Fracking A!

Talk about it . . . Northern Southland women Zella Horrell (left) and Katie O’Connor discuss Riverton artist Wayne Hill’s sculpture relating to the mining practice of fracking. The sculpture sits at the entrance to the Riversdale township. PHOTO: MARGARET PHILLIPS

Art questions wisdom of fracking farmland 

 By MARGARET PHILLIPS

(Wayne's anti-exploitation artwork is continuing to attract attention to public discomfort around industry activities that threaten the integrity of the environment and local communities)

IT is hoped Riverton artist Wayne Hill’s sculpture witha hydraulic fracturing (fracking) theme will 

create a talking point for Northern Southlanders.

The sculpture has been placed in a paddock at the entrance of Riversdale township.

Northern Southland women Katie O’Connor and Zella Horrell hoped the sculpture, created from three pieces of driftwood, would become a talking point about the Government’s tender process for oil and gas exploration permits in Northern Southland.

The Waimea Valley tender block covers 1214sq km in Northern Southland.

The two women were keen to stimulate conversation about the possibilities of oil and gas exploration.

‘‘It’s just a bit of fun to make people curious and ask questions,’’ Mrs Horrell said.

One point to debate could be why two competing industries would be set up in the same area — agriculture, which had a long history in the area and was sustainable, and mining, which had a relatively short lifespan, they said.

Mrs O’Connor said Northern Southæ land had a hugely successful agricultural industry and questioned why that would be put at risk.

The area not only had a successful agricultural industry, but it had clean water and  a secure, happy community and Mrs Horrell questioned whether that needed to change.

Mrs O’Connor said robust consentæ ing processes needed to be in place to protect resources, including water.

‘‘As I have learnt more and looked into the American and Australian experience I am clear that we need robust processes in place that protect our water,’’ Mrs O’Connor said.

‘‘The key issue is that relatively shallow depths of fracking, the process used to obtain coal seam gas, could contaminate our shared aquifers. Water is a precious and scarce resource for farmers,’’ she said.

Mrs O’Connor questioned how any mining operation would impact on landowners’ day to day ability to farm their land. Drill heads could be relatively close together, at between 400m to 700m apart, roadways and double piping could be laid across farms and the companies might operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she said.

Swimmer and shark

The udder sculpture

On a farm, on a heap of rock...

...someone has placed this simple figure.

Non-compliant bird

This is hard to believe.
The driftwood art of Wayne Hill has fallen foul of authority, as you may have read, and requires consents before it can be erected out on the bed of the Jacob's River estuary at Riverton. Not such a hurdle, you might think, despite the substantial cost involved, but do-able were it not for the flint-eyed objectors, whose relentless complaining to the Southland Regional Council has pushed the projected costs for hearings and other bureaucratic business up toward the $5000 mark!
The Riverton Estuary Care Society Inc. had what it considered a great idea - why not offer to host Wayne's driftwood art on their privately owned wetland reserve at the edge of town? It has ponds, created for the whitebait from the estuary to mature in and those would suit Wayne's artistic purposes perfectly. His art is best seen reflected in water, and the ponds are full of that good stuff.
We chose a spot, Wayne dug-in his latest work, a small 'bird' set on a nest of 3 small stone 'eggs'. The Southland Times, always interested in Wayne's work and his battle with bureaucracy, came out to photograph the modest artwork and interview the artist and a representative from the Riverton Estuary Care Society (me).
All seemed to be well, until... the reporter, checking with the District Council before publishing the story, discovered that they were not happy! The structure, they said, requires a consent!

Here's the offending artwork, in situ. See what you think. While you're doing that, I'll be on the phone to the council :-)

Found a friend

Here at the museum - 'That Guy'!
Wayne Hill's driftwood artwork is part of the fabric of my life it seems. I've one of his pieces in my garden, I see a couple in the estuary as I leave home in the morning for the big city and I find several more here in the museum on display!

Wild game

Photo Leah Fraser

Ogon goes country wide

New Zealand Gardener magazine has run an article on Riverton's driftwood art and used this fine photo of our now famous friend in his pre-felled state.

The article describes the well known and oft-asked-for ungulate too as:

"a spread-antlered moose with driftwood ribs, hooves, a great moosey head and ...well everything else a moose has, all fashioned from bleached branches and logs washed around the edges of the estuary."

That's some good writing in my opinion :-)

Poem of Joy

(Best viewed reflectively in a calm high tide - oh Joy!)

Joy

I contemplate my life and others

I contemplate my haters

I contemplate my lovers

I contemplate the ups and downs

I contemplate the estuary at night

And the night’s encompassing sounds

I contemplate you and you and you

I contemplate ‘why’ and ‘how to’

The past and what’s to come

I contemplate a rising

And a setting sun

And the friends

And the start

And the end

I contemplate the Joy

Of it all

(Poem and driftwood art by Wayne of the Hill)

350 umbrellas per million

Looking ahead to next month's calendar of events (pays to plan), the 10th of the 10th is '350 day' where those concerned about climate change make a noise or a splash of some sort to draw attention to the acceptable measure for greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere (350 parts per million) by whatever means they choose.
Last year, Transition Towns Invercargill organised a 'beach party' where Southlanders of all stripes built sand castles below the high-tide mark and watched them wash away, to highlight the plight of low lying Pacific islands in danger of rising sea levels and increased storm activity.
This year the Environment Centre at Riverton is planning an event on the town's viewing platform and the beach below it, involving umbrellas, as many as we can attract (umbrella-bearers attached - 350 of them would be good!) and a photo shoot to capture the great 'unfolding'.
We'll throw in some food and music and other entertainments, along with the unveiling of a Wayne Hill 'made for the moment' driftwood sculpture.
There will be fun and intrigue and it won't matter at all if it rains, in fact...
More details to follow.    

Who's That Guy?

Latest letter

The letters to the editor of the Southland Times around the driftwood sculptures are becoming more and more bold and creative.
Today's, from David Russel makes the point that has become very apparent, that the public, ordinary people, us, we, have a powerful voice and can shape circumstance by our shared responses - we aren't beholden to the actions of bullies, curmudgeons and councils, where those decisions run against the will of the people. It's a very encouraging state of affairs!

 Cunning sculptural plot


I have seen through the cunningly rendered plot surrounding Wayne Hill's clever sculptures.
It's brilliant.
Focus the nation's attention on a great little sea-side "family"and "culturally" friendly town beset by a mean gang of four, and a heartless council attempting to wrap creativity up in toxic paperwork.
That and the big fee surely designed to crush our hero at the centre of the saga.
Enter Jo Citizen and the merry band of free spirited, fun-loving Rivertonians, who set in motion a tsunami of public support.
And to our hero, surfing the support superbly, and continuing to exhibit his wit and wisdom through wood, bigger and better projects beckon.
The plot keeps evolving.
The fees may be waived. For after all, is it not the councils' commercial clients who benefit from the extra traffic.
Imagine the traffic that will be generated by the new "Sculpture Capital of the South", that ought to arise after the council awards Wayne Hill the first of the new Sculpture Artist in Residence?
I predict he will be followed by a stone artist, who will utilise the region's famous pakohe/argillite stone found in pre-sculpted abundance around that glorious coast.
And having got the neurological protest message satisfactorily hammered home, the television crews can be standing by in waiting to document the half-hour show documenting the saga set in motion by Wayne.
So, two things to sort, and let's hope at last, the message to both sets of decision makers is undeniable.
The public is right after all.

David Russell, Invercargill

Small town shenanigans

The Southland Express's Phil McCarthy's had some good times out here in Riverton and tells us all about it in his opinion column this week.











He was here when the Verlaines played their 'blistering gig' and Graeme Downes 'lashed out a performance for the ages' and he's followed the paths of Radar and Don McGlashen as they swung into our little fishing village, garnished as it is with sprigs of 'hippy-organic' and he is, so far as I can tell, a Stag supporter, describing Wayne Hill's creations as 'wonderful' and wondering whether his detractors should perhaps 'get away from the estate once in a while'.

"But what do I know", Phil asks, "I don't even live there".

Come on out Phil, you'd be made very welcome. We like creative, flexible, talented, tolerant music and art lovers with a sense of humour. You'd find that 99% of us are like that out here.

(I didn't see you at Radar's 'Eating the Dog' performance, and know you'll be kicking yourself for missing a fabulous night - he's a laugh and a half and an all-round good guy!)

Good decision ES.

Out-going chairman Stuart Collie talked some sense at yesterday's council meeting when he suggested, with regard the artworks in Riverton's estuary, that the council take a softer approach.

From the Southland Times:

" He told the environmental management committee the council should not discourage people from getting involved in artistic activities.
Instead, he wanted the possibility of waiving the fee investigated."

Mark Hunter, Compliance Manager, said that papers to that effect had already been sent to Mr Hill and that he was "waiting to see his reaction".

The ball, bill, bull is in your court now Driftwood Guy!

It's art! It's fun! It's in ..Wellington!

Here you go Mr Scouts and Mrs Western Star, here's how a community has fun and doesn't get all bitter and twisted!

No body complained to the Council over this tree-fun and why would you?

Stoush!

From the Southland Times

"A stoush could be brewing in Riverton over a driftwood sculpture in the estuary. "

Could be?

We'll see.
Cue TV has coverage at 5:30p.m. tomorrow

Go the Stag!