Conservation Awakening: Mount Cook, Lincoln College, Abel Tasman, SAR, South Auckland Land District

Conservation Awakening

It was the fragility of caves that first triggered my interest in conservation, combined with the stunning wild environment in which I caved and worked. However, I had no knowledge other than having read Gerald Durrell’s ‘My family and Other Animals’ and ‘Two in the Bush’. So, I wrote to Durrell and asked him to recommend some books on conservation. He responded with a list and asked me if had met a botanist associate of his Abu Bin Gurza in PNG. I wrote back and thanked him and told him that remarkably, I had met Abu Bin Gurza on the way up Mount Wilhelm!

Another life changing encounter for me, was meeting Lincoln College conservationist, caver and entomologist Dr Rowan Emberson on the Atea’78 Muller Range Expedition and we discussed my newfound interest in conservation and that I had decided to move to New Zealand (NZ). I had visited NZ twice and travelled, tramped and caved on both islands and loved it. I also told Rowan I was considering pursuing a National Park Ranger career, and he suggested I apply for the Dip. PR at Lincoln College (now University and that it would be good to have a caving ranger in NZ.

Mount Cook National Park

In late in 1978, having spent 10 years in PNG, I left for NZ. Before leaving, I thought it would be a good idea to ring the Auckland telephone exchange and take a punt by asking the operator to put me through to the Chief Ranger (CR) of each national park one by one with the intention of asking them for a job in their national park.

The first one was Mount Cook National Park Chief Ranger Barrie Thomas. Barrie asked me if I had snow and ice experience. I told him I didn’t and jokingly said I had been living in the jungle for the past 10 years in PNG, 5 years working in mining and 5 years as a PNG Police Officer and also as a Police Officer in Tasmania and the UK. 

I also told Barrie I was applying for the Lincoln College Dip PR course and wanted to become a ranger. He immediately offered me a job as a Mount Cook National Park worker. He didn’t tell me he had also been a Police Officer! This was another major turning point in my life and one for which I shall be forever grateful to Barrie. Serendipity at work, yet again!

During my 3 months at Mount Cook National Park (NP) in late 1978 to early 1979, I worked on huts and track maintenance and grubbing lupins other weeds and wilding pines. I also completed an Alpine Guides climbing course with Shaun Norman followed by a few moderate climbs and glacier travel.

Lincoln College and Abel Tasman Park

In early 1979 I undertook the Diploma in Parks and Recreation (Dip PR) at Lincoln College. I spent my 1979 summer sabbatical in the Abel Tasman National Park at Totaranui doing the rubbish run, campground and park track maintenance, and as Hut Warden at Bark Bay Hut. All under the fine leadership and supervision of Chief Ranger Geoff Rennison, Senior Ranger  Alec Miller and Ranger Jim Kilby. 

Profanity Cave Rescue and Cave SAR/LandSAR

 In July 1980, I took part in the Inangahua Profanity Cave rescue of 4 cavers who had been trapped by floodwaters in the long narrow entrance streamway passage for 50 hours. Cavers who had gathered at the scene were having serious difficulty convincing the caving inexperienced Police Land SAR Co-Ordinator who was using an equally inexperienced Mines Rescue Team that only cavers were likely to effect a successful rescue. Fortunately, after negotiation by me as a caving ex Police Officer, along with a caving St John’s Ambulance Officer, the Search Co-Ordinator agreed for us experienced cavers to carry out the rescue. 

I, along with others, participated in a 12-hour breaking down of rocks with a lump hammer in a tight, small collapsed side entrance passage to gain access to the upper streamway section. Rescuers were then able to swim up the shorter passable flooded section to a large chamber where the trapped cavers were found sheltering above the water. The Police Search Co-Ordinator praised the caver’s efforts and the successful rescue ultimately led to the formation of the specialist Cave SAR within Land SAR. I also participated in three successful cave rescues in the Waitomo area in the early to mid-1980’s.

South Auckland Land District/Waikato

I completed my dissertation ‘The Cave and Karst Resource of New Zealand’ in early 1981. Also, in early 1981 I was accepted into the service as a ‘Ranger Assistant’ and then as a fully-fledged Reserves Ranger based in Hamilton in the South Auckland Land District (Waikato) under the great leadership of Senior Ranger  John Greenwood, who, along with Greg Martin who was then Senior Reserves Administrator, taught me so much.

John’s enthusiasm was infectious, and he taught me how to be a Ranger. John was also incredibly supportive towards me undertaking management, conservation and recreational use of caves and karst in the Waitomo area, for which I shall always be thankful. Not long after my appointment Wally Sander arrived as District Ranger  who with his substantial wisdom and experience became a great personal mentor.

Over the 3 years I was based in Hamilton, I worked throughout the Coromandel, Waikato, and Northern King Country including Waitomo on general reserves management and maintenance along with cave and karst management.

Throughout this time, I took part in two Nettlebed Cave expeditions on Mount Athur and a Bulmer Cave expedition on Mount Owen and also caved extensively in the Punakaiki, Karamea, Takaka Hill and Waitomo areas. This gave me familiarity with those cave and karst areas in State Forest Parks, a National Park and Scenic Reserves.