Waitangi Conference 2005 – A roaring success

Jul 18, 2005

Lion-Man – Craig Busch from TV 2?s popular show stole the Friday Komatsu luncheon showing off two of his pet white tiger cubs. Wowed the audience and the kids.
Anthony Hartcher.
Now this chap had a great time:-
* Won the ?best dressed bloke? at the Cable Price Country and Western themed evening.
* Presented a paper on ‘Blasting’, and
* Joined his Orica colleagues Craig Coulam and Philipa Lamb to host the partners’ boat trip up the Kerikeri inlet including the Makana Chocolate Factory.

Quarrying chaps and their partners arrived in droves. From all across New Zealand and Australia, for the 37th Combined Annual Conference of the Institute of Quarrying NZ (Inc) and the Aggregates and Quarry Association NZ (Inc).
330 delegates and partners.
Swapping stories and catching up with old acquaintances.

This cheery lot were quite happy to pose for a photo outside the Mounts Wire display stand.

From left to right: –
Rob Kennington, Christine and Lindsay Cook, Kay Kennington, Kathy McDowell, Jeannie Takin, and Stewart Preddy.
[+] enlarge
Conference papers:
13 papers were presented encompassing:-
* health and safety
* quarrying
* blasting with e-dets
* aggregate and sealing chip quality
* manufactured sand
* cleanfill
* rehabilitation
* ExITO Update
* pastoral lime applications
* impacts of emissions standards on diesel fuel engines
* simple ways to measure performance and
* large machinery.

Waitangi / Paihia is the hub of the Northland tourist mecca. The IOQ/AQA Conference booked out the entire Copthorne Resort plus four more accommodation spots in Paihia!

The sponsors larger items were on show outside:-

CASE Articulated Dumper HYUNDAI L160 Digger DAEWOO Loader

While many sponsors exhibited inside the ‘Treaty Room’


[+] enlarge		 Imerys Tableware (formerly NZ China Clays).
The delegates Quarry trip to Imerys Quarry, Matauri Bay was one of the highlights of the conference – dazzling white halloysite clays sourced from this pit. Unique properties of the clays make it sought after.

These clays are NZ’s second highest priced industrial mineral. 95% is exported to Asia for the manufacture of fine table ware and porcelain.
Andrew Dronjak
(winner of the Goughs CAT 2003 Award) presented his paper on ?Iceland ? Land of Light and Darkness?

Different. Interesting. Filled all the delegates with intrigue and secured Andrew the Lyn Jordan Memorial Trophy, for ?Best technical paper at conference?: at the Volvo Awards Dinner.
Peter Montgomery.
The voice of yachting.
Guest speaker at the Goughs CAT Dinner.
Regaled some of his many sailing stories. Absolutely riveting.

More to be reported soon. Winners of the 2005 IOQ and AQA Awards are now posted in the Awards/Winners section.