Soldiers buy SI town

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 318, 19 December 1989, Page 16

Soldiers buy SI town

Five former commades-in-arms - all of whom have seen service with the Army training Group in Waiouru and elsewhere - have embarked in a new venture together ... they have bought a South Island town!

Two of these new town-owning partners are still serving in the Army - one in Waiouru the other in Burnham - but the other three have now retired and are already active in this new and challenging enterprise which is to convert the former West Coast timber town of Kopara into a holiday resort with a difference. They aim to provide guests with an inexpensive family holiday and a variety of outdoor recreational activities. These will include hunting, shooting, fishing, sailing, canoeing, rafting (on the nearby lakes and rivers), tramping, climbing and horsetrekking (in nearby mountains) and, of course, black-powder and muzzle-loading marksmanship competitions and related camping activities. The catalyst which has brought these five partners - W02 John 'Specs' Craig (retired),

Sergeant Raelen May (retired), W02 Dave Fitzwater (currently serving in Waiouru), W02 Derek Pawley (retired) and WOl Steve Whitton (currently serving in Burnham), together in this imaginative project is their common interest in black-powder shooting ... they have all been involved in that sport since it was first established in Waiouru in 1982. Nestling in native bush at the base of the Southern Alps, Kopara is situated on the banks of the Haupiri and Kopara Rivers (which run into the Grey River), 60 kms inland from Greymouth. The access road is sealed except for the last two miles. , It was a thriving timber town until the mill closed 15 years ago. The ten remaining private dwellings and boarding house were then sold and the township remained in private ownership until

the partnership purchased it from ihe former owner earlier this year. The new owners had hoped to have the holiday resort at least partially up and operating wiihin the next six months but when the squatters, who had been occupying the 200 acre property were given eviction notices, they vandalised the buildings and removed everything that could be transported from the site. The partners now expect the resort will be open to receive its first guests in about two years time. John Craig and Raelen May are already living there and repairing the damage. They are joined by the other partners from time to time as other commitments allow ... Dave Fitzwater of the Waiouru Army Museum staff will move down there permanently when he retires in 1992. The resort will provide New Zealand families and hopefully, as its reputation spreads, overseas visitors with a very different holiday option at a reasonable price. The partners are hoping most guests will

stay for about a week during which time they will have the opportunity to experience, perhaps for the first time, a range of outdoor activities under expert supervision and with all equipment supplied. Guests will stay in self-contained familystyle chalets and will be expected to supply their own food and sleeping bags, though the resort will have a small camp-store and

outdoor and camp cooking will be taught. The nearest general store is at Nelsons Creek, 20 kms down the road towards Greymouth. And the nearest policeman is another face familiar to Waiouru and Ohakune residents! He is Constable Greg Whyte who was stationed in the Waimarino several years ago and is now based in Greymouth.