Air Chats Autumn 2024

Air Chats

with a difference...

largest and most conveniently located hotel on Norfolk Island. It will take just a brief walk to the main shopping township of Burnt Pine and only a short drive to historical Kingston, amazing Emily Bay and the

Set in 5 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, the newly renovated South Pacific Resort is the largest and most conveniently located hotel on Norfolk Island. It will take just a brief walk to the main shopping township of Burnt Pine and only a short drive to historical Kingston, amazing Emily Bay and the Golf Course. The South Pacific Resort is perfect for relaxing and unwinding on your Norfolk Island holiday.

Set in 5 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, the newly renovated South Pacific Resort is the largest and most conveniently located hotel on Norfolk Island. It will take just a brief walk to the main shopping township of Burnt Pine and only a short drive to historical Kingston, amazing Emily Bay and the Golf Course. The South Pacific Resort is perfect for relaxing and unwinding on your Norfolk Island holiday.

Golf Course. The South Pacific Resort is perfect for relaxing and unwinding on your Norfolk Island holiday.

Experience paradise with a difference... www.southpacresort.com.au

www.southpacresort.com.au

www.southpacresort.com.au

Kia ora tātou,

and welcome to the Autumn edition of the Airchats Magazine for 2024.

What a relief to have enjoyed a traditional kiwi summer this year! Fingers crossed some of the lovely summer weather slips further into autumn before we welcome the cooler temperatures.

Moving from summer into autumn is a busy time for the Air Chathams whānau and sees the introduction of our flagship 68-seater ATR-72 aircraft to service the Whanganui to Auckland route in April. A huge step up in capacity for the loyal Whanganui community!

This follows on from the summer aircraft upgrade of the Whakatāne to Auckland service with our 34-seat SAAB 340 and our commitment to our Eastern Bay of Plenty customers – the service is in a trial phase where we are working on the best schedule to introduce the extra capacity.

And to all those that have been dreaming of a special trip to the Chatham Islands or Norfolk Island – now is the time to start putting some real plans down to visit these destinations. Both are very unique and inspire overwhelmingly positive feedback from all those that have visited. If you’re looking for an active holiday taking in rich history and the culture of original island peoples, along with stunning landscapes and wildlife but without the throngs of tourists, then the Chathams or Norfolk Island are the places to be. Jump online and search them out. You won’t be disappointed.

From March this year on the Chathams there is a fantastic array of on-Island themed events for those who love sea-food, nature photography, scientific discoveries or simply stargazing across the universe under dark skies. The Chatham Islands has something for all tastes all year round, so keep an eye out on our social channels for updates and future promotions.

We’re proud to be connecting Kiwis with great holiday destinations and with family and businesses, and also proud that our front-line team know many of our frequent fliers by name and in a few cases have their favourite seat on the plane saved for them before they arrive! We enjoy sharing time and conversation with you all when flying Air Chathams, your family in the sky!

Ka kite anō and safe travels!

Duane Emeny, Chief Operating Officer Air Chathams

Each year Air Chathams carries more than 100,000 passengers around New Zealand, and in each edition of our inflight magazine Air Chats we celebrate the very best of the regions we cover: from art and culture, to business, history and lifestyle, Air Chats tells the stories of the people who make those places great. If you’d like to be a part of Air Chats, get in touch - the team would love to hear from you. marketing@airchathams.co.nz airchathams.co.nz fb.com/airchathams @airchathams

Publisher Plenty Limited - airchats@plenty.co.nz

Editor/KaiwhakatikaTuhinga Andy Taylor - info@plenty.co.nz

Design & Production/Kaiwhakatauira Sarah Lane - design@plenty.co.nz

Advertising Enquiries airchats@plenty.co.nz +64 (0)27 932 5515

Cover image

Kiwiana Illustration by Brent Condon

Air Chats is published by Plenty Limited on behalf of Air Chathams Limited. Copyright 2024 by Plenty Limited. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without the prior consent of the publisher. Advertising statements and editorial opinions expressed in Air Chats do not necessarily reflect the views of Plenty Limited or Air Chathams Limited. ISSN 2624-4179 (print), ISSN 2624-4861 (digital).

04

EVENTS/NEWS

The airline that brings New Zealand together.

07 BEACHED

The Chathams is no stranger to whale strandings - we’re beginning to understand why.

10

CHEERS TO THE COAST

Hit the Kāpiti Coast for some of the country’s best brews!

16

EVOLUTION OF AN INDUSTRY

From boom to bust to a new era for the Chathams fishing industry.

20

HEART OF THE CITY

The talented Mr Anthonie Tonnon on some of his favourite Whanganui hotspots.

40

26 HARBOURSIDE

Ōhope’s little sister - Ōhiwa - has a storied past and a place in many hearts.

32 BON APPETITE!

A Norfolk Island Fish Fry is a window to a culture and a must do on any foodies list.

40 FRANKLY FAB FRANKLIN

Franklin: often overlooked, but really hard to beat for a great family getaway.

46

OUR FLEET

From single engine light aircraft to our turbo-prop planes, we’ve something for every occasion.

48 DESTINATIONS

Air Chathams is New Zealand’s largest privately owned airline, flying to some of New Zealand’s best regional destinations.

AUCKLAND

Events

New Zealand Pasifika Festival

Saturday, 9 and Sunday, 10 March. Western Springs, Auckland. www.facebook.com/PasifikaFestivalAKL

Since it began in 1993, the Pasifika Festival has been celebrating the rich culture of the Pacific peoples who take pride in their identity as Aotearoa New Zealand’s Pasifika community.

Pasifika Festival returns this year bigger, better and brighter to Western Springs Park in 2024 for a celebration of all things Pacific on Saturday 9 March and Sunday 10 March. The iconic festival’s eight villages are set to showcase the best of the 11 Pacific Island nations featured with world-class traditional and contemporary performances, soul food and much, much more.

WHAKATĀNE

Surtees 19th Annual Fishing Competition

Thursday, 7 March, 7pm – Saturday, 9 March, 8pm

Entries are now open for the Surtees 19th Annual Fishing Competition!

This fantastic fishing competition is back in Whakatāne - the Mecca of fishing - on the 8/9th of March 2024. Expect hot weather and some great fishing with mates and family, as well as the chance to hang out and have some cold ones with the Surtees Tribe and win some epic prizes!

For more information go to the Facebook event ‘Surtees 19th Annual Fishing Competition’.

WHANGANUI

Hoop Nation Junior Showcase

Wednesday, 24 – Saturday, 27 April www.hoopnation.basketball

Aotearoa New Zealand’s classic basketball event, HoopNation, gives athletes from all over the country - and even further afield - the opportunity to showcase their talents.

For all you B-Ball fanatics the Junior Showcase is New Zealand’s only Amateur Athletic Union-style event, providing New Zealand athletes with a unique opportunity to play AAU-style ball before playing AAU in the States. So get your game on and let’s hoop!

Whanganui Comedy Gala

Saturday, 8 June www.facebook.com/hellocomedywhanganui

The Whanganui Comedy Gala is back and the Hello Comedy team - who Air Chathams proudly sponsor - have added a Kids Comedy Show alongside the main event!

The Comedy Gala features national, local and regional comedy talent as support to headline acts, so an evening of laughs is guaranteed. The Gala is put on by Hello Comedy, an organisation which regularly holds comedy gigs in Whanganui, and they have some great names on the bill so mark this in your calendar now.

KĀPITI COAST

The Extravaganza Fair! Summer Tour

Saturday, 13 and Sunday, 14 April, 9am till 5pm. Corner Rimu Rd and Kapiti Rd, Paraparaumu

www.facebook.com/theextravaganzafair

The Extravaganza Fair is a communitycentred event with a creative and sustainable focus. It is a family affair, with free entry for kids and gold coin entry for the adults. A fun day out with a full weekend’s entertainment, from music and shows, to stalls, rides and food, all bringing a spark of fun, grassroots shows and old-school values with thrills for young and old.

News

Luxury Le Laperouse cruise liner a spectacular sight off Whakatāne coast

The 92-room luxury liner Le Laperouse, carrying 156 passengers and belonging to French luxury cruise company Ponant, was the first large liner to visit Whakatāne - and the locals rolled out the red carpet!

A tender vessel, accompanied by the Whakatāne Coastguard, brought many of the passengers ashore from the ship, and tourism operators were waiting to entice the visitors onto their tours. American couple Barbara and Stephen Crane, from The Bahamas and Florida, were delighted to visit New Zealand and Whakatāne for the first time.

“It has come highly recommended,” Stephen said. “So many people have said how wonderful it is and how beautiful. We have travelled to a lot of places but neither of us have ever been here,” Barbara said. With Tauranga experiencing a bumper cruise ship season, Whakatāne is open to taking the overflow.

What scientists discovered in Kāpiti: ‘This was no small tsunami’

Scientists have uncovered evidence of a massive tsunami that slammed into the North Island’s west coast some 600 years ago, raising intriguing questions about what might have caused it.

The event, thought to have occurred in the mid-15th century, is among dozens of prehistoric “paleotsunamis” around the country that researchers have documented through ancient geological deposits.

In the latest case, a team of researchers were working on dune systems on the Kāpiti Coast when they found evidence to suggest sand had suddenly and violently been shifted inland at some point in the past.

The Chatham Island Writers Retreat invites international authors to New Zealand again this year!

The Chatham Islands, 800km east of New Zealand, is offering writers around the world the opportunity to find creative focus and tranquillity during its first creative writing programme.

Promising an “ocean of inspiration” for aspiring novelists or those with a project to finish, the island of around 600 inhabitants is the perfect place to put pen to paper! www.chathamislands.co.nz/other-information/events

Call for Auckland Anniversary Day date to be changed

The Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust is calling for Auckland Anniversary Day to be changed to September 18.

The anniversary currently falls on the Monday closest to January 29, and the trust says this date, which was when Governor-General William Hobson first landed in Kororāreka (Russell), has no relevance to Auckland.

On Newsable, the trust’s chair, Marama Royal, said September 18 marks the “true birth” of Auckland. It was the date in 1840 when Ngāti Whātua chief, Āpihai Te Kawau, gifted Hobson the first 3000 acres to establish Auckland as a city.

Beached

Friday, 7 October 2022 brought shock and sadness to many Kiwis as news of a mass whale stranding on Chatham Island hit the media. Soon the story was picked up in Europe and America, largely because of the size of the stranding and the fact that so many whales had died; in all, around 250 had drowned or been euthanised and images of a pristine beach littered with whale carcasses flashed around the world.

And then, sadness turned to shock and bafflement when just three days later a further 250 whales beached on nearby Pitt Island and the same scenes played out a second time. Again, all whales died or were euthanised in an eerie replay of the first stranding. To many it seemed like the grisly intro to an end of the world sci-fi flick.

In reality, the Chatham Islands are no strangers to strandings. The Department of Conservation estimates that in the last 100 years more than 4,000 whales have beached there, including Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest recorded stranding of 1,000 whales in 1918 at Long Beach on Chatham Island.

www.tamzinnz.com

While whale strandings will always be disheartening, we are beginning to have a greater understanding of why they happen. Part of the reason the Chatham Islands seems to feature so heavily in the stranding narrative, says Daren Grover, General Manager of Project Jonah New Zealand, is its geographic location.

While we may feel helpless in the face of whale strandings, there is something that each and everyone of us can do.

“The Chathams have very deep, cold currents running up into shallow, warmer waters that sit on the Chatham Rise and this tends to turbo charge the food chain,” he says. “Phytoplankton thrive in these environments and as they are central to several food webs they will naturally attract larger predators, like whales. So there will be a lot of activity there.”

Project Jonah rose out of the ‘save the whales’ movement in the 1970s, and since then has grown into a champion for the welfare of whales, dolphins and seals, advocating for environmental measures to protect these animals and to educate people about them. They also work alongside the Department of Conservation to assist with strandings, which means for them the Chatham Islands beachings are particularly challenging.

“Whales and dolphins have been stranding throughout recorded history - long before manmade sonar was invented.”

“The remoteness of the Chathams means a response is very difficult,” says Daren, “because you can’t just rustle up a few hundred volunteers when there are only about 700 people there. And of course, once you have a few dead whales in the water there is also going to be a shark presence very, very quickly, so we can’t risk putting people into the water around the whales. As a result, live stranded whales are often euthanised.”

As for why strandings occur, Daren says there is no single cause. “There are many reasons for strandings. Whales have very tight social bonds, meaning when one is sick or old they will come ashore to save energy. The social bonds draw the other members of the pod to shore, accompanying that individual because the ‘safety in numbers’ bond is triggered. Normally they would leave once the sick individual has passed away, but often they are caught out by unfamiliar terrain and tides and end up stranded.

This happened just recently in November 2023 when a pod of whales entered a cove on Kawau Island and one member stranded and passed away before the rest of the pod returned to deeper water.”

There can also be manmade factors at play. “The primary sense for whales and dolphins is hearing, and sound travels four times more effectively through water than air. Evidence from the United States says military sonar can damage the hearing of these mammals, and very loud sounds can also trigger a flee response, meaning they may surface too quickly and just like in humans be effected by ‘the bends’ (nitrogen bubbles forming in their blood) which can lead to injury.

It could also be that feeding and rest cycles are interrupted by these noises, but at this stage we just don’t know for sure.”

“What we do know is that whales and dolphins have been stranding throughout recorded history - long before manmade sonar was invented - so it’s likely that strandings are the result of a variety of causes; disease, illness, injury, a near miss from another predator, and then you have natural factors like being caught out by unfamiliar terrain. Very strong weather fronts can also push whales and dolphins into shallows or unfamiliar coastal waters, and some people believe undersea earthquakes could also be to blame as these would cause extremely loud underwater sound waves.”

While we may feel helpless in the face of whale strandings, there is something that each and everyone of us can do. The Project Jonah website has some great educational resources and as the eyes of the Project you can help by reporting any whales, dolphins or seals that you think may be in trouble directly to them or to the Department of Conservation. We might not be able to save all of the whales, but together we might just save some.

Chatham Islands

Festival of Science

13-18 AUGUST 2024

Join local Chatham Islanders and world-renowned scientists on science-inspired events including talks, field visits and panels discussions. Topics include ecology, weather, geology, and future of the environment.

Speakers include geologist Hamish Campbell (GNS Science) and science historian David Johnston (Massey University).

W: chathamislands.co.nz/other-information/events/

E: Register your interest with Alicia Cui (a.cui1@massey.ac.nz)

Cheers to the Coast

The bright lights and big cities like Wellington and Auckland have always taken the limelight when it comes to hospitality hot spots, but a host of cool young and old watering holes are now putting the Kāpiti Coast on the map! So here are four great reasons to hit the Coast for your next getaway.

Duncan’s Brewing Co.

Owned by George Duncan and Waimatao Familton, Duncan’s Brewing Co., was born in 2014 after an epic 22,000 km road trip circumnavigating the United States, where they drank their way through a multitude of sessionable - and sometimes questionable - beer offerings. For ten years they’ve been putting the fun back into craft brewing and their off-license cellar door has been open and quenching thirsts for the last six.

“We specialise in dessert-style and big fruited beers,” George says. “Sorbet Sours, Ice Cream Sours, Pastry Sours and some classic styles like Lagers, Pilsners and a banging Juniper IPA. We add a lot of fruit to our brews and import our yuzu directly from Honshu in Japan for a really authentic flavour. We’re really just about having fun with beer!”

Just one look at Duncan’s wonderfully wacky label designs confirms that; the work of Dr D Foothead, described as an illustrator, dreamer and hypnotic artist. Duncan’s labels are riots of colour and quirky characters, as much works of art as the tasty brews found within.

“We also have regular popup events at our brewery, with music and food trucks and we hope to open a Tasting Room with an onlicense this year. Speaking of 2024, one of the trends we’re seeing is for beers that are lower in alcohol by volume, and I think that movement has been helped along by the craft beer movement. Initially people wanted big boozy beers, but as more and more have come on board with craft, it has adapted to a different audience. And we’re cool with being a part of that!”

Tuatara

Having been in business for 24 years, Tuatara is one of the elder statesman of craft brewing in NZ - and that kind of longevity is proof that they must be doing something right! Like so many great Kiwi stories Tuatara was started in a shed, in this case in the hills above Waikanae, by Carl Vasta, an engineer with a typical can-do attitude that he applied to brewing his own beer and also building his own equipment. Tuatara has grown steadily since then, packing up the trophy cabinet and moving to a new brewery complete with tap room in Paraparaumu in 2012, before being bought by DB Breweries in 2017.

“We’re one of the founding craft brewers in the country,” says brewery manager Tupu Gregory, “and the company has seen a lot of changes in the industry. For us opening up the tap room in Paraparaumu and being able to serve food and host events, and interact with our customers was a big shift, and it has helped us stay on top of trends. We obviously want to be leading from the front and we’ve had some good success there, particularly with our Tuatara hazy pale ale which has been a real winner for us. We’re still seeing a lot of support for the hazy, but also our Pilsner and IPAs. We also like to keep an eye on things locally and overseas and be willing to experiment - there’s no single secret to success, you just have to give it a go!”

And if you are in Paraparaumu then you really have to give Tuatara’s tap room a go (brewery tours are available if you book in advance). Good honest Kiwi pizzas, a pretty casual atmosphere and a real focus on beer. Which is just as it should be.

North End Brewing Co.

North End Brewing are something a bit different, and really a bit special. Part of a group that came to life in 2013, North End is the brewing arm of a unique initiative that includes the Olde Beach Bakery, who use the brewery’s spent grain to make bread, the Long Beach Tavern at Waikanae Beach, and the Salt and Wood BBQ, adjoined to the brewery and open all day serving American style BBQ to dine in or take away. And as if all that isn’t enough, there is also Salty’s Diner in Paraparaumu and a dedicated gardening team working to ensure that there is as much local produce used as possible. But let’s get back to the beer.

“We specialise in more European style beers than a lot of other craft breweries do,” says head brewer Kieran Haslett-Moore, “a lot of Belgian-style beers, German-style beers and English-style beers, so not as flavoured and wacky as other breweries. And because we have the taverns and eateries we try to make beers that go well at the dining table.”

North End has a really extensive range, and the various facets of the business make for perfect settings to enjoy them! From the Tavern garden bar to the Collective’s BBQ goodness, this is one group effort that is going places.

Kereru Brewing

While not strictly speaking a part of the Kāpiti Coast, Kereru Brewing is just over the hill in Upper Hutt and we’re bending the rules here for a very special reason: Kereru are one of the very, very few brewers who make gluten free beer, which is manna from heaven for the many gluten intolerant or celiac beer drinkers out there. And this is no mere tokenism - they have a great range of delightful tasting gluten free options, including a hazy ale, a dark ale, and a rice lager, in addition to a giddying array of traditional and not-so-traditional tipples like coconut porter, barrel-aged stout, and birch beer soda.

If you want to take your tastebuds for a walk on the wild side, Kereru is the place to be - they have a cellar door at 415A Maidstone Terrace in Upper Hutt that is open Wednesdays to Friday from 2pm to 4pm and Saturdays from 11am to 5pm.

Head brewer and founder Chris Milne came to New Zealand with his wife to work in the film industry - and then stayed on for the food! “What I’ve discovered is that in good times or bad, people like good beer, and I think beer is food. I want to make beer for everybody, which includes the gluten free celiac community, and that has always been an important focus since we started.” It’s a noble calling, and we’ll drink to that.

Evolution of an Industry

Fishing has been a beloved Kiwi pastime for generations and we love our kai moana dearly. For Chatham Islanders, fishing is so much more; it is their lifeblood, a food source and an industry that literally put the Islands on the map and that in some ways helped to define the relationship between the Islands and the mainland. While fishing is important to New Zealand’s economy, it is not essential; the same cannot be said of the Chatham Islands, where it is a mainstay of employment and the foibles of a changing industry have direct impacts on nearly every Chatham Islander.

Given its geographic location 800 kilometres east of New Zealand and close to a subtropical convergence zone that is teeming with sea life, it’s no wonder that fishing has been so prevalent on the Chathams. The Chatham Rise is considered our richest fishery, something that both Moriori and Māori knew only too well, but it was not until the New Zealand government chartered a steam trawler, the Nora Niven, in 1907 to prospect for fishing grounds off the east coast that harvesting sea food on an industrial scale was considered. The Islands had seen a whaling boom, but by the early 1900s that was over and the difficulty in making farming economically viable meant fishing seemed very attractive. By 1910, fish freezing plants had been established and a fleet of small boats began supplying them with blue cod and groper. This fledgling industry would grow steadily until the Great Depression, though even throughout those difficult days fishing continued to sustain the Islands, and by the early 1930s there were 18 boats working their waters.

Looking for somewhere special for a relaxing getaway?

Chatham Island’s Awarakau Lodge is just 8km from Waitangi, with great coastal views from our lounge and dining areas, and the spectacular shoreline just a short walk away. We specialize in small group package tours (max of 12), with expert local guides covering the island’s culture, history and conservation - we’ve been on the island for six generations so we know our way around. So check out our great seven night holiday packages and competitive rates and come on over.

Photo Lesley Whyte

Loading cargo on the wharf at Waitangi, Chatham Islands. Ref: PAColl-0644-2-034. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23111016

But it was not cod or groper that thrust the Chatham Islands fishing industry into overdrive; instead it was crayfish. Known internationally as rock lobster, the ability to export frozen crayfish tails saw global demand skyrocket in the 1950s and 60s. While cod remained the main catch on the Chathams in 1964, by 1968 nearly 6000 tonnes of crayfish was being exported from the Chathams, mostly to the United States; the so-called ‘crayfish boom’ was underway, and it was not to be all plain sailing.

For while the boom brought welcomed income to the Islands, it also brought outsiders who were quick to try and get in on the gold rush and not particularly sympathetic to Island life; for Chatham Islanders, fishing was a livelihood, not a get rich quick scheme. There was also the feeling that while the mainland was happy to access the resources of the Chathams, Wellington was less eager to invest in Chathams infrastructure like roading and wharves.

In historian Michael King and photographer Robin Morrison’s A Land Apart: The Chatham Islands of New Zealand, the author notes that ‘the crayfish boom from the late 1960s until the early 1970s turned out to be the most disruptive, frenetic and dangerous period in the Chatham Islands’ history. It was lucrative too, but ultimately not for the Islanders. In this respect it was a repeat of the experience of the sealing and whaling eras.

This sounds extreme, but the boom was a pivotal period in Chathams history. It is not unheard of for people there to refer to times past as BCBefore Crayfishing.

In the end, the crayfish boom proved to be its own worst enemy. By the early 1970s stocks were beginning to be fished out and environmental concerns were being raised, so much so that quotas and conservation became hotly debated issues in the 1972 general election. Quotas would be introduced, but by then the damage was done and the boom was over. Soon farming would once again take its place as the mainstay of the Chatham Islands’ economy.

The Islands’ fishing industry has embraced more modern, sustainable practices.

Is your land working for you?

Subdivisions & Partitions

Which is not to say that fishing has ceased there. Far from it. Instead, the Islands’ fishing industry has embraced more modern, sustainable practices. The fishers have come up with ways - often above and beyond government regulations - to help the various marine species they catch thrive both today and tomorrow. There are restrictions on catch and size limits, more selective fishing methods so as to avoid catching other species, and reef by reef shellfish management to ensure an accurate picture of fish and shellfish stocks can be determined.

So while it may have been a rocky road for the Chathams Islands fishing industry to get to this point, it’s good to know the fire is in safe hands. And one of the best things is that they deliver to the mainland!

Air Chathams is proud to be a part of this, and has been for decades, with our trusty Convair 580 ZK-CIB carrying passengers and seafood freight from the Islands since the 1980s. These days that precious cargo is carried by our flagship ATR-72, which flies almost 1000 tonnes of seafood off the Chathams every year. Chief Operating Officer Duane Emeny says the seafood industry is an important contributor to the Chathams economy and the family owned and operated airline recognises the importance of connecting the Islands with the mainland and international markets. “We’re the flying Countdown order,” Duane says, “we fly everything. We are the Chatham Islands fishing Industry’s State Highway. And long may it last!”

Boundary Identifications

Planning & Resource Management

Aerial Photography & Farm Mapping

Leases, Easements & Covenants

Chatham Islands and makes regular visits home to assist the community.

We value your unique connection to the land and use local knowledge to enrich it for future generations. You can count on us to realise your project and help you get the most from your land.

Thinking of a project?

Get in touch with a familiar face to see how we can help.

sheldon.mcguire@definition.nz

Taura hono tangata, taura here whenua

When land connects us

www.definition.nz

(L-R) Images from Porridge Watson, Teal Lounge and Sour Bros

Photo by Alanah Brown

Heart of the City K

IWI MUSICIAN ANTHONIE TONNON is probably best known for his acclaimed 2021 album Leave Love Out of This and for being the operator of Whanganui’s much-loved Durie Hill Elevator. But the singer/songwriter is also a passionate advocate of his adopted home of Whanganui, so we asked him to take us on a tour of one of his favourite parts of the cityDrews Avenue.

Small but perfectly formed, Drews Avenue has grown into a vibrant, communal hub that may well just sum up what Whanganui is all about.

“Drews Avenue is like our tiny K’ Road or tiny Cuba Street,” Tonnon says. “It’s quirky and colourful, with a lot of people there who are passionate about the city or - like me - who have recently moved here, and that brings a special energy.”

“Whanganui, like my hometown of Dunedin, was a town that was quite bustling till about the 1920s, and in many ways the urban landscape has stayed in a pre-WW2 form, which means it is very cyclable and walkable, with great heritage buildings. And Whanganui has escaped the tendency to sprawl - it’s still quite centralised, you can walk or cycle or take a bus to anywhere you need to go and I think we should be really making the most of that.”

Photo by Abby Stewart

Which is exactly what Drews Avenue is doing. A spate of renovations and new businesses have made it a model of urban activation - fashionable without pretension, busy without the bustle, just a really great place to be. So what are Anthonie Tonnon’s picks for a day out on Drews?

“Definitely make sure you pay a visit to SourBros Bakery. John the baker there is religious about bread, as are his pastry and pizza chefs. They do fantastic sourdough and eclairs during the day and from Thursday to Saturday they do really great pizza.”

SourBros is also conveniently located directly below Teal Lounge, which is Anthonie’s next recommendation. “I was really surprised when I moved to Auckland that there were not many really small, intimate bars. The fashion in Dunedin had been for those, and I think they make for great spaces, with different interactions, and Teal Lounge is a great example of how to do a cool little bar. It seats only about 15 people, has its own brews on tap direct from the kegs, and also does great cocktails.”

And - wait for it - you can get pizza from SourBros downstairs to take up to Teal Lounge for the perfect marriage of fresh artisan pizza and craft beer. Genius.

Matt Ellingham (left) and John Wilson moved SourBros Bakery and Pizzeria into Drews Avenue around 12 months ago. Photo by Abby Stewart.

Anthonie Tonnon at the Durie Hill Elevator

But if you are visiting Drews Avenue prior to beer-o’clock, fear not. “Article Café is the originator,” Anthonie says. “It’s in the old Whanganui Chronicle building, which is really a treasure, with music studios on the second floor, and creative offices. Owner Jack is a really dedicated barista who trained in Wellington and he takes his coffee very seriously. It was the first place opened on Drews Ave in the ‘rejuvenation era’.”

You can live just like you do in Auckland, with a great city vibe but without all the stresses.

Another Whanganui institution is undoubtedly Porridge Watson. Like the fabled six degrees of separation, everyone and everything in Whanganui seems to be somehow connected to this iconic bar sooner or later. Great nights are had there, cunning plans are hatched there, and you really need to go there.

Teal Lounge

“Porridge Watson is like the nighttime equivalent of Article. It’s a large space and Tony who runs it has done a great job of collecting pinball machines, a shuffle board, and unusual stuff from second hand stores to make it quirky but really well thought out. There is always something weird and wonderful going on, and there is now a cocktail bar called Angry Fox and restaurant called Easy Tiger. Issac who runs Easy Tiger is currently specialising in burgers - he’s an amazing allround chef but something he does really well is a homage to the best fast food imaginable! It’s like the idealised version of the best burger you’ve ever had.”

There is always something weird and wonderful going on.

And for dessert Anthonie? “Frosty Moons ice cream shop is one of the newest additions to Drews Avenue, and it’s something completely different. Things in Whanganui generally aren’t open late, and one of the things I like about Frosty Moons is how brave they have been in challenging that. It requires someone to have a bit of faith and to maybe be a little crazy to push the envelope and open an ice cream shop for the same hours as the neighbouring bar! I wasn’t sure how that would go, but it’s amazing how often you’ll be walking down Drews Avenue on a Sunday night and seeing a family coming in at 10pm to get ice cream!”

“And that’s how a small town becomes a great city. It’s like how Porridge Watson started opening on Monday night, and for a while it was pretty quiet, but now it’s one of the best nights out. And that kind of sums up Whanganui. For someone like me who likes urban things with lots going on, it’s so liveable and affordableyou can live just like you do in Auckland, with a great city vibe but without all the stresses. And that brings more likeminded people here and it just gets better and better - I really recommend coming to see it for yourself.”

And to see it for yourself, start on Drews Avenue.

Porridge Watson

Photos by Alanah Brown

COME AND DISCOVER

The City of Design

WhakatāneŌhope/Ōhiwa

Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau

Harbourside

Ōhiwa, just over the hill from Whakatāne, has often seemed to live in the shadow of its Ōhope neighbour. Voted New Zealand’s Most Loved Beach, Ōhope has miles of pristine sand framed by pōhutukawa-clad hills, and is regularly thronged with visitors and locals; at Ōhiwa meanwhile, you’ll often have the place to yourself.

It wasn’t always this way. For many years Ōhiwa was the star of the show, with a growing population and thriving industry. Māori had long recognised its abundant food sources, and several iwi had fought over who could fish from it. Tauwhare Pā, at the western end of the harbour, was - as one of the oldest pā’s in the area - witness to these battles, as well as being the scene of how the conflicts were brought to a close. Tradition has it that in the 1840s fighting broke out between Ngāti Awa and a Whakatōhea raiding party, but a young Ngāti Awa woman, who had only recently given birth to a child fathered by a Whakatōhea man, decided enough was enough and threatened to dash the child on the rocks unless fighting ceased; taken aback by this bold statement, both sides laid down their arms.

Māori weren’t the only ones to recognise Ōhiwa’s importance however. Pākehā arrived in the 1830s and settlements flourished, buoyed by a shipping boom established in the 1870s which lasted nearly a century. Wharves were built at Ōhiwa and Kutarere to carry the abundance of the harbour and the surrounding Bay of Plenty around the country, and soon these staging posts had grown into sizeable communities. With the establishment of a ferry across the harbour, the Ōhiwa settlement soon had a post office, general store, a growing number of houses, and a hotel; a letter to a Tauranga newspaper in the 1890s touts the lively atmosphere of the hotel and its good food and clean rooms, before noting that its distance from Tauranga ‘means discretion is assured’.

Erosion would soon see the hotel and ultimately the whole settlement slip into the harbour and history forever.

It wasn’t all fun and games though. On Saturday, 10 July 1896, a Mr James Forsyth was found dead in his humble Ōhiwa shack, his head battered in by a hammer. Forsyth had been an artist, much respected by Māori, but less so by his Pākehā peers who viewed anyone without a ‘real job’ as questionable; perhaps worse still was Forsyth’s penchant to show interest in the daughters of some of the local business barons.

Forsyth was a regular at the Hotel but not a heavy drinker and had been in fine spirits, so his death shocked the small town, with The New Zealand Herald reporting the episode under the heading of “The Strange Death of an Artist”. Even more shocking however, was the ruling by local police that Forsyth’s death was, remarkably, a suicide. A modern interpretation of the contemporary evidence carried out by a television documentary in the 1990s found that the wounds to Forsyth were so shallow that they may have been made by a child or woman, but it was very unlikely they were self-inflicted.

His journal, discovered in his shack, contains the motto “Art lives long, life is short” and this would prove to be eerily accurate. Forsyth was just 32 (or 39, no one seems to know) when he died but his art does live on. One of his paintings of Whakatāne, believed to be the earliest colour rendition of the town, can be seen in Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi - the Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre

Let Ohope Beach Motel introduce you to the most beautiful beach in New Zealand

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52 West End Road • Ohope 3121

His journal, discovered in his shack, contains the motto

“Art lives long, life is short” and this would prove to be eerily accurate.

James Forsyth’s depiction of early Whakatāne.

Ōhiwa itself would not out-live Forsyth for long. In 1911 the wharf suddenly subsided, and though repairs were undertaken it was a losing game against the shifting sands of the harbour. Erosion would soon see the hotel and ultimately the whole settlement slip into the harbour and history forever, and as silt began to clog the channels fewer and fewer deep draft ships were calling. While nearby towns like Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki grew, Ōhiwa faded.

Oddly, the same erosion that took Ōhiwa attempted to take Forsyth, as the cemetery where he was buried also fell victim to the fickle sands; his grave, along with many others, was moved and his mortal remains are now lost to time forever.

All that is however, in the past, and Ōhiwa is very much about living in the here and now. On a good day - and they mostly are in Ōhiwa - the harbour rolls lazily in and out, flat and calm, and work and the wider world seem a million miles away. Tauwhare Pā is now a nature reserve, with the terraces still in place, and

you can walk it for the history and outstanding views of the harbour, ocean, and - somewhat more dramatically - a shark spawning ground. There are also excellent walks around the harbour itself, and kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding are popular, as is a new harbour cruise initiative.

The wharf, rather confusingly renamed Port Ōhope to avoid confusion with the old Ōhiwa settlement, is also a must see. Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant offers fine dining as well as great takeaways, and the Mata Brewery popup serves great food and local brews to accompany pizza and burger trucks. But the best part is the theatre that plays out on the wharf itself: the very young and very not so young regularly fish off the wharf, swapping fish tales, and the locals have honed bombing off the wharf to a fine art.

Ōhiwa; it’s literally the other side of Ōhope, it’s a Kiwiana experience you’re hard pressed to find anywhere these days, and it’s alive and kicking and waiting for you.

The wharf, rather confusingly renamed Port Ōhope to avoid confusion with the old Ōhiwa settlement, is also a must see.

Autumn like this?

Appetite! Bon

Images Pinetree Tours

The natural wonders of the world are pretty well represented on Norfolk Island. Stunning scenery, spectacular weather, fantastic flora and fauna.

A

‘nowhere else on earth’ experience.

But while the hand of man hasn’t always been kind to little pieces of paradise like Norfolk, there’s one thing we think humankind can take a great deal of credit for: the famous Norfolk Island Fish Fries.

The ingredients are simple. Great food, fabulous locations, talented entertainment, a stunning sunset, locals who love to play host, and great food.

An Island Fish Fry brings together pretty much all of the aspects of Norfolk Island that make it so special and provides a ‘nowhere else on earth’ experience. They’ve been going for over 40 years, so they must be doing something right, and did we mention the great food?

Norfolk Island cuisine is something like the indigenous language of the Island, a mixture of the European staples and techniques known to the Bounty mutineers and the traditional fare of their Tahitian wives. This mix was brought by their descendants when they moved from Pitcairn Island to Norfolk Island in the 1850s and it has continued to evolve over time. Norfolk had originally been established to be the bread basket for the fledgling settlement of Sydney, and though that concept foundered at the hands of the fickle sea, Norfolk had largely been set up for agriculture, something the new settlers embraced.

This is literally a paddock to plate affair.

The Island’s fertile soils mean there is a real emphasis on fresh seasonal produce that needs very little of the chemicals and pesticides we’ve grown used to here in Aotearoa New Zealand. And those same soils make for fantastic beef farming too, and Norfolk Islanders take their beef pretty seriously. Cows have right of way on the roads and seem to wander pretty freely, which may explain the extremely low speed limits!

But on Norfolk Island the star of the show is seafood. After all, this is a Pacific Island surrounded by an ocean brimming with sea life: there is an anecdotal saying that a ten second rule applies to fishing on Norfolk Island - if the fish don’t bite after ten seconds, then you move the boat! Yellowfin tuna and big kingfish are prized, and wahoo and marlin are also common, as are bonito, skipjack, mackerel and trumpeter, and it is this last variety that is often served at the Fish Fry operated by Pinetree Tours. Similar to grouper or sea bas, trumpeter is a delicious choice, with a subtle nutty and buttery flavour and a flesh that lends itself perfectly to a light batter.

Best of all, making the most of the awesome seafood and produce that Norfolk Island has to offer is relatively guilt-free because this is literally a paddock to plate affair and you can tuck in knowing your carbon footprint is minimal.

At the Pinetree Fish Fry you can expect fresh salads - garden, rice, potato, and pasta - and homemade coconut bread, all topped off with mouth-watering fried fish that will leave you wanting more, and more is best in the form of ‘Pilhi’ (a savoury banana slice), ‘Ana’ (a special sweet potato mash with local herbs), and delicious coconut pie and cream (known locally as ‘Norfolk Gravy’) for dessert.

At this Fry entertainer and Pitcairn local Trent Christian talks you through the various dishes, explaining their origins and ingredients, as well as setting the mood with songs and stories.

There is a clifftop bar to watch the sun go down, and after the feast, sit back and relax as the Baunti Byuutis (that’s Bounty Beauties to us mainlanders) dancing group takes the stage to entertain you with some captivating local performances. Wine and beer are available for purchase, but you can also bring your own if you are particular about your tipple. And if you are not partial to seafood you can preorder chicken instead.

Any trip to Norfolk Island needs to include a trip to Kingston to marvel at the hard won history of the Island, to the dramatic coastlines to see landscapes writ large, and to the tracks and walkways to see the unique plant and wild life, but to remind yourself of the spirit of conviviality and the joy of a shared meal, look no further than the Island Fish Fry.

Trade Winds Country Cottages are huge, spacious and light-filled.

They sleep up to five people. Each bedroom has its own personal ensuite and walk-in-robe. The well-appointed kitchen, living area and bedrooms, all have direct access to a large, north facing, covered verandah. The cottages were built from timber, taken from the old Norfolk Island airport terminal, which has been meticulously repurposed. Each cottage has its individual style and décor, with island art to suit. The cottages look out beyond the gardens to scenic country views. There is ramp access to all cottages, with a disabled friendly bathroom in one cottage available from September 2024.

Trade Winds is the ideal place to escape for that romantic getaway. Or, if you prefer, with four self-contained cottages, each with two huge bedrooms and ensuites, our cottages are perfect for small groups, or extended family holidays. Your welcoming and knowledgeable Trade Winds’ host will greet you at the airport, where the vehicle included in your booking, will also be waiting for you.

Frankly Fab Franklin

With cafés, vineyards, beaches, a farmers market and even a vintage steam railway and lighthouse, Franklin just may be the perfect family fun day out.

Nestled between the Auckland metro area and the Waikato plains, Franklin has often been underrated as a tourism destination and residential choice, which is a shame because it has so much to offer and is so close to the hustle and bustle of the Big Smoke while still retaining a real countryside charm.

In the early colonial days scows linked the area to the city, supplying produce from the fertile farmland, and the scowmen were particularly fond of the Waiuku settlement in Franklin, which they referred to as ‘White City’.

This was probably in reference to the pathways made with crushed shells and the heavy white-out fogs that rolled down from the hills, but it wasn’t these that gave Waiuku a special place in their hearts; instead it was the rowdy hotels and boarding houses that meant there was always something going on in this lively pioneer place! One of these, The Kentish Hotel, still remains and is the oldest continuously licensed pub in New Zealand. It’s also a great place to start or finish your Franklin odyssey.

So close to the hustle and bustle of the Big Smoke while still retaining a real countryside charm.

The scowmen could be forgiven for letting their hair down when on dry land, as Franklin’s coastline was unforgiving and cruel to those that ventured out onto it. In 1863, HMS Orpheus ran aground there, with 189 of its 259 crew perishing, making it our worst maritime disaster and leading to the construction of the Manukau Heads Lighthouse in 1874. The Lighthouse is surely one of the most picturesque in New Zealand and offers stunning views, as well as being situated in native bush replete with west coast flax. It is well worth a visit, in fair weather or foul, to reimagine the days of sail and remember how important shipping was to our nation.

The days of steam are also alive and well in Franklinat the Glenbrook Vintage Railway. Known as New Zealand’s premier vintage rail experience, Glenbrook is in a league of it’s own, with staff dressed in period costume and a variety of ways to explore our railway heritage: take the steam train into Waiuku - you can even opt for the fancy first class experience - where you can spend some time before catching the return service, and the train also makes a stop at the Pukeoware workshops where you can check out the restoration processes of these mighty steam machines. And don’t worry if a visit sparks a serious love affair with vintage rail; Glenbrook organises rail appreciation trips around the country and overseas for likeminded lovers of the golden age of travel.

The Lighthouse is surely one of the most picturesque in New Zealand and offers stunning views.

And while wandering back in time, check out the Waiuku Museum for huge displays of memorabilia and a replica Mainstreet. The Museum is adjacent to the Tamakae Reserve, which is home to several historic buildings, including the old Maioro School and a creamery, as well as the Waiuku Jail!

While the scowman are long gone from Waiuku, there is still always something going on in Franklin. The Clevedon Farmers Market has been going for several years and has built up a loyal following for very good reason. Located in Monument Road, Clevedon, it has all the fresh produce you could want as well as fresh bread, cheese and so much more - it’s a great place to stock up on local produce for your weekly shop as well as gourmet items for something a little special, and ready to eat yumminess like woodfired pizza mean you won’t leave hungry.

Now, some of you are probably still reading because of one word that slipped in way back

in the first sentence; vineyards. Yes Franklin has vineyards, so there is no need to get to Marlborough for a great cellar door experience. John Hill Estate’s restaurant looks out onto the vines and has an extensive menu including local oysters, awesome platters and a signature fish and chips, paired with an extensive selection of their award-winning wines. Another standout for wine lovers is Awhitu Wines, whose Greenock Syrah is worth the trip alone; again, the setting is stunning, and they are open for tastings on weekends and public holidays from 10am to 5pm. Bracu Restaurant, set in New Zealand’s largest olive grove, should also be on the list for wine lovers and gourmands; set in a beautifully restyled kauri villa, there is an allweather verandah for summer and a fireside for the cooler months, but year-round the food is spectacular.

So, with cafés, vineyards, markets - oh and six golf courses to boot! - Franklin is quite frankly fabulous.

Our fleet

Air Chathams has a fleet of 13 aircraft, ranging from single-engine light planes to turboprop passenger aircraft capable of speeds of over 500km/h. With this diverse fleet we can offer everything from scenic flights to charters, passenger services and freight.

ATR 72

Our newest regional airliner

Speed 500 kilometres per hour

Max Altitude 25,000 feet

Pressurised Cabin Yes

No. of Pilots 2

No. of Flight Attendants 2

No. of Seats 68

Inflight Catering Available

Toilet Yes

Saab 340

Our Swedish princess

Speed 470 kilometres per hour

Max Altitude 25,000 feet

Pressurised Cabin Yes

No. of Pilots 2

No. of Flight Attendants 1

No. of Seats 34

Inflight Catering Available

Toilet Yes

Douglas DC-3

Our pride and joy. This remarkable aircraft has certainly ‘been there and done that’.

Speed

240 kilometres per hour

Max Altitude 10,000 feet

Pressurised Cabin No

No. of Pilots 2

No. of Flight Attendants 1

No. of Seats 28

Inflight Catering Available Yes

Cessna 206

The Chatham Islands workhorse

Speed 230 kilometres per hour

Max Altitude 10,000 feet

Pressurised Cabin No

No. of Pilots 1

No. of Flight Attendants 0

No. of Seats 5

Inflight Catering No

Toilet No

Norfolk Island

The airline that brings New Zealand together

Air Chathams is family owned and operated and is New Zealand’s largest privately owned airline, flying to some of the country’s best regional destinations. For more than 35 years we’ve been bringing New Zealand together.

Auckland

Whanganui

Kāpiti Coast

Wellington

Christchurch

Chatham Islands

Whakatāne

Business, adventure, sight-seeing or visiting whanau... whatever the reason, get on board our larger more comfortable SAAB 340 plane, servicing Whakatāne to Auckland daily!