The Tree Council, Waitākere Ranges Protection Society and Forest & Bird want to thank the communities of the Waitākere Ranges for supporting the rāhui with a special event to be held 2nd of June, Queen’s Birthday weekend in Piha.

The concert called Rockin the Rāhui will take place at the Barnett Hall in North Piha and features a superb live music line up with representation from across the Waitakere Ranges including Cat Tunks & her Bona Fide Band, Te Henga Collective, students from Piha’s Robs School of Rock – and headlined by out of town favourites – Swamp Thing. Local legend Snapper Thiele will MC the evening.

The Kauri Dieback Management Programme have provided some funding towards the event and volunteers are donating their time to help make it happen.

Waitākere Rāhui spokesperson and The Tree Council’s Secretary Mels Barton says “we want to say thank you to the communities who have had to give up walking in the bush in their own backyards to protect our kauri over the last 18 months since the rāhui was placed. We appreciate the enormous sacrifice they are making and how hard it has been for everyone. So we’d like to all come together for a fun evening and enable everyone to let off some steam”.

This fantastic music line up is a celebration of music across the West. Combined with one of NZ’s favourite live acts, Swamp Thing, a night of good groove rock n roll, visuals and top local talent celebrates the achievements and positive support, with food and bar available. Tickets are bound to go fast and will be available from Evenfinda here.

The Waitākere Rāhui was placed by local iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki on 2 December 2017 to prevent and control human access in order to protect kauri and allow the forest to heal. All tracks within the forest are closed by the rāhui except those achieving agreed track surface standards. It will remain in place until effective and appropriate research, planning and remedial work is completed to ensure the risks are neutralised or controlled.

 

Comment:

Dr Mels Barton, Secretary The Tree Council 021 213 7779

Catherine Tunks, Toi Toi Music 021 422867

Annalily van den Broeke, Chair Waitakere Forest & Bird 021 220 7136