Two months boating across river to get to work after Cyclone Gabrielle
Charlie and Hamish Menzies aren't sure when a permanent bridge across the river to their property will be built. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
After two months of using a dinghy, a husband and wife stranded by Cyclone Gabrielle can now leave their North Island home on a slightly less precarious river crossing.
The storm's heavy rain swelled the Manawatū River's northern reaches and the water's power, plus a huge build-up of logs, swept away the bridge to their property north of Dannevirke in the Tararua District.
Now, Charlie and Hamish Menzies are waiting for a permanent fix while relying on temporary crossings.
For weeks after Cyclone Gabrielle struck, Charlie Menzies had the same morning routine when making her way down from their house, about one kilometre from the river.
"I'd hop out of my car to put on a backpack, cross the river, climb up the other side and then change into professional clothes on the side of the road, which was OK on a nice day.
"When it was raining it was lucky I'm in a gully - the language wasn't so good."
A road closed sign signals the end of Rakaiatai Road. The remains of the old bridge are visible in the background. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
It was only a short trip in the dinghy, but Menzies would have to get herself across and then scramble up a bank to another parked car on the other side.
Then it was off to Dannevirke High School, where she is assistant principal.
Life was a little easier now.
A couple of weeks ago a digger driver came up with the idea of using a fallen girder as a foot bridge, she said.
It had since been given a side rail.
And a ford through the river was created using the fallen bridge's deck - it was suitable for four-wheel-drives.
"Since the walking bridge has been in place the river has been up to the bottom of the walking bridge, which would be at least a metre over the ford. We are concerned about truck access for stock.
"And there actually has been one accident with a worker already. They got pushed by a trailer into the river."
A road closed sign signals the end of Rakaiatai Road. The remains of the old bridge are visible in the background. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
The Menzies live at the end of Rakaiatai Road, owned and maintained by the Tararua District Council.
They have about 2000 units of stock on their sheep, beef and deer farm run by Hamish Menzies.
When the bridge washed away on 14 February, the Menzies were at home, well above the raging river.
"The significant rainfall event coupled with the release of a log-jam of dead willow branches that we've learnt was about a kilometre up the river came down and wiped out our only road access to our farm, to our house," Charlie Menzies said.
For two days, they were effectively trapped.
"We have a jet boat. On the Thursday we launched the jet boat about a kilometre downstream, where it was safe to launch. We'd actually left a ute on [the far] side, anticipating the top of the bridge would go.
"I was able to go to school and do some planning for my absence for a couple of days."
Jet boating was not a long-term solution.
"You can't leave the jet boat in the river. You have to take it out, and I can't ask that of my husband twice a day. We put a SOS call out to friends and they supplied a dinghy, and we put that on ropes so you could pull yourself across."
And for two months that was how the Menzies would leave home for town, and how workers would reach a neighbouring farm also on their side of the river. Nobody lives on that property, however.
Shearers even pulled themselves across at one point in what Charlie Menzies said was a tricky task.
Access may have improved now, but stock trucks and contractors to do work or supply fuel cannot make it across the ford.
Menzies said the washout's effect on the farm was significant.
"When this event first happened my husband was thinking, 'Can we carry on?' However, there's always a way.
"We've cut fences into the neighbouring property south of us, spent a bit of money putting in gates and culvert so we can take sheep south, which makes what should be half-hour job to load stock a half-a-day job," Charlie Menzies said.
"The biggest worry is if things go wrong and you need help, but you can't get access. If you had an animal that you needed a vet for, but the river's up, that's that."
Tararua District Council group manager of infrastructure Chris Chapman said it was too early to know when a permanent fix will be in place.
"We won't be in a position to fully replace the structure until we get our emergency works confirmation from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency."
The district's roads were badly hit by Cyclone Gabrielle, so the council was relying on such funding for repairs.
It had already received an initial $10 million, and some of that had gone on towards work clearing the Rakaiatai Road site and putting in place the temporary access.
Tararua Alliance manager Matt Erard said a drill was onsite to undertake preliminary investigations.
After that, a full geotechnical investigation would happen and then a permanent fix would become clearer.
Heading into winter, Charlie Menzies said the lack of certainty was a worry.
"It's a big concern. As one of my work colleagues says, 'You come down to go to work not knowing if you can get to work every day'.
"That does take a toll."
