Cardrona residents are hopeful their concerns about the wildfire risk from uncontrolled gorse and broom near the village will soon be eased.

A meeting was held in Cardrona on Tuesday (January 29) to address the concerns, which Cardrona Valley Residents and Ratepayers Society secretary Tim Allan called “a community safety issue”.

He called the meeting out of frustration by what he said was a lack of action from Otago Regional Council (ORC) about the gorse and broom on properties adjacent to the village.

He said it was a wildfire hazard, and “despite multiple approaches to the landowners over several years, nothing has been done and the problem grows”. 

The Cardrona Valley Residents and Ratepayers Society says the pests are a wildfire hazard.

The properties are within a designated ORC gorse and broom free area (GABFA); aerial surveillance of Otago GABFAs was due to be completed by July last year, but surveillance of the Cardrona Valley was deferred. 

About 20 people attended the Tuesday meeting, including ORC chair Richard Saunders, and councillors Gary Kelliher, Neil Gillespie, and Matt Holyer.

Richard said it was constructive and ORC was grateful to the residents who gave “firm feedback”.

“ORC has committed to meeting with members of the community within a month to discuss an action plan which will begin to address some of the concerns raised,” Richard said. 

“In the interim ORC staff are undertaking further surveillance work in the area to identify gorse and broom infestations.”

Tim told the Wānaka App he was “hopeful, but sceptical that it will create any real change”.

“Our greatest frustration is that ORC don’t even follow their own rules,” he said, referencing both the lack of surveillance of gorse and broom, and the council’s response to written complaints.

“The farmers are wonderful, but it’s the absentee landowners who are not doing anything and don’t care.”

Richard said ORC had to prioritise its resources across a large biosecurity work programme, and resourcing of gorse and broom work in Cardrona had been limited.

“... however we have heard the concerns from the residents and will now work closely with them to address the issues. 

“This will include compliance action where that is the best tool to achieve the desired outcome.”

PHOTOS: Supplied