British TV presenter Noel Edmonds has shown the damage done to his River Haven estate in Ngātīmoti after the extreme weather which lashed parts of the country last week.
The 320ha estate near Motueka was purchased by Edmonds and his wife, Elizabeth Davies, in 2022 and also houses a cafe, pub, vineyard, general store and wellness centre.
In a video uploaded to YouTube, Edmonds explained he was reviewing his business in New Zealand after he lost “three years of hard graft” in “just a few hours”.
While showing damage to the wellness centre, Edmonds said it was built “in accordance with all the local regulations”, but it was taken by the “full brunt of the torrent” during the storm.
“It was constructed about 50 metres away from the riverbank, and about some 10 metres above the normal water level.
“The two beautiful treatment suites and the gardens have been wrecked, indeed one was torn from its foundations and thrown across the creek, the doors were torn off the outside gym, and the lovely Bali bridge at the entrance has been destroyed.”
Photos were also shared throughout the video showing the destruction, and the floor of the main building which was “covered in a thick layer of silt and mud”.
Edmonds said he and his wife were in “a state of shock” following the incident but he expressed great concern about the locals in the region who were already in tough times.
“We’re talking about people who were already finding the economic situation very difficult.
“I really don’t know how they’re going to recover from this disaster.”
Edmonds also showed his appreciation for how the community responded.
“I am in total awe of how our Kiwi neighbours have picked themselves up [and] pulled together as a community … I saw one interview where some people who had their home washed away said ‘well, we’ll come back and rebuild our lives.’”
“That is the spirit which drew me to New Zealand in the first place. Liz and I are not feeling sorry for ourselves, but I have to say that we’re not really sure of the way forward.”
Concern over highway barrier
Edmonds expressed concern with the damage to a barrier of rocks which ran along the highway near River Haven.
“The work to protect the highway in front of the River Haven was so important not just for the local community, but also for the economy of New Zealand.
“The foundations of the highway are now exposed, repair will be a really significant engineering undertaking, maybe made more difficult because of course it’s the winter.
“Restrictions on this highway always have a negative impact on the community and its local businesses, closure would be a disaster for the South Island economy.”
