ISSUE VII
Spring 2017
living NEw ZEA L AN D
Hiking the Kepler Track
The
Story of MÄ ori
Christchurch
After the Earthquake
+
Guide to New Zealand Wine
Kawarau Bridge Bungy Jumping
InstItute for CommunICatIon and InformatIon researCh Discovering Possibilities. Defining the Future. The ICIR specializes in creative and effective research designs, participant recruitment, and the dissemination of findings. We offer lab space for your use and can help you with your research needs in study design and participant recruitment. We offer space to conduct continuous response studies, and our research labs support many types of research, and our labs include: • • • • • •
content analysis lab focus group lab child media lab psychophysiology lab survey lab social media data analysis
For More Information Dr. Kim Bissell, Director Dr. Mary Katherine Alsip, Research Associate Phone: (205) 348-1235 Fax: (205) 348-9257 Email: alabamaicir@gmail.com Web: www.icir.ua.edu
Do More than tour Live, Learn, anD expLore
New ZealaNd Study the hero’s quest while walking through the land of The Lord of the Rings Watch a Super 15 rugby match while learning about culture and travel writing Attend a session of parliament and take a class on world literature
The College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Alabama offers study abroad programs featuring a variety of disciplines in more than 15 countries* across the globe.
Find the right program for you at studyabroad.ua.edu. LIVING
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*In 2015-2016, programs offered in Austria, Belize, Belgium, Chile, China, Cuba, England (Oxford), France, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
THE BOONE NEWSPAPERS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Corporate Sponsors The staff of Alpine Living would like to thank each of our sponsors who made the 2017 issue possible! Your generosity helped a group of students expand their knowledge of the world while applying their skills in journalism to produce this publication.
Tidewater Real Estate Mr. and Mrs. Billy Crosswhite
GET INSIDE THE NEWS.
GET EXPERIENCE.
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Walter A Wood Supply Company, Inc. Carole Camacho Jackson Thorton CPA Fitts Agency
Boone Newspapers seeks bright, ambitious and hardworking journalists, marketing and graphics professionals to join our team.
Todd Carpenter The staff would also like to thank our supporters who donated through GoFundMe!
VISIT BOONENEWSPAPERS.COM/CAREERS TO APPLY
Bon Voyage! from
The Department of Religious Studies Cross-cultural comparison is at the heart of what we do. religion.ua.edu 2
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For Dr. Bissell
A mentor, a friend, an editor and everything we aspire to be Not many people can say they know someone who has hiked a mountain on a broken foot. Very few can say they know someone who would drive them through a mountain range at midnight in the pouring rain on the left-hand side of the road. The Alpine Living team can say we know one such person. We know Dr. Bissell, who on short notice—and a broken foot—clambered up limestone bluffs, trekked through ferns and across precariously twisting bridges to explore every inch of the Kepler Track. We saw her time and time again drop her plans and accompany us on every New Zealand adventure. From following us up a glacier to interviewing Māori warriors over freshly steamed hangi, she was there to offer guidance through it all. Alpine Living changes from issue to issue. We travel to different countries and have new designers, writers, editors and photographers. Yet, one thing stays
the same, and that’s the passion Dr. Bissell has for her publication and her students. Not only does she give us the opportunity to travel abroad and attain real world experience, she really gets to know us. She cares about what is going on in our lives and what is bothering us. She wants us to make lifelong friendships and succeed in our careers. Without her, Alpine Living would not be where it is today. She exemplifies where excitement for the next great adventure can take you. And that’s what Alpine Living is really about. It’s about following your dreams to the other side of the world and working hard to create a publication that will inspire others to do the same. For these reasons, we dedicate this issue to her. Thank you Dr. Bissell, from the Alpine Living Issue VII staff, for listening to our carpool karaoke, our incessant chatter and our off-the-wall ideas for this issue. We hope we’ve made you as proud of us as we are of you. Love, Alpine Living Issue VII staff
living Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Norris Managing Editor Taylor Armer Art Director Christopher Chase Edmunds Photo Editor Mary Kathryn Carpenter Chief Copy Editor Madison Sullivan Digital Editor Hailey Grace Steele Writers Kaylin Bowen Elizabeth Elkin Thomas Joa Elayne Smith Cara Walker Danielle Waddell Matthew Wilson Photographers Lane Stafford Mary-Margaret Schmidt Faculty Advisor Kim Bissell, Ph.D. Alpine Living is an award-winning, student-produced, international travel magazine based in the University of Alabama’s Department of Journalism and Creative Media.
Every two years, an editorial staff of distinguished students is selected to travel internationally and produce a 100+ page, full-gloss magazine on the history, culture and lifestyle of a country and its people. Alpine Living aims to provide a service to the international travel community through indepth feature writing, professional photography and packaged digital content. This magazine and its website highlight print and multimedia aspects of the evolving journalism market. Students learn invaluable skills that endear them to future employers during the course of the semester. Students produce both print and digital versions of the magazine in less than three months—a feat no other comparable student publication can claim.
On the Cover ISSUE VII
The Kawarau River Bridge provides classic New Zealand views, as well as a scenic backdrop for bungy jumping. Photo by Jonathan Norris
Spring 2017
living NEw ZEALAND
Hiking the Kepler Track
The
Story of Māori
Christchurch
After the Earthquake
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+
Guide to New Zealand Wine
Kawarau Bridge Bungy Jumping
Letter from the Editor Kia Ora, a greeting wishing good health. Welcome to Issue VII of Alpine Living. This magazine represents a culmination of what we have been taught at the Capstone. While abroad, there are many ways to get from point A to point B. Some travelers choose to lease a car, while others yield to public transit. To allow our team the most opportunities for content, rented vehicles were the best option for us. This allowed us to set our own schedule while moving around the country. In essence, an American road trip while traveling through New Zealand. “NZ roads are different, allow extra time.” These notices are posted on signs as you pick up your rental cars and displayed on billboards as you drive through the country. While these signs cause hesitation in a driver, especially one who is not used to left-hand driving, they did not lie. The roads are different and the culture of the island is reflected in the design. One-way bridges that cause you to fly to your next location will make you stop on the way back in order to give way to the next oncoming car. The roads reflect the style of living in New Zealand: know where you are, aid others and yield when necessary. This issue covers parts of the North and South Island. While united by nationality, the North Island—which is more developed—has a city
feel, while the South Island offers a laid-back, island-time vibe. Traveling through what is often described as “painted-by-God countryside,” I found myself apologizing to our photographers for making their job too easy. The roads bend with the topography, taking you into the landscape and not just through it. With every turn there was an incitement to pull over and pause for a minute. The impulse to get out, take in the scenery and be a tourist at every designated and non-designated stop was compelling. As we traveled across this magnificent country there was always a new horizon to photograph. As I prepare to leave The University of Alabama, I want to say thank you to my staff. I am proud and humbled to have worked with this incredible team. To you, the reader, wherever this magazine finds you, I hope this issue ignites your passion to explore and find a new horizon. Please enjoy this “crown jewel” of the UA journalism program.
Jonathan M. Norris Editor-in-Chief
Features 39 Back to Their Roots How sheep and dairy farms anchor the export economy
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On the Surface
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Sea of Dreams
Geothermal systems drive eco-tourism in New Zealand
Whale sightings come to those who wait
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Resilient
Years after a devastating earthquake, the community of Christchurch is reclaiming a new normal
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The Story of Māori How New Zealand’s natives maintain their traditions
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Saving New Zealand’s Birds
Conservation efforts to protect native kiwi and penguin species
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The Melody of New Zealand
Guide to the country’s world-famous wines
Contents Auckland Welcome to the Night Market Trams: Timeless Transport Doughnuts, New Zealand Style Auckland from Every Angle Surfing at Murawai Beach Mad for Manuka Honey Off to the Races at Ellerslie Dining in Devonport La Cigale’s International Flair The Birds on the Bricks
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Sydney Destination Bondi
106 Pancakes at the Rocks 108 Sydney’s Gelato Roses 109 Sydney Under the Sea 110 Two employees at AJ Hackett Bungy take a rest between jumps. After leaping from the Kawarau Bridge, jumpers are unharnessed on the raft and rowed back to shore. Photo by Jonathan Norris
Christchurch Magic in the Streets Steampunk Society Christchurch Art Gallery Gliding Gondolas Fudge Cottage Importing French Cuisine Remnants of Middle Earth
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queenstown Taking the Leap
88 Hiking Fox Glacier 91 Glow Worm Caves 92 Trekking Te Anau 94 Onsen Hot Pools 96 The Keepers of Milford Sound 98 Historic Arrowtown 100 ‘Tucked Away’ at the Cinema 101 Rugby: The Nation’s Game 102
auckland
Live Local for a Night Enjoy an evening of indulgence and community enjoyment at Auckland’s night market. Kaylin bowen
jonathan norris + madison sullivan
(Above) Kebabs sizzle and pop over an open flame during the opening hours of the Auckland night market. Photo by Jonathan Norris
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he pervasive aroma of sizzling snacks, roasting meats and caramelizing sugars drifts out of an underground parking deck. The dull hum of a thousand voices rises and falls like the chorus of a distant rock song. Children zip down the sidewalk dragging their parents behind. Teenagers loiter on a set of stairs beside a dumpster. Inside the car park, vendors call out in various languages, dialects and accents. The pungent tang of cooking oil increases as mounds of steaming food heaped behind the stalls come into view. In the back corner, Toro Churro passes out sweet, Spanish-style goods. Farther down, a colossal grill top steams, spitting water and oil as dumplings are cooked and coated in soy sauce. The Belgium waffle seller opens an iron, producing a thick, golden waffle to be loaded with syrup, whipped cream, fruits or chocolate. A squeal of laughter pierces the air as a child runs past holding what appears to be a massive, twirling french fry on a stick. Welcome to the night market.
“I like the diversity. You can come down and everything is here. It’s casual. It’s just relaxing.” The Auckland Night Market started in 2010 with one location under The Warehouse in Pakuranga, a suburb of Auckland within a 30-minute drive from city center. It has grown to six locations, each open one night a week from Wednesday to Sunday in different suburbs of Auckland. “I work all the markets around Auckland,”
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(Above left) Blown glass necklaces hang on display at a jewelry stall in the market. Photo by Jonathan Norris (Above right) Towers of french fries are made before the eyes of eager onlookers waiting to taste. Photo by Madison Sullivan
Damir Klum, owner and operator of Toro Churro, said. “But this one [The Warehouse] is traditional. I’ve been coming here for six years.” Each of its weatherproof locations see thousands of tourists and locals descend on stalls set up for food, goods, music and entertainment. The idea came from Victoria Yao, an entrepreneur originally from Shanghai, China. The market offers a unique experience of comradery, music, festivities, food and samples of local businesses. There are stalls that are exclusive to the market, and those that can act as an introduction to a local staple. Visitors to the city can get a taste of the diverse ethnicities, cultures and groups of people that reside in New Zealand’s largest urban city in one convenient location. Young and old, local and international, all are welcome here. Free admittance to the market makes it a budget-friendly event, where food, shopping and entertainment all gather together. Stallholders pay a fee to reserve their space, sell their merchandise and set their own prices. No matter where travelers stay in Auckland, a night market is within reach of a quick Uber or bus ride. In addition to the plethora of foodstuffs, the
market teems with stallholders advertising cell phone accessories, massages, jewelry, toys and clothing. “I like the diversity,” Russell Berg, a frequent Auckland Night Market visitor, said. “You can come down and everything is here. It’s casual. It’s just relaxing.”
the auckland night market locations 1. Botany Town Centre under Hoyts 2. Henderson under Kmart 3. Papatoetoe under Kmart 4. Pakuranga under The Warehouse 5. Glenfield Mall under Countdown 6. Hamilton under Kmart More information and directions to each location can be found online at aucklandnightmarkets.co.nz.
Timeless Transport Auckland’s heritage tram rekindles a piece of its history among modern city developments Cara Walker
Jonathan Norris
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tationed in the shadows of towering, halfconstructed apartment buildings and newlyopened restaurants is the Dockline Tram, a transit hub decorated with mural-sized photographs of retired tram cars and framed images of old passenger tickets, where Auckland’s heritage tramway is housed. The area surrounding the tiny hub is the site of a development project set to turn the old industrial harbor into a bustling entertainment district, Wynyard Quarter, over the next 10–20 years. This has flooded the area around the tramway with construction, limiting the trams’ runs to Sundays and public holidays only. James Duncan, who started volunteering at the Auckland Museum of Transportation at 15 years old, began serving full-time as the operations manager at the Dockline Tram two months before its October opening. Although it only runs the northern part of its original 1.5-kilometer (0.9-mile) loop due to heavy traffic and construction, the tramway still draws an average of 220 passengers
Originals Remastered
(Above) James Duncan stands at the controls of one of the W Class trams leased from Melbourne, Australia. (Top right) Unlike modern trams, which weld themselves to the track if the driver brakes in a hurry, the historic tram cars require more finesse to prevent the wheels from skidding. (Right) The two larger W Class trams seat 40–50 passengers at a time, with standing room for up to 100.
who can ride as many times as they want with their all-day passes. The tram bodies, which have been preserved, restored and repainted to match the style of the Auckland trams of 1930s, offer visitors a taste of history, Duncan said, which is why he fought for them to remain a part of Auckland tourism. “I think it’s that ongoing love affair with rail vehicles,” he speculated. “It’s just that love affair with things old. People do enjoy things old.” Fixed with new safety measures, but still operating with the same technology from the 1920s, these trams, with their electric motors and hand brakes, require skill and coordination to drive. Duncan trains part-time drivers to operate the three trams housed at the tramway so they can take shifts as passengers are toted around each Sunday. “I teach them to make sure they are competent and confident of handling something that weighs around 18 [metric] tons [39,683 pounds] and has the lives of some 50 odd people aboard,” Duncan said, gesturing toward the handwritten driver
Decommissioned in the 1950s, trams were stripped for scrap metal and the wooden bodies were sent to coastal cities where many were converted into small holiday homes.
schedule pinned to the corkboard behind his desk. When the Dockline Tram was originally proposed, it was intended to not only bring back a piece of that history, but also be a people mover, transporting passengers from downtown to the Wynyard Quarter. But with plans to potentially install light rail systems throughout the city, Duncan said Development Auckland, who owns the Dockline Tram and manages the Wynyard development, no longer views it as a means of transport. “We’re a ‘placemaking activity,’” he said. “It’s rather a modern term that’s used when you’re trying to set up an area. You try to create a sense of place and you have various activities and things people can do when they come down here. That’s where we fit in the scheme of things.” Duncan and his team of five part-time drivers run 20 to 25 trips around Wynyard Quarter from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Sunday, with special hours on public holidays. Passengers can climb aboard for a 15-minute loop around the area for a flat ticket rate of $2 (U.S. $1.40).
“If you really look, you can still see their tram origins but they’ve added little bits on the side or put new roofs on them,” Duncan said.“ That was a very big craze up here in Auckland.”
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Little & Friday Little & Friday’s main kitchen: No. 43D, Eversleigh Road Belmont, Auckland The Newmarket location: No. 11 McColl St. Newmarket, Auckland The Ponsonby location: No. 42 Douglas St. Ponsonby, Auckland Monday to Friday 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Saturday to Sunday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Special Belmont Kitchen hours: Wednesday to Sunday 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Foxtrot Parlour 7 Richmond Road Ponsonby, Auckland Monday to Friday 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sunday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
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Doughnuts, New Zealand Style These two Auckland hotspots typically sell out completely, so try some of the country’s sweetest treats before they’re gone Cara Walker
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Jonathan Norris
ucked away in a long block of storefronts fixed between neatly lined residential homes in the suburb of Belmont is Little & Friday, a bakery and café that serves up some of the best New Zealand-style doughnuts in Auckland. These massive treats, coated with powdered sugar and bursting at the seams with raspberry jam and homemade cream, are now a staple in the community. Since the shop’s opening in 2007 they have become one of the most popular items on the menu. Owner Kim Evans started Little & Friday as a way to earn extra money to pay her bills, selling cakes only on Fridays directly out of a small kitchen in an old butcher’s shop. Located in one of the five storefronts on Eversleigh Road, this shop houses her three kitchens, bakery and café. Evans concocted her dough based on a stuffed brioche recipe she had already created, so she wouldn’t need to whip up different kinds of dough batches. She settled on a cream-filled style, reminiscent of childhood doughnuts she recalls
splurging on at the local mom-and-pop dairy [general store], where she was sent to pick up Sunday bread in the 1960s. “Doughnuts are a memory food—food that creates memories,” Evans said. “I remember this old man came in one day, and he cried. He got so emotional because it brought back memories of his childhood, of eating doughnuts like that. No one makes doughnuts like that because it’s so labor intensive.” Evans fries her doughnuts in coconut oil instead of traditionally used baking oils, which set them apart from the heaps of people who have started selling similar cream-filled treats over the last several years. This is also why Little & Friday typically sells out of the 400 doughnuts prepared each weekday and the 700 doughnuts prepared on Saturdays and Sundays. Across town in the Ponsonby Central Market, another popular shop prepares its doughnuts similar to Little & Friday, but with a customer-engaged twist. Foxtrot Parlour’s original
‘inject-your-own’ doughnuts idea originates from a vintage icing set Tara Brogan, owner, found at her grandmother’s home. “It came about not particularly by design but by default really,” she said. “We were making the doughnuts and we were coming up with all the different things. This was really so it could be tactile and fun.” Similar to the brioche-based style found throughout Auckland, Brogan’s doughnuts are sprinkled with cinnamon sugar; however, along with their doughnut, customers get a shiny, silver-icing syringe loaded with the flavoring of their choosing. Brogan, a French-trained chef with 25 years of experience, says this interactive feature is very trendy in the food world right now. She also credits the success of her doughnuts to the social media popularity that made them go viral. Although they have upped their batches after this surge of publicity, with only 25 or so prepared each weekday, Foxtrot is usually sold out by 2 p.m. “Sometimes we just can’t make enough doughnuts,” she said.
(Left) At Foxtrot Parlour, customers can have fun injecting their doughnuts with a choice of four fillings. The do-it-yourself style of doughnuts, while messy, has been a massive hit on social media. (Right) From the speciality doughnuts to other hand-decorated pastries lining the shelves at Little & Friday, owner Kim Evans wants everything she serves to be appealing to the eye, as well as baked to perfection. (Below) Doughnut maker Saraj Singh layers the homemade cream and raspberry fruit filling inside a batch of doughnuts after dusting them with powdered sugar. Singh began working at Little & Friday last year as a dishwasher until Evans trained him in the pastry kitchen.
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Auckland from Every Angle Take in New Zealand's metropolis from the top of the skyline Madison sullivan
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mary kathryn carpenter
anoramic views over a stunning city at a breathtaking height may be plenty for the average visitor to the Auckland Sky Tower. Others, however, may want to skip the photo op or the dinner at Orbit, the Tower’s 360° revolving restaurant and head straight for SkyJump. If a base-jump from 192 meters (630 feet) up isn’t your style, maybe SkyWalk, a dizzying walk around the 1.2-meter (4-foot) wide platform at the top of the Tower in a full-body harness will satisfy one’s adventure craving. Those not wanting to leap off the edge can step onto glass flooring located on the Main
Observation level and feel a rush as the city moves below, day and night. The Sky Tower boasts three observation areas, the Sky Deck, Main Observation level and Sky Lounge, each of which offer 360° views. On a clear day, one can see approximately 82 kilometers (52 miles) into the distance from the Sky Tower, according to Sky City Auckland. The Sky Tower is open 365 days a year, weather permitting and operating hours vary seasonally. Single entry for an adult costs $29 (U.S. $20) and $12 (U.S. $9) for children ages 6 to 14. For more info, visit skycityauckland.co.nz
Auckland’s Sky Tower is the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere and the 25th tallest tower in the world.
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Grab a Board at Muriwai Beach Muriwai Surf School provides surfing lessons to people of all skill levels Danielle Waddell
Lane Stafford
How to Get There • • • • •
Catch bus 80 at stop 7132 on Karangahape Road Exit bus 80 at 5633-Westgate Shopping Centre Take bus 60 to stop 4978-Helensville Call +64 21 478 734 for Muriwai Surf School shuttle pick up at the bus stop. The shuttle costs $10 (U.S. $7) for registered students.
(Above) Muriwai Beach is 47 kilometers (29 miles) long and is characterized by its large community of surfers, black volcanic sand and expansive cliff views. (Below) The school offers New Zealand’s largest range of surfing gear with over 150 boards and 250 Rip Curl Wetsuits, designed to provide insulation and buoyancy for surfers.
Travel Tip Arrive 15 minutes early to change into a wetsuit.
Not A Surfer? Uninterested in surfing, but want to experience Muriwai? The area houses a number of trails Suisted Kate Evansthe bushRob through and a coastline boardwalk.
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aves swell and crash, nerves following suit, as eyes watch in wonder from the rocks overlooking Muriwai Beach. The waves look strong and dangerous for the inexperienced, but useful for the surfer. Three students of various experience levels follow Muriwai Surf School instructor Jeremy Mchuet to the place where the beach’s black sand meets the sea’s foam. But before any waves lick the bottom of a board, Mchuet rehearses with students the timing involved with fluid surfing. “It’s like a dance,” Mchuet encouraged. “Take your time.” After a few last practice rounds—lying on the belly with forearms at the sides, hands pressing on the board, pulling the right leg high between arms, left leg coming close behind to fulfill the upright position, eyes glaring ahead at all times—
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Mchuet, grinning, leads his students to the water with a board under each arm. Just steps away from the beach, Muriwai Surf School provides surfing lessons to people of all skill levels, whether surf ignorant, borderline professional or somewhere in between. Opened in 2002 by owners Martin and Bridget Wallis, operation has shifted as son, Dylan and his partner Charlotte, now run the surf school in a colorful shack at the end of Motutara Road. The couple and other instructors give lessons daily also renting boards and wetsuits. As one of New Zealand’s most popular surfing destinations, Muriwai Beach boasts great waves and experienced surfers, such as the instructors at the surf school, to guide the less experienced. Surfers travel from around the world to experience surf at Muriwai, including Mchuet, who is originally from France.
Mad for Manuka
The industrious bees of New Zealand work to meet the demand of an exclusive Manuka honey market Kaylin Bowen
Mary Kathryn Carpenter
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lternative medicine, antibacterial salve or tasty snack, whichever name you give it, Manuka is a unique honey made only in Australia and New Zealand from the pollen of its trees’ white blossoms. Manuka honey, which has a light, delicate flavor and rich dark color, is often used to treat skin afflictions and inflammation. Visitors to New Zealand will notice bright, colorful bee boxes dotted along the side of the road wherever Manuka flowers are found. Honey merchants will pay rent to house their bees on private and commercial land. While the honey is expensive and rare—expect to pay up to $30 (U.S. $20)—enterprising consumers can have it shipped from New Zealand to anywhere around the world. For those lucky enough to buy straight from the source, customs and border protection has strict regulations for exporting goods, so be sure to read the transportation authority’s guidelines.
The Manuka tea tree serves many purposes. The wood can be used to smoke various meats or carved into various tools and figures. Manuka honey is only found in New Zealand and Australia. The honey can be used to sweeten foods or treat skin irritation.
In the Heat of the Race New Zealand’s horse racing traditions abound at Ellerslie Racecourse Elizabeth elkin
mary-margaret schmidt
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bead of sweat drips down the horse’s muzzle, leaving a streak like melting dark chocolate down its warm brown fur. It is a hot 24° Celsius (75° Fahrenheit) in Auckland and guests crowd the stands. The emerald green grass of the Ellerslie track is soft under the horse’s hooves, a cushioned blanket holding the 454-kilogram (1,000-pound) creature to the earth. The horse’s muscles ripple under its smooth skin, a wave in the vast mocha sea. The jockey positions himself, separating his body from the horse. There is a mental connection between the horse and his rider, a trust. The horse will carry the jockey’s weight and the jockey will lead the horse to victory. “They’re a beautiful animal, they’re a noble animal and so many people see such qualities of stamina and strength and loyalty and just sheer beauty in a horse,” said horse owner Warren Strand, fondly gazing at the horses on the track. Horse racing is a growing pastime in New Zealand and people come from all over the world to spend the day enjoying racing, food and fashion. This year’s Vodafone Derby Day, a part of Auckland Cup Week, was hosted from March 4–16, 2017. Horses ran for a stake of $1 million (U.S. $705,553.) Most New Zealand racetracks, including the Ellerslie track, are turf, whereas tracks in the United States are typically dirt tracks. This is mostly due to climate, Strand said. In New Zealand, the climate allows for turf track racing year-round. “It’s developed into an art, the watering and the drainage, to develop a track,” he said. Every aspect of race day is an art, from the tracks to the horses to the fashion. Every year, Vodafone Derby Day hosts Viva Prix de Fashion, where racegoers show off their sense of style. The 2017 fashion show occurred in the Pop-up Globe, the first full-scale replica of Shakespeare’s second Globe Theatre. For the Ellerslie race, it “popped up” just a few minutes’ walk from the track. Charlotte Moor, a former competitor in the show, sat near the front. Her sister was competing
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and she wanted to show her support. She and her sister both wore traditional black-and-white raceday attire. Moor has attended this race with her family several times and she always enjoys their day in the sun together. “I think it’s a little bit of escapism more than anything else,” she explained. “It’s an opportunity to sort of get dressed up, put a hat on, take some time out of your normal life and actually go watch the horses.” Many contestants of the fashion shows wear homemade clothes; Moor and her sister are no
exception. Moor said this is one of the reasons competing is so nerve-racking for those walking across the stage. “Mum makes all dresses and hats and things, so you want to do her proud and do the outfit justice,” she said, gesturing to her elaborate hat. The pride of competing for Moor and her family is equally important to horse owners and seemingly, the horses. Strand believes their loyalty and strength makes them incredibly special. “They will run through a brick wall if you treat them right,” he said. “They’re great.”
(Top) A pack of race horses speed down the front stretch. (Above) Jockey Opie Bosson rides into the winner’s circle after finishing first in the 142nd running of the New Zealand Derby atop Gingernuts, a 3-year-old thoroughbred.
“I think it’s a little bit of escapism more than anything else. It’s an opportunity to sort of get dressed up, put a hat on, take some time out of your normal life and actually go watch the horses.”
Katie O’neill and other spectators wear fashionable hats and formal wear similar to spectators at the Kentucky Derby. Fashion is an important part of race-day traditions at Ellerslie Racecourse.
Dine in Devonport Like a Local Corelli’s satisfies daytime café cravings and serves coffee for a late-night fix +
Madison sullivan
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or many, dining next to Ed Sheeran or Lorde could only occur in an upscale restaurant in New York or Los Angeles. For the locals of Devonport, New Zealand, it might be as casual as stopping in their favorite café and ordering a chai latte after a long day. The airiest of cafés, Corelli’s offers that opportunity. It boasts a laidback vibe that draws in tourists, locals and the occasional celebrity. “We had Ed Sheeran in here the other day,” Andrew Osborne, manager of Corelli’s, said. “He is always in New Zealand and he just cruises around. Lorde is from here, so when she is in town she pops in and we’ve got a couple of Olympians from Devonport who also come in.” Opened in 2010 by Ann O’Sullivan after she moved from Sydney, Australia, Corelli’s Devonport wasn’t created to draw in an esteemed crowd. It was created so that its owner could “have a coffee after 3 p.m. and feel fine about going out for a cheap meal at night alone.” Corelli’s has a vast menu ranging from leek and goat cheese pie, to nachos topped with your choice of chicken, beans or beef, coated in avocado and sweet chili. Ask Osborne what his favorite dish is and he’ll respond, “the butterball, a healthy dish, but it’s a little bit different from what you get from other places. It’s sort of an Asian fusion dish; it’s got a little bit of Thai and Vietnamese in there.” O’Sullivan wrote Corellis Favourites, a cookbook customers can find scattered throughout her café as reading material to be consumed over a raspberry cocktail and a crumbling walnut bar. Along with her homemade treats, O’Sullivan is passionate about pottery. She creates many of the serving dishes used in the café and her work lines the open-air rooms. She also hosts pottery dinners
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(Left) Corelli’s manager, Andrew Osborne, keeps an eye on each aspect of the café, from taking orders to tidying tables. (Top) Tasty treats encased in glass call out to customers entering the café. (Above) The caramel walnut bar is a must try for any visitor to Corelli’s Devonport. (Bottom) Many of the dishes served in Corelli’s have recipes available in Ann O’Sullivan’s cookbook, Corellis Favourites.
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along with other community activities. “We are quite busy throughout the year because we do a lot of stuff for locals,” Osborne explained. “Every Tuesday night we have live music here. On Wednesday nights we have free Spanish lessons. There are lots of things for the locals every night, so they feel like they are part of the place.” For those not fortunate enough to be Devonport locals, a quick ferry ride from Auckland can satisfy a craving for the experience. Corelli’s Café is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The café is located on 46 Victoria Road, Devonport, New Zealand.
more to see If coffee isn’t your style, Devonport is still worth the trip. Take a short hike to the top of Mount Victoria, where you can take photos of Waitemata Harbor and the Auckland skyline or explore the sculpted mushrooms that are scattered across the summit. The views from the top of the 20-minute walk are well worth the detour.
Local Café Hosts Market with International Flavor Hosted by the French-inspired La Cigale, New Zealand’s premiere market features a global mix of food, clothing and art Kaylin bowen
R Mike and Elizabeth Lind are the owners of La Cigale café and market in Auckland. They opened the French-inspired market approximately 19 years ago.
(Above) Crates of peppers await eager customers. (Below) Paella Pan, a stallholder that serves Spanish paella, has been at the market for over ten years.
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ows of brightly colored tents shade shoppers as they meander from stall to stall, sampling lemon-honey tea and tiny sausage cubes. The rise and fall of different accents and dialects creates a symphony of human voices, as Elizabeth and Mike Lind, the owners of La Cigale café and market, bustle between stalls, stopping to chat with an acquaintance and seeing to the needs of the visitors. The Linds opened La Cigale nearly 19 years ago, after frequent trips to France for their textile business. Their love of the French extended from food to fashion to design. They wanted to share France’s culture with their fellow Kiwis in Auckland, so they found an old bus depot and converted it into a café, market and clothing shop. The shop and café are open Monday—Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the market is open Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visitors to Auckland can find the café, shop, and market all in one convenient location, 69 St Georges Bay Road in Parnell, an Auckland suburb located five minutes from the downtown campus of the University of Auckland. “At the time that we were looking to start something new, France wasn’t represented very much in this country,” Mike Lind said. “There was an opening to do something based on French lifestyle.” Forty-five stallholders come to La Cigale to sell their goods at the market every weekend. There are several
French companies represented, but any artisan is welcome to sell food, produce, beverages or clothing. Visitors can enjoy the bustle of the market on Sunday and return for a quiet cup of coffee on Monday if they so choose. During the weekends when the market is in session, La Cigale sees its highest traffic, pulling in a lot of visitors and tourists into the friendly and boisterous atmosphere. Entry into the market is free. “It’s nice to work here because we see customers who come back every week,” Morgane Merien, an employee at French Crepe, a stall which serves fresh, made-to-order crepes, said. “We know their toppings. Seeing the children grow up is one of the best parts.” Another stall, L’Authentique, serves a variety of sausages and pâté. They are a small French company based in Auckland that has sold locally sourced, natural sausages at La Cigale for the last five years. “I love to come here,” Malike Hautefeuille-Sahuequet, quality manager at L’Authentique, said. “When the people try our product and they like it, I like to see that first hand.” Visitors interested in the market or bistro can find free parking at La Cigale at 69 St. Georges Bay Road in Parnell. It is easily accessed via the buses, an Uber or a quick stroll through Auckland. “We continually work at making it better,” Elizabeth Lind said. “It’s not static. It needs to evolve all the time.”
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The Birds on the Bricks Māori street artists paint indigenous birds on the walls of Auckland, displaying their heritage Thomas joa Mary-margaret schmidt
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ew Zealand is known for its wide range of bird species, which can be found throughout Auckland. While it’s common to see birds flying across the sky in any major urban area, Auckland also has large, colorful birds painted on walls throughout the city. These birds are the work of Māori street artists Charles and Janine Williams. “Birds for us, as indigenous people, mean a whole lot,” Charles said. “If you needed a GPS, you looked at a bird. You didn’t look at your phone.” Charles and Janine use their work to promote awareness for native birds. They are currently working on Project Paint the Pacific, aimed at raising awareness for critically endangered birds, painting on 27 islands around the Pacific. “I think our art is more storytelling,” Janine said, as Charles added, “It’s not just aesthetics. We’re gonna paint something with depth because that’s our origin.”
Charles and Janine Williams mimic the birds they are painting on a containment wall outside the Britomart train station.
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christchurch
Intrigued by his beard, a young New Regent Street visitor talks magic with the Wizard of New Zealand.
Christchurch’s Magical Characters
From wizards to faeries, the colorful city boasts a quiet creativity found primarily on New Regent Street Matthew Wilson
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e sits silently on New Regent Street, walking staff hung by his side, pipe in hand. The tram passes up the street and out of view. He’s seen a lot of things pass in his 84 years and a lot of things change. Christchurch had risen and fallen and risen again before his eyes, but New Regent Street is his. It’s the only place like it in the city, a place of culture and of community and a place to lay his pointed hat. When he speaks, it’s as if it is from long ago. He’ll tell long-winded tales of Socrates, of philosophy and government. A wizard should be a wise man, he says in his soft-spoken voice. He’s a wizard because a wizard doesn’t seem to fit into any sphere and so he wanders into every domain. “The wizard is key,” he said. “We don’t belong anywhere. We’re not in religion or science.” Born Ian Brackenbury Channell, though many call him Jack, The Wizard has been in Christchurch since 1974 when he appeared in the public square, dressed in his robes. His views rubbed a number of people the wrong way, especially the city council that was mostly conservative at the time. Channell was anti-establishment, a post-feminist
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who believed women would inherit society and a monarchist who favored the historical empires of old like the Ottoman or Persian. He was against formal education because it stifled creativity from a young age. He seemed to be against the ways of science but not in favor of religion, either. To him, the world seems on a verge of collapse, the social systems buckling. He protested Christchurch’s abandonment of heritage, such as failure to restore historical buildings. “They tried to stop me, but they couldn’t find a reason,” he said. “You aren’t allowed to speak out loud in the public square. That’s ridiculous. I wore strange clothes. I wore gas masks. I spoke in French. I spoke in tongues. My last trick was to speak inside a cardboard box and you can’t arrest a cardboard box for speaking in the public square.” For a time, Channell considered leaving Christchurch, but after the 2011 earthquake, he decided to stay to oppose the demolishing of the remains of the Christchurch Cathedral. Today, he can be seen on his old stomping grounds of New Regent Street, walking staff in hand. It was on New Regent Street that Ari Freeman found The Wizard. Freeman, 35, grew up
knowing of The Wizard of Christchurch. As an adult, he became interested in wizardry, growing out his beard. Under the guidance of Channell, Freeman became The Deputy Wizard. “It turns out he [The Wizard] was looking for an apprentice for quite some time but I wasn’t aware of it,” Freeman said. “He wanted someone to continue it as a tradition. It’s been empowering to watch him get away with stuff and I think that’s why he has a following. It just shows people when you’re not trapped, you can have more fun and get away with saying and doing stuff that people just won’t say and do.”
“Christchurch is always considered a very conservative city, [but] it’s actually one of the most creative cities.”
His penchant for controversy aside, The Wizard’s relationship with Christchurch’s government would change over the next 40-odd years. In 1982, the New Zealand Art Gallery Directors Association issued a statement that Channell, in part due to the public support he was receiving, should be classified as a living work of art and he was appointed the honorary title of official Wizard of Christchurch by the city council. In 1990, the prime minister named him the official Wizard of New Zealand. In addition to the Wizard and his Deputy, the city also boasts faeries. One particular faerie wears a pink dress, her head adorned in pink flowers to go with her pink hair. Protruding from her back are two wings. Lily Peas Blossom isn’t her real name, but she’s been called it so much over the past two-and-ahalf years, the name has stuck. Lily is the head faerie of Christchurch’s Faerie Circle. The Faerie Circle sprang up from a night on the town with Freeman and the other wizards. Blossom and her friends decided to dress like faeries to show their support for the wizards. The group grew from two friends to 20 members who host regular events in the Christchurch community. “Christchurch is always considered a very conservative city,” Blossom said. “[But] it’s actually one of the most creative cities. There used to be this very top conservative shell, [while] underneath [there was] this very wild creative underbelly.” Since the earthquake, the city has become less conservative, but Christchurch has always had a creative side. After all, where else could you find wizards and faeries? (Right) Ari Freeman is often seen accompanying the Wizard in public and has gained the title of Deputy Wizard. He hopes to keep Channell’s tradition alive. (Below left) Lily Peas Blossom is the head faerie of Christchurch’s Faerie Circle. The group strives to bring love, life and laughter to the community by hosting free public events and visiting hospitals. (Below right) Lily Peas Blossom shows her pink and purple hair to a young girl visiting New Regent Street. Blossom lets her take some of the flowers off of her skirt for good luck.
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Creating the Future, as Imagined in the Past The steampunk scene of New Zealand draws from the island nation’s Victorian history Matthew wilson
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mechanized buzzing whizzes through the air of Columbo Street. Drivers in their cars stop at the light, heads hanging out the window, mouths half open, just in time to see a giant teapot zoom past them on the sidewalk. The teapot stops outside the front door of Grymmstone and Treacle Emporium. Kat Douglas gets out in front of her shop, dusting off her corset and adjusting the dark hat atop her head, as if she just stepped out of a Victorian painting depicting the future. Inside, the Emporium is decorated with an assortment of Victorian steampunk clothes. On the corner, it can be difficult to find, but wandering tourists stumble in, sifting through the collection. An aviator hat made of wool and goggles lay across tables alongside a variety of different shoes and boots. The shop feels old, yet new, as if 100 years in the future mixed with 100 years in the past. Steampunk is a genre of science fiction that has a historical setting and features steam-powered machinery. New Zealand steampunk is inspired by the Victorian Era. “It is Victorian inspired sci-fi,” Douglas said. “There’s more of a colonial bent here. We’re a colorful bunch. We’re geographically isolated. We have a ‘fix it and make things’ mentality over here. We always have, us Kiwis.” For Douglas, she loves not only the Victorian era but how steampunk has created a sense of community. In New Zealand alone, there are 20 to 25 societies across the major cities and towns. Steampunk Christchurch has over 1,400 people on its Facebook page, with 40 to 60
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people regularly attending events. Since 2009, there has been a large steampunk festival in Oamaru, a coastline town 250 kilometers (155 miles) south of Christchurch. Douglas runs one of the city’s most popular steampunk fashion shops and also heads the Steampunk Christchurch Society with her partner and boyfriend, Neave Willoughby. Together, the couple, who met at a 2012 Christchurch Steampunk Society meeting, makes up the two spheres of the modern steampunk movement: Victorian fashion and inventions. “You can put on your clothing,” Willoughby said. “You can take on a distinct personality. A lot of people hide behind that personality. It’s a way to be social when you aren’t really social. It’s a good way of getting to know people.” In the shop, they sell some of Douglas’s creations, as well as clothes and items designed by their friends. Douglas practices millinery, or hat making. She fell in love with the dying art of trim, stitch and needle when she studied fashion 15 years ago. When she traveled to a steampunk festival in the United Kingdom, it was a hassle trying to stuff 14 hats in a suitcase to bring home to her collection of 120. Together, Douglas and Willoughby turned their home into an extension of their store and themselves. In addition to the growing collection of Victorian clothes and hats, their garage is full of Willoughby’s inventions and designs for future inventions and gadgets he’s still trying to figure out. “We’re both completely weird, slightly nutty in completely the same way,” she said. “[Our house]
“This throwaway age doesn’t fit with how I think things should be done. I like making new things out of old things.” 28
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Kat Douglas, co-owner of Grymmstone and Treacle Emporium, hand crafts Victorian-inspired hats as a milliner. The shop sells her creations as well as clothes and accessories designed by her friends.
might be a concrete box outside, but inside, it’s gadgets and things everywhere. We’re pretty good together, I think. We enable each other a little too much with clothing and hats and things.” Those “things” Douglas mentioned include Willoughby’s inventions. When Douglas hurt her back and couldn’t walk long distances, Willoughby did what any loving boyfriend would; he went about creating the motorized teapot. He
spent hours stripping down and fixing a broken motorized scooter and designing the teapot out of plywood and foam. “I like the genre of steampunk, how the Victorians would imagine life today,” he said. “I would rather fix something than throw it away and buy something new. This throwaway age doesn’t fit with how I think things should be done. I like making new things out of old things.”
Scan here to see video of Kat’s motorized teapot
The Visual Imagination
The Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu offers visitors a free opportunity to see local and international art +
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t the end of Montreal street, past crumbled buildings and among a skyline dotted with cranes on the horizon like poppies in a field, a little message of hope lights up the town. “Everything is going to be alright.” Or so says the rainbow neon sign sprawled across the Christchurch Art Gallery’s gray façade. Like a testimony to the art gallery and city’s history, the sentence displays the resilience of a town with years of seismic activity and constant reconstruction. Through it all, the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu has continued to serve the public and share art. “We’re Christchurch’s treasury of art, a storehouse of unique images, memories and ideas,” Blair Jackson, deputy director of the gallery, said. “We’re here to connect people with art, ideas about art and with artists.” The current public gallery opened in 2003, replacing the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, which opened in 1932. The new building offers more space and has been retrofitted with a baseisolation system, allowing the building to move on its foundations during seismic activity. Due to the building’s structure and the care taken in mounting exhibits, Jackson said few pieces are damaged beyond repair when an earthquake hits Christchurch. After the 7.1 magnitude and 6.3 magnitude earthquakes (2010 and 2011, respectively) hit Christchurch, the art gallery served as the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management
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(Left and Right) Chairs, tables and lights hang above the Christchurch Art Gallery staircase, enabling people to experience the piece from different levels and heights. (Middle) In an exhibit exploring the use of everyday objects, this piece contrasts old and new technology.
think about, something to challenge themselves, or something to love or even hate.” In order to create this space, senior curator Lara Strongman said the smallest tweaks make a difference. “Public galleries are complex ecosystems,” Strongman said. “Curators are always thinking about how the relationship between individual headquarters and center for earthquake recovery. works might tell a bigger story.” While the 6,500 pieces of art remained in the In a day, Strongman may interview a new artist building and rescue volunteers swarmed its halls, for a show, sit down with a designer to pour over a the gallery organized events around the city to new layout or create labels for the pieces. Exhibits continue sharing art. Jackson recalled how they may feature a single artist or represent a theme hung pieces in any available space, projected showcasing different artists. videos on damaged buildings and attached work “Christchurch Art Gallery has a very strong on the windows of an abandoned house. sense of its mission and its catalytic role as the city “[Art] is all about being curious and asking rebuilds,” Strongman said. “Our collections reflect yourself lots of questions,” Jackson said. “It’s also the history of the region and its specific historical about letting go a little and just thinking about connections to other parts of the world.” what’s going on in front of you. Everyone will Strongman said the gallery is Christchurch’s walk away from a work of art with different ideas “visual imagination.” People can expect a variety and thoughts.” of experiences, she said, from being intellectually The gallery is free to visit and showcases New stimulated by new art to revisiting old pieces Zealand artists, specifically those from the like old friends. In the end, their mission is to surrounding Canterbury area, alongside those highlight creativity. from other parts of the world. Its walls can hold as “The gallery is a catalyst for the generation of many as 20 different exhibitions in a year. new ideas,” Strongman said. “Art enables you to “Hopefully, people leave with their minds see the world a little differently, through the eyes buzzing and imaginations sparked,” Jackson said. of an artist—and the ability to imagine what “I like to think we’ve given them something to doesn’t yet exist can change the world.
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A Panoramic Perspective The Christchurch Gondola offers a way to see the city like never before Kaylin bowen Jonathan Norris
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nobstructed views of sprawling mountains, glittering lakes and a sweeping collection of colorful homes and businesses mesmerize passengers from atop the Christchurch Gondola. Visitors to the coastal city can travel a kilometer (0.6 miles) through Heathcote Valley to the slopes of Mount Cavendish in Port Hills that border the city of Christchurch. The gondolas are clear glass, allowing a 360° view of the recovering city and its surrounding mountainscape. In addition to the mountains, the Gondola offers a view of Lyttleton Harbor and Mount Vernon Park. A short 15-minute ride from the city center, adult tickets are $28 (U.S. $19) and child tickets are $12 (U.S. $8). It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
When visiting the Christchurch Gondola, patrons can expect to spend 10 minutes between the base and summit. At the peak, they dismount to enjoy the views.
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Get Your
Fudge Fix While the Fudge Cottage website is geared for New Zealand deliveries, Burns encourages visitors to send an email and from there, he will look at different options for getting them their tasty treats.
Order online info@fudgecottage.co.nz
(Top) Aileen Costin cuts fresh fudge into squares for packaging. (Above middle) Classic fudge is swirled with caramel or white chocolate to create pinwheels. (Above) Classic chocolate, raspberry and white chocolate and Manuka honey are just a few of the flavors of fudge at The Fudge Cottage. (Left) Costin stirs the warm fudge before it is poured onto the slab where it cools. (Right) The Fudge Cottage is known for personalized chocolate covered Bailey’s Irish Cream fudge bars that make great birthday, anniversary and special occasion gifts.
Scan here to watch Alpine Living staffers learn how to make fudge
The Sweet Taste of Christchurch
walnuts are shipped from different parts of the country, and the milk is from New Zealand dairy farms dropped off by the milkman. “But like any form of baking, [when] you put a lot of really good ingredients in, you get a good product out at the end,” Burns explained. “If you’ve got cheap ingredients you end up with a budget product. We know we are not the cheapest, but everyone tells us that ours is the The Fudge Cottage boasts a local best product.” product “best stored in a warm The Fudge Cottage not only offers a rotating collection of 20 fudge bars, tummy or a cool cupboard” they also sell personalized fudge logs, Swiss rolls, licorice and chocolates. Seasonal treats such as icing eggs and ornate candy houses are there too, encased Mary-Margaret Schmidt MAdison Sullivan in glass, calling to those wandering through the mall. These new, modern quarters have been the Fudge Cottage’s temporary anuka honey, raspberry with white chocolate, salted caramel, whiskey, home for six years, since the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. Its original location, which was destroyed in the quake, was an actual cottage in hokey pokey, apricot, ginger, Kahlua and chocolate may span across the heritage Christchurch Art Centre. a wide range of flavors; yet, they all have one thing in common. They are The Art Centre, located on Worcester Blvd, is currently undergoing a available in fudge form at the quaint, locally owned Fudge Cottage. Nestled within small shops and cafés in the Bishopdale Village Mall lies a restoration project that Burns believes will have the Fudge Cottage returning home in the next few months. Since it has only secured retail space shop, boasting a handcrafted product that stands out for both tourists and in the restored Art Centre, a confectioner will be decorating post-production locals, in “the chocolate capital of New Zealand.” treats at the shop. When Burns receives the all clear, the Cottage will begin The Fudge Cottage began in 1990 when an English woman moved with to phase out of its current location, but keep the kitchen permanently in the her Kiwi husband to New Zealand. She owned a traditional sweet shop in Bishopdale Village Mall, where they plan to offer fudge-making classes for England and wanted to recreate the experience with an English-style fudge recipe. Now owned by Kevin Burns, the shop has steadily built a reputation interested visitors. Classes, similar to tours, will give customers a look into the time for natural, delicious and full-flavored treats. “We are quite bold in our flavoring so that people can tell what it is when consuming and loving process that goes into making each bar of fudge. they eat it,” Burns declared. “There is nothing worse than when you bite into Not only is each batch mixed, stirred, poured, cut, weighed, sealed, boxed and date stamped by hand, but the lack of preservatives and artificial it and you go ‘well what is it meant to be?’ and it’s sort of bland.” coloring allows the fudge to announce to the customer, “I’m homemade.” Burns will tell you that these bold flavors are not achieved with just any “It’s something we are truly proud of,” Burns stated. “Our fudge is a real ingredients. Locally sourced products are top priority for this shop’s “made with love and care” treats. The manuka honey, apricots, macadamia nuts and handcrafted product.”
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The Art of Importing France Experience traditional French hospitality and a seven-course meal without leaving New Zealand kaylin bowen
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man’s light tenor drifts past the thick curtains that section the dining space of St. Germain. The velvety material blocks out the sound of a large group of diners in the back from the clink of glasses and the foaming hiss of thick, dark beer rushing out of a tap behind the bar. Co-owner and host, Frederic Berhault, leads customers through the half-parted curtains into the dining area, pausing to let them enjoy the view from the second-story balcony. As the first plate of food is carried out of the kitchen, all the diners turn to look at the masterpiece rushing toward them. The first course has begun. St. Germain offers a formal French dining experience with romance, a personable staff and a rich atmosphere. The food, the wine, the music and the owners are French. Brothers, Frederic and Vincent Berhault, traveled Europe working in the hospitality business before moving to Christchurch. They wanted to bring a taste of their homeland to their adopted home. Through the tragedy of the 2011 Canterbury earthquake, they have adapted and thrived in the heart of the city. “A year after the earthquakes, people just wanted to go out and have as normal of a life as possible,” Frederic said. “The four months I spent after the earthquake not working, you just get crazy because you don’t know what to do with yourself. You used to work ten hours a day. Then to do nothing, it’s hard.” St. Germain keeps Frederic plenty busy; the restaurant is divided into three sections: bar, main dining area and secluded dining. Large groups who desire more privacy typically dine in the exclusive eating area. “It’s good food. It’s good people. There’s
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nothing else I really look for in a job,” said Cameron Glasgow, sous chef in charge of all the hot pans, such as the duck breast a l’orange, pan fried grouper and lamb striploin persillade. “I’ll be here for a while, indefinitely. If you like cheese and cream and butter, this is the place to come.” The warm interior design mixes modern and classic French, showcasing the brothers’ combined 40 years experience in hospitality. The warm, red
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paint, blue accents, wooden floor with a sectioned floral pattern carpeting and modern black leather chairs pair with the faux marble table tops. Visitors who would like to dine at the traditional French restaurant can call for a reservation or walk in if they are willing to wait for a table. The restaurant is in a bustling location with several restaurants and bars and there is parking available nearby.
(Top) There are eight dessert options at St. Germain including the autour de la noisette—a white chocolate parfait, with handmade praline ganache beignets. (Above) Pastry chef Rachel Glassenbury has been a part of the staff since St. Germain was located in its old buliding, before it was destroyed by the earthquake.
sur la menu A French dinner can last up to two hours with several small courses. St. Germain offers a seven-course dinner in following order: • • • • • • •
French Onion Soup Escargots Goat Cheese Croustillant and Red Pepper Coulis Trou Normand Cassoulet Cheese Crepes Suzette
Diners can choose to include a wine pairing with the meal for an additional cost. Coffee and salted caramels made in-house can be ordered to follow your meal. A seven-course dinner without wine pairing is $100 (U.S. $70), wine is an additional $50 (U.S. $35).
(Left) Chef Cameron Glasgow stirs a large pot of creamy sauce. (Top) Frederic Berhault, co-owner of St. Germain opened the restaurant in 2008. (Above) The classic french onion soup is a staple on St. Germain’s menu.
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The Remnants of Middle Earth Tourism continues to thrive in New Zealand long after The Lord of the Rings movie franchise ends Matthew Wilson
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he garden is empty except for blossoming flowers, wild pumpkins and strange, lumpy-leafed plants. A small ax lies forgotten, buried in a piece of log. A chessboard sits waiting for its master to play as clothes flutter on the line. The sprawling hills are dotted with doors that do not open, to homes waiting for no one to return to them. The largest door sits on top of a hill, fenced off for a birthday party that has long since passed. “Bag End,” the sign greets. It’s the famous home of adventurous hobbits, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins from J. R. R. Tolkien’s best-selling series The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The hobbits are no longer here. They have gone the way of the Incas and Aztecs. They have gone the way of the lost colony of Roanoke. They have gone the way of elves and dwarves, of wizards and faeries and everything that seems magical for a time. There are remnants however, pieces of what was left behind when the great adventures were finished. Tourists squat like giants next to hobbit holes. They line up to take photos in front of Samwise’s house or drink beers at The Green Dragon. They trek by the hundreds down the dirt paths through the hills, staring at the seemingly never-ending line of doors. Some don’t even know the difference between legendary British novelists Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, or that director Peter Jackson was a Kiwi long before he ever threw his hat in the ring for king of geekdom. The Shire now belongs to the tourists. “I am going to apologize in advance in case I ruin any magic for you this morning,” Amanda Smit, a Hobbiton tour guide said to the crowd gathered around her. “Once you do open up that hobbit door, there is actually nothing inside.” Managing expectations, Smit seemed to have said the line so many times, she’s committed it to memory.
Every year thousands of people flock to the small New Zealand town of Matamata, to see Hobbiton, one of the film sets where director Peter Jackson filmed his fantasy adventure trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit prequel trilogy. It’s fitting that Hobbiton, made up of rolling green hills of farmland on a country road, should be one of the few remnants of the film franchise. After all, Hobbiton was where the series both opened and closed. As tourists stand in the middle of the 4.85-hectare (12-acre) film set, New Zealand gives way to the fantasy of Middle Earth. There’s pride and surprise in learning The Lord of the Rings was pretty much filmed in your backyard. When Smit watched the films, she had no idea they were filmed in New Zealand, much less a 40-minute drive away from her hometown. Smit joined Hobbiton, located 161 kilometers (100 miles) from Auckland, in the summer months when the tourist destination is at its busiest. It employs between 220 to 260 employees to oversee tours of 40 or more that’ll crowd the narrow pathways. Being a guide has changed her, made her more open and social than she used to be. She’s seen fans breakdown because they can’t believe where they are. An overeager fan flashed her, just to say they did at Hobbiton. She handles it all with a calm smile. Guiding a family that wandered off back to the path, Smit stops to take pictures of tourists in front of a hobbit hole. Inside, the magic dies as promised. Some disappointed tourists stare into nothing but darkness, dust and spider webs almost a meter (3 feet) thick. Hobbiton employs five gardeners on the premise, but the tour guides help with maintenance and upkeep in the mornings. Smit always volunteers, even though it means
(Left) A hobbit home sits empty and derelect, collecting dust and cobwebs. Visitors can imagine hobbits bustling in and out of the colorful doors in the Shire. (Top) A window peeks out from a hobbit hole. The holes are dug into the hills of Hobbiton. (Middle) Inside the Green Dragon Tavern used to film various scenes in the Shire, visitors can enjoy a complimentary pint of beer or cider at the end of the tour and feel like a hobbit. (Above) Colorful paint chips away from the mailboxes like those Frodo and Bilbo gathered their mail from in the films.
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A weathered sign points the way to Overhill and Bagshot Row near Bag End. Visitors can trek the paths of their favorite characters and actors from years before.
being on set at the early hour of 6 a.m. “When I first started, I loved the idea of getting behind the scenes, keeping the set looking as it does,” she said. “I think it’s really cool to say you’ve been a part of that.” They cut the grass, picking a different part of the set each morning in a never-ending cycle. They pick up rotten fruit and clean the hobbit holes. The stronger staff members handle the weed whackers, chopping through the emerald sea, while others follow behind with rakes. “Not a lot of maintenance goes into keeping them weather-proof, because the set itself is supposed to look hundreds and hundreds years old,” Smit said. “It kind of adds to that.” Kelsey Hay, another Hobbiton tour guide, remembered the buzz and excitement of The Lord of the Rings being filmed in the area when she was younger. Growing up 25 minutes away, her family gave up their house for two weeks to a cast member from the film. To this day, she still wonders who it might have been.
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“We all know somebody who’s been in the movie one way or another,” she said. “Going back and watching the movies after you know all about this set is really cool because you’ve got all this background information and knowledge. It’s really cool to see it all on screen.” If tourists didn’t know what they were looking for, they might drive through one end of Matamata and out the other with hardly a thought of the tomes of Tolkien. Matamata is unassuming in its role as a tourism hotspot. There’s no Hobbit Book Store or Lord of the Rings Bakery. A sign sits outside the small public library insisting no hoodies or skateboards are allowed on the premise. A café sells pastries in a glass case. The only clues to suspect Middle Earth or the film’s set may be nearby is the tourism center housed in a cottage and a sign with the bug eyes and sneering smile of Gollum beckoning visitors on Broadway to the ReDoubt Bar and Eatery. Tourists, tired after sifting through the relics of Middle Earth, flock to the bar. Maybe they caught Gollum
Take InterCity Hobbiton day tours from Auckland and Rotorua for $155 (U.S. $108.39).
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on the sign or maybe one of the tour guides recommended it to them. When they see a cut out of the wizard, Gandalf, hanging over the bar, they know they’re among friends. Opened 10 years ago by Jacob and Kelly Henderson, ReDoubt sells specialty pizza made with local ingredients, inspired by the film series and its popular characters. These homemade thin crust pies include Sauron’s Fury, the American equivalent to a “meat lover’s” pizza and Frodo’s Secret, a ham and pineapple pizza. “When we started to get more tourists coming through, we realized they were so invested in Hobbiton and The Lord of the Rings, if they saw things on the menu that corresponded with the theme of [the series], that would attract them more to these items,” said Christina Carter, assistant general manager. Since the release of the last Hobbit movie, Carter said tourism has boomed in the town and that has helped many of the local businesses. It is her hope that people will come to ReDoubt because of Hobbiton, but come
Buses depart at 8 a.m. from the Sky City Bus Terminal and return by 7:30 p.m.
back for the customer service. “People still work for the town and community, but having a lot more tourists come through has been a wake up call for a lot of businesses,” Carter said. “They have to up their game. You have all these tourists coming through, [so] you have to present your business the best way you can. Your customer service can’t just be average, it has to be excellent.” As a Kiwi, Smit has seen the positive effect the film franchise has had on the economy and is glad to see that it is not only continuing, but flourishing. In the remnants of Middle Earth, years after the cameras have stopped rolling, the writers have laid down their pens and the hobbits have moved to lands elsewhere, Matamata and its country thrives. “Hobbiton is one of the main things New Zealand is known for,” Smit said. “It does bring a lot of money into our economy, so it’s really good in that way. Also with the local businesses, we get a lot of people coming through so it supports them as well. It puts Matamata on the map.”
Included is bus travel and a guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set.
A free shuttle also leaves Matamata every 15 minutes.
Back to Their
Roots
Family farms make a comeback in the land of wool and milk
W Elizabeth Elkin, Hailey Grace Steele P Mary Kathryn Carpenter, Christopher Chase Edmunds, Lane Stafford D Kaylin Bowen
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rickety white truck drives along the long dirt road. The sky is clear azure in color, with the occasional white puff of cloud, like drops of milk in a never-ending sea. Though the truck drives toward the mountains—a canvas of greens and browns and greys splattered together in every direction—they never appear any closer. The mountains are an endless, eternal presence, watching over kilometers of golden grass. Suddenly, the truck veers off the path. Sheep appear in the distance. First one, then two, then 40 basking in the sun. It is early, still cool enough for them to enjoy the morning breeze brush against their thick, woolen coats. Eighty ears prick up in unison. Forty heads turn, listening to the sound of the truck rolling along the dirt and gravel. Honk. At the sound of the truck’s horn, 160 little sheep legs begin to run. “Every day’s different and very seldom do we do the same job all day,” Bruce Nell, a New Zealand sheep farmer, said as he smiled out the car window at the sheep ahead. Middle Rock Farm is a working sheep farm an hour outside of Christchurch, home to up to 10,000 sheep at a time. The farm once belonged to Bruce Nell’s father until Nell and his wife, Lyn Nell, took it over in 1973. However, sheep farming has been a tradition in New Zealand since long before the Nell family acquired their land. British settlers brought the first sheep to New Zealand in 1773 but sheep farming didn’t take off until the 1840s. By 1856, sheep farming was the most important farming industry in New Zealand. It remained that way for 131 years. At the time, sheep were used for wool and meat. Frozen sheep meat was sent to Britain for the first time in 1882, further expanding sheep farming across the country. Exporting meat was extremely important to the country’s economy and money made from wool and sheep meat contributed to much of the agriculture profit in New Zealand from the 1880s to the 1980s. In the 1980s, due to a budget crisis, the government removed farm subsidies—money from the government given to farmers. Sheep farming became less profitable. The sheep farming industry wasn’t the only one that
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(Cover) There are around 10,000 sheep at Middle Rock Farm. New Zealand is known for having more sheep than people. The Nells take sick or injured lambs and keep them in a gated area closer to the house. These sheep become accustomed to people and are not afraid of the sheep dogs. Photos by Lane Stafford
(Above) Jersey Girl Organics raises only Jersey cows for their organic dairy products. Photo by Mary Kathryn Carpenter (Right) Sheep dogs are a vital component to sheep farming. Visitors of the farm get to see the dogs in action. Photo by Lane Stafford (Facing Page) Many farmers in New Zealand rely on irrigation systems to bring water to crops and livestock. Photo by Christopher Chase Edmunds
suffered from Britain’s move to the European Union. Small, family-owned dairy farms across New Zealand had to grow or risk disappearing altogether. While many of the farms did not survive, some, like John Vosper’s family farm, held on long enough to see an increase in revenue in the 1990s. It was the first time dairy farming surpassed sheep farming as the country’s most profitable agricultural industry. It took Cleave Vosper, John’s grandfather, more than a month to drive his herd of cattle across 300 kilometers (186 miles) of rugged New Zealand terrain, which stretches from the foothills of Mount Taranaki to the rural farmland of Matamata. The trek was no small feat for the early 20th century dairy farmer, who would come to be remembered as a pioneer of Jersey cow farming in the North Island’s Waikato Region and the namesake of Cleavedale Farms. Today, John, who returned to take his grandfather’s place on the farm in 1991, sits squarely at his kitchen table. Still operating under the careful guidance of the Vosper family, Cleavedale Farms is now known as the home to Jersey Girl Organics, an organic dairy farm and small-scale processing facility. John’s son, Michael, a youthful dairy farmer who—if it were not for the New Zealand accent—could pass as an Alabama cowboy, now manages the 80-hectare (200 acre) dairy farm. Their philosophy on farming is similar to the American Southerner’s philosophy on life: slow, deliberate and honest. “We’ve differentiated [from competitors] by becoming organic,” John Vosper said, noting the challenges of family farming and their recent addition of an onsite pasteurization facility. “We just thought, if we can add value by putting it in a bottle and selling it ourselves, then that would be a good idea. But sometimes you don’t know how deep the water is going to be when you jump in, or how hard you’re going to have to swim to stay afloat.” Vosper’s challenges are not unique to the farming industry of New Zealand, but his solution might be. His goal is to solidify his place in the New Zealand dairy market and develop his farm as a family asset, meant to pass from generation to generation.
His inspiration comes from the native people of New Zealand. “A lot of Māori have small parcels of land all over the place, but it’s sort of not for sale,” Vosper said. “It’s a family asset that they’re looking [to preserve] for future generations. To be honest, I think a lot of farmers have seen the land as a resource to be exploited. We’ve got a real issue in New Zealand at the moment with farming industries coming to grips with natural resource regulations, especially around the water quality.” In some areas of the country, such as the Canterbury region surrounding Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island, the intensification of the arable, dry farming, once only used for crops and sheep, has now been irrigated to allow for the expansion of the dairy industry in the area. The decision to irrigate the land caused a divide in the community between many dairy farmers, whom the irrigation system would benefit, and residents of the community, who were concerned about pollution from the industry. But some farms, such as Bryan Clearwater’s, have made it their mission to generate revenue while operating an environmentally sustainable business. “We are passionate about New Zealand remaining [free of genetic engineering],” Clearwaters’ broadcasts proudly on the homepage of its website. “In our opinion, there are few benefits of going down the GE path, and potentially huge risks to the future of our food safety. We believe New Zealand should continue to build on its clean green image to protect our markets for all of our primary agricultural products and enhance our 100 percent-pure brand.” Even with the help of family farms like Clearwaters, the change of landscape brought by the dairy farming industry is visible for all to see. Most obvious, is the $90 million (U.S. $63.3 million) irrigation scheme, the country’s biggest man-made storage facility for irrigation. The seven-pond catchment has shifted more than 4 million cubic meters (141.3 million cubic feet) of fill on the south bank of the Rangitata River and is designed to hold 16.5 million cubic meters (582.7 million cubic feet) of water. Only a short drive from
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Clearwaters Organic Dairy, the irrigation system looks surprisingly picturesque framed by dairy cows and sheep grazing on the hills of Mount Peel. Yet it has not brought all of the answers to farmers in the area and many are still wondering what they will do next. With the ever-changing climate in the sheep farming industry, family farms like Middle Rock have had to create new ways to survive. When Bruce and Lyn Nell first began farming, 70 percent of their income came from selling wool and 30 percent came from selling meat. Now, it’s the opposite. This is just one part of the changing market. “I think to remain viable, we’ve got to get closer to the customer,” Bruce Nell said, once again driving his white truck slowly over the hills. The way to do this, he explained, is letting buyers know where their wool products and food come from. Some farms are geotagging individual carcasses and allowing customers to track where their meat
was grown. “I think we are providing the luxury end of the world food market so we’ve got to comply with what the requirements are for the kitchen,” he added. Some years are more difficult than others for farms due to factors outside the farmers control, such as climate and rainfall. Bruce Nell doesn’t let those years deter him from doing what he loves, what he’s always known he’s wanted to do. “We do have years where the income is adequate for expenses and then other years where maybe it’s a climate that is against it, so we need to just take the loss,” he explained. To help maintain the farm, the Nell family opened their home to garden tours in 1990 and farm tours shortly after. It was another source of income, another way to grow and keep sheep farming a profitable market, Lyn Nell explained. She takes groups on tours of the gardens herself. Emerald grass,
perfectly trimmed trees and flowers of all colors surround her home. Beyond the garden is a clear view of the mountains, their snowy white peaks touching the sky. “When I first started off welcoming visitors to Middle Rock, it was in the domestic market and community groups would come here,” Lyn Nell said, leading a tour group through her backyard. “They would look around the garden and they would say, ‘Why can’t I have a piece of this?’ So I started a nursery and I sold plants here for many years.” She explained when they opened accommodations on their farm, she had to stop selling plants from her nursery because the demand was too much to handle. “But I’m a compulsive potter,” she added with a laugh, gesturing fondly to a row of them lining the edge of the garden. “I can’t stop myself. So I keep just putting little bits in pots.”
On a typical farm tour, visitors see a sheep dog demonstration and meet three dogs that help herd the farm’s 10,000 sheep. The demonstrator uses a dog whistle to give commands, a different whistle for each dog and for every command. Visitors might take a bus through the mountains to see the sheep spread throughout the farm, grazing in different areas, basking in the sun or hiding in the shade of a nearby tree. The stories of struggles and successes for families like the Nells, the Vospers and the Clearwaters run rampant in the New Zealand countryside. It is not their challenges that make them stand out but their response to those challenges. Each one of these families have adapted to their circumstances, evolved with their livelihood and remained true to the country that made them who they are today.
Murphy, the Nell family dog, waits patiently on the drive back to Clearwaters Organic Dairy. Photo by Christopher Chase Edmunds
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On the Surface: Eco-tourism’s Most Prominent Feature New Zealand is known for its outdoor activities in a landscape that exists outside the ravages of time. one of the most unique displays of the conservation and eco-tourism trade can be found in the geothermal system at Rotorua.
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hile kayaking, hiking or cruising around the islands, visitors can appreciate the efforts made by the New Zealand government to preserve and promote their eco-tourist trade. One of the most prominent preservation efforts is in Rotorua, a city about three hours outside of Auckland. Geysers, mud pools and steam vents are researched, preserved and used to educate visitors about the Māori people and the geothermic activity that shaped their way of life. Geysers shoot steam and water into the air splattering onlookers with droplets. The geysers, found in this North Island city, are four of the
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story By: Kaylin Bowen Photos By: Mary Kathryn Carpenter Design By: Cara Walker
remaining six in New Zealand. They are created by the volcanic activity from shifting tectonic plates under the country, which allow the earth’s core heat to warm pockets of water past the boiling point. The same type of volcanic activity happens under Yellowstone National Park. Rotorua is centered in the basin of a caldera, also known as a super volcano, one of eight in the world. Thousands of years ago, the volcano erupted, scattering the debris that now makes up the plateau surrounding it. Under the earth’s surface, the steam and hot water that create the geysers and hot springs power 17 percent of the country’s renewable energy. Other types of renewable energy, such as solar and wind, help to make the 40
percent of total energy according to the Energy Efficient and Conservation Authority (EECA). New Zealand leads the world in developing renewable energy technology. Visitors to the country can expect to see signs posted encouraging green thinking from street corners to their hotel rooms. In Rotorua, visitors can tour Whakarewarewa, the last Māori living village. The village is still inhabited by people today; it is also a popular destination for tourists. They’ll learn from geothermal and Māori cultural experts about the geothermal system that made life possible for New Zealand’s earliest settlers. Visitors can learn about the four types of geothermal surface expressions: primary, mixed geothermal fluid, mixed steam and steam fed. While walking around the village, tourists may notice the ground is warm. This is from the hot steam trapped underneath and the volcanic activity close to the surface. Additionally, the smell of sulfur permeates the area, funneling up through the steam vents that create the geothermal surface features. “Rotorua is beautiful place,” said Sasha Kaalman, a visitor from England. “The smell near the hot pools wasn’t as bad as I was expecting it to be. Even though it was still bad, it was worth seeing. I would definitely go back.” Mixed pools combine the pureground deposits of a primary feature with groundwater run off creating a milky, dull coloring.
In addition to the geysers, the deep aqua, emerald green and rippling mauve pools are easily recognizable primary geothermal surface features. The azure pools of water glimmer like jewels when their surface’s wafting steam exposes their crystalline brilliance to onlookers. Dotted here and there among the many geysers and clear pools are their mixed steam and fluid cousins, the mud pools. They bubble from steam leaking up from underground reservoirs. The dark grey mud, rises into a pulsing pimple-like bubble before popping with a wet, gloopy noise, emitting hot steam and a rancid stink. This mud is harvested and sold around Rotorua for facemasks in gift shops around New Zealand. Between 200 and 300 geysers could once be found in New Zealand, but the overexploitation of the geothermal systems has dried up surface features across the country. Exploitations range from the traditional Māori practices of using the waters for baths, cooking and heating their homes, to modern geothermal power plants that use the earth’s bounty to generate electricity. “There’s a cause and a consequence to everything we do,” said Brad Scott, a Volcano Information Specialist at GNS Science. “The cost of large scale exploitation is the destruction of surface features.”
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GNS scientists are like the CSI, and the silica cliffs are our clues.
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Scott suggested imagining a water hose attached to a sprinkler. When the hose is sound, the sprinkler runs at full blast. Begin poking holes in the hose or “exploiting,” and the sprinkler loses pressure before finally stopping altogether. A short walk from the glory of the geyser, the remnants of overexploitation can be seen where a cracked field of silica terraces lies barren. The grey rock is broken by the skeletons of past pools and geysers, Scott explained. The silica terraces and cliffs are created from deposits of minerals in the water coming from underground, which harden into silica shelves. Scott described the shelves as a history of the area’s lifetime; decades of layered algae and sediment have been pressed between the silica. “GNS scientists are like the CSI, and the silica cliffs are our clues,” Scott elaborated.
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he geothermal systems are a byproduct of large-scale volcanic activity. As two tectonic plates under New Zealand shift toward each other by roughly 40 millimeters (four centimeters) a year, the earth’s heat is released into underground water reservoirs rich in minerals. The waters can reach temperatures well beyond boiling. “Currently, we are helping the rest of the world develop sustainable energy by sharing our technical knowledge,” said Rosalind Archer, Head of the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Auckland and the Director of the Geothermal Institute. “We are about to release an open-source modeling code to detect pressure underground.” New Zealand scientists tap those underground reservoirs for their electric potential. Water or steam is drawn up from the ground to spin turbines that produce electricity. The cooled water is then carefully pumped back into the earth. If cool water is put back too close to the source, it will impact the geothermal plant’s output. The water must be
(Left) Brad Scott explains the complexities of understanding, researching and educating visitors on the volcanic system under Rotorua. (Above) Scott uses a thermometer to measure the heat of a primary geothermal feature.
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The Geothermal Institute and researchers at the University of Auckland, as well as government departments, carefully monitor the use of geothermal energy for overuse and sustainability. Remote cameras, human samplers and mechanical monitors keep track of the amount of water being drawn and replaced as well as the internal temperature of the pools. In addition to providing energy and entertainment to the Kiwis and their n the late 1980s, the Rotorua geothermal system began to suffer from guests, the waters are home to microorganisms that are found only in New Zealand. They have adapted to live in the mineral-heavy, superheated waters. human abuse. Scott explains that the springs were drying and geysers Scientists are currently studying the bacteria to understand their adaptive weren’t erupting. A bore-hole closure program was instituted, which sealed previously used drill holes and banned future drilling. The properties. program has led to the world’s first recovery of surface features. Pools Additionally, enterprising botany enthusiasts can see a type of clubmoss and vents that haven’t been seen in decades have resurfaced after a 25-year that is millions of years old and only grows in a specific type of microclimate break from exploitation. that extends five meters (16 feet) around a hot pool near Rotorua. In 1991, the Kiwi government intervened in an attempt to establish As New Zealand continues to move toward electric vehicles and rules for appropriating the land’s resources. The New Zealand Resource energy-efficient practices, the need for sustainable energy, such as geothermal Management Act covers topics ranging from noise levels to boundary plants, will remain high. “The underground systems are a puzzle we can’t see and feel from the adjustments to land acquisition. It classified geothermal systems into five categories: development, limited development, research, protected and small. surface,” Archer said. “We have to think creatively to both use and preserve Rotorua’s system is classified as protected, while Wairakei is developed, the system’s integrity.” according to the New Zealand Resource Management Act. The Wairakei Visitors to Rotorua can schedule a guided tour of the living village to learn about the Māori cultural experience, as well as the geothermal surface system, located nine kilometers (five miles) north of Taupo on the North Island, is home to the largest geothermal plant in New Zealand. It has been features. The cost of attendance starts at $35 (U.S. $25) per adult. used to create power for 50 years.
returned back underground to avoid contaminating the lakes and rivers on the surface with hard minerals. Depleting the reservoirs can cause sections of earth that are supported by pockets of hot steam and water to sink. Some can drop as far as eight meters (26 feet). It will also kill off the geysers and hot pools.
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hile the geothermal systems are some of the most obvious ways that New Zealand taps into nature’s bounty to maintain its environment, other agencies are striving to promote clean living, green thinking and continued sustainability. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) works with businesses to create sustainable practices without sacrificing profit. “We know we don’t have all the answers, but we want to enable companies to do more than they could on their own,” said Chris Thurston, Account Manager at EECA. “We believe we are here to make New Zealand a better place.” The EECA has partnered with several well-known businesses that travelers and locals encounter frequently, such as Air New Zealand, which recently won the national award for sustainability practices. Additionally, Auckland International Airport and the kiwifruit industry have partnered with the EECA to reduce their environmental impact. Auckland International Airport is undergoing an expansion as the tourism trade increases the number of planes flying in and out of the country. In an effort to save resources, EECA and the airport have partnered to cut the airport’s energy use by 20 percent. Leading kiwifruit refrigeration systems have been overhauled to be more effective and energy conservative. These refrigeration systems hold the kiwifruit in cold storage between being harvested and sold in stores. The fuzzy brown fruits that sit on U.S. shopping mart shelves could come from one of these improved, commercial-grade refrigerators. Wind farms can be seen prominently on the South Island and solar panels are frequent additions sprinkled across the island. Additionally, travelers with a keen eye will notice posted information about ways to lower their carbon footprint while staying in New Zealand.
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Ancient Traditions to Modern Day Remedies The Māori people, who fled from volcanic eruptions, settled into the crater of the super volcano in 1325. They adapted customs and survival techniques to fit the new, harsh location. They developed cooking practices that used steam vents to roast meats and vegetables. Vegetables with tougher rinds could be lowered directly into the surface features to cook in mesh bags. They learned to use the hot waters for baths, healing and easing skin maladies. In modern culture, spas are open in Rotorua that offer medicinal hot pool packages for anyone with an afternoon to spare.
Scan here to learn more about New Zealand’s geothermal systems
(Top left) Mud pats are created when a mud pool begins to dry. As the pool shrinks, the bubbles rise and pop at a slower rate. (Bottom left) Steam rises in front of a traditional Māori carving in the last living Māori village of Whakarewarewa. (Left) The yellow substance found in this pool is an extremophile. Extremophiles have evolved to live in hazardous enviroments such as the pools. (Above) Silica terraces like these preserve lichen and sediment from thousands of years ago.
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ea of dreams Tourism supports whale conservation efforts in New Zealand
Story by Matthew Wilson Photos by Mary Kathryn Carpenter Design by Kaylin Bowen (Left) A sperm whale surfaces in the ocean near Kaikoura, a small coastal town on the South Island. (Right) David Harding and his granddaughters, Rosie (left) and Tilly (right) Shuttleworth, scan the depths of Auckland’s coast in search of whales.
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An Ocean Cruise Andy Light sits at the helm of the boat, binoculars raised searching for signs of seabirds. Below, a lanky teenage boy attempts to recreate the “I’m King of The World” stance from Titanic. Lowering the binoculars, Light checks the monitors of undersea currents and temperatures. He pushes down on the throttle and the boat picks up speed. The teenage boy yelps as surf splashes over the side and sprays him. Light is on the hunt and they have a lot of ground to cover. Somewhere out in the teal vastness of the Hauraki Gulf, there are whales, dolphins and other marine life. As the captain of the Auckland Whale and Dolphin Safari (AWDS), it’s his job to find them. Everyday, weather permitting, Light will take a group of 100 out onto the Gulf, traveling from Auckland all the way to the misty, distant island of Waiheke. The Gulf is home to around 200 indigenous Bryde whales. Light has seen blue whales, humpbacks and pilot whales. He’s seen sharks, seals and penguins. One trip, the crew saw a female orca mourning the death of her calf. They’ve had to shut off the boat’s engine and wait because a Bryde whale got so close it was almost touching. “There are roughly 37 species of whales and dolphins you can see in Southern Hemisphere oceans,” Light said. “We’ve seen around 26 or 27 of those species out here on the Hauraki Gulf.” Since its inception, AWDS has been focused on the research of whales and other marine life. Over the past 16 years, they have been gathering continuous data that helps the Department of Conservation national sightings database. They’ve partnered with local universities to conduct master’s and doctorate studies in the Gulf. Crewmembers Sarah-Lyn Wilson and Catherine Lea started as university research assistants. Before they conducted their study, little information existed on the Bryde whales. The AWDS helped the whales get placed on an endangered species list so they would be given special protections. Research conducted by the University of Auckland and AWDS helped create the Large Whale Warning System to stop Bryde whales from being struck by cargo ships. Before that, Lea said, they were losing two whales a year. “Just by these passengers being here is helping to fund that research out [on the Gulf ] as well,” Light said. Occasionally, Light will get on the intercom and tell passengers uncomfortable facts about the ocean and its marine life. “Fun fact: The oceans are the only reason you’re still breathing,” he told them. A stranger could sense there’s a righteous fury to his actions. He’s angry about the environment and how people treat it. He’s angry that the whales and dolphins are in danger. He’s heard about calves dying during feeding because their mother’s milk was so full of pollutions and toxins from the water. Eighty
Common dolphins dart in and out of the waters off the coast of Auckland. (Below) Andy Light does a pre-departure check before leading a group of whale watchers into the waves in search of whales and dolphins in the Hauraki Gulf.
percent of the radioactive material spewed in the 2011 meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant ended up in the Pacific Ocean, according to PBS. Eighty percent of pollution to marine life comes from land, caused by runoffs, according to the National Oceanic Service. “You look at what we as a species do to this planet and every other species,” Light said. “We are the only species on earth with the power to protect every other species on this planet. Yet, we do the complete opposite. We wipe them out all around the world.”
The Stranding Louisa Hawkes had been sleeping peacefully when she awoke at 10:30 one night to someone tapping on the window of her flat. Her mother stood in the rain, having driven across town in a hurry. “What’s going on?” Hawkes asked. She turned her phone on and was greeted by hundreds of messages from her boss, Daren Grover and others. “There’s been a stranding,” her mother confirmed. Hundreds of pilot whales had
beached themselves along the shore of Farewell Spit on the northern tip of Golden Bay in South Island. Hundreds would be dead before Hawkes ever made it to them. Farewell Spit was a perfectly designed trap. Three major ocean currents condensed on a sloped beach with a fast receding tide. On average, New Zealand has more strandings than anywhere else, at the same time, boasting more successful rescues than anywhere else. As communications manager for Project Jonah, a marine life conservation organization, Hawkes calls nearby marine medics. They’ve trained 3,500 medic volunteers nationwide for situations like this. Hopping on a plane at 5 a.m., Hawkes flew to Nelson, the nearest town to the stranding and then drove 2 ½ hours down a secluded highway. There was only one way into and out of Farewell Spit. It was Hawkes job to manage the scene, to stop it from getting out of control. She began the process of splitting medics up with untrained people to take care of the whales until they could be refloated. It was important to keep the whales cool, comfortable and calm. They would try to turn the whales upright, pour water on them and lay light sheets over them.
“You had to walk over dead whales to get to live whales,” she said. “That’s not a very nice scene for anyone to [see], but particularly for people who haven’t seen whales like this before.” For three days, they floated whales, only to have more from the pod turn up on the beach. For three days, songs, soft and gentle, could be heard in Chinese, Māori, German and English. For three days, 400 whales, by the Department of Conservation estimates, were successfully refloated and another 250 died. “There’s this emotional connection between humans and whales,” Hawkes said. “They’re this big animal that we don’t know much about, but when they’re in distress, we really feel them and want to do something about it.”
The Plastic Sea From the air over Kaikoura, sperm whales look tiny. Like microscopic dots spewing water among a world of blue. Tourists can pay to ride a single engine plane over South Island’s northeastern coast and, on a day where the water is standing still, the whales can be seen from kilometers away.
Floating among that blue, out there in the world’s oceans is a large number of plastic and junk. On one of the cruises, Lea said she saw a Mako shark with a recreational fishing line wrapped around one of its fins. Project Jonah tries to educate the public on the dangers of not properly throwing away their trash. Floating in the Pacific Ocean is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area spanning 1.3 million square miles of plastic and garbage, according to local reports. The Patch is growing every year, and the plastic is breaking down into micro-plastics that fish and other marine life will eat. “We’re seeing whales turn up with bellies so full of plastic that they can’t eat anything, and they’re essentially starving to death,” Hawkes said. At the end of the safari, Light gives his passengers a voucher for a free trip because they didn’t see whales on that particular day. The water was too choppy. Most of the species of whales were out to sea. When people don’t see whales, they get angry and disappointed. They feel cheated in some way. Imagine never seeing whales, he wants to tell them. Imagine never seeing whales again because we killed them all, Light wants to exclaim, but he doesn’t.
Imagine a future where your children can’t see whales, where your children can’t breathe. The future scares Light. He doesn’t have kids, but thinking of future generations inheriting this world fills him with this inescapable terror. To Light, the future is hanging on a precarious cliff, threatening to take the plunge. There’s no fence to prevent the fall, only an ambulance waiting at the bottom. “Those future generations, we’re going to leave them an ambulance,” he said. “What’s the point? Here you go: you have no atmosphere. You have no clean water.” Still, there’s hope for the future. Rita and David Harding took their 7-year-old and 8-year-old granddaughters, Tilly and Rosie, on the safari. Seeing dolphins in the wild, their eyes lit up with excitement. One day, when they’re adults, they might remember this moment and try to protect the Gulf. That’s the point of AWDS and New Zealand’s marine life tours: to show people how wonderful the oceans are. There is hope that future generations will change the world for the better. “People have an affinity for dolphins and whales,” Light said, “and when they relate to those animals [and] to that message, they get to thinking.”
The Hauraki Gulf is home to the Bryde Whales, which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
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RESILIENT /////////////////////////// Package Design by Christopher Chase Edmunds
The story of Christchurch is a story of before and after. February 22, 2011 divides the timeline, much like April 27 of the same year signposts the history of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Instead of a tornado outbreak, however, the devastating marker for Christchurch was a 6.3-magnitude earthquake that killed 185 people, injured thousands and left the city in ruin. Before, Christchurch was just a city. After, it became the community that took an inescapable tragedy and created an unbelievable recovery.
Stories / // /// //// /////
25 Seconds
Christopher Chase Edmunds
New Regent Street
Taylor Armer
Healing in the Park Thomas Joa
Beauty Behind the Madness Thomas Joa
Re:Start Mall
Cara Walker
Scan here to watch a mini-documentary about the recovery of Christchurch
The Christchurch Cathedral sustained major damage in the 2011 earthquake. Photo by Mary Kathryn Carpenter
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25 Seconds / By Christopher Chase Edmunds
In the early afternoon on February 22, 2011,
Sir Robert Parker was chatting with his assistant out on the balcony patio of his office building in downtown Christchurch. While discussing the day’s meetings, he was also trying to sneak in a quick lunch—a pastrami and cheese sandwich with an espresso coffee. As mayor of New Zealand’s third most populous city, he had plenty of work to do. At that time, the city was recovering from a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that damaged some buildings and caused a few injuries six months earlier. “We regarded that earthquake as the big one,” Parker said. “We’d had that.” The sense of security shared by Parker and many others vanished at 12:51 p.m. At that time, the back wall of the patio slammed into Parker’s chair, propelled him into the air and cracked several of his ribs. His assistant levitated above the building before the vibrations of the quake sent the floor upwards at 2.2 times the force of gravity.
Even though Christchurch had many measures in place to withstand seismic events, the 2011 quake had several characteristics that nobody expected. The epicenter—where the earthquake originated—was extremely close to the city and only 5 kilometers (3 miles) below the surface. Buildings in Christchurch were well suited to handle horizontal shaking, but the February earthquake pushed the ground up and down violently, causing many structures to fail. “All of our preparation, all the scientific analysis, said this event should not take place,” Parker said.
“
So much for analysis. So much for predictions.”
The earthquake caught the city off-guard and presented an overwhelming amount of physical challenges. People lost basic power and water service. Bridges and roads were rendered impassable. The cell towers that survived were overloaded and operating on reserve battery power, meaning only six or seven hours of spotty service. “Nothing in your life has prepared you for it,” Parker said. “Normality goes out the window and it becomes very obvious that for an unknown period in the future, life as you know it does not exist.” As people began to get over the initial shock of the event, the unprecedented recovery of Christchurch began to take shape, molded primarily by the community itself. In the short term, people responded by focusing on those around them. There were several stories Parker said. “We went from of individuals pulling others out of piles of rubble a normal day to—in 25 seconds—as I looked out or crushed vehicles. Neighbors checked in with over the city from my balcony, what was obviously each other and shared the resources they had. The 2011 earthquake resulted in New Zealand’s a battle scene as if the city had been under severe first ever national state of emergency. Relief artillery rocket fire.” poured in from outside the city in the form of Parker and his assistant were among the last of 1,200 people evacuated from the building. Once food and water, as well as mobile shower and launon the street, he began to make sense of what was dry facilities. Eventually, response shifted toward recovery happening to Christchurch. Clouds of dust signaled that structures had col- and the community began to build its own future while dealing with the stress and anxiety of perlapsed into piles of rubble. The incessant blaring sistent aftershocks. of car alarms and building sirens in the distance “I don’t think people who were not here will indicated that destruction could be expected well ever understand,” Parker said. “They know that beyond the immediate field of view. there was a big quake. What they don’t know Puddles of murky, muddy water expanding in is that there were thousands and thousands of the middle of the street meant liquefaction had aftershocks. Each time one of those hit, your mind taken place. The solid ground on which the city told you it could be worse than the one that we was built suddenly ebbed during the quake. Kiwis are no strangers to seismic events, so this experienced on the 22nd.” Because of the aftershocks, people in Christunderstanding of earthquakes is not unique to public officials in New Zealand. The country is sit- church frequently gathered in outdoor spaces such uated on the boundary where two tectonic plates as Hagley Park—the largest urban, open space in the city. Away from buildings or structures collide with huge amounts of force, responsible that could cause any more harm, these gatherfor creating New Zealand’s trademark stunning ings resulted in spontaneous concerts and other mountain landscapes, as well as the destructive performances. earthquakes that rock the island nation.
“
It was 25 seconds of sheer and absolute and utter violence that came out of absolutely nowhere,”
The former mayor of Christchurch describes the day that shook the city Young, creative people especially contributed to the communal nature of Christchurch following the disaster. Cardboard and other scrap materials were turned into impromptu dance stages, where people could plug in music to amplifiers and dance on previously disheartening sites of demolition. Damaged refrigerators were repurposed into weatherproof bookshelves and moved into locations throughout the city, forming a network of free lending libraries. The most permanent response from the creative community was the street art. Colorful murals can still be seen throughout the city, giving Christchurch its own personality communicated via aerosol paint. “People enjoyed that feeling of being creative and we gave the community—they would have probably taken it anyway—the opportunities to use their spaces,” Parker said. The sense of powerlessness that you feel after these events is really important to recognize and people need to take control back.”
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Several years after the earthquake, Parker sits in
a conference room on the first floor of the New Urban Group office. He is no longer the mayor of Christchurch, but like many in the city, his experiences during that time affect his daily life. “The worst thing is a kind of a post-traumatic game that your brain plays,” he said. “I can sit in a room and I can totally imagine the room in an earthquake … This is not unique to me, but I can see this room collapsing and feel this building collapsing on me.” As with any catastrophe, the fears that became reality for people in Christchurch will be difficult to overcome. But the city is moving forward with momentum. The population has been restored to pre-earthquake totals as people have either returned or chosen Christchurch as a place to settle. Lessons learned from 2011 have influenced new building codes, and the social landscape is also being restored. “We’re getting a safe place back,” Parker said. “We’re also starting to lose some of that grassroots cohesion we had at that time as normality takes over. Some people see that as a loss, but equally they’re happy to see the structure of society being rebuilt physically and socially.” Ordinary people doing extraordinary things are still writing the story of Christchurch. Life has become more stable and comfortable over the years, but there is still plenty of work to be done. Any discussion with Parker about what the future holds for the city elicits a common refrain from the former mayor: “Never underestimate your people.”
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Regent // New Street
By Taylor Armer
By Taylor Armer
Tucked away in its own pastel-tinted bubble, New Regent Street serves as the cultural hub for some of Christchurch’s most creative business owners following the February 2011 earthquake.
A
lthough the deadly rumble left 38 shops in this pedestrian mall untouched, the city prohibited businesses from returning until their interior infrastructure met the new earthquake safety code. Integral to New Regent Street and its family of business owners during the twoyear rebounding process was fellow, longtime property owner Betty Hazeldine, or “Queen Elizabeth” as one tram driver dotingly referred to her. Hazeldine retired from her co-owned business, Pastel Shoe Dryer shortly after the destructive quake and volunteered within days to serve as vice chair for property owners on New Regent Street. Over the past six years, Hazeldine—who also serves as ambassador to the district—has seen New Regent Street business owners and Christchurch residents collaborate to cultivate cooperative energy in one of the city’s most prominent tourist destinations. “I’ve noticed, and I still see it on New Regent Street, there’s a friendship among the owners,” Hazeldine said with a beaming smile across her face. “And it grows out to the people coming into the street.” On a leisurely stroll down the 79-meter (0.05-mile) brick-paved road, visitors quickly spot the cohesive palette of soft blue, green and yellow along the upper level façades and the variety of shopping and dining options on the lower level. The “most beautiful street in New Zealand” has had a history equally colorful, according to its official website. Christchurch residents used the area as a camping ground for circuses in 1863, a skating rink three times (1888, 1902, 1917), a boot factory in 1891 and a picture theatre in 1908 before it was refashioned as a boutique shopping site in 1932. After it was made a pedestrian mall in 1995, visitors entered from either Armagh Street or Gloucester Street to patron novel shops like Hazeldine’s. The eclectic assortment of shops, boutiques and cafés of today’s New Regent Street was
non-existent on April 20, 2013; only five of its 19 tenanted businesses reopened. Hazeldine called those business owners brave because the devastating tremor limited foot traffic, leveled nearby offices and carparks and derailed the tourist-packed tram route that stops directly on the street. Geoffrey Gao, said that since he reopened Coffee Lovers after the earthquake, he noticed how isolated New Regent Street was from the rest of Christchurch.
“ We were like a lonely island in a sea,”
Gao said. “[People] needed a boat or a ship to come to the street because of all the traffic and construction.” Regardless of their preferred figurative travel method, customers have returned to the coffee shop at almost the same rate as before the earthquake. His coffee and food bar (Café Stir) serve up to 200-500 customers a day. Customers may have heard via travel magazines, websites or word of mouth that there’s something indescribably different about Coffee Lovers coffees, lattes, espressos and mochas. Gao, or Dr. Coffee as he’s known to loyal customers, approaches creating the perfect cup of Joe with an almost scientific precision. Eighteen years of medical training drilled into his head, “there is zero chance to make a mistake” even when serving coffee. Although he described his passion for all things coffee bean related as “very serious,” the self-taught connoisseur grinned widely when he spoke of his businesses and the commercial district’s future, an additional five years removed from the earthquake. “Before the earthquake, you’d have to turn many, many pages in traveling magazines to see anything about the street,” Gao said as he flipped through an imaginary magazine.
“Now, you read about it in
the front pages. New Regent Street is the highest point of Christchurch.” Whether New Regent Street is at the summit or what Hazeldine nicknamed the “center place” of tourism in Christchurch, business owners, residents and tourists have responded with an upsurge of creativity to the quake’s lasting remnants of destruction. Citywide restoration initiatives such as “Fill the Gap” and “Life in Vacant Spaces” have deputized entrepreneurs and artists to employ their creativity for an economic and morale boost for the city. At 16 years old, Jed Joyce
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(Above) New Regent Street has been a colorful beacon of hope since 1932, when it was built during the Great Depression. (Right) Betty Hazeldine is a Christchurch resident and familiar face on New Regent Street. She represents the street’s business owners as Vice Chair of Property Owners. Photos by Kaylin Bowen
welcomed the opportunity to sell gelato out of a mobile cart. He rolled gelato on weekends and throughout his high school summers on the vacant lot next to his would-be storefront on New Regent Street for three years. “Because of these cool rebuilding initiatives, people have [constructed] art sculptures in abandoned lots, started gelato carts in my case and [landscaped] an awesome garden to fill in the gaps around the city,” Joyce said. “Lots of young people, like me, have had the opportunity to be a part of rebuilding Christchurch.” Joyce opened Rollickin’ in November 2016 and shared that he has undergone
phase two to transform the upstairs area to a dining area with another kitchen specializing in “crazy delicious desserts.” Downstairs, visitors can sample—and later purchase—organic gelato and dairy-free sorbets with flavors that vary by the season. As his business continues to expand, he said New Regent Street and Christchurch were also in the next phase of rebuilding. “Everything’s starting to reopen,” Joyce explained. “[The city has] taken down the buildings that were unsafe, which has left heaps of space for more creative opportunity. I feel Christchurch is back now and we’re all working together to bring the city and its people back.”
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(Top left) The Berry Chiffon Coreopsis, known as the Tickseed, is one of a variety of flowers grownin the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. (Above) The Christchurch Botanic Gardens are known for their sculpture installations. “Diminish and Ascend� by David McCracken emerges from Kiosk Lake in the gardens. (Right) A variety of flora call the Gardens home, from towering trees to crawling ivy. Photos by Mary Kathryn Carpenter
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////// By Thomas Joa
Healing in the Park
How Christchurch’s open spaces became places of refuge and community
The Avon River winds through Christchurch, flowing among the buildings like the people who walk its streets.
Bede Nottingham, the Hagley Park and Botanic Gardens Operations team leader, said most of the work done in the gardens post-earthquake centered around bringing its building up to the new standards. “They [Christchurch City Council] tested our buildings and pretty much all of them came in around 33 percent,” Nottingham said. “They [the buildings] were closed for about a year and we had to have engineering assessments for Woven within the Avon River Corridor are the many parks what we had to do to bring them up to code.” Nottingham said all the buildings in the garden have been and heritage sites of the city—the Christchurch Botanic brought up to at least the 74 percent minimum standard for Gardens the most significant among them. The Christchurch Botanic Gardens, founded in 1863, are public buildings built pre-earthquake. The gardens’ visitor center, which was the first public structure built after the the main garden and heritage park in a city that has more than 740 parks and gardens. The 21-hectare (51-acre) space earthquake, entirely meets the new standard. He also noted that a positive result of the earthquake was that it allowed is located on the west side of Hagley Park and is bordered the city council to renovate many of the heritage buildings. on three sides by the Avon River. The Botanic Gardens are After the first earthquake, the number of visitors to the a major landmark in Christchurch and have become even gardens was the highest it had ever been. Nottingham said more important to the city’s residents in the aftermath of that people came to the gardens because they saw it as a safe the earthquakes that occurred on September 4, 2010 and place. After the 2011 earthquake, visitor numbers dropped February 22, 2011. “For months we were getting hammered with aftershocks, to the lowest they had ever been although the gardens were intact. He said this happened for two reasons; the first being some of them really significant,” Andrew Rutledge, Christthat the city’s central business district (CBD) was completely church City Council Head of Parks, explained. shut down. He recalled that they had the army and tanks right at their gates. The other reason was that even though it could be accessed from the other side, people still considered it to be part of the Red Zone, so they stayed away. The Canterbury Earthquake Memorial opened on February 22, 2017, the sixth anniversary of the earthquake that killed 185 people. The memorial wall, located on the Avon Though many of the parks were damaged, they became an River corridor by the Montreal Street Bridge, contains both the given and preferred names of the victims. A reflection important spot for people to congregate after the eartharea faces the wall from the opposite side of the river. The quakes. Rutledge said much of the damage was caused by liquefaction, and cleaning it up was one of the first steps in area is surrounded by deciduous trees—the changing with the seasons meant to signify the change in people’s lives. repairing the damage. “It will take 20-odd years before [the city] recolonizes “We pretty quickly went into a basic first response of makitself,” Rutledge said. “A lot of people think that it should be ing things look presentable again,” Rutledge said. “Within done and dusted already. Six years is not a very long time for the last two years a lot of the buildings and structures that a city to develop. Probably the one that’s of a similar magniare in the parks, most of them being heritage and historic, tude is New Orleans and the destruction that was caused by are going through a repair and and reopening process.” the disaster they had.” Rebuilding is a slow process, and Rutledge said there is While it may take a long time for the city to completely a lot of discussion about what should be done in the Red rebuild, Rutledge said he believes that it may soon be better Zone—the area most damaged by the earthquake and off than it was pre-earthquake. The streets of the city are deemed off limits by government officials. Regenerate, a changing, being rebuilt and improved. The buildings are begroup set up by the Christchurch City Council and the ing updated to new earthquake standards. Heritage buildings central government of New Zealand, has been tasked with designing a plan to redevelop Christchurch’s residential Red are getting a facelift. As the city changes, one thing remains a constant. Parks will remain a major part of the city and the Zone in an effective and timely manner. By working with lives of its citizens. As the city works to rebuild, its people the city council and the people of Christchurch, they hope will continue to support their parks and voice their concerns to return the Red Zone to the vibrant community it was over what should be done with them. before the earthquake. Many have proposed several ideas for what should be done in the zone. These ideas include building a flat-water lake or turning the area into a native woodland forest. “If we do a water park, I think there’s some really significant opportunities on the fringe of that to create a unique environment, which would be a positive thing for Christchurch, particularly on that side of town,” Rutledge Rutledge said. “If something is not going the way they think said. “They’re still trying to get over those first hurdles of it should be going, they’ll let you know.” recovery.”
“A lot of the parks
became anchors for their lives.”
“ Parks seem to be really important to Christchurch people,”
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By Thomas Joa
The Beauty Behind the Madness
n the wake of the Christchurch destruction, the artistic and cultural leaders of the community began to search for ways to make a positive change, leading to the rise of skilled and vibrant street art, which can be found on walls all over the city. Kiwi artists have had a presence in the global street art community for quite some time, but the art form was not widely recognized in New Zealand until the past decade. The TMD crew, an Auckland based graffiti group, has been a major presence on the global street art stage since its creation in 1996. They won the world Write4Gold Graffiti Art Championships in 2006 and 2008. “New Zealand’s always been known for having very creative artists,” said George Shaw, the founder of Oi YOU, a company that puts on street art festivals around Oceania. “The TMD crew grew out of Auckland and they took home the graffiti world championship twice. One reason they were able to do that is because the guys in the TMD crew are super innovative.” Shaw, a native of Birmingham, United Kingdom, got into the street art movement after his wife, Shannon, stumbled across the world-renowned graffiti artist Banksy. After years of collecting works by Banksy, Shaw and his wife moved to New Zealand in 2009 with the hope of bringing the street art movement to the country. They formed Oi YOU and soon had their first major show in Nelson, a South Island city regarded for its local arts scene. “Our timing was good because we came here in 2009 and in 2011 the Rugby World Cup was happening and the small city [Nelson] that we’d moved to was hosting three games,” Shaw said. “They wanted something that was a cultural event that set them apart. They saw the ability to have a collection of works by Banksy on show for the first time in New Zealand as being really attractive, so they funded us to do that first project.” The project was a success and it wasn’t long until they were invited to be a part of another show in Sydney. In 2013, Oi YOU hosted a major exhibition in Adelaide, Australia, which led to an invite to do a show in Christchurch. “We got invited to Christchurch which had recovered enough from the devastation of the earthquake,” Shaw said. “I think they looked at what we were doing and they thought if we bring that to Christchurch that would make a big difference. That’s exactly what happened.” Shaw said when they arrived in Christchurch it was still under military lockdown. “The place was just like a post-apocalyptic disaster area really,” he said. The Canterbury Museum gave Oi YOU three exhibition spaces to use and the artist painted
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Street artists rise from the rubble
15 walls throughout the city. The show, RISE, opened in December 2013, bringing in a record 248,000 visitors over three months and, according to Shaw, had a major impact on the people of Christchurch.
solidified it [graffiti] as art,” said Charles Williams, a Māori street artist who paints with his wife, Janine. “I think he removed the fear. When it comes to graffiti and when it comes to spray cans, people have an automatic fear that these guys are vandals.” Charles is a founding member of the TMD crew, which formed in 1996. Janine joined the crew in 1999 and the two of them have painted together ever since. Charles and Janine Williams explained how the inspiration for their work comes from their Māori heritage and said they hope to see other artists immerse themselves in their work. “What I’d love to see is people painting from their own stories or their own journeys or their own identities,” Charles Williams said. “What happened is you see art and art almost ends up being like fashion, something that you wear or you do but I want people to embody it. This is who you are and this is a part of me. Something Shaw said. “All they had experienced for two years with meaning and something special.” was the devastation and the destruction of buildJanine agreed with Charles’ future outlook, addings and the dismantling of buildings. We started ing, “We’re gonna be a part of that. Help change painting walls. For a lot of people that was the first the culture.” sign that they had seen that something [positive] This change in culture has roots in Christchurch was happening.” among its broken buildings and cracked streets. Shaw said that the people of Christchurch really “Everyone who goes to the city knows the thing embraced what they were doing and that the that strikes them the most is the huge murals that success of RISE led to the production of two sub- are around and a lot of people go to Christsequent shows in the city. Shaw brought in artists church now just to see those murals,” Shaw said. from across New Zealand and around the world to produce the shows. One such artist, Jacob Ryan, paints under the name Yikes. He is a Christchurch native who has seen the street art scene evolve in his hometown since the earthquakes. “Before the earthquake, Christchurch’s scene was rapidly decreasing in number and was solely seen on the train lines,” Ryan explained. “Once the earthquake happened, it sort of went a little quiet, but it wasn’t until a project called ‘From the Ground Up’ and RISE happened that ChristWhile Christchurch is still physically recovering church saw a dramatic increase of large scale stuff and not only that but huge amounts of graffiti art from the earthquakes, it is already creating a new cultural identity for itself. The art around the city as well.” reflects the resiliency of the people who continue Ryan said that he first got involved with Oi to call it home. To Shaw, the legacy that Oi YOU YOU during the RISE festival where he painted created in Christchurch can be seen across the a wall inside the museum alongside several other Kiwi artists. The following year he was invited as island nation. “From what we’ve done in Christchurch we’ve a headline artist for Oi YOU’s SPECTRUM, a been invited to do this venture in Tauranga… series of two shows that were housed in the city’s YMCA and ran in 2015 and 2016. Shaw and his they see street art as a way of engaging with this new wave of people and as a tool to getting people fellow Oi YOU artists produced a show where they painted different layers of perspectives, which talking about the city and visiting the city,” Shaw he said took great skill to pull off. They also built said. “The benefits of putting on a big street art show in your city, like we proved with Christa replica of post-earthquake Christchurch with broken buildings, exposed walls and power poles church, is that you get huge waves of tourism, but you also get a talking point and a real point of with power lines running between them. difference that it brings to that place.” “George came in at a really nice time and
“The process
of painting murals really had a positive effect on the people,”
“Now the city is
bouncing back and it is starting to rebuild. In some ways, it is going to be a better city for the pain.”
Joel Hart is a local artist and designer known for featuring female faces in his murals. The mural “Saucy� is found on Southwark Street, a ten-minute walk from downtown Christchurch. Photo by Mary-Margaret Schmidt
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///// By Cara Walker
Re:START Mall
Restoring the city’s downtown retail area by repurposing vibrant shipping containers
The fixtures and fittings shook violently
as tourists, locals and store workers clamored out of the 100-year-old Regent Theatre building into the bright afternoon sun of Cathedral Square in downtown Christchurch on February 22, 2011. The patrons and employees of Simply New Zealand, a gift store housed in the historic building, only lost handbags and potential purchases the day the 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit. Others around the square lost their lives. “I’ve never felt anything like it before,” said Wendy Andrews, the manager of Simply New Zealand, who was working in their Regent Theatre store the day of the earthquake. “You couldn’t stand up. Everybody fell. Everyone knew to run out of the building, which wasn’t actually always a good idea because things were falling off buildings. There was a lot of blood, destruction and death around us. It was nothing I want to ever experience again.” As shop owners around the city centre saw the remnants of their properties come down slowly over the next several months after the earthquake, many wondered what the fate of the downtown area would be, with 80 percent of the buildings demolished. The Regent Theatre was deemed beyond repair, and the day everyone rushed out to find safety from the shaking was the last time Andrews would enter it.
After many of the city centre’s retail locations were destroyed, Re:START Mall was created as a temporary location for the city’s downtown businesses. Photo by Mary-Margaret Schmidt
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Six years later, Andrews flits around in the heat of a March afternoon in downtown Christchurch, weaving around stalls of handcrafted goods and food trucks to deliver paperwork between two bright-green shipping containers decorated with the Simply New Zealand logo on the side. The Re:START mall, an open-air shopping center made from old shipping containers, is a unique project originally meant to give former downtown retailers a temporary place to trade while drawing people back into the center of the city after the tragedy. Andrews said she heard about the idea for Re:START five months post-earthquake and although many of the shop owners who were invited to be a part of the mall were worried about the quality of a store housed in a container, she was reluctantly excited. “It was a real unknown,” Andrews said. “A lot of people were not confident that it would work and we were concerned as well. But we gave it a go...and we were just blown away. Then, we were nervous whether people would come, and wow, people have been flocking to these containers.” After a long process of insurance claims, John Suckling watched as construction workers tore down the shoe store he had owned and managed since 1979. The century-old brick building in downtown Christchurch where his father opened the family business in 1934 had crumbled from the quakes. As retailers fled to the suburbs, whispers of whether a city centre could even be sustained hung around the flattened streets. Determined to prove them wrong, Suckling and an informal group of property owners approached Christchurch Earthquake Minister Gerry Brownlee with the idea for Re:START. By April 2011, Suckling became the face of the trustee board for the temporary project, whose vision was to show business could survive downtown again. The city gave its encouragement to Suckling and the other trustees. However, no funds were promised for the estimated $3.4 million (U.S. $2.4 million) project. After working with contractors and architects to draw up designs for Re:START, they were granted an interest-free loan from the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust and 64 shipping containers were ordered from China. Suckling described the time from the delivery of the containers to their grand opening, just 61 days later, as hectic but humbling. “I turn 75 in three weeks and I’ve never been involved in a project where there was so much unity and determination to make the thing work,” he said. He has a huge admiration for everyone involved, especially the courageous tenants who signed up on basic plans and a somewhat blind hope for success. “The commitment people made is astounding, completely astounding, and I get emotional about it,” he said. “[Re:START] was in some ways the highlight of my working career.” An estimated 30,000 people attended the weekend of Re:START grand opening on October 29, 2011, according to Christchurch’s newspaper The Press. “A lot of people were in tears...because a lot of them said they would never come back in the center of the city because they saw so much TV coverage or they were working in here and saw the carnage,” he said. “But a whole lot [of people] came back in simply to support us and what we’d done. It was very gratifying.”
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Although crowds of tourists and locals still steadily stroll through the mall carrying shopping bags and souvenirs, the screeching of power tools echoes through the air and signals imminent change. With new buildings going up every day around Re:START, the mall’s manager, Ollie van der Pol, says shop owners have already begun to move into permanent locations around the city and the mall will be closing its containers in April 2017.
“Change is
inevitable here,”
van der Pol explained, citing that Re:START has been transported twice within the city since opening to make room for new construction. A recent project management graduate who found work difficult to come by after the earthquake, van der Pol was grateful to join the Re:START team last January. “People want to be a part of Re:START so it really sells itself,” she said. At this point in the project, her job is to keep the shops and area vibrant despite the aging of the containers. Although she was not a part of Re:START at the beginning, she is excited to see it through to the end alongside the ones who have seen how it evolved. “Those that came on at the beginning were real risk-takers—to sign up to a lease when the ground’s still shaking,” she said. Around the corner from van der Pol’s Re:START office on Hereford Street is the brand new Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) Center, which houses a Simply New Zealand store close to the site of the original location. Andrews said the three-month-old store isn’t busy yet, but she is excited that most of the retailers at Re:START have found permanent homes to go to once the mall closes. She and her employees are ready to stretch out in their new store and start fresh, but she credits Re:START with showing people that the Christchurch community can pull together and be resilient. “This has run its course and it’s been an amazing time,” she reflected. “A lot of people were afraid to come back in the city because we lost so many lives here with the old buildings, but once they removed the old buildings and put the containers down, people got confidence to come back and that’s huge.” Suckling agrees that it is time for them to move forward.
“We’ve certainly met the
goal to prove that retail can survive in the city,”
he said. “Now you see new buildings going up.” He is aware that many visitors are sad to hear that it is closing, but he knows the emotion connected to Re:START is more about the people who made it happen. “We never envisioned it being as big or successful, but of course we are absolutely delighted that it was,” he said. “And that was only because of the vision and commitment of so many people. It was just absolutely fantastic.”
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The story of
Maori
Nepia Takuira-Mita, a Tamaki MÄ ori warrior, proudly displays his traditional TÄ Moko. His tattoos represent his relationship with his sister, mother and father. Photo by Mary Kathryn Carpenter
Visitors to New Zealand may catch glimpses of Maori culture, tattooed on passersby and tucked around every corner, never realizing the strong influence the culture has had on the past, present and future. Through chatting with locals and immersing themselves in tourist attractions, visitors can see all the Maori have to offer. Story by Elayne Smith + Madison Sullivan
Photos by Mary Kathryn Carpenter + Lane Stafford
Design by Cara Walker
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History Documented By Elayne Smith
S
ome people choose to etch their story on their skin, mixing ink with blood. A select few of those people choose to etch their life’s journey on their body’s canvas with Tā Moko, Māori for the body art, to honor their ancestors and continue a Māori tradition hundreds of years old. New Zealand’s indigenous population, the Māori, use nature-inspired designs to create sacred tattoos. Like fingerprints, Tā Moko identifies his/her and their story using unique combinations of patterns. Different symbols represent different aspects, such as knowledge, skills or new beginnings. Often, Tā Moko incorporates lineage with different sections dedicated to different family members. In the end, the ink is a personalized scrapbook crafted from the partnership of artist and client. “The bark of a tree identifies what kind of tree it is just as his Moko identifies who he is,” said Elias Tyro, a tattoo and Moko artist for Expressions tattoo studio and art gallery in Christchurch. Up a flight of creaky stairs, looking down onto the colorful buildings of New Regent Street, Tyro worked on an intricate design for his Māori client, Ricky Bidois. Rock music filtered over the buzzing noise of tattoo pens at work as the chemical smell of disinfectant hung in the air. Tyro bent over Bidois’ right leg as he textured the tan skin. Tyro put in more than 50 hours into Bidois’ Moko as lines swirled from above his knee up above his glute, a history book curling along his contours. “My life has been a long journey,” Bidois said. “[This] represents it.” Tyro was mostly self-taught, starting Tā Moko after getting his own Moko on both his legs. Some symbols printed into Bidois’ leg included a trail of triangles representing shark teeth and strength or swirls for water. Depending on different iwis, or Māori tribe, symbols will have different meanings and uses. Tyro has created Tā Moko for seven years now and said he still has a lot to master. “It’s a visual language,” he said. “I still consider myself a student. I have a lot to learn, which I guess we all are students of life.” Pip Hartley became a Moko artist at Karanga Ink in Auckland out of a desire to learn. She said she never aspired to be a tattoo artist, but followed her path.
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A Māori warrior of the Tamaki tribe performs a welcoming ceremony for visitors to the village. Tā Moko-like paintings decorate his face. Today, Māori do not typically get facial tattoos because of discrimination they may experience. Photo by Mary Kathryn Carpenter
“I wanted to learn more about my culture and my roots, then one thing led to another,” she said. Hartley had an apprenticeship on the South Island where she learned the art and how to do it with the traditional tools. Unlike the modern pen, an uhi, the traditional chisel used to create Tā Moko, engraves the skin. Using an uhi can take twice as long and is rarely used. Hartley said she likes using the traditional method even though most people do not request it. She said getting Tā Moko has a spiritual element to it. Typically it is earned and symbolizes some type of passing, whether through a personal challenge or the loss of a loved one. “We are translating their story and showing what they hold close to their heart,” she said. “The biggest challenge is when people are in their mind too much and not trusting the process.” At Karanga Ink, Hartley gave Kevin Swank Tā Moko using a mixture of the old and new tools. Swank, an American, had studied in New Zealand and learned about Māori culture through his time abroad. He wanted to commemorate his experience and the culture by getting a tattoo at the Auckland parlor.
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“We are translating their story and showing what they hold close to their heart.”
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“It’s cool to know the stories, then to take home something to show and share the culture,” Swank said. While Tā Moko is a Māori art form, there is an increasing popularity of the tattoo with tourists and mixed feelings about it in the Māori community. Tucked across a bungy jumping store and off a sidewalk busy with foreigners, Otautahi offers lasting Māori souvenirs in Queenstown. Tamararo Raihania has been doing Tā Moko for the past 10 years and is part of the staff at Otautahi tattoo parlor. Raihania said he is not bothered by people without Māori heritage getting their style of tattoo. There is a version of Tā Moko called khitori, which Raihania said means to draw on skin, that still uses elements of Tā Moko without the sacred significance. Raihania knows some people who are upset by foreigners getting the tattoo because they feel like people are stealing the cultural meaning. “It’s sort of getting our art form out there,” Raihania said. “The symbols do have meaning. Don’t just come over and get it done because it looks cool--try to respect it.” Dani Jaric decided to get a small piece on the back of her left calf from Raihania, wanting have a meaningful matching tattoo with her friend. She said they did not know about Tā Moko before they came to New Zealand but thought it was beautiful. Once they learned more about it, they loved the cultural depth. “We had to pick what words we wanted represented and it got deeper and more meaningful from there,” Jaric said. At the Auckland Museum, some of the Māori traditions can still be seen as warriors and Māori women perform dances, songs and weaponry displays. Teina Arama is a warrior from both the Ngapuhi and Tainui iwis who performs daily at the museum. Stretched across his back, a stingray comprised of twisting lines and shapes pieced together like a puzzle shows a part of who he is. Arama got Tā Moko when he was 16 years old after earning it from mastering certain fighting skills. His Moko represents the guardian of the far north to protect him, his family members and his level with martial arts and weaponry. “It’s similar to being given an I.D.,” he said. “I’m proud of having
my Tā Moko as it shows a little bit of my identity.” Arama got his tattoo done with modern tools because e did not want it to take as long. He said he still heels there is a lot for him to learn before earning more Moko on his body or a full-face tattoo. The facial tattoo is not as common today, but experiencing a rise in popularity as well as representing a big step in the Māori community. This tradition comes from a Māori legend, where Mataora, a chief, bring it to humanity. Mataora married a spirit, Niwareka, and one day grew jealous and enraged, so he struck her. She fled, and he followed after her in guilt to the underworld. He left with his face painted and discovered Moko in the underworld. When he returned forgiven by Niwareka, he had permanent ink on his skin and introduced the art form to his people. Arama said displaying their culture such as with Moko or speaking in Māori has become a lot more accepted in New Zealand. When his parents grew up, they were punished in school for speaking Māori or showing their culture. Now he feels a lot more respect from the government and people of New Zealand for their heritage. For him, tourists getting Tā Moko are not an issue, as it helps spread their stories and art beyond New Zealand. “People come with their own stories and their own ideas,” Arama said. “I’m proud to be Māori. I have yet to learn a lot more of the history and stories as well.” While Arama has grown up learning the traditions of his iwi and exploring his heritage, he still feels like there is a lot in their culture that he has yet to learn and understand.
The Onsen Hot Pools appear green because of the dissolved sulfur. Photo by James Brown
History Celebrated By Madison Sullivan
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oud, frantic chanting rushes in waves over the crowd. Visitors are gathered together just out of the rain, slanting through the carved doorway. Tattooed warriors appear, fierce on their canoes, cutting through low hanging trees. Agile, they hop out of the boat and approach the chiefs, chosen from the group of visitors. The warriors punch the air; slap their legs, wide eyed with their tongues out, backlit by the torches hung high in the trees. No one under the shelter moves, no one speaks or cracks a smile. It would be disrespectful to do so. This ceremony, a traditional haka, is a far cry from the boisterous crowd found a few hours later in the Māori’s dining hall, chatting with warriors, chowing down on a buffet-style hangi, a traditional meal prepared over volcanic rocks and wood in the ground, by gracious hosts. The haka isn’t meant to scare away its recipients. Not anymore. While the haka was once performed for many things, ranging from war, funerals, battle or simply anger, in present day Tamaki Māori Village, it sets the stage for an evening of immersion into Māori culture. The Tamaki Māori Village, located just outside of Rotorua, is a highly-ranked New Zealand tourist attraction with a unique twist; it was created to be completely authentic. Each person working the ceremonies was raised in, or has a tie to, the Tamaki. Tourism for the Māori people is rooted deeply within their culture, reaching as far back as the 1800s. “We’ve got this value of manakitama, which means, ‘look
(Left) Pip Hartley, a Māori artist, tattoos Kevin Swank, an American who fell in love with the Māori culture and traditions. Photo by Lane Stafford (Right) The chief of the Tamaki Māori village touches foreheads with Bo Forsberg, a visitor to the village from Sweden. Touching of foreheads is a sign of respect in Māori culture. Photo by Mary Kathryn Carpenter
“Whenever people would come over, we would always look after our visitors, put them up and feed them. Tourism just evolved from out natural values.”
(Above) The Tamaki Māori Chief answers questions for visitors to the Tamaki Village, explaining different aspects of his culture. (Left) A Māori warrior performs a welcoming ceremony for visitors to the Tamaki village. Photos by Mary Kathryn Carpenter
after people,’” Tania Tapsell-Bennett, a sales and marketing person for the Tamaki Māori Village, explained. “So whenever people would come over, we would always look after our visitors, put them up and feed them. Tourism just evolved from our natural values here.” Tapsell stated that the Māori got along so well with their visitors they didn’t sign the Treaty of Waitangi, the Māori and European equivalent to the Declaration of Independence. “It was to say, ‘let’s get along and be peaceful,’” Tapsell stated. “But we were already peaceful and we had really well established businesses.” According to oral history, the Māori originally came to New Zealand in seven canoes, each with hundreds of people aboard. Upon arrival they branched into countless tribes, and from there Māori tradition rooted itself deeply. In some instances, Māori traditions and stories aren’t common knowledge, as many are passed down orally. While in recent years, full immersion Māori schools are more common, and Māori teachings have made their way into public curriculum, for many the best way to learn about the fascinating ins and outs of Māori culture is a tourist venture. “When the Europeans arrived, our race was rapidly becoming a dead language, a dead culture,” Rawhira Tekeeti, a Tamaki Māori Village tour guide explained. “We couldn’t really hold onto all the knowledge, and so now, the knowledge that we do have, people feel like they can’t share it because it’s too sacred.” Despite how far relations between the Māori and other Kiwis have come since recent years, the Māori people do still face discrimination from some outside of their culture. Tapsell said that statistically, Māori are convicted of crimes more often than other New Zealanders. “There is still discrimination even going through school,” Tekeeti said. “People just are not wanting to understand. I don’t dwell in the past. In this environment, being here and moving here has definitely helped.” For the Māori there is a lost generation. Grandmothers, grandfathers, even
Scan here to watch Māori traditions, including the haka, performed live
parents were not allowed to speak the Māori language growing up. In the 1970s and 1980s, however, there was a resurgence of Māori culture and language through the arts. Youth’s today will not experience the cultural drought that plagued the previous generations. “That’s how fresh our culture is,” the Tamaki’s chief explained to visitors. Those in the Tamaki Māori Village are excited to teach willing visitors the intricacies of their past. “It means the world to me,” Rangiatea Simon, a cultural performer for the Tamaki Evening Experience stated proudly. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s something to be proud of really. To be able to stand and portray our culture to people around the world and for them to take it back to their homeland is a big thing for me. Not only am I a face of Māori, but I’m a face for my people and my tribe. So for me it’s everything. It’s not only a part of me, but it’s pretty much all of me.” Being involved in the ceremonies help the Māori stay connected to their traditions. “We get to practice our own culture and our language every single day,” Nepia Takuira-Mita, a Tamaki Māori warrior, said of the Tamaki Village Evening Experience holding out his weapon. “It challenges us to find new ways to portray our culture and to find better ways. So I will go back home after this and I’ll practice [the performance] with this weapon and find new ways to do things. I think doing that helps me find out a little bit more about who I am and where I fit in my culture.” In the tribe, there is a specific role for everyone; this is how it has always been. Tourists can involve themselves in the three and a half hour experience with the tribe by purchasing a ticket at tamakimaorivillage.co.nz. The ticket price includes a traditional hangi dinner and transportation to and from your Rotorua accommodation. An overnight stay is also an option for an additional fee. “Those of my friends who don’t do this stuff [tourism], do contribute to the Māori world in other ways,” Takuira-Mita said. “They teach at schools or those sorts of things. I think we all, as a Māori people, are doing something to help promote the Māori culture.”
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SAVing The Birds of New Zealand
story by Elayne Smith and elizabeth elkin Photos by elayne smith, jonathan norris and mary-margaret schmidt Design by mary-Margaret Schmidt
New Zealand’s native wildlife is competing to survive on their homeland due to introduced predators. The white-flippered penguin and kiwi share common enemies and struggles. The Department of Conservation along with different charities and wildlife reserves are fighting to help save these birds from extinction.
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By Elizabeth Elkin
he conservationist lifts the top off a little cave made of wood and wire. It is a safe space, a place to molt and feed and grow without fear of predators. Soft baby noises come from within the contraption. The small crowd gathers around the rehabilitation area and shudders with anticipation, the excitement is almost palpable. They have been waiting for this moment for over three hours. Cameras at the ready, they wait one more minute. He reaches into the container and pulls out a little ball of white, blue and grey fluff. Its chubby body fits neatly into his two hands, its little beak is no bigger than a long fingernail. The crowd sighs with content. “We try to give these guys a second chance,” Benoit Navarron, wildlife conservationist at Pohatu Penguins, said. There are 18 species of penguins in the world and three of those species live on mainland New Zealand. As time has progressed, several factors have contributed to the loss of penguins, in some cases, causing them to die out—fishing, human disturbances and new species introduced to New Zealand such as stoats. Numerous programs are in place to help protect various species of penguins, but the workers at Pohatu Penguins in Akaroa focus their efforts on the species native to the neighboring Flea Bay: the white-flippered penguin. Navarron said that between 30 and 60 years ago, the white-flippered penguin population dropped dramatically for three reasons. First, the Māori use their meat for food. “These guys are called the ‘sweet penguins’ by the Māori,” he said. “Not sweet cute, sweet tasty.” Second, the white-flippered penguins prefer the cover of forest, Navarron explained. When there’s no forest to take shelter in, the penguins crawl under houses to nest and breed. From August to November, these penguins are not welcome guests to people trying to sleep. From 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., they chirp, whistle and squawk. “It can be really disturbing,” Navarron explained sadly. “So what the locals do is they release their cats and train dogs to kill these poor little guys. The third reason the white-flippered penguins are dying, as with many creatures native to New Zealand, is introduced predators. The European stoat was brought to the country to kill rabbits. Stoats are small, about the size of a ferret but with a black tail, and deadly to penguins. One stoat can kill over five penguins every night. “They are doing it exactly like cats, killing for pleasure,” he elaborated. “It’s just for fun. They dig two holes into the neck of the penguin, drink a bit of blood and let the penguin die.” Shireen, owner and founder of the business, decided to do something about it, Navarron explained. She laid traps out for the stoats
Kiwis have long whiskers surrounding their beaks similar to a cat’s whiskers, which help their senses. Photo by Elayne Smith
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“If you want to picture New Zealand as advertised, as green and wild, we need to get rid of all the things that have been introduced.”
This white-flippered penguin is a part of the Pohatu Penguin rehabilitation program. Conservationists are feeding the penguin until it has molted all of his feathers. Photo by Jonathan Norris
all around Flea Bay. She checked the traps every three to five days and found five to 15 stoats every time. “The population was way too big and they were destroying the penguins,” Navarron said. After several years, the Department of Conservation realized that Shireen was right, Navarron said. They began helping Pohatu Penguins by starting a trapping program in the bay. However, as time has gone on and fewer stoats have been found in the bay, the trappers haven’t wanted to keep up with the program, he explained. Kevin Parthonnaud, another Pohatu Penguins conservationist, said conservation is particularly important in New Zealand due to introduced species like the stoat. “If you want to picture New Zealand as advertised, as green and wild, we need to get rid of all the things that have been introduced,” he said. Another problem penguins experience is the process of molting. If a
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penguin doesn’t molt its baby feathers, the feathers fill with water, causing the penguin to sink to the bottom of the bay and drown. Pohatu Penguins provides penguins with safe places to complete the molting process without fear of predators. Pohatu Penguins has a rehabilitation facility for penguins that need a little extra help. This facility is in Shireen’s backyard, where she can keep a close eye on them. “What we are doing here is really something major for the penguins,” Navarron said passionately. “These guys love the penguins. They’ve done so much for the penguins for 30 years.” When the conservation project first began, there were around 500 breeding pairs of the white-flippered penguin in Flea Bay. Now there are around 1,250 breeding pairs. This, Navarron said, is not a conservation victory, but the beginning of a long road to save the New Zealand penguins.
By Elayne smith
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ethany Brett changes her shoes 10 times a day. She does this knowing the time it takes her to change shoes may help protect the endangered birds at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve from harmful bacteria. She does this with the hope that one day the kiwi will have a chance to thrive in New Zealand, like the local people who have used the bird’s name to attach themselves to a land threatening its icon. “My job is to make my job non-existent,” Brett said. “I always think we can do more.” Kiwis are flightless, nocturnal birds unique to New Zealand. As New Zealand’s national bird, kiwis are seen on merchandise, imprinted on the $1 coin and incorporated into business’ logos. “They’re ugly, but they’re cute,” Brett said with a grin. Brett works as the head kiwi husbandry officer for Willowbank, located in the outskirts of Christchurch, which houses 50 different types of animals and up to a dozen kiwis. Only 68,000 kiwis remain in the wild compared to the millions that once existed, according to New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. The birds experience an annual 2 percent population decline—about 20 per week. Willowbank is partnered with the national effort, Operation Nest Egg, to increase the kiwi survival rate. The operation coordinates with different wildlife reserves and conservation centers to take eggs and chicks from their burrows and raise them in captivity to increase their chance of survival. The flightless birds adapted to live in an island country with no native mammal predators. Once settlers introduced possums, rats, ferrets and stoats, the kiwi’s natural instinct to stand still in camouflage, as it would against aerial predators, offered little protection. “You’re looking at survivalists,” Brett said. “I think that is probably the best word to use for an animal that we’ve just dumped the worst predator they could possibly have, but they’re still around.” Due to the decline of its native wildlife, New Zealand has funded efforts to conserve its animals by declaring a goal of being predator free by 2050. The conservation department has paired up with the charity, Kiwis for kiwi. The umbrella organization monitors efforts from local communities and supports accredited research centers. Since kiwis do not fly, their feathers do not need the same aerodynamic design as other birds. Instead, their feathers look almost fur-like and are as soft as other birds’ down feathers. Photo by Elayne Smith
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Michelle Impey did not grow up a Kiwi, but she devoted herself to saving the nocturnal bird after falling in love with New Zealand and its wildlife. Impey is the executive director of Kiwis for kiwi, overseeing a two-person staff and handful of part-time workers. She took charge of the charity in 2005 and helped transition it into its current brand. “Kiwis are a cooky, charismatic bird,” Impey said grasping in the air for the right words as she chuckled. “Kiwis are the poster child for environmental protection.” Many of the issues kiwis face are similar struggles for other native wildlife. Impey said reducing predators and maintaining habitats not only aids kiwi, but other animals and plants in the ecosystem. “The less charismatic species benefit from the efforts done for the kiwi,” Impey said. “It’s hard to get people to rally around saving a skink [lizard], but the national bird makes more of a statement.” People help kiwis in different ways, from putting predator traps in their backyards to mapping kiwi locations. Impey explained that a huge threat to the native bird is not just the wild predators that the government is trying to reduce, but people’s dogs. “There’s an ignorance of the damage dogs can do and a denial that it would be your pet,” Impey said. Since Kiwi carry their vital organs in the front of their bodies, they are very vulnerable when crushed in a dog’s jaw. Keeping pets indoors or in a fenced area can help. A lot of resources have been put into predator-free areas where kiwis can repopulate. The goal is to take kiwis from these areas after they have multiplied and reintroduce them throughout the nation, Impey explained. These predator-free areas include fenced sanctuaries where the land has returned to its native state or offshore islands isolated from mainland predators. “Something is going to die,” Impey said without blinking. “We have the chance to preserve the natives and that’s what we are doing. It is no less cruel to let the introduced ones wipe out the natives, you know, than it is for us to intervene and try to take out the introduced ones.”
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wo minutes away from the downtown bustle of Queenstown is an oasis for native wildlife. Walking through the entrance to Kiwi Birdlife Park is like stepping into a forest in the middle of a city. Paul Kavanagh is the manager for the family-owned birdlife park that turned the land from a junkyard to a sanctuary in 1986 and currently houses 23 native species. “We try to instill hope,” Kavanagh said. “It’s important people know the severity and how endangered our species are, but we also have to instill hope and we need to make people feel like they can still make a difference.” At Kiwi Birdlife Park, there are two nocturnal houses keeping the birds behind glass, limiting human interaction. Visitors to the park can visit the kiwi sanctuary during the day and see them under dim, red lighting. About the size of a chicken, a kiwi will use its beak almost like a cane as it pecks the earth and bobs along exploring the ground. “Kiwi look strange and they are unusual, but they are amazing at what they do,” Kavanagh said. “It’s just that they are dealing with threats they shouldn’t be dealing with.” In the end, these efforts are not just about the kiwi, he said, but New Zealand’s landscape as a whole. So many plants, birds including penguins and other animals face situations outside of nature’s plan for them. While a lot of these issues stemmed from past human mistakes, he said there is still a lot of hope for what can be done. “People need to be empowered and want to save nature,” he said. “Nature finds a way; you just have to give it a hand.”
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(Top) To see kiwis in Queenstown and visit the Kiwi Birdlife Park, you can walk two minutes from downtown up Brecon Street. To visit the Kiwi Birdlife Park entry tickets for adults are $48 (U.S. $33), tickets for children aged 5 to 14 are $23 (U.S. $16 U.S.) and children under 5 are free. (Above) Paul Kavanagh has been instrumental in the development of Kiwi Birdlife Park. Photos by Mary-Margaret Schmidt
The
Melody of
New
Zealand
The country's vineyards appeal to many senses, from sight to sound to taste Story by Hailey Grace Steele and Madison Sullivan Photos by Mary Kathryn Carpenter and Jonathan Norris Design by Mary-Margaret Schmidt
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M uch can be learned of a foreign land by listening to its music.
Its joys and triumphs, struggles and angsts, love stories and battle cries melded together in an irresistible harmony meant to be shared with others. The best songs tell the stories of the people who created them. They share secrets of the toil, boast tricks of the trade and offer a glimpse into the heart of their composer. In this story, the land is New Zealand and the music is wine. New Zealand made its first appearance on the international wine market during the late 1980s with the unveiling of its zesty Sauvignon Blanc. With a crisp acidity unparalleled by much else on the market even today, the success story of the country’s most popular wine still enchants winemakers, sommeliers and connoisseurs around the world. But the story of New Zealand wine is not one of singular importance. In fact, if left unprompted, most winemakers and vintners will speak of the Sauvignon Blanc in the same way they speak of their big brother, Australia: with a humble appreciation heavily masked in feigned annoyance. As one of the smallest and most isolated developed countries in the world, the men and women of New Zealand are no strangers to long hours and hard work, which often goes unnoticed, or whose benefits are reaped by someone halfway around the globe. Yet, you will find no allusion to this circumstance from a Kiwi. A proud and loyal people with a quick wit and superb sense of humor, a bit too far off the beaten path to subscribe to ideals of political correctness and attitudes of superiority, it comes as no surprise that the Kiwi lifestyle is one often emulated and rarely replicated. It would not be possible to understand this lifestyle without first understanding the vineyards from which it is nurtured. Nestled in the foothills of the
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Alpine Pacific Triangle, the charm of Waipara Valley is found not only in its picturesque beauty, but in the character of its people. Home to Southern Boundary Wines—a conglomerate of family estates that have adopted new attitudes toward the wine industry—as well as smaller, more boutique-style vineyards like Torlesse and Terrace Edge, the valley is as diverse in its topography as it is in its vineyards and the families who own them. One of the fastest growing wine regions in the country, Waipara is only a half hour drive from the sandy beaches of Pegasus Bay and less than an hour away from the bustling, new-age city of Christchurch. In the lee of the Teviotdale hills, the vineyards are open to the warm, northwest winds, providing an ideal climate for rich Pinot Noirs and aromatic Pinot Gris. “If you go around New Zealand, you’ve got three fundamental topographies,” Kym Rayner, owner of Torlesse Wines, said. “You’ve got valley floors, hills and slopes, and then you have stream influences— after the stream you get terraces. So one of our vineyards is a two-tiered terrace vineyard, one of them is up on the slopes, and there are two on what we call valley floor—but in New Zealand nothing is particularly flat, so valley floor is still kind of angulating.” Rayner and his wife, Maggie, have been pioneers in Waipara Valley since they first opened their cellar door in 1991. An Australian transplant with a brazen sense of humor, Rayner has been in the business since 1972. He bottled his first barrel in McLaren Vale, Australia, his hometown and an internationally recognized wine region south of Adelaide. The walls of Rayner’s cellar are decorated with paintings from local artists, and his shelves are stocked with artisanal honeys, clay pottery and jewelry made by friends and
(Left) Unripened grapes hang at Obsidian Vineyard. New Zealand grapes ripen for harvest between early February and late May, depending on the climate and the harvester. (Above) George Bond meticulously arranges wine glasses for a tasting at Casita Miro. Photos by Mary Kathryn Carpenter
budding entrepreneurs—all for sale, of course. “The point of this exercise is to have your little surprise face on,” Rayner said, speaking to an unexpectedly full cellar of wanderers looking to escape the afternoon sun and, perhaps, learn a thing or two about the region’s wines. “There are two of the Savvy [Sauvignon Blanc], but they are very different,” Rayner noted before launching into an explanation of oak aged barrels and stainless steel tanks. His banter is playful and warm. His wine is serious business. “The stainless-steel tank is easier, but it’s inert,” Rayner explained. “It brings nothing to the equation. Whereas, the barrel has its own flavor from the oak. It breathes. It has intimate contact. Each barrel is slightly different. When you’ve got 20 barrels, every one has it’s own
little personality. Whereas a tank is a tank is a tank.” ust down the road from the barnwood red, rustic cellar door of Torlesse Wines, sits the modern, meticulously manicured terrace of its old friend—Southern Boundary Wines. CEO Andrew Moore, son of Bruce and Jill Moore who planted their first vines on Waipara Springs in 1982, is smart, forthright and sincere. Waipara Springs, along with four other labels in the area, make up Southern Boundary wines. The company has been awarded in both national and international competitions. Its product can be found across the globe and, lucky for visitors not native to New Zealand, ordered online. The grapes, winemaking processes, barrels and machinery are carefully monitored by Moore for
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quality and the attention to detail shines through each glass. When the wine begins to pour, however, the shift in Moore’s demeanor is palpable. Just as sincere, his business-like attitude and razor-sharp focus begin to blur with his playful, adventurous disposition. It does not take much time at his polished, wood-slab bar to recognize that here—discussing aged wines and serving new friends—is where Moore feels most comfortable. “Wine is a little bit like music, you know?” he suggested casually as he poured the next sampling. “Sometimes you want it loud and noisy, whereas sometimes you want it to be quiet. To just sit and sip. Wine is a bit like that— it goes with your mood.” Across the Hauraki Gulf, only a few miles off the coast of Auckland, sits
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Waiheke Island, a paradise better known as the Island of Wine. As travelers coast into the cove they might catch a glimpse of a sign, “Slow Down, You’re Here.” And slow down they will. Waiheke’s “shy cove,” was given its name for “hiding from the outside what it has on the inside.” Home to many gems, from local art galleries to glistening beaches, Waiheke has it all, and people flock from around the world to experience its laid-back vibe. Boasting a population of just 8,500, Waiheke is divided between urban and rural landscape. Of that population, some 2,000 were born in countries other than New Zealand. “At the end of the day, we are all immigrants to this place,” explained Wayne Eagleton, owner of Waiheke Island Wine Tours. “It’s just a matter of when you arrive. People listen to the siren of Waiheke. It attracts people—it sounds crazy, I know, but it has a heart.” Take a winding tour across the island and stumble across quirky vineyards and alluring locally owned restaurants. In the case of Casita Miro, owned by Barnett Bond and his wife, Cat Vosper, visitors will discover the “Best Destination Restaurant” in Auckland, a renowned selection of wines and a stunning hilltop view of the gulf, wrapped up in one family-owned package. Eight years ago, Vosper mentioned to her husband that she would “love to have somewhere to sit, have a coffee and watch the ocean.” Bond’s response was the mosaic-tiled wine tasting area atop their vineyard. Casita Miro was named after Spanish artist, Juan Miro, who Vosper described as a beautiful artist with a witty playfulness, reminiscent of their vineyard. But “miro” can also be found in the local Māori language, meaning “fruit of the forest.” The tiles and the cuisine are modeled after their love of Spain, but their approach to wine is local. “This is a family business, my wife runs the restaurant and I’m the winemaker,” Bond stated. “There aren’t many of us left. Most of the successful vineyards in the world have been taken over by corporations who put a different sort of flavor on the delivery of wine. We are very interested in making the wine from this part of the world express the land.” He explained that the only way to achieve this is to plant the grapes, make the wine and each year learn how to fine tune. “Year by year you make the wine match the soil and match the climate profile better and better,” Bond said. Each of the wines available for tasting come paired with a homemade delicacy. From a freshly baked focaccia bread and tapas coated in pesto, to Kalamata olives marinated in honey, red wine and citrus, visitors to the vineyard can try it all. Just be sure to taste the wine first, food second, for a fresh palette each sip, warns George Bond, Casita
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"Wine is a little bit like music, you know...it goes with your mood."
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Miro’s sommelier and the owners’ son. “We love what we do and there’s not any amount of money that anyone could offer us that would substitute our love of this place,” Barnett Bond stated. “Everything about being here, that ocean, this land, what we’re doing. You know, playing with mosaic tiles, playing with food. We wake up in the morning and we sort of enjoy knowing we’re looking forward to enjoying the day. I can’t imagine being somewhere else.”
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ust down the way from Casita Miro lies Obsidian, a winery Wayne Eagleton explains as, “literally running out of walls to hang their awards on.” Founded in 1993, its original intent was to exclusively create Bordeaux-style wines, however much has changed since that time. Michael Wood, winemaker for Obsidian, said they currently grow 11 different varieties, due largely in part to consumer demand. Fairly unique to New Zealand, and even more Many New Zealand vineyards use nets to protect the grapes from birds. Photo by Jonathan Norris
so to Waiheke, Obsidian grows Montepulciano and Tempranillo, found rarely elsewhere in the country. “We were the first to plant Montepulciano,” Wood said. “And the first wine we made from those grapes was in 2006. It’s subsequently become a really important wine for us and it’s proven to be pretty popular. It’s really cool to be able to make lots of small batches of quality wines from the one vineyard. I think it really demonstrates what the site is capable of.” Obsidian was named for the mineral found on the site when the vineyard was developed. Originally inhabited by the Māori, obsidian is present on the property as it was traded and brought to Waiheke for cutting purposes. One of Obsidian’s most popular wines, The Mayor, was named for Mayor Island, known for its abundance of the mineral. “This vineyard has an unusual twist to it,” Eagleton said. “It’s not only one of the most awarded vineyards on the island, it’s one of the
cheapest as well, if not the cheapest.” This allows visitors to take their favorite Obsidian wines home at a bargain price. From the wine itself to the bright, candy flavored bunches overflowing from baskets scattered on the tasting tables, Obsidian grapes shine. With a focus on quality over quantity, each Obsidian grape is hand picked. “Handpicking gives us the ability to sort the grapes,” Wood explained. “As a producer of our size, we can’t compete on volume, we’re all about quality. It gives us the ability to remove anything we don’t consider up to our standards.” And Obsidian’s standards are high. Boasting three “Best in Class” New Zealand International Show awards for their Montepulciano alone, the vintners are thrilled with their consistent success. e Motu Vineyard, Cellar Door and Restaurant was one of the first to claim the name of “Waiheke winemaker.” Similar to the foundational vision of Obsidian, Te Motu set out to master wines of the Bordeaux variety,
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Wines of Pinot Gris
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Light and refreshing with hints of melon and mango, this white wine can range from sweet to semi-sweet in flavor. Pinot Gris can be paired with any food at any time of the day.
We recommend: Waipara Springs, Pinot Gris
Sauvignon Blanc
Differing from other white wines, Sauvignon Blanc has a wide range of flavor options from lime, to flowery peach. It pairs well with goat cheese, oysters and fresh herbs.
We recommend: Obsidian, Sauvignon Blanc
Chardonnay
Ranging from big fruitiness and a crisp clean acidity to an extremely buttery flavor hinting at oak, Chardonnay tastes great paired with light seafood and fresh vegetables. We recommend: Dunleavy, The Dotterel Chardonnay
Rose-
A dry, light and aromatic wine best sipped in the summer sun, Rosemeshes perfectly with foods boasting peppery notes. We recommend: Casita Miro, Miro Rose
Merlot
A rich, dark red known for its versatility but often seen showing floral notes with hints of oaky spice, Merlot is a classic pairing for most beef and lamb dishes. We recommend: Dunleavy, The Strip Cabernet Merlot
Malbec
A full-bodied, masculine red wine with a surprisingly smooth finish, the Malbec is typically favored by more experienced wine drinkers. It does best when paired with deep, earthy-flavored foods.
which is comprised predominantly of a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend. Established by brothers John and Paul Dunleavy in 1988, the vineyard’s family lineage runs deep. It was not long after his sons joined the winemaking business that Terry Dunleavy, the inaugural CEO of the Wine Institute of New Zealand, joined in the adventure. Today, the family legacy continues at the hands of Michael and Sam Dunleavy, the newest generation of Dunleavy winemakers and horticulturalists joining Te Motu’s mission. While Sam Dunleavy’s youthful appearance and boyish charm are enough to cause even the most sensible of visitor’s cheeks to turn a Rosé-colored pink, any notion that he is not serious about his role on the vineyard is immediately dismissed when the conversation turns to wine. “Each single block is harvested separately,” Dunleavy said as he gestured toward the rows of twisting vines looming over his shoulder. “They each have a component of the vineyard in their separate barrels. That way, [we] can make blends accordingly, depending on the characteristics of each component.” As the conversation turned to textural elements—tannins—that make wines dry, grape stomping and fermentation processes, Dunleavy directed a group in a wine tasting exercise. “To start off, swirl the wine a bit, bring a bit of oxygen into the wine, which helps accentuate the aromatic profile and character,” he demonstrated, Cabernet Merlot in hand. “Have a good sniff. See what you get. Remember what you get. Then have a sip.” He draws in a long breath before tasting the elegant red wine. “Swish it around your mouth, draw the air over your tongue,” at which point he makes a slurping sound similar to that typically reserved for oysters on the half shell in an outdoor pub overlooking the ocean. To the untrained ear, the noise seems out of place against the sophisticated, modern wine shed and rural sloping vineyards. But his methods work. The aromas emphasized, the taste emboldened, the experience enlivened. The method, Dunleavy explained, is derived from the same principles that govern the swirl and sniff of the wine in its glass. “You want the full character of the wine—the full noise.” It is the sound of the wine’s music.
Scan here
for a video tour of Waiheke Island
We recommend: Casita Miro, Malbec
Port
Sweet, complex and tawny, the port is meant to be savored slowly, and is ideal for an after dinner treat. Most ports are fortified with additional alcohol and can reach up to 20% ABV, much higher than most table wines.
We recommend: Torlesse Wines, Reserve Port
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queenstown
Taking the Leap Thrill-seekers flock to AJ Hackett Bungy in the adventure capital of the world Cara Walker Christopher Chase Edmunds + Jonathan Norris + Elayne Smith
A jumper leaps from the Kawarau Bridge, the original commercial bungy jumping location. Photo by Jonathan Norris
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Scan here to watch Alpine Living staffers take the leap
he brilliant, sparkling blue of the Kawarau River comes into focus, just as the tug of a rope, reaching the end of its slack, snaps back toward the sky. A delighted squeal of adrenaline echoes off the Otago region’s surrounding mountains, as a jumper bounces in the air, taking in the sites around Gibbston and the Kawarau Bridge. Two men wait patiently in a bright, yellow raft below, extending a pole toward the dangling adventurer to retrieve and deliver them back to shore. Above the suspension bridge, 23 kilometers (14 miles) away from the ever-bustling Queenstown, another thrill-seeker stands with knuckles squeezed around a metal handle and toes on the edge of the platform towering 43 meters (141 feet) above the surface of the gentle, rippling waters. 3–2–1–JUMP. From this manmade, makeshift peak, New Zealand bungy ascends—and descends. Carys Rolley stands behind the jump deck on the Kawarau Bridge, the first commercial bungy site in the world which opened in 1988, chiming in with a few words of
encouragement as the crew coaches a timid jumper to stand up and inch toward the ledge. Rolley is the marketing coordinator for AJ Hackett Bungy, a pioneer of introducing adrenaline infusions to the adventure capital of the world. The company owns the Kawarau Bridge, along with the Nevis Bungy and Ledge Bungy in Queenstown, and the Auckland Bridge Bungy in Auckland. She has been with AJ Hackett for two years, watching countless tourists and locals get strapped to one of the company’s bungy cords—made special at the Nevis site to ensure consistency and quality—and noticing a mixture of excitement and dread in their eyes. “You’re telling yourself to do something that you’ve told yourself your whole life not to do, jump off something really high,” she explained. “Bungy is all about personal achievement and overcoming that fear. The more scared you are, the better sense of achievement you have.” The highly trained, 200-member staff spends its days reminding people how much they want to jump, despite the knot in the
bottom of their stomachs. Rolley says being nervous is 100 percent normal. “Don’t overthink it,” she stresses. “When they get to “3–2–1– BUNGY” look ahead and just jump.” At the top of the Kawarau Bridge observation deck, Jacob Archibeque pulls out his certificate of completion and free T-shirt, compliments of AJ Hackett for being safely back on the ground. A recent college graduate visiting from California, he admits it took him a minute to work up the nerve to dive down toward the Kawarau River. “The suspense was a little nerve-racking when I started walking out, but I just couldn’t think about it and just had to jump,” Archibeque said. “My legs were shaking. I knew I had to do it right then.” Archibeque has been saving up to do this for a while. He wished he could do all of AJ Hackett’s jumps, but he’s glad he chose the inaugural location. He even decided to be dunked in the river, an option jumpers can request if the water levels are high enough. Back in the heart of downtown Queenstown, at the AJ Hackett main office, a group of eager adventurers check in and wait for their 40-minute shuttle ride to the Nevis Bungy site, the tallest in New Zealand at 134 meters (440 feet). As he exits the check-in line, Nico Dineso glances at the freshly marked black number written boldly on his right hand. The number indicates
his weight so the bungy crew can adjust the equipment accordingly. The AJ Hackett staff checks this number three times throughout the jumping experience to ensure the safety of all customers. Dineso is on a three-week holiday with his family from Germany. His parents have a green mark on each of their left hands; they are merely observing Dineso and his sister, Tara, who is doing the Nevis Swing. The Swing, the “biggest and fastest in the world,” propels participants 160 meters (525 feet) above the Gibbston Valley floor at hair-raising, highway-like speeds. At the opposite end of the checkin area, Katrine Fausind, a Denmark native, watches the TV screens showing highlight reels of all the jump sites as she also waits to hop on the AJ Hackett shuttle out to Nevis. She bungy jumped twice in Australia a month ago, but only from 50 meters (164 feet). “This [bungy site] is much higher,” she said, hesitantly. “I’m very nervous because I’m afraid of heights, but I’m also excited to have this kind of near-death experience.” Rolley’s advice to anyone considering crossing bungy off his or her bucket list is simple: “Jump on a flight to Queenstown,”she said. Visitors interested in any of these ultimate thrill-seeking adventures should contact AJ Hackett Bungy through its website, bungy.co.nz, for more information about prices, safety and transportation.
“Bungy is all about personal achievement and overcoming that fear. The more scared you are, the better sense of achievement you have.” (Left) Carabiners, straps and mechanisms are carefully maintained to ensure complete safety. (Above right) The drop from the bridge is roughly 43 meters (141 feet) or roughly 13 building stories. (Right) Jumpers are required to be weighed before jumping to ensure the equipment can be adjusted to the individual jumper. Photos by Christopher Chase Edmunds
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Bungy Origins Danielle Waddell The history of bungy rests on an ancient legend hailing from Pentecost Island, Vanuatu, northeast of Australia’s eastern coast. A woman fleeing harsh treatment from her husband found refuge in a tall Banyan tree. When he followed, the woman tied vines to her ankles and jumped to a safe landing. Her husband, unaware of the life-saving vines, continued his pursuit and jumped to his death. This legend inspired the annual practice of land-diving on Pentecost Island and would later spark intrigue throughout the world. The ritual made its way to Oxford, England and caught the attention of a group of students called The Dangerous Sports Club. When AJ Hackett saw a video of the club’s outlandish adventures, he reached out to Henry van Asch to turn the sport into a business. After in-depth research and human testing of latex rubber cords, they decided their findings needed public confirmation. In 1988, the world’s first commercial bungy jump began at Kawarau Bridge, a 43-meter (141-feet) jump over the Kawarau River. Today, AJ Hackett Bungy offers jumps from the bridge daily. “[It being the first bungy site], paired with the fact that we have a 100 percent safety record makes people want to come check out where it began,” Carys Rolley, marketing coordinator, said. This adrenaline-filled success has helped put Queenstown on the map as the “adventure capital of the world.” AJ Hackett Bungy remains at the forefront of bungy’s evolution, ensuring the world’s thrill-seekers find the greatest adventures right where it all began.
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When conditions are favorable, bungy jumpers can opt to be dunked in the river while jumping. A two-man raft crew picks up jumpers and take them to shore. Photo by Elayne Smith
Walking on Rock and Ice W
alking around the car park at the base of the Fox Glacier terminal, the ground bounces beneath one’s foot, evidence of the melting glacier that lies underneath the gravel. Sarah Nicol-Bergeron, a guide for Fox Glacier Guiding, calls in over the radio to report that the ground has sunk and formed a large hole at the terminal base. The voice on the other end responds to the report, saying they will send someone out to look at it as soon as possible. This is just one of the many things that guides experience on a daily basis as they lead groups up to the terminal of the glacier. Nestled in the mountains of the Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island, Fox Glacier is one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions. The trail up to the terminal is open to the public, but those looking to learn more about the glacier can partake in a guided hike with Fox Glacier Guiding, a company that also offers excursions on the glacier itself.
The changing form of the Fox Glacier terminal trail traces the changes in the glacier itself Thomas Joa
Mary-Margaret Schmidt
At the start of the hike, groups can’t stop for pictures because it is a rock fall area. Though large rock falls only occur every few months, they can pose a significant danger to hikers, so the Department of Conservation has begun to build barrier walls to stop rocks before they can reach the trail. While there is risk of a fall, Nicol-Bergeron said hikers don’t need to worry too much about being harmed. “Most rocks that are going to fall are going to start about half way up, fall about three quarters of the way down, then stop there,” she said. The hike once followed a path along the side of the mountain until a rainfall washed so many rocks down the side of the mountain, the river was pushed to the far side of the valley. As a result, the early part of the trail runs through the valley. On the drive to the glacier terminal, a sign shows where the glacier was in 1750, when it was approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) long. Since then, the glacier has receded to about 12.5 kilometers (7.7 miles) although there was a period of advancement between 2004 and 2008.
Fueling
Fox
Between the marker on the road and the base of the glacier, the vegetation changes drastically, providing a natural timeline of glacial recession. Nicol-Bergeron said this vegetation signals how recently the glacier reached a certain point, explaining how the smaller foliage begins to grow about five years after the glacier has receded from an area. After about 10 years, lichen and moss form and larger vegetation appears after 15 to 20 years. “Over the last three years we have lost about 500 meters (1640 feet),” Nicol-Bergeron said. “It has been very stable since then. It’s very normal. We’re not in an ice age so it’s natural that the glacier is retreating.” She adds that with the current state of carbon emissions, the glacier may be completely gone in 100 years. A significant increase in carbon emissions could cause it to disappear in as little as 80 years. While the Fox Glacier won’t be around forever, it continues to be a major landmark in New Zealand and attraction to tourists around the world.
The Township of Fox Glacier, which supports the tourists who come to see the area, has several cafés where people can eat before or after their visit.
Café Neve, located across the street from the guide’s building, is an easy option to get breakfast and a coffee before hiking the glacier terminal.
Visitors hike the Fox Glacier Valley Walk to the observation area. The walk is a 2.6-kilometer (1.62 mile) return with a view of the glacier in clear weather.
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A Tapestry of Stars The Te Anau caves twinkle with New Zealand’s glowworms kaylin bowen
mary kathryn carpenter
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small, blue light pops into view as a crevice in the cave’s ceiling is revealed. Like stars in the night’s tapestry, one becomes a hundred, then a thousand. They are the creation of bioluminescent worms. They are an ethereal, natural wonder. The creature responsible for the caves’ lightshow is known as the New Zealand glowworm and it is unique to the continent. It is roughly the size of a matchstick and looks like a grub commonly found in home gardens. A 30-minute ferry ride from Te Anau, a region two hours southwest of Queenstown, is all that separates spectators from the glowworms’ inherent artistry and boulder-enforced canvas. “The cave itself is intriguing. It is very young, only about 12,000 years old,” Thomas Lundman, a cave guide, said. “It’s an engineering marvel. Every piece of the structure has been custom made to fit the cave. We haven’t damaged the environment. We’ve worked around it.” The Te Anau caves, which are kept dark and oxygen rich, remain crucial to the glowworms survival. The bioluminescent worms control a chemical reaction between oxygen in the air and a unique chemical they excrete from a pore. When exposed to bright light, glowworms reduce their glow in fear. “We light the walkways strategically,” explained Carrie Skilton, a guide with a background in environmental science. “For health and safety reasons we don’t allow photography in the caves. If a flash went off, everyone would be blinded.” Among the tourists, metal stairs and roaring waters, the glowworms eat flying insects they catch in sticky lines hung from the ceilings of caves. The lines form a chandelier of clear ropes that gleam with the glowworm’s light. For David and Roxanne Halkett, guests on a tour through the caves, the experience was unforgettable. “It was absolutely wonderful when they turned the lights off and you got your first glimpse of the glowworms together,” Roxanne explained. “It was like the stars in the sky. I felt a connection.” Marveling at the glowworm’s eminence is only one part of the tour; visitors learn more about the insect’s lifecycle. It will remain in the larval form for nine months before developing a cocoon, like moths or butterflies, for two weeks. After emerging, the adult fly only lives three days. Its only objective is to reproduce and lay eggs in a safe cave. The bioluminescent worms in the Te Anau caves, located between Queenstown and Milford Sound,
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(Top) Glowworms shine their lights when they’re hungry, using the light to attract other insects such as sandflies and moths. Photo Courtesy of Real Journeys (Above) Cave guide Demitri Rohaizad explains the rules of the caves. (Right) To get to Te Anau’s glowworm caves, visitors take a thirty-minute, scenic ferry ride across Lake Te Anau.
are preserved within the Fiordland National Park. Tourist agency Real Journeys offers guides and transportation. Visitors can expect to pay $81 (U.S. $57) for an experience similar to Halkett. With prior notice, this tapestry of stars is available for all levels of accessibility.
Find the lights In addition to Te Anau, visitors to New Zealand can view glowworms in six locations.
On the North Island: Lake Rotoiti Waitomo Caves Kawiti Caves Lake Karapiro Waipu Caves
On the South Island: Paparoa National Park
“It was absolutely wonderful when they turned the
lights off and you got your first glimpse of the glowworms together. It was like the stars in the sky. I felt a connection.�
Trekking Te Anau The world-famous Kepler Track offers stunning views and an opportunity to participate in New Zealand’s conservation efforts madison sullivan
mary-margaret schmidt
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estled in Fiordland National Park, there lies a trail where one can venture through New Zealand’s variety of ecosystems and terrains. Hikers can meander through the sand along the sparkling waters of Lake Te Anau to Brod Bay; wind uphill through limestone bluffs and a dense forest that open to vibrant views of the national park stretching beyond; and trek down through a gorge and lowland beech tree to arrive in wetlands teeming with wildlife, ranging from blue ducks to bats to kiwi. The Kepler Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks located two hours from Queenstown in Te Anau, offers hikers this surreal experience. The circular 60-kilometer (37-mile) track was created in the late 1980s for adventurers without a lot of prior hiking experience.
“people can go out and
do a one-day walk safely and have a great time.”
Visitors travel from across the globe to explore New Zealand’s nine Great Walks. Great Walks are spread across New Zealand’s North and South Islands, providing hikers a premier range of diverse and spectacular scenery, boasts the Department of Conservation. From active volcanic landscapes on the East coast’s Tongariro Northern Circuit (43 kilometers, 25 miles), to the Luxmore Caves on the Kepler Track, the Great Walks offer treks teeming with New Zealand’s brilliant views and wildlife. “The Kepler Track was chosen because it’s near Te Anau, so it’s sort of a tourism venture, but also because of the variety of scenery and wildlife for people to see,” Kate Hebblewaite, Senior Ranger and Community Supervisor for the Department of Conservation, explained. Overnight huts are strategically placed throughout the walk. The distance between huts is achievable by the average hiker, taking around five to six hours at a gentle pace. “It’s not designed to knacker anybody out or make them get to the end of the day and wish they hadn’t started,” Hebblethwaite said. The rangers encourage hikers to do the track in three days, staying at a hut each night.
While beautiful views and fascinating wildlife along the track are abundant, stoats and rats are threatening the native bird species. As hikers roam through a sea of ferns, they’ll likely stumble upon wooden boxes in the undergrowth. These traps, baited with eggs, are in place to save the bats, kiwis and other bird species native to the region. Within the Department of Conservation and the local community, an intensive monitoring of traps and population numbers takes place. “There has been a noticeable rise [in native species numbers] over the last 10 years,” Hebblewaite noted. “It’s been really significant as a direct result of the pest control operations that are in place.” Hikers from all over the globe can provide assistance in the conservation of the track. “There are a variety of measures that people can do to help us in conservation,” Hebblewaite said. Hikers can keep an eye out for rats and stoats while on the track, as observation is paramount to conservation efforts. “If you see a creepy crawly that really looks quite nasty, let us know,” Hebblewaite said. “It’s always good to have that information. Come in here if you see a stoat or a rat or a mouse or something, as it means there are thousands in that area.” If hikers don’t have the time to complete the entire track but want a view of the mountaintops, a day hike to Luxemore Hut provides some of New Zealand’s trademark stunning views. “You can cheat [to get there faster], you can get a water taxi from the wharf here, over to Brod Bay, which cuts out about eight k[ilometers] (4 miles),” Hebblewaite explained. A hike up to Luxemore Hut and back takes roughly eight hours. The water taxi goes at half past eight in the morning and is available upon request throughout the day. Rangers remind visitors that conditions on the track can change quickly. Kepler is designed for the average hiker; however, checking the weather and track conditions is vital, as swift water, heavy fog and avalanches do occur. Hebblewaite is partial to summer hiking conditions, but said, “even during winter, people can go out and do a one-day walk really safely and have a great time, it’s just tailoring what you want to do to the conditions.”
(Left) The trek to Luxemore Hut is beautiful yet difficult. Passing through multiple types of terrain including dense forest, the elevation gain is approximately 1,036 meters (3,400 feet). (Above) Hikers take a quick break to refuel and apply some sunscreen. The Kepler track has several types of landscapes and environments so it is important to prepare for each one. (Above middle) To keep the living spaces clean for everyone, hiking boots are not allowed in any of the huts along the track. (Top) The first section of the Kepler Track meanders through a beech forest environment.
Kepler Track Landmarks madison sullivan Scan here to watch video interviews with trekkers on the trail
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For the ultimate romantic relaxation, book The Tandeki experience. For $120 (U.S. $90), two adults can soak in a private hot pool for an hour with a glass of champagne, wine, beer or juice; your choice of ice cream, crisps or chocolate; and an aromatherapy burner. A small upcharge will get you an evening session at sunset that comes complete with lanterns to set the mood. 96
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The Onsen pools are constantly refreshed with natural water that is treated with environmentally friendly chemicals.
The Onsen Experience In a city filled with adventure, Onsen Hot Pools gives visitors and residents a place to relax Elizabeth elkin
lane stafford
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hot pool sits at the edge of the room surrounded by warm wood on all sides. Nothing stands between the pool and the eternal stretch of mountains but a garage door. With the touch of a button, the garage door lifts and the fourth wall is gone. A jet boat glides through the crystal-blue water below. Clouds envelope the mountain tops, the white fluff dances over trees, rocks and emerald-green grass. This is the Onsen experience. “It originally was known as one of those places you stumble upon,” Jess Reavely, Onsen’s marketing manager, said. “It was there, but it was kind of just an echo compared to what was happening with bungy jumping or the Shotover Jet.” Onsen Hot Pools spawned from the idea of a man from the United Kingdom who was married to a Japanese woman. An onsen is a Japanese hot spring. He wanted to incorporate the idea of a traditional Japanese onsen with a Kiwi twist. He designed every part of the pools, from the garage doors that open out to the mountains to the jet streams. In the last year, the staff has worked to expand its clientele. Instagram has significantly increased Onsen’s reach in the Queenstown community and around the world. The staff sees families, couples, honeymooners and even proposals at the cliff-side oasis. “Since Instagram’s taken off, it’s kind of got its own typical ‘Onsen shot,’” Reavely laughed. “Everybody’s got to be on the edge of the spa and overlooking the mountains.” Reavely said that because New Zealand has a very natural vibe, Onsen wanted to take the surrounding mountainous landscape and bring it inside, creating a relaxed, one-withnature experience. For example, the staff doesn’t use any chlorine to clean the pools. Beneath the deck in front of the facility, they house a 20,000-liter (5284 gallon) tank. Behind the tank sits a natural spring. They collect the rainwater and snow, depending on the time of year, and push it into the tank. The water is then filtered twice and pushed through an enormous UV light to kill bacteria. It then goes through sand and is pushed into the pool. Every three hours, the staff checks the cleanliness of the water to make sure it’s pure. “The only problem is obviously with the amount of people that we’re putting in pools per day, we have to treat it ever so slightly,” Reavely added. “So we do put a little bit of bromine in there if it’s needed. It’ll only get added to the pool if it requires it.” Customer service manager, Zoey Loomes explained that with the excitement of Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world, it’s nice to come to a quiet place and just be. “You just feel like you are completely here, just by yourself, just the two of you or as a family,” she said. “It’s just a completely different vibe that people, especially on holidays, really need.” Scan here to learn more about Onsen Hot Pools
The Keepers of Milford Sound Conservation dogs are trained to protect New Zealand’s native bird species Matthew Wilson
jonathan norris
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he Sound is sapphire mixed with blueberry, calm and still except for the ripples caused by a passing cruise ship. The water reflects the cloudless skies and the mountains like the jagged teeth of sleeping giants. Overhead, planes and helicopters drift across the peaks. The ferries cruise along the Milford Sound—a fiord in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island— carrying hundreds of tourists each day. The tourists have little idea that their money is protecting the Sound, the most accessible and northernmost of 14 sounds in the Fiordland National Park. Stretching 16 kilometers (10
miles), the Sound is a haven for some of New Zealand’s native creatures. “The Milford Sound, in terms of conservation, is like a jewel in the crown because of the type of species that’s there,” Laura Harry, manager of the Fiordland Conservation Trust, said. Far away from tourists and the chugging of ferry engines, Andrew “Max” Smart walks along the Sound’s rivers, following after his dog, Oska. Oska, a five-and-a-half-year-old Český fousek, is on the hunt. Approaching his prey, Oska points at a group of rocks, his snout enclosed by a muzzle, his orange vest fluttering in the wind.
Smart, a Department of Conservation (DOC) ranger, approaches the rocks in time to see grayish blue feathers drift between them. He makes a note of the endangered whio, or blue duck, and the pair continues walking. Since 2009, the Sinbad Gully, a wet and secluded Fiordland valley in the Milford Sound, has been a secure breeding site for whio and other bird species. “Max will go up during the summer time and do surveys of these birds,” Harry said. Formed in 2009 by the Fiordland Conservation Trust, the DOC and Southern Discoveries, the
Laura Harry and Max Smart sit with the conservation dogs, Oska and Bryn.
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“If we don’t do this now,
generations to come won’t have the ability to have native species.”
Sinbad Sanctuary Project aims to protect the native animals in the area from predation and increase their numbers. Smart and other DOC rangers and contractors will take their species conservation dogs to the Sound to track the number of birds in the area. Smart has two dogs: Oska and Bryn, a German wirehaired pointer. Oska is the older and less energetic of the two. Bryn is only one-and-a-half years old and still getting used to his job as a conservation dog. Smart said it can be a lengthy process to get a dog certified to be a conservation species dog. Handlers must first get certified themselves by being tested on their knowledge of New Zealand’s birds. After that, a handler will buy a dog and begin with basic obedience training—making the dog sit, roll over and stay. The dog will then be trained to go over bridges or across rivers. Once a handler familiarizes a dog with the basics, the handler must teach the dog to seek out certain species of birds. If a dog fails either the interim or full certification twice, they are out of the program. “It puts a bit of pressure on the handler to spend the quality time doing the train,” Smart said. Right now, there are 50 pairings of whio in the Sound, but Smart and Harry, with the help of their well-trained canine employees, hope to increase that number. Adorning the reverse side of the New Zealand $10 bill, the whio duck is one of New Zealand’s rarest native birds. Facing predation from introduced mammals like stoats or short-tailed weasels, the whio duck population was steadily decreasing before the DOC stepped in. As one of four fowl that can live in fast-flowing water year-round, there’s nothing like the whio anywhere else, Smart explained. “They’re an ancient breed of duck, no close relatives anywhere in the world,” Smart said. “You get mallards and pateke and grey duck and they’re all related, but there’s nothing even close to the whio.” The whio’s hedge of protection and support also includes financial backing from Southern Discoveries, a tourism company that offers boat rides through the Sound. Without tourism, Harry said, efforts like the Sinbad Sanctuary Project wouldn’t exist. “Those operators that are involved in conservation are enabling these projects to take place,” Harry said. “It’s not just that we’re protecting the species, we’re bringing back birdsong in order for people to see and be part of it. If we don’t do this now, generations to come won’t have the ability to have native species.” (Right) Bright green vests mark the dogs so they are easy to spot and others know they are at work. The conservation group uses custom made muzzles as a safety guard against a dog picking up or biting a species.
Bryn, a German wirehaired pointer, exhibits the traits of his breed: high energy and an enthusiastic work ethic.
In Search of a Fortune Chinese miners in search of gold helped turn Arrowtown into a booming mining community, now flush with tourists Thomas joa
Lane Stafford
A war memorial sits atop a hill and is the perfect place for a bird’s eye view of the town and the landscape that surrounds it. (Top right) Arrowtown visitors can try their hand at gold panning in the Arrow River. This shop has troughs for those not looking to get wet. (Middle) The outhouse is just one of the many buildings in the Chinese mining settlement. The preserved settlement gives a glimpse into the lifestyles of the foreign miners. (Far right) Glenvale Orchards sells apricots and other fruits on the main street in Arrowtown.
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ikers, hikers and skiers fill the roads and trail of the Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island. While tourism is currently the main industry of the region, the area was once flooded with miners searching for gold in the vast hills and streams around Queenstown. Arrowtown, a small town 20.5 kilometers (12.7 miles) northwest of Queenstown, used to be one of the most vibrant mining towns in New Zealand. Jack Tewa, a shepherd who worked for Queenstown’s founder, William Rees, first found gold in the Arrow River in 1862. Soon after, others came in search of their own fortune and the new mining town emerged. Arrowtown boomed for around three years, but when the gold became sparse and more was discovered on the west coast of the South Island, the miners moved and left Arrowtown merchants without customers. The provincial government then invited Chinese miners from the
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Kwantung Province to come to Otago and, in late 1869, they began to build a settlement in Arrowtown. “Many of the miners left their families behind and came out to New Zealand where they thought they would make their fortune,” David Clark, Lakes District Museum Director, said. “It was expected that if they got 100 pounds’ sterling— that was the British currency in those days—that was the equivalent of 20 years’ wages in China, and they could go back to their villages with great honor and prestige.” However, many of the miners did not make much money and were left with no sustainable options in New Zealand. Chinese miners were persecuted when they first arrived because they looked different. They were not allowed to own gold claims and the European settlers in Arrowtown were afraid of them. The fear would eventually subside and, according to Clarke, when the last Chinese miner died, the pall bearers on his coffin
Hiking and biking through Otago The hills of the Otago region are full of trails for hikers, bikers and adventurers to explore. Most of the trails take only a few hours to hike and they can be completed by any level of outdoor enthusiast. Though Arrowtown is just a 20-minute drive from Queenstown, it is possible for hikers to walk from one to the other staying mostly on the trails and pathways. For more info visit queenstowntrail.co.nz were made up of every denomination of churchgoers in town. After all the miners died or left Arrowtown, the population fell to about 100 people. Then, in the late 1940s, people began to build small vacation homes in the region, bringing the tourism industry back to the area. In 1984, the University of Otago carried out an archeological dig, which uncovered and restored the remainder of the Chinese settlement. Today, tourists can see the remnants of many buildings from the original Chinese settlement and glean what life was like during the gold rush. Many of the buildings have markers in front that let visitors
know what the building was and who owned it. The Lake District Museum offers visitors the opportunity to walk through recreations of buildings from the gold rush. It also provides pamphlets and other books with information concerning the era. The Department of Conservation estimates between 75,000 and 100,000 people visit the settlement each year. “It’s interesting to see how this place has grown from one boom to another boom,” Clarke said. “The booms tend to come and go, but this one seems to be a fairly sustained one. I often call the tourist rush the new gold rush.”
‘Tucked Away’ at the Cinema Stashed up a small alley in historic downtown Arrowtown, Browns shows tourists and locals a good time at the movies Cara Walker
Lane Stafford
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unlight streams in from the patio onto red, possum furlined benches and tightly packed bookshelves, as a couple visiting New Zealand for holiday looks over the list of movies at Dorothy Browns Cinema. A hidden gem in historic Arrowtown, just 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) outside of downtown Queenstown, the boutique theatre offers its patrons a perfect night out, coaxing chatter amongst strangers with its welcoming, intimate layout and providing an array of wines, cheeses and other snacks to create an overall experience of leisure. Owner, Philippa Archibald, founded the theatre in 2001, mostly for her own entertainment, she admitted. A former deer farmer and long-time Arrowtown resident, Archibald explains that 16 years ago, Queenstown didn’t have much to offer besides rafting trips, bars and one mainstream movie theatre. She envisioned Dorothy Browns to be a place that offered the movie experience she desired. “[People] were a little dubious about it,” she said. “Because they thought it was too small of a town—it won’t work—but it’s worked beautifully actually.” Archibald has seen her tiny cinema grow and thrive, even as Queenstown has had an influx of people and the movie industry has changed dramatically over the last 16 years, moving from 35-millimeter film to DVDs to digital versions. With daily showings running from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Dorothy Browns’ two theatres, Archibald takes great care in her selection of thought-provoking, well-shot films with the help of cinema manager, Sam Shattock. The cinema’s films attract a mixture of locals and tourists who flood the larger, 42-seat theatre adorned with ornate Chinese décor inspired by the old Chinese settlement formerly in Arrowtown. The smaller theatre, aptly named “The Den,” is located in the back of the equally as ornamented lobby area and
Dorothy BRowns
Bookstore
After Browns opened its doors, Archibald decided to bring in her friend, Miranda Spary, to fill the three small bookcases in the lobby of the cinema with a variety of books for patrons to purchase.
invites up to 20 guests to make themselves at home in its mixed-and-matched collection of recliners and sofas. “When you go into the main cinema...you’re tucked away from real life and you walk into another world,” she raved. Even though the cinema is hidden at the end of a narrow, flowered alley jutting out from the main road, Archibald is always happy to see visitors discover her cinema and see the locals take ownership of it. “It’s really established itself as a permanent fixture,” Archibald said with a smirk. Shattock, an eight-year fixture at the cinema, agrees that the locals have made this more than a business; it’s also a community. She credits their success to their small size and the degree of flexibility and independence that comes with that. “It’s not like going to the multiplex, grabbing some popcorn and sitting down,” she said. “It’s just a different vibe.” Cinema showtimes can be found online at dorothybrowns. com a few days in advance or moviegoers can subscribe with their email to the weekly newsletter. Movies are usually screened for four weeks at a time or “until people are finished seeing them,” Archibald said.
A lover of reading with an eye for a riveting story, Spary does all of the choosing for the bookstore, trying to maintain Dorothy Browns’ vision for care and quality in their selections.
(Above) Dorothy Browns Cinema provides a leisurely moviegoing experience with cozy seating, as well as wine and snacks. (Below) “The Den” features seating for up to 20 with a variety of recliners and sofas to choose from.
“It’s an incredibly good selection of novels even though it is absolutely tiny,” Archibald said. “You can be guaranteed that whatever book you take home is going to be good.”
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Rugby: The Nation’s Game From the tip of North Island to the depths of South Island, rugby is ingrained into the Kiwi lifestyle Matthew Wilson
Jonathan Norris
Rugby balls are shaped like American footballs, but do not have laces. Also, the balls are typically thrown underhand to teammates rather than overhand.
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hey practice at Jack Reid Park, the mountains enclosing them on all sides as they run at each other. Men, ranging in age from 17 to 45, hurl orders as they run through practice drills. The plays are muscle memory, ingrained in them from the early ages of 5 and 7. A man rides by on a bike and stops for a while, watching the Arrowtown Bulls as they practice. In New Zealand, they don’t just play rugby, they live rugby. They live it from childhood when they cheer for the All Blacks, the national team. They live it through posters of Richie McCaw, the team’s famous captain. They live it through black-and-white films of yesteryear’s games. “It’s pretty close to our national identity,” said Amy Wilson-White, who helps run Arrowtown Rugby Club. “If you ask a New Zealander what makes a New Zealander, a good portion of them will say, ‘I follow the All Blacks.’ It’s a strong part of our national identity and pride as well. We’re a tiny little country, but we’re the best at rugby.” Rugby binds the country and its cities’ citizens together. On a Saturday in Arrowtown, it isn’t uncommon to find most residents at the local rugby club’s match. Even youth rugby draws its fair share of fans. “The families are really involved,” she said. “We love the kids to carpool, but that never happens because the whole family wants to come watch their kid play rugby. It’s really passionate stuff even though there’s just little five year olds running around.” Wilson-White got involved in the club when her children wanted to play rugby, but the sport has been a part of her all her life. Her father coached rugby. Her brother graduated from the Queenstown fields to playing semi-professionally in Hong Kong. “As a mother, it’s pretty heart-wrenching, and you’re quite nervous,” she said. “You see them listen and learn and tackle properly with technique and learn sportsmanship as well. It’s not just about being a good player, it’s about being a
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good member of the rugby community.” Aidan Winters has been with the Bulls for the past decade and has served as team captain for several years. Winters said he tries to lead by example. Rugby has been a part of his life since he was seven years old. “It is New Zealand, isn’t it?” he said. “Rugby is life. Everyone grows up with it.”
“It’s pretty close to our national identity.”
The Arrowtown Bulls practice calling out plays on throw ins. The plays consist of numbers and letters so the team knows where to place the ball and who will get it. (Left) The brutes of the line work on pushing a weighted sled. This simulates a scrum. A scrum, in which players interlock bodies with heads down to gain possession of the ball and restart play, takes place after drills.
Scan here to watch video from an Arrowtown Rugby Club practice
SYDNEY
Destination Bondi A guide to Australia’s iconic sandy shore +
mary-margaret schmidt
Ten kilometers (6 miles) away from Sydney’s bustling city centre lies a sandy paradise lined by turquoise waters. There are endless things to see and do at Bondi Beach, but some attractions are a must. Located on the south side of Bondi sits the Bondi Icebergs Club, Australia’s famous swimming club. Opened in 1929, the lap pool is an icon to the Bondi experience. Visitors can swim and enjoy the ocean’s waves as they splash in the lap pool. A day swim with access to the sauna is $6.25 (U.S. $5). Every Sunday, rain or shine, vintage retailers and local boutiques set up shop against the backdrop of the beach at the Bondi Public School. Bondi Markets is one of the hippest weekend markets in Sydney and a place to find exceptional souvenirs, handmade goods and trendy fashion pieces. The market is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Bondi Surf Seafood has been a staple on Bondi Beach for 45 years. The most popular item for lunch is the lunch special, which is two fish and a medium chip (fries). The Bondi Art Gallery is a great stop on the way to the beach. Located inside the pavilion, the free gallery showcases local artists with new exhibitions every couple of weeks. Bondi is a surfer’s paradise. The waters are dotted with dozens of people from all over the world trying to catch a great wave. Surf stores offer affordable hourly surf rentals. Bondi Surf Co. rents a wet suit and a surfboard for $20 (U.S. $15) for the first hour.
A beachgoer enjoys a day of tanning and reading at Bondi Beach.
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Made by Many Hands The Rocks, an area in downtown Sydney, connects two worlds: that of the Aboriginal people and that of modern Sydney residents. Now home to a number of shops, restaurants and attractions, The Rocks was once the setting for Europe’s introduction to Australia. The Rocks offers different views of Sydney from one central location. Whether it’s eating lunch at a local restaurant, shopping at eclectic storefronts, strolling through art galleries or admiring the Sydney Opera House’s world-renowned architecture, The Rocks allows people from both around the world and down the street to connect simultaneously to Sydney’s history and future.
Pancakes on the Rocks Get your breakfast (or dessert) fix any time of day at a bustling and historic area near the Harbour in downtown Sydney
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Cara Walker + DaniElle Waddell
Lane Stafford
nside the Metcalfe Arcade, accessible by both Hickson Road and George Street in downtown Sydney, Australia, stands Pancakes on the Rocks. The dimly-lit restaurant, with its bricked interior and casual vibe, is located in between floors of the arcade, serving up delectable pancakes 24 hours a day. Each stack, from Strawberry Patch to Blueberry Heaven to Macadamia Madness, comes with two pancakes spilling over with an appetizing array of toppings and finished off with a dollop of ice cream. The wide variety of options has made this restaurant a popular eatery in The Rocks, Sydney’s bustling tourist precinct and historic area at the city’s centre. The restaurant opened in 1975, quickly becoming a staple at the Rocks and working to bring a love of pancakes to Australia. In 1994, the menu expanded to include breakfast options as well as heartier options such as pizza, steaks and ribs, drawing crowds at all hours of the day. Annie Dimoska, a Sydney resident, spends a
drizzly Saturday morning feasting on the Chocolate Jewels, a stack of chocolate pancakes topped with thickened cream, chocolate ice cream and smothered in chocolate sauce. She remembers first discovering the cozy eatery four years ago and sees it as an incomparable Sydney destination. “It’s got a little bit of everything,” Dimoska said. “It’s got pancakes, it’s got traditional breakfast and it’s got lunch food as well, so you can come anytime. But definitely get the pancakes.” In 2006, the franchise began to expand across Sydney, opening six additional restaurants in Northmead, Darling Harbour, Campbelltown, North Strathfield, Beverly Hills and on the Gold Coast in Queensland. The Rocks location, however, is the only 24-hour location. Visitors can expect a heaping serving of food whenever they stop by for a meal, but first-time diners should remember to bring cash, as Pancakes on the Rocks doesn’t split checks. For more information about the location, visit pancakesontherocks.com.au.
Chocolate jewels pancakes are one of a variety of specialty flavor combinations served to tourists and locals at Pancakes on The Rocks.
Sydney’s Gelato Roses i-Creamy serves hand-crafted flower treats every day kaylin bowen
(Above) Pat Sapsitthiporn sculpts strawberry gelato into i-Creamy’s signature flower-shaped scoop.
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cup of taster spoons is perched on the counter, daring adventurers to try palm sugar, blood orange or black sesame flavored gelato and sorbet sitting in bright tubs under the fluorescent lights. Swift, skilled hands curve a slice of gelato around a waffle cone, then another, creating petals one by one. Twenty more petals follow. Two or three colors are wrapped together, creating an artisan-crafted gelato flower, piece by piece. Hidden away in a mall off George Street in Sydney, shareholders Scott Vijitsanguan and Ben Chitmitrechareon opened i-Creamy Gelato eight months ago with Pratamawadee “Pat” Sapsitthiporn, who serves as store manager and fellow shareholder. “It is a challenging job for me to create each flavor, and when I see customers like the new flavors, it’s quite a good thing,” Sapsitthiporn explained. Available each day, the artisanal gelato shop offers 26 flavors with a rotating cast of 100. New flavors are added to the lineup every month, and all are made in-house daily. The shop uses specific gelato and sorbet flavors for the artisan flowers to create the handcrafted shape. However, all of them are available as scoops or samples. Along with traditional flavors like chocolate, salted vanilla, caramel, strawberry and lemon,
mary kathryn carpenter
Scan here to see how the gelato flowers are made Multi-flavored cones are available at i-Creamy, featuring combinations such as salted vanilla, strawberries and cream and Snickers.
i-Creamy offers a variety of Asian-inspired flavors such as jasmine milk, thai-milk durian and tea. “I like the durian flavor,” Sapsitthiporn said. “Durian is a kind of fruit. It is very popular in Asia, especially in Thailand. It is very stinky... either you love it or you hate it.” Currently, i-Creamy employs nine staff members, four of whom make the gelato in the back room. Customers can expect to pay $6.90 (U.S. $5) for a two-flavor flower and $8.90 (U.S. $7) for a three-flavor flower. Visitors can sample i-Creamy’s products from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
All about the base The perfect flower gelato is as much about its homemade base as the light, quick movements needed to press it into shape. The waffle cone is selected to allow the flower the best foundation. “We use the premium-grade waffle cone from our suppliers as the cones we use need to be flat at the top for the flower base,” Sapsitthiporn said.
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Sydney Under the Sea The Sea Life Aquarium offers oceanic encounters for all ages kaylin bowen
mary kathryn carpenter
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Jellyfish float in a tank at the Sydney Aquarium. They have to be housed in circular tanks with moving water so they can filter water through their gills to collect food.
he thick, red metal doors hiss open, emitting a burst of cold, brisk air. An empty boat pulls into place outside the short dock of the water ride. Passengers scramble onboard, their breath clouding in the frigid air, ready to embark on a penguin excursion. A sudden lurch sets the boat in motion. The sound of honking, squeaking and rustling greets the passengers as the boat rounds the corner. King and Gentoo penguins, somber in their black and white suits, orange feet stark against the white snow, totter back and forth. Around their enclosure, they dive in and out of pools, clambering to the top of snowy heaps. Small, human faces press eagerly against a wall of glass fogged with the breath of penguins. It is feeding hour, and the birds are excited. The Sea Life Sydney Aquarium’s latest visitor event, “Penguin Expedition,” takes guests through the exhibit on a water ride before depositing them outside the aquatic bird’s sanctuary. This expedition is one of the ways the Sydney Aquarium is trying to enhance its wildlife experiences while furthering the educational mission. In addition to the penguin encounter, visitors can watch the sharks feed from the safety of a glass-bottomed boat, listen to discovery talks and interact with engaging exhibit items such as the interactive touch tank. “I’m enjoying it heaps,” said Oscar Brennan, a ten-year-old resident of Sydney and first-time visitor to the aquarium. “It’s really fun and there’s
lots to do so you wouldn’t get bored very quickly or anything. And they’re always opening new exhibitions and lots of different attractions like the glass-bottomed boat and the penguin boat.” The aquarium also boasts a procession of ecosystems that reflect the oceans around Australia where visitors can walk through Sydney Harbor, Shark Valley, Dugong Island and Clownfish Gardens. Each ecosystem houses hundreds of fish species. In Sydney Harbor alone, there are 600 species of fish to observe and learn about. Glowing jellyfish, waving dugongs, clownfish and blue tangs can be found in the small ecosystems. A manta ray drifts past, wings arcing to slow its progress. A long, glass walkway puts the sea life all around visitors, wrapping them in the blue light of the ocean. Mixed among the sea life are educational exhibits encouraging children to learn about preservation and ocean health. Steve Fleming, a New Zealand native and resident of Sydney, brings his two daughters to see the creatures at the aquarium frequently. “It’s a good thing for the kids to go and do, and they love fish,” Fleming said. “They have a great time, so it’s awesome.” The Aquarium offers memberships, daily passes and online early booking discounts. Prices start at $35 (U.S. $25) for one adult. The Sea Life Aquarium lies on the Sydney Harbour. The walkways are partially exposed to the outside and the sound of the ocean pervades the various decks and lookouts.
(Top) Zoe Fleming admires an exhibit at the Sydney Aquarium during a visit with her parents and little sister. (Above) A lionfish fans its venomous fins in a tank at the Sydney Aquarium. Lionfish are native to Australia, but are found in many other parts of the world and are considered an invasive species. (Left) The endangered banggai cardinalfish, native to Indonesia, floats among sea anemones at the Sydney Aquarium.
See more while you stay In addition to the aquarium, Sydney houses the Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Madame Tussauds Sydney, Sydney Tower Eye and Manly Sea Life Sanctuary. Combination passes can be purchased at a discount to see multiple attractions in a day. More info and ticket pricing can be found at sydneyaquarium.com.
Scan here to see video of Sydney’s sea life in motion
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For more content, including our food critic Mary-Margaret Schmidt’s Taste of New Zealand blog, go to
alpinelivingua.com
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Parting Shots
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have been fortunate enough to travel internationally seven times with students throughout Europe and South America, producing six previous issues of Alpine Living and one version of the digital magazine, VIDA. With each student group, each international trip and each production of the magazine, I gained insight regarding ways the magazine could be improved, even though previous issues and articles had won national awards. The bar for the current group was set very high, but the entire group took on the challenge and embraced the notion of making this the best issue so far. I was not disappointed. Each city within New Zealand provided us a new perspective on the country, whether it was the bustling business-oriented city of Auckland, the coastal town of Christchurch, with views of the mountains and the countryside in the distance, or Queenstown, with its 360 views of the Remarkables Mountain range. Even though we had some long days in the rental vans, the backseat riding and ever-changing weather did not dampen spirits, effort or enthusiasm. The beauty of our surroundings and the friendliness of the people around us struck a chord with us all, and the enchantment of the landscape, often seen in feature films, took a hold of us, albeit in different ways. This editorial team genuinely clicked and this meshing of the group facilitated and enabled each story. Stories about farming—sheep and dairy— stories of the wine regions across both islands, stories about endangered penguins and kiwi birds, stories about adventure travel, stories of the Māori culture, along with stories of the general Kiwi respect for the environment
are just a few examples of what you have to look forward to in this issue. The editorial team connected like no other group had previously and their dedication, hard work and desire to tell these amazing stories will hopefully have you adding this beautiful country to your bucket list. I can not express or articulate how grateful I am to this group, how proud I was to see them working outside of their comfort zone to ensure the best stories were told. The goal of each issue has been to tell the stories of the people, the places, the lifestyle and the way of life that we’ve been fortunate enough to experience in our two weeks of travel. I hope you’ll get a glimpse of what we were able to see and experience. Maybe seeing these images of Lake Pukaki at the base of Mt. Cook, the photos of Milford Sound and the images of the Canterbury wine region will inspire you to visit this beautiful country. Most importantly, as I spent time with each student individually, I was able to see how this experience helped them fulfill a dream, overcome a fear [of heights], or broaden their sense of adventure. I hope this group never stops dreaming of what could be. For each of us, traveling to New Zealand was either the fulfillment of a dream or the realization of how much dreaming there is left to do.
Kim Bissell
CNHI
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