Dunedin's new mayor moves to reinstate famous St Clair beach poles after heavy swells washed them away
From reporter Hamish McNeilly:
The tide may have turned for the Dunedin’s famed St Clair beach poles.
In June, heavy swells stripped sand from the popular city beach, exposing coastal defences in the form of giant sand sausages, and leaving a solitary pole remaining – before that too was destroyed.
Those poles once formed part of a groyne – a series of poles embedded in the sand and designed to trap sand – first installed 120 years ago.
Reinstating the groynes to assist with coast erosion was a pet project of former councillor Jules Radich. Now he’s the mayor, and the Dunedin City Council is preparing to vote to have them reinstated.
Radich’s motion to reinstall a groyne at St Clair on a five-year trial basis was rejected by the last council at a June meeting.
Prior to that vote he told Stuff he did not have the numbers, and “the only blockage to this is political”.
Fast-forward five months and Mayor Radich is likely to have the numbers, when the matter is again discussed at a council meeting on November 8.
That motion that council: ‘’Requests an urgent report on the cost and time frames for reinstating the St Clair groyne, potentially on a trial basis’’, was signed by the mayor and five other councillors.
An online poll, backed and promoted by Radich, to reinstate the wooden poles had attracted thousands of signatures.
The council’s St Clair- St Kilda Coastal Plan was adopted in February. That short-term walk includes improving access, removing redundant infrastructure, and dune stability work.
In an effort to retain sand at the beach, a groyne or a similar structure designed to trap sand, could be constructed.
‘’This could create an enhanced high tide beach. It would require ongoing investments to top-up and sustain sand levels over longer periods,’’ the plan said.
A 2019 council report concluded a groyne would help retain sand on one side, but reduce sand on the other.
To be effective, a groyne at St Clair would need to be at least 65m long.
Another council report, this time in 2020, estimated the cost to construct a timber groyne at $150,000, with additional maintenance costs.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.2% Yes
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46.8% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
🚒 Our Fire and Emergency crews have been kept busy lately
And they’re once again reminding everyone: please don’t light fires when it’s windy.
Central Otago will move into a restricted fire season from 1 December 2025, which means anyone planning an outdoor fire will need to apply for a permit and plan ahead.
So we’d love to ask you — how do you make sure you’re being fire-safe at this time of year?
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