Ashley-Rakahuri Rivercare Group

09/07/2026

Fernside School teacher Anita Ward talks about the enthusiasm of her pupils to help protect the nesting birds of the Rakahuri River. They took a petition to the Waimakariri District Council.

A group of very young North Canterbury students are driving change when it comes to protecting some of Aotearoa's most precious birds. The students - between six and eight years old - have convinced the Waimakariri District Council to investigate a bylaw to ban vehicles and dogs on the Ashley/Rakahu...

08/07/2026

WANT TO MAKE A FILM?

Are you 9 to 13 years of age?

YOU CAN.
Enter the Waimakariri Young Film Makers Competition.

All details at: Waimakariri.govt.nz/wyefm

Short films addressing an environmental issue will go before four judges.
Finalists will have their work on the big screen at Rangiora Town Hall Cinemas.

ARRG is one of several groups supporting the competition.

Read the details and start filming.

Waimakariri Young
Environmental Film
Makers competition
Ages 9-13
$250 cash prize plus your film on the big screen
Entries close 1 September
Visit waimakariri.govt.nz/wyefm for all the details

The main prize will be the opportunity for the finalist films, chosen by a panel of four independent judges working in the film/video industry, to be shown on the big screen before a large audience of invited guests during Awards Night to be held at Rangiora Town Hall cinemas on September 18.

07/07/2026

https://www.change.org/p/protect-our-braided-river-birds-support-a-seasonal-bylaw

Fernside School has presented their petition to help protect braided river birds to the Waimakariri District Council. Thanks to teacher Anita Ward and all the pupils for their effort.

Protect Our Braided River Birds – Support a Seasonal Bylaw

19/06/2026

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/environment/598492/cats-do-monstrous-amounts-of-damage-mid-canterbury-bylaw-proposal-welcomed

A conservation group looking to bring native birds back to a Canterbury town have welcomed council plans for expand rules around cat ownership.

19/06/2026

QUEEN/KING OF THE TRAPS

"Just the spot for me. I might catch a mouse, even two, that come for the bait." Photo: cat on trap beside Ashley Rakahuri River.

Yes, cats are the main predator on the river. Not surprising as the river runs beside a town. All cats are there - domestics, stray, feral. See North Canterbury News story in previous post.

Nothing has been done by the NZ government so councils are picking up the job.

ARRG and cat rescue groups have asked the Waimakariri District Council for a bylaw to microchip, spey and register cats. No action so far.

Nationally, the present government has demonstrated it has no intention to get a cat law in place. (petition rejected, select committee recommendation rejected).

There is no bill being progressed through Parliament, only a members' bill languishing in a drawer. Members bills, even if they get a random chance to be heard, rarely make it to law. You've got a better chance of winning Lotto.

council

19/06/2026

https://digital.ncnews.co.nz/html5/default.aspx

12/06/2026

Evie the river dog, who loves to sniff out rats, is rather lively as can be seen in the video.
Evie was on an outing with the ARRG river team at Edith Cavell Lifecare, Sumner, with team mates Grant Davey, Valerie Davey and Emily Wium.
After a presentation about the river work it was time for a photo.
Huh. Not likely, says Evie.
Of course, she wouldn't sit still.

22/05/2026

WINNERS WITH WORDS

Surprise was on their faces as four Waimakariri primary school pupils stepped up to receive their awards in the ARRG Young Writers' Competition.

Winners: Overall Supreme Award and winner of writing 10 to 13 years: Hazel Hobbs, pupil at Ohoka School.
Writing by pupils nine and under: Lily Anderson, pupil Ohoka.
Poetry by children 10 to 13 years: Charis Deane, pupil at Rangiora New Life School.
Poetry by children nine and under: Charli Jarvis, North Loburn School.

A big thank you to Jean-Pierre Derveaux and Michelle Tamaki, owners of the Ashley Rakahuri Gorge Holiday Park for their generous prize of accommodation.

Essays and poems are on display at Kaiapoi Library.
ARRG thanks Waimakariri Libraries learning support coordinator Jason Clements for MC duties at the prizegiving.
Main picture from left: ARRG chair Sue Mardon, Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon, winners Charis Deane, Hazel Hobbs, Lily Anderson and Charli Jarvis, sponsor Jean-Pierre Derveaux and judge Pat White.

27/04/2026

Looking forward to reading the essays and poems submitted for the Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group's Young Writers' Competition.
Leading up to the May 1 deadline for entries Ohoka School pupils got some valuable insights about the river and its inhabitants from former ARRG chair Nick Ledgard to help with their research.

Sharing environmental knowledge . . . Ashley-Rakahuri Rivercare Group volunteer Nick Ledgard, who was a guest speaker at Ohoka School last Monday morning, showing pupils a three dimensional printed version of a wrybill/ngutupare. PHOTO: SHELLEY TOPP

29/03/2026

Tributes paid, ribbon cut, sausages consumed ... and now the Annie Currie Viewing Platform at Te Aka Aka Waikuku estuary is officially open.
Three Christchurch friends of Annie Currie, who funded the project through a bequest, believed she would have been delighted with the outcome.

Pictured: Ruth Cochrane, Cos Jeffrey, Dianne Fenwick, friends of nurse, pscyhotherapist, painter and potter, Annie Currie, lately of Nelson.

Special thanks to ARRG committee member Robert Clark who managed the ARRG project and gave his labour to build the platform.
Also to Waimakariri District Council for support and assistance and Deputy Mayor Philip Redmond for official duties at opening.