Spraying finished for today - but not over
18 February 2002
About two thirds of the targeted aerial spraying against painted apple moth in west Auckland has been completed – but
there’s still more to do tomorrow – if the weather holds.
A successful start yesterday saw Traherne Island and most of the residential areas completed. The remaining residential
areas were completed this morning – apart from a narrow coastal strip in Kelston. About half of the Waikumete Cemetery,
which is a very large area, was also sprayed.
A sea breeze came up at about mid morning and spraying was called off just before 11.00am.
If the weather holds tomorrow the plan is finish the remaining areas, but a final decision won’t be made till 4.00am.
This is second operation of targeted aerial spraying which was scheduled to start last Tuesday 12 February, but rain and
high winds hampered the operation.
The targeted aerial spray zone of 560 hectares includes about 3,000 residential and industrial properties in the west
Auckland suburbs bordering the Whau River and its tributaries, the Avondale Peninsula, Waikumete Cemetery and Traherne
Island.