Dansy and Greg Coppell. Photo: Supplied.
Recovery is far from over for landowners affected by the devastating twin flood events, but across Tasman both fence lines and community spirit are rebuilding stronger than ever thanks to the efforts of Greg and Dansy Coppell.
Greg and Dansy of Repost repurpose used vineyard posts into practical, low-cost fencing materials, and have donated and supplied more than 15,000 recycled posts to help farmers and lifestylers repair vital flood-damaged fences.
Alongside the posts, essentials such as netting, wire, nails and insulators were provided at cost, making it possible for people to restore boundaries without breaking the bank.
“We did it non-profit. People knew when they came to us for help, we could give honest help,” says Greg. “Every dollar counts, most of these people were uninsured or had never fenced before.”
Materials were sourced from several places: flood debris recovered by the harbourmaster (some even returned to their original farms), winery clean-up efforts supported by Tasman District Council, and Repost’s own Marlborough hub — now nearing one million repurposed posts supplied to farms nationwide.
Over the course of seven recovery events in Ngātīmoti and Wakefield, the Coppells, supported by their community, helped more than 140 farmers. Their pop-up recovery hub at River Haven Vineyard became a focal point for distributing supplies, sharing information, and offering classic Kiwi hospitality -BBQs, coffee and Greg’s mum’s famous fruit cake included.
“Even after the events wrapped up, farmers would often stay for a yarn,” says Dansy.
Local farmers deeply appreciated the support. “It was a great help to get some free posts. I also took advantage of the fencing materials available at cost, it was a great saving,” says Stuart Allen, who runs a 100-acre farm on Westbank Road in the Motueka Valley.
“Dansy and Greg aren’t just businesspeople, they’re people of the land, with immense compassion for farmers, their families and their lifestyle,” Tracey Heaven, who has a 65-acre block with cattle, calves, pigs, horses and ponies, adds.
“The products we received from Repost made the reinstatement of our farm more affordable and less daunting. Post by post, we are rebuilding our lives.”
Support extended well beyond posts and wire. Community contributions poured in — including $750 raised by Māpua School to help with freight costs through a farming-themed dress-up day, and countless donations of food and volunteer labour from across the region.
Greg and Dansy say the experience has been life changing. “This has restored my faith in people and community,” says Greg. “So many stepped up when it mattered most — from food and labour to simply checking in on neighbours. We’re just one of many helping; the Rural Support Trust has been a key connector, linking us with farmers who need it most. Out of hardship has come real unity. Recovery is a marathon, and we’ll keep doing our part for our community for the long haul.”
Dansy echoes the sentiment.
“This has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. To have the resources to help in our small way has been truly grounding — and it’s why we began Repost. It’s been emotionally charged at times, but as a community, we’ve rallied together. Someone you didn’t know before, you’ll now always share a deeper connection.”
This isn’t the Coppells’ first time helping rural communities recover — they donated more than 12,000 posts to Hawke’s Bay farmers after Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. While work in Tasman continues, their efforts show that recovery is about more than replacing what was lost — it’s about building a stronger, more resilient future, one fence post at a time.
