This year we have some exciting programmes under way (more to come), and one of them is working with Wellington City Council to encourage less use of cars around Ngaio and Crofton Downs, and getting into public transport or active modes such as walking or cycling.
Have you seen our post a couple down, (Ngaio guided bike rides) about the social bike tours to build confidence and skills to travel safely and efficiently by paihikara (bike) while getting to know the bike improvements in Ngaio.
Part of this work aims to find as many of our best places to visit when walking and cycling around Ngaio and Crofton Downs. We may be using these spots for future activities.
So, we would love you to follow this link – Walking and cycling map, which takes you to a local map on WCC’s website where you can pin a location with a brief note about why it is one of your best places. Its worth visiting – just to see what other people think!
Earlier this year, with Wellington City Council, we organised three guided bike rides – the last of which met up with our community ride and finished at the Ngaio Community picnic. Everyone I saw on the rides seemed to be enjoying themselves!! It appears that we had quite a few novice riders who appreciated the opportunity to grow their skill.
There is now a ‘new rider’ flyer available – which can be downloaded from the Climate Action InfoHub here: Climate Action Info Hub. There are some suggestions for local bike rides – but best of all there is the opportunity to put your local features or favourite spots on an interactive map.
We would love to have this map full of residents ideas and spots – so please follow the link above, and contribute to the map.
Help the Crofton Downs community plant 1000 native trees this Month. With the Council purchase of the Girl Guide land next to Huntleigh Park in Crofton Downs, there is a fantastic chance to rehabilitate the old Girl Guide building site and nearby grassed area.
No previous experience required. Bring gardening gloves, sturdy footwear and a small spade or grubber/mattock if you have one.
Instructions on how best to plant native seedlings will be provided. Thanks to WCC and adjoining landowners for supporting this effort to kick-start restoration of this area.
When: 10am Sunday 18 and 25 May
Where: old Girl Guides Huntleigh Centre site, walk down the shared driveway next to the Ngaio Playcentre.
Looking for family-friendly activities in March in Ngaio / Crofton Downs area? Come down and join us at our open streets Community Picnic!- here’s the event page, with all the information that you will want: Ngaio Community Picnic Event
This year, it’s about getting around in our community – finding the secret gems only known to those who walk, run or bike around our beautiful places.
Travel to the picnic in sustainable transport fun
All of these end up at our picnic – or you can just join us straight there!
Want to join the community group working to reduce emissions in Ngaio Crofton Downs? Join the Climate Crew today!
Before the March recycling day, I sent out messages saying that at the Ngaio Recycling Days, we are moving to only accepting tetrapaks which have been cut, opened flat and washed clean. Thank you to everyone who received the message and brought in flat contributions.
To transition to these tighter rules – I did accept cartons that not been cut open, and added those to the collection, after a quick slice to meet the recycling programme’s request. However this week when I dropped off at Earthlink, the tetrapaks were being inspected, and unfortunately the first box that I selected contained boxes that had old contents that were crusty or moldy, or still wet. My whole consignment of 28KG was therefore rejected and had to be brought home. The contamination reduces the quality of the end product, and adds unnecessary weight to transporting to the processing factory.
At home I went through all of the collection to sort out those which did not meet the recycling grade (see the recycling instructions in my next post above). Unfortunately around 4kg went to landfill – much because it was contaminated by other packs in the collection.
Can you tell which of the two packs above went to rubbish and which went back to Earthlink?
From the next collection therefore – we will only accept for recycling, those tetrapaks which come to us cut flat, clean, and dry.
And yes – the pack on the left is the model example of what we are looking for.
This advice is from Kiwirail – we thought our members would be interested to know what is happening with the railway lines.
You and your community may have noticed a recent increase in the noise made by trains on the Johnsonville Line, especially for our nearby neighbours. We’d like to explain what’s going on.
Our teams have been working in the Ngaio/Khandallah area to replace sections of rail – an important job to keep the trains running safely. The new rail has been safely laid and clamped, but you may have noticed a banging noise when trains go along parts of the line. This is because we still need to do welding and ‘de-stressing’ work here, which is a temperature-dependent activity.
We’ll be continuing our work here later in the month, and then during our Easter works programme. Once this is done, and as the new rail ‘beds in’, the noises should decrease.
If you have any questions, please get in touch.
Ngā mihi,
Alice Machin | Communications Advisor
Alice Machin Alice.Machin@kiwirail.co.nz
We have a huge dream to become the first carbon-neutral suburb in NZ, and we are wanting residents of Ngaio and Crofton Downs to come on board.
By working together our actions, no matter how small, will make a difference. We are focussing on the things that we can do together that will help us to reduce our impact on climate change.
Our first goal is to get our first 50 people signed up to Future Fit. This is an on-line carbon calculator, that calculates your footprint, suggests actions, and monitors your progress over time.
Join us in creating a more sustainable future! This will keep you in touch with the amazing Ngaio and Crofton Downs Climate Crew, make you aware of events that are coming up, and invite you to join in our activities over the year.
Joining up is easy, just complete the form at this page – Join the 2025 Ngaio Climate Crew. We would love you to also join up to our team in FutureFit. We will send to every new member, instructions on how to do this, along with an invitation to our team.
Stay in contact through Facebook or Instagram (Links will show icons), or follow the Climate Crew menu option on our website.
If you have any questions about Ngaio Climate Crew, or how to join up – email us at ngaioclimatecrew@gmail.com, or visit us at the Ngaio Repair Café and Recycling Collections.
There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew”.
Marshall_McLuhan
