Plenty 03 2016

Plenty

The John McKay Trio raise the roof and MatatÄ reclaims the All Blacks, Plenty goes organic in Edgecumbe and Kay Boreham talks to Sir Wira Gardener, Jennie Michie is the new Lonnie Berg and war is declared to save the kiwi.

culture :: media :: art :: food

FR E E M A GA Z IN E

ISSUE 03 plenty.co.nz

CONTENTS JU LY 20 16

IN ISSUE THREE OF PLENTY. . .

We are taking a longing look at creativity, whether it is in art, music, business, sport or industry. Because the Bay of Plenty is a creative place; maybe there’s something in the water, maybe it’s the inspiration we draw from our natural surroundings, or maybe we’ve just kept that classic Kiwi can-do thing going while all those around us have wimped out and got a bought one.

Whatever it is, we should be proud of it, proud to be leading in everything from organic farming to fine art and saving the symbol of our nation, inventing the greatest team in the world (kinda) and making history. And while we’re talking creativity and pride, we’d also like to say how proud we are to have some truly great creative types working on our magazine, giving their time and talent to make it what it is, and also how proud we are to have the support of our advertisers; without them you wouldn’t be holding this thing in your hands, so we highly recommend that if you are in the market for their services that you give them some love. But enough about us, turn the page and let’s talk about you.

ANDY TAYLOR info@plenty.co.nz FRAN CACACE sales@plenty.co.nz SARAH TRAVERS design@plenty.co.nz

plenty.co.nz facebook.com/plentyNZ

PLENTY COVER THREE courtesy of Mark Smith, Rotorua

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TECHNICOLOUR CUTTING A TRACK MAPS & LEGENDS A ROOM WITH A VIEW ITS WAR! ARTS REVEALED BACK TO THE FUTURE SIR WIRA GARDENER BARN STORMING GO EAST THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND

WhakatÄ ne-based Bossy Cosmetics may be up for a name change, but the story of their success remains the same.

WORDS JENNY MICHIE PHOTOGRAPHY SARAH TRAVERS

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IKE PEOPLE who live next to a main road or railway line get used to the noise, Stephanie Peacocke and partner Josh Edlin say they don’t notice it anymore. But as a first time visitor to Bossy’s bakery/factory/ warehouse on Louvain Street in Whakatāne, I almost swooned with it.

It was the overpowering smell of all things loved: domestic, delicious, fresh and simply wonderful.

I stood with my eyes closed and jaw agape, nose twitching like a bloodhound as a beautiful olfactory assault on my senses awakened memories deeply buried and as happy as childhood.

And it’s not just the smell of the bath, body and beauty products produced by these two goal-oriented workaholics that knocks your socks off, it’s the colours. They are primary. And I’m talking Primary as in School. In fact, much of the Bossy range distinctly resembles Play-Doh, although with a scent that is anything but.

It looks fun to make too, like cooking with Mum. A third of the premises — which was a joinery factory in its previous life — is devoted to what is essentially the kitchen and bakery. This is where the big bags of magnesium, sugar, Epsom salts pumice, and other ingredients are blended together in industrial-sized mixers.

Oils and wax are melted on stovetops and perfumed from rows of bottled fragrances and essential oils — lemon, basil, banana, bergamot, cinnamon, chocolate, mint, coffee, lavender, pineapple, orange, vanilla, patchouli and ylang-ylang — in order to produce an array of products that look and smell so similar to food that it messes with your brain; Pineapple Tingles Bath Fizz, Mocha Latte Chocolate Soap Bar, Peach Crumble Body Wash, Pavlova Body Butter, Salted Caramel & Vanilla Topping Scrub, Vanilla and Whiskey Deodorant.

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PINEAPPLE TINGLES BATH FIZZ, MOCHA LATTE CHOCOLATE SOAP BAR, PEACH CRUMBLE BODY WASH, PAVLOVA BODY BUTTER, SALTED CARAMEL & VANILLA TOPPING SCRUB, VANILLA AND WHISKEY DEODORANT

Bossy’s HQ is a hive of activity, but feels a lot more like a kitchen and living room.

You get the drift. Everything here is food related. Now I think about it, Stephanie and Josh may have some very serious repressed food issues which will require years and years of therapy…or they’ve simply created a delicious and witty range of products because they want all their customers to feel loved and pampered, just because they can.

“WE RESPECT THAT PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO SPEND THEIR MONEY ON US. THEY DON’T HAVE TO, SO IT’S AN HONOUR FOR US” I will just mention here that Josh seems quite a manly bloke and a lot of the products are frankly feminine. Was there any initial resistance to…I don’t want to be indelicate here …but creating and marketing products so very, very girly?

Yes he was a bit reticent to begin with but Steph, a trained homeobotanical therapist, cleverly developed a range for men and got Josh to name it.

Steph says they wanted to change the way people treat their staff and create a better way of doing business.

“We wanted to create a space where people wanted to come to work and be part of a tribe. The more we succeed the more opportunities we create for our staff.”

And when one of their workers had an idea in her first week for a new product, Steph and Josh gave Annie Apple a day to come up with the prototype and she invented Choc Mint Whip body scrub, which turned out to be one of Bossy’s biggest sellers.

That same ethos runs through the business, from sustainably sourced vegan materials to the regard the couple clearly have for their customers.

“We respect that people are choosing to spend their money on us. They don’t have to, so it’s an honour for us,” says Josh.

L-R Josh Edlin, Annie Apple, Stephanie Peacocke and Charné Lubbe

And so Handsome As Hell, with its stag antler logo, was created, manly pride preserved and just a tad of hubris honoured.

‘Because they can’ is also the rationale behind their commitment to making their products 100% vegan.

They’ve even got PETA approval. Thanks to the technology available these days no animal products are used, not even beeswax. That’s all part of the feel-good factor here which on closer examination is actually less a happy coincidence of combining two happy people with products that are indubitably playful and is more a thoughtful commitment to provide sustainable products that people will love, and in a supportive work environment.

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Steph chimes in, “That’s why our packaging is like opening a birthday present. Someone ordering a $5 item gets treated the same as someone making a $1000 order.”

It’s certainly working. The growth of Bossy Cosmetics Ltd so far is entirely organic; they have neither sales reps on the road nor advertising budget. A couple of months ago the couple set a goal to have 100 retailers this year and they’ve already reached that target. Retailers contact them to ask if they can stock Bossy products.

I like their attitude; Steph and Josh are ‘can-do’ people who bring out the best in others. They’ve got a vision to expand into Australia, grow the range and employ more people, and they know how they’re going to do it.

Stretch yourself. Be flexible. Never settle. Be an example to others.

And always, always smell good.

Moutohora Extra Virgin oliVE oil ✔ Healthy and Delicious ✔ World Famous and from the Bay of Plenty ✔ Simply the best Moutohora EstatE 40b Moore road, thornton rD4, Whakatane 3194 Ph/Fax: 07 304 9963 Mobile: 021 055 7408 Email: moutohoraestate@netsmart.net.nz Facebook: Moutohora Extra Virgin olive oil

Due to a legal technicality with the German luxury fashion house Hugo Boss - just a friendly dispute with an international monolith, mind Steph and Josh have recently renamed their company

Bath and Beauty Bakery.

WORDS LEE GREGORY PHOTOS ANDY TAYLOR (TAK MUTU)

CUTTING A TRACK

TALKING TOURISM WITH TAK MUTU

Life is going well, says Takurua Mutu. You’d say that too if you’d achieved your lifelong dream before hitting 30. Plenty caught up with one half of the dynamic duo that is Tak and Tu Mutu to talk about adventure tourism, the tourism industry in the Bay, and being a father.

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A great thing about working in adventure tourism, Tak says, is that Kiwis are world leaders in the field and this offers opportunities for them to travel almost anywhere in the world. The fun that comes with the job helps, too. “Adventure Tourism is engrained in New Zealand culture,” he says, “and is recognised the world over. Interestingly though, this sector has grown all over the world. I think there is a major change in the way people think and there has been a massive move towards natural and active lifestyles, which includes experiences wanted in tourism. This is a cultural and attitude change that has been brewing for a while and we are seeing the significant effects of it now.”

T

AKURUA – Tak to his family, friends and everyone else – owns Multi-Day Adventures, a high-end tour company offering exclusive adventure tours to mostly international clients. The 32-year-old runs the company with his brother, Tu, Multi-Day’s operations manager, and together they offer tours around the country and a quite significant presence in Queenstown in summer.

So where did it all begin? Tak always wanted to be a businessman and bought the company from close friends Nick and Kim Chater in 2009, after working for them on and off since 2006. He was born and raised in Rotorua, attending Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o te Rotoiti, Mokoia Intermediate and Rotorua Lakes High.

He graduated from Waiariki in 2002 with a certificate in adventure tourism and then spent five years as a sledging and rafting instructor before joining Multi-Day. He’s also represented New Zealand in white water rafting, water polo and fin-swimming, but his real love is mountain biking, and you’ll often find him on the trails in Whakarewarewa Forest.

Tak was raised in a strong Māori household, taught to appreciate his culture, heritage and values. He’s of proud Te Arawa, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Hurunga and Ngāti Whakaue descent and this shines through in MultiDay’s tours.

“Whanaungatanga – kinship or family connection – is what our business is based on and translates in to our tours - looking after each other and taking the relationship past that of just being a guide/client role to making friends. That is the essence of what Māoridom is about. It’s reflected in our traditional greeting, which helps break down barriers from the get-go.”

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Tak’s love of mountain biking led to the 2011 launch of Mountain Bike Rotorua with then business partners Nick and Kimi along with another partner Dave Joy. It started off with brother Tu at the helm, running the site solo with a little under 30 bikes available to hire. Today the business employs more than 30 staff with around 150 bikes on site for visitors to choose from. Hardly surprising, really, considering how much the mountain biking scene has grown in the past few years.

And where does he think the New Zealand industry is heading now? “I think a bigger question is where is the world heading. With the advances in technology it would be easy to think that we are heading for an industry based around the latest technology. While I think there will be a place for this, I actually think adventure tourism will head on a pathway towards more personalised and bespoke experiences.

Human interaction, education and genuine experiences as well as an element of ‘giving back’, whether it be to the environment or to the community, are key elements that are likely to make up the future of tourism. There will always be a place for Disneyland but the next innovations in Adventure Tourism I believe will go back to focusing on the people, and not just the vessel that carries them.”

Image supplied

Image supplied: Chester Boyes, Crankworx

Image supplied: Clint Trahan, Crankworx

“Economically, Tourism is NZ’s biggest industry, taking over from agriculture this year. There will always be challenges but NZ Tourism has a lot of smart and proactive people involved that, from my perspective, makes overcoming all those challenges manageable. And unlike other industries, tourism businesses in NZ aren’t just focused on the best price. Instead we are still an industry that puts people first and relationships still outweigh costs - which is definitely not a typical corporate model. Luckily for us, the personalities involved in tourism are mostly good sorts and for this reason we are a united industry, with a strong united voice and able to still look at the bigger picture when tackling issues.”

But while he is happy to talk about wider issues, Tak Mutu remains focused locally. “Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty have always been home to me. It’s an easy place to live, with everything on our doorstep.

Tourism has done a great job of collaborating and now its time to pull the other sectors in line with this. Rotorua has mountain biking sorted and I believe that a collaborative approach could see cycling in the region truly boom, both economically and also for the greater community. It is such a fun and healthy way to be active and we could create some truly world-class cycle ways if the right people get involved.

Unfortunately, in the past we have seen an attitude of “If you build it, they will come”, which in the case of the second half of Te Ara Ahi (the Cycleway between Rotorua and Taupō) we have learnt that this isn’t the case. I could definitely picture an amazing experience that goes between Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakatāne to Ōpōtiki, but this would take a collaboration between landowners, local tribes, professional trail builders, potential commercial partners and very importantly the various local government bodies. Done right though, this could easily rival the Otago Rail Trail and better still, could be ridden all year round.”

HUMAN INTERACTION, EDUCATION AND GENUINE EXPERIENCES AS WELL AS AN ELEMENT OF ‘GIVING BACK’ . . .

ARE KEY ELEMENTS THAT ARE LIKELY TO MAKE UP THE FUTURE OF TOURISM.

Not surprisingly though, there is another focus important to this new father. “I have a young family with an 12-week old baby now. Work is very much a part of our everyday life, but we have it structured so it complements our life. Since having my little girl Maia, her awesome mum Jayne has been doing the actual hard work in our lives and staying home and taking care of her. Family comes first but we try to integrate or tip toe around work as much as possible. For the most part they work in relative harmony with each other. So yeah, life is going well.”

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S

MAPS LEGENDS WORDS SARAH TRAVERS PHOTOGRAPHY ANDY TAYLOR

OME SAY THAT Tony Hadlow is a creative genius; others are just happy that the energy used to create the dubious sketchings of his more youthful years has been channelled into genuine artwork. Either way, the charter maps that grace both lounges and boardrooms around the country are a tour de force of old school design and craftsmanship.

Carefully removing one of the original lake artworks from a cardboard tube, Tony Hadlow talks animatedly of the positive attributes of high-end handcrafted paper and the benefits that it brings to the working process. But as he rolls out the charter map, your focus is immediately drawn to the artwork itself and his voice fades into the background, the finer points of paper acidity falling on deaf ears. You cannot help but be completely taken in by the intricate detail and subtle use of colour, and I can’t help but feel a touch of jealousy towards his artistic skill.

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fish from a very young age. “In recent times I have been involved in lake water quality work, and this has heightened my awareness of how special the area is that we live in, and the need to preserve that pristine resource for future generations.”

Given the attention to detail of the flora and fauna on his maps, the creative process is extremely time consuming, even before pencil hits paper. The process can take anywhere from one to two weeks. Of each map there is only a small number of reproductions made, which makes the limited numbers all the more desirable. Each copy is numbered and has a personalised signature. If you’re lucky enough to have your home around the lakes, as an additional extra Tony offers to personalise the map by adding the location.

That skill has been honed over many years. The son of a clergyman, Tony moved extensively throughout New Zealand as a child before attending Waikato Technical Institute and then embarking on a career as a graphic artist. Born of the classic Kiwi can-do school, he has built up an impressive catalogue of work in graphics, design and fine art – he is even designing a new playground in Aniwhenua – but it is the charter maps of Bay of Plenty lakes that have struck a chord with the public.

With maps done of Rotorua, Rotoiti, Tarawera, Okareka, Taup0, and Waiheke Island, Tony now has his sights set on Whakatane’s White and Whale Islands, including the Volkner Rocks. The geothermal connection has a resonance for his other maps, but as a keen game fisherman he is also familiar with the area and has long held an affinity with White Island, particularly for those hardy souls who mined sulphur there. The new maps will picture game fish, history, and the rarer animals of the islands, and it is impossible not share in his almost boyish excitement for the subject.

The lakes have always held a fascination for Tony. He reminisces fondly of back-in-the-day fishing, hunting and sailing with his father, family trips holidaying around New Zealand and the excitement of travelling to Taupo for the opening day of fly-fishing at the Waitahanui River mouth. “Fly fishing is all about what the trout eat at different times of the year and matching that hatch to a fly, so Dad showed me all the insects.” Tony swiftly reverts back to his own proud father moment, boasting that his son too has learnt the skills of expertly filleting

In a world where there is so much reliance on technology, it is refreshing to see that analogue skillsets are still in existence - and being used to such effect. Trained in a disappearing art, Tony Hadlow is a classic representation of a traditional designer, bright, loud, and For more information, passionate, replete with or to secure your copy captivating stories of of the limited edition his youth. And some of charter maps, visit them may even be true. finelinecreative.co.nz

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I WORDS JENNY MICHIE PHOTOGRAPHY ANDY TAYLOR

knew I shouldn’t have tried to interview Tom Maguire at his restaurant. It’s hard enough to claim his attention at the best of times but an hour before opening it was near impossible to get him to sit down for five minutes at a stretch.

He’s flitting around lighting candles, stacking wood for the fire, answering phones, conferring with the chef, and it’s only the firm intervention of a staff member that stops him from giving the loo a quick once-over while I wait, pen poised.

That’s the problem with these hospitality people; they’re so damn committed.

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But I finally lasso him to a window seat by the big deck out over Ōhiwa Harbour.

As ever it’s looking spectacular at this time of day, when the harbour is like a giant mirror reflecting the sun sinking behind the hills. In the summer, the deck is packed with diners taking selfies with the sunset behind them.

If the Fisherman’s Wharf Café was a boat, their collective weight would tilt it into the harbour.

The harbour is also one of the few things that can stop Tom in his tracks.

In fact, he still seems a little surprised to find himself here in Port Ōhope, and running a fabulous restaurant on the shore of the fabulous Ōhiwa Harbour, a stone’s throw from the wonderful double jetty which attracts fishers and

Fisherman’s Wharf’s spectacular panorama; below, Tom, left, and Kevin; and bottom, Cioppino - the translation of seafood stew really doesn’t do it justice.

Got out as soon as he realised where he was. diving kids in equal numbers. For the purposes of this article, and just so you know, fabulous is to Tom Maguire what marvellous is to John Campbell.

Finding out how Tom did land himself here takes a few goes.

“Don’t write about me, write about the restaurant, he demands.”

He’s allowed to talk to me like that because we’re friends, and he’s given me a very decent glass of pinot noir.

“It’s context,” I tell him. “We just need to establish your basic background so it makes sense. Stop complaining and tell me the story. Now, where were you born?”

In order to get it over and done with, Tom consents and tells me his abbreviated life story in staccato bursts.

Born in Christchurch.

Was headed for London but ended up waylaid in Dallas – seduced by Tex Mex food.

Stayed for six years.

Two more in Boston, all of which was the stepping stone to New York, home for the next 12 years.

He attended the New York Restaurant School to learn to cook, but natural inclination drew him to front of house, an obvious home for his personality.

In the early 90s Tom returned to New Zealand and worked with Richard Till, the now famous celebrity chef, at Espresso 124 in Christchurch which was, according to Tom, the only restaurant doing interesting food at the time. The two formed a firm friendship, evidenced when Richard helped Tom develop the inaugural menu for Fisherman’s Wharf.

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Quickly now, because his attention is wandering, we need to cover the rest of the ground to find out how he came to be here in Ōhope.

Moved to Auckland and opened the City Café in Lorne Street.

A fabulous place. Wonderful staff.

Another café, Reuben’s.

Back and forth to Sydney for a few years and then a trip down to the Bay of Plenty to visit relatives and voilà, here we are! And indeed there it was, a slightly incongruously sited Thai restaurant, in need of cosmetic surgery and some love to be sure, but with great bones, and with that all important sign in the window, written in a rather shaky hand: “Business for Sale”.

Tom likes to tell the story that he got a little carried away by the ridiculously beautiful view, blacked out, and when he came to he was carrying a bottle of pinot gris to a table and taking dinner orders, but naturally a little more work was involved.

With the help of an old friend, the talented Auckland architect Andre Hodgskin, the restaurant underwent a complete transformation creating a brand new sun filled space; relaxed, fresh and elegantly beachy, just perfect for its unique location.

Tom’s raison d'être for Fisherman’s Wharf is to provide good service where people can relax (nothing pleases him more than when he notices summertime diners have slipped out of their shoes) and offering well-prepared food using fresh local produce and celebrating the people who produce it.

He gazes out over the harbour.

“It’s like these hills are filled with all these people doing magical and wonderful things with food, he says.”

And these local food magicians have found in Tom a passionate customer. Tom serves Bread Asylum’s artisan sourdough rolls, quinces, figs, pears, walnuts, crab apples from local orchards, oysters and mussels from the harbour, chipotle chillis from the Chilli Patch in Ōpōtiki, fresh organic blueberries from Blueberry Corner (Tom assures me a Californian would give their right arm for these) and from Gregoli Gardens wonderful organic olives and oil and of course, fresh, fresh fish right off the boat.

He describes recently waiting for his fish order to be filleted, tapping his feet impatiently while mentally reviewing the 20 tasks still on his list for the morning when he caught himself and laughed out loud.

“This is my biggest problem? The fish are still flapping?”

Most Sundays find Tom at the Whakatāne Market shopping for fresh locally grown produce, from which Chef Kevin Hayter creates his fabulous meals.

Tom says he loves the way he can arrive in the kitchen with a bundle of something from the garden and a basket of something else from the market, and Kevin just “waves his magic wand” and makes glorious meals out of it. Day after day, week after week, and hopefully year after year. It is the alchemy of the professional chef, which the rest of us mere mortals can only hope to emulate through their recipes.

Tom is equally passionate about the local clientele.

“We’ve been incredibly well-supported by the locals. I can’t thank them enough. They are why we are still here,” he says.

Although the proud owner of Fisherman’s Wharf does admit to being a little puzzled when people ask him when he’s closing up for the winter.

“Why would I?” Don’t you still want to walk on the beach?

Don’t you still want to eat great food?

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Why indeed? It is fabulous, after all.

Kevin Hayter

AKA THE TEPPANYAKI KING

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n a former life the talented chef at Fisherman’s Wharf Café had an alter ego which provided fame and if not fortune, then certainly a very comfortable standard of living for this classically trained chef.

After completing oldschool City and Guilds of London training in Taranaki, Kevin earned his stripes via the standard route of restaurants in New Zealand, Australia and further abroad before finding himself doing a stint in Japan. There, via connections through his Japanese wife who knew someone who knew someone he landed a plum job at the prestigious Suginoi Hotel in Beppu that was, in his words, “more marketing than cheffing.”

As part of a joint marketing campaign to promote NZ beef and wine, the hotel wanted an authentic Kiwi to “walk around the hotel looking like a chef.” What he really did of course, was master the not-very-ancient (introduced to Japan in 1945) art of Teppanyaki; the concept of cooking Western-influenced food on a teppan, typically propane-heated flat surface grills which are widely used to cook food in front of guests at restaurants, with highly skilled and controlled flamboyancy. The concept was a hit with the tourists. And thus at Suginoi, the Teppanyaki King was born.

Kevin made a number of TV appearances as a guest chef and was interviewed by travel magazines throughout Japan. People recognised him when he walked down the street.

Returning to New Zealand eight years ago Kevin shed his famous alter ego and now finds enormous satisfaction living in Ōhope and working with Tom and the crew at Fisherman’s Wharf. “Every day I drive to work alongside either the harbour or the ocean. And then Tom comes up with these weird and wonderful ideas, and it’s my job to take those ideas and create great food for our customers.”

Cioppino Recipe This seafood stew is of Italian origins but was popularized in San Francisco more than one hundred years ago, but it makes a great winter warmer with a spicy twist for the winter nights right here in the Bay. Here’s Kevin Hayter’s take on this classic recipe.

Sauté sliced onion, fresh garlic, chilli flakes, and New York black pepper, then add sliced fresh fennel and cook this out. Following this, add white wine, fish stock and diced tomatoes seasoned with salt and simmer for 25/30 minutes then add finished sauce to a pot.

Steam open the mussels and clams and add diced potatoes then fresh fish, prawns, and squid and simmer a further 5/10 minutes.

Serve in a bowl garnished with a saffron garlic aioli of minced garlic, and saffron soaked in warm water combined with mayonnaise.

Buon Appetito!

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Everything under the sun We don’t just think Whakatāne is a great place to live, we also think it is a great place to do business, and to prove it we are highlighting two new businesses that have shunned the congestion and high costs of the main centres to call Whakatāne home.

Native ConnectionNZ

One88 On Commerce

whitegold.

Whakatāne - a great place to grow a business Kate Clark of Whakatāne lived rurally and did most of her shopping online, but what she really wanted was a local store that was on-trend and that supported handmade, unique NZ brands – so she created whitegold. She chose to bring her vision to Whakatāne’s CBD and it now attracts shoppers from across the Bay. “The shop has grown and changed over the last 18 months,” she says, “and our philosophy in developing the business is to offer exceptional customer service, and generate happy and loyal customers. And we also have an online presence now.”

The great news for retail in Whakatāne is that there will soon be a sister store offering fresh, quality street wear, casual and funky brands, to open in August. “Starting small doesn’t mean thinking small,” says Kate, “and while there challenges facing traditional retailing in an online world, challenges are also opportunity.

Whakatāne luxury motel raises the bar A gap in the top-end of the accommodation market in Whakatāne has been filled following the recent opening of the luxury motel complex One88 On Commerce, offering visitors five star accommodation in a central location.

Developers and owners Mark and Kellie Ross, who have previously been involved in motel ventures in Taupō, said a key reason for selecting Whakatāne as the location for the new motel was its growing role as a business hub and visitor destination, with an increasing number of both domestic and international visitors putting Whakatāne on their itineraries.

“The large-scale investments made in Whakatāne by the likes of tertiary education providers and the new hospital showed there was real confidence in the area,” says Mark, “so setting up in Whakatāne was an obvious choice.”

Find out more at one88oncommerce.co.nz

Discover a

Find out more at whitegoldnz.co.nz

We would like to hear about your new business!

ContaCt:

Priceless Lifestyle

Live, work and invest in the Whakatāne District Take the opportunity to live your dream

Roslyn.Mortimer@whakatane.govt.nz or call 07 306 0585 or on 027 702 4205 whakatane.com whakatane.govt.nz

It’s war!

Born on the croquet court and

bred in a shed, a Whakatāne initiative is aiming to save the kiwi.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY ANDY TAYLOR

B

RIDGET PALMER DOESN’T LIKE STOATS. Or ferrets. And she’s not that keen on weasels either. Known by many people throughout the Eastern Bay for her passion and dedication to New Zealand’s native bird, Whakatāne’s ‘Kiwi lady’ is one of the many Kiwi Trust volunteers working to protect our precious national icon. And she is also quite passionate in her dislike for the stoat.

“Stoats are a kiwi chick’s main predator,” she says, “because kiwi are very small as young birds, and distinctly — and deliciously — smelly. It is believed almost all wild kiwi chicks in unmanaged areas are killed by stoats before they reach 1kg in weight. Predation of young kiwi, chiefly by stoats, is the most important factor contributing to the continuing decline of mainland kiwi populations; stoat numbers can be extremely low and still make a substantial difference to kiwi survival.”

Bridget’s husband Craig Palmer is less zoological but more succinct: “They are breeding and killing machines,” he says. “In one hour, one stoat can destroy a year’s work.”

Stoats, weasels, and ferrets belong to the mustelid family and were imported from Europe by their thousands in the early 1880s to control rabbits and hares. Ferrets, known in the fur industry as fitches, are the largest of the three mustelid species and can grow up to 50cm long. They were imported to create a fur trade, but by the turn of the century they were well-established in the wild and well-recognised

L-R Lukas Grant with Bridget and Craig Palmer

as pests, with legal protection being removed in 1903 and any further imports restricted. Remarkably, in the 1980s a new wave of interest in fur saw new fitch farms established as another generation saw a way to get rich quick. By the end of that decade, however, the industry had collapsed and, while many fitch farmers did the right thing and had their stocks put down, others released them rather than pay for costly methods of humanitarian disposal. With that injection of fresh stock the numbers of wild stoats and ferrets boomed, and New Zealand now has the largest known population of feral ferrets in the world. They have contributed to the decline of kiwi in Northland and the decimation of many species of native birds that nest on the ground and have no defence against these nocturnal marauders.

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In 1999, there were only four pairs of North Island brown kiwi remaining in the Ōhope Scenic Reserve. Now, just over 15 years later, the Whakatāne District is home to more than 300 kiwi, with an estimated 50 pairs residing within the core project area of Ōhope, Kohi Point and Mokorua scenic reserves. The work of the Whakatāne Kiwi Project has been so successful that Whakatāne has been recognised as the ‘kiwi capital of the world™’. Nowhere else do kiwi live so close to an urban environment. But with the success of the project comes new challenges. As the kiwi population expands and kiwi leave the core area, there is a need to increase the project area, and the main threat to this expansion is that axis of evil — stoats, ferrets and weasels.

Now, thanks to the Whakatāne Kiwi Trust and Whakatāne West Rotary – as well as some good old Kiwi ingenuity and DIY attitudes – there is a new weapon in the war on these predators that will help expand the project area from 3000ha to 16,000ha. And, like so many great moments in New Zealand history, it all began on the croquet court.

Craig, Bridget and cohort Lukas Grant were shooting some hoops (yes, that’s what they’re called) at the annual Whakatāne West Rotary Croquet Night when Lukas asked where to acquire stoat traps. “I knew I had stoats on my

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John Black, left, and Bridget Palmer at work in the Ōhope hills.

property on Braemar Rd,” Lukas says, “and I was discussing the issue with Craig and Bridget during the croquet evening.

I hoped Bridget could steer me in the right direction for traps, but soon discovered that acquiring a trap locally wasn’t that easy. The Department of Conservation (DoC) and Bay of Plenty Regional Council lend out traps, but unfortunately due to some not being returned, they are reluctant to loan traps, and there wasn’t a local source to buy them from.

“We realised there was a need, and it just kind of grew from there. Rotary had the resources that we could tap into to get the project started, and after discussion within Whakatāne West Rotary we decided to go for it.”

Bridget obtained a set of DoC-approved plans, and Lukas and Craig set to work and hammered out a couple of boxes.

It wasn’t long before the pair realised the magnitude of this endeavor would require a scaled process greater than what they could whip up in Craig’s backyard, so the team approached Halo Whakatāne for help.

“Halo Whakatāne consists of a huge variety of communities, all working towards creating an unfenced sanctuary in the heart of Whakatāne,” Bridget says. “Halo is founded on the premise that we can do more together than apart. And, by combining talents and resources, building relationships and connecting people, we are empowered.”

“IN ONE HOUR, ONE STOAT CAN DESTROY A YEAR’S WORK.”

Soon Whakatāne West Rotary was working alongside Whakatāne Menz Shed, a Halo Whakatāne partner, and after meeting to discuss requirements it was agreed materials would be sourced and Menz Shed would cut and prepare flat packs of traps that could be easily transported and assembled to order by Rotary members. A production line worthy of the war effort was born, with Menz Shed receiving funds on a unit basis, and the Kiwi Trust and other conservation restoration groups having access to traps made and supplied locally by fellow community groups. Whakatāne West Rotary also plans to help with local environmental programmes in schools and Craig has recently assisted with the installation of 20 DoC stoat traps around the Awatapu Lagoon, an undertaking carried out by the Whakatāne Intermediate Sci4Life students.

While most traps will be used within the Kiwi Project area, for $100 individuals or groups can buy one and install it on their own property, contributing to predator control. Even more exciting is the opportunity to sponsor one of the 550 traps already within the core Kiwi project area, being monitored

by Trust volunteers, and seeing the results online. With this scheme, schools, offices, families or workmates can buy their own Kiwi Project stoat trap, for $135 annually, and watch it wage war on predators. As a NZ Herald writer recently pointed out, sponsoring a trap within the kiwi zone is one of the more interesting souvenirs you can buy.

The story may have ended here, but everyone involved wants it to be more than a local success. “We’d like to see this go national,” says Lukas. “We think Rotary has the network and the resources to make it happen, and we’d like to see it franchised around the country. This is something we can all get involved in, and, judging by the success we have had here, we believe that within a decade we could make this a game-changer in the eradication of these predators.”

Your country needs you! So get on over to www.whakatanekiwi.org.nz to see how you can join the war on terror.

Or on stoats, ferrets and weasels, at least.

ARTS REVEALED WORDS CHARLOTTE JONES

The idea was initially sparked in Hourigan when she spotted a book called ‘The People of Golden Bay’, which was, naturally, about people in that area with a passion. Hourigan and Cooper wanted to do something similar in their area but decided to make people with a passion for art the focus of their book, as they believe that this is particularly rich in our community. Hourigan says the only criteria for the book was to have people with ‘passion and commitment’, so the main focus is the artists as people, and how and why they create, rather than their actual creations.

Given that passion for an art form was essentially the only criteria, it allowed the authors a broad palette of subjects, so writers, dancers and musicians are represented alongside visual artists.

Cooper and Hourigan began with a loose list of artists they knew of and wanted to interview. But they found that with each interview the list grew and grew, as each artist suggested yet another creator worthy of attention. “The book could’ve grown huge, because we found more fantastic people,” says Cooper, but they wanted to create a balance between “older legends in the community and younger aspiring ones – we wanted to throw some red herrings in!”

T

HE EASTERN BAY has long prided itself on being home to some extraordinarily creative people, the type who just create for the sake of creating, any accolades a second thought. Now a new book is showcasing their talents, and giving readers a rare glimpse into the studios – and the minds – of many of them.

Arts Revealed is the brainchild of Heather Hourigan and Andrea Cooper. They are themselves artists from the Eastern Bay, but they have dedicated an entire year of enjoyable but hard work to make this book a reality. It features the works and stories of many Eastern Bay artists, and offers a revealing, first-hand look into their studios and work spaces. It has been accompanied by an exhibition of the same name at Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi – the Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre – until 31 July.

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One of the most exciting things they found with writing the book was seeing other artists’ studios. As established artists themselves, the authors have a keen sense of detail and nuance when it comes to the creative space.

They were both surprised to see how small some spaces were, and how other artists had literally taken over their entire homes, with the latter presumably having some very understanding partners or housemates. Hourigan also says it made her feel comforted as an artist herself seeing other

“BECAUSE WE ARE SO FAR AWAY FROM THE MAIN CENTRES AND ARE DISCONNECTED, WE TEND TO CREATE OUR OWN SPACES AND THEMES, AND THAT IS PROBABLY A GOOD THING,”

artists experiencing the same struggles as her. “It’s a lonely process,” she says, “locked in these studios where you don’t often share much with the world outside, and yet this whole thing is about sharing.”

Both Cooper and Hourigan believe that the Eastern Bay punches well above its weight in the creative field, but that artists here generally fly under the radar and ‘just get on with it’. “Because we are so far away from the main centres and are disconnected, we tend to create our own spaces and themes, and that is probably a good thing,” says Hourigan. “It means we are not so influenced by what is current and locked into a box by that – instead we are just more driven to create from within ourselves. In the main centres there is a lot of academic conversation and that can be quite structured. Here we just make our own conversation, instead of following the herd.”

“We are definitely more than we think we are,” says Cooper, “there are so many people out there who are working in very creative industries and who grew up here, but we often don’t know much about them as they tend to fly under the radar.”

Andrea Cooper, left, and Heather Hourigan.

“WE ARE DEFINITELY MORE THAN WE THINK WE ARE,” SAYS COOPER, “THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE WORKING IN VERY CREATIVE INDUSTRIES...”

This mix of different genres and unrestrained creativity make for an extremely unique and interesting read. People from the Eastern Bay are likely to recognise some of the artists featured, but because new up and coming artists are also included there will be some surprises, even for those familiar with the arts community.

The duo are considering taking the exhibition that accompanies the book to other regions such as Tauranga or Rotorua, but they are also quite looking forward to getting back into their own creative spaces, and getting back to work. “After opening so many studio doors in the last few months,” says Cooper, “it’s time to close our own studio doors and hang the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign out for a while!”

Arts Revealed is available from Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi – the Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre or contact hghourigan@gmail.com for details.

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Back to the Future

Milk 24

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WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY ANDY TAYLOR

L

ESS THAN TEN YEARS AGO organic farming was an inside joke, scorned by the wider industry and largely considered to be coasting on the coattails of mainstream dairy; now, as global milk prices continue to tumble, organic farming is being seen in a very different light.

For 2016-17, Fonterra has set its opening organic milk price prediction at $9.20 per kilo – a whopping 60% higher than its standard milk solids price – and earlier this year organic milk powder was selling for more than NZ$14,000 per tonne, as opposed to the current price per tonne for conventional whole milk powder of NZ$2195. And what’s more, these prices have been stable since 2013 and are expected to remain strong for the foreseeable future. No surprise then that the May issue of New Zealand’s Farmers Weekly ran a front page headline entitled “Organic Milk Bonanza”.

But how did this happen, how did organic farmers go from sideways to admiring glances, and is organic milk really the saviour of the New Zealand dairy industry that some say it is?

Before even trying to understand how organic farming came to be seen as the great white hope, let’s define just what it actually is. In a world where the phrase ‘organic’ is applied to everything from eggs to eyeliner, what qualifies as organic farming, and who polices those definitions? Most consumers see organic farming as abstaining from chemical fertilisers and pesticides, but for producers it is a whole lot more complicated, with an underlying philosophy and clearly defined practices that must be strictly followed.

The farm of Brent Looney and partner Natasja Boon near Edgecumbe has been certified as organic for four years now, and has a milking platform of 59ha and a run off of 20ha milking 180 cows. “There is a big difference between calling yourself organic and being certified,” says Brent. “It takes three years to convert a farm to organic, and from that time you cannot use any chemical fertilizers like nitrogen in the pasture or drugs like penicillin on the stock. Soils are also tested, and there is a regular annual audit to make sure everything is up to standard. For us the biggest challenge was the vast increase in paperwork – everything has to be documented and that takes time, in addition to running the farm.” Recently, in addition to the New Zealand accredited auditors, inspectors from Korea and China have also begun annual auditing on the farm.

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“On the whole though,” Brent says, “it has been a lot simpler than I thought. Costs aren’t as high as normal, for example we are only using one-third of the cost of fertilizer we’d normally be using. And while we still have a regular relationship with the vet, it’s just different; we spend a lot more on preventative measures — we use a lot of cider vinegar, seaweed and garlic to build immune systems for example — and when we do get sick animals they are treated with more homeopathic remedies rather than antibiotics. But we don’t get a lot of sick animals, and that is something that seems to surprise a lot of farmers. And as for spraying, the only real weed problem we have is blackberry, so instead of carrying a knapsack these days I carry a weed chipper.”

Brent Looney and partner Natasja Boon

While organic farming has been widely touted as the way of the future, it often seems to have more in common with practices of the past. “There is nothing ‘new age’ about most of the things we do,” Brent says, “and a lot of it is things that

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my father was doing as a farmer 50 or 60 years ago.

They didn’t use chemicals then, and we find that with careful management we don’t need them now.

We used to produce 1300 milk solids per hectare conventionally with some nitrogen and palm kernel but now do 1200 milk solids per hectare with no nitrogen or palm kernel, so there is not that much difference in production output. We just milk 10% less cows now.”

What is driving the growing demand for organic milk? The New Zealand Dairy Exporter magazine notes the key drivers as food safety, animal welfare, human health and environmental benefits, with a reported 50% increase in sales of organic products in New Zealand alone in 2014. These are broad definitions, however, and no one within the industry seems to be able to provide a more accurate picture.

Brent Looney, who regularly has overseas auditors walking his farm, is adamant that the reason is food safety. “There have been some pretty serious food scares around in some of these countries, and it’s completely understandable that these markets are looking to ensure safety – especially when we are talking about baby formula and the like.”

At a time when we are continually being told that New Zealand must be developing more value-ad products, organic milk certainly seems to fit the bill. But if we are to fully capitalize on the rise of organic milk products it is clear that a much better understanding of what the consumer wants — both here and internationally — will be required. The long-term success of organic milk in New Zealand, therefore, may be just as reliant on the ability of the dairy industry to embrace it, and market it correctly, as it is on the uptake of farmers.

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The railways loss

– the country’s gain

INTERVIEW KAY BOREHAM PHOTOGRAPHY ANDY TAYLOR

An interview with Sir Wira Gardener When Plenty catches up with Sir Harawira Gardiner he is days away from heading overseas. The diary is tight and we’re incredibly grateful he can see us. I tell him the first time we met was c.1982 at the opening of South Island artist Graham Brinsley’s exhibition at the Gardiner Gallery in Domain Road, Whakatāne.

(A late – great – mutual friend, Ōpōtiki identity John Burdett, bought half a dozen of the beautifully painted landscapes, one – a Waioweka Gorge vista – he gifted to his housekeeper, my grandmother, who subsequently left it to me – small world).

I reminisce about 1987, when he ran as the local National Party candidate; his campaign manager was one Tony Ryall, who asked a young journalist if she’d come on board to lend a hand. Those of us old enough to remember when journalists prided themselves on being (or at least being seen to be) politically neutral, will understand things faltered when informed she’d have to officially join the National Party. Connections established we crack on with a quick-fire, wide-ranging interview and photoshoot, the best hour I’ve spent in ages.

PLENTY There will be plenty of locals who

remember The Gardiner Gallery; did your collecting start then?

WG No, not really. I came late to art collecting; I probably only began seriously about 15 years ago, when I made the decision to collect Māori artists on the cutting edge of contemporary art: Ralph Hotere, Para Matchitt, Shane Cotton, Darcy Nicholas. Lately I’m enjoying the work of Jimmy James Kouratorus.

(Sir Wira’s other, long-held collecting passion is New Zealand first edition books, thousands of tomes that will be gifted to the library of Te Whare Wānangā o Awanuiārangi.)

PLENTY You recently gave the ANZAC Day address at your alma mater, Whakatāne High School.

WG Yes, the theme was reciprocity from the living for those who gave their lives. Those who went to World War One made the ultimate sacrifice; today’s generations need to value that sacrifice and make the most of the opportunities they have in society. Those who went largely had no formal education so young people today need to study hard and gain qualifications. I also told the students that war is brutal and survivors suffer after-affects so deserve our understanding.

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Sir Wira was the founding director of the Waitangi Tribunal and founding chief executive of the Ministry of Māori Development (Te Puni Kokiri). He has been National Director of Civil Defence, Chair of Te Mangai Paho and deputy chair of Te Ohu Kaimoana. He was made a Knight of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2008 for services to Māori. He was Chair of the Tertiary Education Commission between 2010 and 2012, and Chair of the Board of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa between 2010 and 2013. His latest role is Chair of the Local Government Commission. He remains active in the affairs of Te Runanga o Ngāti Awa and serves on the council of Te Whare Wānangā o Awanuiārangi.

Sir Wira, in the Te Whare Wānangā o Awanuiārangi Board Room that carries his name.

PLENTY What sort of a student were you?

WG I attended Whakatāne High School for five years; pretty much went to eat other people’s lunches. There was an expectation that my mates and I were destined to work on the railways. My English teacher Don Waugh had confidence in me, but was totally exasperated by my attitude. By 7th Form I worked out that if I wanted to eat my own lunch, I’d have to apply myself.

When I published my first book in the early 90s (Te Mura o Te Ahi – The Story of the Māori Battalion, Reed Publishing, 1992) I thought of Mr Waugh. That first book took me three years. I handwrote it all and ‘whited out’ the corrections, which really amused my publishers who had to explain to me that it was their job to edit it! The second book took me six months! I write after my family has gone to bed; usually around four to five hours a night through until about 3am.

PLENTY Sleep isn’t a priority for you?

WG Well, we’re all heading for a long sleep when we go . . . .

Now is a good time to remind people of Wira’s achievements; you’ll appreciate the use he’s made of his time: A former professional soldier, Lieutenant-Colonel (Rtd) Sir Wira Gardiner (Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Pikiao) has a long and distinguished public service career. He’s served on 54 Boards in the last 30 years, placing him at the forefront of every piece of policy affecting relationships between Māori and the Crown.

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PLENTY You’re up to your seventh book now?

WG I’m writing the official history of B Company 28th Māori Battalion.

The history is one of three proposed by the Ngarimu VC & 28th Māori Battalion Scholarships Board to mark the 70th Anniversary of the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross to 2/Lt Te Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu. It is supported by the Ministry of Education and Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

East Bay DEntal CEntrE I’ve spent the last year gathering stories on B Company soldiers; there were some 900 from the Bay of Plenty.

This book is a platform to look at aspects of our military history that haven’t been explored before.

I’m particularly interested in information on our tupuna who were captured as prisoners of war. I’m also trying to find out if there were any Māori who might have been conscientious objectors and haven’t found any to date.

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Another theme is the importance of understanding the effects of battle on those who returned home. War is a most ugly, brutal experience and a lot never recovered. Now we recognise it as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For some the only time they could relax was with their mates in the pub and that sometimes led to heavy drinking and violence within the whānau.

PLENTY You’re heading away?

WG As part of my research for the book I’m going to Greece and Crete. As an old soldier I have to walk the ground, follow in the steps of our tipuna. While I’m there I’ll also be attending the official commemorations of the 75th Anniversary of the Battle for Crete.

Sir Wira’s trip saw him visit every important location passed through by the NZ Division and 28 Māori Battalion in April 1941.

In subsequent Facebook posts, Sir Wira said “The visit was my most intensive study of the battle fields traversed by our fathers, uncles, grand-fathers and grand-uncles,” describing the experience as, “exciting and sobering to see where they fought, where some were killed, wounded or captured.”

PLENTY You must be nearing the end of the research?

WG The first draft of the B Company history is due by the end of the year and the aim is to have it ready for publishing mid-2017.

PLENTY What’s next?

WG Well, I think I’ve arrived at the position where I can write my autobiography. I’ve had a pretty interesting life in the last 30 years. This one is for my kids and grandchildren – I’ve got five moko and another coming.

Not wanting to contradict him, but I think Wira’s autobiography will be eagerly awaited by quite a few outside his immediate whānau. Can’t wait.

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Barn Stormers WORDS LEE GREGORY PHOTOGRAPHY ANDY TAYLOR

If you’ve ever been at the Whakatāne Hotel on a Sunday afternoon, chances are you’ve heard of the John McKay Trio.

Comprising John McKay and Lee Barton, the trio (there was a third person once, but that story is complicated) is the resident band, performing most Sundays in summer

and on selected dates in winter.

Between them they play the mandola, mandolin, tenor banjo, guitar, bass guitar, bodhrain, ukulele and vocals (Lee) and tin whistles, Uillean pipes (Irish elbow pipes), Highland pipes, fivestring banjo, harmonica, guitar, vocals, ukulele and bass ukulele (John).

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Both are accomplished musicians in their own right. John, perhaps best described as a local music identity, played in a ukelele group at primary school.

“Then in 1964 the local (Gisborne) pipe band got going again and as we had a set of pipes at home, my father and grandfather played. I went along — and have been trying to get it right since. That was the beginning. Since then I have acquired and learnt to play the tin whistle, Northumbrian small pipes and Uilleann pipes, and I dabble with various stringed instruments.”

As for Lee, his talent lies in his theatre and musical background. Raised in England, he’s been singing and performing since he was six. He first picked up a guitar at 13 and spent years – frustrating ones, he says – teaching himself to play. When his ‘incredibly musical’ father died in 1999, Lee inherited his traditional folk instruments and set about improving his jigs, reels, polkas and hornpipes (these are, for the uninitiated, names of Irish/Celtic tunes).

He moved to New Zealand in 2001 and met John in 2004. “Another tutor there was a guitarist and knew of John McKay,” he says. “After a bit of talking, it was suggested we get together and do a busking session on The Strand. Some pretty instant musical connections were made playing a range of traditional tunes, and we went from there. Sessions together were sporadic in the first year or so, but it became a more regular meeting at various people’s houses just to socialise and play some music. John’s version is somewhat shorter. “I had heard of Lee through people I was playing with. He came to a few sessions and the rest is history.” Ok, it’s much shorter.

The two have consistently played music together one way or another ever since.

Together, Lee says, they bring something special to the stage. “When you spend so much time playing music together, as John and I have, you start to read each other incredibly well musically. Sometimes it is just spooky how well we connect.

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“When we play we constantly mix the sounds, instruments and signatures we play; we think it gives great variety and we think our audiences feel the same. It’s our sound and it's unique to us. What we bring to the table is a feast with decades of musical influences to feed on.” It’s clearly a feast the public enjoys. Today, John and Lee are in hot demand with listeners from all age groups. “We have toddlers go nuts on the footpath when we play, and equally anybody in between up until our most senior citizens. Music doesn’t choose an age, it chooses you,” Lee says.

Lee is perhaps better known as the events and venues manager at Kawerau District Council, and John owns Progressive Engineering. So we wondered how they fit in all this music around work and other commitments. It is, they say, something that comes naturally.

“We both have the blessings of our families to perform and life isn’t all about jobs and commitments,” Lee says. “We live and breathe for a small passage of time and if there are things you enjoy doing, you should make the time and do them.

My thing is music and performing.”

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“WE LIVE AND BREATHE FOR A SMALL PASSAGE OF TIME AND IF THERE ARE THINGS YOU ENJOY DOING, YOU SHOULD MAKE THE TIME AND DO THEM. MY THING IS MUSIC AND PERFORMING.”

John agrees. “I don't know what it's like not to play music.” And asked what the best thing about performing is, he says, “Bringing all this together to see a smile on someone else’s face is the best thing about playing music together — and we have a whole load of laughs along the way.”

They describe their music as a blend of traditional Irish/Scottish/Celtic tunes, mixed with classic folk session songs, sea shanties and Irish pub classics.

“We sprinkle the odd bit of country in there too.” The unique blend of genres works; their music appeals to the most unlikely listeners. “Dogs in the back of utes or with their heads hanging out of windows driving by are usually our biggest approvers,” they laugh.

The armed pig-hunter who wandered over to invite them for tea following the Plenty photo shoot was also a fan – so in return for using his well-weathered barn as a backdrop, John and Lee went back to his and entertained with a few tunes while their host joined in on harmonica. The Plenty photographer, always a lightweight and musically inept, beat a hasty retreat.

The Trio is sought-after for weddings and other special events around the Eastern Bay, and they played at a wedding in Ōpōtiki last April, to a 150-strong audience, but say they can do cosy smaller gigs or larger ones for that matter. They also organise Ceilidhs (essentially a celtic barn dance), supported by other musicians, which are “incredible fun and really inclusive for all members of the family.” Over the years they’ve built a network of talented Celtic musicians and when they all get together, we’re told, it’s one very big party... but we’ll save that for another story.

You can find out if the John McKay Trio are playing a barn near you at: www.facebook.com/twopiecetrio

Lee Barton, left, with John McKay.

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MOTŪ

GO EAST TRAILS

WORDS CHARLOTTE JONES PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MOTŪ TRAILS CHARITABLE TRUST

T

HE MOTŪ TRAILS we know today have come a long way from their humble beginnings.

The simple horse tracks built as far back as the late 1800s have evolved into some of the best hiking and biking tracks in New Zealand, a far, far cry from what the pioneers who cut them through the dense bush could have ever envisioned.

Following routes that originally linked the Ōpōtiki and Gisborne districts, the Trails today consist of three key sections, the Motū Road Trail, Pakihi Track and Dunes Trail.

The Motū Road Trail follows the historic Motū Road, officially opened in 1918 though parts of it pre-date 1900. It started to become a complete track in 1912 when a real effort was made to connect Motū to Ōpōtiki. Sixty men worked with picks and shovels to develop the road, fighting with the hard slate rock prevalent in some areas. At the time this was considered to be very important, with the editor of the Poverty Bay Herald stating, “It is almost inconceivable that old established districts like Gisborne and the Bay of Plenty should still remain disconnected by dray or coach road”. By 1913 a dray cart could navigate the Motū Road and by 1915 the first motor car had made the trip. Although before the 1920s, when the road was metalled, it often turned into a muddy bog causing headaches for the road users.

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Now the road makes for a beautiful 67km cycle trip that climbs to over 750 metres in altitude. About halfway through the Motū Road is what used to be the small settlement of Toatoa. Ngāti Rua took refuge here during the New Zealand Land Wars, with settlers moving in from 1895. In its heyday Toatoa had a bustling post office, dairy factory and school. Travellers along the road would often rest at the tearooms located here, but with the opening of the Waioeka Gorge highway in 1929, the settlement was largely bypassed. Without visitors, Toatoa’s demise began; the dairy factory burnt down and wasn’t rebuilt, the post office shut in the 1960s and the school closed in 1973. Today travellers can expect a warm welcome at Toatoa Homestay and a few curious weka.

Motū itself suffered nearly the same fate as Toatoa. At the settlement’s peak in 1914 a huge wooden hotel was built, boasting 100 bedrooms, a large dining area and distinctive verandas. Because of its altitude of nearly 500 metres the hotel was often promoted as an ideal health resort. Like Toatoa, Motū lost its businesses with the creation of the state highway. Even the proud hotel was dismantled and rebuilt as two smaller hotels in Ormond and Matawai, both of which are still standing.

The new pioneers volunteers at work on a trail culvert.

However it is not as bleak for Motū as it is for Toatoa, in Motū the past is still visible with the abandoned 1921 post office having been restored and opened as accommodation as the Motū Community House. Nearby stands the St Paul’s Anglican church which dates from 1920 and falls under Heritage New Zealand Category 2.

Another worthwhile sight along the Matawai end of the trail is an old railway bridge, a melancholic remnant of a railway line that was never fully completed due to challenging terrain and finances.

The Pakihi Track also has a rich history, from use as a vital stock transport route through to being the only mail link between Motū and Ōpōtiki; the mailman, by horse, could make the trip in a day. Ōpōtiki farmer Francis Foster, in a 1913 Christmas letter, wrote gleefully that ‘the track is through to Motū at last’, and the next year, when World War One broke out which meant premium prices for wool, meat, butter and cheese, Foster would depend upon this track to take advantage of the rising prices. By Christmas 1915 Foster wrote ‘I sent my first lot of sheep to the freezing works at Gisborne through Pakihi track last March’. Sadly for Foster the good times were not to last.

The track quickly succumbed to slips and, in April 1918, a few months before the end of the war, a devastating storm hit the area leading to massive floods which wiped out much of his prized farm, some of the Pakihi track and the stock bridge.

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The news in that year’s Christmas letter was far less promising with Foster reflecting, ‘I decided to pack out, a sad case of glorious pioneering. [In 1906, I] packed in with hope, ambition, and 2,300 pounds of capital and no encumbrances… in 1918 I packed out minus hope, ambition or capital but plus a wife and four children’.

For those travelling the track today you will be able to spot the remnants of the ruined stock bridge as you cross the modern 32m long suspension bridge. All that is left of this once important link is a small part of the original structure and one of the footing holes.

The early pioneers who cut these tracks are long gone, but the legacy of their blood, sweat and toil lives on, and more recent efforts by DOC, councils, the Whakatōhea Maori Trust Board and dedicated locals has seen them evolve into a stunning cycling experience. The trails are served by quality shuttle and bike hire companies, and complemented by accommodation ranging from camping to luxury. Crucially, there’s a strengthening link with Gisborne via the Rere Falls Trail, opening up attractions like Eastwoodhill Arboretum. For those travelling from Auckland, there’s even the option of a remarkable Motū Trails package with Air Chathams in summer featuring a flight on the airline’s historic DC3.

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Tempted? Better pump those tyres up and start planning a trip back in time amidst some of the best scenery the Bay has to offer.

MORE INFORMATION: motutrails.co.nz airchathams.co.nz/flight-packages facebook.com/motutrails

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THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND WORDS HAMISH PETTENGELL

Was the All Black legend born in Matatā?

Hamish Pettengell of the Whakatāne Museum and Research Centre finds out.

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vectoropenstock.com Easter Eggs with Ferns

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Alfred Warbrick Images courtesy of the Whakatāne Museum and Research Centre - C60-2 / C245-2

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N 30 AUGUST 1903, Alfred Warbrick (1860-1940), Chief Government Guide to the Rotorua thermal area, together with his brother Joseph (1862-1903), was showing a group of visitors the spectacular Waimangu Geyser. At that time Waimangu was the largest active geyser in the world, and – in response to a dare – Alfred had measured the depth of its lake in a rowboat just a few weeks before.

Alfred was certainly brave, but not foolhardy, and he warned his brother and the visitors to keep a safe distance from the unpredictable geyser.

His warning was not heeded unfortunately, and a sudden, violent eruption from the geyser swept Joseph and three tourists tragically to their deaths.

The demise of Joseph Warbrick was the end of a remarkable life. He represented New Zealand in the 1884 rugby union tour of Australia and later captained and selected the 1888-89 New Zealand Native team that embarked on an extensive tour of Australia and the British Isles. In his 1993 book Forerunners of the All Blacks, author Greg Ryan notes that the Natives were the first New Zealand team to tour Britain and Warbrick had a lasting impact on the development of the sport in this country. “Their brand of sensational running style and combined forward play had never been seen in New Zealand,” Ryan writes, and the speculative nature of the tour essentially lead to the formation of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union in 1892.

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The 1888-89 Natives.

This extraordinary man had humble beginnings in Rotorua in 1862. His father was English born Abraham Warbrick (1819-1889), who arrived in New Zealand in 1841 and became a trader in Matatā. His mother was Nga Karauna Paerau, the daughter of a Ngāti Rangitihi chief. He had five brothers – Alfred (1860-1940), Joseph (1862-1903), Arthur (1863-1902), Frederick (18691904) and William (1866-1901) – all of whom would tour together in the 188889 Natives Team. Though his family remained in the Bay of Plenty, Joseph went to St Stephen’s School for Native Boys in South Auckland and showed such early talent on the rugby field that he Joe Warbrick was selected for the Auckland Provincial Clubs team (now simply Auckland) at the age of just 15, making him the youngest person to play first class rugby in New Zealand; a record that still stands to this day. In 1878 Joseph began his career as a public servant, a job that would see him residing in various parts of the country and usually playing provincial rugby for wherever his work took him.

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Warbrick toured Australia in 1884, but it was his role in assembling and captaining the 1888-89 Native team that would prove his greatest legacy. It is not known when he first conceived the idea, but by early 1888 he had announced plans to assemble a Maori side to tour the British Isles. He was joined in the endeavour by another civil servant named Thomas Eyton and James Scott, a publican. It was agreed Warbrick would select, coach and captain the team, and his vast experience in THOUGH HE DIED YOUNG provincial rugby certainly made him the man for the HIS LEGACY LIVES ON. job. Originally called the New Zealand Maori Team, the name was changed to Native after several part-Maori THE 1888-89 NATIVES and Pākehā players were added to create what Greg WERE PIONEERS OF THE Ryan calls “a more effective combination.”

PRE-MATCH HAKA, THE SILVER FERN EMBLEM AND THE BLACK JERSEY, AS WELL AS AN EXCITING STYLE OF PLAY THAT HAD

The team played their first game of the tour against Surrey in September 1888, turning out in black kneelength shorts and jerseys – a precursor to the All Blacks famous uniform – which one columnist at the time said gave the players a “rather sombre aspect”. They would play on average one game every 2.3 days for the rest NOT BEEN SEEN BEFORE. of the arduous, 14-month tour, a schedule that would astound today’s professionals. It also took a high toll in player injuries with Warbrick himself only appearing in 14 of the 74 matches due to an injured foot. Nevertheless, the Natives won 78 matches, drew 6 and lost 23 – an impressive record.

Joseph returned to the Bay to farm and purchased a sizable holding near Thornton, but made a one-match first class comeback in 1894 when he played for Auckland against Taranaki. His brother Arthur went on to live in Ōpōtiki where he worked as ferryman for the County Council until he was drowned in bad weather in 1902. And of course Joe also joined his brother Arthur in acting as a tour guide in Rotorua, and on that fateful day in 1903 when he ventured too close to Waimangu, he was just 41 years old.

Though he died young his legacy lives on. The 1888-89 Natives were pioneers of the pre-match haka, the silver fern emblem and the black jersey, as well as an exciting style of play that had not been seen before. Some have argued therefore, that the Natives Team and the Warbrick’s might just have started something that grew into the legend that we know today as the All Blacks.

In 2008 the entire Natives Team was inducted into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame, an event that was duly marked in Matatā, with descendants of the Warbricks in attendance. One year later, a short film on the exploits of the Warbrick’s was released.

Matatā has a long and strong history of rugby; many small New Zealand towns do, but none can lay claim, like Matatā, to possibly being the birthplace of a legend quite like this.

Images courtesy of the Whakatāne Museum and Research Centre; thanks to Brian Dobson of Matatā for additional information.

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