Issuu

zero carbon itinerary

magazine SUMMER 2021/22

the unofficial guide to the national park

TE WAHAROA - GATEWAY TO THE PARK local recipes • retail guide

SPOTLIGHT ON: RIWAKA, MĀPUA AND MURCHISON

Golden hour at Tōtaranui in the northern end of the Abel Tasman.

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION................................................................................. 4

FEATURES

WHY IS THE ABEL TASMAN SO POPULAR?............................................... 6 TE WAHAROA Gateway to the Park................................................................. 10 A MINDFUL WALK IN THE PARK.................................................................. 12 WILDING PINE REMOVAL................................................................................ 16 TE WHĀWHĀRUA............................................................................................... 20 WHICH KAYAKING OPTION?.......................................................................... 22 AN INSIGHT INTO THE INLAND.................................................................... 26

TRAVEL

THE FIRST ZERO CARBON ITINERARY..................................................... 30 SPOTLIGHT ON:MURCHISON................................................................................................... 34 SPOTLIGHT ON: MĀPUA................................................................................... 38 SPOTLIGHT ON: RIWAKA.................................................................................42 OFF THE BEATEN (CYCLE TRAIL)................................................................ 46 SHOUT OUT TO THE SPITS............................................................................. 50 OFF THE LEASH................................................................................................... 52

FOOD

NELSON EATS....................................................................................................... 58 A TASTE OF TASMAN......................................................................................... 62

ENTERTAINMENT

NELSON ARTS....................................................................................................... 64 NELSON CLASSIC CAR MUSEUM................................................................. 66 RETAIL THERAPY................................................................................................ 68 GLENN BATHGATE INTERVIEW.................................................................... 72 WILDLIFE SPOTTING.......................................................................................... 74 BIRD OF THE MOMENT..................................................................................... 76 COMIC: THE ABEL TASMAN’S FIRST WATER TAXI.............................. 77

INFORMATION

TOP 10 FREE THINGS TO DO......................................................................... 78 ABEL TASMAN COASTAL TRACK WALKING GUIDE............................ 80 PACKING LIST AND MAP................................................................................. 88 Photography credits: Lightstyle Photography, Brodie Knox, Brendan Alborn. Design and artwork: Mat Tait mattait@mattait.com, Jade Alborn. Contributors: Johny O’Donnell, Brendan Alborn, Robyn James, Jade Alborn, Frances Wilson, Renee Thomas, Libby Brown, Cristina Barraclough, Nelson Regional Development Agency. Produced and published by: Alborn Enterprises Ltd, 8 Franklin Street, Marahau 7197, RD2 Motueka, New Zealand. Email: feedback@ abeltasman.com Tel: 03 527 8559

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION When we produced and published the very first edition of the Abel Tasman magazine we didn’t know how it would be received, or if it would even be worthwhile.

he impact COVID-19 would have on our business was a massive unknown and I feared we were spending money at a time when we should be tightening our purse strings. However, the reaction from people who read the magazine was truly heartwarming. Like us, people seemed to be in the mood to celebrate this amazing place we call home and were proud to see their local hood promoted in print. I had dramatically underestimated how much people still love old school hardcopy printed magazines versus the digital content we bombard ourselves with on a daily basis. I was thrilled and surprised at the sheer number of people who made a special point of telling me how much they enjoyed reading the magazine. My company vehicle has the AbelTasman.com logo on it and a number of people I didn’t know from a bar of soap yelled across car parks how much they loved the mag! I was also surprised at how thoroughly many people read the stuff we had written, something that became obvious from the questions we received about small details buried deep within our stories. So, I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome you to the second edition of the Abel Tasman magazine. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. I have been asked by many people how our visitor sector business has been doing with our borders closed and about the reality of having only domestic visitors. While our customer numbers are down dramatically, things are a long way from dire or desperate. After seeing the PR hiding tourism operators had been receiving in the press and on social media, about overcrowding of visitor hotspots, irresponsible freedom campers and sky-high prices for overseas visitors, we were not sure what to expect from Kiwi visitors. Perhaps it would be a summer of having local visitors scream things into our faces like; “why haven’t you halved all of your prices for us locals?!”

Well, it turns out Kiwis have been out here getting amongst it, and many people have taken the chance to explore places they have been meaning to visit for years. It also transpired, and I don’t really know why I was so surprised, that we are largely a bunch of good buggers. We have found that Kiwis are really quite interested in the information our water taxi skippers and kayak guides have to share. Many Kiwis are also ready to lend a hand whenever required. Many of us can’t stand there watching a water taxi skipper unload packs and carry them up the beach alone and unaided. We’ll jump in there without being asked to lend a hand. We’ve also found that our customers respect and appreciate our environment and say many nice things about this region that we love so much. Brendan Alborn Owner Operator Alborn Enterprises Ltd.

Kia Ora Anō! After a fairly dramatic 2020, it feels good to be back penning an editorial for the Abel Tasman Magazine.

nfettered by COVID-19 we were able to get this very special project off the ground thanks to the generosity of the Alborn family of Mārahau who sponsor all the work included in these pages, the people commissioned to put it all together and the printing and distribution of the publication to find its way into your hot little hands as it appears to have done today. I’m particularly proud to be working on this second edition of the magazine because I would have forgiven people for writing tourism off this time last year but it’s proven to be a truly resilient sector for New Zealand despite the enormous loss of international tourism. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt an unprecedented blow to New Zealand’s tourism industry and the uncertainty and hardship experienced by so many within our sector has been extremely tough on so many. Our local business community has lived and breathed the motto “We’ve Got This - Kei a Tātou” and our team of 5 million have backed them by enjoying everything this country has to offer.

stories of this area and celebrate the visitor sector for all the benefits it offers our local community. I particularly want to acknowledge mana whenua who have generously contributed stories to this issue. Understanding the story and whakapapa of the waharoa that greets visitors at the beginning of the coastal track will provide a much more nuanced understanding of this very special entranceway to the park. Finally, I really enjoyed putting together some recipes for the magazine that celebrated local products. So many people visit this place for its stunning natural landscapes (which are truly spectacular) but there is so much richness to Te Tauihu that is often overlooked by visitors to the area. Our local artisan food and beverage producers really do this region proud, so producing the recipes and sharing my favourite Nelson eateries was nothing but a pleasure! JOD Johny O’Donnell

I think in many ways domestic tourism has surprised us all and so many people I know have relished the opportunity to get out and explore their own backyard. In the Abel Tasman, we are fortunate to be home to a host of family owned and locally operated tourism enterprises which makes the park incredibly special and the experiences on offer authentic and down to earth. The shape and size of our industry and the passionate people that make it all happen are testament to the resilient spirit that has helped the visitor sector thrive through extremely challenging conditions. That resilient spirit is evident in today’s magazine which is a celebration of this special place we call home and a chance to share some of our stories with you. During what has been a challenging year in so many ways, there has never been a more important time to showcase this place, shine a light on the

FEATURE

WHY IS THE ABEL TASMAN THE MOST

POPULAR OF OUR

13 NATIONAL PARKS?

Words: Brendan Alborn.

How is it that our smallest national park, at 237km2, is also the one which attracts the most visitors each year?

erhaps most importantly, the Park contains some stunning scenery and a number of those scenes have become quintessentially Abel Tasman over the years. While the entire New Zealand coastline is basically a succession of beaches and bays, the golden sand, crescent-shaped bays in the Abel Tasman that have been captured in photos and videos over many years have become a bit of a thing unto itself. The sneak peeks of these beaches that are available from elevated sections of the Abel Tasman Coast Track make for good photographs. There is also something rather magical about seeing lush native bush that comes

right down to the waterline, fringing beaches and tidal inlets. In combination, all of these elements make the Abel Tasman a bit of a superstar which has been used by organisations like Tourism New Zealand and Air NZ to promote Aotearoa around the world in their marketing campaigns. And here’s the thing; the Abel Tasman looks and feels just like it does in those postcard photographs and promo videos. This means the Park consistently delivers or even over delivers on the expectations of the people who visit it. This is the direct opposite to the modern marketing phenomenon that is a fastfood chain store where the food looks fabulous in the promo photos but more like soggy cardboard when you’re actually (cont’d)

holding it in your hand. Another key factor in the popularity of the Abel Tasman is just how easy it is to access the place. Many of our other national parks are in remote locations and it takes no small

ārahau at the southern entrance to the Abel Tasman National Park is an easy one hour drive from Nelson Airport. amount of effort and physical exertion to enjoy those places. By contrast, Mārahau at the southern entrance to the

Abel Tasman National Park is an easy one hour drive from Nelson Airport. Once you’re in Mārahau you can access the Park in a number of ways including simply strolling under the impressive carved waharoa (entranceway), along the boardwalk and into the Park. The rest of the Abel Tasman is also incredibly accessible with scheduled water taxi services daily all year round and a dizzying array of options to paddle into the park in a kayak. These transport options allow visitors to do day trips in any area of the park or even half-day trips in the southern end of the park. For visitors doing multi-day trips it provides the opportunity to walk or paddle a kayak in one direction and then water taxi back to where they started their trip, rather than having to return over the same ground they have already covered. For people with even a modicum of physical fitness, the Abel Tasman Coast Track is a comfortable walk. This is not a trek through the wilderness where bush bashing, river Fishermans Island in the Astrolabe Roadstead, southern Abel Tasman.

crossings and complicated navigation is required. The track is well graded and while there are some steeper uphill sections, the gradient is gently undulating for the most part. Being situated along the coast with the huts and campsites located right on or beside the ocean, this makes a multi-day tramp along the track a combination of a tramp and a beach holiday. You walk or kayak for part of the day and then chill out and swim on the beach in the afternoons and early evenings. The track is well marked, well maintained and insanely easy to navigate which means you don’t really need outdoor experience to complete it. Of course this all means the Abel Tasman is a viable option for pretty much anyone, rather than just for people who are physically fit, have bushcraft and backcountry skills and own specialist outdoor equipment worth many hundreds of dollars. The Abel Tasman is also widely recognised as the best national park to experience in a touring kayak.

or people with even a modicum of physical fitness, the Abel Tasman Coast Track is a comfortable walk. You paddle along the coast from bay to bay, pull your kayak up onto the beach and camp for the night and then do it all over again the next day. The coast is oriented north - south with the sea out to the east so that means the sunrises are absolutely incredible. In calm conditions, which is usually what you’ll find in the early morning before the daily seabreeze comes up, paddling through glassy water with the sun rising is a hell of a way to start your day. Finally, it should also be noted that a lot of visitor sector businesses and organisations have spent many years promoting the Abel Tasman both overseas and domestically. The Park is the jewel in the crown of the Nelson - Tasman District’s tourism offering so is used extensively in any marketing both for visitor-based and every other industry in between. Of course this means the whole district becomes linked to images of sunny weather and wonderful scenery. And again, this isn’t marketing fluff. We do get a lot of sunshine in this part of the country and the Abel Tasman National Park is an amazing place to spend some time.

FEATURE This blend of war and peace is represented in the carvings with Rongo-māTāne, on the left, the atua (deity) of peace and cultivated food. Large areas of Mārahau were cultivated and an abundance of food resources were available here – this was the food basket of the tūpuna. There are many recorded battle sites in the area as it was highly contested as a valuable resource, the conflicts here are represented by Tūmatauenga, the atua of war, on the right.

TE WAHAROA

GATEWAY TO THE PARK Words: Renee Thomas.

A distinctive landmark in Mārahau greets all visitors who approach the National Park from the South - a carved waharoa (entranceway). It tells the story of migration of the tūpuna (ancestors) of the people who live here today as tangata whenua in Te Tauihu (Top of the South Island).

t the start of the 19th Century a group of whānau and hapū (families) from Kāwhia and Taranaki were seeking a better life away from the pressures on land and resources in the North Island and made the courageous decision to leave in search of their needs for survival, land, water and food resources. The group from Kāwhia were the Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Koata and Ngāti Toa Rangatira people from the Tainui waka. The group from Taranaki were the Ngāti Tama and Te Ātiawa people from the Tokomaru waka. Together, they left their

homelands in the 1820’s and travelled South in search of a place to settle with more access to resources. This journey is depicted in the waharoa with the people in the waka and the maunga (mountains) showing where they came from. There were other Māori already settled in areas of Te Tauihu, but this new group of migrants arrived and by right of conquest and occupation the people of Ngāti Rārua and Te Ātiawa became the Manawhenua here in Mārahau and Motueka.

Underneath Rongo-māTāne are two figures, these signify the Motueka and Riuwaka rivers, the two rivers that must be crossed to get to Mārahau. Underneath Tūmatauenga are carvings that depict the intricate caves that are under Piki-ki-runga (Tākaka Hill) these cave networks extend from the Riuwaka resurgence right through to Tākaka and Waikoropupū Springs. The figure in the middle at the top is representative of Turangaapeke, a tupuna of both Ngāti Rārua and Te Ātiawa whānau in Motueka, this is also the name of the Wharenui at Te Āwhina Marae.

he name Mārahau translates literally as windy garden, not just for its cultivated foods, as the whole area would have been a great kai (food) gathering area. The Tuangi (cockle) beds were abundant, the sea teeming with life and the forests and valleys full of birds. As visitors exit at this Southern end of the park, they will see carvings on the other side of this waharoa. This side of the Waharoa is telling a story of the natural elements that affect everything in this special place known as Mārahau (windy garden). Each morning Tama-nui-te-Rā rises in the East, in the centre, Te Ao (the clouds) are depicted. On the

The waharoa that greets visitors to the Southern end of the National Park in Mārahau.

right is Tāwhirimātea (atua of the winds and storms) who brings the wind every afternoon in the summer months, which is renowned in this area. On the left side is Tāne Mahuta (atua of the forest), a reminder of where you have been, or that you may be about to enter his domain. On the right side is Haumia-tiketike (atua of uncultivated plants): large areas of the Mārahau valley and what is now National Park was covered in forest where wildlife flourished and many plant species naturally grew - another valuable food resource for the Tūpuna. The name Mārahau translates literally as windy garden, not just for its cultivated foods, as the whole area would have been a great kai (food) gathering area. The Tuangi (cockle) beds were abundant, the sea teeming with life and the forests and valleys full of birds. At the very bottom, left and right are two faces, these are the two sides of Papatūānuku (Mother Earth’s) face. We must always be mindful of where we step and to tread lightly as we walk over her, so future generations can enjoy these taonga (treasures), like the National Park, which are in our care as Kaitiaki (guardians) for today. This carving was commissioned by Department of Conservation as part of a series of installations in the National Park to start to re-indigenise the space. The carver is Mark Davis, a Master Carver from Nelson, and the timber is Tōtara sourced from the West Coast. This narrative has been a collaboration between Manawhenua Iwi and Department of Conservation.

FEATURE

A MINDFUL

Grant” was about the extent of the identification required back then - how quickly things have changed. A soggy lukewarm steak and cheese pie each was the designated breakfast of champions for us hardy locals. A layer of fat used to stick to the roof of your mouth for the duration of your journey up the park. Pure bliss.

WALK IN

THE PARK Words: Johny O’Donnell.

“Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua – I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.” I have always loved this whakataukī (proverb) that speaks to the dynamic perspectives of time where the past, the present and the future are seen as intertwined and free from boundaries. MY HISTORY, YOUR HISTORY, OUR HISTORY

or me, a mindful walk in the Abel Tasman is about being conscious of my own relationship with the area and the history that takes a bit of time and effort to seek out, but it offers much richness and understanding of our story as a nation. It’s about diving deeper than the glossy photos and brochures that now tell the stories of the Abel Tasman to the world.

of applying rose tinted glasses to my childhood interactions with the park. However, the practice of looking back on those days and hearing old stories still triggers a strong sense of nostalgia as I recall the sights, sounds and smells that shaped my childhood experience of the park and the wider region.

This magazine is a part of that effort to go deeper and tell more of the plethora of stories that connect people to this place that we now call the Abel Tasman National Park. From here on out, I may refer to this place as“the park” or “down the bay” as you’ll hear most locals doing.

My family’s history in this area is relatively short and our ties are much stronger in the far north and deep south. As it happens, my parents chose to ‘meet in the middle’ and settle in Motueka where I had the privilege of growing up. My father worked in the visitor sector for decades and it’s been with great pleasure that I’ve been able to reconnect with the sector in my own line of work over the past 5 years.

I read recently that “nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days” and that resonated with me as I reflect on being a child growing up in and around the park. There is no doubt that a lot has changed since I was a child in Motueka and I am very likely guilty

As a kid, I used to wait on the shores of Kaiteriteri beach for my old man as he brought the Wilsons dinghy ashore. The first order of business was often to throw me some change and ask me to fetch a pouch of Port Royal from the Kaiteriteri Store for the day ahead. “It’s for (cont’d)

Captain Grant O’Donnell at the tiller.

We’re living through a fascinating period of the park’s history with the regeneration and restoration of the Abel Tasman in full flight fuelled by substantial philanthropic commitments, thousands of volunteer hours from locals, a collaborative mindset from local operators and leadership from conservation groups, mana whenua and DOC. Anyone who knows the park well can really notice the difference and yet this chapter in the park’s story is still in its infancy and has largely focused on control and eradication to make way for the thousands of species and plants that belong in the area. Our human history in the Abel Tasman goes back several hundred years. Māori lived here and gathered kai along the coast and in the ngahere (bush). Māori history in this area is largely shaped by a series of epic migrations from the north and for the mana whenua of this area, the park is a very special and significant taonga. One of the stranger aspects of the park is the name itself – Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman never (cont’d)

actually set foot in what we now consider the national park. The closest he came was anchoring at Wharewharangi Bay near Wainui Inlet at the north end of the park back in 1642, which was followed by a violent encounter with Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri after which he set sail again and never returned. This was the first encounter between Europeans and tangata whenua. The area was also missed by Captain Cook’s expeditions and wasn’t encountered by Europeans again until Dumont d’Urville in 1827. By the 1850’s, land was being sold to European settlers and farming was taking over. The impacts of this era are still evident today, although the park is changing constantly. In more recent history, the recreational and tourism potential of the park has taken precedence. It was the rumour of a proposal to establish a sawmill at Tōtaranui in 1937 that prompted environmental campaigner and Nelson resident, Perrine Moncrieff, to start pushing for the area to be designated a National Park. Ultimately, she was successful and the Abel Tasman is now New Zealand’s smallest but most popular national park

quite a formative time for me as a child meeting people from all different corners of the world and walks of life, learning to hold a conversation with them and manaaki them as a ‘relative’ local to the area. I remember the days going so slowly – journeying up and down the coastline, dropping people off looking uncertain and apprehensive and picking them up looking several years younger and so much more relaxed. That’s the true Abel Tasman experience. At lunchtime, we used to park the boat up for a couple of hours in Tōtaranui and devour a thermos of tea and a packet of biscuits. Interestingly, Dad used to always have a pair of binoculars to keep an eye on the visitors. One can only assume this was a safety monitoring device rather than something more sinister. The people of the park are such a special part of the experience – we’d drop care packages up and down the coast to people working or staying in the park. The boats you see in the park are not just passenger ferries – they’re also the unofficial wardens of the park (making the Abel Tasman a truly safe destination for adventure) and the local mail service delivering parcels of food and essentials (many of which come in glass bottles from memory) up and down the bay. THE BEST OF OUR BUSH AND BEACH. The Abel Tasman has been made famous for its unique combination of bush and beach. The crystal clear waters and golden sands can be likened to something of a tropical island. But the park also has a fascinating history and is home to generations of stories that capture the experience of living in this region. Te Tauihu (Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough) is thought to be the most ancient and diverse landscape in Aotearoa New Zealand which makes the protection and restoration of biodiversity in the area so much more important and your experience here so much more special.

Another O’Donnell family outing in the park circa 2001

IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW YOU GO... I’ve kayaked, walked, flown, boated and even skydived in the Abel Tasman in my lifetime – all of which are truly epic ways to experience this slice of paradise. It’s fair to say the transport mode preferred by my father ‘Captain Grant’ has always been by water and he’s not much of a swimmer, so I’ll let you do the math on that one. He used to quip that he was a good skipper because he can’t stand swimming! My weekends and school holidays involved a lot of boat trips up and down the bay. Looking back, it was probably

COVID-19 has changed the dynamics of the park and offered, perhaps, a more restful period from international visitation. A chance to reconsider and reset our relationship with tourism going forward. The visitor sector based in and around the Abel Tasman supports hundreds of jobs and injects millions into the local economy. Every paid journey into the Abel Tasman supports the management and conservation needs of the park through a concession system (which also manages the flow and numbers of people entering the national park) and a voluntary contribution by operators to the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust. You have to see and experience it to truly understand it. On a clear day, a walk in the Abel Tasman can be almost blinding. The glistening sights of the golden beaches, the smell of the seabreeze and the sounds of the birdsong provide a sensory feast that truly never fails to amaze and delight. Aren’t we lucky?

FEATURE

WILDING PINE

REMOVAL A COMMUNITY EFFORT

Words: Robyn Janes. Photography: Ruth Bollongino (fernphotos.com), and Andrew MacAlister.

It seems strange to celebrate dying trees in a national park. But the grey skeletal remains of wilding pines you see on the ridges of the Abel Tasman are a tribute to a community project that has stopped a huge green tidal wave from changing the park’s landscape forever.

ilding pine trees are a serious problem in New Zealand. In the Abel Tasman National Park it is estimated that at their peak, wilding conifers like radiata (Pinus radiata) and maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), had infested 10 thousand hectares, or nearly half, the park. Local tourism operator Darryl Wilson remembers family picnics to Adele Island back in the 1970’s to pull young pine trees as part of an event organised by honorary rangers. “It was a recreational activity as kids, we knew they weren’t supposed to be there and it was fun to pull them out.”

An ecological disaster. But pulling a few seedlings was never going to keep pace with the runaway train that is wilding conifers. The unwanted seedlings spread from introduced trees and seeds can be blown many kilometres by the wind. Young seedlings quickly infest an area and once established, the pines compete with native plants and animals for sunlight and water, severely altering New Zealand’s unique landscapes. “You started noticing one or two pines, poking out, interrupting the skyline, it was visually jarring. Then there were more and more,” says Darryl. Back in 2007 concerned locals and tourism operators had formed the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust, realising the community could make a huge difference in the park. The Trust’s aim was to bring back the birdsong. Initially its efforts were focused on trapping but volunteer members soon realised wilding pines were a major problem. “The Department of Conservation didn’t have the man power, or the funds to deal to the pines and the Trust could leverage the dollars from tourism operators to do greater things. Every dollar we raised could attract more dollars, so the Birdsong Trust provided the vehicle to start nailing the wildings,” says Darryl. It was a timely intervention. Ecological consultant and now Project Janszoon operations manager Andrew Macalister likens it to a slow-motion train wreck. “Hundreds of thousands of wildings were creeping along the coast and ridges of the park. If we had done nothing the ridgelines would have eventually turned into pine forests,” he says. Andrew is a man who knows his pines. He has been at the forefront of the fight against wildings in the Abel Tasman and Marlborough Sounds. Despite the fact a few (cont’d)

experts believed the pines couldn’t be stopped, in 2011 he helped the Trust apply for funding to a range of national funding agencies, including the NZ Lottery Grants Board, to raise sufficient funds to control pines in the park. No easy task “We had confidence we could get there but we knew it wouldn’t be easy,” says Andrew. There were some enormous trees in the park that had been planted over a hundred years ago by unknowing settlers. Along with the pine plantations bordering the Abel Tasman they had become the seed source for the hundreds of thousands of wildings that followed. Yet, the big trees were often the easy ones. Wildings rarely grow where you want them. “It’s an enormous physical challenge as you are forced to go where the trees are. It’s usually in a patch of gorse, or half way up a steep gully. Then there’s the wasp nests, thick bush, and rain, cold and sun. Getting rid of them involved lots of hard mahi (work),” says Andrew. Ricky Ross drills into the trunk of a wilding pine as part of the poisoning effort, Abel Tasman National Park.

Dying wilding pines at Wallaby Creek, Abel Tasman National Park.

Techniques were refined as the team learnt. Most of the trees were poisoned by drilling into the trunk, and pouring a herbicide into the holes. Others were sprayed from a helicopter. The trees die standing, decaying into the forest floor over time.

the wilding pines are controlled into the future is an example of what is possible when everyone works together. It is humbling to have been a part of helping complete the community’s vision. With the Abel Tasman now nearly free of wilding pines, what was a multi-million dollar problem can now be kept at bay for a small fraction of that cost,” he says.

A team effort Not long after the Birdsong Trust began its work private environmental trust Project Janszoon was launched. Project Janszoon works with mana whenua iwi, DOC, and the community to get rid of pests and weeds, bring back native wildlife and bush, and inspire a culture of care for the Abel Tasman. “When Janszoon came along we became a bit more ambitious,” says Darryl. Janszoon was able to help the Birdsong Trust accelerate its work. Since 2011, the over $1m project has seen hundreds of thousands of wilding pines poisoned, stretching from Tinline Bay in the south to Taupō Point in the north. The Department of Conservation (DOC) and Tasman District Council also came on board with support from the Abel Tasman Foreshore Scenic Reserve Fund.

DID YOU KNOW? The Abel Tasman App by Project Janszoon has been downloaded nearly 50,000 times and features free information on native wildlife, plants, walking times and points of interest, as well as history, weather, tide times and a geo-location map. To download for free search Abel Tasman in your App or Google Play stores.

“Ten years ago if you took a boat up the coast all you could see was pine trees, now you struggle to see a single one. People are really noticing the change, I get a lot of comments from visitors because it is so visible, it really hits home what has been achieved,” says Department of Conservation biodiversity ranger Dan Chisnall. In 2017, 30 hectares of pines at Wairima / Bark Bay was the last major stand of mature trees to be controlled, removing a major seed source, and fire risk. These decaying trees are now a great source of food for kākā, a charismatic forest parrot released in the area in 2019. The birds feast on the bugs living amongst the decomposing wood. Removing the seed sources was a huge step forward. It meant energy could be transitioned into controlling seedlings. It’s Dan Chisnall’s job to ensure the pines don’t come back. “We need to keep on top of the coning cycle, removing young wildings before they get to maturity. Breaking the cycle over time is crucial,” he says. Protecting the gains for future generations Project Janszoon was launched with an aim to transform the ecological prospects of the Abel Tasman over 25 years. To ensure those gains are protected past that timeframe Project Janszoon and the Government signed the Tomorrow Accord. This agreement means that as transformations like controlling the wilding pines are achieved, the responsibility for maintaining them are handed back to DOC. The Tomorrow Accord is a win-win for everyone says Project Janszoon director Bruce Vander Lee. “Ensuring

And the community effort doesn’t stop. Alistair Sheat is the current chair of the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust. He runs a trapline along the park coast and always carries a small handsaw to deal with any wildings he sees. “Volunteers keep an eye out for wildings and if they can’t pull them out they report them to DOC.”

ltimately, the removal of the pines will allow native forest to recover, transforming the park’s skyline and providing habitat for native species. New beginnings Ultimately, the removal of the pines will allow native forest to recover, transforming the park’s skyline and providing habitat for native species. While the pines have been halted in their tracks, DOC’s Dan Chisnall says there’s at least another ten years of vigilance to ensure they do not get away again. But there are promising signs. “Nothing grows under a pine forest, all you see is pine needles. But a couple of years after poisoning the pines we are getting the first flush of new native seedlings coming up in the nice dappled light. It’s proof all that hard work was worth it.”

FEATURE

TE WHĀWHĀRUA TUPUNA O NGĀ TĀNGATA O NGĀ HEKENGA Words: Renee Thomas.

Te Whāwhārua was called a myriad of names by the early European settlers in the early 1840’s. They were in awe of his size and stature so called him ‘Big Fellow’ – hence Pikiwhara.

e travelled from Kāwhia in the hekenga (migrations) to settle here in Te Tauihu. He was adept at using traditional weapons, such as taiaha, mere pounamu, tewhatewha, pouwhenua as well as the introduced musket. Te Whāwhārua made Motueka his home. He is recorded as a staunch supporter of the leaders Te Rangihaeata and Te Rauparaha and he travelled to Wairau to support his Ngāti Rārua whānau and their claim on the whenua there when

the New Zealand Company was trying to take the lands to sell to new settlers. Disagreements over this whenua resulted in the Wairau affray which ended with the deaths of 4 tūpuna and 22 Pākehā. Ahuta, the wife of Te Whāwhārua was killed at the affray, and their son Wirihana Te Whāwhārua was wounded. Wirihana stayed with Te Rangihaeata and the Ngāti Toa whānau who took him back to the North Island where he was restored to wellness.

e Whāwhārua stands here as one of the tūpuna of the whenua in Mārahau for the whānau of Wakatū Incorporation. Te Whāwhārua returned to his home in Motueka, after considering the fallout following the Wairau affray, he decided to leave the Motueka area to avoid any retaliation against his whānau for his actions, ensuring the safety of his whānau and their status as mana whenua in this rohe. Uri (descendants) of Te Whāwhārua were able to attend the dawn unveiling of the carved pou that depicts him and cements his whakapapa to Mārahau and Motueka and recognises his connections to Wairau. Te Whāwhārua stands here as one of the tūpuna of the whenua in Mārahau for the whānau of Wakatū Incorporation. The installation of this pou is one of a number in the area, with more scheduled to be put in place throughout the National Park by manawhenua. This is part of a re-indigenising of spaces and places considered wāhi tapū (sacret sites) to tangata whenua. It is an opportunity for our rich history and stories to be shared and remembered. Te Whāwhārua - stands at the entry to the beachfront property of Wakatū Incorporation

WHICH

FEATURE

KAYAKING OPTION?

There are so many options and factors to consider it’s enough to give you a headache, and that’s even when you know the Abel Tasman coastline well.

By the last count, there were over a million different options for kayaking trips in the Abel Tasman!

hen the timing of the tides on the day you are planning your trip, as well as the time of year and the prevailing winds all provide additional levels of complexity. However, it doesn’t really need to be a complex or difficult decision if you break it down in terms of the time you have available and what sort of experience you are looking for. All the options are beautiful, and really, you can’t go too far wrong. But here are some decisions to consider to optimise your time in the park: How long do you want to spend in the park? Flying visit (a few hours): If you’ve only got a couple of hours then a short paddle departing from Mārahau or Kaiteriteri is about the limit of your options. If you are setting off from Kaiteriteri you might catch a glimpse of the Abel Tasman in the far-off distance if you paddle north like Ian Ferguson at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games when he won three gold medals.

The northern tip of Adele Island.

If you’re doing your short paddle from Mārahau you can either head south to see Tokangawhā (Split Apple Rock) or north towards the Astrolabe Roadstead, the stretch of water between the mainland and the two islands, Fisherman and Adele. (cont’d)

Launching from the Mārahau Sandspit.

Half a day to play (4 or so hours): If you’ve got half a day then your options start to open up for either a half day freedom rental and even for a guided trip. Marahau Sea Kayaks (MSK) have a half day rental option called Southern Coast. As the name suggests, this option allows you enough time to explore the southern coast of the Abel Tasman. It takes most people a little over an hour to get from Mārahau to the first beaches in the Astrolabe so that means you’ll have a couple of hours for some exploration before you need to paddle back. MSK has three options for half-day guided trips. A Half Day Blast involves a paddle from Mārahau to Observation Beach or vice-a-versa, and a water taxi ride for the other leg. If you like a good sleep-in then the PM Paddle sets off at either 10:30am or at noon. You start the trip with a water taxi ride to Bark Bay in the middle of the park from where you paddle back south to Anchorage. From there you jump onto a water taxi to be back in time for happy hour at Hooked on the Mārahau waterfront. There is even a half day option for the northern part of the park. The Marine Reserve Express will get you a water taxi ride straight to the heart of the park so you can paddle between Onetahuti and Bark Bay, right through the marine reserve. A day in the park (a full day out): A full day trip provides another mountain of options as you can now either do a full day of kayaking, guided or unguided, or do a combination of walking and kayaking. The most popular combo walking/kayaking trip is the clas-

sic Freedom Anchorage. You paddle out from Mārahau to Anchorage, the first major campsite and hut in the park from the south. You leave your kayak on the beach at Anchorage and it gets collected by a water taxi. The choices are either to camp at Anchorage for the night, to continue north up the Abel Tasman Coast Track on foot or walk the 13km back to Mārahau. The most popular freedom walk and guided kayak option is the MSK’s Gourmet Platter (GP). It sounds kind of complex so you might want to concentrate for a moment as we explain it. The GP starts with a water taxi ride from Mārahau to Torrent Bay from where you walk for a couple of hours through to Bark Bay. This is a lovely section of the track with nice elevated views of Torrent Bay and more secluded bays like Frenchman along the way. It also takes you across the recently upgraded Falls River Swingbridge which provides a fantastic view of the river and out to the open sea through the bush. After you eat your lunch on the beach at Bark Bay you get picked up by an AquaTaxi that will bring you south, back to Observation Beach where you meet up with your kayak guide. After some safety and paddling instructions you paddle over to Adele Island to check out the NZ fur seal colony and the incredible birdsong present on this predator-free bird sanctuary. The day finishes with a paddle back to Mārahau. The most popular full day trip is the Magical Marine Reserve. After a water taxi ride, this guided kayaking trip has paddlers setting off from Onetahuti before winding their way down to Anchorage over the course of the day. If the wind gods are with you that final section through

to Anchorage is completed with a kayak sail. The full day freedom option, Freedom Islands, involves a thorough safety briefing in Mārahau before you set off at your own pace to explore the Astrolabe. In it for the long-haul (aka a multi-day journey): For the purists out there, a multi-day paddle the length of the coast from Mārahau to Tōtaranui, camping along the way, is the quintessential Abel Tasman kayaking experience. If you’re doing this trip in the summer we usually recommend setting off from Tōtaranui because the prevailing northerly wind will help push you back to Mārahau.

is a safety thing. If an inexperienced kayaker is out on the water and things turn to custard, those are the people who tend to get into trouble. Single kayaks are not as stable as doubles in the water and two people can help each other out in an emergency. Guided kayaking options are more expensive than freedom rentals but people do get a lot more out of those trips as the guides share their knowledge about the local history and ecology along the way. It’s also reassuring to have an experienced guide with you on the trip with a UHF radio and good knowledge of the local topography and conditions.

There is nothing quite like paddling along the coast during the day at a leisurely pace, exploring the tidal inlets and stopping to relax on any beach that takes your fancy, on the way to your next campsite. When you get to that campsite you pull your kayak up past the high tide mark and pitch your tent or claim your bunk in the hut. The next day you do it all again!

To go guided?

Another decision you have to make is whether you want to do a guided trip or what we kayaking types call a ‘freedom rental’. As Kiwis, we don’t tend to think we need a guide in our home country so most locals choose to head out in their kayak without a guide. If you are doing a freedom rental, you’ll need a paddling partner as none of the kayaking companies will rent a single kayak to a lone paddler. This

Kayaks laid out for the morning briefing at MSK base.

Whether you do a guided or a freedom trip, and even if you happen across less than ideal conditions, kayaking in the Abel Tasman is a wonderful experience.

FEATURE The view down to Wainui from the Inland Track.

around Canaan Downs. For those that don’t mind walking back the same way they have already walked, the hike to Wainui Saddle is a refreshing day hike through an open hilltop and then along a gorgeous trail through the bush. You can wander up to a lookout view right at the top, a one minute detour from the main track. This would make a great trail run. If you wished to push on further you could head to Moa Shelter. Although a good key point on the trail to aim for, it’s not really a destination in its own right.

AN INSIGHT INTO

THE INLAND Words: Cristana Barraclough.

The Abel Tasman Inland Track often goes unobserved and is definitely the trail less travelled. Once you’ve explored the Abel Tasman coastline and picked your favourite beach to return to time after time, the call of somewhere new and undiscovered, even if it’s also on your doorstep, isn’t exactly deafening!

he Inland Track often gets a bad rep because of the excessive walking in the thick bush without many breaks. I’ve heard many tales of long slogs uphill without rewarding views. One mate even said they got so bored they turned it from a three day tramp into a one and a half day hike. So it was no wonder that I had minimal expectations and had not gotten around to visiting any of

the inland huts, nor its trails, until my second summer in the park. A relatively easy, accessible trip to Awapoto hut (3 hours) provides a fun, mini-adventure to escape on. I was stoked that it was a bluebird day and the promise of panoramic sea views called. Even the drive to the trailhead was a

scenic tour in itself. A steep start for over an hour or so is eventually rewarded with a clearing in the bush. On a sunny day down below the sea glints as it stretches out vast before you. Along this open stretch of trail you are spoilt for choice as you look to Wainui Inlet in one direction and then across towards Awaroa in the other. The hut itself has a gorgeous veranda; the ideal spot for a morning coffee as you watch the sunrise out to sea. It also has one of the most scenic views from a loo that I have ever come across. If you don’t fancy an overnight trip and such a long drive, then stop near the top of Takaka hill and go for an explore

n a sunny day down below the sea glints as it stretches out vast before you. If you wanted to get really creative and carry on further, you could do a shuttle or get some mates to drop you off at Canaan and do an overnight trip. Hike into Castle Rock hut over Wainui saddle and then down, down, down the next day to join back up to the Abel Tasman Coast Track. This is a good option for those who don’t like uphill hikes or simply want to try out a different tramp. If you are still feeling fresh in the morning before departing Castle Rock Hut, wake up early to catch the sunrise over Mārahau Valley and Tasman Bay from the granite outcrops - the real castle rocks. As you can see, the inland track has lots of options on offer for those itching to explore some less visited huts and go deeper into the Abel Tasman National Park and see it from a new angle. It definitely fueled my appreciation for the area!

Awapoto Hut.

Located directly out from Onetahuti, Tonga Island is home to a NZ seal colony.

TRAVEL

THE FIRST ZERO CARBON ITINERARY IN NEW ZEALAND

spots. After a day out exploring, pick up a hybrid car from New Zealand Rent-A-Car or Hertz, and head into Nelson City for the evening.

DAY 1

Your holiday begins with an arrival into the award-winning Nelson Airport, a striking sculptural landmark using passive design principles and built with locally sourced timbers. If you fancy a cycling adventure from day one, The Gentle Cycling Company can combine e-bikes with sage advice as you set off on Tasman’s Great Taste Trail in search of chocolate-box scenery and wonderful new flavours. Or join Wine Art and Wilderness on one of their guided tours around wineries, art galleries or the region’s best nature

Recently the Nelson Regional Development Agency (NRDA) launched the very first Zero Carbon Itinerary in New Zealand. The idea of this four day trip around the Nelson Tasman District is to leave as light an environmental footprint as possible by using the most environmentally responsible activities, accommodation providers and hospitality places in the area. The 14 businesses featured in the itinerary are all zero carbon certified or carbon positive enterprises. There is no additional cost for travellers to undertake the itinerary as the participants have already offset their carbon emissions. 30

The ideal place to toast your holiday and plot your next day’s experiences is The Free House, a converted church and the first climate positive pub in the country. Here, you’ll find a wide range of delicious craft brews on tap (including the much-loved Mussel Inn beverages), and they even let you bring along your own food! Stocking up on picnic provisions for a night in a pub-church requires a pit stop at Fresh Choice Nelson, a supermarket that specialises in local produce. Look for their ‘less than 200km’ labels to help with your decision making, and don’t forget to include some goodies from Yum Granola and the Chia Sisters. At the end of the day, sleeping with a clear conscience is easy in a private room with ensuite at the centrally located YHA Nelson by Accents, right on the doorstep of the Nelson Saturday Market.

DAY 2

In the morning, set off to Mārahau for a full day trip with Abel Tasman AquaTaxi and Mārahau Sea Kayaks, stopping off to grab a coffee from Celcius Coffee in Motueka on the way. Abeltasman.com offer boating, hiking and kayaking trips in the Abel Tasman National Park, all of which have been

Enjoying craft beer at The Free House, Nelson.

A daredevil’s ‘yes’ sees you join Abel Tasman Canyons as you zipline, jump, slide and abseil down pristine waterfalls of the Torrent River in the depths of the national park. If a relaxing experience is more your style, you’re all aboard Abel Tasman Sailing Adventures for a full day on the water or choose a combo that includes seal-spotting and a bit of landlubber time exploring inside the park.

DAY 3

After another restful night in Mārahau, it’s just a short drive to Motueka where you can get a bird’s eye view of the region with Skydive Abel Tasman.

measured and are zero carbon certified. You could choose a Fantasy Island guided trip, taking in the pristine golden coastline to Adele Island and the happy chatter from the abundant birdlife – a direct result of an initiative by local charitable organisation The Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust. The seals lolling on nearby rocks are also worth a visit.

Kayaking the pristine coastline of the Abel Tasman National Park with Marahau Sea Kayaks.

Celebrate a day in paradise at the relaxed waterfront beer garden at Hooked, another local favourite that has measured and offset its operational emissions. Choices for guilt-free overnight accommodation in Mārahau are abundant. There’s the modern and stylish rooms set amongst beautiful native grounds at Abel Tasman Lodge, with an EV station for charging your hybrid vehicle. Abel Tasman Ocean View Chalets are ideally situated on the doorstep of the national park, where you can make the most of the stunning seaside views from your private balcony. Or, if classic kiwi camping in the village is what you’re looking for, look no further than Marahau Beach Camp.

Take advantage of the sea breeze and explore the coast while heading south on Abel Tasman Sailing’s comfortable catamaran.

When you’re 20,000 feet up, nothing obstructs your views of the Abel Tasman coastline or the rugged mountains of Kahurangi National Park, an unforgettable almost-end to your trip. Touch down and head back toward Nelson Airport, stopping at a roadside stall for some fresh fruit from the home of New Zealand’s horticulture. The region is home too, to Pic’s Peanut Butter World. The memory of

roasting peanuts on their factory tour will stay with you long after you’ve gone, jogged easily every time you open a jar of Pic’s Peanut Butter to slather on your toast. Whether you’re visiting for a day, four or more, there’s plenty of choice to shape a light footprint holiday in Nelson Tasman. You don’t have to deny yourself anything – travelling responsibly doesn’t mean missing out on delectable cuisine, extraordinary experiences, spectacular scenery and comfortable accommodation. As is often the case, life isn’t about making big changes, but a few small steps can go a long way. For more details, or to book your trip, please visit www. nelsontasman.nz

DAY 3

Breakfast at Abel Tasman Lodge, Mārahau.

Do you feel like an exhilarating adventure or a soak-up-thescene cruise along an unspoiled glistening golden coastline?

The Mārahau waterfront and sandspit in the evening.

TRAVEL

MURCHISON MORE THAN A PIE AND A PISS SPOTLIGHT ON:

Words: Brendan Alborn.

I will start off by ‘fessing up to my personal connection to Murchison. I was the fifth generation on the maternal side of my family to be born in Murch. Now, according to my Mum, only people born in Murchison are allowed to call the place Murch. The rest of you get to call it Murchison, and that’s just the way it is. If you’ve met my Mum then you’ll respect this too as you will already know that the dressing down you will receive if you disobey this little edict will melt the skin clean off your face.

nyway, as I was saying, my great great grandmother, Emily Oxham, was the first pākehā girl born in the Buller in 1873. Even if I did move away from Murchison with my immediate family in 1979, I still have an enduring bond with the place. For many years when my kids were young we would pass through the town on our way south and I would insist on driving up George Street to show them my former family home. I must have overdone the whole tour of memories thing as the kids started mocking me every time we approached Murchison and would beg NOT to do the tour. They would also say many unkind things about the place being a grey little hole of a place and that if it was not the a$$hole of the universe, then it must be within farting distance of it. My wife’s voice would be loudest among the detractors too. I was therefore greatly surprised when she returned from a three day school camp with her class from Riwaka Primary School last year and said: “Murchison is wonderful. It’s an undiscovered gem and I would really like to go back for a longer visit there soon.” Although I was shocked, I managed to keep the words “I told you so” from passing my lips.

The hospitality, friendliness and genuine warmth of the Murch locals is another of its most endearing features. The adventure tourism scene has also brought newcomers to the town adding energy and vibrancy to the place. Murch also has two traditional Kiwi pubs; the Commercial, and the Hampden, located right across the road from each other. Back in the day my late Grandfather would often engage in a little more re-hydration than was strictly necessary at whichever of these establishments was still giving him credit. Frank, or officially Francis Lyvian Gould, was a great example of a dyed-in-wool local, a fantastic teller of stories and something of a local character. Many years ago my aunty, who lives in Auckland, was talking to a friend of hers who had just driven through Murchison on his way north. This friend of my aunty’s was telling her how he had happened across this funny old fella propping up the bar who was really friendly and told him a number of amazing yarns. “And how is Frank?” my aunty asked to which her friend asked in return: “Oh, do you know Frank already?”

he hospitality, friendliness and warmth of the Murch locals is one of its most endearing features. Downies Hut, Matakitaki

Whoever thought up Murchison’s unofficial promotional slogan; ‘more than a pie and piss’ hit the nail right on the head. While it is unmistakably a perfect place for those things, it has so much more to offer, particularly if you are up for some outdoor adventuring. Although most people only stop for a quick break on their way somewhere else it is also a visitor destination in its own right, and a friendly, quintessential small Kiwi town.

The backcountry is never far away when you’re in Murchison and the area bordering Nelson Lakes National Park is an excellent example. Anybody who attended Nelson College will be able to tell you stories about the adventures they had at the College’s outdoor education located up the Matakitaki Valley. Downies Hut, located about 17km from the carpark at Mount Ella Station, is a (cont’d)

St Paul Anglican Church, Murchison.

The Buller Gorge Adventure and Heritage Park also has a bunch of activities including gold panning, a zipline across the Buller and New Zealand’s longest swingbridge. For something totally unique, Natural Flames Murchison offers a half day tour to a perpetually burning fire in a nearby beech forest.

At 110m long the Buller Gorge Swingbridge is the longest in NZ

quintessential backcountry hut and is accessible to anybody with a jot of wilderness experience. Lake Matiri in the Kahurangi National Park is another incredibly accessible tramping track and the hut at the head of the lake is modern and only a short walk along the trail. I took my kids on one of their first tramps to that hut a few years back and despite much complaining when we first started out, that tramp has become a much talked about and cherished memory. This includes the unholy dispatching of a huge black possum to the afterlife and wonderful times sitting around the campfire each evening. Murchison is within spitting distance of some of the finest trout fishing rivers in the known universe including the Buller, Matakitaki, Mangles and Matiri. Any pig or deer hunter out there won’t need me to tell them Murch is ground zero for these hobbies.

Murch is also something of an adventurer’s mecca, but unlike some of the more commercialised places, you won’t find yourself wondering how you managed to spend $15 for a glass of beer at the end of the day’s adventures.

urch is also something of an adventurer’s mecca Buller Canyon Jet will take you out on what is arguably one of the most picturesque rivers in the whole country. Ultimate Descents offer a really good range of white-water experiences suitable for family groups and thrill seekers.

f shopping is more your thing then it may surprise you to hear that Murchison also has a couple of outstanding second hand stores. Murchison is also the access point for the legendary Old Ghost Road mountain biking and tramping track with the trailhead located along the Buller Gorge at Lyell. To see just how remote and surrounded by untamed wilderness the

area is, Murchison Heli Tours offer tours and transport for hunters, fishers, trampers and mountain bikers. If shopping is more your thing then it may surprise you to hear that Murchison also has a couple of outstanding second hand stores. For anybody with even a remote interest in classic Kiwi memorabilia, Somebody’s Treasure and Rust and Dust are both worth a visit. As a service town and place where a lot of travellers take a break, Murchison has a number of places to eat. Along with Zen’s Kitchen the Tutaki Bakery a short way along Fairfax Street is another container eatery with a good reputation. Across the road, in what used to be Fred’s Garage when I was nipper, is now Rivers Cafe where you can score an outstanding lamb shank pie. Back on State Highway 6 you’ll find the Murchison Tearooms and Beachwoods; the place to head if you like classic Kiwi style hamburgers. The array of accommodation options may also surprise with three camping grounds and a bunch of motel options including a brand new place on the main drag next to the school.

TRAVEL

MĀPUA SPOTLIGHT ON:

The Māpua wharf area of an evening.

THE PLACE OF ABUNDANCE Words: Johny O’Donnell.

Māpua means a place of abundance and the offering is absolutely true to its namesake.

peaking of namesake, the name of this stunning seaside village has been misspelled by leaving out the macron on the ‘a’ until a couple of years ago when the New Zealand Geographic Board, spurred on by a local asking questions, corrected the name to it’s rightful spelling. Without the macron, Mapua simply means tidal inundation or a kind of crying or sobbing and despite climate change concerns that doesn’t really seem a fitting name for such an incredible wee village. One of my favourite things about Māpua is a fine Sunday afternoon in summer where all the best things this

special seaside village has to offer come together - live music at Golden Bear, a stunning high tide through the estuary, families eating fish and chips on the lawn and kids jumping off the wharf to float down to the Leisure Park. On a really good day you’ll even find local kids jumping off the wharf on their bikes with insulation pipes attached so they can float on the bikes down the estuary. For the more classy among us, a bike ride along the Great Taste Trail is the (cont’d)

fond of the quirky setup at Java Coffee just down the street too. There are art galleries and stores dotted around Māpua which are all worth checking out. You can enjoy a pint of local craft beer at the Sprig and Fern which is a favourite for the locals. If you’re keen to mix and mingle, their Wednesday night quiz night is well subscribed. They also have a seriously impressive menu for a pub and offer the kind of consistency that can be hard to come by in a small town (IE they open seven days a week!).

Rough Island is the smaller island that sits beside Rabbit Island.

perfect day out. You can cross the estuary on bike ferry from Moturoa Rabbit Island (1.5 hours ride from Nelson City) to Māpua. The rest of the Great Taste Trail is fantastic too but it’s not hard to spend a day in Māpua. Lunch at the Apple Shed or Jellyfish is a must, followed by coffee and cake at Albertas or an ice cream from Hamish’s. If you’re spending the afternoon or the evening there (or you’re just really keen), then the Golden Bear Brewery has a stunning range of craft beers and Rimu Wine Bar has one of the more impressive selections of wines in the region. I’m a sucker for a good Four Square and Māpua’s doesn’t disappoint. It’s everything I love about a Four Square - tight aisles, the smell of fresh bread and friendly locals. Next door is one of the region’s best bakeries, Māpua Village Bakery, who make an excellent pepper steak pie. I’m quite

For the little ones, there is an excellent playground and skatepark right in central Māpua and if you visit around Easter time, then the Māpua Easter Fair would be one of the most well trafficked events in the region by far. You can rent bikes from Kiwi Journeys on the Māpua Wharf which is a great way to get around but I’d recommend tackling the estuary by foot and heading around Grossi’s point for a quieter scene than what you’ll experience these days on the main wharf. On a good summer day with a gig at Golden Bear, the wharf is absolutely heaving with people. The seabreeze fills the air, the music is blaring, kids are running around, people are swimming, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Oh, and how could we forget the freshest and crispiest fish and chips in the region at the sought after Smokehouse right on the wharf (helpful hint - you can walk your crispies across the “road” and enjoy them with a glass of wine at Rimu).

Rabbit Island sits directly across the estuary from Māpua.

Māpua is a great place for a stroll along mostly deserted beaches in both directions.

TRAVEL

RIWAKA SPOTLIGHT ON:

Words and Photography: Brendan Alborn.

First, a disclaimer: I live in Riwaka and believe it to be the most splendid place on this planet. I have been something of a nomad for most of my life so have lived throughout New Zealand and in a handful of other countries. After all of that tripping about and living away there is no other place in the world I would rather live than Riwaka. So, if you’re expecting an objective review of the tiny village that sits just outside of Motueka you should probably look away now. While living overseas in the early 2000s my wife and I purchased a property in Riwaka, but it took us another ten years before we finally moved back to Aotearoa. During one of our holiday visits before we moved ‘home’ we had a group of friends come down from Auckland to join us for our holiday in Mārahau. We happened to be driving along Main Road Riwaka in a minivan on a cold and dismal rainy July evening having picked up our mates from Nelson airport to bring them over to Mārahau. I mentioned as we passed through Riwaka, and let me tell you it wasn’t looking its best in the dark and cold, that this was where we had purchased a house. Somebody in the van asked me if I was joking and questioned out

loud why we would move from Shanghai to this rather bleak, tiny little freckle of a place in the South Island. At that moment I may have questioned our decision too, but I need not have worried. Riwaka has done nothing but become more wonderful in the ten years since we arrived to take up residence. Riwaka is a hidden gem, a gem that is so well hidden many people local to the area don’t realise there is much more to the place than the bit they see as they drive along the main road enroute to Golden Bay, Kaiteriteri or Mārahau. The estuary area flanked by Wharf Road and Green Tree Road is a wonderful spot with many (cont’d)

Riwaka Estuary, moorings and boat sheds.

old boat houses and classic Summertime swimming at the wooden launches moored Riwaka Wharf. to jetties, giving the place the look and feel of an old English village. During summer, kids jump off the wharf for a swim or take to the water in all manner of kayaks, small boats and paddle boards. At low tides, it is possible to walk all the way to the mouth of the Motueka river back to the south or north across to Tapu Bay. Outer Island, or Goat Island as it is sometimes called, can be walked to at low tides and has a lovely sandy beach on its north side if accessed on fuller tides by water. When they were younger we convinced our children fairies lived on the island and they still call it Fairy Island to this day. I’m pretty sure they quickly realised this was just another one of the white lies we told them purely for our own amusement. The Riwaka Valley, home of the Riwaka Resurgence, would be Riwaka’s other major ‘natural attraction’. Te Puna o Riuwaka is the source of the Riuwaka River and is where the water makes its exit after draining through the porous Takaka Hill. The rock and caves of the Takaka Hill do an excellent job of filtering the water so it is about as clear and pure as water gets. Even on the hottest of our summer days the water is extremely chilly and therefore perfect for a dip. The trail up to the source is rather picturesque in its own right. Both the Riuwaka and the Motueka rivers are internationally recognised trout fishing locations although

mighty Riwaka Rugby Club. While some of the crowd will be yelling ‘Go Riwaka’ others in the crowd will be yelling for some strange team they seem to be calling ‘Re Walker’.

those trout seem to be way too smart to be caught by an amateur like myself. Like many of the areas in the Nelson - Tasman District, many people from outside of the area have moved to Riwaka over the past 10+ years. While the place still has a good number of multi-generational residents including many gnarled old orchardists, the influx of newcomers from elsewhere in the country and around the world has added to the vibrancy of the place. The influx of RSE workers from around the Pacific who arrive to work on the orchards adds to this vibe rather wonderfully. I can think of no better example of the old and the new than watching games at the

Cooks Reserve is the home of the Riwaka Rugby Club. During the winter Riwaka’s junior and senior teams play games on Saturday as does Kahurangi, a Riwaka-Huia combination team playing in the Tasman Division One competition. The ground will be absolutely jammed on big game days and the clubrooms will be full of people trying desperately to rehydrate themselves sufficiently with Steinlagers. On Thursday evenings between October and February every available field on both sides of the Riuwaka River bridge will be full of touch rugby teams playing in the local touch module. Riwaka also has a fantastic little bowling club and a croquet club located in the midst of the village, close to the Riwaka Primary School. The Riwaka Bowling Club hosts social bowls on Wednesday nights from late October through to mid-April that are open to anybody who wants a rollup. When you step into the clubhouse the splendid decor will instantly transport you back to the 1970s which is where the club seems to have frozen their bar prices. Grape harvest at the Riwaka River Estate is an annual community event.

Riwaka is blessed with one of the country’s very best craft breweries, Hop Federation, with a tasting room and shop right in the middle of Main Road. While Hop Fed’s standard range is outstanding, their seasonable releases using fresh hops are a modern thing of wonder for anybody else out there who agrees that bog-standard, commercially brewed lagers are boring beyond concept. There is something special about having a craft brewery located right smack in the middle of the country’s premium hop growing area.

iwaka has a couple of special vineyards producing outstanding wines too. Riwaka has a couple of special vineyards producing outstanding wines too. Riwaka River Estate, located close to the bottom of the Mārahau Hill is a wonderful boutique family owned and operated vineyard. You’ve let yourself down if you haven’t visited their cellar door to sample their high quality, small batch wines. Motueka Wine Company, producers of Anchorage Family Estate, has various blocks around Riwaka and their cellar door in Brooklyn. Right in the middle of Main Road and across from Hop Federation you’ll find Riwaka’s landmark containerized cafe, Ginger Dynamite. Brad Dalton’s signature pies have been known to make gruff, monotone-talking, grown men well-up in appreciation. On the same site is Thomas Brothers where you can buy fresh cherries and other produce grown right there on the orchard. Real fruit ice creams are available during the summer months and are just as popular with locals as they are with visitors to the area. Back towards the other end of the village is Mrs Smith’s a cafe come vegetable shop, makers of a splendid apple strudel and other classic Kiwi comfort food. The Riwaka Hotel was completely renovated and reinvigorated by local entrepreneurs Carsten Buschkuehle and Angela Morris in 2020. After many years sitting empty the Riwaka has retaken its place as the social hub of the village. While the new renovation plays homage to the history and significance of the establishment it is also modern and classy. Of the 23 beers available on tap, one of those beers is Speights which is still available by the jug, something that is a prerequisite for many of the local patrons. Just like the rest of the village, a visit to the Riwaka Hotel will have you rubbing shoulders with legendary, dyed-in-wool Riwaka locals along with a diverse range of visitors and new residents. The Hotel also hosts live bands and other music events throughout the summer season.

Saturday at the Riwaka Rugby Club.

TRAVEL

OFF THE BEATEN (CYCLE) TRAIL

Words: Brendan Alborn.

With ever expanding trails and brand-new cycling locations having come online in the past several years, even mad-keen cyclists in these parts can still discover new places to ride in the Nelson - Tasman District.

ach time I discover a new trail that has clearly been brought into existence by an enthusiastic group of cyclists, most of which will be volunteers, it fills my heart with joy. I feel like finding those responsible and, if they’re not onboard with getting a hug from a strange man, at least offering my sincere thanks for their labours. The cycling locations featured in this edition of the magazine are some of those that have come into existence, or at least have become known to me, in more recent years.

Motupipi Hill Motupipi is one of the small settlements located between Takaka and Pohara. With the recent construction of the cycle trail between those two places you can cycle to the Motupipi Hill Mountain Bike park from either direction without having to ride on the road. If you’re coming by car you need to park on Abel Tasman Drive just down the hill at the corner of Rototai Road. The entrance to the mountain bike park is on Burnside Road through some farmland.

well-known Rameka Track starts. The Canaan Loop is another reasonably family-friendly, intermediate grade track that takes about 1.5 hours to complete. The loop track starts with a steady climb along Moa Park Track up along the edge of the forest and the Canaan Downs farmland. The next 2kms of the track are among the most scenic of the ride as you duck in and out of native bush before you reach Wainui Saddle, which is where the track meets the junction between Wainui Track and Moa Park Track. From Wainui Saddle, Canaan Loop Track sidles the hillside beneath the western slopes of Mt Evans. The track winds through a mixture of open pasture and low scrub, and through a couple of forested (cont’d)

Motupipi Hill is a fantastic network of trails located on private land. It was created and is managed by the Rata-Tui Restoration Trust which was set up by Beth Burdett and Phil Castle. The trails are well-formed and are mostly easy to intermediate grade, which suits me right down to the ground as I’m not a technical rider. This also makes it the perfect place for a family ride for a mix of ages and technical abilities. After a short ride up a forestry slip road, the single tracks peel off to the right and then wind their way along ridge lines and down into low areas. There is a wonderful view to be had, looking across the estuary towards Pohara and further along the coast to the northern end of the park.

Canaan Loop Track

The entrance to the Canaan Loop Track is at the top of the Takaka Hill right where the more

stream gullies. There is a bit of climbing to be done but the elevated views are well worth the grunting, sweating and gnashing of teeth. The track builders have cleverly used natural features to bridge creek crossings, including the trunks of fallen trees and also some granite chip, to pave the track through the paddocks. We found the navigation towards the end of the track through the swampy farmland a little challenging but that’s what you get when I’m put in charge of navigation. The track ends with a wonderful section through a strand of lovely native bush.

St Arnaud

The wonderful people at The MTB Trails Trust are responsible for building and maintaining many of

the most wonderful tracks around the area. One of their first projects was the St Arnaud Trail Project, a network of trails in and around the vastly underrated alpine village on the shores of Lake Rotoiti. The variety and length of these trails now makes St Arnaud a genuine mountain biking destination for a weekend or even longer. The Beebys–Red Hills area is the place to head if you’re looking for some more adventurous riding but the most family-friendly trail I’ve found in the area is the Teetotal–Big Bush Trail Network located just to the south of the village. The Teetotal area is accessible via a trail that sidles along the back St Arnaud just up above the bushline. The network of trails, once you’re out of town, are a mix of low, easy trails along the grassy valley The Teetotal area is prefect for a family ride.

floor and more advanced tracks through the bush. Everything is well signposted with plenty of options available depending on your skill and fitness levels. Then when you’re done for the day you jump off the wharf into the lake for a swim or settle down for an evening at the always welcoming and wonderful Alpine Lodge in the middle of the village.

he Flora Saddle to Barron Flat Track is part mountain bike-ride, part ride-carry... Barron Flat The Flora Saddle to Barron Flat Track is part mountain bike-ride, part ride-carry, or at least that’s how it is for somebody with my level of coordination and riding skills. The trail starts from the Flora Carpark which is accessible from the Graham Valley Road. From the carpark the track heads through bush a few hundred metres to Flora Saddle past Flora Hut on a 4WD track down to Flora Stream. Once you get past Gridiron Shelter the track narrows to singletrack, and after another five minutes it forks. You take the right fork down to a swing bridge over Flora Stream and then down the true right bank of the Takaka River which is where the technical sections start, particularly when you cross the side creeks that can be full of large boulders. You’ll be climbing for the next 1 to 1.5 hours up to Grecian Saddle. The track is mostly rideable but there are some boggy sections that can be more easily done on foot, before you drop down to cross a small stream. There is a mix of pleasant riding and more technical stuff followed by a graded

Barron Flat involves a reasonable amount of bikecarrying, particularly across creeks with large boulders.

climb up to a plateau. After some more single track that weaves in and out of creeks the track climbs up to meet a 4WD road on Barron Flat. After undulating across Barron Flat the road eventually descends for several kms down to the valley. You end up on the Cobb Valley Road and about 1.5km from Upper Takaka. This is where regular folk have either arranged a vehicle pickup or where human cycling machines ride up the Takaka hill and back to where the adventure began.

TRAVEL

SHOUT OUT TO

MĀRAHAU SANDSPIT

THE SPITS

Just as you drive into the village of Marahau there is a carpark at the northern end of the Otuwhero Estuary.

Words: Cristina Barraclough.

We all know Nelson Tasman provides us with plenty of places for a beach fix, and that we each have our own personal favourite beach. But this is a brief ode to the spits - the beaches nearby that fill our lungs with ocean air and where we can feel the sea breeze upon our face. The spits are places that are a quick daily dose of nature, a brief break from a day around town or even a remote full-day adventure.

ven at the peak of summer you can have the place to yourself if you wander for two minutes along the beach.

Motuareroiti and Motuareronui (more commonly known as Adele and Fisherman Islands) floating in the distance.

It is an easy place to take 5, stretch the legs and wander up and down the spit to soak in the unspoilt coastline of the Abel Tasman to the north. As you look out to sea you can admire the two islands

As the tide comes in you are left with a golden-sand island that you can swim out to and claim as your own mini tropical island or wait until low tide and walk along it and out to the water for a swim.

MOTUEKA SANDSPIT The Motueka Sandspit is a little gem in the town of Motueka. You can walk along barefoot in the sand, search for shells and spot birds.

FAREWELL SPIT Often windswept and sandswept, you can feel the exposure of being at the northern tip of the south island when you’re out on the Farewell Spit.

he entirety of this 34km is an impressive stretch of spit and is one of the longest in the world. When looking at Farewell Spit on the map it looks remarkably akin to a kiwi beak. Farewell Spit Eco Tours run fantastic daily guided trips along the spit if you are interested in learning about the critters that live on the spit as well as the human history of the place.

With its unique geological form Farewell Spit is also known for the whale strandings – such as the one in February this year. Thanks to the amazing work of the charity and members of the public many pilot whales have been relaunched safely back out to sea. If you often find yourself wandering the beaches of New Zealand the charity Project Jonah is a fantastic organisation to get involved in.

hen you need to switch off and reconnect with nature this is a great local spot, and it is so close to town. Although you will find others along the spit, you will generally have the beach to yourself, especially as you head further south along towards the tip of the sandspit. The sandspit can change dramatically, even between tides, depending on the weather conditions. After a storm, particularly a strong easterly in combination with a king-tide, there will be massive piles of driftwood and even small rocks washed up on the beach. Until it was destroyed in a storm the Sandspit was also home to a fantastic creation by local artist Twig (aka Jamie Brown). Lots of people use the driftwood to make fantastic shelters; a perfect respite from the heat on a famously sunny

Nelson Tasman day. The horizon is dotted with these structures; a fun reminder of families and friends playing on the beach. If wildlife spotting is your thing, then this is an ideal space for a walk. Spot the regulars such as oystercatchers and herons to the more elusive spoonbills and godwits. Every year around the middle of September the first of the godwits arrive in Motueka after their epic, non-stop flight from Alaska.

TRAVEL

OFF THE LEASH Words and Photography: Brendan Alborn.

When I told my mate, who is a vet, I was about to get a Border Collie, he asked me if the dog came with a 3,000 acre sheep station. He went on to say that’s what I would need to provide her with enough exercise to keep her happy, healthy and sane.

Five years later and I have largely been able to provide my trusty sheepdog, Maggie with the hours of exercise she needs every day. We run together and I find myself walking her in all weather including some of the snottiest conditions I’ve ever braved.

he best thing about having a dog, aside from having somebody in my family who seems genuinely happy to see me if I’ve been away for more than 10 minutes, is that it obliterates any excuses I might have had not to exercise each day. I love the outdoors, particularly our beaches and backcountry areas and exploring those areas seems to have extra purpose when I’m also

exercising my dog. As a result, I have discovered a lot of places that I wouldn’t have otherwise. For me, the ideal location for these activities is somewhere where I can run for up to an hour, with Maggie off-leash and away from hazards like traffic and people with dog-phobias who panic when they see us coming their way. Anybody who knows anything about dogs will tell you how important off-leash exercise is for our K9s as opposed to controlled walks on the end of a leash.

KAITERITERI FOREST PARK Although dogs are not permitted in the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park or many other areas in Kaiteriteri, they are allowed along the ridge that runs from the Kaiteriteri - Sandy Bay Road up to the top of the Mārahau Hill and further to the south from there. When running this trail I like to start at the lowest point, up the hill a bit from the Otuwhero Inlet, because I would rather run uphill for the first half of a run and then downhill to finish, rather than the other way around. That way you get the painful bit out of the way and can then loosen up with long downhill sections on the way back. At a bit over 300m in elevation, if you run the whole length of the +10km, it’s challenging but not like something you would do if you were on a special forces’ training mission. Living close-by, this was my go-to run during the first level 4 and level 3 lockdown in March 2020 and I felt incredibly fortunate to have this semi-remote trail close to my home. The track has been graded within the last couple of years so is in good nick. There are some great views of Kaiteriteri as you gain elevation, but it’s a pine forest rather than a trail through pristine native bush.

ROUGH ISLAND

THE MOTUEKA WATERFRONT

Rough Island is the smaller island that sits beside the larger and more well-known Rabbit Island situated between Richmond and Māpua.

The waterfront area from Motueka’s Salt Water Baths to the Staple Street car park is exactly 4km so a nice 8km return loop by the time you get back to where you started.

There are trails around and across the island but I usually do a circuit of the island starting from the entrance at the southern end. This track has been improved and expanded over the past few years. Each time I discover the track has been upgraded it fills my heart with joy to the point that I wonder about contacting the people responsible and offering to give them a hug.

The first section of the trail from the southern end runs behind Trewavas Street, an area that was gravelled and compacted in 2020. This was another event that saw me searching around quite keen to give whoever was responsible a hug. After running for a bit over 1km there is a section which is on a path beside Motueka Quay and past the Janie Seddon Shipwreck, Motueka’s number one landmark. The trail then runs past the golf course and through what locals call the Kūmaras but what is officially the Raumanuka And Motueka Sandspit Scenic Reserve. This is another popular dog-exercise area, but also has a lot of protected birdlife so it is not the ideal place if your pooch hasn’t yet been taught not to mess with our avian friends.

Rough Island is as flat as a flat thing and the trails are almost all in good shape. It is popular with local dog owners so you will encounter other dogs. It’s also home to an equestrian centre so there could well be horses on the trail. Having said that, there is plenty of space for everybody.

BRIGHTWATER WAIWHERO The Waiwhero is another forest area crisscrossed with single track and slip roads. You can access the trails from Waiwhero Road on the Moutere side or via the Motueka Valley Highway just to the south of the Alexander Bluff Bridge. Along with the Codgers Trails in Nelson, this is also one of the best places to take your dog along on a mountain bike ride. The Waiwhero isn’t officially a mountain bike park so doesn’t have the signage or fantastic infrastructure of places like Codgers. Navigation in the Waiwhero can therefore be difficult, and even finding your way back to your vehicle can be a challenge. Having said that, my navigation skills are dusty at best and abysmal at worst. It could just be because of these sub-optimal skills, but it took me many visits before I found the best trails and views. The Waiwhero has some wicked little downhill single-track sections and a great view looking out to Tasman Bay from what the locals call the Lookout.

A few years back my son had boxing training in Brightwater in the evenings. Not being at all familiar with that area I looked around for some trails to run while he was working on his left jab. Eventually I found a wonderful trail starting under the bridge across the Wai-iti River on Waimea West Road. The track beside the Wai-iti goes through farmland on a grassy trail before cutting back to run along beside the Wairoa River on the Tasman Great Taste Trail and back to Bryant Road in the Brightwater ‘CBD’. I tend to do this trail in the summer as we can end the run with a swim at the wonderful little spot under the bridge at the Wai-iti end. It’s also another flat track for when I’m not feeling enthusiastic about running up hills. There are some splendid resources out there to show you where you and your pooch are welcome in the Nelson Tasman District. The spots above are my personal favourites, and as I said, are suitable for mid-distance runs off the lease. There are a lot of other great trails and dog exercise areas around the Nelson - Tasman District. ‘And the Dog Came too’ is a brilliant website with dog

friendly areas and walks listed for the entire country: andthedogcametoo.weebly.com. The Tasman District Council website has a good resource: tasman. govt.nz/my-property/animal-control/dog-control/ exercising-your-dog as does the Nelson City Council site.

Golden Hour at Tōtaranui.

FOOD If you’re planning a night out in Nelson City, there is so much to explore, and here I’ve attempted to capture just a taste of the goodness on offer. This is by no means an extensive list but few would accuse me of being malnourished and therefore I feel a pretty good judge of some “must do” Nelson eateries! New Asia This is one of Nelson’s best kept secrets - don’t be fooled by the fairly predictable sloppy smorgasbord that occupies the front window - sitting behind the curtain is one of the best Chinese restaurants I’ve ever tried. Park up with a Jasmine tea because you’ll need some time with this menu - it’s packed with authentic Chinese dishes ranging from pork hock to peking duck. A few must do’s include the prawn dumplings, sichuan spicy chicken and the beef in chilli broth. I’m salivating just getting these words down. If you’re stopping by for lunch, there are few better ways to enjoy an hour away from the hustle and bustle than with a heavenly chicken noodle soup (be sure to ask for chilli oil to give it that kick). You can BYO to this restaurant so your best bet is to get a group of friends together, book a table with a lazy Susan and bring some decent wine in for the occasion.

Arden

Lisa and Logan have it sussed with Arden, a humble feature on the Nelson dining scene, which is captured by a relaxed and easy going atmosphere.

NELSON EATS:

A LOCAL’S GUIDE TO

EATERIES IN NELSON CITY Words: Johny O’Donnell.

Nelson’s hospitality scene has come a long way in recent years and thankfully so - Te Tauihu is home to some of the country’s best fresh produce and it’s only fitting that we showcase the best of that on the stuff we plate up right here at home for locals and visitors alike. 58

The owners of this wee gem returned to Nelson after a decade in Melbourne and you can see their experience there has certainly influenced the establishment they have today. These guys are fussy about their food and drink they have one of the best wine lists in town and each one of them is hand selected by the team. The best part? To the untrained amongst us, most of the brands are barely recognisable and yet I’ve discovered many of what have become my favourite wines through the recommendations of their team. There is a lot to love about this place, but to highlight a few; they have a cocktail list that packs enough punch to change the course of an evening, they serve the freshest oysters in town, they have a ‘Feed Me Sunday’ option which is unreal value and all the crockery you eat off is handmade by the owner herself! (cont’d) A nightcap at Kismet is the perfect way to top off an evening in Nelson.

Hopgood’s

You can’t mention dining in Nelson without acknowledging the multi-award winning Hopgood’s Restaurant - the stallion of the Nelson dining scene. It’s pretty hard to fault Hopgood’s - the wine list is extensive, the service is flawless and the food is world class. The menu is constantly evolving and changing with the seasons and the restaurant holds great wine pairing evenings through winter where you can meet the winemaker and experience a tasting evening with wine and food matchings. Owner and Head Chef Kevin Hopgood makes great use of local produce to deliver truly memorable dishes. The whole experience delivers but I’m particularly fond of their pāua dumplings and granny smith sorbet when it’s on the menu.

Paasha

A surprising but worthy addition to the list is Nelson’s best Turkish joint Paasha. I’ve never felt like a customer here, only a friend. The quality of the food is in a category of its own and the family that owns and operates the shop put a lot of love into every meal. It can be tempting to try the usual favourites but I highly recommend a Paasha Mixed Grill for the best of everything on offer, most notably their range of shish kebabs which carry an unmistakable smokey taste that is quite addictive. I’ve only recently discovered that they also serve a great raki and their Turkish Delight is the best I have ever tried. Trust me - you won’t be disappointed by this one!

Babagato I’m hesitant to let the secret out but Babagato in Nelson is easily one of my favourite restaurants. This place is completely unassuming. They only serve the best ingredients, accompanied by the best wines, and slightly random and erratic customer service which actually makes it a more rounded experience. The restaurant featured on the TV show My Restaurant Rules where owner Raffaello (or ‘Raf’) was described as loud, honest and passionate which in my experience is a pretty accurate representation. I

Cocktails to change the course of an evening at Arden. Experience Nelsons finest dining at award-winning Hopgood’s Restaurant

would only add - very genuine, extremely talented and quite endearing as well! Hot tip - I’m not even a dessert person but their tiramisu is off the charts.

Honorary mention: The Free House

When people ask me why I love Nelson, The Free House is one of the first things that comes to mind. It’s an institution and deservedly gets recognition in our Nelson eats section despite not having a very extensive food offering. Why? Because at The Free House, you can eat whatever you like from wherever you like. Yes that’s right - the free house concept extends to being open to food being brought in from elsewhere as well. The Free House is comfortably one of the best craft beer bars in the country but in my opinion it’s just one of the best bars in the country full stop. The Free House has a famously low profile (yes, I see the irony) and the owner Eelco Boswijk will likely be completely unfazed by this article and possibly even not too impressed with the amount of ‘under the hood’ secrets being shared. This refreshing approach to business is in his DNA - his father, the late Eelco Boswijk is often referred to as the pioneer of Nelson hospitality for the famous Chez Eelco on Trafalgar Street.

The great thing about The Free House is you never quite know what you’re going to get - you could grab a seat at a table with the local knitting club (predominantly men I might add), head inside to play cards by the fire or soak in the last of the evening sun with others winding down from a long day at work. Although plenty of people frequent The Free House, many are ignorant to the discreet shed which houses Family Jewels Records Store which is owned and operated by Grant Smithies, a music fanatic and commentator who features regularly on RadioNZ. On a Friday and Saturday afternoon, you can hear Smithie’s tasty tunes bellowing out of the small shack that houses the Store. When the sun is shining, the tunes are pumping and New Zealand’s best craft beers are flowing - it’s pretty hard to stop at a single pint (and completely unnecessary in my opinion). The Free House’s low profile means they don’t do social media except for one notable exception - The Dogs of The Free House Instagram account which is a must for the K9 lovers among us and a useful filter for the rest of you (it may not be the pub for you!). In an era where everyone is seemingly too busy to slow down and catch up, The Free House offers a mental escape from the madness that is our daily lives. Whilst we’re not in the business of promoting alcohol consumption, there are few problems that can’t be washed down with a

fresh pint and a bowl of Pics peanuts. Hell if you’re feeling really adventurous, branch out and have a pickled egg. It’s not unusual to find a local MP leaning over the bar or a few city councillors huddled around a table but none of that really matters at The Free House - it’s an equalising space that feels, for the most part, relatively ego free and down to earth. There is nothing pretentious about the place yet it feels like a carefully curated experience at the same time. You can probably tell I’m a bit of a fan…...I shall stop there!

Some final words...

That all being said - what is the perfect night out in Nelson? Arguably, two decent craft beers from The Free House and a trip to either New Asia or Babaggato is very hard to compete with. If you’re feeling up for it, hit Kismet or Arden for a nightcap before closing out.....you never know where that might take you. If you’re looking for something more ritzy, then start your evening at Arden with a few delicious natural wines, then head to Hopgoods and roundout with a whisky at Kismet. Buon appetito Nelson!

FOOD

A TASTE OF TASMAN UNORTHODOX SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE by Johny O’Donnell.

Is there really ever a bad time of year for spaghetti bolognese? I don’t think so… this recipe is a slightly unorthodox one but it’s always treated me well.

INGREDIENTS • • • • • •

Approx 75gm NoZtrano from Viavio Cheese A handful of basil (Tasman Bay Herbs) A handful of Italian parsley (Tasman Bay Herbs) 2 x Cloves of garlic (Crushed) 250g Pestell’s streaky bacon 500g Ellis Creek mince

In a large ovenproof dish (ideally a dutch oven), bring 1 cup of wine and prepared stock to the boil then add the beautiful fresh Ellis Creek mince. This mince is my personal favourite as it’s as fresh as you can get - straight from the farm to your door by the good folks at Ellis Creek in Golden Bay. This is an unconventional cooking method but the right amount of liquid will mean your mince becomes very fine and absorbs the flavour of the wine and stock which gives you a delicious starting point for this tasty dish. From here, add the remaining cup of wine as you are cooking and as things dry up. Add in the garlic and chilli and toss through the mince. Now do the same with the Pestell’s bacon (by far the best bacon available) and once browned, add in the tomato paste to start to thicken the dish. Now go ahead and add all the tomatoes (I use cherry tomatoes when they’re in season for the perfect flavour) - be aware this next part will take some time. Gently cook off the tomatoes, breaking them up as you do ensuring a smooth finish. Once you feel confident that the ingredients are well mixed together - put the dish in the oven for 2 to 3 hours on a medium to low heat. The flavours will develop over the

• • • • • •

500g fresh tomatoes 2 tablespoons of tomato paste 2 Cups of red wine 1 Cup of beef stock 1 Chilli with seeds removed 400g of spaghetti approx.

LOCAL CHOC & BERRY PAV by Libby Brown. I remember stumbling upon a Chocolate Pavlova recipe whilst living in the UK and thought, “hang on… a chocolate pav?!” I was very keen to learn more about this variation on the traditional kiwi pavlova - were the poms onto something? After whipping it up a few times over there and making a few tweaks I returned home to bravely share my new masterpiece with my whānau for Christmas (I remember it was a big deal as my Auntie ALWAYS made the Christmas pav so I had to bolster some confidence.) Safe to say the decadent dessert went down an absolute treat and I am now the proud Pav Queen every year at Christmas (although my Auntie does still bring a delicious traditional pav, because, you know, traditions and all... and it is also very delicious.)

INGREDIENTS PAV

INGREDIENTS TOPPING

• •

•

• •

6 Large egg whites (Sungold Organic Free Range Eggs - beautiful, local eggs) 300g caster sugar 3 tbsp cocoa powder sieved (Donavan’s make a delicious Premium Dutch Cocoa Powder) 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 50g dark chocolate finely chopped (Hogarth Ecuador Chocolate 85% the most important ingredient - only the best will do)

•

500ml cream (Fresh local Oaklands cream available in all good grocers) 500g fresh berries - my favourite to use are raspberries (we are spoilt for choice for beautiful, freshly picked berries on the roadside right across Te Tauihu) 3 tbsp dark chocolate coarsely grated (Hogarth Ecuador Chocolate 85%)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/bake & line a tray with baking paper.

afternoon and you can keep adding liquid (stock or wine) as needed as it will keep evaporating as you cook, absorbing more of those rich flavours. When you’re ready to eat, simply cook the pasta as per instructions and bring the oven dish back onto the stovetop where you can add the chopped fresh basil to enhance the flavour. I use NoZtrano cheese from Viavio Cheese makers in Nelson. Their Italian cheese selection is second to none and are the perfect accompaniment to any platter or Italian dish. This dish is perfectly paired with just about any red wine but I particularly like the 2016 Kono Pinot Noir or the 2019 Neudorf Tom’s Block Pinot Noir. Deliziosa!

Beat egg whites until beautiful satiny peaks form, then continue to beat and add the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle the cocoa over the egg white, add the vinegar and chopped chocolate. Gently fold everything together with a spatula until the cocoa is mixed through. Carefully heap onto the baking paper in a thick circle approximately 20cm in diameter, smooth the sides and top. Place in the oven and immediately turn the temp down to 150°C/130°C fan/bake. Bake for approx 60 to 75 minutes. When it’s ready it will look crisp around the edges and sides and be dry on top. Turn the oven off at this point and open the door slightly - allowing the pav to cool completely before removing. Don’t be disappointed at the cracking and flattening of the pav - celebrate it! You’re right on track, it almost turns into a thin brownie at this point. When you’re ready to serve, pop the pav

onto a large, flat bottom plate or board. Whisk the cream until thick and pile it on to the pav, then scatter with plenty of fresh berries. Grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble and sprinkle over the berries. In the unlikely event that there is any leftover, this dessert keeps well in the fridge for a day or two and gets gooier and more delicious.

ENTERTAINMENT

NELSON ARTS Words: Frances Wilson.

ArtWalk is a self-guided walking tour featuring key paintings from the Suter reproduced outdoors in large scale.

ters came the broader craft industry – weavers, jewellers and glassworkers, encouraged by training opportunities at Laird’s Waimea Pottery, Jens Hansen Jeweller, Höglund Art Glass and Nelson Polytechnic.

he extravaganza of Wearable Arts started in a rain-sodden tent, its 200 guests in gumboots, cheering a line-up of art-as-garments. In the 80s, the arts took a performance-bent. The extravaganza of Wearable Arts started in a rain-sodden tent, its 200 guests in gumboots, cheering a line-up of art-as-garments. Nelson Arts Festival followed soon after, featuring a Mask Carnivale with 1000s of people in home-made costumes. These two events relied heavily on volunteer community input – both as labourer and artist. Most recently this aspect has manifest in the biennial Te Ramaroa, a light festival that showcases wondrous light installations by local kids and everyday people with a genius spark, taking months (even Mask Carnivale.

Nelson has long been a haven for artists. This comes as no great surprise when considering its charmed vistas where the water meets the land, stretching over the checkerboard plains to rolling hills and snow-capped mountain ranges beyond.

n top of this, the high sunshine hours and thriving agriculture industries present ideal conditions and seasonal work for young artists and dreamers. Nelson has always been a constant thoroughfare and destination for immigrants, and more recently, one of the country’s largest centres for refugees. In recent years, its local Māori iwi have come to the fore, reclaiming their stories and connections to Whakatū. In the 1930s and 40s, there was a circle of New Zealand contemporary artists and writers who lived, or spent time,

in the Nelson region. Toss Woollaston lived in Māpua, often visited by artists including Colin McCahon and Doris Lusk, who agreed that the Nelson landscape was a ‘subject for painting’. Rita Angus would come to the then newly-formed Riverside Community to pick apples, mix with like-minded people, and work on ideas for paintings. Later, the region’s clay deposits attracted potters – Czech Mirek Smisek, Brits Harry and May Davis, and Jack and Peggy Laird, all established their careers in Nelson, with an impact that stretched across New Zealand. With the pot-

years) to construct their creations. This aspect seems to be ingrained in Nelson – that a large-scale event can be pulled together with the input of school kids and committed amateurs, rather than the need for a headline artist. Perhaps too, this is the success of the Saturday Markets, where a start-up can test their skill at a handmade product, building sales until they have a business the size of Pic’s Peanut Butter. While the Nelson-based craft community is smaller than its heyday of the 70s and 80s, there are still plenty of craft galleries and studios to satisfy every taste. It’s best however, to start at The Suter Art Gallery/ Te Aratoi o Whakatū, with its impressive collection of work by local and New Zealand painters and ceramicists. Recently, the Suter partnered with Make/Shift Spaces to create ArtWalk – a self-guided walking tour around the town, featuring key paintings from the Suter, reproduced in large scale on external walls. The curation of ArtWalk focussed on works that have a particular poignancy to the Nelson region, either through the artist or the subject matter, making for interesting backstories. ArtWalk can be enjoyed as a mission-with-a-map, or a surprise discovery as one saunters from cafe to boutique store to winebar.

ENTERTAINMENT

The Nelson Classic Car Museum is the perfect rainy day activity.

Cadillac had its own little holiday at Nelson Airport, and a stunning 1930 Packard joined the collection. The Packard was the absolute luxury car of its day, costing between US $4,000-$5,000 as compared to the more accessible Model A sitting around US $400-$500. The Museum’s Packard was imported directly from Detroit, and fits well in the row of Cadillacs and Packards.

NELSON CLASSIC

CAR MUSEUM Word is getting out that the Nelson Classic Car Museum has had a few changes over the last year.

ne of the up-sides of Covid-19 is that the Museum used the time to re-park the 150+ cars – something that hadn’t been done for more than ten years. So rather than a haphazard mix of motors through the decades, there’s a lot more order to the collection. All the pre-1918 veterans and vintages are sitting together near the entrance, the roadsters are parked up beside the race cars, the 1930s flash luxury automobiles have been primped

and primed, the 13 Jaguars have been cajoled into “The Cat Cage”, and the kiwiana cars are all hanging out the back. As one of New Zealand’s top three private car collections, the Museum is more than a static display of cars. The cars get moved about for various reasons: the 1908 Model T recently returned after a thorough toothbrush clean, the pink

The more time spent in the Museum, the more the detailing comes to the fore – the curve of the fender, the line of the body, and of course, those hood ornaments. In the earElegance inside and out.

ly twentieth century, car owners could order bespoke hood ornaments – it wasn’t just a case of staying with the make of their car, even though the collection of leaping jaguars, growling lions and poised archers were all desirable. The Museum’s most impressive hood ornament is a stunning Lalique glass eagle. These mascots originally sat atop the radiator cap, front and centre on the bonnet. Lalique charged as little as $50 for a choice of 30 designs, ranging from foxes and owls to mermaids and figurines. Their value has since spiralled upwards to the tens of thousands. Hood ornaments were never meant for everyday use, but rather would have been swapped in for a special outing or car show. At the back of the Museum is its engine room, Cartel Works. The workshop is a constant hive of activity. Alongside their remit to look after the collection, they have a thriving business of servicing, restoring and building classic cars. Owner Mike Wilson is passionate about the collection. It’s obviously quite a challenge maintaining such a wide variety of cars in the collection – especially when the majority of them are kept roadworthy. The Museum is also home to rather wonderful cafe, the Little Engine Eatery, which is worth a visit in its own right.

Bloom Cafe in Motueka offers a range of goods from local artists.

RETAIL

THERAPY

THE HIDDEN GEMS OF NELSON/TASMAN’S

BOUTIQUE RETAIL SCENE Words: Johny O’Donnell.

When it comes to a bit of retail therapy in Nelson Tasman, you really are spoilt for choice. Amongst the options are some truly delightful local retailers bucking the big box trend and offering a boutique retail experience that is sure to please whether you’re a regular local or a visitor to the region. This article is written in sequence as if you’re on an epic adventure from Nelson to the Abel Tasman (because if you’re not, you should be!) Below is a series of our top picks for places to nab a piece of Nelson Tasman on your way through. LITTLE BEEHIVE CO-OP Little Beehive Co-Op was founded in 2014 by two Nelson creatives, Paula Ossevoort & Rachael Brown and originally stood on Hardy Street. Today Little Beehive is situated on Bridge Street in Nelson and is a treasure trove of local goods.

The co-op is home to a range of local artists who share in the running of the shop meaning you get a great personal experience every time you visit. The store hosts a range of special goods from skin care to ceramics. There is also a great range of kids and adult clothing. Mildly offensive mugs also seem to be a specialty for the co-op!

RED ART GALLERY Red Art Gallery is situated in a stunning heritage building that dates back to the 1800s. Another space celebrating local Nelson artists, Red Art Gallery has grown to become a favourite on the Nelson retail scene. As an added bonus, it is also home to one of Nelson’s best little cafes and the smell of coffee lingers in the air as you shop their range of local arts and crafts from the small and quirky to the stunning masterpieces that hang on the walls. From recipe books to handbags - the range here is seriously impressive for a small space. If you’re looking for a gift to take home, you’ll find it hard to go wrong at Red Art Gallery. Inside the Global Soap workshop.

The Little Beehive Co-op is home to a range of local artists and their work.

GLOBAL SOAP Global Soap is one of the originals on the Nelson retail scene and is home to a seriously impressive array of handcrafted soaps which they export all around the world. These guys were sustainable before it was trendy and despite their success, the prices have remained relatively modest which is great. You won’t find any nasties in these products and you can even shop for your K-9 friend! Interestingly, they also make a range of other ‘not so soapy’ products such as whitening powder, furniture polish and stain remover to name a few! VOLUME BOOKS Nelson is actually spoiled for good book stores but I highlight Volume because it’s likely the most timid on the scene. Tucked away on the corner of Church Lane and Selwyn Place, this little gem has a range that is akin to the likes of Unity Books in Wellington. It’s a great place to visit as from the outside you could be forgiven for thinking there was nothing to it, but step inside and it’s a book lover’s paradise. It’s not unusual to find someone tucked away in the corner with their head in a book that is too good to put down. The owners are clearly passionate about their literature so if you need advice on your holiday reads, this is the place to go.

COOL STORE GALLERY Cool Store is an icon of the Māpua retail scene, nestled in between other great shops and galleries that are equally worthy of a mention. But I’ve focused on Cool Store because its a longstanding gem and offers such a great variety of local arts and crafts. Their collection features over 150 artists! THE OLD POST OFFICE

For those interested in artisan food, arts and homewares, the Old Post Office in Upper Moutere is a must visit. It is in the heart of the small village of Upper Moutere, along the road from New Zealand’s oldest pub (although I’m sure they’re not the first to claim this!). The store was originally the home of Moutere Gold, a producer of traditional small batch preserves Motueka art collective, Zappekin.

For those heading over to Golden Bay, the Landford Store in Bainham is a fantastic place to pick up some classic kiwi memorabilia

inspired by the beautiful countryside and amazing flavour of the fruits that grow nearby. Now it is an exploration and celebration of wonderful local things from cheeses to chocolate and stylish homemade arts and crafts. ZAPPEKIN Motueka art collective Zappekin is a tight knit crew of seven artists who run the working gallery out of a former apple storage shed which sits right on the estuary. It is accessible via the Coastal Highway as you come into Motueka. The gallery opens during summer at selected times

and they have recently launched into markets with guest artists from around the region. They define Zappekin as “a group of artists and allies banding together, zapping things into existence and forming kinships”. Once you’ve been through this very special place, you’ll appreciate just how well they do justice to that definition. GARDENHOUSE, KINA The Gray family of Kina run the Gardenhouse on their property and whilst it requires going a bit off the main road, it is well and truly worth the effort. The family have created the most inviting and warm surrounding for people to truly relax and enjoy themselves in a park like setting. Gardenhouse is a boutique farm store and market garden. They sell fresh produce grown on the farm

which overlooks the Moutere Inlet. You can purchase a barista made coffee and enjoy it in their garden while taking the time (and I do recommend taking the time) exploring their range of goods including their own line of skincare products. BLOOM CAFE This cafe sneaks onto the list as it features an impressive range of goods from local artists from plants to knitwear to prints and ceramics. The whole vibe of the cafe expresses the best of Motueka and is well worth a visit. You can purchase anything from stylish earrings to hand knitted colourful beanies. So grab a coffee and enjoy some of their delicious food while you browse the amazing array of crafts produced by talented locals.

ENTERTAINMENT provided plenty of inspiration. He went on to attend Teachers College in Dunedin, but as he says “music just took over.” Glenn was a founding member, guitarist and vocalist for Blistering Tongues, a punk band that released three studio albums, a live album and toured throughout the country between 1998 and 2006. Blistering Tongues celebrated its 25th anniversary last year with a reunion gig at the famous Crown Hotel in Dunedin. These days, Glenn is in three bands; punk three-piece Derailleur in which he plays guitar and sings, Serenity Now in which he plays drums, and in a duo called Gasm with his partner Lisa. Derailleur also features his son, Billy on drums who is studying music at Massey University in Wellington. Derailleur are well overdue to record their debut album and this will happen in Wellington as soon as Glenn can get it organised. Glenn also has his own solo act, The Chernobyl Kid, an R18 comedy performance that he reckons “isn’t everybody’s cup of tea!”

GLENN BATHGATE

LOCAL MUSIC SCENE STALWART SPEAKS ABOUT A LIFE IN BANDS Although he would be the last person to tell you this himself, Glenn Bathgate is a prominent figure in the local music scene. He plays in a number of bands, organises gigs and has taught hundreds of children in our area to play musical instruments. I sat down recently for a couple of pints with Glenn to get his take on all things musical.

he first time I bumped into Glenn was through his involvement with the Riwaka Primary School where he taught my youngest daughter how to play guitar. At a school concert, which he helped organise, I loved the way he was succeeding in getting so many kids up to perform.

Even though many of those kids had only just started out learning how to play an instrument, and might still be mastering a basic drum beat, Glenn would somehow have them up performing to a room packed full of their family and peers. Many of those kids would look petrified as they were called to the front of the room, but through a mix of self-effacing humour and gentle persuasion, Glenn would cajole them into playing either individually or as part of a group. Having then conquered their fear of performing, the looks of triumph on the faces of those kids was a wonderful thing to see.

that a small country school like Ngatimoti seemed to have more bands competing than any of the other schools in the area, most of which would have much larger student rolls. I was also wondering how it was that some of the kids in those bands seemed to be smaller than the instruments they were playing. It all became clear when I saw Glenn backstage with those kids and realised he is also the music teacher at Ngatimoti. Glenn has a simple philosophy when it comes to the participation of children in music. “If they are into it, then I will make it happen.” It’s all about being involved as far as Glenn is concerned; “I don’t care if the kid is eight years old or everybody wants to play guitar. If you want to be, then you’re in the band.” He reckons that for many of the kids the music itself is secondary to actually being in a band and doing something fun with their friends. At the same time he finds it “pretty special and satisfying” when those kids go from having no musical ability at all, to being able to perform a song.

A while later when I was at the annual primary school Bandquest competition in Nelson I wondered how it was

Glenn grew up in Oamaru where the original music being performed at the legendary Penguin Club music venue

Having seen Glenn perform a number of times in various acts, most of which could be classified somewhere within the broad genre that is punk, I was surprised when he answered my question about his favourite musicians. “I like stuff you can sing along to. You know, stuff like Billy Joel, who I saw live and thought was amazing. The last performers I saw were Elton John and also Queen. It’s wonderful to see bands live that you’ve listened to all of your life.” Glenn has never been inspired to play in a covers band, preferring instead to write and perform his own material. While playing songs an audience recognises and sticking to material in four-four timing that people find easy to dance to would be more financially rewarding, he doesn’t write and perform music for other people - he does it all for his own enjoyment. “I don’t really care if I’m playing to 30 people. But if those 30 people are standing around listening intently and maybe even singing along because they know and like the songs, well that’s the biggest compliment you can get I reckon.”

there aren’t venues up this way that don’t have those types of gigs. Imagine Theatre is Glenn’s favourite venue in the area. Located in the centre of Motueka, Imagine Theatre has good acoustics, a great lighting setup and even a backstage area. It is also a place where the musicians themselves can organise their own multi-band gigs. There are also open mic nights at various places around the area including at the Ngatimoti Community Hall on the second Thursday of every month, and at the Park Cafe on Thursday nights during the summer.

here is a time, place, and context for all musical styles.

Glenn has organised and performed with various bands at the annual Sunday afternoon Livestock event at the Moutere Inn every December for the past twelve years. He likes getting a good variety of performers playing different styles which mixes things up and makes it interesting for this mini music festival. He reckons the Livestock event last year was perhaps the best one so far and he will be looking to enlist another good variety of acts to perform this year.

“There is a time, place and context for all musical styles” says Glenn. Around here, most of the venues are looking for acts that won’t offend people, something that is accessible and they can listen to while dining. That was quite different to the music scene down south that was more focused on original and edgy acts, all of which was driven by the types of venues that regularly hosted gigs. This is not to say

There are also a number of venues that welcome left-ofcentre acts such as The Riwaka Hotel, TOAD Hall, Golden Bear in Mapua, the Roots Bar in Takaka and the Mussel Inn at Onekaka. But right now, Glenn isn’t out there actively looking to play gigs. Like everything in life, there are ebbs and flows to this music thing and while teaching music remains the focus, he really must get things organised to record that overdue Derailleur album.

ENTERTAINMENT

The Abel Tasman is teaming with wildlife and sealife (te Oranga Moana). In the autumn the seal pups become bolder, braver and more playful, Australian Gannets are plunging into the water to impressive depths...

...Oystercatchers are chasing people along the beach, and Spotted Shags preen themselves in the sun to dry themselves. And sometimes a Dolphin or an Orca decides to dance in the waves. Meet our fellow park inhabitants.

New Zealand is blessed with beautiful sealife And on the rare once or twice a season visit, the grand Orca will rear its head.

The cutest of all. Did you know the little blue penguin is also the smallest of its species?

Guess how fast these gannets can dive? Hint: they’re pros. a.30kmph b. 50kmph c. 80+kmph Answer: 80+kmph

Did you know a female seal is pregnant for 11 months before popping out a pup? Come and watch the Kekeno lounge around sunbathing on the rocks.

We see all sorts of dolphins come through the park from time to time. Who knows which dolphin is our smallest visitor?! Answer: Endemic Hector’s dolphin.

Our webbed footed friend the Pied Shag nests in trees despite their webbed feet.

ENTERTAINMENT

BIRD OYSTEROF THE MOMENT

CATCHER

THE ABEL TASMAN’S FIRST WATER TAXI IN 1951 LOCAL MAN NEWT NALDER LAUNCHED THE KOTARE, HIS NEW BOAT THAT WOULD BECOME THE ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK’S VERY FIRST CHARTER WATER TAXI

Newt loved to shock his passengers by sailing as close as possible to rocks.

Oystercatchers will often be encountered on the beaches of the Abel Tasman. Although they breed inland they can be found feeding and chasing visitors along beaches to protect their young.

Their call is not so much bird song as it is a high pitched screech akin to the scratching of fingernails on a blackboard.

Newt used the Kotare to offer visitors cheap family trips around Marahau and Torrent Bay.

The variable oystercatcher is a stocky coastal bird with a long, bright orange bill, and can be found around much of New Zealand. They are often seen in pairs probing with their beaks for shellfish along beaches or in estuaries. They became protected in 1922 so their numbers have increased rapidly. Oystercatchers can live to be 30+ years of age. They come in a variety of colours such as totally black, or with patches of white or even grey smudges. This caused early confusion as they were thought to be different species of hybrids. The colour morphs inter-breed freely and are now all accepted as being a single species.

After 7 years the Kotare was sold and the Nalders were boatless for a year. Newt’s wife Nellie found it intolerable to have him permanently on land so insisted they buy another boat. In 1961 the Nalders launched the Kokiri. This was Newt and Nellie’s pleasure boat for the next 11 years.

Sadly, the Kotare caught fire at Kaiteriteri in December 1965 and was destroyed. Info: nzbirdsonline.org.nz/

Drawings by Jade Alborn. Words by Brendan Alborn

INFORMATION

TOP 10 FREE THINGS TO DO IN NELSON TASMAN 1 VISIT RIUWAKA RESURGENCE

6 BIKE THE GREAT TASTE

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.

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!

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.

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!

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! 78

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. 79

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

A QUICK GUIDE

TO WALKING THE

ABEL TASMAN The Abel Tasman Coastal Track is roughly 60km long, winding its way from Mārahau 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.

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.

MĀRAHAU TO ANCHORAGE 3-4 hours, 12.4km

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 Mārahau. 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 Mārahau 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.

A QUICK GUIDE

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

TO WALKING THE

ABEL TASMAN

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

ANCHORAGE TO TORRENT BAY T

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

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.

Low tide route: 20 min, 0.9km High tide route: 1-1.5 hours, 4km

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.

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.

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.

A QUICK GUIDE

Beech forest in the heart of the Abel Tasman.

TO WALKING THE

ABEL TASMAN

ONETAHUTI TO AWAROA 2.5 hours, 7.1km

BARK BAY TO ONETAHUTI

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.

2 hours, 6.1km

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A QUICK GUIDE

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

TO WALKING THE

ABEL TASMAN

AWAROA TO TŌTARANUI 2.5 - 3 hours, 7.1km

3.5 hours, 7.5km

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 Tōtaranui 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.

TŌTARANUI TO WHARIWHARANGI T

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.

Tōtaranui 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 Tōtaranui camping ground. This is a large camping ground that is enormously popular during the Christmas and New Year peak season.

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 Tōtaranui so this limits visitor numbers to this northern tip of the Park.

INFORMATION

PACKING LIST

Separation Point Mutton Cove

Whariwharangi Hut

Anapai Bay Wainui Bay

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.

P To Takaka

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.

* * * * * * *

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

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

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: * *

Sleeping bags Sleeping mats

* *

Tents Gas cookers

Waiharakeke Bay

Awaroa

TIDAL CROSSINGS 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.

WALKING TIMES Mārahau - 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 - Tōtaranui Tōtaranui - 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) Tōtaranui 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

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

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

INFORMATION

Goat Bay

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

Mārahau - Observation Mārahau 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

- campsite

KEY

ea st ad

Akersten Bay

Stillwell Bay

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

MULTI-DAY TRIPS

COASTAL TRACK

- car park

- hut

- track

- water taxi pick-up/drop-off

- tidal track

- kayak retrieval point

- sealed road

- drinking water

- unsealed road

Astro lab e

DAY TRIPS

Tōtaranui

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

Adele Island

Fisherman Island

Mārahau

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

Split Apple Rock

Kaiteriteri

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. 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.