembly area on top of hill.
• 29th March – Barge unloaded at Karaka Bay utilizing 2 diggers, Orama truck, Unimog and the barge forklift.
• 25th March – Commitment day. The barge is chartered for loading on the 28th to sail on the 29th

Reason for a Fence

• Pest control unsustainable in the long term
• Cost: Continuous trapping, baiting is labour intensive/costly.
• Longevity: Fence will outlast 1st generation trustees, 50 years
• Can be self sufficient from tourism income once completed.

Fence Location

The planned 2 kilometre pest proof fence is to secure the Kotuku peninsula. The peninsula includes: 70 ha of DoC Scenic Reserve and
160 ha of private land with 60 ha in QE2 covenant, creating a total of 230ha of land to be protected by the fence. The eastern line of the fence follows ridge abutting DoC Reserve, and encroaches on DoC Reserve up to 7m over 100m. 90% of the line is on private Glenfern property. The northern line follows ridge across private Orama land.

 

You can help us out by making an donation.
Check back often to stay updated on the progress of the Glenfern Sanctuary Pest Proof Fence.

THE GLENFERN FENCE PROJECT IS PROUD TO BE SUPPORTED BY: