Abel Tasman Magazine - Issue #1

coastal track guide

TOP 10 FREE THINGS TO DO beach reviews • arts guide

KĀKĀ - THE WORLD’S MOST CHARISMATIC BIRDS? 1

The Awaroa Estuary has a unique tortoise sheen in certain conditions, due largely to the reflection from the white shells in the sand below the water.

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CONTENTS

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION................................................................................. 4 A QUICK GUIDE TO WALKING THE ABEL TASMAN............................... 6

FEATURES

OUR JOURNEY TO ZERO CARBON............................................................. 16 THE STORY OF ABEL TASMAN CONSERVATION.................................. 20 KĀKĀ IN THE ABEL TASMAN........................................................................ 24

TRAVEL

GOLDEN BAY My Happiest of Happy Places................................................. 28 THE BEACHES OF THE REGION................................................................... 32 STRAIGHT TO THE HEART OF THE PARK............................................... 34 NELSON TASMAN New Zealand’s Newest Cycling Mecca........................ 36 SPOTLIGHT ON: MOTUEKA............................................................................ 40 TOP 10 FREE THINGS TO DO IN MOTUEKA........................................... 42

FOOD

SPOTLIGHT ON: TOAD HALL......................................................................... 46 SPOTLIGHT ON: HOOKED............................................................................... 47 TRAMPING RECIPES......................................................................................... 48

ENTERTAINMENT

LOCAL ARTS with Jade Alborn......................................................................... 50 NELSON TASMAN MUSIC SCENE................................................................ 51 BIRD OF THE MOMENT The Weka................................................................ 52 TALES OF TE TAI TAPU Tokangawhā/Split Apple Rock............................ 53

INFORMATION

PACKING LIST & MAP........................................................................................ 54

Photography credits: Lightstyle Photography, Brodie Knox, Brendan Alborn, Dylan Gallertly. Design and artwork: Mat Tait mattait@mattait.com Contributors: Johny O’Donnell, Brendan Alborn, Robyn James, Jade Alborn. Produced and published by: Alborn Enterprises Ltd, 8 Franklin Street, Marahau 7197, RD2 Motueka, New Zealand. Email: feedback@abeltasman.com Tel: 03 527 8559

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EDITORS’

INTRODUCTION Welcome to the very first unofficial Abel Tasman National Park Magazine! What’s it all about then?

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ell, you see, I always wanted to be a journalist.

I even completed a degree in English Literature as I set my course towards a career in journalism. But I got a little bit sidetracked (for the next 20+ years) and found myself working in supermarket engineering.

Fast forward to 2016 and I find myself writing the content ready for the launch of our new website, AbelTasman.com, a task that I really enjoyed. We needed so much copy about the Abel Tasman National Park itself and this glorious region that I needed to bury myself in my office for hours and days on end, writing away furiously on my Mac. We also needed a shed load of images for each section of the website. I set about running (quite literally) through the Park with my camera trying to capture the essence of the place, and travelling around the Nelson Tasman region to all of my favourite spots. I would often try to combine family outings with photography missions which led to more than one call of “can you get that camera out of my face” from more than one family member.

This whole process also forced me to think carefully and then articulate why I’ve suddenly found myself so incredibly pleased to be living here after so many years living overseas and in other parts of New Zealand.

So here we are in 2020 and I’m kinda living the dream of my youth, writing and editing a magazine.

But, this magazine doesn’t exist to satisfy my desire to finally put ‘journalist’ on my resume. That’s just a happy accident. We have created The Abel Tasman Magazine to celebrate and promote the Abel Tasman National Park, the Nelson Tasman region and also

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our businesses serving visitors to this incredible part of New Zealand.

AbelTasman.com aims to bring together all of the knowledge and experience of the people who have spent their lives working and playing in the Abel Tasman National Park. As lifetime travellers we have always found great value in having access to ‘local knowledge’. By default, the people living in an area will know where to find the best coffee, food, places to visit etc, etc. This magazine and our website AbelTasman.com aims to be your local guide to our little slice of paradise! We hope it helps you have an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience here.

Brendan Alborn Owner Operator Alborn Enterprises Ltd.

Kia Ora e Hoa (Greetings Friend),

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’m super stoked you’ve chosen to pick this magazine up because it’s been a labour of love putting together our favourite bits and bobs of this place we call home and I’m rapt you’ve taken the time to engage and enjoy the content that follows. The Abel Tasman Magazine is a celebration of everything that makes this place special and a chance to tell our story. We hope you enjoy the content as much as we enjoyed putting it all together for you.

2020 has been an absolute rollercoaster for so many and we have not been immune. Our 2019/2020 summer season was hitting all the right notes - the weather gods were delivering the goods, our team were putting in the big hours, we had visitors from every corner of the world and the whole park was humming.

In what seemed like a very short space of time, the curtain came down on international tourism with the announcement of our borders closing to stop the spread of Covid-19 which was now running rampant across the globe. The swift and decisive action by our government to protect New Zealanders was welcomed but was not without its impacts.

Tourism has been New Zealand’s largest export earner and employed one in ten people in the country. Here in Nelson Tasman, it was the industry that underpinned the success of our local hospitality, retail, arts, music and events sectors which were all enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. My time in the sector has been short relative to many but over the years I’ve gained a real appreciation for how much the visitor sector contributes to New Zealand’s economy, local communities and cultural richness.

Further to that, this temporary pause on our operations gave us the opportunity to reassess and redesign the future. We are looking forward to playing a leading role in the rebuilding of a more sustainable, more vibrant and more resilient visitor sector. New Zealand is a country of open hearts and open minds.

We are looking forward to welcoming our whanaunga (relatives) from all over the world again soon. But in the meantime, we are loving the opportunity to operate at a slower pace and show those of you a little closer to home our slice of paradise.

There is no doubt we are facing uncertain and challenging times. But we are prouder than ever of our local community and more grateful than ever to call this place home. Aotearoa New Zealand has proven once again that we have the ability to punch well above our weight in terms of global leadership and courageous action.

Less people will read this magazine that we envisioned when we started work on it last year. But you chose to and for that we are very grateful. Enjoy the stories, tips, insights, advice and beautiful imagery of this place we are all so passionate about. And more than anything, get out and enjoy everything it has to offer.

JOD Johny O’Donnell ShiftOn

Over the past five years, I’ve been lucky enough to work alongside the Alborn family of Marahau who have commissioned this magazine for everyone to enjoy. When it became clear that our primary business of international tourism was grinding to a temporary halt, Brendan and I sat down to revisit our strategy moving forward. I was incredibly heartened to hear their commitment to all the things we had worked on over the years had not been deterred - our commitment to offering the best experiences in the park, our commitment to being a zero carbon sustainable operator, our commitment to conservation and restoration and ultimately a commitment to the sector that has contributed so much to our local community, region and country.

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A QUICK GUIDE

TO WALKING THE

ABEL TASMAN The Abel Tasman Coastal Track is roughly 60km long, winding its way from Marahau in the south up to Wainui in the north. The Track can be loosely divided up into sections between the different bays or Coastal Access Points where water taxis are permitted to drop off and pick up passengers. This means there is the option to complete a small section of the Track by getting dropped at one bay before walking through to the next bay to be collected and dropped back at your original departure point.

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he track sections between the bays are all different distances and have a variety of terrain profiles and their own unique characteristics, views and highlights. The section of track you choose comes down to your energy level and your specific interests. Or, you could spend a few days walking the length of the Coastal Track and see it all!

The walking times below and on the DOC signs through the Abel Tasman are clearly indicative only and depend entirely on your walking speed and your propensity to stop to take in the sights. Over the years I have had people berate me for giving a walking estimate only for them to say either: (a) It took us way longer than you said it would, are you some sort of fitness-nut/ speed-walker/Navy Seal?; or (b) We beat your estimate by x hours, you must be a really slow walker.

The state of the tide when you’re walking the Track will also have an impact on the route you take and the views from the trail. There are various high and low tide routes at different places in the Park and one part of the Track to the north of Awaroa that is only accessible two hours either side of low tide.

That means you’ll need to check the tide charts for the day you’re planning to cross the Awaroa Estuary.

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The Abel Tasman is the only one of New Zealand’s Great Walks that follows the coastline.

MARAHAU TO ANCHORAGE 3-4 hours, 12.4km

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he southern entrance to the Coastal Track begins with a walkway over the tidal inlet. Once along the track a short way you will get wonderful views looking southwards back to Marahau. Stu’s Lookout, located on a side track a few metres on the sea side of the track provides perhaps the best views back towards Marahau and also the beginning of the Astrolabe Roadstead to the north.

After you pass some thick bracken and low bush you will cross a short bridge to find yourself at Tinline Bay, and a clearing that is the first campsite in the Abel Tasman.

This is perhaps the most under used campsite in the Park because it’s only about 3km into the Park and is located on a grassy clearing, not right on the beach like most of the other campsites. Tinline is still a lovely little spot and it includes a short nature walk to the west of the clearing that is ideal for small children to explore.

The track rises to the north of Tinline for the best elevated view thus far as you look directly down into Coquille Bay, the first all-tide deep water bay in the Park.

The native bush is taller from this point as the Track winds its way between bays like Apple Tree, Stillwell and Akersten which are all located down to the right a short distance from the main track. A longer walk off the track are Observation Beach and Watering Cove, both of which look out towards Adele Island.

The Track then drops down to Anchorage where the first DOC hut and large campsites are located. Anchorage is the most visited beach in the Park, particularly by people catching water taxis from Marahau or Kaiteriteri for a day trip.

Not part of the main Coastal Track and back towards the southern end of the Anchorage campsite is a loop track that leads to Te Pukatea, many people’s favourite classic Abel Tasman crescent-shaped beach. The track also takes you to the end of Pitt Head and back along the cliff tops to Anchorage. Pitt Head has been extensively trapped for predators by the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust over the past several years so features some of the best birdsong you will find anywhere in the Park.

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A QUICK GUIDE

TO WALKING THE

ABEL TASMAN

ANCHORAGE TO TORRENT BAY Low tide route: 20 min, 0.9km High tide route: 1-1.5 hours, 4km

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he low tide track to Torrent Bay scoots directly across the estuary from the northern end of the Anchorage beach. It’s only 900m but is only crossable, without the necessity to swim, during low tides.

The high tide track climbs out of Anchorage, up along the ridgeline and then drops down to a winding track beside the Torrent River estuary. The views across the estuary are stunning on full tides. This track also takes you past the side track to Cleopatra’s Pool, an incredible fresh water swimming hole with a natural waterslide that runs between smooth rocks.

The track around the estuary is rocky in parts but only rugged enough to be vaguely adventurous for just about anybody.

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Torrent Bay is the largest settlement of private dwellings in the Abel Tasman. It’s a lovely wee village but you’ll need to stick to the public track to make sure you don’t invoke the wrath of the local holiday home owners, many of which aren’t too keen on sharing their little slice of paradise with the proletariat. Torrent Bay also has a nice little sheltered DOC campsite.

Lush native bush all the way down to golden sand beaches.

TORRENT BAY TO BARK BAY 2-3 hours, 7.8km

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fter a short climb the Track follows the ridgeline inland for a while but does offer wonderful views down to the bays below, particularly Frenchmans Bay. The Track then drops down to the Falls River which you cross by means of a wonderful swingbridge. For anybody not afraid of heights this will be a highlight. The views down Falls River are marvellous with the water reflecting the greens of the native bush that grow right down to the water’s edge.

A short distance after the bridge is a side track down to Sandfly Bay. Don’t let the name put you off, or the rock-hopping you need to complete to get down to the beach. Sandfly is a wonderful beach and the tidal inlet, particularly on a full tide, is absolutely stunning. The entrance to Falls River from the open sea is constantly changing its position from the northern end to the southern end of the beach and back again depending on the tides and storms. This creates sandspits and islands of golden sand with shallow lagoons in between.

Medlands is the next beach which is viewable below from the track. Meddy’s is another natural dark green marvel lined with native bush and is the perfect place for a picnic.

The trail from here provides elevated views across to Bark

Bay which is only a few hundred metres further along the Track.

Bark Bay has the second DOC hut in the Abel Tasman and also has a good size campsite stretching along the narrow sandy cove between the sea and the tidal inlet behind.

Bark Bay is also home to a group of kākā which have recently been bred in captivity before being set wild. Kākā are large brown parrots native to New Zealand and possibly the smartest and most mischievous birds in the world.

If you do encounter these birds please don’t feed them.

Human food can be harmful to kākā and they are supposed to be learning how to feed themselves in the wild.

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A QUICK GUIDE

TO WALKING THE

ABEL TASMAN

BARK BAY TO ONETAHUTI 2 hours, 6.1km

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he low tide track from Bark Bay takes you directly across the estuary to the track north in a few minutes. The high tide track takes you around the back of the picturesque inlet and across a wonderful little bridge.

The Track from here through to Onetahuti is sometimes gently and sometimes not so gently undulating. Before you know it though, you’ll descend and pop out at Tonga Quarry. In the early 1900s this was the site of some activity to quarry Separation Granite. In fact, some of this granite was used in Nelson to form the steps of the Cathedral. There is still some evidence of this quarrying including a few square shaped blocks of granite. While it might be marked as a campsite on some older maps, the Tonga Quarry campsite was closed after it was damaged in a storm which combined with a large tide.

After another short climb and walk along a ridgeline the long crescent shaped Onetahuti Beach comes into view.

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As you descend into Onetahuti, stop for a moment and take in the view. With the punga ferns in the foreground and the curve of the beach in the background this is also an ideal photo-op.

Beech forest in the heart of the Abel Tasman.

ONETAHUTI TO AWAROA 2.5 hours, 7.1km

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netahuti is a long beach so it takes about 15 minutes to get from the southern end to the walkway which takes you over the wetlands and on to the north. Depending on the status of the tide when you are walking along the beach you may have to either wade through Venture Creek or revisit your days as the Junior Longjump Champ of your youth.

Once you’re across the wonderful little walkway and bridge there is a short climb up to the ridgeline. Make sure you don’t just blast this out without stopping along the way to look back over your shoulder at the beach below. If this little climb does make you a bit custardy-tired, there is a seat towards the top for a wee sit down. There are nice bush views to the left (west) as the track progresses and then an elevated view of the Awaroa Lodge below when you get along a kew kilometres.

The Awaroa Lodge, open from the spring through to autumn, is a great place to stop for a coffee or a meal. If the weather is good, there is excellent pizza to be had and local craft ales at the more casual outdoor area just past the Lodge itself.

The DOC campsite and hut is a further 40 minutes at low tide, and 1.5 hours at high tide along the Track and around the estuary. This catches a lot of walkers out as they don’t realise there is a bit further to walk to their campsite.

Awaroa has a large inlet, some of which is lined with private holiday houses. The early attempts at farming

and other enterprises many years ago are still much in evidence at Awaroa including an old steam engine further along the estuary from the DOC campsite and even the site of an old school building.

Awaroa made headlines all over the world in 2016 when a couple of Kiwis decided to mount a crowdfunding campaign to buy a stretch of Awaroa beach that was put up for sale by its private owner. The fear was that the new owners could deny access to the beach for the New Zealand public, and access to our coast is something many Kiwis have strong feelings about. In a major triumph for people power, the New Zealand public donated over two million dollars, purchased the beach and ceded it into the national park. If you want to see this specific stretch of beach, head for the very end of the Awaroa beach. Just be careful not to disturb the resident, land-nesting bird populations who will be particularly cranky during the breeding season.

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A QUICK GUIDE

TO WALKING THE

ABEL TASMAN

AWAROA TO TOTARANUI 2.5 - 3 hours, 7.1km

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irectly across the estuary from the Awaroa DOC hut and campsite, signalled by a round orange track marker is where the track continues north. The walk across the estuary is only possible 1.5 to 2 hours either side of low tide. There is no way to cross the estuary during higher tide unless you have a boat at your disposal.

The section of track on the Totaranui side of the estuary starts with a wonderful section through wetlands featuring large ferns and other light green foliage. The Waiharakeke Bay campsite located a little along the track is one of the most underrated spots in the entire Park so worth a look around, even if you are not staying there. Shortly afterwards you will stumble out of the bush onto the beach at Goat Bay, another marvellous golden-sand beach which you walk along before resuming on the track.

You will need to steal yourself for a climb out of Goat Bay. Back in the day the track actually followed the coastline and was more gently undulating, but was extensively damaged in a storm a few years back and the new inland track was cut in its place. As you descend on the other side of the hill you’ll get incredible views of Totaranui.

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Totaranui is another long, golden-sand beach, and the only part of the Coastal Track that is accessible by road. There are tent sites located along the grassy verge beside the beach which are dedicated to the use of people walking the Coastal Track. Across the narrow gravel road from the beach is the main Totaranui camping ground. This is a large camping ground that is enormously popular during the Christmas and New Year peak season.

The Abel Tasman coastline is largely made up of Separation Granite.

TOTARANUI TO WHARIWHARANGI 3.5 hours, 7.5km

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he roadway that leads along the tree-lined gravel road into Tot also cuts right at the northern end where the track starts off through some grassy flat land. The initial climb after the grassy bit is mercifully short before descending into a gully and a short distance along to Anapai Bay which you walk along to access the track to the north. There is another climb here so the track offers elevated views of Anapai back to the south and then across to Mutton Cove once you are around the corner to the north.

After a scramble over some rocks you’ll find yourself at Mutton Cove, another wonderfully remote and often windswept beach. The track splits at the top of a short climb and you can either walk directly across to Whariwharangi or take a loop track to check out Separation Point. The extra distance to Separation Point is well worth it. As indicated by its name, Separation Point separates Tasman Bay from Golden Bay. The views of the cliffs on either side and down to the lighthouse are ruggedly beautiful.

The rocky outcrop below is home to gannet and seal colonies.

This section of the track is the most remote and receives the least visitors in the Park. Commercial operators in the Abel Tasman are not permitted to run scheduled services any further north than Totaranui so this limits visitor numbers to this northern tip of the Park.

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Shag Harbour is sheltered harbour in the north of the Abel Tasman located between Bark Bay and Awaroa. With its natural protection from the open ocean, Shag Harbour is a nursery for the local New Zealand fur seal population. At certain times of the year Shag Harbour is home to dozens of baby seals and when young, they are the most amazingly curious and playful critters. Shag Harbour is accessible only by small boat or kayak, and only during fuller tide conditions. The entrance is narrow and it takes no small amount of skill to successfully navigate your way into the inlet and then close attention not to hit any of the rocks just below the surface.

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FEATURE

OUR JOURNEY TO

ZERO CARBON Words: Brendan Alborn.

Firstly, please indulge me for a few paragraphs so I can provide some background on how I first fell, head-first into the business of sustainability. In 2004 my career in refrigeration engineering took a welcome detour into facility energy efficiency. I was working overseas for an American company that put me in charge of setting up a ‘facilities solutions’ business in China, where I had lived and worked previously. After two years of helping supermarket chains in China improve their energy efficiency (our version of ‘facilities solutions’) I left the American corporation to set up my own consulting business with two former colleagues who had also been working in the same industry for many years.

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ur first customer in this new business was a French hypermarket company called Auchan. The management at Auchan primarily wanted to improve the energy efficiency of its stores around China as this could potentially lead to sizable reductions to their operating expenses. While we started by doing some major engineering-based energy saving projects they also wanted to establish and formalise their sustainability programme.

So, in July 2007 my colleagues and I found ourselves designing and then implementing a long term sustainability strategy for a retail chain that had 15 existing hypermarkets and plans to open 60 more over the next 10 years.

In consultation with our customer we decided our aim would be to minimise the environmental impact of their business operations to the greatest extent possible. While the energy the stores used to run their refrigeration, lighting and air conditioning systems and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing that energy formed the largest part of the environmental footprint, there were a number of other significant contributing factors. Whilst we

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essentially had to learn about many of these areas as we went along because they were completely new to us, we eventually succeeded in designing a raft of projects to reduce water usage, store waste streams, product packaging and refrigerant gas usage to name a few. We also created and then delivered training in basic sustainability concepts to the chain’s management and staff, as well as communications for external stakeholders, undertook the US-based LEED green building certification and a rather ambitious voluntary emissions reduction (VER) project. As a result of this sustainability programme overall we managed to reduce carbon emissions over ten years by 500,000 tonnes of CO2-e. As you can probably tell, that’s something I’m still pretty proud to have been part of.

Fast forward to 2012 which is when I found myself now back in New Zealand and becoming more actively involved in my family’s business servicing the Abel Tasman National Park. It seemed to make sense that I would apply my experience in sustainability to our business so we could formalise and start to monitor the things we were (cont’d)

There are currently two zero carbon commercial operators in the Abel Tasman.

already doing to operate sustainably. One of the key things I had learnt during my time in consulting was that implementing sustainability measures wasn’t neccessary a cost to a business. If pursued carefully these projects almost always improved rather than reduced a business’s profitability. That was my experience with the retail chains such as Wal-Mart and Tesco. These companies didn’t have highly sophisticated sustainability programmes just because their customers demanded it of them, and would potentially shop at their competitor’s stores if they didn’t, but they were also reducing their energy and other operating costs in the process.

I started the sustainability project for our Abel Tasman businesses using the same methodology as we had employed in China for Auchan. We identified our largest environmental impacts, which not surprisingly turned out to be the petrol and diesel used by our water taxis and other company vehicles, the electricity, natural gas and water we used in our buildings and the waste generated by our business operations and our customers, particularly our guests staying at the Marahau Beach Camp. The next step was to gather the data, on an annual basis, for all of those inputs to our environmental impact. We gathered the fuel data in litres by fuel type, electricity in kWh, water usage and waste to landfill in m3. Once we had the data in absolute terms we defined some metrics to assess our

current efficiency rates and to track our performance in the future. I had learnt through my work with retail facilities that taking data in raw terms and comparing the difference between months or years did not provide meaningful comparisons. Many variables, such as the number of guests we were transporting on our water taxis have a significant impact on our fuel so the metric to track and measure our progress needed to reflect those variables.

During this process I realised that operating 15 smaller water taxis as opposed to a couple of large vessels was inherently more efficient. The demand for water taxi services in the Abel Tasman is extremely seasonal with around 80% of the demand for those services coming in five months from November to March. With 15 smaller water taxis each of which can transport 18 passengers we can modulate our capacity to match that demand. This is the same modular approach I had used in my previous life in facility engineering, the principle of which is to precisely match demand with supply. For example, we would do everything we could to supply a supermarket sales area with precisely the right level of light according to the time of day, and just the right amount of light: Not too much light to waste energy and not too little light to necessitate the use of head torches for customers to find what they were looking for. Applying this approach to water taxi services we can use one boat in the middle of winter when the demand is at its lowest

Brendan Alborn, owner and Commercial Director at AbelTasman.com.

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and then scale up that supply as the demand increases by adding a boat, and then another boat etc. etc. during the busier times. If you contrast this with having one large boat with a 100 passenger capacity you’re running very efficiently at your maximum loading but not when you have 10 passengers. And the demand curve for water transport services has a short peak and then scales down at either side of the peak so the graph looks much like the drawing of a mountain. If that demand line was flat, at 100 passengers per day, then clearly the one large boat would be the most efficient way to meet that demand.

Other things we had already made good progress with well before we started formalising our sustainability strategy focused on fuel efficiency for our water taxis. We were progressively swapping out the 225hp Honda outboard motors for the new, more efficient 250hp models. Digital gauges were being fitted to water taxis so the skippers could monitor fuel economy in real-time and make adjustments as they drove their boats. In 2017 we had invested in establishing our own purpose-built marine engineering workshop so our boats and vehicles could be maintained and serviced inhouse. This resulted in the lifespan of our outboard motors being more than doubled and to more efficient fuel economy across the board.

We also had a trailer custom-built for the Marahau Beach Camp so customers could easily separate recycling and it could also be transported to the Motueka refuse centre.

We had also implemented smaller efficiency projects such as installing higher efficiency plumbing fixtures and high efficiency LED lighting fixtures in our buildings.

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found myself, not for the first time in my career, running out of ideas for what we could do next to push things forwards...

In early 2019 I found myself, not for the first time in my career, running out of ideas for what we could do next to push things forwards in terms of improving our environmental sustainability. It was clear that we had pushed the current technology about as far as we could. In the absence of being able to source motors to power our water taxis using a renewable energy source we were going to continue burning fossil fuels to operate our business.

To be perfectly honest, I had seen the concept of ‘off-setting’ environmental impacts abused by some pretty significant international businesses. I’d been frustrated to see that rather than carrying out the harder work of actually changing things internally within their businesses to op-

Abel Tasman AquaTaxi.

erate more efficiently some companies had simply made a donation to the sexiest charity they could find. Bam, donation made, job done - now let’s get back to business as usual.

So, it was with some reluctance that I realised we would need to offset the balance of our carbon emissions, at least until Elon Musk found the time to invent an e-boat.

Once this decision was made it was relatively straightforward to find a local entity to help us with our project.

Through a personal referral we engaged EKOS to certify our carbon footprint. We chose EKOS because they are a local non-profit organisation and they had a couple of carbon offset forestry projects located within our own region. It was important to me that we could see and touch the trees we would be investing in and we did not want our investment to disappear overseas to a mystery offset project.

Completing EKOS’s carbon calculator template was not at all difficult and we already had most of the data for the various inputs on file such as fuel and other energy usage.

With some guidance from EKOS as to which were our scope 1 (direct) and scope 2 (indirect) carbon inputs, we finalised our data for the financial year from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019. EKOS did the maths to convert these inputs to tonnes of CO2 equivalents (CO2-e) and contracted a third-party agency to certify our emissions as they exceeded the threshold at which EKOS could complete that certification internally.

We decided to offset 100% of our carbon footprint by investing in the existing Uruwhenua native forestry project located about 45 minutes drive from our base in Marahau, just over the Takaka Hill in Golden Bay. I drove over to see the forest myself and was only satisfied when I met the owner personally and could run my hands over the bark on a few trees.

This initiative was a significant cost to our business but it is a decision that we have not regretted. If we truly believe enjoying our stunning natural environment and protecting it go hand in hand then we need to make tangible moves to reduce and mitigate our carbon footprint.

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THE STORY OF ABEL TASMAN

CONSERVATION Words: Brendan Alborn.

Much of the forest you will find in the Abel Tasman National Park is regenerating native bush that has reestablished itself since land was cleared in the mid 1800s to create pastures for farming. European settlers to the area began purchasing land from 1854 but found the burning of the native bush quickly depleted the land of much of its fertility and the predominantly granite soils proved to be less than ideal for farming.

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ome hardy souls stuck to their farming endeavours until as late as 1949 but the attempts at forestry, quarrying of Separation Granite and even attempts at establishing orchards were abandoned well before that.

on the previously abundant native birdlife. The populations of many native bird species which were previously abundant in the area were either wiped out or moved to more remote areas.

As a result of this early industry, land had been cleared, grass seed sown and the habitat for native critters, particularly birdlife was diminished considerably. The introduction of pests such as mice, rats and stoats also took a huge toll

While pockets of virgin native bush remain scattered throughout the Abel Tasman, the Park’s original flora and fauna began to regenerate in earnest after it became a national park in 1946. But it wasn’t until as recently as 20

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years ago that efforts to proactively restore the ecology of the Abel Tasman National Park were formalised and then kicked into hyperdrive. Since that time however, a number of groups of dedicated, mostly volunteers have created a restoration story for the ages.

birds and the reintroduction of several species of native birds that were once abundant in the area. Other individuals and more recently established groups, too numerous to chronicle here, have also made contributions to both the restoration and kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of the area.

The Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust, Project Janszoon and the New Zealand Department of Conservation have combined to implement massive, complex and multi-year projects designed to restore the ecology of the Abel Tasman to its original pre-human-inhabited glory. These projects have included the eradication of exotic trees including wilding pines and conifers, replanting of native trees, intensive trapping of introduced predators to our native

For those of us who have been lucky enough to spend time in the Abel Tasman over many years, the progress made towards re-establishing the native bush and birdlife has been nothing short of miraculous, and more than a little heartwarming. Although the journey has only really begun and there is still a long way to go, there is no doubt that the native bush and birdlife is in better shape now than it has been since humans started knocking the place about.

ABEL TASMAN BIRDSONG TRUST

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ormed in 2007, the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust (ATBT) is a community-based charity in partnership with the Department of Conservation and the commercial operators. All of the commercial operators in the Abel Tasman National Park pay a voluntary levy to the Birdsong Trust for every customer that uses their services, in addition to their compulsory DOC concession fees. The Birdsong Trust has used these funds along with grants and other donations to implement a variety of projects that have greatly enhanced the ecology of the Abel Tasman over the last +14 years.

The Trust’s vision is to restore birdsong to the national park. Their main focus is on predator trapping in the southern section of the Park, and the eradication of wilding pines throughout the Park. As well as planting threatened tree species that have been decimated by introduced pests such as possums, ATBT volunteers also manage rodent trap networks. The ATBT have operated intense trapping in the Pitt Head area over several years to create a pest-free mainland ecological island. A comparison of the birdsong at Anchorage with other bays further north clearly indicates this is working.

Alistair Sheat is a volunteer and a Trustee of the ATBT. Alistair let me tag along on a trip into the Abel Tasman while he checked traps and showed me some of the recent tree planting the Trust has carried out. As Alistair adjusted the mechanisms of a double set box trap he talked to me about the diverse group of enthusiastic volunteers that undertake the extensive predator control along the coast, plant and maintain native trees, and manage the population restoration of some of New Zealand’s precious native species. From families to retirees there is a huge assortment of people who do volunteer work for the ATBT. The ATBT currently maintains 865 traps year-round, which have resulted in a grand total of 308 mustelids and 6,050 rats being trapped since October 2010. The Trust is also involved in several restoration projects in the Abel Tasman National Park, the most significant being the eleminating of wilding pines throughout the Park. Almost a million dollars in grant money has been used to remove wilding pines and control a large suite of weed species in the Abel Tasman. The project started in 2011 and the dead standing trees on the skyline and in bush catchments show the success of this highly visible work. Two species of native birds have also been reintroduced into the park, the South Island Robin/Toutouwai and the Saddleback/Tieke.

On our way out of the Park, Alistair told me that the main goal of the Birdsong Trust is to improve the experience of the Abel Tasman for visitors and residents. Having planted 800 trees so far - and at this current rate this will increase to 2,000 in the next few years, and having successfully trapped hundreds of pests, the Abel Tasman is looking and sounding better than ever. Jade Alborn.

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The Abel Tasman coastline features an amazing array of tidal inlets that are perfect for exploration by kayak. Many of these inlets are completely empty of water during low tides so can only be paddled during higher tides. The Torrent Bay and Awaroa Estuaries are among the largest in the Abel Tasman, but many of the other beaches have tidal estuaries. A couple of places you shouldn’t miss are Sandfly Bay from where you can paddle up Falls River to the swing bridge and Bark Bay where you’ll find the native bush fringes the entire estuary.

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KĀKĀ

FEATURE

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IN THE ABEL

TASMAN Words: Robyn Janes, Project Janszoon

The Abel Tasman National Park has a new bunch of residents. They’re loud, nosy, mischievous, and like to party – but no-one is complaining.

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hings are definitely not as quiet at Wairima/Bark Bay since 24 kākā, a forest dwelling parrot native to New Zealand, were translocated there in October 2019.

The morning after the young native birds were released into the wild they began calling loudly around 3am. Visitors staying in the Bark Bay hut were offered ear plugs but declined, saying they preferred the sound of the kākā to their human companions’ snoring.

“Everyone loves seeing and hearing the kākā,” says Project Janszoon Director Bruce Vander Lee. “They are such charismatic birds, and it is so wonderful to see them flying free, in the wild, for the first time in their lives.” Wind back 100 years or so and large flocks of kākā used to be seen regularly in the Abel Tasman National Park and throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. But their habit of nesting in tree holes made the birds easy pickings for introduced predators like stoats that were brought here by unknowing immigrants to control rabbits.

“In 2012, when Project Janszoon began working with the Department of Conservation to bring the wildlife back to the Abel Tasman, kākā were ‘functionally extinct’ in the park,” says Bruce. “There were only a few wild males remaining as the female population had been killed over time, on the nest, where they’re vulnerable”.

With the aim of returning native species to the park, Project Janszoon, DOC and the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust first began removing the predators. As you wander the tracks of the Abel Tasman you will notice extensive trapping networks which now cover over 90% of the park. This network is also partly funded by Air New Zealand. (Cont’d)

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hand-reared for release. “This is the first time kākā eggs and nestlings have been taken from wild nests to establish a new population in a predator controlled site,” says Ron. First, the team had to capture and radio-tag female kākā in the wild using mist nets so they could attach a specially developed egg-timer transmitter to the wild birds. A fixed wing plane was then able to fly over vast areas of forest to ascertain when nesting was happening. This was a huge labour saver as it meant there was no need to keep checking the nests. Slippery polythene was placed around trees to make it impossible for predators to climb the trunk to reach the nesting birds. “When we knew they were nesting, we went in, found the nests, climbed up, took the eggs out, and then took them back to the captive facilities,” says Ron.

A handful of captive raised female kākā were the first to be released at the top of the park by Project Janszoon and DOC in 2015. Transmitters were delicately attached to the birds with rangers having to work carefully to avoid the kākā’s sharp beaks. These small transmitters are a valuable conservation tool, allowing the birds to be tracked.

Imagine the excitement when monitoring revealed two of the captive-bred females had hooked up with wild males.

A milestone for conservation.

The summer of 2019 was hugely significant when these two pairs produced six kākā chicks that successfully fledged in the upper reaches of the Abel Tasman. These kākā were the first to be hatched in the park in living memory. “The successful fledging of these chicks is the first step to kākā recovery in the Abel Tasman. But we needed a critical mass to really kick-start the population,” says Project Janszoon ornithologist Ron Moorhouse.

Hatching a plan.

Ron knows his stuff when it comes to kākā. He did a PhD on the birds, and has spent much of his employment working with kākā, and another charismatic native, the kakapo. Along with other experts from the Department of Conservation (DOC) Ron devised a plan to release over 20 kākā on the coast of the Abel Tasman, where they would be protected in the heart of the predator control network and more visitors would have a chance to see them. This would be the most kākā ever released at one time in New Zealand.

However it is no easy task to source kākā with northern South Island genetics. It was decided to take eggs from wild nests in nearby Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes National Parks where there are healthy kākā populations. Then the eggs would be artificially incubated and the chicks

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He makes it sound easy, but successfully retrieving kākā eggs involves a high level of expertise. Ron and DOC rangers like Dan Arnold spent days in remote bush first catching the adult birds and then some months later returning to extract the eggs. The eggs, or young chicks, were placed inside small battery operated incubators and gently transported to breeding facilities around the country to be hand raised. In one case the timing was a little tight with a chick hatching in the back of a car en-route to Nelson. “I’d never transported this number of eggs before but all of the viable eggs we got out hatched and all of the wild pairs whose eggs were taken for this project re-nested and had another clutch in the wild,” says Ron.

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opefully one day we’ll have huge flocks of kākā around, flying from food source to food source...

Once hatched, the birds were intensively reared, initially hand-fed from early in the morning until midnight. Twelve kākā were successfully hand-raised and another twelve were bred as part of the South Island Kākā Captive Breeding programme. Huge thanks must go to Natureland Wildlife Trust, The Wildlife Hospital - Dunedin, Dunedin Botanic Garden, Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, DOC Te Anau, Queens Park Invercargill, Orokonui Ecosanctuary and Bush Haven for their great work rearing the chicks.

A joy to see.

By the spring of 2019, 24 kākā were ready to be translocated to the Abel Tasman. It’s a thrill to see birds released into the wild and a large crowd gathered at Wairima/Bark Bay to see the kākā released from a specially built aviary where they had spent two weeks acclimatising.

Rima Piggott of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua was there to bless the manu (birds) and says it’s important to return taonga (treasured) species to the wild. “What we’re trying to do as a Māori community is ensure we leave a legacy behind. I want to be a good tupuna (ancestor), and I want my mokopuna (grandchildren) and all my descendants, to enjoy seeing taonga species like kākā,” she says.

Let them be wild DOC biodiversity ranger John Henderson has been a key part of the team re-introducing kākā into the park. He says the birds will forage for a huge variety of food in the wild like berries, nuts, grubs and honeydew. “Hopefully one day we’ll have huge flocks of kākā around, flying from food source to food source,” he says. The birds do have a lot to learn but, so far, so good. They are regularly spotted foraging for food and as time goes by they are being seen further afield, in places like Anchorage and Awaroa.

The birds do need to be protected from well-meaning people though. John says they are quite capable of finding their own food, and visitors should not feed them as it can make them sick. “We are lucky to be able to learn from places like Wellington where people feeding kākā caused serious problems. Kākā need to eat a natural diet and to help them adapt to life in the wild they need to be left to find their own food,” he says. Signage has been erected to educate visitors about the birds diet, and tourism operators working in the park are being very supportive, briefing visitors to the park about how to care for the kākā.

The answers to your questions.

Over summer, Abel Tasman Youth Ambassadors also spent time in the park educating visitors about the kākā.

Ten-year-old Sophie Maxwell is a youth ambassador from

Ngatimoti School. The school has adopted Wairima / Bark Bay as their “section” of the park as part of Project Janszoon and DOC’s education programme. “I think kākā are amazingly striking birds. They are really inquisitive and they have this gorgeous bronze colouring underwing and yellow on their cheeks. I just love them,” she says.

According to Sophie the most frequent questions visitors ask about the kākā are; How old are they? How many were released? Will they mate? And, most often, where am I most likely to see them in the park? Her answers; When they were released in 2019 they were about nine months old. 24 were released at Bark Bay. We hope they will mate and we will get the first chance to see if they can successfully breed at the next beech mast. And, finally, where are you most likely to see them?

“As the kākā spread through the park it’s getting harder to predict where they’ll be but they are still spotted pretty regularly at Bark Bay hut, near where they were released,” advises Sophie.

What next?

The true test of the success of this translocation will be during the next beech mast, when beech trees provide an enormous amount of seed. Masts are triggered by a summer that is warmer than the previous one and usually occur every two to six years. South Island kākā only breed in a beech mast so all eyes will be on the birds during the next one to see whether these kākā breed in the wild.

“We are confident they will breed and kākā numbers in the park will increase. It will be magical seeing these wonderful birds thrive in the native forests of the Abel Tasman,” says Bruce Vander Lee.

HOW TO SPOT A KĀKĀ...

You will often hear kākā before you see them as they chatter and squawk. Māori refer to them as ‘gossips’ as they chatter in groups. They are olive-brown in colour with a bright red-orange underwing and deep crimson belly. Kākā weigh anything from 340 to 400 g (around 14 ounces) and can be up to 44 cm long. You may see them scraping bark from trees to find tasty food.

Kākā are sometimes confused with the alpine parrot, kea. Kea are occasionally seen in the Abel Tasman.

They are a bigger parrot than kākā and an olive green colour with scarlet underwings.

WHAT TO DO IF A KĀKĀ IS TOO FRIENDLY

When it comes to kākā encounters, if one does land on you it’s fine to gently shoo it away or brush it off, and please don’t feed them. We want the birds to be wild and limiting their interactions with humans is key to this.

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TRAVEL

Te WaikoropupĹŤ Springs.

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GOLDEN BAY

ONE OF MY HAPPIEST OF HAPPY PLACES

Words: Brendan Alborn.

Whenever we’re looking for a short break we find ourselves drawn back to Golden Bay time and time again. And the more time I spend on the other side of Takaka Hill, the more my love affair with all things Golden Bay seems to grow.

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or our most recent trip, during the last two weeks of January 2020, we wanted to go to an area of Golden Bay that we hadn’t spent a lot of time on previous visits.

We left home in our campervan so as to reach Takaka in time for lunch.

Our first stop when we hit Takaka (which we always schedule to coincide with a meal time) is invariably Dangerous Kitchen for pizza. Specifically the organic beef pizza with

extra chilli. If you pair that pizza with the Hop Federation Red IPA you will have achieved the equivalent of a Michelin Star dining experience without the expense or the pretentiousness.

We had pre-booked ourselves in for the first two nights at Wharariki with the intention of making our way south, back towards Takaka over the next two weeks. To aid the digestion of the aforementioned pizza we walked the

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short distance from our campsite to Wharariki Beach. This isolated, dramatic and often wind and sand-whipped beach became even more iconic after Microsoft used it as the background image for Windows 10. From Wharariki Beach a well signposted track takes you along the cliff tops to Cape Farewell, Pillar Point and eventually to the beginning of Farewell Spit. The track has a few reasonable climbs and is a bit of a scramble through sheep-poo-minefielded farmland. The views of the rugged coast below are breathtaking and the trees growing at a lean against the prevailing winds let you know the weather can be hostile for a big chunk of the time. For the next few evenings we wandered back down to Wharariki to watch and photograph the amazing amber sunsets.

Puponga, a whole 5km back along the road, was our next camping spot. This little gem of a camping ground is located an easy walk to Farewell Spit and a delightful tidal inlet perfect for swimming and a spot of fishing. I hooked one kahawai but dropped it before I could get it onto the beach. A local guy fishing just along the beach must have seen the disappointment in my eyes at losing ‘the one that got away’ so kindly gave me one of his kahawai. I gleefully used the kahawai in a Tahitian-style ceviche.

Our next camping site was also a short drive away, back to Pakawau Beach Park to the south. After the warm old-school Kiwi welcome from Gary as we checked in we knew we were at the sort of special location that keeps families and friends coming back, year after year for their annual beach holiday. We secured a beachfront site for our campervan and knuckled down to the grueling daily routine of swimming, reading, playing cards, cooking

simple meals on the bbq and drinking refreshing craft beers. On about our third day the westerly wind whipped up, threatening to flatten the sleeping-annex of our mobile camping facility (my tramping tent). This particular tent, an ultra lightweight MSR NX Hubba Hubba, has never let me down, even in the most demanding conditions on the side of some remote and blustery mountain sides, but the westerly was threatening to blow it out to sea.

After three relaxing days at Pakawau we moved to a camping ground that we have stayed at many times during our previous visits, Golden Bay Holiday Park. Enroute we stopped for our second visit to the Courthouse Cafe in Collingwood for another fantastic coffee.

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he views of the rugged coast below are breathtaking and the trees growing at a lean against the prevailing winds let you know the weather can be hostile...

Located just along from Collingwood between Parapara and Onekaka, our new camping site is accessed down a wonderful narrow country lane. This little lane has recently become even more wonderful with the addition of the phenomenal Bacca Bakery producing some of the best sourdough bread you’ll find anywhere on this planet. Further along the lane is the new Tukurua Collective, combining a yoga studio, artist gallery and coffee. With the long established Living Light Gallery right next door, it’s well worth the short drive down the lane even if you’re not planning on staying in Tukurua. The Mussel Inn is a Golden Bay institution with a vibe all of its own. If you drive past this place without stopping in, even if only for a drink, well you’ve really let yourself down.

Wharariki Beach sunset.

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In stark contrast to the strong westerly winds we’d left behind at Pakawau, Tukurua was calm and positively balmy.

We settled into our site one row back from the beach grateful for the shade provided by the mature trees.

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had relearned, for the umpteenth time, the sheer joy of doing very little...

On a previous visit I had discovered, via a friend, an awesome running/mountain biking track up behind Tukurua which winds up into the Kahurangi National Park. It also drops down from the ridgeline to the site of an old mine and a cute little lake. The hill is a grunt but the low tracks are wonderful and eventually wind their way out to the Parapara Valley Road. As I ran along that road I stumbled across artist studios I’d never even known were there. It was a good reminder that Golden Bay is chock-full of creative types with their studios and galleries lining even the most remote country roads.

Wharariki Beach Archway Islands.

After several days of relaxing we ventured away from our campsite for a day trip. Our first stop was Top Rock for a refreshing dip, the fabled swimming hole close to the better known Paynes Ford swimming hole. Still in our togs we drove the short distance to Anatoki Salmon Fishing to catch ourselves some lunch. It seemed like the salmon in the pond had wised up to the perils of fishing since our last visit so it took us a while for us to catch the three salmon we were after. We then had two of the fish hot smoked with different flavourings and ate the third one raw with soy and wasabi.

After a few more days of the van-life cycle (breakfast coffee - run - swim - read - lunch - tactical kip - swim - read - bbq & beers - cards - sleep) it was time to head home.

Enroute we stopped at the Te Waikoropupū Springs, yet another Golden Bay ‘must-do’ for both the wonderful short walk through the native bush and to see the famous turquoise springs themselves.

It was mission accomplished: We had explored a part of Golden Bay that we hadn’t previously lingered for long enough in and I had relearned, for the umpteenth time, the sheer joy of doing very little.

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TRAVEL

THE BEACHES O One of my newest favourite summer traditions is, after a day at work, driving around the Riwaka estuary to my Nana’s house to pick her up and then driving both of us to one of the many beautiful beaches in our region. We then rate the beaches. It’s a hard task and difficult work, but somebody has to do it.

Words: Jade Alborn.

KAITERITERI Pros: Kaiteriteri is the most popular beach on this list.

With a rich history as a holiday destination for New Zealanders, Kaiteri really is ‘the place to be seen’ during the summer months. Gone Burgers is the ideal place for some tasty takeaways and the Kaiteriteri store provides all sorts of ice cream. With its crescent-shaped, golden-sand beach, Kaiteriteri is postcard perfect and is consistently rated as the top beach in the South Island.

Cons: Kaiteriteri’s popularity is both a blessing and curse. While it has all of the facilities you could want, if you are looking for a secluded peaceful experience this may not be the beach for you. In fact, during the peak season you may have to park your car in a different postcode!

RATING

LITTLE KAITERITERI Pros: Kaiteriteri’s little sister is my Nana’s favourite beach and for good reason. Little Kaiteriteri has all the beauty of the Kaiteriteri main beach but a more peaceful atmosphere. Without all the noise a nap on the beach is even possible! There is also plenty of parking year round.

Cons: Little Kaiteriteri does not have the benefit of a store, so if you are in need of an ice cream you will need to walk over to Kaiteriteri in order to purchase one. But the sacrifice of a store and restaurant is made up for by the serenity of this beach!

RATING

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OF THE REGION STEPHENS BAY Pros: Stephens Bay is a hidden gem, and my personal favourite beach in the region. This bay is secluded, with a picnic/barbeque area, an estuary that children love to build dams and play in, and a stunning little beach.

Stephens Bay really has it all. My family has spent countless hours swimming and sunbathing here.

Cons: In contrast to the golden beaches of Kaiteriteri and Little Kaiteriteri the sand at Stephens Bay is more of a grey colour, so this may not make for the best instagram photos. Stephens Bay does not have shops or cafes, so bringing your own picnic is a must.

RATING

MARAHAU BEACH Pros: Marahau Beach is greatly underrated in my opinion. This beach is great for sunbathing, swimming, and collecting shellfish. The contrast between low and high tides is remarkable due to it having a tidal range of 5m, and therefore one of the largest in NZ. This means the beach itself changes throughout the day. Hooked is also just across the road, right on the waterfront and is a great place to get a drink, especially during the daily happy hour. It also has a really cruisy, relaxed vibe.

Cons: The huge tidal change that happens throughout the day makes swimming slightly more difficult. If you don’t time it right you will have to walk a few hundred metres in order to go for a swim. Having to drive over the Marahau hill in order to access the beach is also a downside, but that is also an advantage in that you won’t encounter big crowds, even during the peak season.

RATING

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TRAVEL

STRAIGHT TO THE HEART OF THE PARK Words: Jade Alborn.

I’m lucky enough to have a bunch of friends who like getting out into the great Kiwi Outdoors. This is a real advantage as I take photos and make videos for Abeltasman.com’s social media accounts. When I need to do some filming, I’ve got some ‘talent’ ready for their starring role in my footage. Sometimes that talent can be a little bit hesitant in the beginning, particularly if we’re getting an early start.

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t’s fair to say the mood on the evening before Tegan and I headed off for our Magical Marine Express kayaking trip with Marahau Sea Kayaks wasn’t exactly one of excitement.

Leaving Richmond at 7:30am in order to get to Marahau at 8:30am for our trip briefing was not an inviting prospect for Tegan.

Phrases like “Jade what have you gotten me into?!” and “What do you mean we have to get up at 7:00am?!” were being muttered and I wondered if an afternoon paddling mission may have held more appeal. However, as the sun rose so did Tegan’s enthusiasm and excitement for the day ahead.

We began the trip by meeting our guide Suria and found that we would be joined on the trip by a French woman. As Suria organised our kayaks and gear we all chatted, and despite the language barrier, became fast friends.

We were soon on our way from Marahau on an AquaTaxi up to the northern beach of Onetahuti. Our water taxi skipper provided some interesting stories and history about the Abel Tasman including showing us the world famous ‘Tree Penguins’ that roost in the trees

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next to Split Apple Rock (there is no such thing as a Tree Penguin, although many visitors have mistakenly and excitedly identified Shags/ Cormorants as penguins). By this point in the morning, Tegan was upbeat and happy to be out in the Park on such a beautiful summer day. (cont’d)

The Abel Tasman is New Zealand’s mecca of kayaking.

Once we were in our kayak we paddled directly out from Onetahuti to Tonga Island which is home to a colony of Kekeno (NZ Fur Seals). Suria explained that December is the middle of their breeding season so there were plenty of big male seals around. It was awesome to see their sleek bodies dive in and out of the water as they explored and cooled off in the sea.

After paddling around the island we headed over to Mosquito Bay, which despite the name, is actually a stunning beach with no pesky mozzies. Kayaking through the tranquil estuary was magic, the water and sky were perfectly clear.

The Abel Tasman’s tidal estuaries are perfect for exploration in a kayak.

We then paddled around a headland to Bark Bay, where we all sat together for lunch. We lay on the beach and went for a swim at which point time seemed to speed up. Before we knew it, our 12:45pm AquaTaxi had arrived to take us back to Marahau. An ice cream from the Abel Tasman Centre was the perfect end to a perfect day. Tegan’s huge smile as she tucked into her ice cream made the early morning completely worthwhile.

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NELSON TAS

TRAVEL

NEW ZEALAND’S NEW

CYCLING MECCA Words: Brendan Alborn.

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SMAN

WEST

To say the cycle trail network throughout the Nelson Tasman district has grown significantly over the past 10 years is an understatement of epic proportions. It’s akin to saying Covid-19 had a bit of an impact on international travel. Nelson Tasman has become a worldclass cycling destination with an incredible array of trails for every level from epic, death-defying downhill mountain biking tracks to easy-grade tracks that stretch across the entire region.

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n 2009 John Key, New Zealand’s Prime Minister at the time, proposed his vision for the National Cycleway.

Those of us with limited imaginations couldn’t really grasp what he was on about.

Fast forward to the opening of the Tasman Great Taste Trail in about 2011, which happens to go past the end of the country lane where I live, and I finally grasped the concept. As a keen runner and cyclist, the areas I could access directly from my house entirely on well-formed trails expanded considerably in all directions. Running and cycling along narrow grassy verges with cars whipping past at 100km/h was no longer necessary.

Many years before all of this, places like Rotorua had cottoned on to the fact that cycle trails, and particularly mountain bike tracks, not only drew visitors to their region but they also provided additional leisure opportunities and no small amount of joy for local communities. The Rotorua Council calculated the massive economic contribution of visiting cyclists and the hosting of cycling-based events and just about every council in New Zealand went: We’ll have a bit of that too thanks!

The Old Ghost Road just before you reach Heaven’s Gate.

All this provided additional funding and motivation for a raft of individuals and organisations in the Nelson Tasman district to both build new trails and open up existing trails to cycling. As a result this district has a dizzying array of short, medium and long trails, a couple of which we will review here.

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NELSON TASMAN: NEW ZEALAND’S NEWEST

CYCLING MECCA KAITERITERI MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK

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he Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park contains arguably one of the best networks of mountain biking trails in New Zealand. The Easy Rider (grade 2-easy) trail begins in Riwaka at the entrance locals refer to as The Cog, because, well the sign at the entrance is shaped like a bike cog. This entrance point connects with the Tasman Great Taste Trail which begins about 70km away, back in Nelson. The other main entrance to the bike park is along Martin Farm Road in Kaiteriteri, where there is a larger car park and skills area.

Corkscrew, which is always a bit of grunt, particularly the final steep section before the lookout. At 230m of vertical elevation I sit at the lookout for a bit wondering how it is that the final section of the track is almost entirely lacking in oxygen.The view down to Kaiteriteri and beyond is always worth the climb. From the lookout I take Jaws, an advanced downhill route and also my favourite track in the entire park. It seems to flow forever before taking me back out the Ziggy Hub. A short sharp climb back up Big Ups reminds me how climbing really takes it out of me before I connect with Skullduggery, another advanced downhill that takes me through Lower Skullduggery and back to The Cog. There are three expert tracks to get down from the lookout including one fittingly called Rockface for the madkeen downhill riders. I haven’t done any of them, because as I said, I’m a scaredy cat.

COPPERMINE TRAIL 38km (3-5 hours)

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he Coppermine is one of the best half-day loop tracks in the country and also one of our most accessible alpine bike rides. The track starts from the Brook Street and Codgers Recreation Hub which is a short distance from the buzz of downtown Nelson. Codgers Mountain Bike Park, which the Coppermine Trail winds through at the beginning, is an awesome collection of trails in its own right.

If you’re a keen mountain biker, you’ll find it well worthwhile travelling from your home in another part of New Zealand just to visit this park. Even if you’re fitter than the butcher’s dog it’ll take you two days at the very least to ride every trail. There are many kilometres of easier trails, long undulating tracks, long climbs, jump tracks and expert downhill tracks.

Personally, I’m most comfortable on intermediate tracks as I quite like having my skin and bones all intact at the end of my ride. I’m at my best when I’m climbing as this requires reasonable fitness but very little riding skill. With this is mind, my favourite loop goes like this: The cog entrance on the Riwaka side of the park is only 4.5km from my home so I enter there and warm up by taking Easy Rider. I either cut up through Swish and Scoot, and then down Tank (if I’m short on time) or continue along Easy Rider to do Cruise Control and then Glade Runner, two intermediate tracks that are an awesome mix of flowing sections, small climbs and downhills which takes me out to the Ziggy Hub. After a quick suck on the water bottle I begin climbing Ziggy and then straight onto

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The Coppermine Trail climbs up the Dun Mountain Walkway along what was the tramway-line back when the area was mined for copper between 1862 and 1866. The old tramway was a horse-drawn system that is considered the country’s first railway, built to transport copper from hillside mines.

There are excellent information boards at various spots along the trail detailing the history of the area. The track climbs continuously up through beech forest and on to the rocky tops of Coppermine Saddle at 878m. The views back down towards the city along the way are incredible as are the views across the valley. The views looking north and out to Tasman Bay once you summit are breathtaking too.

The tops are exposed to the elements so you need to be prepared for chilly temperatures and may need to brace yourself against the wind. It can also be hot as Hades in sunny conditions so this all adds to an alpine adventure before you descend down to the pretty Maitai Valley. The downhill section is fun for riders of intermediate level, particularly since it received a serious upgrade over the past year or so. After the downhill the track follows the river out to the Maitai Dam. Many riders who have completed the climb up from Codgers and then the downhill to the Maitai find the ride along the road back into Nelson quite testing. When you’re back at sea level you tend to think the job is done but in truth, you’re still 13km from downtown Nelson. For those

of us who are what real cyclists call ‘weekend warriors’ our backsides are starting to hurt by this point and a refreshing ale at the Free House Pub still seems like a long way off.

The Maitai Valley is extremely pretty for anybody who still has the energy to look around.

ing for an adventure.

From the Lyell end, which is the recommended riding direction, you climb for 18km to the Lyell Saddle Hut at 875m above sea level. The track climbs through well established forest and isn’t really as harsh as it sounds. From here you continue up onto the open tops of the Lyell Range. There is roughly 6km of climbing through more bush and then 6km on the open tops. The track along the tops is the most dramatic country I have ever passed through on a bike.

The views, assuming there is good visibility, are incredible.

When you reach the Heaven’s Gate sign, which sits at about 1,450m, you can see all the way across to Murchison in the distance.

Ghost Lake is a decent size hut and a good halfway point for those doing the track in two days. The next 13km down to the Stern Valley are the most technical of the whole track peaking out at Grade 5 in places. At the end of a steep rocky section are the Skyline Steps which also require some technique to navigate while carrying your bike.

The Coppermine is very much like a shorter version of the Heaphy as ridden from the Golden Bay side. Like the Heaphy, it climbs for a good while up through native forest, takes you into an exposed alpine area and then descends into a picturesque river valley.

THE OLD GHOST ROAD 85km (2-4 days)

T

he Old Ghost Road is a multi-day mountain biking trail from Lyell in the Upper Buller Gorge to the Mokihinui River to the north-west. When the Heaphy Track in the Kahurangi National Park was first opened up to cycling in 2011, and then the Old Ghost Road opened in December 2015, the Nelson Tasman District suddenly boasted arguably the top two multi-day cycling trails in New Zealand, if not the world.

The idealism, grit and determination required to develop the Old Ghost Road into what it is today is the stuff of legend. The volunteer-driven Mokihinui-Lyell Backcountry Trust in partnership with a range of other entities took what was a long-forgotten gold miners’ road and turned it into an epic mountain biking and tramping track. You really have to do the trail yourself to fully appreciate how much work went into putting a track through this amazing and formerly inhospitable landscape. The track is a Grade 4 (advanced) mountain biking trail so is only for those look-

Once you hit Stern Valley Hut the trail undulates gently (and sometimes not so gently) until you travel through towering forest. After passing the Mokihinui Forks the ride takes you through Mokihinui Gorge, another highlight with steep cliffs on your left and an extremely pretty river on the right. You’ll cross some spectacular bridges and shed some more sweat before you reach Seddonville.

Unless you have a heart of stone, it’s impossible not to be moved by the majesty of the Old Ghost Road. There’s something special about being on the top of a mountain, and a thing of wonder to have got all the way up there on a bike.

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TRAVEL

MOTUEKA SPOTLIGHT ON:

Words and Photography: Brendan Alborn.

Like many small towns in New Zealand, Motueka can be something of an acquired taste. You could be forgiven for driving through Motueka and wondering what has attracted so many people to move to the town from overseas and other parts of the country. Like most of our rural towns, the shops lining the main street aren’t old enough to be historic or classy, but they are old enough to look, at least in terms of their facade; a bit dated. But, if you’re willing to take a closer look and even linger a little, you will find a thriving little rural hub with an energetic vibe, more than its fair share of wonderful parks and trails, an ideal climate and easy access to an almost infinite array of outdoor activities.

M

otueka is the closest service town to the Abel Tasman. With a population of around 9,000, Motueka is only a twenty-minute drive from Marahau, the southern entrance to the Abel Tasman Coastal Track. But Motueka is more than just the last ‘major’ centre you will pass on your way to the Abel Tasman. It’s a visitor destination in its own right and will reward anybody who takes the time to get to know it with more than a few surprises.

My favourite part of Motueka is the waterfront from the public wharf at Port Motueka, along the trail that runs adjacent to Trewavas Street, along Motueka Quay and through an area known by locals as the ‘Kumaras’.

The narrow sandspit separating the tidal inlet from the Tasman Bay is the perfect place for a run or a walk, particularly when the tide is low. The beach along the ocean side of the sandspit often feels wild and remote even though it’s a very short distance from the town itself.

The Janie Seddon Shipwreck is arguably the icon of Motueka, second only to the Saltwater Baths a short distance further along the waterfront.

Close by is the Inlet Walkway Loop, meandering its way between Wharf

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Port Motueka is well worth the visit.

Road and Old Wharf Road. Before 2000 this area was a gorse-covered wasteland but through the efforts of the Keep Motueka Beautiful Committee is now a wonderful track which is lined with native flora. The work that has gone into the creation and ongoing improvement of this public area speaks volumes about the level of community spirit and commitment in the town.

You will find orchards and other horticultural land all around, and even right in the middle of Motueka. To get some perspective of the scale and extent of this whole ‘fruit bowl of New Zealand’ moniker, you really need to get an elevated view of the area. Coming down the southern side of the Marahau or Takaka hills provides great views of the endless rows of fruit trees, hops and vineyards stretching from Riwaka through and beyond Motueka. Although the vast majority of Motueka’s produce is exported to other parts of New Zealand and overseas, you will still be able to purchase it locally very easily. Much of the time, this will be directly from the producer’s front gate at the stalls you will encounter throughout the area.

For a rural Kiwi town, Motueka has a surprising variety of cafes and restaurants. The main road through town, High Street, is lined with cafes, takeaway-food places and bakeries. You will also be able to find pretty much anything else you need in terms of goods and services without having to travel outside of Motueka.

In the end, the choice is yours to make: Speed through High Street without giving Motueka the time of day, or linger a while and see if you work out why so many people have immigrated to the area in the past 15 or so years.

Motueka’s estuary walkway.

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TRAVEL

TOP 10 FREE THINGS TO 1 VISIT RIUWAKA RESURGENCE

Te Puna o Riuwaka is of particular cultural significance to the people of Te Atiawa and Ngāti Rārua, who recognise it as wāhi tapu, a sacred place. Ask any local and they’ll tell you that the Riuwaka Resurgence is a special place. Need we say more? Enjoy it for yourself but don’t spread the word.

2 ENJOY FISH & CHIPS IN MĀPUA

The waterfront in Māpua is unbeatable. And the fish and chips from The Smokehouse are as good as it gets.

3 WALK THE MOTUEKA INLET

The Motueka community is full of passionate and committed people who love the place they live in. The inlet track is a great example of the many local walking and cycling tracks that have been largely developed and maintained by hardworking volunteers.

4 STROLL THE MARKETS You really can’t go wrong in Nelson Tasman.

Whether it’s the famous Saturday Market in Nelson or the thriving Sunday Market in Motueka - doing both is undoubtedly your safest bet!

5 GAZE AT THE WAINUI FALLS

If you do the decent thing and make it over the Takaka Hill to explore Golden Bay, then you must visit the Wainui Falls. It’s roughly an hour’s return walk but the incredible experience of standing in front of the falls is a sensation that you are unlikely to forget in a hurry. It’s very good for the soul!

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DO IN NELSON TASMAN 6 BIKE THE GREAT TASTE TRAIL

We recommend the Motueka to Kaiteriteri leg of the trip to maximise the views. The Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park is truly world-class. But be warned - no trip on the cycle trail is complete without a pie from Ginger Dynamite, ice cream from Thomas Bros and a rigger of ale from Hop Federation!

7 SWIM IN THE MOTUEKA SALTWATER BATHS

The Motueka Saltwater Baths are a gem. On a good high tide, the baths turn into an infinity pool looking out to the ocean’s horizon. There are also BBQs for hire nearby if you’d like to make an evening of it!

8 VISIT MOTUEKA MUSEUM

Did you know that Motueka once had a thriving tobacco trade? The history of the area is truly fascinating and some great local stories are accessible for free via the humble Motueka Museum on High Street.

9 WALK UP THE CENTRE OF NEW ZEALAND The geographical centre of New Zealand just happens to be a fantastic view across the Tasman Bay. On a clear day, you will be able to make out the Abel Tasman clearly. It’s an iconic short walk that is not to be missed while you’re in the region!

10 VISIT THE SUTER ART GALLERY

Last but certainly not least! Particularly important if you’re here on a rainy day, the Suter Art Gallery in Nelson is worth the trip. They have rotating exhibitions, a great shop and a cafe on site. While you’re there, take a stroll around the beautiful Queens Gardens.

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Tasman Bay has one of the largest tidal ranges in New Zealand, at around 4 to 5m. This means the tide goes out a long, long way and then pushes right up to the bush-line at high tide.

It also means the beaches and bays are forever changing throughout each day and can be almost unrecognisable at different tide levels.

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FOOD

TOAD HALL

SPOTLIGHT ON:

When it comes to places to eat in Motueka, we’ve got plenty of experience frequenting our local hospitality outlets. For a relatively small town, Motueka has an impressive list of local eateries to inspire your taste buds and TOAD Hall Motueka is nothing short of a legend when it comes to hospitality in the region.

T

OAD Hall started life as a fruit and veggie shop before making a name for itself for their real fruit ice creams (hint – they’re a must try). The building that TOAD Hall stands in today was the original Anglican Church here in Motueka hence the name TOAD (The Old Anglican Diocese).

When Angela Morris and Hamish Fletcher took over, they got to work immediately on fulfilling their vision to see TOAD Hall become the focal point of the community by creating family-friendly shared spaces and nourishing local food for the community. Since then TOAD Hall has grown from strength to strength and is now recognised as one of Nelson Tasman’s most successful hospitality outlets.

There is something for everyone at TOAD Hall – from the children’s playground which is built entirely from untreated wood by the owners through to the award-winning beer from Townshend Brewery.

It’s not uncommon for people to get stuck gazing at the cabinet at TOAD Hall as it’s stacked with wild game pies, salads, croissants, raw cakes and other tasty treats that are enough to make you drool in anticipation. TOAD Hall also now produces cold press juices and smoothies, alongside their retail selection including local craft chocolate

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from the likes of Hogarths and fresh farm milk from Oaklands. They have a range of fresh produce and a taproom on-site for purchasing local craft beer and wine from the local whanau business Tohu.

In case that wasn’t enough to convince you of a visit to TOAD Hall, during the summer months they have an impressive lineup of local, national and international artists coming through for their evening dining and music nights on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy their pizza and evening dining menu alongside the selection of craft beers brewed onsite – enough said!

But by far the most special aspect about TOAD Hall is their unwavering commitment to sustainability - both environmentally and in care for their customers and staff. It’s a cliche but this place really does feel like one big family!

HOOKED SPOTLIGHT ON:

At what point can a cafe justifiably be referred to as a ‘local institution’? The moniker of local institution does sit well with Hooked, the cafe and beer garden located on the Marahau waterfront.

H

aving opened for business almost twenty years ago, Hooked occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of many local residents. It also leaves a lasting impression with a good chunk of the countless visitors to the Abel Tasman who have found themselves quenching their thirst and satiating their hunger at Hooked over that almost twenty year period.

Located right on the Marahau waterfront, the view across Tasman Bay changes dramatically throughout the day with the ebb and flow of the tide. With the largest tidal range in the country at up to 5m, the tide oscillates between lapping against the rocks directly opposite Hooked to a retreat hundreds of metres away, out across the sand flats.

Tractors towing water taxis on their trailers and kayakers paddling out into the Abel Tasman come and go as do the Oyster Catchers and other birds that feed in the tidal pools.

The islands in the Astrolabe Roadstead are clearly visible to the north and the Marlborough Sounds across Tasman Bay can be seen in most conditions along the horizon in the distance.

The path leading to the main entrance of Hooked is flanked with a well-tended and clearly much-loved garden. The easterly-facing outdoor dining area along the front of the cafe has the best views of Tasman Bay and is the perfect place for the early light. The beer garden along the northern side of Hooked catches the last of the afternoon sun and its often ethereal glow. The daily happy hour from 4:00pm to 6:00pm draws in a great mix of salty sea-dog types and visitors to the area.

The interior of Hooked is like a classic Kiwi beach house adorned with a range of retro nautical objects. Even after several visits to Hooked you’ll still find something new and interesting to look at that may have gone unnoticed on previous visits.

Hooked has always taken the whole coffee thing seriously so even the harshest of coffee snobs can be found nodding approvingly into their double-shot, almond-milk flat whites. The wine and beer selection at Hooked is almost entirely a local affair. Local craft-brewery Sprig & Fern have beers and apple cider available on tap and the wine selection is almost exclusively from the Nelson and Marlborough regions.

The cuisine at Hooked is a fantastic mix of Kiwi classics such as lamb, and the locally caught seafood in combination with a fusion of international influences such as Pacific style raw fish ceviche, Chinese Bao Buns and Italian pasta. Regardless of the style, the crew at Hooked only use the freshest, highest quality raw ingredients they can lay their hands on.

Hooked is owned and operated by the Alborn family and has been managed by Zoe Alborn since it was opened in 2002. Zoe is a wonderful host and manages to instill the same qualities into the rest of the team.

Hooked opens for the season in September and closes again for three months from the end of May.

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FOOD

TRAMPING RECIPES BUSH QUESADILLAS

Last year on the final day of a seven day tramp in Fiordland I made my two tramping mates my signature quesadillas with the remaining scraps of food I had in my pack. Not only did this prompt both of them to forgive me for the previous seven full days and nights of snoring but they both commented that the quesadillas we shared at a cafe in Queenstown once back in civilization the next day were not a patch on the ones I had prepared in the shelter beside the Shotover River. This illustrates rather well that any real food (particularly if it features melted cheese) tastes fantastic after you’ve eaten freeze-dried meals for a full week in the wilderness.

INGREDIENTS • • • • •

Wraps Cheese Tomato chutney Salami Anything you can find that goes with the above, but I often take some boiled eggs.

To make quesadillas whilst tramping you’ll need a skillet/ frying pan. I have one that is specially made for one of my most prized items of tramping kit, my MSR Windburner gas-cooker. This skillet is made of some kind of composite alloy that is also used on alien space-craft. That makes it so light I don’t mind carrying it in my pack. I also carry a small container of olive oil and another with dishwashing liquid to clean the skillet.

Lay the wrap in the skillet, and put the other bits in the middle. Fold the wrap and gently brown both sides and wait until the cheese has melted. Smile modestly when your fellow trampers pour on the praise at your culinary genius.

ENERGY BARS This muesli slice is the perfect energy food for tramping. It is also known within our family as ‘Breast-feeding Slice’ because my mother made it for both of her daughter-in-laws when they were breastfeeding her grandchildren! That’s how much energy and goodness is packed into this incredibly simple recipe!

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • •

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125g butter 2 Tbs golden syrup 1 tsp baking powder 1 egg 1 ¼ c toasted muesli or 5 crushed bran biscuits or weetbix 1 c sugar 1 c flour 1 c coconut 1 c dried fruit

Melt butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large bowl in the microwave. Add the other ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Press into a greased baking dish. Bake at 180C for 20 minutes. Cut while still warm.

A

ny real food, (particularly if it features melted cheese) tastes fantastic after you’ve eaten freeze-dried meals for a full week in the wilderness...

When tramping, there is always a trade off between carrying food that is light to carry, but also food that is tasty.

LOCAL ARTS

ENTERTAINMENT

WITH JADE ALBORN

The Nelson-Tasman region is a hub for artistic expression of all kinds. Theatre, music, dance, and visual arts are just a handful of the diverse creative outlets that are showcased regularly throughout the region. With a huge artistic community that possesses a plethora of talents, our region is not short on entertainment options.

VISUAL ARTS

There are dozens of art galleries and local shops where you can purchase amazing handmade goods in the Nelson-Tasman region. The Little Beehive Co-Op is a little treasure in the heart of Nelson. Founded in 2014 by Paula Ossevoort and Rachael Brown and located at 123 Bridge Street, The Little Beehive is a place where local artists have a place to collaborate and showcase their work. The Little Beehive members are all local to Nelson and all members keep 100% of their profits. With beautiful locally made jewellery, art, clothes and skincare, there is something for everyone. Buying from The Little Beehive is a great way to support small NZ business and local Nelson talent.

Creative. The Gallery also hosts adult art classes led by Mark Dunstan and after-school art classes for 6-13 year olds.

The Suter Gallery, Bridge Street, Nelson.

PERFORMING ARTS

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The Little Beehive, Bridge Street, Nelson.

The Theatre Royal Nelson is the main venue in the region to experience live performance. The Theatre was built in 1878 but closed at the end of 2005. Then on the 18th of June 2010, the fully restored heritage theatre was reopened with 21st-century staging, front of house, and backstage facilities. The Theatre Royal is the oldest wooden theatre still in use in the Southern Hemisphere. At the time of writing New Zealand was under level two Covid-19 restrictions so the theatre was not hosting any live performances. Live shows will be back on the agenda as soon as Nelson gets back to level one.

The Suter Gallery has a cafe, store, theatre, and art classes. With huge windows displaying a stunning view of the Queen’s Gardens and delicious food and coffee, The Suter Cafe is one of the most unique in Nelson. The Suter Store sells a wide range of locally made items. When purchasing from the shop you support both the artists and The Suter Art Gallery. The Suter Theatre houses 150 people making it an intimate venue that is ideal for live performance. The Theatre hosts shows by local groups such as CUSP, an improvised theatre show for families from Wintergreen

The performing arts have taken a huge hit due to the current pandemic. An example of this is the annual Fringe Festival that had to be massively re-jigged and adapted into a digital format. Although not an ideal situation this really shows the ingenuity and dedication of the local performers, directors, and arts organisations. Despite these unprecedented circumstances, performing art is still being created and shared. When the world eventually goes back to something approaching the old normal, get out there and support local arts!

NELSON TASMAN

MUSIC SCENE If you like to watch live music while sitting in the sunshine drinking craft beer then you’ve come to the right place. For the most part, the local scene consists of musicians playing their original tunes in cafes, pubs and small venues across the region from Nelson to Golden Bay.

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elson Tasman has never been on the tour circuit for the biggest international acts, but it has regularly hosted gigs by local heavyweights such as SIX60, Shihad, Salmonella Dub and Shapeshifter. The region has also produced its fair share of well-known artists like Broods, Sharon O’Neill and Minuit. In past years the region has also played host to festivals like Luminate and Bay Dreams.

energy and diversity of the live performances on these evenings is often magical. Tim’s Place across from the Otuwhero Estuary hosts touring musicians on a sporadic basis, particularly international and improv-style artists.

Hooked, on the Marahau waterfront, also hosts performances, usually in the beer garden during summer in the late afternoon and early evenings.

TOAD Hall has live performances almost every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer which are often booked out.

The Moutere Inn hosts gigs all year round and traditional folk nights on Thursdays where everybody is encouraged to join in. Golden Bear on the Mapua Wharf has performances every Sunday afternoon during the summer and also gigs at other times.

As well as other performing arts, the The Playhouse Cafe and Theatre between Mapua and Nelson also hosts some of the better-known touring Holly’s Hat Trick play at TOAD Hall, one of several music venues in Motueka. artists such as the Chills and Shihad’s Jon Toogood.

The local music scene is most active during the summer There are a number of venues in Nelson including the The months when you can attend gigs on Friday and SaturBoathouse Society and a fantastic auditorium at the Nelday nights and at multiple venues on Sunday afternoons. son Centre of Musical Arts largely for classical and similar There isn’t as much live music action during the winter musical styles. You will also find cover bands banging months, but there are still some venues hosting live music. out the rock classics at the bars along Bridge Street in the The Mussel Inn in the tiny village of Onekaka and Roots middle of Nelson.

Bar in Takaka host artists from Golden Bay and those on tour from elsewhere in the country, particularly those playFor a taste of the music being written and released by ing reggae, roots and groove-based rock. local recording artists check out the Spotify playlist Nelson Tasman: artists at home. The playlist is an eclectic mix of The Park Cafe in Marahau hosts legendary open-mic hip-hop, rap, country, modern pop, reggae and art-rock, and nights on Thursday evenings during the summer which is a fair reflection of the diversity and quality of the music include performances by local and visiting musicians. The coming out of New Zealand’s creative capital.

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BIRD

OF THE

THE WEKA

MOMENT The most common flightless bird in the Park can sometimes be mistaken by the uninitiated for Kiwi. These sturdy brown birds are also known as woodhen and can be seen scavenging for food around camp sites.

In fact, Weka are accomplished burglars and will snatch food from the unsuspecting at lightning speeds. They are also cheeky enough to burrow through tents and tramping packs until they locate and steal the good stuff after which they will dart into the nearest batch of bush.

Weka have an extremely funky walking motion, the imitation of which can result in hours of fun. Their necks bob forward as they walk, then they will stop to gaze from side to side before resuming the neck bobbing. They just look sneaky.

Weka are a large flightless rail with red eyes, a strong pointed reddish to greyish bill, red strong legs and variable plumage ranging in colour from greyish and mid-brown to chestnut brown and almost black.

They have spacing calls generally given at dawn (usually timed just as you are drifting back to sleep in your tent) and in the half hour after sunset.

They are a characteristic coo..eet given as a duet by members of a pair, with the male call lower and slower than the female. Other calls include booming, and soft clucking contact calls.

Young Weka squabble over a meal.

Weka numbers have increased dramatically over the past few years in the Abel Tasman and they are not considered to be a threatened species. Info: nzbirdsonline.org

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INFORMATION

PACKING LIST You don’t need a lot of gear to enjoy the Park, and what you don’t have can be rented from the Abel Tasman Centre in Marahau.

I

f you’re going anywhere at all in the great New Zealand outdoors, take a warm outer layer. Our weather gods just love messing with people. There are no pharmacies in the park so you need to take your own personal medication if required. There is only one café in the Park, at Awaroa, and that is only open during the summer, so you need to take your own food. There is fresh water available at various spots along the Coastal Track but you shouldn’t count on this being available. Much of the water available needs to be boiled before it is safe to drink so you should take your own water for the day.

DAY TRIPS

If you’re on a day trip, your gear check list is as follows... * * * * * * * *

Shoes or open-toed shoes (we call ‘em jandals) Hat Sunscreen Insect repellent Water bottle A warmer outer layer and/or a raincoat Any personal medication Towel and swimwear if you fancy a swim

MULTI-DAY TRIPS

If you’re on a multi-day trip that includes overnight stays at camp sites, your gear should include: *

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The stuff you’ll be wearing: Sturdy shoes or tramping boots, shorts and a t-shirt Long pants Tramping pack (50-70lt) Pack liner (to stop your gear from getting wet if it rains) Medium size dry bag for sleeping bags & things Sleeping bag Bowl Spoon Cup Camp shoes - jandals - optional Spare pair of socks Polypropylene or wool base layer, short or long sleeved Fleece or woollen pullover Bullet-proof rain jacket Woolly hat Sun hat/cap Gloves/mittens - wool or fleece Sunglasses - optional Torch or headlamp Toiletries Water bottle - at least 1lt Cooker, fuel and something to light it with Food Insect repellent Sunscreen

If you’re not staying in a hut you’ll also need: * A sleeping mat (huts have mattresses) * A tent Carrying a 20kg pack is quite tolerable for most people, although it will tire you out eventually. But if your pack weighs more than that, start taking stuff out! If you haven’t got your own outdoor gear then you can rent gear from the Abel Tasman Centre which is located at the start of the Park, on the Marahau waterfront. They have: * *

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Sleeping bags Sleeping mats

* *

Tents Gas cookers

Separation Point Mutton Cove

Whariwharangi Hut

Anapai Bay Wainui Bay

P To Takaka

Totaranui

COASTAL TRACK

INFORMATION

Goat Bay

Waiharakeke Bay

Awaroa

TIDAL CROSSINGS

WALKING TIMES Marahau - Anchorage Hut Anchorage Hut - Torrent Bay High tide route Low tide route Torrent Bay - Bark Bay Hut Bark Bay Hut - Onetahuti Onetahuti - Awaroa Hut Awaroa Hut - Totaranui Totaranui - Whariwharangi Hut Whariwharangi Hut - Wainui Car Park

3-4hrs 12.4km

Tinline Nature Walk (Tinline Bay) Pitt Head Cleopatra’s Pool Falls River Falls Separation Point (from Coastal Track) Totaranui to Whariwharangi (Gibbs Hill Track)

20 min return 40 min - 1.5 hrs 40 min return 3hrs return 1hr return 3hrs

SIDE TRIPS

Abel Head

P

Awaroa Lodge

Awaroa Inlet

Awaroa Hut

Awaroa River

Shag Harbour

check tide times Onetahuti Beach

Onetahuti

1-1.5hrs 4km 20 min 0.9km 2-3hrs 7.8km 2hrs 6.1km 2.5hrs 7.1km 2.5-3hrs 7.1km 3.5hrs 9.8 km 2hrs 5.7km

e ine Reserv nd Mar a Isla Tong

Tide times at Awaroa Inlet must be checked carefully. The inlet may only be crossed within 1hr 30mins before and 2hrs after low tide so please make careful note of these times. Outside of these times the crossing is dangerous. There are other tidal crossings in the Park (Torrent Bay, Bark Bay) but all have alternate high tide routes.

All marine life within the reserve is protected. No fishing.

Tonga Island Seal Colony Tonga Quarry Tonga Arches

Foul Point

Mosquito Bay

Bark Bay

Medlands Beach Falls River

Sandfly Bay

Pinnacle Island Frenchman Bay North Head

KAYAKING TIMES

Boundary Bay

Torrent Bay

3hrs 4hrs 2hrs 1.5hrs

Marahau - Observation Marahau to Anchorage Anchorage to Bark Bay Bark Bay - Onetahuti

Pitt Head

Anchorage Te Pukatea

Cleopatra’s Pool Inland Track

Torrent River Watering Cove

Observation Beach

To Castle Rock Hill

Cyathea Cove

ea st ad

d

Akersten Bay Stillwell Bay

Ro

P

- car park

- hut

- track

- water taxi pick-up/drop-off

- tidal track

- kayak retrieval point

- sealed road

- drinking water

- unsealed road

Astro lab e

- campsite

KEY

Apple Tree Bay

Start of track

Gilbert Point Coquille Bay Tinline Bay Aqua Taxi Base 275 Sandy Bay - Marahau Road.

- telephone To Motueka/Kaiteriteri Takaka/Nelson

P

Adele Island

Fisherman Island

N

Marahau

The Abel Tasman Centre cnr Franklin St and the Marahau waterfront.

Split Apple Rock

Kaiteriteri

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Onetahuti is a long, gently curved beach that is first glimpsed via this wonderful elevated view when you descend to the beach from the south. The campsite is directly behind the main beach. Tonga Island sits proudly and prominently directly out from Onetahuti beach. At the northern end of the beach is a recently constructed walkway that now allows all tide access along the Coastal Track northwards to Awaroa.

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