21 August, 2015
life+style The Weekend Sun 1
Best foot forward Page 2
THE WEEKEND
Tour de Paengaroa
Tauranga’s hidden gem
Judy Alvos and Expozay
2
life+style The Weekend Sun 21 2015 16August, February, 2018
Fixing your feet Without drugs or surgery Do you suffer from foot pain that just won’t go away? Do you have bunions and think surgery is the only option? The team at Corrective Foot Solutions might have the answer. The clinic is a podiatry practice specialising in an effective and advanced treatment method called Foot Mobilisation Therapy. Foot Mobilisation Techniques have evolved from combining the podiatric biomechanical understanding of the foot and leg, with the physical manual techniques used by physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractics to treat foot-specific injuries. FMT is a hands-on technique that corrects stiff, misaligned or dysfunctional joints by gently encouraging the foot through its natural range of motion. “With FMT, we treat heel pain, bunions, hammer toes, painful joints and sore knees, without orthotics,” says head podiatrist and owner Shaun McCann. “Our innovative technique locates and treats the cause of your foot pain, not just the symptoms, and as a result can be a great conservative approach to avoiding foot surgery in many cases. “Addressing the underlying cause intrinsically means that patients generally don’t need orthotics, and can give patients a range of footwear options. “I’ve learned that with orthotics, the issue is always that women have extreme difficulty wearing and using them due to footwear limitations. “Our treatment does not restrict activity and we encourage our patients to continue their normal activity depending on the condition.” Podiatrist Shaun has considerable experience with manual therapies and the management of lower limb problems. Having prescribed orthotic therapy for several years, Shaun recognised the limitations of orthotics
beyond the treatment of symptoms. Frustrated with the confines of traditional podiatry, Shaun undertook postgraduate training in FMT in Australia – a technique that he believes can not only alleviate foot pain, but correct foot function and structure in the long term. Having personally dealt with foot problems, Shaun underwent a course of FMT himself, to ensure that he could provide his patients with the best level of care. He is now confident in saying that he no longer relies on orthotics and his feet feel stronger and more mobile. The team have a passion for improving the quality of life for all their patients, by fixing their foot and leg problems. This helps keep their patients moving freely and confidently without the need for orthotics, surgery or drugs. By using FMT, Corrective Foot Solutions is able to improve the alignment of the feet and body and this, in conjunction with corrective exercises, addresses the underlying cause of the issue, providing long-term results that can change not only your lifestyle but also the range of fashion choices available to you. “We employ advanced assessment techniques that are measureable and give the client objective feedback,” says Shaun. “Our treatment method challenges traditional methods and their limitations to provide the best possible outcomes.” Corrective Foot Solutions specialise in foot mobilisation therapy while also offering services in advanced lower limb acupuncture, active release techniques and advanced lower limb dry needling. Having worked in the biggest Foot Mobilisation practice in the world for a number of years, Shaun has successfully treated hundreds of patients in Sydney, Australia using FMT, and now specialises in moving his patients away from surgery – particularly for bunions – and providing an alternative to orthotic therapy. He is proud to be the only podiatrist
in New Zealand to specialise in FMT and is delighted to bring this new and exciting technique to the Bay of Plenty. Now established in Tauranga, customer satisfaction has resulted in glowing reviews on the life-changing processes offered at Corrective Foot Solutions. “I wish I’d found you earlier, my feet don’t feel tired and sore after standing all day at work,” says Carol Lilley. “For the first time my feet are pain free, I don’t wear orthotics anymore and my bunions feel and look great! Highly recommend,” says Janette Newman. Shaun is registered and a member with the New Zealand Podiatrists Board and holds a current Annual Practising Certificate. Are you suffering from heel pain, bunions, hammer toes, painful joints, sore knees or struggling to wear the shoes you love? The team at Corrective Foot Solutions believe they have a painless and convenient solution to your foot problems. Visit: www.correctivefootsolutions.co.nz or call: 07 925 0269 and make an appointment today.
16 February, 2018
life+style The Weekend Sun 3
Tour de Paengaroa The Cycle-ology of the TEL Ruve Baker and Alyson Tomalin were getting ready for one of their Wednesday adventures.
Ruve Baker and Alyson Tomalin
Photos: Bruce Barnard
They’ve often driven down the Tauranga Eastern Link, and were now planning to ride the cycleway running alongside it. “We can see it from the expressway,” says Ruve. “It’s quite visual from the motorway, but people don’t know how to get on it.” They decided to drive down to Paengaroa Village and enter the cycleway from there. “It’s my first time on the cycle track,” says Ruve. “We don’t know how far it is or where we end up. “Hopefully we end up back here.” In 2015, there was a ripple of excitement across social media as the news of a cycleway as part of the Tauranga Eastern Link spread. A three metre wide, 6.8 kilometre shared path runs alongside the TEL from the future Papamoa East interchange to Te Tumu Road. A fence prevents access from the path on to the motorway. There are access points at the Kaituna River Bridge via Bell Road, Kaituna Road and Te Tumu Road. This enables people to cross the river between Papamoa, the Kaituna Wetlands and Maketu, and opens up significant opportunities for those looking to travel alongside the TEL. Pedestrian and cycle connections are provided via shared paths through the Mangatawa and Domain Road interchanges. These revert to footpaths and on-road cycling upon connecting to local roads. Refuges are also provided so pedestrians and cyclists
can safely cross the road. Once constructed, the future Papamoa East interchange and Rangiuru interchange will have a shared path that will enable people to get between their home and workplace. The Papamoa to Paengaroa Trail runs from the end of Bell Road in Papamoa following the Tauranga Eastern Link, then the Te Puke Highway into Paengaroa Village. This cycleway encompasses the NZ Transport Agency’s Tauranga Eastern Link cycleway and a 10km extension from Te Tumu Road to Paengaroa, and opened in March 2016. Various groups abound, such as the Sunday Cyclists who enjoy Sunday morning rides in low traffic rural areas. Ideal for cyclists ranging from beginners to experienced, no one is left behind. The Papamoa Cruisers is another group, combining cyclists with riders of mobility scooters, out enjoying a ride together. Western Bay of Plenty District Council have a vision for a cycle/walkway to connect all council communities from Waihi Beach all the way to Pukehina. Council’s highest priority routes include Omokoroa to Tauranga Urban Cycle Trail, Waihi to Waihi Beach Cycle Trail, Katikati Urban Cycle/ Walkways, Papamoa to Paengaroa Cycle Trail, Kaituna Road to Maketu, Te Puke Urban, Maketu Road to Te Puke and Waihi Beach. Ruve and Alyson have their bikes ready, water bottles in place and helmets on. They decide to have a coffee across the road at The Funky Lizard before they go. Rosalie Liddle Crawford “Just in case,” says Ruve.
4
16August, February, 2018 life+style The Weekend Sun 21 2015
Tauranga’s hidden gem Maungawhare – 140 years Quietly tucked away in Otumoetai is one of Tauranga’s oldest historic homes, Maungawhare. Built 140 years ago in 1878, the private kauri homestead was once the hub of entertainment and elegant garden parties. I was introduced to the current owner, Hilary Revfeim, through a shared friend and was delighted to find she is an accomplished pianist, often accompanying singers. In one of the many rooms of the homestead, her piano sits, and clearly this house has enjoyed many hours of music within its walls. “In the 1910s, TC Maltby, who was the commodore of the Yacht Club, did a lot of entertaining here,” says Hilary. “He used to like the English hunt, so he’d lead a group chasing rabbits on horseback. They’d meet at Waihi Road, gallop around the estuary, come up Coach Drive and call in here for breakfast. “There were also garden parties and tennis on the lawn. He over-extended himself so sold off the library and billiard room to repay debts.” The two south wing rooms were dismantled and removed to 13th Avenue, becoming absorbed into what is now Ultimate Care Oakland, a rest home. The house, originally known as Woodhill, was designed by Hamilton architect Isaac Richardson Vialou, and built by S.H Brabant in 1878 for his magistrate brother H.W Brabant. Situated on the highest point in Otumoetai, and visible from surrounding land, distance communication was often carried out by semaphore.
In 1884, new owner H.B Johnston, the first president of the Tauranga Men’s Club, renamed the area Maungawhare or ‘house on the hill’. Brabant took the name Woodhill to a new residence at 167 Grange Road, now the site of Woodhill Funeral Home. The property, now reduced to 3.6 hectares from its original 20, has been in the Revfeim family since 1939. Nearby houses in Parkvale Road now occupy some of the original land, once developed into a farm and then an orchard. I wandered around the garden with Hilary. The Maungawhare parkland sits alongside the property, having once been part of the whole. Hilary points out the four large Norfolk pines, seen on the skyline from many points throughout Tauranga, and planted sometime between 1884 and 1890. The northernmost, once the tallest in the Bay of Plenty, was struck by lightning in 1978. “Ships coming in to Tauranga Harbour would line themselves up with the pines, to safely navigate the channel,” says Hilary. Although I’ve been unable to verify this very interesting piece of information having searched through Tauranga’s historic records, the Elms also has Norfolk pines that were used for this purpose, so it’s highly probable. A covenant for the protection of trees was signed with Tauranga District Council in 1997. The house was entered into the NZ Historic Place Register in 1983. It’s a daunting task taking care of the property, and managing the house renovations and maintenance, which Hilary has been doing almost single-handedly since her husband died.
16 February, 2018 21 August, 2015
“A
life+style The Weekend Sun 5
third generation resident,
Hilary is an enthusiast, preparing the house for the fourth generation”
previous owner’s possessions. Within the walls of the Maungawhare homestead is the same sense of timelessness that I’ve felt walking through the two other homes. There are canes and walking sticks, old dressers and plenty of oak. Furniture dating from the 1840s that arrived with the Revfeim family from Whanganui mixes with furniture that came from Auckland in the early 1900s. One of the historically significant elements of Maungawhare is the unpainted kauri board and batten ceiling that features in the main lounge. Hilary loves the spaciousness. “This is what I like about old houses,” she explains. “You can withdraw into the bedroom, shut the door, be quiet and read, and nobody is looking for you.” Outside is an old pew. “It was given to my mother-in-law. “It rocked, so a mother up the front of the church could rock her crying baby. “I think it was rescued from the fire at Holy Trinity.” A third generation resident, Hilary is an enthusiast, preparing the house for the fourth generation. This year though, Maungawhare celebrates its 140th birthday, starting off with a garden party in last weekend. Happy birthday Maungawhare!
Photos: Bruce Barnard
The two-storey house, with steep gables mounted by finials, features delicate verandah fretwork. There are seven exterior doors and four original brick chimneys. Separate quarters include a kitchen with a wood stove where servants cooked and ate over 100 years ago. That’s now a sitting room. Four upstairs bedrooms look out onto the flagpole, a grass tennis court, a 100-year-old creeping wisteria and the rebuilt shed. Under the stairs, Hilary keeps a collection of flags including the flags of Australia, New Zealand and Sweden, which she likes to run up the pole. “It depends on which people visit,” she says. “The latest one was a British flag.” We explore the house, and I can see that there have been additional renovations over the years. Major Hugh Wright rebuilt the house’s southern wing in 1931. Extensive work on the western side was done in 1972 by architect Geoff Keyte. “Most of the house was prefabricated, arriving in a package from Sydney,” says Hilary. “The kauri was shipped there, manufactured then shipped back. The bay windows were inserted ready-made into the walls.” The Elms mission house was built in 1847, some 31 years before Maungawhare. The Brain Watkins House in Cameron Road was built in 1881, and is now a museum entirely furnished with
30
Hilary Revfeim
Rosalie Liddle Crawford
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6
February, 2018 life+style The Weekend Sun 2116August, 2015
“I was a dreamer. I wasn’t interested in what they taught me at school”
Judy Alvos Tiger moth, leopard cloth and a Gold Card One evening, while strumming away on the beach piano in Pilot Bay, I caught a flash of red behind me on the seaside seat.
Savage swim suit
Turning, I discovered a vibrant and exotic sight. Long lean brown legs, wearing a bright mandarin and gold bodice, a pale orange silk shirt casually draped off the shoulders, leopard skin print shorts, all topped with bright red-orange hair. Behind the large sunglasses and the broad whiteteeth smile, one of the warmest, fun-natured people I’ve had the pleasure to ever meet. We chatted and I realised this is the iconic fashionista of my youth. Judy Alvos, the stunning teenage entrepreneur who, along with her husband Tony Alvos and Bryan Potter, won a NZ Trade and Enterprise export award in 1981. Their company, Expozay, has been one of NZ’s most iconic and successful international fashion businesses. Judy still has about three- quarters of the original swimwear collection, which has been sold into highend US department stores including Bloomingdales, Macys and Saks Fifth Avenue, and worn by the likes of Raquel Welch, Lorraine Downs, Rachel Hunter, Delyse Nottle and Kylie Bax. Some of the collection is also stored in the Tauranga Museum Collection, waiting to be displayed. Her life, though, hasn’t all been about fashion. At age six, her father strapped Judy and her seven-year-old sister into the front cockpit of his Tiger Moth at Tauranga Airport and took them into the air to do acrobatics. “I guess that’s where I really began to use my
imagination,” laughs Judy. At age 14 she was hawking off hand-made boardshorts and bikinis to Australian surfies like Tony Alvos on Mount Main Beach. That was over 50 years ago. “I had three jobs actually,” says Judy. “I was an usherette at the Mount Regent, I worked for my dad in his Tauranga shop and I made miniskirts for my girlfriends.” Multiple streams of income at a very young age. Her Tauranga home evokes an island beach retreat. Swing seats hanging amongst palms and magical fairy lights, surrounded by a bursting vegetable garden, with pots and sculptures peeking out from behind the lush growth. Inside is a cork curtain, tapa cloth hangings, tiger-themed cushions, a couple of Kristian Lomath paintings and a wall covered with award certificates. Numerous Benson & Hedges Fashion Awards from the1980s and 90s for swimwear, lingerie and sportswear carry the slogan “Where Dreams Turn to Gold”. “I was looking forward to seeing my teacher at my school reunion so she could congratulate me,” says Judy. “But she wasn’t alive.” Her teacher had rapped her knuckles many times, tipped her desk upside-down, ridiculed her and put her in a high chair with a dunce hat on. “I was a dreamer. I wasn’t interested in what they taught me at school.” I could imagine Judy turning up at the reunion, a lithe panther in a hot orange pant suit, wearing her deer fur platform shoes and a whimsical hat. She was sent to a Catholic boarding school at 15, but
16 21 February, August,2018 2015
life+style The Weekend Sun 7
“We screen-printed about a thousand units at night. We’d lay them out on our cutting table, six of us running with the backs and fronts of bikinis and little tiny bra tops and lay them all out to dry in layers”
them into small bikinis. An immediate success, this soon became a main product line. The brand Expozay was born. There were more than 30 sewing factories in Tauranga, so they tapped into that workforce and found artists Graeme Bell and David Warriner. “We screen-printed about a thousand units at night. We’d lay them out on our cutting table, six of us running with the backs and fronts of bikinis and little tiny bra tops and lay them all out to dry in layers. “Graeme would come in the next morning, put his stencils over them and airbrush them. “They were all done by hand.” The fast-growing demand meant scaling up the business, acquiring technology and learning new printing processes. They flew 15-year-old Rachel Hunter down from Auckland for a showing for their Australian agents. One of the pieces she modelled was Gigi. This was also worn by Raquel Welch, and shown on nationwide US television. “We ended up selling 85,000 Gigis,” says Judy, “and also 85,000 of the Pleat Lotus. That was back before we had Xeroxes, internet, faxes, cell phones. “There was no communication except a phone call to France or New York in
Gigi worn by Raquel Welch and Rachel Hunter
Pleat Lotus bikini
the middle of the night.” Seventeen years ago, her brother and his partner were brutally murdered. “I lost 15kgs, my boobs and my butt, and couldn’t sleep or work,” says Judy. “I decided because it was so dramatic, I had to study something to take my mind off.” She studied nutrition, light frequency, colour therapy, cannabinoids, nutraceuticals, oils, and tested her brain out doing a seven-hour braina-thon. She won a trip to Texas, completing her glycobiology papers. Then she won a trip to the Bahamas, again through her glycobiology study. “That’s what happens when you have a Gold Card, you have all this time on your hands. I don’t play golf, it’s too time-consuming, it takes me too long to find where I hit the bloody ball.” Rosalie Liddle Crawford
Photos: Nikki South
ran away to Australia where her sister was living. “I was the only non-Catholic! “I was sent there to learn elocution, but I was gutted my parents did that. “I felt so isolated.” She didn’t see her parents again for five years. At age 17, she met Tony again. “We went over to South East Asia. “I was working for the Australian Government doing uranium mining in the Northern Territory.” They travelled for about 10 months, returning to Australia with Tibetan boots, clothing and products they’d sourced. “That was the kick start really,” says Judy. “We brought back puku shells from the Philippines for the Australian surf shops. People loved them. “People say peacock feathers bring bad luck and I say ‘no way’. When you can get a thousand peacock feathers for 75 cents each, that’s not bad luck, that’s using your brains. They went into interior design stores.” Her creative imagination and knack for what people wanted helped drive their fledging business forward. “It grew really fast after that. We came back to NZ. I started making bikinis on Tony’s parent’s front verandah.” She’d kept the off-cuts of the fabrics they’d made into clothing, turning
8
life+style The Weekend Sun 21 August, 2015
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21 August, 2015
life+style The Weekend Sun 1
Best foot forward Page 2
THE WEEKEND
Tour de Paengaroa
Tauranga’s hidden gem
Judy Alvos and Expozay
2
life+style The Weekend Sun 21 2015 16August, February, 2018
Fixing your feet Without drugs or surgery Do you suffer from foot pain that just won’t go away? Do you have bunions and think surgery is the only option? The team at Corrective Foot Solutions might have the answer. The clinic is a podiatry practice specialising in an effective and advanced treatment method called Foot Mobilisation Therapy. Foot Mobilisation Techniques have evolved from combining the podiatric biomechanical understanding of the foot and leg, with the physical manual techniques used by physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractics to treat foot-specific injuries. FMT is a hands-on technique that corrects stiff, misaligned or dysfunctional joints by gently encouraging the foot through its natural range of motion. “With FMT, we treat heel pain, bunions, hammer toes, painful joints and sore knees, without orthotics,” says head podiatrist and owner Shaun McCann. “Our innovative technique locates and treats the cause of your foot pain, not just the symptoms, and as a result can be a great conservative approach to avoiding foot surgery in many cases. “Addressing the underlying cause intrinsically means that patients generally don’t need orthotics, and can give patients a range of footwear options. “I’ve learned that with orthotics, the issue is always that women have extreme difficulty wearing and using them due to footwear limitations. “Our treatment does not restrict activity and we encourage our patients to continue their normal activity depending on the condition.” Podiatrist Shaun has considerable experience with manual therapies and the management of lower limb problems. Having prescribed orthotic therapy for several years, Shaun recognised the limitations of orthotics
beyond the treatment of symptoms. Frustrated with the confines of traditional podiatry, Shaun undertook postgraduate training in FMT in Australia – a technique that he believes can not only alleviate foot pain, but correct foot function and structure in the long term. Having personally dealt with foot problems, Shaun underwent a course of FMT himself, to ensure that he could provide his patients with the best level of care. He is now confident in saying that he no longer relies on orthotics and his feet feel stronger and more mobile. The team have a passion for improving the quality of life for all their patients, by fixing their foot and leg problems. This helps keep their patients moving freely and confidently without the need for orthotics, surgery or drugs. By using FMT, Corrective Foot Solutions is able to improve the alignment of the feet and body and this, in conjunction with corrective exercises, addresses the underlying cause of the issue, providing long-term results that can change not only your lifestyle but also the range of fashion choices available to you. “We employ advanced assessment techniques that are measureable and give the client objective feedback,” says Shaun. “Our treatment method challenges traditional methods and their limitations to provide the best possible outcomes.” Corrective Foot Solutions specialise in foot mobilisation therapy while also offering services in advanced lower limb acupuncture, active release techniques and advanced lower limb dry needling. Having worked in the biggest Foot Mobilisation practice in the world for a number of years, Shaun has successfully treated hundreds of patients in Sydney, Australia using FMT, and now specialises in moving his patients away from surgery – particularly for bunions – and providing an alternative to orthotic therapy. He is proud to be the only podiatrist
in New Zealand to specialise in FMT and is delighted to bring this new and exciting technique to the Bay of Plenty. Now established in Tauranga, customer satisfaction has resulted in glowing reviews on the life-changing processes offered at Corrective Foot Solutions. “I wish I’d found you earlier, my feet don’t feel tired and sore after standing all day at work,” says Carol Lilley. “For the first time my feet are pain free, I don’t wear orthotics anymore and my bunions feel and look great! Highly recommend,” says Janette Newman. Shaun is registered and a member with the New Zealand Podiatrists Board and holds a current Annual Practising Certificate. Are you suffering from heel pain, bunions, hammer toes, painful joints, sore knees or struggling to wear the shoes you love? The team at Corrective Foot Solutions believe they have a painless and convenient solution to your foot problems. Visit: www.correctivefootsolutions.co.nz or call: 07 925 0269 and make an appointment today.
16 February, 2018
life+style The Weekend Sun 3
Tour de Paengaroa The Cycle-ology of the TEL Ruve Baker and Alyson Tomalin were getting ready for one of their Wednesday adventures.
Ruve Baker and Alyson Tomalin
Photos: Bruce Barnard
They’ve often driven down the Tauranga Eastern Link, and were now planning to ride the cycleway running alongside it. “We can see it from the expressway,” says Ruve. “It’s quite visual from the motorway, but people don’t know how to get on it.” They decided to drive down to Paengaroa Village and enter the cycleway from there. “It’s my first time on the cycle track,” says Ruve. “We don’t know how far it is or where we end up. “Hopefully we end up back here.” In 2015, there was a ripple of excitement across social media as the news of a cycleway as part of the Tauranga Eastern Link spread. A three metre wide, 6.8 kilometre shared path runs alongside the TEL from the future Papamoa East interchange to Te Tumu Road. A fence prevents access from the path on to the motorway. There are access points at the Kaituna River Bridge via Bell Road, Kaituna Road and Te Tumu Road. This enables people to cross the river between Papamoa, the Kaituna Wetlands and Maketu, and opens up significant opportunities for those looking to travel alongside the TEL. Pedestrian and cycle connections are provided via shared paths through the Mangatawa and Domain Road interchanges. These revert to footpaths and on-road cycling upon connecting to local roads. Refuges are also provided so pedestrians and cyclists
can safely cross the road. Once constructed, the future Papamoa East interchange and Rangiuru interchange will have a shared path that will enable people to get between their home and workplace. The Papamoa to Paengaroa Trail runs from the end of Bell Road in Papamoa following the Tauranga Eastern Link, then the Te Puke Highway into Paengaroa Village. This cycleway encompasses the NZ Transport Agency’s Tauranga Eastern Link cycleway and a 10km extension from Te Tumu Road to Paengaroa, and opened in March 2016. Various groups abound, such as the Sunday Cyclists who enjoy Sunday morning rides in low traffic rural areas. Ideal for cyclists ranging from beginners to experienced, no one is left behind. The Papamoa Cruisers is another group, combining cyclists with riders of mobility scooters, out enjoying a ride together. Western Bay of Plenty District Council have a vision for a cycle/walkway to connect all council communities from Waihi Beach all the way to Pukehina. Council’s highest priority routes include Omokoroa to Tauranga Urban Cycle Trail, Waihi to Waihi Beach Cycle Trail, Katikati Urban Cycle/ Walkways, Papamoa to Paengaroa Cycle Trail, Kaituna Road to Maketu, Te Puke Urban, Maketu Road to Te Puke and Waihi Beach. Ruve and Alyson have their bikes ready, water bottles in place and helmets on. They decide to have a coffee across the road at The Funky Lizard before they go. Rosalie Liddle Crawford “Just in case,” says Ruve.
4
16August, February, 2018 life+style The Weekend Sun 21 2015
Tauranga’s hidden gem Maungawhare – 140 years Quietly tucked away in Otumoetai is one of Tauranga’s oldest historic homes, Maungawhare. Built 140 years ago in 1878, the private kauri homestead was once the hub of entertainment and elegant garden parties. I was introduced to the current owner, Hilary Revfeim, through a shared friend and was delighted to find she is an accomplished pianist, often accompanying singers. In one of the many rooms of the homestead, her piano sits, and clearly this house has enjoyed many hours of music within its walls. “In the 1910s, TC Maltby, who was the commodore of the Yacht Club, did a lot of entertaining here,” says Hilary. “He used to like the English hunt, so he’d lead a group chasing rabbits on horseback. They’d meet at Waihi Road, gallop around the estuary, come up Coach Drive and call in here for breakfast. “There were also garden parties and tennis on the lawn. He over-extended himself so sold off the library and billiard room to repay debts.” The two south wing rooms were dismantled and removed to 13th Avenue, becoming absorbed into what is now Ultimate Care Oakland, a rest home. The house, originally known as Woodhill, was designed by Hamilton architect Isaac Richardson Vialou, and built by S.H Brabant in 1878 for his magistrate brother H.W Brabant. Situated on the highest point in Otumoetai, and visible from surrounding land, distance communication was often carried out by semaphore.
In 1884, new owner H.B Johnston, the first president of the Tauranga Men’s Club, renamed the area Maungawhare or ‘house on the hill’. Brabant took the name Woodhill to a new residence at 167 Grange Road, now the site of Woodhill Funeral Home. The property, now reduced to 3.6 hectares from its original 20, has been in the Revfeim family since 1939. Nearby houses in Parkvale Road now occupy some of the original land, once developed into a farm and then an orchard. I wandered around the garden with Hilary. The Maungawhare parkland sits alongside the property, having once been part of the whole. Hilary points out the four large Norfolk pines, seen on the skyline from many points throughout Tauranga, and planted sometime between 1884 and 1890. The northernmost, once the tallest in the Bay of Plenty, was struck by lightning in 1978. “Ships coming in to Tauranga Harbour would line themselves up with the pines, to safely navigate the channel,” says Hilary. Although I’ve been unable to verify this very interesting piece of information having searched through Tauranga’s historic records, the Elms also has Norfolk pines that were used for this purpose, so it’s highly probable. A covenant for the protection of trees was signed with Tauranga District Council in 1997. The house was entered into the NZ Historic Place Register in 1983. It’s a daunting task taking care of the property, and managing the house renovations and maintenance, which Hilary has been doing almost single-handedly since her husband died.
16 February, 2018 21 August, 2015
“A
life+style The Weekend Sun 5
third generation resident,
Hilary is an enthusiast, preparing the house for the fourth generation”
previous owner’s possessions. Within the walls of the Maungawhare homestead is the same sense of timelessness that I’ve felt walking through the two other homes. There are canes and walking sticks, old dressers and plenty of oak. Furniture dating from the 1840s that arrived with the Revfeim family from Whanganui mixes with furniture that came from Auckland in the early 1900s. One of the historically significant elements of Maungawhare is the unpainted kauri board and batten ceiling that features in the main lounge. Hilary loves the spaciousness. “This is what I like about old houses,” she explains. “You can withdraw into the bedroom, shut the door, be quiet and read, and nobody is looking for you.” Outside is an old pew. “It was given to my mother-in-law. “It rocked, so a mother up the front of the church could rock her crying baby. “I think it was rescued from the fire at Holy Trinity.” A third generation resident, Hilary is an enthusiast, preparing the house for the fourth generation. This year though, Maungawhare celebrates its 140th birthday, starting off with a garden party in last weekend. Happy birthday Maungawhare!
Photos: Bruce Barnard
The two-storey house, with steep gables mounted by finials, features delicate verandah fretwork. There are seven exterior doors and four original brick chimneys. Separate quarters include a kitchen with a wood stove where servants cooked and ate over 100 years ago. That’s now a sitting room. Four upstairs bedrooms look out onto the flagpole, a grass tennis court, a 100-year-old creeping wisteria and the rebuilt shed. Under the stairs, Hilary keeps a collection of flags including the flags of Australia, New Zealand and Sweden, which she likes to run up the pole. “It depends on which people visit,” she says. “The latest one was a British flag.” We explore the house, and I can see that there have been additional renovations over the years. Major Hugh Wright rebuilt the house’s southern wing in 1931. Extensive work on the western side was done in 1972 by architect Geoff Keyte. “Most of the house was prefabricated, arriving in a package from Sydney,” says Hilary. “The kauri was shipped there, manufactured then shipped back. The bay windows were inserted ready-made into the walls.” The Elms mission house was built in 1847, some 31 years before Maungawhare. The Brain Watkins House in Cameron Road was built in 1881, and is now a museum entirely furnished with
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Hilary Revfeim
Rosalie Liddle Crawford
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February, 2018 life+style The Weekend Sun 2116August, 2015
“I was a dreamer. I wasn’t interested in what they taught me at school”
Judy Alvos Tiger moth, leopard cloth and a Gold Card One evening, while strumming away on the beach piano in Pilot Bay, I caught a flash of red behind me on the seaside seat.
Savage swim suit
Turning, I discovered a vibrant and exotic sight. Long lean brown legs, wearing a bright mandarin and gold bodice, a pale orange silk shirt casually draped off the shoulders, leopard skin print shorts, all topped with bright red-orange hair. Behind the large sunglasses and the broad whiteteeth smile, one of the warmest, fun-natured people I’ve had the pleasure to ever meet. We chatted and I realised this is the iconic fashionista of my youth. Judy Alvos, the stunning teenage entrepreneur who, along with her husband Tony Alvos and Bryan Potter, won a NZ Trade and Enterprise export award in 1981. Their company, Expozay, has been one of NZ’s most iconic and successful international fashion businesses. Judy still has about three- quarters of the original swimwear collection, which has been sold into highend US department stores including Bloomingdales, Macys and Saks Fifth Avenue, and worn by the likes of Raquel Welch, Lorraine Downs, Rachel Hunter, Delyse Nottle and Kylie Bax. Some of the collection is also stored in the Tauranga Museum Collection, waiting to be displayed. Her life, though, hasn’t all been about fashion. At age six, her father strapped Judy and her seven-year-old sister into the front cockpit of his Tiger Moth at Tauranga Airport and took them into the air to do acrobatics. “I guess that’s where I really began to use my
imagination,” laughs Judy. At age 14 she was hawking off hand-made boardshorts and bikinis to Australian surfies like Tony Alvos on Mount Main Beach. That was over 50 years ago. “I had three jobs actually,” says Judy. “I was an usherette at the Mount Regent, I worked for my dad in his Tauranga shop and I made miniskirts for my girlfriends.” Multiple streams of income at a very young age. Her Tauranga home evokes an island beach retreat. Swing seats hanging amongst palms and magical fairy lights, surrounded by a bursting vegetable garden, with pots and sculptures peeking out from behind the lush growth. Inside is a cork curtain, tapa cloth hangings, tiger-themed cushions, a couple of Kristian Lomath paintings and a wall covered with award certificates. Numerous Benson & Hedges Fashion Awards from the1980s and 90s for swimwear, lingerie and sportswear carry the slogan “Where Dreams Turn to Gold”. “I was looking forward to seeing my teacher at my school reunion so she could congratulate me,” says Judy. “But she wasn’t alive.” Her teacher had rapped her knuckles many times, tipped her desk upside-down, ridiculed her and put her in a high chair with a dunce hat on. “I was a dreamer. I wasn’t interested in what they taught me at school.” I could imagine Judy turning up at the reunion, a lithe panther in a hot orange pant suit, wearing her deer fur platform shoes and a whimsical hat. She was sent to a Catholic boarding school at 15, but
16 21 February, August,2018 2015
life+style The Weekend Sun 7
“We screen-printed about a thousand units at night. We’d lay them out on our cutting table, six of us running with the backs and fronts of bikinis and little tiny bra tops and lay them all out to dry in layers”
them into small bikinis. An immediate success, this soon became a main product line. The brand Expozay was born. There were more than 30 sewing factories in Tauranga, so they tapped into that workforce and found artists Graeme Bell and David Warriner. “We screen-printed about a thousand units at night. We’d lay them out on our cutting table, six of us running with the backs and fronts of bikinis and little tiny bra tops and lay them all out to dry in layers. “Graeme would come in the next morning, put his stencils over them and airbrush them. “They were all done by hand.” The fast-growing demand meant scaling up the business, acquiring technology and learning new printing processes. They flew 15-year-old Rachel Hunter down from Auckland for a showing for their Australian agents. One of the pieces she modelled was Gigi. This was also worn by Raquel Welch, and shown on nationwide US television. “We ended up selling 85,000 Gigis,” says Judy, “and also 85,000 of the Pleat Lotus. That was back before we had Xeroxes, internet, faxes, cell phones. “There was no communication except a phone call to France or New York in
Gigi worn by Raquel Welch and Rachel Hunter
Pleat Lotus bikini
the middle of the night.” Seventeen years ago, her brother and his partner were brutally murdered. “I lost 15kgs, my boobs and my butt, and couldn’t sleep or work,” says Judy. “I decided because it was so dramatic, I had to study something to take my mind off.” She studied nutrition, light frequency, colour therapy, cannabinoids, nutraceuticals, oils, and tested her brain out doing a seven-hour braina-thon. She won a trip to Texas, completing her glycobiology papers. Then she won a trip to the Bahamas, again through her glycobiology study. “That’s what happens when you have a Gold Card, you have all this time on your hands. I don’t play golf, it’s too time-consuming, it takes me too long to find where I hit the bloody ball.” Rosalie Liddle Crawford
Photos: Nikki South
ran away to Australia where her sister was living. “I was the only non-Catholic! “I was sent there to learn elocution, but I was gutted my parents did that. “I felt so isolated.” She didn’t see her parents again for five years. At age 17, she met Tony again. “We went over to South East Asia. “I was working for the Australian Government doing uranium mining in the Northern Territory.” They travelled for about 10 months, returning to Australia with Tibetan boots, clothing and products they’d sourced. “That was the kick start really,” says Judy. “We brought back puku shells from the Philippines for the Australian surf shops. People loved them. “People say peacock feathers bring bad luck and I say ‘no way’. When you can get a thousand peacock feathers for 75 cents each, that’s not bad luck, that’s using your brains. They went into interior design stores.” Her creative imagination and knack for what people wanted helped drive their fledging business forward. “It grew really fast after that. We came back to NZ. I started making bikinis on Tony’s parent’s front verandah.” She’d kept the off-cuts of the fabrics they’d made into clothing, turning
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life+style The Weekend Sun 21 August, 2015
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