We Love You New Zealand 2020

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HOT STUFF

Where to find the best pies

Are you crazy?

Thrills with a difference

TREE TIME

Forest bathing is best done in New Zealand

ISSUE 1 / SEPTEMBER 2020 NATURE • TASTE • ACTIVE • QUIRKY • ART/CULTURE • FAMILY

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Editor’s letter

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Best of FRIENDS Think of ‘We Love You New Zealand’ as a call of support, of camaraderie; the title of a theme song we all know the words to and sing loudly on our road trips. It’s what the country would tattoo on its sun-kissed arm or wear emblazoned on its cotton t-shirt. We Love You New Zealand!

Be encouraged to get to know it, to embrace it fully and to be its best friend.

Lake Wakatipu, Otago © Getty Images

o you know this country pretty well – you’ve enjoyed its company for some time now and you’re committed, yes?

To keep that romance alive, we suggest you add a little spice.

This first issue of We Love You New Zealand! is about the spice.

We want to get you thinking beyond the obvious travel options. It’s easy to have a great time in this country; there is no shortage of excitement, beauty and inspiration to be found here. But to keep it fresh, to get the most of the here and now needs a bit of something else. A new angle. That’s what this magazine is about – presenting some new angles.

We say: find the quirky, take the detours, take your time! In return, you’ll get a load of life-enhancing, eye-opening, heart-warming memories.

Kath Webster Editor

My favourite place Time on Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf slows down somehow; it seems to take on an easy pace, encouraging endless meanders along glorious whitesand beaches, quiet swims, afternoon picnics and happy evenings absorbing the peace of island life.

Windy Canyon Track, Great Barrier Island © Scott Venning

We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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Contents Nature 06 Why New Zealand is perfect for forest bathing 10 Q&A Hamilton Gardens, Dr Peter Sergel 12 All for the birds 18 Animals you’ll only find here

TASTE THE WORLD without ever seeing an airport

20 Starry, starry night 22 Q&A Rachel Gillespie

Taste 26 Taste the world without ever seeing an airport 30 A pie a day keeps the hunger at bay 32 Q&A Sachie Nomura 36 What’s your picnic style?

Active 40 New Zealand’s 10 Great Walks

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CULTURAL PEARLS ABOVE: Waitangi Treaty Grounds’ Meeting House carvings © credit David Kirkland

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Art/culture 72 Cultural pearls 78 The golden age of travel 82 Q&A Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Josh Manu 84 Man-made

44 Q&A AJ Hackett Bungy, Henry van Asch

86 Curtain call

46 The Whanganui River: a great walk with no walking

90 Make your own Kiwi souvenir

52 7 thrills that aren’t bungy jumping

92 Q&A Sculptureum, Anthony Grant

Quirky

Family

56 Places that showcase quirky Kiwi humour

96 Better than any school lessons

58 Around the world in an Aotearoa daze

100 Q&A Whoa! Studios, David Sutherland

64 Q&A Elvis Presley Museum, Kevin Wasley 65 Shared treasures 66 Wacky accommodation 68 Q&A Minimalist Travellers, Paul & Sandra

104 Nature babies 106 Q&A Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools, Graeme Abbot 108 Kids’ activities that adults love too

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WHY NEW ZEALAND IS PERFECT FOR FOREST BATHING

ISBN > 978-1-98-852353-8 © The New Zealand Automobile Association Incorporated 2020. All rights reserved.

AA, the AA logo and the Tourism pictogram are registered trademarks and the colour combination YELLOW & BLACK are trademarks of The New Zealand Automobile Association Incorporated.

While every care has been taken in the compilation of this magazine, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for inaccuracies or changes since going live, or for consequential loss arising from such changes or other inaccuracies, or any other loss direct or consequential arising in connection with information provided in the publication. Due to the pandemic, we also advise you to check before you visit any establishment mentioned, as they may be in hibernation or offering limited services.

There is no requirement for advertisers in this magazine to provide discounts for AA Members; some individual advertisers offer concessions and details of these are indicated in their listings. All content in advertisements was provided by advertisers.

ABOVE: Tāne Mahuta, Waipōua Kauri Forest © Northland Tourism LEFT: Sculptureum, North Auckland © ATEED BELOW: Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, Taranaki © Getty Images FAR LEFT: Doughnut ice cream, Giapo, Auckland © David Zerilli COVER PHOTO: Kayaking Onetahuti, Abel Tasman National Park, Nelson © Kaiterteri Kayak

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced (except brief passages for the purpose of review), stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publishers.

Published in September 2020 by AA Tourism Publishing Ltd Level 1, Building 2, 61 Constellation Drive, Mairangi Bay, North Shore, Auckland 0632 PO Box 101 001, North Shore, Auckland 0745 T. 09 966 8720 F. 09 966 8721 E. tourism.images@aa.co.nz W. aatraveller.co.nz Advertising Enquiries: T. 09 966 8720 E. tourism.sales@aa.co.nz Editor: Kath Webster Senior Writer: Anna Sarjeant Contributors: Eve Stanley, Monica Tischler, Elisabeth Easther Designers: Caroline Cameron-Blackgrove, David Walker Bell

SCULPTUREUM ANTHONY GRANT

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The great

Outdoors

Look after Mother Nature and she’ll look after you.

Feel-good outdoor pursuits benefit the brain, body and soul.

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NATURE Smugglers Bay Loop, Northland © Northland Tourism

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Whangārei Falls, Northland © Northland Tourism

What’s the big deal with

FOREST BATHING?

Here in Aotearoa we love swimming in the ocean, quick dips in the river and a soothing hot pool, but what exactly is forest bathing? And why is New Zealand such a good place to try it?

SHINRIN-YOKU verb (v) forest bathe; to take in the forest atmosphere.

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hinrin-yoku (that’s forest bathing to you and I) was first coined in Japan to describe an all-natural antidote to workplace burnout. But don’t be fooled by the word bathing: no togs are required for this recreational must-do.

The idea of forest bathing encourages a full retreat into nature, but one that goes much deeper than simply enjoying the great outdoors. Fundamentally, it’s about asking yourself, ‘when was the last time I properly used all five senses to lose myself in the environment?’ Going for a brisk walk this is not; the purpose of forest bathing isn’t to reach anywhere specific, or

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in a certain timeframe, it’s about taking the opportunity to discover the shades, shapes, sounds and smells of the forest – with seemingly no intention, other than that it’s good for you.

Exposure to trees, fresh air, blue sky and birdsong is believed to help bolster the immune system, counter illnesses, reduce stress, lower blood pressure and aid sleep. Pretty important stuff in 2020.

Luckily for us Kiwis, we have enough forest on our fair isles to bathe away an eternity, but if you’re after something more substantial than your back-garden beech tree, we’ve picked five of the best places to shinrin-yoku.

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But first, the rules: Ditch devices – you’re after bird twitter not social Twitter.

Ignore the suggested routes – try to be spontaneous without compromising your safety.

Let your senses lead – follow whatever looks, smells or sounds good.

Listen – where possible, close your eyes and open your ears.

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Goblin Forest, Taranaki, North Island

Waipōua Forest, Dargaville, North Island

For those reluctant to coax out their inner tree-hugger, you don’t need to touch anything in Goblin Forest in order to feel it: the goose pimples are instantaneous. As a result of kāmahi trees growing all over the trunks of pre-existing trees, the forest now seems somewhat hairy: enchanting to some, eerie to others – but like anything not quite the norm, seriously fascinating. Reach out and touch if you dare or wait to be tickled as you brush past creeping branches. Tell yourself the whispers are just wind and goblins don’t exist; by the time you remerge from the bush, you won’t be convinced of either.

There’s a figure in this forest that overshadows all of its inhabitants both physically and metaphorically.

Tāne Mahuta is the country’s largest kauri tree. Known as the Lord of the Forest, its trunk measures an astounding 4.4 metres and reaches a height of 18 metres. Believed to be approximately 2000 years old, Tāne Mahuta is practically a teenager when compared to Te Matua Ngahere: also a resident of Waipōua Forest, this grandfatherly entity is between 2500 and 3000 years old. If you’re going to forest bathe anywhere, it might as well be with these two noblemen.

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LEFT: Tāne Mahuta, Waipōua Forest, Dargaville © David Kirkland

HOW CAN I BE ENVIRO-FRIENDLY? Leave no trace: carry out exactly what you carry in, including rubbish. Stay on marked tracks to protect the natural environment, and plan your trip well ahead so your environmental impact is minimal. Toilets aren’t always readily available, so be aware on which tracks you might need to ‘dig and dispose’.

HOT TIP: Many of New Zealand’s native species are endangered. Kauri dieback is an uncurable disease killing kauri trees. Please keep to the tracks, clean all your footwear and equipment (there are often cleaning stations) and stay away from tree roots.

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Catlins Forest Park, The Catlins, South Island

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It’s officially a 20-minute hike to McLean Falls, but that would incite purpose, and forest bathing has no purpose, so linger for as long as you like. It’s a sheltered, thick forest, worthy of a Grimms Brothers’ fairy tale and every ethereal moniker bestowed upon it. Negotiate a route between the drooping mosses that hang from branches like honey off a spoon; spy slivers of sun seeping through the canopy and listen to the rush of water tumbling down McLean’s waterfall.

Whirinaki Forest Park, Taupō, North Island New Zealand can’t claim the perfect setting for every world-famous blockbuster, but Jurassic Park really should’ve been shot in Whirinaki Forest Park.

With a 200-million-year-old history, it is one of the world’s last 8

prehistoric forests and much of it is totally untouched; forgotten mostly by Man and ruled by its natural leader, Mother Nature.

Defined by towering podocarp trees, birdsong and low-lying mist, much of the forest is shrouded in a carpet of green, climbing from the forest floor to the thickest trunks, thus making it impossible to distinguish where the moss ends and the trees begin.

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ABOVE: Dry Rd, Whanganui Inlet near Kaihoka © NelsonNZ.com TOP LEFT: The Catlins forest © Southland Tourism LEFT: Whirinaki Forest, Te Urewera © Tourism Bay of Plenty RIGHT: Hooker Track, Aoraki Mt Cook © Getty Images

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Honourable Mentions So many trees, such little time.

• Abel Tasman National Park, Nelson: Emerging from native forest to find a deserted beach is always beneficial for mind, body and soul.

• Whakarewarewa Forest, Rotorua: You’ll feel dwarfed by towering Californian Coast Redwood trees but it’s wonderfully humbling.

• Kaimanawa Forest Park, Taupō: Tramp to a world above the clouds on a twoday hiking adventure. NB: we recommend sticking to the trail on this advanced track.

• Aoraki Mt Cook, Canterbury: There’s also a fern-filled fairy forest in this park of colossal peaks. Simply follow the Governors Bush Track.

Kaihoka, Golden Bay, Nelson, South Island

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• The Routeburn Track, Glenorchy: One-day walks absorb some of the most beautiful red beech forest in New Zealand.

Now for the wild card – and a forest bathing experience for all our beach lovers. On the west coast of Golden Bay near Nelson, a sprinkling of nīkau palm trees sway in the breeze on wind-rippled sand dunes. Planted in the finest yet steepest ice-white sand and looking out to a great expanse of sea, they are just a stone’s throw from the Kaihoka Lakes.

Frequently bathed in sunshine and a decent lick of sea salt, a pathway via tropical forest leads to this splendid sight.

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Hamilton Gardens

DR PETER SERGEL Dr Peter Sergel is the Director of Hamilton Gardens, a world-class public garden with a unique concept of telling the history of gardens throughout civilisation.

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LEFT: Mansfield Garden ABOVE: Peter Sergel at work TOP: Indian Char Bagh Garden TOP RIGHT: Renaissance Garden RIGHT: Surrealist Garden ALL IMAGES: © Hamilton Gardens

What are your favourite parts?

Who typically visits the gardens?

My favourite part of Hamilton Gardens is generally the site of the next garden to be developed.

You can visualise what it will look like from each angle and then it’s very rewarding to see it gradually become reality.

Under normal circumstances roughly a third of visitors are local, a third domestic tourists and third international. Ages and ethnicities are pretty evenly spread with a slightly higher proportion of young families.

What are the most popular exhibits?

What’s planned for the future?

Just about every garden has been mentioned as someone’s favourite.

However the most popular gardens seem to be the Italian Renaissance Garden, Mansfield Garden, Indian Char Bagh Garden and the new Surrealist Garden.

We have four new gardens under development that will add to our ‘story of gardens’ theme. The Ancient Egyptian Garden, Pasifika Garden, Medieval Garden and the Baroque Garden. More visitor facilities are also being developed to cater for the increasing visitor numbers.

Hamilton Gardens, Hungerford Crescent, Hamilton. P: 07 838 6782 Hamilton Gardens is now open daily from 7:30am - 5:30pm We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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All for the BIRDS

Our native birds are protected at many sanctuaries around the country:

Kāpiti Island

Maungatautari

Kāpiti Island, off Paraparaumu north of Wellington, is a sanctuary for many native birds including penguins, kiwi and other wildlife and is open to guided tours.

Maungatautari or Sanctuary Mountain in the Waikato is a fullyfenced, predator-free inland island with accessible walking tracks.

ABOVE: Friendly kākā, Kāpiti Island © Kāpiti Island Nature Tours RIGHT: Tiritiri Matangi Lighthouse INSET: Tūī BOTH: © Mark Meredith

Tiritiri Matangi Island

Tiritiri Matangi Island in the Hauraki Gulf is open to the public for day visits.

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Orokonui Ecosanctuary Orokonui Ecosanctuary near Waitati, Otago is home to a biodiversity project where native plants and wildlife are protected from predators. Visitors can see South Island kākā, bellbirds, skinks and much more.

ABOVE: Bird watching, Ulva Island, Stewart Island © Southland Tourism LEFT: Bellbird/korimako © Shellie Evans BELOW: Lower Karori Reservoir, Zealandia © www.visitzealandia.com

Zealandia Ecosanctuary Wellington’s Zealandia is 225-hectare sanctuary with a predator-free fence around a lake. The birdlife here is so healthy it has had a positive impact on the surrounding suburbs.

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Ulva Island Ulva Island, off Stewart Island, is an iconic Department of Conservation bird sanctuary, open to the public.

Nature is not a place to visit. It is a home.

Gary Snyder American writer & environmental activist

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Milford Sound

no one else comes close.

Cruise on the original Milford Sound Red Boats. Locally owned and operated with over 60 years guiding tours in Fiordland.

Come meet the

locals!

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Tongariro Crossing, Central North Island Š Graeme Murray/Tourism New Zealand

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Tongariro Crossing, Central North Island The Tongariro Crossing is one of New Zealand’s oldest national parks.

It features unique volcanic peaks and blue lakes and is also a World Heritage Site.

In all things of nature there is something of the marvellous Aristotle Greek philosopher 385-323 BC We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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ANIMALS you’ll only find here Kiwis (both ourselves and the feathered lot) are a rare bunch, but we’re not the only small-numbered inhabitants unique to Aotearoa.

KEA PARROT Most likely to: DO TIME If they’re not pinching your sandwich, they’ll be stealing the wipers off your windscreen: kea, the world’s only alpine parrot are unique to the South Island and notoriously naughty. They are natural-born burglars, blending into their surroundings with a mix of olive-green plumage which hides a striking orange underlay, most visible when they’re in full flight.

FIND THEM: South Island ski-fields and mountain huts. Arthur’s Pass is also a good spot, in particular, the Viaduct Lookout at the ominously named Death’s Corner (on SH 73).

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YELLOW-EYED PENGUIN Most likely to: GIVE BEADY SIDE-EYE One of the rarest penguins you’ll ever (hopefully) clap eyes on is the yellow-eyed penguin: small, elusive and only 65-centimetres tall. The bright yellow stripe from where they get their name runs between the eye and the back of their head, but perhaps most noticeable is their crafty expression, which can often look like they’re plotting world domination.

FIND THEM: There are no yellow-eyed penguins in captivity, but they do breed on the south-east coast of the South Island, notably Banks Peninsula, North Otago, Otago Peninsula and The Catlins.

TOP: Kea, Arthur’s Pass ABOVE: Yellow-eyed penguin, Otago BOTH IMAGES © Getty Images TOP RIGHT: Hector’s dolphin © Black Cat Cruises RIGHT: Tuatara, Zealandia © www.visitzealandia.com FAR RIGHT: Albie the English springer spaniel, Akaroa Dolphins © Chalita Aommy Klumjui

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HECTOR’S DOLPHINS Most likely to: SHOW OFF These dolphins are the world’s smallest and rarest marine dolphins, reaching no more than 1.5 metres in length. Look out for their distinct black facial markings, stocky bodies and fins that are rounded like a Mickey Mouse ear. At first shy, it won’t take long for Hector’s dolphins to leap gregariously in and out of the water.

FIND THEM: Boat tours in Akaroa and Lyttelton harbours are by far the best places to see Hector’s dolphins.

TUATARA Most likely to: OUTLIVE US ALL The tuatara is the most ancient of all living reptiles and has survived for almost 200 million years, including a stint roaming with dinosaurs. If you didn’t already think tuatara were enlightened, you’ll be awed to learn they have a third eye, albeit barely visible on top of their head.

FIND THEM: Tuatara were extradited from the mainland for their own protection, but some still reside at Sanctuary Mountain near Cambridge.

This ecological haven is enveloped by the world’s longest pest-proof fence.

KIWI Most likely to: HIDE Our treasured national icon, the humble kiwi, is averse to the limelight we’ve bestowed upon it. Kiwis are shy, nocturnal and flightless. There are a handful of different types, the largest being the great spotted kiwi, native to the South Island, and the most abundant being the North Island brown kiwi.

FIND THEM: Book a night walk with conservation groups such as Whakatane Kiwi Trust, or visit a kiwi sanctuary like Zealandia near Wellington, as well as Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch, Queenstown’s Kiwi Birdlife Park and the Kiwi Encounter at Rainbow Springs in Rotorua.

TALENTED DOG! Tour company Akaroa Dolphins have trained dogs to listen for dolphin calls. One of them, Albie the English Springer Spaniel, might not be unique to New Zealand, but we think his skills are pretty special.

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Starry, starry

NIGHT

ABOVE: Space Place at Carter Observatory, Wellington © Mark Gee

Some of the best star gazing in the world is right here, in our back yard

When you learn that the universe contains billions of galaxies and that each galaxy contains millions and in some case billions of stars, it’s enough to make your brain explode.

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ow on earth can you get your head around that? The good news is that you’re in the right country. New Zealand is one of the best places on this planet to explore the night sky. Our sky is so clear and clean that the world’s largest Dark Sky Reserve (in the Mackenzie region) and the only Dark Sky Sanctuary (on Aotea/ Great Barrier Island) are here. And did you notice when we were in level 4 lockdown how many more stars were visible? Less pollution. It’s that, and fewer street, car and porch lights blazing that makes star gazing here so good.

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If you want to learn about what you’re looking at, you could download a star app or take an astronomy book, torch and a blanket out to your back yard – but possibly your best options are to join a night sky tour or visit a planetarium.

Night sky tours, such as ones that operate on Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf, take you on a magical guided journey through the heavens. An ambassador armed with laser pointer, telescope and an astronomical amount of knowledge will describe the solar system, point out the planets, the galaxies, the

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constellations, prominent southern sky stars... You’ll see objects that are billions of years old, light years away and, yes, it will be mindboggling! But reassuring to hear Mt Heale Hut, Great Barrier Island © ATEED

them named and awesome, in the real sense of the word.

Aotea/Great Barrier Island is especially brilliant at night because it’s off the grid so has very little light pollution but there are more than 40 locations from top to toe of New Zealand where night sky viewing is recommended. These are listed on the official New Zealand Astronomy website.

When you’re ready to take it up a notch, to experience a more detailed view of outer space, consider visiting one of New Zealand’s astronomy attractions and spy the sky through a super sophisticated telescope. There are seven sites open to the public for such telescope viewing and planetarium shows.

Star Places • Perpetual Guardian Planetarium – Otago Museum, Dunedin • Skyline Stargazing Tours, Queenstown • Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, Canterbury • Dark Sky Project, Mt John, Tekapō • Space Place at Carter Observatory, Wellington • Stonehenge Aotearoa, Wairarapa • Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, Auckland

Queenstown

WE GO FURTHER SO YOU SEE MORE. Ask about our wine & & cheese upgrade!

We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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Astrophotographer RACHEL GILLESPIE

Rachel Gillespie, Astrophotographer and Adventure Guide in the Mackenzie grew up outside, with a love of horses, lakes and mountains.

She says: ‘without nature evolving, everything falls apart; the eco systems we have here are incredibly valuable and important, both on land and in the sky’.

What is one of your favourite nature spots in the Mackenzie region?

I am based out of Twizel which is a great base and a really awesome place for holidays, being such a diverse landscape. My favourite spot is right out the back of nowhere, where there is no one else, the tussocks, the river and the mountains. I love the silence.

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Can you share one of the best places for stargazing lovers to explore the night sky?

The Mackenzie is incredibly fortunate to be a Dark Sky Reserve one of the darkest places in the World, namely the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve. Lake Tekapō is probably the most well-known but there are many amazing spots close to Twizel, Lake Pūkaki and of course Aoraki Mt Cook. On my tours I have a few secret spots I take people to that are very dark.

As a nature-lover and a Kiwi, what are you most of proud of?

I have travelled to many countries and lived overseas for five years.

I came home in 2005 and reckon we live in the best place in the world, for the food we produce, the spectacular outdoors and the

freedoms that we are so lucky to have. What I am most proud of is taking my children out into nature, teaching them about conservation.

They tell people their happiest days are having those adventures; to me that is success in life.

What is your favourite New Zealand walk?

As a family our favourite walk is the Tasman Glacier Track at Aoraki Mt Cook. It’s our go-to place when friends and family visit. You see nature, birds, mountains, river, ice and the glacier moraine all in less than an hour. It also has incredible night skies on a clear night and is reasonably easy to get to, with spectacular results. Every time you take a photograph there, it is different.

ABOVE: Loch Cameron, Twizel LEFT: Photographer, Rachel Gillespie BELOW: Lakeside Lodge, Tekapō RIGHT: Twizel scenery ALL IMAGES: © Rachel Gillespie

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Amazing bites &

Tastes

Can’t get enough of New Zealand cuisine?

You have great taste, friend.

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TASTE Picnic on Mt Victoria, Wellington © Julian Aspe

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TASTE THE WORLD

without ever seeing an airport Over the centuries, the world’s best flavours have deviated towards New Zealand and flourished on our shores.

FRENCH GASTRONOMY ASIAN EXCELLENCE If your favourite dreams are full of French camembert and crème brûlée, turn these fantasies into a reality in Akaroa: New Zealand’s only French-founded town. This sleepy, oceanside nook has French street signs and arguably the best lemon crepes this side of the equator. The Little Bistro serves a mean ratatouille (enough to raise more than one French eyebrow) and the Sweet As Bakery, albeit Kiwi in name, is a French-inspired bakery renowned for its fresh bread and croissants.

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We all know Asian food is superior in New Zealand, notably because as relatively close ‘neighbours’ (by our standards anyway) Asian flavour has flooded into Aotearoa by osmosis. Tuck into traditional dishes at Wellington’s Taste of Home, a Chinese street-food eatery with home-made noodles stretched on site. Wellington is overflowing with authentic Asian eateries; from hawker food to sushi, a myriad of South East Asian flavours and a Qilin Tea House, your every mealtime could be Asian inspired.

ABOVE: Akaroa Butchery © akaroa.com TOP: Bhavana Bar, Wellington © Nicola Edmonds

TASTE

LOUISIANA CRAYFISH

ABOVE: Crayfish dish at Nins Bin, Kaikōura © ChristchurchNZ RIGHT: Hot chips & ice cream, Giapo, Auckland BOTTOM RIGHT: Pani Puri ice cream, Giapo, Auckland BOTH IMAGES: © Giapo

Kaikōura crayfish is not so much a substitute for Louisiana-famed crayfish, it’s a contender. In the Deep South, crawfish boils are a longstanding tradition whereby kilos of the crustacean are poured directly from the boiling pot onto tables covered with potatoes, corn and garlic – no cutlery allowed. In Kaikōura, where the name directly translates to ‘eat crayfish’, the best place to gorge on shellfish is roadside. Iconic coastal shacks such as Nins Bin operates out of a caravan fronting the ocean, while the Seafood BBQ Kiosk straddles Fyffe Quay, with long lines of people queuing for its offerings.

ITALIAN GELATO Sure, you can eat real Italian gelato at Giapo, an Auckland-based gelateria run by a dynamic Italian duo, but why not go one better and join their make-your-own master class? Made famous by their outlandish ice creams, showcasing selfie sticks, finger puppets and colossal 70-centimetre cones, the masterclass invites guests into the kitchen. Gather a group of friends, decide on the type of ice cream you want to make and get to grips with the tools of the trade, including liquid nitrogen. With try-as-yougo tastings and a unique dining experience once you’re done, it’s both tasty and sociable – just how the Italians like it.

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German Beer In the 1840s, when German settlers were living in Nelson Tasman, they prodded the soil and found that the area was ideal for cultivating hops.

Almost a century and a half later, the region remains the only place in New Zealand where hops are commercially grown; earning Nelson its title as ‘Craft Brewing Capital’.

Mixing both German and Aotearoa hop plants, the 26 establishments that make up The Nelson Beer Trail litter the landscape from the waterfront to the foothills. Hire a bike and discover a wide range of diverse breweries, many of which are locally owned and family ran.

AMERICAN DINERS

GLOBAL GLUTTONY Eat Streat in Rotorua does exactly what it says on the tin. A short but lively laneway brimming with a wide range of food and drink venues, the retractable roof and thermally heated footpath allows for year-round alfresco dining. Flavours from around the globe congregate here, including Indian, Italian and Thai, as well as foodies’ faves such as stone grill, steakhouse and your classic all-rounders serving everything from pork belly to burgers.

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Once you’ve perused over 100 shiny classic cars inside Hamilton’s number one tourist attraction, the Classics Museum, mosey on down to the on-site Jukebox Diner.

This 1950s-themed restaurant features an impressive doorway disguised as a threemetre Wurlitzer Jukebox.

Inside, the decor is spot-on, with a black and white check floor, red leather chairs and pictures of rock ‘n’ roll legends such as Elvis. And Betty Boop.

LEFT: Dining in Rotorua © Destination Rotorua RIGHT: Beer stack, Marchfest, Nelson © Steve Hussey Photography

TASTE

10-20 Gladstone Road, Parnell The Parnell Hotel & Conference Centre is situated in the exclusive inner city suburb of beautiful Parnell. This 101 room property has apartment style kitchen units in addition to hotel rooms. Most rooms enjoy extensive harbour and city views.

Facilities include Gladstones CafĂŠ Restaurant, house bar and seven conference venues, free WiFi, free parking and 24-hour reception.

The Parnell Hotel & Conference Centre is

Use promo code AA20 for a special rate

a registered charity under the Charities Act 2005. Registration No: CC38203.

Phone: 09 303 3789 Email: reservations@theparnell.co.nz Call 0800 50 44 66 or visit www.theparnell.co.nz

We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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We’d never label these pies the best in New Zealand – imagine the nationwide pandemonium!

We can however, guarantee they taste fingerlicking good.

Now, pass the tomato sauce.

ABOVE: Meat pie © Jelleke Vanooteghems

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A PIE A DAY keeps hunger at bay MONDAY: Trisha’s Pies, Wellington

TUESDAY: Miles Better Pies, Te Anau

Want to know what Trisha is best known for? Her generous fillings.

It’s all chunk and hearty gravy – just how a pie should be. She’s also not opposed to reinventing the wheel, with flavours such as ‘lasagna pie’ gracing the menu.

It’s tough finding a pie with the right balance of flaky pastry and sauce, but not so at Miles Better Pies. With a consistently perfect pastry to filling ratio, and a menu that features all the classics: lamb and mint, venison, egg and bacon, this pie place lives up to its cocksure name.

Tripadvisor says: ‘I lived in Welly for 4 years and renovated my house on Trisha’s Pies.’

Tripadvisor says: ‘Better pies than your mum’s.’

TASTE

WEDNESDAY: Fairlie Bakehouse, Fairlie With a queue that spills down the street, causing onlookers to wonder if there’s a celebrity in town, these home-made pies are a taste sensation. The pork belly pie even comes with a piece of crackling on top. Pass the napkins, we’re salivating.

Tripadvisor says: ‘So nice I rang the missus and told her not to put dinner on, I bought another three pies for this evening.’

THURSDAY: Patrick’s Pies Gold Star Bakery, Tauranga It’s hard to know what Patrick does better: serve delicious hot pies or win awards. Many a pie medal has been won over the years and accolades fill the walls. There are always inventive new flavours to try as well as your golden oldies.

Tripadvisor says: ‘The fullest, most mouth-watering, flavoursome pie I have ever sunk my choppers into.’

FRIDAY: Jimmy’s Pies, Roxburgh Jimmy bakes an awesome pie, which he’s been making from an old family recipe for almost 50 years. Each pie is crammed to its crumbly innards with rich fillings, so it’s little wonder they have an almost cult following in Roxburgh.

Supreme (steak, bacon, cheese and onion) but gourmet additions include specialities like venison with whisky relish.

Tripadvisor says: ‘I fell in love with New Zealand but it’s these pies I will dream about.’

SUNDAY: Coro Pies, Coromandel Town

Tripadvisor says: ‘My husband was downright awed.’

Coro Pies is immensely popular with the locals which is always a good sign. We bet most are heading inside for the legendary Kiwi breakfast pie, stuffed with cheese, egg, caramelised onion and mince.

SATURDAY: World Famous Sheffield Pies, Sheffield

Tripadvisor says: ‘I would have tried three if not under the watchful eye of my aunt trying to watch my weight.’

ABOVE: Pie at World Famous Sheffield Pies © Sheffield Pie Shop TOP: Fairlie Bakehouse © Ashlee Adams Photography

Believe the hype, this one’s a belter.

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ALL IMAGES: Sachie Nomura © Supplied by Sachie Nomura

SACHIE NOMURA Sachie Nomura is one of New Zealand’s most experienced Asian cuisine chefs. She runs a cooking school in Parnell, Auckland.

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Where does your culinary inspiration come from?

touch, taste and smell local food all helped to inspire my creative juices.

My inspiration comes from Japan – my aunty was a big foodie. I learnt from her and my mum and had the luxury of being able to forage fresh vegetables, wild mushrooms and ingredients and be able to bring them back to the house to cook.

Travelling overseas regularly to

What is your all-time favourite meal to eat?

That’s a very hard question to answer! But I love a beautiful tempura with ingredients that I have found myself and cooked at the table.

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Sashie’s Kitchen Cooking Classes Suite 1.4, Axis Building, 91 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell, Auckland P: 09 302 7680 • E: admin@sachieskitchen.com FOR MORE INFORMATION: sachieskitchen.com Who signs up for your cooking classes?

Anyone who (a) loves to eat; (b) loves to socialise and have fun; and (c) wants to learn about how to cook Asian cuisine. My youngest class participant was aged three and the oldest was 95.

What’s the secret to being a good cook?

I think the most essential ingredient is to have curiosity about food. And to be adventurous. When travelling, don’t be afraid to take the first bite and try new things. Also be a good student – ask lots of questions – from your mums and particularly grandmothers; they are often really good cooks.

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TASTE Point Dorset, Wellington Š Positively Wellington

Point Dorset, Wellington Point Dorset is located in capital city Wellington’s eastern suburb Seatoun and has beautiful views over Wellington Harbour.

Climb the mountain so you can see the world, not so the world can see you David Mccullough American author We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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What’s your PICNIC STYLE?

Most epic picnic spots are found by chance, on the road from hither to thither, but every outdoor grazer has a picnic preference – what’s yours?

ABOVE: Picnic in Queenstown © Sara Orme

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‘My hamper must have wine’ You need: VINEYARDS

‘I like ease and convenience’ You need: CITY GARDENS

Picnic amidst the vines at Waiheke Island’s oldest vineyard, Goldie Estate. The on-site deli provides wicker picnic baskets jam-packed with food and, for an additional cost, as much wine as you desire.

Armed with picnic rugs, you’ll be given directions to a private picnic spot overlooking Putiki Bay. From north to south, you’ve no doubt locked lips with a drop of Cloudy Bay wine before. At their Marlborough vineyard, glass doors spill onto a patio with couches, wooden picnic tables and cushioned egg chairs hanging from the trees. Between December and April, you can upgrade your alfresco experience with oysters from Cloudy Bay’s seasonal oyster bar.

You needn’t lug your hamper far in Hamilton. The Lake Domain is within walking distance of the CBD. As well as the esplanade which encircles the lake, there is plenty of lawn and a dedicated picnic area.

In Christchurch, garden-lovers are spoilt for choice. Hagley Park is the obvious go-to, but adjacent to this green mecca is Milbrook Reserve.

Formerly part of architect Heathcote Helmore’s estate, it is now a quiet pocket of riverside and landscaped garden. In Invercargill’s Anderson Park, Sir Robert Anderson’s grand homestead remains a focal point.

Featuring manicured grounds, sheltered picnic areas and rose gardens, it’s a lovely spot to roll out your rug.

TASTE ‘I want to dip my toes as well as my chips’ You need: RIVERS Puhoi sits 50 kilometres north of Auckland on the banks of Pūhoi River. Well regarded for its dairy produce, Pūhoi cheese will put your taste buds in a tizz. Stock up at Pūhoi General Store: your onestop shop for sandwiches, cheese, cakes and pies from award-winning Matakana Patisserie. Kaitoke Regional Park is 40 minutes outside of Wellington and the real location of Rivendell. There are numerous swimming holes along the Hutt and Pakuratahi rivers where you can combine quick dips with riverside picnics on the shingle.

‘I crave something special’ You need: LUXURY Queenstown tour operators have lavishness down to a tee. High-end companies such as Black Label Experiences escort guests to a beautiful, secret waterfall in a private boat where a chef then prepares a gourmet lunch. Alternatively, concepts such as ‘Picnic on the Peak’ brings together a helicopter ride with a champagne picnic perched on an isolated Queenstown mountain top.

‘Bathe me in nature’ You need: FORESTS Hidden picnic benches litter the nooks of Whakarewarewa Forest in Rotorua, frequently dwarfed by Redwood trees and more-oftenthan-not stumbled across, not sought. Just 5 kilometres from Wellington’s CBD, Otari-Wilton’s Bush is a public forest dedicated solely to native plants. The picnic flat boasts a large forest-framed lawn and free barbecues. No car? No worries, a daily bus service links the city to this woodland. For a space you can spend all day at, the Pourakino Picnic Area in Longwood Forest is a large clearing approximately 50 minutes from Invercargill. There is also a wooded walking loop and swings hanging from the tree branches.

YOUR ‘PACK IT’ PICNIC LIST Locally bought homemade produce from farmers’ markets, delis and stores Chips and dips (Kiwi dip, obviously) Fruit punnets: in summer you can PYO first Paper serviettes and wet wipes Insect-repellent candle Plates and cutlery. Check out the gorgeous kiwiana inspired picnic ranges by Kiwi Collectionswww.kiwicollections.co.nz Classic enamel camping mugs and a thermos.

BELOW: Picnic on Mt Cardrona © Cardrona Alpine Resort LEFT: Redwoods Forest, Rotorua © Destination Rotorua

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Let’s get

Active

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ACTIVE The Pinnacles, Coromandel Forest Park Š Coromandel Tourism

Get your blood pumping and the endorphins will soon follow.

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NEW ZEALAND’S 10 Great Walks

TOP: Hiking in the Tongariro Crossing © Opus Fresh Apparel Co. BELOW: Tongariro Crossing © Visit Ruapehu RIGHT: Whanganui River © Visit Ruapehu

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Get off the path you tread everyday: New Zealand’s 10 Great Walks are a collection of astounding multi-day trails*.

1. TONGARIRO NORTHERN CIRCUIT IS AN ADVENTURE OF TOLKIEN PROPORTIONS

2. WHANGANUI JOURNEY: IS THE ONE THAT MASQUERADES AS A WALK

Most walks on Earth don’t look like this. With desert plains that crash into red craters, steaming blisters, neon-bright lakes and three enormous volcanic peaks, this is doomsday meets the great Gates of Mordor. The three-day circuit initially follows the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, but when the path splits, a barren, lunar-like landscape dares you to come hither.

Is there any such thing as a 150-kilometre walk where you sit down for the entire jaunt? In New Zealand there is. Rowing downstream in a traditional Canadian canoe, The Whanganui Journey is a three to five-day river adventure. Read more on page 46. *Before planning starts, check the DOC website to see which tracks are open

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3. LAKE WAIKAREMOANA IS MAGICAL TALES ALONG MAGICAL TRAILS No one can resist the promise of a goblin forest, ethereal waterfalls and patupaiarehe (forest fairies from Māori folklore). Lake Waikaremoana is located in Te Urewera, an area long considered the ancestral home of the Ngāi Tuhoe tribe – the ‘Children of the Mist’. It’s a highly spiritual place that fully enchants its visitors over the course of three to four days.

4. PAPAROA TRACK IS THE NEWEST GREAT WALK IN 25 YEARS It’s the newest Great Walk to join the repertoire, but Paparoa Track is hugely historic. From its 1930s miners hut to a 100-year-old quartz crushing battery, remnants of the past are frozen in time; none more poignant than the memorial site commemorating 29 lost lives of the Pike River mine explosions. Crossing the Paparoa Range on a track built for both bikers and hikers, the trail climbs steeply over 55 kilometres and three days. Earnest trampers are rewarded with river gorges, limestone cliffs and sunsets worthy of applause.

5. KEPLER TRACK IS MOUNTAINS FOR MILES For a trail that spends much of its time above the tree line, look no further than the Kepler Track.

For 60 kilometres and four days, navigate knife-like ridgelines while gazing across snow-capped peaks and faraway lakes. Come dusk, the sky becomes a canvas for the sun to slay with colour, and by morning, mountain kea will be tapping at the window. These notorious thieves like to recce the area – like a feathered rendition of Ocean’s Eleven.

ABOVE: New Zealand kea © Kiwi Birdlife Park BELOW: Paparoa Track, West Coast © Stewart Nimmo

6. ROUTEBURN TRACK IS LARGER THAN LIFE There is no phone reception along the 32-kilometre Routeburn Track; no burning emails, social posts, messages or memes. There is only nature. On any given day (there are three in total), you’ll be walking through clouds, staring into crystalline blue lakes or trailing, like ants, between enormous glaciercarved valleys.

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7. RAKIURA TRACK IS HEAVEN FOR KIWIS, AND KIWIS! Stewart Island is a wild droplet of Aotearoa that has eloped from the mainland. Playing host to the 32-kilometre, long-looped Rakiura Track, the trail weaves in and out of verdant forest, dropping into secret beaches and private slivers of sand. Stewart Island also boasts high numbers of kiwi, so keep an eye on what’s rustling in the bush.

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10. MILFORD TRACK IS THE FINEST WALK IN THE WORLD Or so said poet, Blanche Baughan in 1908 having experienced the four-day, 53.5-kilometre walk for herself. Arriving here is like being plucked from modern life and deposited in an untouched pocket of the planet. From one beautiful waterfall to the next; mountain-reflecting lakes and a level of green that only nature knows how to create, Blanche may have been an expressive poet, but she didn’t exaggerate this one.

8. HEAPHY TRACK IS NATURE LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE On the Heaphy Track there are nīkau palms, which means ‘no nuts’ in the Māori language because these trees are void of coconuts. There are also powelliphanta: giant carnivorous snails; ruru, a native owl, and gnarly Grimm’s Brother-style trees called rātā, as well as kiwis, the extremely rare blue duck and the jagged peaks of Dragon’s Teeth mountain range. You have 78 kilometres and four days to find them all.

9. ABEL TASMAN COAST TRACK IS A BEACH HOLIDAY WITH A DIFFERENCE This walk has 60 kilometres of flat coastal track that ducks in and out of bay-peeking forest, so togs are just as necessary as walking boots. If the weather plays nice, you’ll be presented with one blue vista after another. Navigate various low tide crossings to reach empty golden beaches and surprising swimming holes such as Cleopatra’s Cove.

ABOVE: Heaphy Track, Golden Bay, West Coast © Department of Conservation LEFT: Abel Tasman National Park © Mārahau Sea Kayaks/Andre Ismael TOP LEFT: Tramping on the Milford Track © Real Journeys FAR LEFT: Kiwi © Orana Wildlife Park

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A J Hackett Bungy

HENRY VAN ASCH Henry van Asch, AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand co-founder and managing director has made a career out of challenging people – daring them to confront their fears and throw themselves off bridges or towers in the name of fun and adventure.

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ABOVE: Henry Van Asch © James D Morgan RIGHT: Nevis Catapult © AJ Hackett NZ LEFT: Leila Yardley & Henry van Asch at AJ Hacektt Bungy, Taupō © AJ Hackett Bungy NZ

How did you become involved with AJ Hackett?

I met AJ in 1985 during the ski season in Wanaka – we were both hardcore skiers. Inspired by footage of the experimental jumps of the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club who were jumping from mobile cranes and hot air balloons, we began exploring the idea of taking Bungy jumping commercial. We began developing and testing Bungy cords with the help of Auckland University scientists and made a series of extreme jumps in France that culminated in AJ’s jump from the Eiffel Tower in June 1987. On 12 Novembr 1988, we opened the world’s first commercial Bungy operation at the Kawarau Bridge.

What are the some of the main reasons why people want to Bungy jump?

I always say if you can Bungy, you can do anything. When you stand on that ledge, you take a giant leap of faith. That takes guts, and it changes you. People choose a challenge like Bungy for a range of reasons – a significant birthday or rite of passage. Our mantra is live more, fear less and I believe Bungy empowers people to do this.

Can you tell us about the Nevis Catapult?

The Nevis Catapult is our newest experience in Queenstown. It’s the world’s biggest human catapult where you’re propelled 150 metres out across the stunning Nevis Valley, soaring through the air at exhilarating speed, with up to 3Gs of force. It’s very fast and ultra-fun!

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THE WHANGANUI RIVER:

a Great Walk with no walking

Our writer, Anna, took her partner for a five-day paddle down Whanganui River.

She survived to tell the tale, but did her relationship?...

A

s we edged the canoe off a bed of pebbles and hopped gingerly into its rocking hull, a man, who was also untying himself from the embankment, and evidently on the same Whanganui River journey as ourselves, casually enquired if we’d fallen out yet.

“Only with each other!”

– quipped my partner.

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It is indeed a testament to any relationship, that if you can survive five days on New Zealand’s thirdlongest river, without committing murder, declaring divorce or throwing your paddle in the direction of someone else’s head, your relationship can endure anything.

I did none of the above, but I will admit to hastily abandoning ship when we misjudged a rapid and hit the riverbank; choosing to save myself and, as a result, compromised any remaining stability we had.

As my feet touched dry land, my partner was taken downriver, stalked somewhat comically by a rogue canoe. My amusement soon wore off when I realised my predicament: stay stranded or follow suit, if only to get reacquainted with my belongings – and my soggy betrothed.

If you, like me, feel the Eiffel Tower is smeared by gimmicky souvenirs, and find places such as Halong Bay too busy, five days on the Whanganui River will provide that very indulgence we seek, but rarely find: pure, untainted adventure.

More Whanganui River activities JET BOATS: Rip up the river at speed.

CRUISE: On-board the Waimarie, a coal-fired paddle steamer.

HIKES: Trek to the Bridge to Nowhere.

MOUNTAIN TO SEA CYCLE TRAIL: Includes jet boating or canoeing on the river.

Canoes are hired from companies in surrounding Ruapehu townships, transported to your chosen departure point and then, after a quick safety briefing, that’s it. In typical Kiwi gung-ho fashion, you’re pushed off the embankment and sent on your way. We’ll see you in five days they say, and then it’s just you, a canoe and the great outdoors.

ABOVE: Canoing by Tamatea’s Cave, Whanganui River LEFT: Canoing on Whanganui River LOWER LEFT: Resting near Whanganui River ALL IMAGES: © Visit Ruapahu

First things first: negotiating rapids is a two-person job. Put the lightweight passenger upfront to spot for hidden snags, which at their very worst can wrap canoes into such a tight grip, it takes weeks for them to detach – and spells the immediate end of your trip. In the back, you want the muscle; the brawn that will steer you successfully away from a cliff face, should a tumultuous eddy wish to send you that way.

NB: This is why and when arguments arise, because each rower is inevitably doing a better job than the other, and a not-so-good job at keeping such thoughts to themselves.

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you dare to use your mouth, it’ll burn your oesophagus too. Mercifully, these toilets are joined by some seriously breath-taking campsites.

Many are elevated with views stretching miles downriver and come dusk, sunsets to die for. Tieke Kainga is a DOC hut-cum-marae worth aiming for, and if the hosts are onsite, you’ll get to partake in a pōwhiri.

It’s just you, a canoe and the great outdoors

ABOVE: Swimming in the Whanganui River RIGHT: Camping out by the Whanganui River BOTH IMAGES: © Anna Sarjeant

For the most part, there are very few turbulent rapids to navigate.

The river, enveloped in soaring cliffside, is tucked serenely into a gorge; the water so reflective, it’s hard to believe your paddle doesn’t shatter the surface. Multi-tiered waterfalls pour from heaven, while others trickle in coves you cannot see. Swallows nose-dive before your bow, and goats, as wild as they are numerous, bleat from the shore.

When the sun shines and nature sings, there is truly nowhere better to be.

Days later, when you reluctantly reach Pipiriki and the end of your adventure, falling in the water becomes the least of your worries.

In fact, in the height of summer, languid swims in the river’s cool ripples is an absolute highlight of the excursion; whether you choose to get in or a rapid decides for you.

Without doubt, the very worst part of the journey – and definitely the most distressing aspect – is accepting it’s over. And for some couples, that might just mean the relationship too!

There is, however, somewhere worse you can be, and that’s a DOC long drop. An evil necessity. The acrid stench will attack your nostrils, or if

Know before you go:

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• The journey is 3-5 days long and guided tours are also available.

• Canoes are approx $200 each and DOC sites are $20pp per night.

• Canoes accommodate two rowers and four barrels for your belongings.

• Booking DOC campsites is required between October and April.

• DOC huts are not facilitated. A camping stove was one of the best items we packed.

• Take a break from the water on a short walk to the Bridge to Nowhere.

• Campsites are often located at the top of steep embankments and you’re required to carry everything you need there.

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This summer, go beyond where roads can take you and experience the best way to see Aotearoa. From mountain air to ocean breeze, our Scenic trains and Interislander ferries make it easy to explore.

Our journeys offer the best way to experience New Zealand – connecting you with our landscapes, people, places and culture.

Book now at greatjourneysofnz.co.nz We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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Flax weaving at Waitangi Treaty Grounds © Northland Tourism

Poor Knights Islands, Northland Poor Knights Islands are a group of volcanic islands off the Tutukākā Coast, perfect for day cruises, snorkelling, diving and kayaking.

I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the centre Kurt Vonnegut, Jr American novelist 50

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Poor Knights Islands, Northland © David Kirkland

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7 THRILLS

that aren’t bungy jumping

Here in Aotearoa, we’re the pioneers of bungy jumping (hats off, Mr Hackett!) but there are plenty of other ways to get your heart racing.

100-metre abseiling: Imagine dangling into a massive void with nothing but shadows, echoes and dripping cave walls trickling into an abyss. During the four-hour Lost World caving adventure, a 30-minute free hanging abseil is the only way to reach the floor.

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Waitomo caving: Claustrophobics look away now. A spelunking tour through Waitomo Caves involves abseiling and crawling into narrow cave passages, while black-water rafting requires tubing down an underground river and sliding into fast-flowing water with glowworms twinkling above.

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Ziplining: There are ziplining experiences the length and breadth of New Zealand, but only Nelson’s Skywire in Cable Bay Adventure Park has a flying four-seater vessel.

Suspended 300 metres above ground, it’ll hurtle you and three friends through the air at 100kmph, travelling both forwards and back.

Hang gliding: No daredevils choose to fly over Queenstown by plane but thrillseekers will want to tandem hang glide. Attached to an instructor, take a running jump off Coronet Peak and fall (like Tinkerbell) to the floor – gliding over Lake Wakatipu and mountain folds.

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ABOVE: Cable Bay Adventure Park Skywire © George Guille LEFT: Waitomo Caves © Discover Witomo BELOW: Gliding in Queenstown © Coronet Peak Tandem Paragliding and Hang Gliding RIGHT: Car racing, Hampton Downs © Hamilton & Waikato Tourism

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Racing cars: Speed demons are in motorhead heaven at Hampton Downs. Based in Waikato, thrills range from taking the wheel of a V8 muscle car, experiencing 100kmph in 3.2 seconds, playing passenger in a V8 Supercar and dabbling in some hair-raising wet skids.

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Canyoning: With water crashing around you, abseiling down a 50-metre waterfall is not for the faint of heart. Set in a volcanic rock valley in the heart of Piha Canyon, AWOL Canyoning Adventures offer full and half-day gorge explorations with cave jumps and abseils.

Cross-country skiing: Every powder hound knows that slicing through the snow is exhilarating.

In Wanaka, you can now utilise New Zealand’s only Cross-Country Ski area: The Snow Farm. Enjoy backcountry accommodation and lessons to finesse the art, as well as snowshoeing, tubing and dog sledding.

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Something

Quirky

Larnach Castle, Otago Peninsula Š Hayden Parsons

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QUIRKY

We’re a colourful country in more ways than one. If you love kooky – well done, you’ve found your people.

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Places that showcase

QUIRKY KIWI HUMOUR

They might bemuse tourists, but they tickle us.

Immaculate gardens scattered with ducks, ponds and humorous signs, expect a giggle around every corner at Ngātea Water Gardens near Thames. There are dilapidated row boats offering ‘cheap rates’ and fairy tale castles stating: ‘No witches, sorcerers or insurance salesmen’.

Thame’s Bugger Café comes with the tagline: Laugh a little. And you will. There’s a tractor out front poised to look as if it’s driven into a ditch, and the interior is brimming with the same dark wit. Don’t miss the toilets (lauded on Tripadvisor) and the ‘Bugger’-branded napkins.

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To get from Golden Bay to Tākaka, one must venture over the hill that stands in between. Thus explaining The Bay’s catchphrase: ‘It’s just a hill – get over it’.

QUIRKY

Nobody puts Whangamomona in the corner. Which is why this small, sleepy township declared itself a republic in 1988 and elected a goat as president. A poodle and turtle have also run for office with elections taking place every Republic Day. If you miss the election festivities (held biennially in January), you can always pop into Whangamomona Hotel and get your passport ‘officially’ stamped.

Opossum World in Napier predominately sells hand-made opossum fur clothes, but tucked away in the back of the store is an elaborate possum emporium. From a stuffed possum choir singing ‘On the Road Again’

by Willie Nelson to scathing possum slogans, its absurdities are deserving of a Taika Waititi film.

In 2005, UK comedian John Cleese described Palmerston North as ‘a good place to kill yourself’, so the good folk of Palmy retaliated by renaming their local rubbish dump ‘Mt Cleese’, and had the last laugh.

Over a comedian. Now that is funny.

ABOVE: Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North © www.ManawatuNZ.com LEFT: Mural in Berrymans Lane, Palmerston North © www.ManawatuNZ.com TOP: Whangamomona Hotel © AAPT FAR LEFT: Tākaka Hill © Getty Images TOP LEFT: Tākaka mural, Golden Bay © www.nelsontasman.nz

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e w o rl d h t d in un

an O A R DA EA T ZE O A

o r A

Far-flung travel plans are fun, but you don’t always need a runway to see the world.

ABOVE: Larnach Castle © DunedinNZ

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A wee slice of Scotland:

Tropical Tahiti:

Dunedin

Kai Iwi Lakes

Castles, brooding skies and windswept beaches; turn your ear and you might just hear a bagpipe. Aye, (that’s Scottish for yes) Dunedin emanates Scotland in both name and nature. Dùn Èideann is the Gaelic word for Edinburgh and the streets – lined with Victorian and Edwardian buildings – are not dissimilar. Just like its Scottish brethren, Dunedin has its own castle, too. Nearby Larnach Castle boasts manicured gardens and a regal interior, while cosy Scottish pubs such as Albar serve whisky, haggis and oatcakes.

Sounds good, aye? (that’s Kiwi for yes).

When people holiday in Tahiti, their social media accounts are plastered with photos to make us green with envy. They must be newlyweds we say, or recently won Lotto. Well, you don’t need to be rich or hitched to slather yourself over a slice of Aotearoa paradise. In Northland, you’ll find the Kai Iwi Lakes in Taharoa Domain glistening in hues usually associated with exotic islands, with ice-white sands slipping into a big bath of blue. Pitch a tent at either Pine Beach or Promenade Point campground and pull a few pre-made mojitos out of your chilly bin. Tahiti/Taharoa: the only difference is the price tag.

QUIRKY Aoraki Mt Cook © Fraser Clements

Antarctica:

Aoraki Mt Cook National Park In 2019, Antarctica was top of the list for every intrepid traveller. In 2020, not so much. Still, if it’s a white wilderness you’re after, with icy kayaking and ice bergs, you needn’t go further than Aoraki Mt Cook.

Paddle beneath towering glaciated mountains by kayak, skimming past the glacier face and getting so close to ice bergs, your face will shine in their crystals. There’s also heli-hiking which puts guests to the freshest dumps of glacial snow; your snow boots soon crunching through snow drifts and ice tunnels. How’s that for white and wild?

The Giants House © NZ Life & Lesiure BELOW: The Giants House © ChristchurchNZ

Barcelona architecture:

The Giants House Many call it a masterpiece: a stunning collection of bright, mosaic sculptures, popping with colour and whimsical features. Others say it’s a labour of love. Do they speak of Gaudi’s Park Güell in Barcelona? No, The Giants House in Akaroa, now a Garden of International Significance.

The house and its surrounds have transformed over the decades into an impressive objet d’art (sound familiar, Antoni?) with creator Josie Martin showcasing a huge talent for big, dynamic mosaics. The Giants House is proof you needn’t seek Gaudi to discover gifted artists.

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Blissful Bali:

Waihi Beach

If there are buddhas, beanbags and banana smoothies, you must be in Bali, right? Nope, this is The Secret Garden, an oasis of lush greenery just steps from Waihi Beach in the Bay of Plenty. Plant yourself in a hidden corner or a wooden pavilion and while away the hours with strong coffee and a good book. You can even try a traditional Balinese massage or lie back and listen to live music.

Japanese Onsen:

Queenstown This popular Queenstown experience offers a Kiwi twist on a Japanese tradition. Onsen (Japanese for ‘hot water spring’) involves volcanic minerals, communal bathing and a whole lotta nakedness.

Fortunately for reserved Kiwis such as ourselves, in Queenstown you’ll enjoy exclusive use of a private cedar hot tub where togs are mandatory. The beauty of this place – aside from the dramatic mountain views – are the retractable roofs: perfect for starlit dips.

ABOVE: Waihi Beach view from Bowentown Māori Pā Site, Coromandel © Destination Coromandel RIGHT: Onsen Hot Pools at sunset, Queenstown © Onsen Hot Pools TOP RIGHT: Mellonsfolly Ranch © Visit Ruapehu

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Argentinian vineyard stays:

Central Otago

The Mendoza province of Argentina excels in estancia stays, with snowcapped mountain views and rooms overlooking the vines, but guess what?... So do we! The Kopuwai Delta Vineyard in Central Otago provides luxury bed and breakfast on their working estate. Stay in a brick barn studio, flinging open the patio doors to inhale alpine air, or sit in front of the fireplace with vines and mountainside just outside. Kinross in Gibbston has a selection of cottages complete with private wine tasting, or, for ultimate seclusion, ‘The Crib’ is a pocket-sized stone cottage overlooking Legacy Vineyard on the banks of the Clutha River.

QUIRKY

The Old West, Arizona:

Mellonsfolly Ranch Located deep in Whanganui National Park, Mellonsfolly Ranch has been purpose-built to mimic an authentic cowboy ranch, without the gimmicks.

Of course, if you’d like to throw on some denim and ride off into the sunset on horseback, that’s available, too. The main strip is quintessentially dusty, framed by a general store, bank, music hall and Miss Nancy Ann’s Hotel where you can rest your cowboy head. Purposely remote, Mellonsfolly is submerged in a hidden and hard-to-reach valley, but if you’re feeling adventurous, it can be accessed on the multi-day Mountain to Sea Cycle Trail. You’ll only need to deviate slightly off the route.

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‘The Bearded Miners’ hut, Reefton © West Coast Tourism

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QUIRKY

Reefton, West Coast ‘The Bearded Miners’ hut, replica of an 1860s goldminers house.

The only people who ever get anyplace interesting are the people who get lost Henry David Thoreau American philosopher We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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Elvis Presley Museum

KEVIN WASLEY

Kevin Wasley’s extraordinary private Elvis Presley museum in Hāwera is a treasure trove of all things Elvis – from records, souvenirs and clothing to dolls, toys and photographs galore.

TOP: Elvis Presley Museum LEFT: Kevin Wasley ALL IMAGES: © Kevin Wasley

When did your fascination with Elvis start?

How did you find most of your collection?

My fascination of Elvis started in 1959 when I was 13 years of age. My interest is of the 1950s and 1960s Elvis. I was mainly interested in his music, the style of clothes Elvis wore and his hair style. I still wear side burns, nearly 60 years later.

I originally got my block & chisel out and wrote to people all around the world – no computers back in those days. I ordered from places in the USA, England, Denmark, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and also having a pen pal in Memphis added to my collection.

Elvis Presley Museum, 51 Argyle St, Hāwera. P: 027 498 2942 E: contact-us@elvismuseum.co.nz 64

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TOP: Elvis Presley Museum © Kevin Wasley BELOW: Claphams Clock Museum © Whangārei District Council

If people want to visit your museum, where can they find you and what can they expect to see?

My museum is at 51 Argyle St in Hāwera and people need to phone 0274 982 942 or

Shared Treasures What do you do when your collection gets too big?

Open a museum.

email elvisroom@xtra.co.nz to arrange an appointment – so I can come home from work to welcome people. My collection contains 78’s, 45’s, 10”, 33’s, cassettes, 8 tracks, reel-to-reels as well as a multitude of memorabilia and souvenirs.

• Archibald Claphams liked clocks, big

time. You know this when you step into Claphams Clock Museum in Whangarei’s Town Basin because that’s where his personal collection of more than 1300 clocks now resides, tick-tocking away, many of them chiming on the hour.

• Mt Maunganui is home to another fine

example of a personal obsession getting right out of hand. A private collection of too many surf boards, classic relics and historic surf memorabilia needed to be preserved, displayed and shared and so the Mount Surf Museum was born.

• Perhaps not surprisingly, the only bowls

museum in the world is in New Zealand.

The TSB Bank Bowls New Zealand Museum in New Plymouth has over 8000 exhibits including trophies from historical events.

Yes, you guessed it – the museum started as a private collection; it was donated to New Zealand Bowls to develop into a museum for lovers of lawn bowls.

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WACKY

Accommodation

So you’re not content to sleep in a regular bed in a regular building?

One of these weird and wacky stays might appeal.

TOP: The Lighthouse, Island Bay, Wellington © Lou Hatton ABOVE: SiloStay, Little River, Canterbury © Schwörer Pressefoto RIGHT: The Boot at Jester House © Oliver Weber

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LIGHTHOUSE LAYOVERS

FLY IN BY CABLE CAR

Straddling the esplanade, The Lighthouse, in Wellington’s Island Bay stands stoic on windswept coastline. Featuring three levels, wraparound balconies and ocean views, it’s fully self-contained and utterly charming.

The Flying Fox offers eco-friendly accommodation on the Whanganui River. Comprising three unique accommodations, the experience starts with a private cable car arrival.

MUD HUTS Wake up to morning yoga and meditation: Solscape is Raglan’s answer to a wellness retreat, albeit more rugged. Eco-friendly lodgings pepper the compound, but the earth domes are most unique.

Made from rock, sand and clay, the larger huts feature a cosy mezzanine with huge floor cushions.

GRAIN SILOS A little industrial, and a dash postapocalyptic, the eight grain silos at SiloStay in Little River have been remodelled to include external balconies, spiral staircases and a myriad of mod cons.

SLEEP IN A SHOE In the Nelson Tasman region, you can stay overnight in the heel of a gigantic shoe. ‘The Boot B&B’ is a one-off structure with a cosy interior and hearth, as well as a courtyard and outdoor fireplace.

VW CAMPERVANS Combine the freedom of a campervan with the retro styling of a VW Kombi. Classic Campers specialise in nationwide retro campervan hire. The hardest decision is picking a groovy colour.

HOBBIT HOUSE Equal parts enchanting and romantic, Underhill sought inspiration from Hobbiton. Privatelyowned and tucked away in the Waikato, a tiny wooden bridge leads to a small cottage built into the grassy knoll. Indoors, there’s medieval décor, a bathroom cave and skylight to the stars.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES Once a simple Waitomo farm, Woodlyn Park is now a labyrinth of quirky accommodation. Stay in a repurposed plane, a remodelled train, a large ship or hobbit house.

KEEP ON TRUCKIN’

ABOVE: Underhill, Waikato © Canopy Camping Escapes

The Amazing House Truck lives up to its name. Based in beautiful Golden Bay, it’s army green, elevated and isolated. The cast iron fireplace makes winter warm and in summer, the sunsets are divine.

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Minimalist Travellers

PAUL & SANDRA Paul and Sandra, the Gen X couple behind www.minimalistjourneys.com, farewelled their corporate careers in 2016 and now travel full-time, living in a campervan.

What appealed to you about exploring the country while living in a van?

TOP: Paul & Sandra in Cape Rēinga MIDDLE: Sandra at Slope Point ALL IMAGES: © Paul Ryken

Exploring New Zealand in a campervan gave us the freedom to go (almost) anywhere, camp in the most beautiful places and wake up to a different view every day. Like a snail, we would always have our home with us, so van life was also a very affordable way to get to know the country.

How did full-time van life affect your relationship?

We are used to living with each other 24/7, so adjusting to van life wasn’t difficult. If you live in a van you

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can’t retreat to another room. So if we needed to get away from each other, one of us would go for a walk instead. Ultimately, communication is key, as with any relationship.

What are the pros and cons of full-time van life?

Apart from those already mentioned, another pro is greater awareness: of the weather, your surroundings and your water and electricity consumption. You live more mindfully. The only con we can think of are the trips to the dump station.

We’d have a composting toilet next time we did it.

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Family fun in Napier!

PAR MINI GOLF Par2 is fun for everyone! Choose from two 18-hole courses with unique features or enjoy a round on both.

Open daily with extended summer hours! par2golf.co.nz

BAY SKATE Let the good times roll at Bay Skate, Napier’s world class skate park. Bring your own wheels or hire from the huge range of roller sport equipment for a ride in the park or a roll along Marine Parade. bayskate.nz

THE FARADAY CENTRE

KENNEDY PARK RESORT

Fuel your imagination as you explore this interactive hands-on museum. It’s a fascinating place of discovery for all the family! faradaycentre.org.nz THE FARADAY CENTRE

Enjoy fun right on your doorstep with a large array of accommodation options!

Heated pool complex, jumping pillow and playground. kennedypark.co.nz

NATIONAL AQUARIUM OF NEW ZEALAND

MTG HAWKE’S BAY

hawke’s bay museum of technology

Discover an exciting world above and below the water! Visit Penguin Cove, see sharks and stingrays swim over you in the oceanarium and spot native tuatara and kiwi. nationalaquarium.co.nz

Visit this free award-winning museum!

Explore the artefacts in the Taonga Māori Gallery and discover the story of the region’s recovery following the 1931 earthquake. mtghawkesbay.com

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Art and

Culture

We’re bursting at the seams with things that will make your senses pop!

The Broken Doll by Florence Dosdane, World of WearableArt 2017, Wellington Š Positively Wellington Tourism

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Cultural PEARLS Te Tai Tokerau is where Kupe is said to have made his first landfall. It’s no surprise that Northland is rich with significant historic sites, as travel writer Elisabeth Easther found.

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Waitangi Treaty Grounds This is one of those things that all New Zealanders ought to do, at least once in their lives.

There is so much to be gained from a visit to Waitangi Treaty Grounds, to be immersed in the history of Aotearoa. Take a guided tour and come to grips with some vital elements of the nation’s history; gaze upon the Treaty House and all it stands for. Experience a cultural performance, marvel at the mighty ceremonial waka and admire the tuna (eels) in the pond outside the cafe.

ABOVE: Waitangi sunset © Getty Images TOP RIGHT: Te Whare Rūnanga © Waitangi Treaty Grounds LEFT: Te Whare Rūnanga © David Kirkland RIGHT: Te Kōngahu Museum © Northland Tourism

commitment of Māori solders over various battles, wars and conflicts since the 1840s. Their sacrifices are described eloquently by Sir Āpirana Ngata as The Price of Citizenship.

Te Rau Aroha cuts straight to the heart with its immersive, interactive accounts of bravery and loss and it deserves all the accolades being heaped upon it.

Te Kōngahu Museum is a stateof-the-art exhibition about Te Tiriti o Waitangi told from multiple perspectives. Helping visitors understand the nation’s evolution, Te Kōngahu has been turning heads since it open in 2016. A new addition to the Waitangi experience is Te Rau Aroha, a poignant and elegantly curated account of the strength and We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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Papatūānuku: Mother Earth Tours Stella Kake-Schmid is a powerhouse of energy and vitality and she is also a mine of information. Putting her passions to excellent use, Stella leads informative and engaging forest and wildlife conservation tours along the little known Ōpua Kauri Track, behind Paihia. Welcoming guests at the boot cleaning station to prevent kauri dieback, Stella equips her guests with tokotoko (walking sticks) featuring carved bird heads, before leading people into the bush, 74

telling stories of creation as seen from a Māori perspective, sharing information about the ngāhere and trees, rongoā, traditional Māori healing techniques, and the struggles faced by the forest due to predators and disease. As a fiercely determined trustee of Bay Bush Action, Stella is also devoted to educating people about the wonders of our natural world while ridding the Ōpua State Forest of predators so native species, including the kiwi, can flourish.

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Kawiti Caves, Kawakawa I’ve lost count of the times I’ve driven past the sign that points to Kawiti Caves, just south of Kawakawa. Recently I decided to stop and I’m so glad I did. From the moment we turned off SH 1 on to Waiomio Rd, the beautifully manicured grounds drew us in. The grass was an astonishing shade of emerald while kōtare (kingfishers) flew through the air, their iridescent wings shimmering in the sunlight.

Tours operate every day except Christmas Day and depart every half hour from 8.30am-4pm, with a member of the extended Kawiti

whānau leading manuhiri (visitors) on tours of the Waiomio Glowworm Caves where they played when they were children. Boardwalks were constructed in the 1990s, so no worries about wet feet and along the way you’ll learn about geology, the history of the caves and the area, while also just being wowed by an up-close and personal audience with Arachnocampa luminosa aka the glowworm. These beguiling tours take about 45-60 minutes and end with a breathtaking self-guided stroll through ancient moss-clad rocks and atmospheric native bush.

ABOVE: Exploring New Zealand forest © Getty Image LEFT: Kiwi © Getty Images RIGHT: Te Hana Te Ao Marama Maori Cultural Centre, Te Hana © Chris McLennan

CULTURE VULTURE 1. Learn a little te reo by downloading the Māori language app Kupu; tune into Radio New Zealand to help you pronounce words correctly.

2. Stay overnight in a marae in Northland, Auckland or Rotorua.

3. The Auckland War Memorial Museum features high-quality cultural performances every day.

4. Enjoy a hangi feast, an experience you’ll find all over New Zealand.

5. Te Hana, an hour north of Auckland, is a great place to catch a kapa haka performance.

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Lantern Festival at Albert Park © Todd Eyre

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Auckland, Upper North Island Lantern Festival in Auckland Central.

All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost J. R. R. Tolkien English writer We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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ABOVE: Waitematā Harbour, Auckland © Getty Images RIGHT: Classic cars in Napier © Hawke’s Bay Tourism FAR RIGHT: Ōmaka Aviation Heritage Centre © RMP Brown

The Golden Age

OF TRAVEL

The magical, bygone era of golden travel may have disappeared with the last century, but not all is lost in New Zealand. From steam trains to vintage trams, nostalgic journeys are still achievable.

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TRADITIONAL SAILING BOATS

AVIATION JOY RIDES

She may be called Ted Ashby, but damn, she’s one beautiful heritage scow. For the uninitiated, ketchrigged deck scows are traditional wooden sailing vessels (big billowing sails and all) that were commonly built in the north of New Zealand between 1873 and 1925. Based at Auckland Maritime Museum, the Ted Ashby offers twice daily sailings around the harbour. Guests can sit on the deck or help raise the sails, but you better hold onto your hats if it’s windy, because boy can she go.

Don your aviator goggles and channel your inner Amelia Earhart: we doubt you’ve ever flown in a plane like this before. Thanks to Ōmaka Aviation Heritage Centre, a range of adventure flights hoon across the skies above Blenheim.

The newly restored Yak 3 is a World War II icon with an Allison V1710 V-12 engine: for the uninitiated, this means she can really go. Can she roll, too? Oh you bet. Then there’s the The Avro Anson Mk 1: the only one of its type in the world that’s flyable. Passengers spend 1020 minutes looping across Marlborough’s vineyards, the wind howling, the engine roaring and the ground somewhere above or below your eyebrows. Sign us up.

VINTAGE ISLAND SCOOTERS Perhaps you see yourself as more of a 1960s Mod, in which case zipping across Waiheke Island on a replica Lambretta moped will be right up your street. Waiheke, which is just 40 minutes by ferry from downtown Auckland is noted for its sunshine, beaches and rolling vineyards, and thanks to Island Scoot, it’s easy to hop from one to the next on a retro scooter. The mopeds are all painted in beautiful bold colours and dressed in their finest Italian attire.

CLASSIC CAR TOURS You will feel pretty natty tootling around the art deco city of Napier in a classic car. With vehicles spanning four decades, from the 1920s to the late 1950s, including a vintage Ford, Chevrolet and Daimler, the bonniness of an early 20th century motor is sure to bring a smile to your face. Passengers need simply sit back and enjoy their private tour; experienced driverscum-tour guides (accustomed to a crunchy gear change) are all part of the package.

WATCH THIS SPACE...

The Kingston Flyer might be the best come-back story since Rocky Balboa. This former steam train was once the belle of the ball, but with the demise of train travel, so came her reign.

New ownership was finally confirmed in 2019 and rumour has it she’ll be running again by late 2020.

LALA THE RETRO CARAVAN If you missed the opportunity to be a 1970s’ hippy, never fear – LALA’s here. She’s a spearmint green vintage caravan with a boho interior and enormous, sun-filling windows. Based in Tauranga, the best thing about LALA is that her owners will deliver her loveliness to a Mt Maunganui campground of your choice.

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ORIGINAL CITY TRAMS It’s easy to have a bit of a soft spot for trams, and in Christchurch, they’re particularly dashing. Decked out both internally and externally in resplendent vintage décor, they clatter delightfully down the city’s narrow streets. A hop on, hop off all-day ticket allows passengers to combine tram rides with Christchurch’s best sights.

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NOSTALGIC PADDLE STEAMERS Riverboats were all the rage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

What’s not to love about a slow, leisurely amble down the river?

Salvaged from the bottom of the Whanganui River where she skulked for 50 years, the Waimarie Paddle Steamer is now New Zealand’s last steam-powered and coal-fired passenger paddle steamer. Cruising October through to May, jump aboard for a few hours of timehonoured fun. Head down to the engine room and shovel coal into the burner, or step outdoors and try your hand at steering the wheel.

THE MARLBOROUGH FLYER

ABOVE: The Marlborough Flyer © Tommy Secker

Feel every inch an Agatha Christie character (without any unfortunate murders) aboard The Marlborough Flyer. Chugging between Picton and Blenheim, this traditional steam-powered train gleams like just-polished brass. Built in 1915 as a WWI memorial locomotive, it fell out of use when electric trains prospered but was later restored to its former glory. The track sewn between Picton and Blenheim takes approximately one hour each way, with Marlborough views bouncing past every window. Sit inside the original wooden carriages, on vintage red leather seats and enjoy the thick, yet strangely evocative smell of smoke and steam.

LEFT: Tram on New Regent St, Christchurch © Welcome Aboard Christchurch TOP: Waimarie Paddle Steamer © whanganuinz.com

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Govett-Brewster Art Gallery

JOSH MANU

Josh Manu is one of the smiling faces you’ll see as you walk in to New Plymouth’s Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre, and a font of knowledge on the Gallery and all things in the region’s thriving creative and cultural sector.

TOP: Sky Snakes, by Len Lye © Bryan W James LEFT: Gallery team member Josh Manu © Lucy Nacey T

What can visitors expect to see, discover and experience?

everything else the region has to offer.

Expect to see the unexpected, and while that might be a bit cliché, it’s at the heart of what we offer as a contemporary art destination.

Catch the largest-ever exhibition of Len Lye’s pioneering film works, an amazing exhibition by US artist Candice Lin, dozens of events that will enable you to explore and engage with the art, or grab something a little different from the Govett-Brewster Shop.

What are the most popular exhibits?

Who typically visits the art gallery?

While the Govett-Brewster has been around since 1970, the Len Lye Centre opened in 2015. Since then we’ve seen visitors grow from an art crowd to a global audience.

Many are visiting New Plymouth for the first time, often because of the Gallery, and once here discover

The work of pioneering filmmaker and kinetic artist Len Lye – New Zealand’s most renowned international artist - always triggers an amazing response, ranging from quiet contemplation to outright trepidation, as is often the case with some of the more energetic kinetic sculptures.

What’s planned for the future?

We’re always working on bringing ideas, artworks, exhibitions and people from the forefront of national and international art practice to New Plymouth. The Gallery’s exhibitions change every four months, so there’s an ever-changing programme of things to see and ways to engage with the art that means you have to come back often.

Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre 42 Queen St, New Plymouth • P: 06 759 6060 • W: govettbrewster.com • E: info@govettbrewster.com • OPENING HOURS: Daily, 10am-5pm 82

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JUST AROUND THE CORNER IS A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER.

Surf Highway 45

Lake Mangamahoe

DISCOVER TARANAKI Experience your perfect getaway in Taranaki – it’s just around the corner. Be pleasantly surprised by truly unique activities, adventure and events, decadent dining and world-class modern art. Head to visit.taranaki.info to see what Taranaki has to offer and why it needs to be on your must-visit list.

visit.taranaki.info AN INITIATIVE OF VENTURE TARANAKI

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MAN-MADE

Men love their man caves, so we’ve put together a selection of New Zealand attractions based on their man cave things.

Golf Clubs

Fishing Rods If he loves fishing, take him to Hook in Wanaka.

Described as the ultimate lake-to-plate experience, budding fishermen, novice through to veteran, can fish for their dinner. The spring-fed lake is replete with Chinook salmon. Simply sit, hook and leave your catch with the staff. By the time you’ve knocked back a glass of Otago wine, your seafood will be served: hot and smoked or raw and sliced. In fact, they’ll prepare it whichever way you like.

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Some of New Zealand’s most spectacular golf courses are found in Queenstown. Jack’s Point fronts the shores of Lake Wakatipu beneath the sky-high Remarkables mountain range, while Millbrook Resort in nearby Arrowtown has been voted the best golf resort in Australasia.

For a challenge, The Hills is a par 72 course and one of New Zealand’s premier golf courses, or, if he’s after something really special, Over the Top Helicopters deposit golfers 1372 metres above sea level on a course only accessible by chopper. He and his pals can tee-off above Queenstown.

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MOVIE MEMoRaBILIA If the walls of his man cave are plastered with nostalgic posters from the movies he grew up with, a trip to Weta Workshop is a must. Book the classic Weta Cave Workshop Tour or, because not all movie sets are made to scale, the fascinating Miniature Effects Tour. Perhaps he’d like to partake in the hands-on introduction to building armour, or a clay sculpture workshop?

In late 2020, a new and immersive Weta Workshop experience will also launch at SKYCITY Auckland.

ABOVE: Golum, Weta Cave, Wellington © Tourism New Zealand LEFT: Millbrook Resort, Arrowtown © Millbrook Resort LOWER LEFT: Lake Wanaka © Getty Images RIGHT: Emerson’s Brewery, Dunedin © Hayden Parsons/DunedinNZ BELOW: World of WearableArt and Classic Cars Museum © NelsonTasmanNZ.co.nz

Beer Does he know that a miniature portable pub regularly travels around the country? With just enough space for two punters (him and his mate) and a barman, the tiny travelling pub is run by Emerson’s Brewery and boasts the interior of a classic British pub, complete with brass pumps and old glass lamps.

Keep an eye out for its seasonal, nationwide schedule.

Power Drills cars Does his car glisten like glass? Nelson’s Classic Car Museum just got bigger and better, with more than 160 mint condition cars now on display in a mightily impressive building. Bill Richardson Transport World is an Invercargill highlight with hundreds of motor vehicles and over 200 vintage petrol pumps to admire, and Hamilton’s Classics Museum features over 100 classic cars and a retro American diner.

Construction is in his heart, in which case, a day out at Invercargill’s Dig This will delight. Best described as a childhood dream blown up into adult-sized fun, Dig This is essentially an enormous gravel pit filled with diggers. Jump in and have a go in a four-tonne skid steer; use a five-tonne digger to dump, dig and push, or go full throttle and crush a car. There’s also a mini dig for children, although it’s usually ‘the big kids’ that cause most destruction.

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CURTAIN CALL AA Traveller writer, Anna Sarjeant, peeks behind the scenes at Auckland’s Civic Theatre.

ALL IMAGES: Behind the scenes on the Civic Theatre Tour © Anna Sarjeant

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J

ames Manning is the kind of man who could present a tour of a toilet block, and make it so riveting you’ll beg for another look at the U-bend. Give him a venue as distinguished as Auckland’s historic Civic Theatre and he’s in his element.

With a seven-year tenure, rising from usher to FOH Supervisor in Charge and seasoned tour guide, James knows every nook of this playhouse, including its fascinating (and often salacious) past.

The hour-long backstage tour compels guests from the get-go, with the most delighful surprises often arising from unexpected places.

Firstly, the stage is ten times larger than you could ever imagine, and secondly, those areas you first deem esteemed (such as the Green Room) are nowhere near as exciting as the secrets that James spills.

From the original proprietor, Thomas O’Brien, who, in 1929 built

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Every inch an Auckland dame, The Civic Theatre has aged with grace.

Anna Sarjeant AA Traveller writer

the elaborate venue as a cinema, but later eloped to Australia with a bagful of cash and neither his wife nor kids in tow (his riches to rags misfortune concludes with him dying, down-and-out on a Melbourne park bench), to the infamous Freda Stark who wowed American WWII soldiers with her incredible dance moves – and much more besides. Nine decades of drama have played out in here, and not all of it on the stage.

While The Civic itself can’t disclose any tales, James has that rare knack of divulging information in such a enthralling manner – with humour and panache combined – you’ll return home earnestly repeating

what you’ve learned. Backstage access allows you to feel fittingly VIP-like, especially as photography – usually associated with only the most sacrilegious theatregoer – is welcomed throughout.

Every inch an Auckland dame, The Civic Theatre has aged with the grace and good looks of a starlet. Her labyrinth of ornamented corridors, glowing in their eclectic Africa-meetsIndia-meets-Asia aesthetics, will both amaze and distract. Lose sight of your group, of which there are never more than 16, and The Civic might swallow you up forever. Still, at least your disappearance will guarantee a mention in James’ sensational dialogue.

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Flax weaving at Waitangi Treaty Grounds Š Northland Tourism

Waitangi Treaty Grounds, Northland Protected site for the first treaty signing between MÄ ori and the British Crown in 1840.

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes Marcel Proust French writer 88

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Every year, scores of tourists depart with a precious piece of Kiwiana. Why? Because New Zealand-made objects are beautiful. In the wake of Covid19, there’s never been a better time to sculpt your own.

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Make your own

KIWI SOUVENIR BONE CARVING The Bone Dude’s Bone Carving Studio, Christchurch

KNIFEMAKING Barrytown Knifemaking, Barrytown

The Bone Dude (real name John) offers the perfect introduction to bone carving, which he happens to excel at. For newcomers it requires time, patience and the help of an expert. Over the course of three hours, hang out in John’s neat studio learning about the different types of bone and how best to carve, smooth and shape. Simply pick a design and begin, or if you’re feeling brave, create your own pattern. Budding carvers are encouraged to modify their piece to make it 100% unique.

Knives are the perfect example of skilled craftmanship. For a truly novel experience, head to Barrytown for a full-day knifemaking workshop.

You’ll make your own hand-forged knife from red hot steel and throughout the day, your tea breaks are bolstered with unusual activities such as axe throwing and target practice. Before lunch the blades are forged and the handles assembled, while after lunch (which is provided) the blades are ground, sanded, polished and sharpened.

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LEFT: Edmonds Baking School, Chelsea Bay, Auckland © Chelsea Bay RIGHT: Pounamu/jade carving, Hokitika © Miles Holden/Tourism New Zealand BELOW: Knifemaking workshop © Barrytown Knifemaking BELOW RIGHT: Glass vases, New Zealand Glassworks, Whanganui © New Zealand Glassworks

JADE CARVING Bonz ‘N’ Stonz, Hokitika Aotearoa’s first Māori were astute carvers, adept at sculpting elaborate pieces, both practical and decorative from jade, shells and bone; a skill that was passed down from generation to generation. If you too would like to learn these skills, join a master carver at Bonz ‘n’ Stonz for a tutorial on chiselling pounamu, as well as pāua shell or bone. You’ll get to immerse yourself in Māori culture while further understanding the cultural significance behind each process.

PAVLOVA BAKING Chelsea Sugar Factory, Auckland

GLASS BLOWING New Zealand Glassworks, Whanganui

This isn’t the kind of souvenir that will last a lifetime (or even half an hour if you’re hungry), but the classic Kiwi pavlova is synonymous with New Zealand. At Chelsea Sugar Factory – a piece of heritage unto itself – baking workshops collaborate two of our oldest and best-loved brands, Chelsea Sugar and Edmonds, to form the Edmonds Baking School. Hands-on classes take place in the state-of-the-art kitchen with up to 10 participants, and lessons include everything from pavlovas to lamingtons.

Within easy walking distance of Whanganui’s CBD, this inspiring venue is the national centre for glass art. It’s a beautiful space, brimming with working glass blowers and a gallery of exquisite pieces.

If you’d like an item stamped with your own style, book a 30-minute paperweight-making experience with a leading practitioner. Full-day workshops are also available. You won’t want to skip town too quickly though – every piece needs to anneal (cool down), so returning the next day is imperative.

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Sculptureum

ANTHONY GRANT

Introducing Anthony Grant, who with his wife Sandra, has spent 12 years creating a unique sculpture garden and museum, ‘Sculptureum’, near Matakana.

Built on 25 hectares, the property includes six indoor galleries and three enclosed gardens, designed to display roughly 750 decorative objects and artworks the Grants have been collecting for more than 20 years.

TOP: Pink Snail © Angela Kidman ABOVE: Wandering through Sculptureum © ATEED RIGHT: Anthony and Sandra, Sculptureum © Angela Kidman

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How did Sculptureum originate?

I always wanted to create a place that makes art fun, interesting and enriching.

Together with my wife Sandra we started planting in 2007 and spent the next 10 years designing and building the gardens and galleries, an 80-seater fine dining restaurant and further developing the vineyard.

What can visitors expect to see and do?

There are six indoor Art Galleries and three Sculptural Gardens – ‘The Garden of Creative Diversity’, ‘The Palm Garden’ and ‘The Pink Snail Garden’. Each area has an engaging mix of local and international artworks and sculptures – including the most substantial piece of glass art on public display in Australasia (a chandelier by Dale Chihuly).

Sculptureum is ranked highly by Tripadvisor as the No. 2 Best Thing to do in Auckland – what makes it so special?

TOP: Sculptureum Gallery ABOVE: Swing sculpture at Sculptureum LEFT: Flower sculptures at Sculptureum ALL IMAGES: © Angela Kidman

Our galleries and gardens have been designed to unlock the imagination, fuel creativity, and ignite the mind. Visitor feedback has described Sculptureum as a ‘World-class attraction’, less than an hour’s drive from downtown Auckland.

Plus Rothko Restaurant was voted a Metro Top 50 Restaurant in Auckland last year.

Can you tell us about any exciting upcoming promotions and events?

We have lots of activity planned across all areas of the business this year, including Sculptureum participating in Auckland’s premier Arts and Culture Festival – Elemental Auckland 2020. Throughout October we will be telling the story of our journey through a combination of Art, Food and Wine and would love you to join us!

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Better when together

Family

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FAMILY Sunset Bubbles Lantern Celebration at Centre of New Zealand, Nelson Š Caroline Crick/Nelson City Council

There’s no better place to round up the gang and have some fun.

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Better than any

SCHOOL LESSON Physical experiences enrich learning better than any textbook.

Teach your kids under the guise of an excursion – it’ll be too fun to feel educational!

How did Aotearoa come to be?

Head to our contemporary capital for a peek into New Zealand’s past. The Blood Earth Fire exhibit at Te Papa museum reveals what Aotearoa was like over 1000 years ago. Learn more about the now extinct moa and visit the famed Colossal Squid: the largest invertebrates on our planet. Don’t forget to print The Colossal Squid activity book before your visit for squid facts and activities.

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If your kid is big on dinosaurs, tuatara lived over 220 million years ago and thrived during the dinosaur age. There are currently 11 to admire at Queenstown’s Kiwi Birdlife Park.

Where are we from?

Who was Kupe and where did he come from? Auckland Museum is going to tell you everything, alongside 1000 Māori treasures (taonga) and a life-size marae with daily cultural performances. Children love the energy of the haka.

ABOVE: Tuatara © David Kirkland TOP: Te Marae, Te Papa Museum © Vaughan Brookfield

FAMILY LEFT: Tamaki Māori Village, Rotorua © Rotorua Tourism BELOW: Mission Station, Kerikeri © Northland Tourism

What did a traditional Māori village look like?

No need to imagine such a thing when you can visit one. History comes alive at Tamaki Māori Village in Rotorua. Enter a world of proud warriors and ancient traditions in this pre-European Māori village cradled in native forest. Experiences are nightly (staying up late – that’s a win for any kid) and include ceremonial rituals, storytelling and traditional kai. Watch authentic tattooing, weaving, carving and warrior training before congregating at the ancestral meeting house for cultural performances and a hangi dinner.

‘Meet the Villagers’ days. Visitors are encouraged to play old-fashioned games, attend lessons in the schoolhouse, show up for a court session and help make butter and lemonade.

European settlers also voyaged from as far as Scotland, often settling in Otago. The Toitū Otago Settlers Museum in Dunedin is dedicated to telling the story of the people, from the earliest Polynesian settlers to the Scots of the 19th century. Children can dress up in ancestral attire and pretend it’s 1848.

When did the Europeans arrive?

Established in 1819, the Kerikeri Mission Station is one of the first places in New Zealand where Māori invited European visitors to live among them. Housing two of the country’s oldest buildings, little visitors can experience what kids did 200 years ago on the Children’s Chores Tour. Howick Historical Homestead imitates life in the 1800s and frequently hosts We Love You New Zealand! September 2020

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Why is our agriculture so important?

From the milk added to our Weetbix to Canterbury lamb, Aotearoa relies on agriculture. At Bullswool Farm Heritage Park in Paeroa, early mechanised milking sheds and a wealth of historic farm tools complement a children’s play paddock, complete with kids’ scale digger, truck and petrol pump.

Discover new and creative ways to feed the livestock (like from a xylophone feeder) and learn why farming is such an important industry for Kiwis.

ABOVE: Antarctic Centre • LEFT: Little blue penguin, Antarctic Centre © Antarctic Centre RIGHT: University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory, Tekapō © Vaughan Brookfield

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What have we achieved?

Surrounded by stunning Aoraki Mt Cook scenery, the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre details Hillary’s various pursuits, as well as other notable New Zealand climbers.

Explore the museum and watch various films about Hillary’s life, his achievements and the region’s vital mountain rescue team. For more inspiring Kiwi accomplishments, the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch highlights the invaluable work New Zealand does at the South Pole. Try a 4D-theatre experience, bunker down in an Antarctic storm, cuddle a husky, or take a ride in the Hägglund, an allterrain Antarctic vehicle.

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What does our future look like?

The future lies in space, right? Understand New Zealand’s contribution to astronomy and space sciences at Space Place in Wellington or discover our explosive origins at an Auckland Stardome show. The Dark Sky Project in TekapĹ? reveals one of the most startling Dark Sky Reserves in the world. Enhance your knowledge of the Southern Skies from a purpose-built observatory, peer through enormous telescopes and ask the astrologers your every galaxy-related question.

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Whoa! Studios

DAVID SUTHERLAND David Sutherland - Chief Dood, Creator of Whoa! Studios and Custard’s World.

In 2015, technology entrepreneur, David Sutherland had a vision – to create a space for children and families to come together through the magic of live theatre, healthy play and healthy food. He set to work transforming what was a derelict industrial site and warehouses in Henderson, West Auckland, into Whoa! Studios. .

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Why is Whoa! touted as the most exciting family destination in Auckland?

wine and craft brew list – and there’s a child’s menu suited to even the fussiest eaters.

Transformed with the help of talented West Auckland’s set designers; the playground, theatre, and film studio are beautifully detailed which give visitors that bygone era feeling that something magical could happen. Parents love The Grounds Restaurant, headed up by resident West Aucklander and celebrity chef Ben Bayly. The seasonal menu is delicious, as is the

What do kids love most about the Urban Playground?

The playground has a huge spaceship, but undoubtedly, the kid’s favourite is our huge Crochet Climbing Net crafted by the Canadian-Japanese artist Toshiko Horiuchi. It’s one of just a handful in the world, and kids can (and often do) climb around in it for hours!

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laughs and adventure our heroes make sure Dr Gloom gets his just deserts – usually right in the face.

Custard’s World is available to view on HEIHEI and TVNZ on Demand.

Does Whoa! have any exciting plans in the pipeline?

ABOVE: Urban Playground Rocket LEFT: Whoa! Studio theatre LOWER LEFT: David Sutherland BELOW: Meal at Whoa! Studio BOTTOM: Whoa! Studio Restaurant ALL IMAGES: © Whoa! Studio

Can you tell us about Custard’s World?

Custard’s World is an original children’s series about a young hero and his friends who must fight off the nefarious Dr Gloom who is intent on stealing all the smiles in his home town of Doodle to become super villain of the year. Filled with

Although Whoa Studios has been impacted by COVID-19 which has resulted in a cancellation of the 2020 show season, we are in development for our biggest ever show for release early 2021. ‘My Little Sister’ features our Kea hero from Custard’s World and a bunch of New Zealand predator ‘banditos’ trying to steal his sister ‘Eggling’. With partnerships with Auckland Council, Kea Conservation Trust and Predator Free NZ it will be sure to inspire, educate and help make a difference to our fragile native birdlife.

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Flax weaving at Waitangi Treaty Grounds Š Northland Tourism

Whoa! Studios, Auckland Whoa! Studios...

There is nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars Jack Kerouac American novelist 102

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© Whoa Studios

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ABOVE: Albatross, Otago Peninsula © DunedinNZ

NATURE babies

Elisabeth Easther takes her son Theo on some classic Kiwi adventures. ‘I love seeing Aotearoa through my son’s eyes, taking him to do things I loved when I was his age, as well as discovering new things with him. As fans of fresh air, wide-open spaces and wildlife, we do tend to gravitate towards activities that take us deep in to nature.’

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GISBORNE RAIL BIKES Picture a tandem side-by-side bicycle that’s engineered to ride old railway lines and you’ll have an idea of The Gisborne Railbike Adventure.

Covering 90 kilometres of rural coastal tracks between Gisborne and Wairoa, the journey features jaw-dropping views across the Mahia Peninsula and we adored every second of our journey. The owners tell us they have longer term plans to extend all the way to Mahia and, when that happens, Theo and I will be back down like two shots to do it all over again.

REEF ECOLOGY TOURS Fifteen kilometres from Gisborne on SH 35, you’ll find an incredible marine reserve where visitors can join reef ecology tours when the tide is low. Wearing the waders provided and using staffs for balance, you’ll be led out to the reef by knowledgeable guides to view enormous and elegant stingrays, schools of kingfish and so much more vibrant sea life.

When Theo felt a tugging on his staff, he was delighted to find an octopus shimmying up it, presumably to get away from all the big fish that wanted to eat it. Educational and awe-inspiring, this is another thing we’d repeat if we ever had the chance.

WILD ABOUT DUNEDIN’S WILDLIFE Dunedin blew our minds when we visited a year or so ago. Aside from the magical landscape, incredible views and numerous groovy things to do, our memories of the wildlife really stand out. We loved our visit to Orokonui Ecosanctuary, a 307 hectare pest-free forest abuzz with bird life including kiwi, takahē, kākā, bellbirds and tūī, as well as other

native creatures like tuatara and skinks. We took a guided tour and saw and learnt much more than we would’ve on our own, but self-guided strolls are an option, too. The visitor centre is also an amazing facility; be sure to leave at least half a day to do this place justice. Currently it’s only open Saturday-Monday while the world sorts itself out and the café is closed for the foreseeable future, so pack a lunch as well as warm clothes, sensible shoes and binoculars if you’re especially ornithological.

ABOVE: Takahē, Orokonui Ecosanctuary © DunedinNZ TOP: Mahia Peninsula © Hawke’s Bay Tourism

Another bird-lovers’ bonanza down this way, The Royal Albatross Centre on Taiaroa Head, has been described by Sir David Attenborough as a unique and special place. As the only mainland breeding colony of Northern Royal Albatross in the world, here you can get a close-up view of these majestic birds from specially constructed hides. And, if you stay till dusk, you can also add a little blue penguin tour to your itinerary. These creatures are adorable to watch as they waddle back to land after their busy days at sea. With an excellent café and visitor centre here too, you can make a full day of it.

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Hanmer Springs © Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa

Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools

GRAEME ABBOT

Graeme is the General Manager of Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa, a role he’ enjoyed for 20 years. In that time, millions of tourists have passed through the doors, coming to unwind, escape the city, enjoy some quality family time and experience Hanmer’s natural thermal waters. ‘I get to host hundreds of visitors every day and give them an experience to treasure,’ he says.

‘This is why I love what I do.’

Why is this such a great place to take kids?

Dad can enjoy a relaxing soak, while the kids play.

about the water in your thermal pools?

Over the years, we have been able to develop the complex into the familyfriendly destination it is today – boasting 22 thermal and heated freshwater pools, and four water slides, including New Zealnd’s largest water slide, Conical Thrill.

You’ll never want to leave our new Cascades, relaxing rock pools and soothing sulphur pools. In saying that, you’d be hard-pressed to find an adult, who doesn’t love our newest waterslide, Conical Thrill, as much as the kids do!

The journey our water takes is an impressive one. It started as snow and rain falling on the Hanmer Springs mountains over 173 years ago. It seeped into the greywacke basement rock and came to rest in a reservoir some two kilometres underground, where it was warmed by heat radiating from the earth’s core.

Today, we draw the water to the surface and use it all around the complex – obviously in the thermal pools, but also to heat the freshwater pools, showers and changing rooms.

The kids will love taking on the lazy river, splashing about in the lap pool or hurtling down any one of our hydroslides.

What can Mum & Dad expect to find to keep them entertained?

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We’ve also got an award-winning day spa for those wanting to unwind or indulge with a massage or beauty treatment.

If you can wrangle a babysitter, our private pools are also a popular choice for those who may want to get away from the crowds.

Can you tell us the story

So sit back, relax, and enjoy what nature created all those years ago!

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There’s a unique atmosphere in Hanmer Springs; a laid-back, relaxed vibe that makes visitors feel like a weight has been lifted from their shoulders.

Just 90 minutes from Christchurch but a world away from the hustle and bustle, this special part of the country is home to some of New Zealand’s most breath-taking scenery.

Get amongst nature and fill your lungs with fresh air, enjoy lazy days in some of the region’s world-class boutique accommodation spots, or treat yourself to a rejuvenating trip to the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa. visithanmersprings.co.nz

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KIDS’ ACTIVITIES

that adults love too

Oh, to be a child again – free from worry and woe.

At least in New Zealand there are several ways you can still act your shoe size.

ABOVE: Milk shakes at Balls and Bangles, Queenstown © Balls and Bangles

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Freaky milkshakes

Weird science

Freakshakes will likely send parents into a sugar slump and children into a rocket-fuelled frenzy, but it’s worth it for the sweet taste of childhood.

These monstrous creations transform regular milkshakes into behemoths laden with dougnuts, popcorn, candy floss and cake.

Auckland’s Cereal Killa Café boasts freakshakes that get larger by the day; The Enormous Crocodile & Shake parlour in Wellington serves an entire ice cream on top, and the pastel-coloured creations at Balls and Bangles in Queenstown leave everyone wide-eyed in wonderment (except dentists that is, they just grimace).

Out-of-school learning has never been so fun. Stimulate their inquisitive nature (and yours) with a Bioluminescence Kayak Tour just 20 minutes out of Auckland.

Explore Ōkura Marine at night, when a magical light show is produced by the smallest of sea creatures.

Bioluminescence is the glow emitted by living organisms which causes the water to light up like a Christmas tree. During the 90-minute kayaking tour, paddle through a glittering bay and dip your hands: the sparkles will flow over your fingertips. Suitable for children 11 years and over, and if the conditions are right, children over five too.

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Alpaca selfies Kids these days are born selfietakers – it’s in their Gen-Z blood. But no one takes a better pic than an alpaca: these mischievous-looking fur balls love to nuzzle into your viewfinder. Alpacas across New Zealand will win your whānau over with their charm and fluffy cuddles.

At Nevalea Alpacas in Taumarunui, they’ll even take you for a walk down ‘Alpaca Lane’. In Hamilton, the Cornerstone Alpaca Stud has alpaca encounters and tractor rides, and Criffel Station in Wanaka offers alpaca feeding as part of their farm tour. Photo ops are inevitable – there will be an alpaca snout in your smartphone almost immediately.

ABOVE: Alpaca cuddles © Nevalea Alpacas RIGHT: Puzzling World, Wanaka © Puzzling World BOTTOM RIGHT: Balloons at Odyssey Sensory Maze, Queenstown © Odyssey Sensory Maze

Puzzle me this Odyssey Sensory Maze now resides in both Queenstown and Auckland. Get lost in a labyrinth of balloons, LED lighting and ‘guess the smell’ boxes. The warped upside-down house that is Wanaka’s Puzzling World always entertains, and the 3D Trick Art Gallery in Rotorua will confuse your retinas into seeing all sorts of mystifying illusions. If you’re a purist that believes mazes should be made from hedgerow, aMAZEme in Rotorua features a giant hedge-made maze as well as Peter Rabbit’s McGregor’s Garden which includes a petting enclosure and butterfly house.

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Rock pooling From scuttling crabs to starfish and rare, blue button jellyfish, rock pooling is both free and fascinating.

Grab your buckets and get foraging.

New Zealand hot spots include the pools at the base of the mountain at Mt Maunganui’s Main Beach; Kāpiti Coast’s Pukerua Bay, and Goat Island Marine Reserve an hour north of Auckland. Matai Bay in Northland has both a calm beach and gentle waves, as well as crystal clear rock pools to explore. On the South Island, Kaikōura’s coastline is flush with creature-dwelling rock pools, most fortuitus at low tide.

ABOVE: Goat Island, Auckland © Getty Images TOP: Matai Bay, Northland © David Kirkland LEFT: Kaikōura rock pools, Canterbury © Bare Kiwi RIGHT: Fruit picking, Central Otago © Central Otago Tourism TOP RIGHT: Building buried in the 1886 volcanic eruption of Mt Tarawera © The Buried Village

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historic heroes Great Scott is that a cannon ball flying overhead? Why yes, it is.

You’ve stumbled across an historic pā battle. Fake of course, but with the help of Weta Workshops, the Traders and Whalers experience at Tawhiti Museum is incredibly life-like. This innovative Hāwera museum uses life-size displays and small model figures to depict New Zealand’s early history. From exploding cannons to exploding mountains: the 1886 volcanic eruption of Mt Tarawera near Rotorua killed hundreds, buried the village and destroyed the eighth wonder of the world – the Pink and White Terraces. Thanks to The Buried Village of Te Wairoa, with its excavated buildings, replica rooms, houses and relics, history is brought back to life.

Adults love nutritious fruit and veg, but if you’re under five, peas are evil and should be secretly fed to the dog.

Strawberry picking however, is a summer highlight, with strawberry farms flooding the Kumeū region of Auckland and open for PYO and fresh berry ice cream from late December through to March.

If you’re southern bound, stone fruit picking is huge in Otago. Get to grips with cherries, apricots, peaches and more. For veggie lovers, Dargaville’s Kumara Box details all things sweet potato and features giant kūmara statues and a rideable train made from old steel drums.

Dads love it!

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