Coronet Peak Station removes deer after one accident, one miss

Chris Dagg
Chris Dagg
It has taken more than 12 months, the sale of some stock, multiple phone calls, one accident and one near miss, but 44 wandering deer which made themselves at home on farmer Chris Dagg's property were finally removed on Tuesday.

Mr Dagg told the Otago Daily Times the deer belonged to Coronet Peak Station Queenstown Ltd, owned by Irish businessman Eamon Cleary.

The Companies Office lists Coronet Peak Station Queenstown Ltd's director as Eamon Cleary, who owns all 1000 shares. Co-directors John Henderson and Jeanifer Pain were appointed in December 2001.

The station changed from Coronet Peak Holdings Ltd in May 2002.

Mr Cleary came to media attention at the end of 2006 when, as the owner of three historic cottages in Arrowtown, he was accused of failing to maintain them.

All three cottages, at 59, 61 and 65 Buckingham St, were bought by the Queenstown Lakes District Council in February 2007, for $1.9 million.

Mr Dagg has fought a private battle over the deer, and yesterday told the ODT he was "just pleased it's finished''.

Mr Cleary bought Coronet Peak Station, an extensive high-country sheep, cattle and deer farm, in early 2002.

The deer had caused Mr Dagg continuous problems, beginning more than 12 months ago when they began "poking'' through boundary fences around creeks.

"They love water. They sort of go wallowing. They've pushed through [the boundary fence] where the creeks cut through.

"I've been trying to get [Coronet Peak Station] to take them away for quite a while... They've now done it.''

Mr Dagg said despite offers from others to come and shoot the deer - which graze huge amounts of grass, leaving the already dry land sparse of food for his own sheep and cattle - he did not encourage that. But he had hoped the matter would have been resolved sooner.

"It's their stock. It's up to them to remove them.''

While generally farmers tried to be neighbourly, Coronet Peak was a commercial station and it was "a different world now'', Mr Dagg said.

"We tried with the previous manager to get them out - there was five of us and dogs, but because they were among the trees, they just [dashed] back.

"I tried ringing the farm adviser/accountant in Hamilton but he never got back to me at all.

"The managers [are there] but their hands are tied. They can't just get a helicopter; they have to get permission to do it. It should have been sorted out a long time ago.''

After a minor car accident last week when a car hit a deer, which was later shot by police, and a near miss on Monday evening when a car avoided hitting another deer, the helicopter was called in on Tuesday afternoon.

"It took them until there was nearly [a second] accident before there was anything sorted. It's not standard farming practice.

"Anybody can have stock get out and wander... It can happen to anybody... but this is a bit different.''

Managers at Coronet Peak Station Queenstown refused to comment when called by the Otago Daily Times yesterday and said they were "not interested in doing anything, thanks''.

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