WildTomato July 2018 by WildTomato

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

ISSUE 144 / JULY 2018 / $8.95

Bumper biggest-ever

BIRTHDAY ISSUE celebrating our 12th year

2018 NZIA award winners

Top creative builds

Business Longevity Light Nelson Nelson Bays Community Foundation Boathouse Concert Relaxing in Lombok Subaru Outback A Musical Education Dining at Prego

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It’s what’s

inside

that counts

Nelson Tasman and Marlborough’s magazine

Features Issue 144 / July 2018

28 Business Longevity Standing the test of time in business is often due to the hard work and entrepreneurial skills of ongoing generations, as Sadie Beckman found out

36 Light Nelson

More creative than ever, the 2018 Light Nelson promises to illuminate the dark this month. Frances Wilson provides a sneak preview of what’s coming

40 NZIA Awards 2018 Award-winning new builds, commercial premises, renovations and heritage projects from local architects. Compiled by Lynda Papesch

INTERVIEWS

12 My Big Idea A special fundraising concert is planned for next month to help rebuild the Boathouse, Jacquetta Bell explains

20 The Interview The Nelson Bays Community Foundation helps to fill a valuable role in society, Maike van der Heide reports

24 Local Connection WildTomato has turned 12. Editor Lynda Papesch takes a look at its ongoing success and why the magazine holds such a unique appeal

106 My Education Musician Kaylee B talks to Geoffrey Kessell about NMIT’s Diploma in Contemporary Music and her blossoming career 4

106

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Columns Issue 144 / July 2018

FASHION

65 Structure in design Coco Chanel once said that fashion is architecture: it’s a matter of proportions, and this month’s fashion shoot reflects that. Especially shot in black and white by photographer Ishna Jacobs. Styling by Sonya Leusink Sladen

72 Fashion Showcase Opt for classic and classy, sound advice from Sonya Leusink Sladen, WildTomato’s fashion stylist LIFE

74 Interiors Rebecca O’Fee expands on how to achieve a contemporary look in your home

76 My Garden Garden designer, horticulturist, traveller and writer Chris Woods talks with Sophie Preece

77 Health Approximately 50,000 people in New Zealand are infected with Hepatitis C and half of them don’t know they have it, writes Dr Debbie Harrison

78 My Kitchen Yummy fresh ginger and pear baby loaves from Madame Lu’s kitchen

79 Dine Out For flavour-packed, expertly cooked food, Prego is a must-visit, writes reviewer Hugh Sampson

82 Wine A wine’s potential is decided in the vineyard, Dog Point’s James Healy tells Sophie Preece

83 Boutique Brews Good George Brewing is making its mark in more ways than one, explains Mark Preece 6

ACTIVE

86 Travel Carol Matthews makes a return visit to Lombok and is not disappointed

88 Sports National paddleboard champion Tara Hope puts in the hard yards, even in a cold, dark winter. Phil Barnes reports

89 Motoring Subaru’s Outback is a wagon in wolf’s clothing, motoring reviewer Geoff Moffett discovers

CULTURE

92 Author Renée Lang talks to Golden Bay author Philip Simpson about his latest writings

93 Books Some of the latest book releases, compiled by Renée Lang

94 Arts John Cohen-Du Four catches up with artists Jon Baxter and Anthony Genet in the lead-up to Light Nelson

98 Music Pete Rainey is a firm believer in the power of transformative music, especially for young people

99 Film Reviewer Michael Bortnick investigates the ‘A’ word in Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren’s latest movie, The Leisure Seeker REGULARS

8 Editor’s letter & contributors 10 Noticeboard 14 Snapped 96 In the Gallery 100 Events

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Editor's letter

Editor

Lynda Papesch lynda@wildtomato.co.nz

Manager

Laura Loghry 027 378 0008 laura@wildtomato.co.nz

Design & art direction Paperminx Collective design@wildtomato.co.nz

his month I have loved compiling the results of the 2018 NZIA regional awards, and seeing the stunning results of our Nelson Tasman Marlborough architects, as well as the builders, subbies, tradies and contractors who all work together to create such innovative and often trend-setting builds. As with many of the best achievements, these are team efforts so all those involved with the award-winning projects should take a bow! From large commercial projects such as Nelson Tasman’s Plant & Food Research Facility, the Trafalgar Centre and the Port Nelson offices, to smaller ones like rejuvenating the Seafarers’ Chapel, to homes – new and old – on hills, beside the seaside and in suburban settings, talents have come to the fore to ensure lasting architectural legacies. Some are featured further on in these pages so take the time to see and read about what is cutting-edge architecture. Sustainable building practices are very much evident and one area I personally believe that central and local government should both play a much more proactive role in. All too often changes to building regulations are bylaws that are reactive and far too late. Sort of like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Take for instance double-glazing and provisions for solar fit-outs. While these are mandatory for all new home builds now, it’s not that long ago they weren’t. In many other countries, especially in Europe, triple-glazing is the order of the day, along with passive design that keeps families warm without the need for expensive heating systems. Thicker walls, high standards of insulation and clever designs to trap the sun’s warmth all factor in, yet in New Zealand such requirements are often the minimum standard, not the starting level. Those savvy enough to use an architect usually end up with the finer things in homes, but not all new houses are built equal. If you are planning a build, use the mandatory requirements as your starting point only. LY N D A PA P E S C H

Contributors

Phil Barnes, Jessica Bay, Sadie Beckman, Jacquetta Bell, Michael Bortnick, Peter Burge, Chelsea Chang, Elora Chang, John Cohen-Du Four, Ana Galloway, Debbie Harrison, Maike van der Heide, Ishna Jacobs, Geoffrey Kessell, Renée Lang, Sonya Leusink Sladen, Carol Matthews, Geoff Moffett, Rebecca O’Fee, Hayley Ottman, Sophie Preece, Mark Preece, Pete Rainey, Ray Salisbury, Hugo Sampson, Jim Tannock, Susie Williams, Frances Wilson.

Sales executive

Chrissie Sanders 027 540 2237 chrissie@wildtomato.co.nz

Lead ad designer

Patrick Connor production@wildtomato.co.nz

Subscriptions

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

Publisher

Jack Martin WildTomato Media Ltd 258 Hardy Street Nelson 7010 PO Box 1901 Nelson 7040 info@wildtomato.co.nz wildtomato.co.nz

Find us on:

Love local Special ring to commemorate 50 years

but that has not been made for decades, is selected for the collection. Tiger eye was one of Jens’ favourite stones to work with. It is considered to be one of the ancient talismans, said to be a powerful stone that helps release fear and anxiety and aid harmony and balance.

WildTomato/ @wildtomatomagazine @_WildTomato

Read online at issuu.com/wildtomato

rtisan jeweller Jens Hansen is celebrating 50 years in business in Nelson with the launch of its 2018 Legacy Ring. This pre-release solid silver Legacy Collection Ring is set with a tiger eye navette-cut stone from Jens’ original stone collection. To acknowledge the late Jens’ birthday each year in July, a design whose form has endured and defied fashion,

Cover photo of Tasman View House by Oliver Weber

Contributor spotlight M A I K E VA N D E R H E I D E

The Interview (page 20) Born in The Netherlands, I emigrated to New Zealand as a child where I learned English by copying my schoolmates and eventually from a kind Nelson primary school teacher who, after hours, encouraged me to write stories. I still write stories, now for a living, piecing together an eclectic writing and journalism gig that flows into all sorts of formats. It’s nice when, like WildTomato, those words still end up on real paper. After taking the long way around the globe with my partner to end up in Marlborough, I now fit writing work around my two children.

SOPHIE PREECE

My Garden (page 76), Wine (page 82) When I came to Marlborough in 2002, straight from a stint on the Phnom Penh Post, I expected my time at the local paper to be the classic stepping stone to a bigger masthead. Sixteen years on, having explored the Top of the South by boot, bike, yacht and ski, often with a salmon farmer and two kids in tow, I have no regrets about staying put. As well as writing for work and adventures for fun, the past five years have included developing the Marlborough Book Festival, a charitable trust driven by a committee of six volunteers. It’s on this month (www.marlboroughbookfest.co.nz) so I hope you have your tickets.

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M I C H A E L B O RT N I C K

Film (page 99) I’ve always been a big devotee of film, (with the exception of anything starring Hugh Grant). Plus, in another life, I was a bit of a wordsmith. Entering the fast- paced, high-stakes film reviewing game seemed like a no-brainer. If the sheer rush of becoming internationally celebrated off my worthless opinions wasn’t enough, critics like me get season passes allowing free access to the theatre. So long, suckers! Every morning, I thank Jah for this tremendously wellpaying career with WildTomato. I am now leaving the theatre to destroy another copy of Mickey Blue Eyes.

*Statistics from Horizon Research’s February 2017 survey, 2066 respondents aged 18+, weighted to represent the New Zealand adult population. The survey has a maximum margin of error at a 95% confidence level of +2.2% overall.

NOTICEBOARD

Liquid gold

A Proper Crisps recycling

ast year Kiwis dropped off over 365 tonnes of soft plastic bags (91 million) for recycling via the Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme, a joint initiative between the government and the packaging industry. The soft plastics can now be blended with other recycled materials to create a range of products including bollards, benches and decking. That’s food for thought, a park bench made from your favourite Proper Crisp packets! It’s not easy being green, but you can help by encouraging your favourite brands and local councils to become involved and sign up to this initiative. Proper Crisps is encouraging locals to look out for Soft Plastic recycling collection bins at their local supermarket or by visiting www.recycling.kiwi.nz.

Congratulations to Hop Federation

iwaka-based craft brewery Hop Federation won a gold medal and the overall Champion Lager category in the 2018 New World Beer & Cider Awards. For this relatively young brewery, it’s a great accolade, taking the title ahead of more established brewers. Owner and head brewer Simon Nicholas and his wife Nicki left their high-pressure Auckland life for rural Riwaka five years ago, and now brew approximately 150,000 litres of beer a year. Check them out at www.hopfederation.co.nz.

small Renwick distillery won two gold and one silver medal for its aromatic cocktail bitters at the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition recently. Elemental Bitters was launched in early 2017 using core ingredients sourced from New Zealand family-owned businesses and cooperatives with fruits dehydrated in-house before macerating each ingredient independently for a full flavour extraction. Elemental Distillers founding directors Ben Leggett and Simon Kelly bring decades of combined international brand development in the drinks sector and are currently in the final stages of launching their first gin. Way to go guys! Visit the website: www.elementaldistillers.com.

VOTE NOW!

Where do you read yours? He’s not the first and he won’t be the last. Ian Lash reads his WildTomato while floating in the Dead Sea. Send your image to editor@wildtomato.co.nz ONLY JPG FILES ACCEPTED, MIN 1MB

nd don’t forget to nominate and vote for your favourite restaurants in the 2018 Aronui Wines Dine Out Awards at: www.wildtomato.co.nz/dineout voting ends 20 July!

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MY BIG IDEA

Josh Logan, Mel Parsons and Jed Parsons

The Boathouse fundraising concert PHOTO BY MIRIAM HANSEN

It’s all hands on deck to save Nelson’s iconic Boathouse, with a special fundraising concert on 9th August. Jacquetta Bell explains how it came about. What is your big idea? Our Big Idea is a great big benefit concert to help The Boathouse rebuild after the storm damage from Cyclone Fehi in February. Amazingly, this Big Idea came direct from New Zealand folk-country singer Mel Parsons, who is the star act of the concert. She has performed many times at The Boathouse and like many other musicians, just loves this venue. On the day of the storm, back in February, Mel heard about the damage and emailed us, sending her love and thoughts and offering a fundraising concert. It was a very heartening message for us back then as we were reeling from the storm impact.

Can you tell us more about Mel Parsons? Her style is somewhere between indie/folk and alt/country, and her shows are known for her dry banter as much as for her songs, which range from hand-clappers 12

like ‘Far Away’, through to pin-drop ballads like ‘Don’t Wait’. Mel has just released her third album ‘Drylands’ to critical acclaim and a number two spot in the charts. She has recently performed at WOMAD and the Byron Bay Bluesfest, and has toured Canada, the UK, Ireland and Germany. She’s part of Fly My Pretties; has twice been a finalist in the NZ Music Awards, won the 2016 NZCMA Country Song of the Year and was a finalist for the APRA Silver Scroll in 2015. Mel Parsons is supported by her backing musicans, Jed Parsons and Josh Logan.

Are there support acts? Yes indeed. Appropriately the Boathouse Choir (located at Founders during the rebuild) will be supporting its namesake with a short set of world music songs to get the concert started. Then Pete Rainey’s popular gypsy jazz band Django Schmango will deliver a few of the catchy standards that have made them such a draw in Nelson.

What and who does it involve? As one of Nelson’s Grand Old Dames, The Boathouse has helped out as a venue for other fundraising concerts.

So we’re very grateful that another Grand Old Dame, the Theatre Royal, has offered us a home for this concert. We have WildTomato and More FM helping us to promote the concert and many businesses donating spot prizes and a very desirable raffle.

What are the benefits? While The Boathouse had excellent replacement insurance, the rebuild is an opportunity to make some improvements, so we’re fundraising to make this historic seaside venue even better than before, and strengthened to face the future.

How can people become involved? The Mel Parsons’ Boathouse Benefit is at the Theatre Royal on 9th August 2018, start time 7pm, doors open 6.30pm. Tickets $45 from the Theatre Royal or from Ticketdirect. Please help The Boathouse by getting a few friends together for a great night out, and by sharing your interest on social media. Thank you.

“Mel heard about the damage and emailed us, sending her love and thoughts and offering a fundraising concert.”

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Snapped WildTomato goes out on the townâ&#x20AC;¦

Peters Doig Art Awards presentation Yealands Estate Marlborough Gallery, Blenheim PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED

1. Sally Barron & Sue Duckworth

5. Kylie Fleur & Marion Trought

2. Judi Woolley & Vai Yealands

6. Ingrid Boot, Anton James & Ian Welsh

3. Kathy Baxter, Chris Faulls & Helen Neame 4. Toni Gillan, Clyde Robertson, Mayor John Leggett & Anne Best

7. Sara Scott & John Hurford 8. Meredith Marsone & Carsten Grimm

6 5

SNAPPED

2 Nelson Centre of Musical Arts opening gala Nile Street, Nelson P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y R AY S A L I S B U R Y

1. Buskudara entertain outside NCMA

5. Evey McAuliffe & Bob Bickerton

2. Nicki Green, Cathy Knight & Christine MacKenzie

6. Robbie Burton & Susannah Roddick

3. Molly Rainey, Mary Allen & Pete Rainey

7. Bill & Lucy Rainey

4. Elizabeth & Peter Russell

8. Scotty Dodd

Inspired by the music from our opening concerts?

Upcoming Events

Learn music with us.

Songs for Tomorrow

Individual and group classes, choirs, orchestras and ensembles. Find out more at ncma.nz/education

Jekyll & Hyde

Tuesday 3rd July, 7.30pm Thursday 5th July, 12.30pm

Stellar Singers Saturday 28th July, 7.30pm

CMNZ presents Ensemble Zefiro Wednesday 15th August, 7.30pm

Tickets available at ncma.nz/events

NZIA Awards Nelson Centre of Musical Arts P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y R AY S A L I S B U R Y

1. Ian Jack & Dave Knight 2. Renee Williamson, Hannah Harrowven, Jared Shepherd & Ashley Benck 3. Rachel Dodd, Stuart Stephenson & Deborah Barr 4. Annie Leather, Rory Langbridge & Pam Jack

6. Sarah Pickens & Stephanie Phillips 7. Ray Knoef, Mark Newnham, Brendon Monk, & Neville Palmer 8. Ben & Marcia Pearson 9. Lily Lo & Carolanne Kumeroa

5. Gus Harrison & Kate MacPherson

145 Bridge Street, Nelson Wednesday to Sunday 5pm to late Fully heated for winter.

SNAPPED

2 Boathouse office warming party Boiler Room, Nelson P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y C A M E R O N M U R R AY

1. Damien Trayes Hobbs, Thorkild Hansen & Francis Wierzbicki 2. Eliane Polack, Glynn & Chrissy Olsen & Jeanette Cook

3. Ali Howard, Jeanine Thomas, Matt Thomas, Thorkild Hansen & Annie Henry

4. Ben Van Dyke & Alec Woods 5. Annie Henry & Amie Jo Trayes 6. Lindsay Powdrell & Moira Thomson 7. Desiree Johns & Luke Johns 8. Miranda Wood & Ali Howard

LEGACY COLLECTION

Celebrating 50 years. 2018 release in-store now.

Visit our Studio to view the Collection. Cnr Selwyn Place & Trafalgar Square, Nelson.

www.jenshansen.co.nz

Atelier Gallery opening Trafalgar Square, Nelson P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y R AY S A L I S B U R Y

1. Zoe Siebelink, Fiona Lees & Erin Beamish

5. Bruce Bohl & Amanda Latham

2. Michelle Sowman, Italina Sowman & Sharron Sendall

7. Bryna Gibson, Neal & Deb Thompson

3. Charlotte & Josh Hutton & Emma Keelty 4. David & Nina James

6. Janis Crampton & Patsy Burke

8. Joel Whitwell & Kirsten Fitzsimmons

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SNAPPED

2 Mistletoe Charitable Foundation event ASB Theatre, Blenheim PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTHONY PHELPS

1. Anne Taylor, Kelly Thompson, & Patrick Dowling

4. Dinny & Alastair Shanks

2. Cathie Bell, Kay & Lindsay Thomasson

6. Quentin Davies & Ian Walker

3. Craig Harper, Sue & Chris Godsiff, & Kate Harper

8. Vic & Yvonne Koller

5. Glen & Alison Vile 7. Jill & Kent Winstanley

WOULD LIKE TO THANK

FOR THEIR SUPPORT. 19

INTERVIEW

Photo Ana Galloway

“It’s wonderful to be able to deal with nice people who don’t have any other business objectives than to do good.”

Spreading the good word on good works A Nelson charitable foundation may be too humble. New head and former corporate high-flyer Wei Siew Leong relishes the chance to give something back to the community by joining those who give back. Maike van der Heide explains.

orking in the fast-paced metropolis of Hong Kong, firmly ensconced in a world of high-flying corporates, Wei Siew Leong found true satisfaction in a rare chance to give back to the community. So it was serendipitous when, many years later, she found herself in the business of doing just that. As the new executive officer of the Nelson Bays Community Foundation, Wei Siew, backed by a volunteer board, helps people to donate, or give in their will, sums of money to invest for the benefit of a charity or organisation of their choice. Since taking up the job in early February, Wei Siew, a business development, marketing and communications specialist, is relishing the change from corporate pressure to grassroots community involvement where working together is the norm. “In the corporate world we talk about collaborating but with 20

commercial tensions it’s quite difficult to be truly collaborative. Here, there are no boundaries and I really like that. I love the collaborative nature, the generous nature of this job. It’s wonderful to be able to deal with nice people who don’t have any other business objectives than to do good. I really like that.” Wei Siew made the sea-change from a decade of Wellington city life, where she was latterly director of client strategy at law firm Kensington Swan, to join her partner Johnathan in Nelson. The youngest of her three children, aged 24, 21 and 14, moved with her.

Multicultural ancestry Originally from Tauranga, Wei Siew was born to a Malaysian Chinese father and Kiwi mother and spent 10 years of her childhood in Malaysia. She returned to Tauranga in time for high school, then gave in to the travel ‘itch’ and ended up in Melbourne, where she met her husband-to-be (now ex), who was from Hong Kong. The couple moved to his home city. Wei Siew spent the next 14 years building up professional expertise in marketing communications and marketing development for international law firms. “That was interesting, but the great thing about working for larger firms, and maybe the ones I chose, is that they had

Photo Ana Galloway

OPPOSITE PAGE: Wei Siew Leong, Executive Officer of the Nelson Bays Community Foundation CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Liz Palmieri (visiting foundations expert from the US) and NBCF chair Julie Varney; Wei Siew Leong; volunteers and staff at Nelson Environment Centre helping to sort food for their Kai Rescue programme

“I’m working with some pretty switched-on individuals, so I’m getting the best of both worlds.”

sustainability initiatives that were about contributing to the community. I really enjoyed those moments and have always wanted to do something that to me was meaningful from a personal perspective but that would help the community and those around me – contribute more, rather than just take.” Wei Siew personally supported various charities over the years but with a growing desire to do more, cut-throat corporate values were beginning to grate. “It’s all about the deal; it’s all about the job. It’s not about what’s happening in your community in your day-to-day corporate life. The needs of the average person are far from your mind, unless you deliberately reach out and provoke people, which some of the firms I worked for were really good at.” Returning to New Zealand after 20 years overseas, Wei Siew channelled that yearning into a campaign to contribute to the local wool yarn community. An avid knitter – a hobby perfectly contrasted to corporate life – she realised nobody seemed to be buying, or even know about, Kiwi knitting yarn, and instead were sourcing it from big labels overseas. “I thought, that’s wrong because it’s actually really good stuff.” After throwing all her marketing skills into a six-year ‘personal mission’, while working part-time to support herself, Wei Siew is proud of her contribution to raising the profile of New Zealand

yarn through her online blog, Kiwiyarns Knits. “I started my blog to tempt people to want to use the yarn, showing them you can make something nice with it.” She has seen the number of independent hand-dyers of yarn increase from around three at the time, to more than 100 today. Many of these dyers specifically source New Zealandmade yarn. “I’m very pleased that I could contribute to the industry and help raise the profile of New Zealand-made yarns. It was about giving back and helping, and not a business venture.”

Following her heart During this time Wei Siew met Johnathan, an expat American living in Nelson, and as talk of joining him in the South Island progressed, the job advertisement for the Nelson Bays Community Foundation came up. Suddenly, her early forays of community input in Hong Kong came full circle. “I was very lucky to get the job, and everything fell into place. For me, it was a combination of many years of wanting to do something for the community and I’m really pleased that I can now spend my days helping to fulfil generous wishes and enable their desire to do good things. “I’m loving it. The Nelson community is a lovely community – there are a lot of very nice people here. It has been nothing but welcoming; it’s been great. It’s nice to be part of a community that I can do something for.” She is pleased to have found a job where she can put her vast marketing experience to good use, without the pressures of city life. “I’m very grateful to be working with some fantastically committed trustees. 21

“It’s not about asking for donations; it’s about enabling generosity ...” Some very astute people live here. The community has a lot of migrants who are all very intelligent, and lots of retired people who were in business. I’m working with some pretty switched-on individuals, so I’m getting the best of both worlds.” Wei Siew’s role is to represent the foundation and be the point of contact for those wanting to make donations or leave bequests, assist its day-to-day operation and, importantly, to promote its existence. “The trustees became aware they needed to ramp up the foundation’s profile in the community.”

Under the radar Although it was established in 2010 with support from the Tindall Foundation, which now distributes $50,000 to the community annually through the foundation, its function is not widely known to the Nelson public. The reason for this is valid, if somewhat sombre: many bequests left by people in their wills have not yet been realised, so the impact of those donations on the community has not been aired. In the meantime, Wei Siew is on a mission to ‘start making noise’ by personally introducing the foundation to as many people as possible. “I’m always seeking opportunities to speak to people so if any [groups] invite me to come and introduce the foundation, I’m happy to go and talk about it.” An invitation to speak to the Waimea Friendship Club brought home the task ahead for her: Of the 40-odd retired people in the room, only the chairperson, who extended the invitation, had heard of the foundation. “The interesting thing is that the minute people hear I’m from the foundation, they think I’m going to ask them for money and they run away quickly. But it’s not about asking for donations; it’s about enabling generosity – that’s what we’re here for, to help.” In a bid to spread the word, Wei Siew is also targeting professional advisers in the community, such as lawyers and accountants who assist people wanting to make a gift in their will. She is encouraged that some people have been making contact, including with the foundation trustees, through word-of-mouth, as happened recently. “[A donor] wanted to give an interest-only gift in their will. That’s exactly what we’re here for. We are able to administer the asset and provide the interest to the organisations who are to receive the support. That person’s wishes will be made true.” One of Wei Siew’s key messages is that any donations made through the foundation stay within the Top of the South: “It never goes out of the area.” The foundation’s website already notes a growing list of recipients and Wei Siew looks forward to seeing that increase. She has no doubt that, over time, the community will make that happen. “People are really, truly proud of their region and it’s nice to be part of a strong community where people are connected to where they live and what happens here.” 22

About the foundation

he Nelson Bays Community Foundation invests donations made by local people, either as a philanthropic gift or in a will, within their local community. It is one of several foundations nationwide under the umbrella of Community Foundations of New Zealand. All funds received by the foundation are pooled and invested in perpetuity, with the interest used to support the charities or organisations chosen by the donor. If a specific recipient has not been identified by the donor, the pooled money is distributed to community and charity groups who apply to the foundation for grants. Through careful investment that generates interest on the original amount, any donations made through the foundation become the gift that keeps on giving. The Nelson Bays Community Foundation was established in 2010 and is run by a local volunteer board, with Julie Varney as its chair. The deputy chair is Tim Saunders and its trustees are Bill Agnew, Nick Moore, Liz Crawshaw, Dave Ashcroft and Dene Gavin. Julie says the foundation is poised for significant growth and development in the next year, and believes its only paid employee, Wei Siew, will “take it to the next level”.

Named or anonymous

ei Siew says individuals can choose to make a direct monetary donation or leave a percentage of their estate to the foundation. This can be done in a person’s name, or anonymously if they wish. “When you make that gift you can specify what you want it used for. Some people have left funds to the Heart Foundation, Cancer Society, or the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary, for example. Or some people split it – half goes to the Cancer Society and the other half into the community groups that apply for funding.” She cites Tauranga’s Acorn Foundation as an example. A bequest of $67,000 in 2003 by a local woman has since grown to $81,000, yet $54,000 of interest has already been donated. The foundation uses Forsyth Barr to invest and manage the funds. They give their services free of charge. The foundation is also grateful to sponsors including BNZ, Port Nelson, Duncan Cotterill, Malloch McClean and the Tindall Foundation.

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W T 1 2 T H B I R T H D AY

Celebrating 12 years of wild milestones B Y LY N D A PA P E S C H , E D I T O R | P H O T O G R A P H Y A N A G A L L O WAY

“It’s completely mental to think that WT has been going for 12 years, especially considering the tough climate for print media throughout the world.” JA C K M A RT I N , P U B L I S H E R

op of the South lifestyle magazine WildTomato this month celebrates 12 years of publications that have captured the hearts of the readers in the regions it serves, and far beyond. In an era when print media is declining, WildTomato is a rising star, continually breaking its own print records. Monthly issues regularly reach 100 pages and this month’s birthday bumper issue is an all-time record 108 pages. This month also sees the launch of the magazine’s new venture WildMedia, which brings together WildTomato’s incredible team of designers, photographers and writers to offer a full media array of services, including website design, graphic design, branding, photography and social media strategy and management. Manager Laura Loghry says, “WildMedia is a natural extension of WildTomato, and the team is very excited to be able to help clients with a broader range of services to enhance their marketing objectives.” The magazine was founded by former Nelsonian Murray Farquhar in 2006, and the story goes that the name arose after a few wild drinks with mates. Early issues set the stage for the likes of Snapped social pages, quirky people stories, avantgarde film reviews, trendy fashion and off-beat opinions; all of which still feature strongly in contemporary issues. Readers, advertisers and visitors alike enjoy both the full-colour glossy magazine and its online version, which are highly regarded for their longevity and people stories. Reader and WildTomato contributor Frances Wilson says that on arriving back to Nelson, she “latched on to WildTomato

straight away. It’s a high-quality magazine and I especially love the focus on local people and places. I always have the current issue, as well as a couple of back issues, on hand!” Walters PR principal Jacquie Walters believes that reach, impact and longevity are all important considerations when her company is recommending a media outlet for its clients. “After six years of working with WildTomato, our enthusiasm for the magazine remains. It’s a well-produced publication that people in our region enjoy reading and we’re proud to support it.” One of the original supporters and still going strong with WildTomato is Taylors...we love shoes. Managing director Craig Taylor says they’ve been a keen supporter probably from day one, mainly because they could see there was a place in the market for a quality publication that would have a long shelf life and interesting material that readers could enjoy reading at all times. “It’s a quality magazine and the people who run it are always great to work with. As an advertiser I believe it targets readers who are our market and we do get some great feedback. “The fact that it involves Marlborough too is good from an advertisers’ point of view, especially as we do have a lot of customers from over there. “Congratulations on 12 years WildTomato.” Nelson Arts Festival marketing coordinator Amanda Raine is also a fan. “WildTomato is a beautiful magazine that tells great stories about the fabulous people and enterprises here in the Top of the South Island. The WildTomato team is always a pleasure to work with and incredibly supportive of the Nelson Arts Festival. “Thank you and Happy Birthday WildTomato.” The last word goes to WildTomato owner and publisher Jack Martin, who took over the reins more than a decade ago, adding new impetus and ideas. “It’s completely mental to think that WildTomato has been going for 12 years, especially considering the tough climate for print media throughout the world. “And now, with our superb team about to launch our next venture – WildMedia – we look well set for the next 12 years. Whoop Whoop!”

Did you know…

• WildTomato was arguably one of the first magazines in New Zealand to publish Snapped social pages at various events. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and many publications have since followed suit with their own versions of Snapped social pages • WildTomato was originally 16 pages. Now it regularly tops 100 pages, and this month is a record 108 pages • WildTomato has a strong online readership in addition to paid subscriptions and casual sales • WildTomato runs the annual ‘Tommies’ or Aronui Wines Dine Out Awards around September each year. Trophies are modelled on the iconic Kiwi tomato-shaped sauce bottle • WildTomato is for the most part written, designed and put together by part-time contributors

ABOVE: Owner/publisher Jack Martin was also editor for more than 10 years and retains an active interest in the flourishing magazine 25

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To receive a year’s worth of issues for $75 (retail price $107) head to wildtomato.co.nz/subscribe Terms and conditions: Subscriptions are $75 (including gst and postage) for 12 issues delivered in New Zealand only and are non-refundable. Please allow 28 days for your first issue to arrive. Other conditions apply and are available on request. This promotion is not in conjunction with any other WildTomato subscription offer and expires 31 July 2018. The voucher is available to the first 15 subscribers. 27 The product offer in this promotion is non-transferable for cash or other items.

Business longevity

Here for the

long-haul How do some family-run businesses build up a loyalty that sustains them across multiple generations? Sadie Beckman talks to the remarkable survivors. P HO T O G R A P H Y BY I S H NA JAC OB S

Craig and Jan Taylor

Photo: peter burge

Tim, Hamish and Michael Thomas.

n today’s fast-paced, disposable society, so many things are flash-in-the-pan. When it comes to business, achieving success and then having the staying power to stick around can be tough. With the right formula, though, businesses can rack up decade after decade, and here in the Top of the South, we are blessed with a raft of entrepreneurial endeavours that have truly stood the test of time. We talked to thriving businesses that have been operating for 50 years or more, to find out their stories, how they started, and what they see as that special factor in their success. While their inceptions were all different, their commonality soon became obvious – a strong dedication to their local communities, and a connection to people. Whether this was in the form of creating local jobs and investment, or direct support such as sponsorship, volunteering or donations, those businesses that have stayed around the longest are the ones who understood how to really become part of their communities, and have not just viewed them as a marketplace.

Thomas’s Department Store, Blenheim

The iconic Marlborough department store is one of the very few businesses around to have passed the 100-year mark and remain owned and operated by the same family. Their story began in 1912 when John Emlyn Thomas and wife Kathleen bought an empty shop in Blenheim and moved to a new life on the Wairau Plains. The first Thomas’s store was one of four on the west side of Market St South between Wynen and Charles Streets. Trading conditions were tough for a new kid on the block in a small town that already had numerous shops, but John turned out to be an astute retailer and the store’s reputation grew steadily. Kathleen had herself worked at the renowned Kirkcaldie & Stains, so a department store was the natural route for the pair. Their son Terence later took over, followed in turn by his son Michael and then Michael’s sons Hamish and Tim, who co-own the store today.

“It’s also vitally important to keep changing and adapting your business offering...” TIM THOMAS

Tim says succession planning is one of the most important factors for longevity in a business, and it’s never too early to start discussing it. Keeping the next generation in the loop early on means skills and knowledge are passed down to them. “It’s also vitally important to keep changing and adapting your business offering, particularly in competitive sectors like retail.” Thomas’s has seen its fair share of challenges – the early years of the business involved war and depression, while in more recent times the rise of the chain store and Internet shopping have provided more hurdles to negotiate. Maintaining a solid philosophy has steered the business through many years. Tim can sum it up simply: “We offer our customers the most compelling shopping experience possible through offering the best in service, selection, quality and value.” The formula obviously works, and reaching the 100-year mark was a true highlight for the Thomas family. Tim is proud of the business remaining family-owned and operated during that time and says any challenges have helped to keep a focus on adapting, changing and improving. He reckons Marlborough is a great place to do business, and says understanding the local market is vital. “The wine industry has done great things for Marlborough and helps to generate a lot of business across many sectors, which new business can leverage off,” he explains. “Marlburians are very loyal customers, so get your offering right and customers will keep coming back.” 29

“In business you need help from those around you, whether it be the public, fellow people in business or mentors.” JENNY KNIGHT

Serena and Jenny Knight

Bowater Motor Group

Another mainstay in the business longevity stakes is also an intergenerational success story. Bowater Motors, based mainly in Nelson, has been part of family motoring in the Top of the South and beyond for more than 70 years. It began when Raymond Bowater returned from World War 2 as a qualified mechanic and started local vehicle servicing. The business grew and Raymond’s sons came on board, including Rodney Bowater, who has now clocked up more than six decades in the job. His sons Tony and Chris run several of the franchises and three grandsons work in the company. Rodney, who is semi-retired but still to be found at work three mornings a week as well as sitting on the group’s board as chairman, says the company has always worked hard to create a genuine, inclusive staff culture, which is one of the most important aspects in delivering excellent service to customers. “It’s making sure staff realise this is about ‘us all’ not ‘them and us’.” He believes treating staff as part of the Bowater family gives everyone a sense of ownership and investment, which then translates through to clients as top-quality service. “It’s one thing to talk about service and another to have an atmosphere that encourages that.” Rodney explains that Bowater Motors has always been his vocation, not a job, and it’s the same for the other members of the family. “The ownership value is extreme – it’s not just talked about, it’s actually walked.” He says the other part of the business’s philosophy is having a product that is important to people. “If we sell a car today, we want to be able to sell you a car for most of your motoring life. We realise that has to be earned and we don’t take it for granted.” 30

“If we sell a car today, we want to be able to sell you a car for most of your motoring life.” R O D N EY B OWAT E R

The Bowaters are a born-and-bred Top of the South family, and Rodney says that for them, it’s not just the geographical centre of the country, but the centre of where they want to be. Community plays a big part in that, and the business proudly supports a variety of local sporting teams and community initiatives, choosing those that tie in with the Bowater values of teamwork and inclusion. And those values would be Rodney’s advice to any new businesses starting out, just as Bowater Motors did all those decades ago: “Make sure one of your major priorities is unity. The biggest threat is division. And people matter – I can’t over emphasise that.”

Lighthouse Nelson

Jenny Knight of Lighthouse Nelson says that while she has herself only taken up ownership of the business three years ago, the philosophy behind its longevity hasn’t really changed. She spent many years watching her parents and siblings run the company, which started off as Brewerton’s Lighting, and has been servicing the area in lighting and electrical needs for half a century. Over time Lighthouse has become one of the favourite lighting and interior design stores in Nelson, all the while staying focused on that all-important connection with people, and remaining in the ownership of the Brewerton family.

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The precious gift of time. The Bowater Motor Group has been proudly supporting the local community since our beginnings in 1945. We believe that a strong and successful business comes directly from a strong, vibrant community that has depth and engagement across all layers of arts, sports, education, conservation, science and commerce. It was with this philosophy that the BMG Community Crew was born. It is a way for the entire Bowater Motor Group to give back in the best way possible, with the precious gift of time. Each year every person in the entire group is granted a paid day to work alongside a charity or organisation of their choice. This day is designed to enable those who make up our team to be passionate and get personally involved with the wider community, and to enjoy the pride and purpose that comes with helping. Bowaters has been a long-time supporter of many local groups, charities and community organisations. Too many to list here, there’s more information on our website about the good work we do in all sectors, with a focus also on the groups themselves. They say charity begins at home, but it also thrives in business, a business that really cares and is prepared to participate.

Bowater Motor Group was recognised at the recent 2018 Age Connect Community Awards. From left: Tony Bowater, Breffni O’Rourke (Age Concern), Yvonne & Chris Bowater.

BMG Chairman Rodney Bowater planting a commemorative tree at the Brook Sanctuary.

Nelson • Richmond • Motueka

Visit our website for more: www.bowaters.co.nz/community or find us on your favourite social media.

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“[It’s] starting out small and growing consistently. During these 70 years we have seen huge changes in the township of Richmond, with amazing growth in the retail sector. Richmond pioneered Thursday late-night shopping and Saturday shopping in the region and Taylors were at the forefront of both of those initiatives.” Craig also credits consistently high service levels, reviewing the market to ensure they satisfy it and shifting with the times – “Always learning,” he says. This approach, along with a focus on its presentation, product knowledge and employment, has meant their customers are always well-shod, looked after and will return.

McKenzie Paints

“Always learning.” C R A I G TAY L O R

“I think you need to be kind,” Jenny says. “Too many people bully and are nasty to others to get their way. People might help you once to get you out of their lives but they won’t often go out of their way to help you a second time. “In business you need help from those around you, whether it be the public, fellow people in business or mentors. To quote John Donne, ‘No man is an island’.” Jenny also says an enthusiasm that goes beyond generating income is key. “Frankly, if you want to make money there are a lot of easier ways. Retail is not easy – you need to be able to adapt to a changing world.” Lighthouse has had plenty of highlights over the years. Jenny says when someone comes in who has been a customer from the start it is very rewarding, as is working with great staff and seeing the third generation of her family being part the business. “I want my family to remember the business with fondness not as something that separated us,” she says. “Should one of the family decide to take the baton up, [I hope they] continue it with the same values.”

Taylors…we love shoes

The Taylor family has been looking after Nelson’s feet for 70 years. According to owner Craig Taylor, the business is the longest surviving in Richmond that is still owned by the family who originally started it. “On the 15th of August this year, Taylors’ presence in Richmond will have spanned 70 years,” he says. “On this date in 1948 my father, Cliff Taylor, started as a shoe repairer in tiny premises on Gladstone Rd.” Cliff and wife Eileen soon bought a house in Queen St and built their own small repairing shop in front of it, in a building that was added to four times and is now occupied by Village Cycles. Craig, their youngest son, joined the business in 1974 and helped to oversee the 1977 construction of the premises Taylors now owns and occupies. Further expansion saw a store opened in Nelson. Craig says sustainable, sensible growth has been a mainstay of the Taylors’ story and a reason for their longevity. 32

If you live in the Top of the South, the odds are high that you know many buildings painted by McKenzie Paints. The business has been operating for more than 70 years, with about 200 apprentices coming up through the ranks and going on to their own trade success stories. Directors Terry and Glenn McKenzie took over the business from their late father, founder Ray McKenzie, and have been qualified painters since 1961 and 1975 respectively. Ray’s grandson Nathan Delaney is also part of the team, working as a qualified builder and project manager. Ray originally started out in 1948 and was known for his honest approach, including the no-nonsense catchphrase “If something’s worth doing, then it’s worth doing bloody properly,” on which his sons have continued to base their business philosophy. Terry says the secret to McKenzies’ staying power is a combination of good workmanship and service. “In this day and age, and with the competitive nature of the painting and decorating industry, it’s rare for a business to outlast its founder,” he says. “It’s even more exceptional for that business to remain in the hands of the same family.” Being prepared to put in the hours and give excellent service to customers are the most important attributes for anyone starting out in business, Terry adds.

Nelson Building Society (NBS)

From its small beginnings in 1862 to the present day, NBS has been an integral part of Nelson and the surrounding region. General manager Ken Beams says the business has a unique place in Nelson’s history, being the only independent and mutually owned financial institution in the Nelson/Tasman region to provide a full banking service. It has grown in tandem with the region’s thriving industries to become a multimillion-dollar business, which Ken says is a considerable achievement. He arrived at NBS in 2000 when its total assets were $66 million. They are now a whopping $730 million, which means yearly growth of 10 percent.

“If something’s worth doing, then it’s worth doing bloody properly.” M C K E N Z I E PA I N T S ’ N O - N O N S E N S E C ATC H P H R A S E

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Rachel Jamieson, Casey Otto, Brian Gabites, Jen Low

Ken says being able to support the community by way of sponsorship and grants through the various branches is a deeply satisfying part of the job. The business is renowned for supporting sports teams in particular. Through such community involvement, “We want to leave a legacy of being the bank of choice for the people of Nelson and Tasman. “The secret is, I believe, to employ the right people, build a culture and have a purpose to be there. Ours is to be the community bank.”

Jens Hansen – Gold and Silversmith

The Jens Hansen jewellery workshop is a Nelson icon and celebrates its 50th birthday this year. It is no accident that Jens’ unique Scandinavian-influenced designs adorn jewellery lovers from Nelson, and around the world. ‘Nihil sine labore’ was the Latin motto inscribed on the road sign outside Jens Hansen’s first Nelson workshop in Alton St. Meaning ‘nothing without work’, the motto was true to the Hansens, as the talented jeweller experimented day in day out, while his wife Gurli ran the Nelson shop and travelled the country selling and setting up exhibitions. Today, the workshop is run by Jens’ and Gurli’s conscientious and entrepreneurial son Halfdan. He attributes the success of ‘the world’s most famous ring’ as having been an international launching pad for other collections. For example, each July a new piece is recreated from the archives and added to the Legacy Collection that celebrates the late Jens’ birthday. From time to time, Halfdan’s brother Thorkild works alongside the workshops’ other experienced jewellers to make beautiful designs, from diamond wedding and engagement rings to one-off custom pieces. Thorkild’s artist wife Miriam shares Jens’ legacy to the studio workshop’s many passionate visitors and Halfdan’s daughters’ design acumen is also strongly apparent, implying a long future for the Jens Hansen workshop. Claiming the title of Nelson’s only internationallyacclaimed artisan jewellery workshop, Jens Hansen stands as the hallmark for being a creative, enduring local and family business. 34

“…employ the right people, build a culture and have a purpose to be there. Ours is to be the community bank.” KEN BEAMS

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Light Nelson

A blazing success

Photo: Ana Galloway

Astoundingly, Light Nelson is only in its fourth outing. A free community-based event rarely goes from a gem of an idea to attracting close to 60,000 visitors in just three sessions. Frances Wilson samples the magic formula.

ight Nelson remains committed to its ethos of keeping community at its core. Most of the installations are made by local people, with a small number of out-oftowners joining in. The artists creating works for 2018 include a philosophical lighting designer, a time-travelling landscaper, and an eco-arts community enthusiast – all with a common passion for highlighting environmental issues. Wellingtonian Marcus McShane, talking by phone from Sydney, says he spends a lot of time on the road both in New Zealand and around the world, installing temporary lightworks and activations. Some are a little more permanent, like Wash, for Tauranga City Council, which features recordings of waiata, haka and the hijinks laughter of local children. Sometimes, his works travel on their own, such as nag, 36

which has had almost 40 showings at festivals and events around the world. A self-contained design studio, nag is made entirely of recycled parts. Its computers are powered by two washingmachine motors that are, in turn, powered by a pair of racing bikes. If you want to use a computer, start pedalling, and if you want to use a programme that needs a little more oomph, pedal faster. Marcus is one of New Zealand’s most prolific lighting designers. He also holds a masters in philosophy, which becomes apparent in the thoughtfulness in many of his works. Although he’s worked with Nelson Arts Festival, this is his first Light Nelson. He’s bringing two works that have been seen before, at Lux and the New Zealand Festival, although both works are being rejigged, recycled and adapted to fit the Nelson setting.

Photo: Ana Galloway

Overhead is a sound-canopy of recreated birdsong of the many species that have long gone and were never actually recorded…

PREVIOUS PAGE: Comrade Ship by Rangiwahia Environmental Arts Centre THIS PAGE: Left: Life in the Luminarium by John-Paul Pochin, James Wheatley & Geof Lusins Above: Luminous Dancers by Anne Rush

Photo: John-Paul Pochin

A garden like no other

If Words Were Water is layered, illuminated letters that are submerged beneath the water’s surface so that different phrases such as ’Our waters are ours’ appear, fade, and then reappear as ’Our words are light’. As the words gently move and sway in the water, they’ll light their immediate surrounds – Marcus is hoping the Queens Gardens eels will be curious.

Birdsong from the grave

His other work, Nests, comprises three large nests made of materials that he’ll forage in the gardens, making homes for three extinct birds: the whēkau (laughing owl), huia and Haast eagle. Overhead is a sound-canopy of recreated birdsong of the many species that have long gone and were never actually recorded, i.e. birdcalls we’ve never heard. From each nest comes a recording of the birds talking of their own demise. Four huia females (the poster-girls of lost birds) lament their situation of being judged purely on their looks. “My tail feathers aren’t for pretty hats, they’re for flying!” They’re at a bit of a loss on how to change their lot as huia spiral to the bitter conclusion of extinction. Like many of his projects, Marcus works collaboratively – the birds’ soliloquies are written by three award-winning NZ writers: Claire O’Loughlin (huia), Ralph McCubbin Howell (whēkau) and Jamie McCaskill (Haast eagle). As quirky and idiomatic as the chatting birds may be, Nests is a moving tribute to what is lost, and what we continue to lose.

Another first-timer at Light Nelson is local landscaper James Wheatley, although it’s not his first foray into playing with light. In 2012 James collaborated with John-Paul Pochin and Geof Lusins to make Life in the Luminarium, an immersive walk-through light installation at Founders Park as part of Nelson Arts Festival. For Light Nelson 2018, James will create a bespoke garden in an NMIT car park. He’ll be drawing on his vast experience in designing and building gardens round the country and overseas, as well as numerous awards at high-profile British garden shows. When WildTomato caught up with James, he was conducting experiments in a makeshift pond at his home, and although the title of his work was still to be decided, the concept was fully formed. His work is a step not so much back-in-time, but out-oftime, before, or perhaps after, the car park, when the land might feature four-metre native trees and a sea of ferns, integrated with exotic succulents and bromeliads. Emanating from a central pond is a soft and low baseline, causing cymatic waves and ripples. The pulse from the pond mixes with an overall soundscape created by sound specialists Janja and Mark Heathfield. All together, the transposed living and breathing garden with its acoustic canopy, located in a car park, will resonate as a mythical and other-worldly experience. The mix of plants serves to emphasise that the land will never be what it was, nor what it is, but is ever-changing, and that we are the ones struggling to keep nature at bay, rather than vice versa. The clear message links our continued disconnection with wilderness to the future of our designed spaces and the continued evolution of our ecosystems. When creating his gardens at prestigious shows, James usually has up to three weeks to install his flora masterpieces. This time he’ll have just three days – like most of the people creating artworks and installations in Light Nelson. James will call on Big Trees on Lansdowne for the trees, and Humes for the water trough, as well as his own business, Landform, for the installation crew. And although it’s doubtful that Queen Elizabeth will visit, as she did when James and his father Jon won the Chelsea Flower Show Diamond Jubilee Award, he remains enthusiastic about Light Nelson’s combination of having enough installations to give it a grand scale, and yet small enough to maintain its unique charm. 37

By the numbers … Light Nelson is a celebration of community, creativity and the wonder of light. Here are some of the numbers needed to make it all happen: • Five nights • 60 installations

Above: Tianma by Rangiwahia Environmental Arts Centre Below right: Life in the Luminarium by John-Paul Pochin, James Wheatley & Geof Lusins

From bottles to fish

Using recycled products is a common theme for many artists at Light Nelson, and this year Bridgette Murphy, from Rangiwahia Enviro Arts Centre Trust (REACT), is taking on the challenge of transforming plastic bottles into fish. “It’s frustrating because as soon as you start using heat to rework them, they lose their pristine clarity, which means they won’t light up as well,” she says. While definitely a work-in-progress, it’s not impossible. Bridgette and her partner Jim Richards plan to have the work resolved and completed well before travelling to Nelson, so it can be installed in just one day. Swimming Upstream is about tuna and inanga (eels and whitebait) making the nigh-impossible upstream journey to adulthood, facing the dangers of nets or being blocked by man-made barriers and changes to the environment. Swimming Upstream uses the re-fashioned plastic bottles to highlight the plight and threat to these species, and the increasing likelihood of their extinction. Bridgette is looking forward to the fact that once installed, her 2018 piece will look after itself, meaning she and Jim will have time to truly admire the other lightworks, and more importantly, get to know the other exhibitors. In previous years, REACT’s works were bicycle-driven roaming installations. In 2014, it was an ethereal, cantering neon horse, Tianma – Heigh ho Hoiho; and in 2016, the glorious Comrade Ship, a collaboratively built bamboo and paper boat, resplendent with Māori heroine Huria Matenga at the bow. Based in the northern Manawatu, REACT is an environmental arts collective whose kaupapa is to inspire through art, whether it’s raising awareness of environmental issues, encouraging a sense of community awareness and pride, creating way-cool street spectacles, or generally just bringing people together. For Bridgette, the community aspect of Light Nelson is not only the tens of thousands who come to see the magic, but also the collegial bond between the artists and creatives. She’s looking forward to making connections, gleaning inspiration and swapping ideas. In developing Swimming Upstream, Bridgette referenced Anne Rush’s work Luminous Dancers for its incredibly simple and effective lighting solution. And Swimming Upstream will still have a bicycle element to it, but just a wheel as the hanging frame for the tuna and inanga. 38

• 100+ volunteers • 150+ artists • 50,000+ visitors • 77,000 lumens (that’s 3 x 10,000-lumen projectors, 4 x 8000-lumen projectors and 5 x 3000-lumen projectors) • An infinite number of beanies, gloves, scarves and puffer jackets worn by artists, crew and visitors alike. • Installations include: 10km of thread in Mumbrella; origami galore in 1000 Cranes; 1500 recycled plastic bags in Le Poisson Plastique; 3000+ swizzle sticks in Starry Night; one recycled 136-year-old cypress cedar tree in Cedar Reborn; five wacky adventurers in Eclectic Electric Explorers; and in their triumphant return, five Lightbulb Men. Light Nelson July 6-10, 5.30-9.30pm Queens Gardens, Albion Square and NMIT campus, as well as the Light Nelson Hub along Hardy St. Entry free. www.lightnelson.co.nz @lightnelsonevent #lightnelson

Photo: John-Paul Pochin

Photo courtesy Light Nelson

• 100 metres of festoon lighting

“It’s frustrating because as soon as you start using heat to rework them, they lose their pristine clarity, which means they won’t light up as well.” B R I D G E T T E M U R P H Y FA C E S A C H A L L E N G E I N T U R N I N G P L A S T I C B OT T L E S I N TO F I S H .

6-10 JULY 2018 NIGHTLY 5.30-9.30 A free celebration of community, creativity and the wonder of light at Queens Gardens, Albion Square & NMIT Campus #lightnelsonevent

NZIA Awards

Architecture awards celebrate

Photo: Oliver Weber

old, new and heritage builds

Twelve of the best of old and new architecture projects received awards at the recent Nelson/ Marlborough Architecture Awards, setting the benchmark for the Top of the South’s buildings. C O M P I L E D B Y LY N D A PA P E S C H

he awards are part of the peer-reviewed New Zealand Architecture Awards programme run by the New Zealand Institute of Architects and sponsored by Resene. Award-winning Nelson architect Ian Jack convened the selection jury. He noted that while houses designed and built to a very high standard won the majority of awards, the jury was also impressed by very good examples of public, commercial and heritage architecture. Nelson’s Trafalgar Centre, a winner in the Public Architecture category, was described as a “long and elegant pavilion”. Designed for economical construction, the Centre makes a “beguilingly simple transition to the existing indoor sports stadium and park”. A suite of offices for Port Nelson received an Interior Architecture Award; its architects, Jerram Tocker Barron Architects, successfully unlocked the potential of an old industrial warehouse. The jury said Seafarers’ Chapel was “decrepit to the point of write-off” until Arthouse Architects reworked the 154-year-old building without “compromise to heritage values”. Jerram Tocker Barron Architects, working with Lab-works Architecture, received a Commercial Architecture Award for Nelson’s Plant & Food Research Facility, a “fine new laboratory 40

and research building on Nelson’s port edge”. Seven housing awards were given out, including two for alterations and additions. Jerram Tocker Barron Architects picked up its third award for Candish House, a carefully composed house sited on Nelson’s Cathedral Hill. Irving Smith Architects received a housing award for 12 Year House – a house, in the architect’s words, that took “12 years of getting ready and moving from farm to lifestyle”. A Mana Heights award winner by Continuum Architecture is a “simple, highly efficient yet elegant home that puts strong emphasis on sustainability”, the jury said. The Kennedy de Leur House, a house designed by Philip Kennedy Associates Architects for the architect’s own family, also has excellent environmental credentials, the jury said. In the design of Tasman View house, Modo Architects also ensured a connection to past lives, while in the alterations and additions category, Arthouse Architects picked up a second award for a Poynters Crescent house nestled into a sheltered bush-clad gully. The jury described the Brown House by redbox architects as “an excellent demonstration of how small, awkward sites can be enlivened and opened up”. The awards jury made one Enduring Architecture Award this year, to Nelson’s Bowman Building, designed by Alexander Bowman Architect in 1961 to house his own architecture practice. Nelson/Marlborough Architecture Award-winning projects are eligible for consideration in the New Zealand Architecture Awards, which will be announced in November.

Photo: John-Paul Pochin

Photo: Kate MacPherson

Photo: Virginia Woolf

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Brown House by redbox architects; Bowman Building by Alexander Bowman Architect; Seafarersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Chapel by Arthouse Architects; Kennedy de Leur House by Philip Kennedy Associates Architects; Mana Heights House by Continuum Architecture; 12 Year House by Irving Smith Architects; Candish House by Jerram Tocker Barron Architects

Photo: Oliver Weber

Photo: Patrick Reynolds

OPPOSITE PAGE: Tasman View House by Modo Architects

NZIA AWARDS 2018 JURY

Ian Jack Architect/Convenor

Sharon Jansen Architect

an Jack came to Nelson in 1974 and set up a solo architectural practice in 1977. There were only two private architectural firms in Nelson then. A start in residential work led on to commissions for some of Nelson’s most notable buildings and rapidly accumulating design awards. Eventually Andrew Irving and later Jeremy Smith joined Ian in partnership, and now continue the practice. Since his retirement, Ian has pursued his interest in engineered timber to partner in establishing XLam NZ Ltd, which has pioneered the manufacture and use of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) in New Zealand and Australia.

haron’s Wellington-based practice SJA focuses on thoughtful and personally crafted residential solutions, both new houses and sensitive interventions. After graduating in architecture with honours, Sharon worked in Australia, Singapore and Paris for eight years. Returning home, she worked in private practice and later joined Tennent and Brown as senior architect, immersed in highly acclaimed residential commissions which brought the practice several NZIA awards. An elected fellow of the NZIA, outside her direct working role Sharon has convened and judged previous NZIA local and national awards programmes, tutored in architecture at Victoria and Massey Universities, and as a member of Wellington NZIA branch coordinates the Wellington’s City Talks lecture series.

Stephanie Phillips Architect

Dave Knight Advertising/Graphic Design

ollowing her 1997 graduation with an honours degree in architecture, Stephanie worked in turn for leading architectural firms in Auckland, Nelson, Dunedin and Wellington, gathering experience on a wide range of residential, retail, health and education projects. After establishing her own Wellington practice in 2008, Nelson still drew her, and she eventually relocated here with her family in 2015. As a sole practitioner Stephanie is personally involved with her clients throughout the design, drawing and construction phases. In addition to work and family, for the past two years she has been an energetic branch chair of the Nelson Marlborough NZIA.

s the non-architect member of the awards jury, Dave’s credentials are nevertheless highly relevant to the challenge. Both his work and private lives are absorbed by creative interests. Dave initially explored an architectural career but turned toward art and graphic design. After graduating from Ilam Art School in graphic design, several art director roles led to Dave forming Nimbus Advertising (now Nimbusad) in Nelson in 1983. Through Nimbus, Dave has built the creative brand identities which position some of New Zealand’s leading corporates. Dave also sits on the Adam Chamber Music Festival Trust Board.

THIS YEAR’S AWARD WINNERS: Commercial

Housing

Plant & Food Research Facility Jerram Tocker Barron Architects and Lab-works Architecture in association

Candish House Jerram Tocker Barron Architects Tasman View House Modo Architects

Brown House redbox architects 2017

Enduring Architecture Award

Heritage

Mana Heights House Continuum Architecture

Interior

Bowman Building Alexander Bowman Architect

Seafarers’ Chapel Arthouse Architects

Kennedy de Leur House Philip Kennedy Associates Architects 12 Year House Irving Smith Architects

Housing – Alterations and Additions Poynters Crescent Arthouse Architects

Port Nelson Offices Jerram Tocker Barron Architects

Public Architecture Trafalgar Centre Irving Smith Architects

â&#x20AC;&#x153;...the jury was also impressed by very good examples of public, commercial and heritage architecture.â&#x20AC;?

Photo: Kate MacPherson

Photo: Jason Mann

Photo: Oliver Weber

I A N JA C K , J U RY C O N V E N O R

Photo: Patrick Reynolds

Photo: Jason Mann

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Tasman View House by Modo Architects; Port Nelson Offices by Jerram Tocker Barron Architects; Plant & Food Research Facility by Jerram Tocker Barron Architects in association with Lab-works Architecture; Trafalgar Centre by Irving Smith Architects; Poynters Crescent by Arthouse Architects

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Proud to be the main contractor of AWARD-WINNING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū Congratulations to Jerram Tocker Barron Architects on this award-winning home. We would like to thank all our many sub-contractors, suppliers and consultants. Congratulations to The Suter for its vision. Thank you to our staff, subcontractors and suppliers for their support in this project.

Proud to be the main contractor of The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū

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Proud to be the main contractor of The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū Congratulations to The Suter for its vision. Thank you to our staff, subcontractors and suppliers for their support in this project.

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Virginia Woolf Photography

Congratulations to all the winners in the 2018 New Zealand Institute of Architects Nelson & Marlborough Branch Awards. The following pages detail some of the key award-winning buildings and those who designed and created them.

Candish House By Jerram Tocker Barron Architects P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y V I R G I N I A W O O L F | C AT E G O R Y – H O U S I N G

erram Tocker Barron Architects picked up its third award for Candish House, a carefully composed house sited on Nelson’s Cathedral Hill. “The house elegantly contributes to the historic context of its mature city-fringe site,” the NZIA awards jury said. “Working collaboratively, the architect and owner-builder have produced a beautiful and sophisticated home that is both immaculately built and carefully organised to meet evolving family needs.” Designed and built for a working couple with three schoolage children, this award-winning house sits on the south-east corner of Trafalgar Square. A residential precinct around the perimeter of Church Hill, Trafalgar Square is one of Nelson’s local high points. Once a Māori pā, it now contains Christ Church Cathedral and is the centre-point for the city planning structure. The home has a northern outlook on to Church Hill.

“Where possible the majority of products were sourced locally, proving that you don’t have to go outside the Nelson Tasman region to build an architectural house in Nelson.” 45

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PREVIOUS PAGE: Living/dining/kitchen spaces open out on to the external living spaces THIS PAGE: Light and visual connection flow indoors and outdoors, enhancing the sculptural visual form

In the construction industry himself, the husband was highly engaged with the design development, working with both the architects and the building team. The result is a three-storey home, with a piano nobile connecting with the natural ground levels to the west of the site. This floor is the main living area, with the living/dining/ kitchen spaces forming a ‘great room’ opening out on to the external living spaces. The master bedroom suite is located at the eastern end, with a lounge in between, sharing a north-facing deck. The upper level contains the children’s bedrooms, connected with an informal lounge, while the lowest floor comprises the garage and storage areas, which have been extended across the full plan to provide rumpus room and an ‘apartment’. The house stretches along the east-west axis, with the trees of Church Hill providing shade and outlook. The stair provides vertical organisation and a visual centre piece. It allows light and visual connection through the house, and is finished to provide a sculptural visual form. External spaces maximise the use of the site, with an arrival courtyard at road level. Steps connect to the rear yard – for play and washing lines; the elevated west area is the entertainment area with swimming pool, raised above the

road for privacy and to connect visually with Church Hill as ‘borrowed landscape’. Externally, the house is finished with cedar, zinc and aluminium using colours that complement the surrounding greenery. Where possible the majority of products were sourced locally, proving that you don’t have to go outside the Nelson Tasman region to build an architectural house in Nelson. The award-winning build is a great testament to the whole team including the architects, the owner’s team of tradesmen, site foreman Nathan Edwards and the many subcontractors and suppliers. 47

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“...a simple, highly efficient yet elegant home that puts strong emphasis on sustainability”.

Mana Heights House By Continuum Architecture P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y O L I V E R W E B E R | C AT E G O R Y – H O U S I N G

ana Heights House is an eco-design home located in a west-facing Nelson suburban hillside site overlooking the Boulder Bank. Working together, the client and the architect created an award-winning build with a modest budget while also incorporating simple eco-design principles. The client, an eco-design building adviser, was able to put his principles into practice helping design an efficient two-bedroom house. Features include orientating maximum openings towards the northern sun, insulating as much as possible and also reducing the thermal bridge wherever possible. The jury described the house as a “simple, highly efficient yet elegant home that puts strong emphasis on sustainability”. “The owners and architect have made conscious design decisions to achieve quality by limiting size, reducing material waste and embracing tight environmental performance – and less has certainly proven to be more.”

TOP: Award-winning and eco ABOVE: Soft timber cladding adds warmth inside 49

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At the first design meeting, the clients referred to a quote from the Grand Designs Handbook which proposed that our homes “should make us feel like better, healthier, kinder, more civilised human beings”. They now have that and an award-winning home, and are enjoying the observation and recording of the house’s environmental performance during the various seasons. The house was kept small so as to leave extra money for quality materials and finishes. The resulting home is warm for the winter months and cool for summer temperatures, with features including a high-opening tripleglazed window above the front door, regulating the house temperature to such fine degrees. Building forms were simplified and exterior cladding reduced to two types: soft timber cladding in people zones and for visual emphasis, and vertical metal cladding in other places. The two bedroom areas are separated for privacy and the design uses angled windows orientated for exterior shadows, framed views and privacy from the neighbours. Neighbours’ gabion-stepped walls and gentle pitched roofs were replicated in the new build to add continuity and repeat the success of those elements. Various outdoor living areas were created to cater for different weather patterns and moods and integrated stepped gardens, fruit trees, herb gardens, all utilising water saved in harvesting tanks. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Small cosy kitchen; quality materials and finishes; continuity with neighbouring designs 51

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Brown House By redbox architects P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y K AT E M A C P H E R S O N C AT E G O R Y – H E R I TA G E

rown House is an iconic Nelson historic settlers’ building with a rich and colourful past dating back to the 1860s. It is located in the heart of central Nelson on a long and narrow site stretching between two busy streets. The clients wished to create a unique inner-city dwelling that could be used as short-term accommodation. The jury described the Brown House by redbox architects as “an excellent demonstration of how small, awkward sites can be enlivened and opened up into very enjoyable living places”. “The street front is a simple restoration of the original façade, however inside the colonial theme is abandoned for a quiet contemporary apartment style.” Like many older Nelson inner-city homes, the original Brown House was long, narrow and dark, and had had a variety of uses over time, including retail and hospitality. The existing building was in a state of disrepair with a lot of the finishing timber damaged or removed. With hardly any original materials and features left, it required extensive renovation and modernisation. Retaining only the front façade, the house was stripped back to the framing and reconfigured into a three-bedroom dwelling that can be arranged in several ways to sleep up to six guests. The house has a strong street presence – the weatherboards aptly painted a chocolate brown colour, contrasted with white window facings and shutters, and the entry marked by a bright pink front door. A long hallway leads down to the light-filled

TOP: Quiet contemporary apartment style ABOVE: a modern take in the restored facade

dining, kitchen and living area. A sun-soaked veranda upstairs and a generous courtyard at ground level create a small urban oasis amongst the industrial city fabric; a thoughtful and playful response to heritage controls, the site and project. It is a heritage gem brought back to life, adding another chapter to its vibrant history. 53

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Arthouse Architects reworked the 154-year-old building without “compromise to heritage values”.

Seafarers’ Chapel By Arthouse Architects P H O T O G R A H Y B Y K AT E M A C P H E R S O N | C AT E G O R Y – H E R I TA G E

he little chapel at 235 Haven Road, Nelson, was in dire need of some TLC when its current owner purchased the Group B listed building three years ago. In purchasing the building, he not only saved the site from being turned into another car yard but also took on the challenge of restoring the building. The jury said Seafarers’ Chapel was “decrepit to the point of write-off” before it found salvation in an owner prepared to invest in the building’s future. Arthouse Architects reworked the 154-year-old building without “compromise to heritage values,” the jury said. “The original chapel has been left intact. It is a beautiful space with an elegant trussed ceiling, requiring and given nothing but rigour and simplicity in its restoration.” Built in 1870, the building had originally sat on the sea edge serving first as a Seafarers’ chapel, then as a haberdashery, storage and lastly a workshop for reconditioning boat engines, complete with pulleys attached to the exposed trusses to lift the motors within the building. After 145 years the chapel no longer sat on the sea edge due to port reclamation, the building had deteriorated structurally and the weatherboards had been covered in asbestos panels painted sky blue, creating a very different kind of visual impact. The lean-to was in complete disrepair and the building had dropped off its original piles on to the ground as the structure rotted away. The client proved keen to restore the building but it also had

TOP: A beautiful space with an elegant trussed ceiling ABOVE: The renovation included repositioning the chapel

to be usable. To improve access and allow for better utilisation of the site, the building was rotated 90 degrees, providing side access to rear car parking and north-western sun the full length of the building, improving natural light into the interior. The chapel was lifted off its rotten foundations and stored on site while a new concrete foundation was constructed, studs repaired and windows rebuilt. It was then repositioned on its new foundation, a new lean-to constructed, weatherboards and interior repaired and timber overlay flooring salvaged from the rimu framing of the neighbouring boat builder’s shed when it was demolished. The renovated chapel already has new tenants, and is ready for another 154 years of service to its community. 55

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The Suter Gallery Aratoi o Whakatū Proud to have worked withArt Jerram Tocker Te Barron Architects Congratulations to The Suter for its vision. Thank you to our staff, the award-winning Port Nelson Offices suppliers for their support in this project. Proud to beonthe mainsubcontractors contractor of Proud to be theand main contractor of The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū AnThe award-winning attitude: Care andTe attention to detail drive Suter Art Gallery Aratoi o Whakatū quality, is you whyfor weits win so many industry awards. Congratulations to Theexceptional Suter for its vision.which to our staff, Congratulations toThank The Suter vision. Thank you to our staff, subcontractors and suppliers for their support in thisfor project. subcontractors and suppliers their support in this project. IN-HOUSE QUANTITY SURVEYANCE (QS): Our in-house QS service ensures accurate pricing and cost control systems.

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Port Nelson Offices By Jerram Tocker Barron Architects P HO T O G R A P H Y BY JA S ON M A N N C AT E G O R Y - I N T E R I O R A R C H I T E C T U R E

suite of offices for Port Nelson received an Interior Architecture Award. The jury said Jerram Tocker Barron Architects have successfully unlocked the potential of an old industrial warehouse. “Structural strengthening, thermal and acoustic treatment and building services have been seamlessly integrated, with texture added by vertical wood screens, indoor plants and integrated murals that express the history of the port,” the jury said. Port Nelson’s vision was to re-furbish its existing 1960s cellular offices as a modern office environment, enhancing its office culture and fostering collaboration, flexibility and innovation. The existing building was first constructed as a transport warehouse, and had been developed over time into a series of low-quality, ad-hoc internal and external spaces. The design response was an adaptive reuse of the existing warehouse into a modern collaborative and openplan office and work environment, breathing new life into the old building – previously a rabbit warren of poorly utilised spaces. 57

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The design conserves the historic values and references the past of the port. Design features include expressing the existing steel trusses, concrete beam and column structures, glazing of the saw-tooth gable walls to introduce daylight deep into the floor plan and use of historic port photos as a feature on partition glazing. The redesign also presented the opportunity to seismic strengthen the building while allowing Port Nelson to foster and improve collaboration and interaction in its work environment and office culture and introduce new ways of working. Timber elements soften and filter view and light into meeting rooms. The main public and staff entries into the building were recreated and sheltered outdoor areas added for staff to utilise. The fit-out is of the building is over 500m2 and comprises open-plan zones for the main staff and executive and administration teams, board room, meeting rooms, reception and entry, kitchenette and cafeteria and toilets. The interiors are designed to the Government Property Management Centre of Expertise workspace standards, and feature flexible desking arrangement, storage planters to introduce greenery into the space, mobile technology with wireless design and interactive smart screen technology, specialist acoustic ceilings throughout for a quiet working environment and collaborative areas.

PREVIOUS PAGE: Design features include steel trusses, concrete beam and column structures THIS PAGE: Timber elements soften and filter view and light into meeting rooms 59

CREATE INSPIRING COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ARCHITECTS INTERIOR DESIGNERS URBAN DESIGNERS

JERRAM TOCKER BARRON ARCHITECTS LTD Nelson Wellington Christchurch Auckland

www.jtbarchitects.co.nz

AWARD-WINNING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

AWARD-WINNING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY Congratulations to Jerram Tocker Barron Architects on this award-winning Foodmain Research Facility. We would Proud toPlant be &the contractor of like to thank all ourArt manyGallery sub-contractors, suppliers o andWhakatū consultants. The Suter Te Aratoi

AWARD-WINNING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Congratulations to The Suter for its vision. Thank you to our staff, subcontractors and suppliers for their support in this project. NEW BUILDS • RENOVATIONS • SEISMIC STRENGTHENING Proud to be the main contractor of

11 Nayland Stoke l Te info@scotts.nz l 03 547 9469 The SuterRoad, Art Gallery Aratoi o Whakatū Congratulations to The Suter for its vision. Thank you to our staff, www.scottconstruction.nz subcontractors and suppliers for their support in this project.

NEW BUILDS • RENOVATIONS • SEISMIC STRENGTHENING NEW BUILDS • RENOVATIONS • SEISMIC STRENGTHENING NaylandRoad, Road, Stoke l 03 547 9469 11 11 Nayland Stokel info@scotts.nz l 03 547 9469 www.scottconstruction.nz www.scottconstruction.nz l info@scotts.nz

NEW BUILDS • RENOVATIONS • SEISMIC STRENGTHENING 11 Nayland Road, Stoke l info@scotts.nz l 03 547 9469 60

www.scottconstruction.nz

“...glazed walls visually link laboratories with offices for a rich communal working environment.”

Plant & Food Research Facility By Jerram Tocker Barron Architects in association with Lab-works Architecture P HO T O G R A P H Y BY JA S ON M A N N C AT E G O R Y - C O M M E R C I A L A R C H I T E C T U R E

erram Tocker Barron Architects, working with Lab-works Architecture, received a Commercial Architecture Award for Nelson’s Plant & Food Research Facility (PFR), a “fine new laboratory and research building on Nelson’s port edge”. “The structure has been sculpturally expressed in an elegant timber system, sourced locally from three engineered-wood manufacturers. Inside, glazed walls visually link laboratories with offices for a rich communal working environment,” the jury said. The client required a consolidated new office and laboratory for their staff in the seafood technologies sector. Site selection was critical to function and resulted from an extensive master planning process focussing on the ability to consolidate PFR’s seafood teams on to a single site, the ability to connect to industries’ partners in the seafood sector, a landlord willing to develop and continue to support the Seafood Research team’s future growth and provision of access to seawater. The selected site is bound by water on three sides, facing north, at the end of Akersten Street.

TOP: An elegant new working environment ABOVE: A consolidated new office and laboratory 61

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The award-winning design was generated by several drivers including the development with Port Nelson of a seafood precinct, with PFR as the main tenant and accommodating specific needs of the scientists and varied research functions, providing a connective, opened environment that promotes collaboration internally and externally. The brief was for a modern expressed architectural language with the building looking out to the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thriving fishing industry and port with an openness and transparency that would connect the scientists with their industry. The end result is an innovative structure that minimises loads on reclaimed land, and offsets carbon in the structure. The building uses three types of local prefabricated engineered timber components. The main structural support comprises of X-lam rising the full height of the building supporting Potius box beam floors and roof. LVL brace columns provide bracing to the south wall and allow the openness for a curtain wall to the south. Additional features include clear-finished timber that provides warmth and ambiance to the space, complemented with light, white walls. Environmental design considerations include a carbon positive structure, a high level of wall insulation, cross ventilation to all spaces and a north-south orientation with daylight from the southern curtain wall to avoid glare from the north.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Shared space overlooking the port; a connective open environment; three types of local prefabricated engineered timber components 63

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FA S H I O N S H OWC A S E

Go classic for classy, fabulous fashion B Y S O N YA L E U S I N K S L A D E N

hether you are passionate about great architecture, or like me, beautiful clothes, there’s one thing we’ll agree on as a cornerstone of what makes for great design. That’s quality. Quality in material used, in its design and in the workmanship of its construction, is everything. As a curator of beautiful second-hand things, quality is the first thing I look for. It usually jumps out at me from the racks and if it is fashion relevant I will almost always buy it. Here are some of the factors I will consider when thinking about quality.

Fabric and materials are a great indicator of quality The highest-quality fabric is usually a pretty good indicator of quality overall. Quite simply, the economics of using an expensive fabric and producing a lower-end product don’t stack up. And while it’s true some designer brands use cheaper fabrics to remain competitive, you will never see cheaply made and

“Great design stands the text of time.” 72

poorly designed garments made out of a high-quality fabric. Find beautiful quality fabric and quality construction and workmanship will almost always follow.

Natural fibres are great, but not always superior

lined. Six-inch heels are padded, sturdy and structured with care. Skirts, coats and pants all have well-made functional pockets. In short, quality design is desirable because it is functionally superior.

There are lots a reasons why natural fibres are preferred by people seeking highquality products. Natural fibres, like wool, cotton and silk, generally function better under the demands we place on them, like wool in the weather and cotton against the skin. However, the quality of a textile goes beyond fibre itself to the thickness of it, the density of the weave and the way it was coloured. Poor-quality cotton, wool and silk exist alongside fantastic, highquality man-made textiles. In short, good and bad quality textiles exist across all fibre ranges.

You pay for what you get

The best designs are functionally superior

Classics are classic for a reason

Fast fashion sometimes forgets clothes have a purpose beyond making us look good. And while aesthetics in design are important, the best designers also think about who the wearer is likely to be and what they want to be able to do with the piece. High-quality pieces are comfortable, they fasten well, they move when we do, and keep us warm (or cool). Coats are

Not always! Although there is a broad relationship between price and quality, there are plenty of exceptions. Take many designer brands as an example. While you might expect to get the best quality for a premium price, sometimes you really are paying for the name. At the other end of the spectrum, some inexpensive chain store garments are in fact very welldesigned pieces that use a good quality fabric. Learning to spot good and bad quality across all price ranges is key.

Great design stands the test of time. Think a classic tweed blazer, a white shirt, a little black sheath dress, a trench coat and a pleated tartan skirt. All of these things are neither fashion now or unfashionable. They are timeless because they follow a design formula that has stood the test of time. Quality design withstands the passing of time and weathers fashion’s comings and goings.

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Prospective students and parents are invited to come to interact with our students and staff and to see the great programmes and facilities that we have. We look forward to seeing you. www.ncg.school.nz

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INTERIOR

Top tips for classy contemporary looks

BY REBECCA O’FEE

A ‘contemporary interior’ is known for its simplicity, subtle sophistication, texture and clean lines. Neutrals, black and white are the main colours in contemporary style interiors. The palette is often punched up and accented with bright and bold colours. We opted to use mustard in this look as it is currently on trend and a great colour for autumn and winter.

An open floor plan is an iconic design feature in contemporary homes and will create the perfect aesthetic throughout.

Avoid patterns. Contemporary style is all about simplicity. Polka dots, stripes, florals and any other patterns add busy details that clash with the no-fuss nature of a contemporary space, even when used as accents.

Invite in natural light by using floor-to-ceiling windows and saying goodbye to curtains. Keep your furniture free of embellishments. Steer clear of details like scroll-style arms, engravings and trims. The legs and surfaces of your furnishing should remain clean and sleek.

1. Leather bag from Moxini: $145.00 2. Stoneleigh & Roberson rug from

Moxini: $197.00

3. Citta clock from Moxini: $169.00 4. Mustard vase from Moxini: Large $55.00,

small $37.00 each

5. Black chair from Moxini: $695.90 each;

Mustard throw from Moxini: $14.95 each; Mulberi cushion from Moxini: $72.00 6. Geneva floor lamp from The Lighthouse Nelson: $879.00

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MY GARDEN

Marrying nature and design Gardeners and botanists are some of the most ‘obsessively observant’ people in the world, garden designer, horticulturist, traveller and writer Chris Woods tells Sophie Preece. “We very clearly see the world as an intricate and interconnected web,” he explains.

hris is coming to the Rapaura Springs Garden Marlborough event this November, where he will discuss his new book, Gardenlust: A Botanical Tour of the World’s Best New Gardens. Every one of the 50 gardens in the book intrigues and excites him. “The gardens speak. The owners and designers speak, sometimes directly in words but mostly in their work,” he says. “I am interested in, and hopefully illustrate, the interaction between humans and landscape.” The gardens, both public and private, include one from a designer in the Netherlands who establishes a relationship with her clients “and then designs a garden based on their emotions”. The Naples Botanical Garden in Florida displays tropical plants “in both an aesthetic and

“We very clearly see the world as an intricate and interconnected web.” CHRIS WOODS, GARDEN DESIGNER

scientific way”, while a botanical garden in Mexico “is both a celebration of plants and Mexican culture”, Chris says. Readers will also find Marlborough’s Paripuma, where Rosa Davison has forged one of the finest examples of formal style Chris has seen, despite consisting of New Zealand native plants.

Trained at Kew Chris’s career began at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, where he trained as a horticulturist, but his botanical wanderings began in the early 1980s, when he started designs for Chanticleer in the United States. “I was looking for design ideas from the large and international world of garden design.” He went on to transform the garden into one of America’s ‘most exuberant, romantic and flamboyant gardens’, according to the Garden Marlborough team. “Because of Chris’s vision, coupled with the ability to execute it flawlessly, Chanticleer has become recognised as a world-class garden.” As with his new book, Chris’s blog Urbane Horticulture (www. urbanehorticulture.org) explores farflung corners of the world, along with the unique plants that spring from them. Among them is a project close to his heart,

Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden in Luang Prabang, Laos, for which he helps to raise funds for conserving rare and endangered Lao plants. Seeing and trying to understand natural ecosystems informs almost all of his work, he says. “Gardens are a bridge between the natural world and the anthropocentric. We take natural ecosystems and ‘bend’ them into a garden setting. Whether it is a formal garden or a naturalistic garden, how plants grow comes from our, or our teachers’, knowledge about how they grow in the wild.” Chris says that if there is a common trend displayed in Gardenlust, it is environmental sensitivity: “Choosing the right plants for the right climate; the growing awareness of native plants; the ‘relaxation’ of garden design into something often less formal.” His two lectures at Rapaura Springs Garden Marlborough, which runs from November 8-11, will discuss the fascinating people, plants and stories of his new book, and reveal what makes the 50 gardens so lust-worthy. Tickets go on sale on July 23. For more information go to www.gardenmarlborough.co.nz

Top left and right: Gardens in India and Morocco, respectively, are two of the 50 new gardens explored by Chris Woods in his new book.

H E A LT H

Approximately 50,000 people in New Zealand are infected with Hep C and half of them don’t know they have it.

Hepatitis C – test, treat, cure BY DR DEBBIE HARRISON

ntil recently, Hepatitis C (Hep C) was a chronic condition that was difficult to treat, but now there is a groundbreaking drug treatment available, fully funded through your GP. This means that the majority of people with this disease can be cured. Testing for Hep C is as simple as a blood test and if this is positive it is followed by a painless liver scan. The treatment is an eight to 12-week course of tablets with few, if any, side effects for most people. Approximately 50,000 people in New Zealand are infected with Hep C and half of them don’t know they have it. We need to remove any stigma attached to having Hep C so that people can get tested, treated and cured.

What is Hep C? Hep C is a virus which is transmitted through the blood. The virus causes inflammation of the liver which affects the way the liver functions. Many people with Hep C do not have any symptoms and if symptoms do occur they can be nonspecific such as feeling tired, abdominal discomfort,

nausea, reduced appetite and depression. Without treatment Hep C can eventually damage the liver and after many years can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver failure and occasionally liver cancer.

Who should get tested for Hep C? You should ask your GP for a blood test for Hep C if you can answer yes to any of the following questions: • Have you ever had a tattoo or body piercing using unsterile equipment? • Have you ever had jaundice of an abnormal liver function? • Did you receive a blood transfusion prior to July 1992? • Have you ever lived in or received health care or dental care in SouthEast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Middle East or Eastern Europe? • Does your mother or a household member have Hep C? • Have you ever injected drugs or used intranasal drugs? • Have you ever been in prison? • Participate in sexual practices with a

person infected with Hep C? • Shared personal care items, such as razors or toothbrushes, that may have come into contact with the blood of an infected person?

Overcoming the stigma of Hep C A perceived stigma exists to having Hep C and this can prevent people from coming forward for testing, but in reality, many of us can answer yes to at least one of the above questions. Being wise after the event is easy, especially years later with our adult brains, but we should be forgiving of our younger selves and should not judge others. If you are diagnosed with Hepatitis C you do not have to tell anybody, but as with any diagnosis it is a good idea to get support from those close to you. You can also get help from your GP or your Community Hep C Nurse (Belinda Heaphy supports our region and can be contacted directly on 021923945). The treatment is twice daily tablets so does not interfere with working or usual day-today activities. The only way to know if you have Hep C is to get tested. Testing saves lives. Hep C can be cured and put behind you, talk to your doctor about getting a blood test. Dr Debbie Harrison is a practitioner at Toi Toi Medical 77

MY KITCHEN

Freshly baked winter treats These baby loaves have the most heart-warming flavour without all the golden syrup! Don’t head for the ground ginger in the pantry. Fresh is best. BY MADAME LU’S

Fresh ginger and pear baby loaves | Makes 8 100g butter or coconut butter ¼ cup coconut sugar ¼ cup good quality maple syrup 2 eggs 2 cm ginger, finely grated 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cup of gluten-free flour ¼ cup ground almonds 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda Pinch of salt ½ cup buttermilk or plain yoghurt 1 comice pear, finely diced 50g 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170c, fan bake. 2. Line an 8-hole loaf tin with small squares of baking paper or grease well.

3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, coconut sugar and

maple syrup together until fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, beating for another 2 minutes. It may go lumpy but this is okay. Stir in the fresh ginger.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, ground

almonds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, diced pear and chocolate. Then slowly alternate folding in the flour mixture and the buttermilk into the wet ingredients until everything is combined. Do not overmix.

5. Pour the batter into the loaf pans and bake for 30

minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into a loaf. Leave in loaf tin to cool down for 15 minutes then move to a wire rack. Serve with mascarpone and a nice hot cup of tea.

madamelus.co.nz 78

DINE OUT

Diverse, professional and delicious BY HUGO SAMPSON P HO T O BY I S H NA JAC OB S

ou could be forgiven for being a little confused. Some know this thriving foodie hub as Prego Mediterranean Foods, others as Restaurant Comida (Spanish for food, lunch or a meal). Whichever name it goes by, it’s a great formula that works a treat. A Mediterranean delicatessen and busy café by day; by night it comes alive as Restaurant Comida, specialising in wood-fired pizzas cooked by Italian pizza master Mauro, unbeatable classic pasta and Spain’s most famous signature, paella. On the chilly mid-week night we dined, the super-friendly and helpful staff, mostly of French and Italian origin, lent an authentic air to its Mediterranean roots. Luca our waiter paid attention to all the right details. And while the ambience could have benefitted from a cosy fire, or a slightly more intimate approach, the flavourpacked, expertly cooked food that was served left us in no doubt that we’d be returning. We chose three bruschetta to share as our starter – the first an unconventional trio of pumpkin, feta and cashew; tangy olive, capers with balsamic roasted red onion; and a lip-smacking local mozzarella with prosciutto di Parma and garlic; all served on deliciously chewy grilled sourdough. A bottle of fiery chilli oil was offered as a condiment. Good move. We drank a warming house red –

Montepulciano – very reasonable at $9 a glass. Despite the temptingly authentic pizzas on offer, I headed for the succulent, flappingly fresh, pan-fried snapper, served on crushed, crispy potatoes roasted in duck fat. A splendid crunchy salad of broccoli and fennel tossed with blue cheese completed this refined, supersatisfying main. My dining date chose an Italian classic, Linguine con Vongole; small necked clams, steamed just so, tossed through a garlicky sauce of white wine and parsley. So simple yet so tricky to cook well, this dish delivered on all levels. After a well-timed pause, our desserts didn’t disappoint either. A comforting, warm baby apple pie with vanilla bean ice cream and berry compote; a perfect choice on such a cold night. And a light-as-air, coffee-infused Tiramisu (Mauro’s mother’s recipe apparently), with chocolate nibs

and two little biscuits to help mop up all that cream. No room left for coffee, we paid our very reasonable bill and headed for home. What a treat to find such a diverse, professional kitchen dedicated to producing authentic quality food, big on flavour, using the best of local and international produce. Restaurant Comida Ph: 03 546 7964, Level 1, Whitby House, Buxton Square, Nelson. Café & Lunch, Monday – Saturday 8am – 4pm; Dinner, Wednesday – Saturday 5.30 – 9pm. Prego Shop, Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm; Saturday, 8am – 2pm. Cost: $135.00 for three bruschetta, two mains, two desserts and four glasses of wine.

Comida & Prego Mediterranean Foods - two of Nelson’s finest ingredients in one location

$20 Thursdays in July Prego banner – Gourmet wood-fired thin-crust pizza. locked spot All large 13” pizzas are just $20. Dine-in, or take-out, every Thursday from 5pm.

Restaurant

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2018

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DINE OUT

T.O.A.D HALL STORE & CAFÉ

VINTNERS ROOM RESTAURANT

LYDIA’S CAFÉ

here the food is genuinely paddock to plate. Fresh literally means picked this morning by their gardeners and chefs. Keep an eye out for seasonal menu specials and chef-inspired cabinet delights. Open every day for breakfast and lunch treats, great coffee and craft beers and ciders from the on-site Townshend brewery. Contact them for weddings, private parties and function details.

and-picked local produce from our onsite garden and passionate suppliers. Relax and dine with stunning garden and vineyard views. Open every evening from 5pm to the public. Situated on Rapaura Road. Come and enjoy our relaxed atmosphere, attentive service and our new head chef’s delicious food.

imply delicious. Come and try the best eggs beni in Richmond (so we’ve been told), followed by a superb coffee (also been told the best in Richmond). Also have a great selection of cabinet food. It’s warm and cosy at our place, come and check us out. Open 6am to 3pm Mon to Fri

502 High St, Motueka 03 528 6456 toadhallmotueka.co.nz

190 Rapaura Road Renwick Blenhiem 03 572 5094 mvh.co.nz

265 Queen St, Richmond 03 544 1020

RIVER KITCHEN

EDDYLINE BREWERY & PIZZERIA

JELLYFISH RESTAURANT

ddyline is a fun and family-friendly pub, the perfect place to slow down, meet friends and family, and share a tasty meal. It has a wide range of pizzas and sandwiches cooked in their wood-fired oven, tasty fresh-made desserts and coffees and a wide range of award-winning ales and lagers with a rotating seasonal selection brewed on-site.

pectacular waterfront dining for all occasions, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Jellyfish Restaurant and Bar is located on the wharf in Mapua, with the finest seasonal food from land and sea, providing a selection of fantastic wines and outstanding customer service. Don’t hesitate, come on in and enjoy our stunning location in paradise.

8 Champion Road, Richmond 03 544 7474 eddylinebrewery.nz

Shed 1, Mapua Wharf, Mapua 03 540 2028 jellyfishmapua.co.nz

ituated in Nelson city centre but away from the hustle and bustle, on the banks of the Maitai River. Relax on the terrace or find a cosy seat inside. Open every day for breakfast, lunch and freshly baked treats with local wines, beers and locally roasted Sublime coffee. 81 Trafalgar Street, Nelson Find us behind the Information Centre next to the river 03 548 1180 riverkitchennelson.co.nz

WINE

Trusting good grapes A wine’s potential is decided in the vineyard, Dog Point’s James Healy tells Sophie Preece. P H O T O B Y J I M TA N N O C K

n 1979 James Healy had a postgraduate biochemistry degree, a passion for wine and his first vintage at Corban’s in Auckland. “I didn’t have a clue what I was doing,” Dog Point Vineyards’ winemaker says about joining a community of pioneers – including John Hancock, Larry McKenna and Kevin Judd – in what was then considered an offbeat field. As he learnt, his view evolved, away from a large-scale food technology slant and towards more hands-off, traditional winemaking. “It began to dawn on me that making wine is not exactly a recent thing – people have done it for thousands of years.” For many established wine styles you don’t need ‘new-world’ technique, “and arguably, new-world techniques detract from a wine like chardonnay,” he says. Meanwhile, James was seeing fruit from throughout the country and realising that Marlborough grapes stood alone. “There was no comparison, so I said, ‘Let’s pack up and move to Marlborough’.” The family loaded up the Holden and by August 1991, he was working at Cloudy Bay with Kevin Judd, in an environment of idea-sharing and boundary-pushing.

‘Experiment’ pays off The next year a ‘sheer experiment’ saw the creation of a sauvignon blanc fermented with wild yeast in oak barrels, the first iteration of Cloudy Bay’s acclaimed Te Koko. In 2002, James and Ivan Sutherland established Dog Point, where they look to the vineyard more than ever. “It’s actually pretty easy to make a nice wine out of nice fruit,” James says, increasingly focussed on selective picking to ensure 82

“ … arguably, new-world techniques detract from a wine like chardonnay.” JA M E S H E A LY

the fruit that arrives at the winery has all the necessary potential. There’s plenty of time and money wasted on grapes that will not produce great wine, he says. “You get to the point where you say, ‘No we don’t want that,’ and get on with it.” With the right grapes on hand, it’s about gentle juice extraction. “Once you have pressed the grapes off, prior to fermentation, your winemaking job is pretty much done,” he says. “Pick it, bring it in and press it carefully. The rest of it is buggering around with a recipe.”

What to try - James Healy: Dog Point Vineyards Chardonnay. This beautiful chardonnay is grown on Dog Point’s certified organic Southern Valley

clay soils, from some of the region’s oldest vines, low-cropped and handpicked. It is “a nutty, citrussy, minerally” chardonnay, without too much new oak, “just a spicy hint in there,” says James. Dog Point Vineyards Section 94. This low-cropped, hand-picked, single-vineyard sauvignon blanc is whole-bunch pressed and fermented, and aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. “It’s a cracker,” says James. “We don’t make a great deal of it because the vineyard is not very big, but it’s a great wine that ages better than any of our wines.” Given time, Section 94 develops a honeysuckle character, he says. “It needs five years in the bottle to develop it.” The wine stays lively, thanks to the great fruit and gentle pressing.

BEER

Packaging with panache BY MARK PREECE

ave you heard the one about a squealer and a fire truck coming up to a bar? Nor had I until I started looking at the story of Good George. It begins seven years ago when a couple of Hamilton bar owners grew tired of being told what to do by big breweries, and decided to take control, says Good George brand manager Daniel McGregor. “That way we can show people what great beer can be.” The plan started to come together in 2012 when St George’s Church was converted into the Good George dining hall and brew pub. It incorporated the brewery, separated from the pub by a large window, so customers can enjoy beer and food while educating themselves on the brewing process. Good George definitely made its mark on ‘The Tron’ but also started impacting beyond, with packaging that set them apart in both the retail and food service space. The ‘squealer’, a 946ml (or 32 ounces American) squat bottle, made from 90% recycled brown glass, is “small enough to drink yourself – you probably will; and big enough to share around – you probably won’t,” says the pitch. The bottle helps to improve freshness, with the brown glass keeping out the light and the custom design reducing oxidation and gas leakage.

“The beer never contacts carbon dioxide, so it tastes exactly like it does when it leaves our Hamilton brewery.” DA N I E L M C G R E G O R , G O O D G E O R G E B R EW E RY

Delivered by fire truck It’s just one of their unique selling points. The other is a 1960s fire truck, used to transport beer to bars in the best state possible. Good George brewmaster Brian Watson says, “Beer tastes best in the cellar in the brewery,” and in order to deliver the freshestpossible beer to customers they bring the tankers to them – literally. Beer is pumped from the brewery tanks into tankers on the back of the fire truck, then transported and pumped into the stainless tanks installed in bars. The tank system gets the beer to the bar taps by increasing pressure on a bag inside the tank, which literally squeezes the beer to the tap fount. “That way,” says Daniel, “the beer never contacts carbon dioxide, so it tastes exactly like it does when it leaves our Hamilton brewery.” If you’re not in ‘The Tron’ and can’t get to their fresh tankers,

head to a retail outlet and make a pig of yourself. IPA, 5.8% ABV. They say: ‘Inspired by the wave of punchy New World hops. A lovely soft malt backbone is balanced perfectly with juicy, mouth-coating hoppy GOODness and a smooth lingering bitterness.’ APA, 6.2% ABV. They say: ‘Is it hoppy enough? This beer is the bigger brother to our IPA, with bigger malt base, more alcohol and bitterness, and double the dry-hop addition. Finishing bitter yet wellbodied, this unfiltered beer will tempt you in for another pint.’ Extra Dry Apple Cider, 4.5% ABV. They say: ‘If this was a wine you’d say it was ‘anhydrous’ but it’s a cider so we’ll avoid the fancy language and simply tell you that it’s very refreshing. It’s the first swim of the summer; the cold shower after a 10k run. But don’t come looking for sweetness – you won’t find it here.’ 83

Big boost for Brook Waimarama Sanctuary from Nelson Forests BY J O H N C O H E N -D U F O U R | P H O T O G R A P H Y S U P P L I E D BY B R O O K SA NC T UA RY

magine a vast swathe of pristine preEuropean native bush; a huge area with absolutely no introduced predators — no rats, stoats, possums, feral cats. A place where New Zealand’s unique and endangered wildlife can thrive, especially our wonderful bird species. Where you can find populations of Toutouwai (South Island Robin), Tītipounamu (Rifleman), Ngirungiru (Tomtit), Pīwakawaka (Fantail), Kererū (NZ Pigeon), Korimako (Bellbird), Tauhou (Silvereye) and Kārearea (NZ Falcon) and Tui. How big an area are we talking about? Try this: imagine yourself standing in the middle of a rugby sports field. Now

The Brook Sanctuary is a big community project, and NML has always been a big part of the community. L E E S S EY M O U R M A N A G I N G D I R E C TO R

visualise 99 more of them stretching out ahead of you, end on end, into the distance. 100 rugby pitches in a row. But wait, now see lying next to each and every one of these fields, six more side by side. 700 in total — this is the equivalent of the Sanctuary’s 700 hectares. And incredibly, it’s all right here in Nelson Tasman’s backyard, for the public and visitors alike to enjoy, explore, and learn from. But such a privilege doesn’t come easily, or cheaply — which is why NML, the management arm of Nelson Forests Limited, recently made a major donation of $25,000 to the venture. As Hudson Dodd, Brook Sanctuary’s General Manager explains, the costs associated with running the Trust are not for the faint-hearted. “Every year we need more than $500,000,” he says, “just to keep the lights on and the team at work. Facilities like the visitors centre, fencing, tracks, ongoing repairs, basic overheads, it all adds up. “Which is why being chosen by NML for such a generous donation is so valuable and important to us,” he says. “Most funders want their money

to go to specific projects, which means we’re always in need of untagged, flexible funding that can go towards our significant operating costs — and thanks to NML, this is exactly what we received.” With a paid staff of only five FTEs, everything else in the Sanctuary is achieved with the remarkable voluntary support of literally hundreds of people putting in more than 30,000 hours of labour per year — from staffing the visitors centre, to fence and track maintenance trapping, bird monitoring, and public outreach. “There are very few operations in the non-profit sector that can boast this level of dedicated support,” says Hudson. Nor can many non-profit organisations point to such a high level of ongoing support from local business. Being a community-based initiative, the Sanctuary, since its earliest inception back in 2001, has relied heavily on the goodwill of the private sector. One of its most successful fundraising schemes was the sponsoring of fence posts — there are, after all, more than 3,700 of them ringing the area. The highest value sponsorship per post was for $5,000, which NML undertook in 2013.

WT + NML

LEFT 14.4km of pest-proof fencing on Nelson’s doorstep ABOVE Fence design stops predators climbing through, over, and under ABOVE RIGHT Nelson Montessori students entering the Sanctuary RIGHT Helping stem NZ’s annual loss of 25 million baby birds

As NML’s Managing Director Lees Seymour points out, the Company sees a lot of common ground with the Sanctuary’s aims. “The Brook Sanctuary is a big community project, and NML has always been a big part of the community. “We have a real affinity for native birds as we see so many in our operations. We routinely report our sightings, and we protect them and their habitats within our business model. We want to see our native bird populations flourish. “Both the Sanctuary and NML understand the unique custodial environmental benefits offered in native and plantation forests,” Lees says. “In particular, the wildlife habitat of forests closely surrounding the Sanctuary, the so-called ‘halo area’, will harbour species as they move out beyond the pest-free fencing. We support the Sanctuary because it can provide a wonderful opportunity for us all to experience what Aotearoa/New Zealand used to be like.” The educative value of such an experience is not lost on Lees. “It can only help us, and our children, and their children, and many generations to come, to experience the rare wonder of our

native reptile and bird species.” It’s a sentiment clearly echoed by Hudson. “We’ve had, in recent years, upwards of 3,000 school kids visit the Sanctuary each year, learning about the issues around conservation, and connecting with nature. It’s hugely important that future generations get out amongst it and get their hands dirty. It’s the best way for them to recognise these critical values and carry them forward,” he says. Following last year’s predator removal operation, the Sanctuary team have been conducting intensive monitoring to confirm the pest-free status of the site. With the Sanctuary on the cusp of being declared totally pest-free, it is poised to become a growing tourism drawcard for the region — providing another reason for visitors to linger longer and enjoy local attractions, thus feeding into the local economy. But at its core, the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary is about saving native birds. With the eradication of pests, bird populations have already jumped. “Our latest bird count in February showed a notable increase in the numbers of

Tomtits, Tui, Fantails, and Silvereye, some by up to four times,” says Hudson. “And it’s only early days. It’s tremendously exciting to begin seeing the kind of results we knew would occur. Bird numbers will go through the roof.” Which is precisely the idea; the Sanctuary was never intended to hold in the birdlife, simply hold out their predators. The bigger mission is for its growing populations to fly out into the region — which they are free to do at any time — to re-establish themselves and make Nelson once again a city of birds. “DOC estimates that every year a staggering 25 million baby birds are lost to invasive pests,” says Hudson. “This is why we’re doing it, why so many volunteers, community groups, local iwi, and businesses like NML, are working side by side to help stem the tide.

Contact nelsonforests.co.nz

Paradise preserved – but be quick East of Bali lies the lush tropical island of Lombok, location of the mythical Shangri La from the musical South Pacific. Carol Matthews visited Lombok and the Gili Islands with her husband in the early 1990s when tourists were few. They returned, with some trepidation.

esembling a mafioso in his dark shades, the skipper guns the six massive outboard motors and the 70-seater ferry accelerates like a jet towards Lombok. These sleek boats are new since we were here last and my heart thuds. As there are no spare seats, my husband and 14-year-old son clamber up a ladder to the roof, where they sit among the bags. I squeeze myself onto a short stretch of plank intended for the boat-boy. Bidding ‘Selamat tinggal’ to the tourism mecca of Bali, I turn my attention to Lombok emerging through the salt spray. Mt Gunung Rinjani dominates the landscape. The second-largest volcano in Indonesia rises majestically, a wisp of cloud – or is it smoke – hanging above its crater lake. Our hire car awaits us and we have been upgraded – instead of a small economy vehicle, a large black ‘presidential’ car sits glinting in the sun. We take a short detour down the famous Senggigi coast, where jungle-clad mountains and giant headlands plunge to white sand beaches and turquoise seas. Our guidebook says this is Lombok’s traditional tourism resort, but it’s deserted. I’m glad my husband is driving as we head inland towards the trekking base of Senaru in North Lombok. He navigates a path between smoky cars and fearless motorbikes. 86

Photo by Ye Choh Wah, Shutterstock

T R AV E L

Men clad in colourful sashes and ceremonial sarongs mill around outside mosques, shaking collection tins at the passing traffic. We are unrecognisable as tourists behind tinted windows, and they wave us on. In small villages, local warungs (food stalls) display their wares in glass cases, tempting us to pull in for lunch. Curious children peek from behind the kitchen doors as we devour delicious spiced chicken and noodles, along with a tasty local sambal, all washed down with Coke. Climbing slowly up the fertile lower slopes of the volcano to the village of Senaru, we leave the heat behind. Trekking parties from all over the world come here to scale Gunung Rinjani, visit the crater lake and bathe in its hot pools. Today, a Chinese tour party clad in identical outfits has just finished breakfast and we watch as they stuff energy bars into their backpacks. With its cooler climate and wonderful views of the volcano and sea, Senaru is also a popular walking spot for ‘non-climbers’. Wobbling on narrow paths between rice paddies and then descending stone steps through the forest, we arrive at one of several picturesque waterfalls. Pristine pools look inviting but our son dips a toe in and pronounces it freezing. Our final stop is the settlement of Tetebatu. Fruit and nut orchards thrive in rich volcanic soil, as do green carpets of tobacco. It’s much like Ubud, in Bali, used to be 20 years ago, with attractive thatched-roof cottages built among the emerald rice terraces and coconut palms. Sleep is at a premium here as croaking frogs and shrieking bats perform a nightly duet. Roosters add to the din, but even they find it difficult to wake early enough to beat the Muslim call to prayer, which starts at 4am. Three village mosques seem to be competing with chants amplified by loudspeakers.

Photo: Brenda Webb

By Richard Whitcombe, Shutterstock

‘Bites of heaven’ Basking off the north-east coast of Lombok are three tropical footprints known as the Gili Islands – small ‘bites of heaven’, hemmed by aquamarine seas. We’re ready for some sun after all that mountain air. Gili Air, the third island, beckons. Most of the ferry passengers disembark at the first island, the popular Trawangan, known locally as ‘Gili T’, infamous for its magic-mushroom-fuelled ‘full moon’ parties. Despite gorgeous beaches on the second and smallest island, Gili Meno, only people requiring serious solitude stay. Apart from walking, diving is the main activity here and, thanks to a turtle sanctuary on the beach that hand-raises tiny loggerhead turtles, divers are just about guaranteed a sighting. Gili Air at last. My husband and I have fond memories of this place; we were here as newlyweds 25 years ago when it was a mellow retreat. Now with all the new losman (local guest houses), the busy port area is barely recognisable. Thankfully, the ‘no petrol engines’ policy on the island hasn’t changed and the main means of transport are still bicycles and sweaty ponies bedecked with bells, pulling two-wheeled cidomos (carts). Tourist guidebooks implore visitors not to use these hardworking little animals because of cruelty issues. Some carry Westerners; others pull carts loaded with bricks and other building materials. These beasts of burden jingle past at a fast trot, stopping for no-one. Sweat stings my eyes as we trudge up the sandy road to our losman. A few landmarks look familiar, but our old lodgings are long gone, replaced by an upmarket bungalow complex nestled in gardens of exotic palms and scarlet bougainvillea. Frangipani gives off a heady perfume.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Crater and lake view of Mount Rinjani from Senaru rim. Mount Rinjani is an active volcano in Lombok, Indonesia THIS PAGE: Above: Gili Air - the island with more turtles than people! Right: Island life Gili style; Ferry boats moored on the beach, Gili Islands, Indonesia

Photo by Shutterstock

Just steps into the water, brightly coloured tropical fish flick around our ankles ...

Giggling teenage Muslim girls, their heads covered, find excuses to take ‘selfies’ with our son. One calls out, “I want to marry your boy.” Snorkelling, scuba-diving and free-diving are the main attractions at Gili Air so, after our ‘Welcome’ tropical fruit cocktail, we hire masks and fins and race for the beach. Just steps into the water, brightly coloured tropical fish flick around our ankles and tiny iridescent blue fish the size of a fingernail flit past. Kicking further out, angry little black fish furiously dart at us, guarding the entrances to their coral homes. Shoals of quick-moving silverfish make ever-changing patterns like a glinting metallic kaleidoscope. The sandy seabed drops suddenly away to indigo infinity. This is where the big fish patrol. A rare sea turtle, surrounded by divers, grazes on seagrass unconcerned at all the fuss he’s creating. With leg-muscles aching from the fins, we recuperate in a beachside restaurant down near the port, enjoying the people parade. The local Casanovas, known as ‘Gili Cowboys’, saunter by, proudly flaunting their short-term European girlfriends. Fair-skinned tourists, unaccustomed to the blazing tropical sun, move their beetroot bodies painfully. The main dusty road is peppered with signs, some handwritten, advertising everything from ‘happy hours’ to charter cruises; from massages to the ever-available magic mushrooms. I’m pleased we’re staying at the more familyfriendly end of the beach. Too soon, our trip is over. Lombok, surrounded with the white pearls of the Gilis, grows smaller as our small plane climbs northwards back to Bali. I haven’t been disappointed – strains from South Pacific sing in my head – but the Indonesian government has just built a new international airport on Lombok, making it directly accessible from several Asian hubs. This magical destination is about to join the tourist trail. 87

SPORTS

Stand-out at stand-up National paddleboard champion Tara Hope has done the hard yards, even in a cold, dark winter. Phil Barnes reports.

ecently crowned national SUPboarding champion Tara Hope hopes to be selected for New Zealand in the world team championships in Brazil in November. Tara, who lives in Richmond, is a prime candidate for one of two available places on the team after winning her national title at Orewa Beach in late March. However, that success is the result of a huge amount of hard work and commitment to training, which includes paddling many evenings throughout the Nelson winter in the cold and dark. Every second day Tara rises at 5am so she can go to the gym before her children, aged six and eight, get up for school. Later in the day she goes out paddling on her board, but sometimes varies this with running. In summer she takes out her SUP board almost every day and even in winter she averages five paddling sessions a week – many of them in the dark. Evening paddles are a 90-minute workout around the Nelson Marina using lights to help see where she is going as well as make her visible to other craft. Tara says she is well-protected from the cold and doesn’t usually find it a problem as she rarely falls off the board. At weekends she goes out for two and a half hours at a time. If there is any surf at Tahunanui or Rabbit Island she often 88

finishes the session by riding a few waves to prepare for competitions. Tara says a racing SUP board is perfect for riding the waves, even when they might be too small for ordinary surfboards. She has to juggle her training around being a mother to her boys, as well as working part-time at the Richmond Aquatic Centre. For her cardio-training, running sessions include blasting several times up the Tamaki Steps, a challenging 360-stepper rising up the Tahunanui hillside. “But I couldn’t do the training without the support of my husband,” she says. “He looks after the kids after work while I’m out training, so it is very much a family affair.”

Shining in the rough Tara’s success at the nationals is all the more remarkable in that she has to compete in rough conditions. Nelson is not known for its waves and nearly all of her local training is done in flat water. In order to practise in conditions likely at national events, she tries to get on the water when it is kicking up. “I get out when I can when it’s windy and do things like a paddle between Cable Bay and Tahuna [about 20km].” For safety reasons, she generally does

this with fellow Nelson SUP Club member Nick Lane, while her husband drives along the coast road checking on their progress wherever possible. Originally from Palmerston North, Tara moved to Nelson with her husband Vaughan Hope seven years ago. At that time, her only background in water sports had been water-skiing. She was first attracted to SUP when she saw people out on the water at Tahunanui Beach. “I said to my husband, ‘I’d like to give that a go’.” Tara took to the sport immediately and after doing well in local events, she was sufficiently encouraged to enter the nationals. This summer was the fourth time she has competed at national level. When she is not involved with boarding, Tara likes to paddle seated in waka-ama. “But it all happens at the same time as the SUP boarding and there’s not time to do everything, so I tend to focus on the SUP boarding.” Her commitment to the sport has been aided by the rising popularity of SUP board riding in Nelson. The Nelson club now has more than 300 members. Tara is on the committee and says the club is always organising events and training programmes to keep people involved. As the club continues to grow, the committee is planning more competitions.

MOTORING

A wolf with wagon manners BY GEOFF MOFFETT

n a world of upright, albeit well-styled SUVs, the Subaru Outback stands out as a bit of a throwback. I’m thinking, your traditional big family wagon – with height and attitude. The Outback competes in the ‘big SUV’ category and it’s understandable Subaru would want to climb aboard the SUV craze. Also, it no longer has a Legacy wagon to sell, but I still reckon they’d get value out of promoting it as a super-wagon and emphasising its point of difference from your more truck-like sports utility vehicle. Yes, SUVs have changed a lot from their old rigid-handling days. They now tend to be based on the chassis platforms of sedan siblings rather than big, hefty farm-derived units. But I’ve just driven the facelifted 2018 Outback and it has confirmed its large-wagon credentials. It looks more like one – even if it sits 213mm above the ground – and drives more like one as well, which must be a positive for buyers. That ground clearance is better than just about all its direct rivals, emphasising its off-road capacity with the symmetrical all-wheel drive. And with kerb weight of 1639kg (Premium), the Outback is more wagon than truck on the scales, which translates to a more sedan-like drive. SUVs are selling like mad still, apparently driven by owners’ desire to sit higher on the road and for load space to burn. The Outback ticks all the boxes for space, driver and passenger roominess and last year was fourth on the best-

selling large SUV list under $70k. The Outback comes packed with even more technology than before but retains the boxer four-cylinder 2.5-litre engine and sells for under $50k in Premium trim – and there’s the choice of a 3.6-litre V6 with a lot more oomph. Around town, under acceleration the four-cylinder boxer makes it presence known, and has a relatively leisurely 0-100km/h time of 10.2 seconds. It’s also on the thirsty side in stop-start driving. On the open road, however, the Outback comes into its own, with relaxed cruising, a compliant ride over bumps and reasonably taut handling for a big wagon. The all-wheel drive is a comfort when winter kicks in and the Outback is a just the thing for a trip to Rainbow ski field – limited-slip diff, traction control, hill-descent control and active-torque vectoring all contribute to a reassuring ride.

Safety in technology You can’t dispute the equipment levels on the Outback. Now with an extra two cameras, it is all-seeing when it comes to hazards, and relays information through a clear 8-inch touch-screen. You name it, the Outback pretty much has it: blind-spot detect, lane-change warning and assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking and so on. Safety is well ahead of the game and the attention to cabin detail isn’t bad either. The Premium I drove came

with heated leather seats (for front passenger too), sunroof, power-folding mirrors, satnav and electric tailgate. The lesser-priced Sport has all the safety equipment of the Premium as standard, and if you really want to step up the performance, you can opt for the more powerful six-cylinder 3.6R, which slings the big wagon to 100km/h in 7.6 seconds (although you’ll pay for it in fuel). With its array of equipment, interior comforts and proven all-wheeldrive capabilities, the Outback is sure to retain its battalions of loyal owners, and attract a few more ‘traditional SUV’ lookers as well.

Tech spec Price:

Outback Sport $44,990, Premium $49,990, 3.6R $59,990

Power:

2.5-litre, four-cylinder horizontally opposed; 129kw @ 5800rpm, 235Nm @ 4000rpm (Sport, Premium); 3.6-litre six-cylinder horizontally opposed; 191kw @ 6000rpm, 350Nm @ 4400rpm (3.6R)

Fuel:

7.3l/100km combined (2.5-litre); 9.9l/100km combined (3.6)

Vehicle courtesy of Nelson Bays Motor Group. 89

P HO T O G R A P H Y BY I S H NA JAC OB S & P E T E R B U R G E

aring to be different, 10 years ago a regional IT solutions company named itself after a fruit; a fruit with immense health benefits and which thrives in our fair clime. A decade on, BlueBerry is an iconic brand and a multiple award-winning Te Tau Ihu (top of the South Island) business success story. Healthy and definitely thriving. Looking back on the first 10 years of this character-filled business, founding director Richard Butler enjoys a welldeserved moment of pride and reflection. The doors opened in 2008 to a team of four with international experience working for large corporates, such as DLA, Goldman Sachs and GlaxoSmithKline. The vision was to deliver a customer-first experience, making big-business IT know-how relevant to local small-medium businesses.

Regional recognition came fast to this young disrupter, with BlueBerry winning a Chamber of Commerce Emerging Business Award in its foundation year. The vision was becoming a reality. Meanwhile, as early adopters of Cloud technologies, BlueBerry gained national recognition as one of Microsoft New Zealand’s most successful early partners in the new world of Office 365. Building on its early award success and embedded professionalism, BlueBerry was recognised again by the Chamber in 2011 for Service Excellence – an award BlueBerry take the most pride in. “Service excellence was always our primary focus,” says Richard, “We care about our customers and take ownership of our work, so to be recognised as a regional service leader is hugely satisfying.”

“Our customers’ business needs and goals come first, and it is up to us to know everything about the technology available to help them achieve those goals.” A L L A N W I L L O U G H B Y, G E N E R A L M A N A G E R

Customer Jodie Keenan from Richmond Office Products Depot articulates how BlueBerry’s customer service works for her. “BlueBerry has been part of our team for seven years and quite simply we couldn’t do without them. No matter what happens, they calmly help and are always available. I can’t stress enough how good their support is, they are honest and reliable; we enjoy working with them. The service they provide is as important as the people who provide it; they are a good bunch of guys.” However, Richard was one to never rest on laurels, knowing from the start that as you grow it is important to take stock, take a breath and look ahead, making sure your growth, exciting as it is, doesn’t undo all the good done. Having experimented in local, national, and even international, opportunities the focus was to be ‘The Region’s Favourite IT Provider’. The Marlborough office opening in 2014 cemented this position, as Blueberry continued to deliver exceptional service and client experience across Te Tau Ihu. Richard says consideration was also given to what should be core business

Photo credit Ishna Jacobs

Making a difference every day

and how best to deliver innovation to the company’s wide and diverse customer base. The expansion of the well-rounded in-house team and the formation of an extensive network of external specialists in complementary areas were key. “It is tempting to be all to all people, especially in the regions, but it is more honest to recognise your strengths and weaknesses, and then seek the strengths of others to ensure you deliver a service with integrity,” Richard says. Meanwhile, the company arrived at a scale where it could demonstrate its value of ‘care’ in a tangible way through generous wide-ranging community support, such as for the Nelson Giants, Trolley Derby, Nelson Arts Festival, Nelson Tasman Hospice, SafeGuarding Children Initiative and Big Brothers Big Sisters. With Nelson Tasman and Marlborough teams contributing to business and the community, BlueBerry was again recognised by the Chamber as the region’s Medium-sized Business of the Year in 2014. Now, as the company turns 10 this year it is time to once again take stock, breathe and look ahead to what the next decade might bring. Richard says BlueBerry continues to plan for growth while retaining a dedicated interest in looking after those that have helped on the journey so far. Across the two offices the team of 10 remains 100 percent committed to being ‘the region’s favourite IT partner’.

Photo credit Peter Burge

Photo credit Ishna Jacobs

WT + BLUEBERRY IT

Opposite page: James Burch, Euan McLeod, Phill Urquhart, Richard Butler, Allan Willoughby, Justin Paterson & Paul Gabites Left: Richard Butler Above: Simon Cox, Daniel Woodhouse & Bruno Mazzanti

Richard acknowledges the future is both exciting and somewhat daunting as technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality and the Internet of Things present challenges and opportunities. But, Richard says that the continual changes in technology have no impact on the two fundamental principles established on day one – “There is no more important person in our business than our team member and, there is no more important person to our business than our customer.” Newly appointed general manager Allan Willoughby agrees technology shouldn’t lead the way, no matter how exciting it sounds. “Our customers’ business needs and goals come first, and it is up to us to know everything about the technology available to help them achieve those goals,” Allan says. “To be honest, it is our customers that get us up in the morning, of course with the technology that can help them in our minds.” Jodie Keenan says BlueBerry’s IT recommendations always match her business’s needs. “They make suggestions in our best interests, but they don’t push it. It is up to us to take up their recommendation or not, but they are always spot on. They are a great IT match with our business.” Allan has observed a growing maturity of IT strategies amongst small to medium size businesses, such as

… the team of 10 remains 100 percent committed to being ‘the region’s favourite IT partner’. RICHARD BUTLER, FOU NDER

Richmond Business Equipment. “No longer do savvy business people consider a computer as just a means to an end. Now they are looking to the applications delivered by technology to provide them with a competitive edge or point of difference in their business,” Allan says. “To deliver that edge, we are connected directly to global leaders such as Microsoft, HP Enterprise, Dropbox for Business and Fortinet, along with local specialist providers,” Allan says. “These connections serve our customers in a really powerful way. You’ve got to love the feeling of making a difference every day, and we do!” So let’s take our hats off and wish this big-hearted, thriving company a very happy next 10 years in business. And if you think your enterprise can benefit from Blueberry, call 03 548 4923 (Nelson) or 03 577 9530 (Blenheim) – they’d be only too happy to help.

Contact blueberryit.co.nz

AUTHOR PROFILE

Champion of our trees Nelson Tasman Marlborough has proven, for varying reasons, a haven for authors of many genres as WildTomato’s book reviewer Renée Lang is discovering. In our ongoing author series, she talks to a writer who blends his love of plants with his fondness for words.

otanist Philip Simpson, born and bred in Golden Bay, spent a number of years in other parts of the country before the call of his old stamping-ground drew him back. He loves the bay’s environment and relishes researching and writing the books for which he is now well-known. “I was never a particularly good public servant,” he recalls, referring to his earlier employment with DOC. “I was quite good as a botanist, but it was hard to confine my interests to the department’s requirements.” The first of Philip’s books was Dancing Leaves: The Story of New Zealand’s Cabbage Tree, Tī Kōuka, a work that had its origins in a year-long Stout Fellowship scientific study of the disease that has wiped out so many of these trees. This remarkable book quickly gained attention and in 2001 won the Montana New Zealand Book Awards Environment category. Philip recalls that there were some problems with the glue used in the first print run – pages began falling out. “One person jokingly remarked that his copy of Dancing Leaves had become deciduous.” Although it’s an amusing anecdote in retrospect, at the time Philip was devastated, particularly as the arrival of the first copies of his first book ignited feelings “beyond joy”. Fortunately, subsequent print runs were not affected, and it remains a popular reference book. 92

“…the evidence of greatness [of the tōtara] has gone for the modern generation.” PHILIP SIMPSON

Reluctant return to DOC Going back to work as a public servant held little appeal, not least because DOC had, in Philip’s words, “been forever changed by the tragedy at Cave Creek”. After a couple of years he left to take up ecological consultancy work. In 2005 he produced his second book, Pōhutukawa and Rātā: New Zealand’s Iron-hearted Trees, also an award winner, followed in 2017 by Tōtara: A Natural and Cultural History, which was a finalist in the 2018 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Getting Philip to speak about the latter is a lot easier than getting him to talk about himself, which perhaps is not surprising given the amount of time he invested in researching his subject. He freely admits that the biggest issue with

Tōtara was culling it to a manageable size due to the sheer amount of information, particularly relating to literature and art. Might he publish the excised material in a new and separate book? We’ll just have to watch this space. It’s just as well we have this mighty reference book to salute the tōtara’s amazing versatility as a building material – the bridges, railway systems, wharves, telegraph poles, farm fencing, housing and so on have all but disappeared. As Philip himself notes, “In a funny sort of way, the evidence of greatness [of the tōtara] has gone for the modern generation. There’s just a smattering of these really big, old-growth tōtara left in the regions.”

BOOKS

What to read in July COMPILED BY RENÉE LANG

Life, Loss, Love: A Memoir

Robin: The Definitive Biography of Robin Williams

Lorraine Downes

Available now, $36.99 Allen & Unwin

Dave Itzkoff Available now, $37.99 Macmillan Publishers

adly, as we are now aware, the comic brilliance and gift for improvisation displayed by Robin Williams masked a deep well of conflicting emotions and self-doubt. The real Robin was a modest man, who never fully believed he was worthy of the fame he achieved. This fresh, original and substantial look at one of America’s most beloved actors and entertainers draws on more than 100 original interviews with family, friends and colleagues that show how the actor struggled with addiction and depression. It’s a warm, funny, frenetic biography that gets underneath the skin of this enormously talented actor.

escribing herself as ‘the girl from Pakuranga who, many years ago, won a beauty contest’, in this memoir Lorraine Downes proves herself to be much more than that as she shares the highs and lows of her life since she was crowned Miss Universe in 1983 at the tender age of 19. Two marriages, the second one to cricketing legend Martin Crowe, along with her amazing performance in Dancing with the Stars, once again put her in the public eye; but then came Martin’s devastating illness and death. In this generously illustrated account, Lorraine shares what helped her through the toughest times

The Quaker

X and Why: The Rules of Attraction: Why Gender Still Matters

Liam McIlvanney Available now, $35.00 HarperCollins Publishers

Tom Whipple

Available now, $27.99 Allen & Unwin

hemistry – we’ve all experienced it in one form or another and if you’re curious about why you chose the person you’re with, then this is the book for you. Drawing on the latest studies in behavioural science, X and Why also addresses the fact that gender is shifting, which leads to one particular burning question: is this reassessment the last, and greatest, battle of the sexual revolution of the 1960s? Far from being a dry read, this wonderfully entertaining as well as educational romp through the science of sexuality will change the way you see yourself and everyone around you.

his chilling new crime novel was inspired by a real-life serial killer, Bible John, who terrorised Glasgow in the late 1960s, but was never caught. McIlvanney evokes the city’s dark underbelly through the eyes of a talented young detective from the Highlands who is brought in to help track down the killer. However, the officers already on the case are not happy at his arrival and DI McCormack quickly learns just how difficult life can be for an outsider. Although born in Scotland, the author is now resident in Dunedin so perhaps we can claim him, albeit temporarily, as one of our own.

ARTS

“A really fun addition this year is our Boing Boing Gloop machine. It’s great for the kids – and the grown-ups it turns into kids.”

Light Nelson introduces the Boing Boing Gloop machine BY JOHN COHEN-DU FOUR

ollowing the mind-tripping fun of Perceptual Engineering’s digital mapping projection onto NMIT’s old technical building in Hardy Street in 2016’s Light Nelson Festival, the Auckland Company is back again bigger and better than ever. Jon Baxter, who was born and raised in Blenheim, is Perceptual Engineering’s director, and a pioneer of projection mapping in New Zealand. He explains how he got into such a creative line of work. “After high school I studied broadcasting in Christchurch, and trained in Dunedin. I even worked in Nelson awhile before heading overseas to work freelance in Sydney and Asia. There I became immersed in the world of TV commercials. It’s a sad fact of life that in my line of work you really do have to be based in big cities.” Upon returning to NZ, to Auckland, Jon focused mainly on producing highend digital special FX for commercials

Above: Boing Boing Gloop machine in action 94

and the movie industry. He and his company have now been involved in creating media for film, installations, events, museums and television for over 20 years. Perceptual Engineering engage in endless creative experimentation and collaboration to develop their repertoire of pixel-wrangling magical tricks, and this month’s Light Nelson Festival is lucky enough to be featuring three of their unique crowd pleasers. “We’re again bringing down 2016’s building wrap projection,” says Jon, “but we’ve pimped it up – creating a re-mix of the previous material and adding a section. It’ll be eye-catching. “A really fun addition this year is our Boing Boing Gloop machine. It’s great for the kids – and the grown-ups it turns into kids. The idea began life with us asking how we can project onto moving objects, not static ones. We wanted an experience that is 3D, kinetic and interactive. At first we mucked around with robotics, which was cool but expensive. Then we began playing with fabric, which allowed the surface to change shape. Lycra turned out

to be ideal.” The Boing Boing Gloop machine, with its sophisticated internal projection, enables people to actively manipulate by hand the surface of the lycra fabric to generate beneath their fingers a shape-responsive animated light show synchronised to a whimsical soundscape – hence the name. “You play it like a silly, fun instrument. We’re hoping to bring down two of them, so people can have a bit of a jam between machines,” says Jon. “We’re also currently creating another experience, that we’ve given the working title of ‘Pyramid of Light’. It’s really new – we only just started the idea at a music festival earlier this year. It utilises triangles and mirrors and lasers, and also involves a bit of a ritual. All will be revealed at Light Nelson.” John stresses his final point: “While it’s about tricking people and creating illusions, anyone can blast crowds with giant LED walls of light. What we try to do is add value to the viewers’ experiences. We use the technology to please and delight – not annoy, or shock for the sake of shocking. “Everything comes down to the idea. Light Nelson is a new medium to explore – something fresh and magical. It deserves ideas that are entertaining. You’ve got to do something cool with it, something special.”

ARTS

“I love what I do, and it’s thanks to the locals of Nelson that I can do it.”

Neon artistry lights the night in Queens Gardens B Y J O H N C O H E N - D U F O U R | P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y C A M E R O N M U R R AY

ou can tell a lot about a person by learning how they spent their youth. In the case of Anthony Genet of Flamedaisy in Trafalgar Square West, you get a clear snapshot of his future. “I taught myself the craft of neon in our Christchurch garage as a teenager. I didn’t have the car to impress the girls,” he laughs, “I had glass tubes and burners.” This year is Flamedaisy’s 20th anniversary in Nelson, and even Anthony is amazed at the longevity he has enjoyed in his career as an artist working in the demanding medium of glass. “I’ve devoted a big chunk of my life to it. It’s a seven-day-a-week commitment, starting at 5am and often not finishing until 1am or 2am. There’s so much process

involved,” says Anthony. This is especially true when, even before committing to any ideas, designs or glass blowing, Anthony has already painstakingly manufactured his base material – alchemically melting sand with other ingredients to become clear glass. It’s obviously a labour of love: “I’m passionate about glass, its look, its brilliance,” says Anthony. “There are so many steps in its production, you can’t possibly work with it without loving it – it’s labour intensive, often unpleasant, and the failure rate, which maddeningly only occurs at the end of production, can be soul destroying.” Nevertheless, neon remains Anthony’s greatest love, a fascination he

attributes to his boyhood experiences of the colourful advertising lights in Christchurch’s Cathedral Square. “Neon is a combination of three things,” he says. “Different glasses: the colours you start with; different gasses, such as neon, argon and mercury; and the phosphorous coatings you can put on the glass. It makes for endless creative possibilities.” As can be seen in the centre of the wooden bridge over the lily pond in this year’s Light Nelson Festival. Anthony’s piece is based on the concept of a Catherine Wheel firework. “This is my third Light Nelson Festival,” says Anthony. “When the committee told me they were blocking off the bridge this year and I could use it for my work, I wanted to make something really dynamic to maximise the view from both sides.” The core of the piece is a sixteenpointed star, referencing the sixteenpointed flowers of the pond’s water lilies. Forty-eight neon tubes are animated in a lighting sequence to create the illusion of a spinning Catherine Wheel: “It’ll build into a frenzy of motion,” says Anthony. “I’ve had great collaborative support from a team of eight, including Jamie Foster, a year eleven student at Nelson College, who wrote the computer programme to drive the sequence, and Terry Sutton, famous for his Tory Street Christmas lights, who built the fifty-channel sequencer to create the lighting effect.” Flamedaisy, with its striking gallery of glass creations for sale, and large viewing windows into the production studio, remains a popular must-see for visitors to Nelson. Yet Anthony is clear where his loyalties lie: “I love what I do, and it’s thanks to the locals of Nelson that I can do it. I couldn’t be in this business without their fantastic support. If my work, including for Light Nelson, adds to the region and makes people happy, that’s great – it’s my contribution and it’s totally worthwhile.” 95

IN THE GALLERY

July’s top art picks If you’re a bit of an art collector you’re certainly living in the right place. The Top of the South boasts a well of high-quality galleries featuring creative superstars. Check out this month’s pick of must-have artworks.

6 1. Lloyd Harwood, At One, wooden sculpture, Red Gallery, Nelson, 03 548 2170, redartgallery.com 2. Graham Snowden, Marcher 2018, mixed media on paper, Church Street Fine Arts, Church Street, Nelson, churchstfinearts.co.nz 3. Umemura Collection, Japanese scrolls, contact Ferry van Mansum, Nelson, 03 546 6574,umemuracollection.com 4. Charisse Papworth, Long Pod pendant, stainless steel, Forest Fusion, Mapua Wharf, www.forestfusion.com, 03 540 2961 5. Jens Hansen, Limited Edition 2018 Legacy Navette Ring with Carnelian and 18ct Gold, Jens Hansen, Nelson, jenshansen.co.nz, $6,690 6. Bill Burke, Beyond the Garden, oil on canvas, 1150mm x 900mm, Bill Burke Gallery, 03 546 6793, billburke.co.nz

Umemura Collection Event Poster final.pdf

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MUSIC

In praise of transformative music BY PETE RAINEY | PHOTO BY DAN KENDRICK

ould my two sons, aged 11 and 13, be part of a choir of predominantly aged, white-haired choristers? Was this a worthwhile experiment? In the end I didn’t ask them – I made them, with Mum’s help, come along to choir practice. Two hours of Handel’s Messiah is quite possibly the complete antithesis of two hours of slugging it out playing ‘fortnite’ on the computer. However, within a few weeks they were absolutely loving it, singing their chorus parts and enthusiastically telling me which was their favourite bit of a piece of music composed in 1741. It was great to be able to be their dad and their conductor. Music can be so transformative. There were plenty of others in the choir who were new to that kind of music, or who hadn’t sung in a choir for 30 years, or at all. Almost to a person they shared with

I have observed this ability for music to transform lives so many times over the years. 98

me how the music was winning them over, and how much they were enjoying the experience (especially in the new NCMA facility). That’s partly the result of being in a choir, but it’s also about immersing yourself in some of the greatest music ever written, studying and rehearsing it in a supportive, outcome-driven environment. I have observed this ability for music to transform lives so many times over the years. Thousands of children buzzing as they come off a smokefreerockquest stage, and loudly proclaiming that this was the best thing they had ever done in their lives. Nigel Weeks has marshalled a raggedy bunch of tooting cornets into a half decent young brass band; the Nelson Junior Brass has transformed into a group of children who have pride and love to play music. The lessons learned worldwide about how music can transform the lives of children in lower decile areas have been applied in New Zealand through the efforts of Sistema Aotearoa, and locally with the passion and hard work of people like Joel Bolton.

Is this transformative power of music making any different to any other disciplined approach to developing young lives? Is it any different to playing in a football team, or discovering the passion of mountain biking? I think it is. I know I’m biased, but fundamentally the pursuit of any artistic endeavour adds a layer of reward that is special. Sadly, for the vast majority, discovering that rewarding special magic that comes from engaging in a disciplined musical environment will never happen. This is where the activity and energy generated by facilities like the Theatre Royal, the Nelson Centre for Musical Arts and the ASB Theatre Marlborough are so important. They attract people who can make a difference and create activity that is transforming lives. Long may it continue.

ABOVE: Waimea College hard rock band Blind Eye was regional runner-up and also won the ZM People’s Choice voted by text on the night.

FILM

Not pretty, but the real thing BY MICHAEL BORTNICK

91 Trafalgar Street, Nelson - Ph: 548 3885 The Leisure Seeker Comedy, Drama, Director Paolo Virzì Starring Donald Southerland, Helen Mirren 112 minutes Rated R

reedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose. The other day, I placed an important item in the room where I was working. Twenty minutes later it was gone. How could this thing just disappear? It was the size of a toilet seat, for god’s sake! Soon my spouse found it... right where I left it five feet from where I sat. Now I blame the ‘A’ word. Alzheimer’s is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and worsens over time. The most common early symptom is shortterm memory loss. As the disease advances, symptoms can include disorientation, mood swings, not managing self-care, and behavioural issues. Gradually, bodily functions are lost, ultimately leading to death. No treatments stop or reverse its progression and affected people increasingly rely on others for assistance, often placing a burden on the caregiver. It’s not funny. But what is pretty funny, in a bittersweet way, is The Leisure Seeker, a new film starring Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren. A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker, travelling from Boston to the Ernest Hemingway Home in Key West. They recapture their passion for life and their love for each other on a road trip that provides revelation and surprise right up to the very end. John and Ella Spencer are near the end. He has the ‘A’ word and she, terminal ‘C’ word. Their abrupt disappearance is alarming to their caregiver offspring who are in a one-faceted continual panic for the whole film. But who cares? It’s the last quarter and the clock is ticking down. The pair’s odyssey along the eastern coast of America is quite a gift to the viewer. It is highlighted by near collisions, flat tyres, police stops, grammar and gunplay with dim-witted highwaymen, romantic holiday parks, heavy drinking and light sex. There are hospital visits, horrible truths and dirty dancing to a pretty great soundtrack. At the end, audiences get a thoughtful surprise ribbon to wrap all it up. We have all seen Alzheimer’s victims portrayed in film, but Southerland’s take is the most convincing to date. His sad condition made us tear up more than once. Mirren is continually competent, and her Ella Spencer runs from annoyingly chatty to furiously livid, depending on who John is that moment. There will be critics who will say the film is a maudlin waste of talent. I say ‘Balderdash’! If you are an intelligent adult, or more likely, a senior, you will see yourself many times in The Leisure Seeker. And it might not be pretty, but it’s real.

Movies Screening in JULY HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3

5 JULY • TBC | 1hr 35min Join our favourite monster family as they embark on a vacation on a luxury monster cruise ship so Drac can take a summer vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. But the dream vacation turns into a nightmare.

SKYSCRAPER

12 JULY • TBC | TBC Former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and U.S. war veteran Will Ford now assesses security for skyscrapers. He’s on assignment in China when he finds the safest building in the world suddenly ablaze, and he’s been framed for it.

MAMMA MIA! 2 19 JULY • TBC | TBC Lily James (Baby Driver) joins returning stars Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried and Pierce Brosnan in the sequel to 2008’s musical comedy Mamma Mia! Screenplay by Ol Parker (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), who also directs.

8th - 29th of AUGUST 2018

For more information, go to our website:

www.statecinemas.co.nz

EVENTS

Nelson Tasman

Regular Markets

Find out more details on Nelson Tasman events at itson.co.nz

Friday 6 to Tuesday 10

Every Saturday morning The Nelson Market

Light Nelson

MONTGOMERY SQUARE

Light Nelson is a free collaboration of art, science, design and technology in works that respond to darkness through illuminated installations. 5.30pm to 9.30 pm nightly. Info@lightnelson.co.nz.

Every Sunday Motueka Market 8am to 1pm Photo Jean-Paul Pochin

DECKS RESERVE CAR PARK

QUEENS GARDENS, NMIT, ALBION SQUARE, NELSON

JULY Tuesday 3 Reducing Our Household Rubbish: The Zero Waste Approach A re-run session of this popular presentation about zero waste while living in Nelson. Join Hannah Blumhardt and Liam Prince, the No-Waste Nomads behind The Rubbish Trip for an introduction to the practicalities and philosophy of waste reduction. 7pm start. NELSON COLLEGE

Wednesday 4, 11, 18, 25 5km Winter Series A race for runners and walkers, at night so reflectors and lights must be worn. All times recorded, with a different 5km course each night. Enter on the night. 6pm start.

Friday 13 to August 4

Thursday 26

Dusting off the Lares exhibition

Tami Neilson Sassafrass! NZ Tour

An exhibition of new works by local artist Lloyd Harwood.

Tami Neilson kicks off her latest tour in Nelson on July 26. The award-winning Canadian-born, New Zealandbased singer-songwriter conjures up a wonderfully retro style with frank, highly relevant lyrics. 7.30pm.

Learn to play the ukulele in a one-day workshop. No experience required. $75 workshop fee includes a folder of ukulele chords and songs. 10am to 3pm. To book, contact Paula: 022 104 7735 or paula.signal@gmail.com. RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY & CULTURAL CENTRE, LOWER MOUTERE

Friday 13 to September ANZEG Biennial Embroidery Conference & exhibitions Workshops, a national exhibition at the Suter and fringe exhibits in the Suter Arts Society Room, Provincial Museum and Broadgreen House. Visit the website anzeg.org.nz. NCMA, NMIT & ASSORTED VENUES

RED GALLERY

Sunday 15 Mapua Makers Market A contemporary craft fair featuring unique and affordable handcrafted items, along with a smattering of epicurean stalls featuring locally made gourmet foods. 10am to 3pm. MAPUA COMMUNITY HALL, MAPUA

Sunday 22 Pretty Crafty Winter Market Talented local artists displaying and selling a large range of crafts. Onsite café. Gold coin donation in support of Electrix Cheerleading. 10am to 2.30pm. STOKE MEMORIAL HALL

Ceroc Tea Dance

ST JOSEPH’S HALL, MANUKA ST

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MAITAI BOULEVARD

Uke’ Can Do It

Saturday 7

Ceroc incorporates elements of other dance styles including salsa, swing, rock’n’roll, jazz/ funk and more. 7pm to 9pm.

Nelson Farmers’ Market

Sunday 8

OCEAN LODGE, TAHUNANUI

Ceroc modern jive is a funky partner dance performed to most types of music.

Every Wednesday

Tuesday 3 Jekyll and Hyde A completely reworked version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, this is a terrifyingly hilarious theatre-comedy production that is flirting its way across New Zealand. NELSON CENTRE OF MUSICAL ARTS

THEATRE ROYAL, NELSON

Saturday 28 Stellar Singers A vivacious community choir with a passion for highquality singing, performance and bringing communities together through music. Directed by Brian Lee, the group enjoys singing every genre of music, including jazz, contemporary, choral, gospel and pop. 7.30pm to 9.30pm. NELSON CENTRE OF MUSICAL ARTS

EVENTS

Marlborough

Regular Markets

Find out more details about Marlborough events at marlborough4fun.co.nz

Friday 6 to Monday 9

Every Saturday

Marlborough Book Festival 2018

Marlborough Artisan Market

The Marlborough Book Festival is an annual weekend of wonderful writers, curious audiences and beautiful Marlborough locations. Visit the website marlboroughbookfest. co.nz/.

WYNEN STREET POCKET PARK

Every Sunday Marlborough Farmers’ Market A&P SHOWGROUNDS

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

JULY

Saturday 7 & 14

Friday 6 to Sunday 8

Dinner with Damien Pignolet

Marlborough Home & Garden Show With over 100 exhibitors, ‘Ask an Expert’ sessions, latest trends, innovations and exclusive show specials it’s the place to be for inspiration for indoors and out. For more information visit www. homeandgardenshow.co.nz or ‘Like us’ on Facebook. Starts 10am daily. MARLBOROUGH LINES STADIUM 2000

Wednesday 11 to Sunday 15 NZ Brass Band Championships Lots of free admission events and a street parade through Blenheim from 1pm on Friday 13. Ticketed events include Premiere Brass: In Concert on Sunday from 2pm. ASB THEATRE MARLBOROUGH

Experience the culinary expertise of French chef Damien Pignolet, who will be hosting his gourmet French-inspired dinner on the Saturday evenings, paired with some of the best wines from the region. THE MARLBOROUGH LODGE

Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11

Friday 13

Bare Essentials: DIY Zero Waste Body Care Products

Seed, by Elisabeth Easther, won the 2014 Adam New Zealand play of the year award, and follows four women as they try to get pregnant, stay pregnant or become un-pregnant – the dilemmas of modern reproduction.

Hannah and Liam, the Two No-Waste Nomads behind The Rubbish Trip, show you how to make a range of bathroom body care products, zero waste. Booking is essential. RSVP to info@envirohub.co.nz. Also a free talk about low-waste living at Envirohub Marlborough on 10th July at 6:30pm. ENVIROHUB, PICTON & MARLBOROUGH

Seed

PICTON LITTLE THEATRE, PICTON

Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 Duppati Portrait Workshop Run by the Marlborough Art Society, this two-day winter workshop with tutor Sudhir Duppati will explore historical, traditional and contemporary portrait-making conventions and facilitate the creation of your own style of making a portrait using mixed media. Email workshops@ marlboroughartsociety.com to register your interest. YEALANDS ESTATE MARLBOROUGH GALLERY

Friday 20 Young Winemaker of the Year SI Final Cheer on the talent in the 2018 Tonnellerie de Mercurey South Island Young Winemaker of the Year Competition. R18 ticket event. MARLBOROUGH VINTNERS HOTEL

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