latitude Feb/Mar 2024 - Issue 93 by CountryWide Media

ISSUE 93

OUR WAY OF LIFE / CANTERBURY

FEB/MAR 2024

LIFE ON RIDGECLIFF with Annabel & Hamish Craw

Fit for a King Strawberry growers Ed and Kate Hobson

Laura McGoldrick On growing up in Canterbury, life in the spotlight & her beautiful family

NOM*D FOUNDER MARGARITA ROBERTSON / GARDENING WITH RHODOS NZ $10.90 INC GST

ARTIST ROBYN WEBSTER / TEMUKA ILLUSTRATOR BOB DARROCH & MORE

Qestral’s “Clubs”

The Ukulele Club at Alpine View

Qestral Lifestyle Villages include for residents: a Ukulele Club, Model Boat Club, Wine and Food Club, Cycling Club, Book Club, Whiskey Club, Gardening Club, Craft Club, Concert Club and Travel Club etc.

“Creating structures to encourage friendships” 2

Contents

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The Model Boat Club at Burlington

Qestral.co.nz alpineview.co.nz | banburypark.co.nz | burlingtonvillage.co.nz | coastalview.co.nz

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Contents 3

BESPOKE NEW ZEALAND MADE FURNITURE

PROUDLY MADE IN NEW ZEALAND

Contents

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AUCKLAND - 80 Parnell Rd, 09 303 4151 CHRISTCHURCH - 121 Blenheim Rd, 03 343 0876 QUEENSTOWN - 313 Hawthorne Dr, 03 441 2363 www.trenzseater.com

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Contents 5

T A N T A L ISE your T A STE B U D S

Twelfth Hour Distillery

Discover the multi-award-winning Twelfth Hour Dry Gin, a tantalising fusion of fresh, exotic botanicals from around the globe. Crafted by a group of friends, this small-batch distilled gin is renowned for its clean, crisp aroma and invigorating taste. With an initial hit of makrut on the tongue and a long, dry ﬁnish, every sip of Twelfth Hour Dry Gin is a revitalising experience that lingers on the palate. Perfect for sharing with friends or savoring in moments of personal indulgence, this handcrafted gin from New Zealand is available today, online and at your local bottle store.

twelfthhourdistillery.co.nz

Knocking Through the Grass Ceiling / Meet Emma Poole, the first woman to win the NZ Young Farmer of the year and the guest speaker at the Zonta Ashburton International Women’s Day Breakfast Functional, Beautiful, Sustainable / Mt Nicholas Merino are on a mission to share their ethos for an environmentally responsible way of life beyond the farm gate

Contents

E V E RY I S S U E

A Spotlight On / The Ōamaru Harbour Street Jazz & Blues Festival has become a centrepiece on the Waitaki District calendar

On the Shelf / Our top reads of the moment

Education / The complexity of growing up in today’s world

A Southern Girl at Heart / Laura McGoldrick opens up about growing up in Christchurch, work and motherhood

Health & Wellbeing / The Power of the Pelvic Floor

Our Way of Life / Annabel and Ben Craw take us on a tour of their Banks Peninsula property, Ridgecliff

F E AT U R E S

A Celebration of Longevity and Creativity / Celebrating 50 years and one of Aotearoa’s most loved watercolour artists in Akaroa Reframing History / Plans are afoot to convert the old garage of legendary author Janet Frame’s childhood home into an iconic visitors centre

Snippets / Bite-size pieces celebrating local happenings, events and news

Contents

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Art / Harakeke, New Zealand flax, holds a special place in the creative practice of artist Robyn Webster

Cantabrians Abroad / For Jane Kircher-Lindner, a chance encounter with an uncommon instrument at school has taken her around the world

Nature / Discover a quirky pencil-thin freshwater fish affectionately known as ‘jaws’

Rural / From wheels to worldclass wool, meet Philip Wareing from Mt Arrowsmith Station

I Remember When / Fashion folklore – Margarita Roberston shares her journey to the top

Frontline / Temuka illustrator Bob Darroch’s remarkable career as a cartoonist, illustrator and writer

ISSUE 93 FEB/MAR 2024

OUR WAY OF LIFE / CANTERBURY

LIFE ON RIDGECLIFF with Annabel & Hamish Craw

Fit for a King Strawberry growers Ed and Kate Hobson

Laura McGoldrick On growing up in Canterbury, life in the spotlight & her beautiful family

NOM*D FOUNDER MARGARITA ROBERTSON / GARDENING WITH RHODOS NZ $10.90 INC GST

ARTIST ROBYN WEBSTER / TEMUKA ILLUSTRATOR BOB DARROCH & MORE

Beautiful inside and out, Christchurch-born Laura McGoldrick is warmth personified and a self-confessed perfectionist. Enjoy her story on page 24. PHOTO Marissa Findlay

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Contents 7

Fabulous drinks cabinet on page 100

94 YOUR LOCAL EXPERT 56

Anything but Ordinary / Creative out-of-the-box thinking is a key driver for the passionate team behind Art Fetiche

A Passion for Healing / Earth Wellness is a haven of tranquility and healing for those looking for answers outside of typical biomedical treatments

102

104

ETCETERA FOOD 76

104

Regional Food / Driven by their rural roots, this dynamic couple are serving up locally hydroponically grown strawberries fit for a king Recipes / With back-to-workand-school upon us, what better time is there to fill the tins with these easy and delicious recipes from VJ Cooks

Editor’s Note

HOME & INTERIORS

Got There

Heading in the Right Direction / Expert advice from mortgage adviser Nathan Miglani

Get There

110

Showcase

Get on Top of Underinsurance / Abbott Insurance Brokers offer an insight into why regular insurance reviews are key

113

Puzzles

100

How to With Resene / Transform an old bedside table into a fabulous drinks cabinet with our easy stepby-step guide

102

Designer Finds / Discover what we are coveting – the latest pieces and must-haves for you and your home

GARDEN 88

Grounds for Celebration / Step inside a beautiful home garden, nursery and rhododendron display in West Melton

Contents

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Timeless woollen knitwear for naturally living in.

latitudemagazine.co.nz | Contents 9 @davaarandco | davaarwool.co.nz

PUBLISHER

CountryWide Media EDITOR

Lucinda Diack lucinda@countrywidemedia.co.nz OPERATIONS MANAGER

Julie McGrath julie@countrywidemedia.co.nz DESIGN

Jo Hannam SUB-EDITOR

Belinda O’Keefe DIGITAL MANAGER

Penny Newton penny@countrywidemedia.co.nz ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES

Viv Montgomerie 027 370 6922 viv@countrywidemedia.co.nz PRINTER

Inkwise DISTRIBUTION

Are Direct WRITERS

Annie Studholme, Cheryl Doig, Craig Sisterson, Donna Harker, Geeta Singh, Kim Newth, Martin Wilkie, Nathan Miglani, Penny Newton, Pip Goldsbury, Sara Faull, Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Sheryl Haitana, Vanya Insull PHOTOGRAPHY

Anna Munro, Annie Studholme, Emma McCarthy, Francine Boer, Janey Thomas, Liv van Leeuwen, Marissa Findlay, Martin Wilkie, Melanie Jenkins, Penny Newton

SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES

Phone 03 308 6638 Email julie@countrywidemedia.co.nz NZ Subscription rates One year $59, free postage / Digital one year $25. EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES

Contributions, enquiries and letters to latitude are welcomed. Letters addressed to the magazine will be regarded as for publication unless clearly marked NOT FOR PUBLICATION. CountryWide Media accepts no responsibility for the return or condition of unsolicited manuscripts, art or photography. CountryWide Media / PO Box 669, Ashburton 7740 / 03 308 6638 / latitudemagazine.co.nz

Opinions expressed in latitude are not necessarily those of CountryWide Media or its principles. latitude is subject to copyright in its entirety. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in part, without permission. latitude is published bi-monthly. ISSN 1178-2579.

‘Whether you are a resolution maker or not, it is the perfect time to reset. To focus on what we can control, and to cherish those in front of us.’

inspiring people, places and business from across the motu. We are, however, Photo Kelly Shakespeare

reliant on your support to do so and in an environment where costs continue to rise and there is so much heartbreak happening around the world, we are eternally grateful you see the benefit in investing in us, each and every issue.

Hello

You are our why, and our how. With the dawn of a new year and the summer sunshine upon us, whether you are a resolution maker or not, it is the perfect time to reset. To focus on what we can control, and to cherish those

While I am a passionate lover of lists

It was a roller coaster. One that many of

in front of us for whom we mean the

and ticking off each item as they are

us are still on – with the rising costs of

world. Hold onto them tight – they are

achieved, I am not typically one for

mortgages, grocery bills, household and

the light at the end of the tunnel.

New Year’s resolutions. As I look ahead

business expenses, sometimes it

to 2024 I can’t help but reflect on 2023 –

feels like we’re simply treading water

it felt chaotic, busy and messy. Yes,

and holding on for the light at the end

there were some great moments and

of the tunnel.

plenty of successes, but there were

This magazine is not a place for a deep

moments of disappointment, disbelief

discussion on politics or world events

and challenge. Especially as we digested

– I for one am not an expert in either –

the roll-out of policies and world events

instead, our role is sharing an insight

that defy logic, and felt the impacts of

into the good. Into bringing together

Lucinda Diack

climate change.

a beautifully curated magazine of

EDITOR

Here is to 2024. A year, I hope, that brings a sense of calm for all.

latitudemagazine.co.nz

Editor’s Note 11

GOT THERE

Rural Support Trust, Time Out Tour with Matt Chisholm

C E L E B R AT I N G LOC AL EVENTS 1

Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust recently partnered with the national Rural Support Trust to bring the Time Out Tour to Ashburton. Matt Chisholm, Time Out Tour Ambassador, hosted a panel discussion with Jack Cocks, Tyler Langford and Anna Arrowsmith. Over 150 people attended the event and initial feedback indicates that the discussion provided tools to improve their own mental wellbeing and how to support others through their mental health journey.

1/ Liz Phillipps and Rochelle Castle-Wilson. 2/ Sarah Heddell and Tyler Langford. 3/ Anna Harris and Phil Pavletich. 4/ Megan Parsons and Frances Beeston. 5/ Elliot Nicolson and Hayden Dorman. 6/ Rod Hansen, Georgie King and Matt Chisholm.

Hanmer Springs Fete There were stallholders and shoppers aplenty in Hanmer in late 2023 and it was a pleasure to connect with so many people from around the motu!

1/ Robyn Cartwright, Sally Nell, Wendy Diack and Sue Smith. 2/ Lisa Thompson and Grace Flett. 3/ Mel and Mark Cleave. 4/ Jan O’Callaghan and Maree Earl. 5/ Judy Priest and Christine Bird. 6/ Sara-Jane Minson and Rebecca Lilliebridge. 7/ Jenny and Tayla Crawford.

Got There

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Geraldine Summer Fete A day of shopping, laughter and fun – it was another fabulous year at the Geraldine Summer Fete in November. Always a great day for catching up with readers, clients and old friends.

1/ Jill Henderson and Sue Healey. 2/ Shannon Meikle and Lauren Parsons. 3/ Jane Helmore and Sara Gallagher. 4/ Louise Wardell, Sarah Blair, Lyn Barr and Kate Gill. 5/ Guy Sanders and Jamie Toms. 6/ Lynnie Scammell and Diana Fridd. 7/ Robyn Stockdill, Jo Cartwright and Debbie McIntyre. 8/ Alistair and Annie Studholme.

PROUDLY BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR KIWI KIDS Fowler Homes has partnered with I Am Hope to build this home - with 100% of the profits going back to the charity.

Follow the progress at fowlerhomes.co.nz/hopehome

Design & Build Your Dream Home with Andrea & Mike Lee from Fowler Homes Ashburton.

03 308 8429 | 021 343 210 andrea@fowlerhomes.co.nz Showroom: Corner of Allison & Harrison St, Allenton, Ashburton

A Spotlight on

something for everyone, with over 40 bands playing – many for free.

HARBOUR STREET JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL

‘We have a handful of paid gigs every year,’ continues Jane, ‘but the aim is to have as many people as possible introduced or reintroduced to blues and jazz.’ And with thousands through the gate every year, they are well on

Ōamaru’s Harbour Street Jazz & Blues Festival has become a centrepiece on the Waitaki District events calendar.

their way to achieving that. With events centred around Harbour Street, the atmosphere is

So mark it in your diary, Friday 22 – Sunday 24 March, and

captivating and the town perfectly

we will see you there!

sized to allow those in attendance to walk around, experiencing all that Ōamaru has to offer, while listening

FOR OVER 30 YEARS THE

as local musicians we have a number

Penguin Entertainers Club in Ōamaru

of artists who come from across

has been providing a venue for

New Zealand; there is some amazing

musicians to call their own. All about

talent in our country,’ enthuses

the music, it is a destination that

Jane. ‘Over the years we have built a

played a key role in the inspiration

steady following of both musicians

behind the now iconic Harbour

and attendees and for the weekend

Street Jazz & Blues Festival. ‘We are

the town is filled with music.’ While

incredibly lucky to have the club, and

some bands return year-on-year,

subsequently so many wonderful

the organisers put feelers out there

musicians in Ōamaru,’ explains

and encourage new performers to

festival committee member Jane

reach out to ensure there is always

Campbell. ‘The idea behind the

something different on offer.

festival originally was to showcase

Held over Otago Anniversary

this talent and bring together a wider

weekend, Ōamaru comes alive

audience. And it has grown from there.’

over the three-day festival. ‘It is

Having established itself as a ‘little

a celebration of soulful melodies,

world-famous’ destination for music

timeless rhythms and the vibrant

lovers of all kinds, it was a natural

culture of jazz and blues,’ describes

platform from which to grow. ‘As well

Tourism Waitaki. And there is

Get There

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to one band after another. ‘As well as the free events and paid gigs, we have an annual Talent Showcase where you can watch upand-coming artists perform their original songs, workshops, and a garden party at Rockvale Gardens in Weston [slightly out of Ōamaru],’ continues Jane. Run by a team of passionate and dedicated committee members, this is an event not to be missed. ‘What the festival brings to the town is amazing,’ concludes Jane. ‘We have about a month of down time between executing one festival and planning the next one … it really is fabulous.’ For more information and updates visit facebook.com/ HarbourStreetJazzBluesFestival.

Get There FEBRUARY/ MARCH 2024

10–11 FEBRUARY

16 MARCH

South Island Motorhome Show

Methven A&P Show

Ashburton A&P Showgrounds

Methven A&P Showgrounds

Explore new or used motorhomes

A great day out for the whole family.

for events happening across

and caravans, sell yours, find

Demonstrations galore, trade stalls,

the motu in February and

vehicle accessories, or discover

food and refreshments along with

the latest trends while connecting

all the usual rural attractions. Grab

with fellow enthusiasts. Brought

your friends and family and head

to you by the Lions Club of

on out for a great day of family fun.

1–11 FEBRUARY

Ashburton, this event is a must-visit.

facebook.com/methvenshow

Seaside Festival

southislandmotorhomeshow.co.nz

A snapshot of our top picks

March. Enjoy!

9 MARCH

Caroline Bay, Timaru

Twizel Salmon & Wine Festival

Zonta Ashburton International Women’s Day Breakfast

iconic Caroline Bay showcasing sand

Lake Ruataniwha, Twizel

Hotel Ashburton

sculptures, carnival rides, inflatables,

This year marks the 18th Twizel

As the first woman to win the NZ

movies, huge fabulous kites and much

Salmon & Wine Festival – and

Young Farmers Grand Final in the

more! seasidefestival.nz

it’s bigger and better than ever.

55-year history of the competition,

From delicious local salmon

Emma Poole feels proud to be part of

3 FEBRUARY

and tasty foods, boutique wines

changing the narrative and will be

Mitre10 Sparks 2024

and craft beers, to lively bands

gracing the stage at this year’s Zonta

North Hagley Park, Christchurch

and entertainment for the kids,

Ashburton International Women’s

One of Christchurch’s most loved

there is something for everyone.

Day Breakfast to share her story.

twizelsalmonandwinefest.com

Ticketed entry only. See page 83 for

A celebration of all things summer, the Seaside Festival takes place at the

events, Mitre10 Sparks is back!

24 FEBRUARY

more information and details.

Featuring the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and dazzling fireworks, you don’t want to miss this! Grab some friends and family together to celebrate – food and drink providers will be onsite for you to enjoy, or bring your own picnic. ccc.govt.nz 6 FEBRUARY

Waitangi Day Commemorations 2024 Okains Bay Okains Bay Museum, in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Koukourarata, will co-host Waitangi Day at Okains Bay. The day will be a free community event with displays, entertainment, food and family fun. All are welcome.

COMING UP 19 APRIL – 4 MAY

Kinky Boots Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch This spectacular production promises an unforgettable experience for theatre enthusiasts and fans alike. A heart-warming musical that has garnered critical acclaim, the story unfolds with Charlie Price, who, having reluctantly inherited his father’s struggling shoe factory, embarks on a mission to save the family business and uphold his father’s legacy. Charlie’s world takes a remarkable turn when he encounters Lola, a vivacious entertainer with an unapologetic flair for fabulous footwear. Together, they embark on a journey to transform the factory and, in the process, discover a deeper connection that transcends their differences. Kinky Boots proves that sometimes, all it takes is a change of heart to change the entire world. showbiz.org.nz

okainsbaymuseum.co.nz

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Get There 15

SNIPPETS Bite-size pieces celebrating local happenings, events and news.

IN LOVE! How beautiful are these floral enamel earrings? I am wearing them on repeat and love how they not only enhance an outfit but are super lightweight and easy to wear! $35. ilovewink.co.nz

The Best of British The best of British ceramic design is right on Mid Canterbury’s doorstep. Homestead is New Zealand’s largest Burleigh stockist, making it a best-kept secret for lovers of the iconic British tableware. With a rich and intricate history, beginning and remaining in the home of English pottery, they’ve been making earthenware since 1851, based at Middleport Pottery in Stokeon-Trent since 1889. Their famous tissue transfer decoration uses engraved copper rollers to bring their iconic archive patterns to life. They are the only pottery manufacturers in the world to still use this technique. Don’t despair if you can’t make it to Ashburton, Homestead has the full range to purchase on their website so you won’t miss out on your next collectable piece. homesteadstore.co.nz

CELEBRATING

Across New Zealand, over 8,250 people belong to Lions Clubs New Zealand, working together to roll up their sleeves to help their local communities. In April this year (2024) The Lions Club of Ashburton will celebrate 60 years of unwavering service in the district.

Snippets |

YEARS

Planning for a celebration is well under way with a three-day programme of events running from 5–7 April. Fellow club members are invited to attend. For more information and a full programme of events please contact Roger Paterson on 308 7474.

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Want more latitude? Did you know that we have a fortnightly email newsletter? Sign up on our website to ensure you are staying up to date with all things latitude and gain access to subscriberonly competitions and articles. Plus in 2024 keep an eye out on our social media pages for even more exciting happenings with the launch of the latitude podcast! latitudemagazine.co.nz

Sustainability

Meets Elegance On a mission to replace one plastic straw at a time, while offering an elevated drinking experience to the paper alternative, Sucker glass straws are our pick for the kitchen accessory

Special Occasion Footwear

Whitestone Cheese, revered for its dedication to crafting exquisite artisanal cheese, has recently opened the doors of its latest culinary venture, the Whitestone Cheese Diner & Deli in Ōamaru. A culinary haven that promises an immersive experience for cheese enthusiasts, gourmands, and casual diners alike.

Photo Rachel Wybrow.

CHEESE LOVERS REJOICE

Stepping inside, diners are invited to embark on a fromage journey through high-quality diner dishes centred around their renowned artisan cheese. Drawing inspiration from the blue veins in Windsor Blue, Creative Director Annabel Berry has curated a sophisticated yet inviting ambiance with a vibrant blue and coral colour palette. The choice of the diner theme was inspired by the art deco fixtures in the existing building as well as matching the culinary vision for decadent burgers oozing with cheese! A destination for design lovers just as much as cheese lovers! We can’t wait to visit. 469 Thames Highway, Ōamaru.

Keep an eye out in the next issue of latitude for a more in-depth look at Sucker, the story behind the brand and the innovative mates who brought it to life.

Photo Sophie Louise.

of 2024! Not only are they beautiful and functional, every sip is a conscious choice to make a difference. sucker.co.nz

For all your special occasion footwear and accessories A 144 East Street, Ashburton P 03 308 1819 E info@steppingout.co.nz

steppingout.co.nz

ON THE SHELF

With long summer days here for a while yet, our reviewers – Norma Geddes and Belinda O’Keefe – have been

Paper Plus Ashburton’s

busy ensuring there is

top read

something for everyone to get lost in this month!

4 5 Get your Stationery Pack from your locally owned & operated Paper Plus Ashburton

u need o y g n i h t y r eve

for

L O O H C S BACK TO

To arrange for a School Pack phone 03 308 8309 or email ashburton@paperplus.co.nz

212 East Street, Ashburton Ph 03 308 8309 E ashburton@paperplus.co.nz www.paperplus.co.nz LOVE BOOKS!

The Tea Ladies Amanda Hampson Penguin

A charming cosy crime, set in Sydney in the swinging sixties. Tea ladies Hazel, Irene and Betty work at Empire Fashionwear on Zig Zag Lane. Over the teapots they see and hear everything, and when the fashion house is rocked with a murder, arson and kidnapping, they decide to launch their own investigation. What is their boss up to when he goes missing for weeks at a time? Who is the mysterious woman Hazel spotted in the window of the abandoned warehouse across the road? And was the death of the book-keeper a result of foul play? A delicious mystery with quirky characters, oodles of humour and plenty of tea and cake! BO

Diddly Squat: Pigs Might Fly Jeremy Clarkson Michael Joseph

While I’m not a huge Jeremy Clarkson fan, I was pleasantly surprised with Book 3 in the Diddly Squat series – a behind-the-scenes look at Clarkson’s farm in the Cotswolds, where his mantra is ‘Whatever you hope will happen, won’t.’ This No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller covers a lot – the arrival of BreakHeart Maestro the bull, the delights of foraging, an exploded tractor, Jeremy’s love of Winnie the Pooh, eco-farming, the perils of pig breeding, a herd of psychotic goats and more. Pencil sketches at beginning of each chapter are a nice touch, and Jeremy’s hilarious antics on the farm had me laughing out loud. A quick read that left me wanting more! BO

Simple Suppers Rick Stein BBC Books

The internet has a plethora of recipes available at our fingertips, often leaving an assortment of recipe books gathering dust in the kitchen. Rick Stein’s beautiful new hardback, with ‘a collection of stylish, easy recipes’ had me bookmarking the pages – from Buttermilk Chicken and Greek Flatbread to White Chocolate Blondies and Toffee Sauce. The Chicken Satay with Peanut Sambal and Noodles was a real hit, and my teenaged son whipped up the Semifreddo Lemon Curd Cheescake which was to die for – they were far easier to make than they sound. I think I’ll be ditching the internet for recipe books more often! BO

The Search Party Hannah Richell Simon & Schuster Australia

Max and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race to set up a glamping site in the hopes of a quieter life in the Cornish countryside. Before opening to paying guests they turn to old university friends, inviting them and their families along for a trial run. But all is not as harmonious as it seems – there is some tension in the group and the children play a part in the unfolding drama when a storm rolls in and one of the young goes missing. The author creates a lot of doubt and suspicion that keeps you guessing the outcome right until the very end. An atmospheric and fastpaced book. NG

The Year of the Locust Terry Hayes Bantam

Pilgrim by Terry Hayes is one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read. It is a firm favourite, and like many fans I have been awaiting the follow-up novel and it is sensational. There are four parts to the book. The first three deal with a deep undercover CIA agent who is sent on a mission to find the world’s most dangerous terrorist who was thought to be dead but is definitely very much alive, while the fourth takes a very different turn. There was so much tension I didn’t want to put the book down. There are some dystopian elements and almost a sci-fi feel – but have faith, it is an interesting journey and one well worth the wait. NG

The Two-Tailed Snake Nod Ghosh Fairlight Books

Set in North-east India in 1945, political tensions are rising, and when 14-year-old Joya’s father disappears without a trace, her life falls apart. Forced to drop out of school and support her mother by working in a garment factory, she refuses to accept that her father is gone, spending her nights sewing him a suit from scraps of fabric. But as political unrest grows and rumours of corruption spread, Joya questions the true nature of her father’s disappearance. And who is the sinister figure known as the two-tailed snake? Rich with culture, lyrical language and vibrant imagery, this comingof-age novella was an enchanting, evocative read. BO

latitudemagazine.co.nz

Books 19

Education on the Move

Education is ever-changing and 2024 is set to be even more dynamic. There are many colliding signals of change which interact and add to the complexity our young people face today. Dr Cheryl Doig explains. FLEXIBLE LEARNING OPENS UP

so many new possibilities while also challenging our thinking about the purpose of schools, whose needs are being met, or not, and what unintended consequences might arise. At first read, the three signals below may seem unrelated, but together they demonstrate the complexity of growing up in today’s world. They show the impact of technology for good and for evil. They remind us that today’s children, students and families are bombarded with new demands, opportunities and challenges. Don’t expect schools to solve these dilemmas or think that taking away technology is the answer. Our job as adults in this space is to be ‘first learners’ and to spend time helping to shape the world we want future generations to live in.

Flexible Schedules

This year Queensland (Australia) public schools introduced flexible study options for all primary and secondary schools, with options for students to study at home for a day a week and ways in which school hours can be compressed over fewer school days. It could include a change to start and finish times each day to match teacher availability or to cater for wellbeing. These new rules can apply to a whole school or to specific cohorts.

Exams

NCEA exams are increasingly being sat online. This has not been without hitches. Last year there were difficulties with the 20

Education

latitudemagazine.co.nz

online system, with some students blocked from logging on for NCEA exams and others having to revert to paper versions part way through exams. Disconcerting for all concerned. It’s tempting to say we should revert to paper tests but the reality is that the horse has bolted. These issues will be ironed out and hopefully those sitting exams at the end of this year will experience no glitches. Once this happens there is no need for all students to be sitting exams at the same time. Could they undertake exams whenever they are ready to move on? If technology is increasingly immersive won’t we know in real time how students are doing? Do we all need to sit in a room together for up to three hours and then wait to get our results?

Dr Chris Jansen is a director and senior consultant with Leadership Lab and works alongside organisations in the education, health, business and community sectors on a range of projects. Chris is also a senior lecturer at the University of Canterbury, where he teaches the Master of Business Administration and Postgraduate Diploma of Strategic Leadership. leadershiplab.co.nz growwaitaha.co.nz

Female Vulnerability

In the last year the use of technology as a weapon against women has accelerated. Women, in particular, have been targeted by trolls. This is especially the case for female influencers and those in positions of responsibility. Last year a US school was in the news because some students were victims of ‘non-consensual deepfake porn’. This involved AI being used to manipulate and share online porn images using the faces of students. This was not only devastating for the young women and their families but also showed how easily technology can be manipulated. This is a deep societal issue which requires us to support our young women better and to spend time instilling values of goodness and fairness into our children.

Dr Cheryl Doig is a leadership futurist who follows leadership trends and research and translates these into practice, working internationally and virtually with organisations, business leaders and educators. Her passion is for challenging organisations to think differently in order to adapt to a changing future – to think beyond their current leadership realities, while still using the best of the past. thinkbeyond.co.nz leadershiplab.co.nz growwaitaha.co.nz

Ashburton College Individual Excellence in a Supportive Learning Environment

We welcome Families/Whānau and Students/Ākonga to our Year of 2024 What makes our College a great place to be?

Our Head Students Elect for 2024: E-J Elliott (Deputy Head Student), Tamsin Cartney (Head Student), Ripena Umaga Vaeila (Head Student) and Jordy McGillen (Deputy Head Student) give us an insight, saying: ‘Our goals encompass building relationships, by further supporting Year 9 students into the College environment and increasing communication and rapport across all year groups, including bonds between Year 13 and Year 9 students.’ The Head Students are keen to ‘create a fun and inclusive environment, promote fun school events, and work towards a clean, green space environment, in relation to our new Rangitata Block’. (03) 308 4193

info@ashcoll.school.nz

www.ashburtoncollege.school.nz

Girls Years 1–8 & Co-educational Pre-school

Open Day – Monday 25 March ENROLMENT APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 CLOSE SATURDAY 1 JUNE 2024. S ELWYN H OU SE . SC HOOL.N Z

An International Baccalaureate School

THE POWER OF THE PELVIC FLOOR Most commonly associated with childbirth and ageing, incontinence can have a major impact on quality of life. But as Dr Geeta Singh explains, there are options for limiting the leakage.

MANY WOMEN HAVE ONLY A

vague idea of what the pelvic floor is, but keeping these muscles strong is important for avoiding problems with urinary incontinence. Acting like a diaphragm in the pelvis, the muscles hold the pelvic organs in place, so if there is damage or weakness, this is where you run into problems. Childbirth is a common reason for these muscles to become damaged, but it can also happen due to a loss of oestrogen during perimenopause and 22

Health & Wellbeing |

menopause. This is often exacerbated by loss of moisture within the vagina, which causes a thinning of the vaginal wall. No matter what age or stage you are at, if you are experiencing incontinence at any level, it is important to check in with your doctor. The first step is an assessment by a specialist to rule out any gynaecological problems or displacement of pelvic organs. If this is all clear, we will then refer you to a pelvic floor physiotherapist because, like any muscle, pelvic floor

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strength can be rebuilt with specific exercises. While some like to attempt these exercises at home, it’s important they are performed correctly. We often see people who think they’re strengthening their pelvic floor but in fact it is their abdominals getting the workout. A specialist physiotherapist will ensure exercises are being done effectively. In the case of displaced pelvic organs, we can often use a pessary to help lift the bladder back into place. This is a ring-shaped device that is placed into the vagina to support the uterus, bladder and rectum. It works by pressing against the wall of the vagina and urethra to help decrease leakage. For some women, the weakening of pelvic floor muscles can cause the uterus or the vaginal walls to drop down, which is another form of prolapse that requires surgery. There are a range of surgical procedures available for prolapse. If the threat of leaking urine is impacting your lifestyle – or even if it is just mildly annoying – there is no need to ‘grin and bear it’. See your doctor to learn about the options available for you.

Dr Geeta Singh is a specialist in urogynaecology with significant experience in the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence. An advanced laparoscopic surgeon, Geeta also has a special interest in managing endometriosis and fibroids and consults patients in need of specialist antenatal advice.

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l r i G n r e h t u So at Heart A

If you follow your sport, you will know that Christchurch-born-and-bred Laura McGoldrick has been on our screens as a sports broadcaster since she was barely out of her teens. She shares how privileged she feels doing what she loves, the very real juggle that is the life of a working mother, and the importance of family. WORDS Sara Faull

LAURA MCGOLDRICK LOOKS CHIC

and composed in a sharply cut jacket, sleek blonde hair and camera-conscious make-up applied by a professional. And as our oval-ball-obsessed nation settled in to watch the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final on the telly, it was Laura McGoldrick who (along with ex-player experts like Israel Dagg and Angus Ta’avao) guided viewers through the ‘unscripted theatre’ that is sport. What we didn’t know is that Laura’s call time that morning was just after 3 am. That the entire pre-show had to be rehearsed. That while we could sit back and hurl insults at the screen, she never offered a ‘technical’ opinion but deferred to the experts … all the while guiding the commentary forward within the strictest timelines, for our armchair entertainment. Most viewers would be unaware that during the first 40 minutes, detailed notes were taken for the halftime discussions and that when the game ended for us (in that instance, in 24

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IMAGES Marissa Findlay

a Greek tragedy of red and yellow cards and TMO intervention) Laura had to maintain her composure, as there was still a post-match commentary to complete. What we may also not be aware of is that Laura has a producer, a producer’s assistant and a director talking ‘timing’ in her ear. It is her job to remain unflappable in front of the cameras, while the technical team are paddling furiously behind the scenes. Commentating is more technical than it looks, she reveals. ‘I enjoy the challenge of staying calm and reasonable. It’s my job to keep the show on the road, to move it from A to B. To deal with guests who may freeze up, or handle any technical issues. To cope with being told I’ve got 10 seconds to wrap it up, or one minute to fill and deciding in that split second whether the person I am conversing with can answer in the time frame, or whether I should fill the entire minute myself. The

hardest part is listening to what a guest or expert is saying while simultaneously monitoring what is being relayed through my earpiece.’ It is precision time-management. Air-time agility and the ability to know when to pass the microphone, how to finish and how not to drop the (verbal) ball. Meeting Laura in her Auckland home, she welcomes me with her wide smile and the umber-rich voice which resonates so well on air. Wearing jeans, a T-shirt and bare feet, she is as relaxed, yet enthusiastic as she appears on our screens. A self-confessed perfectionist with a fierce work ethic salted with ambition, Laura admits that balancing her multifaceted workload (hosting Sky Sport across a number of codes, her regular emcee engagements and until November 2023, a weekday afternoon radio show, plus parenting daughter Harley, six and Theodore/Teddy, two) while husband, professional international cricketer

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Martin Guptill is away most of the year is, indeed, a juggle, but she has a close family to help her keep those balls in the air. ‘I was very lucky growing up in Christchurch with two parents who worked very hard but who never missed any of our important childhood events,’ she enthuses. With a father who managed Jade Stadium in Christchurch for a number of years and a mother who is still a player manager for some of cricket’s elite Kiwi talent, Laura grew up

immersed in sport and understanding the pressure of public expectation and its impact on players’ private lives. An understanding that stood her in good stead when she married the then Black Cap batter and now travelling international cricketer, Martin Guptill (or Guppy as she calls him) in 2014. Growing up, Laura explains, her two brothers had a natural talent for cricket, and tennis was a regular family fixture, but from a young age it was acting rather than catching or batting that was Laura’s

first love. After high school, Laura was two years into her Unitec Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts degree in Auckland, when she auditioned for and won the hosting role for ‘Push Play’ – a Spark nationwide initiative to get children into sport. From Christchurch, Laura fronted regular television segments showcasing sports, personalities and opportunities and was picked up by Sky Sport when she bowled them over with her Shane Bond cricket interview. She was just 20

‘Sport has an unwritten script and is physical theatre. I often interview people when they are at their most elated or disappointed and when times are tough, the public tend to lean on sport. It is my job to entertain, so that everyone gets to enjoy the spectacle of it.’

Top & Right Laura broadcasting for Sky Sport at the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India with sporting legends Sachin Tendulkar, Muttiah Muralitharan and David Beckham. Above At the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France with Israel Dagg and Sir Steve Hansen. All photos on this spread supplied.

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‘I was very lucky growing up in Christchurch with two parents who worked very hard but who never missed any of our important childhood events.’

Above The McGoldrick family. Parents Leanne and Bryn (back right), husband Martin Guptill (centre) and older brother Chris and his fiancée Amelia. Front: Younger brother Tim with Harley, his fiancée Morgan (centre) and Laura holding Teddy.

years old. Inherently career-focused, ready to learn on the job and with an open-toopportunities nature, 14 years later and her professionalism behind the mike and in front of the camera means that as a host, Laura has earned her reputation as a safe pair of hands. Despite the career highs, Laura admits that having her family nearby has been a game-changer. ‘Family is everything,’ she explains. ‘With Guppy away between eight and nine months a year chasing the summer, I am very lucky that my parents live just up the road and both my brothers are very hands-on

with my kids. I am very close to Mum who is brilliant with Harley and Teddy. I have an agent but Mum helps me with my bookings and reminds me how they will impact family life. She reins me in occasionally, as I love to say yes to everything! I have a village and Mum is my champion. I simply couldn’t do what I do without her,’ Laura says with gratitude. If there is a link that bracelets Laura’s professional engagements, it is a genuine interest in people, in their stories and in their achievements. And if there is drama or limelight involved, then this is a trained actress in her element. ‘The role of

the broadcaster is a type of performance,’ she suggests. ‘Sport has an unwritten script and is physical theatre. I often interview people when they are at their most elated or disappointed and when times are tough, the public tend to lean on sport. It is my job to entertain, so that everyone gets to enjoy the spectacle of it,’ Laura explains. Her emcee work, which she relishes ‘because it’s the closest I get to being onstage with a live audience’, amounts to at least three or four events a month with more in the summer season. These bookings can mean lots of travelling latitudemagazine.co.nz

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‘When I am on television or at live events, I hope people see me as “Real”. I decided a handful of years ago that I would simply be me. Authentic. Interested. Empathetic. Genuine.’

within New Zealand and can include elite ceremonies such as the Halberg Awards and iD Dunedin Fashion Week, business awards, industry awards, ladies lunches, conferences and every type of fundraiser – from national to local school level. ‘A good emcee I think, is someone who brings honesty and humour to the job,’ she tells me. ‘I was recently at a building awards event and I know nothing about building. Instead of winging it, I told the audience how privileged I felt to be there and that I was genuinely excited to hear and learn but that I had absolutely no expertise, and the audience responded really well to that honesty.’ Her work future, she hopes, will include a return to radio and more of the acting roles she enjoyed before children, such as her appearances on Westside (the 28

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prequel to Outrageous Fortune). ‘Acting is a part of who I am,’ Laura reminds me. When her husband eventually stops loving cricket, she can envisage travel and lots of family golf games. Both her children have their own sets of clubs and get excited about a trip to the nearby driving range. And one day, Laura confides, she would definitely say yes to hosting a Graham Norton-type local entertainment show. In the meantime, Laura says, ‘My job is to raise a son and a daughter as good human beings. For Harley, I would hope for equal opportunities. A level playing field for women and men, and we still have a way to go. And for both my children, I would like to see less of the ‘Tall Poppy’ behaviour. Rather than negativity, let’s do as my parents taught

me and celebrate others’ achievements,’ she enthuses. As for Laura’s own success, she admits that it has been hard won and it has taken self-belief and resilience. In 2010 when she began as a Sky Sports commentator, she was the only female, nationally to broadcast cricket. A young woman in a historically man’s world who faced all the usual slurs and insinuations as to how she got the job. Unsolicited criticism about how she looked. Disappointingly, she felt her worth was measured far too often on her appearance rather than her performance. Not wanting to appear oversensitive, Laura leaned on her family and learned to develop a thicker skin. ‘I took a “watch me before you judge me” attitude. I worked harder. Watched more keenly and did even more research,’ she explains. At 35, Laura McGoldrick is an experienced professional with a public reputation as hard won as any bruising game of sport. What does not diminish in each hosting performance, is her genuine love of meeting and interviewing people. With her smile that’s as expansive as a cricket pitch, and her trademark humorous self-deprecation, she summarises. ‘When I am on television or at live events, I hope people see me as “Real”. I decided a handful of years ago that I would simply be me. Authentic. Interested. Empathetic. Genuine …’

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A CELEBRATION OF LONGEVITY AND CREATIVITY Just a stone’s throw from the main street of Akaroa is a powerhouse of a building – the Akaroa Art Gallery. A community-run enterprise that in April this year celebrates a milestone achievement. WORDS Lucinda Diack

FIFTY YEARS OF ANYTHING IS

well worth celebrating, and for the volunteer committee behind the Akaroa Art Gallery, something they should be particularly proud of. Over the years I have had the pleasure of attending exhibition openings and working with committee members to promote exhibitions, and their passion for the gallery, and what they do, has always been contagious. Talking to current committee member

Keith Harris, it is hard not to commit to attending every exhibition and event they have coming up. Each and every one offers something different and unique. ‘People come from all around to experience our exhibitions,’ he explains. ‘While the role of the gallery over the last 50 years has changed, the bringing together of like-minded people hasn’t.’

This Page Nancy Tichborne’s (pictured

above, photo Janey Thomas) watercolour blooms are some of her most recognisable artworks.

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‘While the role of the gallery over the last 50 years has changed, the bringing together of like-minded people hasn’t.’ On 11 September 1911, electricity began to illuminate the streets, and provide power to households and businesses in Akaroa. The electricity was generated in a small hydroelectric power station below L’Aube Hill. The Pelton wheel, generator and a switchboard were housed in a small, square, brick building, with an attractive pavilion roof which flared to broad eaves. A larger addition to the rear of the original powerhouse was built several years later to house a gas engine and workshop. When power from the Lake Coleridge power station reached Akaroa in June 1923, the equipment was sold and the buildings left empty. In 1970, local Akaroa resident Patricia Bosshard utilised the empty spaces, establishing a gallery and concert venue, hosting musicians, artists and even a film society until 1974 when an incorporated society took over. 32

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The beginnings of the Akaroa Art Gallery we know today. Twenty years ago, the original powerhouse equipment, with support from power company Orion, was reinstated in the powerhouse, allowing the building to double as a small museum of technology and creative exhibition space for artists and musicians. Formally known as the Orion Powerhouse Gallery Akaroa, the small community gallery packs a powerful punch in its ability to attract high-profile artists, and even travelling exhibitions, including New Zealand’s most highly regarded landscape paintings in 2019 as part of the Kelliher Exhibition. ‘We are an enthusiastic bunch,’ states Keith. ‘Our GEMS (Great Exhibition Minders) are key to the running of our exhibitions when they are on, and our committee all work together to share the load when

it comes to promotion, hanging of posters, curating the artworks and so forth.’ During their exhibition season (October – April), there is a vast array of exhibitions from artists across all mediums, and in winter, jazz and classical music groups can often be found performing. While February and March’s exhibitions – Diamond Harbour’s Alice Lewis and the trio Sue Pearce, Miranda Josef, and Robyn Bardas are certain to draw a crowd, it is the Nancy Tichborne Retrospective in late March/early April that is not to be missed. ‘Nancy and (husband) Brian played a huge role with the gallery,’ explains Keith. ‘They certainly contributed to our success over the last 10 years and it is an honour to be able to celebrate Nancy in this way.’ A renowned watercolourist, Nancy’s works will be familiar to

many. As will her passion for creativity, art in all forms and gardening. Having called Akaroa and the Peninsula home for 30 years, Nancy was a regular exhibitor at the gallery before passing away in early 2023. For son Guy, the retrospective is a beautiful way to celebrate the role both his parents had with the gallery, for so long. ‘The exhibition will feature a range of her art,’ he explains. ‘While we will have a handful of originals for sale it will mostly be a retrospective and story of her artistic journey. ‘She is so well known for her flowers but I love that we get to share all this other stuff. The characters she did in the 1960s for fashion design; her work from her time in London; her school portfolio from Otago Girls’ High. As well as illustrations from the cookbooks she did with her sisters and the fly fishing calendars from the New Zealand Calendar Company, which she established with Dad in 1985.’

Working with cousin Janey Thomas on the curation of the pieces for the exhibition, Guy describes the final collection as a story ‘of all of her. A celebration of my mum.’ A beautiful, and fitting way, to showcase the accomplishments of one of New Zealand’s most talented artists. Running in parallel to the retrospective, the anniversary weekend will also include an exhibition of past exhibition posters and memorabilia and a photographic display of musicians who have played at the gallery. With the exhibitions spreading across the road from the gallery into the Trinity Hall, it is a weekend that is set to draw a crowd and cement the Akaroa Art Gallery as a destination for another 50 years, at least.

Top Left Nancy Tichborne in her

French Bay garden – which was the inspiration for so many of her iconic watercolour paintings. Photo Janey Thomas. Middle & Above The Akaroa Powerhouse building houses the Akaroa Art Gallery and the original Pelton wheel machinery which powered Akaroa before it was connected to the national grid.

The Nancy Tichborne Retrospective is being held at the Akaroa Art Gallery in the Akaroa Powerhouse building at 1 Rue Pompallier, 10 am – 4 pm, 24 March – 14 April, closed Mondays. The 50th Anniversary Open Weekend will be held during this time from 6-7 April. Visit akaroaartgallery.co.nz for more. latitudemagazine.co.nz

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ReFraming History Plans are afoot to convert the old garage of legendary author Janet Frame’s childhood home in Ōamaru into an iconic visitors centre to mark the centennial of her birth (2024). WORDS Annie Studholme

WIDELY REGARDED AS NEW

Zealand’s most celebrated writer, Janet Frame earned numerous literary awards, including the inaugural Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement. During her lifetime, she published over 20 titles of fiction, poetry, short stories and memoirs. Janet’s life was also the subject of Jane Campion’s award-winning film, An Angel at My Table. Born in Dunedin in 1924, Janet was the second daughter of a family 34

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of four girls and a boy. Much of her early life was spent growing up in a modest cottage at 56 Eden Street, Ōamaru, where her father worked for the railways. Her childhood was marred by the deaths of two of her sisters by drowning. Later, while working as a trainee teacher in Dunedin, she suffered an emotional breakdown, which doctors misdiagnosed as schizophrenia, condemning her to incarceration in mental hospitals for the better part of a decade.

As a patient at the Seacliff Lunatic Asylum, she underwent more than 200 shock treatments. She was scheduled to have a lobotomy but was spared the operation at the last minute when her book of short stories The Lagoon and other stories (1951) won a national prize. Following her release in 1955, she moved to Takapuna to stay with Frank Sargeson, and under his mentorship, wrote her first novel, Owls Do Cry. She then set sail for London, remaining

there until 1963, returning home as an acclaimed writer. From then until the end of her life, Janet was based in New Zealand, though she travelled widely. Her three-volume autobiography and subsequent release of An Angel at My Table revived her literary career. She died in Dunedin in 2004, aged 79. Despite having shunned publicity for most of her life, Janet was said to be ‘tickled’ when the Janet Frame Eden Street House Trust was established to ‘re-frame’ her childhood home into a museum in the early 2000s. Janet gave a lot of advice on what it had looked like, even gifting a writing desk which sits in what was her brother’s room at the back of the house. Built in 1910, the cottage appears largely unchanged from

As a patient at the Seacliff Lunatic Asylum, Janet underwent more than 200 shock treatments. She was scheduled to have a lobotomy but was spared the operation at the last minute. the Frames’ time. ‘When people step into 56 Eden Street, it’s like people are stepping back in time, and as though the Frame family had just stepped out and gone to the shops,’ says Chloe Searle, Janet Frame Eden Street Trust chairperson.To mark the centenary of Janet’s birth and 20 years since the house restoration was completed, the trust launched a major fundraising effort to transform the garage into a new, purpose-built visitors centre. It’s envisaged the centre will house the

storytelling and practical aspects of the trust, as well as modern toilets, a shop, and a space for hosting events, freeing up the cottage to be a time capsule of the 1930s and ’40s. Chloe says the trust wants to raise more than $600,000 for the project with the bulk coming from crowd-funding, donations and grants. To date, the support it had received had been ‘amazing’, but there was still some way to go to make it a reality.

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Our Way of Life

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REGENERATION ON RIDGECLIFF When Robert Shuttleworth emigrated from England in 1860, it must have been with hopeful trepidation – the opportunity of a lifetime fused with the fear of failure. However, even Mr Shuttleworth would surely be staggered to learn the place that he made his home remains in the family six generations later. WORDS Pip Goldsbury

IMAGES Liv van Leeuwen

WHILE ROBERT SHUTTLEWORTH

originally worked on the Lyttelton road tunnel, by 1867 he’d settled on Banks Peninsula in the tiny settlement that he would name Chorlton. By today’s standards, his parcel of land and the home he would build, Accrington, is close to Little Akaloa. However, in the 1880s this tiny rural settlement, reached by narrow winding roads high above the coastline, would have been an isolated and challenging location.

Running the original Chorlton post office from home, Robert and wife Jane would raise their 10 children, founding Shuttleworth Sawmill and establishing themselves as early timber pioneers in Banks Peninsula’s milling industry. Just over the hill were the Craws, another large family with 10 children. Two generations later the families would merge when Robert and Jane’s granddaughter, Gertrude, married Victor, the grandson of George and Agnes Craw. Today, Hamish and Annabel Craw preserve the land, no longer pillaging the hillsides for tall timber, but farming Ridgecliff for a regenerative and sustainable future. Over 400 hectares of farmland produces quality Angus cattle and composite Romney sheep that are bred for Above Left Annabel and Hamish stand

at the entrance to the charming and idyllic Accrington homestead, sixthgeneration guardians of the family farm. Left An oasis of refined luxury, Big Hill is an accommodation offering with commanding views over regenerating bush, farmland and endless ocean. latitudemagazine.co.nz

Our Way of Life

Biodiversity is something the whole family can be involved in, and over the last four years they’ve fenced off 23 hectares across three sites, dedicating the land to native plantings.

Our Way of Life

fattening. It’s a tricky science, maximising growth rates of grass and livestock on the steep hillsides that are susceptible to drought. There’s no luxury of irrigation on these rugged hills and Hamish is adamant when he says, ‘You don’t want to be at risk of leaving yourself exposed,’ always intent on destocking by Christmas when the potential for parched land leaves both stock and livelihoods at risk. Looking at the farmland, it seems incredible that this district was once home to one of Banks Peninsula’s greatest exports, Akaroa Cocksfoot. Known to farmers throughout New Zealand, Australia and even Europe, Akaroa Cocksfoot was the king of performance pastures. Introduced to Banks Peninsula in the 1850s, Akaroa Cocksfoot flourished on the volcanic and loessial soils, and would drive annual revenue to over $10 million

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per annum for Banks Peninsula. Hamish’s great grandfather, Victor Craw, got in on the act. His original cocksfoot shed still stands at Accrington and photos show the threshing gang, a team of hardy men who cut the grass by hand before bundling it into sheaves and transporting it to the threshing location by horse. However, those days are long gone, and while Hamish and Annabel, alongside their children, Harriet, Charlotte and George, continue to farm the land, their attention is multifaceted, the regeneration of the native forests that Hamish’s ancestors once milled, now a major focus. Biodiversity is something the whole family can be involved in, and over the last four years they’ve fenced off 23 hectares across three sites, dedicating the land to native plantings. It’s a carefully considered strategy, as explained by Annabel. ‘About

Far Left With Raupo Bay in the

background, the farm is a wonderful place to raise a family. Hamish and Annabel, together with their children, Harriet (13), George (9) and Charlotte (12) relish this slice of paradise. Left The regeneration of Ridgecliff is a family affair. George and Harriet plant a native tree sourced from seed found on the farm. Below A private walking track leads from Big Hill down to the beach. Bottom While forest regeneration is a priority, the farm remains a productive working entity. At work in the yards with the cattle, Hamish and Annabel also fatten composite Romney sheep.

five or six years ago, we decided that we wanted to have a planned approach to how we support and enhance the biodiversity of the property. It coincided with some assessments that we had done on the place by the Christchurch City Council – sites of ecological significance that helped us build a picture where we saw opportunity to protect and plant.’ Three years ago, the planting began and, so far, around 10,000 seedlings have been planted in areas strategically fenced off from stock, ensuring income from farming isn’t impacted, while allowing significant swathes of land to regenerate, slowly returning to its pre-European state. Hamish and Annabel are excited about the direction their farm is taking. ‘We’re on the cusp,’ they agree. ‘We’re seeing natural regeneration happen because we followed a process where we firstly planted latitudemagazine.co.nz

Our Way of Life

Top With her wide verandas, Accrington homestead has been lovingly restored to her gracious best. Middle Left A framed photo of

Robert Shuttleworth, the original owner of Accrington, hangs above an antique sideboard. Middle Right Annabel has carefully curated a sense of yesteryear into the design of Accrington, while adhering to a self-imposed briefing of contemporary quality. Bottom Quality soft furnishings, such as New Zealand wool blankets, add layers of comfort to the experience at Accrington.

Our Way of Life

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a nursery crop.’ This allowed stock to remain onsite – natural lawn mowers who kept the grass down as the trees grew. In the last couple of years, stock have been excluded and now the land is ‘starting to do its own thing’. In addition, the couple engaged experienced hunting friends who are targeting possums. During the first hunt they eliminated 436 possums. This winter they saw a staggering 320 possums culled in just one night. It’s a process that Annabel is passionate about. She’s a trustee on the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust (BPCT) and is looking forward to working with the trust’s newly appointed farm diversity advisor. Annabel says, ‘This is a new initiative that BPCT are keen to offer farmers. The advisor will support us in developing a structured monitoring programme.’ Anecdotally, Hamish has observed an increase in bird life and is optimistic the birds will expand into other areas of the farm as corridors of native plantings become increasingly established. While the plants have been grown in a commercial nursery offsite, the whole family, children too, have been involved in eco-sourcing the seed from existing trees on the farm. As Hamish explains, ‘It’s what’s meant to be growing here.’ Income diversification has been another focus of Annabel and Hamish’s. At just over an hour from the

outskirts of Christchurch, yet a world away, Accrington has been tastefully and elegantly restored and made available as an accommodation offering. Nestled into an idyllic country garden, the sheltered homestead emanates the grace of a bygone era – wide verandas, a roaring fire and attic bedrooms with exposed rafters milled over a century ago from tōtara that once stood on the land. Woollen blankets are layered on beds, featherfilled linen cushions are dotted on sofas and charming hot water bottles with hand-knitted covers await guests. Able to accommodate 17 guests, Annabel and Hamish have also restored an old shed into a beautiful light-filled reception room. Iron and wooden tables built by Hamish and his dad, Alastair, are lined with bentwood chairs, immediately encouraging the imagination to run wild – an intimate wedding venue, a corporate conference, a wedding anniversary … the options feel endless. While Accrington offers farm-style accommodation, the Craws have been busy at another site on the property,

Above In full bloom, the garden at Accrington is a delightful place to explore and unwind.

designing and building an intimate off-the-grid accommodation option that showcases the biodiversity of the coastal bush habitat. Targeting couples, Big Hill nestles high on a ridge line. Immersed in regenerating bush with stunning views across farmland and the sea, all the way to Kaikōura, guests are treated to a high-end contemporary retreat where they can sink into a luxurious freestanding bathtub, prep a platter of food in the bespoke kitchen, take a coastal walk or simply relax on

the sofa and enjoy the views through a wall of glass. A place to unwind, Big Hill is a private sanctuary that has been carefully curated as a luxury escape. A far cry from the property that Robert Shuttleworth settled in the 1860s, it’s heartening to see the sixth generation of family working proactively with the land, sharing this magical place and its stories, while reversing the deforestation of years gone by, offering sustainable potential for the next generation.

Strathallan is more than just a retirement community – it’s a family. We take pride in providing a welcoming and supportive environment where you can feel right at home. Our serviced apartments offer open-plan living and come with meals and housekeeping too. For those who want more space and privacy – we also have modern villas with ensuite bathrooms, private outdoor spaces, and internal access garaging. If you’re interested in learning more contact Tania on 027 525 6725 or tania.buchanan@strathallanretirement.co.nz

An Arvida Living Well Community

Forming from Nature Harakeke, New Zealand flax, holds a special place in the creative practice of artist Robyn Webster. In her latest Chambers Art Gallery exhibition in Christchurch (14 February – 9 March), she explores human connections with plants and our place in the natural world. WORDS Kim Newth

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STEPPING INTO ROBYN WEBSTER’S

garden in Ōtautahi, it feels like I’m entering a secluded oasis of natural beauty, full of floral colour and vibrant growth, bounded by cabbage trees and tall stands of harakeke. ‘There are three varieties of harakeke here,’ explains Robyn, as we head inside for today’s interview. ‘They all have distinct qualities that I can use in different ways. There is more than enough here to provide what I need for my art practice.’ Robyn has been working with harakeke since the 1980s, having first trained in Raranga (Flax Weaving) in Nelson (Whakatū Marae) under weaver and multimedia artist Heeni Kerekere, and later with renowned weaver Emily Schuster at the School of Māori Arts and Crafts at Whakarewarewa, Rotorua. ‘Ever since then I’ve been trying to hone my own way of using it because I’m not Māori and feel I have to try and be creative in a different way rather than just using traditional forms that belong to Māori. I really value the training I had in that world and it gave me a tremendous lot of skills and good insight into Māori culture. It opened my eyes to a different approach to the world, involving an astonishing idea of respect for a plant. ‘Art is about trying to solve a problem and I certainly gave myself a really big problem to solve, trying to respectfully integrate my own European artistic traditions with Toi Māori to create something meaningful.’ As she observes, harakeke has cultural and historical links to the European experience in New Zealand. Her own ancestors came here by ship in the 1800s and flax could have been used in ropes and rigging of that time. Prepared harakeke was used extensively

Left Artist Robyn Webster. Photo Simon Ogden. Above Harakeke imprint in ink on paper, 2023.

‘Art is about trying to solve a problem and I certainly gave myself a really big problem to solve, trying to respectfully integrate my own European artistic traditions with Toi Māori to create something meaningful.’

in trading. Some of her prints directly reference and reflect on this history. On a table in front of us today in Robyn’s art-filled living room is a small sculptural form, a little human figure she has handmade out of harakeke. It is like an elegant line drawing in space: frozen in motion, with one hand resting on a hip. Using harakeke forms like this in printmaking is emblematic of Robyn’s unique evolution as an artist. ‘My prints are derived from little sculptures, such as this one – it brings them to life. I roll out ink, put them

into the ink and then it goes through a press. I use many different colours, each needing a different pass through the press. Printmaking enables me to use colour, composition and texture as I arrange my forms to represent emotional experience and movement. It’s about making sense of the world from my own perspective and hopefully in a way that is also meaningful to other people.’ For her upcoming exhibition, Robyn will be presenting seven new prints to express a core theme: the latitudemagazine.co.nz

Art 43

interconnectedness of human existence with plants and nature. ‘This theme is very central to my practice. My latest work started with an idea, thinking about water and where it comes from – the underground rivers and reservoirs that water the plains. Metaphorically, this idea of underground rivers also mirrors our own deep emotions that move and flow through time. I’ve gone back to something I used earlier in my practice too: the great big leaves of the puka plant. In Māori, “pukapuka” means “a book”. We have the expression “turning over a new leaf ”. I am using the leaf here to symbolically represent a kind of doorway or portal that figures can fit inside or pass through.’ Robyn has shown work at the Chamber Art Gallery since 2018 and credits notable Samoan artist Fatu Feu’u for first connecting her with the gallery. ‘It feels like a respectful and personal connection.’ In March, Robyn will also be part of the annual autumn exhibition at the Tai Tapu Sculpture Garden. She and her late partner, Christchurch sculptor Llew Summers, have a long association

with the evolving sculpture garden. The theme of a labyrinth, played out in tall interwoven forms, dominated her work there in the years immediately following Llew’s death in 2019. Then in 2022 came Approach, a much more open and straightforwardly linear piece. ‘For me, “the labyrinth” was grief and sadness; that lost-in-the-forest feeling. I did a show at the Arts Centre, focused around the cloisters, with that same feeling (Labyrinth III South Quad, Christchurch Arts Centre, 2020, with Fleur de Thier, Nicole Reddington, and dancers). It helped me enormously to express that visually. Llew’s passing was a huge loss but it was a huge and amazing privilege to have had those years with him.’ The last of the Tai Tapu labyrinth works were left to naturally weather and fall into the ground. ‘There’s a symbolic aspect of laying things to rest. I feel like I can put that down now.’ For Robyn, the labyrinth more broadly represents a place where mind, memory and experience interweave. It is a theme she has explored extensively, perhaps most memorably in a 2019

collaboration with Cathy Irons and her string trio in a concert/installation to celebrate the opening of the Ron Ball Studio at the Christchurch Town Hall. It would be fair to say there are many different threads to her art. She studied sculpture at the Otago Polytechnic School of Art in the 1990s. Other avenues of expression include painting, drawing, photography, film and performance. Robyn makes good use of a large shed at her Addington home to explore and create using harakeke, while her printmaking is done at a separate studio in Woolston. At the 2024 Tai Tapu Sculpture Garden Autumn Exhibition Robyn will be showing a favourite piece for the second year in a row called Leaf Home World (Harakeke into Bronze). In this work, a large leaf symbolically houses the world. ‘It is like reversing the order of significance we give to things in order to say that our home in this world is ultimately supported by the plants that sustain us.’ As well as exploring connections between the human and plant worlds, Robyn likes thinking about connections between people and our complex networks of existence. She sometimes collaborates with other people including choreographers, dancers and musicians to provide movement in her work. ‘I equate movement with hope – if you are always sitting still, nothing can change – and I’m a really social person who loves live music.’ Robyn is fascinated with structural forms in nature, such as otherworldly looking basket fungus, connected with ghosts and the afterlife in Te Ao Māori. Left Robyn in her home shed space,

showing some of her beautiful woven flax panel work. Photo Deb Francis.

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‘We have the expression “turning over a new leaf”. I am using the leaf here to symbolically represent a kind of doorway or portal that figures can fit inside or pass through.’ She remembers how basket fungus suddenly appeared overnight in her garden on the day she was flying to Auckland, following the death of her mother, Marjorie Webster, who was also an artist. The mysteries of this oddly geometric fungus continue to inspire her. ‘As do the bare branches of trees in winter, the texture of a leaf, flowers and veggies in the garden, braided rivers and the patterns of water on sand …’ Through her youth, Robyn had the example of her mother as well as two artistic aunties – Mary Rankin and Margaret Hamblett – to affirm her sense that art was a worthy pursuit. In turn, Robyn has imparted a passion for art to the next generation through her

20-year career as an art teacher, mostly at Riccarton High School. She returned there recently to help the school’s art department move to a new site, lending a hand with shifting their pā harakeke, or flax plantation, that she originally established there. Robyn’s father Keith Webster was a teacher in his day too, who had a photography business on the side and was a keen amateur boat builder. Robyn grew up with a love of sailing, swimming and exploring and still enjoys heading into the mountains to go walking and drawing. Looking ahead, she has paintings on the go and ideas for a new installation and collaborative work as well as plans to further develop her beautiful garden.

Above These two works will form part of Robyn’s exhibition at Chambers Art Gallery from 14 February. Harakeke imprint in ink on paper, 2023.

‘I like working with the seasons, it’s good for the soul – life is short and we should try and enjoy it while we can.’

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Adrenalin A chance encounter at Burnside High School with an uncommon instrument led Jane Kircher-Lindner to a musical life full of expressive performance. WORDS Craig Sisterson

SITTING IN THE HEART OF

an orchestra in full flight is akin to a full-body sensory experience, says Jane Kircher-Lindner, whose early musical beginnings at Christchurch’s Cobham Intermediate and Burnside High schools have blossomed into two decades as a full-time classical musician for symphony orchestras on both sides of the Tasman. ‘It’s a real buzz when you’re playing something really loud and exciting with everyone,’ adds Jane, who is primary bassoon for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO). ‘I love it. I think there’s an element of being a bit of an adrenalin junkie, and just really getting a buzz from the excitement of playing.’ Speaking from her home near Perth, Jane chuckles as she says that while some people may tend to think of classical music as perhaps not that exciting compared to modern genres, those centuries-old compositions she and her peers play on unamplified instruments can be so loud she has to wear earplugs

Cantabrians Abroad

while at work, to make sure her hearing doesn’t get damaged. ‘You think, “Oh it’s classical, it’s so nice, sedate, and polite,” but you know when you get to something like a brass section blasting Mahler or Strauss at full pelt, it’s pretty exciting,’ she says. ‘I think most people don’t realise when they’re listening to a great film score that half the stuff they’re listening to is beautiful orchestral music, and it is so, so powerful.’ Music was one of several passions Jane had growing up in Canterbury, though in those younger years she had no idea it would – or could – one day be her career. Living now among the heat and sunshine of Perth – where the coldest months are like a late spring or early summer back home and summer days consistently top 30 degrees – Jane says one of the things she misses most about Canterbury is the sight of snowcapped mountains, and chilly winters. ‘Skiing was a big part of our winter life, and I miss looking out

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on the weekend and seeing those ranges and wondering what it was going to be like up on the hills that day; would it be a good snow day? I loved living in Christchurch being only an hour and a half from the closest ski field. Porter Heights and Cheeseman were our go-tos. We were half-day skiers, so we’d have a lazy morning, eat lunch in the car, then ski non-stop all afternoon till the lifts closed.’ Like many schoolkids, Jane began her musical journey ‘tooting away on the recorder’, before moving onto the clarinet while still at Fendalton Primary School. She was just having fun, with no idea of music as a potential career. Back then she wanted to be ‘a vet or farmer or marine biologist’ or do some other animal-related job when she was older. Then when she got to Burnside High School, a chance set of circumstances set her on what would become the path to her career. While full symphony orchestras have equal numbers of each major woodwind instrument – flutes,

Photo Daniel James Grant.

‘I love it. I think there’s an element of being a bit of an adrenalin junkie, and just really getting a buzz from the excitement of playing.’

clarinet, oboe and bassoon – high school orchestras and musical departments typically aren’t so even-handed. ‘In a school environment, there’s always a hundred flutes and maybe one oboe and no bassoons, usually,’ says Jane. ‘But at the start of the year, the band director, who was actually the bassoon teacher, held up this strange-looking thing and gave it a demo and said, “Look, this is a bassoon, does anyone like the sound of it and would like to play it?”, and I went, “Okay, I’ll give it a go.” I kind of liked the quirkiness of it; I liked the fact it wasn’t just another flute that another person played. It wasn’t your stereotypical kind of feminine instrument, I think it was just all those slightly off, left-ofcentre kind of things appealed.’ The rarity of bassoon players meant Jane was promptly ‘chucked into’ the senior concert band and orchestra, and had to sink or swim. ‘I really enjoyed getting thrown in the deep end, and having all these challenges that were way out of my comfort zone thrown at me and

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Cantabrians Abroad 47

Left Jane loves the ‘beautiful, expressive singing sound’ of the bassoon and how she’s often in the background adding to the whole orchestral sound, but occasionally in the spotlight for important solo lines. Photo Daniel James Grant. Above There is an energy and power to classical music, says Jane, that sometimes people overlook because they think of it as an old-fashioned thing because of composers from centuries ago, forgetting they were young people of the time telling exciting stories in music. Photos Daniel James Grant and Rebecca Mansell. Far Right Jane and fellow WASO member viola player Nik Babic, photo Daniel James Grant.

‘I really enjoyed getting thrown in the deep end, and having all these challenges that were way out of my comfort zone thrown at me and getting really inspired by playing in ensembles.’

Cantabrians Abroad

getting really inspired by playing in ensembles. I really love that though; collective music making was always the thing that I got the biggest buzz in, [and] still do get the biggest buzz from.’ While Jane considered studying at Lincoln, she followed her passion for music to Victoria, then got a scholarship to spend two years in New York – earning a master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music. She returned to New Zealand for three years as principal bassoonist for the Auckland Philharmonia, before moving to Perth and joining WASO in 2006. ‘New York was a pretty amazing experience,’ she recalls. ‘It felt like the hub of everything creative and artistic and musical. On any given

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night, there were three or four different orchestras playing and however many dozen different Broadway musicals. We were in an awesome hostel called International House, with grad students from all over the world.’ It was while she was in New York that Jane realised she could have a full-time career as a classical musician, though given the number of professional openings compared to the number of music students in the US, Europe and globally, the odds weren’t high. ‘The stars have to align a bit, which I was very lucky they did for me, being able to make a career of it.’ Nowadays, Jane typically performs two or three concerts a week with WASO (along with multiple rehearsals) as various projects come and go

through the year from ballet seasons to opera seasons, musical education, concerts and outside hires. WASO performs in Perth and around the state, and Jane also performs with chamber ensembles, has recorded for Australian radio, and has taught

bassoon at various musical academies and universities. Three decades on from deciding to ‘give it a go’, Jane still loves the expressive, unique sound of the bassoon, and classical music as an art form that is powerful, and surprising. ‘I’ve had so many friends who’d

never been to a classical concert before, and come to the concert hall and hear the full orchestra and are just completely blown away, like, “Oh my gosh, I had no idea that’s what it sounded like.” It’s a real immersive, full-on experience.’

The Kākāpō of Freshwater Though most New Zealanders have never heard of it, the quirky, pencil-thin, tiny lowland longjaw galaxias (Galaxias cobitinis) has the unenviable title of being perhaps New Zealand’s rarest native freshwater fish. WORDS Annie Studholme

Nature

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AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS

‘jaws’, the lowland longjaw galaxias is one of the smallest members of the 30-strong galaxiid species, New Zealand’s largest group of freshwater fish. Found throughout the southern hemisphere, the name ‘galaxiid’ refers to the clusters or ‘galaxies’ of golden or silvery star-like patterns on their scaleless bodies. It’s thought the ancestors of New Zealand’s galaxiids migrated over the ocean from either Antarctica or Australia, making their way into streams and rivers. For the most part, mention native galaxiids, and New Zealanders immediately think of whitebait, served fried and sandwiched between two slices of white bread. But the whitebait catch consists of only five species. The rest of our galaxiid species abandoned

the marine phase of their life cycle thousands of years ago and evolved to breed in inland waterways. These nonmigratory fish are probably descendants of sea-going galaxiids that became landlocked and, once isolated, eventually evolved into new species. Though their new inland home initially provided a haven, habitat loss from land development, the invasion of aquatic weeds clogging waterways, and predation by introduced sports fish such as trout have seen galaxiid numbers plummet. Most of our native galaxiids are at risk of extinction, with nearly half on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. But with only a few remaining populations in the Kauru and Kakanui Rivers in North Otago and a handful

Left Electric fishing machines are used for monitoring. The current stops the fish from swimming so they get carried down into the bottom net. Below Department of

Conservation Twizel senior biodiversity ranger Dean Nelson collecting an eDNA sample.

‘They’re my favourite little species, and I have worked with quite a few over the years.’

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Nature 51

of spring-fed streams in the Mackenzie Basin, the lowland longjaw galaxias trumps them all. Classified as ‘Nationally Critical’, it is akin to the kākāpō of the freshwater world. You would struggle to find anyone fonder of the lowland longjaw galaxias than Department of Conservation Twizel senior biodiversity ranger Dean Nelson, who has dedicated the past two decades to working with some of our most threatened native fish. ‘They’re my favourite little species, and I have worked with quite a few over the years,’ he laughs. ‘They’re just a really cool little thing that most people aren’t aware of. In days gone by, they would have been pretty common, so the fact they’ve managed to hang on for millions of years in the face of so many threats is impressive.’ Though tiny, growing up to 80 mm at their largest, Dean says they’re actually quite attractive as far as fish go. The lowland longjaw galaxias are pale lemon with handsome silver flecks that line their back over dark brown splotchy patterns. Their outer eyes are sparkly gold in colour. Part of the longjaw species group, which also includes the upland longjaw galaxias, Galaxias prognathus, the lowland longjaw galaxias is easily distinguished from other Galaxiidae by their long bottom jaw, which protrudes out over their top lip. Hence the name ‘jaws’. They look a bit like a bulldog, he explains. Studies and DNA testing in the early 2000s concluded the upland longjaw and lowland longjaw were two species. Unlike other galaxiid species, the lowland

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‘They are on the edge, pretty much. There are just six known populations left, and we know of a couple more that have been lost.’ longjaw’s dorsal origin is behind the anal fin organ. Their pelvis fins also have five rays, whereas upland longjaw have seven. Their distributions are also not known to overlap with the lowland longjaw galaxias confined to shallow waters in the side channels of streams and springs in the Mackenzie Basin. No reported populations are above the glacial lakes of Ōhau, Pukaki and Tekapo. Based on geological and genetic research, the lowland longjaw galaxias

has since been split into two distinct species: the lowland longjaw galaxias (Galaxias cobitinis) that is present in the Kauru and Kakanui Rivers in North Otago, and lowland longjaw galaxias (Waitaki River) (Galaxias aff. cobitinis ‘Waitaki’) restricted to the Waitaki River Catchment. However, it is yet to be formally classified. While his early work focused on identifying their distribution, Dean says in recent years, DOC has actively managed numbers of lowland longjaw

Left A perched culvert-type trout barrier. Top Right Flood overtopping the Fraser

Stream trout barrier by about half a metre last August (2022). Centre Right A lowland longjaw galaxias in Fraser Stream showing off its ‘pretty’ colouration. Bottom Right A small shoal of lowland longjaws beside one of the big threats – introduced macrophyte called monkey musk (Erythranthe guttata). It has very fibrous roots which bind up the gravel, preventing them from burrowing into it.

galaxias in the Mackenzie Basin. And it paints a pretty grim picture. ‘They are on the edge, pretty much. There are just six known populations left, and we know of a couple more that have been lost. There’s one in the lower Hakataramea and two sites in the lower Ōhau River that have gone over the years. We’ve done a lot of looking, but haven’t come up with any new areas.’ Known sites include two streams in the Hakataramea, Otamatapaio River (on which there are two), a spring system on Omarama Station beside the Ahuriri River, Fraser Stream, and Edwards Stream near Lake Tekapo. Populations are highly changeable. Thriving in cool springs and streams, lowland longjaw galaxias feed on invertebrates such as mayfly and Chironomid larvae. Their largest populations are based around small spring-fed stream systems where the gravel is kept loose by the upwelling water. The adults like to burrow deep into the gravel beds to spawn from August to December. There are multiple threats to the lowland longjaw galaxias’s existence, including habitat loss, land development, reduction in native vegetation, latitudemagazine.co.nz

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introduced weeds and changes to natural flows by either extraction, drought or flood. Still, trout are perhaps Dean’s biggest enemy. He says population numbers have increased in areas where they’ve introduced trout barriers to keep them out of the lowland longjaw galaxias’s habitat or where there are natural barriers such as waterfalls. ‘If you can remove the trout, they can quickly bounce back. They do lay quite a few eggs. But without management, they will go down really quickly too.’ The first trout barrier was installed in 2009. Since then, DOC has added trout barriers to other sites with positive results. Annual monitoring at one location in April using an electric fishing machine over two 50-metre stretches of the stream found 169 lowland longjaw galaxias. ‘That was a stunning result, as at times it has been as low as half a dozen,’ says Dean. He hopes that in time they will be able to find new populations using

Above Left Lowland longjaw galaxias in a bucket. Above Right Results of Gee

minnow trapping showing both lowland longjaws galaxias and bignose in the bucket. Below Although the galaxiid in the trout’s mouth is a bignose, it illustrates the threat to all these wee fish.

Population numbers have increased in areas where they’ve introduced trout barriers to keep them out of the lowland longjaw galaxias’s habitat or where there are natural barriers such as waterfalls. environmental DNA water testing rather than relying on electric fishing or fish traps. While eDNA sampling doesn’t give you the whole picture, it tells you what species are present in the environment. It is an easy system to use and highly effective. Dean also hopes to create new secure sites for the lowland longjaw galaxias, spreading the risk as an insurance policy in case of catastrophic failure. He’s looking at translocating some to a spring system at Lake Poaka, near Twizel, which is already home to bignose galaxiids. As it’s spring-fed, it does not have a flooding issue. ‘There are lots of things out there struggling, but we are doing our bit,’ he says.

Nature

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New apparel out now

Anything but

Ordinary While what Ōtautahi company Art

Fetiche offer and produce for clients is certainly out of the box, their passion, creativity and big thinking is what sets them apart. Brent Brownlee, wife

Raylene and business partner Ben Lakin make a formidable trio, leaving a visual legacy everywhere they turn.

THIRTY YEARS AGO, HAVING

worked as a commercial artist (and a myriad of other things), Brent Brownlee made the decision to go out on his own as a sign writer and glass sand blaster. Working from the home garage, ‘and front room’ after a short period he coaxed Raylene to leave her work as a seamstress and join him in the business. ‘She has an incredible eye for detail and for the first five years it was just us – at home, working around our three boys doing sign writing and sand-blasted giftware.’ Brent laughs as he recalls his mum describing him as someone with an innate sense of how to put something together, and always looking for the next thing. ‘As the business grew, we evolved,’ he explains. ‘We sit outside the norm and often the best projects are those when someone comes to us with an idea but are unsure how to execute it.’ Brent’s unique approach has allowed both the company and the individuals behind it to grow and develop. ‘It has been a 30-year evolution,’ he laughs, ‘and there is plenty more to come.’ From their home studio, the duo grew the business and the team slowly, as the demand for their work grew. ‘We outgrew the garage after a few years,’ explains Raylene, ‘and there are 15 of us now, including business partner Ben Lakin.’ ‘We are incredibly grateful to have Ben in the business,’ adds Brent. ‘He lives and breathes the business as much as we do and has incredible skills to take it into the next 30 years.’ Although I get the impression it will be a long time yet before Brent hangs up his fabricating and blasting hat. Listening to the trio discuss their latest projects and laugh about memories they have made along the way, it is quickly apparent, no two days

‘We sit outside the norm and often the best projects are those when someone comes to us with an idea but are unsure how to execute it.’ are ever the same and that the team means everything. ‘Some have been around for a big part of the journey, and others have come for specific projects. Most of us multitask as best we can and foster a “can do” attitude,’ explains Ben. ‘Diversity in staff, and in the clients we work with adds colour, value and depth to what we set out to do.’ Detail, precision, a quest for perfection and of course their outof-the-box thinking has put them on the map. ‘We have been incredibly lucky over the years to partner with

Left Pou Whenua Collaboration with

Master Carver Riki Manuel. Created to stand watch over Kura Tawhiti Castle Hill. Above A detailed look at the entranceway, crafted by Art Fetiche and Fayne Robinson, of the new Pounamu Pathways Visitor Centre in Greymouth.

some large clients,’ explains Brent. ‘Foodstuffs, Vodafone, Joe’s Garage and Independent Liquor … really cool stuff that has allowed us to experiment, expand and play with new technology, styles and trends. Adapting to the market, and our clients at every turn.’

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Your Local Expert 57

‘Diversity in staff, and in the clients we work with adds colour, value and depth to what we set out to do.’

Like all businesses, the journey has come with challenges. ‘When Covid hit, one of our largest clients was side-lined and a lot of our day-to-day business was lost,’ explains Brent. ‘We needed to adapt and when we were approached by artist Fayne Robinson we took the opportunity. ‘It was on a scale that we hadn’t worked on before and in areas of application we weren’t so familiar with, but that’s never stopped us!’ The project was executing and installing the artworks that line the new Kaikōura coastal highway, in the wake of the 2016 Kaikōura earthquakes. ‘It was a really challenging time for many businesses and we had to make a really scary decision to pivot and invest in order to take on this project,’ continues Brent. ‘But our 58

Your Local Expert |

AboveThe team behind Art Fetiche, from left, Ben Lakin, Brent and Raylene Brownlee. Below A vapour-blasted compass at Te Ana Pouri, Kaikōura.

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ability to pivot and evolve to meet demand saved us.’ Having worked as a monumental mason in a past life, Brent spent seven months onsite in Kaikōura, working within Covid restrictions to realise Fayne, Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura and Waka Kotahi’s vision. ‘Along with the vapour-blasted designs in the concrete walls, we utilised our experience to add to the lay-by areas and sites adjacent to the coast,’ explains Raylene. ‘It was a production like no other,’ says Brent. ‘No one had ever done anything like that, on that scale in the world that we could see.’ But that is what puts Art Fetiche on the map – not their projects, but their ability to take what seems impossible and make it a reality. While their work on the Kaikōura Coast has become one of their most iconic, their artistic flair is found around every corner. From their digital printing and vapour blasting in Christchurch’s Tūranga Library, to

Above Left Tohu Whenua at Tunnel Beach, Dunedin. Above Right The Art Fetiche team wet-look-staining the vapour-blasted design on the Kaikōura Highway. Below An impressive undertaking, a 32-metre Corten steel waka interpretation at the Fox Glacier lookout.

‘We are also doing some amazing work with local iwi, carvers and designers, helping them to tell their story and putting their mark on the landscape of Aotearoa.’ AgResearch’s sculptures in Lincoln, to steelworks and signage across the South Island. But it is their fit-outs and custom manufacturing of giant spanners, shelving and lighting in Joe’s Garage cafés that you might be most familiar with. ‘The journey with Joe’s has been about building on, and enhancing that sense of an industrial garage aesthetic so that they can focus on what they do best – food and coffee,’ says Brent. Utilising their steel manufacturing shop, Art Fetiche have designed, built and executed the eclectic mix of décor found in the popular cafés and loved every minute of it. ‘So much so that eight years ago we bought the Sumner one,’ laughs Raylene. Which is exactly where you will find Raylene and Brent most mornings – having a coffee and catching up with friends.

While vapour blasting, sign writing and Joe’s Garage are what Art Fetiche have become most well known for, they are seeing significant growth in the demand for public artwork from local government agencies and public space projects. ‘We are also doing some amazing work with local iwi, carvers and designers,’ explains Ben, ‘helping them to tell their story and putting their mark on the landscape of Aotearoa.’ ‘Legacy is important to everyone,’ concludes Brent. ‘And for us this pivot into public art is about leaving a legacy for our clients – as we tell their story – and for us. Being a part of something that will last and have an impact for generations to come is incredibly special. It’s not just about looking good, but about what it means.’ latitudemagazine.co.nz

Your Local Expert 59

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FROM WHEELS TO WORLD-CLASS WOOL 17,000 kilometres from Methven in the Romsdal country of Norway, Philip Wareing reflected on the inter-generational business he has created whilst visiting the birthplace of another. Renowned for his transport business in Mid Canterbury grown over the past half-century, it was wool that took the 77-year-old to the other side of the world for his last overseas trip to celebrate his rewarding career. WORDS Sarah Perriam-Lampp

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SET AMONGST TOWERING SNOW-

capped mountains on the shore of Lake Heron (accessed through the Ashburton River gorge), Philip Wareing fulfilled the dream he held in his mind during all of those late nights driving trucks since the seventies – to buy an iconic high-country station in 1997. Mt Arrowsmith Station is a 9,000-hectare property running 4,000 merino ewes that has focused on high standards of animal welfare to supply brands such as Patagonia and Devold of Norway through The New Zealand Merino Company. The dayto-day running of the station is taken care of by farm managers Alan and Vicky McIntyre who joined Philip on this 2023 trip to Norway to witness their wool being designed into highperformance activewear. The Mt Arrowsmith team joined a group of merino growers from Canterbury, Marlborough, Central Otago and the Mackenzie region to visit the textile factory in Langevåg to see the process the global company prides themselves on – full transparency from sheep to shop. Every garment is designed in Norway and comes with a tag showing the farm from which the wool originates. ‘There is a natural partnership with the Norwegians,’ explains Devold New Zealand General Manager Craig Smith, ‘as we share many of the same values, namely a love for the great outdoors and the pursuit of sustainability. ‘Our relationship with Devold of Norway continues to develop and grow following our visit. The company’s owner Knut Flaak is passionate about 62

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The eyes of a young 15-year-old Philip were fixated on the rugged mountain range of Canterbury. building this transparent supply chain with us.’ Born in Norway over 165 years ago, Devold of Norway was established when Ole Andreas Devold set out to create knitwear suitable for land and sea. Pieces that would protect against the harsh Scandinavian elements to keep workers warm and dry. Pastoral farming of merinos in the high country of the South Island was established in the 1860s – the same decade that Ole

Devold was selling woollen garments to Icelandic fishermen. A century later, the eyes of a young 15-year-old Philip were fixated on the rugged mountain range of Canterbury, dreaming to one day own a slice of the high country. Philip left school to work on farms across Australasia before becoming a Wrightson’s grain agent in the 1970s – a period in which he began scheming around how to make a dollar to fulfil his high-country dream.

work as the plains were pretty barren in the early seventies. But we knew with cocksfoot growing on the side of the road, this was a good sign of its potential,’ he recalls. And with that confidence, Philip went on to grow his contracted spraying business to 23,000 acres over the next two years, introducing fertiliser spreading and then logging trucks. It was the deregulation of transport in New Zealand in the 1980s that saw a significant opportunity for Philip

to grow his business rapidly. This was due to the previous 50 years of New Zealand’s road transport sector curtailed by regulation of short-distance licences, shipping was controlled and the government-owned rail system was protected from competition. The government limited the distance trucks could carry goods, initially to 50 kilometres in 1936, before it was extended in 1977 to 150 kilometres. They were also licensed to carry specific types of freight, within particular areas.

Above Nestled between the Arrowsmith Range and Lake Heron, Mt Arrowsmith is one of Mid Canterbury’s original highcountry stations. Right Merino sheep are a way of life at Mt Arrowsmith Station. Photos Anna Munro. Previous With Philip still at the heart of the operation, his company Philip Wareing Contractors (PWL) is very much a family business.

While working as an agent, Philip grew potatoes to earn some extra money, producing the $15,000 he needed to buy a J1 Bedford truck in 1975 – the first step towards his establishment of Philip Wareing Contractors (PWL). It was the support of Mid Canterbury farmers that grew his business, as productivity of the Canterbury Plains grew. ‘When I started out with my first truck, the rabbits had to take their lunch to latitudemagazine.co.nz

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Every garment is designed in Norway and comes with a tag showing the farm from which the wool originates.

Top The Mt Arrowsmith team joined a group of merino growers around the South Island to visit the Devold of Norway textile factory in Langevåg, following their wool from sheep to design, to finished product. Above Mt Arrowsmith managers Alan and Vicky McIntyre joined Philip on the 2023 trip to Norway to witness their wool being designed into high-performance activewear. Photos Sue Allen.

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‘Livestock, bulk grain, logs – they were mostly transported long distances by train,’ explains Philip. ‘When [the government] abolished the licensing system it opened the door for expansion into long-distance heavy road freight, transforming local companies into national operators.’ Alongside his two sons, Mark and Simon, and daughter Rachel – who all work across every aspect of the business – today Philip operates six transport companies and a freight hub providing a combined fleet of over 270 trucks employing over 400 people, which sees them as one of the largest transport companies in the South Island. ‘Dad started the business with not much,’ they share. ‘Our father has taken a lot of risk over the years, and it’s paid

off. We want to pass that legacy onto our children.’ Philip is a proud community supporter from the Methven Rugby Club, serving on the Methven Community Board raising funds to build the Memorial Hall, to the development of Camrose subdivision and the launch of Ōpuke Thermal Pools. He was awarded a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2012. Philip’s legacy will always be rooted in the community under the towering peaks of the mountain range above Methven and is as deep as Devold’s in the Norwegian community Langevåg. Together they are connected by a thread of the world’s finest fibre from Philip’s beloved highcountry station.

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Contents 65

FASHION FOLKLORE Margarita Robertson opened her first fashion store in Dunedin in 1975. Now almost 50 years later (and the recipient of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her efforts), her iconic, avantgarde fashion brand NOM*d is part of our national industry’s unique, southern history. WORDS Sara Faull

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THE FRONT DOORS ARE LEADLIGHT,

in a beautiful column-clad architectural treasure in downtown Dunedin. The walls are richly panelled and the tiny reception area is curtained in heavy, red velvet. Artwork – from playing cards to graffiti-grimed mirrors and curios, like the white-painted, fully clothed mannequin (that used to have a lampshade on its head) makes me feel like Alice in Wonderland (if Alice was all grown up, commercially savvy and had a penchant for wearing what is usually dark-hued, often gothic and cleverly deconstructed in some way). These are the offices of NOM*d and its founder and creative director, Margarita Robertson, who warmly greets me. Now 70, with her long white hair in a plaited bun, flawless skin (possibly inherited from her Greek mother), wearing layers of her own brand and showcasing a heavy metal collection of eclectic jewellery, she is a sartorial synopsis of the NOM*d ethos. ‘I have an appreciation for all kinds of clothes and an appreciation of clothes as an expression of self,’ Margarita explains. ‘I like Comme des Garçons and Martin Margiela. I like clothes that are easy to wear, that can be based on uniform traditions, with plaids and tartans but that have an edge,’ she says. She points to her long-sleeved black top screen-printed with fly and moth motifs, layered under a stencilled black and grey ‘Dunedin’ T-shirt designed by her son Sam and then topped with a black dress with white topstitching, from last summer’s collection. ‘I love the styling of garments and mixing up seasons,’ she says. ‘It’s not look-at-me fashion, but NOM*d is the antithesis of fast fashion. The label has always been about quality.’

‘I have an appreciation for all kinds of clothes and an appreciation of clothes as an expression of self.’ It is not surprising that Margarita and her sister, Elisabeth Findlay of Zambesi renown, have helped define New Zealand’s unique clothing aesthetic because they grew up understanding how garments were made. ‘Our mother, who dressed very stylishly herself, always had her sewing machine out. She worked in clothing manufacturing and because she sewed for us, we had a collection of patterns and Burda magazines, where you traced the patterns out. We would go to Penroses Department Store to buy fabric remnants and she would encourage us to have a say in the materials we chose,’ she remembers. In the early 1970s, while visiting her sister Liz in Auckland to trawl the big city boutiques, Margarita realised there was a real gap in the Dunedin

Top Margarita (Margi) sorting through old NOM*d photos and postcards in the Phoenix House workroom. Above Margarita in the Archive Room, selecting vintage scarves that have been sourced for repurposing.

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Margarita celebrates that NOM*d is intrinsically linked to this gothic city.

Top Plume, Dunedin – with its exquisite barrel-shaped leadlight entrance and two storeys, is an expansive retail space.

I Remember When

market for fashion labels and opened their first tiny store named Hang Ups in what had been a garage in Moray Place. ‘We stocked ranges like Vamp, Marilyn Sainty, Elle, The Case is Altered and we did really well,’ she comments. ‘The big change came with the denim revolution, when Walter Hart of Vamp took on the franchise for JAG. We needed a bigger space as we stocked 14 different jean styles for men and women, so we had to carry a lot of stock at home,’ she recalls with a laugh, almost rolling her eyes at the memory. A bigger Hang Ups store in Dunedin’s first mall eventuated in 1978. Simultaneously, the beautiful Queen Anne Chocolates shop, with its distinctive barrel-shaped leadlight entranceway on George Street became available and the now iconic Plume store opened. A second Plume boutique opened in Christchurch in 1992. It was while on a trip with her sister to Japan in the early 1980s that Margarita was inspired to design her own brand of knitwear, using yarn sourced by Roslyn Woollen

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Mills and manufacturing by Tamahine Knitwear. And the name, NOM*d? ‘We called it NOM*d because our store was called Plume and I remembered Dad buying Golden Kiwi tickets, where there was a space to put a ‘nom de plume’ on the tickets instead of your real name,’ she reveals. Expansion happened again in 1998, when NOM*d was chosen to be one of four fashion designers from New Zealand selected to show at London Fashion Week the following the year. The designers, NOM*d, Karen Walker, World and Zambesi became known as the NZ4, going on to show at London Fashion Week the following year. Margarita decided to include wovens (garments made of fabric rather than knits) to complete the looks. ‘A lot of people thought Zambesi and NOM*d were the same, so to differentiate us, I started using utilitarian fabrics, like waterproof white nylon (taken from what women lawn bowlers wear in the rain) and then created garments like sleeveless, hooded parkas which looked dramatic on the runway. I like the influences of uniforms, like the one-sizefits-all ease of the drawstring pants in martial arts, for example,’ she says. As an aside, NZ4 dazzled the international press and brought the cut and character of fashion Down Under into the northern hemisphere spotlight. Margarita celebrates that NOM*d is intrinsically linked to this gothic city and its subversive counterculture and admits she has never wanted to live anywhere else, even though she is the only one amongst her five siblings to remain. ‘Dunedin is quite a tough city – you need plenty of clothes because most houses don’t have central heating,’ she chuckles. ‘It is not a pretentious, showy

city, although there is wealth here. There are also lots of subcultures like scarfies, surfies and skateboarders. And plenty of arts, music and culture too, all integrated into one city. Dunedin is very accepting and embracing, however you want to live your life,’ she proclaims. Dunedin is also a city that, like NOM*d, engenders a fierce loyalty – in her small staff of 14, in her valued customers and in her retailers (such as Annette’s Collection in New Plymouth, which she has supplied since 1986), Margarita is happy to keep the status quo. Despite many of her customers buying her designs online now, she also believes there is always a place for a great retail space. ‘That ability to try on the clothes and get styling help – I never want to lose that,’ she emphasises. Nor does she feel the need to keep expanding, like a drawstring waistband on a pair of beautifully cut pants. ‘Our base is here. We have our Christchurch Plume and we wholesale around the country. We only export to Australia now. It is a nice ego trip to export and because we get approached by wholesalers, it is never a hard sell, but in the end, you still need to get paid!’ she details. In other words, Margarita Robertson is not looking to take over the world. She is happy to ‘stick to her knitting’ and the fully tailored clothes that earn the right to carry, at their inside backs, the distinctive, all-black NOM*d label. Every season, around 50 new styles will augment their core ranges of socks and T-shirts. The knits will be fully fashioned (each garment shaped as it is knitted) and any woven fabrics will be washed and tested, with the first samples painstakingly constructed in-house, before every garment is made up by

Cut, Make and Trim manufacturers and tailors all around the country. NOM*d is truly New Zealand made. Interestingly, this stylish but softly spoken septuagenarian is at pains to attribute much of her success to the team around her. ‘I never wanted the brand to grow old with me, so we have always employed recent fashion graduates and I am really grateful that we have had such amazing staff. I get to work with people who have similar ideas and mindsets who keep me young!’ she smiles, adding, ‘they are the future after all.’ When American designer Donna Karan described Rei Kawakubo (who is one of Margarita’s favourite designers), she verbalised her as ‘a quiet person, yet her clothes make such an enormous statement’. The same could be said of Margarita Robertson. Then she adds with a twinkle in her eye, ‘Vivienne Westwood may have left us but Rei Kawakubo is still creating and she is 75! ’ Lucky for the fashionistas amongst us, NOM*d will be styling its strong, clever, somewhat gothic signature, for seasons to come.

Top Close-up of a ‘deconstructed and reconstructed’ vintage blazer from NOM*d’s Autumn/Winter 2001 collection. Above Finale look modelled with Margarita at London Fashion Week,1999. Below Plume’s retail spaces in Christchurch and Dunedin are a striking mix of simple white and strong, gothic black.

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FROM CARTOONS TO FROM CARTOONSTO TO FROM CARTOONS AAKIWI AKIWI KIWICLASSIC CLASSIC CLASSIC Behind Bob Darroch’s remarkable career a cartoonist, illustrator and writer, Behind Bob Darroch’s remarkable career asas a cartoonist, illustrator and writer, spanning more than decades, isgenuine a genuine love drawing coupled with spanning more than sixsix decades, is a love of of drawing coupled with a a healthy dose wit and humour. healthy dose of of wit and humour. WORDS Annie Studholme WORDS Annie Studholme

latitudemagazine.co.nz|| Frontline | Frontline latitudemagazine.co.nz 71 35 latitudemagazine.co.nz Frontline 35

FROM A SMALL STUDIO AT THE BACK

of his Temuka villa, Bob Darroch is hard at work churning out drawings. At 83, he is showing no signs of slowing down. He’s illustrating a book for another author. Meanwhile, the latest offering of his bestselling Little Kiwi series, a compilation of five stories in one volume, has recently hit the shelves. During his career, he has written and illustrated more than 20 children’s books, easily making him one of New Zealand’s bestselling authors. Since the first volume (Little Kiwi is Scared of the Dark) hit the bookshelves in 2001, followed by another 12 Little Kiwi books, the series has sold more than 458,000 copies. He has also illustrated numerous books across different genres for other authors. But while Bob is humbled by his success as an author, his passion for drawing cartoons has sustained his career since first being published in the Central Otago News when he was about 15. Bob’s interest in cartoons was stirred by a plentiful supply of comics when he was a child. Having initially thought cartoons were just for kids, that changed when he discovered beloved British social cartoonist Giles (Ronald ‘Carl’ Giles), whose works featured in the Sunday Express and Daily Express. ‘I loved the single, topical panel, the detail he managed to put into them, and his sense of humour. There was always a great deal more going on than a single joke (gag),’ explains Bob. Having moved to South Canterbury, Bob spent his final years at Timaru Boys’ High School. Believing he couldn’t make a living from being a cartoonist, Bob left school to embark on a career in The Timaru Herald’s Top Many of Bob Darroch’s cartoons have featured on jigsaw puzzles. Middle Bob Darroch’s ‘cave boy’ won a European cartoon competition in the 1980s. Bottom Bob Darroch’s cartoons are highly detailed. Opposite At 83, each day Bob Darroch can still be found in his small studio churning out drawings. Photo Annie Studholme.

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During his career, Bob has written and illustrated more than 20 children’s books, easily making him one of New Zealand’s best-selling authors. advertising department, hoping to show off his creative skills to the art department. Sadly, it was early days for art departments, and there wasn’t a lot of work. The boss soon cottoned on that he wasn’t doing anything, so he got the sack. Wondering what he would do next, Bob spotted an ad in The Northern Advocate in Whangarei. ‘It was pure luck,’ he says. ‘They were advertising for a new advertising manager. But, just as the advertisement was about to go out,

the staff member who did the bookings died, so that job was tacked on the bottom of the ad. Normally, that role wouldn’t have been advertised out of Whangarei. But I saw the job. It was a job I could do, and I was out of work, so I applied for it and got it.’ At just 21, it was a big step, moving out of home and leaving his family to head to the far north, but Bob saw it as a massive opportunity. ‘I was looking for any job, and it was a step

back into newspapers, which I had high hopes of having a career in. Whangarei also had a much more liberal attitude towards editorial.’ On joining the paper, Bob met and fell in love with Ruth, a young reporter who later became his wife. He credits Ruth with giving him his first big break, illustrating some of her stories. The sports editor was also a fan of his work, running Bob’s cartoons in the sports section. Bob didn’t get paid for them –

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Frontline

‘I had my grandsons on my knee and was looking at some of the books they read. I had illustrated other books and thought I’d better have a go at writing my own with a New Zealand flavour, either a sheep or a kiwi.’ because he was already an employee of the newspaper – but says every time one appeared, the phone would ring with other work. Advertisers started asking. Soon, there was a steady stream of cartoon ads. ‘A concrete tank manufacturer came in and wanted to do something a bit different, so I suggested a cartoon and ended up doing about 20 of them. Then, I was approached by the Ready Mix Concrete crowd to do one, and I ended up doing them for years – 480 concrete cartoons later,’ he laughs. As newspapers still didn’t employ artists, his ability to ‘scribble a bit’ landed him a few jobs when people came to his desk to book their ads, which led to freelance work. Bob used to spend his days working as a clerk, then filled his nights dreaming up cartoons. After 14 years, he left the newspaper and went freelance full-time. Work was steady, drawing cartoons for everything from cards, T-shirts and tea towels to toys, jigsaws and souvenirs. Bob also built up an international following, entering

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cartoon contests around the globe. His works were published in Japan, Belgium, Italy, Canada and Eastern Europe. ‘I just entered for the fun of it; the prizes were a bonus. I was really interested in the book of those cartoons that had been accepted. Just being able to see the different styles and humour was the main reason I kept entering them,’ he says. That led to him being invited to join United Feature Syndicate, a prominent American editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States, drawing cartoons that went worldwide. ‘I was pretty chuffed about it. It was another feather in my cap. It was a big breakthrough, but it ended up being hard work for not very much. In the end, it fizzled out.’ Bob thought all his dreams had come true when he was asked to create a half-page cartoon for a new weekly community newspaper. He followed Giles’ style, sticking to topical cartoons based on local events rather than

political ones and setting his cartoon figures against elaborately detailed naturalistic backgrounds, often with fascinating sub-plots occurring away from the main focus of the cartoon. ‘Everyone else was doing political cartoons, so I avoided that. They were about how the politics affected people, but not the politics. I did them for the humour. I favoured the gags. The panels were highly detailed; there was always a lot going on. The whole panel was a picture.’ He says the extra little things always made people like them. Over the next 34 years, he created one a week, more than 1,500 in total. They were featured in newspapers nationwide, including The Star (in Christchurch and Dunedin), Hutt News, Napier’s The Daily Telegraph, Stratford Press and The Timaru Herald. Each one took anywhere from hours to a day to create. ‘Sometimes it just happens, and other times you can sit there for hours and not make any progress.’ Bob and his wife moved back to South Canterbury in the late 1990s to

be closer to family. Once grandchildren arrived, he was spurred to write his own children’s book. ‘I had my grandsons on my knee and was looking at some of the books they read. I had illustrated other books and thought I’d better have a go at writing my own with a New Zealand flavour, either a sheep or a kiwi.’ The sheep won out and became the subject of his first children’s book, but then the publisher said, ‘Do one on a Kiwi,’ and that’s where the Little Kiwi series began. Bob had never seen one in the wild when the first Little Kiwi book came out. He had to learn a lot about them, other birds, and the bush. Ever self-effacing, Bob’s genuinely surprised it’s gone on for so long. Some of them have sold better than others. Little Kiwi Time for Bed tops the list at 110,000

copies. While Bob enjoys the writing, it’s all about the illustrations. Whether it’s his book or someone else’s doesn’t matter. He gets just as much satisfaction from being the illustrator as the writer. Having received no formal art training, Bob doesn’t think he’s a natural artist; it’s something he has had to work hard at. He still finds the ‘colouring-in’ a challenge. ‘It’s more of a scribble than art. I’ve managed to bluff my way through. I enjoy the drawing and the satisfaction of getting it done, and hopefully, someone, somewhere, will enjoy it and get a smile out of it. That’s all I hope for.’ And even after more than 60 years’ plying his trade, he has no plans to retire as long as other authors or publishers keep enlisting his skills.

Above Even after more than 60 years’ plying his trade, Bob Darroch still finds ‘colouring-in’ a challenge. Photo Annie Studholme. Opposite Bob Darroch’s cartoons are modelled on the style of wellknown British cartoonist Giles.

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For the Love of Berries Driven by their rural roots, a passionate husband and wife duo are serving up locally hydroponically grown strawberries fit for a king. WORDS & IMAGES Annie Studholme

GROWING UP ON THE FAMILY’S

sheep and beef farm at Te Pirita, Ed Hobson spent hours tending to the family’s strawberry patch. He joked that one day, he’d be a strawberry farmer. Now, together with his wife Kate, the couple’s Hauora Produce is one of a handful of local producers ensuring Cantabrians have access to their share of delicious, fresh, sweet strawberries on their doorstep. Despite having no significant background in horticulture, almost three years ago, Ed and Kate took a bold step in purchasing Hauora Produce (formally Hann Produce) as a startup business, complete with more than 27,000 strawberry plants housed inside a 1,500 m² glasshouse. While it had been a steep learning curve, the move has

provided them with the rural lifestyle they had been craving. They’re relishing the opportunity to work more closely together while raising their young son, Wilbur. Both hailing from rural backgrounds, the couple had always dreamt of having their own place. ‘We wanted something on the way up,’ says Kate. ‘Dairy has already boomed and is on the way down, and it’s a pretty tough gig being in sheep and beef at the moment. We thought horticulture would provide the most opportunities in our lifetime. It has the biggest potential, and you can do it on a much smaller footprint.’ Strawberries appealed. ‘There’s something romantic about growing strawberries,’ says Ed. ‘Everybody loves strawberries. Most are grown in the

North Island, so it’s a bit of a novelty to have locally grown ones. You don’t have to sell them; they tend to sell themselves.’ The couple had previously been living in Ashburton, where Ed worked as feed systems manager at ANZCO’s Five Star Beef feedlot, and Kate was a registered nurse at Three Rivers Health. They had been biding their time waiting for the right horticulture opportunity to crop up, so when this property came on the market, they pounced. Within four weeks, the deal was done. ‘Everything just all fell into place,’ says Kate. ‘When something is meant to be, it seems to work out.’ To tie in with their values and Kate’s work as a nurse, they renamed the business Hauora Produce.

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‘Everybody loves strawberries. Most are grown in the North Island, so it’s a bit of a novelty to have locally grown ones. You don’t have to sell them; they tend to sell themselves.’ Hauora is the Māori philosophy of health and wellbeing, unique to Aotearoa. Put into the context of a berry farm, it means producing delicious products in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. The focus for Ed and Kate in those first 12 months was keeping the business afloat during the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic while learning the intricacies of the hydroponic system, growing and harvesting processes. Though there was a lot to master, Ed’s previous experiences with feed procurement, agronomy, plant science and staff had set them up well. ‘His whole career had led him to be here,’ says Kate. ‘At the end of the day, farming is farming. I’m driving strawberries, where my brother drives a stock truck,’ 78

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says Ed. At Hauora Produce, the strawberries are all grown indoors. The strawberry plants are placed in bags with coconut fibre and then fed water and fertiliser hydroponically through drippers controlled by a high-tech computer system. The plants are provided with everything they need to grow. As the temperature increases during the day, so does the amount of irrigation. Coco coir is ideal for cultivating strawberries because it retains water more efficiently than soil, meaning strawberry plants require less water than their soil-grown counterparts. It also has more aeration, which is well suited to the strawberries’ root system, which prefers high oxygen levels. The other benefits of hydroponically grown strawberries are faster growth,

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increased yields, and improved quality. The elevated hydroponic ‘tabletops’ were also much easier on staff, meaning no bending down, more accessible and faster picking, leading to greater efficiencies. They can also pick in the rain. Growing under cover also means the strawberries have fewer disease and pest issues. Hauora Produce runs an integrated pest management system, which means that, for the most part, their berries are not sprayed with pesticides. Instead, if pests are becoming an issue, their first reaction is to release beneficial insects that eat pest insects or spot spray with organic sprays. It all comes down to early detection, which is where their eagle-eyed pickers come in. ‘We are much more about being reactive

Left During the growing season the Hobsons’ strawberries are all delicately hand-picked almost daily before being delivered directly to local greengrocers. Above The strawberries are cultivated in coco coir and then fed water and fertiliser hydroponically. Right (top to bottom) While running a strawberry farm is a world away from their previous jobs, both Ed and Kate Hobson are relishing working more closely together while raising their young son, Wilbur.

than preventative. Spraying is only used as a last resort,’ says Ed. Even though their plants are grown indoors, the Hobsons still rely on bees to pollinate the strawberries, as they are the most effective pollinators. They buy in bumble bees because, curiously, the shape of the strawberry is dictated by the pollinator and bumble bees are known to produce the best form. Commercial strawberries are traditionally treated as annuals, with plants replaced every season; yields start dropping off after the first season. Growers order new plants from commercial strawberry plant propagators in September/October to be planted the following June. After about three months, the first berries are ready for picking, going through until the end of May, when the plants are ripped out latitudemagazine.co.nz

Regional Food 79

‘In an ideal world, we want cold nights and warm days so they ripen slowly. It’s impossible to predict just how many we’ll have. We can’t just magic up strawberries if they’re not there.’

and the cycle starts again. During the season, the strawberries ripen in flushes. ‘There are peaks and troughs, ups and downs. It can vary greatly from week to week,’ explains Kate. ‘The weather still has a massive influence even though they’re grown indoors. Strawberries need good sunlight hours. In an ideal world, we want cold nights and warm days so they ripen slowly. It’s impossible to predict just how many we’ll have. We can’t just magic up strawberries if they’re not there.’ Hauora Produce’s fresh strawberries are hand-picked each morning before being delivered directly to greengrocers throughout the Selwyn area and the outskirts of Christchurch that afternoon. The only day they don’t pick is Sunday. ‘Customers often ask what we add to our berries to make them taste fresh and sweet. The answer to that is not much!’ says Ed. ‘It is purely a result of good harvesting and being so local that they taste much better. Most berries come from Whanganui or Levin and 80

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ABOVE Growing up, Ed Hobson had big dreams of being a strawberry farmer. Today he’s fulfilling that dream at Hauora Produce.

are shipped down; ours are picked and delivered the same day. There is no comparison.’ When the season is in full swing, the workforce at Hauora Produce swells, with university students employed to help fill the void. Ed and Kate are also lucky their mums live close by and are more than willing to help when they’re under the pump, whether by caring for Wilbur or picking strawberries. The couple has big plans for the future, with dreams of one day opening a farm shop, as well as offering pickyour-own during holiday periods. But, expansion requires a lot of planning. As all new plants must be ordered well in advance, there is a minimum 18-month delay in any new development.

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This season, commercial growers were left scrambling for plants after extreme weather and labour shortages reduced the number available nationwide. ‘There were 14 million plants sold in 2022, but this season only 8 million were available,’ says Kate. ‘That’s for both the commercial and home-growing market. We had ordered 25,000 new plants but only got 15,000, and we were one of the lucky ones.’ They had resorted to using second-year plants to fill the gap. While their new venture hasn’t been without its challenges, the pair wouldn’t have it any other way. ‘We always knew it was going to be tough, but it’s also incredibly rewarding to see it all. We made our bed, so we can’t complain to anyone,’ says Ed.

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KNOCKING THROUGH THE GRASS CEILING At 28 years old, Emma Poole is a trained veterinarian, an equity partner in two dairy farms plus a runoff and runs a 1,000-calf rearing operation in Pirongia, Waikato. She also happens to be the first woman to win the NZ Young Farmer of the Year and the guest speaker at this year’s Zonta Ashburton International Women’s Day Breakfast. WORDS Sheryl Haitana

IMAGES Emma McCarthy

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Feature 83

AS THE FIRST WOMAN TO WIN

the NZ Young Farmers Grand Final in the 55-year history of the competition, Emma Poole feels proud to be part of changing the narrative. Where it is standard for women to win prestigious farming competitions, not the exception. ‘We’ve finally knocked the grass ceiling off the roof,’ she says. She acknowledges the long chain of women who have worked hard to elevate the role women have in agriculture. ‘All those women have given me the confidence to stand up and give it a go. I’m not the one who changed it, I’m just a product of the evolution, and there is still work to be done.’ It’s encouraging to see the rising numbers of women working in agriculture are starting to be represented by the number of women entering competitions like NZ Young Farmers. ‘A third of agricultural-related workers are female so in theory a third of the contestants should be female; 38 per cent of the entrants this year were female, which is a significant portion.’ Emma and her husband Chris skipped sharemilking and went straight from contract milking into equity partnership with Chris’ parents John and Anne Poole. They bought into his family dairy farm and runoff six years ago and the equity partnership has since bought a second dairy farm in 2023. ‘We owe everything to John and Anne. They thought, “What’s the point of waiting?” Their idea was if we were keen and wanting to be in a partnership, then do it now.’ John and Anne have been hugely supportive when the young couple have taken ideas to them, and they’ve encouraged them to give things a go, Emma says. They are also handson helping with Emma and Chris’ 18-month-old son Beau to give the 84

Feature

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Above Emma and Chris Poole with their son Beau, 18 months, are focused on growing their equity partnership.

young couple the ability to get through their daily workload. Emma runs the calf-rearing operation while Chris oversees the dairy farms and John looks after the young stock on the runoff. Emma also works part-time as a locum dairy veterinarian two days of the week, along with doing 100 per cent of the vet work across the three farms. Emma and Chris are focused on growing their business whilst having a family and Emma admits, like many mothers, she is not averse to the guilt of trying to juggle it all. ‘We are in such a cool growth phase with the business and we are riding that wave, but also making sure we make time for family. I really struggled with the sense of guilt especially when Beau was first born, with trying to find time for the business, for myself and Chris, and for Beau. ‘Any time away from him I felt like I was robbing him of time with me. I

definitely struggled with day care when I first took him there. There were lots of tears. It’s still a work in progress. I realise though, to keep him happy and raise him well, I have to be happy too. Finding that balance is justified.’ Despite such a busy schedule, somehow Emma found time to train and study for the NZ Young Farmers contest. Having previously made the Grand Final in 2019 where she placed third, she knew she wanted to give it one more go. ‘You can only be in the Grand Final twice. We are hoping to have more children, so I thought 2023 was my last opportunity to give it a good go.’ Emma joined the Young Farmers Club (where now-husband Chris was the Chairman) when she was at Massey University studying veterinary medicine. One year Massey didn’t have any competitors at the district NZ

‘I definitely struggled with day care when I first took him there. There were lots of tears. It’s still a work in progress. I realise though, to keep him happy and raise him well, I have to be happy too. Finding that balance is justified.’ Young Farmer competition, so Emma entered, came second and had to go to the regional finals where she placed fourth. ‘I had no idea what I was doing. I was grossly underprepared. But I fell in love with the contest, it was awesome.’ When the couple moved to the family dairy farm at Pirongia they both joined the local Te Kawa West Young Farmers Club. Emma’s brother Tim Dangen won the 2022 NZ Young Farmer of the Year, and Chris, who won the Waikato regional final in the same year, placed runner-up to his brotherin-law in the Grand Final. Chris and Tim were a huge part of her preparation this year, Emma says. From helping quiz her, through to helping her upskill on things from shearing sheep to fencing or building.

Being a mother helped Emma go into this year’s competition with a more unflappable approach, she says. ‘When you become a mum, the most important thing in your life is your child. Everything else becomes secondary to that, and so for me it’s changed how I view things and it’s made things even more enjoyable. ‘It was cool to have Beau watching and yelling out “tractor” every 10 minutes. He is my why.’ Having that attitude is so important in a contest that is designed to rattle you, she says. Emma’s first task in the Agri Sports on Day Two of the Grand Final was to put a trailer on to a tractor, a job Emma does regularly at home, but she just couldn’t get the pin all the way through. ‘It was so bad it was comical.

Is your retirement plan under your feet?

I got the pin in first time, but couldn’t get it all the way in because of the tension. By the time I did it I was 15 minutes behind, Chris and Tim couldn’t even watch, they had walked away, and I’d thought “I’ve lost”, but I managed to pull it together, put the pin in and catch up.’ The key was being able to keep a cool head. Emma also puts her win down to some luck and life experience. For example one of the modules was to replace a broken part in a New Holland square baler. ‘Years ago I was down the back of the farm with Dad fixing a baler and it just came back to me.’ Emma didn’t place first in any of the modules during the Young Farmers Grand Final, but instead placed second in every single one. It was that consistency that won her the accolade and the $90,000 worth of prizes to go with it. ‘I’m the Jill of all trades, master of none,’ she concludes with a grin. If you would like to hear more from Emma Poole, make sure you get your ticket to the Zonta Ashburton International Women’s Day Breakfast, held at Hotel Ashburton on Saturday 9 March 2024 at 8.30 am. Tickets are $45 and available in-store from Preen Ashburton or by phoning 027 424 0469.

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Left ‘Kate has lovingly created a warm and welcoming space at Earth,’ explains Group Sound Healing Practitioner Hazel Sligting. ‘There is so much on offer.’ A therapist collective, Earth offers everything from TCM acupuncture, naturopathy, counselling, massage and much more.

A PASSION FOR HEALING A tumultuous health journey teamed with a passion for wellness has seen Kate Perriam lovingly create a haven of tranquillity and healing in Sumner to serve those who are looking for answers outside typical biomedical treatments.

THE OLD ADAGE THAT OUR

hardest times are often our greatest teachers is certainly true in Kate Perriam’s case. After graduating with a health science degree specialising in Chinese medicine in Wellington 10 86

Your Local Expert

years ago, Kate went about setting up a clinic in Wānaka. ‘In that time, I set up an acupuncture clinic, grew my clientele up to long waiting lists, and bought an additional multi-disciplinary practice in Alexandra with five staff.

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‘It all grew into a big undertaking to operate the businesses as well as putting the volume of care that I did into each client, resulting in [me burning out] – my body literally broke. I ended up in hospital with no feeling in my legs, and received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS).’ After the diagnosis, Kate and her husband sold up and moved north to Waihi Beach for a lifestyle reset, where Kate was able to set up a smaller practice from home, and welcome her two children. ‘Holding my newborn, I had this turning point where I couldn’t accept mum life in a wheelchair, so instead of breaking myself to heal everyone else, I finally learnt to prioritise myself. I embodied the three therapies I practise, integrating 10 years’ clinical expertise with added research, and learnt deeper ways to communicate with the neural system in order to work accordingly with its feedback, adamant that it is possible to heal anything. ‘One month later my body spoke to me and said it’s gone. In disbelief, I tested it by going for a run, and I could run!’ Followed by no symptoms for two years, Kate’s neurologist and MRI confirmed there was now no evidence of any MS and the diagnosis was cleared. Ready for the next phase, Kate and her husband, with their now two- and three-year-old in tow, moved to Sumner to be closer to Kate’s family and her husband’s new

‘I came back into the health industry with this love, passion and energy for what I do again – ready to share new skill sets from this experience.’

work opportunity. ‘I came back into the health industry with this love, passion and energy for what I do again – ready to share new skill sets from this experience, but also just as importantly, to create and work in a new balanced and healthy way.’ It wasn’t long before Kate noticed a gap in Sumner Village for a wellness clinic. ‘I wanted to create a beautiful space that I could share with other like-minded practitioners, creating a community where we could all support each other and share the load. Clinical work is demanding on your energy so it’s important to keep the clinic’s environment and structure low-stress or it quickly all becomes too much.

‘I kicked off renovations of a space which created a bit of local chat and next thing several practitioners popped in to see what I was doing, and wanted to join. My collective work-family were finding me and it grew rapidly and organically from there.’ The result is Earth Wellness, a collective of natural health practitioners with a diverse offering including an acupuncturist, naturopath and medical herbalist, accredited counsellor, massage and manual therapists, NLP and hypnotherapist, nutritionist, energy healers and an integrative health nurse. Also on offer are small-class healing evenings including group acupuncture, Tibetan sound baths and cacao ceremonies.

Kate’s own practice focuses on autoimmune and complex neurological cases, and her clients are often those who want to find another solution to immunosuppressant medication. ‘There are limited options when it comes to healing these conditions, and I feel an ardent purpose working in this area due to my own personal experience with it.’ Kate also created the space at Earth hands-on – she gibstopped, painted, wallpapered, tiled, built artworks and signs and happily sang her way through all of it. ‘This renovation was pure bliss for me; I love hands-on creation, and the walls are literally infused with my singing.’ The result was a space that is clean but not clinical, warm but not busy, beautiful but not too personalised. ‘It is so important to me for clients to step into a space that feels like a healing temple, a relaxing yet neutral space that people naturally feel safe in. Also for the practitioners that work there to feel grounded and centred in their place of practice so they can offer their best treatments.’ Left The treatments offered at Earth Wellness are all of the highest quality. ‘Our team is passionate about helping people achieve their health goals and live their best life,’ explains Agata Zańko, Kobido Face Massage and Aesthetic Osteopath Practitioner.

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Your Local Expert 87

Grounds for Celebration Lisa and Steve’s beautiful home garden, nursery and rhododendron display area at West Melton are all equally impressive, and a genuine reflection of their long-term vision and the values they bring to the whole enterprise at RhodoDirect. WORDS & IMAGES Martin Wilkie

Garden

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Left Bagged rhododendrons shaded by oaks and hazels along the driveway – the display garden and lath house are further along to the right. Above The timber lath shade house, designed with a saw-tooth profiled roof to provide good levels of light and humidity for the rhododendrons throughout the day, and in different seasons.

LISA TELLS ME THAT THE SOIL

is virtually pure sand for the most part, and driving in from Halkett Road along the gravel access past shelterbelts, woodlots and some startled quail there’s the gentle rise and fall of a typical Canterbury riverbed landscape. A metre of sandy soil over shingle is certainly free draining – good ground for hazelnuts and Umbrella pines Pinus pinea, tree crops already here when the couple bought the property six years ago (he’s from Canterbury, she’s from Otago) – but like a sandpit it dries out quickly and needs plenty of organic matter.

The thick mulch of grain stalks and seed heads spread on the display garden turned out to be a layer of (spoiled) triticale, originally harvested as baleage in big cylindrical plastic wraps and virtually cooked in the sun, so any weed seeds were effectively killed off. In Lisa and Steve’s home garden (about a hectare in area), which is also open to visitors at certain times, they first put down about 30 cm of pea straw, then a layer of bark mulch, and then more straw. All this rots down slowly, adding organic matter, feeding increasing numbers of worms and other valuable soil life, and retaining moisture. The house was completed soon after they bought the property, and early tree plantings such as ornamental cherries and cypresses were put in at this time. More intricate layers of trees, shrubs, hedges and perennials such as bearded irises, herbaceous peonies and lilies are more recent at around two or

Hedges and lawns are Steve’s particular area of interest, and he enjoys keeping them looking sharp. He’s very pleased with results from Escallonia ‘Apple Blossom’. three years old. A pattern of formal enclosures with satisfyingly crunchy gravel walkways and symmetrical sight lines have been laid out beside the house, with elegant and unconventional colour combinations: deep plum-red bearded Iris, Heuchera ‘Amethyst’, snarling pink Rhododendron ‘Noyo Chief ’ and burgundy-red Dianthus barbatus. latitudemagazine.co.nz

Garden 89

It’s very sheltered and hot amongst the lines of trees in summer, with a definite flavour of rural Italy!

Top left Chatham Island forget-me-not Myosotidium hortensia – it thrives in the sandy soil and breezy conditions. Top right The view back down the driveway from the home garden entrance – conifer woodlot to the left, and oaks shading a bed of young rhododendrons to the right. Above Rhododendron ‘Wind River’.

Garden |

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Hedges and lawns are Steve’s particular area of interest, and he enjoys keeping them looking sharp. He’s very pleased with results from Escallonia ‘Apple Blossom’; trimmed to about a metre tall, it’s not as fast growing as an earlier white-flowered variety, and only needs trimming in spring and autumn. He also maintains a significant angle or ‘batter’ on the sides, allowing light to reach the lower third of the hedge for uniform growth and density. It also keeps hedges more stable in the wind – once over a metre tall a narrow Escallonia hedge can be wobbly – and to my eye the wider base looks better visually too. The house garden is still relatively exposed to northwest and southerly winds as the shelter grows, while the rhododendron

display garden and lath shade house across the driveway are more protected. A standout plant in the house garden is the Chatham Island forgetme-not. Put in only in 2022 as small plants, they’ve developed into healthy flowering clumps about a metre across which have coped with gales and two enthusiastic pet dogs, and which are also seeding. They obviously appreciate the sandy soil (growing naturally beachside in the Chatham Islands) and get some shade from the house in the hottest weather. Lisa tells me that her hellebores are very healthy too – they don’t seem to have the same issues with whitefly and aphids as ours do in town. The Rhododendron enterprise proper has been established a hundred metres or so back down the driveway opposite

a neatly pruned woodlot of Cupressus. The car park, lath shade house, rhododendron display garden and propagation houses are next to mature avenues of hazelnuts, English oaks and Umbrella pines (which produce pine nuts and are also hosts to the truffle fungus). It’s very sheltered and hot amongst the lines of trees in summer, with a definite flavour of rural Italy! Truffles were the original motivation for buying the property; however after seeing that RhodoDirect at Culverden was for sale, Steve recalls they ‘talked truffles on the way up, and rhododendrons on the way back’ – and the business has now been supplying these plants throughout New Zealand for over 20 years in total, properly acclimatised to local conditions. Pre-Covid the nursery’s point of difference was efficient online supply; now most businesses including plant nurseries function online or have a significant online component. Lisa, Steve and their team do all their own propagation from cuttings sourced mainly within Canterbury; this after experiencing a drop in available

varieties from around 450 to 15 sourced from three wholesalers, in the months after Covid arrived. Currently propagating around 600 different varieties, their propagation techniques have been patiently refined over the last six years, ensuring that percentages of viable cuttings remain extremely high. Out of around 6,500 cuttings to date, Lisa estimates that only 120 have been thrown out, and many of those were likely viable too if they’d had sufficient time and bench space for them to develop. Not surprisingly she’s very particular about labelling everything! From initial cuttings, plants typically take three or four years to reach a good size at which they can be sold. An ongoing task of nipping out single growing tips from developing cuttings produces multi-branched plants with a balanced shape; a ruthless process but well worth the time. The propagating medium and potting mix for growing on have also been refined after years of experimentation, and the plants are thriving in both. One of many challenges has been variation

Top left Hazelnuts, English oaks and Umbrella pines Pinus pinea near the nursery, like a scene from the Italian countryside. Top right Plum-coloured bearded Iris. Above Deep red Dianthus barbatus.

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Garden 91

Top Escallonia hedges in the home garden enclosing upright Thuja ‘Emerald’, roses, young Buxus hedges and intense sky-blue flowered Lithodora diffusa groundcover. Above Cornus ‘Eddie’s White Wonder’ dogwood in the display garden area, next to the lath shade house.

Garden

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in supply, for example pine bark from Canterbury tends to be coarser than that from Marlborough – too many fine particles can fill pores in the mix and obstruct drainage. The main lath shade house next to the car park is a feature with its sawtooth profile, the result of more careful observation. Using lath timbers (narrow 75 mm planks about 100 mm apart) gives the structure more stability in high winds and updrafts, as it filters the gusts and provides better air movement around the plants generally. Shade cloth can block out too much light during part of the season, and slows down air movement: potentially causing frost pockets and raising humidity too

In extreme heat the gravel under the plants can also be soaked – this immediately lowers temperatures and raises humidity as moisture evaporates from the stone surfaces. Above Aptly named Rhododendron ‘Yellow Butterfly’; these colours associate very well with compact ornamental flaxes in warmer tones, and similarly with native Red tussock Chionochloa rubra. Below Deep pink Rhododendron ‘Alice’, with paler ‘Van Dec’ behind in the display garden area.

much. The saw-tooth configuration acts like a clerestory window: vertical open sections allowing sunlight through from north and east through the morning and early afternoon, and angled lath sections providing shade for the plants from hot westerly sun later in the day. Lisa has also placed groups of evergreen conifer Thuja ‘Emerald’ (‘Smaragd’) along the

western side of the lath house to screen out the low sun. Watering in the lath house is as much an art as a science, done by hand because each rhododendron variety has its own needs. Watering the stock is a daily task in summer: early in the morning, and sometimes again in the evening after hot windy conditions. In extreme heat the gravel under the plants can also be soaked – this immediately lowers temperatures and raises humidity as moisture evaporates from the stone surfaces. Temperatures just above the mulch in the display garden can reach 38 degrees Celsius daily for three weeks in a row during summer, and it’s a credit to the tolerance of many rhododendron hybrids that they will tolerate this around their foliage as long as their roots are cool. There’s a rhododendron for most spots (assuming good drainage) and many have the added protection of indumentum, a dense furry coating under the leaves which deters thrips and mites. There’s much to learn and explore here at West Melton, for gardeners of all persuasions. latitudemagazine.co.nz

Garden 93

ONE OF THE MOST HISTORIC

FUNCTIONAL, BEAUTIFUL, SUSTAINABLE Mt Nicholas Merino are on a mission to share their ethos for an environmentally responsible way of life well beyond their remote farm gate with the launch of their product range. A collection designed to complement their already highly sought-after yarn. WORDS Lucinda Diack

Feature

IMAGES Francine Boer

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and largest stations in Aotearoa, Mt Nicholas spans 36,000 hectares from the shores of Lake Wakatipu to deep into Southland and is home to 29,000 merino sheep and 2,300 Hereford cattle. Kate Cocks and Latisha McMurray are the creators, designers and entrepreneurs behind the station’s own merino brand, supported by their husbands Jack and Phil. ‘The idea came about while we were cleaning the shearers’ quarters,’ laughs Kate. ‘We produce 120,000 kilos of merino wool, which is sent to Italy for manufacture into luxury suits, and used in other fashion and active outdoor wear, and we thought – what if we pinched a small amount for us?’ A small amount that has paved the way into a timeless collection of heritage merino goods. ‘After years of growing beautiful merino wool, it is exciting to continue the journey with our fibre, and use it to create products that are uniquely New Zealand, and able to be traced back to a single origin on the station,’ explains Latisha. ‘It was really important to us that we partner with local processing and manufacturing operations; which wasn’t easy as there aren’t many options for this in New Zealand.’ The station’s merino sheep are shorn annually by a highly skilled shearing gang. ‘After the wool handlers’ initial preparation we handsort the wool, removing any vegetable matter and parts of the fleece that are less than perfect, and then the wool is transported to Christchurch for scouring before being sent to Wellington to be dyed and spun, ready for our knitters.’ The design of each piece is carefully overseen by Kate and Latisha

‘After years of growing beautiful merino wool, it is exciting to continue the journey with our fibre, and use it to create products that are uniquely New Zealand.’

with some key considerations in mind. ‘We often ask ourselves what would we like in our homes, or what would we like to wear?’ continues Kate. ‘At every point we are striving to achieve timeless, classic pieces that will appeal to men and women. And especially to those who are seeking a traceable sustainable product.’ Having gained the world’s leading ethical wool certification, The New Zealand Merino Company’s ZQRX standard, Mt Nicholas are ensuring that everything produced on the property is done so with not only fibre quality in mind, but with environmental and social responsibilities as well. ‘The ZQRX standard dives into unique aspects of the property as a whole,’ explains Kate, ‘and looks at not only how we care for our stock but what we are doing to improve the land such as restoring waterways, protecting native species and offsetting carbon. Not only do we ensure our products are produced to the highest quality, but that they are produced with an environmental conscience at every turn. Right down to the packaging – which is all biodegradable.’ Living remotely, the two entrepreneurs laugh as they share an insight into the models they have on hand for trying on their new collection of jerseys – launching at the Wanaka

A&P Show in March 2024. ‘Everyone living on the farm gets called upon to try out our new collections,’ laughs Kate. ‘It is very much a family affair. We have even convinced some of the guys who come and shear our sheep annually to be models for our advertising.’ Designed to be worn with a silk skirt or jeans, out and about or just at home, the merino jerseys, like everything in the range, have been crafted with versatility and classic lines in mind. ‘We have men and women’s designs,’ enthuses Latisha, ‘and while there will be beautiful natural shades we also have a brighter option for those looking to add a pop of colour to their wardrobe.’ Beanies, scarves, hats and gloves will also be part of the Autumn 2024 collection. Growing a business within a business is no small feat, but this dynamic duo has more than proved they are a formidable pair – they have four children between them, live in ‘the middle of nowhere’, Latisha also manages the farm’s events business, while Kate manages the business and compliance responsibilities of the farm. ‘We want to tell our story through our products,’ concludes Kate, ‘connecting Mt Nicholas with people all across New Zealand and further afield.’ A connection and story that has plenty more to come.

Above Along with their collection of

yarn, woollen blankets and throws, Autumn 2024 will see the launch of beanies, scarves, gloves and their heritage jerseys with more products planned for the future. Left From left to right: Phil and Latisha McMurray along with Kate and Jack Cocks have worked together on Mt Nicholas Station for nine and a half years. Their most recent collaboration is Mt Nicholas Merino – a heritage goods collection with beauty, function and timelessness at its heart.

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Feature 95

Heading in the Right Direction It is time to be positive. NZ Mortgages Managing Director Nathan Miglani offers an insight into where the property market is heading this year. AS THE NEW YEAR DAWNS AND

we embark on 2024, we can take some confidence from the fact that the real estate market is heading in the right

direction. The light is no longer at the end of the tunnel, it is within reach.

While it won’t be until quarter three

or even quarter four of this year that we start to see some relief when it comes to interest rates, we know the market

stagnant. Prices had dropped year-

on-year by $100,000 in Rolleston for

example, but post-election we started to see the demand for sections grow

once more. What we are seeing right now is people seeking finance to

buy sections on which to build, or

refinancing to renovate, aiding the

momentum needed for our construction sector to bounce back.

is going in the right direction when

As we know in the construction

people start to build. For a long time in

sector, we see a cycle of supply-demand-

of land on the city fringes was relatively

prices now, I would predict a shortage of

2023, the market for sections or parcels

Finance with NZ Mortgages

sections in Christchurch within the next 12 months, which is heartening for us all. Looking to property trends for the first quarter of the year, it is all about those buying for a purpose: to help a child into a home for example. We are seeing very few investing in property just for the sake of it, or for a desire to become a landlord – a factor driven simply by interest rates. As these start to drop later in the year I would expect this to change. For first home buyers the market remains steady. The most active market is within the $800,000 – $1.3 million range, driven primarily by those relocating to Canterbury from Auckland – a decision that sees their investment go further given the variance in average house prices between the two cities. Despite the significant cost of living and high interest rates, it is important to remain optimistic about the market’s stability going forward. For those buying or investing I would still urge you to only fix for the short term as all forecasts are for a drop later in the year and you want to be in a position to take advantage of this.

supply-demand. Looking at land

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Years of experience mean Nathan Miglani knows how to give you the best possible chance of success if you are thinking of buying or building a property. Whether it’s a first home, next home, rental or a development, Nathan and his team are passionate about helping you through the process and they’ll find the best deal for your unique circumstances. nzmortgages.co.nz

M olesworth Station

Modern Lifestyle Living

YOUR CHANCE TO BIKE IT THIS AUTUMN.

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Join a supported cycling tour to discover Molesworth Station in the Marlborough high-country. Enjoy meeting local farmers as part of this off the beaten track adventure. Great farm accommodation and meals. Best of all, the planning is done for you.

Tour starts and finishes in Hanmer Springs E-Bike hire available

and apartments available NOW.

Dates / March 4-7, March 18-21, March 25-28 Other dates could be possible for group bookings of 8-10 people.

Cheviot P 027 435 1955

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Find retail gems, dining and accommodation to suit all budgets. As a central point for wineries, Kaikoura, and Hanmer Springs, Cheviot offers a perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. Uncover natural treasures via walking and cycling, including Gore Bay and St Anne’s Lagoon. Immerse yourself in gardens, art, or enjoy the thrill of jet boating amidst stunning landscapes. 14a0dd

OTAGO ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND 22 - 24 MARCH 2024 Oamaru’s cafes, restaurants, bars and streets will be filled with live Jazz and Blues across the Otago Anniversary Weekend.

IN CHEVIOT Brimming with activities and friendly rural hospitality, Cheviot is a destination awaiting your discovery.

Supporting local and national performers, we look forward to bringing you cocktail evenings, outdoor events, evening showcases and a street party. This is an event for all to enjoy!

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are to your insurer when it comes to valuations and to provide all supporting information when requested. Keep your broker up to date with any changes to your business or personal assets, especially if you are making changes that will affect the value of your property or business assets.

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UNDERINSURANCE Underinsurance is a trap for business owners and individuals alike. So, how do you know if you’re underinsured and what can you do about it?

UNDERINSURANCE IS WHEN YOU

lack adequate coverage for your legal liabilities or the cost of loss or damage to your assets. You are at greatest risk of underinsurance if you haven’t updated your insurance to reflect growth in your business or appreciation of your assets, your sums insured are based on outdated replacement costs, or you haven’t considered all risks that could result in financial loss. These scenarios can result in adverse financial consequences at claim time, leaving you short of money and options at a vulnerable time. 98

We know the risk of underinsurance is greatest in a hardening insurance market when people become more price-conscious and may be tempted to deliberately underinsure, or they simply underestimate the true cost of replacing their assets or covering their liabilities. Regular reviews are key Allow plenty of time prior to your renewal to check your current sums insured would be adequate in a total loss claim and obtain any valuations. It’s important to read your policy wordings to understand what your obligations

Insurance with Abbott Insurance Brokers

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The importance of sums insured The sum insured is the maximum amount an insurer will pay. For example, in a total loss claim, the sum insured needs to be sufficient to rebuild your home to the size and standard it was prior to the loss, allowing for inflation, demolition costs, professional fees, and any outbuildings covered by the policy. Remember, the drivers of a hardening insurance market – inflation, supply chain disruptions, the increasing cost of claims, and rising reinsurance costs – also drive the risk of underinsurance, so it’s possible the sum insured may already be outdated by the time your policy renews. Seek advice early and take the time to get it right.

Donna Harker is a commercial insurance broker at Abbott Insurance Brokers Christchurch. She’ll help you navigate the complexities of insurance, providing personalised guidance and an insurance solution tailored for your unique situation. abbott.co.nz

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How to

D rinks Make a

Cabinet

Top Tip

FROM RESENE Can’t decide what colours to use? Let the Resene wallpaper be your guide! Simply pick out one or two colours, then ask your local Resene Colour Expert to help you match it. This project is great if you have fallen in love with a bold wallpaper but aren’t brave enough to use it on the walls in your home!

Transform an old bedside table into a retro-style drinks

You will need:

cabinet using Resene paint to ensure your fav tipple,

✱

glassware and cocktail-making tools are displayed in style.

✱ ✱ ✱

WORDS & IMAGES Penny Newton

PREPARE THE CABINET BY

giving all paintable surfaces a light sand and a wipe clean. Paint all surfaces, except the back panel, with an even coat of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss in a colour of your choice. I used Resene Anise for the inside, and Resene Foam for the outside to match the wallpaper. Use a roller for an extra smooth finish, and then touch up the corners with the brush. Allow to dry fully, and give a second coat. Cut the Resene wallpaper sample to size by measuring the back panel. If you can easily remove the back

✱

panel, it makes the job of measuring and cutting a lot easier! Paint a thin layer of wallpaper glue onto your surface, then fix the wallpaper by applying it to one edge, then gently rolling the wallpaper across. A damp cloth is great to have on hand to smooth down as you go so you don’t get any air bubbles. Next, try creating a glass rack using two bits of wood. You can buy the wire variety in-store, but they are so simple to make! Take two pieces of wood that are around 0.5–1 cm thick and the width of the shelf, plus two thinner strips that are

✱ ✱ ✱ ✱

Medium-grade sandpaper Electric sander Cloth

Medium paintbrush

Resene mini roller kit Resene drop cloth

Tape measure and pen knife Wallpaper glue

Resene Wallpaper sample – we used Resene Wallpaper Collection AT7070

✱

Wood offcuts to make the glass hanger

✱

Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel paint – we used Resene Anise and Resene Foam. For

a small area and multicolour finish, you could use Resene testpots

Resene about a quarter Anise of the width of the wood. Glue the smaller Resene piece of wood Foam in the centre on the underside of the bigger piece, wait to dry, then paint. Repeat for the other piece. Then screw these onto the underside of the shelf so you can easily hang some wine glasses. I also added some feet to my cabinet to give it some height, and painted them Resene Foam to match. Display your favourite bottles and glasses, and make a cocktail or two. For more ideas and inspiration see your local Resene ColorShop, resene.co.nz/colorshops

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Exteriors with Resene 101

6 1

Designer FINDS

Discover the latest fashion from our favourite local stores. 1/ Untouched World: Sofia Sweater in Basalt $399, Tyra Top in Fern Check $329, Solana Pants in Natural $299. 2/ Trenzseater: Kendall Salad Plate $138 and Kendall Dinner Plate $195. 3/ Whistle & Pop: The Ahuriri – Lucerne Meadow Hat $170. 4/ Herbertandwilks Jewellery: Wrapped Beaded Necklace $550. 5/ Art on Thames: I am Home Print from $49. 6/ Rangiora Equestrian: Cannes Deck Shoes $399.95. 7/ Davaar: The Lucky Lass – Rose Colour $389. 8/ Jessica Flora: Here For You Dress – Florence Blue $320. 9/ Homestead: Real World Dishwashing Liquid $46 and Revive Bench Spray $34. 10/ Canon Street Optometrists: Dutz $449. 11/ Stepping Out: Bresley Alton Green Patent $219.90.

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Fashion

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Fill the Tins

With back-to-work-and-school upon us, what better time to fill the tins with easy and delicious on-the-go baked delights from the wonderful VJ Cooks. RECIPES Vanya Insull

IMAGES Melanie Jenkins

Chocolate Rice Bubble Slice READY 20 minutes + setting time MAKES 16 pieces

My twist on the classic rice bubble

slice has melted chocolate and dried apricots added. Feel free to swap

the apricots for dried cranberries or add your favourite dried fruits, nuts or seeds.

120 g (4¼ oz) butter ½ cup brown sugar 190 g (6¾ oz) milk chocolate 2 Tbsp cocoa powder 3 cups rice bubbles ¼ cup dried apricots, finely chopped 1 tsp sprinkles (optional)

Line a 20 cm (8 in) square slice tin with baking paper. Stir the butter and sugar in a large pot over a medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and break in the chocolate. Add the cocoa and stir until the chocolate has melted. Stir in the rice bubbles and apricots. Transfer to the prepared tin and press firmly out to the edges. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Scatter with the sprinkles (if using). Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight until set. Cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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Food 105

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan bake. Line a 27 x 17 cm (10¾ x 6½ in) slice tin with baking paper.

Crispy Cashew Caramel Slice READY 40 minutes + setting time MAKES 20 pieces

If you have a sweet tooth or are a big

CARAMEL FILLING

caramel fan, you can double the caramel

395 g (14 oz) can sweetened

rice bubbles make a tasty, crispy base.

2 Tbsp butter

layer in this recipe. The cashews and

condensed milk 2 Tbsp golden syrup

200 g (7 oz) butter ½ cup white sugar

CHOCOLATE LAYER

2 Tbsp golden syrup

200 g (7 oz) milk or dark chocolate

1½ cups self-raising flour

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1½ cups rice bubbles 1 cup roasted cashews, chopped

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Food

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To make the base, place the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large microwave-proof bowl and microwave until melted. Stir to combine. Stir in the flour, rice bubbles and cashews. Transfer to the prepared tin and press out to the edges. Bake for 10 minutes. While the base is baking, make the Caramel Filling by combining the ingredients in a pot and stirring over a low heat until smooth. Spread the hot Caramel Filling over the base, then return the slice to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin. To make the Chocolate Layer, place the chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl and microwave in bursts until melted. Add the oil and whisk until smooth. Spread over the cooled slice. Chill until the topping has set, then cut into 20 bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Lolly Slice

READY 15 minutes + setting time MAKES 24 pieces

Lolly cake brings back so many memories of childhood parties. Lolly slice is even easier to make, because you just need to press the mixture into a slice tin and scatter coconut over the top. Watch this yummy treat get snapped up by kids and adults alike! 120 g (4½ oz) butter, melted ½ cup sweetened condensed milk

250 g (9 oz) packet malt biscuits, crushed 150 g (5½ oz) fruit puffs or Explorers, chopped ¼ cup desiccated coconut

Line a 20 cm (8 in) square slice tin with baking paper. Place the butter and condensed milk in a large microwaveproof bowl and microwave until melted.

Stir in the crushed biscuits and fruit puffs or Explorers. Transfer to the prepared tin and spread out to the edges, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the coconut over the top. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight until set. Cut into 24 pieces. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. latitudemagazine.co.nz

Food 107

LEMON GLAZE 1 cup icing sugar 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1–2 tsp boiling water

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan bake. Line a 27 x 13 cm (10¾ x 5 in) loaf tin with baking paper. Mix together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Add the eggs and mix again. Sift in the flour, baking powder and soda. Fold together until just combined. Pour a third of the batter into the lined tin. Scatter half of the blueberries on top. Repeat with a third more of the mixture and the remaining blueberries. Finish with the remaining loaf mixture and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Lemon and Blueberry Loaf READY 1 hour 15 minutes + setting time MAKES 1 medium loaf

150 g (5½ oz) butter, melted 1 cup white sugar 1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest ½ cup lemon juice 2 eggs, whisked 2 cups plain flour

This is a lovely light loaf, perfect for morning tea. The lemon glaze looks so pretty with the blueberries.

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Food

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1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda ¾ cup frozen blueberries, thawed

To make the Lemon Glaze, mix the icing sugar, lemon zest and juice. Add the boiling water a little at a time until a drizzling consistency is achieved. Drizzle the Lemon Glaze over the cooled loaf. Allow to set before slicing and serving. Store in an airtight container in the pantry.

Seed and Nut Bars READY 20 minutes + setting time MAKES 16 pieces

If you’ve ever eaten a sesame snap,

you’ll have an idea of how these bars

taste. Chewy and crunchy with a subtle

honey flavour, they’re a great alternative to muesli bars in school lunchboxes. ½ cup sunflower seeds ¼ cup pumpkin seeds ¼ cup sesame seeds 1 cup desiccated coconut ½ cup rice bubbles ½ cup coarsely chopped roasted cashews ½ cup coarsely chopped roasted almonds 100 g (3½ oz) butter cup brown sugar ¼ cup honey

Line a 27 x 17 cm (10¾ x 6½ in)

slice tin with baking paper. Place

the sunflower, pumpkin and sesame

seeds in a dry frying pan over a gentle heat and toast for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure they don’t burn. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and

add the coconut, rice bubbles, cashews and almonds. Set aside.

Place the butter, sugar and honey in a small pot on a low heat, until melted

and bubbling. Continue to bubble for a further 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over the dry

ingredients and quickly mix to combine.

Transfer to the prepared tin and

spread out to the edges, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon.

Chill until set then cut into 16 bars.

Images and text from Summer Favourites by Vanya Insull, photography by Melanie Jenkins (Flash Studios), published by Allen & Unwin, RRP $39.99.

Store in an airtight container.

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Food 109

This could have been you! Advertise your business with latitude. julie@countrywidemedia.co.nz Phone 03 308 6638

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or 67 67 •DESIGN •MANUFACTURE • INSTALLATION or call call us us on on 0800 0800 67 67 67 67 ASHBURTON’S KITCHEN SPECIALISTS Showroom: 8 8 John John Street, Street, Ashburton Ashburton Showroom: ASHBURTON’S KITCHEN KITCHEN SPECIALISTS SPECIALISTS ASHBURTON’S LOCALLY OWNED OWNED AND AND MANUFACTURED MANUFACTURED LOCALLY

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in detail Sweet Soul Patisserie

Charli & Coco Pet Collection

Parisian café-style located in Christchurch Central. Proudly making delicate edible art; the Forbidden Fruit’ and Lemon Tart’ are two of their classics. All the cabinet’s desserts are made on-site with fresh ingredients. Family and dog-friendly space, you can pair your dessert with a cup of coffee or indulge yourself with a glass of Champagne.

For fancy felines and pampered pooches, Charli & Coco is a local pet lifestyle store and grocer offering an array of modern products for every pet parent and home. Whether you are shopping for a special occasion or everyday essentials, visit 54 Holmwood Road or their online store for a pet shopping experience unlike any other.

03 365 1919, sweetsoul.nz

03 925 9957, charliandcoco.com

Rangiora Equestrian Supplies

Studio Ohae

TRENZSEATER

The coast is calling! Put your best foot forward this summer with a pair of trusty Dubarry deck shoes. Made to last a lifetime and so comfortable you won’t want to take them off, your Dubarrys will be going everywhere with you for years to come. Available exclusively from Rangiora Equestrian Supplies.

Studio Ohae is home to luxury knitwear brand Ohae, designed in the beautiful town of Ōamaru. The rugged landscape and cold winters are the inspiration behind this label. Using high-quality natural fibres, visit us at 16 Tees Street so you can feel and fall in love with them yourself. Or come in and see our other brands that complement our knitwear.

Design leader in the New Zealand market for furniture and interior design, specialising in furniture which is designed and manufactured in New Zealand; also imports and distributes an impressive portfolio of international brands throughout New Zealand, which are showcased in our stores located in Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown.

03 313 1674, rangiorasaddlery.co.nz

027 441 6537, ohae.co.nz

03 343 0876, trenzseater.com

The Ringmakers

Humdinger Gin

AP Designs

The Ringmakers specialise in custom design and manufacture, handmaking items in their on-site workshop, and also remodel and repair exisiting jewellery. With a range of popular jewellery and watch brands including Pandora, Karen Walker Jewellery, Bulova and Daniel Wellington also in-store, they have something for everyone!

Crafted in the heart of Geraldine, the Humdinger Dry and Citrus Gins are worldclass. Four different gins winning Gold Medals in only three years is testament to the diligence of the distillers. The Dry Gin is an absolute classic with a beautifully long finish, while the Citrus Gin is fragrantly enticing and refreshing. Experience the buzz for yourself.

Expertly handmade in New Zealand, AP Designs’ gorgeous range of cuddly toys is the perfect gift for wee ones. With a range of styles available, all are hand crocheted with quality wools or sewn with precision in beautiful cottons. Something for all ages from newborn to tween – many styles also include clothing sets and accessories.

03 688 1362, theringmakers.co.nz

027 463 4790, humdinger.nz

03 443 2233, apdesigns.co.nz

A showcase of local stores, accommodation outlets and businesses.

112

Showcase |

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BRAIN GYM Puzzles to get your mind

Code Cracker Code Cracker

Each number represents a different letter of the alphabet. Work out which number stands for which letter to complete the crossword. We’ve given you two letters to start. All words are from a dictionary and no Each number represents a different letter of the alphabet. Work out which number stands for which letter to complete the crossword. We’veof given two lettersare to start. words are proper nouns are used. All letters theyou alphabet notAll always used. from a dictionary and no proper nouns are used. All letters of the alphabet are not always When you have cracked the code fill in the answer in the boxes below. used. When you have cracked the code fill in the answer in the boxes below.

into problem-solving mode.

Given letters 1 14

Answers can be found on

our website. latitudemagazine.co.nz/puzzles

Hexagon Word Puzzle

7 8

Use the clues to fill in the spaces in the numbered hexagons. Each answer runs clockwise but can start anywhere in the shape. Where hexagons touch, they have the same letter. We’ve given you a word to start with. The letters in the white hexagon reveal a mystery keyword.

22 19

4 18

23 22

Answer: 21 3

13 6

13 18

13 10

24 22

19 22

17 4

6 13

CLUES

20 21

15 14

17 10

1. Frail

4. Engraved

2. Index or pinkie

5. Tame

3. Chalice

6. Violin

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

I R

Sudoku

N I A A

F 1

M A M A

A A 3

5 4

9 8

squares SOLUTION:so that A=4, B=21, C=5, D=9, E=22, F=23, G=7, H=2, I=18, J=20, K=1, L=3, M=24, N=6, O=13, P=14, every row, every 2 1 X=15, Y=16 6 7 3 R=17, S=19, T=11, U=10, V=8, W=12, column, and every BLACKBERRY box contains 9 8 3 4 1 the numbers 1 through 9. 7 1 4 2 6

4 6

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Puzzles 113

Handy Crossword 1

10 11

12 14

18 21

35 40

43 48

44 47

34 39

25 29

31 33

52 54 55

Wheel Words

Create words of 4 letters or more using the given letters once only, but always including the middle letter. Do not use proper names or plurals ending with S. See if you can find the 9-letter word using all the letters.

N O

R R

A E

C I

18 Good | 24 Very Good | 29+ Excellent

114

Puzzles

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HANDY CROSSWORD CLUES ACROSS 1. Forefront 7. His & ... 10. Power madness 11. Fresh (breeze) 12. Jab 13. Curved bones 15. TV compere 17. City, ... Paulo 18. Crafty 20. Camouflaged 21. Alien craft (1,1,1) 23. Meadow 24. Hard worker, busy ... 26. Flexible pipe 27. Kitchen basins 29. Handle 31. Pronto (1,1,1,1) 32. New Zealand bird 33. Detect sound 35. Dutch flower 37. Fingertip cover 39. 1960s drug (1,1,1) 41. Grenade trigger 42. CIA foe (1,1,1) 43. Dear ... or Madam 44. Droop 45. Burgle 47. Dines 50. Opposed to 52. Carnival, Mardi ... 53. First man 54. Annoying 55. Pronounces 56. Piano ivories DOWN 1. Bumpkins 2. Loving 3. Specialty food store 4. Paddles 5. Fleecy 6. Pulp 7. Pelvis/thigh joints 8. Of clay 9. Aligned oneself 14. Disapproving cry 16. Sphere 18. Blunders (4-3) 19. Chattering 22. Misgivings 25. Making last, ... out 26. Regal title (1,1,1) 27. GPS device, ... nav 28. Small mouthful of tea 30. LA suburb, ... Air 34. By this time 36. Acted as go-between 38. Condense 40. Fleck 42. Barbie doll’s mate 43. Exhales tiredly 46. Jolts 48. Unchanged (2,2) 49. Drains 50. In addition 51. Cistern

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On-line Store Open Now!

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Contents 115

Driven to create surfaces that make a living environment durable, feel and look good to live in, we believe the tactile nature of hand applied, bespoke plaster is unrivalled.

reseneconstruction.co.nz 116

Contents

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