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| Holly Cunliffe, 9, and Spencer Cunliffe, 11, from Invercargill enjoyed planting the native sand binder plants, pingao, as part of the working bee near Waipapa Point |
The combined Southland Forest and Bird and Heritage South trip to Waipapa Point on the south coast on 8 March saw about 60 people climb to the top of the historic lighthouse, with some helping plant pingao or watching the four sea lions lazing on the beach. After lunch a smaller group explored the remains of the historic gold dredge behind the sand dunes further along the beach in calm, mild conditions.
Department of Conservation staff explained the history of the Waipapa Point Lighthouse, built in 1884 after New Zealand's worst maritime disaster when the passenger steamer Tararua hit the reef there and sank in 1881, with 131 lives lost.
The first lighthouse keeper was Arthur Ericson, whose family later farmed in the area for several generations. The bequest made to Southland Forest and Bird by the Ericson family when they left the area has enabled the re- establishment of some native pingao.
Trip leader and botanist, Brian Rance said there were probably only three original plants left there but more have been put in over three working bees with 23 now quite well established and 20 more put in on Sunday.
"The issue is controlling the introduced marram so the pingao can extend naturally," he said. "The sea lions sometimes roll on them and the rabbits find them palatable so they struggle."
People, including many tourists were interested in seeing the old system in contrast with the modern equipment. It has been automated from about 1977, using solar panels backed up by batteries, all controlled from Wellington with a flash every 5 seconds, based on a light sensitive system.
Ivan and Bev Harvey of Invercargill were especially delighted to have the chance to climb to the top of the lighthouse and get their family photo taken as they were holding a family get together, including a son from Adelaide. They had a strong connection to the light house as Ivan Harvey's grandfather, Henry Harvey, was the keeper there in the 1920s.
"Henry, born in 1889 and died in 1941, came home from the Boer War and this lighthouse keeping was his first job, going on to be a keeper for over 25 years, including in the Hauraki Gulf, Cape Brett, Taiaora Heads, Dog Island, Waipapa Point and Centre Island," I Harvey said. "Over this time they had seven children, including my father also named Henry, with the family going back to the family farm at Slope Point after their time at Centre island."
"It was a real privilege to be able to see such a remote location and imagine what the wives had to put up with," B Harvey said. "We are so lucky to have the opportunity to get inside today when we were having our gathering."
