Waiuku reef idea makes waves

Daniel Whiston wants to provide surfing for youngsters such as Josh Vickery, 9. Picture / Richard Robinson

Daniel Whiston wants to get the young people in his town surfing. All he needs now is about $1 million to make some waves.

The Waiuku man is proposing an artificial reef be created at the northern end of Karioitahi Beach on the Awhitu Peninsula, south of the Manukau Heads.

Offshore artificial reefs are shaped to ensure waves peel for surfing beyond normal breakers.

The reef should also help to halt erosion of the sandy coast, as well as provide positive activity for Waiuku youth.

"Waiuku has got a bit of a reputation for misguided youths," he said. "There is not really that much happening in the town for them.

"Granted, not everyone will want to surf but they should have the opportunity and some chance. It's better than kicking cans around town on a Friday night."

The surfer who survived the Bali bombing in 2002 - he tried to help Mark Parker, a New Zealander who died as a result of the attack - believes the surfing culture of Whangamata and Raglan can be transferred to Waiuku.

The project would be a challenge. An artificial reef could involve bags of sand weighing up to 400 tonnes with special measures to prevent them sinking. It would also be expensive - probably costing more than $1 million - and take time.

"There will always be people who disapprove and disagree," he said. "I'm just going to keep chipping away.

"Where there's a will there's a way. I have a bit of faith that it will come true."

So far Mr Whiston has taken the idea to the Waiuku-Awhitu Community Board, which supported the idea in principle.

Board chairman Bill Deed said the project was far-reaching and complicated but worth considering.

If the proposal went to the Franklin District Council there would be issues over funding and public consultation, Mr Deed said.

"Mr Whiston has started the ball rolling. As a citizen he has that right. I think he has done a darned good job."

He agreed that Waiuku did have some youth problems but said they were no worse than other places in New Zealand.

However one statistic he was not proud of was the Waiuku area's drink:drive ratio, which was a thousand times higher than the national average.

Dr Shaw Mead of ASR, a Raglan company that creates artificial reefs and has 30 projects around the world, said a reef at Karioitahi would be a huge undertaking but it would not be impossible.

Dr Mead said the company was project manager for an artificial reef at Mt Maunganui, with construction due to start in June.

"The environmental impacts are very small," Dr Mead said of the Karioitahi Beach idea. "When you are putting in a reef on a sandy, abrasive coastline you are actually enhancing the biology.

"It's not a sewer outfall or a great big marina or anything like that."

Most iwi supported the idea, he said.

"Surfing is seen as a very clean and fit sport."