The tramper's hut at Mount Holdsworth was given a colourful makeover yesterday with more than 30 artists and volunteers painting a giant mural to celebrate the wildlife of the Tararua Forest Park.
Featherston artist Philip Gordine was joined by volunteers from the Holdsworth Women's Institute, Wai Art, Youth Choices Trust,
Rotary, as well as Carterton Mayor Ron Mark and several Carterton District councillors.
Project co-ordinator Julie Kidd said the mural had been designed by Gordine and highlighted the benefits of a controlled pest-eradication programme in Tararua Forest Park.
The programme includes bait stations, trapping, hunting and controlled 1080-pellet drops.
She said more than 25 million native birds were killed annually by introduced mammalian pests such as stoats, weasels, ferrets, European rats and possums.
