Issue 66 Oct / Nov 26
Unity in Community
Take Me
House with Golden Eyes
Random Guy
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Founders Rachelle & Christopher Duffy Creative director Christopher Duffy Editor Rebecca Lee rebecca@ourplacemagazine.co.nz Social manager Millie Guest social@ourplacemagazine.co.nz Advertising inquiries Rachelle Duffy 021 032 7873 rachelle@ourplacemagazine.co.nz Contributors Rebecca Lee, Katherine Whittaker, Kristin Macfarlane, Zoe Hunter, Cherie Metcalfe, Madeleine Hughes, Charlie Rahiri. Photographers Naera Ohia, Erin Cave, Christopher Duffy, Jane Keam, Chelsea Cookson, Cherie Metcalfe, Sam Kelway. Pick up your copy from The Little Big Markets, plus at selected cafes, restaurants, shops and businesses. Want to receive regular copies of Our Place for your business to distribute? Email rachelle@ourplacemagazine.co.nz To tell us about anything happening in your area right now, email rebecca@ourplacemagazine.co.nz Cover & contents Cover photography: Aaron by Christopher Duffy (page 38). Contents photography: Rawiri Tapiata by Naera Ohia (page 24). Follow us @ourplacemagazine ourplacemagazine.co.nz ISSN 3142-1091 (Print) · 3142-1105 (Online)
A thread of nostalgia weaves around this issue. Within these pages you’ll find artists, documentarians and community advocates taking guidance from the past as they look to the future. We find most people are craving community and authenticity in these times so often dictated by AI and algorithms. And Our Place is just that. Your safe place for connection, community and authenticity. On page 24 writer Kristin Macfarlane meets Director Rawiri Tapiata who followed the journey of wharenui Hinemihi who protected the people of Tawiri from an eruption 150 years ago. We meet ‘random guy’ Keith Lewis (65) who looks to the 80s to make eclectic art, Sarge and Dan bring the 90s vibe to Bay of Plenty’s only independent skate shop (110) and the team at Te Paiaka look at their own lived experience to support and advocate for homeless whānau in our community (38). And of course, we can't forget our regulars. Resident foodie Cherie finds the best sambos (117), chef Madeline teaches you how to feed a crowd (103) and Chris looks to the stars for guidance (108). This is our 66th issue and we’re forever grateful you’re here with us. Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua. I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past. Ngā mihi nui The Our Place Team
Summer feels
Craft Art Music Food
2026—27
Coronation Park, Mt Maunganu Maunganui Road Reserve, Mt Maunganui Williamson Park, Whangamatā Tauranga City Centre, Southern Waterfront reserve Pāpāmoa Pony Club, Pāpāmoa @thelittlebigmarkets thelittlebigmarkets.co.nz
Contents 94
16
21
Welcome
What’s Up
Beyond the Bungy Travel
24
House with the Golden Eyes Bringing Hinemihi Home 38
Creating Community Unity A Voice for Homelessness 53
103
Eat This
With Madeleine Hughes
108
Dope Horoscope By Christopher Duffy
Kaimai Kauri Healthy
The Good Room
57
114
Kaimai Mamaku Restoration Project
110
Behind the Counter
Hang Time
Brew Review
65
117
Photo Essay
Just a Random Guy
Colouring Outside the Lines
By Christopher Duffy
Compliment Sandwich Cherie’s Foodie Finds
87
Baroque is Beautiful
Scholars Baroque Aotearoa
128
Event Guide
DINNER
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What’s Up New hot spot for book lovers A new boutique book and gift store is coming to Mount Maunganui. Opening its doors in November, Meadow Books will be a welcoming space for everyone to linger and explore a love of reading and creativity. The store will stock fiction, non-fiction, poetry, works by well-known and up-and-coming Aotearoa writers, and an extensive children’s section. With gifts alongside the books and the timing just right for Christmas, it’s shaping up as the place for a present with more thought behind it. Meadow Books 5 Nikau Crescent, Mt Maunganui. @meadowbooksmt
Louis Baker releases second studio album Critically acclaimed songwriter and producer Louis Baker releases his second studio album, Trouble, on 9 October. The album unfolds as Baker’s most assured work to date. Taking shape during a time of personal growth, it balances social observation with reflections on love, resilience and the work of confronting himself. Written, arranged and produced in his Titahi Bay studio, its nine songs pair retro soul with contemporary production. Jordan Rakei joins Baker on the closing track. Louis Baker is launching the album with his first nationwide headline tour since 2021, performing at the Mount’s Totara Street on 23 October, doors open at 7pm. Tickets and tour info: louisbaker.co.nz @louisbakermusic
Pause, float and experience sound Float & Sound is a unique evening experience at Tasman Holiday Parks Pāpāmoa Beach, combining warm water, floating and live sound. It’s a chance to switch off, slow down and let the week drift away. Lie back on your floating raft as night settles in, get cosy under a warm blanket and allow the sounds and vibrations of a live sound journey to move through you and ripple out across the water. Afterwards, stay on and enjoy the heated spa before heading home, unhurried and quietly restored. Come on your own, bring a friend or share a double raft with someone you love. Pāpāmoa Float & Sound befreetobreathe.com @freetobreathe_ @loveyou.healing 21
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WEEKDAYS 8:30AM - 5:30PM WEEKENDS 9:00AM - 4:00PM Visit us at our Brand Experience Centre where our full range is available and on display. If you’re passing through Hewletts Road, pull over and come check it out! With plenty of parking for your ute, boat and trailer, you’ve got no excuse! Head inside and chat with our passionate and knowledgeable staff that will get you outfitted in the right purpose-built gear for your application.
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House with the Golden Eyes Story by Kristin Macfarlane Photography by Naera Ohia
Hinemihi o te Ao Tawhito meeting house has been sitting more than 18,000km away from home since the 1890s. Today its return seems the closest it has been since it left New Zealand shores.
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A whare is not a whare without its people. This is why descendants of the sacred Hinemihi o te Ao Tawhito meeting house have been working hard for many years to have the taonga returned home to Rotorua. Hinemihi meeting house has been sitting more than 18,000km away from home since the 1890s – and today its return seems the closest it has been since it left New Zealand shores. The historic meeting house was carved by Master Carver Wero Tāroi and his young apprentice, Tene Waitere, for Aporo Te Wharekaniwha who was a leader of the Tūhourangi hapū, Ngāti Hinemihi. It took more than a year to build and when the Tarawera eruption took hold on June 10 1986, Hinemihi o te Ao Tawhito safely sheltered dozens of her people. Without her generations that followed may not exist today.
After the violent eruption, Hinemihi meeting house lay deep in hardened mud at Te Wairoa, close to the shore at Lake Tarawera near Rotorua. William Onslow, who was the Governor General of New Zealand between 1889 and 1992, bought Hinemihi for 50 pounds and took it back to his family estate in Clandon Park in the Greater London county of Surrey, where it has stood since the 1890s. Onslow, who was keen on Māori culture, wanted a keepsake of his time in New Zealand and Hinemihi was shipped to England. For decades since then, the uri (descendants) of Hinemihi o te Ao Tawhito meeting house have made efforts to have her returned to her people. The response from the National Trust UK, which has been caring for Hinemihi since the 1950s, has always been no. 26
After the violent eruption, Hinemihi meeting house lay deep in hardened mud at Te Wairoa, close to the shore at Lake Tarawera near Rotorua.
↑ Te Maunga o Tarawera, viewed from Punaromia on the shores of Lake Tarawera, near Te Wairoa where Hinemihi sheltered her people during the 1886 eruption. 27
“It’s an incredible story… Hinemihi literally saved people’s lives. One of the main messages is around repatriation.” lands of the people they came from, making the carving exchange and the impending return of Hinemihi a major milestone. “I feel proud to be Tūhourangi,” he says. In 2019 the National Trust agreed in principle for the original historic carvings of Hinemihi to return to her home. In exchange, a new meeting house will be built at Clandon with carvings from expert Māori carvers, allowing the important cultural connection between New Zealand and the UK to continue. In 2022, the Hinemihi Exchange Project was founded, which is a three way partnership between Te Maru o Hinemihi, The National Trust and Ngā Kohinga Whakairo o Hinemihi Charitable Trust. “The new whare is being carved as we speak,” Rawiri says. Rangitihi Pene is the Chairman of Ngā Kohinga Whakairo o Hinemihi, mandated by Ngati Hinemihi to interact and bring back the carvings. He led the 2019, 2022, 20224, and 2025 delegations to London, to convince the National Trust UK, to agree-in-principle to return the Hinemihi carvings. He says all of Ngāti Hinemihi are delighted the return is progressing and believes the documentary will help people understand the efforts being undertaken to make it happen. “I’m in favour of our people understanding the journey we’ve been on. By the time it finishes it’ll be nearly 10 years,” Rangitihi says.
That is until now – with the National Trust UK agreeing in principle to a carving exchange which will see her returned to her people, the Ngāti Hinemihi of Rotorua. This story, including the history of the whare tupuna Hinemihi o Te Ao Tawhito and the efforts to bring her home, is being told in a new documentary currently screening on Māori Television. The documentary, called Hinemihi – House with the Golden Eyes is produced and directed by Toby Mills and Rawiri Tapiata. The documentary uses AI to subtly and tactfully bring historic photographs to life, which Rawiri says did not move forward without the full support of the whānau of those depicted in the imagery. “The whānau were all on board,” he says. Rawiri, whose whakapapa connections are to Tūhourangi, became involved in the documentary after the iwi put his name forward to work with Toby. He calls the documentary a “journey of recovery” and says it is “a huge honour and a huge privilege to be trusted with this story of national significance”. “It’s an incredible story . . . Hinemihi literally saved people’s lives,” Rawiri says. “One of the main messages is around repatriation.” According to the documentary, the National Trust UK has never returned artefacts back to the 28
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↑ Hinemihi at Te Wairoa after the 1886 eruption. Supplied image. Opposite: Rawiri Tapiata, co-director of Hinemihi – House with the Golden Eyes, is pictured throughout. and spent a week before putting our case before two of the 12 trustees for National Trust and they gave us a positive answer, that was about three months later,” he says. This is the closest Hinemihi has come to being returned home to Rotorua and Rangitihi says a planned visit by the National Trust to Rotorua in November is another positive milestone. “They’ve never come out before, it’s a signal coming to the end of the journey now.” He’s expecting Hinemihi o te Ao Tawhito to be home in early 2028. To watch Hinemihi – House with the Golden Eyes go to Whakaata Māori at www.maoriplus.co.nz. This is just the first part of this story – Rawiri says there will be a follow-up release, which will document the monumental return of Hinemihi to her people and the journey in the lead up. The release date for part two is not yet known but Rawiri says given the historic significance of this journey, he expects it to be a story that will be important well into the future. “I’d like to think 100 years from now it [the documentary] will be more relevant or more valuable than it is now.”
The concept of the exchange came from Anthony Hoete, and those leading the project now are Rangitihi, project manager Ruakiri Fairhall, whose background is extensive in governance, te reo Māori revitalisation, haka, and iwi leadership, and Master Carver Colin Tihi. During the documentary Ruakiri says “a whare is not a whare without its people”, so it’s no surprise he’s doing his part to bring Hinemihi home. “We started with just a hope that we could intervene because initially back in 2018 Heritage New Zealand didn’t want us to interact with National Trust England, they wanted to do it at their level,” Rangitihi says. After the National Trust last declined the request for the return of Hinemihi, he wanted to intervene and put their case to the Trust directly. He took advice from someone on the ground in London and asked if a face-to-face conversation would make it worse and when their advisor said no, they made the trip. “We made a decision to intervene to see if we can change their minds,” he says. “We went over and we met all the main people 31
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The Clubroom Tauranga Promotion
Pins & Pours Photography by All Shots Media
For one summer weekend, Bay Oval trades sixes and fours for birdies and bogeys. The Clubroom Tauranga’s Pins & Pours returns this December, with a Lexus up for grabs for the first hole in one. 34
The Clubroom Tauranga Promotion
“Golf continues to increase in popularity across the country, so we thought it would be cool to bring a unique experience to one of the best sports grounds in our very own backyard.”
Above right: A player tees off, ball-tracking technology recording the shot onto the Bay Oval turf. will once again transform Bay Oval into a nine-target green golf driving range. The Clubroom Tauranga director Hayden Beard says January’s event was such a success they decided to bring it back to the Oval. “People really enjoyed the uniqueness of the event. We had people of all ages come and give it a go, which was really cool to see.” Beard says the event is about promoting the sport in a different setting. “We’re just trying to do something a little bit different with golf. Plus, it’s a bit of fun for the summer. “Golf continues to increase in popularity across the country, so we thought it would be cool to bring a unique experience to one of the best sports grounds in our very own backyard.” Premium bays with ball tracking technology track exactly where golf balls land onto the Bay Oval. Daily prizes include a brand new custom-fit Ping G440 driver for the nearest-to-the-pin winners, with the top 10 each day qualifying for a hole in one shoot out on the final Sunday.
Golf balls sliced through the summer air like tiny white airplanes, soaring high above the boundary lines before dropping into an unlikely destination – an international cricket ground. It’s not every day golfers aim for the middle of a pitch more accustomed to sixes and fours than hole in ones. But for one inaugural weekend last summer, the rules changed. Presented by The Clubroom Tauranga, the Pins & Pours event transformed Mount Maunganui’s iconic Bay Oval into one of the region’s most unique driving ranges for the very first time in January. Pins & Pours is a social summer golf experience where players can hit nine 50m-to-100m targets on the Bay Oval cricket ground. The novelty event in January attracted people of all ages from as young as nine years old. That included one of New Zealand’s cricket greats. Former Black Cap Colin de Grandhomme is used to hitting balls outside of the Bay Oval, but instead got to tee off into the Oval for a day. “It’s a great concept,” he said during January’s event. Returning December 10th to 13th, Pins & Pours 35
The Clubroom Tauranga Promotion
Players swing, socialise and settle in for the day, Bay Oval setting the scene for Pins & Pours. has added golf to that list. The Bay Oval international cricket ground hosted its first-ever Super Rugby game in April 2025 and became a major music venue for Australian DJ Fisher earlier this year. In 2023, it was transformed into a Fifa Women’s World Cup training ground for the Netherlands football team. Bay Oval general manager Kelvin Jones says the cricket ground is a multi-use community asset. “We are a cricket ground first and foremost, but we’re always looking to find new experiences for people to enjoy especially around the holidays. “Whether you’re here to watch a cricket game, enjoy a concert, or hit some golf balls, the Bay Oval can be enjoyed by everyone.” Jones says he was excited to be hosting the inaugural Pins & Pours golf event once again. “It will not only help to promote the venue, but it will be a lot of fun too.”
“People were loving this concept in January,” Hayden says. “One of our winners was a nine-year-old boy who got the closest to the pin by far on one of the days, beating some of the adults. It was great to see.” The main event sponsor, Lexus of Tauranga, will once again donate a brand new car for the first player to score a hole in one on the final day. Branch manager at Lexus of Tauranga, Mitchell Handcock, says Pins & Pours is a good example of what the company wants to be part of in Tauranga. “It’s not just about the showroom experience, it’s about being present in the community in a way that feels natural. “Events like this bring people together outside the usual settings, and that matters to us. We can see the potential that Pins & Pours has as it grows into something the city genuinely looks forward to each summer, and we wanted to be part of that story. “It reflects the same care we put into everything else, getting the details right, and making sure people have a good experience.” Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval has hosted everything from international cricket and a Super Rugby match to its first major music event – and now it
What: Pins & Pours at the Bay Oval When: December 10th to 13th, 2026 Where: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui How to book: pinsandpours.co.nz 36
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Creating Community Unity Story by Rebecca Lee Photography by Christopher Duffy
Aaron’s experience with homelessness started almost 20-years ago in Australia. He has a solid job, partner and savings. Until he didn’t. 38
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↑ Te Paiaka Lived Experience Panel members left to right: Chloe Moore, Aaron, Rose Kent-Wilson, Adam Lilburn and Carl Fenton. → Jordan Field at Memorial Park will be transformed on Saturday 10 October when Te Paiaka and Under the Stars host a free World Homeless Day event from 11am to 3pm. The best moment of Aaron’s life has a timestamp. 10.10pm, the moment his daughter was born*. He had moved to Australia two years earlier and says he had everything; a “solid job, solid partner and solid savings”. What was lacking, he says, was communication between him and his partner. They fell pregnant as the relationship was ending, and he became a full-time father. Then the savings ran out. As a Kiwi living in Australia, Aaron had no access to the benefit or family support. “I handed my daughter back to her mother and my homelessness started from there. “I didn’t tell my ex partner I was homeless,” he says. Over the next six years, he says he reached his lowest point, estranged from his daughter and couch
surfing to stay afloat. He made a decision that altered his life. “In 2017 I decided to do an armed robbery that changed the whole trajectory of my life. With deep regret [about the robbery], I was deported and in 2019 I came back to Tauranga.” Back home he found a job, but Covid hit. He started sleeping rough again. Aaron’s journey from having it all, to financial insecurity, to homelessness is not uncommon. It is estimated that more than 120,000 people across Aotearoa New Zealand are currently experiencing homelessness. According to Stats NZ, this includes people who are without shelter, in emergency or temporary accommodation or in housing without basic necessities like running water or electricity. As the cost of living increases, so does this number. 40
“The further they are away from people and CCTV the less safe they are. There’s no hub and no shelter. There’s no local rehab. There’s no safe spaces, especially for wāhine. We are moved on. And the further we are moved on, the less safe we are.” To raise awareness of this issue, Te Paiaka Lived Experience Panel and community meal provider Under the Stars are hosting a free event to mark World Homeless Day on October 10. Te Paiaka works alongside community organisations, local government and support services to improve responses to homelessness and housing insecurity across the Bay of Plenty. Through advocacy, collaboration and education, the panel ensures the voices of people with lived experience help shape community initiatives and drive positive change. Held at Jordan Field, Memorial Park, the World Homeless Day event aims to raise awareness of homelessness and housing insecurity while creating opportunities for people to connect with local support services, community organisations and one another in a welcoming, judgementfree environment. Running from 11am to 3pm, Te Paiaka kaitiaki Rose Kent-Wilson says the event is for everyone. “We love for our homeless whānau to meet us and connect with services. But we also want the community to get together and celebrate the good instead of dehumanising our whānau and seeing us as a problem,” she says. “We invite the wider community to come and see it, and to feel it. There’s a lot of amazing stories. They’re so often not treated like people and we want to change that. We want our homeless whānau to feel empowered.” Earlier this year, the Government proposed the
Summary Offences (Move-on Orders) Amendment Bill which gives Police the power to issue move-on orders to people who are acting disorderly in public. The Government has stated the aim is to “reclaim streets and town squares for the enjoyment of those who visit, work and live there”. Rose says it criminalises people for being homeless, and is especially unsafe for women. “People are already being moved on here. They’re getting moved on, again and again, with no solutions as to where to go. People are told, ‘Just not here’.” “The further they are away from people and CCTV the less safe they are. There’s no hub and no shelter. There’s no local rehab. There’s no safe spaces, especially for wāhine. We are moved on. And the further we are moved on, the less safe we are,” Rose says. Aaron says he’s experienced rock bottom, but with community support, he’s turning that pain into purpose. After Covid, Aaron started to put himself “out there”. “I knew the only person who could turn this around was me. I turned up to community meals run by local churches and other groups.” He’s now an integral member of Te Paiaka, ensuring real voices with lived experiences are heard and help shape initiatives meant to support homeless communities. The group was initially formed in 2023 as the lived experience panel for Kāinga Tupu Taskforce which was initiated by Tauranga City Council in 41
“I acknowledge that I still have work to do and strive everyday to be better than the day before.”
↑ Adam Lilburn, Carl Fenton and Aaron, lived experience advocates for Te Paika. collaboration with Ministry of Social Development to address homelessness and housing challenges across the Western Bay of Plenty. Now, with limited funding, the group “plugs gaps” and “ensure the message is heard” at Taskforce hui. “We’re a voice for homelessness in the Bay,” Rose says. Nodding, Aaron agrees. “We are trying to put unity into community.” The second best day of Aaron’s life was earlier this year* when he woke up to a special Facebook message. After more than a decade without speaking to his daughter, she messaged him. “It’s been pretty cool actually. Pretty special.
I’m grateful to be able to talk to her everyday. She remembers the last time we were together”. She lives in Australia and they’re planning a South Island road trip for later this year. “I acknowledge that I still have work to do and strive everyday to be better than the day before. We can’t expect the same results if we do the same thing,” Aaron says. “To do the things we never do we have to do the things we never done.” * Some details have been changed for privacy. World Homeless Day Event Saturday 10 October, 11am - 3pm Memorial Park, Tauranga. 42
THOMPSON’S TRACK
Creativity, connection & community 44
Photo by Lottie Hedley
XXXX Promotion
Tauranga Art Festival Promotion
Tauranga Arts Festival will bring joy, escapism, kōrero, imagination and magic into the hearts and minds of the community; firmly anchoring arts into the city.
performance – think classical (Michael Houston) plus sonic (the Ambient Ousia duo). Then, coming fresh from Edinburgh Fringe are Canadian Duane Forrest who will present Bob Marley – How Reggae Changed the World, Sarah-Louise Young from the UK who’s bound to thrill with her cult cabaret show An Evening Without Kate Bush; Extra Lives featuring LA musician Michael Kohl and NZ’s own Werewolf crew who are set to spook on Halloween. Homegrown talent includes theatre-maker Riley Brebner with their smash-hit debut show Eat, Sleep, Dance, Repeat. Riley describes it as a one-performer, five- characters, fast-paced mockumentary celebrating friendships, creativity, and the beautiful chaos of growing up in Aotearoa back in Stage Challenge days. Then there’s the many school children taking part in Wonderstruck. “Imagine about 100 children coming together on marimbas, xylophones and buckets,” Megan says, “their enthusiasm is palpable.”
American R&B royalty Macy Gray, famous for her distinctive raspy voice and smash hit “I Try”, will perform to a sold-out crowd on Tauranga Arts Festival opening night. Tauranga Arts Festival Artistic Director Megan Brown says Macy Gray performing her “Festival of Soul” is hugely exciting. “Our festival will open with an absolute bang. There’s no denying the calibre this year is sky high.” The October 22 – November 1 festival will bring joy, escapism, kōrero, imagination and magic into the hearts and minds of the community; firmly anchoring arts into the city. The full lineup includes a diverse dose of local and international performers. Highlights include a Canadian acrobatic troupe, bilingual theatre, comedic performances, cult cabaret, an interactive gaming experience, various music shows and authors. Tauranga audiences will be the first to enjoy Paris in the Rain, an hour-long piano plus electronic 45
Photo by Heather McNeur. Photo by Giselle Brosnahan.
Tauranga Art Festival Promotion
Opener: Jon Toogood. Opposite: Duane Forrest. Above left to right: L’il Chuck and Anne Cleary, bringing rock, reggae, one-man-band mayhem and crime fiction to the lineup. There’s plenty in the festival line-up that is family-friendly, including The Valentina, for example, with a storyline involving a spaceship, painted on a bedroom ceiling, coming to life. And who doesn’t love a bit of circus fun. Somersaulting in from Canada for four Tauranga performances is the Machine de Cirque troupe. Expect high-energy acrobatics, teeterboards, juggling, live music, and physical comedy. Megan’s delighted that L’il Chuck will not only perform in venues, he’ll take workshops out to schools as part of the festival schools’ programme. In addition, young people can experience the joy of the theatre with performances of The Valentina and Tāne Rore at Baycourt (thanks to sponsors Taylor Bros Transport Ltd and Western Bay of Plenty District Council and the incredible Baycourt team). “We’re passionate about nurturing the next generation of creatives, thinkers and arts lovers. By introducing our Tamariki and rangatahi to powerful, imaginative live experiences, we aim to spark curiosity, encourage creativity and ignite a lifelong love for the arts,” she says. Taking the arts out into the community is also something the festival team, headed by chairperson Kathryn Lellman, is passionate about. The growing number of Tauranga Arts Festival shows performed in different parts of the district is something to celebrate. This year, while Tauranga CBD remains the festival hub, it has truly become a travelling festival
with shows in Katikati, Ōmokoroa, Pāpāmoa and Te Puke. “We’re proud to share the love, taking shows on the road - out into our communities,” Megan says. The 11 day and night, jam packed festival will conclude with a focus on writers. The wonders of the Craig Investment Partners’ Escape literary programme will be celebrated in the newly opened Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga Library & Community Hub. The lineup includes personal finance journalists Mary Holm and Susan Edmunds, bestselling author and resilience researcher Dr Lucy Hone, Jon Toogood of iconic band Shihad fame, and Tauranga’s own fiction writer Anne Cleary. Anne Cleary will present The Nowhere Boy, her first award-winning crime novel taking Aotearoa by storm. It’s based on the premise that a child disappears in broad daylight and no one sees a thing. Iconic rock legend Jon Toogood will talk about his book Home Again that dissects his early musicobsessed years, the formation of a band that would become a cultural force, and a career travelling the world making music, meeting heroes, and composing electrifying songs. The festival programme has certainly been received well by the community with shows already sold out, and many others selling fast. taurangafestival.co.nz 22 October - 1 November. Tickets available online via Eventfinda and at Baycourt. 46
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Mauao update from Tauranga City Council
A summer of reconnection Words by Charlie Rahiri
Recovery Manager Charlie Rahiri reflects on how the Mauao recovery work is helping reconnect people with the places, activities and traditions that make summer at the Mount so special.
“Every time we safely reopen an area, we’re helping people reconnect with places that are important to them,” he says. “Recovery is about more than stabilising slopes and repairing tracks. It’s about restoring the connections our community has with Mauao and the wider Mount area.”
Small changes make a big difference Over recent months, significant progress has been made across the recovery programme. One of the most visible changes for locals has been the permanent reopening of the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service building and Adams Avenue. Temporary fencing has been removed following the installation of additional stabilisation measures and repairs within the Beachside Holiday Park area. “Whilst this may seem like a relatively small change it’s had a big impact for residents, businesses and visitors,” says Charlie. “To see the permanent reopening of the surf club building and Adams Avenue helps restore normality and confidence in the area. The surf club is such an integral part of summer at the Mount. Having them back operating from their clubhouse will support beach safety, community events and all the activity that comes with the summer season,” he says.
There is something unique about summer at the foot of Mauao. It’s the sight of paddleboards gliding across Pilot Bay at dawn. The excitement of beach events, triathlons and cruise ships arriving. The familiar sound of lifeguards on patrol and thousands of people enjoying everything the Mount has to offer. While recovery work continues on Mauao, this summer will look different to summers past. Step by step, important milestones are being achieved, community facilities are returning and preparations are underway for what promises to be a busy and vibrant season. For Recovery Manager Charlie Rahiri, each milestone represents more than simply reopening infrastructure. 49
Mauao update from Tauranga City Council
Photos by Sam Kelway
“We’re seeing facilities reopen, community events return, and people reconnect with places they love. That’s what recovery is all about.” Charlie Rahiri, Recovery Manager
supported with ongoing monitoring,” says Charlie. The recent Quantitative Landslide Risk Assessment has also provided important information about future risk, helping inform decisions about facilities, access and public safety across the area. “The assessment gives us a much clearer understanding of where risks exist and how they can be managed. It creates an evidence-based pathway forward and helps us make informed decisions alongside our community,” explains Charlie.
The Pilot Bay boat ramp has reopened, providing an important facility for the boating community and another welcome sign that recovery is progressing. New permanent fencing has been installed to help manage ongoing risks, recognising that some areas remain within an active landslide environment.
Progress on the maunga Away from public view, substantial work continues across Mauao itself. Of the 42 landslides identified across the maunga following the severe weather events and subsequent landslide activity, nine have now been fully remediated, with further sites under active repair. Work on the Motukauri summit 4WD track is complete and preparations are underway for public use while repairs continue along Te Ara Tūtanga, the base track (pictured above). Work is underway to reconnect parts of the track network, with the goal of reopening sections of Mauao when it is safe to do so. “We’re making good progress, but safety remains our priority. This means access to Mauao will be unlikely to look like what we are used to. Any reopening will be carefully planned and
Summer events at the Mount Alongside recovery milestones, summer events are expected to bring thousands of people back into the area over the coming months. The recent Mount Maunganui Half Marathon attracted a record field of more than 4,000 participants, with over 3,000 entrants travelling from outside the Bay of Plenty region. “Seeing so many people back at the main beach was great, the atmosphere was energetic and that’s what we want to see more of as the weather starts to warm up and we start to progress with recovery,” says Charlie. The summer calendar is packed with sporting and community events, showcasing Tauranga and 50
Photo supplied by Mount Maunganui Half Marathon 2026
Mauao update from Tauranga City Council
Over 3,000 people travelled from outside of the Bay of Plenty region to participate in the Mount Maunganui Half Marathon. outside the region, causing 5,357 visitor nights and $998,167 in visitor spend. “These events are important for our local economy, our community and our sense of place. They bring people together and remind us of everything that makes this area special,” says Charlie.
Mount Maunganui as a premier destination for recreation, competition and outdoor experiences. From Ultimate Athlete and the Tauranga City to Surf to the Volleyball Bay of Plenty Junior Secondary Schools Championships and Beach 5s Rugby Festival, as well as the surf lifesaving Eastern Regional Championships, the international cricket and two-day festival at Bay Oval in February, there are plenty of opportunities for locals and visitors to get active and experience sport in and around our iconic coastline. Triathlon season returns to Tauranga on 22 November, with the Marra Construction Tinman Triathlon and World Triathlon Cup Tauranga running in conjunction. The World Triathlon Cup is a significant milestone, launching the city’s threeyear journey towards hosting the World Triathlon Championship Finals in 2028. The action continues throughout summer with events including one of New Zealand’s longest-running triathlons, the Eves Surfbreaker Triathlon, plus Calley Homes Women’s Triathlon, and Marra Sprint Triathlon. Also in January, the Fulton Hogan Mount Festival of Multisport returns to Mount Maunganui. Home to the iconic Tauranga Half triathlon, one of New Zealand’s longest-running half-ironman events. In 2025 it attracted more than 5,000 participants across the Tauranga Half, AquaBike and Half Marathon and of those, over half were visitors from
Looking ahead While important conversations about the future of the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park, Mount Hot Pools and recreational reserve continue, Charlie believes there is plenty to be optimistic about. His focus is on the season ahead and continuing to balance recovery with the gradual return of activity. “There is still a lot of work to do, but we’ve made significant progress,” says Charlie. “This summer won’t be exactly the same as those before, but it represents an important step forward. Whilst we will be reflecting on the upcoming anniversary of the tragic event, we’re seeing facilities reopen, community events return, and people reconnect with places they love. “That’s what recovery is all about – caring for Mauao while helping our community move forward together.” tauranga.govt.nz 51
Kaimai Kauri Healthy Words by Rebecca Lee of Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust
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In today’s world, obsessed with growth, speed and always looking for “more”, standing underneath a towering kauri forces you to slow down. To look to the past, present and future. For Māori, kauri aren’t just a rakau. They’re a direct descendent of Ranginui (sky father), Papatūanuku (earth mother), and their child Tāne Mahuta (God of the forests). Their health is directly related to the overall health of the forests, and of all mana whenua. “For Ngāti Tumutumu, kauri are part of the whakapapa of our ngahere, they are a living connection to our tūpuna,” says Jill Taylor, general manager of Ngāti Tumutumu Trust. “Standing beneath a kauri, I often wonder whether my tūpuna stood in that same place. I wonder what these trees have seen over their lifetime, what stories they might have for us, and what has unfolded beneath their branches. “Our kauri have stood through many generations of change, they are among the oldest living connections we have to our people and this place,” she says. While special in terms of size and whakapapa, kauri were felled en masse in the 1800s for ship masts and spars, and later for just about everything including bridges, houses and telegraph poles both in Aotearoa and abroad. It’s now illegal to cut down native rakau in conservation land. But, the remaining kauri are still under threat from introduced mammals who eat, scrape and attack the tree, along with an invisible pathogen Phytophthora agathidicida (PA) that causes kauri dieback disease.
Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park is one of the southernmost kauri forests in Aotearoa, and second to be confirmed free from kauri dieback disease. Following a false positive kauri dieback detection on a track near Wharawhara (Western Bayof Plenty) in 2023, the pae maunga that separates Bay of Plenty and Waikato can now be confirmed free of kauri dieback. Kaimahi from the Department of Conservation and the Kaimai Mamaku Restoration Project (including Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Tumutumu, Ngāti Hinerangi, Ngāti Te Wai, and Ngamanawa Incorporation) spent 1686 hours, or 70 full days, collecting data across more than 20,000 hectares of the park. DOC regional lead kauri protection Tracy Mezger coordinated the extensive survey effort and says it’s a relief. “Our worst fear was that it was already here and we’d start to see a decline in these beautiful trees, but the level of sampling done means we’re confident it’s not there – andwe’re committed to it staying that way.” Laura Barton and Nelson Thorne, Kaimai Mamaku Restoration Project kaitiaki sampled 101 rakau and say it was a privilege to be involved in this kaupapa. “We all pitched in because of one common connection – kauri. “It’s a privilege to walk off track, and realise I am going back over ancestral paths, not animal paths, and seeing kauri seedlings as far as the eye could see,” Laura says. The year-long survey was co-designed with 54
Photo by Ma Ti
The Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park is among the country’s southernmost kauri forests. After a year-long survey across more than 20,000 hectares, the park is confirmed free of kauri dieback.
Photo by Jane Keam
“It’s a privilege to walk off track, and realise I am going back over ancestral paths, not animal paths, and seeing kauri seedlings as far as the eye could see.”
There are potentially millions of kauri seedlings within the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park.
the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park, indicating healthy regeneration. While no kauri dieback was found through the survey, 40 per cent of sites had signs of human and introduced animal disturbance, and other plant pathogens which may affect the health of the forest giants as climate changes. “A healthy forest means the responsibility to keep it healthy. This result highlights our responsibilities as kaitiaki. Protecting kauri is not just about protecting a species, it’s about recognising our responsibility to care for something that has already stood here for generations before us. The challenge for our generation is ensuring they remain standing for those who come after us. “We have a collective responsibility now to keep our forest safe and free from PA. How are we all going to achieve this, and will it be done in time given all the risks?” Jill says. You can help protect kauri too. Kauri dieback can travel on a pinhead of soil so before entering the Kaimai Mamaku, make sure your boots are clean, stay on the tracks and use any cleaning station you see.
DOC and iwi and hapū. The aim was to assess the presence or absence of PA in the soil, and establish baseline kauri health to inform ongoing protection, treatment, and forest health strategies. “Iwi kaimahi were empowered to take an active role in all aspects of the work, from tīkanga and planning, to ensuring biosecurity protocols and taking samples. It was true collaboration and learning for all of us,” Tracy says. Kauri are considered ‘ecosystem engineers’, with their presence changing soil environments, providing protection from erosion and flooding and creating environments that sustain indigenous plant life. Kauri infected with PA can take years to display symptoms including lesions that bleed at the base of the trunk, the yellowing of leaves, canopy thinning, dead branches, and eventually, they die. Leaving a gap in the canopy, letting in sunlight and room for pest plants to take over. “There are many risks if we lose kauri,” says Jill Taylor of Ngāti Tumutumu Trust. “But the biggest loss for me would be the loss of the connection to our tūpuna.” There are an estimated 23,000 mature, canopy level kauri and potentially millions of seedlings within
mkm.org.nz/support 55
Hang Time Photography by Christopher Duffy
There are no referees in ultimate. Players call their own fouls, settle disputes on the spot and, after each game, rate the opposition on fairness as well as skill. In between, they throw themselves full length at a spinning disc. The Mount Ultimate Club runs social leagues, skills sessions and tournaments, and describes itself as developing, which is a modest way of saying it’s growing. Keen to give it a go? You’ll find them at Arataki Park on Monday nights. 58
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Just a Random Guy
Words by Katherine Whittaker Photography by Jane Keam 65
Ex-soldier, ex-salesman Keith Lewis is a fulltime artist with a mohawk. With wife Lisa, he runs a Te Puna gallery of oversized coins and an ever-growing army of random guys.
“I would get there around midnight Friday, spend the weekend, then drive back to get in late on Sunday. I was generally very late, and then I had to iron my shirts, or I would have been in trouble. “Worth it, though,” he smiles. It is hard to imagine now, looking at the unstructured street art on the walls and listening to the self-proclaimed ‘Random Guy’, but Keith says the Army taught him valuable lessons about systems and structure. “We were there to work,” he says, recalling six months he spent serving in Bosnia. “When we weren’t working, there really was no opportunity for creativity. It was then I decided I really had to make something, to create something when I got back.” And it was to street-style art and stencilling he found his way. “It wasn’t ever going to be landscapes. I’m not wishy-washy. That’s not my gig,” he says, gesturing around at his anything-but-traditional, colourful surroundings. “I would create pieces, then we would sneak out at night, and put them up, install them on buildings. They were like little gifts to the city. But then they kept disappearing. They kept getting pinched. So, I worked out, well people must like them.”
For Keith Lewis, the 1980s was, no is, the best decade. At the rambling Te Puna property he shares with wife Lisa, this is very much evident. Step into the house, his studio space or the recently added gallery, and the retro fandom is blatant. “I’m a little bit old fashioned that way,” Keith says, sipping on a V energy drink, and yarning nostalgically about 20 cent lolly mixtures and how he met his girl at a roller-skating rink. His artworks, playful, oversized New Zealand coins and hearts in pastel sherbet shades adorn the walls in small groups. It feels like a handful of sweets have been thrown at the space. For all of the energy and ideas fizzing out of the couple, you would think they grew up in creative households, arty from the start. But certainly, they did not start out with the creative freedom they now savour. They met at a roller-skating rink when Lisa was at secondary school in Whanganui, and Keith had just joined the Army. “How’s that for throwback?” Keith laughs. Lisa moved to Wellington to study design while Keith was based in the Waiouru Military Camp. “Yeah, I was pretty keen [on her]. I spent all my pay on petrol driving down,” he says. 66
“I would create pieces, then we would sneak out at night, and put them up, install them on buildings. They were like little gifts to the city. But then they kept disappearing. They kept getting pinched. So, I worked out, well people must like them.”
↑ Keith spray paints a stencilled round piece and a cast one. Both feed into One Lane Bridge, the couple’s new gallery and gift shop. Opposite: Keith and Lisa among the pastel hearts and other works. 67
different mediums and techniques, always looking to learn. He enjoys prototyping, mould making, and working with casting materials—skills that now form the foundation of their new gallery and gift shop ‘One Lane Bridge’. The name was inspired by the windy roads to his Nana’s Piha bach. “With a one lane bridge, well it’s a very New Zealand thing for a start. And it’s give and take, give way or get on with it. Everyone has to work together for a one lane bridge to work.” Now, the pair love showing people around their working spaces, and explaining how the works are made. They open the studio/gallery selected hours during the week, or by arrangement for groups. “Coming here, it’s like that feeling of going to the shop for a twenty-cent mixture. We’re about the experience not the exhibition.” Lisa says that with the rise of Temu, people are craving hand made. “You’re competing so much with Temu and China and thousands of the same thing,” she says. “We’ve found people appreciate seeing how things are made. It’s great to see the genuine interest.” Keith loves to involve others in his artwork—to support other artists, to collaborate with other creatives, and to have fun with those who might collect his artworks.
As with many small, home-based businesses, during the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 it was sink or swim. “People couldn’t go to markets, where a lot of us sold our work. There was an NZ Made Products Facebook group and we thought ‘sure, let’s do it’. We took the five cents, and the ten cents, and loaded them up to the site. Then we went to watch a movie.” Lisa recalls what happened next. “Honestly, my phone started beeping. And then it was going off with so many orders. Ping, ping, ping! People were looking for a bit of nostalgia,” she says. It was also a massive learning curve. They had hardly any stock and hundreds of orders. “We had to make products like crazy plus learn all the logistics along the way. Some people were so bored in lockdown, they were rearranging their pantry or learning a language. We were absolutely frantic,” Keith says. With the help of friends and by ‘borrowing’ a courier here and there and working massive hours, they made it work. Up until then, Keith had kept his sales job. He liked the people, but not the work. So, the pair decided to ‘go for it’ and Keith became a fulltime artist, with Lisa on graphic design and marketing. “We were all in.” Over the years, Keith has continued exploring 68
“I send the random guys out into the world, and I love it when people send back photos of how and where they’ve ended up.”
↑ Keith holds the mould for one of his oversized coins. Opposite: Lisa packs an order, while Keith mixes plaster for casting. “Art comes from me, it’s in me. It changes and comes into my brain all the time. Like Random Guy, I am random. I’ll be talking about one thing then I’ll be like ‘ooh, look a squirrel!’.” And they both laugh, nodding at the accurate reflection. Keith has a distinctive profile with a mohawk part of his daily look. “After years of a corporate job and the Army, it’s all part of it. It’s me. It’s outside the lines.” Totally living, and colouring, outside the lines.
His ‘Random Guy’ persona appears in many works or comes as an added extra with another artwork. “I send the random guys out into the world, and I love it when people send back photos of how and where they’ve ended up.” In Winter they make art, preparing for a busy Spring. Later this year, their eclectic home will be a stop on the Garden and Arts Fest for the first time. “Fortunately, we work really well as a team. It’s not every husband and wife who could work and live together this way. I’m the ideas guy and Lisa is the fine tune,” he explains. “I make it. She makes it look good.” Keith says the key to his creative life is percolating on new ideas, and the opportunity and confidence to try new things.
onelanebridge.co.nz onelanebridgenz onelanebridgenz Gallery & Gift Store open 10am – 3pm Weds to Sat 69
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Tauranga City Council Promotion
Kōrero tuku iho, stories of the past
The new Tauranga library brings decades of photographs and records together, making more of the city’s history accessible to anyone tracing their own stories and connections. 71
Tauranga City Council Promotion
Old photographic negatives from The Bay of Plenty Times, featuring decades of memories from the region, were sitting in boxes out the back of NZME, unseen and surplus to requirements. In 2023, Tauranga City Libraries took custody of the massive collection of film dating from the 1960s to the 1980s. Some images have appeared in newspapers over the years but the vast majority has never been seen by the public. The library will preserve the collection as part of the growing historical record of Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty, where they can be discovered and enjoyed by people in the future. That sense of guardianship, reflected in the concept of kaitiakitanga, is woven through the archives, research and heritage collections of Te Ao Mārama Tauranga Library and Community Hub at Te Manawataki o Te Papa. In this way, the archives
become part of the kōrero tuku iho, the stories and knowledge passed down through generations, giving people new ways to connect with the people, places and events that have shaped Tauranga Moana. For someone researching local history, the past might begin with a photograph. For another, it could be an old map, newspaper, document or manuscript. A university student might be following a much more specific line of enquiry for an assignment. The new library gives people the collections, resources and spaces to dig a little deeper, whether they are tracing a family connection, exploring local history or working on a research project. At ground level, Wharepapa, a dedicated reading room, provides a welcoming place for people to view original archival material. Visitors are able to request items from the archive and, with support available, sit down and spend time with them. 72
The collections include photographs and negatives, maps, manuscripts, documents, publications and ephemera, as well as older audiovisual formats including tapes, reels and discs. These are often unique or fragile records and handling them requires care. The reading room has facilities to support this, including handwashing stations and gloves, while staff can help visitors understand and navigate the material. That support is part of making heritage accessible. It is manaakitanga in practice. Welcoming people in, helping them navigate the material and creating a pathway between people and the knowledge it contains. In recent years, much of the material has been in storage at a warehouse in Mount Maunganui. In the new library, requested items will be brought down in an elevator from the library’s secure archival storage to the reading room.
↑ The new library and community hub at Te Manawataki O Te Papa rises above Willow Street. ↖ Rows of shelving in the climate-controlled room protect thousands of collection items. Opener: A staff member carefully handles a photograph from the collection. The journey is short, but the significance can be much greater: a box that has spent years protected in storage can suddenly be opened by someone looking for a connection to their own history. Behind the scenes, the archive store provides the conditions needed to give these materials a longer life. Temperature and humidity are carefully controlled, dust is minimised and fire protection is provided. Materials are stored in specialist, acid-free boxes designed to help prevent deterioration. There is much more to research than what is held in the archive. On level two, the adult library area brings together reference collections and modern research tools. Historical documents, electoral rolls, microfilm and microfiche sit alongside computers brimming with
digital research resources. Māori Land Court records and material relating to Waitangi Tribunal research can provide important sources for understanding people, land and events across generations. For someone researching their whakapapa, a photograph discovered in the archive might reveal a tupuna (ancestor), a name in an electoral roll might provide a new lead, or an old map might help explain the relationship between whānau and place. Not all of this research needs to happen on the premises. Pae Korokī, the library’s online archive, provides another way to discover the diverse and unique stories of Tauranga Moana through historic photographs, maps, publications and other material. The Bay of Plenty Times negatives are one example of the 73
stories that might otherwise have been lost. Thousands of images of life in the region are now part of the historical record, available for future generations to discover. Access to knowledge sits at the heart of Te Manawataki o Te Papa. The library and community hub is one part of a bigger precinct that brings together a museum, a performing arts centre, an art gallery and other community spaces. Together, they contribute to how we understand and experience the stories of this place. The stories are already here. The new library and community hub enable more ways to find them, explore them and carry them forward. The new Tauranga Library and Community Hub at Te Manawataki o Te Papa, Willow Street is open to the public from 16th October 2026.
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Great baking brings people together, and we love knowing our baked goods play a small part in life’s everyday moments, from morning pastries and lunchtime loaves to weekend gatherings with family and friends. Find your nearest stockist online, or when home delivery suits better, enjoy fresh Volare bread and baked goods delivered the same day, straight from our ovens to your door.
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Wearable
Joy
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Serotonin Promotion
After years designing for luxury labels in London and Melbourne, Renaya Lloyd came home to the Mount to swap mass production for necklaces built bead by bead from vintage glass and stone.
Melbourne, before returning home to the Mount for a change of pace with her young family. Renaya decided to dip her toe back into fashion after a parenting break. But this time, on her own terms. Her new project needed to be physically small, work around family life, fit a wide range of body types, and something that didn’t cost customers the earth, both environmentally and financially. She landed on vintage glass beads and stones. “It was a bit of a process to find something that would stick,” she laughs, “by far the best test is starting out and making things for friends and family. “When you start getting asked for more, you know you’re onto a winner.” Serotonin was launched just 10 months ago, but in that time Lloyd has found a unique point of view, loyal local stockists and a host of customers excited to own something colourful, unique and joyful. Each Serotonin piece is one of a kind, assembled from vintage glass beads and stones sourced locally and from overseas. There’s no production line churning out hundreds of identical necklaces, and that’s precisely the point. “You can mass produce anything,” she says,
For Serotonin founder Renaya Lloyd, making jewellery is about colour, creativity and giving new life to what already exists. “I’m a maker at heart,” she says. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve been sewing, drawing, crafting and building things. I recently found some Sylvanian Families [a range of mini animal figurines] in storage, that I’d hand sewn tiny dresses and hats for! Such patience!” Channelling her desire to make things, it was only natural that Renaya would find her way into a creative field. After completing a design degree, majoring in fashion, she ended up working in luxury and high end accessories in both London and 76
Serotonin Promotion
“How special is it to reuse beads that may have had lives with other women previously? Or beads that have been sitting as dead stock for 80 years, waiting for their moment to shine?”
Serotonin necklaces, pictured throughout. Each is one of a kind, strung from vintage glass beads and stones.
They may have belonged to another necklace, another wardrobe, another woman, somewhere else entirely. “How special is it to reuse beads that may have had lives with other women previously? Or beads that have been sitting as dead stock for 80 years, waiting for their moment to shine?” There’s something inherently joyful about the approach. In a culture dominated by fast fashion, mass production and endless scrolling, Serotonin is deliberately slower. The pieces aren’t designed to be disposable or replicated. They’re designed to be discovered. The real joy comes from finding beauty in what already exists and giving it another life. Definitely a serotonin boost.
“but I like to think of what I’m making as something a bit closer to art.” Her designs each come numbered, with the provenance of all the beads included, and are given names like Sweetcorn and Wild Child. “I’d get bored making a whole bunch of the same thing,” she admits. “It’s definitely more time consuming, but it makes each piece much more special.” Renaya is particularly interested in colour combinations and the fun adjacencies that can give a colour a fresh life. “I love colour. It was always my favourite thing to research when I worked as a trend forecaster. I look at fashion weeks and street style for colour inspiration, then distill that information down into one necklace at a time.” Serotonin aims to be wearable joy, but perhaps the ultimate mood booster is knowing that the beads around your neck may have had a life before they join your wardrobe.
Available at serotonin.co.nz Selection available at Paddington Store, Bayfair & Hey Love Florals, Tauranga. 77
MORNING ‘TILL NIGHT
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Majestic Interiors Promotion
From customers to custodians
For a couple who can’t walk past an open home without mentally re-tiling the bathroom, becoming the new owners of Majestic Interiors was a no-brainer. 79
Majestic Interiors Promotion
“Everyone genuinely loves what they do and brings nothing but joy and banter to work, we’re stoked to carry on with the same people and service that’s been winning customers over for decades.” ← New owners Nat and Josh Eady in the Majestic Interiors showroom. ↑ Some of the Majestic Interiors crew L-R: Back row: Fanie Greyling, Andrew Roberts, Josh Eady. Front row: Suzie Bryant, Nat Eady Josh and Nat Eady have never met a renovation they didn’t like. “We’re serial renovators,” Nat says, “most people just want it done, and preferably by someone else. “We’re the weird ones who enjoy the process.” But after building a family home, the itch went unscratched for several years. Last year, the pair started looking for a new project. This time, a business. “We wanted something where our experience was transferable, and marketing was an opportunity,” Josh says. “Retail was the last thing on our mind,” Nat says, “but our broker insisted a quaint business in Te Puke would be a great fit. ‘Have you heard of Majestic Interiors?’ he said.” Turns out, they had. Majestic had supplied their curtains and flooring for their new build in Papamoa years earlier, and “were brilliant.” They first met Majestic at a home show. “We’re fussy, budget-conscious, and our style’s a bit unusual, so the products had to be right, and the price had to stack up,” Nat says. “They came to us outside work hours and leaned into our quirky ideas — bringing samples and solutions that nailed the brief. They were also the best on price.” They’ve been sending friends and family through Majestic’s door since. When considering the business purchase, Josh’s background made it an easy ‘yes’. He was Head of Sales at Louvretec BOP, then Regional Manager at Warner Fencing; years spent selling and installing
high-end building products across the region. Nat’s mix of design, marketing and general management experience, and that she studied Interior Architecture at uni, was another tick. Nat also grew up in Te Puke where her parents ran an accounting firm. She attended Pongakawa School and then Te Puke High, so the opportunity felt a bit like coming home. “Don’t ask me how many apple cream donuts I’ve eaten from the Te Puke Bakery since we took over, they’re still good!” Positive Google reviews were a deciding factor in becoming the new owners. Majestic Interiors were sitting on a 4.9-star rating across hundreds of reviews. But before committing, Josh and Nat spent time with the existing owners and team, seeing how the place ran. “Numbers aside, we needed to know that we were a good fit for the team and the operation,” Josh reflects. “Every conversation confirmed it.” John and Karen Roberts built Majestic over nearly 30 years, with son Andrew stepping into the General Manager role in more recent years. It was a genuine family operation, and one built on exceptional service from day one. Following in their footsteps is a privilege Josh and Nat don’t take lightly. “Andrew and the team really sealed it,” Josh adds. “Everyone genuinely loves what they do and brings nothing but joy and banter to work. We’re stoked to carry on with the same people and service that’s been winning customers over for decades.” Nat chimes in that they’re “excited for a bit of showroom reno in due course too.” 80
Majestic Interiors Promotion
↑ Nat and Josh weighing up samples, the same hands-on approach they now bring to every client. More broadly, it’s visibility. Majestic has quietly built an outstanding reputation, but Josh and Nat want more people to know the name outside of Te Puke. “We serve the Bay, but many think we only do drapes or flooring,” Nat explains. “We know first-hand how much easier it is to run a reno or build project when one trusted and proven supplier is managing the supply and install of many finishes. We run great project management software and work as a team; this removes time and stress from the process and often opens up savings. A genuine one-stop-shop.” “We were customers before we were owners,” Josh says. “We want to be the Bay’s go-to for interiors. We want fewer people to find us by accident.” For a couple who can’t walk past an open home without mentally re-tiling the bathroom, taking on Majestic isn’t really a career change. It’s their forever project.
When asked what the business means to them, Josh and Nat were clear: making the ‘dream interior’ feel within reach. “For most people, an interior designer is out of budget,” Nat says. “We’re passionate about helping people with cohesive product selection, for their first home reno, an investment property refresh, or bold forever-home finishes. Like our stunning moss green Bremworth wool carpet.” Good interiors don’t have to cost the earth, she says, it’s about having a good sounding board, choosing your heroes and matching the right products to your budget and lifestyle. Wool carpet might be someone’s dream, but a house full of kids, pets or sun might do better with solution-dyed nylon. The same thinking runs across hard flooring and drapery. “Our team could write the book on what not to do where,” Nat laughs. What’s next for Majestic? “We’ve got an entire Tile Space store in the showroom, and it genuinely surprises us how many people don’t know it’s there,” Josh admits. “The new Japanese tile range is very cool.”
majesticinteriors.co.nz 224 Jellicoe Street, Jellicoe St 07 573 0088 81
Good times, all ages.
The Island, Pāpāmoa | Open everyday 12-10pm
Leaving It Better Than We Found It Photos by Riki-Lee Ainsworth and Ross Campbell
83
Bay of Plenty Regional Council Promotion
For more than two decades, a small group of volunteers has been restoring treasured landscapes near Rotorua. What began as a commitment to care for a place they loved has grown into a legacy that will benefit generations to come. As morning light settles across the wetlands at Lake Ōkāreka, the air fills with birdsong. Native reeds sway gently in the breeze while a boardwalk winds through a landscape that feels timeless, as though it has always looked this way. But it hasn’t. Twenty years ago, much of this wetland was overwhelmed by willow trees and invasive weeds. Native habitats were under pressure, water quality was suffering and the ecosystem was struggling to thrive. Today, it tells a different story, thanks in large part to the determination of local volunteers who saw the potential beneath the weeds and committed themselves to bringing it back to life. Among them are Mike Goodwin and Brian Law, who have been part of the restoration effort almost from the beginning. Mike and his wife Sandra were founding members of the Lake Ōkāreka Landcare Group in 2003, while Brian joined shortly afterwards and jokes he has been involved “full-time basically since”. For Mike, the motivation has always been simple: “Shouldn’t we all be leaving the place better than we found it?” It’s a philosophy that has shaped thousands of volunteer hours, countless community working bees and years of patient, often physically demanding work. The wetland was always the biggest challenge. “The last project on the list,” Mike recalls, because everyone knew the scale of what lay ahead. Yet they also understood what was at stake. Wetlands are nature’s filtration system. Like kidneys, Mike explains, they help purify water before it reaches the lake, supporting water quality and the wider ecosystem. Unlike many wetlands lost elsewhere, this one had never been drained or converted for farming. Beneath the dense growth of pest plants was a natural system waiting for the chance to recover. So they began. Week after week, season after season; volunteers returned to do the hard mahi. Willows were removed. Pest plants were tackled. Native
species were planted in their place. Over the past seven years alone, more than 10,000 trees have gone into the ground, gradually transforming the landscape around the wetland. Brian laughs as he remembers those early years, saying, “Both Mike and I are weed people, so we were always in here, working on the pest plants. We could see what this place could become.” What others saw as an overgrown patch of swamp, they saw as possibility. Slowly, their vision began to reveal itself. The dense wall of willows gave way to native vegetation. Sunlight returned to the wetland floor. Water moved more freely through the system. Year by year, nature responded. Today, the rewards aren’t measured solely in planting records or restoration plans. They’re heard in the chatter of miromiro flitting through the trees, in the return of toutouwai, absent for years but now part of the daily soundtrack, and in the knowledge that kōaro, a declining native freshwater species, are once again finding suitable habitat in the waterways feeding the lake. Mike pauses and listens to the chorus surrounding the wetland. “Working all day among the birdsong has its perks.” The elusive matuku-hūrepo (native bittern) has also been observed in the area, indicating an improving ecosystem. With fewer than 1,000 left in Aotearoa, the presence of this nationally threatened bird signals a healthier, more diverse ecosystem and offers tangible evidence that decades of care are paying off. Yet none of this happened by chance, or through the efforts of a handful of volunteers alone. Over the years, the project has been supported through a network of partnerships involving Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Department of Conservation, local councils, Te Arawa Lakes Trust, residents, schools and community organisations. Plants, expertise, funding and practical support have all helped turn a shared vision into reality. For Bay of Plenty Regional Council Land 84
Bay of Plenty Regional Council Promotion
↑ From left to right: Mike Goodwin (Lake Ōkāreka Landcare Group), Scott Kusabs (Bay of Plenty Regional Council Land Management Team Leader) and Brian Law (Lake Okāreka Landcare Group). But perhaps the most enduring outcome isn’t ecological at all. It’s the example being set for future generations. The understanding that caring for a place isn’t somebody else’s responsibility. It’s something that belongs to all of us. For Anna, that mindset is exactly what longterm stewardship looks like. “This is what good mokopuna decision-making looks like,” she says. “It hasn’t happened overnight, but the results mean this lake will be clean and swimmable for future generations.” As afternoon light stretches across the reeds and the lake beyond, it’s easy to see what decades of care can create. Not just a restored wetland, but something more profound: Proof that when people commit themselves to a place they love, the landscape remembers. The work isn’t finished. Restoration never really is. But for those who have dedicated years of their lives to this corner of the world, the rewards are already there in every native tree taking root, every bird returning home and every young person who will inherit a healthier lake because others were willing to think beyond their own lifetime. A living legacy, growing quietly beside the water.
Management Team Leader Scott Kusabs, the birdsong is an important reminder that restoration on this scale is never a solo effort. “Our care group programme enables us to fund incredible work for biodiversity across the region,” he says. “The results are due to volunteers like Mike, Brian and their care group who want to make a difference.” For Regional Councillor Anna Grayling, who calls Ōkāreka home, the wetland’s revival demonstrates the remarkable impact communities can have when they’re empowered to lead. “The multiplier effect from groups like this care group is enormous,” she says. “When we give them a dollar, the return on investment for the community is huge.” She sees today’s flourishing wetland as the product of years of collaboration across the entire catchment, bringing together councils, iwi organisations, environmental groups, landowners and residents around a common purpose. “Everybody who lives out here loves this place and cares deeply about it,” she says. “People have put in the hard work, and now we can start to reap the rewards.” Those rewards are becoming increasingly visible: cleaner water, healthier habitat and the return of native species.
boprc.govt.nz 85
Nestled in
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Baroque is Beautiful Words by Katherine Whittaker Photography by Erin Cave
Chalium Poppy came to the Mount to rest. Instead he founded a choir. Next on the list: Bach’s cantatas in te reo Māori. 87
Chalium Poppy thought he’d take some time to rest, adjust and get the lay of the land when he moved to Mount Maunganui in 2009. But Chalium has a reputation and a voice that would never not stand out. So, his people found him. In the congregation of St. Peter’s Anglican Church, he was living a quiet life with his husband after a heavy schedule of work and touring overseas. As soon as he arrived from Canada, his people wanted him to stay. They wanted him to chase down the very best voices of the Bay of Plenty—and challenge them. They wanted him to curate a boutique audition-only choir. And a year later, the Scholars Pro Musica came to life. Sixteen years later, now called the Scholars Baroque Aotearoa, the intent is the same. There is the same
to study in Austria was a dream opportunity. Although his father loved classical music, Chalium says his parents never would have supported it as a career choice and would have forbidden him from going if they knew. He took a deep breath, and a big leap. Running away from home to take up the opportunity, he has never looked back. As Chalium sips a cup of French Earl Grey tea in a chair so deep it seems impossible to get out of, the sun streams into his music studio. He muses on arriving at Mount Maunganui almost 20 years ago. “The warmth just embraces you, and I thought, ‘If this is the first day of winter, I’m here for it’.” “When I first got here, people said, ‘Well, he’ll never stay here’, and,
established. Chalium says right from the start the choir had two pillars to support it—history, particularly 18th Century music, and audience education. “It’s about finding out about the history and political atmosphere of the time, what made and shaped the music. It’s not just learning the notes for us but delivering in an informed way.” Originally, the choir membership was mostly older people. “Now it is more likely that its people with families and jobs, who want something more. And have classical training. Or a voice which needs an outlet,” says Chalium, who wanted to create a sense of culture and family. “I didn’t want to put a box around it and keep it separate. I wanted a family type thing, so we
“I could see there would be a place for me here, and shortly after I arrived, Scholars Baroque was established. The aim was to keep it small, with trained voices, a clean sound and a level of excellence required of singers.” level of commitment and excellence asked of the members of the choir. ‘Scholars’ has remained firmly in the name to underline its members’ intent to keep learning about the music they perform and to share that knowledge with audiences. Two of the foundation members remain, anchoring the choir that punches far above its weight in the hands of the man who knew from an early age what it was like to feel the pull towards classical period music. At four years old, Chalium auditioned for the choir at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, and was accepted. He learnt the piano, and then the organ. At school, he conducted the choir and played the chapel organ. Again, his people found him. An offer for a full scholarship
‘He’ll get gobbled up by Auckland or Wellington’. But it was never temporary for me. I built a music studio, and it was, ‘How do I survive and make this work?’ Never ‘when and where might I go’.” Chalium teaches piano, voice, organ and harpsichord, and says he was delighted at the level of enthusiasm and talent he found in the Bay of Plenty. Even so, he wanted to raise the bar. “I could see there would be a place for me here, and shortly after I arrived, Scholars Baroque was established. The aim was to keep it small, with trained voices, a clean sound and a level of excellence required of singers.” After a rigorous audition process, the first choir was 88
go tenpin bowling and socialise together.” Following his passion for musical education for young people, the Scholars Baroque Aotearoa Scholarship Scheme started in 2015 for high school, polytechnic, or university students. The aim was to give a positive and lasting impression of choral and classical music, something which could only be experienced inside a chamber choir and with a qualified conductor. The scholarships, for $1,000 each, are about giving back. “It’s about building up young people, with something meaningful and worthwhile to take forward with them.” A key part of the mission is keeping classical and early music
Chalium Poppy in the music studio where he teaches piano and voice. 89
Clockwise from left: Chalium at the piano, the instrument he learnt as a boy and now teaches; a copy of Rudiments and Theory of Music; Montgomery the British bulldog keeps an eye on proceedings. alive in New Zealand and to provide essential opportunities for students to study under experienced directors. Chalium emphasises his points by talking with his hands. He has two sleeve tattoos, a tribute to his roots. He has his “Irish arm”, with Saint Patrick and Saint Columba, and on his right, a map climbing up his forearm of Abel Tasman’s first circumnavigation of New Zealand. And over his heart is a Welsh dragon. Chalium also wants to bring some lesser-known music to audiences through the choir. Through careful programming, he pairs one work as a ‘hook’ and one lesser known one, all in the interests of musical appreciation, education and sharing his passions. “For example, we have Fauré as the hook, and Charpentier who is the lesser known but absolutely magnificent and golden to go with it. Or a Vivaldi and then a magnificent
little Mass by Bach. It’s like ‘hey everyone, come for Handel, but stay for Charpentier’. It delights me.” The choir has become well-known for performing Handel’s Messiah on an annual basis—something many look forward to. Although Chalium enjoys any opportunity to mix it up, always looking at other eras of music for inspiration. “I am always trying to think of new ways to explore old music and breathe fresh life into old notes. “People think I am Mr. Early Music and I don’t shift, and the choir either. Not true. We have performed 20th Century and even 21st Century music. We keep it fresh.” Between teaching, conducting, curating, Chalium spends his time researching and learning to speak te reo Māori. “I always say mōrena to my husband and we try to use it in our 90
daily vocabulary,” says Chalium, who is also on a quest to be the first to translate some of Bach’s Cantatas— works composed by German Baroque master Johann Sebastian Bach—into te reo Māori. “It’s a very long process and I really want to see it through. Maybe after I retire,” he says as he contemplates the thought. “Though you never really retire as a musician.” Again, he pauses to think about the mix of classical and choral, with te reo and Aotearoa. “I will keep on with it. I don’t suppose Bach would mind.” Scholars Baroque Concert III: Seasonal Celebration, November 22nd Nine Lessons and Carols, December 20th scholarsbaroque.com Scholars Baroque Aotearoa
True Proactive Promotion
True Proactive
A doctor went looking for a test, and ended up building one in his Tauranga garage. 91
True Proactive Promotion
“As a GP I see a lot of patients that come in, they see a lot on the news and on social media about people with bowel cancer, and up until recently there hasn’t really been an easy solution.” in March 2026, with co-founder Rich Porter, officially launched it: a proactive health brand whose first product is an at-home faecal immunochemical test, or FIT. Boxes on a bench, packing parties at the weekend. The change came a few weeks in. “Someone emailed me and said, ‘I’ve just had my colonoscopy and they’ve removed a small cancer,’” Clive says. “And then similar messages kept coming through.” By September, more than one hundred tests had come back positive. Of those, dozens of people have had significant and life-altering findings. The test itself is deliberately unremarkable. A box arrives in the post: a sampling wand and tube, instructions, and a prepaid return satchel. The sample takes a couple of minutes to collect at home, in private, with no clinic visit and no GP referral. You post it back, it is analysed at an accredited New Zealand medical laboratory, and a medical provider reviews your result, usually within seven days. It uses the same type of FIT technology as the national programme. But that is not what Clive talks about. What has surprised him most is not the volume or the growth. It is what happens after a positive result, because that is the moment a test either becomes useful or becomes frightening.
Dr Clive Price went looking for a simple bowel screening FIT test for himself and his wife, and could not find one. After creating his own solution, more than five thousand tests have now gone out from a garage in Tauranga. The first thing to know about Dr Clive Price is that he is still a GP. The company he founded happens in the gaps, much of it late at night, working through an inbox of people waiting to hear from him. Clive moved to New Zealand from England in late 2024. He and his wife wanted to be screened for bowel cancer with an FIT, an annual routine they had started after losing a friend and patient to the disease in his early 40s. But in his new home, he could not find a straightforward way to screen. Neither could his patients. “As a GP I see a lot of patients that come in, they see a lot on the news and on social media about people with bowel cancer, and up until recently there hasn’t really been an easy solution,” he says. New Zealand has a great national screening programme, and Clive is quick to say so. It is free, it works, and it is expanding. It is also, by design, aimed at a particular age band. Sit outside it and you are on your own. True Proactive was founded in late 2025 and, 92
True Proactive Promotion
← The test arrives by post, no clinic visit or referral needed. Opposite page and above right: Dr Clive Price, still a working GP, often makes the follow-up calls himself. Opener: Dr Clive Price and his family, who moved from England to the Bay of Plenty in late 2024. death for New Zealanders under 50, and roughly 65 New Zealanders a week are diagnosed with it. Many of those cases are preventable, because the disease is slow, and usually announces itself with traces of blood long before symptoms. The survival numbers make the case better than any argument. Caught early, five-year survival can reach more than 90 percent. Caught late, it can be as low as 14 percent. Same disease, different year of diagnosis. The national programme is free for people aged 56 to 74 (as of 30 September 2026). It still leaves a gap. If you are 45, or 51, or 55, or younger with a family history, it is not yet for you. And if you have symptoms now, bleeding or a change in your bowel habits, do not screen. See your GP. For everyone else, the proactive option is simply to check. True Proactive’s at-home FIT test is available to any adult in New Zealand, with no invitation or referral needed.
A positive result does not mean cancer. It means microscopic amounts of blood were detected, and further investigation, usually a colonoscopy, is recommended. Told by letter, that is a sentence that can ruin someone’s month. So True Proactive does not do it by letter. One of the clinical team rings, most often Clive himself, and explains what the result means and what it does not, and how to navigate what’s next based on the person’s circumstances. The test is designed for people without symptoms, and most who order have no reason to think anything is wrong. The messages that follow those calls are, by Clive’s own account, why a working GP keeps doing a second job after hours. In September a woman called Jodie wrote this on Facebook: “Raising the awareness led to my husband doing a True Proactive FIT test and it came back positive, in for a colonoscopy and they removed 9 Polyps! I think while the screening age isn’t where it needs to be, we all need to be proactive in our health! I’m lucky to be here!” Bowel cancer is the leading cause of cancer
trueproactive.co.nz 93
Beyond
the Bungy Words by Christopher Duffy
Tāhuna Queenstown is famous for bungy jumping and jet boats but a family trip revealed a town with far more range, from indoor skydiving and honey spinning, to first-class ferries and Michelin recommended pizza.
↑ Holding the box position in the iFLY chamber, with an instructor keeping a steady hand. Previous spread: Coronet Peak, looking out over the Wakatipu Basin. Tāhuna Queenstown sits on the shores of the South Island’s Lake Wakatipu, set against the dramatic Southern Alps. Renowned for adventure sports, it’s also a base for exploring the region’s vineyards and historic mining towns. The list of things to do seems endless, from bungy jumping to jet-boating on the Shotover and Dart rivers, snow sports to mountain biking. But over six days with the family, we found there’s plenty more to Queenstown than you might think.
solo, which meant I could only feel for the wife and kids while I sat back and enjoyed uninterrupted views of the Tararua Ranges, followed by a second flight tracking past the Marlborough Sounds and the Richmond Ranges before dropping into the Southern Alps. Reunited at last, we picked up a Mitsubishi Pajero Sport from GO Rentals at Queenstown Airport, which had us feeling immediately equipped for the surroundings. Four-wheel drive, two ISOFIX points and the option to switch to seven seats meant it was built for exactly what we needed. First stop was iFLY, Queenstown’s indoor skydiving experience. Our instructor Akiko showed us the ropes before we took turns in the chamber, experiencing the sensation of falling from around 10,000 feet without the fear of jumping from a moving plane, and without any risk of a parachute failing to deploy.
Day One The exhilaration started earlier than planned, when we narrowly missed check-in for our flights and ended up split across two: one to Christchurch, one to Wellington, before the second legs down to Queenstown. I drew the short straw and travelled 96
↑ Clockwise from left: dinner at The Rees, Lake Wakatipu glowing beyond the glass; the live conservation show at Kiwi Park; and a kea, the world’s only alpine parrot, flashing its orange underwings. The hotel’s mix of 60 hotel rooms, 90 apartments and four lakefront villas all make the most of the setting, with terraces looking out across Lake Wakatipu to the Remarkables. The amenities were spot on: a spacious lounge with fireplace, king-sized beds, a bathroom with a walk-in shower, and a modern, fully equipped kitchen. On top of it all, the staff were attentive and friendly.
Which I count as a considerable bonus. My daughter, who normally struggles with confidence, found it the perfect start, working through her nerves to hold a textbook box position at terminal velocity. From the drop zone we headed to Kiwi Park, conveniently close by. Transformed from a former rubbish tip, this family-owned wildlife sanctuary is a haven for more than 20 native species, including the iconic kiwi and tuatara. Founded in 1986 by locals Dick and Noeleen Wilson, and marking its 40th anniversary this year, the park is dedicated to conservation through programmes run in partnership with Te Papa Atawhai, Department of Conservation. Suria was our guide for the day. She did an amazing job of showing us around, clearly passionate about the park and its residents. Between the interactive experience and the live conservation show, it was another hit with the kids and well worth a visit for anyone interested in what it takes to protect our endemic species from habitat loss and introduced predators. By the time we checked into The Rees for a two-night stay, the afternoon was well underway.
Day Two We couldn’t have asked for better weather. It was a bluebird day and a snowstorm two days prior had left plenty of fresh powder on the slopes. Perfect conditions for throwing down a Tomahawk (tumbling head over heels down a steep slope) or two, and the occasional Scorpion (a harder crash, where your skis or board fly up and your heels catch your back). Our rental made light work of the drive up, and once our gear was on, we made tracks: easing into things on The Big Easy, shredding the gnar down Arnold’s Way and by the end of the day, steezing our way along the Donkey Serenade. 97
“Ziptrek, New Zealand’s original zipline company, blending adventure with education against a genuinely stunning backdrop of lake and mountain.”
A Ziptrek rider takes flight high above Queenstown, with the Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu beyond.
two bathrooms and ample room to stretch out and relax. The staff couldn’t do enough for us, and it was clear the details mattered here too: a hot chocolate buffet in the foyer was a huge hit with the kids, and the breakfast buffet might be the best I’ve come across. That night we caught the Orbis Ferry from outside the hotel, which for $10 each carried us via the Marina and Bayview to Queenstown Bay, where we stepped off and walked less than 50 metres to one of the best Indian curries I’ve had. A ferry, moving people over water instead of adding them to the road. Who would have thought? Hope you’re taking notes here, Tauranga City Council.
Day Three Bluebird days can’t be guaranteed in the mountains, and day three brought high winds that closed most of the runs. So we did the sensible thing: stopped for a drink at the Cardrona Pub before heading to the historic gold mining village, Arrowtown. Full of boutique shops and eateries, it’s a good place to wander, grab a coffee or sit down for a meal. From there we checked into our next stop, the Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa, on the shores of the Frankton Arm. The facilities here were perfect once again for our family, with a self-contained kitchen, 98
Clockwise from top left: the Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa, overlooking the Frankton Arm; snowball fights, no instructor required, in the Snow Fun Zone at Snow Farm; and high-speed laps on the Skyline luge, where letting go means going faster. big day, it hit exactly the right notes, helped along by a matched selection of Akarua wines: a Miso Glazed Pork Belly with their Rosé, a Bostock Chicken Ballotine with their Pinot Noir, and a cheese plate with the Chardonnay.
Day Four We woke to light snow falling and the barometer sitting at minus five. Ideal conditions for heading up Bob’s Peak on the Skyline Gondola for a morning of ziplining and luging. First up was Ziptrek, New Zealand’s original zipline company, blending adventure with education against a genuinely stunning backdrop of lake and mountain. Next, the luge, where the only real instructions are to pull back on the handlebars to slow down, and let go to speed up. Keeping wide on entry, clipping the apex (the midpoint of the inside line through a turn) and drifting wide on exit gets you the fastest arc, if you’re that way inclined. A few hot laps later, it was time for the Vortex: 48 metres of enclosed slide with a 20-metre drop, hitting speeds of up to 35 kilometres an hour. In the evening we sat down to the chef’s special at the Hilton’s Wakatipu Grill, a lakeside restaurant built around seasonal Central Otago produce. After a
Day Five With the weather back on side, we packed in a full day: Snow Farm, Cardrona, and a night session at Coronet Peak. Snow Farm sits in the Pisa Conservation Area. In winter, it’s given over to cross-country skiing, where you move either by striding forward in classic style or skating side to side, using poles for extra push, and doubles as a biking and hiking destination once the snow melts. Our instructor Lulu had us moving like a group of Nordics within the hour. There’s also a Snow Fun Zone for families, given over to the simple stuff: building snowmen, making snow angels and the odd snowball fight. 99
“As the day wound down, we headed to Coronet Peak for the night session, where a full festival atmosphere was already underway.”
Top: Coronet Peak by day, two riders carving fresh snow high above the Wakatipu Basin. Bottom: And by night, floodlit runs with a DJ, outdoor fires and mulled wine waiting at the base. 100
↑ Clockwise from left: Sundays, a century-old church relocated from Waipahi and now a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick; a honeycomb frame at the Buzz Stop; and the lunchtime crowd in Country Lane. Cardrona sits across the valley, and we swapped our cross-country skis for the resort’s 615 hectares of skiable terrain, home to some of the country’s best ‘park and pipe’. As the day wound down, we headed to Coronet Peak for the night session, where a full festival atmosphere was already underway: a DJ, outdoor fires, mulled wine, and a floodlit field for shredding under the stars. I might add here that the staff at Coronet Peak were not only accomplished, they remembered us from earlier in the week too, which was impressive given how many people they must deal with. They were helpful and friendly throughout.
Day Six Our last day arrived too soon, and we rounded off the trip with lunch at Sundays which was recently awarded a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide. Originally built as a church in Waipahi in the early 1900s, the building was relocated to the boutique retail and hospitality village of Country Lane in 2023. We worked through a Zamora fennel sausage, peperoncino, turnip greens, mornay and mozzarella pizza, a rigatoni with vodka passata, crème fraîche,
almonds, stracciatella and basil oil, and a plate of Nonna’s meatballs in pomodoro and pecorino. I’d go back for that alone. With a little time before our flights, we squeezed in a honey spinning tour at the Buzz Stop, also in Country Lane. It turned out to be a genuinely informative afternoon, even for someone who thought they already knew plenty about bees, and we left with our own jar of honey, filtered and bottled by hand. Personalised label and all. Good for gifting, or just as a small, sweet reminder of the trip. Six days wasn’t enough. Between the adrenaline, the weather, the food and the family time, Queenstown delivered far more range than its reputation for bungy jumping and jetboats suggests. Our thanks to Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism for their hospitality throughout the trip. Sometimes the best holiday is the one closer to home, and Tāhuna Queenstown is proof you don’t need to leave the country to feel a long way from it. queenstownnz.co.nz wanaka.co.nz 101
1/117 Willow Street, Tauranga I thepaintedtabletauranga.com | @thepaintedtabletauranga | Gift Cards Available
Eat This
Entertaining Season Words by Madeleine Hughes Photography by Erin Cave
Resident chef Madeleine Hughes shares two recipes perfect for feeding a crowd with minimal fuss. These are packed with flavour, can be prepared ahead of time and mean you won’t be stuck in the kitchen while your guests are enjoying themselves. 103
Eat This
This is the best way to feed a crowd. This recipe is packed with flavour, and takes such a small amount of hands on cooking time. Scale up or down depending on guests.
Lime & honey beef short rib tacos with pineapple salsa SERVES 6-8
Method
2 kg beef short ribs 1 lime (juice and zest) 1 orange (juice and zest) 5 cloves garlic 1 red onion, peeled and quartered 1 tablespoon sesame oil ¼ cup honey 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
Place the lime and orange juice and zest, garlic, red onion, sesame oil, honey, salt, cumin, smoked paprika and chilli flakes into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
Pineapple Salsa ½ pineapple 1 red onion 1 handful coriander 1 red chilli Juice of 3 limes Salt, to taste Pumpkin seed crumble ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds ¼ cup crispy fried shallots ½ teaspoon dried chipotle powder
Place the short ribs in an ovenproof dish and pour the marinade over them, making sure the ribs are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 48 hours. Preheat the oven to 140°C. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and add enough water to the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ribs. Cover the dish tightly with two layers of foil. Cook for 6–8 hours, or until the beef is very tender and falling away from the bone. Meanwhile, for the pineapple salsa: finely dice the pineapple, red onion, coriander and chilli. Place in a bowl with the lime juice, season with salt to taste and mix well. For the crumble: combine the toasted pumpkin seeds, crispy fried shallots and chipotle powder. Roughly crush or mix together to create a coarse crumble.
To Serve Warm tortillas and fill with the tender beef short rib and pineapple salsa. Finish with the pumpkin seed crumble and serve immediately. 104
Eat This
Eat This
These are ridiculously easy, and so delicious. Once you get in the swing of making these they’ll become your summer staple dessert.
Grown-up pineapple lumps
MAKES 20-30 PINEAPPLE LUMPS ½ fresh pineapple 150g good-quality dark chocolate Toasted coconut flakes
Method Cut the pineapple into small, bite-sized chunks, roughly the size of a domino. Arrange the pineapple pieces on a tray lined with baking paper and freeze for 1–2 hours, or until firm. Melt the dark chocolate gently over a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Dip each frozen pineapple piece halfway into the melted chocolate. Immediately sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes while the chocolate is still wet. Return the pineapple pieces to the freezer and keep frozen until ready to serve. @themadeleineproject 106
Eat This
With the way news headlines are tracking these days, it would be fair to say that predicting the future is a perplexing task for anyone. Lucky for you, then, that I get my intel from the ever-reliable star system above. It’s the one place that can’t be manipulated by Homo sapiens, and it’s certainly out of reach of the artificial intelligence that will, no doubt, one day try to take my job as your astrological forecaster. Well, good luck, Claude. Or whoever you are. Let’s see how your microprocessors deal with a room full of incense. Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
Mars is fuelling your competitive streak this month, and with nothing more deserving to aim it at, you will discover speed puzzling. What begins as a relaxing 500-piece jigsaw will, within a week, involve a stopwatch, a sorting system for edge pieces and a strict no-touching policy for everyone else. You will describe a picture of a lighthouse as “mostly sky” with genuine bitterness. The stars remind you that jigsaws are meant to be relaxing, and that the missing final piece is in your pocket, where you put it so you could be the one to finish.
Mercury has you communicating at full volume this month, most of it in the comments section of your local community Facebook page. It will begin innocently, with a post about a missing cat. By midafternoon you’ll be 40 comments deep in a debate about parking, local parks and reserves, and why you’d rather nothing happened in this city at all. Your dual nature serves you well here, as you manage to argue both sides depending on who you’re talking to. The stars suggest logging off.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Venus is encouraging you to indulge this month, which is a bit like encouraging water to be wet. It is not, however, the green light to book that luxury accommodation you’ve been eyeing up. You’re not exactly moneybags. What the stars have in mind is more along the lines of an afternoon without emails or responsibilities. It’s called “free” time for a reason. Spend it horizontal, ideally with a view and a snack within arm’s reach, and resist the urge to fill it with jobs around the house. The gutters have waited this long. Besides, a hot bath with a candle counts as a day spa, and costs considerably less.
Cancer (June 21 – July 22) The moon is stirring your nurturing instincts this month, and with spring in full swing they’ll turn to a vegetable garden. You will plant with the optimism of a self-declared horticulturist, which is fair enough, given you own the French work jacket and clogs. Seedlings will be named. You will check on them morning and night and speak to them in a tone usually reserved for toddlers and nervous-looking dogs. By mid-month you’ll be planning enough courgettes to feed the street, and by summer you will have produced three tomatoes, one of which the birds got to first. The stars think this is lovely. So do the snails, or Gastropoda, as a horticulturist like yourself would call them. 108
Dope Horoscope
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
The sun has returned from its winter break, and so have you, straight back into your natural habitat, which is being looked at. You will spend a large part of the month arranging yourself on beach towels at angles that suggest you just happened to be there. A barbecue mid-month will give you the audience you have been craving, and you will take charge of the grill with the confidence of someone who has watched a lot of cooking shows and none of the ones about food hygiene. The sausages will somehow be equal parts charcoal and raw, which was previously thought impossible. When someone compliments them out of politeness, you will take it as a formal review.
Jupiter has you in an adventurous mood this month, and you will commit to a summer camping trip with a level of enthusiasm not matched by your planning or your tent, which has been on your roof rack for three years and has never been deployed. The snorkel on your ute is impressive, though. The stars foresee rain. Not a lot, but enough to reveal exactly which parts of the tent were never waterproofed. You will describe it as all part of being an experienced adventurer. Your friends, and everyone else at the campsite, will describe it differently.
Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
Saturn would like you to take a break this month, and you will interpret this as a suggestion rather than an instruction. You will finally take a day off, only to spend it answering emails. The stars recommend putting your laptop away and turning your phone off. Your family recommends throwing them both out completely. Mid-month, a friend will suggest going for a run together. Being a competitor, you will peel away early and run the whole distance out in front, alone.
Mercury has sharpened your eye for detail this month, which would be a gift if it weren’t about to be deployed in someone else’s personal space. At a family gathering, a well-meaning relative will load the dishwasher, and you will spend the rest of the afternoon quietly reloading it when you think no one is looking. Your holiday packing will begin two months early and include a laminated list, a backup list and a small bag labelled “miscellaneous” that is better organised than most people’s lives. The stars would like you to stop repacking the chilly bin while people are trying to get a drink out of it.
Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) Uranus has you embracing new technology this month, which, for your alimentary canal, is really quite something. You will finally buy an e-bike. Within a week you will have strong opinions about cycleways, Lycra and the moral character of anyone still driving to the shops. You will describe every hill as barely noticeable, which is easy to say when you haven’t technically pedalled since the purchase. The stars support your commitment to sustainable transport. They would also like you to stop bringing it up at every opportunity.
Libra (September 23 – October 22) Venus has your sense of fairness finely tuned this month, and it will be tested at a group dinner where the bill arrives and everyone suddenly becomes an accountant. You will suggest splitting it evenly, until someone mentions they only had an entrée. The table is then itemised down to the last piece of garlic bread, earning you the respect of nobody. Later, you’ll be put in charge of allocating bedrooms at a shared bach, a process with more politics than a local body election. Someone will get the room with the ensuite. It won’t be you. The stars applaud your integrity. They also suggest packing earplugs.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) Pluto has your intensity dialled up this month, and given you’re already a tense person, it seems Pluto has a sense of humour. This heightened concentration will find its target in a single mosquito that gets into your bedroom at 2am. You will hunt it for most of the night. The stars suggest you seek help.
Neptune has you drifting this month, and your grip on reality will loosen to the point where you start reading your horoscope and taking it seriously. You will ask new acquaintances for their star sign before their name, and anyone who answers Gemini will be quietly cancelled. Mid-month, you’ll lodge a formal complaint with council about morning exercisers getting too close to your house, having confused the public space with the family estate you inherited. The stars are flattered by the attention. The exercisers will simply move their burpees a little closer.
109
Behind the Counter
The Good Room Words by Rebecca Lee Photography by Christopher Duffy
Indie skate stores are closing across Aotearoa. The Good Room is doing it old school, with a real shop, real people and kids saving up for a new board.
The sounds of a miniature skateboard tapping, scraping and sliding bounce around the shop. Matt “Sarge” Sargent-Clarke, the shop manager hasn’t stopped doing fingerboard tricks for the duration of our conversation. It’s not distracting, it’s adding to the vibe. He’s spent 10 years as a The Good Room sponsored skater, and three years managing the store. Sarge, along with the owner Dan, live and breathe skateboarding. “We’ve got an authentic vibe of a classic skate store. We’re not corporate. You can come in and hang out,” Sarge says as he steadies his fingers for another kick-flip. Around them, the store is stacked with boards, streetwear and knick-knacks that the pair hand pick from a mixture of indie and big-name brands like Nike SB, Toy Machine and Brain Dead. Out the back is “The Goods” a boutique print room focused on affordable bespoke designs and small runs with the goods available online and in store. Indie-owned skate stores are closing across Aotearoa, squeezed by the constant need to compete with low-cost online and big-box retailers. Even with
these challenges, The Good Room focuses on the physical store, rather than online as “Instagram doesn’t pay the bills”. Owner Dan Williams says the Bay’s skating community is the heartbeat of the store and the reason they’re still here. “It’s an unspoken rule in the skate scene. You give back. You do it for the culture.” “If we weren’t here, where would they [the community] go?” Six years ago, skate-style burst into the mainstream when skateboarding joined the Tokyo Olympics. This was a great time for the store, with a new generation of skaters coming through and apparel selling fast. Now, the best sellers are the hard goods: the boards, trucks and wheels. “Kids save up and come in to buy a new board. They’re all hyped up and we get to help them pick,” says Sarge. Retail is in Dan’s blood. He worked in his parent’s stores during his early years, and like all angsty teens - he hated it.
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Behind the Counter
“I grew up in business and worked with my dad as a teenager. But as a teenager, I hated it. Now I realise the opportunity and learnings. I miss those days.”
→ “Sarge” in the doorway of The Good Room, where he manages the store. Opener: Owner of The Good Room, Dan Williams. “I grew up in business and worked with my dad as a teenager. But as a teenager, I hated it. Now I realise the opportunity and learnings. I miss those days.” Before owning The Good Room Mount Maunganui, Dan owned its sister store in Pukekohe, Auckland. When the rent was doubled, he, his wife and their sausage dog Cecil closed the store, and officially took over the Mount business in 2018. The Good Room’s story stretches back further still. It began as a menswear store in Wanaka, and the second iteration was a homegoods and skate store on McDonald Street, owned by Glenn and Hailey Smith. That store was most famous for
having a mini ramp in the warehouse, sitting proudly alongside the stock. In 2012 the store moved to its current home at 12 Prince Ave. In 2018, Glenn became lead designer at LOWER, and Dan officially took over as owner. “We love the Mount,” the 44-year-old says. “We’ve got great neighbours. And great neighbours become good friends. It’s hard for everyone [in retail] but we’re here together.” The store is a destination. Somewhere that feels real, and people love it. “The Good Room is somewhere people come, end up in a conversation and find some new brands or their new favourite board,” Dan says. 112
Behind the Counter
↑ The Good Room stocks boards, sneakers and beanies hand-picked from indie and big-name brands. Along with selling hand-picked skate and street gear you can’t find anywhere else in the Bay, The Good Room sponsors a number of local skaters, hosts events and the team were integral to the design of the Tauranga Destination Skate Park. Every year, the team puts on free events and hosts competitions to keep the culture alive—most of which focus on the next generation of skaters, the “groms”. “We got a grom team of kids we sponsor. When you’re 10 years old, you see a 15-year-old kid that’s shredding, and sponsored. And that’s who you look up to.” Recently, they’ve hosted a “Huck or Nuck” jam with Nike SB, a fingerboard comp with Rebel Finger Boards and last year the National Skate Comp at the Skate Park they helped design. Sarge and colleagues Glenn and Kaleb consulted with the Tauranga City Council to make an “actually mean” skate park that “new skaters and older shredders” can hang out at. “We got to throw out the bad ideas, and
include some really good ones,” says Dan. It’s not unusual to see skaters out past dark, and that’s thanks to the team’s good idea of including floodlights in the design. Skating doesn’t make anyone rich, but that’s not why Dan does it. He says they’re lucky enough to go to work and be themselves. But the main goal is to keep improving. “The shop doesn’t have to be revolutionary but we can keep making it a little better,” he says. We’ve been yarning, laughing and browsing for the past few hours. A customer comes in looking for a new pair of shoes, and ends up in our conversation— inviting us all to an upcoming DJ night and record swap. And that’s exactly what to expect from The Good Room. Come for the gear. Stay for the vibes. thegoodroom.co.nz The Good Room. Open 7 Days. 12 Prince Ave. 113
I’m an avid supporter of family-owned wineries like Marisco, home of The Ned, and of fermented grape juice in general. Being a purist, I’d resigned myself to a lifelong pursuit of hedonism spent clanging around with bottles for as long as my liver would allow. That may still be partly true, but with The Ned’s range of alluminium, I can now make the most of the occasions glass was never invited to, such as picnics, beach days, work days and even school performances. The Ned Elio Marlborough Sparkling Cuvée The Ned Elio is the first sparkling wine from a brand that has spent years being the reliable bottle at every barbecue. It arrives in a clear bottle showing off a blush, though it has nothing to be embarrassed about. I, on the other hand, have attended plenty of office Christmas parties, just saying. The name is a play on the Greek sun god, inspired by the sun rising over The Ned mountain in Marlborough. Well, nobody has ever named anything after watching me rise in the morning. In the glass it’s orchard fruit and citrus blossom, with a fine, lively bead and enough acidity to keep everything upright. Reserve wines rested on lees (a process known as ageing) add a creamy thread through the middle, so there’s more going on than bubbles and good intentions. Prosecco fans will feel at home, though it speaks with a Marlborough accent. The finish is dry and brisk, and the second glass has a habit of turning up without much deliberation. The third and fourth aren’t far behind. It’s special enough for an occasion and affordable enough to invent one. Monday qualifies, as does any other weekday, actually. I checked. 114
Brew Review The Ned Pinot Gris Marlborough 2025 The Ned Pinot Gris pours a distinct salmon pink, a deliberate signature that comes from giving some of the fruit time on its skins. It’s one of the few situations where turning pink counts as success, unless you consider overexposure to ultraviolet rays a favourable outcome. On the nose it’s quince and pear drop. The palate brings juicy white peach with a crisp Braeburn snap, and there’s a little richness through the middle that makes it feel generous rather than needy. It’s built as an everyday wine, as good solo as with dinner. Lemongrass pork with rice noodles is the suggested match, and I’ll happily eat it once someone else has cooked it.
The Ned Rosé Marlborough 2025 There was a time when men ordered rosé quietly and claimed it was for someone else at the table. I’d like to say I was never one of them, but this is a review, not a work of fiction. The Ned Rosé makes the whole charade unnecessary. It opens with strawberries and cream, with rosewater and red apple in the background, then settles into ripe red berry on the palate. Marlborough’s cool-climate acidity keeps it fresh and reins the fruit in, and it finishes dry. The winery reckons it’s at its best on the beach with pomegranate-glazed prawn skewers, but it’s just as happy with a bag of chips on the couch. Either way, order it, and order it at full volume.
The Ned Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2025 Reviewing The Ned Sauvignon Blanc is a bit like being asked to review an old mate. You formed your opinions early, though time has a way of revealing qualities you’d overlooked. This vintage, from the Waihopai Valley, opens with citrus peel, gooseberry and punchy herbs before ripe mango and passionfruit fill out the middle. A juicy streak of acidity and a mineral backbone give the tropical fruit some discipline, and the finish sticks around longer than expected. It’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as most of the world pictures it, and fair enough. It’s been to far more countries than I have, and made a better impression in all of them. You’ll also find these wines at this summer’s Dinner Series in Pāpāmoa, Mount Maunganui and Matua marisco_wines 115
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Cherie’s Foodie Finds
Compliment Sandwich
Words & Photography by Cherie Metcalfe 117
Cherie’s Foodie Finds
I went looking for the Bay’s best sandwiches, from a giant Yorkshire pudding beef wrap to a fennel sausage bagel worth crossing town for. Every one earned a compliment.
Sandos are having a massive moment worldwide. Specialty sandwich shops are popping up all over the place, and some of them are getting properly out of control. Salt Hank’s in New York is a prime example. They sell ONE thing, a prime rib beef dip and it’s around $60 NZD. The queues are hours long and they sell out most days by 2pm. And yes, I went, stood in the queue, and was thrilled to bits with my purchase… I’ve been watching the trend grow locally, so have been out sussing what’s on offer in the way of magical sandwich-type situations. Some of these are technically not sandwiches but I think thats the whole point. Let’s see how far everyone can push the boundaries. Welcome to the sambo era.
The Grocer
97 The Strand, Tauranga The John Montagu sandwich was tender braised beef
brisket, roasties and gravy all wrapped up in a giant Yorkshire pudding, and it was so good. The meat was perfectly melt-in-your-mouth and juicy, the seasoning was lush, and it’s such a one-of-a-kind lunch, well worth travelling into Tauranga for. It’s rich, drippy and $20. We loved it. The Grocer is also the new kid on the block and has a pretty epic full menu selection with fun little touches all over, well worth a visit if you haven’t yet.
Lloyd’s Deli 70 Saint John Street, Tauranga This was probably the most highly recommended sandwich in town when I asked around, definitely the people’s choice. We went for the chicken parm on their signature focaccia. Juicy chicken, tomatoey sauce, basil pesto and a decent lick of mayo, which made the whole thing really juicy and delicious. The focaccia was soft, the filling-to-bread ratio was spot on and it was the perfect size. Just a really good sandwich. $24 and very yum. 118
Cherie’s Foodie Finds
↑ The Grocer’s John Montagu: braised beef brisket, roasties and gravy, wrapped in a giant Yorkshire pudding. Opposite: Lloyd’s Deli’s chicken parm focaccia, the people’s choice sandwich in town.
Breadhead
The Med Lounge
108 Willow St and 2a Saint John Street, Tauranga
The Historic Village
We went for the Mousetrap, which had a blend of three cheeses, relish and rocket on their housebaked olive fougasse. Kinda giving the ultimate grilled cheese-type situation. The salty little pops of olive through the bread with the fresh rosemary were so good, then you’ve got all the melted cheese and the sweetness from the relish. A delight. Also only $14, which feels like a bit of a win these days. Confession… I am biased as I’m obsessed with the olive fougasse by itself, all warm and salty and buttery. Yum.
We tried the fan favourite crispy falafel and also the newly recommended egg sandwich with crispy potato and eggplant slices. $19 and sooo tasty. The freshly made pita definitely makes these. It’s soft and fluffy and you get this lovely big handful stuffed with all sorts of goodness. The falafel one was exactly what you want - crispy and fresh with loads of sauce, and the egg one was such a good surprise. Crispy potato, lovely and salty eggplant and egg tucked into fresh fluffy pita. A rouge combo pulled together with the hit of pickle in each bite - LOVED IT. 119
Cherie’s Foodie Finds
→ Little Guy Bagel & Brew’s loaded breakfast bagel.
Eddie’s 411 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui The chicken and avocado focaccia is one of my personal favourites. Their focaccia is lovely and salty on top, really soft and chewy, the bread being the star of the show in this situation. I will say the breadto-filling ratio will be too much for some people because she is definitely a bit bread-heavy but when the bread’s that good, I’m not complaining. This one’s been a long standing fav bite of mine.
Little Guy Bagel & Brew 373 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui These guys are an absolute must-visit. I’m a huge fan of their bagels, especially the breakfast ones, which are loaded to the absolute brim. The house made sausage with fennel notes, melty American cheese and pickle for balance is the ultimate breakfast
sandwich. They have a beautiful wee garden hidden away about the back, amazing house made sweet treats and great coffee. It’s a great spot to take kids as well. All round top tier - simple things done very well!
Blended Deli & Eatery 520 Gloucester Road, Papamoa Beach They have an outstanding sandwich menu, but my favourite is the Reuben on pide bread. It’s salty, cheesy, juicy, tangy, all the things you want from a Reuben, and the pide bread works so well with it. I’ve also become quite a fan of their coffee cans with soft serve on top. Literally the last thing I need to add to my diet but just like sandwiches, soft serve has become really ‘hip’ and I have to stay up with the play, for the people. @cheries_chat 120
Feeling Festive Photography by Chelsea Cookson
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Santa’s confirmed for 5 December. Before he arrives at Soper Reserve, the Christmas Convoy is collecting gifts and food for Tauranga families who need a little extra this year.
Got a spare tin of spaghetti in the pantry? Toys your children have outgrown, clothes that no longer fit, or last year’s Christmas gift still tucked away that you know someone else would love? Gifting those little extras to Tauranga’s Christmas Convoy Powered by Farmer Autovillage could mean a family in need has something special to unwrap this festive season. Organisers of the annual festive fundraising event are encouraging the community to donate preloved treasures or non-perishable food to families who might otherwise struggle to put presents under the tree or food on the table at Christmas. The Community Projects Charitable Trust’s Christmas Convoy Powered by Farmer Autovillage is a city-wide campaign gathering donations across Tauranga ahead of Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park at Mount Maunganui’s Soper Reserve on December 5th. From November 1st to 30th, businesses or schools can come on board as a Christmas drop-off point where staff or customers can drop off wrapped gifts or non-perishable food items.
The items will be collected by the Christmas Convoy team to be donated to families who need it most this year. Community Projects Charitable Trust representative Rachelle Duffy says she is looking forward to launching the annual community giving initiative once again. “We are working with local businesses across Tauranga to create a network of Christmas Convoy drop-off points. “Donations will be used to create Christmas gifts and food boxes for local families in need, as well as charities and community groups to distribute.” Rachelle says dozens of local businesses have already come on board for 2026, along with Omanu School and Mount Maunganui Primary School. “We are so grateful for these organisations who continue to support our annual kaupapa each year. It is neat to see people helping others, especially at this time of year. “It can be a difficult time of year for many families, so it is nice to give back.” 124
We would like to extend a huge thank you to to the sponsors and funders who make Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park possible. Gold - Farmer Autovillage Silver - Westpac, EVES Real Estate, Fife Lane, Mount Four Square, Pepper & Me, University of Waikato Bronze - Webster’s Tea, Tauranga Crossing, Quest Mount Maunganui, Kaimai Eggs, Wildflour, Poppy Peach, The Rising Tide, The Freeport Tavern & Eatery, McKenzie & Co, Go Health, Blended Eatery Funders - Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund, Pub Charity Pub Charity funds generated at Mount Social Club and Renners Bar.
← Children work their way around the mini golf course at Christmas in the Park. Opposite: Mount Maunganui three-piece Indecisive play Christmas in the Park. The Trust’s team will be collecting donations across the city until Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park on December 5th, when the festive cheer continues. Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park is an annual free, community focussed Christmas fundraising event. Now in its 15th year, the event will include Christmas markets, street food, live music, free workshops, fun football, face painting and more. There will also be the popular Santa’s Grotto, as well as a visit from the man in the big red suit himself! Entry is a gold coin, or donation of a nonperishable food item or wrapped gift. The event is working with local community centres to ensure all donations go towards families in need this Christmas. Rachelle says their aim is to create a great opportunity for the community to come together before Christmas and enjoy a full day of entertainment. “We want to encourage community spirit and the opportunity for people to give back this festive season, allowing us to support local charities and community groups who are working with families and children.” Ash and Mark Webster from Webster’s Tea say supporting the initiative each year is a “real priority” for the couple.
“Christmas is such a wonderful time of year to reflect, share and enjoy the festive spirit with all your favourite people, but not everyone is fortunate enough to experience it in the same way. “We love being able to play a small part in bringing some extra Christmas cheer to our community and helping make this special time of year a little brighter for those who need it most.” EVES Real Estate sponsorship and events manager Vicki Semple says the company is proud to support Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park. “Helping people find a home in this community is at the heart of what we do, so it means a lot to support an event that brings local families together. “We can’t wait to celebrate Christmas with everyone.” To become a Christmas Convoy drop-off point or sponsor, email rachelle@thelittlebigevents.co.nz Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park 2026 Saturday 5th December 10am-4pm Soper Reserve, Mount Maunganui Entry is a gold coin, food donation, or wrapped gift communityprojects.co.nz Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park @taurangaschristmasinthepark 125
Our Place Events Guide Sat
Tauranga Farmers Market 7.45am–12pm, Tauranga Primary School, 5th Ave, Tauranga
October 2O26 8.
Paint and Wine Night - Santorini 6.30-8.30pm, Manhattan Bar & Eatery, 53 The Strand, Tauranga Buy Tickets – 0226473990
9.
Abracadabra 11am-12pm, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz
10.
The Caretaker’s Guide to the Orchestra 3-4.30pm, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz Toytopia - The Bay's Largest Retro Toy & Collectible Fair 9am–4pm, Tauranga Racecourse events.humanitix.com/toytopia
11.
15.
The Little Big Markets 9am-2pm, Maunganui Road Reserve, 400 Maunganui Rd
Neon Nights 6.30-9.30pm, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz
20.
Mount Maunganui College Arts Awards 2026 6.30-9.45pm, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz
23.
Louis Baker – 'Trouble' Album Release Tour 7pm, Totara St, 11 Totara St, Mt Maunganui totara.flicket.co.nz
23– 26.
The Ninja Run Various Times, Tauranga Racecourse theninjarun.co.nz
23– 25.
Machine de Cirque Various Times, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz
24.
The Little Big Markets 9am-2pm, Williamson Park, Whangamatā Fringe Fest 2026 10am-4pm, The Incubator Creative Hub, The Historic Village, theincubator.co.nz
25.
Queer Crafts 6.30-8.30pm, The Creative Campus, The Historic Village, Buy Tickets – 07 5713232
16– 18.
Bay Home Show 10am-5pm, Mercury Baypark Arena Door Sales Only
16.
Print Club 1-3pm, The Creative Campus, The Historic Village, Buy Tickets – 07 5713232
17.
17.
The Little Big Markets 10am-2pm, The Strand, Tauranga Waterfront
The Little Big Markets 9am-2pm, Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui Flamingo Pier | Woven Together 8pm, Totara St, 11 Totara St, Mt Maunganui banishedmusic.com
26.
The Valentina 5pm, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz
30.
Mudhoney 8-11pm, Totara St, 11 Totara St, Mt Maunganui totara.flicket.co.nz
31.
The Little Big Markets X Good Neighbour 9am-2pm, Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui
Urban Wine Walk | Mount Maunganui 12-4pm, Rosie's Red-Hot Cantina, 113 Maunganui Road, Mt Maunganui humanitix.com
Tauranga's Monster Mash Disco 6-8pm, Mount Maunganui Sports Centre events.humanitix.com 104
@ourplacemagazine
31.
Run the Runway 4-8.30pm, Tauranga Airport Buy Tickets – 0800111010
13.
No Days Off 2026 5-11pm, Soper Reserve, Mt Maunganui audiologytouring.flicket.co.nz
Tauranga Zinefest 10am-3pm, Toi Tauranga Art Gallery
14.
'Mafia Casino' - Comedy Quiz Game Show & Fun Casino 7-10pm, Mercure Hotel, 28 Brown Street, Tauranga, eventfinda.co.nz
November 2O26 1.
Waiata Mai 3-4pm, Masonic Park, 59 The Strand, Tauranga Eat Sleep Dance Repeat 5pm, Baycourt X Space, eventfinda.co.nz Thrifted Finds 9am-2pm, Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui
4.
The Mighty Wurli & the Maestro 7pm, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz
7.
Gindulgence 12-6pm, Soper Reserve, Mt Maunganui gindulgence.flicket.co.nz
The Little Big Markets 9am-2pm, Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui 15.
Double Homecoming 3-5pm, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz
19.
Heath Franklin's Chopper - GOLD 7.30-8.40pm, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz
19– 22.
Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival 2026 9.30am–5pm, Regional gardens and art displays, Bay of Plenty, Tauranga, eventfinda.co.nz
21.
The Little Big Markets 9am-2pm, Papamoa Pony Club, Pāpāmoa
22.
Marra Construction Tinman Triathlon 7am-1pm, Pilot Bay Beach
The Little Big Markets 9am-2pm, Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui
8.
Barkfest 10am-3pm, Memorial Park, Tauranga
Diwali Festival 2026 2-9pm, The Historic Village
26.
Dinner in the Domain 5-9pm, Papamoa Pony Club, Pāpāmoa
Beatlemania On Tour 3-5.30pm, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz
28.
The Little Big Markets 9am-2pm, Maunganui Road Reserve, 400 Maunganui Rd
29.
The Little Big Markets 9am-2pm, Williamson Park, Whangamatā
The Little Big Markets 10am-2pm, The Strand, Tauranga Waterfront City to Surf 6.30am-1pm, Mt Maunganui Beach 9.
Pāpāmoa Santa Parade 10am-12pm, Dickson Road, Pāpāmoa
The Sweet Caroline Tour: A Tribute to Neil Diamond 7-9.15pm, Baycourt Addison Theatre eventfinda.co.nz
Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon™ 2026 7am-1pm, Arataki Park, Grenada St, Mt Maunganui 105