Ashburton Courier: May 14, 2021

NEWS
24 Ashburton Courier, May 13, 2021
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Goal­setters enjoy Ashburton scene
TONI.WILLIAMS
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Dairy farmers Dinuka and
Nadeeka Gamage are livingthe
dream.
Theyare passionate share
farmers on a245ha Dairy
Holdings farm at Ealing,
milking980 cows,and are
finalists in the New Zealand
Dairy Industry Awards,Share
Farmerofthe Year category.
Theywon the final of the
Canterbury/North Otago Dairy
region and will find out this
weekend how they fared; the
national finals are in Hamilton
on Saturday.
Dinuka and Nadeekalove
being their own boss and
working with animals in the
outsideenvironment.
“Outside is our office now,”
Dinukasaid.
It’s alifestyle they were
pleasedtohave and one which
has slowly taken shape over the
years sinceDinuka first arrived
in New Zealand.
The couple were high school
sweetheartsfrom Kandy, Sri
Lanka,and moved to New
Zealandinthe late 2000s.
Dinuka came out first in 2008
gaininganentry levelposition
with Wayne and Suellen
Pamment on their 880­cow
dairy farm in ruralKaikoura.
Dinuka learnedalot from the
Pamments in his first year in
the industry.
Thenwhen the farm was sold
he headed inland to work for
DairyfarmersNadeeka andDinuka Gamage lovebeing their ownbossand working outdoorswith
animals.
PHOTO TONI WILLIAMS
Mark and PennyFleming at
Culverden,milking 950 cows.
Jamesand Ceri Bourkewere
his dairy industry mentors.
By the timeNadeekaarrived
with their two young sons,
Dinuka was in abetter position
as adairy farm workermoving
his way up the ranks from herd
manager, to 2IC and then farm
manager.
He was with the Flemings for
eight years.
It was afully irrigated, system
four farm,hesaid, in agood
community.
‘‘It was agreat learning
opportunity.’’
Dairy farming was afar cry
from the largerice paddy farm
where Dinuka grew up in rural
Sri Lanka.
He holds diplomas in
agribusiness management from
New Zealand, as wellas
agriculture engineering and a
postgraduatediplomain
marketing from Sri Lanka.
Just prior to leaving Sri
Lanka he was visitingfarmers
selling animal healthproducts
for their stock. Those visits
reignitedhis dream of farming.
He had learned about New
Zealand dairy farmingwhen he
was studying,sowhen the
chance to move south came up,
via aNew Zealand recruitment
agency, he tookaleap of faith
for the futureofhis family.
And it’s been asuccessful
move. Not only has Dinuka
extendedhis qualifications
with the PrimaryITO Level5
Production Management,Level
4Dairy Farming and Biz Start
from DairyNZ but they became
New Zealand citizensin2018.
The Gamages, with their
business LuckCow Dairy Ltd,
are in their fourthseasonas
share farmers with Dairy
Holdings in Mid Canterbury.
They like the district’s
vibrantmulti­cultural
communityand its central
location. They havealso
travelled extensivelyaround
New Zealand.
They have three full time
staff, milking980 cows in
16­hourmilkingsthrough a
48­bailrotary shed.
And in the industry
competition, won merit awards
for their leadershipand
business performance.
However one of the
challenges facingthem of late,
had been finding ­and keeping
­key staff. They train all their
staff to know every aspect of the
job, which carried its own set of
challenges once they were
trainedand sought career
advancement.
The Gamages have enjoyed
the preparation going into the
industry awards,especially
networking with others in
similarsituations.
They saw the ongoing support
from their farm owners as a
strength of their business.
But were also proud of their
own progression throughthe
dairy industry, regularly setting
goals for themselves to advance
to farm ownership in the future.
Areyou
readyfor
‘A Better
Everyday’?
We have vacancies
available now.
Huntersontahrcontrol
The Department of Conservation (DOC)will
reduce tahr control measures in the South
Rakaia/Rangitata area over the next 12
months and hunterswill play abigger part in
tahr managementinfuture years.
DOC has been usinghelicopters over the
past couple of months to survey the exact
population of tahr on smaller specific areas
like the South Rakaia/Rangitata.
Its TahrControl Operational Plan for
2021/22 has been developed after five
months of engagement with tahr
stakeholders including hunting and
conservationgroups.
DepartmentofConservation wild animals
managerJames Holborow said the new plan
providesanexciting opportunity to explore
greater hunter involvement in tahr
managementwithinpopular hunting areas.
“We have started discussions with the
Tahr Plan ImplementationLiaisonGroup on
what hunter­led managementwould look
like for the tahr population within the South
Rakaia/Rangitata Management Unit.
“Thiscould involve hunters managing tahr
populations as well as reporting on tahr
numbers and the health of ecosystems. We’re
excitedtosee what we can achieve by
workingtogether withthe group on this
opportunity.”
Survey results would give detailed
information on tahr numbers in the South
Rakaia/Rangitata and the Gammack/Two
Thumbmanagement units, including the
genderbalance of the localtahr population,’’
Mr Holborrowsaid.
“We have decidednot to control tahr in the
South Rakaia/Rangitatamanagement unit
over the next year, while we analysethe
survey data.’’
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