Northland LandSAR asks public for help to find new operational base in Whangārei

Northland LandSAR volunteer Grant Conaghan, pictured with detective Kim Adamson during an earlier search, says they provide critical support to police to find missing, lost or hurt people.

A search of a different kind is underway for Northland Land Search and Rescue as the group of award-winning volunteers look for a new home base.

The group – used to time pressure – are having to vacate their current location at the rear of the NorthTec site on Dyer St in Whangārei by the end of the year as the building is being leased.

Northland LandSAR, a not-for-profit volunteer-based group, is calling on the public for help to find either a free or affordable location they can use to operate their rescue operations and host training.

For the last 60-plus years, the group have provided the critical service to bring missing, lost or injured Northlanders home and a base is essential to keep their nationally recognised efforts going.

The group were instrumental in finding Brian Bench - a search that won them the top national accolade.

In the past two years, they have responded to 24 callouts, clocking up 2056 hours on those operations. Not to mention 2156 hours of training.

Grant Conaghan, who has volunteered with the group for more than 50 years, is leading the search.

"Over the years our group hasn't had a permanent base to work out of and we have relied on the goodwill of many business people and council staff to store our equipment and a venue to operate out of."

Northland LandSAR isn't fussy – they just hope to find somewhere within urban Whangārei they can store two 20-foot shipping containers loaded with their equipment.

"What we're looking for depends on what people can offer," he said.

The group currently only have one container but would need a second if their base was to move outdoors.

"An unused corner of somebody's yard would even do. Just as long as we have 24-hour access to it. We can put up a fence to keep it separate," Conaghan said.

"We're hoping to rattle a few branches with our request and just hope something falls off the tree."

As well as the shipping containers the new location would need to be able to house a caravan – the group's mobile search headquarters – and an equipment trailer.

"A building/secure site would be ideal but if needed we could also look at a ground lease, with a view to fundraise and build a garage-type building to house our equipment.

"However, this option may not be feasible as we have limited time and need to vacate the current premises. But it could be considered in the long term," Conaghan said.

Northland LandSAR provides an around-the-clock specialist land, cliff and cave search and rescue capability to Northland police. They have the only specialist cliff and cave teams in Tai Tokerau – covering coast to coast from north of Auckland to Cape Reinga.

Trained volunteers perform searches in the Whangārei and Kaipara districts but can be called on to support Far North and Auckland SAR groups.

• Anyone able to help Northland LandSAR can contact Grant Conaghan on 027 220 1789 or email grantconaghan@hotmail.co.nz.