The Banks Peninsula Track was highly commended as a finalist in the landscape section of the Christchurch Heritage Awards in October 2010. Our entry included numerous examples of conservation work undertaken along the track route.

Francis and Shireen Helps won the Aoraki Conservation Board Award 2010 for their work with the white-flippered penguin colony at their farm at Flea Bay. Board chairman Steve Lowndes said the couple were "an example of the close links between conventional farming and conservation" for many years, and had helped protect the penguins.

The September 4th earthquake had some dramatic effects around the coast of Banks Peninsula, and probably none more so than in Sleepy Cove with the loss of 'our' sea-arch.

The initial damage still left some of the arch in place but an aftershock 3 weeks later left us with just the stack. Luckily there was no serious damage to the Track.

Also damaged was the new predator proof fence above Stony Bay where the cliff fence simply disappeared. It is currently being replaced.

An episode of the current TV series 'Coasters' on TV One features the bays of Banks Peninsula. Filming took place at Flea Bay, Stony Bay and Otanerito in late February 2010. The series is narrated by well known chef Al Brown, seen here (left) with Fiona Farrell at Otanerito and (right) leaving with the film crew for Le Bons Bay on Gary Brittenden's boat. The programme is directed and produced by Peter Young (centre) of Fisheye films. Al Brown is co-owner of Logan Brown Restaurant in Wellington, winner of Cuisine magazine's 2009 Restaurant of the Year Award.

Since this posting, and quite coincidentally, Fiona Farrell and Al Brown were both shortlisted for the NZ Post Book Awards 2010, with Al Brown subsequently winning both his category and the people's choice award.

Fiona Farrell - 'Limestone' - Fiction category

Al Brown - 'Go Fish' - Illustrated non-fiction category

The book of the series "Coasters" is now available in all good bookshops!