Kaikōura Mayor Plans To Go Duck Shooting As Rain Clears

Friday, 2 May 2025, 8:10 pm
Article: David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter

After a few sleepless nights through the heavy rain, Kaikōura Mayor Craig Mackle is looking forward to going duck shooting on Saturday.

Mr Mackle said the flooding was not as bad as predicted in the coastal town.

‘‘There has been an horrific amount of rain, so it was a good wee test,’’ he said.

‘‘There was a time when surface flooding caused a lot of grief, but we have invested in culverts and drains over the last five or six years in our rural areas, so it was worth the investment.’’

The heavy rain brought back memories of major flooding in 2021.

On Thursday, state of emergencies were declared in Selwyn district, Christchurch and Banks Peninsula as flooding and slips threatened homes.

In Kaikōura, Friday morning dawned with cloud around the hills, but the rain had stopped, bringing some relief to the community.

‘‘I’m pretty happy. We had some road closures and the fords were closed, but nothing out of the ordinary," he said.

The mayor plans to go duck shooting on Saturday as the season opens.

Mr Mackle admitted he could end up doing more napping than shooting tomorrow, after a couple of sleepless nights.

‘‘You don’t get a lot of sleep in a time like this.’’

Kaikōura District Council staff will continue to monitor the situation.

Mr Mackle expected there will be service requests to keep staff busy over the next few weeks as the extent of flooding in rural areas becomes clearer.

‘‘There will be a few issues for staff to work through, but nothing bad has been reported to me.’’

The Kaikōura District Council will continue to provide updates on its Facebook page.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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