Author: Project Rameka

The Search Begins

Project Rameka -
17 November 2007
We bike down to Nelson and Golden Bay on the hunt for land. Why this area?

  • We want land that will be close enough to Wellington, where we live and work to earn the money to finance this scheme, so that we can minimise travel costs and the use of carbon emitting transport to get to the land.
  • We know there are good people, good land, several existing conservation projects and fantastic mountain biking, tramping and other recreational opportunities in the Nelson/Tasman region, and we want to encourage awareness and respect for the natural environment.
  • Golden Bay has shown initiative and started a “car pooling” website and is actively encouraging locals to share their modes of travel – What a good basis for community involvement!

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!

All Systems Go

Project Rameka -

After a nail-biting build-up, with faxes flying through the ether day after day, the negotiation is wrangled through. The land is sold to the Rameka Trust for $300,000 excluding GST, with settlement four months down the track, 29 April 2008.

sold-sign-783190

It’s time to see if other people are keen on the idea.

Letters are sent out to friends and family: “If you’re concerned about the planet, if you’re interested in doing something positive for the environment, for your family, for the community, would you like to be involved in the Rameka Restoration Project?”

Reponses come in fast and positive.

Jo McKenzie and Andrew McLellan reply immediately with the offer to fund construction of a moveable hut to go onsight. The Funkishack will act as the hub for all work and gatherings on the land.

Further pledges come through from Penny Kennett and Dave Ashman, and Simon Kennett and Sarah Drake. This financial support helps soften the impending mortgage blow.

van-at-4-sale-sign
Martin and Marie Langley provide local knowledge, encouragement, and enthusiasm. The exact location, and speed with which the project takes off is largely due to them.

Eureka!

Project Rameka -

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This is the land we like. It’s close to Takaka township, it’s marginal farmland, we can bike right to the property … and it’s in the Bay! The only dubious thing is the 13 hectares of pine trees. We don’t want to be foresters. But we can deal with that problem later. For the minute, this is the land we are looking for. The bidding starts …