Westland District, Hokitika

Want to get to know your neighbours?

Want to get to know your neighbours?

Check out our Know Thy Neighbour page here.

933 days ago

Concrete planter

The Team from Resene ColorShop Timaru

This modern, stylish planter finished in Resene is a great option to show off a statement plant. Find out how to create your own.

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934 days ago

Nursing shortage keeps West Coast rest home shut

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From reporter Joanne Naish:
A rest home on the West Coast will remain closed while a nursing shortage grips the aged care sector.

Reefton’s Ziman House closed in February due to staffing shortages and a concern about levels of care during the oncoming Omicron peak. Ten residents were moved to … View more
From reporter Joanne Naish:
A rest home on the West Coast will remain closed while a nursing shortage grips the aged care sector.

Reefton’s Ziman House closed in February due to staffing shortages and a concern about levels of care during the oncoming Omicron peak. Ten residents were moved to Christchurch, Hokitika and Greymouth, with the West Coast District Health Board (DHB) saying it would reopen in June.

This week, DHB general manager Philip Wheble said Ziman House could not reopen until more staff were recruited.

The home, which offered hospital-level care, employed two full-time equivalent nurses, but needed 5.6 to provide hospital-level care.

Wheble said if it could not recruit enough staff, the DHB might consider reopening with rest home-leve care, which had a lower requirement for staffing levels.

Between six and seven residents had indicated they wanted to return.

“The reality is that recruiting into health care roles across New Zealand is challenging and more so for rural locations like the West Coast,” Wheble said. Continue reading A rest home on the West Coast will remain closed while a nursing shortage grips the aged care sector.

Continue reading here.

936 days ago

Can you help a business in your community?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

We are incredibly proud to launch Short Notice is a new initiative designed to connect neighbours with a little spare time on their hands with local businesses that need a bit of extra help!

It's very simple; using the new Short Notice community hub, share a little about yourself, your … View more
We are incredibly proud to launch Short Notice is a new initiative designed to connect neighbours with a little spare time on their hands with local businesses that need a bit of extra help!

It's very simple; using the new Short Notice community hub, share a little about yourself, your availability and how you'd like to help.

If you're a business owner sign up for a FREE Premium Business listing to get access to Short Notice and let your community know what help you need.

Together, let's help keep small businesses busy!
Explore Short Notice

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936 days ago

Any size McCafé® coffee is $4

McDonald's

Grab yourself a delicious Barista Made Coffee for only $4 at McCafé.

McCafé, simply good coffee.

Available for a limited time.
Find out more

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939 days ago

Our 2022 Prospa Local Business Hero Winner!

Prospa

Congratulations to Robert Fenwick, owner of Fenwicks Pharmacy in Canterbury, the 2022 Prospa Local Business Hero.

Robert has been recognised for his ongoing service and support for the community through tough times. Fenwicks pharmacy remained open throughout the lockdown with friendly greetings,… View more
Congratulations to Robert Fenwick, owner of Fenwicks Pharmacy in Canterbury, the 2022 Prospa Local Business Hero.

Robert has been recognised for his ongoing service and support for the community through tough times. Fenwicks pharmacy remained open throughout the lockdown with friendly greetings, conversations and smiles!

Congratulations to all the finalists and thank you for nominating your favourite local business. We'd like to acknowledge the official winner of the public voting poll, Josh Coe, owner of Page 42 cafe. Unfortunately, Josh has decided to close his business after 3.5 years and we wish him all the best.

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940 days ago

Rustic house number

The Team from Resene ColorShop Timaru

Turn scrap building materials into a fun and practical piece for the home. Use timber offcuts and some creativity to make a rustic house number sign with Resene Alabaster and Resene Woodsman Crowshead.

Find out how to create your own.

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942 days ago

Poll: Why aren't you switching power providers?

The Team from NZ Compare

The weather is getting chilly, ya power is going to rise! So why are you sticking with the same plan and provider if it might be costing you MORE money?!

53.9% of Neighbours said they switched over 6 months ago and 33.6% said you have no idea when you last switched! We want to know why … View more
The weather is getting chilly, ya power is going to rise! So why are you sticking with the same plan and provider if it might be costing you MORE money?!

53.9% of Neighbours said they switched over 6 months ago and 33.6% said you have no idea when you last switched! We want to know why you're not switching power providers?

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Why aren't you switching power providers?
  • 32.6% Switching is too hard, I have enough to deal with!
    32.6% Complete
  • 23.7% I'm in a contract
    23.7% Complete
  • 43.8% I don't know where to find a better deal
    43.8% Complete
473 votes
942 days ago

Know a deserving neighbour?

Ashleigh from The Neighbourly Team

Our winning Nice Neighbours have been featured across NZ in the local papers, maybe you've spotted these smiling faces...
If you have a nice neighbour who needs recognised for the little (or big!) things they do, nominate them on our Nice Neighbour page and you could each get a $25 Prezzy® … View more
Our winning Nice Neighbours have been featured across NZ in the local papers, maybe you've spotted these smiling faces...
If you have a nice neighbour who needs recognised for the little (or big!) things they do, nominate them on our Nice Neighbour page and you could each get a $25 Prezzy® card - that sounds like morning tea to me!

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942 days ago

Don't miss NZ Gardener's newest collectible edition!

Mags4Gifts

Hi neighbours,

It's time to sow your seeds and cut those flowers because NZ Gardener's new special edition is on-sale now!

The NZ Gardener team takes you through the seasons with advice on cutting fresh flowers 365 days of the year. Flick through the pages and find stunning … View more
Hi neighbours,

It's time to sow your seeds and cut those flowers because NZ Gardener's new special edition is on-sale now!

The NZ Gardener team takes you through the seasons with advice on cutting fresh flowers 365 days of the year. Flick through the pages and find stunning photographs, step-by-step instructions on how to arrange bouquets and what to plant and when.

Get your copy where any good magazines are sold or buy online at Mags4Gifts.co.nz
BUY NOW

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943 days ago

Cyclone impacted catchments tracked

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

Landslides high above State Highway 67 north of Westport in a stream catchment straddling an active fault-line is worrying the West Coast Regional Council.

An internal engineering staff report has highlighted the deterioration of vegetation on slopes… View more
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

Landslides high above State Highway 67 north of Westport in a stream catchment straddling an active fault-line is worrying the West Coast Regional Council.

An internal engineering staff report has highlighted the deterioration of vegetation on slopes at Barrytown and parts of Buller from Cyclone Ita in 2014, and delves into the progressive erosion in the Lake Stream catchment, 10km northeast of Westport township.

The cyclone caused massive damage throughout the entire West Coast, flattening swathes of native forest and vegetation, particularly in river valleys.

In Buller, the Lake Stream catchment on Mt Rochfort had already split into three channels by the time of the heavy storm this February, but the erosion has now escalated, regional council engineer Paulette Birchfield said.

"Multiple landslides" had left a huge volume of slip material sitting high up in the catchment, about 1 kilometres above the highway.

When the slip material did eventually move it could radically change the stream's direction, with significant potential to spill on to the road at the bottom of the slope, Birchfield said in her report.

The majority of the slips in Lake Stream were in the upper catchment, diverting the flow across a fan. In future heavy rain events the high slip material was likely to mean the stream would "take any number of other flow paths".

Birchfield said the possibility of mechanically diverting the flow and excavating the original Lake Stream channel would be difficult. Steep topography and thick vegetation made both foot and access for machinery challenging.

A large-scale landslide did occur in the catchment in at least 2015, a year after Cyclone Ita, and this had been supplying increased sediment and debris to the Lake Stream channel.

In normal conditions the stream flow would not have sufficient energy to transport additional slip material and the channel would slowly evolve in response.

However, an earlier heavy rainfall event in early May 2020 was probably large enough to move significant volumes of sediment and debris, causing Lake Stream to tear away from its original channel, breaking out in several places.

A 1997 thesis noted that until the downstream channel width and depth was increased to the new flow regime, floodwaters would continue to break out of the channels and drains, causing flooding and sedimentation of farmland and damage to property.

PICTURES: West Coast Regional Council

1: Lake Stream catchment, north-east of Westport.

2: Approximate location of the diversion site in Lake Stream.

943 days ago

Progress continues on new Buller Health Centre

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

Building work on a single new health facility to replace Westport’s old hospital complex is beginning to make tangible progress, as seen in this view of the site taken last week.

The framework for Buller Health Centre, on the flood-prone … View more
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

Building work on a single new health facility to replace Westport’s old hospital complex is beginning to make tangible progress, as seen in this view of the site taken last week.

The framework for Buller Health Centre, on the flood-prone north-western side of the town, is now standing.

The size and extent of the building’s footprint can now be seen - taking up much of the block bounded by Cobden, Derby and Pakington streets.

It is also being built on a raised foundation of about 1 metre to future-proof the facility from flooding.

The new $20 million-plus facility has had a checkered history since the rebuild was first mooted back in 2011.

Work on the new hospital building, just south of the current main Westport Hospital block, was initially announced as a $30m rebuild in 2011 before being downgraded to a $12m ‘integrated family health centre’.

It was then re-announced as a $20m build by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in a 2017 election pledge.

The project started to sputter into life at the end of 2019 when demolition of some buildings got under way.

The West Coast DHB recently said the rebuild was on schedule and the expected completion time frame should be by mid-2023.

945 days ago

Catch up and Clean up

Mags4gifts

Purchase a three month subscription to the Sunday Star-Times for $51.87 and get a cleaning kit (RRP$66) for Free from WildClean, the world’s 1st plastic negative cleaning co.

Make sure to use the promo code “CLEAN” at checkout to redeem. Terms and conditions apply.
Find out more

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946 days ago

Hurry – sale ends this weekend!

Resene

Get decorating and save with Resene!

Get 20% off Resene premium paints, wood stains, primers, sealers, decorating accessories, wallpapers and cleaning products at your local Resene ColorShop.

Make the most of your home with paint designed in New Zealand for New Zealand conditions. Made right … View more
Get decorating and save with Resene!

Get 20% off Resene premium paints, wood stains, primers, sealers, decorating accessories, wallpapers and cleaning products at your local Resene ColorShop.

Make the most of your home with paint designed in New Zealand for New Zealand conditions. Made right here in New Zealand since 1946 and voted Most Trusted Paint every year since 2012!

See sale details online: www.resene.co.nz/sale
Find out more

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947 days ago

Long weekend has started, check out our top things to do!

The Team from NZ Compare

Sometimes having NO plan is a great plan! But if you feel the need to do something this long weekend then take a look at our top ideas.

From the team at NZ Compare - be safe and smile with your loved ones. Lest we forget. ❤️

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947 days ago

Pretty in pastel

The Team from Resene ColorShop Timaru

Painted glass bottles make a stylish display on their own or with the addition of dried foliage. The paint is on the inside so they still have that lovely glass sheen. Use Resene testpots to co-ordinate with your home's colour palette.

Find out how to create your own.

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