Puhoi marks 160th year

from Mahurangi Matters_Issue 457_19 June 2023

What’s on

Residents of Puhoi, particularly those with a tie to Bohemian ancestors, will celebrate the settlement’s 160-year anniversary from June 29 to July 2.

The celebrations will include a Feastday Mass at St Peter and Paul’s Church at 11am on Thursday, June 29, followed by an anniversary lunch at the Puhoi Hall at midday.

There will be a dance in the Puhoi Hall on Saturday night, with music by Shane, and the Shazam Band.

The programme will conclude with Sunday Mass and the laying of the thanksgiving wreath on July 2, starting at 11am.

Puhoi was founded by Captain Martin Krippner, from Staab in Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. He encouraged fellow Bohemians to join him and, in 1863, 51 adults and 31 children sailed to New Zealand. These hardy pioneering families cleared the forest and probed the swamps for kauri gum, which was a precious commodity in those days. Many descendants of these families still live in Puhoi or the surrounding area. The Puhoi Museum has kept full records of the pioneers’ genealogy and achievements.

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Marja Lube ck

Restore Rodney East is a network of organisations passionate about protecting our waterways, native plants and animals. We aim to promote local environmental community groups, share information and inspire community members of all ages to become involved in conservation efforts.

Mahurangi West Pest

Mahurangi West Pest has a goal to eradicate pest animals from the Mahurangi West peninsula. The three main pest species are possums, mustelids and rodents, and with 973 traps and 346 bait stations registered on Trap NZ they are well established and always adding more to the trapping network. As well as pest animal species, highly invasive pest plants are targeted to prevent nasty weeds spreading into neighbouring properties and regional parks. These pest plants degrade native habitats by smothering native plants and killing them. Climbing asparagus, bushy asparagus, woolly nightshade and moth plant are just a few of the plant species targeted. If you are keen to be involved in this project, need or can offer help get in touch. Your skills, whatever they may be, can make a positive difference in this great little community.

www.mahurangiwestpest.wordpress.com

Email: nada.mahuwestpest@gmail.com

Or contact Gay Miers, Weed Control and Planting Programme Coordinator gay.miers@gmail.com

Takatu LandCare

Takatu LandCare (TLC) is a collective of community conservation groups, landowners, residents and volunteers. Our original mission was to create a buffer zone of trap lines protecting the Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary from possums rats and mustelids. This has now grown in scale covering the whole peninsula. TLC is now expanding its work. With the help of Auckland Council, TLC has identified 15 ecologically important sites on the peninsula. We are currently restoring one of these sites to its original state. It will be an important waypoint for birds travelling the peninsula, as well as reducing silt and nutrient runoff. Please join us at our next planting day on Sunday 16 July at 9am at the corner of Takatu and Whitmore roads. For more information contact Email: pestcontrol@takatulandcare.com or 022 364 7063