“Back in the day, no special tickets or qualifications were needed, just grit and determination.”
Sheck said he remembers battling through Cyclone Bola in 1988, even though there were calls over the radio to evacuate - his boss had told him and his workmates to carry on.
“Trees were toppling around us, and when we finally left, we had to cut our way out of the forest - fallen trees were blocking the roads.”
In the days that followed, he said the bush crews were tasked with clearing the Mangakino Highway, where trees had fallen “like matchsticks”.
Image 1 of 6: Former NZ Forest Products Ltd worker Nelson Sheck. Photo / John Van de Ven
Another reunion attendee was 90-year-old Malcolm Hartley, who once drove R190 trucks. Those trucks had no air conditioning, so the cab was hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter.
Hartley spoke highly of the camaraderie among the forestry workers and NZ Forest Products Ltd.
“It was a great company. They clothed us, fed us, and got us to work ... It was a good bunch of guys back in the day.”
The reunion also included a special bus tour around the forestry, followed by a dinner and drinks. There was a special collage of old photos on display that captured the hard work, friendships, and memories that defined their time with NZ Forest Products Ltd over the years.
John Van de Ven is a photographer based in Tokoroa. Being a passionate local, he created the Facebook group Tokoroa History which is dedicated to the stories and history of South Waikato people and businesses.
