Meet the Clutha Development Team

Simon Davies

Chairperson

Simon Davies, with his wife Joanna, farm a 10,000su sheep and beef breeding and finishing farm at Toko Mouth. They have farmed in the Clutha District for thirteen years and have been a member of Clutha Development Inc. since it began.

Simon has completed a B Tech at Massey and spent 12 years seafood processing, both in New Zealand and around the world. After a career in the seafood industry he returned to Taranaki to run his family’s sheep, and dairy support farm.

With a passion for the region, excellent communication skills and broad multi-industry experience, Simon is committed to the development of the Clutha district.

Hamish Anderson

Executive Member

Hamish is a Dairy Farmer, our water quality project manager and has been a Clutha District Councillor for 15 years, 9 of these as Deputy Mayor. Hamish has vast governance experience, including: Livestock Improvement South Island board, followed by LIC National Council Chair, Chair of Lower Clutha drainage and flood protection liaison group with ORC, RMA accredited hearings panellist and RMA accredited hearings panel chair, Chair, Telford Dairy Farm advisory committee, Otago Land Transport committee, Clutha Health First trustee and the District Development Board as a board member and then Chair.

Noelene Scott

Executive Member

Noelene is the manager of the Cross Recreation Centre, who leads a small but effective team of five staff. She enjoys the challenges that each day brings in this position where they strive to ensure the facility works efficiently as they provide a valuable experience for all their users. Alongside six years contracted to Netball NZ managing and delivering the CoachForce programme over the Otago Southland area as part of the National Programme.

As a keen netballer Noelene has been involved in many aspects of the sport, coaching many Age Group teams over the years both at a local and provincial level, culminating with the Netball South Under 23 team. She has also been a Committee member for South Otago Netball Centre.

Josh Hurring

Executive Member

Josh grew up on a lifestyle block 5 minutes out of Balclutha in Barnego. After finishing high school at South Otago High School, he began a Commerce degree majoring in business management at the University of Otago. Following the completion of his degree, Josh began working full time for Mike Hurring Logging as the Health & Safety Administrator. Nowadays he helps with the day-to-day running of the company and the machine simulators that are used for training, a big focus of the company. 

In his spare time, Josh is really into hunting having grown up going out most weekends chasing deer, pigs and ducks, and in later years tsar and chamois. Rugby is also a big passion, having played for Clinton Rugby Club. Motocross was also a big part of his life during his school years racing all over NZ and gaining a Blues award in his final year at South Otago.

Bronwyn Campbell

Executive Member

Bronwyn Campbell lives on a Sheep & Beef farm in Clinton with her husband Ken and three teenage children Brayden, Bree & Libby.  She has lived in the Clutha District all of her life apart from when she was at Otago University completing her Bachelor of Commerce in Management & Accounting.  She is currently employed at Clutha Health First managing the day-to-day finance and contract operations of the company, of which they are supportive of her application for this role.

Bronwyn is very passionate about our small rural Clutha District and has always been actively involved in a variety of community groups around the district. Currently in her second term on the BOT at SOHS where governance and strategic planning is their role.  She has also previously been Chairperson on many groups around the community.  As part of her role at Clutha Health First, she writes and presents a variety of management reports to the board regularly to assist them with their governance decisions.  Bronwyn believes that Clutha Development plays an integral role within the Clutha District to ensure that our community keeps thriving and believes that she has the skills & passion to contribute to the vision of ensuring that the Clutha District continues to be developed as a great place to live, work, invest & visit.

Anna Benny

Executive Member

Anna moved from London to the Clutha district 6 years ago, and has become extremely passionate about our stunning region and the fantastic opportunities to live and work here. She is an active member of the Kaka Point Surf Lifesaving Club and secretary of the Clutha Valley Pool Development Committee.

Living on a dairy farm in Clydevale with her husband and young son, she has a real affinity for rural life and the future of our primary sector.  In 2021, Anna completed the Kellogg Rural Leadership Scheme and has been accepted onto the Silver Fern Farms governance programme, ‘To The Core’ to help further her governance aspirations.  

Having spent most of her working life in the food industry, she have a good technical background and enjoy figuring out the best methods to communicate complex ideas with an audience.  

Currently working as an independent contractor across a range of industries including agriculture, local council and a food tech start-up, she has exposure to a large network of people across the district and country as well as a good understanding of some of the key issues that make us tick.

Nicole Edwards

Executive Member

Born and bred in Balclutha, Nicole attended South Otago High School and graduated from the University of Otago in August 2013.  Nicole joined Shand Thomson in July 2013, was awarded Chartered Accountant status in January 2018 and was appointed an Associate in 2022.

Nicole has a natural talent with IT solutions for small businesses and has experience in almost all of the options available.  She enjoys encouraging and supporting new business set ups especially those that benefit the Clutha District.  

Nicole has a lot of outside interests - she completed her first Spring Challenge in 2018 and has completed a number of challenges since.  She is keen to get involved in the District and sees a lot of benefit in volunteering for charitable organisations that benefit everyone. 

When she has spare time Nicole enjoys being with her friends and family, and weekends in Cromwell biking the Dunstan Trail.

Daniel Craig

Executive Member

Dan has been a veterinarian at VetSouth for the past 12 years. Eight years ago, he and his wife Sarah moved to Balclutha to establish the VetSouth clinic there, and they’ve since started their own family.

With three lovely daughters growing up in the Clutha community, Dan is dedicated to helping the district thrive and succeed with a bright future.

He has also served as a volunteer firefighter for around 10 years. In his free time, Dan enjoys hunting, playing cricket, and spending quality time with his family.