Tag: Otago Harbour

Portobello School Keep the Peninsula Beautiful

On By Portobello EditorIn Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago, Otago Peninsula, Peninsula, Portobello, Portobello Community IncLeave a comment

Nineteen year 7&8 pupils from Portobello School put their gumboots on and cleaned up the beach areas around Latham Bay in Portobello on Tuesday 24th September. Supervised by teacher Candace Christensen and Portobello Community Inc. Chairman, Paul Pope the group collected a full array of harbour rubbish that included plenty of glass and plastic. Some of the more interesting finds was a new shoe, boat hatch cover and five fluorescent road cones. Helped by the low tide the busy group covered a 1.25 kilometre stretch of Latham Bay and made their mark on two of the popular pocket beaches in the area. Once again it was great to see our young people give up their time to keep the Peninsula beautiful. Well done, tino pai!

Keep New Zealand Beautiful Week

On By Portobello EditorIn Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago, Otago Peninsula, Peninsula, Portobello, Portobello Community IncLeave a comment

Keep Dunedin Beautiful and the Dunedin City Council are asking residents to beautify their favourite part of our city by ridding it of litter. So Portobello Community Incorporated are going to play their part by undertaking a clean up around our area on Saturday 21st September. If you’d like to take part in the clean up then meet at the Portobello Store at 10:00 am, grab a bag, hi-viz, some gloves and make a difference in your community. Get your family, friends or neighbours involved. Rubbish bags will be collected and disposed of appropriately

The amount of time you spend on it is entirely up to you as every little bit counts. See you there.

Magic Day at the Portobello Market

On By Portobello EditorIn Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago, Otago Peninsula, Peninsula, Portobello, Portobello Community IncLeave a comment

Magician Jonathan Usher with money burning a hole in his pocketIt was a magic day at the Portobello Market held in conjunction with Cadbury’s Chocolate Carnival on the Otago Peninsula. A beautifully warm day brought nearly 1000 visitors from around the region and overseas. With a good number of stalls, food, entertainment and plenty of free Cadbury’s chocolate Portobello put on a great day for everyone. Highlights for young and old was an entertaining  performance by magician Jonathan Usher, who wowed the crowd with his patter and his magic. Balloon performer Jay also had an enthusiastic and lengthy queue of children wanting balloon hats, animals and cartoon characters.

It was also great to see local music teacher Mary Jennings and some of her local Peninsula students give a performance on the Coronation Hall stage. Local groups  contributed to the event by putting on stalls and used the event as an important fundraiser for their organisations in our community. The Cadbury’s Carnival is a popular event for the Peninsula and the Dunedin region and the generosity of the company for its sponsorship is greatly appreciated. Hope to see everyone in Portobello next year. Click on pictures to see in full size viewer.

Hairbraiding was very popular at the market
Peninsula musicians perform at the hall
Jay entertaining with ballon art
Enjoying the show

Otago Peninsula Volcano Walk

On By Portobello EditorIn Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago, Otago Peninsula, Peninsula, Portobello, Portobello Community IncLeave a comment

SONY DSC

It dawned cool, crisp and clear in Portobello today with a solid frost on the windscreen of the car to remind us that winter still bites. Portobello School have been studying volcanoes and were taking the short climb to the top of Harbour Cone (Hereweka). The cone is a remnant of the volcano that exploded 10-13 million years ago and created the Otago Harbour. After a short steep climb the spectacular views across the Peninsula and harbour are worth the effort, and the whole area was bathed in bright sunshine. Enjoy the pictures by clicking on them for the viewer.

Papanui Inlet and Victory Beach – Harbour Cone
Hooper’s Inlet, Allans Beach and Mt Charles – Harbour Cone

Opening of Hakuiao at Otakou

On By Portobello EditorIn Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago, Otago Peninsula, Peninsula, Portobello, Portobello Community Inc1 Comment

SONY DSCThe opening of the new wharekai building, Hakuiao at Otakou Marae was a milestone day for Te Runaka O Otakou. The blessing and opening of Hakuiao fell on the 173rd anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi at Otakou, June 13, 1840. The runaka hosted a significant number of people from a wide range of organisations and regions at the powhiri. The generosity of the hosts was also evident in the sumptuous kai served  at the table with tuaki (cockles), titi (muttonbird), koura (crayfish) and many other tempting dishes for the large group of manuhiri. With its excellent kitchen, dining and sleeping areas, Hakuiao its something that Te Runaka O Otakou and all Kai Tahu can be  justifiably proud. A great achievement, that will serve its people well for many years to come. Kiaora.

Portobello school children look on at the marae
Sumptuous kai in the new Hakuiao dining room

Winter Arrives With A Vengence

On By Portobello EditorIn Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago, Otago Peninsula, Peninsula, Portobello, Portobello Community IncLeave a comment

Residents of Portobello and the Otago Peninsula awoke on Tuesday morning to find a good covering of snow throughout the township and across the hills. With schools closed for the day and roads covered with snow it was a chilly reminder of the winter that lies ahead of us. Keep warm everyone.

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Cleaning up our Place

On By Portobello EditorIn Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago, Otago Peninsula, Peninsula, Portobello, Portobello Community IncLeave a comment

SONY DSCGreeted by a glorious Mother’s Day morning members of Portobello Community Incorporated gave up their breakfast in bed or preparing it for mum, cleaning up litter around the township and outer areas. With a busy day in Portobello with the Peninsula Challenge event being held this was an opportunity to make our township shine a little brighter in the autumn sun. Among the bottles, cigarette packets and fast food wrappers four traffic cones were retrieved from the  harbour on Harrington Point Road. Nature has an incredible ability to adapt and the cones were encrusted with chitons, tube worms  and other sea life, many of which were removed and returned to the shoreline. With support from Keep Dunedin Beautiful who supplied bags and gloves the morning was a positive step to keep our area clean and tidy. It was also great to receive encouragement and words of thanks from cyclists and walkers passing by who praised our efforts.

Everyday is a Winding Road – Portobello Road Consultation

On By Portobello EditorIn Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago, Otago Peninsula, Peninsula, Portobello, Portobello Community IncLeave a comment

In March 2013 Portobello Community Incorporated made a submission on the proposed road widening design for Portobello and Harrington Point Roads. That submission detailed a number of issues with the nature of the design and its impact on the community, the landscape and the environment. Because of the importance of this issue to our community the group distributed 600 flyers, added a display to the store and added information to this website. The City Council announced at the March Annual Plan meeting in Portobello that a further consultation meeting would be held so that residents could see proposed changes to the plans and comment further. That meeting is to be held on Monday, May 13th at 7:00pm at the Coronation Hall.

The Council have made some change to the plans, and this is an opportunity to see whether they have understood the initial concerns that the community. The new plans can be viewed at the following link. It is vital that the community see these plans and understand their implications for the future of the township and the Otago Peninsula. If you have friends, neighbours, colleagues and whanau who you feel need to know more about this project come along to the meeting and have your say.

A summary of the project changes since the initial consultation includes;

  • the reclamation of the old stone wall in Latham Bay, Portobello.
  • the burying and moving of the old cannon site from the foreshore.
  • the removal of the planned reclaimed bus stops.
  • the retention of some of the rock outcrops and geological features.

There is still many areas of the plan that need finalising, particularly;

  •  the choice of landscaping treatments.
  • beach access points.
  • the need for proper crossing areas for our children to get to school safely.
  • the use of gabion walls.
  • how the plan deals with the pinch points at the cemetery and township

These and many other issues are things that the community need to have input on so that the design meets the community’s needs. Take the opportunity and have your say.