Ken Gillespie is a member of the Manuherikia Catchment Water Strategy Group’s executive team.
He has chaired the Hawkdun Idaburn Irrigation Company for more than 20 years.
Ken is a strong believer in managing water resources on a catchment-wide basis, saying that approach will make the overall scheme more effective and affordable.
“We’ve had nothing done in our catchment since the depression years when the original dams were built. It’s time for an update.”
Ken and his wife Helen have four children.
They used to have a sheep and beef farm in Oturehua but Ken describes himself as a semi-retired farmer these days and he has many other interests.
He is an Otago Central Rail Trail trustee, a member of the New Zealand Curling Association and a board member of Maniototo Curling International in Naseby and he belongs to the Maniototo Lions.
Ken says he has “a bike or two” and helps to organise the Brass Monkey and is involved with the Hayes Engineering Works, a Heritage New Zealand attraction in Oturehua.