Welcome to earth...ship

Earthship Te Timatanga launched its project with an official welcome in Hikuai on Sunday ahead of the build.

Earthship owners and builders Gus Anning and Sarah Rowe welcomed local volunteers, overseas workers and Tairua-Pauanui Community Board Chair Bob Renton, who made a presentation on behalf of Thames-Coromandel District Council.

Gus and Sarah live in Tairua where Gus is a skipper for Whitianga Water Transport and the earthship project is featured in Our Coromandel Summer Magazine's 2015 issue.

An earthship is a passive solar house buried into the ground, that incorporates the use of natural and recycled materials, mainly earth-rammed car tyres, cans and bottles.

"We will be recycling approximately 2,000, which equates to 500 cars," Gus says, speaking about the tyres. "We have sourced these from Kiwi Tyre Recycling in Thames. Smart Environmental is also a big contributor to our project."

Gus speaks highly of the members of Council's building team who have encouraged the project. "They've had nothing but a commonsense approach to all our alternative solutions."

Building Team members Peter B Thomas and Peter H Thomas (no relation) worked with Acting Mercury Bay Area Manager Len Whittaker and Whangamata/Tairua-Pauanui Area Manager Garry Towler to get the consent process across the line during the Coromandel's peak summer December period. Consent approval was gained on 23 December after the geotech information was received and the project could finally officially proceed.

Thi weekend's official opening now paves the way for an incredible eco home project to begin.

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