Revamped Gold Story

Waihi's Gold Story

Gold Story manager Doreen McLeod discusses the Teflon technology involved in the pumphouse move with Melbourne visitors last week at the mine interpretation centre.

Waihi's Gold Story mine interpretation centre, downstairs at the Waihi Visitor Centre, has been refurbished recently.

Although it seems like only yesterday that it opened as a brand new centre, it was in fact almost two years ago. Some of the display material and information needed to be refreshed. An entire wall has now been overhauled and the facility is more interesting and interactive for visitors.

Since opening in December 2007 Waihi's Gold Story has hosted more than 60,000 visitors - with an increase in domestic travellers. Waihi Visitor Centre also reports robust figures - way up on previous years - despite the recession and its effect on tourism in many towns throughout New Zealand.

If you haven't had an opportunity to view this facility come on in and have a look.

 

Valued Community Input into SIA

Every three years a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is carried out to gauge the impact Newmont Waihi Gold has on the local community. In 2006 the assessment was carried out by Q & A Communications.
This SIA report is available here .

This year the SIA is being undertaken by the University of Queensland's Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining (CSRM). The assessors have completed their interviews and have prepared the draft report, which has been under review with input from members of the community. We are now awaiting the final version, which is expected soon.

In an effort to ensure that the SIA will address relevant community issues and opportunities, NWG sought volunteers from the Waihi Community Vision to act as a steering group for the SIA. One of the steering group's roles was to assist in writing the terms of reference from a community perspective. Therefore community input into addressing the scope and deliverables of the SIA had community direction from the very beginning. This has two very real outcomes. Firstly, the company can be assured that the scope of its assessment meets the concerns and issues the community would like examined. Secondly, it means that both the company and community can work collaboratively towards resolution of identified issues and take advantage of identified opportunities.

Using quantitative and qualitative data, the SIA identifies and compares actual impacts with community perceptions about those impacts. The study also ascertains the community's priorities. With a greater understanding of community expectations, values and perceptions NWG is better able to mitigate negative impacts and enhance opportunities to make a positive contribution to the community. The SIA is an important resource and reference when developing business and communication plans.

The SIA final version will be posted to our web site once available. For those without internet access, copies will be available from our office. Please phone 0800 NEWMONT for further information about the SIA.

 

NZ Dotterel Watch - A New Season Begins

NZ Dotterel Watch is a programme focused on assisting the survival of the threatened New Zealand Dotterel, a native bird that inhabits coastal areas in only a few regions throughout New Zealand.

The programme started in 1995 when workers at the Martha Mine observed dotterels nesting on the waste rock embankment's haul road. It developed into a partnership between the Department of Conservation and Newmont Waihi Gold. Since the programme's inception, NWG has supported it by providing a vehicle and funding. DoC uses the funding to support a ranger who organises a team of minders. They identify nesting areas throughout the Coromandel Peninsula and help protect them from the many dangers that threaten them.

Below is an extract from DoC's latest NZ Dotterel Watch Coromandel Peninsula newsletter, written by Susan Bryant, NZ Dotterel Watch Ranger.

"Heralding the start to this season's nesting, was the discovery of a three-egg nest at Matarangi on August 19th, later lost to predation. By early September, Minders were reporting NZD nests on many eastern sandy beaches. Otama for the second consecutive year produced the first known chicks of the season, found on September 19th, at a week old. This was about ten days earlier than last season and several weeks ahead of the second wave of nests currently hatching around the Peninsula.

NZ Dotterel Watch

While some NZD pairs have already lost their first clutch of eggs and others are yet to establish nests, most of the NZ Dotterel breeding sites on both sides of the Peninsula have birds currently incubating eggs. Recent successful hatchings have seen chicks sighted at several beaches on the eastern side of the peninsula and a few on the Thames Coast."

The Thames Coromandel District Council has introduced new dog restrictions on the beaches in its region. This means that from Labour Weekend through to February 8 2010 dogs are not permitted on most beaches from 9.00am to 7.00pm. Some beaches have been given additional protection around areas where NZ Dotterels breed. New signage is being erected and further information about this can be found on the TCDC web site .

Three dotterel pairs were seen at the Newmont Waihi Gold waste rock embankments earlier in the year. It is believed they were assessing the location for nesting sites. So far this nesting season no dotterel nests have been spotted by mine staff, but we are remaining vigilant.