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Young Vintner recognition supports next step for EIT wine student

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

40 seconds ago

EIT Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student Ngaun Siau is preparing for a vintage placement at Craggy Range and an associate judging role at this year’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.

The 27-year-old was awarded the Craggy Range Young Vintner Scholarship and Best Student Wine for her Penrose Cabernet Franc 2025 at last year’s Bayleys Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.

“I didn’t expect that I would get it,” Ngaun says. “As a student, I study and make wine, but I never thought I would be able to achieve that kind of title.”

Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student Ngaun Siau, pictured with Sue Blackmore, School Viticulture and Wine Science, won two awards at the Bayleys Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards

It is not the first time she has been recognised for her winemaking. Ngaun also received Best Student Wine honours the previous year for her Dalan Cabernet Franc 2024, marking back-to-back awards for the variety.

Ngaun says this year’s wine was produced from a vineyard in Maraekakaho, with contrasting vineyard conditions influencing a different winemaking approach.

“The vineyard conditions were completely different, so I chose a different winemaking path,” she says.

The wine’s name, Penrose, is inspired by the Penrose Staircase, a mathematical concept representing endless steps. Ngaun says the idea resonated with her because she produced a Cabernet Franc the previous year and wanted to continue making wine.

Originally from an agricultural region in Taiwan, Ngaun grew up watching her family harvest crops, sparking an early curiosity about where food and produce ultimately end up.

That interest, combined with a growing passion for sustainable agriculture, led her to Hawke’s Bay and enrolment in EIT’s Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science programme in 2023.

Throughout her studies, Ngaun gained experience across vineyards and wineries, working multiple vintages and developing a strong interest in regenerative viticulture. She says exposure to different vineyard systems and production styles has strengthened her understanding of terroir and grape quality.

Her focus on sustainability was reinforced through a regenerative viticulture tour in 2024 and later informed a research project exploring undervine cover cropping and its role in improving soil health.

Ngaun completed her studies at the end of last year and is set to graduate in April.

“These three years went very fast. But they were full of learning, challenges and moments I am very grateful for.”

She says the support of tutors and strong connections with the local wine industry have played a key role in her development.

Ngaun says the openness of the Hawke’s Bay wine community has been central to her growth as a student.

“The industry here is incredibly welcoming. Even very busy winemakers and viticulturists always make time to talk with students and share their knowledge.”

Looking ahead, Ngaun is preparing for her upcoming vintage placement at Craggy Range, where she will work alongside the winemaking team during the harvest in March.

She will also return to the EIT Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale later this year as an associate judge as part of the Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards judging process.

While her immediate focus remains in Hawke’s Bay, Ngaun says she hopes to continue developing her skills through future vintages, with longer-term plans to pursue further study overseas.

“My roots will always be in wine. There is always more to learn, and that’s what keeps me motivated.”

Assistant Head of School, Lisa Turnbull, says Ngaun’s recognition highlights her dedication and potential.

“Ngaun’s achievements reflect her commitment to learning and her passion for winemaking. We’re very proud of what she has accomplished and look forward to seeing her continue to grow in the industry.”

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Lifelong connection to te reo Māori leads EIT graduate into the classroom

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

4 days ago

Jo-Anna Tahuri grew up speaking te reo Māori, but her studies at EIT’s Te Whatukura helped deepen her understanding of the language she now teaches to the next generation.

Originally from Whakatāne, Jo-Anna (Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, Ngāti Awa and Tūhoe) moved to Te Tairāwhiti in 2018 to study and be closer to whānau, enrolling at EIT at a time when she was still working out her long-term direction.

“Studying Māori was something I was familiar with. I thought I would just do six months while I figured out what I wanted to do and then I just stayed for so long.”

Jo-Anna Tahuri began studying a NZ Certificate in Te Reo Māori at EIT and left with a Bachelor of Arts (Māori) Honours.

She initially began with the NZ Certificate in Te Reo Māori (Level 3) before going straight into the NZ Diploma in Te Reo Māori (Immersion) (Level 5) and then the Bachelor of Arts (Māori) and later her Honours, which she finished in 2022.

Growing up, te reo Māori had always been part of Jo-Anna’s life, both at home and at kōhanga reo during her early years.

“I thought I knew Māori. Then I started studying properly and realised there was so much more depth to the language.”

A highlight of her time at EIT was the whānau-based environment at Te Whatukura, which she says became central to her experience.

“That made the whole experience. It became my second home. Because I was so unfamiliar with Gisborne, I got to know all the people there and they became like another family to me.”

The supportive atmosphere extended beyond fellow students to the teaching staff. “The tutors also have a lot to do with the environment,” Jo-Anna says.

After completing her honours degree, Jo-Anna studied teaching before taking up her current role as a Year 1 and 2 teacher at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui.

“I love it. Everything I learned at EIT feeds into what I do now,” the 26-year-old says.

Teaching has been a lifelong dream, inspired by a strong family connection to education, and her experience with teachers as a child.

“I come from a family full of teachers. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was little.”

“When I was at school, I remember all the teachers who believed in me and knew what I could do, and I wanted to be that teacher for other kids, especially our Māori kids,” she says.

She remains a strong advocate for Te Whatukura and encourages others to consider studying there.

“I tell everybody to go there. The tutors and the environment make such a difference.”

Looking back, she says her time at EIT shaped both her career and her confidence.

“It helped me grow. It prepared me for where I am now, and I’m really proud of that.”

Pareputiputi Nuku, Pouarataki, Te Ūranga Waka, says: “We are very proud of what she has accomplished at such a young age”.

“I got to know Jo-Anna when she was employed as part of the EIT’s MoE project, Te Ahu o te Reo Māori based at Te Whatukura. Jo-Anna was kaiāwhina and also responsible for all social media for the project. A warm, vibrant and very sharp young wahine. Wepua, Jo-Anna! Karawhiua!”

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Logan Paul’s ‘holy grail’ of Pokémon cards sells for $27.3 million

Source: Radio New Zealand

Five years ago, Logan Paul set a world record when he purchased a Pokémon card for US$5.275 million (NZ$8.74 million). It proved a sound investment – the influencer and wrestler sold that card for a jaw-dropping $16.492 million (NZ$27.3 million), with a diamond encrusted necklace thrown in.

The rare Pikachu Illustrator card –– one of just 39 created for a Pokémon illustration competition in the late 90s –– went under the hammer on Goldin auctions on Monday.

It is believed to have earned the WWE star more than NZ$13 million in profit after auction fees, a sale he called “absolutely insane”.

The auction had been running for 42 days but came to an end after hours of extended bidding Monday, with Paul saying “we may have tired someone out” during a YouTube live stream.

“Oh my gosh, this is crazy,” he added once the auction closed and confetti rained down.

Moments later, a Guinness World Records official appeared onscreen and confirmed Paul had sold the most expensive trading card ever at auction.

This time around the card was sold inside a custom necklace worn by Paul at WrestleMania 38 and with his promise to hand-deliver it to the winning bidder.

Pokémon is the world’s highest-grossing media franchise, surpassing even Disney and Star Wars. Cards have rocketed in value, outpacing sports cards and beating the S&P stock market by 3000 percent in the past 20 years, Goldin founder and CEO Ken Goldin told CNN in December after Logan confirmed he would be auctioning off the card.

“This is the most coveted trading card in the world,” he said.

Goldin said the Illustrator is considered “the holy grail of all Pokémon cards” and Paul’s card was what everybody wants because it’s virtually flawless – the only Illustrator card considered a Grade 10 card by authentication agency PSA.

As Monday’s bidding drew to a close, the price initially held at $11.41 million until a flurry of last-minute offers during an extended bidding period lasting several hours drove the final auction total to $27.33 million from 97 total bids.

Paul has a reputation for taking collectibles to extreme levels and has spent millions to secure some of the rarest items ever produced, including NFTs – unique, verifiable digital assets traded on the blockchain.

The WWE wrestling star bid farewell to the card on Saturday in an Instagram post, saying “goodbye my friend. What a privilege it’s been to be the owner of the greatest collectible in the world.”

The card is just one of 20 Illustrator cards graded by PSA.

Paul got his hands on the ultra-rare Grade 10 card by swapping a PSA Grade 9 Pikachu Illustrator card he previously owned – worth $2.11 – and $6.6 million in cash for it in July 2021.

Only eight of the Pikachu Illustrator cards have been awarded a PSA Grade 9 and Paul’s sale is the only PSA Grade 10, the highest and most desirable grade assigned by PSA.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall dead at 95

Source: Radio New Zealand

Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor best known for The Godfather, Apocalypse Now and many other tough-guy roles over an acclaimed screen career that spanned six decades, has died. He was 95.

Duvall died “peacefully” at his home in Middleburg, Virginia on Sunday (US time), according to a statement sent by his public relations agency on behalf of his wife, Luciana.

Duvall memorably played the Corleone family consigliere, or key adviser, in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, earning his first of his seven Academy Award nominations for the 1972 film before reprising the role two years later in The Godfather Part II. Duvall noticeably skipped a long-delayed second sequel, The Godfather Part III, due to a pay dispute.

Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now.

Photo12 via AFP

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Blues captain Dalton Papali’i to leave New Zealand rugby

Source: Radio New Zealand

Blues captain Dalton Papali’i. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

Blues captain Dalton Papali’i will leave New Zealand rugby at the end of the Super Rugby season to play in France.

The Blues have confirmed the 28-year-old will take up an opportunity with French Top 14 team Castres Olympique.

Papali’i, who made his Blues debut in 2017, said the decision was extremely tough to make, but the timing felt right at this stage of his career.

“This club means everything to me. I grew up dreaming of wearing the Blues jersey and representing my country. I’ve been lucky enough to live that dream for a long time,” Papali’i said.

All Blacks loose forward Dalton Papali’i in action against France, 2025. Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz

“The Blues gave me my chance, backed me, and helped me become the player and person I am. This was a really hard decision, but the opportunity in France is something that works well for where I’m at in my career with my young family.

“I’m fully committed to finishing my time here the right way. I love this club, the people, and our supporters, and I’ll keep giving everything I’ve got into the season ahead.”

Papali’i played 37 tests for the All Blacks after debuting in 2019, but played just once for the national side in 2025.

Papali’i (98 games) is on track to become a Blues centurion during Round 3’s match against the Brumbies in Canberra.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Person killed. two others injured in head-on crash in Auckland

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / REECE BAKER

One person has died following a head-on crash in West Auckland last night.

The crash between two cars at the intersections of Hepburn and Great North Rd in Glen Eden happened shortly after 11pm on Monday.

Three people were taken to hospital – one in a critical condition and two others with moderate injuries.

The person in a critical condition later died.

The police’s serious crash unit is investigating the cause of the crash.

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Our Changing World: Science for future fashion

Source: Radio New Zealand

Senior technician Sean Taylor displays the new solution for mounting sensors onto smart clothing. RNZ

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Over the last three decades the rise of fast fashion, and the explosion of plastics in our clothes like polyester and nylon, has created sustainability and environmental issues.

Globally 92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced each year, and an estimated half a tonne of unwanted clothes is sent to landfills in New Zealand every five minutes. The fashion industry is a major contributor to carbon emissions, and each wash of petroleum-based textiles produces more microplastic pollution that gets into our waterways.

Enter the European UPWEARS project, which aims to use science and innovation to tackle these problems.

Future fashion

“We are expecting to have a totally new, sustainable and innovative supply chain for the textile industry,” says Dr Yi Chen.

UPWEARS is a four-year, €7 million (NZ$13.7m) research project involving 14 partners from seven countries, one of which is New Zealand’s Bioeconomy Science Institute. While the project is led by the French national research institute INRAE, Yi is the UPWEARS New Zealand lead, based on the Institute’s campus in Rotorua (previously Scion).

It is a lofty goal. One that they have split into different sections to tackle; replacing plastic-based yarns with natural ones that will biodegrade, creating new textile processing technologies that are more energy efficient, designing smart sensing ‘e-textiles’ and figuring out if there’s a way to recycle existing textile waste.

Bioeconomy Science Institute

The project is funded by Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation. New Zealand can bid for funding by applying with European partners and the New Zealand government pays back to Horizon Europe what is received in grants.

This international collaboration is key, says Yi. The Bioeconomy Science Institute has expertise in biomaterial development, and the campus has biodegradation facilities that will be vitally important for later in the project to test whether the clothing they create can break down. The European partners bring state-of-the-art research facilities like particle accelerators and large-scale additive manufacturing, as well as textile industry knowledge.

The project kicked off in November 2024 with a meeting in France and the next gathering will take place in Rotorua in 2027.

At that stage, they hope to have produced a prototype example of ‘clothing of the future’ – a smart cycling suit with built-in sensors capable of analysing your sweat or environmental conditions. All made from natural fibres that can be reused or biodegrade at the end of the clothing’s life.

Dr Kate Parker at the Bioeconomy Science Institute’s biodegradation facility. RNZ

Creating clever yarn for smart clothing

In one of the chemistry labs on campus Dr Robert Abbel holds up a clear plastic bag with two fibres inside. One is a pale-yellow colour. This is what their European partners send to him – samples of the natural-based yarns they have developed made from hemp and European flax.

The other is a dark black colour, a result of Robert’s efforts to make this yarn able to conduct electricity.

To do this he makes use of a molecule called lignin which is naturally found in wood but is stripped out as waste in the paper-making industry. But Robert has found a way to put this waste to use.

“We process the lignins into nanoparticles and then give them a high temperature, so-called carbonisation, treatment. So they turn into carbon. That means they get conductive. And then we deposit them on the yarns in order to make the yarns conductive so that they can be woven into functional textiles.”

Their collaborators will use these conductive yarns in their aim of creating smart textiles – sensors that are part of the clothing that can monitor different health or environmental markers, such as breathing and heart rate, or air pollutants.

But they will need something to mount these sensors on, and work is underway on that too in Rotorua.

Dr Robert Abbel has been working on how to make the natural fibre yarn conductive using the waste product lignin. RNZ

Putting paper-making skills to new use

Senior technologist Sean Taylor spends much of his time in one of the oldest labs on campus. Once it would have been used to investigate how best to make paper out of wood pulp. Now Sean is applying this knowledge to new research questions.

Cellulose, the main strengthening component of wood, is the most abundant polymer on Earth, and is the basis of papermaking. Now, Sean says, while demand for paper production seems to be waning, there’s growing interest in using cellulose to replace plastic polymers wherever possible.

Sean has been combining cellulose from different sources (different tree species have different length cellulose fibres) with waste lignin to produce a paper-like material that’s stiff, robust and water resistant. Perfect to mount a sensor on for this new smart clothing.

As well as this innovation around biomaterials, some of the Rotorua-based UPWEARS team are also investigating whether there are solutions for existing textile waste.

End of life

In a garage-like space at the back of the campus, Louise Le Gall flicks leavers and pushes a satisfyingly-large red button to switch the big yellow extrusion machine on.

As it hums to life, she explains that it uses a combination of heat and mechanical pressure exerted by two turning screws to melt and mix whatever is fed into it. Louise is currently researching whether she will be able to give used textiles a new lease of life using this machine.

Louise Le Gall is the materials engineer tasked with try to figure out how to recycle waste textiles into 3D printer filament. RNZ

The goal is to take different types of materials and use them to create 3D printing filament, but it is all about characterising what you are working with, she explains.

“You have to know how to play with the parameters to obtain the product you want at the end. So in the case of the UPWEARS project, we have some textile waste. You can have nylon, you can have polyester, you can also have cotton. And our goal is to find which parameter we’re going to choose to mix all that together in the machine, without burning one material and melting the other.”

If it works, they’ll use this recycled textile filament to 3D print padding to be used in the sportswear. Which the team are hoping will be ready for a test run in Whakarewarewa Forest Park in Rotorua in 2027.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Live weather: Floods close roads around Banks Peninsula as downpour moves south

Source: Radio New Zealand

Akaroa hit by flooding as storm moves south. RNZ / Nathan Mckinnon

Christchurch and Banks Peninsula are being lashed by heavy rain as the wild weather moves south, causing flooding in Akaroa.

MetService said a deep low east of New Zealand is moving slowly southwards, bringing more heavy rain to the lower North Island and eastern South Island.

However, it said the south-to-southwest gales over central New Zealand are easing.

Banks Peninsula is under an orange heavy rain warning until 6pm, with up to 100 mm of rain on top of what has already fallen.

A heavy rain watch is in place for Christchurch (apart from Banks Peninsula), and Canterbury Plains and Foothills between the Rangitata River and Amberley until 10am.

A heavy rain watch for Dunedin (east of Pukerangi) will linger for longer, and is due to expire at 9pm.

Christchurch City Council said it was closely watching the weather, with roading crews on standby overnight. Some surface flooding has already been reported, but more will be known as day breaks.

State Highway 75 between Christchurch and Akaroa was closed at 11pm on Monday because of flooding. An update on the road is due by 7am.

MetService said has also issued heavy swell warnings for the Wellington and Wairarapa coasts from midday, saying large waves and dangerous sea conditions are expected. Coastal inundation is possible about exposed coasts.

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East Auckland residents say three-storey development shouldn’t be allowed, fear for privacy

Source: Radio New Zealand

Residents of an affluent east Auckland suburb fear their quiet lifestyle could be shattered. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Residents of an affluent east Auckland suburb fear their quiet lifestyle could be shattered by a three-storey development in the middle of their neighbourhood.

With dozens of buildings looming high above her garden, Farm Cove resident Anne Moore said there was nowhere to hide.

“My sister’s room is curtains drawn because there are people building on the building site, and there’s no privacy,” she said.

Moore was leading the charge urging council to take action over the partly-completed construction.

With the support of her neighbours, she had sought legal advice, maintaining the development should no longer be allowed under Auckland’s recently changed planning rules.

The hammers and grinders echoing through her home office were hard at work on a pair of three-storey residential units, and they were right next door.

Moore worried the lack of privacy could be permanent once her new neighbours moved in.

“I think the fact that it looks right into our home and right into our property. We’ve got a spa pool, there’s two or three swimming pools in the surrounding area that they now look down on all of us,” she said.

Farm Cove resident Anne Moore says the development should no longer be allowed under Auckland’s recently changed planning rules. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Another neighbour, Lisa Anne Roy, said the new building towered over her property and blocked the sun.

“The impact’s been absolutely huge,” Roy said.

“We have an immune-compromised child, and taking all the sunlight away from the bedroom side of the house, I mean going up 11 metres, it’s just horrific.”

Roy only heard about the development through word of mouth after construction had already started.

“I have three dogs. To have that third dog on my property, I had to get every single neighbour to sign before council would let me have three dogs on my property,” she recalled.

“They didn’t have to get any signatures to totally change the landscape.”

The development in Farm Cove was allowed by the central government’s Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS), introduced in 2022 and permitting three-storey buildings on most city properties.

Contractors at the site on Bramley Drive had just broken ground in October last year when Auckland Council pulled out of those standards, the result of an agreement with the government following the 2023 floods.

That change limited new builds in Farm Cove to two floors, but the development had already been consented for three.

Anne Moore said construction should stop, and was campaigning for the council to step in.

“I keep getting emails saying that, you know, he had a building consent, he got it under the MDRS, and so they’re not going to enforce it because he was given that at the time. Well, that’s all very well, but those rules don’t apply anymore.”

Auckland Council’s head of resource consents, James Hassall, said the development could go ahead despite the recent changes.

“The government is investigating changes to help remedy the situation. This has allowed Auckland Council to issue formal notices to affected consent holders confirming they can rely on their existing consents and continue with their developments while a permanent fix is investigated,” he said in a written statement.

The developers declined RNZ’s interview request, but reiterated that the council had given them permission to continue.

And continue it had. Within a few months, contractors had already erected the frame of the third floor, and the shape of the building was coming into view.

Moore said the noise was driving her crazy, work often dragging into the evenings and weekends.

“They are allowed to work until six in a residential area, but they often keep going and we all have to yell out, hey, time to go, because by then we’ve had enough. So we really want our privacy back for what little time we have it,” she said.

“They’re here Monday to Saturday, and then last Sunday some showed up to work last Sunday, which they’re not allowed to do.”

In an election year, she said National risked losing its previously loyal support in east Auckland.

“I think it’s going to make a difference at the polls this year, to be honest,” she said.

“And this area is a big stronghold for a certain party, and so people are outraged.”

Anne Moore said her community felt burned, and feared others may be put in a similar position.

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Former St George’s Preparatory School students step back in time ahead of its demolition

Source: Radio New Zealand

Built in a neo-Georgian style, St George’s opened in 1927. RNZ / Robin Martin

Former students of St George’s Preparatory School in Whanganui have been stepping back in time on tours of the almost century-old campus ahead of its demolition.

The district council-owned site is being deconstructed – piece-by-piece – ahead of being repurposed for iwi health organisation Te Oranganui.

Built in the neo-Georgian style in 1927, St George’s was originally a boarding school for boys destined for nearby Whanganui Collegiate. In 1980, faced with declining rolls, it went co-ed before eventually relocating entirely to the Collegiate campus in 2017.

Former student Richard Austin’s father, Geoff, was headmaster from 1957 to 1977. He found the tour an emotional experience.

The entrance to the headmaster’s residence at St George’s. RNZ / Robin Martin

“I was thinking of those moments during my time there. Where I was sitting when I was told about the untimely death of my grandfather. I could just picture where I was sitting and where Dad told me.

“To walk onto the headmaster’s steps into his study. There were red steps where you were about to be caned. I could almost picture my dad’s binoculars hanging over the balcony balustrade.”

He reckoned his dad pumped up his role somewhat.

“He was more like a housemaster for 80 boarders all aged under the age of 12 or 13, and maybe 40 day boys. So, it was a boarding house, which I lived in, and the headmaster’s residence that was entirely discrete, but it didn’t stop me slipping through and helping myself to home food as well as school food.”

Austin – who had no qualms about the buildings coming down – looked back at his time at St George’s fondly.

“Our life there was a microcosm, we just lived a completely organised, regimented and caring life.

“School holidays were great. I had all these swimming pools I could use, all these tennis courts I could use or cricket fields I could play on. It was a wonderful time.”

ARC chief executive Thomas Bishop takes staff from Te Oranganui Trust through St George’s. RNZ / Robin Martin

Whanganui Heritage Trust co-chairperson Mary-Ann Ewing petitioned to save the school but had long accepted that was not possible.

“Our focus turned to salvage looking at the materials, the heritage materials, and we’ve been promoting to the council access for the public to walk through so that past students, teachers and grandparents can effectively say goodbye to it.”

The visit also moved her.

“It was quite emotional walking through. It’s such a beautiful building and we feel we’ve done the right thing arranging these days of walk-throughs, so people can see how much there is to salvage. The beautiful wood.

“And we were very impressed with ARC. They are passionate about salvaging as much as possible.”

ARC Asbestos Removal and Demolition chief executive Thomas Bishop was hoping to salvage up to 95 percent of the building materials.

“Your rimu, your matai, your totara, this material needs to be between 600 and 800 years old to mill. This building’s been up 100 years, so if it’s 600 to 800 years old before it’s even been installed in this building. We’re potentially talking about timber that is over 1000 years old which is pretty special. And it hasn’t seen moisture or the light of day in a hundred years.”

It wasn’t a responsibility Bishop took lightly.

It’s hoped to salvage much of the native timber used to construct St George’s. RNZ / Robin Martin

“There is a lot of history here and we have a lot of focus on is being kaitiaki for this product, this native material. We want to see this last forever, so for us to make sure it gets a new lease of life or installed in something else is hypercritical.”

The brickwork was also a focus.

“So, these bricks were actually clayed and fired here in Whanganui. There’s over 500,000 of them at this stage. It was actually full height double-bricked so there was potential for a million bricks here at one stage, but we’ve got 500,000 potentially left on site which are going to be cleaned up and repurposed.

“We’re still doing a bit more of a deep dive into the roofing tiles to figure out what’s going on with them. I know they were used as ship’s ballast to travel to and from Aotearoa New Zealand back in the day.”

Heritage management consultancy, Geometria, was also going through the buildings with a fine-tooth comb recording every aspect of the school so that it could create a digital record of it – including a three-dimensional representation of it.

Whanganui District Council bought St George’s from the YMCA in 2019.

It has signed a 21-year lease with Te Oranganui which planned to use the site as a community-focused health and wellbeing campus.

ARC Asbestos & Demolition CEO, Thomas Bishop, hopes to salvage 95 percent of the materials used to build St George’s. RNZ / Robin Martin

Te Oranganui Mātaiwhetū chief executive Whetūrangi Walsh-Tapiata said the trust had been able to tour the buildings before the extent of its asbestos issues was known.

“So, we have known about the beauty of the materials, in particular the wood, and as we progressed towards a lease arrangement with the Whanganui District Council and in our conversations with the Whanganui Heritage Trust, we always anticipated that we would like to consider using some of those products as a part of our new development.”

Walsh-Tapiata said the trust wanted the new build, planned for the school’s cricket ground, to honour pre-colonial and more recent history.

“So we are very excited about the possibility of ongoing conversations with the Whanganui District Council to consider how we might be able to use some of those materials.

“We’ve also created an artist group and they’re part of the group that walked through the property earlier this month with a view of seeing how we might be able to utilise some of these products or some of these resources, some of these materials.”

Walsh-Tapiata said as news of the deconstruction of St George’s spread, she expected requests to come in from marae and hapū iwi.

“And I hope they do, because when I look at particularly the wood. I think, wow, what did our land look like 100 or 200 years ago?

“You’ve got to remember that a lot of our forests 200 years ago were shipped to, for example, Wellington, and were part of building our Parliament buildings. So, you know, that is the nature of the beauty of the materials that came out of this region.”

Walsh-Tapiata said Te Oranganui had operated in the region for more than 30 years and its more than 200 staff were often spread around multiple locations.

“One of our goals was to build a fit for purpose facility where we would all be together and that would reflect our values and the way in which we have a wellbeing approach to the services that we offer.”

Walsh-Tapiata said stage one and stage two of the development would be to locate a headquarters for Te Oranganui on the St George’s existing cricket field, while stage three would be to invite partners onto the site of the existing school to create a genuine wellness hub.

It was envisaged more than 100 Te Oranganui staff would be based there.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand