Community

Emergency Response Group (ERG)   

Building community resilience in the face of any civil emergency on the Peninsula is the responsibility of the ERG – see the Community Response Plan for the Kelvin Peninsula, page 19.  The Group is composed of local residents experienced in dealing with emergencies and coordinators located across the Peninsula.  Its role is multifaceted: liaising with Civil Defence; acquiring the necessary equipment (generators, radios) to support the community in the event of, say, a major earthquake; building a communication network so everyone on the Peninsula can be reached; and ensuring there is capacity within the community to run a local operations centre.  Check out our Emergencies  page  for details that you need to know.  If you want to be involved, contact the ERG via our Volunteering page.

Predator free 2050

Operating under the umbrella of the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust since 2016, KPCA’s pest busters team has been eliminating hundreds of rats, stoats, ferrets, weasels and possums, recently passing the milestone of 1000 predator catches.  It currently operates 4 traplines over 15 kms of Peninsula foliage.  Different methods are required for different predators; and we actively consider expanding the range of traps for the team, recently adding 25 traps across the traplines.  There is much work to be done to make the Peninsula predator free, including working both with other groups such as Jack’s Point and within our neighbourhoods.  This expansion will be supercharged if and when the Trust’s proposed Southern Lakes Sanctuary gets underway.  The risk to domestic pets has to be constantly monitored.  Ultimately, it requires achieving a balance between effective trapping and freedom for pets to roam off the walking tracks.  We can all play a part in helping our native wildlife to flourish.

Friends of Jardine Park   

Jardine Park is one of Queenstown’s gems, and we who live on the Peninsula are so fortunate to have this park literally in our backyard.  The planting os almost 3000 natives in the recently cleared area has transformed the park, while supporting restoration of our native biodiversity. Friends of Jardine Park is a newly formed group of the KPCA, dedicated to supporting the ongoing maintenance of the planted areas and community orchard.

We hope to build a community of people who enjoy Jardine Park and are enthusiastic about it thriving   We see this group as a fitting successor to that group of KPCA stalwarts, the Working Group, whom we farewelled at the end of 2020. Our Friends of Jardine Park monthly working bees will be run on the afternoon of the 1st Sunday of every month from 2-4pm.  New volunteers welcome!

KPCA continues to add amenities to the Park in consultation with the Council. First the multisports courts and now a flying fox which was recently completed. A spatial plan for the whole of the Park is under development. Meanwhile, QLDC  has removed the trees in the wind damaged area of the Park.

Community orchard   

KPCA volunteers have created a Community Orchard of fruit trees in Jardine Park.  Now part of the Friends of Jardine Park, they care for the Orchard throughout the year, including holding an annual pruning workshop or community busy bee open to all. New Volunteers welcome!

Community nursery   

The Jean Malpas Community Nursery located in Jardine Park is part of the Whakatipu Reforestation Trust.  Volunteers prepare plants for the upcoming planting seasons every Wednesday.