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Mahurangi magazine

Dedicated to democratic climate-action mobilisation and the Mahurangi

cover of Coastal Path and the Greater Mahurangi Regional Park

Reams of Renaming: While the renaming of the surplus-to-council-operations aluminium landing barge Park Ranger to J Barry Ferguson involves little more than affixing the new name, changing from Mahurangi Coastal Trail to Mahurangi Coastal Path, involves reams of renaming, including the 191 instances in this joint 33-page submission, despite it being formally submitted immediately ahead of the decision that path would better differentiate two trusts with similar names, in the greater Mahurangi geographical area. cover design Mahurangi Magazine

Mahurangi Action Incorporated’s marvellous year and then some

2021 annual report

secretary Cimino Cole

Far from ideal, this annual report, and the by-email annual general meeting it will be presented to, is four months late. Only part of that delay can be attributed to the on-going covid-19 pandemic. The principal cause of the delay was, having decided that as important as it is to adhere to annual elections and all that goes with them, the absolute timetable decreed for the 10-year regional parks management plan review was the vastly more urgent responsibility.

But that, joyously, marvellously, was not the half of it:

Annual report contents
1 Two very different Mahurangi Regattas
2 J Barry Ferguson Fund
3 Coastal path and the greater Mahurangi regional park
4 The J Barry Ferguson
5 Mahurangi Action – the next 50 years
6 Incumbent and nominated committee members
7 Call for nominations
8 Agenda for deferred 2021 annual general meeting
9 Invitation to new members
10 Minutes of 2021 Mahurangi Action annual general meeting
11 Mahurangi Action milestones

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1 Two very different Mahurangi Regattas

The 2021 Mahurangi Regatta was arguably the biggest and best ever. Equally, however, for Mahurangi Action, that summer’s was also the most taxing. Planned as an appropriately low-key, low-physical-contact regatta, by early December 2020, strong push-back was being received to the realisation that jazz orchestra and marquee component had been cancelled. With assurances that the costs involved would be donated, Mahurangi Action provisionally re-hired the orchestra and marque, the free regatta shuttlebuses plural, and scoped a traffic management plan.

Planning, of course, needed to proceed on the understanding that the four-tier alert level setting prevailing by regatta day, Saturday 30 January 2021, would be the ultimate arbiter as to whether the prize-giving dance would proceed. In the event, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement the large outdoor events could proceed, on Saturday 30 January. A raft of measures were taken to encourage physical distancing including the bigger and higher stage built by the sponsor Teak Construction to provide more space for the musicians and to allow them be more visible, from a distance. Also, by increasing the budget for the sound, and implementing a long-signalled change whereby the West City Jazz Orchestra organised the sound system inhouse. With one of their number a sound engineer by day, the musicians felt they had the setup exactly to their as they wanted.

Mahurangi Action committee meeting 16 June 2021

Steadying the Ship: Best ever regatta left Mahurangi Action fiscally bloodied but not beaten, thanks particularly to two supporters instantly responding to steady the ship—the forbearance of one, the underwriter; and the philanthropy of the other, facilitating the establishment of the J Barry Ferguson Fund. minutes Mahurangi Action Incorporated

Traffic management plan The 2021 Mahurangi Regatta was the first for which a professional traffic management plan has been produced. Help with this was first volunteered several years earlier, by the regatta sponsor. Auckland Transport was particularly responsive, suggesting a managed-access approach rather than a full road closure, after the consultants missed the statutory notification deadline for implementing the latter. Overall, the measures implemented were effective, and pointed the way towards an even more effective regime, and, importantly, a far more cost-effective one. One option that now needs to be scoped for 2023 is whereby at least one Scotts Landing volunteer would a certificated as a site-traffic-management supervisor—in itself, an apparently less-than-onerous undertaking—and that the road cones, for example, were provided by a company aligned with the sponsor, Teak Construction.

Regatta fiscal aftermath Combined, the compressed time available for traffic-management planning and covid-19 physical-distancing measures resulted in imperfect communication of funding commitment. This resulted in a shortfall of $6900, which was promptly underwritten by Bruce Trethewey. This was subsequently repaid, with proceeds from the J Barry Ferguson Fund.

Officers and commodores meeting First such meeting was held mid-2016, but not repeated in 2017 due to disinterest by the then commodore of the host club. Sixteen officers and commodores attended the 5 July 2021 luncheon meeting, hosted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Teak Construction. Mahurangi Action reiterated its determination to have the Mahurangi Regatta better support the Auckland Anniversary Regatta, including by trialling a Mark Foy-start race back to the Waitematā, in 2022. Subsequent discussion, however, mostly focussed on the disincentives to potential anniversary-regatta participants to attending. One significant such disincentive was agreed to be the failure to impose a regatta-day speed-under-power limitation, to address the agitated sea state on the Waitematā Harbour.

At the scheduled 2022 officers and commodores meeting, Monday 4 July, the measures planned for 2022 but were incompatible with the physical distancing prudent with the Omicron variant beginning its explosive emergence, will be reviewed and reconsidered for 2023.

2022 Mahurangi Regatta The 25 November 2021 decision to cancel the regatta shoreside events was an easy one to make, given the extreme unlikeliness that the covid-19 would have waned in the next two months. Not that New Zealanders were aware that their deadly, Omicron phase of the pandemic lay three months ahead. So, the scores of stalwart Mahurangi West regatta volunteers had the year off, to enjoy the visual spectacle, diminished only by the sublime a-class yachts being banished from the harbour to sail around Motuora.

Regatta budget meeting Some members of the committee, alarmed at the 2021 deficit pushed for a formal annual regatta budget review meeting. The meeting, scheduled for 29 September, failed to take place when a combination of progress to repay the underwriter, covid-19 restrictions, and the unlikelihood of the prize-giving dance occurring, rendered it moot. It is anticipated that such a meeting will, however, be held this year, before the Mahurangi Cruising Club Yearbook goes to print.

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2 J Barry Ferguson Fund

Owing money is never fun, even when the sum is offered without hesitation. In the case of the gaping fiscal hole left by the necessity of pulling out all the stops at short notice to re-ignite the 2021 prize-giving dance, however, it provided the opportunity to accelerate another, unrelated project. Barry Ferguson, a constant supporter of the Mahurangi Coastal Path project, had recently reiterated his preparedness to make a significant financial contribution to that cause. Aware that Barry was also exercised about finding good homes for the balance of his lifetime’s botanical art collection, the two imperatives were merged. The result is the J Barry Ferguson Fund and the Mahurangi Gallery. It was to be launched with a physical exhibition, hosted by the Warkworth Oaks in the upstairs banquet room of Warkworth Hotel, which the owner of the apartments and adjoining hotel so magnificently restored. The pandemic had other plans, but, despite it being an online-only silent auction, sufficient of the 114 artworks and books on offer sold to clear the regatta debt, with as much over again going to the Mahurangi Coastal Path—Barry’s first love, by a considerable margin.

2021 Mahurangi Regatta Financial Statement

Loving the Irony: Applying for funding was never for the fainthearted at the best of times, but particularly so during a pandemic when deadlines can be rescheduled at short notice. Having weathered that challenge, and applied for a little more that was expected, as Mahurangi Action has done since first successfully applying to the regional events fund in 2014, Auckland Council split the difference and granted the 2022 regatta shoreside events an extra $1000—only for those events to be cancelled to reduce covid-19 community spread, which, in the event, Omicron was gearing up to supercharge, to kill hundreds of New Zealanders. statement Mahurangi Action Incorporated

The next opportunity to hold an online auction will be when the surplus-to-operations ex-Auckland Council aluminium landing barge is renamed, capitalising on the attendant publicity. A fresh tranche of botanical and other books, some richly collectable, will be on offer—if the August 2021 auction is any indication, they are likely to out-sell the artworks—in number, at least.

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3 Coastal path and the greater Mahurangi regional park

As mentioned in the introduction, the principal cause for delaying the annual general meeting was to produce a robust submission of the draft regional parks management plan. The 2016 variation in respect to Te Muri, and the more than 500 submissions that had surely helped shape it, had finally seen off the 1980s plan to park private light vehicles behind the beach. Despite that, the current draft plan retains the 1960s regional-parks’ model prioritising private vehicle access.

First fit-for-climate-emergency-purpose management plan  With this review being regional parks management plan being required to be climate emergency fit-for-purpose, determined that policy simply being pro-coastal-path was insufficient. This provided both the licence and the responsibility to play to the strengths of a coastal-path concept that plugged straight into the existing urban transit terminus at Waiwera.

Joint submission Mahurangi Action, the Mahurangi Coastal Pathuntil 20 March 2022, Trail. Changed to mitigate confusion between Mahurangi Coastal Trail Trust and Matakana Coast Trails Trust, which, in addition to sounding somewhat similar, shares identical initial letters. Path also better describes the nature of the proposed, sensible-shoes surface. Trust and the Mahurangi Magazine separately lodged the 33-page submission developed online over a 12-week period, first notified on Christmas Day. At least one of the more than 4800 submissions lodged was directly stimulated by that as a work-in-progress on the Mahurangi Magazine. Whether there were more is unknown, but transparency was the principal motivation of the incremental publication of what has since been titled Coastal Path and the Greater Mahurangi Regional Park. At least six submissions support the Mahurangi Coastal Path, the most evocative being:

I wish to support the submission being lodged by the Mahurangi Coastal Pathuntil 20 March 2022, Trail. Changed to mitigate confusion between Mahurangi Coastal Trail Trust and Matakana Coast Trails Trust, which, in addition to sounding somewhat similar, shares identical initial letters. Path also better describes the nature of the proposed, sensible-shoes surface. Trust.

Back in 1958–59 we were allowed to camp at Te Muri as this land was then owned by relations, the Schischka family, who allowed us to drive in from Hungry Creek Road in our Morris Oxford. I recall there was a huge number of gates to be opened and shut to drive from the main highway to finally reach Te Muri and there were two small baches which were used by the Catholic Church as a retreat. I was nine years old and the memory of swimming in the estuary are still vivid, along with collecting shellfish.

In later years as a 19-year-old (1969–70) I was able to visit Te Muri via the road to Sullivans Bay and commute down the hill on foot, to then cross Te Muri Estuary to enjoy this lovely beach and walk around the rocks at low tide to the Pūhoi River with friends.

I and my family along with relations (Bohemians) will be some of the first to try out the intended barge to cross the Pūhoi River from Wenderholm to enable us to feel the sand under our feet at Te Muri Beach and have a picnic.

It would be great if funds could be allocated to repair the Māori cemetery at Te Muri as this has significant meaning to the history of this region.
Adrian Anderson ratepayer Auckland City

Te Muri, incidentally, receives 292 references, in the 5571 pages of submissions published—admittedly though, 160 of those are instances are contained in Coastal Path and the Greater Mahurangi Regional Park. Meanwhile, Wenderholm, the first modern regional park, receives just 195 mentions.

Mahurangi Coastal Trail is referenced 82 times, again mostly in Coastal Path and the Greater Mahurangi Regional Park, while none discovered to date overtly opposes it.

Unsurprisingly, considering the co-governance backlash, Hauraki Gulf Marine Park appears 7557 times—3528 who submitted in support of the trenchant rejection of any investigation of formally assigning 26 gulf-facing regional parks as part of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Although the regional parks network is referred to a commensurately, the formal phrase Auckland Regional Parks appears a mere 52 times.

Regional parks management plan hearings Hearings are scheduled to be held on four days, 9–20 May. Mahurangi Action, the Mahurangi Coastal Path Trust and the Mahurangi Magazine have asked to be heard on Monday 16 May, but with the percentage of the 5148 submitters who will ask to be heard unknown until 29 April, weeks more of hearings might need to be scheduled.

Members will be notified once Mahurangi Action learns when it is scheduled to be heard, in the hope that a few will attend for moral support.

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The surplus-to-operations landing barge bearing a first design attempt at its pending new name, the J Barry Ferguson.

Adhering to the Brand: Unless or until the Mahurangi-style, Arial-Rounded+koru typeface is replaced or refined, it would probably be unhelpful to change to another, for the purpose of renaming the Park Ranger for new role, in community ownership. The typeface, devised originally by the Mahurangi Magazine, is used to bind the collaboration between the publication, Mahurangi Action Incorporated, and the Mahurangi Coastal Path Trust. The mock-up displayed on the J Barry Ferguson here will be produced, initially at least, laser-cut from adhesive-vinyl lettering. name design Mahurangi Magazine

4 The J Barry Ferguson

Writing Coastal Path and the Greater Mahurangi Regional Park submission was not the only urgent business that was prioritised over this report and an annual general meeting. In August 2020, Mahurangi Action was made aware that Auckland Council, having acquired additional regional parkland on Mahurangi Peninsula, and with it, formal road access, was retiring its 4.9-metre purpose-built aluminium landing barge used to transport park rangers, contractors and equipment across the Mahurangi Harbour from Ōtarawaoknown more recently as Sullivans Bay by mana whenua but before that as Jacksons Bay, and, prior to settler influence, as Ōtarawao. Principal regatta sponsor Teak Construction’s director Stuart Charlton had long urged that Mahurangi Action Incorporated, being all about the Mahurangi Harbour, needed its own barge. Certainly, since reviving the Mahurangi Regatta Prize-Giving Dance, the logistics of transporting the otherwise very willing Mahurangi West volunteers to and from Scotts Landing is just one challenge solved, in a stroke. Stuart also urged—given that in community ownership, the landing barge would represent much greater benefit to the greater-Mahurangi regional park than was sold at auction into private hands—Auckland Council should be asked to consider selling it directly. On 23 February 2022sweetly serendipitously, its secretary’s 75th birthday, Mahurangi Action learned that disposal of the craft directly into Mahurangi community ownership, on the basis of Turner’s valuation, had been approved at the highest levelby Auckland Council’s general manager of parks, sports, and recreation.

Extraordinarily serendipitous timing Timing of the advice that the landing barge was available was extraordinarily serendipitous. It meant that, rather than the Coastal Path and the Greater Mahurangi Regional Park, contain only vague assurances, concrete plans could be included as to how the trialling of the Mahurangi Coastal Path could begin, early next summer. Although an actual acquisition date could be quoted then, developments since, in time to form part of the commissioner summary that will be presented at the hearings, will be able to include the date the acquisition occurred, past tense.

Funding purchase of the landing barge  Without a Mahurangi Harbour ferry crossing, there is no Mahurangi Coastal Path, only the beginning of one. Not content with that approach, Mike Neil has been the prime advocate for advancing the means to do that. The beauty of the approach, provided that the craft was shallow draft or amphibious, was that it could begin to introduce walkers to the first, sublime section of the path, from Waiwera to Te Muri. Although the surplus-to-operations aluminium landing barge is neither ultra-shallow-draft nor fully amphibious, it is close. What’s more, it was available, and at a price that enabled its immediate purchase, and the trialling of the coastal path to begin without further delay.

To prime the acquisition process, Mike and Norma Neil promised to contribute 15% of the purchase price. Shortly after, Barry Ferguson, after asking what the immediate funding shortfall was, and learning that it was $18 000, promptly pledged that balance.

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Minutes of the 2020 annual general meeting of Mahurangi Action Incorporated

Annual General Meeting Minutes: Conducted via email 8–14 December 2020, these minutes were circulated and adopted in its immediate aftermath. minutes Mahurangi Action Incorporated

5 Mahurangi Action – the next 50 years

While the milestone won’t be celebrated before 17 December 2024, nor can planning to mark its first 50 years be left until the last 12 months. At this distance, the imperative to ensure that the organisation has chalked up as many wins for the Mahurangi as it reasonably can. For example:

Mahurangi Coastal Path in daily use Although not strictly the instigator of the Mahurangi Coastal Path, the Mahurangi West and Pukapuka Residents and Ratepayers Association, which did the initial heavy lifting, didn’t come close to seeing out the 20th century. Well before thatfrom circa 1987 time, however, Mahurangi Action had taken over as the principal coastal-path advocate, determined to preserve the sense of splendid isolation that defines Te Muri.

Complete online publication of Jade River: A History of the Mahurangi Seven years seemed, at the time, a ludicrously long time to take to publish the first, hardcover, edition of Ronald Locker’s Jade River: A History of the Mahurangi. Thirteen years later, when beginning to publish the 416-page work online, that that process might take even longer, would have seemed preposterous. There are, however, 204 pages left to publish, and 15 of these are on the subject of what the author subtitled Māori Occupation of Mahurangi. By Locker’s own admission:

Without the help of Mr Graeme Murdoch and Mr David Simmons my attempts to write the Māori history of Mahurangi would have fallen far short of acceptability.

By the significantly more exacting standards appropriate three decades on, that chapter, by itself, could consume the better part of the 987 days remaining to the Mahurangi Action Incorporated’s 50th anniversary.

Along with Mahurangi Action’s 2007, every-action-must-be-a-climate-action decision to publish the Mahurangi Magazine online only, the decision that all future issues of Jade River: A History of the Mahurangi would be digital wasn’t difficult. Not only does it increase potential readership from thousands to billions, it allows readers to improve the publication, not least importantly, by correcting errors, but also by drawing the publisher’s attention to images that further enrich Locker’s account. Finally, and perhaps most time-consumingly, by allowing the hyperlinking of content, internal and external—within and without the Mahurangi Magazine—readers are provided a far more accessible resource, and entirely paywall and advertisement free.

Revering the scenic ridge roads Ronald Locker allowed himself to push himself only two barrows, when writing his magnum opus. Before he died, all too young, he would have been overjoyed to know that how utterly the Mahurangi community, and its council, had come together to mount a war on what he preferred to term adventitious plants.

Regarding his other barrow, however, Ron would have wept. For the sake of a comparatively few dwellings sited near to them, the scenic ridge roads of Mahurangi that he knew and revered, he would unarguably have considered to have been desecrated. Having said that, much could be done to preserve what hasn’t been compromised, and to lovingly, incrementally, repair what has.

Ronald Locker’s vision for Mahurangi West Road and Ngārewa Drive, however, was unadulteratedly private-light-vehicle-centric:

This road is a scenic asset in its own right. It is as important as the regional park it serves and should have about six lay-bys where visitors could safely drink in the scene.

Post-private-light-vehicle-centric era actions would see, over the next 50 years, the scenic ridge roads being rendered considerably more walkable, and the prodigious walker Locker’s lay-bys serving, increasingly, as way stations for walkers.

Resolving and gazetting Mahurangi names Esoteric though it may seem, the failure to resolve geographic and place names in the broader Mahurangi region has created some very practical difficulties, and some absurdities. Just one example of the latter: the Mahurangi Peninsula is not a gazetted name, but many, more recent, residents refer to Mahurangi West as a peninsula, which it patently, geographically, it is not—at least not after the first couple of kilometres from Cudlip Pointitself, just one of the many headlands whose names should be reviewed—and while Cudlip could be probably be defended, Mullet, most surely, could not.

Mahurangi Action might consider, between now and 17 December 2024, beginning a long-term project to identify and promote the gazetting of agreed names within the broader Mahurangi whenua.

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6 Incumbent and nominated committee members
Tessa Bergerincumbent president company director
nominator Caitlin Owston-Doyle seconder Sarah Ransom
Cimino Coleincumbent editor of the Mahurangi Magazine, secretary of Mahurangi Action
nominator Mike Neil seconder Caitlin Owston-Doyle
Hugh Gladwellincumbent legal consultant, trustee of Jane Gifford Trust and Mahurangi River Restoration Trust
nominator Cimino Cole seconder Sarah Ransom
Jim Dollimoreincumbent managing director of Biomarine
nominator Cimino Cole seconder Hugh Gladwell
Kelsay Grovehillsincumbent chart director former longtime editor of Mahurangi Cruising Club Yearbook
nominator Cimino Cole seconder Hugh Gladwell
Mike Neilformer committee member mechanical engineer
nominator Cimino Cole seconder Hugh Gladwell
Caitlin Owston-Doyleincumbent business owner
nominator Cimino Cole seconder Sarah Ransom

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Page 24, lower half, of the Mahurangi Bulletin, September 2004, reconstructed.

Bulletin Board: Before the first and last, full-sized glossy magazine-format publication produced by Mahurangi Action, were the dle, pocket-sized Mahurangi Bulletins, from which this is exerted. Only the typeface, spot-colour, and telephone number have been changed—the former because the Mahurangi Magazine no longer has access to it, about later, due to relinquishing an 0800 number, long since. publication Mahurangi Bulletin, September 2004

7 Call for nominations

Mahurangi Action, when known as Friends of the Mahurangi, was run along traditional community organisation lines, revolving around monthly meetings. For the better part of the organisation’s history, it has run email-assisted, with what a community organisation giant was kind enough to label, a rolling mandate. This has meant that many opportunities that would otherwise have had to wait for the monthly, midweek evening meeting—a time for many when their creative juices have dried up—have been grasped, and a trusting environment has allowed the decision to be formalised after the event.

If serving this board-styled organisation appeals to readers, they shouldn’t wait to be nominated, but put their oar in forthwith, and email the secretary.

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8 Agenda for deferred 2021 annual general meeting

Kia ora – welcome Welcome to the by-email, deferred, 2021 annual general meeting of Mahurangi Action Incorporated.

Apologies No apologies received to date…

Minutes of 2020 annual general meeting As displayed and linked here, as distributed, amended, and subsequently approved by those participating via email, 8–14 December 2020.

Matters arising from the minutes Most matters arising from the minutes should already be included the items following. If not members are urged to alert the secretary.

Annual report The annual report—of which this agenda is part—was notified 10 April, as work in progress.

Mahurangi Action Financial Statement 2020–2021

Down to Xero: In anticipation of a great deal more fiscal activity, thanks to the in-train acquisition of the J Barry Ferguson, Mahurangi Action now licences a reputable accounting system. Whether finding a skilled operator for it proves to be easier or more difficult than signing up ticketed skippers for the ferry, remains to be seen. financial statement Mahurangi Action Incorporated

Annual statement of accounts 2021 Mahurangi Regatta statement of accounts as displayed here. Mahurangi Action Incorporated statement of accounts currently in the process of preparation.

Election of office bearers Incumbent committee members are listed in the annual report, as is the sole new nomination, former committee member Mike Neil.

Mahurangi Regatta 2023– Planning for the 2023 Mahurangi Regatta will proceed in the hope, but not the firm expectation, that future variants of covid-19 will not render it unwise to encourage large gatherings, recreating or socialising at close quarters.

Mahurangi Action could look to incentivising a greater dispersal of picnicking sites, which, regardless of the trajectory of the pandemic, will help avoid overcrowding generally, as the Mahurangi Regatta inevitably grows in popularity.

Again, regardless of whether the shoreside events can be sensibly held, work could be progressed on a traffic management plan for Scotts Landing.

Teak Construction, the Mahurangi Regatta’s magnificent principal sponsor, has assured Mahurangi Action that its commitment—now in its eighth year—is long-term.

Mahurangi Coastal Path and supporters Mahurangi Action’s principal legacy, rivalled only by its revival of the Mahurangi Regatta, is likely to be the Mahurangi Coastal Path. The immediate mission of Mahurangi Action, should probably be to introduce as many people as possible to the coastal path, and sign up as many of those up as possible, as subscribing supporters.

The J Barry Ferguson Scoping of the implications of Mahurangi Action as the certificated maritime transport operator of a 4.9-metre in-survey aluminium landing barge, is currently underway. When the report is completed, Mahurangi Action will need to decide whether to pursue that course, or to take a much lower key, considerably circumscribed, approach to deploying the craft to facilitate use of the Mahurangi Coastal Path.

Alternatively, should Mahurangi Action elect to relinquish ownership of the J Barry Ferguson, a member has undertaken to relieve the organisation of the acquisition, at its full purchase price. On the more likely assumption the craft is retained, this meeting is the opportunity to ratify its new name, as J Barry Ferguson.

J Barry Ferguson Fund Next opportunity to publicise the J Barry Ferguson Fund and the mostly botanical artwork and books available on the Mahurangi Gallery will be when the Mahurangi Matters reports the renaming of the J Barry Ferguson, most likely in the 23 May edition. It is proposed that a full-page display advertisement be placed adjacent the renaming write-up.

12 best ways to get cars out of cities – ranked by new research, illustration

Provide it and they will come: While taxing cars out of city centres is cost-effective, providing free public transport to workers and students, and shuttles to the workplace and campus, moved 37% and 24% respectively, out of their cars. This suggests that, realistically, the regional parks of the next 50 years could, and morally absolutely should, provide more picnic spaces, and fewer for parking private light vehicles. illustration Emma Li Johansson, LiLustrations | source Paula Kuss and Kimberly Nicholas, 2022

Mahurangi Action – the 50th milestone and the next 50 years Ending its first 50 years by helping put the Mahurangi Coastal Path under the feet of future generations is grand on one level, but has taken far too long—a Mahurangi metaphor for how humanity has left itself no more time in which to drag its feet, in the beyond-urgent need to tread far more lightly on the Earth and its atmosphere.

Preparing a suitably bold, proposed mission and strategic plan for the next 50 years, whereby the organisation epitomises action by doing, on its own account and in collaboration with others, should, arguably, be undertaken and launched, at the 50th celebrations.

Membership and subscriptions Once decisions have been regarding the operation of the J Barry Ferguson , and, potentially, an operation plan developed, the annual subscription fee may need to be reviewed.

General business By-email annual general meeting attendees are invited to raise items of general business.

Meeting close – next annual general meeting While it may be overly-optimistic, it is to be hoped that the next annual general meeting—scheduled tentatively for Sunday 13 November 2022—will be held in Scott Homestead, with attendees from Mahurangi West travelling across the harbour by barge as in the balmy days of the late 20th century, but aboard the J Barry Ferguson.

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9 Invitation to new members

Existing Mahurangi Action members and Mahurangi Magazine readers are warmly urged to extend the invitation to others to become members by participating in this by-email annual general meeting. Subscription fees are a mere $10 for individuals and $20 for couples and families.

 

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Marvellous year in the title of this report borrowed from Ross Mullin’s poignant Where Fairburn Walked, second verse:

O walk me through those sleepy settlers’ streets
Where Fairburn walked
Past the villas with their filigrees
And chestnut trees and the idle talk
Of the old boilermakers in the public bar
Sipping at their beer
Past the poets at the dartboard
Waiting for their marvellous year
 

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10 Minutes of 2021 annual general meeting

Meeting opens By-email, deferred 2021 annual general meeting of Mahurangi Action Incorporated opens 6.12 am Wednesday 20 April 2022.

Attendance Attendance of this 2021 annual general meeting of Mahurangi Action Incorporated was by email and thus indeterminable.

Apologies Mark and Lyndsay Kirby

Minutes of 2020 annual general meetingApproved minutes of the by-email 8–14 December 2020 annual general meeting were appended to the 2020 annual report—published on 9 December 2020 as a work in progress.

Annual report The 2021 annual report spanning January 2021–March 2022 on account of the deferment of the annual general meeting, remained a work in progress during the by-email annual general meeting—these minutes, however, were not compiled and appended until 14 May 2023.

Adoption signalled 7.15 am 21 April 2022; no subsequent dissent communicated

Annual statement of accounts 2021 Mahurangi Regatta event financial statement and the 2020–2021 Mahurangi Action Incorporated statement of accounts were published as part of the online annual report.

Adoption signalled 7.15 am 21 April 2022; no subsequent dissent communicated

Election of office bearers The following members were elected the committee of Mahurangi Action Incorporated:

Tessa Bergerincumbent president company director
nominator Caitlin Owston-Doyle seconder Sarah Ransom
Cimino Coleincumbent editor of the Mahurangi Magazine, secretary of Mahurangi Action
nominator Mike Neil seconder Caitlin Owston-Doyle
Hugh Gladwellincumbent legal consultant, trustee of Jane Gifford Trust and Mahurangi River Restoration Trust
nominator Cimino Cole seconder Sarah Ransom
Jim Dollimoreincumbent managing director of Biomarine
nominator Cimino Cole seconder Hugh Gladwell
Kelsay Grovehillsincumbent chart director former longtime editor of Mahurangi Cruising Club Yearbook
nominator Cimino Cole seconder Hugh Gladwell
Mike Neilformer committee member mechanical engineer
nominator Cimino Cole seconder Hugh Gladwell
Caitlin Owston-Doyleincumbent business owner
nominator Cimino Cole seconder Sarah Ransom

Adoption signalled 5.04 am 2 May 2022; no subsequent dissent communicated

Mahurangi Regatta 2023– Planning for the 2023 Mahurangi Regatta will proceed in the hope, but not the firm expectation, that future variants of covid-19 will not render it unwise to encourage large gatherings, recreating or socialising at close quarters.

Teak Construction, the Mahurangi Regatta’s magnificent principal sponsor, has assured Mahurangi Action that its commitment—now in its eighth year—is long-term.

Regional parks management plan submission That the submission jointly lodged by Mahurangi Action, the Mahurangi Coastal Path Trust, and the Mahurangi Magazine on 4 March 2022, on Auckland Council's draft regional parks management plan be ratified. moved Cimino Cole seconded Mike Neil.

Adoption signalled 5.04 am 2 May 2022; no subsequent dissent communicated

The J Barry Ferguson That the decision by Mahurangi Action to purchase the surplus-to-operations regional parks aluminium landing barge from Auckland Council for $26,000 plus GST—with the written undertaking by Mike Neil to relieve the society of it at that purchase price should it subsequently be decided that its ownership is problematic—be ratified. moved Cimino Cole seconded Hugh Gladwell.

Adoption signalled 5.04 am 2 May 2022; no subsequent dissent communicated

That the cash contribution of Mike and Norma Neil of 15%, and Barry Ferguson of 60%, of the purchase price of the landing barge be acknowledged with profound gratitude, and the decision to rename the vessel the J Barry Ferguson be applauded. moved Cimino Cole seconded Sarah Ransom.

Adoption signalled 5.04 am 2 May 2022; no subsequent dissent communicated

Meeting closed at 8.03 am 6 May 2022, by email.

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11 Mahurangi Action milestones mark some significant achievements
1974 Founded, as Friends of the Mahurangi
1975 Tribunal recommends Warkworth wastewater be excluded from the Mahurangi River
1977 Revived the Mahurangi Regatta
1987 Supported Mahurangi West-led campaign that saw off plans to build a road to Te Muri and park up to 4000 cars behind its beach
1991 Conducted poll on aspirations for Mahurangi in 25 years
2001 Publication of Dr Ronald Locker’s 416-page Jade River : A History of the Mahurangi
2002 Successful High Court defence of the public’s entitlement to access Jamieson Bay
2004 Scotts Landing – Scott Homestead boardwalk
2005 Mahurangi Regatta Ball, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Warkworth’s founding
2006 Revival of the Mahurangi Regatta Prize-Giving Dance
2004 Leading role in supporting Auckland Regional Council’s Mahurangi Action Plan
2007 Mahurangi Magazine goes online
2007 Establishment of first scientifically designed trials demonstrating that forestry-style nursery methods could slash the cost of raising indigenous plants
2010 Leading role in developing Mahurangi Action Plan: A strategic plan for the catchment 2010–2030
2012 With property holder, establishment of the Mahurangi Farm-Forestry Trail
2015 Warkworth Sediment Improvements Pilot Phase I
2015 With Friends of Regional Parks, establish the Mahurangi Coastal Trail Trust
2016 Preservation of car-free Te Muri, forever
2016 Culmination of 42-year bid to see council commitment to exclude Warkworth wastewater from the Mahurangi river and harbour
2016 First Mahurangi Regatta held with new, long-term principal sponsor, Teak Construction
2017 Submitted only proposal—for two local boards to replace the current Rodney Local Board—deemed a reasonably practicable option to Auckland’s governance arrangements
2017 Initiated, supported by Mahurangi Matters, the Warkworth Town Hall Talks
2018 Initiated, with philanthropist member, Mahurangi-based green-lipped mussel reef restoration research project
2019 Initiated, with the Mahurangi River Restoration Trust, ‘Up the Mahu!’
2019 Provided snug harbour for chart—Coastal Heritage Art—competition for schools
2020 Route for Mahurangi Coastal Trail across Te Muri Estuary determinedstrictly, an Auckland Council – Ngāti Manuhiri – Mahurangi Coastal Trail Trust achievement with Ngāti Manuhiri
2021 Pulled off another best-ever, covid-19-wary-to-boot Mahurangi Regatta
2021 Established J Barry Ferguson Fund facilitating practical philanthropy to help fund actions to enjoy, protect, and restore the Mahurangi.
2022 4 March – joint Mahurangi Action, Mahurangi Coastal Path Trust, and Mahurangi Magazine submission on Draft Regional Parks Management Plan lodged.
2022 5 May – invoice received from Auckland Council and paid on same day, for surplus-to-operations landing barge.
2022 10 October – publication of Regional Parks Management Plan 2022 in searchable format.
2023 10 February – debut of J Barry Ferguson  on 92nd birthday of namesake benefactor.

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Disclosure The author of this annual report is the secretary of both Mahurangi Action Incorporated and the Mahurangi Coastal Path Trust, and editor of the editorially independent, independently funded Mahurangi Magazine.

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