Yacht at full sail off the Mārahau shore.
Photography
Franklin Street, Marahau
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION
ABEL TASMAN LOCATION GUIDE
SAFETY IN THE ABEL TASMAN
TUPUNA AT ANCHORAGE
WINTER IN THE PARK
CONSERVATION IN THE PARK
THE MĀRAHAU PLEDGE
SPOTLIGHT ON: MĀRAHAU
SPOTLIGHT ON: St ARNAUD
THE OTHER PARKS: KAHURANGI
(FURTHER) OFF THE LEASH
THE FOODIE’S GUIDE TO WHAKATŪ NELSON
A TASTE OF TASMAN
ARTS GUIDE TO NELSON TASMAN
WILDLIFE SPOTTING
BIRD OF THE MOMENT
TOP 10 FREE THINGS TO DO
PACKING LIST AND MAP
Rārua,
RD2 Motueka, New Zealand.
Every time I glance up at this view, regardless of whether the islands are bathed in sunshine or shrouded in clag and horizontal rain like they are today, I feel a wave of gratitude. Recent world events, particularly the global pandemic and Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, have made me more grateful than ever for all of the magic and good fortune that makes up my little world.
When we shut the doors of our business in March 2020 as required by the NZ government in response to COVID-19, this was a worst case scenario from a business perspective. My parents used their life savings and borrowed money to start this business in 1997, and it was only through a metric-shit-tonne of blood, sweat and tears - and no small amount of personal sacrifice - that resulted in it growing into the enterprise it had become. The prospect of this thriv ing business going down for the count, on my watch and after all of the sacrifice my parents and other family members had made, was frankly terrifying. But here we are, almost three years after the busi ness equivalent of a zombie apocalypse, and even with our revenues reduced to a sliver of what they were, we are still here, we’re happy, we’re healthy and we are excited about what the future holds.
This recent shitshow of unexpected events has taught me a great deal about myself and other peo ple. I have seen many people I had previously con sidered rational, resilient types fray at the seams as they attempted to convince me the government we elected ourselves in a fair and democratic election had invented a virus so they could then simultane ously poison us and gain total social control. I have been a bit shocked to see people not only stumble on physiological rabbit holes but to fall so deep into those holes I fear they will end up living the rest of their lives down there with Alice in her wonderland. Personally, I’ve been grateful to live in a country that has the governance and wherewithal to get through recent world events in about as good a shape as could reasonably be expected. Maybe I am actu ally the one who is drinking my own Kool-Aid, but I remain optimistic about the future and have faith in
humanity’s ability to adapt to whatever that future brings. And this optimism stretches to the summer of 2022/23 for our visitor based businesses. With almost everybody in the world having endured some form of travel restrictions over the past few years due to the pandemic, I reckon people will be itching to get out and enjoy visiting some new places. I also believe that, like me, many people have an even better appreciation of spending time in this outdoor paradise that is our backyard. I’ll be out there in the Abel Tasman and doing stuff at all of my other fa vourite rivers, beaches and forests around our region this summer. I hope to see you out there.
Brendan Alborn Owner Operator Alborn Enterprises Ltd.
I feel like the caricature that has been prepared for me needs updating. At this point, I am presenting a borderline misleading image of myself. Since we began this magazine project, I’ve added a few grey hairs and upgraded my insulation, particularly around the waistline. But let’s stick with this version as the good news is that it tells us something else too, it tells us this magazine has been around a while. And that is worth celebrating!
The kaupapa (purpose) behind this magazine was to give everyone a break from the glossy images of the outrageously happy and enthusiastic flaw less visitors kayaking in the Abel Tasman and share some deeper stories of this place and its people. We’ve taken an audacious approach to developing this magazine, sharing at times probably far too much about ourselves and our views in an effort to produce something that is unapologetically authen tic and of this place. The fact we’ve not only main tained but grown this magazine since its inception in 2020 is a credit to the Alborn family of Mārahau who pour time, energy, and money into making it all happen. I am proud of the quality of this magazine, the stories we tell, and the fact it makes its way into your hot little hands at no cost to you.
This is now our third edition of the Abel Tasman Magazine and the first one where we can celebrate open borders and a return to international visitation. I really do want to celebrate that because if there is one thing that has become blindly obvious over the past few years, it’s that the flow of manuhiri (visitors) from around the world offers so much to this place. I don’t want to understate that, we’ve really missed our global whānau. At the time of writing, we are looking forward to the summer season and all the good things that come with that. Sand, sun, swim ming, and soaking up the atmosphere that is created by the buzz of visitors exploring and experiencing this place we get to call home.
I opened this editorial with the words “tēnā koe” which is hello to a person in Te Reo Māori, the first language of this land. The reason I chose these words is that a more literal translation could be “there you are” in the form of an acknowledgment of your presence. I wanted to say “there you are” be cause we are so pleased that you are here, that you are reading this magazine, and that you are taking the time to engage with the stories of this place.
But I also wanted to say to our visitors from afar “there you are!” because it’s been so long we almost forgot what you looked like! But also “there you are!” as a way of expressing our gratitude and apprecia tion for you making the choice to visit this special corner of the world. You could have gone anywhere, but you came here, so thank you! Tēnā koe!
JOD Johny O’Donnell.
A common question we get asked by visitors is: “Which is the best part of the Abel Tasman?” This is the Abel Tasman’s FAQ equivalent of “How long is a piece of string?”
There is no good answer to this question so we have decided to do a completely and unashamedly subjective description of the main locations along the Abel Tasman coastline...
From Mārahau, the southern entrance to the Park, the first campsite you’ll come to is Tinline Bay. If you are trying to book a campsite or hut in the Park during the summer peak season you might find that Tinline is the only location with any availability showing on the DOC booking site.
Firstly, Tinline is only 3km from the entrance to the Park so for just about anybody setting off from the south, not far enough into the Coast Walk to stop for the night. For anyone walking from the north, Tinline is agonisingly close to Mārahau where the coffee will be hot and the beer suitably cold, so again, not an ideal location for the night. The Tinline campsite is also one of the few in the park not located right on the beach, being situated instead, up the track a bit. To say Tinline is the red-headed stepchild of the Abel Tasman is a pretty mean thing to say both about Tinline itself and all of the wellloved, red-headed step-children out there. Tinline is an ideal camping spot for families with young children though, being only a short walk from the trail head and with some nice views along the way. It also has a nice little nature walk perfect for the nippers. The Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust has also done a lot of replanting of native trees in the area so its appeal continues to grow. The campsites are located on a gently sloping grassy area with room for 30 people.
Tinline was named after John Tinline, a local man who acquired a block of land from Mārahau to the stream in 1857. Tinline, a much respected local figure who devoted his life to government service, farming and philanthropy, was commonly known as ‘Old Fizzlebilly’ because of his flowing beard. John Tinline learned to speak Te Reo Māori which led him to the position of inter preter for the Nelson magistrate in 1844. The prominent point above Tinline is the site of a former pa that was occupied when Jules Dumont d’Urville visited the area in 1827.*
*Source: Down The Bay, Philip Simpson
After a short uphill walk from Tinline you’ll find yourself looking down at a lovely little beach called Coquille Bay, the first of the classic Abel Tasman-esque, crescent-shaped, golden-sand beaches.
Coquille is fringed with native bush including punga ferns so it looks rather magical from the lookout on the track above. It is also the first beach in the Abel Tasman that has deep water during all tidal conditions. The Coquille Bay campsites are right beside the beach with room for 12 people. The bay is named after d’Urville’s vessel La Coquille, the original name for what was to be renamed the Astrolabe.
Located about 6km into the Coast Track, Apple Tree Bay is the first of the longer beaches in the Park that has a tidal estuary behind it.
This means you can camp on the beach with water on both sides of your tent. This is also the first bay in the Park with a privately owned bach. You’ll find either single bachs or collections of them further north as you travel through the Park. These small parcels of land were privately owned before the Abel Tasman became a national park in 1942 so were not handed over to the Crown. Apple Tree has campsites to accommodate 30 people. Originally named La Grande Plage by d’Urville, the name was changed to Apple Tree Bay presumably around 1928 when Lio nel (Leo) Manoy bought four acres of land there for his family to camp for a few weeks every year before they built a bach*.
All of these delightful beaches are an easy walk further along the Coast Track from Apple Tree Bay and all located directly across the Astrolabe Roadstead from Adele Island. D’Urville named the Astrolabe area after his vessel, the one previously called La Coquille, Adele Island after his wife and Fisherman Island after observing Māori fishing there.
The islands provide some protection from the ocean currents and also a rather wonderful backdrop as you gaze out to sea. In the summer, these beachs do receive a good amount of day visitors on kayaking trips from Mārahau, walking this southern end of the Coast Track or locals having boated in to spend the day in the Park with their friends and family. Of these five beaches only three have campsites and toilets: Akersten has room for 6 campers, Observation has spots for 12 and Watering Cove has facilities for 10 people. These bays are among the most picturesque in the entire Park and a great spot to camp if you’re travelling by kayak.
Stilwell is named after Welby Stilwell who purchased two acres there in 1926 and had camping holidays there before building a cottage. Stilwell took visitors on excur sions along the coast in his launch Terepa around the same time that Newt Nalder was doing the same in the Kotare. Akersten Bay was presumably named after William Akersten who came to the Nelson area in 1855 where he set up a ship chandlery and built wharves which include what is, in present day, Nelson’s Main Wharf. D’Urville named Cyathea Cove because he found an abundance of the gully fern trees there. The bay is now more famous as part of the area leased by Pérrine Moncreiff, who played a crucial role in the establishment of the the Abel Tasman as a national park in 1942*. The bach built by the Moncreiffs is located in the Moncrieff Private Scenic Reserve. D’Urville also named Observation Beach, where an observatory was set up to view the transit of Venus across the sun, as well as Watering Cove where his crew replenished their fresh water supplies.
*Sources: Abel Tasman Area History by Dawn Smith - DOC, http://www.theprow.org.nz/places/streets-and-quays-of-portnelson/ and Down The Bay, Philip Simpson.
Possibly the most photographed bay in the entire Abel Tasman, Te Pukatea is your classic Abel Tasman crescent-shaped, golden-sand beach with rocky headlands at either end and a fringe of native bush.
Access to Te Pukatea on foot is via a short track from An chorage. Also situated between Anchorage and Te Pukatea is Pitt Head, a headland accessible via an easy track with breathtaking views up the north coast of the Abel Tasman. The Pitt Head area has been trapped intensely for rodents by the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust so has a wonderful array of native birdlife. The loop track from Anchorage over to Te Pukatea and around Pitt Head is perfect for young families. Te Pukatea, one of my personal favourites for camping, has room for 14 people. The bay takes its name from the pukatea tree of which there are a few located in the flat area behind the beach.
The first major Coastal Access Point for water taxis in the Park is The Anchorage, or just Anchorage to the locals.
It is also the first of the larger campsites with room for 100 campers, and also the first DOC hut with bunks for 34 trampers. Located 12.4km from Mārahau, Anchorage is often where people walking the entire Coast Track spend their first night. The campsites are situated among trees and are mostly on grass. This is also the first campsite in the Abel Tasman where you can have an outdoor fire, surely one of the highlights of any overnight camping trip. Another highlight for anybody staying the night at Anchor
age should be a visit to the caves at the northern end of the beach to see the glowworms. Just be warned that along with glowworms you will also need to be mindful of the small but still scary looking cave weta.
As the first Coastal Access Point from in the Park, An chorage is the Abel Tasman’s most popular beach for people doing day trips. The most economical, yet still quite wonderful day trip in the Abel Tasman involves parking your car in Mārahau, catching a morning water taxi to Anchorage and then taking the rest of the day to walk back to Mārahau, stopping off at any of the beaches that take your fancy along the way. Many other visitors take a water
taxi to Anchorage in the morning and a return sailing back to Mārahau in the afternoon having spent their day doing either the Pitt Head Loop Track, or swimming at Cleopat ra’s Pool located around the estuary towards Torrent Bay.
Anchorage is well protected from the weather so is where a lot of boaties anchor up their sailboats and launches, hence the name. During the Christmas period there will be a flotilla of boats in the bay of all shapes and varieties.
This famous swimming spot, located along the high tide track between Anchorage and Torrent Bay, is home to a naturally formed rock water slide. The well signposted short track up to Cleopatra’s Pool follows the Torrent River a short distance until the river becomes more of a canyon. Cleopatra’s Pool is where anybody doing Abel Tasman Canyons’ most popular day trip will emerge having slid, ziplined and jumped their way down the canyon over the course of the day.
no pickups are allowed at all unless those passengers are bach owners or the guests of those owners. This was the deal negotiated with the local landowners in return for allowing the public to walk through their little slice of paradise. Some of the baches here are available for rent at certain times of the year and Torrent makes an abso lutely wonderful place for a family holiday. The Torrent Bay Estuary is magical on a full tide and a fantastic place to sail, paddle board, kayak or just for a swim. There is also a small, 20 person capacity campsite at the southern end of the village. The campsite is quite shaded by trees and the sites are mostly set back a little from the estuary, so for my money, you’re better off staying at Anchorage or walking through to camp at Bark Bay.
Originally owned by Dr Ralph Richardson of Nelson, who bought some 800 acres in the area between 1854 and 1857, granite was quarried from the area in the 1870s. There was also once a tramline up the valley to haul out posts and firewood. Torrent Bay was one of the first places people from the area headed to for recreational trips in the early 1900s. Back in those days a New Year sailing regatta was held each year as well as activities on shore such as running races, sack and three-legged races.
*Source: Abel Tasman Area History by Dawn Smith - DOCThe 7.8km track from Torrent Bay to Bark Bay is another popular section of the Coastal track for day visitors.
Because the track is mostly along a ridgeline there are wonderful views looking down to bays along the coast. Another major attraction is the newly upgraded Falls River Swingbridge which provides wonderful views down the river and out to the open sea. A short distance (cont’d)
There are two ways to access Torrent Bay from Anchorage.
If the tide is low you can simply walk across the estuary in about 20 minutes. If the tide is high, you will need to walk around the estuary which will take you a bit over an hour. However, this section of the track is rather wonderful and is well worth doing even if the low-tide crossing is doable. The views across the estuary are lovely as are the rivers and creeks you will cross on well constructed bridges.
Torrent Bay features the largest collection of privately owned holiday homes in the Park. Water taxis are only permitted to drop off passengers up to noon each day and
after the swingbridge is a side track that takes you down to Sandfly Bay, a narrow beach and large tidal estuary. There is a little bit of rock-hopping required to get right down to Sandfly, but it’s worth it. The next major beach, Medlands, or Meddy’s to the locals is a tiny but rather stunning little beach which is easily accessible with a set of steps.
Bark Bay has both a 80-person capacity campsite and the second of the DOC huts in the Park with bunk-beds for 34 trampers.
The campsites line the main beach and the hut is set back around the estuary a short distance. Bark Bay is a mid-sized, sweeping bay with the inlet behind it which can make it feel like you are camping on a tropical island. The walk around the estuary and further to the north is one of the most underrated sections of the track, particularly on a full tide. Bark Bay is also where Project Janszoon, in partnership with DOC, have introduced kākā back into the Park. If you wander out on the estuary at the right time you might spot kākā returning for a feed at the aviary where they were first housed when relocated to the Park.
Bark Bay was originally owned by the Huffam family who settled there in 1870 before they moved away in 1890. The Huffam’s engaged in subsistence farming as well as milling timber for firewood, hop poles and shipbuilding. The gathering of bark from the black beech trees by the Huf fam brothers, used in the tanning process, gave Bark Bay its name. The Huffams also sold smoked-cured barracouta and hunted pigs.
The Māori name for Bark Bay is Wairima. Wai means water and rima signifies either five or hand. Small streams flow into the estuary so this is presumably the origin of the name.
*Sources: Abel Tasman Area History by Dawn Smith - DOC and Down The Bay, Philip Simpson
Although this wonderful little bay is only a short distance around the point from Bark Bay, it is only accessible by boat. This makes it a prime, 40 person capacity campsite for kayakers doing multi-day trips. Located in a shallow little bay with a small rocky, bush-covered island in the middle, Mos quito Bay is my second favourite camping spot in the park.
Along the coast, just before you get to Tonga Quarry, there is a set of short, naturally formed granite sand caves. There are many of these caves, or ana, along the Abel Tasman coastline, the largest of which are the ones at the southern end of Tonga Quarry. They are only accessible by boat but on a low tide you can walk through these arches, and on a high tide you can kayak through them. Water taxi skippers will generally stop here to show their passengers the arches and any guided kayaking trip in the middle of the Park will include a stop at the Tonga Arches.
As the name suggests, this little area was once the site of a quarry, the remains of which can still be found today. This includes the winch block, discarded granite blocks and the remains of the old wharf. Building-grade stones were cut from both ends of the beach and were shipped by scow to Wellington for the old parliament building and to Nelson for the steps that lead up the Cathedral. It’s a pleasant little beach and perfect for a rest before you press on with your walk. Once a DOC campsite, this is now only a picnic spot after a weather event damaged the campsite a few years back
Tonga Island sits proudly and prominently directly out from Onetahuti beach, a long crescent-shaped bay with wonderful elevated views from the track at both ends.
Years ago, the Coast Track to the north involved an estuary crossing so was only doable at low tides. However, a raised wooden track was constructed about five years back so the track north is now passable on any tide. Having said this, Rich ardson Stream crosses the beach at about the halfway point and this can be moderately difficult to cross when conditions are poor. Onetahuti has a 40 person campsite along the south ern part of the beach.
There is much speculation as to the meaning of Onetahuti. The name has been analysed to mean “to run hurriedly (tahuti) along the beach (one)”. However, it seems more likely to be a composite of one-tahu-ti. Tahu means to burn or cook, and ‘ti’ is the cabbage tree. One of the potential meanings is that cabbage trees were burnt on the beach as signals or as food. However, the problem is that there are no cabbage trees (ti kouka) present anywhere in the eastern part of the park.*
Shag Harbour consists of a narrow, rocky entrance from the sea that opens out into a shallow inlet.
This little natural wonder is only accessible by water taxi or kayak and if you don’t know it is there you’d be likely to cruise straight past it. The inlet itself is rather lovely but it has the added attraction of being a fur seal nursery. At cer tain times of the year up to 20 seal pups will emerge from the end of the inlet to investigate and play around your kayak or boat. Navigating a powerboat through one of the two narrow entrances is not to be attempted unless you really have good control over your boat. If you try to get in there only to end up dashing your boat against the rocks, well you won’t be the first person to have done so!
Once the sight of a farm, a small community and even a school house, Awaroa is the second area of the Park with a concentration of privately owned holiday homes.
These baches are located beside the Awaroa Estuary, the largest tidal inlet in the whole Abel Tasman. It is also home to Awaroa Lodge, a spalling luxury lodge with a nice outdoor dining area. It has a second more casual gourmet pizza place that also serves local craft beer, two of my favourite things in the known universe. Located a short walk from the front beach, the Lodge is only open during the summer months. To the north of that main beach is the area that 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 any new owners could deny access to the beach for the New Zea land public. 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.
Awaroa has a 36 person campsite and 26 person hut, both of which are located a surprisingly long walk around the estuary. Many people are caught out when they arrive by water taxi at Awaroa’s front beach only to find they are still a brisk +20 minute from where they are staying. If you keep walking past the campsite and hut you will eventually come to an old steam engine and the other remains of the old farm and milling operation that was once on the site. The Hadfield family were the first to farm sheep and cattle from 1863.
The track to the north which traverses the Awaroa Estuary is only accessible 1.5 to 2 hours either side of low tide. Un less you’ve got a boat, there is no way to cross the estuary to continue your walk to the north when the tide is in.
Waiharakeke would have to be the Park’s least known beach and campsite. It’s tucked between Awaroa and Tōtaranui and its existence can come as a total surprise even to people who know the Park well. Notwithstanding, Waiharakeke is a pleasant little spot and the 20 person campsite is in a sheltered spot adjacent to the sandy beach. This was once a Māori settlement where Harakeke (flax) is still abundant.
Goat Bay is another lesser known and underrated beach in the northern part of the Park. It makes a pleasant desti nation for a walk from Awaroa to the south and Tōtaranui from the north. The track from the north once siddled pleasantly around the coast but this was destroyed over 10 years ago and was replaced with a route that goes up and over the hill instead. This is perhaps one of the steep est sections of the whole track and it has been known to surprise some walkers with its intensity.
Like Awaroa, Tōtaranui encompasses a reasonably large geographical area and was once a farm.
Totaranui is another long, golden-sand beach, and the only part of the Abel Tasman Coast Track that is accessible by road. There are tent sites on the beach side of the gravel road dedicated to the use of people walking the Coast Track with enough capacity for 40 people. But the much, much larger part of Tōtaranui is the enormous 250-site, 850 person capacity campground which attracts thou sands of campers every year, particularly around Christ mas. The old homestead at Tōtaranui, Ngarata has been converted into accommodation suitable for large groups for events like school camps and groups of friends. It’s a fantastic facility with a variety of bunk rooms, a large com munal space and a big kitchen. Ngarata is also extremely well priced for groups and one or our favourite weekend locations for significant family events such as milestone birthdays.
One of the main appeals of Tōtaranui as a camping spot is its proximity to fantastic walks both to the south and to the north. A great full-day walk of around 21km is the loop track which goes up Gibbs Hill, around to Whawharangi and then back to Tōtaranui along the Coast Track.
William Gibbs purchased 1,000 acres of land between Tōtaranui and Wainui in 1856. He built a house and two cottages for his large family and visiting friends. (cont’d)
The majestic tree lined avenue that leads into Tōtaranui was planted with alternating plane and macrocarpa trees by William Gibbs’ daughter, Hannah, and Jimmy Perrot in 1856. The Pratt family purchased land from Gibbs in 1892 to farm the area and built the Ngarata homestead in 1914 from locally milled timber. In the 1920s Charles Pestall Harries and then John Cameron attempted to farm the area but a bunch of factors including difficult access and poor soil quality combined to make farming at Tōtaranui a marginal proposition. The property was sold to the govern ment in 1948 to be incorporated into the national park.*
*Reference: Abel Tasman Area History by Dawn Smith - DOC
For anybody looking for some more wild and remote places to camp or for a picnic, then the bays in the very north of the Park are the places to head.
As part of the DOC concessions for water taxis, companies are only permitted to run scheduled services as far north as Tōtaranui. This reduces the number of visitors to those beaches so even in the height of the summer season, you will be sharing the beaches with only a handful of people. The weather in this northern part of the Park tends to be a bit harsher too so all of these factors combine to give beaches like Anapai and Mutton Cove a remote, westcoast type of vibe. Anapai has a 12 person campsite while Mutton Cove has room for 40.
Mutton Cove is thought to have been named from the practice of vessels carrying mutton sheltering in westerly weather when the area was farmed in the early 1900s.
So named because it marks the geographical boundary between Tasman and Golden Bays, Separation Point is a place of rugged, steep-cliffed beauty.
From the track once you reach the point, you look down on a rocky outcrop where seals and seabirds hang out. A few years back one international visitor decided, against some good advice, to go for a swim at Separation Point with some of the local seals. His reward was a nasty bite on the backside from a bull seal which is potentially the best example of the saying that dumb decisions can bite you on the bottom. Separation Point is a sidetrack off the main Coast Track, but it is well worth walking the extra distance.
Whariwharangi is the site of another farming effort in the Park with the old homestead having been converted to a DOC hut with room for 20 trampers. There is also a lovely grassed area around the hut with room for 40 people to camp.
The Whariwharangi Hut is haunted, making the place po tentially awkward for anybody who is frightened of ghosts. Until I stayed there I would scoff at the many people who told me the old farm house was haunted. The one time I did stay there, we slept downstairs in a small bunk-room. I was woken from the deepest of sleeps around 3:00AM with the room as black as the inside of a cow and my, then teenage son, screaming blue murder at the same time an
unidentified highpitched screeching noise that pierced my brain like a surgeon’s scaple. It turns out the smoke alarm in our room had somehow malfunctioned and had been activated despite there being no fire. So, there you go, the place is haunted and that’s all there is to it.
John Handcock built the house at Whariwharangi about 1897 and farmed there for 15 years before the land was bought by George Manson in 1914 . Whariwharangi con tinued to be farmed until 1972, but the homestead was un occupied after 1926. Used as a stockman’s hut, it became derelict, but was restored to become the DOC hut in 1980.*
The Abel Tasman’s northern roadhead is the Wainui Car Park located at the rather remote and wonderful Wainui Bay.
*Reference: Abel Tasman Area History by Dawn Smith - DOC
Words: Brendan Alborn.
One of the reasons the Abel Tasman National Park is so popular is that it’s a really safe place to experience the outdoors. The Coast Track is extremely well marked, the surface is not particularly rugged, the elevation profile is gently undulating and the weather is mostly mild.
This all means that you don’t need a PhD in bushcraft or a bulletproof sense of direction to have a safe and wonderful experience in the Park. Like everything you do in life, however, even when you’re getting out of bed, there are risks to your personal safety and this is simply unavoidable when you’re out there doing it.
Now, I realise that the concept of risk, and particularly what different people perceive as a risky activity, is wildly subjective. I like to think I’m reasonably risk averse, I know my own physical limitations and I do my best to mitigate risk. But I have also come across people who think some of the stuff I get up in the outdoors is plain lunacy and they seem to believe I have something of a death-wish. Whether you’re a Nervous Nancy, or a Jason Bourne-esque special forces operative, you might want to watch out for some of these natural and unnatural hazards in the Abel Tasman. (cont’d)
Firstly, Te Tauihu (the top of the south island) has the most stable and sunny weather in the entire country, so there’s a good chance you’ll be in the Park congratu lating yourself on timing your trip with good weather.
The weather is generally at its most stable during the win ter months with crisp, frosty mornings leading on to clear, blue sky days. In spring and summer the mornings are much warmer but the sea breeze comes up so regularly during the afternoon you can almost set your watch by it.
The prevailing wind during this time of year is northerly and with the coastline of the Abel Tasman being orientated north-south, this means you’re better off kayaking towards the south in the afternoon to have the best chance of paddling with the wind pushing you along from the back.
The orientation of the park also means that an easterly wind blowing across Tasman Bay is the worst. The perfect storm in terms of a hostile weather event is a strong easterly and a king tide, which, in combination can cause damage to the coastline. Luckily this is an extremely rare occurrence and with Tasman Bay being protected to the east by the Marlborough Sounds, the sea conditions don’t tend to get too nasty. If things do turn pear shaped, that’ll generally be to the north of the park up towards Awaroa and Tōtaranui. The Astrolabe Roadstead in the southern part of the park is usually relatively protected from ocean swells by the two islands, Adele and Fisherman. Once you get past the islands however, you’re entering the Mad Mile, the stretch of water from the northern tip of Adele to Pitt Head. The currents often seem to channel through into the Astrolabe at this point to throw up turbulence that creates a chop that can bounce a boat around and make paddling your kayak more challenging. Having said all of this, if you are using a water taxi or kayaking company to access the
park, the salty dogs running the operations for these com panies are in charge of making the final call as to whether these activities go ahead or are cancelled. Cancellations of trips only happen on a handful of days every year so that gives you a good indication of just how many days the conditions are actually safe. Whenever I really want to know what the weather in the Park is going to do I don’t look at the weather forecast, I ask one of the aforemen tioned operations types, like my brother Gavin, who has been driving water taxis in the park for over twenty years. These guys have highly developed senses for what the weather gods have got in store for us.
ABEL TASMAN LANDMINESLargely consisting of Separation Granite sand, the Abel Tasman Coast track is generally hard-packed, it drains well even after heavy rain, and is therefore a good surface to walk or run on.
As one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, it is also extremely well maintained by the Department of Conservation so any track damage is quickly repaired. Like any track through bush however, it does feature a few tripping hazards, also known as Abel Tasman Landmines. These landmines come in three basic varieties: The First are tree roots, some of which look like they have been placed strategically to test your stability on your feet. The second type of land mine are the protruding lips of the rectangular water race ways placed across the track to drain away the water. The third and perhaps more dangerous are small bits of granite rock sticking up through the dirt and cleverly camouflaged in grey. Now, this could well be simply because I am a clumsy bastard but my legs are basically a patchwork of
old scars, particularly on my knees, many of which are the direct result of tripping while running in the Abel Tasman. And I can tell you that skidding along coarse granite sand after a faceplant is a lot like getting into a fistfight with an axle grinder. My most recent fall happened on New Years Day 2022 whilst running the hightide route from Torrent Bay to top of the ridgeline and turnoff to Anchorage. Having completed the same run the day before, I may have been too preoccupied with congratulating myself on my fitness level and nimbleness when my left shoe clipped a water drain. Everything happened so quickly the first part of me to make contact with the ground was my nose, or more specifically the bridge of my nose, right between my eyes. Although it felt at the time as if I had ripped my nose clean off my face I was almost fully healed within a week. This prompted a foolish boast to my wife that not only do I bounce when I fall, but I also heal like a Greek God.
Fortunately, the Department of Conservation now uses Vespex, a protein-based bait, containing the insecticide fipronil to beat the wasp population back to much lower levels. Wasps take the bait back to their nests to feed their young, wiping out the nest. You are wasting an emotion if you are feeling sympathetic towards their flying nuisances. As stated by DOC “Introduced wasps are a significant pest which harm our native birds and insects, and are a threat to human health and recreation.” These introduced wasps serve no useful purpose ecologically or in any other way. They are winged psychopaths that should be avoided if at all possible.
Although not a natural or immediately obvious hazard, you need to be careful who you end up camping with in the Abel Tasman, particularly if you’re camping at Tōtaranui or staying at a private bach elsewhere in the park.
In my experience, every friend group has at least one lunatic who likes nothing more than encouraging their mates into drinking so much alcohol it leads to a vicious hangover for anybody foolish enough to play their game. Unless of course, you are part of the friend group that does not have the aforementioned lunatic? Well, this probably means you are actually the group lunatic but you just don’t have the self awareness to realise it.
While areas further inland, and particularly once you hit the West Coast of the South Island, can be so inundated with flying things you can taste the bloody things, the Abel Tasman is not generally home to an abundance of annoying insects such as mosquitoes and sandflies.
Although the Abel Tasman has two bays named after both of these insects, Sandfly Bay and Mosquito Bay, this seems to have nothing to do with the presence of these insects at those bays. It seems more of an attempt by whoever named both of these rather wonderful and under rated bays to dissuade others from visiting their favourite spots. Regardless of the time of year, I have never had a lot of trouble with biting insects even at dusk when they seem to be at their hungriest. I have, however, had the odd run in with wasps and on one otherwise wonderful camping trip at Observation Beach, the whole beach was infested with the things.
New Zealand has five social species of wasps which have been accidentally introduced since the 1940s. These social wasps seem to be too social for their own good and they are attracted to humans and the food we eat.
While this is not an attempt to pass off the personal respon sibility for this poor behaviour, I have learned there are certain patterns that can be avoided. Firstly, the first night of every long weekend is inevitably a time of high-spirited excitement so it usually leads to a late night spent in front of the outdoor fire and too much hydration. The other thing to watch for is the friends who only parachute in to stay for one night at the camp or bach. These will be the people looking to make the most of their short stay so will be primed for a big night. The recommended strategy to avoid getting sucked into this vortex of doom is to employ the age old shit-house fade. Simply pretend you are going to the toilet but instead, slip off quietly and go to bed. Then hope this goes unnoticed so you don’t end up with some drunken fool attempting to shake you awake in order to get you and back to their party.
Ngāti Rārua under Niho Te Hamu were among the leaders of a series of war parties that invaded Te Tauihu between 1827 and 1832 and were involved in the resulting victorious battles against the resident Kurahaupō peoples. These events were soon followed up by subsequent migrations of Ngāti Rārua and their allied whānau and hapū of Ngāti Tama and Te Ātiawa to Tasman Bay.
The Ngāti Rārua Rangatira Tūrangāpeke III, his son Riwai Tūrangāpeke and whānau and hapū originally occupied West Whanganui, Te Tai Tapu with Niho Te Hamu. This location was the coastal trail and gateway to Te Tau Poutini and the access to the greenstone resources and trade. Tūrangāpeke III and his brothers Te Aupōuri Mātenga, Te Poa Karoro and their people maintained kāinga in Mōhua (Golden Bay), Pōhara, Te Tai o Aorere coast, Te Matau and Awaroa through to Motueka prior to European settlement.
Rīwai Tūrangapeke was one of the nephews of the three Rangatira who held considerable authority over the Abel Tasman coast, Te Tai o Aorere. His uncle Te Aupōuri Mātenga controlled a large part of the lands in the north, between Tasman and Mōhua. His uncle Te Poa Karoro is renowned for his leadership and footprint on the landscape to the south at Motueka.
Rīwai Tūrangāpeke, a participant in the negotiations with the New Zealand Company at Kaiteretere in 1841 had a significant impact in the regions affairs
over many years including the Te Tai Tapu region, on the West Coast below Mōhua.
Large tracts of Māori land in Te Tauihu (Top of the South) were sold in 1853 and 1855, but Rīwai Tūran gapēke refused to allow the sale of Te Tai Tapu. This proved worthwhile when gold was discovered at Te Tai Tapu in 1862, following the 1856 Aorere gold rush in Golden Bay.
On 10 February 1862, Rīwai Tūrangapēke and Pirimona Mātenga Te Aupōuri, his cousin of Ngāti
Rārua, signed a deed which gave the Crown the right to permit people to mine for gold on the Tai Tapu lands. The usual licence fee would be charged except that a Crown officer would issue the licences, collect the fees and pay them out to the two Rangatira. A total of £63 was paid to Ngāti Rārua from the gold field licence revenue.
Miners did not all pay their licence fees, how ever, and so Rīwai Tūrangāpeke petitioned the Crown to take action. In October 1873, the Crown issued a proclamation establishing the West Whanganui goldfield under the Gold Fields Act Amendment Act 1868, and Ngāti Rārua lost their direct authority and control over their customary lands for the purpose of access to resources in Te Tai Tapu.
Lands at Motueka, Riuwaka, Mārahau and Te Tai o Aorere coast line (Abel Tasman) became significant occupation sites for Ngāti Rārua, where there were abundant mahinga kai, generous seasonal resources of fish, plants and bird life, and where they estab lished gardens and pā.
The descendants of Tūrangāpeke III and his son Rīwai Tūrangāpeke and whānau continue to uphold the legacy and connection to the lands and waters of Te Tai o Aorere, the Abel Tasman National Park. Tracing descent from a line of ancestors bearing this name, they are the hapū of Ngāti Tūrangāpeke of the iwi Ngāti Rārua.
From Te Runanga o Ngāti Rārua
Lands at Motueka, Riuwaka, Mārahau and Te Tai o Aorere coastline (Abel Tasman) became significant occupation sites for Ngāti Rārua.The pou whenua welcomes visitors to the Anchorage campsite
A quintessent winter day in the Nelson Tasman region starts out with clear blue skies, temperatures hovering around zero and the grass covered in a layer of frost. By mid-morning however, the temperatures will be approaching the mid-teens, layers of clothing will need to be removed as the sun shines throughout another bluesky day.
While the summer months are marked with daily sea breezes, which almost always come up in the early afternoon, winter days are often characterised by clear, still days and calm sea conditions. Sure, it’ll get cold again when the sun goes down, but the middle of a winter day is often the perfect time to get out into the Abel Tasman. Because it largely consists of granite sand, the Abel Tasman Coast Track drains quickly during and after rain so even when it’s not one of the clear blue days as described above, it is still enjoyable in conditions somewhere south of optimal.
Although hearty alpine tramping types will camp out in tents in all conditions, I would recommend staying in one of the DOC huts in the Abel Tasman if you are doing an overnight trip in the Park. If you’re doing a daytrip, then there are many options that will have you back in Mārahau even when the days are at their shortest in the heart of winter. From the 1st of May to the 30th of September each year Abel Tasman AquaTaxi operates on its winter sched ule. The water taxis still run seven days a week but the first sailing from Mārahau heading north in the morning is 30 minutes later, at 9:30AM, than it is in summer. Subsequent sailings are then at noon and 1:30PM, but you do need to book in advance as services will only run if people have pre-booked.
The Falls River trip is perfect for people of all ages and almost every fitness level. You board the water taxi at 9:30AM and after checking out Toka Ngawha/Split Apple Rock and the NZ fur seal colony on the northern tip of Adele Island you’ll be dropped off at Torrent Bay. After walking up the little hill at the northern end of the beach you’ll get an excellent view of the largest collection of private holiday houses in the park, down the length of the Torrent Bay beach and across to Anchorage. The 7.8km walk takes you along a ridgeline from which you can look down on some lovely secluded bays like Frechman, with its beautiful tidal inlet behind the small beach. Crossing the Falls River swing bridge is a highlight as it provides postcard views down the river to the open ocean. Sandfly Bay and Medlands are both lovely beaches worth checking out enroute before you walk around an elevated track to Bark Bay to meet your water taxi back to Mārahau at 3:15PM.
The Pitt Head Walk is another trip perfect for anybody, particularly family groups with youngsters. You board the 9:30AM water taxi and after the customary visit to Toka Ngawha/Split Apple Rock and to check out some NZ fur seals, you’ll be dropped off at Anchorage. At the southern end of the Anchorage campsite a track takes you over to Te Pukatea, arguably the most quintessential of the quintessential Abel Tasman beaches in the Abel Tasman. With rocky headlines at either end of a crescent-shaped, golden-sand beach, Te Pukatea is the perfect place for a picnic and even has picnic tables for that purpose. The loop track starts at the other end of Te Pukatea and takes you to the end of the headland before offering spectacular views of Anchorage and Torrent Bay as you return to Anchorage to catch your 3:30PM water taxi back to Mārahau.
You’re probably thinking that winter is not an ideal time to be signing up for a water-based activity? However, winter conditions in the Abel Tasman are often ideal for a paddle in a kayak as the wind and ocean currents are usually calmer than they are at other times of the year. If you’ve got somebody prepared to spend the day with you in a kayak then you can rent a double kayak from Marahau Sea Kayaks to spend the day paddling in the southern part of the Abel Tasman. After being issued with all of the gear you will need, including clothing that will keep you dry and warm, and some detailed instructions on how to paddle and steer your kayak you’ll be on your way. In the winter the options for briefings are at either 9:00AM or 11:00AM, but you do need to book at least a day in advance.
After paddling across the bay from Mārahau into the Astro labe Roadstead you’ll have the day to explore the beaches along the coast and Adele and Fisherman Islands. At the northern end of Adele you will find a NZ fur seal colony, but you need to make sure you do not get any closer (cont’d)
than 20 metres to the seals or the rocks where they could be present to stay on the lawful side of the NZ Marine Mammal Protection Laws. You can spend as long as you like paddling around exploring the beaches and inlets as long as you have your kayak and gear back in Mārahau by 3:30PM.
If you are planning to walk the entire Coast Track the DOC huts are spaced along the route perfectly to enable you to spend each night in comfort and warmth. From Mārahau you can either walk into the park and then return via water taxi from Tōtaranui, or you can water taxi straight up to Tōtaranui and then walk back to Mārahau.
The other decision you need to make is whether you are going to include the leg of the track from Whariwharangi to Tōtaranui or simply skip that part and walk directly south. Water taxis are only permitted to drop you as far north as Tōtaranui so you will need to do this bit on foot. It can be done as a loop, rather than having to walk north up the coast and then back south retracing your own footsteps. I would recommend getting dropped at Tōtaranui and then doing the Gibb’s Hill track up to Whariwharangi on the first day before staying in the hut. That walk is only 4-5 hours so I would catch either the 9:30AM or noon water taxi from Mārahau so you’re not doing the final bit in the dark. How ever, the track is easy to follow if you catch the 1:30PM water taxi as long as you’ve remembered your head torch.
On the second day you walk the coastal route from Whari wharangi, making sure you do the side track off to Separa tion Point before continuing on to Tōtaranui, which will be your start point on the first day if you are walking directly south. The walk from Tōtaranui to Awaroa, the location of the second hut, is 7.1km so a walk of 2.5 to 3 hours. You will only be able to get across the Awaroa Inlet for two hours either side of low tide so you need to check the tide times on the day you are planning to cross.
On the third day you have an easy 13.2km, 4.5 hour walk to
The winter sunrises in the Park are often magical.
Bark Bay via Onetahuti and Tonga Quarry. This is another wonderful stretch of the Coast Track and you have the whole day to stop off on the way to enjoy the beaches. Af ter spending the night in the Bark Bay Hut the next day will be either be an 11.8km, 4 to 5 hour walk if you need to take the high tide route around the Torrent Bay estuary or only 8.7km if the tide is low enough for you to scoot straight across from Torrent Bay to the hut at Anchorage. If the low
tide route is passable I would still walk around the estuary as it is one of the most underrated sections of the whole coast track in my opinion.
Once in Anchorage you would be an absolute mug if you didn’t drop your pack and then walk the Pitt Head Loop at the southern end of the Anchorage, via the rather lovely Te Puketea. The Pitt Head Loop is only 1.5km so an easy 1-1.5hr walk. Once you’ve spent the night in Anchorage Hut the walk back out to Mārahau is only 12.4km so will only
take 3-4 hours, but there are so many awesome beaches dotted along the route I would make a day of it by walking from the track the short distances down to at least a few of those beaches. Once you hit Mārahau you’ll be able to look at the Islands in the Astrolabe Roadstead and reflect on how you probably should come back and do it all by kayak next time!
The regeneration of the native flora and fauna in the Abel Tasman over the past twenty-plus years is increasingly being recognised nationally as an ecological success story.
Attempts by humans to farm the land, mill the trees and quarry the granite from the area in the late 1800s and in the first half of the 1900s had left their mark. When the area became a national park in 1942 and then other parcels of land were purchased and ceded into the Park over time, these activities were no longer possible and instead, the entire area became an increasingly popular recreational area for local residents as well as for domestic and international visitors.
One of the reasons the flora and fauna has regen erated so strongly in more recent times is that the most significant stakeholders, the local community, iwi, DOC, environmental groups and the commercial operators have found a way to work together for a common good. The key to this success is that despite those groups often having differing view points and priorities, the overall goal, to protect and improve the Abel Tasman’s flora and fauna, is com mon for all stakeholders. This cooperation between commercial interests, government, mana whenua and the New Zealand public is a potential blueprint for achieving similar environmental outcomes in the rest of the country.
If you are prone to reading some of the comments on social media and New Zealand’s news websites you might come across people talking about how places like the Abel Tasman have been ruined by ‘unregulated mass tourism’ and ‘greedy tourism operators who put money before anything else.’ For me, this is an example of a small but vocal group of people speaking with authority and assurity about something for which they actually have very little, if any, practical knowledge or experience. I would
be completely shocked if any of the people venting these opinions via their keyboards have actually visited the Park recently or know what it was like even twenty years ago. For anybody who does have a long association with the Park, you don’t have to cast your mind back too far to picture the wilding pines that stood out among the natives throughout the Abel Tasman, or the bare, bush-less patches along some of the ridgelines and elevated areas. (cont’d)
Today, you will need to be paying close attention to find a wildingly pine in the entire Park and even the dead and dying trunks of the pines that were left standing along the coast have, as was intended, fallen and rotted where they once stood. The eradica tion of the wilding pines and subsequent regrowth of the native bush where these exotics formerly stood is perhaps the most visible improvement to the state of the Abel Tasman forest.
The organisation responsible for conceiving and implementing this million dollar, multi-year project is the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust. Established in 2007, the stated vision of this charitable trust is “that the forests and beaches of the Abel Tasman National Park are once again filled with the birdsong that awakens and delights visitors.” The Birdsong Trust’s other projects include predator control along the coast, planting and maintenance of native trees and the reintroduction of some native bird species such as the South Island Robin/Toutouwai and Saddleback/Tieke. The Birdsong Trust maintains a network of over 1,200 traps along the coast from Mārahau to Awaroa and more recently inland in the
Falls River and Moncrieff Reserve areas. Since it was established, the Birdsong Trust has received a voluntary fee from every commercial operator in the Abel Tasman for each customer using their services. In fact, there are currently 27 privately owned busi nesses listed on the Trust’s website as members or associate members.
The Birdsong Trust has then taken the contribu tions from commercial operators, and has used it as co-funding to get grants from charitable funds such as the NZ Lotteries Grants Board, the DOC Commu nity Conservation Partnership Fund, Pub Charity and the Lion Foundation. The other major factor that helps the Birdsong Trust achieve all of these won derful things for the Park is the size and strength of its volunteer base with hundreds of locals doing the work required. The water taxi companies operating in the Park transport the Trust’s volunteers around the Park at no charge, which stands to reason. The people actually out there doing this work are actively improving the ecology of the Park and this work im proves the experience for the commercial operator’s own customers. And for the volunteers themselves, many of whom have retired from their day-jobs, they genuinely enjoy their time outdoors doing work that is clearly having a positive impact. This whole arrangement really is a win-win-win.
Project Janszoon is the other organisation that has had a phenomenal impact on the improvements to the ecology of the Abel Tasman. Launched in 2012 with the generous support of New Zealand couple Neal and Annette Plowman, Project Janszoon was unique in that it was the first time philanthropists had offered to partner with a government depart ment to restore the ecology of a national park.
Project Janszoon’s stated aim is “to restore and preserve Abel Tasman’s rich wildlife for all to enjoy. It is a team effort involving conservationists, iwi, locals,
The Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust maintains a network of over 1,200 traps along the coast from Mārahau to Awaroa.
scientists, tourism operators and volunteers.” Since its establishment ten years ago, Project Janszoon has worked closely with DOC and the Birdsong Trust to rid the Park of pests and weeds, bringing back native birds and bush, and inspiring a culture of care for Abel Tasman. Project Janszoon does a huge amount of work with school and community group education and also does an excellent job of communicating the progress of these environmental initiatives to the New Zealand public. At the time of writing, Project Janszoon had already trapped 43,827 rats and 2,420 stoats and weasels. Since 2014 it has also translocated kākāriki, kākā, tieke/saddleback, pāteke/brown teal and whio/blue duck into the Park. Project Janszoon has also planted 43,260 natives at Hadfield Clearing and 787 rātā between Bark Bay and Awaroa.
To achieve all of these wonderful outcomes the Birdsong Trust and Project Janszoon have worked closely with each other and the Department of Conservation. DOC has been encouraging partner ships with community-driven groups and commer cial organisations for well over a decade now. By its own admission, the Department does not have
the resources or wherewithal to do all of the resto ration based conservation work that it would like to do. Hence DOC has looked to actively encour age partnerships with groups around the country to achieve environmental outcomes that it could not have done in isolation. The Abel Tasman is an excellent case study of just what can be achieved using this partnership approach. In saying all of this, however, maintaining the momentum over the next several years will not be easy. While ridding the Park of weeds and introducing many bird species that haven’t been seen in these parts for generations is no mean feat, the work to keep the weeds out and continue keeping predators from reestablishing their populations to previous levels, is even more difficult. As it stated when established, Project Janszoon expects that when agreed restoration outcomes are achieved, it will hand responsibility for maintaining those gains to the Crown. In my opinion, the only way this will be achieved is if DOC continues to push for even broader cooperation with local community groups and the commercial operators in the Abel Tasman. Although I understand there will always be pressure for the Department to balance conservation with economic activity, the commercial (cont’d)
operators have a vested interest in the Park’s envi ronmental state being as pristine as possible. As a commercial operator, the experience of our cus tomers in the Park is our core product so we need the Park to be an outdoor wonderland to make it all work.
The best example I can cite of the traditional ‘us and them’ mindset in which you have commercial inter ests on one side of the divide and DOC on the other, is our recent attempts to push for more areas of the Park to be opened up for cyclists. At the current time, cycling is only permitted in the Abel Tasman at a small part of Canaan Downs and Gibbs Hill to the north of the Park. The intention here is not to open
the existing Coast Track to cyclists but to either up grade the Inland Track for cycling or to build a brand new track between the Coast Track and the Inland Track. As well as providing excellent opportunities for us as commercial operators to lure more visitors to the area, particularly during the winter months when typically we have very few people visiting, is that it will provide another easily accessible predator trapline. While the area along the Abel Tasman coast continues to be extensively trapped, an easily acces sible trapline further up the park will provide another layer of protection. Anybody who has ever done any bush bashing at all will attest to the fact that crawl ing, scrambling and wrenching yourself through thick bush is exhausting in itself, and checking traps in this type of country without a well formed ground track is simply unsustainable for anyone. A track capable of being cycled would allow access to set and maintain a whole network of traps the length of the Park. There are currently two major roadblocks for this plan. Firstly, the Abel Tasman National Park Management Plan, which is currently four years over due for its ten year review, forbids cycling in the Park aside from the two small areas mentioned above. When she was the Conservation Minister, Labour MP, the Hon Kiritapu Allan began the process “to improve management planning and concession processes in conservation legislation” because “a significant pro
Just imagine, if you can, the Abel Tasman being a place where it is commonplace to spot kiwi scuttling about looking for their evening meals.
portion of the almost 40 conser vation management strategies and plans, and national park management plans are overdue to be reviewed and no longer reflect what local communities want, or the latest environmen tal science. That has led to frustration across the board.”
She also stated “Part of that tension is because guidance or limits on specific activities, like mountain biking or aircraft land ings, cannot be easily updated to reflect changes in how people want to connect with and use conservation land and waters.”
The intention here was clearly to pave the way for some long overdue reforms.
The other potential handbrake to this cycle trail plan is navigating the opposition of special interest groups such as the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand (FMC). The FMCs stance is distinctly anti anything that opens up what it sees as ‘remote areas’ to anyone not accessing those trails on foot. When initially consulted on the idea of opening the Evan’s Ridge track to cycling the FMC replied by stating “The development of a mountain bike trail on Evans Ridge would be to the direct detriment of visitors seeking a remote experience in the park’s interior, and is thus something we cannot support.” While it is totally understandable that the FMC’s perspective would be this way, if the Park’s Management Plan is updated to include biking, and they are open to the other upsides from a commercial and predator control point of view, hopefully they won’t stand in rank opposition to it. Similarly, there will need to be a lot of work done to nul lify some of the opposition from local residents who, with the mere mention of mountain biking in the Abel Tasman can begin a chorus of boos and hisses. Quite understandably, the image of lycra-wearing mountain bikers hurtling along the tracks in the Abel Tasman fills many locals, particularly those with multi-genera tion bachs in the Park, with dread. Another thing that raises the blood pressure of locals is the idea of more people visiting the Park during the winter months which is when they typically have the entire Park to themselves. It has been more difficult to explain that while some people might love the idea of having the entire Park largely to themselves in July, it’s a little bit selfish to then exclude visitors from enjoying it too.
The existence of a mountain biking track through the Abel Tasman is only a piece of the puzzle and it will not, in isolation, be the making or breaking of the ongoing restoration success of the Abel Tasman or the businesses of the commercial operators. But it is an excellent example of what could be achieved if the vested interests of these commercial operators, environmental groups, DOC, iwi and the local com munity can be balanced to achieve a good outcome for all. This all requires genuine engagement be tween the different stakeholders, not ‘consultation’ which has traditionally involved the party wishing to implement change of one form or another simply ‘consulting’ the other stakeholders. This consultation amounts to listening to objections from other stake holders and then doing what they intended to do right from the outset anyway. Instead, ‘engagement’ involves just that. Engaging with, listening to careful ly and negotiating a solution that, while it may not be exactly what any specific group wanted as its most preferred outcome, is something they are prepared to work with moving forward.
The improvements to the ecology and biodiver sity achieved in the Abel Tasman over the past twenty-plus years has been wonderful to be part of. But there is much work to be done not only to maintain this progress but also to continue the mo mentum. Just imagine, if you can, the Abel Tasman being a place where it is commonplace to spot kiwi scuttling about looking for their evening meals.
Words: Johny O’Donnell.
In my experience, there are fewer things more natural than talking about sustainability and conservation with tourism operators. Whilst the visitor sector has been subject to plenty of criticism in recent years, I have always found myself a tad defensive of our local visitor industry in and around the Abel Tasman National Park.
Much has been said in recent years about the need for regenerative tourism. Tourism that actively gives back to the environment and the local community, rather than the more dated view of sustainability as an after thought or worse still a “nice to have”.
If you’ve been a reader of this magazine since its inception, then you’ll know that the Alborn family of Mārahau who is behind this magazine have been on a journey to improve the sustainability of their tourism operations which range from accommodation and a restaurant to water transport and activities. I am very proud of the fact that despite the challenges of the pandemic, which were not insignificant
by any means, the family has maintained this sustainabili ty focus.
In 2019 we achieved zero carbon certification across the entire operations of Alborn Enterprises, the company behind AbelTasman.com. We achieved this by obtaining our certification from the local firm Ekos which focuses on carbon sequestration that improves biodiversity outcomes. Don’t get me started on the pitfalls of the alternatives. This is an imperfect solution to a problem that is much bigger than any one individual or business. The process of offset ting emissions is not a “pay and walk away” solution to the problem of climate change. It forces a business (cont’d)
to measure and get real about their carbon emissions and work out a plan to tackle them, whilst making a significant investment in carbon sequestration and biodiversity out comes through a localised offset programme. This gives customers confidence their experience isn’t having a net negative impact on the environment and that is before we factor in the voluntary and compulsory concessions that fuel the Park’s conservation efforts. But that’s for another story (in fact, I believe that story is for another page).
in between. The itinerary went one step further by also offsetting the customer’s travel to the region, meaning their entire experience was a zero-carbon journey. Two things became obvious from this experience - people are hungry for light footprint travel experiences and working together is more effective than going it alone.
This formative experience has led us to an exciting new initiative called the Mārahau Pledge which brings to gether 9 operators from Mārahau Village to form a co alition of tourism operators who are all pledging to go further and faster by working together on sustainability and regenerative tourism. This represents a significant levelling up of our collective sustainability efforts, and it’s being driven by three key commitments:
1. We’ve Ditched the Carbon - Every experience that departs Mārahau Village is now a certified zero-carbon experience. In practice, that means every operator now measures, reduces, and offsets their emissions annu ally to maintain that certification. Customers can now have total assurance that regardless of the experience they choose, if it is in Mārahau, it is 100% certified zero-carbon.
By measuring the carbon footprint of a business, you shine a light on the major contributors to your footprint and bring into your awareness the areas that require focus if you are to reduce that footprint over time. By way of example, Abel Tasman AquaTaxi and Mārahau Water Taxis made a decision to begin servicing their engines more frequent ly, and implementing other technical improvements to achieve greater fuel efficiency. This reduced the overall fuel consumption of the business by around 10% whilst still maintaining the overall performance of the business and carrying the same number of customers. By putting the spotlight on your emissions, you start to see more clearly where the weaknesses are in your business, and by having to pay a price for offsetting those emissions, you create a healthy incentive or at least a more compelling case for investing in initiatives to get rid of them. Emissions ignored mean very little to a business at this stage but emissions measured and charged are a direct cost to the business which starts to make the alternatives seem more attrac tive. It’s a voluntary process of putting nature on the Profit and Loss statement in a small but meaningful way to help see the sustainability of the business in a more holistic way.
Since AbelTasman.com operations went zero carbon, many others have followed suit. In fact, I would be fairly confident in suggesting that this region is home to the highest proportion of zero-carbon operators in the country. That gives us a unique platform to talk about light footprint travel with the world and we have seen that manifest in successful initiatives such as the Nelson Tasman Zero Carbon Itinerary which featured only zero-carbon opera tions from the pub to the accommodation and everything
2. We’re Playing Nicely Together - Every operator has made a commitment to work together to share knowledge and opportunities to further advance the sustainability of all operations in Mārahau. When one of us has a win such as reducing waste or finding a good alternative, we share it with the others so they too can implement it in their business. Every time one of us uncovers something that helps reduce our footprint, we multiply it by nine operations by sharing that knowl edge rather than keeping it to ourselves.
3. We’re Investing Back in Mārahau - The commitment is about more than just carbon, it’s about improving the experience of our local communities with tourism and actively giving back to the environment. With that in mind, we have begun paying a voluntary fee into a charitable trust that is focused on delivering improved biodiversity and conservation outcomes for Mārahau Village. In collaboration with mana whenua and the local community, we will select and support projects that support these aspirations.
These three big plays make up the first stage of the Mārahau Pledge and our commitment to go further and faster by working together. It provides reassurance for all of our customers that Mārahau is a sustainable destination and that their contribution to the local com munity extends well beyond purchasing a coffee at the local cafe or buying a ticket with a local business. The visitor sector is vitally important to our local economy and already brings a raft of benefits back to our wider region. But by taking this step, we are ensuring that every dollar spent also represents greater investment back into the environment and the local community.
In fact, I would be fairly confident in suggesting that this region is home to the highest proportion of zerocarbon operators in the country.
To build on this a bit further, we have wrapped up all of our fees and contributions into a simple and easy-to-under stand mechanism called the EAF (Environmental Access Fee). This portion of your ticketed experience into the Park will now be shown as its own line item on your receipt to help distinguish between the cost of the experience versus what goes directly back into the Abel Tasman. The fee in cludes the concessions we already pay to the Department of Conservation, 100% of which are invested back into the Park. It also includes the existing voluntary contributions to the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust (again, that’s a story for another page) which does incredible work in regener ating the Park. Finally, we have incorporated the Mārahau Pledge fee into this as well. We have simplified this into the EAF and made it visible across our ticketing systems to help with the process of educating our valued visitors about the important role they have in supporting the regen eration of the Abel Tasman.
To wind back to my opening point, I want to acknowledge the imperfect nature of all of these solutions. The great thing about tourism operators in the Abel Tasman is that, in my experience, they’re an honest bunch. That means when we sit around the ta ble to kōrero about these aspirations, you get a fairly honest assessment
of the proposal. They see this as an opportunity to do more, to work together, and to localise our efforts into the heart of the village where investment is often overlooked. Collectively, they have an interest in the wellbeing of the community and the environment around them. They are, like many others, acknowledging that their business doesn’t stand in isolation but rather is built on the funda mentals of a society where the wellbeing of the environ ment must come first to ensure the long-term vitality of not only our livelihoods, but of our entire community.
I think it was Winston Churchill who said “perfection is the enemy of progress” and that feels like a timely quote right now. Rather than wilting under the, at times, seemingly insurmountable challenge of decarbonising our econo my, we are taking giant leaps toward a more sustainable future. We’re ensuring those actions are not one-offs and that the learnings of one business don’t go to waste when it can be scaled across the others. We’re refining the tourism model to build on the contribution that tourism already makes to our local economy and our environment.
I am immensely proud of these efforts and have no doubt that the collaboration that has now been formed will be the catalyst for many great advances in the future. As I said in the beginning, there are few things more obvious or natural than talking about the protec tion and regeneration of the environment with a bunch of passionate locals who live and breathe it every day. A toast to those folks will you? Cheers!
A symbol of perseverance: A tree that seems to grow out of a rock!
My very first visit to Mārahau was in July 1997, and I have to admit, my first impression was not entirely favourable. I was only back in Aotearoa for a quick visit and my Mum had picked me up from the Nelson Airport to drive me to this place where she and Dad had recently moved to after having purchased the lease on the Mārahau Beach Camp.
A
s we drove over Mārahau Hill I wondered aloud why somebody didn’t deal to the gorse lining the road on both sides for most of the way. Then when we actually hit the village itself and I saw the dilapidated state of the camping ground I was a bit worried my folks had poured their savings into a dud investment. It also appeared the shop and accommodation that went with the business had been constructed by somebody with as much skill in the arts of architecture and carpentry as I possess myself: Zero.
On about day two of my visit I found myself working along side my late uncle, Bud Nalder, as we attempted to clear out the piles of junk that had built up over many years from behind the sheds holding some well-worn kayaks. I found the work itself quite rewarding as my day job back in China was mostly spent sitting at a desk, but it also increased my worry at what Mum and Dad had got themselves into. Once Bud and I finished our work for the day he suggested we take a couple of the single kayaks and go for a quick paddle up into the Abel Tasman. That short paddle, from Mārahau to Apple Tree Bay, changed everything for me.
The sea was flat-ass-calm, the late afternoon sun was out and in contrast to the grey, wintery, smoggy city where I was living, the Abel Tasman was straight out of a different universe. On the last day of that visit, and then on every subsequent visit over the next several years, the sunrise on the day of my departure would be spectacular and I would need to force myself to return to the big city. Fast forward to 2022 and I am writing this from exactly the same spot from where I would look out over the Astrolabe Roadstead at all of those last-day sunrises. The only difference being that the location where the bedroom once was in the old shabby building is now my office in the new kayaking and water taxi base we constructed in 2018. One of the main reasons my wife and I made the decision to move to this area when we returned from overseas, rather than settling in Auckland as per our original plan, was because we kept coming back to Mārahau for holidays and our adoration of the place just grew with every visit. The road that winds into Mārahau along the northern edge of the Otuwhero Inlet, particularly at sunrise and on a full tide, is a magical way to enter the village. When I drive along this road in the mornings on my way to work I often find myself (cont’d)
Golden hour, Mārahau style.
both thanking the gods for my good fortune and congratu lating myself on my life choices.
While visitors to Mārahau, particularly in pre-COVID times, had grown each year at the same pace as the popularity of the Abel Tasman National Park, the village has not fallen into the trap of becoming overdeveloped. Whilst some of the visitor hotspots around New Zealand, and indeed in our own area, have become distinctly commercialised, overly concreted, manicured and manufactured, Mārahau has maintained much of its original, and authentic off-thebeaten-track charm. Much like Golden Bay, the Mārahau community is a fantastic mix of multi-generational local residents, people who have more recently arrived from elsewhere, and then the visitors looking to experience the Abel Tasman. While new homes and holiday houses have been constructed in the new subdivision located back from the waterfront, this has added to, rather than diminished the distinctive local vibe.
One of the things I most love about Mārahau is the ebb and flow of the place depending on the time of the day and the time of the year. During the winter months there are very few visitors to Mārahau and the whole place becomes a rather subdued and sleepy little village. Then in spring,
around the beginning of October, the seasonal workers such as kayak guides show up, the cafes and other busi nesses open up for the season and the rise in energy levels is palpable. Most of the visitors before Christmas, at least back before the world went kinda funky on us, were from overseas. Then on Boxing Day each year, Kiwis from other parts of the country flood the place either using Mārahau as their base for a holiday in the area or to walk or kayak in the national park. Locals from around Nelson Tasman also show up in droves either to chill out on one of the Mārahau beaches or as part of their efforts to showcase the best of their local area to their visitors. Even at these peak periods for visitation, Mārahau never feels like it is being stretched beyond its capacity. There is plenty of car parking so visitors don’t need to park their cars in a different post code to where they are headed for the day, and there is an abundance of space at either of the beaches even when visitation is at its peak.
There is also a distinct ebb and flow to the days during summer with visitors flowing into the village in the morning to catch the first water taxis, to attend their kayak briefings or to walk into the Abel Tasman via the Coastal Track. By mid-morning Mārahau will have largely emptied out as most day visitors will be up in the Park leaving only a few
people in and around the village enjoying some beach time or sitting in the cafes. With a large tidal range of over 5m the water can either be lapping at the rockwall beside the road, somewhere out in the far distance or someplace in between. Some people see this as a curse and would pre fer it if there was always deep water close to the shoreline, but I like how the beach is always changing.
located on the waterfront just in time for the 4pm happy hour. For Hooked, which is part of my family’s business, 2023 will be its twentieth year in business. With its Kiwi beach bach decor and outdoor garden areas looking across Tasman Bay, Hooked is worth a visit to Mārahau in its own right. It is a particularly wonderful spot in the late afternoon in the garden bar where visitors and locals mix together to recount the day’s adventures in the Abel Tasman.
The Park Cafe, located right at the southern entrance to the Abel Tasman, and another local institution, was established by Jane and Yirka Ritschny in 1986. The Park Cafe pitches itself as having rustic charm, which is entirely accurate with much of the interior being wooden, unpaint ed and natural. The Park Cafe’s open mic nights are spon taneous outpourings of creativity that are often nothing short of magical. The legendary Fat Tui, a caravan based gourmet burger cafe which reopened last summer after a period of hiatus, rounds out the local dining options.
As I write this, it’s almost full tide, which is lovely. But I like low tides just as much with tractors meandering across the sand flats to launch the water taxis they are coupled to, kayaking groups starting their paddle across the bay and hundreds of birds feeding in the Eelgrass and tidal pools. In the afternoons the village has another influx of people as visitors return from their trips into the Abel Tasman, many of which stumble into Hooked, the cafe and beer garden
Marilyn Denton has been holidaying in Mārahau since the mid 1950s. While based in Nelson, Marilyn and her first husband, Roger, would sail their yacht across the bay to spend weekends and holidays in the Abel Tasman. Then in 1954 they began building a bach on the Mārahau water front, constructed largely from the timber milled on the site where DOC’s Motueka office stands today. Marilyn
In the afternoons the village has another influx of people as visitors return from their trips into the Abel Tasman.
cites the opening of the road over the Mārahau Hill as one of the most exciting and important developments over the time she has been coming to the place. Before this road opened, getting to Mārahau involved driving through the narrow, winding track from Kaiteriteri. Marilyn remembers how they would pick up a trailer load of building supplies on their way through Motueka and how it took many years to build their bach. In fact, she reckons it is never finished and is forever having to be expanded to provide enough beds for her ever growing, multi-generation family. Many years ago Mārahau became the cherished place where her family would spend most weekends and almost every holiday. She can remember her son coming home for a visit from university when he was in his early 20s during which he lay on the floor of their Nelson home asking, in the tone of a much younger more petulant child, when the heck they would be going over to Mārahau.
Sixty-plus years ago, the Mārahau foreshore was a lot different to it is today. Marilyn has photos of the foreshore with plants and even a public toilet located across the road which is now covered by water at every high tide. The sea gradually washed that all away but it took the local community and the Tasman District Council many years to agree on and then put in the rockwall along the foreshore.
Over those years Marilyn has only twice seen the lethal combination of a strong easterly storm and a king tide send surges of water across the road and into her front garden. The first was in the mid-1970s when she removed five trailer loads of seaweed from her section and the sec ond instance was when cyclone Fehi hit in February 2018. Marilyn is hopeful that sea level rise from global warming doesn’t “take all of this away from us.”
When Marilyn began spending time in Mārahau she had the distinct impression the ‘locals’ were not particularly en thusiastic about sharing their little corner of paradise with the newcomers. In those days the land around Mārahau was mostly planted in tobacco so the community consist ed of farmers, seasonal workers and small numbers of holidaymakers. There would often be social evenings at what was the local community hall back then which would
Sixty-plus years ago, the Mārahau foreshore was a lot different to what it is today.Marilyn Denton at her bach on the Mārahau waterfront.
include dancing and a shared meal consisting largely of cockles collected from the foreshore. Then in the 1980s after more holiday homes had been constructed she can remember when an increase in visitors, particularly into the 1990s, led to tension within the local community. She tells a story of how, after the road along the waterfront was sealed, her family put some sand across the road to pre vent their kid’s feet from getting burnt on the hot surface. When he saw this, the late Kelvin Goodman and founder of Abel Tasman AquaTaxi, came along the road and angrily removed it with a shovel while muttering curses about how
it was making things difficult for his boats and tractors. In fact, Marilyn found it difficult to get used to the tractor movements along the road and remembers a time when the procession of tractors would mean “you couldn’t hear a conversation with your neighbour and our front room would be full of exhaust fumes.” She became known as “the tractor lady” as she recorded tractor movements, up to 130 in a single day at the time, and sought to have something done about the issue. She felt the tension be tween the local community and the commercial operators but eventually efforts were made to use more modern tractors, to limit exhaust emissions and to attenuate engine noise. Marilyn thinks she has also become more accustomed to the tractors and the other changes to Mārahau brought about by the increase in commercial ac tivity. While the place is full of people with wildly differing views and opinions everybody gets on pretty well and the appeal of the place has only increased over the years.
Marilyn’s three children, now adults with their own families, still come for their summer holidays and she still likes it so much here that she moves up from Christchurch to live in Mārahau for the summer period. Her lifetime of memories in Mārahau is best illustrated on the walls of her quint essentially Kiwi bach with old family photos of both the people and the place as it was, and as it is now.
It is sometimes easy to forget the Nelson Tasman region is home to three national parks. While the Abel Tasman is undoubtedly the most famous of the three, the Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes are both larger and feature a metric crap tonne of far wilder and more remote backcountry.
Nelson Lakes National Park encompasses the north ernmost ranges of the South Alps. Although the lakes, Rotoiti (little lake) and Rotoroa (long lake), are the most visited parts of Nelson Lakes, this is 101,733 hectare national park with an abundance of mountain ranges, beech forest, rivers and a vast network of tracks and huts. Although European settlers occupied land close to Rotoiti for grazing their sheep in the 1840s, by the turn of the century people began holidaying on the shores of the lake and also exploring the mountains in the area. The national park was then created in 1956.
Nelson Lakes is an area that I keep intending to explore more, and specifically to do a decent multi-day tramp or hunting trip exploring the mountain areas. I have skirted around the edges of the national park and have flown over it on a helicopter, but I have never quite gotten around to traversing the Park on foot. I have, however,
spent a bit of time exploring St Arnaud, the small alpine village located at Lake Rotoiti and the gateway to Nelson Lakes National Park. This includes our first ever trip away in a caravan with my family, not long after we returned to live in Aotearoa. That weekend trip began the process of me having to learn how to back caravans, boats and trail ers. This skillset is not specifically required when you’ve previously been something of a city dwelling metrosexual all of your adult life. Anyway, I eventually navigated my parent’s 7.5m caravan into its site at Kerr Bay and we had a wonderful midwinter stay.
St Arnaud is largely made up of holiday homes but also has enough local residents for the small two-room, Lake Ro toiti Primary School, with a roll of (cont’d)
Lake Rotoiti.
16 at the time of writing. Although St Arnaud is therefore largely a tourist town it is still very much a rustic and authen tic township that hasn’t been over-commercialised. Lake Rotoiti has a couple of jetties on its northern shores and with the mountains surrounding and at the head of the long lake, the end of these jetties are fantastic spots for a photo that has become something of a regional icon. The jetty is also the place where you will find kids jumping off in the winter although some are put off by the presence of masses of eels under and around the jetty.
The commercial enterprises there largely consist of a com bined general store, service station, tearooms, the Alpine Lodge and a bunch of options for accommodation throughout the year. With the Rainbow Ski Area located close by this makes St Arnaud a year-round visitor destination. There is also the Lake Rotoiti Water Taxi company which does scenic tours, ferries people to the far end of the lake to the tracks over that way and also rents kayaks. The social hub of the village, the Alpine Lodge, is one of those places in New Zealand, being located in a small village and basically
being the only show in town, could perhaps be forgiven for not really trying too hard to create an outstanding experience. But these people clearly don’t do average. They do amazing. The facility, service, food quality and general vibe at the Alpine Lodge is unwaveringly awesome.
In the summer months, Lake Rotoiti is where people from Marlborough and Nelson Tasman bring their boats to fish, water ski or just muck about in and around the lake. But even when visitation is at its peak the place never gets to the point where it feels overcrowded. There are three DOC managed campsites around the lake at Kerr Bay, with the Jetty and Buller Campgrounds located further around the lake in West Bay. Just south of the village is the Teetotal DOC Campsite which, al though not located on the lake shore, is situated among mountain bike tracks and a skating pond when it freez es over. Dogs are permitted at Teetotal while the rest of the area, as a national park, is a K9 free zone.
The facility, service, food quality and general vibe at the Alpine Lodge is unwaveringly awesome.Jetty at Lake Rotoiti. The Peninsula Nature Loop.
The huge, friendly eels all around the jetty at Lake Rotoiti are protected, but the trout in the lake can be fished with a trout licence and the appropriate back-country endorsement. Having said this, the closest I’ve ever gotten to catching a trout there has been to see one follow my lure for a short time before disappearing back into the darkness. During a visit to Lake Rotoroa a few years back I became quite over excited when I saw the large number of rainbow trout from the small road bridge that leads over to the campsite. After spending hours casting however, the only thing that got eaten was me. By sandflies. Big thick clouds of the bloody things. Hours afterwards while sitting in our campervan we looked over to see a young back packer exit his own van to cook a BBQ with every piece of bare skin covered, aside from his face. Even thusly protected he was forced to wave his hands around his face like a fiend to shoo away the bugs.
There is a fantastic array of short walks accessible in the area beside Lake Rotoiti and around the village. The Peninsular Nature Loop goes from just beside the jetty on the waterfront around to Kerr Bay but can be shortened if you walk back via the short uphill track that comes out onto View Road. The walk can also be extended if you continue back to the village via Moraine Walk or wander up the more rugged Black Hill Track. The route all the way around the lake, which is what Nelson Events’ Loop the Lake trail run entails, is a wonderful +24km circuit. The track on the western side is more technical, then you cross the Travers River at the northern end of the lake and the track on the eastern side makes for easier going. The Paddys Track walk on Mount Robert/Pourangahau is another fantastic day walk. When you’ve made your way up the hill you’re treated to a magnificent view of Lake Rotoiti below before you traverse a flatter area of alpine grasses. The Bushline Hut makes a wonderful spot for lunch before you wander down another track to the roadhead a short distance from where you will have parked your car. There is also a network of moun tain biking trails around St Arnaud, thanks to the ongoing efforts of the wonderful MTB Trust who have already built
over 50km of tracks for riders of all levels.
Located on view road, a short distance up the hill from Lake Rotoiti is the DOC visitor centre. This place is a wonderful resource for information on the whole area, and particularly the local flora and fauna, conservation efforts and early human history. It also has a cool little gift shop and is where you pay your fees for the campsites.
I’m now hoping that before we put together the next edi tion of this magazine I am through with making excuses and have finally done that tramp through the interior of Nelson Lakes National Park.
Words: John Makin.
That’s one thing they definitely have in common. An other thing they have in common is that they seem to have weaved extraordinarily complex lives for themselves over the 30 years. Well, complex in comparison to when they were younger, poorer, less hygienic, wore shabby clothes and were unsure of where they would next eat or sleep. But they were also very happy back then.
That’s not to say that they’re not happy now. This current version of happy is a different kind of happy from back in the day when the happiness came from a total lack of any responsibilities other than passing exams or making it to the next backcountry hut before the weather crapped out. For one week a year these blokes have tried to meet up, and to unshackle themselves from all their adult respon sibilities by heading into the hills. In February 2022, those hills were located in the Kahurangi National Park. Due to a mix of factors, namely COVID-based travel restrictions, this year’s tramp had been reduced to the “gritty core of three”, namely Brendan, Dan and myself.
The thing about a tramp is that always, the night before, you feel like you are about to earn the right to make a glutton of yourself. That means you order the highest calorie dense, grease ’n’ noodles on the menu and you guiltlessly follow it up with the double chocolate sunday and plenty of beer too. Just as the old adage ‘what goes up must come down’ is a truism, so is ‘what goes in must come out’. This is a cause and effect situation that I just can’t seem to acknowledge until it’s too late. Here I was on the cusp of a seven day tramp, in the high street of Motueka with the gritty core of three, ordering enough Chinese dumplings to feed several large families with the intent of stuffing as many as I possibly could down my cake ‘ole to fuel the impending 1,000m ascent. I could only hope, as I stuffed one after the other of the juicy little dumplings into my mouth, that this would not end like on our tramp a few years ago when we were up the Styx river. On that occasion I didn’t poo my pants, I actually shat my hat, it having been knocked off my head in the midst of the desperate effort to rid myself of the pretramp grease-fest.
Having flown into Nelson around noon we were delivered by Brendan’s wife, Johnna, to the base of Chummies Track about twenty minutes out from Tapawera. There would be no avoiding wet boots right from the start on this tramp as the very first steps would involve a thigh deep crossing of the Wangapeka River. A heartfelt fare well was enacted between Brendan and his wife, who genuinely did seem to want him to survive the tramp and come back home, leaving both Dan and I teary eyed and shyly kicking our boots in the gravel.
Chummies track is a pretty solid 1,000m ascent to John Reid Hut. There’s no river valley amble to loosen up the ligaments and gently awaken the calf muscles, it’s straight up from the moment you exit the Wangapeka. I always find there is no preparation for day one of a tramp. Packs are at their fullest, the tramper muscle memory that I rely upon has not yet been activated and dry creases in the boots don’t take too long to start working away at feet softened from far too long in Birkenstocks and woolen socks. Predictably, I could feel the pork dumplings start to repeat on me. However, I’m always grateful to be back in the bush and it doesn’t take long to appreciate the sounds and smells and the familiar old feel of it all. There is nothing like it to help chip away at the junk that builds up in your head from day to day modern living.
We got to John Reid hut just before dark, having drudged through the only rain that was forecast for the entire week. The plan was to carry on from here over point 1566 to Kiwi Saddle, on to Stone Hut via 1578 and up onto the Matiri tops from there. We planned to spend two days above the bushline camping halfway along the tops and then back out to civilization via the Matiri Valley. I was trying out my aarn pack again on this trip. I had used it rather unsuc cessfully on a Wapiti hunt in Fiordland recently and discov ered that it just doesn’t handle being loaded with enough gear for 12 days. The front compartment, or “Tit Bags”, which are suspended from the shoulder straps on the front of your chest, would constantly uncouple. After the hunt I was told by the manufacturer this was due to overloading. They were far less loaded on this trip which seemed to have solved the problem and I was learning to enjoy my aarn pack. It really does seem more comfortable and it’s so easy to pull out your camera (nowadays a phone) or GPS (nowadays a phone also) from the front packs. The main benefit for me though is that I can now unashamedly pose for photographs in the knowledge that my kids won’t be able to laugh at my man breasts which are discretely covered by the front compartments.
Day two was an absolute pearler of a day, a meteorological theme which we were lucky enough to have repeated for the remainder of the trip. It was great to be on the tops with a wonderful view. The ridgeline was easy (cont’d)
Over the past 30 years a group of blokes from various parts of New Zealand, and more recently from other parts of the world, have all aged simultaneously for 30 years.
going and we soon found the track that led down to Kiwi Saddle Hut where we stopped for a bite of lunch. I find lunches have been the toughest meal of the day to keep interesting, but I accidentally stumbled upon the best tramping lunch ever while wet and cold on a trip in the Raukumaras and it’s all I’ve ever done for lunches in the wilderness since. I prepared vacuum packed bags of rye bread, a slab of cheese and a hunk of salami. I boil a cup of water and throw in a cuppa soup packet followed by the bread, cheese and salami. This all ends up being a big sog gy mess of melted cheese and sloppy bread, but it really is delicious. In fact, it’s making me hungry as I write about it.
“bum crack”, an image of which I’m sure still haunts the poor lady tramper who witnessed it to this day.
It was a steep ascent to the bushline on the Matiri Ridge from Wangapeka Saddle. At Stone Hut we had left behind the only other people we encountered on the entire tramp and they must have been happy to see the backend of us after having seen, well, the backend of one of us. Brendan claimed to have an abrasion on the lumbar region of his back from his pack which I dutifully volunteered to put a bandaid on. His “lumbar region” ended up being more like
The ridgeline tapered fiercely on its course to Nugget Knob making it most definitely a fair weather route. We scram bled our way up to the summit of the knob, lamenting that it was only a knob and not a mountain, and that we were not mountaineering but merely knobeering. Nevertheless we were rewarded with spectacular views of the ridgeline ahead which would keep us entertained for the next day and a half. The plan was to camp at the tarn below point 1398, it being the only source of reliable water along the ridgeline. Enroute though, there was a pearler of a flat campsite, which we had eyeballed from afar, overlooking the headwaters of the Robson Stream. Water was hard to come by on account of the porous limestone which made up the ground beneath our feet, but we were fortunate to find a tiny puddle which miraculously refilled when water was scooped from it, right on the flat patch we had seen earlier. We bedded down for a very pleasant night in our tents during which I reflected upon the anguish that must be being felt in the boardrooms of Garmin. As I dozed in my sleeping bag I reflected that I was now using my phone with the Topo GPS app to navigate, and that my old Garmin GPS, which is much more difficult to use and read, will be left at home next time.
Hurricane Hut was the accommodation for the next night, and we had another wonderful day with perfect weather to
It was often easier to wade through the river than follow the marked route along the Matiri Valley.It was a steep ascent to the bushline on the Matiri Ridge from Wangapeka Saddle.
get there. We were entertained by some kea en route, and we were pleased to see them on what had otherwise been a bit sparse on the avian front so far. Near the bottom of the descent into the Matiri River Valley, we encountered the first of the two hazards we were going to contend with along the entire length of the valley; Tutu and wasps.
We had thought we were in for a leisurely couple of days meandering down a gentle river valley, following a metic ulously maintained track to McConchies Hut and Lake Matiri thereafter. Tutu, a “highly poisonous and common native shrub of NZ” according to Wikipedia, crowded the route down the valley from all sides. For much of the walk we gave up trying to follow the track and stuck to the river which was pleasantly warm and gentle flowing even with many chest-deep river crossings required. You couldn’t begrudge the Tutu really, it was just the quickest growing plant taking advantage of the laissez faire approach of DOC to track maintenance up the top of the valley. The same did not apply to the wasps, whose constant back ground drone was menacing and who more than once followed up the bark with a bite. Wasps must surely be one
of the most hideous of the invasive pests introduced into New Zealand.
Seven days after starting the tramp we popped out the oth er end just north of Murchison. Our lift, Brendan’s mother Sandra, was right on time and before we knew it we were slurping on a hoppy IPA at the Tapawera Hotel, listening to the breaking news on RNZ that Putin had indeed invaded Ukraine. After more good food, exceptional beer, a round of bowls at the Riwaka Bowling Club and a quick ride in the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park, it was time for Dan and I to fly back up to our respective realities in Auckland. We couldn’t help wondering what the hell we were doing living up there. The fortunate people living at the top of the south have a lifestyle second to none and I can’t wait to get back down there for the next trip.
If there is one thing this recent world-wide period of change and uncertainty has impressed upon me, it is a renewed gratitude for the simple joys in life. For me, one of those most important and simplest of these joys is my daily run with my six year old Border Collie, Maggie.
My sense of gratitude for this particular daily ritual was further reinforced when, for a period last year, it looked like my running companion would need to retire for health reasons. If you will excuse the boasting for a moment, Maggie and I ran over 2,500km together in 2020. We ran almost every day along the tracks, beaches and trails I highlighted in the previous edition of this magazine.
Then in the middle of 2021 Maggie started having these weird ‘turns’ only a few hundred metres into our runs. She would go through a brief period of euphoria, running around like a puppy with the zoomies before she lost all coordination much like somebody who has had far too many beersies.
Her front legs would fold in and I would need to pick her up and carry her back to my truck. I stopped tak ing her on my runs for a few months but then took her on a short trial run of only a couple of kms, which seemed to go well. Then later that night she had a severe fit, during which her body went as rigid as a board, her tongue stuck out, she frothed from the mouth and lost control of her bodily functions. For what was probably only 45 seconds but felt much longer, I lay on the floor trying to comfort her in what I believed would be her final moments.
When it finally ended I was so relieved I didn’t care that her teeth had collided with my forehead as she came to and I now had blood streaming down my face. This event confirmed that not only was Maggie
incontinent, something she has taken medication for since she was about a year old, and on top of being more than vaguely neurotic, and showing obsessive compulsiveness, my best mate was also epileptic. This was further confirmation that, as the saying goes, pets are a good reflection on their owners and just like me, Maggie is ‘a bit special’ or in the modern vernacular; ‘is somewhere on the spectrum’. When Maggie first went onto her epilepsy medication she was so docile she wasn’t even keen on going for a walk, much less a 7-10km run. But gradually she returned to her old self, minus the fits and episodes, and since January 2022 we have been back running together. She is just as excited as ever when we start our run, when she does a couple of pre-run pirou ettes, high-fives me with her teeth and then jumps up and nips me on a bum cheek, like any good sheep dog, when we get going. I’m clearly not the only one who enjoys this daily ritual. Lately, we’ve been trying to find some new trails on which we can both be free of speeding vehicles and dog-phobic, high-vis-vestwearing, angry Baby Boomers screaming at us to “watch out for the penguins!”
It was taken a while for Richmond to grow on me. At great risk of offending everybody who lives there and loves the place, I once found Richmond a bit, um, dull.
Now, before you hit me with a slew of hate mail, let me say that I think my relationship with Richmond has turned a corner and I can see it does have redeeming qualities, one of which is its many pedestrian trails. My favourite route runs from the Richmond bypass along the coastline all the way to Best Island. Maggie and I usually do the bit in the middle, from the end of Fittal Street deep in the Richmond industrial zone, along the coast until we hit Lower Queen Street.
After running along with the coast on one side and some paddocks on the other the trail comes to Head ingly Lane which is open to cars. It’s a quiet little back street so doesn’t usually have many, if any, cars to be avoided. The creek running beside the road (cont’d) is
where Maggie usually likes to stop for a quick swim whether it is 25 or 2 degrees Celsius. A sharp right hand turn has you back on the trail for a short time before you encounter Sandeman Reserve past which is a walk way over the estuary. This walkway has a surface of some rough industrial type resin covering that makes it completely non-slip. However, it must also be something akin to medievil torture for Maggie’s paws because she will stop as soon as she feels it, prance about for a few seconds as if she is walking on broken glass before bailing over the side to run through the mud. We turn once we hit the main drag to avoid the traffic running parallel to the road, to run back to my truck for a run of a bit over 7km.
The Richmond Ranges is an area I have been meaning to explore forever. As a forest park rather than a national park, dogs are allowed in the area although some areas require a dog permit from DOC.
We recently drove up the Aniseed Valley, which runs up into the hills from Hope, for the first time. In my experience this type of exploratory running can go one of two ways. The most common outcome is that I run the first part of a track and then it quickly becomes more of a rugged trail better suited to walking. The second thing I can discover is a fantastic running track that seems to go on forever and I become quite disappointed in myself for not having discovered it years ago. The track up to Whispering Falls fell into the second category. The Hacket Track starts out as a forestry road but quickly becomes a well-formed, narrow but very runnable track following the creek. The bridge at the confluence of Hacket Creek and Miners River, about 1km shy of Whispering Falls, was washed out when we went up so we turned there and ran back. The crossing does not look dangerous and is the sort of thing you would do twenty times a day when on a long tramp, but it was midwinter when we were up there and there had just been a decent dump of rain. If I don’t get to it sooner it’ll definitely be a priority to hit it again in summer when the river crossing will become a swim.
I always find myself amazed at how close New Zealand’s cities and towns are to wilderness areas.
This might be the result of having lived in cities like Shanghai and Sydney for so many years, where the nearest area anybody could possibly put into the same sentence as wilderness was several hours drive away. Although we’ve been living back in NZ for over ten years I am still constantly amazed that our populated areas are so close to remote hills and heavy bush. Anyway, I don’t know why it took me so long to work out that there is a wonderful trail from the Nelson CBD up the Maitai Valley. But this recent discovery was another hallelujah moment for me during which I realised that many awesome parts of Nelson Tasman remain undiscovered to me despite the fact they are right in front of my face.
Even though the section of the trail I ran recently starts right in the middle of Nelson, at Miller’s Acer Carpark, the bits of track beside the road are on quiet, low-speed laneways. The Maitai River Walkway follows the river, winding along with pedestrian underpasses under the road at various points and past a number of lovely green space areas on both sides of the Maitai. The track is unsealed once you hit Nile Street but is still well-formed and well maintained. It passes the quirkely named Girlies, Black Hole and Sunday swimming holes, through some areas planted out in native trees to a small car park on Maitai Valley Road.
When I’ve only got time for a quick run, I head to the walkway between Wharf Road and Old Wharf Road in Motueka.
The trail became a loop in 2012 when the path along Wharf Road was completed. This section of the track does run along a stretch of open road but there is a low bank and some greenery between the pathway and the road to dissuade your dog from running among the traffic. Aside from a short section along Wharf Road on the northern side, which also runs beside the road for a short distance, the rest of the trail winds along both sides of the inlet. The surface is hard packed gravel and being lined by mature trees on the eastern side, is mostly well shel tered from the wind. From the western side you will get wonderful views of the Arthur Range to the west. The fantastic local group, Keep Motueka Beautiful, continue to plant out the western side of the inlet and create more trails that can be incorporated into a free-spirited and random running route if you ever tire of simply running the loop.
Boats anchored at Bark Bay.
Words: Johny O’Donnell.
This is a “worth the drive” one if you’re staying right in Whakatū Nelson. You’ll need to allow 10 minutes from the city to get out to Nayland Road to experience the good ness that is Two Little Fish. Don’t forget to poke a hole in the chip wrapper on the way home to allow some airflowthese crispies need your full attention and there is nothing better than the lucky dip of sticking your hand in the bag on the way home for a quality test.
You really can’t go wrong with their menu but our favour ites are the Rakiura Stewart Island Blue Cod (a rare find in this region) with crinkle-cut chips and an OG hot dog with the sav. Bliss!
My first sign that this was one of Whakatū Nelson’s bestkept secrets was walking past and noticing that some of our best chefs pick Iko Iko Sushi for their daily lunch run. On further investigation, it’s not hard to see why.
Start with a world-class miso soup, some mouthwatering yako yako balls (which conveniently you can grab out of the warmer for instant gratification), and then tell me you didn’t get emotional when you sink your teeth into that ridiculously fresh salmon sashimi.
Italian hospitality is always special and Whakatū Nelson has a particularly strong Italian community that takes good care of the city when it comes to damn good Italian cuisine. Salvito’s is a hidden gem - it doesn’t look like much from the road but if you stand close enough and open your nostrils, you will begin salivating immediately. This is an intergenerational Italian business that prides itself on perfection - scoring an impressive five stars on Google. They say it’s impossible to please everyone but it appears the Salvito family is doing a pretty darn good job of it. The service is like a big friendly hug and when you open the enormous box to discover that warm, crunchy, and cheesy goodness - all your apprehension about wheth er any restaurant can truly be five stars will subside.
If you’re watching your waistline or on any form of restricted diet, I suggest you read no further. Apologies in advance must also go out to the gluten intolerant among us for this is probably not your place either. But for anyone with an affinity with the flaky French goodness that is a croissant, I have good news for you.
Whakatū Nelson has a gem of a bakery tucked away down Collingwood Street in the city centre. Baker’s is famous for serving up some of the city’s best coffee and producing the most delicious pastries and sweet treats. Perfect if you’re on the run but even better if you can stop, slow down and savour.
Kush is a Whakatū Nelson institution. The format has never changed - outstanding fair trade coffee, roasted on-site and served up with zero fuss. Whilst the coffee is very much in focus, their peppermint slice should not be overlooked and they have one of the best selections of local cold drinks on offer too.
The standout thing about the Kush vibe is that it doesn’t belong to any particular subculture. On any given day, you’ll find people getting together for a business meeting, a mum trying to get her baby off to sleep so she can do her emails, a few recovering ravers still regenerating brain cells from the weekend and the now seemingly very rare sight of a group of people gathering for cigarettes and coffee on the pavement.
Sublime is a brand that is synonymous with Whakatū Nelson. If you live here, the sight of the Sublime brand is as common as the sight of overly colourful pottery. It’s just one of those things that belong to this place. For visitors, your first encounter with Sublime was more than likely arriving at the airport where you were treated to a rather good cuppa for a terminal brew.
Having said this, to truly experience the Sublime vibe, you really need to spend an hour on the verandah of their Haven Road outlet. A coffee shop situated on a busy state highway doesn’t seem like the obvious choice for a relax ing cuppa in the sun, but it is the perfect spot for observing the comings and goings of the regulars from high vis vests to the local ‘work from home’ crowd who pop down the hill for their daily fix.
Oh and the coffee itself? Sublime!
I would say this list is in no particular order, which would be true, but if it was in any particular order then let’s just say Wafu is situated in the perfect spot. This is another one of those “someone has to have told you about it” plac es that you are unlikely to track down if it weren’t for the helpful guidance of this magazine. Wafu Bistro is a heavy hitter on the Whakatū Nelson culinary scene. The restaurant only seats 25 people and has an unwav ering commitment to quality and freshness. Step off the street into the unsuspecting premises on the corner of Hardy and Rutherford Streets to discover a calm oasis of culinary perfection. For your first time, do yourselves a fa vour and park up at the chef’s table to witness a master at work. Oh and don’t go past a crisp clean Asahi to comple ment that sashimi goodness. Truly addictive.
Only locals will resonate with the attractiveness of the idea that when you step into Hawker House (formerly Harry’s), you don’t feel like you’re in Nelson. For those visiting, it’s the sort of place that will stretch your previously held preconceptions of Whakatū Nelson. In a good way: it is the sort of restaurant that wouldn’t be out of place in Auck land’s Britomart or Karangahape Road.
Everyone who goes to Hawker House ends up raving about it. The most passionate review I have ever heard came from Breakfast TV host John Campbell when he was visiting the city. He was stunned to step into the restaurant off a sleepy upper Trafalgar Street to find a place that was absolutely humming with activity on a Thursday night. The menu is designed for sharing and focuses on Asian fusion. The service is always top notch and the wine and beer lists are extensive. I highly recommend a refreshing pale ale and a bowl of chicken hearts to kick things off.
Previously called Cod and Lobster, Mama Cod is no strang er to the Whakatū Nelson hospitality scene. It sits in one of the city’s most iconic locations inside a historic building that has a few stories to tell in its own right.
Proprietors Nick and Kimberly Widley have kept this place
relevant and fun through the ebbs and flows of our local hospitality scene but it was the pandemic that prompted a change from the pre viously more classy setting to something more fun, vibrant, and relaxed with its “tiki bar come epic seafood restaurant” approach that is un derpinned by the country’s largest gin collection and enhanced by a “wink wink nudge nudge” sort of exclusive cocktail bar upstairs.
Oysters and gin cocktails over a long afternoon in the sun is a quintessential Mama Cod experi ence. But don’t miss out on a good evening din ing session either - their seasonal menu packs a lot of punch and their parmesan truffle fries are world famous around here.
Owner Raffaello Sirri is usually straight to the point which is why I find the website descrip tion of Babagatto so fitting: “100% Italian”. Just in case that wasn’t clear, the Facebook page simply reads “Authentic Italian Food”. Despite having many other adjectives for the experience, that actually does sum it up.
But it’s not just the food that rates a mentionthe selection of Italian wines is an adventure for any lover of the vino. But for those of us who frequent this establishment, the part that pulls at your heartstrings every time is the genuine hospitality. Everyone that walks through those doors becomes part of the Babagatto family and a bit like Hotel California, once you check in “you can never leave”. This place will have you coming back for more and more.
Raffaello and Alessandra share a love of Italian food and hospitality that is genuine and made from scratch. New arrivals typically get told “you are in Italy now” and not to expect the bog standard Western interpretations of Italian cuisine. This unassuming restaurant is a culinary gold mine for those who appreciate good honest food and for those wanting the most authentic experience - ditch the menu and tell Raffaello “we are in your hands” for the best of Babagatto.
It would be remiss to not include the kingpin of fine Whakatū Nelson hospitality, Hopgood’s Restaurant, tucked away on Upper Trafalgar Street. Hopgoods is unquestion ably an institution on the city’s hospitality scene. The fine dining and fine wine stand up on their own but it rates a mention that it is also one of the best ways to taste the region as their seasonal and locally focused menu is like a guided experience through the flavours of Nelson Tasman. Originally hailing from London, Kevin is a familiar face around the city and is easily found rummaging around fresh produce at the local markets on a weekly basis. He claims that Hopgoods is all about “simple food done well” which I am sure is true but the depth and complexity of the
dishes shouldn’t be overlooked either. An award-winning and reputable restaurant for a reason.
The Boat Shed is to Whakatū Nelson what the Opera House is to Sydney: the iconic location that comes to mind when you think of a place and its character. The Boat Shed is synonymous with dining out in Whakatū Nelson. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t stayed relevant through the ages, because it really has.
Let’s get the most obvious part out of the way first - there is simply no better place to be in Whakatū Nelson (or probably anywhere else for that matter) on a high tide, clear skies, and sunny afternoon than enjoying a few wines and some fresh seafood on the deck of The Boat Shed.
Period. If you haven’t done it before, you can thank (cont’d)
me later. If you’re a local, you’re welcome for the reminder of the most quintessentially Nelson afternoon imaginable. It’s been a while huh? It’s funny what you ignore on your own doorstep.
The Boat Shed also has a brunch menu of epic standards that is the perfect hangover cure paired with a mimosa. Their dinner menu and wine list make it an obvious choice for those seeking out a bit of evening romance or even wanting to create a memorable family dinner. Hot tip - book in just prior to the sunset and take a digestive eve ning stroll along Rocks Road to cap off the perfect evening.
and is an absolute dream come true on a summer’s day. Park up with an Aperol Spritz on the tables outside on the street and make your way through the menu of delicious Italian delights. Or if you’ve struck a cooler night, park up by the fire with a good red and indulge in the carby good ness on offer.
If you get a chance to decide for yourself, it’s worth top ping the night off with a limoncello but I suspect they have that covered for you. Memorable hospitality and food in an iconic location. You can’t beat that right?
I had a quick squiz at the reviews for Lombardi’s before writing this article and was amused to find the owner described as a “rambunctious Italian”. It’s true that own er-operator Roberto is a feature of the experience and one of my favourite parts of visiting is seeing newcomers taken aback by his more exuberant style of hospitality. Inevitably, the surprise succumbs to delight and laughter that would suggest every customer and Roberto are old friends! The restaurant is ideally located in upper Trafalgar Street
We should note that Hardy St Eatery could have made it on any one of the above lists but we found a home on the sunkissed experiences because their roadside outdoor dining on a nice sunny day is unrivalled. But Hardy St Eatery is a versatile place that works in any conditions and under any circumstances. We know it as the local boardroom for those of us who struggle with the stuffy conditions of an office and prefer the hustle and bustle of a noisy cafe. But it’s also the perfect Saturday brunch spot or even the ideal drop-in for a coffee and a sweet treat. It’s difficult to focus on any favourites from the menu here because they are proudly seasonal and regularly change things up to keep it interest ing. However, a good staple of the menu is their sourdough bread which features in several dishes. My recollection tells me that there is quite a story behind their bread which is an old family recipe and a tribute to their grandmother June. When she passed away, they created a sourdough starter that is still being used in the bread today. Whilst the coffee is really good here, the most dangerous thing is that lunchtime here just screams wine and they al ways seem to be offering a good drop. Whether it’s outside in the sun or tucked up next to the fire, there are few places where it feels more socially acceptable to drink wine during the day. And that speaks to the relaxed and easygoing atmosphere that is so effortlessly shared between staff and punters.
Red16 has been around for a while and may be known to some under its previous alias Rhythm and Brown. It was only recently that I revisited this gem of a place because as city dwellers, we’ve become quite accustomed to the Hardy Street precinct for our drinking and dining needs. This one is tucked away down New Street and is one that can’t be fully understood until you step inside.
Despite being relative newcomers to the place, we were made to feel immediately at home and enjoyed a selection of cocktails, decent wines, and craft beers on tap. There is an elegance to Red16, but it’s also down to earth. It has a casual food menu that people speak highly of but its most redeeming feature is being an ideal spot for a late-night brew and yarns with friends.
This won’t be the first or the last time that I declare my utmost love and admiration for The Free House. It’s an ab solute gem of a place and I rate it as one of the best pubs in the country. It is completely unassuming and draws in the most diverse range of people.
My most fond memories of The Free House are on hot summer days with tunes bellowing out and people enjoy ing picnics on the grass and pints in the sun. The mesmer ising sounds of juicy vinyl selections are only enhanced by the background noise of laughter, conversation, and even the odd K9 standoff. I should be clearer about the vinyl part because a little-known feature of The Free House is that it is home to a record store running out of a small shack on-site, by well-known music commentator and journalist Grant Smithie.
The Free House is the country’s first climate-positive pub and the sustainable ethos permeates across the entire business. They have a newish onsite brewery called the Flavourtorium which produces the freshest brews imagin able celebrating flavours of the region. If they don’t tickle your fancy, then there is an extensive range of beers rotat ed from New Zealand’s best craft breweries.
Arden has a lot going for it and could have made an ap pearance on the “On the Town” and “Sun Kissed Experienc es” list just as easily. But they’re highlighted here because despite having many noteworthy attributes, it is the wine that stands out for me every time. Despite being a regular consumer of wine and having fairly expensive tastes, I am a novice when it comes to wine selection. That’s why I enjoy walking into Arden so much. There are few decisions in life that are as easy as asking Lisa, Logan, or any of their team to make a wine choice for you. They’re total pros and take their booze seriously.
Whether you’re in the courtyard enjoying the last of the evening sun or parked up in the window watching the world go by, Arden is just the perfect spot to unwind and relax. They have a really good selection of natural wines if that’s your jam and seriously good cocktails. Arden only
serves uncompromising fresh cuisine so they don’t always have oysters on offer but when they do, please do not pass up the opportunity to devour their freshly shucked peppery morsels of goodness.
It is without any hesitation that I make the claim that Arden also curates the best cheese menu I have ever expe rienced. Without causing offence, I’ve come to the conclu sion that most cheese platters on offer in New Zealand are pretty darn average. Even some of our more reputable wineries have seemingly spent too long admiring the New World deli department. Arden provides the strongest con trast to those mundane offerings. They’ve never served me anything I didn’t love and interestingly, they’ve never served me a brand I knew or was familiar with either. Just like with their wine - these guys seek out the special stuff and are super fussy on your behalf.
When we take visitors to Kismet, they can hardly believe a place like this exists in Whakatū Nelson. But for those of us who have been around a while, it’s part of the furniture now. Having said that, it never gets old. This place is full of class and has a premium offering that stays relevant and engaging no matter how frequently you decide to visit. They also throw a great party and run regular events like whisky tastings and open mic nights. There is always life at Kismet but equally so, it’s never too much. It’s classy but approachable. It’s beaming with life but subdued all at the same time.
There is a good yarn behind the name Kismet or “kiss me hardy” but we think that’s best left for when you’re parked up at the bar, sipping a dram and chatting with the bartender. While you’re there, ask them to recommend something from their extensive cocktail menu or give you an education on whisky. Kismet is a bit of an all-rounder because it works just as well in the afternoon as it does after midnight. It’s a popular establishment with locals and visitors alike.
I subscribe to the school of thought that suggests most seafood chowders are too thick and too rich. The chowder itself is a wonderful concept and with kaimoana (seafood) in such rich supply here - it’s the perfect Nelson Tasman recipe.
This is a local twist on the Nadia Lim seafood chowder which nails the perfect texture and keeps it simple and fresh. For the best fresh fish, there is a Talley’s fish shop at the marina in Motueka, Guytons in Richmond and Haven Road, or there is a great local fishmonger Harry’s Fish Shop right in central Whakatū Nelson.
• 50g butter
• 2½ cups milk (we recommend Oaklands A2 Milk)
• 2½ cup chicken stock
• ½ cup cream
• 1 leek (white part only - chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 level tablespoons of flour
• Fresh mussels (available at most supermarkets) or other shellfish
• 250g raw prawns
• 250g fish (suggest gurnard or whatever is freshly available)
• 200g smoked fish
• ½ a lemon (juice)
• ¼ cup chives to serve, chopped
Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the leek and garlic with a good pinch of salt for a few minutes or until soft.
Stir in the flour and cook, while stirring continuously, for about 1 minute.
Stir in about ½ cup of the milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps forming. Gradually stir in the rest of the milk, then the stock and cream. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened.
Add seafood (if using mussels, add first and cook for 1-2 minutes before adding other seafood) and continue to simmer for a few minutes or until seafood is just cooked through. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
Ladle into bowls, distributing seafood equally, and garnish with chives. Serve with warm bread.
For the meat lovers and foodies among us, the classic kiwi BBQ can be a daunting experience. It’s an interesting space to specialise in - producing overcooked and chewy meat for friends and family. The great kiwi BBQ holds so much more promise. And below is a list of suggestions for how to take it up a notch using some great local products.
• Head to the Motueka or Nelson Market to visit Do ris, a stalwart of the local market scene offering au thentic German butchery products. We recommend a packet of her unbeatable bratwurst and lebarkase.
• Drop into one of the fishmongers listed on the previous page to secure yourself some fresh fish or prawns to throw into the mix on the BBQ. Seafood on the barbie is underrated and offers a lighter option for those who have tired of the red meat. There is a local artisan producer Mixed Roots from Motueka who do the best fish seasoning - you can find it at the local markets and food stores.
• If you’re passing through Stoke or Richmond, then Heck German Butchery is well worth a visit. Don’t overlook their Debrecziner spicy sausages or for something different, pick up their Zwiebelmettwurst (raw mince dish) and serve on french sticks with thinly sliced onion and salt and pepper.
• Grab yourself some Neudorf Black Garlic (legendary stuff) and toss through pasta with feta, red onion, black olives, and fresh basil. You’ll have a 10-minute pasta salad that will impress everyone.
• Drop into The Junction in Appleby and sort yourself a cheese platter that will be raved about for weeks. They have literally everything you need including the wine. But don’t go past the local favourites - Little River and Thorvald are stunning cheese selections!
• Asparagus is god’s gift to the otherwise mundane BBQ. Coat with olive oil (Neudorf if you’re feeling fancy), season well, and then grill on the BBQ for a few minutes. There is actually a lot you can do with asparagus to spice things up but in the interests of keeping it easy, I suggest grating some lemon zest across the top and some parmesan if you’re really keen. Serve straight off the grill.
We are the home of Rockquest and the World of Wearable Arts (WOW). Both of these products have outgrown the region over time but Whakatū Nelson is in their DNA. Rockquest makes an enormous contribution to the local music scene each year and this year they featured 60 bands from the region in their competition heats. WOW has gone from strength to strength and still has its headquarters in Whakatū Nelson.
The Suter Art Gallery is one of the oldest galleries in New Zealand, with a rich history dating back to the late 19th century. It features a theatre, a really popular cafe, a great gift store, and a gallery space with rotating exhibitions that are truly worth the visit. The Suter is free and situated in the heart of the Queens Gardens, which are also worth a stroll or even a picnic on a nice afternoon.
Just down the road is the Nelson Centre for Musical Arts (NCMA) which is the oldest school of music in the country. I have been told by people who know far more about these things than me that the natural acoustics of the NCMA are “absolutely world-class”. The NCMA has been through a major restoration process, backed by locals, and is now a thriving institution that I, and no doubt many other locals, are immensely proud of.
Nelson Provincial Museum Pupuri Taonga o Te Tai Ao de scribes itself as the kaitiaki (guardian) of social and natural history and Taonga from the Nelson and Tasman regions. It is Aotearoa New Zealand’s oldest museum tracing its origin back to the foundation of the Literary and Scientific Institution of Nelson in May 1841.
In 1878 the Theatre Royal was built on market gardening land by a company of Oddfellows. Nelson, at that time, was a town of just 6,000 people, and 1,000 crammed into the theatre on opening night: A pretty impressive feat! The building closed at the end of 2005 for major restoration works to make the Theatre Royal the grand facility that it is today. A stunning, well-used, and centrally located venue for theatre, music, talks and so many other events. Famous New Zealand actor Mark Hadlow described this to me as “his absolute favourite place to perform ever”. I am told it’s also believed to be the oldest surviving wooden theatre in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Nelson Arts Festival is also the country’s longest-running annual arts festival. Fair to say that it has aged well. The program features national and international acts alongside our strong base of local talent. It draws people from all over the country each October and brings the city alive as we head into the summer season. (cont’d)
“Great Things Start Here” is the rather bold claim that greets visitors at Nelson Airport. But it couldn’t be more true. Whakatū Nelson has a knack for getting things off the ground and when it comes to the maker’s and creator’s space, we’re often out in front.Daniel Allen ‘s stunning work Te Ramaroa, at Light Nelson.
The Nelson Tasman region is home to some really rad street art. And yes I stand by the use of the word rad. There are too many great street and public art features to mention them all but a few of my personal favourites are:
Seal and Squid by Roa Street artist Roa is a muralist from Ghent in Belgium. His work can be found in major cities including London, New York, Berlin, Warsaw, Madrid, Moscow, Los Angeles, Mexi co City, Paris, and yup……Nelson!
His local pieces are adorned on an otherwise exceptionally
boring building on Collingwood Street backing onto Buxton Square Carpark in town. I am guessing they’re not called seal and squid but I wasn’t sure what else to call them. The other key fact about these truly incredible works is that they are MASSIVE. A true giant (in every respect) on the Nelson street art scene.
The Maitai Mahitahi river is of significance to local iwi and if you follow it down towards the marina, you’ll strike the towering taurapa sculpture produced by Ngā Puhi artist Maia Hegglun. The base of the taurapa is made from locally sourced Pakohe (a unique form of argillite) and the taurapa itself stands nine metres high.
The sculpture is lit up at night and makes for an amazing evening stroll in and around the area which is of cultural significance and has many stories to tell. The taurapa pays tribute to exploration and discovery. It represents courage and migration. Take your time with this one.
This is an iconic piece of local street art. The Aotearoa mu ral by Chris Finlayson has been around a long time (that’s my way of admitting I don’t really know how long exactly) and is painted on the old Electricity Department building on the waterfront.
Chris is one of New Zealand’s leading mural artists. His public art projects help raise aware ness of art in the environment, and community culture. His
Above: Nelson’s Theatre Royal. Left: Seal and Squid, Roa. Right: Aotearoa by Chris Finlayson.
Aotearoa piece, alongside many others in the city, has become part of the Whakatū Nelson culture as well. They are all worth a visit but start with Aotearoa - it really is a stunning piece of art.
The Southern Cross sculpture, created in 1992, relates to the constellation that guided Māori and Pākehā sailors and navigators to our shores. It was created by famous local sculptor the late Bruce Mitchell from Tākaka Hill. It was created using seven tonnes of Golden Bay black marble and is now featured in a rather precarious spot right in the centre of Trafalgar Street.
Head further up the Trafalgar to find Victory, another one of his pieces. This one refers to the Battle of Trafalgar and sits in 1903 Square on the former site of the city council. Or head over to Motueka, where there is a Kākā beak sculp ture by Bruce in the main street. This piece was originally headed for Richmond Library but after Bruce passed away suddenly in 2010, his whānau requested it be placed closer to home in Motueka.
I’m coming now to the events scene, and again there are too many to mention or frankly do any of them justice. But there are a few calendar highlights that I think rate a mention.
First up and my personal favourite as someone with Irish heritage and a love of stout, Ceol Aneas Irish Music Festi
val. This little-known annual music festival happens every Queens Birthday Weekend right here in Whakatū Nelson. It really is an absolute gem. Hundreds of passionate mu sicians descend on the city for a cold wintery weekend of music and craic.
They have an impressive program of events and work shops that are worth attending, particularly the Tutors’
Bruce Mitchell working on the Kaka Beak in 2010 at this home on Takaka Hill. Bruce’s heart & soul went into what would be his final masterpiece.possible through exciting collaborations between renowned international artists and leading New Zealand chamber musi cians, in our acoustically acclaimed venues.
And last but by no means least, Te Ramaroa (formerly known as Light Nelson), our bi-annual winter festival celebrating art, technology, community, and the wonder of light. The last Te Ramaroa attracted 50,000 people through town in the dead of winter. It is a magical time for the whole community and is a completely family-friendly event that is super accessible and completely free. Te Ramaroa is set to return in 2023 and will once again trans form the city centre into an outdoor gallery of fantastical light installations.
Recently, I’ve had the great privilege of assisting with the development of a new arts and creativity strat egy for the region. This has been a hugely informative and rewarding journey for me personally - revealing the incredible talent that exists here and uncovering some of the untapped potential to see what is possible as we look to write a new chapter in our arts history.
The result of that work is He Tātai Whetū, a new arts and creativity strategy for Whakatū Nelson, that has a 10-year vision of realising our creative potential together. It paints a picture of a thriving arts and creativity scene in Whakatū Nelson. The Strategy is about looking forward and usher
Concert on the final night. However, it’s no secret that the best of Irish music is experienced through “sessions” held at the pubs. Ceol Aneas is no exception. They go late into the night and the spontaneous sessions are truly remark able. It’s not clear to me how many locals actually know about this festival or that Whakatū Nelson is home to New Zealand’s premiere Irish music event.
Next up is the Adam International Chamber Music Festival which is really in the same category as “does this actually happen in Whakatū Nelson?” Yes, it really does. Every two years we host a 10-day international festival of wonder ful chamber music. The Adam Chamber Music Festival attracts audiences from around the world who enjoy rarely per formed chamber music made
Right: The Lady Warrior, Rinaldy Yunardi, Indonesia
ing in a new transformative era for the arts and creativity. Our city has the ingredients of world-class potential in the arts and this strategy gives effect to that potential.
Some of the highlights of the strategy for me are the de velopment of a focused project ‘Te Tauihutanga’ to restore balance back to the visibility and recognition of Toi Māori and the bi-cultural stories of this place. This project will be a foundation for the region to build off of in ensuring that the footprint of tangata whenua is felt in our public spaces and urban design. It will provide a platform andThe Nelson Smokefree Rockquest.
opportunities for Toi Māori to thrive and promote oppor tunities for Māori artists and creative practitioners. This is something that we heard throughout the strategy as a priority for the whole community.
Another highlight is the commitment to bringing creative tourism back into focus. Whakatū Nelson is already an arts destination, thanks to the hard work and efforts of many in our community. But this particular initiative is about devel oping winter attractions in the arts and creativity domain by focusing on high-quality experiences that are participa tory and educational such as learning to weave, paint, write or sing. Or of taking part in the existing offerings of things like Clay Week and Jewellery Week which have become popular in recent years. This creative tourism focus will draw people here in the winter months, arguably the best time of the year to visit the region.
All of this is to say that whilst Whakatū Nelson already has a lot to be proud of and our history in the arts speaks for itself, there is a new era beginning that builds further upon those strengths. If you’ve made it this far, then I suspect it’s something that really interests you, so please do stay tuned as there are some exciting things in the pipeline.
autumn the seal pups become bolder, braver and more playful, Australian Gannets are plunging into the water to impressive depths...
The cutest of all. Did you know the little blue penguin is also the smallest of its species?
popping out a pup? Come and watch the Kekeno lounge around sunbathing on the rocks.
Guess how fast these gannets can dive? Hint: they’re pros. a.30kmph b. 50kmph c. 80+kmph
Answer: 80+kmph
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.
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.
New Zealand is blessed with beautiful sealife And on the rare once or twice a season visit, the grand Orca will
Our webbed footed friend the Pied Shag nests in trees despite their webbed feet.
Pied shags, also known as pied cormorants, kāruhiruhi, kawau, yellow-faced cormorants and large pied shags, can be spotted along the coast of the Abel Tasman.
They are a large, relatively slim black-and-white shag with white face, black feet, blue eye-rings and yellow facial skin. Their backs, napes and underwings are black which contrasts with their white throats, breasts and bellies.
Pied Shags are native to New Zealand and classed as ‘Nationally Vulnerable’ although there does not seem to have been any coordinated approach to estimating their population. They can be found in three areas of the country; the north of the North Island, here in centre of the country and in the south of the South Island.
They are usually solitary foragers for food, generally in water less than 10m in depth. Their prey includes floun der, mullet, eel, kahawai, trevally and small crustaceans. They can often be seen with their wings outstretched, drying themselves in the sun on rocks, trees or even on the beaches. This drying process is necessary because their feathers are not waterproof so they need to dry themselves to make it easier for them to dive and then stay underwater for around 20 to 30 seconds per dive. After driving for food they become waterlogged hence the funky preening and drying process. They are fast swimmers with a sharp hooked beak which they use to catch their prey.
Pied shags nest mainly in trees along coastal cliffs. Eggs can be laid in all months, with peaks from February to April and also August to October.
Clutch sizes are typically two to five eggs with both sexes sharing in the building of the nest as well as the incubation and feeding of their young. The chicks start flying at around eight weeks of age and remain near their parents to be fed for a further ten weeks.
Sources: https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz and https://www.visitzealandia.com
Sunset, Torrent Bay Estuary.
Te Puna o Riuwaka is of par ticular 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.
The waterfront in Māpua is unbeatable. And the fish and chips from The Smokehouse are as good as it gets.
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.
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!
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!
We recommend the Motueka to Kaiteriteri leg of the trip to maxi mise 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!
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!
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.
The geographical centre of New Zealand just hap pens 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!
Last but certainly not least! Particularly import ant 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.
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.
If 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.
If you’re on a day trip, your gear check list is as follows...
* Shoes or open-toed shoes (we call ‘em jandals)
* Hat
* Sunscreen
* Insect repellent
* Water bottle
* A warmer outer layer and/or a raincoat
If you’re on a multi-day trip that includes overnight stays at camp sites, your gear should include:
* The stuff you’ll be wearing: sturdy shoes or tramping boots, shorts and a t-shirt
* Long pants
* Tramping pack (50-70lt)
* Pack liner (to stop your gear from getting wet if it rains)
Medium size dry bag for sleeping bags & things
Sleeping bag Bowl
Spoon Cup
Camp shoes - jandals - optional
Spare pair of socks
Polypropylene or wool base layer, short or long sleeved Fleece or woollen pullover
Bullet-proof rain jacket
Woolly hat
Sun hat/cap
Gloves/mittens - wool or fleece
Sunglasses - optional
Torch or headlamp
Toiletries
Water bottle - at least 1lt Cooker, fuel and something to light it with Food
Insect repellent
Sunscreen
If you’re not staying in a hut you’ll also need: A sleeping mat (huts have mattresses)
A tent
Carrying a 20kg pack is quite tolerable for most people, although it will tire you out eventually. But if your pack weighs more than that, start taking stuff out! If you haven’t got your own outdoor gear then you can rent gear from the Abel Tasman Centre which is located at the start of the Park, on the Marahau waterfront. They have:
Sleeping bags * Tents
Sleeping mats * Gas cookers
Sandfly Bay, Abel Tasman National Park.
