How to make the most of a Manawatū summer: Horizons Regional Council’s Rachel Keedwell

Te Āpiti – Manawatū Gorge is easy to access. Photo / Palmerston North City Council

OPINION

How do you measure summer? I think of a good summer as one where I get lots of swims in at my local swimming hole.

I’m hoping for a slightly better summer this year because last year the number of swims was a grand total of two! This was thanks to the poor conditions, where it seemed like the river was either too high and dirty or the weather was too wet or cold. In a usual summer, I try to get down to the river every fine evening after work and spend time there on the weekend.

We are spoilt for choice in the Horizons region when it comes to swimming – there are multiple good swimming spots in rivers and along the coast. If you are not sure of the good swimming spots close to you, check out the Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (Lawa) website at lawa.org.nz. It also contains water monitoring data from about 80 sites across the region. These water samples are tested by an independent laboratory and uploaded to the Lawa website weekly so you can check if it’s safe to swim before you hop in.

One thing to keep in mind when you head back to your favourite swim spot this summer is to check it is still safe and does not have any nasty hidden surprises like logs or changes in flow. I’m mindful we had some serious floods caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in February, and with all the winter flows that have occurred since then, your swimming hole may not be the same as it was last summer. Check it out carefully before getting in, and particularly take care with young children or those who can’t swim – make sure they find a safe area in the shallows to play.

The other thing I love about summer in our region is there are so many amazing biodiversity hotspots and places to go exploring and see what nature has to offer. Realistically, you can explore all these areas any time of the year, but the fine weather can make it more appealing to spend the day in the outdoors with a picnic and a bushwalk.

Two of my favourite places to get a taste of what nature might have felt like in New Zealand before the introduction of predators are Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre at Mt Bruce and Bushy Park Tarapuruhi near Whanganui. These predator-free sanctuaries contain some of our rare bird species that you can only see in a few places around the country.

If you are into tramping, there are multiple options to explore on Department of Conservation land in the Tararua and Ruahine Ranges. However, if this is a bit beyond you, check out some of the other easy-to-access sites like Tōtara Reserve, Te Āpiti - Manawatū Gorge, Lake Papaitonga, Whitecliff boulders or numerous other small reserves that are dotted around the region.

It is a great way to spend the day with children and to get them into the outdoors, so pack up a picnic and discover the special areas in our region this summer.

Dr Rachel Keedwell is chairwoman of Horizons Regional Council.