Junction November 2022

NESTLED AMONG THE NIKAUS

10 Clinton Road, Tawharanui Peninsula

Offering a nearly blank canvas on the Matakana Coast, this 857sqm property at Baddeleys Beach offers a waterfront position at fabulous value. The basic cabin is a great starter that lets you enjoy the land from day one and begin your journey planning your next steps at this serene location. The mature Puriri trees and Nikau palms are bursting with birdlife and softly frame the water views with a pathway meandering down to the waterfront below. Set in one of the last spots to enjoy a relaxing Kiwi summer, you can feel your shoulders starting to relax as you make your way down to the bay for your break away. The quiet bay offers safe swimming and tidal boat launching with the Matakana Markets and local vineyards a short drive away when you feel like reconnecting with the world.

Asking Price $900,000

Dahnie Burton 021 628 327 www.bayleys.co.nz/1203216

SIMPLE & RELAXED HOLIDAYS AT BUCKLETON

33 Buckleton Road, Tawharanui Peninsula

Because location is key, securing this entry level bach in desired Buckleton Beach is the ultimate summer starter! Set on 1,088sqm with a beautiful native bush backdrop, this 1980's bach has been well loved and is in near original condition. The generous concrete pad has long housed boats and the additional roadside parking is perfect for the Sealegs with a flat run down to the beach and boat ramp. An easy flat stroll to the beach, this bach is ripe for fresh ideas and development. Offering two bedrooms and a peep of the sea, this property will get you into the bay for Christmas and leave plenty of room to add value and update to suit your tastes and lifestyle. Buckleton Beach is simply beautiful and a perfect illustration of that is how rarely properties come on the market.

Price by Negotiation

Dahnie Burton 021 628 327 www.bayleys.co.nz/1222916

WATERFRONT BACH – MAKE IT YOURS!

12 Clinton Road, Tawharanui Peninsula

Set on the Tawharanui waterfront in one of the last remaining quiet bays in Matakana, this little gem is the perfect summer bolthole. The views are stunning and the generous deck is the ideal spot to relax and take it all in. The waterfront below is a safe tidal cove that has been enjoyed for generations of kayakers, boaties and windsurfers and when the tide goes out the landscape changes; offering space for the kids to crab hunt, explore the rock pools and safely enjoy the day. With two double bedrooms and an updated kitchen, the bach is ready to be enjoyed this summer. A separate rumpus or storage space leaves potential for the extended family to stay and the walkway to the bay below is well formed.

Asking Price $1,400,000

Dahnie Burton 021 628 327 www.bayleys.co.nz/1222967

PARK LIKE & PRIVATE WITH WATER ACCESS

256 Point Wells, Point Wells

Nestled amongst park like grounds, this spacious cedar clad home is set back from the road and offers pedestrian access directly to the sparkling waters of the Whangateau Harbour. With four bedrooms and two bathrooms, this family home is filled with natural light from ample windows and doors leading out to generous, north facing sun drenched decks. The gorgeous gardens and mature orchard on a 4047sqm section (more or less) is the result of nearly 20 years of love and attention by passionate gardeners. This property offers an extremely rare opportunity due to its privacy, land size and direct access to the harbour. A must view!

For Sale by Negotiation

Jodi Sterling 021 457 063 www.bayleys.co.nz/1222970

MATHESON BAY BEACHFRONT DUO – BUY ONE OR BUY BOTH

59 and 61 Grand View Road, Matheson Bay

Anchored on a dramatic coastline just above the beach at Matheson Bay, two modest sea-side houses reveal their secrets. Side by side, and offered singly or together, the beach houses are on separate titles, offering a dual opportunity with both potential and position. Secure a slice of quintessential New Zealand with this rare chance to own such a generous landholding where the immense untamed beauty of the ocean is amplified by kaleidoscope views over sand and reef to the Hauraki Gulf and beyond. Boasting a combined 2,286 square metres of land there is limitless scope to explore. Cherished for the peace and tranquility, astute purchasers will appreciate the unsurpassed location, freehold position, jaw-dropping sea views and direct water access. Matheson Bay is situated on Matakana's northern coastline and the landscape, beauty and water are unparalleled. Ten minutes from Matakana's boutique village and Farmers' Market, close to Leigh, Pakiri, Omaha and Tawharanui and under 80km's north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Tender (unless sold prior)

4pm, Thurs 10 November 2022

41 Queen Street, Warkworth

Kellie Bissett 027 530 6843 www.bayleys.co.nz/1222957

IDYLLIC COUNTRY LIFESTYLE CLOSE TO TOWN

94 Hepburn Creek Road, Warkworth

This idyllic slice of countryside is nestled within a supremely private landscape just five minutes from Warkworth township. The board and batten modern country home has been thoughtfully designed to make the most of its spectacular rural surroundings. 7.30ha of gently contoured land in six paddocks with clusters of mature trees, native bush and natural ponds. An entertaining delight where bi-fold doors connect semi-open plan living spaces to meticulously maintained north facing gardens. Wrap around covered decking, lush lawns and a pergola for the spa all combine to create wonderfully ambient living. There are three big bedrooms, two with ensuites, a generous family bathroom and separate laundry. The loft studio is bursting with potential and an additional paddock with a level platform and its own entrance way offers several value-adding possibilities. There is a three bay barn and for a real country escape, meander the land to a heavenly little cabin discreetly located in a picturesque spot amongst the trees.

This is inarguably a lifestyle worth escaping to that needs to be viewed to truly appreciate the value and beauty.

Auction (unless sold prior)

2pm, Wed 2 November 2022

30 Gaunt St, Bayleys Auction Rooms

Kim Clementson 027 496 4363

Gabrielle Malins 021 201 3014 www.bayleys.co.nz/1203168

Dominey Flores, Luke Williamson, Nikita Oliver Metcalfe, Kate Moore, Emily Raffills,

Community digs in

As part of the annual Mangawhai Environmental Volunteering Day, Northland residents and Bunnings team members from across the region; Whangārei, Kerikeri and Kaikohe and the soon to be opened Manga whai store, came together to help restore and conserve local areas for future preservation. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds were hard at work planting natives, weeding and laying mulch, compost making and clearing rubbish from the local environment.

The volunteer day is an initiative by Sustainable Kaipara. “Together, we are committed to restoring and preserving the unique local environment to ensure it is here for future generations,” says Sarah Bray, Sustainable Kaipara. Belinda Ellis-Hurrell, Area Manager for Bunnings Northland, said, “we’re grateful to Sustainable Kaipara for involving the Bunnings team and we’re looking forward to working with them and other community groups in Mangawhai in the future.”

Bunnings Mangawhai officially opens its doors to the community in November.

www.Bunnings.co.nz | www.SustainableKaipara.org

Floral delight

The annual Warkworth Garden Club Rose & Flower Show is celebrating its 100 year anniversary. A riot of colourful spring roses and flowers are sure to delight. There will also be plant sales and raffles.

Held at the Warkworth Town Hall on Friday 11 November, the show is open to the public between 12pm and 5pm. Admission is $2 (under 16 free).

www.WarkworthGardenClub.co.nz

Drycleaning made easy

Regal’s free pickup and delivery service means it has never been easier to keep your wardrobe and home refreshed. An inhouse Regal driver will be visiting the Warkworth, Matakana and surrounding areas every Friday, and can come direct to your home or workplace. If Friday doesn’t suit, you can drop off your order to Ray White Matakana at any time during the week instead.

New Zealand's only Carbon Zero drycleaner, and voted Auckland’s best drycleaner, Regal can take care of your curtains and bedding, your shoes and handbags, and everything in between.

Deliveries@RegalDrycleaners.co.nz www.RegalDrycleaners.co.nz

Homes with soul

Your home is your sanctuary. A space which is welcoming, relaxing and comfortable, is central to your well-being. Soul Interior Design specialises in creating interiors that look great and feel even better, packed with personality and style. With a recent move to beautiful Matakana, Lucinda McDonald brings years of experience and expertise to her new studio. She is passionate about helping clients create individual and enduring spaces, from renovations and new builds to makeovers, furnishings and fi nishing touches. See more of Soul Interior Design’s work and services via their website and Instagram page.

www.SoulInteriorDesign.co.nz

Fundraising for Nepal

Nature’s Nest Early Learning Centre in Warkworth is excited to have a team member heading to Nepal to help build a school for disadvantaged rural Nepali children. The group of volunteers will construct a junior school using eco-friendly earthbag methods. The team is fundraising for the project and 100% of the funds raised go directly into construction of the school, teacher training and supplying essential classroom resources for the children.

to donate to this worthy cause,

Hayley.

Blush for the win

Earlier this year, Christine Parkinson from Blush Beauty, won the Professional Skin & Beauty New Zealand Jane Iredale Makeup Salon of the Year for 2021.

of the many requirements was to enter a makeup competition showing 'before makeup, light makeup and special occasion makeup'. This was judged anonymously by Jane Iredale US and Christine was thrilled to take out the Salon of the Year title.

Christine has operated her salon in Matakana since before the village as we know it now was built, and has been in the ‘new’ village since day one. It’s extremely hard to get an appointment but Christine is currently running a wait list for those wanting to become clients.

422 9007

Treasured memories

Award-winning photographer, Emma MacDonald, is a memory curator - capturing love, joy and the little moments between the big moments that celebrate you and who you are. She believes that photography allows memories to remain long after time has faded the momentmaking photographs treasured possessions.

Emma has opened a studio in Matakana Country Park, ready to capture your life - from maternity, births, newborn, family and pets to commercial photography.

you want photographs to treasure and your memories

contact Fotographicnz today.

its

Tuesday 18 October on

community its first and only

bringing the

at their

open 7 days, 7am-9pm from 18 October.

owned and operated by Scott and Rachael Henderson, who look forward to welcoming the Mangawhai

Waste no more

On a mission to put food in the mouths of people, not landfills, Auckland’s food rescue charity, Fair Food, is ensuring people in need don’t go hungry.

Words Milly Nolan

Every day, Fair Food drivers collect more than 1000 kilos of fresh food from grocery stores, growers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers across Auckland, that is perfectly good to eat but no longer able to be sold – it could be food at its ”best buy” date or perhaps a bag of apples with a rogue one. The food is then taken to Fair Food's West Auckland "hub" where a crucial part of the operation is the volunteers doing the mahi - they lovingly hand-sort the food into categories; fit to eat, cook or compost.

The good food is then given to a network of around 50 charities who pass it onto people who need it – providing around 15,000 meals to the West Auckland community each week. Wanting to do her bit for both the planet and the community, Point Wells local and lawyer by trade, Melissa Crawford, took on the role of Board Chair of Fair Food New Zealand in 2020. “I instantly loved the fact that Fair Food helps to address two huge issues facing society today - climate change and poverty,” she says.

“In the last two years, not only has Fair Food helped feed the mouths of hungry people, but it has also saved nearly 2,000 tonnes of food ending up in landfill,” says Melissa. As a collective, food rescue organisations in New Zealand saved 10 million kilograms of food from going to waste last year – therefore, having a huge environmental impact. The greenhouse gas emissions from food waste is four times more than the aviation industry and is on par with road transport emis sions globally.

“That’s what

need and crave,” says Melissa. “But we do have

types

such as

and

Harnessing nature

While most 17-year-old boys are unsure of their future, Cailen Rochford has his firmly mapped out - he will win the sailing competition titled the Moth Worlds, held in 2024, and then go on to place at the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. And there’s no doubt that he will do just that.

Words Kate Moore

Cailen has been sailing since he was ten years old when his parents enrolled him in the Basic Principles of Sailing program held at Algies Bay. Cailen is the first to admit that the idea was met with resistance as he thought, "that doesn't sound cool at all.” However, once he was out on the water, it very quickly became apparent that he was a natural at the sport. Once he had learnt all the basics in his fibreglass optimist and started cleaning up in the local racing, he decided to venture further afield. He went

to join fellow races at Lake Pupuke; it was there that he learnt how to lose as he "got absolutely smashed." But he also adapted quickly and showed grit as he continued to show up and work on his craft. His mindset was (and still is) "that if I race good people, it make s me better."

Cailen’s determination paid off as, world champion New Zealand yachtsman, S ir Russell Cout ts spotted the 12-yearold sailing an Open Bic in Manly. The introduction was as comical as it was

memorable because it was captured by a TV1 news crew and broadcast for the whole country to see; the clip "shows Russell driving alongside and yelling at me," Cailen explains. Under Russell's wing, Cailen started racing better sailors at various regattas all over New Zealand and internationally. In 2019, he won Nationals in a 29er with Matias Coutts under Russell's leadership and coaching. This was supposed to lead to Worlds in Italy, however, due to Worldwide lockdowns, Cailen had to say arrivederci to those plans.

Cailen is no stranger to fundraising, and he has set some incredible financial and physical goals to fulfil his future. The next one is to purchase and learn how to sail a Moth, which has a reputation as the most demanding boat to sail. Cailen will then compete and place at the Moth Worlds. Once this goal is ticked off, the "door opens as the Moth is a class that every great sailor is in." The latest fundraising campaign is simple – the boat will be divided into sections, and companies can buy space to display their logo. However, there is only a certain amount of space available, so it is first in, first served! If you would like to have your business prominently displayed for the world to see, or if there is another way you can assist with fulfilling Cailen's goals, please speak with Cailen or his father, T odd, more directly.

CailenRochford@gmail.com

Todd Rochford 021 939 117

Spread good vibes

Words Shannen Frear | Photos Bri Woolnough

Nine years ago this down-to-earth couple picked up their life in Auckland and moved to magical Mangawhai, a community that they and their two boys now call home. Slotting into the town easily, they soon became muchloved members of the community. They value having the beach just down the road and all of the relaxed people who sprinkle kindness around the village. “This is a great destination to bring up our kids,” says Tane. “Everything that we need is right here in Mangawhai.”

The pair are passionate nature lovers and Tane is a surf fanatic. The aim of the movement they have created - called Good Vibes - is to encourage people to get out into the water, while sharing with them tips and tools that they need to feel confident. Whether it’s through surfing, swimming, paddle boarding or fishing - immersing yourself in the ocean and soaking up the sunshine is what Good Vibes is all about. They believe that getting out on the water

allows people to bring awareness into their life as well as their health. It encourages wellbeing and creates an opportunity for new adventures and new friendships. A key message from Good Vibes is to live in the moment and connect with yourself and others through nature and the environment, and then use that to create a change in the world. It’s the old way of living, simply by slowing down.

Alongside sharing the Good Vibes message, the couple has a container set up at their place near the beach in Mangawhai Heads, full of affordable water sports and surf gear as well as Good Vibes merchandise. More recently they have started selling the popular and funky Cool Bike E-bikes - electric bikes with a vintage, retro feel. The couple love that the bikes mean that riders can sustainability cruise around town, meet new people and spread “good vibes” in style.

Whether it’s from meeting interesting travellers, showing people around the

coastline on his stand-up paddle board, or building solid relationships with locals, Tane has some pretty epic tales to tell and his positive way of living attracts an immense amount of abundance. Whether you needing a friend to yarn to, some surfing tips or want to purchase your next water sports toy, Good Vibes is for you. “How you feel inside and how you treat other people, is how the world reflects back to you,” says Tane. “A human being's greatest gift is to help other people realise that we live in a beautiful world. The ripple effect continues on - so spread the good vibes.”

www.instagram.com/GoodVibesMangawhai/ www.facebook.com/GoodVibesMangawhai

‘Good Vibes’ is all about positivity. Positivity out in the water, positivity in the community, and a positive mindset to get out and enjoy your life. The creative Mangawhai locals behind this beautiful movement, Tane and Rachael, wish to bring good intentions and a natural flow to all things in existence.

A playground to remember

A unique collaboration has come together between Auckland Council, Ngati Manuhiri Settlement Trust and the students of Te Kura o Puhinui Warkworth School, in the form of an impressive community playground at Shoesmith Reserve.

It all started with a crumbling playground that was slowly disappearing piece by piece. Students were disappointed and Te Kura o Puhinui Warkworth School was trying to come up with solutions. That’s when Auckland Council’s plans to replace the playground spurred an exciting and educational project for the students of the school.

During 2020’s lockdown, Year 5 students focused their learning on playgrounds; from reading to writing, research and opinions, the school was able to gather real and valid information about what the end users of the playground really wanted. With a couple of strong themes presenting themselves, such as the desire for challenges and opportunities to race one another at the playground, a survey was sent out to Year 3-6 students to capture the voice of many. Auckland Council presented their goals for the playground to students, including a pathway around the entire reserve for better access, as well as denser planting near the road for increased safety. This gave students

the basis to design their ideal playground using an aerial map to show spatial constraints. Students were awarded and acknowledged for their designs for various reasons; including creativity, conceptual understanding and layout.

Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust took into account the children's desire for a New Zealand nature themed play-space and came up with the concept for the playground which references the story of ‘Tāne and the Baskets of Knowledge’. This Māori legend is represented in the playground through a mural of Tāne, and the large insects that are dotted throughout the playground's surface.

All created by Hokimai-Anahera Rosieur, a direct descendant of Ngāti Manuhiri.

The students and teachers embraced the learning opportunities presented by this project. According to Year 5 Lead Teacher, Kirstin Crocome, the most valuable lesson for the children was realising and understanding that they have a voice, and that their opinions do matter. “The work, the learning, the thinking they’d done was all valued and it was listened to, heard and then represented,” says Kirstin.

The result of such a meaningful collaboration is a playground which has been two years in the making and one which has exceeded the

Words Nikita Oliver Metcalfe

students' expectations. You can learn more about the myth of ‘Tāne and the Baskets of Knowledge’ as 180 Year 5 and 6 students perform a play of the story that inspired their incredible playground.

Warkworth School Hall Performance Times: Tuesday 22 November, 6pm Wednesday 23 November, 11am and 6pm Gold coin donation at the door. Shoesmith Reserve, Shoesmith St, Warkworth

Set from the most tranquil oasis in Mangawhai, Infinity Nails has a passion for beautifying your hands and feet and taking you from normal to superb. Focusing on details and working to get the end result you are looking for with no damage to your own nails the aim to get your nails long in the most natural way.

Omaha: 021 648 969 Mangawhai: 09 431 5273

Mural of Māori legend Tāne

Playground design by a Year 5 student at Warkworth School

Surfs up

Words + Images Andrew Hill

Having surfed all over Aotearoa and around the world, NZ Surf Report founder, Andrew Hill, thinks that the Matakana Coast is a real gem with a surprising number of beautiful beaches and great surf. “There is a variety of breaks which pick up different swell and wind angles, which means there is plenty of choices depending on what floats your board,” he says.

Here is a description of these breaks according to Andrew, and the type of conditions which suit:

Tawharanui

This is one of my favourites. With at least three different sandy bays and reefs, there is plenty of choice depending on what the sand is doing. Tawharanui faces north and can provide some shelter when other areas are maxing out. The other benefit is that offshore winds range between South East to West so it’s a great choice if there are str ong southerlies.

Omaha

Another sheltered spot which can be a blessing when conditions get big during cyclones. Omaha picks up easterly swell and is offshore in a North West-West and South West, the break is generally better for learners but can have moments of glory.

Leigh

Leigh is a relatively unknown surf spot and can provide some epic days in the right conditions. There are two reefs located in Leigh which can get pretty heavy and so should be approached with caution. Search north and south of town depending on th e conditions.

Pakiri

Suitable for all surfers, Pakiri is a long stretch of beautiful beach and the shifting sand dictates where the best waves are. Have a look around the river mouth or just go for an explore. Pakiri picks up swell from the North to East and winds are offshore from West to South West.

Te Arai and Forestry

One of my favourite spots which provides the best variety - the southern side of Te Arai is called Forestry. This features a left off the rocks and a fun beach break. It is open to most swell angles and is offshore in South West and West winds, and can provide shelter from the North West too. Over the hill is Te Arai which is a reverse of Forestry with a right hander off the rocks and various fun peaks. Te Arai is a swell magnet and picks up waves from all angles, offshores in a West and South West wind.

Mangawhai

when a northerly cyclone swells there can be waves of 100 to 150m long reeling along the bar. On the other side of the river there can be right handers off Sentinel Rock followed by fun A-Frames at the beach. Mangawhai is a great option for most surfers, however, be careful paddling out to the bar as its further than it looks and there are strong currents. Mangawhai is also a swell magnet and offshores range between West to South West.

Waipu

The final piece of the puzzle, Waipu is a more mellow spot which is suitable for longboarders. Grab an ice cream from the store and pull up in the car park to watch mellow A-Frames. Waipu picks up swell from all angles and is offshore in West to South West winds.

With summer coming up, this coast is sure to light up with fun waves and beach vibes. Stay tuned to NZ Surf Report on Instagram for reports on su rf conditions.

www.instagram.com/NZSurfReport

Holiday planner

CARO WITH LOVE

'CaroWithLove' has stamped its mark on Mangawhai as a destination stop.

This beautifully curated store is a must to visit, on your Summer getaway. A lovely, calm space filled with interiors, homewares, womens fashion, jewellery and babywear.

Caro also offers interior styling and sourcing.

on in and see her on your next visit, you won't be disappointed!

Moir St, Mangawhai |

THE 8.55 TO CAIRO

“The 8.55 to Cairo” is a quirky clothing boutique and perfumery in the heart of Warkworth Village.

Open 7 days a week, and affordably priced. For a unique shopping experience, don’t miss “The 8.55 to Cairo”.

2A Kapanui St, Warkworth 021 129 1611

www.The855ToCairo.co.nz

KIWI BLADE KNIVES

If you are going to venture further afield outdoors this summer, you are going to need a knife that you can rely on; something strong, purpose built and designed to last.

Kiwi Blade Knives can help. They custom-make knives to fit you and your lifestyle, not someone else’s.

in before Christmas to buy something online or to discuss your personal knife needs with Willie directly.

Hunting, outdoor and kitchen knives, they can make them all.

OLLIE'S CAF É

Ollies Café & Grocer brings the best of Levant cuisine to Maungatoroto. Delicious food from the kitchens of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan.

A selection of freshly baked sweet and savoury pastries, bagels, muffins, scones, Levantine traditional baked goods, artisan breads, cooked daily specials and fresh crafted salads that are vegan, vegetarian and gluten free.

141 Hurndall St East, Maungaturoto

09 431 8571

MEAN BRGR

Angus

cut,

weighed and pressed on site daily), free range

sustainably sourced fish, delectable vegetarian and gf/df/keto options, house

sauces and garnishes, custom made artisan brioche buns and biodegradable packaging make for only one thing - MEAN

STAR TREKS

Your next adventure on idyllic Aotea, Great Barrier Island! Hike the highest peak, soak in natural geo-thermal hot springs, stargaze, discover local history, or see the sights. Star Treks guides are passionate about the island and creating authentic travel experiences.

027 387 7950

MANGAWHAI CHALETS

Step into a world of retreat, comfort and relaxation. Offering unique boutique “chalet style” accommodation in Magical Mangawhai.

With three lovely chalets that offer you a wonderful space to relax and refresh. Set in a tranquil garden setting, each chalet is delightfully furnished with superb linen, and tea and coffee making in the room. Close to Magical Mangawhai beach and estuary, the local shops, bars, restaurants and across the road from the golf course.

A guest kitchen/dining chalet so you can be self-catering if needed

MARTINS BAY HOLIDAY PARK

Located

the edge of the ocean, with Kawau Island

the sparkling Hauraki Gulf at your doorstep, this

spot is nestled into a sheltered bay

Park.

occupied here, including kayak and paddle board hire, fishing, bushwalking, children’s play areas and a safe swimming beach with a floating pontoon. Join in some of the holiday activities run by the park or just dig your toes in the sand and relax. An all-tide boat ramp and a fully secure boat parking area are available.

ONE TWENTY SIX

Staying at OnetwentysixOmaha Glamping will feel like you've escaped the rat race for a while!

Set in a private garden and close to Omaha and Matakana, sleeps up to six between the delightful Lotus Belle tent and cabin.

Relax@OneTwentySix.co.nz www.OneTwentySix.co.nz

TI POINT REPTILE PARK

Displaying the country's largest collection, Ti Point Reptile Park is New Zealand's only Zoo specialising in reptiles. You will find native and exotic lizards, turtles, tortoises, alligators, Tuatara, iguanas, monitors and tarantula spiders. Take a picnic and enjoy the sea views, bush walk and coastal setting.

Open daily from 10am-5pm. Last admission 4.30pm.

27 Ti Point Rd, Leigh | 09 422 6021 www.ReptilePark.co.nz

PAKIRI BEACH HOLIDAY PARK

Enjoy Summer along the pristine white sands of Pakiri Beach and stay at Pakiri Beach Holiday Park, just 90 minutes North of Auckland. There is a variety of accommodation types to suit the whole family. From the beautiful Beachfront accommodation overlooking the South Pacific Ocean to spacious Family Cabins with all the amenities you need and classic kiwi camping. With fun filled activities such as kayaks, surf boards and jumping pillow, there is something for everyone.

09 422 6199 | Info@PakiriHolidayPark.co.nz

CHARLIES GELATO

At Charlies they scoop their very own award-winning small batch gelato and sorbetto.

With 40 different flavours on offer each day, your only problem at Charlies is making a decision!

The kids can roam in the garden and secret playground area, while you check out their pantry store, which stocks local and international artisan food and kitchenware.

www.CharliesGelato.co.nz |

Goat Island and the bustle of Matakana.

559 Leigh Road, Whangateau www.WhangateauHolidayPark.co.nz

Staying swim safe

No matter how you are feeling mentally or physically - whether you are scared or scarred, sick or sad - swimming in the open ocean always leaves you feeling incredible. And it’s free. But there are some risks. Here are some guidelines to keep swimmers safe this summer.

Words Kaye Mueller Photo www.benthics.com

Plan your swim

Most open water swimming is done without lifeguards around. Tell someone where you’re swimming, or better still, swim with a buddy or join a local swim group such as Leigh Swimmers (they can be found on Facebook). There’s safety in numbers and swimming with a pod taps into local knowledge of safe spots to swim. Plus there’s the added bonus of being part of a supportive community, sharing tips and cheering each other on. Make it a shared excursion and ask a friend to paddle ne xt to you.

Aim to swim 90 minutes either side of high or low tide when the tidal currents are weaker. Check wind and swell conditions on apps

such as ‘Windy’. Know your entry and exit points and have access to a beach or a boat if you need to get o ut early.

The website www.SafeSwim.org.nz shows water quality and swimming conditions at your favourite beaches. Boats and jetskis are particularly scary for swimmers so avoid boat ramps and areas with lots of c raft activity.

Be visible

For visibility, wear a brightly coloured swim cap. Inflatable tow floats can be spotted from afar and are great to rest on. Some floats have a dry compartment to stow small items. Consider carrying a mobile phone inside a waterproof pouch or a personal loca tor beacon.

Know your limits

Around our region, ocean temperatures range from 13 to 22 degrees. Consider investing in a swimming wetsuit. Blue70 is a popular Kiwi brand. They’re designed with more flexibility around the shoulders and provide warmth and buoyancy.

It’s great to challenge yourself but don’t think you can fight the power of the ocean. Take your time getting in the water and allow your body to acclimatise. Start slow, relax into the stroke and find your natural rhythm. Identify a landmark and look up every ten strokes to make sure you’re still on course. Build up distance slowly and steadily.

In choppy conditions, breathing on both sides helps avoid swallowing water or getting

slapped in the face by the chop. If you get cold, or feel yourself becoming tired, your core temperature might be dropping. It’s better to get out while you still have energy than exhaust yourself trying to push too hard or too far.

After the swim

Put on dry layers, pop on a beanie and socks, and warm yourself from the inside out with a hot drink.

And then savour the delicious exhilaration of having just swum in the ocean. Be warned though, it’s addictive. No one gets out of the water grumpy!

Leigh Swimmers meet regularly on Tuesdays and Fridays (and most other days) at Matheson Bay 9am.

Facebook @Leigh Swimmers

If you’re keen to try ocean swimming and need to build confidence and stamina, book a one-on-one session with Kaye Mueller at Yogi Fish.

www.YogiFish.nz/Toe-Dippers

Boating safety

Summer is just around the corner, and with the warmer weather, there is one thing Paul from Kawau Coastguard knows, and that is that from the start of November through to the end of Easter, he and his team will be busy out on the water assisting those in need.

Words Kate Moore

Paul’s one piece of advice for anyone planning on venturing out on the briny blue is simple - “don’t assume anything,” he says. “The sea can be very unpredictable, and the more you plan for things to go wrong, the better off you will be. Then we can concentrate on the more serious rescues.”

Top tips for a safe summer

• Wear life jackets at all times when on the water. Kawau Coastguard fished five fishermen out of the water in February; they only survived the capsizing because they wore lifejackets. Make sure there are enough on the boat, and they are close by if you don’t have them on.

• Try to take two forms of communication. Cell phones are only person to person; a marine radio tells everyone in the area if you have an issue. Use channel 16 or channel 60 if you have a mayday. For an issue that requires a Coastguard, channel 60 works fine in this area.

• If you want to communicate boat-toboat, use channel 6 or 8. You can hail the other boat on 16 or 60 but then go straight to one of the boat-to-boat channels. Don’t tie up channel 16 or 60.

• Weather changes quickly so take spare clothing/waterproofs. Be aware of changing conditions.

• Check the weather apps. The Met Service Marine forecast also has tide times which is helpful.

• Take food and water. Ensure you have enough in case you are out longer than expected.

• Check the batteries in torches, handheld VHF and GPS units. Check the terminals on your engine batteries. Dirty terminals may mean the batteries don’t charge as well. Electricity often lets people down at sea.

• If you have a portable battery jump pack, then take it. You might use it, or you may need it to help someone else.

• Check your fuel is okay and topped up. Kawau Coastguards often go to boats with no fuel, twostroke oil or hydraulic fluid.

• Call the Coastguard if you get into trouble; that is what they are there for. You might feel embarrassed, but they would’ve seen worse. Better to call than get into a more dangerous situation.

• Take care in the dark. If coming back late, know where you are.

• Get a Coastguard membership.

Kawau Coastguards will be fundraising this summer to purchase another bigger boat so please support them as you never know when you may need them!

021 390 965

Beachside hideaway

Lovingly named the

Words Nikita Oliver Metcalfe

Photos Emily Raffills - Point and Shoot Ltd

Situated opposite farmland and bush - both of which keep the magic of the sea a secret behind them - sits an unassuming black house with more to reveal than meets the eye. Starting with a clear interior vision of concrete flooring, subway tiles, plywood and lots of greenery, Joss and Matty Condin have stayed true to their original design scheme. The juxtaposition of these elements has come together to create spaces that are warm and inviting, yet modern and edgy throughout their family home.

Upon entry, a selection of Balinese woven bags are displayed on hexagonal wooden hooks, creating a functional art display. “The bags get used all the time,” says Joss. The polished concrete flooring is striking, plain with a touch of grey tint, creating a true industrial look which has worn well with age. White subway tiles create a fresh and simple backdrop in the kitchen and bathrooms. Softened by a jute rug and velvet green couch, the living space is filled with a combination of real and faux plants dotted

in clusters around the room. The outside is truly brought indoors with a green feature wall next to the kitchen that suspends an array of plants from a metal grid. The final component which brings it all together is the plywood cupboards in the kitchen that also flow throughout the house to the bathroom cabinets, bedroom wardrobe doors, and a four panel sliding door which lines the hallway, concealing a huge storage space. Hanging proudly in one corner is a cane egg chair which has a story of its own. After

admiring the chair and being gifted it for their wedding, Joss and Matty have moved it from house-to-house with them for the last 15 years. Not one, but three location options were planned for the chair during the design stage of the house - including a spot outside and two in the living room. It is a cherished piece with special memories for Joss and it remains her favourite spot to sit in the house…wherever it’s located!

Outside the greenery continues, exploding against the black backdrop of the house.

Full service residential interior design services for home upgrades, renovations and new builds. Board & Batten Design specialise in custom, quality and individual design solutions tailored to suit you.

Featuring lots of natives and grasses, the couple have worked to replicate the bush across the road as closely as possible while creating a private oasis of their own. Matty’s impressive handiwork is on full display with landscaping that creates a multitude of outdoor spaces. A private deck off the master bedroom is tucked away behind walls of Jasmine which fills the air with its scent during summer. A wooden deck, covered by black louvres leads to the concrete outdoor fireplace, pressed with wood panelling to make it a true masterpiece. Beside the main deck a multi-purpose space houses an outdoor lounge setting which is perfect in winter, while an above ground pool takes its place in summer.

Catering to the family's love of the outdoors and beach activities, there is a hot shower and bath that can be closed off on both sides for full privacy when required. The couple's desire to be eco conscious and more self-sufficient is presented in the form of solar panels, as well as Joss’s beloved vege garden which is kept green using an irrigation system connected to the outside bathroom. A feeder to attract Tui’s and the distinctive call of Moreporks completes the tropical oasis which is truly an extension of this modern and functional family home.

To book, visit www.airbnb.co.nz and find this property titled 'Modern Beachside Property' under Algies Bay.

Cato Builders 027 496 9247 www.AirBnB.co.nz

Hurricane lizards and plastic squid

Local award-winning artist, Louise McRae, has it all figured out. Start with an arresting title for your exhibition. Check. Make it creative, with visual humour and a sense of the extraordinary too. Done. Have it supported by a strong intellectual armature of ideas. Yes. And of course, make the work visually compelling - approaching the numinous and the mysterious also. Absolutely.

Words Alex Stone

Louise’s new exhibition ‘Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid’ will be opening at WRW & Co. Showroom, on Saturday 12 November and will run until Thursday 27 November.

But first a word from the artist herself: “my young life was spent on isolated land on the Kaipara Harbour riding the coast with the birds imagining my world. Years later art found me. I became interested in material, how it operates, and the moment it fails.”

Art more than found Louise - she added to her innate abilities with a masters degree in Fine Arts from the Whitecliffe College i n Auckland.

From an essay supporting her new exhibition, by Claire Ulenberg, “Louise McRae has a fluid art and spatial sculpture practice

encompassing many areas of the material world. An alchemist of materials, she transforms one form into another unexpected form, bringing a sense of wonder, intrigue, and hope. In her work, Louise McRae investigates our relationship to the o bject world.”

Claire is a curator specialising in the great artists of New Zealand’s future. She knows her stuff, having worked at the Venice Biennale (the world’s premier art show), once for the Australian Pavilion and next for the New Zealand presence as a curator of public sculpture and outdoor exhibitions, and as the Art Manager at the renowned Sculpture on the Gulf exhibition on Waiheke Island earlier this year.

Louise’s exhibition title is borrowed from a book by conservation biologist Thor Hanson, ‘Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid: The Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Clim ate Change.’

Claire notes, “when McRae wrote to Hanson, seeking permission to use his title and enclosed images of her work he responded “gorgeous; fascinating at first glance and inviting closer scrutiny, much like the stories I was trying to convey in the book.” Aha! Further endorsement of the value of this work.

Claire goes on further in her essay, approaching the unexpected in Louise’s works: “there is an element of punk in McRae’s practice arising from her irreverence for what materials are supposed to do and

a revolt from classical sculpture. She makes material matter evolve...in defiance of what is expected, much in the way the Surrealist artists challenged reason and arranged found objects in bizarre combinations, McRae creates tensions between materials. Encountering the work elicits a physical and emotional response, far from one-dimensional (both in form and in content) and instead, it recalls unconscious sensations and se nsual pleasures.”

But enough of the complex art talk. Like all exhibitions, this one is best simply experienced. So do go and check it out at the WRW & Co. Showroom, 661 Matakana Road.

All the while remembering Claire’s pertinent closing comment about Louise’s work here: “the hurricane lizards and the plastic squid are adapting to a new order, McRae is challenging us, are we up to the ultimatum: can we evolve and adapt to an environment constantly in flux?”

www.facebook.com/LouiseMcRaeArtist

EXPERIENCED WEDDING CELEBRANT & MASTER OF CEREMONIES

abstraction

When it comes to complimenting artist Tim Jones’ paintings, the best accolade he can receive is that his art evokes a shift of emotion in the viewer.

Words Milly Nolan

“I want the viewer to feel something,” says Tim. “I want them to find whatever they want in a piece. I like to think of my work as posing a question rather than giving a definitive answer. Whether they're standing there looking at it in the morning with a cup of coffee, or with a wine in the evening, they will have different emotions and keep seeing different things. That’s the ultimate goal I want to achieve in my paintings,” he says.

Over the twenty years that London-born Tim has been painting and exhibiting around the world, he has moved further away from any kind of realism and more towards abstract expressionism. “For me, the process is as important as the end result. When painting a new work, I am exploring the possibilities and searching for my own answers within each piece. There is almost a rhythm to the work, both in the way I move physically and how I create movement within the paint. My aim is to trust the process and paint something that has never been seen before - something truly unique,” he says.

Having spent over a decade working on superyachts and diving charters, Tim has always had an affiliation with the sea which alongside his love for surfing and diving can be seen in his paintings which consistently display a tempestuous kind of movement - his bold and abstract paintwork reminiscent of the power and strength of the ocean. Travel has also always been a huge influence on Tim’s work, with over 60 countries stamped in his passport and having lived in six

different countries. “When you travel, you are constantly soaking it all up – the culture, the atmosphere, the people and the sights,” says Tim. “It kind of saturates your memory bank. Travel and my experiences on the ocean all amalgamate when I start painting. I don’t want to be limited by having a particular reference, subject or object to my paintings. For me, it’s more about beginning with a feeling and painting from there.”

Recently leaving Auckland to set up home in the greener pastures of Matakana with his wife Marique and two young children, Tim is feeling focused on the next chapter of his art career. “Moving has given me a new lease on life and a shift in perspective. I’ve

got exactly what I need and I’m in the right head space to create - I don’t have anything holding me back.” Refurbishing an old barn on their property into a studio has also given Tim a newfound freedom of being able to paint whenever he likes – family duties permitting. “While I did have my own studio in the city, I now have a large space right on my doorstep, surrounded by the lush landscapes of Matakana. I love to paint big, so I am excited to get to work on larger pieces now that I have more space.”

A release of Tim’s new work will be available at Parnell Gallery, Auckland from 3 November.

www.instagram.com/TimJonesArt www.ParnellGallery.co.nz

Miller Way, Mahurangi East

Sandpiper

Point Wells

Tio

Golden days

a

in a

that sets your soul on

Photos Christina Schmidt Styling Shannen Frear

THE THRILL RENTAL

Accounting for the locals

Sometimes using a 22-year local to solve your financial requirements can be useful.

Locals know the area and understand local business and its unique requirements. It's an unprecedented time of overly complex legislation and compliance. Our job is to simplify this for you.

The banks and government are demanding so much more from small businesses. With 17 years of running Accounting practices in the area, Darren and his team of eight staff enjoy solving your problems for you and producing a customised solution that works for your individual needs.

Watching the changes here over the past 22 years and the struggles small businesses face has meant a constant need to adapt and be flexible for what people need. There is no “one size fits all for business assistance”. With experience in Corporate, Property, IRD,

Hospitality, Trades, valuation, and software implementation the team at Middleton Holland can solve mo st things.

As a Point Wells local Darren is happy to visit you. Contact Darren and the team for a complimentary consultation.

Being this close to Christmas is not a problem if you need something sorted ri ght now.

www.middletonholland.co.nz 09 415 2334 (ext 201) | 021 755 696

Helen Powell: 021 644 234 helen.powell@trinitynetwork.co.nz

Mike Scott: 021 463 224 mike.scott@trinitynetwork.co.nz

Te Arai 140 Te Arai Point Road

Nga Whetu Creations

Sandy Davies is constantly working on projects – tukutuku panels, tie-dyed clothing, Maori art, poi, paintings, feather mirrors, kawakawa body-butter, jewellery and more.

Words Luke Williamson

“I’m always thinking about what I can make out of things I see, like a simple shell on the beach,” Sandy Davies tells Junction Magazine. “Everything I make is rewarding to me because I have a vision and then I put that vision into action.”

Sandy and her daughter started Ngā Whetū Creations around eight years ago and she is perhaps most well-known for her beautiful korowai. “A lot of ideas come to me while I’m sleeping and I call it “the tūpuna’s calling”,” says Sandy. “I might get up at 1am and start work while the idea is still fresh in my mind.”

Sandy was introduced to weaving by a kuia at Te Hāpua, in the Far North. “She said, “I’m going to teach you this because I can see you’re going to be the one to carry it on.” And I did carry it on, and on…,” laughs Sandy.

Even though she is Pākehā, Māori culture is where Sandy feels most at home. “I connect with it very strongly and I feel reborn. I told a kuia that I didn’t know what my purpose is in life, because I’ve had a really rough life, and she told me it was to remind people about aroha. A korowai is a cloak of aroha.”

The patterns and the colours in Sandy’s korowai tell a story. “When someone places an order, I have a kōrero with them about where they’ve come from and where they’re going, and I put that into the korowai,” she

explains. “When I make it, I can’t let any of my stress go into the korowai so I always ask the tūpuna for cleansing and guidance before I start, and I do that every time.”

The korowai can be made many different ways, but a completely handmade item might take years rather than weeks or months.

“Affordability is very important to me,” says Sandy, “so there are ways of saving time and money, and still making people happy.”

The best place to see a broad selection of Sandy’s work is at the Owl Community Arts Hub at Wellsford. A selection of her korowai can also be found at Unity in Matakana. Sandy also makes an appearance at the Warkworth, Wellsford and One Tree Point markets. However, most of her korowai are sold on commission through personal contact (see below).

Always busy, Sandy is hoping to start a Sunday afternoon market outside the Owl Community Arts Hub on the second Sunday of every month. Her other long-held dream is to open an art gallery in Kaiwaka. “I would love to make that happen. We’ve got so many great artists in Kaiwaka and we need a gallery,” says Sandy. That’s my dream and I’ll keep trying to find the right place.”

www.facebook.com/NgaWhetuCreations NgaWhetuCreations@gmail.com

A kids world

After Warkworth local, Cherise Moore, had her second child, she began the futile search to find play equipment that would not only be good for her children's development, but also enrich their sensory skills and encourage imaginative play.

Words Kate Moore

Being design-conscious, Cherise also wanted the items to work with existing decor, be easy to clean and high-quality. Sounds simple right? The search proved fruitless in New Zealand, so Cherise decided to start her own business; because if she was looking for such things, there were bound to be other mums out there also hunting. In 2020, The Playtime Store was born and is now the leading (and original) ball pit and soft play store in New Zealand and Australia.

The Playtime Store now boasts 19 different on-trend items, with the range set to grow this summer with the addition of paddling pools. The paddling pools have been exclusively designed in-house - like all of the products on offer. But, these are even more special as they have been

created to celebrate their new branding using the specific co lour palette.

The beauty of every product The Playtime Store offers is that they spark children's imagination, and there are multiple ways to use them – the sky's the limit. Most products can be played with from newborn (with parent supervision) to around eight years old – some of the products (such as the Play Couch) can even be enjoyed by adults!

While the Soft Play sets, the Castle and the Step and Slide are Cherise's favourite items in the product range, the Ball Pits are consistently the number one selling product. Handmade in Europe, they come in eight different colours – including a limited edition and very on trend boucle

fabric. The Ball Pit is completed with 200 beautiful shiny plastic balls in aesthetically pleasing colours to complement the pits. Like all of the products in the range, the Ball Pit covers are washable and can easily be removed and then slipped back on –or you can purchase additional covers to mix and match to your he art's content.

The Playtime Store is a small family-owned business that wishes to provide children of all ages opportunities to play where the only limit is their imagination. Each product has been hand-picked and will fill your home with not just laughter but also aesthetically pleasing play equipment. www.instagram.com/ThePlaytimeStore_ www.ThePlaytimeStore.co.nz

Asset protection. Do you need a trust?

The protection

person

of another for the

of the beneficiaries.

However, not everyone needs a

of

so ensuring

including

are up to

Contact

of

CRAFTED LEGAL ADVICE

PEACE

years

Beer sent with

Heidi and Martyn Crockett, with their two young children in tow,

Warkworth

Heidi was more than happy to leave behind the corporate world where she managed large call centres for 22 years. When finding a business to purchase, it was important to Heidi to find something that her husband also wanted to be a part of, and then along came Colab Brewing which also put her dusty chemistry degree to use.

It is true the way to her husband’s heart is beer! Heidi is the brewer and runs the day-to-day business, whereas for Martyn the plant automation and process is a good fit while he still works full time in his role as an Electrical Sales Engineer.

Realising that there are great craft beer brewers locally, the couple wanted to find an answer to the question “why buy from us”, as well as come up with an idea of how they could do things differently to other established brands. A few beers later “Say it with Beers” w as conceptualised.

“Say it with Beers” allows users to personalise their beer can label. Receiving great tasting craft beer cans with their own face/logo or message on it is a perfect gift for the person with everything. Being the first to market with this concept has meant a year of planning and designing, but Colab Brewing are ecstatic to have just finished putting this idea into production. Their website editing software allows users to upload pictures from Facebook, Instagram, your phone or computer, and then add a personal message. Alternatively you can design labels in your favourite graphics software and upload it to th e website.

Colab Brewing upgraded their three existing 300L fermenters and replaced them with six larger 1000L fermenters and a new automated brew house. Five 25,000L rainwater tanks for brewing, 9.6kW of solar power and Martyn’s redesign of the brewhouse system reduced power consumption, while at the same time Conveyors, Digital Label Printer, an inline label applicator and importantly a Zanz Canning Machine were added to the mix. The New Zealand designed Zanz Canning Machine - built around the corner in Matakana - is a game changer, allowing users to can any type and size of beverage perfectly every time, no experience needed.

Gone are the problems for corporates on what to send their suppliers for Christmas. Father’s Day, Christmas and birthday presents are just the beginning. The personalised configuration allows for runs as small as a dozen cans at a time to be ordered. Should the need arise, there is also a facility in the shopping cart to send 12 packs of Colab Beer to multiple addresses in the same transaction.

www.SayitwithBeers.co.nz

craft brewery; Colab Brewing.

Ain't no party like a Vegvan party

Words Emily Pattullo

Owner of Vegvan, Victoria Schuller, wanted to create a vegan menu that wouldn’t scare meat lovers away, so she came up with the idea of a vegan burger bar. “When you eat the burgers you wouldn’t know you’re missing out on anything,” she insists. “People won’t guess they are plant based, I think people will be surprised how delicious a vegan burger can be.”

Victoria’s vegan journey started around social justice for the treatment of animals - she says that once you know what goes on it’s very hard to “un-know” it. However, she found that trying to get other people to pay attention to how their food gets to their plate, or what it actually contains isn’t easy. Victoria has now realised a soft approach works better and the

best way is to show people how good plantbased food can actually be.

Having lived for the best part of ten years in Amsterdam, where she did plant-based food training, Victoria learned from the best.

“They are ahead of the game in Europe with meat alternatives, so being around that was inspiring,” says Victoria. “If I want to eat a burger I don’t want a soft kumera and bean patty. I want the sensation of biting into an actual burger.”

Victoria works with kiwi plant-based innovators and uses their products for meat and dairy alternatives. “Food trucks are very much part of the kiwi culture. It creates a very relaxed environment; go to the beach, go to the markets, chill out, sit on the grass and come

together. I like that - it’s something you can enjoy as a whole family or with friends.”

One of the five mouthwatering offerings you’ll find at Vegvan includes the Classic Kiwi Burger with a juicy hemp pea protein patty, a fried vegan egg alternative, beetroot, tomatoes and fried onion. The novelty buns come in five different colours, each infused with vegetable extract: a charcoal-infused bun that’s black, a beetroot bun that’s hot pink, a turmeric bun that’s yellow, a spirulina bun that’s green, and a brown pretzel bun.

Vegvan will be located at Matakana Country Park Market every Sunday morning throughout the summer. They also do catering for events.

www.instagram.com/VegvanNz

Gardening calendar

Heat loving plants like tomatoes, beans, capsicums, cucumbers, pumpkins and melons will be entering their comfort zone this November. Early spring plantings will be giving you a steady supply of vegetables like zucchini, fennel, radish, beetroot, carrots, lettuces and greens. If plants like perpetual spinach and parsley have gone to seed, then pop a few replacements in for the coming summer months.

Words Geoff Ledbrook

Pumpkins and squash

Pumpkins and squash love the heat. Give them a fertile spot in the full sun and they will grow with minimal effort. A diverse range of varieties are available to grow from seed giving different flavours, sizes, maturity times and storage capabilities.

If you have a big garden, check out heirloom varieties. The Italian Marina de Chioggia grows fruit to 5kg with a dry orange flesh, great for roasting. Queensland Blue, from Australia, is another good keeper with fruit up to 8kg. The French heirloom Musquee de Provence may grow up to 15kg with a moderately sweet flavour. With the heat of summer they will mature 110 days from transplant.

Butternut squash variety are a more pragmatic choice for the home gardener giving smaller fruit that store into winter. A favourite is Waltham butternut, an heirloom variety that will produce 4 to 5 fruit per vine of between 1 to 3kg. It is a reliable producer and not too demanding on space. A hybrid butternut varieties such as Butterscotch will produce fruit up to 1kg on vines, bred for its compactness and mildew resistance. An option for smaller gardens or even large containers is Butter Baby. This organic variety produces even smaller fruit with a sweet nutty flavour around 500g. It matures 90 days after transplant.

Buttercup varieties - or ‘supermarket squash’ - don’t store quite so well but the flavour and dryness of a good buttercup is unbeatable. An heirloom variety is Burgess buttercup. They mature around 110 days after transplant.

If you want to break records or just have a bit of fun, Atlantic Giant is a giant pumpkin variety, growing to 800kg or more. Plant them early in a sunny, very fertile spot and limit the vines to one fruit. They will mature around 140 days from transplant.

Prepare your pumpkin patch by digging in well rotted manures and compost. Apply a dressing of lime or dolomite unless you have an alkaline soil. Earlier in the season sow seeds and transplant once the soil has warmed up. By November sow seed direct to the soil. Sow several seeds 2cm deep in mounds or rows two metres apart. Thin plants to one or two per mound. To save space, train smaller pumpkin varieties up a low trellis. They do like a warm well drained soil so bear this in mind for your site. Keep the plants well watered particularly, earlier in the growing season. Pumpkins like mulch and are not so keen on any root disturbance as they are shallow rooted.

Plant

• Asparagus crowns

• Beans

• Beetroot

• Brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, Asian greens)

• Carrots

• Celery

• Comfrey crowns

• Courgettes

• Cucumbers/melons

• Greens (spinach, silverbeet, rocket, kale)

• Herbs – basil, parsley, mint, coriander, dill, chives, oregano

• Horseradish crowns

• Jerusalum artichoke tubers

• Kumara (sprouted suckers)

• Leeks and spring onions

• Lettuces and chicory

• Potatoes

• Pumpkins and squash

• Rhubarb crowns

• Rock melons and watermelons

• Sunflowers

• Sweetcorn

• Tomatoes, capsicums and eggplants

Sow

• Beans (climbing and dwarf)

• Beetroot

• Borage

• Carrots

• Capsicums and chillis

• Celery

• Courgettes and cucumbers

• Eggplants

• Greens (Asian greens, summer spinach varieties, silverbeet, rocket)

• Herbs – basil, parsley, chives, coriander, dill, rosemary, sage

• Leeks and spring onions

• Lettuces and radicchio

• Okra

• Parsnips

• Pumpkins, melons and squash

• Radishes

Sunflowers

• Sweetcorn

Tomatoes

Turnips

TUMBLEWEED

•

Cheesy Asparagus

INGREDIENTS

500g asparagus (ends removed)

4

1/4t

Fruit/vege of the month: asparagus

An asparagus bed will produce for up to 15 years. The easiest way to establish your asparagus patch is to buy asparagus crowns to plant. Plant crowns 15cm deep and 40cm apart from August to December. It is better to wait until the soil is warmer in late spring than plant too early. Take care to select a warm sunny well drained position and apply generous amounts of compost to prepare the bed. Raised beds work very well. For a steady supply plant six crowns per person. Your asparagus will start full production in year three with a light crop in year two. In the first year leave all your spears to produce ferns and build vigour in your crowns. Asparagus likes to be weed free and will benefit from keeping a good mulch layer intact. Regular watering to keep soil moisture consistent is important. It will also benefit from liquid feeding with seaweed tonics during the growing season.

How to harvest asparagus

Asparagus harvest season is for six to eight weeks in spring from mid to late September depending on your site. Pick asparagus spears daily by cutting just below ground level using a sharp knife or snap the spear at ground level. Stop harvesting when the spears get thinner and leave them to produce ferny tops. Leave the ferny tops intact and apply a good dressing of compost. In autumn when the ferns turn yellow and die off, cut them back and apply another layer of compost. If you are near a beach, cover your bed with seaweed for the winter.

cloves minced

black pepper

mozzarella cheese

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Lightly grease baking paper with non-stick cooking oil spray.

2. Place asparagus on baking sheet.

3. In a small bowl mix together olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Drizzle the mixture over the asparagus and

to

coat.

is just beginning to

from oven and top with

Return to oven for 4-5 minutes and grill until the cheese melts and becomes golden.

to taste.

immediately.

Supporting resilient communities

Michelle Ruddell is the current chair of the Northland Trust and began her commitment as a facilitator working directly with those communities in need. Michelle and husband Troy contract milk on a large-scale dairy farm west of Whangarei. She spoke to Junction Magazine about what it takes to help people in need, what sort of person is suited to the role, the challenges faced and the rewards she’s experienced from being part of the diverse network that Northland’s Rural Support Trust draws from.

“AgFacilitators are people helping our communities. We walk the talk. We know the region like the back of our hand; we know where to reach out, we know what expertise might be needed and we genuinely want to see the people in our communities thrive,” Michelle says. The Trust contracts AgFacilitators to help others navigate what can seem overwhelming and support them in developing their own solutions. Training is provided to ensure they’re prepared with the knowledge they need, from mental health and wellbeing to understanding the boundaries of the role, to uncovering knowledge gaps and sourcing the information or support required.

“People reach out to us when they just don’t know,” says Michelle. “They might be bogged down in day-to-day work and don’t know

where to turn next or what to do. AgFacilitators use their networks to draw on rural expertise and advice, connect someone in need with the appropriate help or just help them see the wood for the trees by sharing their worries out loud.” As Michelle says, there is no “one size fits all” for being an AgFacilitator. People’s needs can be complex or simple. It may take a simple phone call or a one-off visit or a little more time to provide a range of options for that person to draw from.

Michelle put her hand up to be an AgFacilitator because she wanted to support people through tough times. “If that’s your mantra, then making the time is easy,” she says. “Having someone to unload to, trying to make sense of what’s going on and being there for them, when you can, with the information they need for the best outcome.”

The Trust is hoping to grow their team to include additional expertise from the Rodney and Kaipara areas. If you’re someone who’s well-networked in our local rural communities and have a real affiliation for the sector and its people, you could be a great candidate for the service. A good AgFacilitator has probably got rural, farming or growing experience and an idea of the support, professionals and advice services available in the area. In some ways it’s like the next step up from having a cuppa

with your neighbour when you know they need a friend.

The personal rewards are big. “I knew when I’d made a positive difference in someone’s life or in their business,” says Michelle. “I knew the people I helped were comfortable carrying on when I stepped out. They had more tools in their toolbox than beforehand and were feeling more positive. Building resilient rural communities starts at our front door and I’m proud to be part of that.”

0800 787

www.Rural-Support.org.nz/Regions/NorthIsland/Northland

Northland’s Rural Support Trust plays a key role in providing support to rural communities in the North of Auckland - right through to Cape Reinga.

Michelle Ruddell – Chair, Northland Rural Support Trust

AgFacilitator at work

A natural solution

Ignited by motherhood and inspired by Mother Nature, Sarah Hyndham’s mission is making waves in the toxin-heavy

Motherhood can often be a life-changing experience in many ways; and that’s exactly what happened to Sarah after the birth of her first son in 2012. Motherhood ignited an instinctual need to cut toxins from her lifesparking her on a journey towards natural living and a purpose-led business.

Sarah ditched her commercial body products without a problem, until it came to deodorant. Exhausting all of the ‘natural’ options on the market, Sarah was disheartened but determined not to go back to the toxin-heavy deodorants she had previously used. “I tried every natural option out there and came out smelling worse off,” says Sarah. “Deodorant is one of those things you just can’t fake.”

Eventually Sarah discovered a natural solution. And this new solution didn't just work; it worked better than any other deodorant she had used before - including the commercial roll-ons. “What really struck me was the effectiveness of Mother Nature’s ingredients,” she says. “Natural ingredients don't just do the same job as their chemical counterparts, they can do it even better”.

Armed with this new appreciation for nature and a drive to change the standard of the toxin-heavy body care industry, Sarah worked on developing her deodorant. She started mixing the products by hand in her kitchen to sell at local markets, but after continually selling-out, Sarah had to expand production to a contract manufacturer.

Her determination to develop a winning formula has paid off with Little Mango recently earning a prestigious award for Healthpost’s ‘Best Natural Deodorant 2022’. The awards are New Zealand’s largest in natural health and beauty, with more than 400 products entered across six categories.

“I’m proud to be a part of the movement to challenge the commercial beauty and body care industry,” says Sarah.

With new products in the pipeline, Sarah is excited to bring more natural options to her customers. “I’m so pleased that the tide is turning and more and more people are seeking natural alternatives. Nature really is the way forward”.

You can purchase the Little Mango range online or instore, and at various retailers across the country.

www.LittleMango.co.nz www.instagram.com/LittleMangoBody

Bespoke? Bespectacled!

Words + Images Kathy Hunter

“It’s like her superpower,” says one client, with affectionate wonder. “It’s kind of uncanny,” another agrees. They’re talking about Pene’s exceptional talent for finding exactly the right frames for each of her clients.

Having worked in the optical industry for 35 years, Pene knows it inside out. She started out cutting lenses for frames, but once she decided to become a dispensing optician, she won an award for the best exam results across both New Zealand and Australia.

Glasses are her passion. “Choosing eyewear deserves thought, care and patience because it’s not something you do every day,” she says. “The process should be empowering and fun – think of me as your per sonal shopper!”

Most of Pene’s current clients have a similar experience: she looks at their face shape and colouring, talks to them about their personal style, and hands them a pair of frames. They usually browse a little among Pene’s fabulous range of stock, but most come back to the very first ones she gave them.

She thinks of glasses as ‘art for the face’.

But if you want frames that are low-key or businesslike, Pene can happily do those, too. “So often people are given their prescriptions and then just thrown in the deep end to try and find the right frames among hundreds – it’s stressful! I want a calm and enjoyable, bespoke experience for my clients.”

Bespectacled frames are sourced from France, Spain and Italy and Pene also stocks

Good Gryf, the only NZ-designed frames; much of her stock would be hard to find anywhere else in the country. Once clients have chosen their frames, Pene has them fitted with lenses from the prescription provided by their optometrists. She can also expertly maintain and adjust them on an ongoing basis.

“Your glasses should reflect your personality, and finding the perfect frames can be transformational – they can give you a huge confidence boost,” she says with some pride. “When you get the right pair, you’ll feel fabulous every day.”

www.Bespectacled.co.nz 09 373 8382

MATAKANA INJECTABLES

Rallying the troops

After a ten-year hiatus, the World Rally Championship (WRC) made a triumphant return to New Zealand for 2022.

Rally New Zealand crowned the youngest ever World Rally Champion and attracted tens of thousands of fans over the four days it ran. Chairman of Rally New Zealand, Peter (PJ) Johnston says, “I’m absolutely stoked. Shattered, but stoked.”

The logistics of putting on an event like this are enormous and PJ is incredibly grateful to head up a team of ten full-timers and nearly 1200 volunteers. “I see all these great people wanting to volunteer and it warms my heart and encourages me to try hard at my job,” says PJ.

The ten-year gap was a result of being outbid for hosting by Australia and then having to postpone because of Covid. “The WRC is a very prestigious event,” explains PJ. “We're up against a huge number of other countries that want to host the event, so we’re very lucky to have it back in New Zealand,” he says.

It may be about the joy of motorsport for PJ and the fans, but he points out that the financial benefits to the country are massive. “WRC TV brought a production team of 50 people to New

Words Luke Williamson | Photos Rally NZ - Bruce Jenkin

Zealand and they're beaming out live to 80 million people in 130 countries so it’s an incredible showcase – probably bigger than the America's Cup, but a lot more under the radar.”

The Rally is monitored from what PJ describes as ‘a huge control room’ which hosts police, St John's, Civil Aviation, media, official judges and others. “We have a big screen and we can see exactly where the cars are on the road and what they’re doing. If they have an accident, we can monitor the speed, the G force - so many things, and we can have a helicopter there within two minutes,” he says.

It costs around $5 million to run the event and that’s covered by sponsorship, some funding from Auckland City and central government, and ticket sales. Rally New Zealand is conscious of giving back to the communities that provide volunteers and host race sections. “They help us park cars and marshall people, and we give a proportion of the ticket sales back to support those local groups,” says PJ. “It’s a win win.”

Once Rally New Zealand has selected the sections of road on which they want to race, they have to apply for closures and go through a consent process. “Before the rally, we go over the roads with the council to assess what needs grading or repairing, and we pay for that,” says PJ. “We also repair any damage after the event and we have a team making sure there's no rubbish, no broken fences – we usually leave it in better shape than before the event.”

PJ explains that the new generation of rally vehicles are hybrids. “They run a little 1600cc turbo motor and can also run as electric only. Our supporters, sponsors and the TV audience love it. The vehicles are environmentally-friendly and run on sustainable fuel. We’re always evolving.”

Opportunities to meet the race teams, and get autographs and merchandise, kept the fans ecstatic. “It’s the passion of rally people behind this thing, but the huge number of spectators was beyond our expectations,” says PJ. “It was lovely because it was families that came together - Mum, Dad and the kids, and they all loved it.”

Rally New Zealand is in negotiations to host the event again i n 2024.

www.RallyNZ.org.nz

Last lap for Pukekohe

Warwick started racing at Pukekohe in the early 1970s and has a real emotional attachment to it. “It’s a phenomenal race track. I raced in the Benson&Hedges 500 series for about five years. We used to race at Bayfield, in Tauranga, but that’s all houses now, as well as at Manfield, and the finale was at Pukekohe,” says Warwick.

“Pukekohe has featured famous drivers like Jim Clark, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme and Chris Amon - just to name a few. These guys were world champions.”

Motor racing will now be concentrated at Tony Quinn’s Hampton Downs racetrack. “We’ll still be racing,” says Warwick. “I ran in the BMW drivers’ series at Hampton Downs recently and got a second and a third. I should have finished first place, but I got too excited and missed my chance!”

Warwick Mortimer Racing currently owns 12 cars. “We’ve been on a bit of a selldown recently – we were on 16 cars,” says Warwick. “Most of them have a pretty good history.” They include Warwick’s original Benson&Hedges 500 car – a 1974 Toyota Celica GT – plus a Mazda 84G which was built in 1984 for Mazda’s first attempt at Le Mans. “There’s only one of those in the world. We also have a 1971 M8EF McLaren which is a pretty nice old car.”

However, the main focus for the team is on saloon car racing and BMWs in particular. Warwick’s son, Andre, is getting back up to speed after a two-year hiatus. “Andre is very good at what he does and we’ve got a good team of mechanics to keep it all going,” explains Warwick. “Gary Roper is our main engineer, but he also

races so he’s mentoring Andre. He knows a lot about the capabilities of cars.”

At nearly 71 years old, Warwick is still racing and still enjoying success. However, mentoring and supporting the next generation is where Warwick focuses a lot of his efforts now.

“We’ve got so many experienced drivers and engineers who put time, money and effort into the young fellas coming through. We lent one of our BMWs to a young bloke, Matt Griffin, and he was spectacular! He got a drive in Australia on the basis of his performance here.”

While it may be the end of an era for the Pukekohe race track, the future of New Zealand motorsport will always be in good hands when supported by passionate veterans like Warwick Mortimer and his team.

www.facebook.com/MortimerMotorsports

Words Luke Williamson | Photos Kent Mcnish

The motorsport community is mourning the news that the Pukekohe race track will no longer be hosting motor racing as of March 2023. Matakana-based Warwick Mortimer has a rich history of competing at Pukekohe and his race team will miss having access to this iconic track.

HILLS

Local Fridayshare the love

Local businesses are the heart of our community; owned by our neighbours, employing our friends and sponsoring our sports teams. Local Friday is a day to show your support and appreciation by buying local and sharing the love.

Black Friday has become one of the largest shopping days of the year, famously used by major retailers to sell their products online at heavily slashed prices.

This year Local Friday is offering an alternative, one that makes a little more sense for our local businesses! Local Friday is all about supporting local, in a one-day event of love, competitions, special offers, demonstrations and promotions.

Local Friday will be a day where we can invest our money back into the community to ensure the survival of our local retailers, restaurants, attractions and services.

Prior to buying, like and follow your favourite business on social media, post a review or recommend them to friends. Like and share the Local Friday – In Love with Local Facebook and Instagram pages.

a positive review.

the business to your friends and family.

your Christmas shopping early and make Local Friday your official Christmas shopping day.

and pay in advance for those desperately needed appointments such as hair, massages or chiropractor.

vouchers to local restaurants or eateries.

Preorder food and drink supplies for Christmas or other social events.

Summer and school holidays are just around the corner so book kid's holiday programs

purchase tickets for local attractions and experiences such as T i Point Reptile Pa rk, Action Ninja World or the Warkworth or Mangawhai Museum.

• Remember gift vouchers make the perfect eco gift.

• Pop in and make a business owner's day by sharing some verbal appreciation.

• Share the love on your social media pages, give the business a post and shoutout.

How can you support local on Friday 11 November?

By sprinkling some local love! Make an effort to purchase, leave a review, recommend a friend, or tell your favourite business just how much you love them!

Business owners this is for you!

Are you a local business that needs some love and would like to join us for Local Friday? Here are some suggestions for ways you can be involved.

• Share the Local Friday graphic and a team picture on social

• Provide a gift with each purchase

• Organise some demonstrations

• Provide Christmas gift wrapping

• Organise a new product or service launch

• Provide drinks and nibbles

• Provide free delivery on 11 November

Talk and share information about Local Friday

Register your interest via the form on our Junction Mag Facebook page or email Hi@JunctionMag.co.nz

The following two pages are just some of the local businesses participating in Local Friday, visit our website or social media for more. www.junctionmag.co.nz/Local-Friday www.facebook.com/InLoveWithLocal www.instagram.com/InLoveWithLocal

Black Fern Lodge overlooks

up to

Meyer Real Estate

Informing property owners about the current market. On Local Friday receive a free coffee from Bramble Café when you book a free consult. www.MeyerRealEstate.co.nz Yvette@MeyerRealEstate.co.nz

Chillibean NZ

Made in Warkworth, New Zealand! Sharp threads for your little beans. Using only natural textiles. www.ChilliBean.co.nz info@ChilliBean.co.nz

Chillibean NZ

Chillibean Upcyclistsaving the planet, one inner tube at a time! Recycled bags crafted in Warkworth using old inner tubes. www.ChilliBean.co.nz info@ChilliBean.co.nz

Wolfe Interior Design

Wolfe Interior Design have an unwavering commitment for placing their client at the heart of every decision, and delivering bold, intuitive design. www.Wolfe.nz 021 519 519

Elevated Media

Mangawhai. Captured. Quality framed prints will bring something special to your home or bach. Go browse at the Wood St shops, or order online. www.ElevatedGallery.nz www.instagram.com/ElevatedGallery.nz

New Dimensions Hair Studio

Great team of professional hair stylists in a lovely relaxed atmosphere. Stockists of Davroe - Fanola - Fudge - Silver Bullet. 165 Rodney St, Wellsford 09 423 8096

Cooltherm Ltd

Cooltherm Ltd Heatpumps contact 022 156 2559. Free Quotes. www.CoolTherm.co.nz

Turbo Tonics

Silly season survival kit in a bottle. Liver loving, antiinflammatory, immune boosting Turbo Tonic served long and cold over ice. www.TurboTonics.co.nz Engineer@TurboTonics.co.nz

Elle & Riley Cashmere

Celebrating with 10% off their new summer collection when shopping in store. www.instagram.com/ ElleAndRileyCashmere www.facebook.com/ElleAndRiley

Restore Physio & Pilates

Physio clinic. Pilates Studio. Pop in to see them and win one of 10 free class passes! www.instagram.com/ RestorePhysioAndPilates www.facebook.com/ RestorePhysioAndPilates

Skinperfector

Purchase a Facial Gift Voucher for a loved one. You could win $250 of Aspect skincare to keep you glowing. www.instagram.com/SkinPerfector_/ www.facebook.com/SkinPerfector.co.nz

Infinity Nails

Manicures and pedicures. www.instagram.com/InfinityNails92/ www.facebook.com/InfinityNails92nz

Flutter Design

Snells Beach Flutter Design showroom is open. 5% discount on new Flutter and Vintage Butterfly Chairs ordered on 11 November.

Liz@FlutterDesign.co.nz www.facebook.com/FlutterDesign.co.nz

The Well Body Clinic

Go for a Friday Endermolift face treatment for rejuvenated, smooth, firm, and glowing skin just in time for the weekend! www.WellBodyClinic.com www.facebook.com/WellBodyClinic

NinaGPhotographynz

Receive 15% discount on a full Family Photoshoot booked on Local Friday. www.NinaGPhotography.co.nz www.instagram.com/ NinaGPhotographynz

Caro with Love

This beautifully curated store is a must visit on your next summer getaway. A calm space filled with interiors, homewares, womens fashion and babywear. 104 Moir St, Mangawhai www.CaroWithLove.com

Art Studio 161

Expressive paintings, varied subjects, phone for appointment, 161 Sharp Road (opp Monarch Downs). 021 183 2738

www.PaulineGough.com

Blush Beauty Lounge

Blush is giving away some products! All you need to do is pop in store and get in the draw to win.

@BlushBeautyMatakana www.BlushBeautyLounge.co.nz

Celebrant Diane

Getting married this summer? Make your day perfect by choosing an experienced locally based celebrant. Phone Diane Anderson 021 258 7486 www.CelebrantDiane.co.nz

Dental Domain

Dental Domain is your trusted local dentist! From teeth whitening to veneers and same-day crowns. Professional, caring dentists in Mangawhai.

Kagan Ave, Mangawhai 09 777 4343

EK Sunscreens Ltd

Perfect gift of love. Locallymade, 16 time global awardwinning certified natural sunscreen SPF50, transparent, reef-safe, water resistant and smells divine!

www.EkSunscreen.com www.facebook.com/EkSunscreen

Formative Healing

Maria Collins, (BSW) 18 years of experience, trained in positive parenting, couples therapy, family therapy and anxiety.

FormativeHealing.wixsite.com/Formative-Healing FormativeHealing@gmail.com

Gold Tree Design

Your local team of website developers, specialising in WordPress and Shopify builds, as well as tailored graphic design and marketing. www.GoldTreeDesign.com Hello@GoldTreeDesign.com

Matakana Village Butchery

Pop in on Friday 11 November and mention Local Friday to receive 10% off your in store purchase. www.facebook.com/ TheVillageButcheryMatakana www.MatakanaVillageButchery.co.nz

New World Warkworth

Locally owned, fresh produce, expert bakers, master butchers, locals serving locals & proudly family owned and operated.

6 Percy St, Warkworth www.instagram.com/NewWorldWarkworth

Surf Shack Waipu

Surf Shack Waipu is offering locals $5 off storewide (excluding items under $10). Come and check out their range of NZ and Aussie brands and find a unique gift for everyone. www.instagram.com/SurfShackWaipu 021 719 773

The Space Matakana

Free class when you buy any concession pass and 20% off any event (held before January 2022). www.instagram.com/ TheSpaceMatakana.nz www.TheSpaceMatakana.nz

The Waterproofing Co

Specialising in all things waterproofing including, TPO, Torch-On and Tanking. Servicing residential builds and Landmark Commercial Projects. www.WaterProofingCompany.co.nz www.instagram.com/ TheWaterProofingCo

Tui & Nikau

Tui & Nikau welcomes you to their well appointed, tastefully decorated accommodation. They are centrally located in Mangawhai, whilst nestled amongst native bush.

Hello@TuiAndNikau.co.nz

www.TuiAndNikau.co.nz

Waimarino Natural Health Ltd

A Naturopathic clinic offering personalised health plans based on Genetics and Epigenetics. Free offer - first appointment. www.WaimarinoNaturalHealth.co.nz www.facebook.com/WaimarinoNaturalHealth

Wellsford Dental

A highly experienced team with the latest in technology and innovations, to provide pain free dentistry to all their patients! 163 Rodney St, Wellsford www.WellsfordDental.co.nz

Woods Waetford Bricklayers Ltd

Brick and blocklaying. WWBrickLaying@gmail.com 021 0343 792 021 023 43923

Book of Isaac

Isaac Munro, completely rebranded himself. “I started a

looked classy and it represents the family,” he says.

Words Luke Williamson

Isaac then spent the first six months of the year writing and recording his album, Book of Isaac. “It had already been a wild year for me and the album is just a collection of stories. There's been plenty to write about,” sa ys Isaac.

While most emerging artists release singles and use those to build a following on the digital platforms, Isaac went straight for an album of material. “I figured new people would get a solid catalogue of ten songs to help them become a fan – not just one song and then having to wait,” he says.

There’s no doubt about where Isaac is headed with his career – he is laserfocussed on commercial success and mega-stardom. “I always believed in myself, but when I was 15, 16, 17 and dropping music, I felt like nobody cared and I didn't understand,” he says. “I’ve realised you can't expect the world to find you, you have to go out and tell the world.”

Isaac has been immersing himself in the Auckland music scene, finding like-minded artists and making useful professional contacts. “I’ve been out there talking to people and one person leads to another, like the snowball effect. I'm not in a hurry, but I have a plan. It’s good to be a regular person now because I have the rest of my life to be a superstar,” he says.

The plan also included spending 2021 getting a Diploma of Audio Production. With a home-studio, and all the skills and talent to produce his own music, Isaac has become a prolific recording artist. “I fell in love with the recording process this year and I’ve already recorded about 23 songs. I’ve got enough for another album, Clownfish Circus, which is coming out in December and is a collaboration with my homie, Gutzy.”

You can catch Munrõ performing at Cassette Nine in Auckland for the December album release, and at Soundsplash in Raglan,

January 2023, where he will be on stage with 17-year-old protégé, Tommy. Then, in April, Isaac is off to Sweden where he spent nine months at high school and began his love affair with hip hop. “The plan is to make as big a mark as possible here and then get over to Sweden,” he says. “There are no artists in Sweden rapping in English so, you get me who's born in Sweden and raised in New Zealand and rapping in English, I’ll have an e dge straightaway.”

While super-stardom may be just around the corner, Munrõ’s message to the world is grounded and simple – “be yourself as much as possible. I've become very comfortable in my own skin so, yeah, just be yourself.”

Look for Munrõ and Book of Isaac on Spotify, YouTube and Tiktok www.instagram.com/MunroWrldwide/ https://linktr.ee/IsaacViking

Local talent

Since landing in Leigh back in June 2021, Studio 11 has become a permanent fixture on the local scene as the place to have your musical potential realised.

Words Emily Pattullo

Owner JB has had students ranging from five to 85 years old and says, “the first thing I noticed about the area, aside from how beautiful it is, was the richness and diversity of the talent, both from musicians that came through my door for lessons or collaborations, to talent that showed up at open mike nights at the Sawmill and Matakana Village Pub.”

With a strong background doing collaborations in his home town of Wellington, JB saw an opportunity to do the same in Leigh. “Very seldomly does an artist get the opportunity to go into a studio and experience the creative process of bringing a track to life without parting with a lot of money,” says JB. And so Famous Leigh was born, a ten track album, most of which are original pieces of music. “I can’t help myself when it comes to spontaneous creative opportunities,” says JB. “One track led on to two, which led on to four, which soon became an album.”

The album features local musicians such as Luke Goddard. Luke said about his experience, “well I was just having a mess around at the studio, literally a few weeks after JB started teaching me guitar, and next thing you know he's recording the rift, then added some bells and whistles and suddenly a track emerged from it. I think that's the spirit of the album, a bunch of locals that don't take themselves too seriously just giving it a go.”

With an eclectic array of genres from local artists including Gary from Happy Days, Lindsay who runs the open mike at the Sawmill, and Kip who owns Clear Bottom Kayaks, the album is full of summer-ready, up-beat, soulful tracks that will have a lasting presence on your playlist.

While the sleepy Leigh village is a far cry from vibrant Wellington, people wanting to have a go isn’t limited to location as long as the opportunity is available. This is what JB

offers people in the area. “Famous Leigh is something that every featured artist should be very proud of,” says JB. “I certainly am.”

The album release date is 11 November 2022. Orders can be made directly through the email below or via Bandcamp and all major streaming platforms.

WeareStudio11@gmail.com

A return to music

Fred Renata is back playing country music, but he’s doing it his own way. Junction Magazine chats with the local country legend.

Words Emily Pattullo | Photo Tanja Dove

Music is something I took to naturally, and it seemed the right thing to be doing as it was something that I enjoyed. Then I got into the film industry. I shot the film Muru, about the Tūhoe race. The film commission just put it through for the Oscars, and I was the cinematographer on it. In some ways filmmaking has been a form of expression that I happen to be in. I felt more comfortable in music.

So music is your first passion?

We’d kind of been raised on television and apple pie, you know Americana?

With the music I was trying to shake off my indoctrination. The first country song I wrote I ended up being New Zealand country song, writer of the year in 1981. Being Maori and raised Pākehā I was very aware that I was Maori but I didn’t know it. Maybe because I wasn’t brought up in a Maori environment I didn’t become aware

of my own identity. What’s important to me now is the fact that I’ve realised that a lot of people are lost about who they are. Pākehā identity in New Zealand had been quite a mess of denial. To please the Pākehā side I used to behave appropriately, like white America. Much of my generation had an identity crisis and there was a moment when I was like what makes me a New Zealander?

I became very aware of the chauvinistic view of country music, I was writing it and I was involved in Country, and I stopped and thought, why am I writing things like this when it isn’t even who I am?

like you would be with film because it can take ten years to make a film. But if you haven’t got that amount of time…

And songs are more immediate, you can get the message out pretty much instantly?

Yes, and for me it’s about playing live rather than being a YouTuber. Social media puts us in danger of disconnecting from the land.

Do you have gigs coming up that people can come and see you at?

We’ll be back at the Tahi Bar in Warkworth in November.

Yes, it’s about our identity. And relationships, especially with the land. If you drive from Warkworth to Dargaville the desecration that is happening there is beyond belief. We’re talking about industrial farming, sprays - it looks derelict and ruined. That is pretty much the state of the identity of New Zealand, and the people – it’s like a metaphor really. You could sit around feeling quite disillusioned,

And is Fred Renata still the name you perform under?

No, I go under the name Charlie Guy these days and the reason being that when people google Fred Renata it’s all film stuff. I lost a son, he got hit by a car in Auckland, he was five. And his name was Guy. Charlie was the name of an uncle I liked. The band is called Band With No Name.

You’ve been very involved in the film world recently but is music still a big part of your life?

And now you write about things that matter to you?

Chris Penk

MP for Kaipara ki Mahurangi

ART-full Weekend

Kowhai Art and Crafts popular exhibition will be held in the Matakana Village Hall over the weekend 25-27 November.

A great opportunity to view and purchase beautiful works of art produced by local, talented artists. Thirteen different types of art and crafts will be on display. Christmas gifts galore. www.Kac.nz

A fun day out

Looking for something fun and free to do on the weekend?

Come on down to Estuary Arts Centre in Orewa on Saturday 12 November from 2pm to 7pm for some pre-Christmas shopping while the kids are entertained with lots of free have-a-go art activities from tie dye to harakeke, acrylic paint pouring and screen printing. Watch professional artists at work and view new exhibitions featuring the Peninsula Weavers, Yvonne Gray, Jia Ren, Logan Simich-Burr and the Hibiscus Printmakers, or take in the wide range of giftware in the giftshop.

There will be art stalls featuring jewellery, hand-made soaps and candles, babywear, wooden items and so much more. Bring a friend and enjoy tea and homemade scones. There will be live music and families can get a bite to eat from one of the food stalls or the onsite café. Estuary Arts is located at 214B Hibiscus Coast Highway with plenty of parking. Admin@EstuaryArts.org | www.instagram.com/Estuary.Arts

Open sesame!

Come and watch Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves – a Christmas pantomime with magic, spectacle, music, slapstick and local jokes - great fun for the whole family.

Ali Baba falls for the Sultan’s daughter and is determined to impress her by retrieving valuables stolen by a band of thieves.

Unfortunately, the thieves have other ideas. Ali has Salma the resourceful servant girl, a Genie, a camel with integral SatNav and, of course, his mother to call on, but what he really needs is an audience to help him win through!

Eight shows at the Warkworth Town Hall, Friday 25 November – Saturday 3 December 2022.

Tickets $20/$10 (under 5’s free).

www.WWTheatre.co.nz

Creating beautiful, functional, liveable and magical outdoor spaces, unique to each client’s wants and needs. Resident Garden Designer, and qualified Horticulturist, Paul Glover combines his talents and experience to guide clients through the design process to ensure every detail reflects them and ultimately results in a garden they love.

Whether you have dreams of transforming your bare section into a botanical wonderland to relax, entertain and laugh in with family and friends, or you are re-thinking your existing garden to grow with your young family, giving your children a space to safely play and explore the natural world in, or anything in between - we would love to help.

MARKETS

Every Fri 4.30-8pm Wellsford/Te Hana Night Market

Every Sat 8am1pm Matakana Village Farmers Market

Wellsford Community Centre / Te Hana Marae

Matakana Village

Every Sat 8am2pm Matakana Market The Old Dairy Factory, Matakana

Every Sat 8.30am-1pm Mangawhai Tavern Market Mangawhai Tavern, Mangawhai

Every Sat 9am-1pm Mangawhai Community Market Mangawhai Beach School

Every Sun 8.30-1pm Matakana Country Park Market Matakana Country Park

1st Sat of the Month 9am-1pm Wellsford Market OWL Community Hub, 120 Rodney Street, Wellsford

2nd Sun of the Month 9am-1pm Waipu Boutique Market Coronation Hall, Waipu

3rd Tues of the Month 9am-12pm The Whangateau Community Market Whangateau Hall

Last Sun of the Month 9am-1pm Puhoi Village Market Puhoi Domain

Last Sun of the Month 9.30am-2pm Warkworth Country Market A&P Show Grounds, SH1

DATE TIME EVENT VENUE WEBSITE

Fri 14 Oct-4 Nov Flower Delivery - Mandy Emerson OBV Vineyard & Gallery OmahaBay.co.nz

Fri 28 Oct Chet O'Connell Duo Warkworth RSA WarkworthRSA.co.nz

Sat 29 Oct-9 Nov 10am–3pm Kaipara Art Awards Mangawhai Artists Gallery MangawhaiArtists.co.nz

Sat 29 Oct 11am Kaipara Flats Show Day Kaipara Flats School

Sat 29 Oct 10am-2pm Preserving Workshop Fernlea Fernlea.kiwi

Sat 29 Oct 10am-3pm Going Potty with Cherrie James Opahi Bay CherrieJamesArtist@hotmail.com

Sat 29 Oct 11am-1pm Cellar Door Live Sessions Matakana Estate MatakanaEstate.co.nz

Sat 29 Oct 11.30am-2.30pm Wetlands Luncheon Fernlea Fernlea.kiwi

Sat 29 Oct

Sun 30 Oct

Sun 30 Oct

Sun 30 Oct

Mon 31 Oct

Tue 1 Nov

Whangateau

Brooke Lane Vineyard brookelanevineyard.com

Matakana TrishAllenNZ@gmail.com

Warkworth Town Hall facebook.com/WarkworthTownHall.nz

566 Cove Rd, Waipu 021 324 707

Whangateau Hall Whangateau.co.nz

Fernlea Fernlea.kiwi

Thu 3 Nov 7pm Daniel Champagne Warkworth Town Hall facebook.com/WarkworthTownHall.nz

Thu 3 Nov 7pm Comedy Pub Quiz 8 Wired Barrelworks 8Wired.co.nz

Thu 3 Nov 8pm Don McGlashan & The Others Leigh Sawmill Café SawmillCafe.co.nz

Fri 4 Nov 6-8am Wellsford Plus Tradie Breakfast Wazza's Coffee & Icecream facebook.com/WellsfordPlus

Fri 4 Nov 7-11.30pm Band Blowout 1 Matheson Rd, Wellsford MangawhaisHelpingHands.co.nz

Fri

Fri

Fri

Sat

Sun

Sun

Mangawhai Beach School SustainableKaipara.org

Warkworth RSA WarkworthRSA.co.nz

Various Locations WarkworthWalks.co.nz

Leigh Sawmill Café SawmillCafe.co.nz

Mangawhai Tavern MangawhaiTavern.co.nz

Matakana TrishAllenNZ@gmail.com

Warkworth

Warkworth

Mangawhai

WarkworthMuseum.co.nz

WarkworthGardenClub.co.nz

MangawhaiArtists.co.nz

MangawhaiGardenRamble@gmail.com

not taken from property