A diesel-powered miniature truck circles Island Reserve. Photo: Chris Gardner
They came from around the district to talk about the weather and move on.
Saturday’s blazing sun on Ōtorohanga’s Truck and Ute show at Island Reserve was a far cry from the previous weekend’s storm which took a life and a bridge on State Highway 39 and the road north to Pirongia.
Trucks
Ōtorohanga mayor Rodney Dow waves from the cab of an Ōtorohanga Transport truck. Photo: Chris Gardner
Show organiser, mayor Rodney Dow – who on Friday had extended the district’s state of emergency by a week – was riding Toby the Train with his fiancée and personal assistant Michelle Erikson when The News arrived.
“We needed to sit down,” he said.
Climbing wall
Emma Korovata
Dow has been on the go since the St Valentine’s Day flood, visiting flooded homes, assessing district wide damage to the roading network, and attending twice daily Civil Defence Emergency Operation Centre meetings.
“We have declared a state of emergency for another seven days because our land and people need support,” Dow said.
Māori ward councillor Tennille Kete and Waimarie Wharepouri, 13, joined the conversation.
Waimarie’s home was yellow stickered following flooding in Phillips Avenue.
Kane Hemming and Taylor Johansen admire a vintage ute. Photo: Chris Gardner
“She’s from a family we have found a home for,” Kete said.
The family have been moved to a house on Main North Road.
“We’ve got pots and pans from the Lions, but I need to take her shopping at The Warehouse for some essentials.”
Dow gave his blessing, telling Kete to keep the receipts.
“We stood up the mayoral disaster relief fund and when they start telling me their stories they start crying and I start crying,” Dow said.
He had earlier said he did not want to be known as “the crying mayor”.
But it’s a moniker that has earned Dow love and respect both near and far.
At a time of community need, Dow said, people were looking out for each other. One woman who had lost her home had told him there were others worse off than her.
“They are always thinking about someone else. That’s Ōtorohanga.”
Kids scramble for councillor Jo Butcher’s lollies after a sack race. Photo: Chris Gardner
Asked how the district was coping, Dow said: “It’s alright. There’s so many sad stories out there.”
More than the expected number of trucks and utes turned out for the show. Dow and Erikson were expecting around 120 trucks and 35 utes at the event but were sure extras had turned up.
“It’s a good turn out after last weekend,” Erikson said.
A miniature diesel-powered truck circled the reserve, laughing children in the back
DAF truck driver Islay Brown of Ōtorohanga, resplendent in a T-shirt boasting Real Women Drive Trucks, lamented not bringing her truck, nicknamed Daffy Duck, to the event.
“I love it,” she said. “I always wanted to drive a truck and have now got a Class 5 Leaners’ licence.”
Alan Methven
Trucking magazine collector Alan Methven travelled in from Cambridge to take in the trucks.
“I am a KW fanatic,” he said as he surveyed one of Dow’s trucks.
“They have really good motors and are beautiful.”
Ōtorohanga District Council staff member Anita Salaca watched as her daughter Emma Korovara, nine, enjoyed a bungy trampoline.
“We have been helping our people,” Salaca said. “That’s what we are here to do.”
And then they were gone, off to the next attraction.
Jody van der Hoek was busy painting the face of Ariah Mackie, 11, as others queued and her parents Andy Chapman and Destiny Mackie looked on.
“It’s been a pretty hectic week,” Chapman said.
“We are farming 5km out of town with paddocks under water, cow sheds floating off, but we have needed to get through it.”
Waimarie Wharepouri,13, left, with Tennille Kate and Michelle Erikson. Photo: Chris Gardner
Of the truck and ute show, Chapman said: “It’s good. We just came to get away and have a look around.”
“It’s good to have a bit of sun,” his Destiny added.
Perusing the utes were Ōtorohanga couple Kane Hemming and Taylor Johansen.
Asked if they were into trucks and utes, Hemming said, “No, I’m into cars. This is the first time I have been to the show. It’s pretty cool after all the floods.”
The pair had not been impacted but had friends who were.
“I love the old utes,” Johansen said.
A diesel-powered miniature truck circles Island Reserve. Photo: Chris Gardner
