The premiere of Tim’s latest documentary, ‘Sam's Awa: The Declarations’ is screening this Thursday 4th December in Tākaka - go and support the kaupapa if you are in the area! Be sure to watch his first release on this important issue: Sam's Creek - Fast-Track to desecration

We know the awa is special to so many of our Twisted whānau and the wider community - have a read to get up to speed and see how we can help.

What’s the risk facing Sam’s Creek?

Siren Gold wants to turn its current exploration permit at Sam's Creek (Sam's Awa) into a full mining licence. They’re planning a mix of underground and open-pit gold mining — right next to one of the cleanest water systems in the Southern Hemisphere. The rock there is arsenic-rich, which means the waste carries serious toxicity risks.

All of this would sit above the Tākaka marble aquifer and right beside the river — the same waters that feed the whole valley, including the places thousands of Twisted whānau camp, swim, gather and celebrate each year.

Who are the major players?

Siren Gold (with OceanaGold sitting quietly in the background) is pushing the mine. Opposing it are SCC, Save Our Springs, local residents, mana whenua and a whole community of water protectors — many of whom are young people and festival goers, artists, musicians, and outdoors lovers who feel this kaupapa deeply.

What stage is the project at?

The mining-permit application is in. Siren is still drilling while it’s processed. Full mining can’t start without that licence, and even then they’d need a whole raft of consents — which we’re preparing to challenge.

What could happen to the water and the land?

Arsenic-rich waste sitting above an aquifer in steep, high-rainfall, earthquake-prone terrain is a recipe for long-term contamination. A slip, flood or structural failure could poison the waters feeding Te Waikoropupū and the whole Tākaka River system. Exploration alone is already putting pressure on the whenua through sediment, vegetation loss and disturbance.

This system is one of the most stunning waterways I have ever set foot on. To disturb this in any way is a crime - irrespective of gold mining. This particular area was intentionally cut out of the Kahurangi National Park some time ago under the Bolger government, because of the presence of antimony (a metalloid used in many alloys and electronic components).

For a tiny amount of gold, the risks to the valley — and everything the Twisted community loves about it — are huge.

Is Sam's Awa significant to tangata whenua?

These waters form part of a taonga network connected to Te Waikoropupū — a place of deep spiritual, cultural and ecological importance, as confirmed in law during the Water Conservation Order hearings; the waters have "outstanding spiritual and cultural characteristics for both Maori and non-Maori alike". Any threat to the purity or mauri of these waters is a threat to whakapapa and kaitiakitanga.

Who are SCC and what actions have they taken against the mine?

SCC is a grassroots collective that came back together when mining pressure intensified. They’ve hosted hui, shared information, built alliances, and supported people on the ground who are monitoring what’s happening up the valley.

My role sits alongside these groups, creating media, supporting NVDA, and helping make the kaupapa visible.

How does this affect the Twisted community specifically?

Simply put: if the headwaters are compromised, the whole valley feels it. The Cobb and Tākaka catchment is a single living system. A contamination event upstream wouldn’t stay local — it would affect the rivers, ecosystems, and water sources connected to Twisted’s home.

If people want the festival to have a future in a thriving, clean, living valley, this is the moment to step up. Having seen so many utterly transformed by the healing power of these waters after being up all night on the dancefloor, to whakamana these waters is the very least we can do...

How can Twisted whānau help?

• Share the kaupapa — spread the word, bring your friends in.

• Come to screenings and community events - including this Thursday’s premiere of the new Sam's Awa short film, in Tākaka. Here’s a brief synopsis : "One of the Southern Hemisphere’s most pristine waterways is now at risk. Beneath Sam’s Creek—Sam’s Awa to locals—lies arsenic-rich rock that an Australian gold mining company hopes to exploit for tiny traces of gold. This film captures a gathering of international water protectors who assembled at the river to voice a series of declarations, uniting the community’s resolve to safeguard Sam’s Awa and the interconnected waters of Mohua." You can check out the trailer here.

• Write to MPs, Ministers and NZPAM. Youth voices hit differently — they get noticed - info, guidelines at www.saveoursprings.nz.

• Offer skills, time, or koha to SCC, SOS, or allied groups.

• Stay engaged. This movement is powered by people — and especially by younger voices who have the most to lose and the most to protect.

• Find our workshop / film screening in the Twisted line-up and come along.

Fundraising (Save Our Springs)

Save Our Springs is currently fundraising for legal action opposing Siren Gold’s mining licence. The details are sensitive and not public yet, but donations genuinely help keep the pressure on. Here’s the Givealittle page: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/httpswwwsaveourspringsnz

Any final thoughts?

Only this: the gold is optional — the water is not. Protecting the valley is about protecting the future of the communities who gather there, celebrate there, and love the place for what it already is. For more information, check out Sam’s Creek Collective, Save Our Springs, or this recent article on Newsroom.