WildTomato October 2020 by WildTomato

Nelson Tasman and Marlboroughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magazine /

ISSUE 169 / OCTOBER 2020 / $8.95

Be a tourist

- explore your backyard

Building Boom Apprenticeships TOS Film Festival Classic Car Chic Sleep Suggestions Toyota Yaris Hockey Snapped Social Pages New College Head

Building a reputation based on a commitment to putting my clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs first, beautiful marketing and an unfailing determination to get the best possible result.

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Debbie Cooper 021 0252 8294

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t 64

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SHOWHOMES

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Our team at Mike Greer Homes are here to support our community. The Nelson Marlborough 17 Rose Manor 1 Piwakawaka Drive, Blenheim Rescue Helicopter service has been severely impacted by COVID-19 andDrive, we are responding Stoke Hilltopsregion, If you're looking to buy or build a new home in the Nelson Tasman to help them recover lost revenue in the top of the South Island. 17 Rose Manor come home to more with Mike Greer Homes. Drive, Blenheim

Our first project at 33 Huntaway Close will benefit their service directly and support them on Showhomes Showhome ale their way to recovery. With over 500 missions flown annually, this vital service needs our help 9 vclark@mikegreerhomes.co.nz 1 Piwakawaka Drive, Stoke vclark@mikegreerhomes.co.nz 1 Piwakawaka Drive, Stoke Showhomes 87 emccashin@mikegreerhomes.co.nz 17 Rose Manor Drive, Blenheim and community support Open to continue to save lives. daily, 1pm-4pm 7 emccashin@mikegreerhomes.co.nz

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Mike Greer Homes offers a great selection of Home and Land packages available throughout the Nelson Tasman and Marlborough region.

Mike Greer Homes has over 25 years of experience building homes that mike greer homes x nelson marlborough rescue helicopter are characterised by design innovation and quality workmanship. T he value of our specialist knowledge and attention to detail is evident in every home that we build.

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Homes For Sale

Stag Ridge $785,000

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under construction

Showhome

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completed 2020

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Mike Greer Homes offers a great selection of Home and Land packages SPOT available throughout the Nelson Tasman and Marlborough region. Mike Greer Homes has over 25 years of experience building homes that are characterised by design innovation and quality workmanship. T he value of our specialist knowledge and attention to detail is evident in every home that we build. The

Community

Hilltopsregion, If you're looking to buy or build a new home in the Nelson Tasman Marsden Valley, 33 Huntaway Close $720,000 Support come home to more with Mike Greer Homes.

Construction will start this year. Contact us us Call usContact for more details. Homes For Sale vclark@mikegreerhomes.co.nz Vanessa Clark 027 733 1409 Vanessa Clark 027 733 1409

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Contact us Emma McCashin McCashin 021682 682787 787 emccashin@mikegreerhomes.co.nz emccashin@mikegreerhomes.co.nz Emma 021 Dave Chambers 027733 572 1409 1958 dchambers@mikegreerhomes.co.nz Vanessa Clark 027 vclark@mikegreerhomes.co.nz Emma McCashin 021 682 787 emccashin@mikegreerhomes.co.nz Dave Chambers 027 572 1958 dchambers@mikegreerhomes.co.nz

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B&W

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Nelson Tasman and Marlborough’s magazine

Features Issue 169 / October 2020

30 Tourism Ivy Lynden looks at what is happening with tourism in the Top of the South

37 Building Boom

Business is booming for the construction industry locally, writes Alistair Hughes

45 Awesome Apprentices Demand and Government subsidies mean that now is an opportunistic time to sign up for an apprenticeship, as Alistair Hughes discovers

INTERVIEWS

14 My Big Idea

Getting to sleep can be a mission for some people, but Allan Baker has some answers, writes Cathie Bell

22 The Interview Nelson College’s new headmaster Richard Dykes is embracing the Nelson lifestyle after shifting here from Auckland in June. Brenda Webb caught up with him

26 Local Connection Sarah Nottage talks to an eco warrior who sells coffee to save falcons

28 Event Showcase Tim Hawthorne expands on next month’s Top of the South Film Festival; the sixth such event 4

Columns Issue 169 / October 2020

FASHION

51 Classic bourgeois chic Nelson Tasman’s Classic Car Museum set the scene for October’s fashion shoot with stylist Amy McLeod and photographer Aimee Jules LIFE

58 My Home A Māpua couple’s desire to embrace the simple living concept has resulted in an eye-catching and compact home with strong ecofriendly principles. By Brenda Webb

66 My Wellbeing Nutritious pulses and legumes should form part of your weekly repertoire, says nutritionist Emily Hope

67 My Garden At a time when house plants are growing in popularity and price, those of you on the lookout for something new to add to your collection should consider a coffee plant, writes Annabel Schuler

68 My Education Bec Deacon was delighted when she realised she could study for her ‘dream career’ in interior design so close to home in Nelson. Jonathan Carson tells us more

70 My Kitchen BBQ chicken with ginger and sesame cream is well worth the effort, from Madame Lu’s Kitchen

71 Creative Chefs Blenheim foodies will have taken note of a new restaurant in town, Mollies Bar & Eatery, helmed by a French chef with a Michelin star-studded résumé, writes Frank Nelson

72 Wine Jules Taylor Wines is marking its 20th vintage in 2020, and its namesake says the time has gone ‘in the blink of an eye’. Sophie Preece looks back

73 Brews The Matariki star cluster signals a new beginning so it is a fitting addition to Hop Federation’s label, marking the craft brewery’s merger with Kono’s kete of brands. Mark Preece explains more 6

ACTIVE

CULTURE

76 Destination Dunedin

86 Art

Combining heritage charm and grandeur with vibrant contemporary offerings, Ōtepoti Dunedin is a city of beauty and opportunity with so much to offer visitors, says Ivy Lynden

78 Adventure From a young age, Marlborough outdoors enthusiast Brin Williman encouraged his children to head outdoors, trek up hills and ski down snowy slopes. He expands on his family’s active growing up

80 Sports Club Profile Like many sports, hockey has survived centuries evolving into a fast-paced game played by millions internationally. Ivy Lynden looks at the local scene

81 Sports Photo Essay Photographer Alex Mahrla caught up with women’s hockey for this month’s sports photo essay

82 My Wheels Natalie Moreton delves into the rise of electric cars

83 Torque Talk In the first of our new series, vehicle enthusiast Karina Adamson tells us about her sporty little 1967 Datsun Roadster

84 Motoring Toyota’s new Yaris is a small car that offers big things, writes reviewer Kyle Cassidy

Encaustic is the oldest painting medium in the world. John Du Four meets a local artist working in this little-known medium

88 Books Renée Lang chats with Collingwood author Suzanne Clark about life and her new book

90 Music Nelson’s jazz diva Tessa Quayle feels good to be home, singing locally now instead of internationally. Eddie Allnutt follows her journey

92 Pukapuka Talks Hearts and human rights feature in this month’s Pukapuka Talks. Coordinator Kerry Sunderland expands on the programme

93 Film When a rare breed of sheep is threatened with extinction, it’s up to two feuding brothers to save the species. RAMS is a rare breed of film to be sheared, says reviewer Eddie Allnutt REGULARS

8 Editorial 10 Opinion 12 Noticeboard 16 Snapped 87 Galleries 94 Events

Editor's letter

Editor

CEO

ime flies and not just when you’re having fun, although that’s what many people are doing on their domestic vacations. It’s hard to believe that it is October already and less than three months until the Christmas/New Year holiday season. That’s a time when previously many families have travelled abroad, but this year will be vastly different with so many international borders closed. Auckland is still in the grip of the coronavirus but elsewhere, especially in the Top of the South, we have been, so far, lucky to escape a second wave. Predictions are that it will be January 2022 before borders fully re-open for overseas travel so that leaves quite a few holidays to be accommodated in the interim. What better way to enjoy a vacation than exploring all the beautiful scenic attractions in Nelson Tasman and Marlborough? Our opening feature this month looks at what lies ahead for our tourism industry, and some of the creative ways that companies are coming up with to entice domestic tourists. We also explore the construction industry and a boom in building projects ranging from residential new builds and renovations to commercial, industrial and multi-housing developments, and aligned with that a rise in apprenticeships. The construction industry impacts on all of us in so many ways from needing an electrician for repairs, to hiring contractors, builders, plumbers etc for creating our dream homes. The ripple effect in the business community is huge with so many workers employed in various sectors putting money back into the economy. Having a trade these days is fast becoming highly desirable. You may have noticed a few changes in the content of WildTomato. This month we start our new opinion column and also a monthly cartoon. Stay tuned for more subtle content changes, and feel free to email me content and story ideas. Now relax and enjoy the read.

Lynda Papesch 021 073 2786 lynda@wildtomato.co.nz

Lisa Friis 021 0879 4411 lisa@wildtomato.co.nz

Design & art direction Hester Janssen design@wildtomato.co.nz

Contributors

Karina Adamson, Eddie Allnutt, Cathie Bell, Richard Briggs, Jonathan Carson, Chelsea Chang, Elora Chang, Maureen Dewar, John Du Four, Vibeke Friis, Tim Hawthorne, Emily Hope, Alistair Hughes, Steve Hussey, Aimee Jules, Renée Lang, Michele Lines, Ivy Lynden, Alex Mahrla, Natalie Moreton, Brent McGilvary, Amy McLeod, Poppy McPhedran, Frank Nelson, Sarah Nottage, Anthony Phelps, Mark Preece, Sophie Preece, Ray Salisbury, Annabel Schuler, Kerry Sunderland, Amy Toughey, Brenda Webb, Dominique White, Brin Williman, Frances Wilson

Advertising manager Carrie Frew 021 190 7120 carrie@wildtomato.co.nz

Lead ad designer Patrick Connor production@wildtomato.co.nz

Subscriptions $75 for 12 issues wildtomato.co.nz/subscribe

Publisher

LYNDA PAPESCH

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Jack Martin WildTomato Media Ltd The Boiler Room, 204 Hardy St, Nelson 7010 PO Box 1901 Nelson 7040 info@wildtomato.co.nz wildtomato.co.nz Read online at wildtomato.co.nz/read WildTomato magazine is subject to copyright in its entirety and its contents may not be reproduced in any form, either wholly or in part, without written permission. The opinions expressed in WildTomato magazine are not necessarily those of WildTomato Media Ltd or its principals.

Cover photography supplied by Nelson Tasman NZ of Wharariki Beach, Golden Bay

By Alistair Hughes, Shoreline Creative 8

WildTomato magazine is printed by Blue Star Group (New Zealand) Limited using, vegetable based inks and environmentally responsible paper. Printed on Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified stocks, papers made of Mixed Source pulp from Responsible Sources.

Contributor spotlight DOMINIQUE WHITE

Photography Every time I go on a photo shoot I get excited! What I’m going to shoot, what lens I will use, what composition I’m going to capture. Photography is my passion and I’m very fortunate to call this passion my career. After graduating in England, I went straight to London and worked for a marketing real estate company. I knew then I had a love for interiors and architecture and was lucky to shoot luxury homes all over London. I moved to New Zealand in 2014 and haven’t looked back since. The property is certainly different from the old bricks in England, with beautiful old villas to modern architecturally built homes. I feel very privileged to call this land home.

A L I S TA I R H U G H E S

Cartoon (page 8) Building Boom (page 37) Apprenticeships (page 45) Alistair established his own company, Shoreline Creative (shorelinecreative.co.nz), in 2018 and loves working from home, in beautiful Golden Bay. This involves balancing feature writing with illustration commissions (often with a cat on his lap). When office hours are over it’s time to head to the beach, or explore more of this stunning region by pedal and paddle. When not contributing to WildTomato Alistair creates illustrations for renowned local children’s authors, and is currently completing a book about the life of the snapper. Next up will be his own book (his second), which aims to bring New Zealand astronomy alive for younger readers.

E M I LY H O P E

My Wellbeing (page 66) A born and bred Marlburian, I’m an NZ registered nutritionist, family fig and feijoa grower, and mum of two. Between my roles as mum and orchardist, I work as a nutritionist undertaking consultations with clients and running workshops for community groups, workplaces and athletes. I also write nutrition-related articles and love spending time in the kitchen making wholesome and delicious things for my family and I to enjoy and sharing them on the Hope Nutrition blog. I’m extremely passionate about non-diet nutrition, understanding body cues and a mindful approach to food, our bodies and movement to create a sustainable and wholesome approach to health and wellness. 9

OPINION

BY ALI BOSWIJK, NELSON TA S M A N C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E CHIEF EXECUTIVE

t might be an old cliché, aren’t they always? But I am a firm believer that two (or more) heads are better than one. In these somewhat ironic times, where the only certainty is uncertainty, I do not believe that any one person has all the right answers, how could they? As we wend our way through the maze of Covid-19 it has become even more obvious to me just how interlinked and reliant we are on each other. Collaboration feels like a bit of a buzzword these day (as does buzzword) and any craft brewery worth its salt will have worked on a colab or two. Hey, I even work in a colab! But I think most

“No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” ~ QUOTE FROM MEDITATION 17, DEVOTIONS UPON EMERGENT OCCASIONS BY JOHN DONNE (1624)

Love local A success story turns six

he Gallery Havelock, a unique charitable trust, celebrates its sixth anniversary this month. The gallery was created by the local community to showcase Marlborough artists and to avoid having another empty building in Havelock. A dedicated team of volunteers and trustees keeps the gallery open

Collaborative success Not wanting to get ‘all Pollyanna’ on it, a positive aspect of the impact of the pandemic for me has been the willingness for people to collaborate, share information and when necessary act quickly. We saw this when both councils came together with the NRDA, Chamber of Commerce, iwi and central government agencies to initiate Project Kōkiri, the economic response and regeneration plan for the region. It was exemplified by the way that businesses and the wider community got behind ‘We’ve Got This’, the campaign to support local businesses and celebrate the region. As we move through these choppy economic times the need to collaborate, across all sectors, will become more essential. This will help in our mission to secure government support and investment and to compete with other regions to attract the vitally important domestic tourist.

Creating opportunities That does not mean we all have to sit in a circle holding hands and agreeing with each other regardless. Far from it. Difference of opinion is important as everyone brings their own experience and expertise to a situation. The main

and running seven days a week, all year round, and to date some 77,000 visitors have visited it. As a non-profit business, the gallery charges exhibiting artists a modest commission on works sold with profits being given back to the community. To date $50,000 has been donated to community organisations in Havelock, Linkwater, Canvastown and Rai Valley including volunteer fire brigades, MenzShed, St John’s Ambulance, Meals for the Needy,

Ali Boswijk

thing is that we respect these different points of view and work on solutions that deliver results, whether that is attracting more visitors to the region or changes in government policy that reduce red tape and create opportunities. Someone said to me recently that people always talk about creating a community but that actually, a community creates itself. I believe they are right and that our actions are the way to bring people together. If we continue to work together for a greater good and not individual gain then we will be on the right track.

Rescue Helicopter Trust, EMT training, Birdsong Project, Havelock Theatre, local school field trips and art classes. www.thegalleryhavelock.com

Photo: Aimee Jules

Joining forces for the greater good

of us understand the power of working together, particularly on difficult or complex situations – and let’s face it we have a few of those going on at the moment.

Ready, Set, Breakfast!

From delicious hot waffles to our famous eggs bene, CBD Eatery has a range of freshly cooked options to get your spring morning off to a great start! Need brekkie on the run? Tuck into one of our delectable homemade pies from Thai chicken green curry and Asian pork belly to crowd favourite, lamb, potato & mint. Come and start your day, the CBD Eatery way! Phone 03 577 7300 or find us on

HÖGLUND GLASS STUDIO & GALLERY

Our new spot

Locally made blown glass and jewellery by artists Ola & Marie Höglund and their family. Makers of Nelson art glass since 1982.

VISITORS WELCOME – OPEN DAILY 10 TO 4 20 minute drive from Nelson City 52 Lansdowne Road, Appleby, Richmond • Ph 03 544 6500

41 Queen Street, Blenheim Open early from 7am to 4pm Mon-Fri and Sat-Sun 8am to 4pm

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YOUR SPRING GIFT from the Suter Store

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NOTICEBOARD

Moutere Artisans on show

abour Weekend Sunday (25 October) is the day to explore the best of what the Moutere has to offer during the annual Moutere Artisans Day. From 10am until 4pm that day, 19 talented artisans will open their doors and showcase their wares to the public on their home turf. This year it includes four brand new companies – Neudorf Black Garlic, The Sausage Press Company, Stacey Whale Gold and Silver Jewellery and St Pauli wines. This is a perfect exploration of the best of country living; add in lunch at Forsters or drop into the Moutere Inn for a pizza celebrating Moutere products. Cuddle up to an alpaca, enjoy coffee and conserves at the Old Post Office and admire the French oak homewares at the MacMillan Gallery. Five wineries, a champion cider maker, gourmet mushrooms, new season’s olive oil, unique handmade baskets and award-winning handmade cheeses are also on offer in this stimulating day in the country.

Loud Shirt Day

Embroidery exhibition

eventeen embroidered panels inspired by the botanist Joseph Bank’s visit to Ship Cove on HMS Endeavour will be on display from 3 to 11 October at the Marlborough Art Gallery in Blenheim. The exhibition panels are the result of a collaboration between Marlborough Museum, the Marlborough Embroiderers Guild and artist/illustrator Caroline della Porta.

housands of New Zealanders are expected to wear their brightest outfits on 23 October and raise vital funds to help give the gift of sound. Loud Shirt Day is the national fundraising campaign for The Hearing House (THH) and the Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP) – the only two charities in New Zealand dedicated to helping deaf children and adults learn to listen and speak. Together, the organisations support the 2000 Kiwis who live with a cochlear implant, reconnecting them with school, work and the community. Almost 900,000 New Zealanders, or 18.9 percent of the population, suffer from hearing loss. That includes children, teenagers and adults, many of whom are stuck in a silent world.

Where do you read yours? Win a subscription to WildTomato by sending us a photo of you reading your WildTomato magazine in a weird, wacky or wonderful place. Email editor@wildtomato.co.nz If your photograph is published, you will receive a 12-month subscription to our print magazine. ONLY JPG FILES ACCEPTED, MIN 1MB

Hearing aids become ineffective when the hearing loss is more than severe, and communication through spoken language becomes impossible. A cochlear implant is the last and only viable treatment that will restore hearing, but as with other types of transplants, recipients need ongoing, specialist support for the rest of their lives. You can read patient stories at: www.loudshirtdaynz.org/real-stories

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

ctober is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and every year its sponsors, which include Estée Lauder, Bobbi Brown, ghd, Cadbury and Griffin’s, create delightful Pink Products – their usual great-quality products, but with a pink twist! For every Pink Product bought, a portion of the sales will go towards Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s work supporting New Zealanders with breast cancer, funding life-saving research, and spreading the message that early detection is your best protection. This year is focussing on younger women and breast cancer. Broadcaster and breast cancer survivor Sarah Gandy has partnered with the foundation to launch this important campaign. The foundation is also releasing new research about breast cancer in New Zealand.

wildmedia.co.nz Call Patrick on 021 031 9714 production@wildtomato.co.nz

Photo: Anthony Phelps

MY BIG IDEA

A good night’s sleep Getting to sleep can be a mission for some people, but Allan Baker has some answers. He’s worked with international airline pilots and now is sharing the lessons he’s learnt with a wider audience. Cathie Bell talks to him about his big idea.

hotels, and interrupted sleep patterns. Finding that existing insomnia treatments often don’t provide adequate results, and knowing that pilots can’t resort to using sleeping pills or other medications which may impair their performance, he set about trying to find a better solution.

Sleep technique

etting a good night’s sleep sometimes seems an impossible goal, particularly in these worrying times. Aviation psychologist Allan Baker believes he has made a significant discovery in the field of sleep therapy which could revolutionise the treatment of sleep problems, which in turn will dramatically improve the lives of many who suffer from a lack of quality sleep. Based in Marlborough’s seaside suburb of Rarangi, Allan is a former Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot and is a registered psychologist, working exclusively in the field of aviation psychology. This led to his work on sleep, critical for commercial pilots and air crew. Working with long haul airline pilots over the past 15 years, Allan has often had to help them cope with the effects of too little sleep due to the nature of their work –changing time zones, flying at night, frequent layovers in new cities and Above: Sleep guru Allan Baker 14

Research through relevant scientific literature, particularly that around the treatment of PTSD, and a willingness to look for new solutions based on a knowledge of other areas of therapy, led Allan to join-the-dots and make a discovery in the hugely important area of sleep. “I’ve developed a technique that enables you to train your brain to more readily shift into a state that brings on sleep. It’s about actively bringing on sleep, rather than lying in bed passively, waiting for it to happen to you.” Allan says the two main existing treatment paradigms, ‘sleep hygiene’ and cognitive behavioural therapy, are just two legs of a metaphorical Sleep Stool that only deal with two of the three discrete conditions that must be met for sleep to occur. His new technique, coined BLIS – for bilateral induced sleep – completes what he calls ‘the third leg of the stool’, providing an easy-to-learn method which helps the brain make the shift from emitting the high frequency alpha waves

of wakefulness, to the lower frequency delta waves seen when we sleep. In the book he has written on sleep, he also deals with the fact and fiction about the other two ‘legs of the sleep stool’ – sleep hygiene, and thinking and emotion’s roles. “When all three legs of the stool are present and correct, sleep is attained much more easily. “I’ve been using this technique with many of my pilot and flight crew clients for some time now, and in many cases these folks are reporting that they’re getting more quality sleep, when they want it. I even have former clients who’ve now re-tired, who continue to use and reap the benefits of the technique.” Worldwide, the sleep industry is worth tens of billions of dollars, and Allan says that’s because so many people struggle to get the sleep they desperately need, and that the downstream effects of disturbed sleep are huge. “If you’re getting a couple of hours less sleep a night than you should, on average you’re shortening your life by seven and a half years. Sleep is very important in keeping your immune system working well, and because my new technique doesn’t rely on the use of any aids or apps, it’s much easier to practise and use in any setting.” For more details about the technique, and his book, Allan’s website is: www.mySleepSwitch.com

Designers of Specialty Kitchens DSK (Designer Specialty Kitchens) provides bespoke high-quality kitchens, laundries and bathrooms to Nelson Tasman clients.

Our team of qualified experienced joiners and designers will work with you to design, manufacture and install your dream kitchen.

104 Tahunanui Drive, Nelson 0800 677 005 or call Andy on 021 223 8155 info@dsknelson.co.nz

dsknelson.co.nz

Face/neck lift surgery

Everyone experiences the signs of ageing as the collagen in our skin has less elasticity. Facial ageing produces loosening and sagging of the neck, jowl and jawline as well changes to the eyes. These changes can be addressed with facelift surgery also known as the S Lift. This technique effectively rolls the clock back 10 years.

Please contact us for more information on this surgery We also offer the following procedures: Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) • Breast Surgery Otoplasty (ears) • Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) • Liposuction Skin Cancers • Skincare Treatments

Level 2 - 105 Collingwood St (Collingwood Centre) P: 03 548 1909 | E: nelsonplasticsurgery@outlook.co.nz Visit nelsonplasticsurgery.co.nz for more information 15

Snapped WildTomato goes out on the town…

NMIT CEO Farewell Gathering Mahitahi Colab, Nelson PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX MAHRLA

1. Wayne Jackson & Marty Logan 2. Sue Harding & Milo Clark

6. Rachel Reese & Sara Shaughnessy

3. Daryl Wehner, Judene Edgar & Rachel Boyack

7. Jeff Lockhart & Susannah Roddick

4. Liam Sloan, Simon Hall & Gill Ireland

8. Anne Jackson, Marja Kneepkens & Virginia Jackson

5. Dave Thompson & Neil Barns

9. Liam Sloan & Mike McMellon

RICHMOND

SADDLERY

With 25 years in the industry we can offer a wealth of knowledge and expert advice at Richmond Saddlery. With a huge selection of feed, tack, riding gear, supplements and rugs, as well as a selection of dog products we are a one-stop-shop. Can’t wait to see you in store.

430 Paton Road, Richmond | 03 544 4177 | www.richmondsaddlery.co.nz

SNAPPED

2 Euan Dickson Centenary Flight Event Omaka, Blenheim PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTONY PHELPS

1. Harvie Morrow & Ron Manning

5. Marty Nicoll & Squadron Leader Karina Chipman

2. Dale Webb, Jenny Andrews & Thelma Sowman

6. Robyn Clark & RNZAF chief Air Vice-Marshal Andrew Clark

3. Fiona Carmichael & Des Ashton

7. Graeme Gilmore & John Sinclair

4. Graham & Jane Orphan

Vintage Over the Vintage

8. Richard Holdaway & Stuart Smith

SCENIC FLIGHTS OVER MARLBOROUGH’S WORLD-FAMOUS WINERIES IN A VINTAGE DE HAVILLAND FOX MOTH. Combining two of the region’s greatest treasures, aviation & wine. Come fly with us today for a truly special experience! Contact us today to book your scenic flight. 027 787 0017 | paul@pmhaviation.co.nz

SNAPPED

Richmond Fresh Choice Nautilus Wine Event Pic’s Peanut Butter World, Stoke P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y B R E N T M C G I LVA R Y

1. Geogie & Jason Frazer, Tristan & Olivia Martyn 2. Heather Barr, Velerie Docker & Shirley Beggs 3. Mana Williams, Lisa DeVries & Ursula O’Donohue

4. Mark & Betty Newman 5. Dinah Shearer & Andy Colley 6. Del & Eddie Bradford 7. Jim & Ruth Taylor 8. Les Le Bas & Nicole Thurlow

8 Nelson’s most highly recognised salon. 179 Trafalgar Street • Ph 03 548 8141

www.ursulahair.co.nz

SNAPPED

2 Lunchtime Concert with Louis Lucas-Perry Nelson Centre of Musical Arts P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y R AY S A L I S B U R Y

1. Lynette Salisbury & Margareta Gee

6. Lyndal Howley & Peter Clark

2. Chris Kirke & Maia Tanner 3. Dick Carter

7. June Guthardt & Tony Masters

4. Gus Roux

8. Mary & Juliet Ayre

5. Sophie Winnington & Lynette Salisbury

9. Pianist Louis Lucas-Perry

RoCS HOME TO UNIQUE CUSTOM-MADE DESIGNS Work with us to create your next piece of bespoke jewellery

Find our studio and workshop at 238a Queen St, Richmond | Ph 03 544 9293 | Visit www.rocs.co.nz | Follow us on 19

SNAPPED

1 Bloom in the Boom 2020 Launch Garden Marlborough HQ, Blenheim PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARD BRIGGS

1. Janet Enright, Jacqui Lloyd, Abbe Hutchins & Craig Young

4. Sally & Harriet Wadworth

2. Emily Hope, Alice Parkinson & Joanna Glover

6. Ian Wiffin & Steve Metzger

3. Matt Hirst, Lois Donaldson & Aleasha Cuckow

5. David Robinson 7. Mayor John Leggett & Anne Best 8. Nicola Norton

8 TIME TO BOOK CHRISTMAS FUNCTIONS Mingle together outside by the pool enjoying sunshine, laughter, delicious pass around food and great company. The ‘Mobile Raw Bar’ can be an addition to your function. This allows your guests to enjoy the freshest of locally foraged and sustainably caught seafood, freshly shucked, freshly filleted. Bookings now open and menus starting from $28 per person. There is something for everyone! Quench is at Chateau Marlborough Hotel, Corner of High and Henry St, Blenheim. Ph: 0800 752 275

SNAPPED

2 Elemental Distillery Botanical Foraging Stoney Creek Plantation, Kaituna PHOTOGRAPHY BY VIBEKE FRIIS

1. Steve Hobson, Alex Bradley & Catrina Forbes

4. Toby Sturat, Lisa & Anne-Marie Friis

2. Nikki Joshi, Trish Manuel & Sarah Hewtson

5. Trevor & Sue Voigt

3. Rachel Landon-Lane & Mo Leggett

7. Gabi Lewis & Jessica Marston

6. Ben Leggett & Simon Kelly 8. Catrina Forbes & Steve Hobson

Hand Harvested, Batch Distilled www.elementaldistillers.com @RootsDryGin @ElementalDistillers

INTERVIEW

New beginnings for educator Almost six months into his latest tenure, Nelson College’s new headmaster talks to Brenda Webb. PHOTOGRAPHY DOMINIQUE WHITE

elson College’s new headmaster Richard Dykes is embracing the Nelson lifestyle after shifting there from Auckland in June. He loves the friendliness and closeness among Nelsonians and praises the strong sense of community. The province provides the ‘ultimate lifestyle’ with people who give a feeling their door is always open. “We’ve experienced that so much already – that archetypal Nelson openness and friendliness and people just wanting to involve you,” says Richard. He and wife Jane love the outdoors and have many fond memories of time spent in the Maitai River, swimming off the Rocks and enjoying the best of the province during previous stints. Richard was head of faculty at Waimea College for several years. The Nelson College role comes after Richard spent five years at the helm of Auckland’s Glendowie College, one of the top academic schools in the country. The opportunity to move south came at a time when the Dykes were ready for change. “It was a new opportunity – a new door opening,” he says. “I was asked if I would apply for this role and Jane and I had talked about getting out of Auckland for a while. I guess the big driver was it presented a challenge and an opportunity to raise the game.” Having spent time at Waimea College, Richard and Jane were familiar with Nelson, the region and its lifestyle. “I can see my values fit the culture here – as (departing headmaster) Gary O’Shea said, ‘This is not a traditional boys’ school, it’s a boys’ school with tradition’. It’s caring and friendly and my values align with that.” Richard was educated at Auckland Grammar and has taught at schools in Christchurch, Taupo and Auckland as well as Nelson. In 2019 he was awarded the Woolf Fisher Fellowship to study

Above: New Nelson College headmaster Richard Dykes Opposite page: Clockwise from top - Richard with two boarders, Jack Franklin and Ben Millington, outside Barnicoat Boarding House; Richard chats with students in their business studies class 22

in Canada, the United Kingdom and America. In Boston, he did a week-long course at the Harvard Graduate School of Education investigating three key educational issues he is particularly interested in – governance, assessment and wellbeing. Those issues are dear to his heart along with the obvious ones of academia and sport. His educational philosophy is simple and honest – to make amazing young people even more amazing. So far, he’s been impressed with the confident and articulate young men he has met at Nelson College during his brief time there, saying he gets a very positive feeling.

Fantastic environment

Nelson College is the first single-sex school Richard has been head of but he won’t be drawn on whether that is better than co-educational saying that is an issue for parents, the Board and the Ministry of Education. What he does believe is that a single-sex school provides a fantastic environment for young people. “There is a lovely rawness about single-sex schools – we have some really positive conversations here that you just don’t have elsewhere,” he says. “Guys open up about issues that they wouldn’t in co-ed schools. There is such honesty.” Richard compares it to heading out socially with a group of friends of the same sex where the conversation tends to be more honest, open and relaxed than it is if the group is mixed. But both the co-ed vs single-sex and zoning issues pale beside much more key concerns such as student wellbeing, obesity, providing a quality environment and quality teachers.

“There is a lovely rawness about singlesex schools – we have some really positive conversations here that you just don’t have elsewhere.” R I C H A R D DY K E S

“These are massive issues and I see the issue of co-ed and single-sex schools as being at the bottom of the list.” Obesity is an ongoing challenge in today’s world and one that Nelson College tackles through education about healthy eating, encouraging participation in sport and making sure healthy options are available at the tuck shop. Nelson College has a huge reputation for its sporting prowess and Richard is keen to embrace and encourage that although number one always has to be academia. “You get a fantastic feeling here and there is a positive and vibrant sporting culture which is great,” he says. “There is a huge level of engagement and positivity around core values and a sense of belonging. Sport plays a big role but our number one goal is producing well-rounded young men.” To that end Richard hopes to raise the school’s academic performance.

“Our boys must leave here with a sound academic qualification to take them onto higher education, out into the workforce or into an apprenticeship.” R I C H A R D DY K E S

Welcoming diversity

During his time at Glendowie College he strengthened academic results with the school picking up 41 scholarships in 2019 – something he plans to work on at Nelson College. “We should be achieving significantly higher results in New Zealand scholarships and that’s something I will be looking at.” Student wellbeing is a whole package that embraces academia as well as sporting participation and what constitutes having a healthy body and mind. “What’s a healthy perspective on that?” Richard says. “Are you fit enough to participate in sport, whether social or competitive, and engage with your friends? What is your mental wellbeing? The past 20 years have seen huge changes in society and we need to provide opportunities and avenues for our boys whatever they may be.” Nelson College aims to provide a broad education for boys. “Our boys must leave here with a sound academic qualification to take them onto higher education, out into the workforce or into an apprenticeship,” he says. Teaching is more difficult today than it was, due to changes taking place in technology as well as socially, according to Richard. “There are huge changes especially in digital technology. With some kids spending too much time on computers, we need to engage them in fitness and teach the values of sport.” Richard sees the range of information available online as a minefield for students and teachers to work through. “I welcome the diversity of thoughts and opinions,” he says. 23

“Our challenge as educators today is to guide adolescents through that diversity to build positive values and behaviours and to make decisions about what is right and wrong. It’s a positive kōrero about how to enjoy both diversity and unity in our community.” Another issue is access to drugs and alcohol, and with the legalise cannabis referendum coming up at this month’s election Richard is concerned with its ramifications. “These are all issues we have to deal with on a daily basis,” he says. Nelson College also has to deal with issues of gender, having trans-gender students at the school. “Once again it’s great we are embracing diversity but I feel young people are struggling at times to make sense of it all,” he says. “Parents and teachers provide a set of beliefs and understandings for children and students – which our rangatahi can then challenge and form their own opinions. Today those beliefs and understandings are much broader. I embrace that at the same time as understanding that it makes growing up more complex in today’s world.”

Building a legacy

Richard is keen to work closely with Nelson College for Girls, a relationship he acknowledges has fallen away in the past few years. “We are brother and sister schools and walk a path hand in hand, and very early on I committed to working together for the benefit of our community – the community gets the best of both worlds. We are keen to see collaborations such as school productions and combining classes for scholarships. It’s complex as we have different timetable systems so it will take some working through.” The aftermath of Covid-19 has presented difficulties and while the school is grateful for the government funding to help with costs, there are complications further down the track should the pandemic continue. From top: Clockwise - Richard with a group of New Zealand principals attending the course at Harvard University, “Leadership – An Evolving Vision” in 2019; Richard with his wife Jane, outside the White House in 2019 24

“Covid didn’t devastate us but it definitely had a financial impact. It will be a slow burner in that we are more worried about what’s going to happen next year,” he says. “Most of our international students stayed on as they were here before Covid, but we don’t know what next year will bring if we can’t get international students.” Nelson College has survived other disasters such as the school fire in 1904, the Murchison earthquake in 1929 and the polio epidemic in 1948 so Richard is confident it will deal with the challenges Covid-19 presents. Boarding has always thrived at Nelson College and both Rutherford and Barnicoat houses have recently undergone renovations to the tune of four million dollars. Providing a warm and nurturing environment for boys from outside the immediate Nelson area is important for the school. Nelson College has always been at the forefront of innovation according to Richard and is a place for young men to build a legacy and a future and become men people want to employ and men to lead business and community. “We want to grow great and wellrounded young men,” he says.

WHAT OCT

EVENT

TIME

WHERE

Thurs 1 1-31 Oct Thurs 1 Fri 2 Sat 3

NIGHT VISION LATE NIGHT ART EXTRAVAGANZA October on New Street Cycle-in Flix Hispanic & Latino Docos & Culture Lockdown Laundry Street Installation Lockdown Laundry Street Installation

5 - 9pm Various 7.30pm performance, 8pm flix 10.30am - 3pm 10.30am - 3pm

City Centre Various venues in New St Kirby Lane, 105 Bridge St Upper Trafalgar St Upper Trafalgar St

Thurs 8 Fri 9 Sat 10 Sun 11 13 Oct - 7 Nov Tues 13

Cycle-in Flix Hispanic & Latino Docos & Culture Street Karaoke Show Me Shorts Show Me Shorts WMC: Unrefined - Exhibition WMC: Unrefined - Conversation About Art & Activism

7.30pm performance, 8pm flix 5.30 - 6.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm

Kirby Lane, 105 Bridge St Kirby Lane, 105 Bridge St Suter Theatre Suter Theatre Mon-Fri 10am - 5pm, Sat 11am-2pm Refinery Artspace, 114 Hardy St 5.30pm Refinery Artspace, 114 Hardy St

Koha Free $ $ Free Free

Thurs 15 Fri 16 Sat 17 16 Oct-14 Nov Sun 18 18 Oct - 1 Nov Tues 20

Cycle-in Flix Hispanic & Latino Docos & Culture Street Karaoke EDGELAND Poetry Performance EDGELAND Exhibition InsideOut Theatre Company - Chronos Interrupted Mask Exhibition in City Windows Nelson Live Poets Featuring Rachel McAlpine

7.30pm performance, 8pm flix Kirby Lane, 105 Bridge Street 5.30 - 6.30pm Kirby Lane, 105 Bridge Street 2pm Quiet Dog Gallery Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm, Sat 9am - 1pm Quiet Dog Gallery 12.30pm Motueka Sunday Market All day Nelson City, Various Locations 7.30pm Red16, 19 New St

Koha Free Free Free Free Free Koha

Thurs 22 Thurs 22 Thurs 22 Fri 23 Fri 23 Sat 24 Sat 24 Sat 24 Sat 24 Sun 25 Sun 25 Sun 25 Sun 25 Sun 25 Mon 26 Tues 27 Wed 28 Thurs 29 Sat 31

Cycle-in Flix Hispanic & Latino Docos & Culture Writing Funny, Writing Sad: Masterclass Eamonn Marra: The True Story I Made Up Behrouz Boochani & Golriz Ghahraman: Fleeing to Freedom Street Karaoke Our People, Our Cultures, Our Languages Eamonn Marra & Lil O’Brien: Not Just for Laughs Writing Young Adult Fiction The Human Voice/La Voix Humaine The Human Voice/La Voix Humaine NZSA Writing Workshop: Mandy Hager Miriam Lancewood: Wild At Heart Christine Leunens & Alexandra Tidswell: Historical Fiction Ian Trafford & William Moloney: Our Grandfathers Annabel Langbein Cliff Fell & John Newton: Escaping the Poem kiss me hardy - Journal Launch The Tribe Hip Hop & FA Dance Avantdale Bowling Club

7.30pm performance, 8pm flix 4 - 6pm 7.30pm 5.30pm 5.30 - 6.30pm 11am 1.30pm 3.30pm 6.00pm & 8.00pm 6.00pm & 8.00pm 10.30am 11am 1.30pm 3.30pm 5.00 for 5.30pm start 7.30pm 5.30 for 6pm start 5pm 8pm

Koha Koha Koha $ Free $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Koha Koha Free $

WEEK 1 SWVD SCPFM SWF SW SW

$ Free Various

Koha Free Free

WEEK 2 SWF SWM F F WV V

WEEK 3 SWF SWM V VW SWD SW P

WEEK 4 SWF P C P SWM P P P M M P P P P P P P SWD M

Kirby Lane, 105 Bridge St Johnny Cash Room, G Block, NMIT The Workshop Bar and Brewery Old St John's Kirby Lane Suter Theatre Suter Theatre Suter Theatre Rutherford Hotel Rutherford Hotel Mina Arndt Education Room, The Suter Suter Theatre Suter Theatre Suter Theatre Pic's Peanut Butter World DeVille, 22 New St Johnny Cash Room, G Block, NMIT Sundial Square Theatre Royal, R18

EVENT KEY: S Street Event • W Whanau Friendly • P Pukapuka Talks • M Music • D Dance/Physical Theatre • V Visual Arts • F Film • C Comedy

BOOK NOW

Because of Covid-19, please refer to our website for the most up-to-date information.

www.nelsonartsfestival.nz

Photo: Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust

LOCAL CONNECTION

Helping save the falcons From coffee to caring for falcons, a local woman gives back Sarah Nottage tells her story. PHOTOGRAPHY STEVE HUSSEY

t began when Dana Morgan ‘fell’ into owning a coffee cart in 2006. Dana was studying for a sports degree at Nelson Polytechnic and became intrigued by the precise, complicated nature of coffee making whilst helping her partner Tommy at the Nelson Farmers’ Market. When Tommy decided to move overseas, Dana jumped at the chance of taking over the coffee cart. “I had a sense of fatalism about it – if I give it a crack and bomb out, I’ll sell it on, but what a cool opportunity to just play. As an older, single woman I didn’t have a strong sense of power or significance, but the coffee cart turned out to be what I needed.” Dana threw herself into the world of coffee, but despite her immersive research, she made some pretty dreadful coffee in the beginning. “I understood from studying marketing that I could offset the dreadful coffee by seriously hosting. I took the time to connect and relate to my customers. And I found out

Above: Clockwise - Dana Morgan and Diana Dobson, the Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust’s aviary manager with Fern, the trust’s advocacy falcon Opposite page: Clockwise from top - Dana serving customers at her coffee cart at the Nelson Farmers’ Market; Dana Morgan 26

“For me, work can’t just be about money – I just don’t rock that way.” DA N A M O R G A N

that not only was I good at it, I loved it.” As Dana’s coffee cart got busier and her coffee got better, she realised that although it was meeting her financial needs, she needed more meaning from it on a personal level. “The cart teaches me who I am and what I need. For me, work can’t just be about money – I just don’t rock that way. I realised I needed to further develop my service so it remained an authentic representation of myself.” The answer came to Dana as she was driving home one day listening to an advertisement on the radio about Tuatara Coffee, who were supporting the tuatara rebreeding programme at Natureland Wildlife Trust in Nelson. “I nearly drove off the road. I thought – this is what I need and want to do.” Dana realised that she wanted to perceive herself as powerful enough to donate money to a local charity, and for her coffee cart business to support something bigger than herself. But, as she considered which organisation she wanted to support, she had to overcome feelings of insignificance. “At times I thought – what would be the point of contributing such a small amount?” But she knew that donating to a cause bigger than herself would help her feel more powerful, and create a sense of ‘soul sanity’, which for her has always been the priority. Dana says; “When I feel powerful I’m happy, and when I’m happy, my people are happy, so it’s all good.” Dana wanted to support a New Zealand charitable organisation which reflected her coffee cart, and by extension, herself. She was pouring dark, robust, single origin Columbian coffee which, at the time, defied the local coffee trend.

She spoke to her customers about her plan to donate to charity, and they helped her to find an appropriate cause. The New Zealand falcon (kārearea) was proposed. Our last remaining endemic bird of prey, these ancient raptors have had association with humans for thousands of years and are listed by the Department of Conservation as ‘Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable’. They are even more rare than the kiwi.

Small targets

Dana decided to raise funds for the Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust, which is based at the Brancott Estate Vineyard in Blenheim. Dana explored and examined the concept of giving and the social constructs around that. She says, “People often only think about ‘giving big’ or make big changes, but big changes can be too much for little people, which is disempowering.” So she implemented the fundraising strategy of ‘small change makes big change’. She set small financial targets: “If a hundred people give me a 50c tip at the coffee cart and I contribute $30 every week, that’s $4,000 per year, which is all good.” To date, Dana and her coffee cart customers drinking ‘Dana’s dark for the falcon’ coffee have donated over $20,000 to the Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust. Established in 2008, the Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust’s primary goal is to increase the kārearea population so that they are thriving nationwide. To achieve this, they have a multi-pronged conservation approach. Chairperson Andy Frost says, “We rehabilitate sick or injured kārearea throughout the South Island. There is nothing better than watching them fly back into the wild. We offer an education and advocacy programme, and care for and breed young birds for release from those kārearea that can’t survive on their own in the wild.” There are three major threats to the New Zealand falcon – predation, loss of habitat and human impact. Andy explains: “Kārearea nest on the ground, as they evolved without the threat of mammals.” As such, their eggs and nestlings are easy prey for cats, mustelids and hedgehogs. Falcons are also threatened by electrocution on power transmission lines. “Electricity supply companies in Marlborough are aware of these electrocutions. They are beginning to work with electrical engineers and scientists from the Department of Conservation to insulate electrical fittings,

To date, Dana and her coffee cart customers drinking ‘Dana’s dark for the falcon’ coffee have donated over $20,000 to the Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust. and are installing ‘falcon-friendly’ power signs for those lines that have been insulated,” says Andy. Astonishingly, despite their fully protected status and major fines for law breakers which are incurred, some kārearea are shot every year. Andy recognises the importance of the Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust’s school education and advocacy programme in the long-term survival of the species. “The programme is making a really positive difference to the future of the kārearea. Students get to meet our advocacy falcon and witness up-close what amazing, exciting creatures they are. By gaining an understanding of their importance and the conditions they need to thrive, children will have a deeper appreciation of how to protect falcons into the future.”

Bringing change

As well as the dedication of a small team of passionate experts, the Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust wouldn’t exist without the support of grants, sponsorship and donations from kind, generous people within the Nelson/Marlborough community, such as Dana Morgan and her coffee cart customers at the Nelson Farmers’ Market, who pop their spare change into the ‘blue hands’ every weekend. Although she is reluctant to admit it, Dana is an agent of change. She has found her own voice by staying true to herself. She understands the power of standing together to make change possible, and knows that these aspirations need not be limited by others or society’s structures. With her infectious energy and enthusiasm, she brings strangers together and facilitates a sense of community and solidarity. Just as she does for herself, she empowers people to claim their space in the world, enabling them to experience their own power and be catalysts for community change, no matter how small. Dana encourages everyone to find something that “blows your hair back” and make a commitment to it. “Small change makes big change.’ 27

Photo: Daniel Allen

EVENT SHOWCASE

International Filmmaker to Present at Local Film Festival B Y T I M H AW T H O R N E

he creator of one of Hollywood’s most profitable films will conclude the Nelson portion of the 6th annual Top of the South Film Festival on Sunday 22nd November. Oren Peli, internationally renowned as the creator, writer and director of Paranormal Activity, will present the blockbuster film at the Suter Theatre. Produced for just $15,000 and grossing nearly $200 million, Paranormal Activity will complete a weekend of festival films produced by locals of all ages.

Renowned filmmaker now a Nelson resident

Born in Israel and relocating to the US when he was 19, Oren was a video game programmer inspired to make a low-budget film on his own in the ‘found footage’ horror genre similar to The Blair Witch Project. Oren laboured for four years making and distributing the film which exceeded all expectations when released, allowing him to write his own future.

Above: Homegrown drama staring Nick Kemplen 28

He and his partner had travelled to New Zealand in 2004, loved it and, in 2016 while expecting their second child, decided it might be a great place to raise a family. They googled ‘sunniest city in New Zealand’ and Nelson came up. They ‘scouted’ many New Zealand cities but Nelson was their ideal new home. Finding New Zealand ‘very mellow and peaceful’ and now happily retired from filmmaking, Oren is focused on being a fulltime dad. His kids love the Nelson schools, their new friends and exploring New Zealand when time allows. Looking forward to presenting Paranormal Activity at the film festival, Oren says, “It’s a rare opportunity to see my film again in a theatre with a crowd. It’s probably been over 10 years since I’ve last seen it on the big screen.” Local Nelson filmmaker Doug Brooks will conduct an in-person Q&A with Oren immediately after the screening. Oren is contributing the film’s ticket sales to the Top of the South Filmmakers Society, the festival organisers. He’s impressed with the Nelson Tasman and Marlborough filmmakers he has met. “They seem to be passionate about filmmaking, and quite resourceful. What impressed me the most is the collaborative spirit where everybody always seems to be eager to help others with their projects.”

A truly regional event

Overall, the Top of the South Film Festival presents the best short films produced in our stunning region during the past year, from drama to documentaries, horror to comedy, thriller to romance, music videos to science fiction. Running in Blenheim, Nelson, Motueka and Kaikoura from 14–28 November, the festival is celebrating six years of showcasing local filmmaking. During this short time, the TS Film Festival has established itself as one of New Zealand’s most promising and unique young film festivals. The TSFF focuses on film submissions from our region and gives these aspiring local filmmakers an opportunity to premiere their films on the big screen.

All proceeds from the festival fund the Top of the South Film Production Society, a non-profit incorporated society open to anyone interested in making films. New screenings ...

Together with Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity, the 2020 TSFF counts twelve screenings over two weeks, including the first-ever Aotearoa National Entries (short films from around New Zealand) and the inaugural Young TS Filmmakers event, films from Year 3 to Year 10 Nelson school children.

Free screening of Tuia 250 Voyage doco

A free special screening is on offer at 3pm on Saturday, 21 November of filmmaker Keelan Walker’s new documentary of the Tuia 250 Voyage, a journey of national significance. In November 2019, the Tuia 250 Voyage arrived at Meretoto/ Ship Cove – a flotilla of historic vessels commemorating the first encounters between Māori and Pākeha and shining a light on the expertise of navigation and voyaging by Māori ancestors. The next day, the voyagers set sail down Tōtaranui/Queen Charlotte Sound to Waitohi/Picton where hundreds of boaties and thousands of locals gathered for a civic welcome. This documentary includes interviews and event aerial footage capturing the excitement and heart-warming welcome the Sounds community offered to the voyagers – a once-in-a-lifetime event showcasing the diversity of the region and unique Māori history and culture.

Supporting local filmmaking

All proceeds from the festival fund the Top of the South Film Production Society, a non-profit incorporated society open to anyone interested in making films. One hundred percent of the festival proceeds go to support and nurture local filmmakers, enabling them to make films in our unique Top of the South.

Tickets from $5 to $20 are available at:

Blenheim ASB Theatre: https://premier.ticketek.co.nz Nelson Suter: https://suter.statecinemas.co.nz Motueka State Cinema: https://www.statecinemamotueka.co.nz

How it Started

he Top of the South Film Festival is sponsored by the Nelson City Council and was established in 2015 by Phil McKinnon and Aaron Falvey of Blenheim. Both Phil and Aaron are passionate filmmakers. Having made several short films, they realised there were no opportunities to showcase their work. They created the TSFF so regional filmmakers could aspire to view their films on the big screen in a festival atmosphere. In 2020, Emily Thompson, a Nelson filmmaker, was selected as the new festival director.

Supporting Tourism

A backyard bonanza for those willing to explore

Photo: Nelson Tasman NZ

Tourism brings important dollars into Nelson Tasman and Marlboroughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy and previously much of that has been generated by international visitors. The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to that, so what now? Ivy Lynden explores the road ahead.

Photo: Owen River Lodge

nternational tourism has long been a major income earner for both the country and the Top of the South. Plane and bus loads of overseas visitors are well gone, and it may be some time before that scenario reoccurs, yet tourism is still very much a viable industry, albeit in a revised format. Just as foreign visitors cannot come to New Zealand, so too Kiwis cannot travel overseas on holiday, which means they’re exploring their own country more and more. The dollars that previously flowed into Australian, American and European coffers are now slowly finding their way to New Zealand-based companies. Transport, accommodation and nourishment are all areas through which domestic tourism dollars are making their way back into the national and local economy. Camper vans, motorhomes and sleeper shuttles are back on our roads in full force as Gen Z, Gen Y, Generation X, Baby Boomers and even the Silent Generation give back to tourism. Long weekends, road trips and even staycations are on agendas, and not just during the school holidays. Pre-Covid, tourism directly employed one in 10 people and contributed $660 million to the local economy, however this is expected to drop significantly in the next year. For many tourist-oriented businesses it is a time of reinvention and being creative and that is definitely happening across the Top of the South. Lodges – luxury and otherwise – are among the businesses re-shaping how they operate, now that they can no longer rely on an affluent American and European client base. Among them is the Owen River Lodge, a luxury fly-fishing lodge near Murchison, whose owner is offering guests the use of his Porsche for a day. Previously Owen River Lodge marketed to a high-end global market, primarily based in the United States, Australia and the UK. The lodge was a category winner at the New Zealand Tourism Awards in both 2018 and 2019, and was described by the 2018 judges as “a role model for tourism businesses everywhere”. Until early March, owner Felix Borenstein was quietly confident that 2020-21 would be another bumper season. Then the coronavirus struck. Like many other operators catering to an affluent overseas market, Felix watched as his bookings, and his business, tanked. Above: Fly fishing excursions from the Owen River Lodge Opposite page: Enjoying the scenic delights at Kaiteriteri via cycles

“So I tried to come up with something different and that’s when I hit on the idea of offering a Porsche for a day.” FELIX BORENSTEIN

When the borders remained closed month after month, Felix realised he’d have to look closer to home if he wanted his lodge to survive. This would be a challenge; although Owen River Lodge enjoyed an international reputation for providing a world-class visitor experience, it was virtually unknown in New Zealand. “I had to think outside the box,” he says. “There are a lot of other operators in the same situation all competing for the same guests, and the big drawcards for an overseas market, like our natural landscapes, don’t necessarily have the same pulling power at home – most Kiwis have seen their own country. “So I tried to come up with something different and that’s when I hit on the idea of offering a Porsche for a day.” His Porsche Boxster S is available for a day’s touring as part of a three-night, all-inclusive package. “The Boxster is one of those iconic luxury sports cars,” he says. “It was featured in the Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies and in the TV show, Billions. “It’s just a beautiful ride and I’d really love to share it with our Kiwi guests in the coming season.” Felix says he’s definitely up to the challenge of attracting a new market to his lodge and will continue to find innovative ways to introduce his award-winning, luxury visitor experience to discerning Kiwis.

Creative solutions

New Zealanders are inherently travellers and if they cannot head away for an overseas fix, then chances are they will instead decide to revisit their favourite spots and discover new places and experiences domestically. Going back to Level 2 locally created complications, but nothing that hasn’t arisen before, and now it has resulted in even more creative solutions as tourism operators and would-be holiday makers think outside the square. 31

Photo: Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle

Helping keep the focus is the Nelson Tasman Economic Response & Regeneration Action Plan, launched in June, which outlines a seven-point action plan to accelerate the region’s economic recovery from Covid-19. One of its focus points is on business and investment attraction, stimulating local spending and domestic visitation as well as targeted business and innovation support.

Tracking well

The action plan was developed by the Project Kōkiri collaboration, which was formed to respond to and mitigate the economic impacts of Covid-19 on the Nelson Tasman region. The aim is to enable an economic response and regeneration that will stimulate the economy, protect and create new jobs and accelerate investment into the region. The response has been initiated and led by the Nelson City Council, Tasman District Council, the Nelson Regional Development Agency (NRDA), the Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce, mana whenua and the regionally-based government agencies including MSD, MBIE and MPI. The initial extent of economic damage caused by Covid-19 to Nelson Tasman was quantified in August when the latest Quarterly Economic Monitor was released by Infometrics. The data shows that in the June 2020 quarter, the Nelson Tasman region’s GDP was 12.5 percent lower than the same quarter in 2019, which is in line with the national contraction of 12.6 percent. The number of Jobseeker Support recipients in the region rose by 19.5 percent. NRDA CEO Mark Rawson says the region’s economic recovery has been tracking well to date with a bump in domestic visitors and local spending, aided by campaign activity and the government’s financial support through the wage subsidy and cashflow lending schemes.

... now more than ever, a collaborative response is needed to tackle the economic challenges – of which tourism is one – head on. M A R K R AW S O N

Above: An Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle at Medlands Beach Abel Tasman

He says that now more than ever, a collaborative response is needed to tackle the economic challenges – of which tourism is one – head on. “That’s what the ‘We’ve Got This’ campaign is all about, and it’s been hugely heartening to see the level of participation and enthusiasm for this initiative right across the region.” Working hard and re-invention are nothing new to many of the surviving tourism businesses. One of those is Abel Tasman Sea Shuttles which this month celebrates 20 years in business; a considerable achievement, particularly in tourism. Despite the challenging financial times, Abel Tasman Sea Shuttles is still giving back to the community and continuing to provide its popular school holiday offer* these school holidays. For several years the company has offered free return trips into the Abel Tasman Park for two children accompanied by a paying adult during school holidays, excluding the long summer break.

Giving back

Now it has a few extras added on to ‘give back’, but with terms and conditions which can be seen on the websites abeltasmanseashuttles.co.nz and experiencekaiteriteri.co.nz. “We’re really pleased to be able to join forces again with the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve to add free accommodation for kids* and a complimentary game of mini golf during the school holidays,” says Abel Tasman Sea Shuttles general manager, Mark Burnaby. “Families can have a half day trip into the park, enjoy a delicious lunch at the newly re-opened Awaroa Lodge and return to Kaiteriteri to play mini golf in the afternoon via a visit to see the New Zealand fur seal colony and iconic Split Apple Rock. Or they can spend a full day in the park and then come back on another day to play mini golf. “We want to support parents making memories with their kids and help to provide something fun that will entice kids away from their screens. What better way to do that than enjoying Kaiteriteri and our stunning Abel Tasman National Park?” The company is also planning other special offers during the summer months, and some special events to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

ACCOMMODATION Pools | Spas | Saunas | Spa treatments Vegetarian restaurant | Conference room

ct place to stay to celebrate a special The perfe or simply get away to relax and unwind occasion 99 Martin Farm Road, Kaiteriteri Ph: 03 527 8027 info@kimiora.com www.kimiora.com

www.abeltasmanseashuttles.co.nz

0800 732 748 33

“We operate an aircraft that is historically significant to both Marlborough and New Zealand, so we are committed to working through Covid-19.”

Photo: RNZAF

P I P H A L LY, P M H AV I AT I O N

Scenic flights

Other Nelson Tasman and Marlborough tourism sector operators are doing their bit to continue to offer enjoyable, memorable and reasonably-priced visitor experiences, especially during the holidays. In sunny Marlborough, PMH Aviation Ltd is offering ‘Vintage over the Vintage’ scenic flights from Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim. Owner Pip Hally says the scenic flights are smooth and graceful in a De Havilland DH83C Fox Moth, affectionately known as ‘Foxy’. The aircraft was originally purchased new by the Marlborough Aero Club in 1947 so is historically significant to the Marlborough region. A relatively new tourism business that only opened in July last year, having Covid-19 thrown into the mix created quite a challenge for PMH Aviation, says Pip. “Every time there is a level announcement or change, we notice a huge impact on our bookings. This constant up and down provides many challenges to running a business and staying afloat.” Regardless of Covid-19, their business is ‘here to stay’. “We operate an aircraft that is historically significant to both Marlborough and New Zealand, so we are committed to working through Covid-19. We never targeted international tourism as our key market but instead have provided an experience that can be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.” She adds that they are seeing more domestic tourism and it is great to see Kiwis out enjoying their own backyard. “Too often we tend to travel overseas when the scenery and experiences we have in New Zealand are world-class.” The opportunity to take to the air in a vintage aircraft is proving a unique drawcard. “There is nowhere else in the world that does what we do, and I think this could probably be said for a lot of our tourism activities, so if we focus on what amazing tourism we have in New Zealand and travel internally, this will be enough for many of us until we are able to welcome back our international visitors. Kia kaha NZ!” Across in Golden Bay another small Kiwi company is also changing it up by creating new products and packages tailored for New Zealand businesses. Kiwi Spirit Distillery specialises in unique spirits handcrafted from the purest local ingredients. Pre-Covid-19 it created a range of different spirits such as the popular Waitui Single Malt Whiskey, award-winning Totara

Above: PMH Aviation’s De Havilland DH83C Fox Moth 34

Gin, a range of liqueurs and more. Now it is also producing downsized versions and offering local Tasman businesses special corporate gift packages. “We have something to suit all tastes and budgets,” says sales director Isabella Knight. “We have individual, gift-wrapped bottles along with gift boxes with 12 mini bottles so everyone in the team can take home a little something special.” Nelson Tasman locals are right behind regional tourism. A recent survey conducted by the NRDA suggests that locals strongly support the visitor sector and have a keen desire to explore the region themselves; something that will play a key role in the tourism sector’s recovery. The early May survey, carried out while New Zealand was still at Alert Level 3, drew 832 responses. The majority (73 percent) of respondents are not employed in the tourism sector, representing a wide range of views.

Challenges

NRDA CEO Mark Rawson says the number of responses received, and the depth of the comments, shows a real interest in the industry. “Nearly all respondents (97 percent) feel that tourism brings benefits to the region. The sector underpins many aspects of our community which locals do not wish to lose. As well as boosting the economy and creating employment opportunities, locals recognise that tourism enables more hospitality businesses, retailers and events to take place.” But, he adds, the survey also shows that with the benefits come challenges which need to be managed in the future when visitors return. “The challenges felt by locals include pressure on the environment, overcrowding at their favourite locations and the presence of freedom camping. The survey results clearly indicate that there are many locals who wish to camp responsibly in self-contained vehicles, but there is a strong desire to limit freedom camping on the whole.”

Popular destinations

Interestingly, more than half the respondents were unaware of the environmental projects which local tourism businesses support through direct funding and resources as well as their own initiatives. Eighty-five percent agreed the region should offer low-carbon holiday options to align the visitor sector with the protection of the environment. Locals reported a strong desire to explore the Top of the South themselves, once alert levels allowed. Golden Bay was the most popular destination cited, with nearly 70 percent wishing to go there in the near future. “We were surprised and heartened by the number of visitors who came over the Takaka Hill in the first weekend post-lockdown,” commented Jane Dixon of the Mussel Inn. “It was great to see Golden Bay up and buzzing again.” The top activities which locals were looking forward to doing and willing to pay for within the region were dining out, spending a night away from home and taking a scenic tour.

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Building Boom

Building a new beginning While global economies stagger under the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the construction industry across the top of the South Island appears to have developed an immunity to the coronavirus. Alistair Hughes reports.

s Nelson Tasman and Marlborough’s local body councils report little negative impact in our construction industry, and in some cases even increases in construction work, builders themselves have barely been able to catch a breath after picking tools up again post-lock down. Last year, a continuing building boom was confidently predicted by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Expectations were so high that the New Zealand Institute of Building speculated this could mark the end of the traditional construction industry ‘boom and bust’ cycle, and the advent of a more ‘sustainable and robust’ paradigm. This year was looking very promising for the building industry, but no one could have predicted the world-wide disruption suffered since tradespeople returned from their traditional January break.

“We have a really diversified industry which I think helps, not being reliant on a single market for the local economy.” L I S E T T E N E L S O N , S C OT T C O N S T R U C T I O N

Cautionary approach

Nelson-based Scott Construction is a pillar of the building trade across the top of the South Island, having operated in these regions for over 50 years. But as far as 2020 is concerned, commercial manager Lisette Nelson is happy not to downplay the impact of Covid-19 lock down restrictions. “You can’t shut a business down for five or six weeks, without any income, and not suffer,” says Lisette. “We have 100 staff here in Nelson, with those wages to pay, so there’s absolutely been some impact.” She explains that some projects had been put on hold and may even remain so, while others have ‘come back on-line’. “We had a bit of a scramble around after we all came back to work and it was quite concerning. I think everyone’s now got a slightly cautionary approach to things, and they’d probably be silly not to.” However, an unexpected upturn in some areas of the building trade appears to demonstrate that it takes more than a global pandemic to halt a local business which has thrived for over half a century. “We have been very busy over the last year and had quite significant growth in our staff,” Lisette continues. “There’s definitely a boom in housing, which is driven by a shortage of homes in Nelson. Houses are popping up daily.” In the commercial area she admits that business, although still lively, is a little more conservative due to Covid-19- related concerns. But fortunately, plenty of opportunities still exist in the Nelson region. “We have a really diversified industry which I think helps, not being reliant on a single market for the local economy. And the retirement sector has been ‘on fire’, with people moving to the area to settle, which is influencing the housing numbers as well.” Compared to this time last year, Lisette estimates that Scott Construction’s workload is very slightly down. “ It isn’t necessarily because of the coronavirus,” she explains, “ there’s been other factors like resource consents which have held up a couple of projects. It’s not that they’re not going to happen, only slightly delayed. But business is still very stable from our point of view.” 37

Clare Barton, Group Manager, Environmental Management for Nelson City Council, confirms that recent world events appear to have little effect on local construction. “If we look at total consents received, and code of compliance certificates issued, there is very little change between this year and the last. This suggests that building activity remains buoyant post Covid-19 Level 4 lockdown.” As Scott Construction has found, non-residential work might be quieter, while the opposite is true for housing in Nelson. “In terms of type of activity, while commercial consents have reduced slightly there is an uptake in renovations, additions, new dwellings, apartment and retirement sector construction,” Clare reports. She offers a possible explanation for this, which is also borne out by local builders. “Anecdotally, the increase in renovations and other changes to properties could be due to the lack of overseas travel, and the decision by some to instead spend money on updating their property.” Clare also feels that this level of activity could reflect some of the Special Housing Accord developments reaching consenting stage, resulting in more work flowing through to the local building industry.

Strong performance

This upturn seems even more marked in neighbouring Tasman. In fact, Ian McCauley, Building Assurance Manager at Tasman District Council, compares the current construction situation to ‘a freight train showing no signs of any significant slow-down’. Last year, the Infometrics Quarterly Regional Economic Monitor named Tasman the strongest-performing regional economy over the previous 12 months, growing by 3.2 percent. Brad Olsen, Infometrics senior economist, reported that Tasman’s economic growth had been driven in large part by an increase in building activity across the region. Incredibly, current building consents are actually showing a 5.74 percent increase on the same period from 2019, with 38

“If we look at total consents received, and code of compliance certificates issued, there is very little change between this year and the last.” C L A R E BA RTO N , N E L S O N C I T Y C O U N C I L

new dwelling consents rising by over 23 percent. And code of compliance certificates are still being issued at a comparable rate. Although the effects of Covid-19 counter measures in the next few months remain to be seen, McCauley reports that significant subdivision development is still proceeding. “But reports indicate that we will eventually experience a slow down due to lock down related unemployment,” he concedes. Frank Byrne has been a builder in Golden Bay for 30 years, and has certainly seen the construction trade weather some difficult times in the past. But even this level of experience can’t prepare a business for the challenges 2020 have brought. Fortunately, the Tasman District Council’s assessment of the post-lock down activity in the sector rings true for him. “I wouldn’t call it a boom,” Frank qualifies, “ but it certainly has been busy since lock down lifted. To me it’s like the preChristmas rush starting early.” Frank puts the reason down to a couple of factors. “Firstly; if you have money in the bank at the moment, there’s no point in keeping it there because the interest on it, and the tax off, leaves you at nothing. So I think this is possibly motivating some people to spend it doing things around the home either with their own funds or borrowing money, because it’s never been cheaper to do that.”

The other reason has to do with Kiwis being even more flightless than usual this year. “To me, Kiwis focus on two things: our homes or holidays. Millions and millions of dollars usually go out of the country during the New Zealand winter because we all go away on holiday. But this year, we’ve lost our holidays. So people are deciding to get on and do something with their home instead.” Fellow builder Grant Delaney has personal experience of this. “As for myself, I had an overseas trip booked and that’s not happening anymore. So I’m carpeting my house instead, using the money that I was going to spend on my holidays. I think there’s a few people in that same position.” Grant also points out the property maintenance and insurance work will always continue. “Regardless of the economy, we still get things like weather events which cause damage.” Frank Byrne even credits lock down for generating some of the jobs he’s currently working on. As the country spent seven weeks at home, house-bound New Zealanders had plenty of time to look around and discover what needed repairing or renovating. As to how long this current liveliness in the building trade might continue, Frank concedes that it is just as likely to drop off. “We’re always busy to be honest,” he says. “But at the moment I’d say we could potentially be 25 percent busier than at this same time last year.”

“... this year, we’ve lost our holidays. So people are deciding to get on and do something with their home instead.” FRANK BYRNE, BU ILDER

Marlborough steady

Meanwhile in Marlborough, the construction trade also continues to enjoy rude health regardless of Covid-19 effects. Bill East, Building Control Group Leader for the Marlborough District Council, is even able to report an increase in commercial work. “The industry remains steady at present with similar numbers to the same time as last year,” he says. “And the value of work is up due to one- off projects such as the new district library and art gallery build.” Scott Construction established a branch in Marlborough six years ago, and happily verifies that civic and seasonal industry work is still busy. Figures from the council show that the number of building consents issued are up 24 percent on the same time last year, including a marked increase in new dwellings. “Industry reports there is still strong demand for housing in Marlborough,” Bill confirms. It seems that contrary to all expectations, the New Zealand Institute of Building prediction of a more sustained and consistent pattern of activity for the construction industry might be occurring after all, even under these extremely challenging circumstances. A Mongolian proverb states that , ‘He who wants to build high must dig deep,’ and ‘digging deep’ is certainly what our local construction companies have done. Across Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough, builders might now even be wishing that they could have relaxed and enjoyed the enforced break which lock down brought. Another opportunity to relax seems a very remote possibility for most of them at the moment. Of course the building ‘boom’ is not just about bricks and mortar construction. All manner of contractors, subbies and companies from architects to zoning experts are also affected by highs and lows in the building industry.

More ahead

The ripple effect has flow-on benefits or losses for contractors such as electricians, plumbers and flooring specials to name a few. Clayton Knowles, owner/operator of Oakleys Plumbing Supplies in Richmond says that his company is currently experiencing a boom in both residential and commercial building activity. “There was concern about how Covid-19 would affect our industry but I can’t see this spike slowing down anytime soon. We’re inundated with residential work but are also supplying multiple retirement complexes and large-scale commercial projects. Our architectural contacts are telling us there is a lot coming up, too.” Clayton says the Covid pandemic seems to have created a desire for the safety of home. Individuals are upgrading their homes and baches, people are moving or returning to Nelson for the lifestyle, and others are looking at ways to invest in the region via commercial ventures. “More than ever, homeowners and investors are focused on supporting local and using companies and products that will grow the New Zealand economy. “Customers are not shy about achieving the best results they can in their building projects either,” he says, with the demand for top-quality bathroomware and plumbing systems higher than ever. “People are not building only for function at this time; there is certainly an aspect of comfort and pride in their projects.”

In the first quarter of 2020, on a national level, more than 184,000 people were employed in the construction industry; a significant increase from just a decade prior. 42

“Individuals are upgrading their homes and baches, people are moving or returning to Nelson for the lifestyle, and others are looking at ways to invest in the region via commercial ventures.” C LAY TO N KN OWLE S, OAKLEYS PLU M B IN G S U PPLI ES

Economic boost

The construction industry in Nelson Tasman and Marlborough and, of course, on a national level, contributes significantly to regional and national economies. In the first quarter of 2020, on a national level, more than 184,000 people were employed in the construction industry; a significant increase from just a decade prior. In the South Island, the Christchurch post-earthquake rebuild was responsible for the majority of construction sector work, and this is on-going, creating work for many Nelson Tasman and Marlborough companies and also for building industry individuals. The June 2020 report recorded the value of building consents issued across residential, non-residential and infrastructure sectors as having increased for the most part yearon-year, with employment in these respective sectors following a similar trend. The leading regions in terms of value of construction work in New Zealand were Auckland, Canterbury, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Wellington. The demand for construction-related occupations in all regions is expected to continue to rise as is the number of apprentices across the various building industry sectors.

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Awesome Apprentices

Learning trade skills

When the Government announced the first stage of its 2020 budget on 14 May, a recovery strategy from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic became a priority. Alistair Hughes looks at how apprentices play an important role in our recovery.

hen then-Education Minister Chris Hipkins outlined in May the importance placed on training and education for New Zealanders who might have lost their jobs during the lock down, or were forced to seek better prospects in a different sector, it made sense to many, especially because this time the Government was certainly putting money in to assist. “Our $1.6 billion Trades and Apprenticeships Training Package will provide opportunities for New Zealanders of all ages to receive trades training,” the minister announced. “Supporting employers and group training schemes to retain and keep training their apprentices is critical … the last thing we want to see is apprentices and trainees having to be let go when we need really them.” Fast- forward to 5 August and the Apprenticeship Boost scheme, a key element of this initiative, was made available to employers. Essentially, this scheme has been designed to help employers pay for new and existing apprentices in their first two years of training. The full amount available is $16,000 over 20 months for each new apprentice. Katrina Sutich, Tertiary Group Manager at the Ministry of Education, explains further. “Apprenticeship Boost is for employers of first- and secondyear apprentices, as they are early on in their training and therefore more vulnerable to job loss during tough times. It is therefore essential to ensure that the jobs of existing apprentices are secure and that new apprentices continue to start training throughout the Covid-19 recovery.”

“Apprenticeship Boost is for employers of first-and second-year apprentices, as they are early on in their training and therefore more vulnerable to job loss during tough times.” K AT R I N A S U T I C H

Katrina explains the long- term thinking behind the emphasis on protecting this particular human resource. “Apprenticeships are a key part of our skills pipeline,” she maintains. “They create highly skilled practitioners within a particular industry and provide good long-term employment outcomes for the apprentice. A large reduction in apprentices across our industries now may weaken the skills pipeline that we need to support our economic recovery and rebuild over the coming years.” So the apprenticeship training package has been created to manage repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic far beyond the initial challenges of our lockdown.

Opportunities on offer

Golden Bay builder Frank Byrne presents a more personal view on why apprentices are important. He believes in offering opportunities to apprentices because that is exactly how he got his own first break in the building trade. “I’ve been self-employed coming up for 30 years, and I’d say we’ve put through at least eight apprentices in that time. And that is partly motivated by the fact that somebody gave me a chance as a 16-year-old straight out of school. I credit that person for giving me an opportunity to get into the building game, and giving me a great start in life.” It is a commendable effort to help prepare future generations of new builders, although Frank has to admit that apprentices can come with their initial frustrations. “But within a year they get to a stage where we can rely on them. They start to bring some benefit to their workmates, which is crucial; to be a team player. Because their hourly rate is obviously reduced, they are charged accordingly. So there are benefits for clients and also the employer.” 45

“We’ve always used apprentices and we currently have about 21 in Nelson.” L I S E T T E N E L S O N , S C OT T C O N S T R U C T I O N

Frank currently has one first-year apprentice with his company, and appreciates the foresight demonstrated with Apprenticeship Boost. “I could apply for the first-year apprenticeship subsidy for him and I would also apply for the second year, too. At least the Government has recognised that they need to make this available to employers.” He is also intending to employ a school leaver in the very near future. “I’ve given him a commitment that I will offer him a job as soon as he’s finished school, with the aim of getting him into an apprenticeship after he’s cut his teeth. And if that plays out, we will certainly look at the subsidy.” Long-established Nelson company Scott Construction also advocates investment in apprentices. “We’ve got one new apprentice who’s come on since Apprentice Boost became available,” says commercial manager Lisette Nelson. “And one of our office members is going on to further training as well, so it really helps them. We’ve always used apprentices and we currently have about 21 in Nelson.”

Advanced trades

Upcoming Scott Construction staff members are also encouraged to enrol in an advanced trade course which can be done once an apprenticeship is served. “And that’s great,” says Lisette, “because it is advancing their leadership skills and giving them more upskilling for the work they’re doing. So it’s not just about apprenticeships, it’s about building strengths within the whole business.” Blake Delaney has recently joined the building trade as an apprentice, and although the paperwork is handled by his employer, he appreciates how much Apprentice Boost has smoothed the way. “It’s just come through – free fees for the first couple of years, which is great.” Blake feels this is another reason to be involved in the industry at the present time. “We’re ‘busy as’. Honestly, I think any trade at the moment is cranking along really well.” Katrina Sutich at the Ministry of Education believes it is important to keep the ‘skills pipelines’ strong across a wide variety of sectors. “For the same reason, the fees for apprenticeships in all industries are also covered by the Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund (TTAF, also known as free trades training) from 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2022.”

Recovery tactics

This means that fees will be directly paid to tertiary education organisations, enabling them to offer a range of training and apprenticeship programmes free for learners. As with Apprentice Boost, it is aimed at developing industry skill needs likely to be most in demand during New Zealand’s recovery period from the impacts of Covid-19. The Trades and Apprenticeships Training Package will also offer Group Training Scheme support – funding to ensure the existing schemes remain viable, and the Regional Apprenticeships Initiative. This is specific support for displaced 46

regional apprentices who have lost their jobs, initially focusing on Māori and Pacific peoples (funded through the Provincial Growth Fund). She has been encouraged by the response received so far. “We’ve had strong interest from businesses interested in retaining and growing their apprentices, and taking on new ones as a result of Apprenticeship Boost. This is excellent to hear and is a good sign that New Zealand will continue to benefit from having highly skilled practitioners working in our industries for years to come.” As a key component of New Zealand’s ongoing economic recovery from the impact of Covid-19, it appears as if our apprentices have never been more highly valued.

Fantastic environment locally

President of the Master Joiners Nelson Marlborough, Myles Sellers says the Top of the South is an ideal place for apprentices to train. Also the education lead for Master Joiners Executive and BCITO National Advisory Group Board Member, Myles says our joint regions are a fantastic environment in which to train as they are blessed with progressive and skilled training providers across all trades. He points out that evidence shows apprenticeship numbers are sensitive to changes in the employment market. “Using the joinery industry as an example, we found the 2008 GFC and Christchurch earthquake recession created an economic downturn that immediately effected apprenticeship numbers. We changed training methods and led a culture of training amongst the Master Joiners to overcome this.”

Working for the future

Myles welcomes the Government subsidies announced to support maintaining current apprenticeships, but says it is only the start. “In simple terms, trainees are paid to train and now with the introduction of free fees and employers receiving a 20-month subsidy, it gives all trades confidence to invest in training.” He believes there is a need now to begin planning to make sure apprentices stay working, suggesting that one way to achieve this is to support education institutions to offer training to out-ofwork apprentices. “It is vital to make sure we keep apprentices enrolled and connected to workplaces. If we don’t, we risk causing problems that will last beyond the current period and impact the lives of New Zealanders in the future.” Myles and his wife Margarette own and operate Nelsonbased company The Sellers Room. He was recently been appointed to the role of National Education Leader for the New Zealand Master Joiners Association, and is well versed in both the industry and training programmes, as the existing president for the Nelson Marlborough Master Joiners Association. In that role he is part of a team that continually contributes to uplifting the joinery trade throughout the Top of the South. His education leader’s role means that he mentors and supports other regional master joiners associations in guiding small businesses and their management teams in terms of operations, quality standards and training new young people to become skilled and well-respected joiners. He views the work as part of giving back to the industry, uplifting the profession and training new joiners. “When I was an apprentice 30 years ago, joiners were not necessarily recognised for the skills they were trying to learn. Now, joiners’ skills are respected, and they earn a fair wage deserving of the skill and expertise required for the job,” says Myles. A 2014 skills audit identified a 25-year age gap in joiners working at the time. There were only four apprentices in the region and they had to travel several weeks a year to Invercargill

... there are now around 40 apprentices earning a salary while they train to become joiners in the Nelson Tasman region. M Y L E S S E L L E R S , N AT I O N A L E D U C AT I O N L E A D E R N Z M JA

or Hamilton to do block courses, making it expensive for employers and apprentices to participate. “The big problem in the region was a decline in the supply of trained staff and apprentices. There was also a drain away from the construction industry to other careers. We needed a complete change of mind-set around training,” says Phil Thompson, branch manager of Nelson Laminex and secretary of the Nelson Marlborough Master Joiners Association. Six years later, after interventions from training providers, stakeholders in the Nelson Marlborough Master Joiners Association, and businesses like The Sellers Room, there are now around 40 apprentices earning a salary while they train to become joiners in the Nelson Tasman region. With education service providers such as Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), Ara Institute of Canterbury and the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, Nelson has become a hub for joinery industry training offering local block courses and pre-trade courses for those who are starting out in their careers or who those who want to retrain.

Future resource

BCITO training advisor Grant Johnson says Nelson is now regarded as one of the best places in the country for joinery training through apprenticeships. He says this work plays an important role in addressing the massive construction skills shortage facing New Zealand. “If we don’t maintain the training now, in 10 years we’re going to have no joiners as all the qualified people retire from the industry.” Edward Shields, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology’s principal academic staff member and programme coordinator for construction and joinery, says the apprenticeships and training programmes are key. “These apprenticeships enhance the employability of graduates because it gives them a core set of skills in hand tools, machinery, health and safety and communication skills. The Nelson Marlborough Master Joiners Association has been very proactive in ensuring that its apprentices receive high-quality training.” Developing new talent in the joinery industry is a core value for The Sellers Room and they have facilitated the training of several joiners through their apprenticeships over the years. “We’re proud to be supporting young people in developing confidence and experience to become qualified joiners. In this way we feel that we are investing in the future of their careers and also the skills capacity to match the region’s growth and market demands,” says co-director Margarette Sellers. 47

Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) are recognised by the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education) under the Industry Training Act 1992. It sorts an established host firm to provide work experience, provides the right tools for the job by supplying a starter tool and PPE kit worth $2000, and offers financial assistance if new apprentices need it.

ITOs

Fee-free apprenticeships

From 5 August this year, the Government’s Apprenticeship Boost (worth up to $16,000 per apprentice) will help employers pay for new and existing apprentices in their first two years of training. Throughout industry in New Zealand, there are numerous organisations that facilitate and help with apprentice training schemes. The beauty of working with an industry training organisation is that they have people there to help from step one to completion of an apprenticeship. With an apprenticeship, you can earn money while getting skills and qualifications. Anyone 16 or older, and interested in a career in one of the industries that offer apprenticeships, may be able to earn a qualification while they work. Choose the industry, job type and region you would like to work in and then contact the relevant industry training organisation (ITO) for more information. If you already have skills and knowledge in your area of interest, find out if you can have these credited to your apprenticeship. A good place to start is the Government website: www.govt.nz/browse/education/training-and-apprenticeships which outlines all the essential information about requirements, skill levels, training and funding. From there target industry specific websites or phone a local business in the field you’re considering. For example if you’re keen to be a plumber or to take on a gasfitting apprentice check out the Masterlink website. An organisation that specifically looks after plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry apprenticeships, Masterlink does all the interviewing, screening and testing and processes apprenticeship applications to make sure the candidate has “the right stuff to succeed in our industry”. It then supports successful applicants with their training for instance coordinating block courses (off-job study), paying training fees and matching apprentices with mentors.

A good place to start is the Government website: www.govt.nz/ browse/education/training-andapprenticeships which outlines all the essential information about requirements, skill levels, training and funding. 48

Hosts also receive assistance so that taking on an apprentice is a worthwhile journey for all parties involved. Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) are recognised by the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education) under the Industry Training Act 1992. They are established by particular industries and are responsible for: • Setting national skill standards for their industry • Providing information and advice to trainees and their employers • Arranging for the delivery of on-and off-job training (including developing training packages for employers) • Arranging for the assessment of trainees • Arranging the monitoring of quality training. The Tertiary Education Commission website has the full list of recognised Industry Training Organisations, but these include BCITO, Careerforce, Connexis Infrastructure, HITO. MITO, NZ Marine and Composites Industry Training Organisation, Primary Industry Training Organisation, ServiceIQ, Skills Active Aotearoa Limited and The Skills Organisation.

Check out these apprentice ITOs: BCITO which services the building and construction industry. Visit: www.bcito.org.nz

Competenz which helps employers to assess and plan training programmes, traineeships and apprenticeships for their new or existing team members. Visit: www.competenz.org.nz

MITO is an industry training organisation that designs qualifications and training programmes that meet the needs of the automotive, transport, logistics, industrial textile fabrication and extractive industries. Visit: www.mito.org.nz

Masterlink which deals with plumbing, gasfitting

and drainlaying businesses. Visit: www.masterlink.co.nz

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MY HOME

Small, eco and eye-catching BY BRENDA WEBB | PHOTOGRAPHY DOMINIQUE WHITE

Māpua couple’s desire to embrace the simple living concept has resulted in an eye-catching and compact home with strong eco-friendly principles. Tony Fleming and Diane Sutherland’s 127sqm home is essentially two linked boxes sitting on a long and narrow Māpua section with unobstructed views. With a low roof profile and industrial-style dark corrugated iron cladding the home looks like two very stylish containers. While it is small – two bedrooms and one bathroom – the couple say the house meets all their needs and if they built again, they would happily go even smaller. “It was absolutely critical to us to go small – we are concerned at the way housing in this country is going and part of that is a lack of size diversity,” says Diane. “For us there were three principles – small, sustainable and simple. We instinctively knew what design would work given the section, and that we wanted to focus on sun and light.” The former New Plymouth couple were on a cycling holiday in the region when they discovered the Māpua plot which had just gone on the market. They had no plans to move to Nelson. “The real estate magazine came out that day and this piece of land was on the market,” says Tony.

1. The small and simple yet highly functional kitchen 2. Eye-catching plywood ceilings provide a stylish contemporary feel 3. Thermal mass concrete floors soak up the sun and heat the house 4. Bi-fold doors allow the outdoors in and give a feeling of space 5 Special touches, such as funky cushions and rugs, add a personal touch 6. Large windows and sliding doors allow uninterrupted views 7. The stunning panorama over rolling farmland to the estuary

They were sold on its proximity to the sea and the friendly vibe of the Māpua community. Leaving friends in New Plymouth was a wrench but living in the Nelson Tasman area was a drawcard.

Small and functional The house design was essentially their own and was dictated by the long and narrow shape of the section. Wanting the house to have really good energy- efficient properties and be as eco-friendly as possible, they went to Māpua architect Simone Wenk who tweaked the design. “She was great – she really listened to us,” says Tony. “One of the issues we had was that architects often base their charges on a per metre cost so they want to design big houses – we wanted small and Simone embraced that concept – we were definitely on the same page.” Simone specialises in resilient design and low energyconsumption houses with a small carbon footprint. Her philosophy is to create warmer and healthier homes. “It was a lovely journey with these clients as they were educated and knew what they wanted so it was like a game of ping pong – just a bit of back and forwards to get the design right,” she says. The concrete floor acts as a thermal mass and Simone made sure the north-facing walls were opened to sunlight to allow maximum passive solar gain. That proved a bit tricky to make sure the views over the inlet to the south were retained. “The house is very small but very functional with no wasted space,” says Simone. “It is very simple and efficient.” The thicker-than-usual walls are insulated with earth wool rather than fibreglass and the exterior cladding is corrugated iron chosen for its low-maintenance qualities. Windows are double-glazed, low spec argon gas-filled. All the appliances were selected to be energy efficient. While the house is solar ready, the Flemings aren’t ready to go ahead with it until batteries make it a more viable option.

8. Dark corrugated iron cladding makes a statement in this low-profile home 9. An open shower in the light-filled bathroom 10. The master bedroom, like all rooms, features large view encompassing windows 11. The outdoor bath makes the most of the gorgeous rural outlook

Smaller, simpler and

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“We even have people knocking on the door asking if they can look at it – they are surprised at how small but how functional it is.” DIANE SUTHERLAND

The house was designed for two people and the Flemings love its simplicity. “We also realise now we could have gone a lot smaller,” Diane says. “We wanted to prove small and simple works and it does. We even have people knocking on the door asking if they can look at it – they are surprised at how small but how functional it is.” Before embarking on the build process, Tony drew a plan to scale and put all their furniture on it to make sure it all fitted. Once building was underway the couple were on site most days and say the process went very well with Glen Grant a ‘great builder and team with excellent ideas and communication’. The couple installed underfloor heating, which they never use, relying on the wood burner when it’s cold. Mostly the house heats itself through its orientation to the sun. Their ‘simple’ design philosophy extended to fittings and appliances with Diane in particular wanting a very basic and fuss-free kitchen. “It was an interesting procedure because I just wanted a very, very simple kitchen,” she says. “There were many suggestions on making things more complicated.” Tony and Diane’s New Plymouth house was in the bush so one of their main wishes was to be able to sit in the sun and have breakfast. They love the sunny aspect of their Māpua home. Diane has been busy developing productive gardens around the house, growing their own organic food which thrives in the sunny climate. “We didn’t have good sun in New Plymouth so we couldn’t do that easily.” While the house is small it can still accommodate friends and family with a studio that doubles as a spare bedroom and a sofa converting to two single beds. Being in water-short Māpua the couple installed a rainwater tank which Simone describes as an ‘excellent investment’, given water restrictions are put in place each summer. While the house is half the size of what is considered usual today, Tony and Diane say it meets all their needs and they would never live in anything bigger. They love every aspect of it. 12. The farm over the boundary fence gives a distinctly rural feel 13. The view the owners wake up to every morning 14. Vegetable gardens thrive in the warm and sunny Mapua climate

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Going that extra mile for the home of your dreams B Y S A R A H N O T TA G E | P H O T O G R A P H Y S T E V E H U S S E Y

ntering the new Milestone Homes purpose-built offices on Lower Queen Street, you feel a sense of relaxed luxury. The welcome area is appointed with a comfy, beautifully upholstered couch, coffee machine and a contemporary print on the feature wall. Branching off from this is the large pre-construction meeting room and private consultation rooms with frosted glass windows, and blinds on the windows leading out to the car park. “Clients don’t want to feel like they are in a fishbowl while they are potentially making one of their biggest life decisions,” says Adam Hills, general manager. Adam, together with Richmond local Simon Collett are proud that Milestone Homes have built over 300 homes in the Nelson/ Tasman region in the past 13 years. Always focused on building quality homes for great value, they have established Above: From left, Debra Lithgow, James Harris, Adam Hills, Antoinette Bennett, Sarah Popenhagen, Hamish Griffith and Jordan Dasler Opposite page: Milestone’s brand-new premises at 2 Estuary Place, Richmond 64

themselves as a very successful brand and business. Adam, who has worked for Milestone Homes since 2007, describes the reasons for their success. “We know what we do, we know who we build for, and we do it well. Or, as we sometimes say, ‘Stick to your knitting’. We aren’t driven by being the biggest home building company, nor do we need to win awards to get satisfaction from what we do. Our aim is that no matter their budget, every client will be given good advice, enjoy the experience and get a great home at the end of it.” Call in and chat Two years ago, Milestone Homes jumped at the opportunity to secure the anchor tenancy of an office space on Lower Queen Street, enabling them to purposedesign their offices to align with their vision and match the needs of their clients, staff and stakeholders. Spaces speak volumes about the people who inhabit them. The spaces home builders choose to create for themselves are like style guides to their entire practice: not just what they believe

is good design, but how they wish to be perceived. For the Milestone Homes team, a sense of conviviality, welcome and professionalism, without company branding plastered everywhere, was essential to the design aesthetic behind the new office build. Adam says, “We wanted to provide an open, airy workplace for our staff, whist offering utmost privacy and confidentiality to our clients, suppliers and subcontractors.” Location was also important. Adam tells me that if you miss the seven-metre-high sign, you probably shouldn’t have a driving licence. Not only is the new Milestone Homes office building easy to spot from the road, it is convenient for you to drop in and have a chat. Milestone Homes understands from experience that for many new home builders, much of their apprehension stems from the unknown, and the difficulty in appreciating what the finished home will look and feel like from the plan. “When you go to an open home, you see exactly what you are going to get. You like it, you want to live there. However, building a new house is often perceived as too difficult – there is an overwhelming number of decisions to be made, and it’s hard to visualise how your home will look or feel from a piece of paper,” says Adam. Which is one of the reasons why Milestone Homes has built their show home to mirror the specifications of their 30 proven, wellconsidered house plans.

WT + MILESTONE HOMES

Ideally located on Berryfield Drive, two minutes from their new office space, Adam says; “Once they’ve toured the show home, our clients have a realistic impression of how their own home will look and feel. Regardless of the size home they want to build, the on-site specifications are the same, right down to the doors and taps, although each home has a different façade or look from the outside, as nobody wants to live in an identical house to their neighbour.” With each house plan, there is the flexibility for change – whether it is adding/removing a bedroom or a walk-in pantry for example – meaning there are approximately 100 potential plans available. Milestone Homes uses proven suppliers, who supply consistently good products. Adam says; “Rather than our clients having to research every fixture and fitting on the market, if they want to choose a different option, we already have three alternatives that have been pre-priced and narrowed down by our suppliers, based on quality and what is on trend. Our suppliers maintain upto-date samples on site at our show home, so that our clients can visualise how the alternative will look in their own home.” Good investment Milestone Homes takes as much of the hassle and apprehension out of the building process as possible. They strive to place building a new home on a par with buying an existing home for ease of process, but with a much better outcome in terms of personalisation and all-important capital gain. Adam says; “Clients know that they are making a good investment, because they are always going to create equity when they build a house.” Adam describes their incredible team of tradespeople and builders as being crucial to their success and trustworthy reputation. “We are very proud to be a Registered Master Builder. Our tradespeople and builders have been with us for 13 years. Our construction manager is a former Apprentice of the Year and also a shareholder in the business. With the number of homes we build each year, we are able to consistently achieve a goodvalue, quality product. And if something isn’t right, one phone call puts it right.”

“Once they’ve toured the show home, our clients have a realistic impression of how their own home will look and feel." A DA M H I L L S

Besides building in the region, Milestone Homes is consciously engaged in the wider community. Milestone Homes is a major sponsor of the ‘Big Give’ Christmas appeal in association with the Fifeshire Foundation. They support this via their annual ‘Make a Difference’ appeal and gifting a tree at the Richmond Mall. “It is easy to forget that there are people living in hardship in our region. Last Christmas we helped over 400 families. We felt very lucky to be part of that and try to spread some cheer at what can be a difficult time for a lot of people,” says Adam. On top of this, they are in their fifth year of being major sponsors of the Top of the South speedway. Adam describes; “The Speedway Association is doing great things for our region. The speedway fits in with our local client demographic, offering family-based entertainment, and it is great to be involved with the association.” Master builders From a building industry perspective, Adam is on the executive team for

Milestone Homes is a major sponsor of the ‘Big Give’ Christmas appeal in association with the Fifeshire Foundation. They support this via their annual ‘Make a Difference’ appeal and gifting a tree at the Richmond Mall.

the Nelson branch of the Registered Master Builders, which he appreciates. Comprised of key suppliers, building merchants and a cross section of building representatives from residential to commercial builders, the Master Builders executive team discusses issues affecting the wider industry in the region and participates in focus groups with councils in an attempt to further the construction industry in the region. No obligation The experienced, friendly Milestone Homes team welcomes new and existing clients to visit them at their new office premises on Lower Queen Street, or at their show home at 58 Berryfield Drive for a complimentary, no-obligation discussion. In keeping with their team philosophy of having fun along the way, keep your eyes peeled when you visit their show home, as you may be lucky enough to spot one or two of the Milestone Homes crew members in a photo frame!

Contact Ph 03 543 8663 www.milestonehomes.co.nz

MY WELLBEING

Pulses & legumes … what you need to know B Y E M I LY H O P E

Nutritionally pulses and legumes provide: • Fibre – for a healthy and regular digestive system (see more below) • Protein – keeps you feeling fuller for longer • B-vitamins – help the body produce energy from the food that we eat • Potassium – an important moderator of blood pressure • Calcium – builds and maintains strong bones • Iron – delivers oxygen around the body and supports immunity Additionally, they contain heart-friendly phytonutrients and have a low Glycemic Index (GI) value. A low GI means they are digested and absorbed slowly which helps to fill you up and keep you satisfied for longer. This makes them a particularly beneficial food for those with diabetes as they help to support stable blood sugar levels. Nutrition research has found pulses and legumes to be supportive in protecting against various forms of cancer as well as lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Some people are afraid of eating too many legumes, because of their windinducing properties! Above: Pulse pasta 66

Photo: Supplied

ulses and legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, peas and beans are the dried edible seeds of the plants from the legume family. All pulses and legumes are extremely nutritious and should form part of your weekly repertoire. For vegetarians and vegans, they form an integral part of a balanced plant-based diet. And while the green peas and beans we often enjoy as vegetables as part of our meals are from the same botanic family, their water content is much higher, and subsequently they have a different nutrient profile.

This comes from the fact that legumes contain high amounts of fibre as well as indigestible carbohydrates that reach the large bowel intact where they are fermented by the resistant bacteria that live there. This is great for our gut health as it increases the proportion of healthy bacteria in the gut and reduces the levels of unhealthy bacteria. However, not all legumes produce wind and not everyone will experience flatulence as a result of eating legumes! Start with small amounts if you are concerned.

Suggestions Pulses and legumes are extremely economical and can help to stretch out meals all the while sticking to a food budget. And whether you cook and enjoy dried or canned versions, you will still be getting the health benefits. If you’re new to these foods, here are some delicious ways you can try them: • Make home-made hummus using canned or dried chickpeas. There are plenty of recipes online and if you don’t have tahini just substitute with a nut/seed butter. • Add red kidney beans to mince-based dishes to up the fibre content and help the meal go further. • Try adding lentils to casseroles and stews. Again, this adds fibre and nutrients, while stretching out a meat-based meal to go further.

• Try a warming dhal made with dried red split-lentils. Red split-lentils are incredibly easy to cook and are a good one to start with if you’re new to pulses and legumes. Serve it with rice, fresh herbs and a wedge of lime to create a balanced and delicious plant-based meal. • Keep frozen edamame beans in the freezer to add to stir-fries, Buddha-bowltype dinners or simply to defrost and enjoy as a snack between meals. They are also great to add to lunch boxes frozen as they will keep food cool as they defrost, and kids love them! Perfect in summer. • Try making a creamy bean dip using canned butter beans. Serve it alongside seasonal vegetable sticks and some grainy crackers as the weather gets warmer. • Rinse, drain and dry a can of chickpeas. Then simply place the chickpeas on a baking paper-lined tray and drizzle with olive oil, paprika, flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper and roast in a hot oven for about 20 minutes until golden. Enjoy as a snack or as part of a meal. Delicious! • Try a pulse pasta. There are many spaghetti-style and penne pastas available now made from pulses. You can substitute them for regular pasta in a recipe and they will provide more fibre, protein and B-vitamins than regular pasta. www.hopenutrition.org.nz

MY GARDEN

Wake up & smell the coffee plants BY ANNABEL SCHULER

t a time when house plants are growing in popularity and price, those of you on the lookout for something new to add to your collection should consider a coffee plant. Pomeroy’s, the café in the Pic’s Peanut Butter building in Stoke, Nelson, has some lovely specimens and for them coffee plants in pots make an appropriate statement, though they explain these were not looking their best after some ‘lockdown loneliness’ when they did not receive as much water as they should. A well-pruned plant with medium-sized, glossy leaves and, if you are lucky, small white flowers followed by red ‘cherries’ (which contain two seeds) is great fun to grow and requires little work. Coffea arabica ‘nana’ is generally recommended for indoor conditions. Coffee plants can grow to at least three metres tall,

but the ‘nana’ has a dwarf habit. Before you rush out and source a plant, there are some non-negotiables to consider. Firstly, think about that height. While coffee is generally slow growing, in ideal conditions it can put on a growth spurt so give it some room. These plants can be grown from seed but it is a slow process so you are best to buy a plant which is well on the way, then prune it when it reaches your desired height and keep it trimmed. Secondly, choose pot size carefully. Coffee plants have a strong root system and they do not enjoy being re-potted. So go for a decent-sized pot to start. Thirdly, position is important. Coffee plants on plantations grow under other trees’ dappled shade, so try to replicate that indoors – minus the big trees. Plenty of light but not direct sunlight is the key – too much sun will burn the leaves.

Keep it happy Water is important to a coffee plant. The team at Pomeroy’s give their plants five litres of water every two days. A moist soil, not soggy wet, but not dry either, is important if your plant is going to flourish. The plant should not sit in

Plenty of light but not direct sunlight is the key – too much sun will burn the leaves water and the potting mix you use should be free-draining. The glossy green leaves will give you a clue to most problems; if they go limp, the plant needs more water; if they drop off, the plant is not getting enough light; if they go brown, they are getting too much sunlight. This makes coffee sound like a very fussy plant but once you find the correct position in your house, a coffee bush will do you proud all year. Can you grow your own coffee beans? The short answer is ‘yes’, the long answer is just that – it may take a long time. A plant will mature for three to five years before it produces beans and you will need an awful lot of them for even one cup of coffee. The bonus is the flowers that come first. These grow off the stem and look like white jasmine flowers. They are sweetly fragrant too. I hope this has whetted your appetite for coffee as a house plant. It is a handsome alternative to some of the more common choices. 67

M Y E D U C AT I O N

Dream career change for NMIT interior design graduate B Y J O N AT H A N C A R S O N

Above: Bec Deacon

Photo: Jess Shirley

ec Deacon was delighted when she realised she could study for her ‘dream career’ in interior design so close to home in Nelson. The former teacher, mum of three and NMIT graduate has already turned her passion into a profession, starting her own interior design business. Bec’s first career as a teacher came to an end naturally after a stint of travelling, she says. She acquired a taste for interior design renovating her Mapua home, a beautiful former sailmaker’s shed, and converting an old caravan into a café. She enrolled in the Diploma in Interior Design at NMIT in Nelson, a one-year programme that provides students with the skills and knowledge for a rewarding career in the industry. “It was a lovely surprise to find I could study in my dream career in little old Nelson,” Bec says. “My only regret is that I didn’t do my diploma earlier. This passion of mine is where I should have been directing my energy a long time ago.” Bec says the real-life projects in the diploma course were a highlight as they allowed her to put what she was learning into practice.

As a parent and adult learner returning to study, Bec says she felt well supported by NMIT staff and her fellow students.

Flying solo “As a mum of three children I needed flexibility at hectic times. This was always understood, and I was able to work in my own time and at my own pace.” Interior design tutor Sarmya Clayton was a ‘lifeline’ who encouraged Bec to believe in herself and start her own solo business, Bec Deacon Design. “It’s a completely new experience owning my own business,” she says. “Every week is different, which keeps life fresh and interesting.”

Her first professional interior design project was creating a collaborative space on campus for the Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce, NRDA and NMIT, called Mahitahi. “This was a major project for my very first solo one, but the most rewarding experience I’ve had yet.” Her advice to other adult learners is to ‘be brave’ and build strong contacts and professional relationships, which will help to support your career. “It feels like time goes so fast when you are studying so make the most of your time in education with all that NMIT has to offer.” Visit www.nmit.ac.nz

NELSON COLLEGE

pietas probitas et sapientia Te Kura Tamatāne O Whakatū

Nelson College is a place for every boy

We encourage all our students to take advantage of Nelson College’s history to create their own ambitious future.

Young men taking their place in the world excellence@nelsoncollege.school.nz www.nelsoncollege.school.nz

MY KITCHEN

BBQ chicken with ginger & sesame cream Take the time to make this and you will love it. BY MADAME LUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S KITCHEN

Serves 4 as a light lunch Chicken Marinade Ingredients 4 boneless chicken thighs 1/2 cup coconut cream 1tbsp fish sauce 2tbsp red curry paste Ginger and Sesame Cream 1 cup of yoghurt 3 tbsp tahini 1 tbsp miso paste 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped 1 1/2tsp finely grated ginger Juice of 1 lemon Salt to taste Chilli Dressing 4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce Splash of fish sauce Juice of 1 lime To serve 2 stalks of kale, removed from stem 1 tbsp sesame oil Pinch of salt 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced Handful of coriander leaves 1/4 cup peanuts, roughly chopped Method:

2. For the sesame cream, whisk together 5. In a medium-size bowl, toss the kale all of the cream ingredients in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens. Set aside.

1. To make the marinade, combine 3. To make the chilli dressing, combine the coconut cream, fish sauce and red curry paste in a medium bowl and stir until well combined. Add the chicken and coat well with the marinade. Cover and set aside in the fridge to marinate overnight.

the sweet chilli, lime juice and a splash of fish sauce to taste. Set aside.

4. For the chicken, preheat a hooded BBQ

to 180c. Once up to temperature add the chicken thighs and cook for 5 minutes each side or until cooked through.

with the sesame oil and salt. Heat a medium-size frypan over medium heat and add the kale, sautĂŠ until softened but crispy on the edges.

6. To assemble, divide the sesame cream between 4 bowls, followed by the kale and red onion. Place the chicken on top and drizzle over the dressing. Garnish with the peanuts and coriander leaves.

www.madamelus.co.nz

C R E AT I V E C H E F

French cuisine with a twist WORDS & PHOTO BY FRANK NELSON

lenheim foodies will have taken note of a new restaurant in town, Mollies Bar & Eatery, which opened earlier this year at Hotel d’Urville and is helmed by a French chef with a Michelin star-studded résumé. Gianni Caprini, a born-and-bred Frenchman despite the Italian name, has worked as a chef for almost half his 30 years. His initial two-year apprenticeship started at age 16 and he later sharpened his skills at a handful of top restaurants in his home town of Lyon. The first of these was La Tour Rose, which once claimed two Michelin stars under renowned chef Philippe Chavent. Gianni was contracted there for two years and admits it wasn’t easy in the beginning. “In the first months you don’t touch any food at all,” he says. “They just teach you how to clean everything. They teach you that to be a chef is not just cooking. It’s also about cleaning. Cleaning is 80 percent of the job.” That key lesson was drummed into the teenage Gianni and has stayed with him ever since, shaping his working days which always end with a thorough clean-up ready for a fresh start the next day. That’s both the rule and routine at Mollies where Gianni and his sous chef, Brazilian Alan Crusoe de Souza after working long days in the kitchen, still clean everything before they finally head home. Besides Chavent, Gianni gained experience with several other chefs who Above: Chef Gianni Caprini

are household names in France; people like Laurent Rigal, Nicolas Le Bec (the name of the chef, his restaurant and the street it is on!), and Georges Blanc, the owner of a gourmet village near Lyon where his eponymous restaurant boasts three Michelin stars.

International CV Gianni says restaurants must work very hard to earn – and then keep – those stars. The environment can be pretty intense and he talks of regularly working 80 hours, sometimes more, each week. He once quit a job after eight months when the head chef punched him. Overall though, he says working in Michelin restaurants was a very positive experience. “The compromise is working a lot of hours but you’re working with such a good product all the time. And with good people. They don’t have to be nice. You just have to learn from everyone.” About six years ago he left Europe for Australia, settling in that country’s

food capital, Melbourne. For a while he bounced back and forth between there and France, and he was back in Europe when the opportunity to work in Marlborough came through. After a delay caused by Covid-19, Mollies finally opened towards the end of May. Now Gianni is drawing on his international experience to offer dinner guests at the restaurant some tasty treats. The duck breast, one of his signature dishes, is a firm favourite while the lamb is slow cooked for 12 to 16 hours. Chicken ballotine comes with a Japanese twist, creamy seafood chowder is one of two fish dishes on the menu, and vegetarians will relish portobello mushroom on French toast with goat-cheese cream. Gianni was a pastry chef for a year, so while he describes his desserts as ‘simple’, they are also a little bit special, chocolate lava cake with white chocolate ganache and raspberry sorbet being just one example.

Enjoy Nelson’s iconic café 204 Hardy St, Nelson 03 545 8555

www.lambrettascafe.co.nz 71

WINE

Photo: Lisa Duncan

Making a name in Marlborough’s wine industry BY SOPHIE PREECE

ules Taylor Wines is marking its 20th vintage in 2020, and its namesake says the time has gone ‘in the blink of an eye’. Back in 2001, Jules’ winemaking mentors suggested she start her own label, kickstarting a vintage of 400 cases in two varieties – riesling and pinot gris. “I figured that if it didn’t sell, our family was going to have a really great Christmas,” she says. The market’s response meant that festive indulgence wasn’t required, but it took some time for Jules and her husband George Elworthy to convince themselves to give up their day jobs. “At that time, I never even considered it would grow into a business that would be our sole means of feeding two skinny teenage boys.” In 2004, the range expanded to sauvignon blanc and has continued to grow, now including grüner veltliner with ‘exciting textural wines’ when grown in Marlborough. She’s also branched out into a second label of single vineyard wines, known as OTQ (On The Quiet), and has just launched The Jules Rosé, under a prettily pink new label.

“After all the doom and gloom of 2020, I decided I needed to focus on something fresh and positive.” J U L E S TAY L O R

Sourcing or growing grapes and making the wine is only part of the package, and Jules says her distributors have been invaluable in taking the wines to the world. “Selling the wine is the hard part and luckily we have some great friends in the trade who help us with that.” Despite the challenges of Covid-19, the label’s 20th vintage was kind to the harvest, and the wines are looking great, she says. “We just have to hope we can sell them now.” Annual travels to hand-sell wine have been replaced with hours of zoom meetings to talk with customers. And the ‘new normal’ has had some unexpected benefits, she says. “I’m looking forward to actually being here to enjoy a full year’s crop from my veggie garden.”

The winemaker’s picks: The Jules Rosé, 2020

Above: Jules Taylor 72

Rosé signifies “happiness in a glass”, says Jules, who has launched The Jules Rosé to

celebrate her new interpretation of the variety. Jules has made rosé since 2009 but used the 2020 vintage to give the wine a ‘makeover’, with a dry style and pale complexion wrapped up in a pretty label, depicting a hand within the vines. “After all the doom and gloom of 2020, I decided I needed to focus on something fresh and positive,” says the winemaker. The new rosé is made from merlot grown on Briant Vineyard in Gisborne.

Jules Taylor Grüner Veltliner 2020 Jules describes grüner veltliner as “the illegitimate lovechild of pinot gris and riesling”, with all the crowd-pleasing style of the former and the refreshing finish of the latter. It’s a little-known variety in New Zealand, but perfectly suited to the Marlborough climate, she says. “People are often scared to give it a go, worried that they will pronounce it wrong or won’t like the taste, but it is often our most popular variety when we taste it at events.” The 2020 is a single- vineyard wine from Marlborough’s Wairau Valley.

BREWS

A star is born BY MARK PREECE

Photo: Aimee Jules

he Matariki star cluster signals a new beginning. So it’s a fitting addition to Hop Federation’s label, marking the moment the Tasman craft brewery joined Kono’s kete of brands. Hop Federation was founded in 2013 by husband and wife team Simon and Nicki Nicholas and, together with their team of three, they’ve done a fantastic job of cementing their position in the local beer market. That position is poised to go further, as Kono – a family-owned Māori food and beverage producer – provides the catalyst for Hop Federation to spread its wings. Good things take time, says Simon, who is Hop Federation’s head brewer. “What started in 2018 as a casual chat has culminated in broadening our distribution channels, particularly in the export area.” Kono was a brilliant fit for the craft beer brewery, he says. “They are a family business, Te Tauihu-based, and experienced hop growers. We share their passion for sustainability, outstanding produce and making a difference in the community.” Simon will stay on as head brewer with the rest of his team and there is not expected to be any change on the horizon for what is already a great tasting range. “But it does open the door to experiment and produce a whole lot more seasonals,” says Simon. Hop Federation currently contract brew their core range at B-Studio. “Our 330ml range is already in cans and we have recently moved our 500ml bottles into 440ml cans,” says Simon. “We’re also tweaking our core range packaging too.” After that, the plan is for the seasonal brews to expand from keg alone to keg and 440ml can by the end of the year. To celebrate the union of the two companies, Hop Federation has produced a celebratory beer – the first of its seasonals in a 440ml can – called Hop Federation Kono Hazy IPA. Simon says, “The beer uses all New Zealand hops grown out here.” That includes a perfect blend of Motueka, Nelson Sauvin and Riwaka, all hops that they naturally

... the plan is for the seasonal brews to expand from keg alone to keg and 440ml can by the end of the year. produce. To purchase locally, it’s as easy as heading to Fresh Choice Richmond and other local retail outlets, says Simon. While you’re down there, why not grab a couple of others from the Hop Federation range too:

Rakau IPA, ABV 5.7%. They say: this varietal IPA features a relatively new local hop, Rakau. Its delicate nose and tropical-fruit flavours combine elegantly with Vienna malts as a base in a refreshing, apricot-coloured beer with a rounded, bittersweet finish.

Red IPA, ABV 6.4%. They say: tantalising passionfruit aromas give way to a delightful and unexpected combination of berries, tart ruby grapefruit and a comforting toasty malt on the palate, rounded off with a satisfying, sustained finish. An exuberant blend of colour, flavours and aromas; Red IPA is our signature beer.

Stout, ABV 5.5%. They say: a dark fullbodied beer that greets you with aromas of coffee and dark chocolate and follows through with hints of vanilla, cherries and a touch of cigar. The finish reveals a surprising blend of richness and warmth with a silky-smooth mouthfeel. 73

Sanctuary supports ‘survival of the rarest’ and future conservation leaders B Y J A C Q U I E WA LT E R S | P H O T O G R A P H Y T I M C U F F

onservation of our ecosystem is a vital part of the Nelson Tasman region’s and Aotearoa New Zealand’s identity. The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary is the largest fenced mainland sanctuary in the South Island and the second largest in New Zealand, making it a true treasure and a must-do visitor destination for anyone coming to Nelson. The Sanctuary is a community-based initiative that has created a wildlife haven close to the Nelson city centre. The Sanctuary consists of 690 hectares including the entire upper Brook Valley. Its history as a place that provided the vital resource of water and plants for rongoa (traditional healing) and its role as a source of kai (including that provided by birding and fishing) upon which the

tangata whenua relied for many hundreds of years is reflected in the Sanctuary’s name, with ‘Waimārama’ meaning ‘clear water’. The Sanctuary area was formerly Nelson City’s original water reserve and the source of the city’s water supply for more than 100 years. The proximity of the Sanctuary to Nelson’s CBD and the fact that it is also only a short distance from the suburban areas of Stoke and Richmond, makes it all the more special. It is accessible to visitors and to volunteers alike. This is important when we consider the huge number of hours that volunteers dedicate to maintaining the Sanctuary. “Volunteers have been at the heart of the development of the Sanctuary and continue to be crucial for its future,” says

“Volunteers have been at the heart of the development of the Sanctuary and continue to be crucial for its future." RU COLLIN

Brook Waimārama Sanctuary Chief Executive, Ru Collin. “The construction of a pest fence was integral to the creation of the Sanctuary and several years and thousands of volunteer hours have been contributed. Volunteers built tracks, trapped predators, and fundraised for the fence. It truly was a community effort based on goodwill and commitment, and we are all so grateful for all the work that’s been done.” Completed in 2016 after 12 years of planning and two years of construction, the Sanctuary is now safely enclosed by a 14.4 km fence. Removal of introduced pests inside the fence including goats, pigs, deer, mice, rats, cats, hedgehogs, possums, stoats and weasels was undertaken in late 2017 and 2018. Reintroducing lost species is important but it is just as vital to ensure vulnerable species already present in the Sanctuary return to healthy numbers, such as titipounamu (riflemen), toutouwai (robins), miromiro (tomtits), geckos (including the endangered Nelson Green Gecko), and skinks.

Photo: Supplied

W T + T H E B R O O K WA I M Ā R A M A SA N C T UA RY

A large section of the Sanctuary is mature beech forest. This is significant because it provides a substantial food source for several native species including kiwi, kākā, kakariki and tīeke (saddlebacks). “No other sanctuary in New Zealand has a stand of beech such as this,” says Ru. “Some of the trees are estimated to be between 250 and 400 years old. More than 250 species of plants have been recorded in the Sanctuary and the tracked birdlife includes rare species such as New Zealand falcon (kārearea), pīpipi (brown creeper), rifleman (titipounamu), and South Island robin (toutouwai). “New Zealand is facing a biodiversity crisis,” says Ru. “Our unique species of native birds and other animals, isolated for centuries, are ill-equipped to withstand predation by introduced species of mammals. Sadly, New Zealand has the highest rate of threatened species in the world.” Ru says that around 81% of our birds, 88% of our reptiles, and 72% of From top: Clockwise - Cave weta; tactile learning; toutouwai (robin); learning with water

Photo: Supplied

Opposite page: Brook Waimārama Sanctuary staff and volunteers are presented with new hi-vis vests by Lees Seymour (front row centre), Executive General Manager, OneFortyOne New Zealand. The company has supported the Sanctuary since 2014

“Our children inherit our legacy of conservation and care for our environment.” RU COLLIN

our freshwater fish are endangered and that an estimated 2,800 New Zealand native species are either threatened or endangered, which led the New Zealand government to establish the Predator Free 2050 initiative in 2013. “Fenced sanctuaries give us a fighting chance to restore the eco-system,” says Ru, “however, the Sanctuary’s work can only continue if future generations are inspired to contribute their time and knowledge. “Our children inherit our legacy of conservation and care for our environment,” he says. “It is crucial that we pass this on through education and study. If we do our part now to impart understanding and knowledge of the richness of our unique biodiversity we can prepare the next generation to build on the legacy of conservation that the Sanctuary represents. “Success means the Sanctuary will be the catalyst for a halo effect, with the endangered populations within the Sanctuary eventually overflowing into our backyards and other parts of New Zealand.

Photo: Rick Field

Rare flora and fauna

“In return, the environment we are creating is not only for the benefit of the wildlife. Connection with nature is now widely understood to be mentally enriching. “We know unequivocally, that being surrounded by nature has a considerable impact on our health and wellbeing: at the very least after reading this article, come and visit the Sanctuary. Better yet, get involved by volunteering.” The Sanctuary provides a wonderful array of activities including checking out the native weta ‘hotels’, historic weirs and beautiful waterfalls, and doing a spot of your own wildlife monitoring. There are guided or DIY walking options. A dedicated visitor centre with detailed information and interactive displays is on site to inform visitors about the Sanctuary and its work. Entry fees are family-friendly and becoming a Sanctuary supporter is an affordable way to get access to the Sanctuary for a year for a one-off payment of $50 per person or $100 per household. The Sanctuary is open to the public every Friday, Saturday and Sunday with additional open times during school holidays. Exciting events planned for the coming summer include two open days pencilled in for Saturday 24 October 2020 and Sunday 11 April 2021. “Entry on those days will be free,” says Ru, “and we are encouraging more of the community to come and visit the Sanctuary.”

Contact 03 539 4920 www.brooksanctuary.org.nz

D E S T I NAT I O N D U N E D I N

Ice cream castles in the air Combining heritage charm and grandeur with vibrant contemporary offerings, Ōtepoti (Dunedin) is a city of beauty and opportunity with so much to offer visitors, says Ivy Lynden. PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY DUNEDIN NZ

trip around the South Island was on the cards, and looming large on my personal travel GPS was Dunedin. It had been some years since I’d last visited that fair city and while much had changed, it was all for the better. Situated at the head of Otago Harbour, on the South Island’s southeast coast, Dunedin is known for its Scottish and Maori heritage, Victorian and Edwardian architecture, and a large student population, if you read the Internet. I’ll start with the old. The Dunedin I remembered was full of amazing architecture and yes, much of it is still standing, tall and proud several hundred years after it was built. Of course I checked out the typical tourist destinations starting with the gorgeous architectural Dunedin Railway Station, built in 1903. Designed by architect George Above: Tunnel Beach, Dunedin Opposite page: Clockwise from top - Albatross viewing on the Monarch Sunrise Tour; dining at The Esplanade on the beachfront in St Clair, Dunedin 76

Troup, it is testament to a bygone era in a magnificent heritage style transposed from Victorian England to New Zealand and constructed for the princely sum of 40,000 pounds. Bought by the Dunedin City Council in 1994, the station is now home to tourist trains trips, a restaurant, the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, and when permitted a Saturday morning produce market. Its main platform becomes a catwalk when Dunedin usually holds its annual fashion show. Next on my exploration list was another glamorous pile of old stones; this one fondly known as Lanarch Castle. Dating back also to Victorian times, this mock castle was built by prominent entrepreneur and politician of the time, William Lanarch, and is now privately owned by the Barker family. Open daily as a tourist attraction, both the ‘house’ and gardens are magnificent, with the latter being the first in the South Island to receive a ‘Garden of International Significance’ rating from the New Zealand Gardens Trust. And if you want you can book to stay in the four-star castle lodge. Of course Dunedin is known for lots more amazing old building such as the Otago Museum, Olveston Historic Home, St Paul’s Cathedral, Milford Galleries and – the pride of the south – the Speight’s Brewery. For me it was all about the buildings and the beaches and of course Baldwin Street which holds the title of being the world’s steepest street. You have to go there, don’t you? Imagine how many people have made the same journey up the street then back down; how many billions of photos have been taken, videos recorded and bragging rights claimed. The simple things in life! Sited where it is, close to the Otago Peninsula, Dunedin is a mecca for outdoors hobbyists with so much to do. Hiking

To do justice to Dunedin you probably need a week or three days minimum. and cycling trails crisscross its dramatic landscape, and the peninsula is home to colonies of albatross, sea lions and rare yellow-eyed penguins. A number of beaches cater for various recreational pursuits and my choice was St Clair which is also home to a thriving seaside community, with several eateries (make sure you book), various accommodation options and saltwater hot pools. Settled in to the St Clair Hotel overlooking this popular surf beach, it was easy to sit back, relax and listen to the sound of the waves rolling in. Perfect for a great night’s sleep! To do justice to Dunedin you probably need a week or three days minimum. Here are the council’s top tips on how to occupy your time:

1. Time Travel Also known as the Edinburgh of the South, Dunedin’s gothic buildings, beautiful cathedrals and quirky appeal are a hallmark of its early days as one of New Zealand’s first and most prosperous cities. Enjoy a sumptuous high tea in a castle ballroom or gardens, take a tour of Olveston which boasts an incredible collection of art and antiques from around the globe or simply stroll the downtown streets admiring other heritage highlights such as the ornate Dunedin Railway Station.

2. Rare wildlife The Otago Peninsula is an exceptional area of bio-diversity, where rare yellow-eyed penguins nest on the far reaches alongside the resident sheep and Hooker sea lions loll about on beaches. Witness the majestic Northern Royal Albatross at the world’s only mainland breeding colony, watch in awe as adorable little blue penguins come in from a day of fishing or take a more adventurous approach with a 4WD Argo tour. Many of the Wildlife experiences in Dunedin are also active in conservation and habitat restoration, so your entry fee contributes to preserving these species for generations to come.

3. Starry skies Watch the heavens unfold before you while exploring the renowned dark skies of the Otago Peninsula and wider Dunedin. Horizon Tours weaves a magical experience by sharing Māori tales of the celestial bodies and waiata under the stars, as you sit in snugly wrapped blankets, plied with hot soup and garlic bread. If you prefer your stargazing from the comfort of indoors, then the 360-degree Perpetual Guardian Planetarium at the Otago Museum has you covered.

4. A touch of culture If it’s museums and other cultural diversions you’re after, you’ll find many options to divert you in Dunedin. The award-winning Otago Museum houses a fascinating collection of local and international artefacts and a regular programme of international exhibitions. At Toitu Settlers Museum the interactive exhibits expertly mingles the early history of Dunedin’s settler population with installations from more recent times, complete with trolleybuses and vintage caravans. There’s more where that came from too, the Dunedin Chinese Gardens, Museum of Natural Mystery and lots of others ...

5. Eat, drink and be merry Dunedin punches well above its weight in the culinary stakes with a huge and fabulously eclectic range of eateries from quirky

cafes and miniature bars through to sophisticated restaurants. Locally sourced produce is something of a mantra and luckily the city has no shortage of ocean and pasture from which to draw fresh ingredients. Grab a table at one of the seaside cafes in St Clair or the hilltop enclave of Roslyn, otherwise wander the Warehouse Precinct for funky establishments with awesome coffee and make your way down to the Octagon, where you’ll find al fresco seating and excellent people-watching.

6. Explore natural wonders Surprisingly many of Dunedin’s wonders of geological architecture aren’t very widely known outside of the city. Tunnel Beach has risen to Instagram fame for its ruggedly romantic appeal and air of secrecy and the Otago Peninsula is a marvel in itself, with fascinating formations such as the Pyramids, just a little off the beaten track. The elusive sea arches of Doctors Point and the spectacular stroll around the Huriawa Peninsula are matched in magnificence by the dramatic surrounds of the Organ Pipes or Sutton Salt Lake.

7. Art big and small Grab a map and explore Dunedin’s outstanding Street Art Trail which is brilliantly woven through the central city and Warehouse Precinct, making for surprising discoveries around every corner. If you’re looking for expert commentary along the way, Small City Big Walls street art tour is a great way to experience the city through its street art. Art buffs will also enjoy the plethora of galleries, studios and exhibitions dotted around the wider city including the exceptional Dunedin Public Art Gallery. 77

ADVENTURE

Family adventures in the hills

From a young age, Marlborough outdoors enthusiast Brin Williman encouraged his children to head outdoors, trek up hills and ski down snowy slopes. He expands on his family’s active growing up. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

ou never stop being a parent. A role of parents is to give their children roots and wings. One of the roots that Jo and I offer our children is enjoying outdoor activities with us. Kate and four-years-younger Neil enthusiastically took up going into the hills with us from pre-school days. Now in their mid-thirties they still want to accompany their ageing parents with pack and ski. Marlborough and Nelson offer Blenheim residents great opportunities for outdoor activities. Bushline Hut on the Mt Robert ridge is one of the best first-time overnight trips. The track is never dull, winding around and up, a mixture of tussock and bush, to a comfy hut with a great outlook over Lake Rotoiti. One winter’s afternoon in 1989, I took Kate, then aged eight, there in the face of occasional snow showers. I received a snowball from my smiling daughter for my efforts. 78

“Kate and four-years-younger Neil enthusiastically took up going into the hills with us from pre-school days. Now in their mid-thirties they still want to accompany their ageing parents with pack and ski.” BRIN WILLIMAN

With Kate already ahead of him, three-year-old Neil took to skiing like a duck to water. My teaching technique was to hold a ski pole across our bodies for Neil to grasp as a support and we set off together down the learner’s slope. On the third run I let go of the pole after a few metres. He skied on a little, until he realised I had let go; at which stage he fell over. By the end of the day he was happily skiing by himself. Our first family overnight trip was to Mt Arthur Hut perched on the bush line. Next morning it was pretty windy on the ridge up towards the peak. After a while Neil announced, “I have done very well for a five-year-old; now I am going home!” With that he turned around and headed back. Jo, Kate and I had no option except to follow him down! In those days the Nelson Ski Club offered a wonderful facility at its Mt Robert ski field. It is a two-hour hike ascending 700 metres to the lodge-type accommodation. By the time Neil was seven (and Kate 11) they were robust enough for ski-carrying sorties there. It was a weekend commitment, and all skiers were assigned jobs including the children. Clothes had to be practical – not fashionable – for the walk-in. It proved a great experience both ski-wise and socially and is an activity our family sorely misses.

In 1995 a more adventurous three-day family trip was further along the Mt Robert ridge to Angelus Hut. From there it was a day trip to Sunset Saddle before exiting out down Hukere Stream on the third day. The top section of Hukere stream is steep. Jo and I were apprehensive of nine-year-old Neil bounding down the track oblivious of the possibilities of a tumble and its consequences. Later that year we headed to Indonesia for a family trip; an experience that had an eye-opening impact on both Kate and Neil. The highlight was an ascent of Gunung Gede, a nearly 3000-metre volcano 100 kilometres south of Jakarta. The base of the climb is at 1450 metres, but this still leaves a 1500-metre ascent. We decided to do it as a day trip from Jakarta, heading by taxi to the national park at its 7am opening hour. Hazards included boulder-hopping the outlet of a hot water spring, altitude effects and a hand rope for the steepest section. The family readily made it up and back down to the national park base by 5pm, only to find that our taxi had broken down. While I scouted around for an alternative, Neil fell asleep on the footpath. Eventually we persuaded some vehicleowning holidaying students to transport us (at a price), arriving back at Jo’s sister’s house at 10.30pm – a 17-hour day. Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku is Marlborough’s iconic peak. With Kate and Neil both in their teens the time was ticking away before Blenheim would no longer be their main residence, so in late summer 2001, along with their cousin Chris, we set off up the empty Hodder River to ascend the peak. On the way out Neil and Chris were almost successful in keeping their boots dry for the normal 80-plus crossings of the Hodder. Fast forward to 2007. The family was keen for a ski/ mountaineering trip on the Tasman Glacier. The usual modern style is a day trip, dropped off by plane at the head of the glacier, then picked up after the best of the skiing. We opted for old style; flying in, exploring around the head of the glacier and then a night at Kelman Hut before Above: Clockwise - Neil at three years old being helped to ski, 1989; Kate, Jo and Neil on Tasman glacier, 2007; A tired family team at Whariwharangi hut Abel Tasman, 1992; Neil, Jo, Brin and Kate on Sunset Saddle, 1995 Opposite page: Neil, Tove, Jo and Brin setting off on the Mt Robert ridge to ski tour to Angelus hut, 2017

the ski descent of the glacier and rough hiking out to the road end. A glorious day was spent skinning up and skiing down couloirs off Mounts Aylmer and Abel, until the weather changed and we were forced to spend the following three days hunkered down in Kelman (nicknamed Kelvinator) Hut while the icy wind battered the outside. Food and fuel were rationed, until at last a gap opened in the weather one afternoon and we were able to hastily set off down the glacier. We encountered good skiing conditions to de la Beche corner, where we swapped skis for tramping boots to trudge down the ugly moraine. It was dark before we reached the challenging moraine wall to Ball shelter, so we ascended by torchlight, finally reaching the hut about 10pm.

The latter years

The years roll by. Europe beckons to both Kate and Neil. In 2017 Neil and his Swedish fiancé Tove visited New Zealand on holiday, setting the scene for another family adventure. The Mt Robert Ridge is a tūrangawaewae for Neil, and he persuaded me to join him and Tove on a ski tour to Angelus Hut and back. Jo joined us for the afternoon hike to Kea Hut (the historic old Nelson Ski Club hut). As we grunt up the ridge, Tove commented that ski-touring trips in Europe usually started by stepping straight on to skis at the road end. The comment took on a greater poignancy when we found that there was less snow on the ridge than expected. Bad weather forced our return via Speargrass Creek, carrying our skis. Jo and I had left tramping the Milford Track until we were ‘older’ which we decided last year (2019) on reaching 70 that then was the time. Kate and Neil happily joined us – Neil flying in from Europe for a month and Kate from Wellington. A world-class walk including the spectacular Sutherland Falls, the walking the Milford experience created even more precious family memories. Always one for adventure, Neil had warmed up for the Milford Track by skiing the east face of Mt Aoraki. *See WildTomato February 2020. As for future trips? Wait and see! 79

SPORTS CLUBS

Biscuits, beauties and barnburners – go hockey B Y I V Y LY N D E N

Coming under its umbrella are several clubs. These include: • Stoke Hockey Club – P1 Men, P2 Men, Division 5 teams

Photo: Alex Mahrla

ike many sports, hockey has survived centuries evolving from a variety of other games to become the fastpaced, action-packed trial still played by millions internationally. The origins of the game date back possibly as far as ancient Egypt with paintings of what look like hockey exponents found amongst ancient friezes. That aside, modern hockey is a popular sport with men, women and young people. In Nelson Tasman and Marlborough two organisations look after the regions’ hockey players. Nelson Tasman is home to the Nelson Hockey Association which is responsible for the sports administration locally. Its overall vision is to develop and promote hockey in Nelson as an exciting and successful family sport accessible to all.

• Federal Hockey Club – P1 Men, P2 Men, P1 Women (x2), P2 Women, Division 4 (x2) & Division 5 (x2) • Tasman Hockey Club – P1 Men (x2), P2 Men (x2), P1 Women (x2), P2 Women, Division 4 (x5)

• Rewa Hockey Club – P2 Women • Waimai United Hockey Club – P1 Men, P2 Men, P1 Women, P2 Women (x3), Division 4, Division Above: Federal Black v Tasman Black Women’s premier grade hockey at Saxton Field, Stoke

The association also runs several youth and school holiday programmes. In Marlborough hockey is a very strong sporting code with a tradition of high achievements and strong profile both locally and nationally. Marlborough Hockey Inc. looks after the organisational side of the sport.

In winter it holds the fun sticks, junior, secondary school and open grade competitions, held on its own turf facility at College Park on Stephenson Street, Blenheim. During the summer months a range of competitions are run for recreational and performance-minded hockey players, structured to ensure that even players who have never played previously can participate. Clubs include Emcee, Arotea Kiwi and Beawai, supporting men’s, women’s and junior teams. www.nelsonhockey.org.nz www.hockeymarlborough.org.nz

INTERACTIVE COOKING CLASSES & DINING OPTIONS 133 Bronte Road East – 03 540 2422

www.tekoithelodge.com

Photos by Alex Mahrla of Federal Black v Tasman Black Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier grade hockey at Saxton Field, Stoke

P H O T O G R A P H I C E S S AY

MY WHEELS

Electric cars: the lifeline of the auto industry B Y N ATA L I E M O R E T O N

n the past two decades, the car market has declined twice: first due to the 2008 economic crisis, and then due to falling sales in China. Most recently, the lock downs implemented to combat the coronavirus pandemic, causing autoproduction plants to close globally and a loss of consumer spending, will lead to an unprecedented 23 percent decline in 2020, UK-based IDTechEx predicts. A recent report from IDTechEx cautions that in the following decade (2030-2040), things will not improve: the global car market will be blindsided by the rise of autonomous vehicles, which greatly reduces the need for private car ownership. Within this scenario, it is electric cars which will remain a beacon of growth, satisfying both the governmental drive to clean air in cities while also working more readily with autonomous vehicle technology.

Not a new idea In its simplest form, an electric car consists of an energy storage device powering one electric traction motor, which spins wheels via a transmission. First invented in the 19th century, electric cars ultimately lost the battle to the internal combustion engine, unable to compete with the energy density of gasoline. Over 100 years later, the Li-ion battery is enabling their meteoric rise as a solution for reducing local emissions and greenhouse gases. 82

Once derided as toys, today electric cars with barely 15 years of development offer cutting-edge automotive technology and performance, from sub 2.5 second 0-60mph acceleration, to autonomous driving functionality and solar bodywork. Battery-electric vehicles (BEV) are the endgame: zero emissions at point of use and the focus of automotive start-ups (and China). On the other hand, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) provide a short/mid-term solution, soothing initial fears of range anxiety. IDTechEx latest report, ‘Advanced Electric Cars 2020-2040’, provides a long-term outlook for the car market and enabling technologies in the wake of Covid-19. The key sections include:

Forecasts and Covid-19 Impact In the report, IDTechEx provides long-term forecasts to 2040 for electric passenger cars by region (China, US, UK, France, Germany, Norway, Netherlands, Denmark etc) and by powertrain (battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, fuelcell). Forecasts are presented in number of vehicles, battery demand (GWh) and market size ($billion), with historic data back to 2015.

Li-ion Batteries The IDTechEx report identifies and explains trends in Li-ion batteries for electric cars. For example, nickel content is increasing while cobalt content is

... today electric cars with barely 15 years of development offer cuttingedge automotive technology and performance ... decreasing: why is this important for automakers and the overall sustainability of the industry? It also provides historic market data on the Li-ion technology mix based on its database of electric cars in top auto markets.

Electric train motors All electric motors have the same purpose of converting electrical energy to mechanical energy, but there are many types of motors that derive their names from their construction, principles of operation or even from the control technique employed on them. The report explores why automakers are converging on permanent magnet motors and multiple motors, provides a benchmarking analysis of the different motor types, and identifies how it might evolve over the next decade. Source: IDTechEx with historic data from industry associations. For more information, please see the IDTechEx report, ‘Advanced Electric Cars 2020-2040’.

Photo: Frances Wilson

T O R Q U E TA L K

Out on the highways Richmond resident Karina Adamson is often seen out and about in a sporty little number. She tells us more:

We already had a 1954 Austin Healey and he happened to be looking online and showed me a picture of the Datsun Roadster and asked what I thought of it. I just said that I liked the round portal windows (this is on the hard cover, not pictured). A few days later he told me that we had bought it! I said well, since he had the Healey, the Datsun was mine!

What type of vehicle do you own?

What makes it special for you?

I have a 1967 Datsun Roadster Model SP (L) 311-U.

How did you come to own that particular make and model? In 2015 my then husband co-owned a classic car and restoration business, so I had been around classic and racing cars since 2001. Above: Karina Adamson with her Datsun Roadster

I like seeing the smiles on people’s faces when I drive it. It’s quite unusual, and you don’t see many of them around, especially this colour which is a very dark green. I like the look of the front grille as well.

How often do you drive it and where? With the amazing weather we have in the Tasman region, I try and get out during the weekends … if it is fine! I definitely hope to be driving it more as the weather improves, especially with the top down! I have taken it over to Golden Bay, Maharau, Kaiteriteri and Mapua. The furthest she has been is to Kaikoura back in 2015 to the Kaikoura Hop. I enjoy taking it out with the Moutere Hop group which I joined up with last year, when we get the chance to get together, and I also go out with other friends who have classic cars.

If you could have another car, what would it be and why?

What’s under the bonnet? The 1600cc engine is the original that has been newly reconditioned by the team at Cartel Works. Thanks guys!

I’ve always wanted an older-style, class silver Porsche Boxster. Why? I’m not sure but I just like the sound, style and lines of them.

Sleek Jaguars, cool Cadillacs, trusty Triumphs, the world’s fastest Mini, and so many more! Open 7 Days 10am-4pm Little Engine Eatery Museum Store www.nelsonclassiccarmuseum.nz

MOTORING

Yaris big on features BY KYLE CASSIDY

oyota’s new Yaris is a small car that offers big things. There are four variants of the five-door hatch to choose from, starting with the GX at $25,990 while the better specified ZR is $29,990. And, like all of Toyota’s new entrants, a hybrid powertrain is offered for both grades, the GX hybrid at $27,990 and the ZR at $32,990. Hybrids now comprise more than 50 per cent of Toyota’s sales. In 2018, they accounted for just 10 percent. Toyota says buyers now demand value, safety and technology in their small cars, and aren’t willing to compromise on features for a lower price tag. So Yaris is well specified, with a strong safety kit as standard. All models get radar cruise and active lane keeping, eight airbags and a more sophisticated form of autonomous emergency braking. This is alert to stray pedestrians and cyclists when manoeuvring at intersections and will automatically brake if it deems an accident is imminent. Inside there is a seven-inch touchscreen display and full

smartphone integration for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Both GX and ZR models are powered by a new 1.5-litre three-cylinder, the petrol good for 88kW with 145Nm of torque, while the system output for the hybrid models is rated at 85kW. Petrol use is a claimed 4.9lL/100km overall while the hybrid is said to drink as little as 3.3lL/100km. It has a small lithium-ion battery sited under the rear seat, meaning all models have the same 270lL of boot space available. Yaris hybrid gets moving under electric power, though the engine soon chimes in to boost acceleration. Once up to speed you can back off the gas and usually the engine will cut out. Provided there’s enough charge in the battery, momentum can be maintained on the electric motor, though not for long. This ‘electric range’ will vary, though it’s usually more than the stated 500m-1km. It will ‘EV’ at highway speeds (on the flat that is) but any call for acceleration sees the engine refire. There is an ‘EV mode’ button but effectively it only works in slow-moving traffic.

As for urban fuel consumption we found the Yaris can return 3.5lL/100km quite easily thanks to its electric running. It works well as a commuter with a tiny turning circle and light steering. The Yaris rides pleasantly too and is quiet in terms of engine noise.

Go hybrid Like its exterior, the Yaris cabin is packed with design flourishes and it feels well built. The seat is a tad firm while the touchscreen of the infotainment system is a bit of stretch from the driver’s seat. The ZR models adds a proximity key, head-up display, integrated nav, front and rear parking sensors and alloy wheels. There’s not as much rear seat space in the Yaris as you’ll find in a Suzuki Swift, while the boot capacity is about average for the class. We’d suggest opting for the hybrid model as it is both better to drive and easier on fuel consumption, which helps justify its slight price premium. Review supplied by NZAutocar

ARTS

Waxing on about encaustic art BY JOHN DU FOUR | PHOTOGRAPHY DOMINIQUE WHITE

ncaustic – painting with hot coloured beeswax – is the oldest painting medium in the world and probably the least well known. It predates all other mediums; from today’s acrylics to earlier watercolours and gouache, and before these, oils, which followed on from tempera and frescoes. Amazingly, you still need to go back another full millennium to the 1st to 3rd centuries AD to reach encaustic’s starting point. It originated with Greek artists employed in Egypt to create funerary portraits placed on the outside of coffins. The Greeks had discovered how to tint melted wax with colours and paint it on to wooden panels. It’s ancient knowledge that’s still at play today in the Top of the South, thanks to artist Helena Morris, who creates her encaustic paintings on her rural property in Upper Moutere. Above: Helena paints with melted tinted wax Opposite page: Clockwise - Encaustic allows for unique surface texturing; colourful works fill Helen’s studio 86

“The word ‘encaustic’ comes from the Greek word encaustikos, meaning to ‘burn in’,” Helena explains. “Beeswax and damar resin, a special tree sap, are melted together to create a glossy fluid medium which can be coloured with pigments. The resin helps harden the beeswax and adds sheen to the finished artwork.” The fact that encaustic paintings exist today, as fresh as when they were made 2000 years ago, attests to the medium’s incredible durability. Every bit as intriguing as the process itself is the story of how Helena, a career registered nurse, found her way into an artist’s life, and then into working with so ancient a medium.

A very big OE Helena grew up near Wellington but remembers often visiting Nelson on holidays. “It always felt a bit like a homecoming,” she says. “Dad’s side of the family, the Drummonds, were farmers going back to the first European settlers to arrive in Motueka.”

Completing her nursing training in 1988 at Wellington Polytech, Helena worked as a postgraduate in geriatrics and paediatric oncology. Three years later she set off overseas on her OE, heading first to Australia, then on to the USA, eventually running out of money in San Francisco and becoming a nanny for two years. Moving to London, Helena worked as a nurse before travelling back to Australia and then throughout Southeast Asia. “I spent time in Greece and Turkey in ’93-94,” she says, “before ending up back in London working full-time in Great Ormond Street Hospital in their cardiac ICU.” Helena met her husband Mark in London before making her way back to New Zealand via Africa. She gained work in Auckland at Starship Children’s Hospital and Mark soon joined her. After having their first child, they returned to the UK to be near the English side of the family. There they had twin boys, followed by another girl. In 2005 the now family of six made the move back to New Zealand, living on the Kapiti Coast for a few years before settling permanently in Upper Moutere. “We knew we wanted somewhere quieter, with a bit of land to enjoy,” says Helena.

“We found just what we were looking for in Dovedale. The community here is fantastic.” She laughs, “This is the longest we’ve stayed put anywhere! But then I always was a wanderer as a kid.”

Variety of art trainings “Art was my favourite subject at school,” recalls Helena. “I loved sketching and pencil work. But I figured the only dependable career in art would be teaching, so I focused instead on the medical world.” Helena dedicated herself to her nursing career. However, all her travelling fed her interest in artistic expression, and through a variety of short courses she explored a range of mediums, including batik, pottery and acrylic painting. After 23 years, things changed. “My husband needed to be away more often with his engineering work. With four children aged five to 10 I knew I needed to be at home a lot more. It became my focus.” Time at home also allowed Helena to undertake a part-time Diploma in Art and Creativity through Lower Hutt’s The Learning Connexion. “Its looser structure appealed to me,” she says. “I think it generally suits older artists. They need less direction than younger students.” Helena completed a major in acrylic painting and a minor in drawing. “My aim was to loosen up my right-brain ‘nursing’ side. Stop it conflicting with my left-brain ‘expressive’ side. “I really enjoyed discovering more of my own artistic language,” she says, “but was aware I was still seeking that ‘fire’, that elusive something to fully light up my artistic passion.”

Discovery in the library One day while perusing the art section in Richmond library Helena discovered a book about a medium totally new to her: encaustic painting. The cover image alone excited her so much that she took the book home and by the end of the night had read it cover to cover. Literally one week later, almost as if the universe was complicit in confirming a new path, Helena came across a oneweek short course offered by none other than The Learning Connexion again. It was all about encaustic art. She jumped at the chance, learning how to get properly started, where to source the refined beeswax and how to mix it with dammar resin, and how to use an electric fry pan to melt and maintain the wax’s correct working temperature.

“I’m always looking for new ideas, new expressions. My most recent series explored my menopausal musings over ‘Who am I?’ HELENA MORRIS

How to tint it from off-white into vivid colours. And how to use a blow torch to fuse each layer of wax onto the one below. “I knew at last I’d found my thing! So from 2014-16 I undertook an advanced Diploma in Encaustic Art. I’ve been doing it pretty much full-time ever since!” Helena says the most challenging thing about encaustic painting is also the most liberating – the process is incredibly changeable and unpredictable. “If you don’t move your torch away at precisely the right time, or you get distracted for a moment, even the ambient temperature in the studio, it all affects outcomes. “The process is very alchemic,” she says. “Wax allows for amazing textures, and enables you to literally embed things into the work, like sourced images and even 3D objects. “You’re constantly reacting to what’s happening and your struggles yield the most exciting results. I’m actually

more addicted to the making than the finished result. I immerse myself in the ever-changing process and just see what happens. “I’m always looking for new ideas, new expressions. My most recent series explored my menopausal musings over ‘Who am I?’ It featured female figures with houses for heads – something about pondering what I will be when all the kids have left home.” Helena offers encaustic workshops so others can experience its magic. “Most students find the process exhilarating, but scary. They want to be in control.” She laughs, “I explain to them that they can’t be. Nor should they! Just enjoy a new mode of expression and accept that it’s a journey. Be brave and have fun.” Which seems the perfect summation of Helena’s artistic life. Visit: www.hjmart.net

BOOKS

Three new titles – from three New Zealand authors COMPILED BY RENÉE LANG

The Jacaranda House

Suzanne Clark

Deborah Challinor

Retirement brings writing inspiration

Available now, $36.99 HarperCollins

BY RENÉE LANG

long-time resident of Collingwood, Suzanne Clark and her husband arrived in the small coastal community at low tide and at first glance saw little to commend the place. Fast forward 40 years and Suzanne now can’t imagine living anywhere else. Like many writers, Suzanne started early and would pen various imaginative stories back when she was a child. Then, more recently, when completing her degree via distance learning shortly before she retired, she found that she really enjoyed the research and essay writing component of the course. Given she had long nursed ambitions to write, finishing her degree gave her the confidence to say to herself, “I think I can do this and I’m now going to give it a go.” Four novels later, the writing urge is still there and her enjoyment of the research involved as strong as ever. She submitted her first novel, Awhina’s People, to a mainstream publisher but it took a very long time to get a response which, when it did come, was encouraging, but not quite encouraging enough so she thought, ‘Blow that, I’ll publish it myself’. As she discovered, this can be a lengthier process than she’d first anticipated but one of the main lessons learned was the importance of working with an editor. Although she’d really enjoyed the research involved in Awhina’s People, an historical novel, she deliberately chose a lighter genre for her next book, Mrs Lacy, which was well received in her community and further afield. Her third book, His Father’s Will, was based on her grandfather’s life and once again involved quite a lot of research. Interestingly, he had been brought up in an orphanage, although Suzanne freely admits she introduced some fictitious material here and there. In late 2016 she published Keep Your Head Up, My Girl, a novel that largely came about because she’d found the research into the era of her previous book, ie the turn of the century, particularly engaging. “I also wanted to experiment with writing in the first person, which I hadn’t done before.” Suzanne puts a lot of thought into each of her books, constructing what she describes as a scaffold that builds on a start and leads towards the end she has in mind. “Basically, I write my way towards the finish. If I haven’t got that beginning and end in mind, the story can get lost.” Unsurprisingly, Suzanne has already made a start on her next novel and without giving too much away, it can be said that it is, once again, based on historical events. You can order Suzanne’s books through Copy Press here in Nelson or contact her via email: suedesclark@gmail.com 88

est-selling New Zealand novelist Deborah Challinor once again puts her PhD in history to good use in this story of a shifting society set in Sydney’s Kings Cross back in the 1960s. Fans of her meticulously researched novels may recognise some of the characters who have cropped up in previous books.

Impossible: My Story

Stan Walker Available now, $39.99 HarperCollins

he story of musician, performing artist and actor Stan Walker first came to our attention when in 2009 he won the seventh and final season of Australian Idol. Given his background, which featured abuse and addiction as well as hardship and excess, that win did not come easy. This is a story of startling honesty and insight, told with a wonderful sense of warmth and hope.

Marti Friedlander: Portraits of the Artists Leonard Bell Available now, $75.00, Auckland University Press

he name Marti Friedlander will resonate with everyone interested in the arts, especially these powerful images capable of chronicling the country’s social and cultural life. This new book, published to coincide with a major Wellington exhibition, features 80 portraits of artists, writers, craftspeople and actors from the 1960s onward and is curated by prominent art historian Leonard Bell.

GALLERIES

Your local Gallery Showcase Your local Gallery Showcase is sponsored by WildTomato as its way to support and encourage our local artisans and galleries. Contact info@wildtomato.co.nz to be featured.

JENS HANSEN GOLD & SILVERSMITH

NIKKI ROMNEY SALIGIA ART GALLERY

ELIZABETH THOMSON THE SUTER ART GALLERY

320 Trafalgar Square, Nelson 03 548 0640 | www.jenshansen.co.nz

31 Trafalgar Street, Nelson 021 0824 6111 | www.saligia.org

208 Bridge Street, Nelson 03 548 4699 | www.thesuter.org.nz

CRAIG POTTON GALLERY + STORE

JANE SMITH CHOCOLATE DOG STUDIO

ROZ SPEIRS WALL TO WALL ART

255 Hardy Street, Nelson 03 548 9554 | www.craigpottongallery.co.nz

9 Te Aroha Place, Mapua 027 695 4433 | www.chocolatedog.co.nz

112 Bridge Street, Nelson 027 500 5528 | www.clarityglass.co.nz

RENATE VON PETERDORFF CERAMICS BY RENATE

DAVID TRUBRIDGE RARE CREATIONS

THE DIVERSION GALLERY

810A Queen Charlotte Drive, RD1, Picton 021 124 1779 | www.ceramicsbyrenate.co.nz

152 Mapua Drive, RD1, Upper Moutere, Nelson 03 540 2225 | www.rarecreations.co.nz

10 London Quay, Picton Waterfront 027 440 8121 | www.thediversion.co.nz

HÃ&#x2013;GLUND ART GLASS GLASSBLOWING STUDIO

RUSSEL PAPWORTH FOREST FUSION

THE GALLERY HAVELOCK

52 Lansdowne Road, Appleby, Richmond 03 544 6500 | www.hoglundartglass.com

Coolstore 3 Mapua Wharf, 1 Aranui Road, Mapua 03 540 2961 | www.forestfusion.com

60 Main Road, Havelock 03 574 2821 | www.thegalleryhavelock.com 89

MUSIC

Songbird returns home to Nelson BY EDDIE ALLNUTT | PHOTO SUPPLIED

ith whirring wings a Quayle has returned after immersing herself in the London jazz scene, jamming at Nigel Kennedy’s home and performing in front of thousands in Wellington. Nelson’s jazz diva, Tessa Quayle, who’s originally from Atawhai, feels it’s good to be home with her South African partner, Nick, and their four-year-old daughter, Nika. By the way, she met Nick in London, late one evening, as the ‘stranger in the kitchen’ who’d actually been her flatmate for a month. Quayle started classical violin lessons at four thanks to encouragement by her musical mum. However, this genre became too structured for this spontaneous free bird that liked to wing lyrics. “I needed a bit more of a creative outlet. I’d rather be making up my lines rather than reading notes,” she says and goes on to recall her early influences, “Django Reinhardt, Ella Fitzgerald and Anita O’Day – the old school singers as well as guitarists.” At the end of sixth form, Quayle had had enough of school and decided to follow her dream. She was into singing and heard about this school down in Christchurch “where you could just do music all day long”. However, before committing to three years, she decided to do a local one-year contemporary music course, which back in those days was at the School of Music. After four years of intensive music, Quayle graduated but the study wasn’t over quite yet – Wellington was calling. “In the back of my mind – and also my mum was saying – be sensible, be sensible, Above: Songbird Tessa Quayle jazzes it up 90

you have to have a fallback,” so Quayle decided to do one more year to gain a teaching degree. She went straight into music teaching at a Wellington high school, which took its toll. “Two years of full-time classroom music teaching kind of burnt me out.” A covey of quail is known to take flight en masse, so she embarked on her big OE with none other than her granddad, whom Quayle describes as ‘a very worldly-wise traveller’.

Teaching gigs In London, Quayle soon found a job relief-teaching music and although she described it as ‘hardcore’ it gave her funds to travel in Europe and she submersed herself into the ‘Swinging City’s’ jazz scene. She says, “I basically went out every night to see live music. Jam nights, concerts – just so many venues. There was this ‘Jazz Times’ pamphlet that they’d send out each week with all the gigs around London. I’d be sitting in my bedroom looking at like ten different options for one night thinking, how can I go from here to there so I don’t miss out on something?” These days Quayle is involved in organising the Nelson Jazz Festival, still doing concerts and works as a vocals teacher, both privately and at Nelson College for Girls. She says that the girls prefer contemporary music such as Adele and Billie Eilish but she does ‘sneak in a little bit of jazz’ and generally if she doesn’t tell them it’s jazz, they dig it. Gabor Irmalos, a local percussion maestro who’s originally from Hungary, says, “I was lucky enough to perform with

I spend a lot of time listening to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McCrae and Betty Carter, Jo Williams, Eddie Jefferson.

A truly unique cultural experience for all ages!

Join our 3hr Split App 9am daily, from Kaite These days Quayle is involved in organising the Nelson Jazz Festival, still doing concerts and works as a vocals teacher, both privately and at Nelson College for Girls.

Tessa in the Nelson Jazz Quartet. I was so impressed by her professionalism and I always got carried away with her solos and creativity.” Quayle says there is a jazz scene in Nelson proportionate to its size with its regulars, but also you’ve always got people travelling through, coming back for a little while and connecting. “It’s nice to always have that fresh perspective, vibes coming in. People like Simon Lusby and Tom Rainey.” To attract more interest and all ages to Nelson Jazz, Quayle adds, “We’ve got a new website and up-to-date Facebook page. There is a summer and winter series and there’s a festival. The summer series is at Founders Park on regular Sundays and the winter series at Club Waimea. The Honest Lawyer, Boathouse and Styx have gigs too.”

Get a group together: friend workmates

Book www

03 52 0800 Book online: www.WakaAbelTasman.nz 03 527 8160 | 027 527 8160 0800 WAKA AT (0800 925 228)

• No experience n • We welcome families

Listening list If Quayle hasn’t played with a band before, she does get a ‘wee bit nervous’ but those jitters usually turn to energy once on the stage and she describes performing live as an ‘amazing feeling’. Her experience in jazz is that it’s a bit of a luxury to have an actual band that you rehearse with every week. If you’re looking to listen to jazz, Quayle says, “The good old singers back in the day – you can’t get better than them. I spend a lot of time listening to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae and Betty Carter, Jo Williams, Eddie Jefferson. You also can’t not listen to artists like Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane.” She also recommends the contemporary Tina May who she’s had lessons with and Kurt Elling who she met twice after concerts. “He’s got an amazing voice and his arrangements are crazy awesome.” If interested in a style called vocalese, where lyrics are added to a previously recorded instrumental solo, she reckons you can’t go past a trio called Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Bop a do bop a shu whah!

Get a group together and take advantage of our great specials for locals Proud to be a part of: www.helirescue.co.nz/backyard and www.facebook.com/ilovenelsontasman

Join our 3 hour Split Apple Rock trip, 9am daily, from Kaiteriteri Beach

P U K A P U K A TA L K S

Hearts & human rights feature in Pukapuka Talks B Y K E R R Y S U N D E R L A N D , P U K A P U K A TA L K S C O O R D I N AT O R

ward-winning Iranian Kurdish journalist and author Behrouz Boochani will appear with fellow Iranian refugee Golriz Ghahraman in conversation with investigative journalist Anke Richter at this year’s Pukapuka Talks on Friday 23 October, as part of the 2020 Nelson Arts Festival. Behrouz survived, stateless, for seven years – six of those imprisoned by the Australian Government in an offshore detention centre on Manus Island for the ‘noncrime’ of seeking political asylum – before arriving in New Zealand in November last year to be greeted by a small entourage including human rights activists, literary folk and fellow refugees, including Golriz. After meeting Behrouz, ‘the world felt a little freer, a little fairer, and a little more hopeful’, Golriz writes in her memoir, Know Your Place, which was published by HarperCollins just after the nationwide lock down. Behrouz recently learned his application for refugee status in New Zealand had been successful, which meant he could accept our invitation to talk at this year’s festival. The event, which is titled ‘Fleeing to Freedom’, will be held at 5.30pm on Friday 23 October at Old St John’s in Hardy Street. It will be presented in association with Multicultural Nelson Tasman and the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA), which is the local arm of PEN International, the organisation that fights for the human rights of writers around the world. The following morning, Behrouz will return to the stage, this time at the Suter Theatre, to appear in a panel discussion titled ‘Our People, Our Cultures, Our Languages’ with tangata whenua and other recent arrivals. NZSA PEN representative Dana Wensley will chair this session. Above: From left - Iranian refugee Golriz Ghahraman; new books to read and discuss 92

At 1pm on Saturday 24 October, join three writers who know how to make people laugh – Mara and Lil O’Brien in conversation with Nelson Mail columnist Ro Cambridge – as they discuss how it is possible to engage readers in important stories using humour. On Saturday at 3.30pm, multi-award-winning author of fiction for young adults Mandy Hager will facilitate what is guaranteed to be a ‘hearty’ conversation with local YA writers Rachael Craw, Brin Murray and Robyn Prokop. Both Brin and Robyn will be publishing their new books – Heartsblood and Heartstone, respectively – in October. This session will appeal to young readers, adult readers and current and aspiring YA writers.

Author sessions The Sunday sessions kick off with another book full of heart, when Miriam Lancewood discusses Wild at Heart, her sequel to the international bestseller, Woman in the Wilderness. Christine Leunens (author of Caging Skies, which Taika Waititi adapted into the Oscar-winning film Jojo Rabbit) and Alexandra Tidswell (author of the captivating historical fiction novel Lewisville) will then join me on stage to discuss how they work with both research and imagination when creating characters from the past. Audiences will also get a glimpse into both authors’ works in progress. Our final Pukapuka Talks session at the Suter sees Ian Trafford and William Moloney in conversation about the novels each wrote inspired by their grandfathers’ WWI diaries. This year, Pukapuka Talks extends beyond the Suter with a number of ‘Lit Crawl’ style ‘genre-bending’ events either side of Labour Weekend. The literary programme kicks off on Tuesday 20 October with Nelson Live Poets featuring the extremely vibrant 80-year-old poet Rachel McAlpine and concludes with the launch of kiss me hardy, NMIT’s literary and arts journal. In between these two bookends you can also sign up for two writing workshops, join Cliff Fell and John Newton to explore the poem’s ability to escape the lyric tradition and, on the public holiday, enjoy wine and nibbles at Pic’s Peanut Butter World before hearing Annabel Langbein go ‘behind the scenes’ of her life when she discusses her new memoir, Bella, with local food writer Nicola Galloway. Visit www.nelsonartsfestival.nz or Eventfinda for more details

FILM

One to be sheared BY EDDIE ALLNUTT

Gifts with Style

Rams Comedy, Drama Directed by Jeremy Sims Starring Sam Neill and Michael Caton 1h 55min Rated PG

hen a rare breed of sheep is threatened to extinction, can two feuding brothers – who haven’t chewed the fat for 40 years – unlock their curly horns to make a plan to save the species? Australian Rams (2020) is a reworking of an Icelandic film that debuted in 2015 called Hrútar. This Icelandic creation won the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes. The award showcases films ‘from other angles’ – films with unusual styles and nontraditional stories. Although Rams isn’t as artistic, morose and thought-provoking as its European counterpart and won’t appeal to cinephiles as much, it takes the liberty of an extra half hour to make a more entertaining, colourful and humorous movie. It’ll appeal to Kiwis and Ockers who like an ode that gets dirt under the nails. The Australian version follows the original narrative somewhat sheep-like, but with a twist of down under. Dust replaces snow, fire and ice. It also moves forward faster than that Scandi glacier by adding subplots amongst the residents of Mount Barker, a small town located in Western Australia’s Great Southern Region. Just like the Gummi and Kiddi the gritty, polar bros who played their parts just as good in knitted Norsewear as they did nude, Les (Michael Caton) and Colin (Sam Neill) are brilliant in their own right. Interestingly, it’s their first collaboration since The Sullivans. Remember that one? Curmudgeon vs Curmudgeon. There’s not much the Antipodean siblings have in common except a tenderness for the woollybacks on their station and an aversion for each other. There’s also an unrivalled rivalry at the annual ram show, where one of them ends up feeling fleeced by the judge who did get the ‘sack’. Col comes across as more calculated and having the smarts while Les is pure brash and brawn. When Les is pissed off and mixes booze with that blazing yellow ball or a 12 gauge, the consequences usually aren’t good for Col who’s about as nervous as a piglet that sees the new charcoal rotisserie barbeque arrive. Director Jeremy Sims, who you might know from Last Cab to Darwin, has created that country community band-together feel. Miranda Richardson plays Kat the local vet. Her callipygian features are certainly a temptation for a lonely herdsman; however, she has rules to follow to eradicate the disease, which does cause friction. Aboriginal actor Wayne Blair as Lionel adds another perspective as a farmer who has to do the despicable to survive. Asher Keddie is Angela, who, when not helping out on the farm, doubles up as the town’s fire officer, and then there’s Leon Ford as De Vries, the vexing stray in the sheep pens. The cheddar just melts off this official. Other actors worthy of nomination are the small mob of Dorset ewes that bleat out their lines on script and a mammoth ram that goes about his work with curled-up lips. His timing is impeccable.

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Please note that some events may be cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

EVENTS

Regular Markets

Nelson Tasman Thursday 8 to Friday 9

Every Saturday morning

The Man Who Was Thursday

The Nelson Market 8am to 1pm

A gripping and sharp-witted adaptation of the thriller in which nothing is what it seems. This is fast-paced and totally compelling theatre which has received awards and high praise at both NZ and international festivals. 8pm.

MONTGOMERY SQUARE

Photo: Daniel Allen

Every Sunday Motueka Market 8am to 1pm

THE SUTER ART GALLERY AND THEATRE, NELSON

DECKS RESERVE CAR PARK

Every Sunday Monty’s Market 8am to 1pm MONTGOMERY SQUARE

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER

Saturday 10 to Sunday 11

Thursday 22 to Friday 23

Show Me Shorts

Thursday 1 to Saturday 31

Good things come in small packages!  Show Me Shorts is New Zealand’s leading international short film festival. Audiences will embark on a thrilling, hilarious, moving and cathartic ride through their emotions. Learn something. Feel something. Be inspired! 7.30pm.

Into the Belly of Capricorn – Estère

October on New Street A collaboration between Nelson Arts Festival and New Street bars, New Street is hosting five festival events, and bars and venues will be open so you can grab a drink before or after a show. Events include Cycle-in Flix, Street Karaoke, Nelson Live Poets, Eamonn Marra, The True Story I Made Up, Escaping the Poem. For more information on events and venues, visit www.nelsonartsfestival.nz NEW STREET VENUES, NELSON

Wednesday 7 The Shows Must Go On Dust off those musical theatre cobwebs and return to your seats to indulge in the magic of the best songs from stage and screen. With stunning backdrops, theatrical staging and featuring an exquisite cast of some of our best international performers, this will be an experience you will never forget. 7.30pm.

THE SUTER ART GALLERY AND THEATRE, NELSON

Following a sold-out debut at the New Zealand Festival of the Arts earlier this year, vocal artist and producer Estère brings her newest show to Nelson Arts Festival. Known for her unique style of electric blue witch-hop, mesmerising voice and one-of-a-kind performances, Estère offers audiences the chance to experience a uniquely dynamic and curated live music show. 8.30pm. THEATRE ROYAL, NELSON

Tuesday 13 CMNZ presents the Marmen Quartet A fresh and talented string quartet featuring New Zealandborn violist Bryony GibsonCornish, Marmen Quartet is one to watch. Marmen Quartet offer you a journey through time to the present and back again. Join this young quartet who are embarking on an exciting international career. 7.30pm. NELSON CENTRE OF MUSICAL ARTS, NELSON

Saturday 24 to Sunday 25 The Human Voice Written in the middle of the last century by two enfants terribles of the French art scene, Poulenc and Cocteau, The Human Voice is an uncompromising performance that challenges the audience to play detective in unravelling lies both spoken and unspoken. An unflinching examination of the human condition in 45 minutes you cannot look away from. 6pm and 8pm. RUTHERFORD HOTEL, NELSON

THEATRE ROYAL, NELSON

Saturday 17 to Monday 26 Friday 9 Blindspott with special guest City of Souls Recent winners of 2020 The Rock FM’s Rock Wars, Blindspott will be performing their iconic, debut multi-platinum album Blindspott in its entirety! Don’t miss this one-off opportunity to witness one of our greatest rock bands performing live. 8pm. TRAFALGAR CENTRE, NELSON

Founders Annual Book Fair The annual Founders Book Fair, postponed from June, will offer a huge variety of second-hand books, DVDs, vinyl records, puzzles and games for sale at bargain prices. Purchase a $5 ten-day pass or pay a daily entry fee of just $2. 10am to 4.30pm every day. FOUNDERS HERITAGE PARK, NELSON

Every Wednesday Nelson Farmers’ Market 8.30am to 1.30pm KIRBY LANE

2nd Sunday of the month Cars & Coffee 9am to 12pm CLASSIC CAR MUSEUM CARPARK, CADILLAC WAY, NELSON

Saturday 31 Avantdale Bowling Club Hip-hop Artist at the 2019 Music Awards, with a No. 1 album and a Silver Scroll song-writing nomination, Tom Scott brings his hip-hop/jazz project, Avantdale Bowling Club, to our region. 8pm. THEATRE ROYAL, NELSON

Sunday 1 The Nelson Half Run on a scenic, flat course around the walkways of Stoke and Richmond, this event is ideal for all abilities. Half marathon, 10km, 5km and 2.5km fun run and walk. SAXTON FIELD SPORTS COMPLEX, STOKE

EVENTS

Regular Markets

Marlborough Friday 9

Every Saturday Artisan Market 9am to 2pm

Bayleys Friday Night Feast Marlborough’s biggest and best street party is back! Enjoy finest produce coupled with incredible local talent, live entertainment and festive vibes. Hit up this food lovers’ festival for a celebration of Marlborough food, the people who make it happen and the culinary geniuses who bring it all together. 3.30pm.

QUAYS, BLENHEIM

Every Sunday Marlborough Farmers’ Market 9am to 12pm The Sunday Marlborough Farmers’ Market is based on supporting local, fresh and seasonal produce and products. Everything has been picked, grown, farmed, fished, produced and made by the people selling it at the market.

BLENHEIM CBD

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER Friday 9 Chris William + Your Indigo, Light Shines Above Release Tour Chris William is a singer-songwriter and, as a trained jazz bassist, he builds his sound from the bassline up. A blend of acoustic and synthesised sounds rest on this foundation – moody synthesisers, manipulated strings, reversed piano, and even bird song. His slowburning melodies evoke the awe of nature and being alone with your thoughts. 8pm. THE PLANT, BLENHEIM

Saturday 10 Hopetoun Brown “It’s the pervading sense of fun together with a respect for antique jazz, blues, plantation

A&P SHOWGROUNDS

work songs, doo-wop and funk that gives Hopetoun Brown their edge.” Metro magazine. If you’re looking for a jazz journey that starts in New Orleans and ends at your back door, this could be your night. 7.30pm. PICTON LITTLE THEATRE, PICTON

Saturday 10 Marina 2 Marina 2020 Enjoy this scenic annual running event in the heart of the Marlborough Sounds. This unique competition utilises the picturesque trails between Picton, Waikawa and Anakiwa. With a variety of walking or running courses to choose from, this event is suitable for all levels of fitness. The event begins and ends with a festival atmosphere and family entertainment. 7am to 1pm. LONDON QUAY, PICTON

Thursday 5 November to Sunday 8 November Rapaura Springs Bloom in the Boom 2020 NZ’s premier garden event, dreamt up by gardeners for gardeners, is a celebration of Marlborough’s stunning landscape, showcasing the very best the region has to offer with garden tours, garden-themed workshops and social events. Check out www.gardenmarlborough.co.nz for the programme. GARDEN MARLBOROUGH, BLENHEIM

Sunday 11 Comedy: Alexander Sparrow is DJ Trump See public Trump at a rally AND private Trump in therapy! After taking control of America, he digs deep and realises it’s time to take control of his own life. In his 74th year, he will finally ignore his parent’s expectations and pursue his childhood dreams of becoming a hip-hop recording artist. 7pm. PICTON LITTLE THEATRE, PICTON

Thursday 15 The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers Tour After selling out Auckland’s Powerstation in just six days, Auckland’s indie faves The Beths embark on a nationwide tour in support of their new record Jump Rope Gazers. The Beths have gathered an ever-increasing fan

base in New Zealand and around the world. 7pm. FRAMINGHAM WINES, RENWICK

Friday 16 The Woolshed Tour: ‘Life’s a Bitch’ & Mel Parsons Spring 2020 sees the smash-hit Woolshed Tour return with a new double-bill – ‘Life’s a Bitch’ & Mel Parsons. It’s music, it’s comedy, it’s theatre and it’s all rolled into a brilliant and unmissable community night out. Each event will start with a fundraising BBQ dinner, come hungry and support your local kids! 6pm fundraiser, 7pm show. TYNTESFIELD, WAIHOPAI VALLEY

Friday 16 to Saturday 17 Sticks ‘n’ Stones Two days, four stages of mountain bike heaven on private Marlborough trails. Two days of two-wheeled fellowship with lunches and evening meals provided. 8am. GIESEN SPORTS AND EVENTS CENTRE, RENWICK

Friday 23 The Fleetwood Mac Show – Running in the Shadows This renowned six-piece rock band explores Fleetwood Mac’s extensive back catalogue, covering all the classic ballads, blues and rock songs from their five- decade-plus career. 8.30pm. ASB THEATRE MARLBOROUGH, BLENHEIM