Marty Shanahan, aka The Backyard Cook, in the Lamb Rover Defender parked beside Dargaville's own giant kumara on Tuesday. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
Marty Shanahan, aka The Backyard Cook, in the Lamb Rover Defender parked beside Dargaville's own giant kumara on Tuesday. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
A giant lamb chop has made a pit stop at Dargaville's giant kumara as part of a nationwide tour to celebrate National Lamb Day.
National Lamb Day is on Thursday, May 24 and Beef + Lamb New Zealand has commissioned the giant lamb chop to celebrate the day in style.
The giant chop arrived in Northland on Tuesday with its first stop of the nationwide tour at the giant kumara in Dargaville.
The road trip is pioneering the Lamb and Three Veg Tiki Tour route for tourists to follow, travelling via the iconic L&P bottle in Paeroa, the big carrot in Ohakune and on to the Wattie's Pea Factory in Christchurch.
Marty Shanahan, aka The Backyard Cook, is the captain of the Lamb Rover Defender tasked with towing the colossal chop.
"When Beef + Lamb approached me and asked if I could drive a giant lamb chop across the country I thought they were trying to pull the wool over my eyes ..." Interestingly, it is not the first time New Zealand lamb has been part of a ground-breaking voyage. Rewind back to 1882 when the Dunedin, loaded with the first shipment of frozen lamb, set sail from Port Chalmers heading for London.
The date of National Lamb Day (now in its fifth year) coincides with the 136th anniversary of the cargo ship Dunedin arriving into London.
That journey sparked an export industry that is now worth in excess of $8 billion a year to the Kiwi economy.
Rod Slater is CEO of Beef + Lamb New Zealand and well-known in New Zealand's flourishing red meat scene.
"Kiwis might not know it, but New Zealand is a little bit famous for the lamb we produce, we're sort of known for it.
"When you buy Quality Mark lamb from supermarkets and butchers – or order it at your favourite restaurant – you are eating something really special. It's internationally renowned, produced in our unique environment and meets standards that guarantees tender results.
"So, we thought it's probably about time we did something massive to celebrate this mighty meat."
To keep up to date with the chop's whereabouts, head to the Beef + Lamb Facebook and Instagram pages or recipes.co.nz for more information.
Learning to drive just got easier Learning to drive and gaining your restricted licence just got a whole lot easier for residents of Maungaturoto.
Staff and supporters from Te Roroa Learning Assistance, Maungaturoto Rotary, Kaipara Community Health Trust, Roadsafe Northland, police and driver mentors at the launch of the new mentoring programme.
A new mentor driver programme was launched there this week thanks to the generosity of the local Rotary club.
"This has been a big project for the Maungaturoto Rotary Club and they have purchased a car and provided eight trained mentors, more than the other three programmes put together," Road Safety education programme manager Gillian Archer said.
"Without the commitment of Rotary and their provision of the car it is unlikely that this community would have this valuable resource.
"Many learner drivers do not have access to opportunities to learn and practise the practical skills required to obtain a licence. In some cases they do not have access to a vehicle.
"There are no driving instructors operating close by and so this is a most valuable community support activity to ensure that learners become safe competent drivers. Obtaining the licence of course opens the door to educational recreational and social opportunities within the community as well as further afield."
The trained mentor volunteers will be paired with learner drivers needing to practise their driving skills in preparation to sit a restricted licence test.
Learner drivers who need help outside of family/friends can contact Te Roroa Learning Assistance based in Dargaville to sign up to the course.
Ongoing costs will be provided out of the Kaipara District Council road safety promotion funding managed by the Northland Road Safety Trust.
Wastewater bylaw and warrant of fitness A bylaw that was introduced just over a year ago has been "a positive step for the environment and the communities of Kaipara", says district council acting chief executive Peter Tynan.
The bylaw was adopted after a large number of failing wastewater systems and the concern about potential environmental and health risks.
Kaipara District Council spokesman Ben Hope says the purpose of the bylaw is "to protect the health of the public and environment by taking a proactive management approach".
Property owners with wastewater disposal systems must ensure their system operates to a safe and satisfactory standard and check the health of the system once every five years.
System failures can result in nuisances such as offensive odour, wastewater seepage and other forms of environmental pollution.
Prior to the new bylaw, council officers discovered a large number of property owners did not understand the importance of system maintenance or the environmental implications when not maintained.
As a result a high percentage of onsite systems were found to be poorly maintained. Problems escalate quickly when septic tanks are not looked after and this can have environment and health consequences.
The Wastewater Drainage Bylaw includes maintenance and performance inspections and an approval programme for septic tanks. If you would like a health check of your wastewater system contact Kaipara District Council via council@kaipara.govt.nz.
The council bylaw officer may recommend a suitably qualified person to carry out a warrant of fitness check.
The WOF check includes engaging an onsite servicing specialist to undertake (for a fee) a regular service and performance check.
The WOF inspection report will advise when the septic tank or treatment plant compartments need to be desludged or pumped out, whether your land application area needs attention and how the overall system is performing.
■ Email Rose — if you have news that you would like to share with Northern Advocate readers. Rose.stirling@gmail.com.
