Macro photographer loves our gully



Photo by Bryce McQuillan. An example of macro photogragph.



Bryce McQuillan is a Macro photographer and loves our gully because of the variety and size of invertebrates present. He said it is clearly evident that the rats and possums are under control. This makes it one of the best sites in Hamilton for maco photography. He usually goes down at night when all the night bugs are out although I did catch up with him in day light hour one Wednesday afternoon.

Bryce is doing the photography for a book about native spiders and said that a large number of those photos will be from Mangaiti Gully.

He has also expressed interest in taking small night tours through the gully and requested that we assist with a talk on the gully restoration project.

This is what restoration is all about were the native eco system is reasserting it’s self and a whole new biodiversity balance is occurring in the absence of rats and possums.

Mangaiti world famous in New Zealand!

We are not sure how we were selected – it may have been this web site - but Mangaiti is going to be in a book about large and small restoration projects throughout New Zealand. Ninety odd projects I believe. An edited version of an email we received is as follows:

Mangaiti Gully Restoration Trust is being included in a book Random House are publishing in September this year about New Zealand’s wildlife sanctuaries by authors Tony Lindsay and Dave Butler. Random House is New Zealand’s leading local book publisher, having won publisher of the year six years running, and this is one of their big projects for 2013. 

‘Paradise Saved’ is the working title for the book, an apt name for a book celebrating the ingenuity, teamwork and devotion of New Zealanders turning the tide of extinction. The book is a full colour, large format publication that will help with awareness of the Mangaiti Gully Restoration Group and the ongoing work of our volunteers. As well as featuring timely information about the project, they will also include our website and information about how new volunteers can get involved.

We have supplied photos on the subjects that they requested and they are very happy with the quality of those photos.

A display table at Waikato Show

This was not strictly a Mangaiti Gully table but a display to encourage people to control rats and possums in Hamilton gullies and was part of Tui 2000 and Waikato Environment centre hired space. The attendance  numbers were well up on last year. Fifteen thousand this year I believe – three thousand last year. There were lots of interest and lots of talk about restoring gullies.

Fund raising successes

Nine desks sold - great value for the purchasers

We have had the opportunity to raise funds from several sources over the last few months.  Statistics NZ donated 9 desks that were surplus to requirements after the census. These were sold off through our network raising $560, commission on selling bait stations at the Waikato show raised $45, a power point presentation to the Chartwell  Garden Club was rewarded with a generous and unexpected $50 thank you cheque and a working bee at a neighbouring gully property earned us $350.  This totals $1005. With money in the bank it just makes our working and planning projects in the gully just that much easier. The generosity of all those people and organizations is much appreciated.

Power point presentation available

 Just after clearing weeds two years ago

A power point presentation on our gully activities was put together for the Chartwell Garden Club. This is now available to any group or organization that may be looking for a guest speaker. The presentation takes about 30 minutes plus question time. Your group would have to supply a projector that a laptop can plug into and a screen or a suitable blank wall. If you are interested give Rex a ring on 854-0973.

The two photos are from the power point presentation.

Two years on, native regrowth