Thursday was a big day for Project Rameka. A public meeting was held at the Wholemeal Cafe in Takaka to get a sense of the local community’s support for the project and to form an incorporated society – that’s just a long name for a club that is officially recognised, and the clubs aims are publically stated. Making the aims of a club public makes it possible for people to get involved and for the club to apply for grants to achieve the shared goals of recreation and restoration.

In the morning, Jonathan was interviewed by local radio and newspaper. You can check out the Nelson Mail article here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelsonmail/4509283a6510.html

In the evening over 40 people helped form the Project Rameka Incorporated Society. The range of talents among the founding members is brilliant. About half are from Golden Bay, and the rest are mostly from Wellington and Christchurch. There are botanists, hunters, tree planters, and mountain bikers on board.

Jo and Andrew McKenzie/McLellan have been working hard. They’ve come up with a name for their Funky Shack … and what could be better?

The Lorax Lair. We’ll take a copy of The Lorax to the shack next month, just so that those deprived of Dr Seuss as children will know why this is such a spot-on name for the place.

Andrew, Jake, Morag and Jo, relaxing on the front door step.

After heavy rain overnight, the skies clear once more, and it’s time to heave-ho the Funky Shack up to its new home. We debate cajoling 50-odd cyclists to hitch up their bikes and pedal like crazy, but in the end, using donations from Llyn and Judith Richards, Kate Ford, and Karyn Burgess, we opt to pay $500 for another form of horsepower to do the work.

Dave Marsh has arranged with Jason the farmer to haul the shack up the hill behind his tractor.

Jason is a man of few words, but he does let slip that if the farm track had been 10 metres longer at the steep slippery crux, we wouldn’t have had a hut at the site we had chosen. We take that to mean it was a touch-and-go situation.

While Dave is sorting out the logistics of downloading a 2-tonne hut from the tractor’s trailer, the rest of us set about titivating the site. A couple more trees need to come down so that the Funky Shack will have a primo view of the Bay.

Greg Thurlow starts digging out and then laying the foundations for a loverly fireplace.

Albie and Fill Burgers arrive with a much appreciated pot of hot soup and fresh bread.

The water supply is set up with a sink underneath it, and logs are arranged artistically and usefully around the fireplace.

Local builder, Dave Marsh, from Onekaka, has almost finished a ‘funkishack’ for Project Rameka. This will be used as a base for volunteers working on the tracks and forest restoration at the Rameka carbon sink.

Jo and Andrew paid for its construction. Bronnie and Jonathan donated the windows and Rosie Wall donated the doors. It will be transported to the land at the end of April, ready for the open day on the 3rd of May.

Friends Martin and Marie Langley, who own the Quite Revolution Cycle Shop in Takaka, provide major support. They scan the weekly newspapers for real estate deals and constantly fax us with the latest properties to come on the market – all this without commission. It’s amazing!