Designing digital safety

Partnering with Samsung, Tauranga local Rory Birkbeck has built world-first technology to keep our kids safe online.

WORDS Hanna Balemi | PHOTO Amy Bailey 

Rory Birkbeck isn’t someone you’ll find on a pedestal, raging against the injustices of the world. The millennial dad and long-time Tauranga resident can often be found checking emails at a local cafe after dropping his two children at primary school. But behind the scenes, Birkbeck is building world-class technology to tackle one of the most critical global issues of our day: keeping children safe online. 

In June, Safe Surfer, the social enterprise Birkbeck founded in 2016, partnered with tech giant Samsung to release a world-first: the Kid-Safe Smartphone and Tablet, designed with kids’ safety at the core. It is the result of nearly a decade of work at Safe Surfer, developing and refining software that monitors and safeguards internet use, and a collaboration that allows safe tech to be built into Samsung Galaxy devices and tablets. “For the first time, parents can choose robust, innovative products designed to meet the highest standards of safety and performance. These smartphones and tablets are built with safety by design.”

Birkbeck’s passion for online safety began when he started out in IT in the early 2000s, around the dawn of social media. As the platforms evolved around him, his concern grew — tech development was out-pacing safeguards, and he worried that the most vulnerable would pay the price. “There’s so much potential for good with technology. Opening
up free learning and discovery to groups who’ve been excluded is so exciting.” 

Birkbeck is passionate about giving young people a chance to harness their creativity and the technological abilities they pick up by osmosis, and has taught coding to Tauranga teens and mentored young developers.

Through growing Safe Surfer, Birkbeck noticed the increasing gap between product design and development and the after-market products required to make them safer. “I grew more convinced that to build a future where kids are truly safe online, we were going to have to be working at the design level. Safety couldn’t be an afterthought anymore.”

Guided by this principle, Birkbeck and his team worked with Samsung to build Safe Surfer filtering technology into the phones and tablets, allowing parents to monitor every feature via a remote app. That means the camera can detect and block nudity, messaging features and apps are scanned for bullying, violence and grooming, and web browsers filter millions of harmful URLs. The Kid-Safe Smartphone and Tablets offer tiered levels of access, so they can grow alongside kids’ needs and maturity, while never compromising safe practices.

The Kid-Safe Smartphones and Tablets are available now in Australasian markets, but Birkbeck has a global vision. “We’re seeing a shift. Parents everywhere are passionate about online safety, because these are our kids. They deserve the best of the best and not basic-level compliance where safety is concerned. As developers, the onus is on us to think about our audience and take responsibility for the potential harms that software and platforms can cause.”

Birkbeck believes the entire market will be challenged to respond to this new innovation. “Our mission is to build technology that honours our kids, protects their attention and educates them. We see this all the time in the ‘real’ world — kids know that the concept of ‘swimming between the flags’ is there to protect them, and that’s what we want to bring to the online world. I feel proud to be part of this, and excited to see where it will go.” 

kidsafephone.nz

Pure and simple

Sometimes a wine can taste great in the moment, with a stunning setting and cool tunes playing. But what happens when you strip all that back? UNO wine columnist
Jess Easton finds out.

PHOTO  Jamie Troughton/
Dscribe Media

It’s the ultimate test of a wine maker’s prowess – to see if your best vintage still sings while being sipped from a coffee mug, sitting on the floor. 

Thanks to Matt Connell’s easy-going Otago charm and remarkable ability to produce wines that transcend the vessels they’re served in, he passed that particular test with flying colours. 

That day remains one of my most memorable wine tastings, short on ceremony but long on delight. Matt’s distributor, Provenance NZ’s Rachel Baillie, called me one Tuesday afternoon to say they were in town, had a spare half an hour, and could they drop in? 

The only problem was that I was in the middle of moving; in fact, the last boxes were lined up outside the door. 

Did I mention it was also my birthday? There was a lot going on. I was possibly in trackies and in the middle of a final deep clean. 

Rachel and Matt breezed in, we scrambled some coffee mugs from a box, raised a toast to spontaneity and then I truly celebrated my birthday in style. 

Matt’s Rendition Pinot Noir is a hand-crafted, site-specific, boutique wine at its finest. He’s cleverly brought the fruit forward and then hidden it behind a silky subtle structure. It is incredibly well balanced, whether sipped from finest crystal or cheap porcelain. 

And his Chardonnay is Chablis-style, crisp and interesting. He showcases the very soul of Central Otago, built on quartz reefs, gold nuggets, crisp winters and balmy summers. 

Matt and his wife Beth have been involved in the wine industry for nearly a quarter of a century, combining hospitality experience, horticulture management and a passion for viticulture.

Each vintage they produce is unique – a tribute to the site it’s harvested from. On Matt’s most recent visit to Tauranga, we swapped moving house-vibes for a late-afternoon salt-infused beach, and he introduced us to his Area 45 Dry Muscat. 

It’s a rare variety and needs to be treated carefully, so the heavy floral bouquets and whiff of lollies don’t overwhelm – instead, Matt’s trademark structure and dry finish takes you by delightful surprise. 

Nothing is more surprising, mind you, than sampling something truly delicious in unexpected circumstances. I can definitely recommend it. 

Jess Easton is a director and owner of Kitchen Takeover and St Amand, complementing her career as a Tauranga-based lawyer.

Dodging dodgy content: A parent’s guide

Parenting Place educator Holly-Jean Brooker helps us navigate dangerous content across the vast digital landscape.

In today’s digital age, the internet is like the Wild West — full of fascinating discoveries but also some dangerous territories. Whether it’s explicit material, violent imagery or inappropriate language, dodgy encounters are almost inevitable.

So how can we equip young people to handle these encounters?

Set up good filtering
First things first, the internet is designed for adults. Start by installing really good filtering on all devices and wifi.

Engage in conversation
Begin by talking to your kids about the internet before they start using devices. Explain that while the internet is full of amazing resources and entertainment, it also has some content that can be disturbing or inappropriate. Reassure them that they can always come to you if they see something that makes them uncomfortable and it won’t be their fault. 

Many kids fear devices being confiscated so make it clear that your priority is to help them understand and process what they’ve seen, not to punish them or take away their devices. Creating a sense of trust and openness will make it easier for them to approach you when they need support.

Shush and listen

When your child wants to talk about something they’ve seen online, give them your full attention. It’s upsetting when we hear our kids have seen something dodgy, but try to stay calm and avoid jumping to conclusions or reacting with anger or fear.  Instead, be curious, ask open-ended questions to help them express their feelings and thoughts.

Your role is to be there for them, offering reassurance and guidance and empathy. 

Use real-life examples

Kids can relate better to conversations grounded in reality. Share age-appropriate examples of dodgy content they might encounter, such as inappropriate comments on social media or disturbing images in a game. Ask them questions, like ‘What would you do if you saw something upsetting that made you feel weird’? And ‘Why do you think people might create or share this content’? Reassure them it’s okay to feel confused or upset by it.

Discussing real-life examples helps demystify the concept of dodgy content and gives kids the tools to identify and respond to it appropriately.

Set clear boundaries

Establishing guidelines for device use can help mitigate exposure to inappropriate content. Set time limits with parental controls and keep devices in shared family spaces to monitor what your child is accessing. Remember that no filter or rule can completely block out all dodgy content.

Focus on building self-control and good judgment, as these are the best tools your child can have in navigating the digital world. Reinforce that your door is always open for discussions about anything they find online.

Reaffirm your support

Above all, make sure your child knows you’re there for them, no matter what. Reaffirm your support and trust regularly, and remind them that they can talk to you about anything, whether it’s something they’ve seen online or a question about their favourite movie.

By keeping the lines of communication open, you help your child develop resilience and confidence in handling whatever they encounter online. Together, you can navigate the challenges of the digital age with understanding and support. 

parentingplace.nz

Meaning & the madness

He’s exposed hypocrites, taken on bullies, released a Netflix series and topped the box office with his two feature-length documentaries. Tauranga’s David Farrier reveals to Karl Puschmann the secret
to his success, his one regret, his philosophy on life and how
breaking his brain was the best thing he ever did.

Words Karl Puschmann | Photos Shayan Asgharnia + supplied

“All the best things that have happened to me – I’ve never planned them,” says David Farrier, his face scrunching into a look of quizzical bemusement. “If ever I do plan something, it usually goes disastrously wrong.”

It’s funny to hear him talk like this. From the outside, his life has seemed a steady, determined rise to the top. His media career began in the early 2000s, when as a fresh-faced journalism graduate, he took a job behind the scenes at 3 News. Passionate about pop culture, he began volunteering for entertainment-based assignments, eventually moving in front of the camera full-time as TV3’s entertainment journalist in 2006. 

Even that wasn’t enough to occupy him, though, so he began a variety of side hustles, including acting, radio, writing for magazines and generally reporting on anything that tickled his fancy. The stranger, the better.

Deeply engaged with internet culture, David’s trajectory changed when he discovered the world of competitive endurance tickling. Originally, he thought he’d found a typically quirky story for the nightly news; however, the tale took a dark turn when his jovial request for an interview with the US producers resulted in a shockingly hostile email response. 

Correctly inferring they had something to hide, David began seriously digging into the subject, leaving his role at TV3 to pursue it. He chronicled the twists and turns of his investigation in Tickled, his first full-length documentary feature. 

With its unusual and taboo subject matter, its crooked antagonist and David’s underdog fight to get to the truth behind the fetishistic videos while facing a barrage of life-destroying legal and implied physical threats, Tickled got the world talking. It premiered at the esteemed Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim, topped the New Zealand box office and announced the arrival of a new force in the documentary arena.

Since Tickled, David has produced and starred in the 2018 Netflix docuseries Dark Tourist, which saw him visiting places around the world
that you really wouldn’t want to; released his second feature documentary, 2022’s brilliant and bizarre Mister Organ; and created the ongoing podcast Flightless Bird with David Farrier for Hollywood actor Dax Shepard’s popular Armchair Expert network.

But the project he’s most passionate about, and the one that connects him directly to his audience, is Webworm. This is his online newsletter that lands directly in your inbox and sees him flexing his considerable journalistic muscles in tackling the delightfully strange and quirky as well as the heavy and newsworthy. He has a particular and devastating focus on bullies, conmen, hypocrites and false prophets.

David says this astounding career arc was all completely unplanned. In fact, growing up in Tauranga’s leafy Bethlehem, he didn’t even want to be a journalist. Instead, he’d meticulously plotted out his life in an entirely different field.

“I went to Auckland University to get into medical school,” he says. “To get into med school, you’re competing with all the smartest people. I felt so dumb because I was dumb in comparison. It was a stressful time.”

Even though it had been his dream, he quickly realised he wasn’t built for medicine when he had to dissect a rat and experienced a visceral reaction. “I wanted to vomit,” he admits with a grin. “I didn't have the brains or the stomach for medicine. I would have been terrible. I care about people, but not in that capacity.”

Then, more seriously, he says, “That year completely broke my brain. It made me reset. I stopped caring about having to reach a goal or do a thing.”

Faced with this harsh awakening, he dropped out of university, tore up the blueprint he’d mapped out for his life, threw caution to the wind and enrolled into AUT’s journalism course. “It was one of the best decisions I ever made because, from that point on, I tried to walk through doors that opened with the idea of seeing what happened and not being afraid to make mistakes,” he says, then smiles and adds, “So far that’s worked okay.”

David’s now a world-renowned documentarian living comfortably in Los Angeles, so the evidence agrees with him. Yet it’s hard to miss the irony in his origin story: in wanting a career in which he could fix people, he ended up breaking himself.

“Absolutely, it really did,” he says. “I used to be really stressed out, and over-plan everything. I’m still an anxious, uptight person, to a degree, but not to the level that I was. I’m a lot better at chilling than I used to be.”

“That year completely broke my brain. It made me reset. I stopped caring about having to reach a goal or do a thing.”

In his two documentaries, David’s stress manifests in real time – unsurprisingly, considering the intense and unsavory characters he’s documenting, especially Mister Organ’s psychologically manipulative antagonist Michael Organ, a man with an unnatural talent for picking his way unwanted into people’s minds. Off-screen, however, for the 15 or so years I’ve known him, David has only ever been a chilled-out customer. Cool as any number of cucumbers. Someone seemingly unphased by life’s general hang-ups and cruising through the world with a welcoming aura, an infectious smile and a genuine enthusiasm for whatever’s happening around him. 

It’s an outlook all shaped by that devastating year, and the mental reckoning that followed. Indeed, the secret of his success, he reckons, is simply going with the flow.

“All the best things have come from completely random events, like Dax Shepard reading something I wrote for The Spinoff that now means I have a job and a life here. You’ve just got to be ready to respond to things that open themselves up in front of you, which sounds a bit airy-fairy, I know, but I’ve always tried to be open to random opportunities that came up.”

Even half a world away, David is still very much on top of the goings-on in Aotearoa. Through his Webworm investigations, he’s regularly ruffling the feathers of the unruly and setting the mainstream news agenda.

Webworm made headlines with David’s scrutinisation of the Arise megachurch, which uncovered the emotional and physical abuse carried out by its leaders; with his deep dive into Destiny’s Church, which saw them labelled a cult; and when he found himself in a legal tussle with extremist broadcaster Sean Plunket. This resulted in Plunket being forced out of his job at Mediaworks and facing two police charges, although they were later withdrawn.

Ask David why he’s still so interested in what’s happening here and he has a simple answer. “I care about New Zealand a lot,” he says. “It’s like this little petri dish of five million people trying to figure things out – like we all are. There are amazing stories there – good and bad.”

Although people generally associate him with the weird and quirky, his work on Tickled, Mister Organ and especially Webworm has seen him diving deep into heavy topics with people who experienced awful things and are deeply traumatised as a result. His exposé of Arise Church alone saw him contacted by hundreds of people detailing the evil they were subjected to. 

Their stories can be harrowing, but ever since his brain reset, David says he’s been a fairly upbeat person. “I haven’t had any major mental health
swings. The megachurch stuff became overwhelming because it was a lot of people and it was about something really sensitive. There’s a pressure to give people what they need and support them as they’re telling the story, and that does add up. But I’m lucky that I’ve got a good group of friends around me. I never feel like I’m on my own in it.”

He also looks after himself by turning off the computer and “getting the f**k outside”. He enjoys walking around his neighbourhood and spending time in a nearby park, where he delights in seeing baby skunks and deer. He can spend hours there – although he has to remember to be back indoors by 11pm, because that’s when the coyotes stir.

“Getting outside in nature is the ultimate reset,” he smiles. “As long as I do that, I’m fine.”

His go-with-the-flow philosophy has led him to the darkest and most dangerous places on earth and to interact with the most loathsome and evil people. Reflecting on his wild journey is almost as surreal for him as it is for those who have vicariously tagged along.

“Each project feels like a different life or a different person,” he says with detached bemusement. “It’s partly the way my brain is wired. I’ve got a bit of a spicy brain.”

That said, there’s one moment he can never forget, and can only look back on with deep regret. “Swimming in a radioactive lake in Dark Tourist,” he says, referencing one of the most jaw-dropping scenes in a show chock-a-block with them. 

This happened while he was travelling through Kazakhstan. His guides took him to the Atomic Lake and convinced him to join them for a refreshing dip in its nuclear waters.

“That was dumb,” he says, failing to hide how exasperated he feels with himself. “It was f*****g stupid to swim in that lake. If I could have my time again… It wasn’t worth it. But you know, we were a bit drunk at the time and there were some fun Russians who encouraged us. Objectively, it was really good TV and it felt exciting, but I look back on it and think
I should have skipped that one.”

Regrets, we all have a few. But David has come a long way from the self-described “uptight teen” he was growing up in Tauranga. He was born in Bethlehem on Christmas Day, which perhaps explains the holy fervour with which he pursues his subjects, and his devotion to battling bullies and sticking up for those in unfortunate circumstances. His Baptist parents homeschooled him until sending him to Bethlehem College when he hit his teens. With his med school plan firmly in mind, he studied hard, becoming head boy in his final year.

“I love the Bay,” he smiles, thinking back to his youth. “I’d regularly run up Mount Maunganui to try to get fit with my dad. I loved the beach. I wish I was a surfer – I’d just roll around in the waves.”

His beachy upbringing still manifests to this day. Rather than shorts, he favours wearing togs, bought in bulk during the winter sales at surf shops.

“I wear togs a lot of the time because I always think you should be prepared to jump in an ocean or any good body of water,” he once told me when I interviewed him a couple of years ago.

He says he’s due a home visit. He likes going to the hot pools, spending time on the walking tracks and tumbling around in the frothing surf. The last time he was here, he got a wave of nostalgia and went to the house where he grew up and knocked on the door.

“I thought they might be a bit like, ‘What the hell are you doing here?’” he laughs. “But they were so nice and took me inside.”

This would be a warm, fuzzy way to end our interview, with David warmly reminiscing about his childhood budgie and Chandler Bing, his favourite cat, but there’s still one last question to ask. 

Few people have thoroughly engaged with both the best and worst of humanity in the same way David has. If anyone has a hot take on humanity as a whole, it has to be him.

“I meet so many people doing so many good things, wanting good out of life and being so genuine and kind and thinking about others, but there’s also a lot of horrific, terrible stuff going on out there,” he says. “Both things are true at the same time, right? It’s the joy of humans. But essentially, we’re all the same. We’re all just trying to understand this weird rock we’ve woken up on, with no idea of why we’re here.”

Sensing bigger topics of life, philosophy and enlightenment, I ask if he’s found any deeper meaning to life’s existential and eternal mystery throughout his explorations into good and bad, right and wrong, justice and evil.

“No,” he answers flatly. “I wish I had. I think my life is ultimately meaningless. It is all ultimately meaningless.”

Grinning he adds, “I know that’s not a very positive quote for you,” before flashing a reassuring smile. 

“But this doesn’t mean life is hopeless in any way,” he continues. “It just means we’ve got to be really careful about how we use that time. We don’t have long here. It’s a matter of making the most of it.”

Then, with the accumulated wisdom of a man who has trawled the depths of humanity and survived, he says, “Ultimately, that’s the joy of it all.” 

To sign up for David’s online newsletter, visit WEBWORM.CO

Style status

Break out a new look this autumn.

Words Nicky Adams

Cos Belted double faced wool coat, $450

Winter warmers

Some people absolutely love winter fashion – the cosying up, full cover or layering are all considered seasonal techniques that are tried, tested and nigh on always a success. The appeal of the winter palette is another drawcard for many when it comes to staple pieces for those that happily gravitate towards classic darker tones. The big advantage that I see in a winter wardrobe is the ability to really explore beautiful fabrics. New Zealand has access to an abundance of natural fibres – wool in multiple forms such as Merino, as well as cashmere, beautiful silks that all make for stunning winter wear. For 2024 texture is a trending look, and nothing makes for a better textural visual than a combination of fibres – silky satin paired with leather, a super soft fine cashmere skirt matched with a heavy woollen cover up. A longline coat (or floor sweeper) is a definite staple must-have for winter. Often worn oversized with room for plenty of layers beneath, a tailored coat is something that
will never date. A strong look has been the incorporation of loungewear, which many A-listers have styled for colder months under tailored outerwear. The juxtaposition of hoody and sweatpants under a beautiful coat is a love it or hate it look. Meanwhile, the ultimate piece of winter footwear has to be the Ugg boot. A Southern Hemisphere staple for decades, it had a peak fashion moment in the early 2000s, which while it dipped back to lingering in the background, certainly seems to have come to the fore again this year.
And what’s not to love – comfort and practicality rolled into a squishy package. Leaning into brown colourways will be huge, from chocolate to chestnut, and as luck would have it brown pairs beautifully with the other hot seasonal colour of red.

Camilla & Marc Litha Dress $660. nz.camillaandmarc.com 

Mix it up

Over-the-knee and thigh-high boots have been begging to be let back in the wardrobe for a while now. At first glance they may seem better suited to the streets of New York than the Bay of Plenty, but they can be more versatile and low key than first appears. If you don’t think you can make it work for you, then a pointed toe kitten heel ankle boot or a pair of Mary Janes should be a must have. Another hot ‘outfit maker’ would be a good piece of hardware. Adorned belts straight away become a statement piece – elevating a white tee shirt and jeans from blah to bling. There is going to be a lot of fluff around, particularly with coats and jackets – whether feather, fur or teddy – it can take a brave person to go head to toe, so if this is daunting then stick with the trim. If you go for fuzz, then contrast with something silky, or accessorise with a pair of leather gloves – a really stylish mix of textures. Whilst I hate to say leather again, it’s hard to avoid, because leather/faux leather has been so huge on the runways. Rather than rugged, the leather this season has a more feminine feel. A classic leather dress need not be a bank breaker, and a sleeveless slip style is ageless. If you want a wow separate, then sheer is the way to go. It’s everywhere, and it doesn’t have to be revealing – Rita Ora most of us are not. So pop a cami under a mesh top or bodysuit for modesty or a slip under a sheer dress and away you go. Oversized is the way to wear your knitwear, from turtleneck to crewneck – if it feels overwhelming then ‘knotting’ has become a styling technique. Equally the knotted look has carried over onto tops and dresses, which takes a shift style into something with a more flattering silhouette as well as adding to the aesthetic. 

Gotta have it

The trends amplified by algorithms.

The fashion industry has had a makeover, embracing the concept that this is the age of wearing what suits us, and what makes us feel good. Nevertheless there will always be trends – the question is, who actually sets them? 

We have entered an era where there is no clear authority. Previously fashion influences were straightforward, coming directly from the runway to the Highstreet to our wardrobe, with trends glamourised by A-list celebrities. Now we have social media, and with it an entirely different force to be reckoned with. The generational split of Tik Tok is narrowing, and now trends that rock on this platform are pitched not just at youth culture, but are more inclusive, finding different corners of the platform for the more mature audiences. With everyone from ‘Jo Public’ posting to highly strategised marketing campaigns being rolled out, it’s a forum for everyman. Even low-level social media followers will find they are exposed to various influencers aligned with clothing brands, designers and stores, opening our eyes to looks and styles we might otherwise have missed. The more we identify with someone, the more we’re likely to try out a trend.

So it’s little surprise that the latest looks come not just by way of the catwalks, but also through your feed. The interesting thing about the latest viral trends is that the fashion it's bringing to us are ‘upcycled’ – looks that we’ve not just seen before, but that are achievable with a bit of a dig around Depop, and perfectly suited to the current pared back economy. 

Whooshing through 2024 is the Mob Wife aesthetic. Sweeping Tik Tok it’s everything you imagine and more. Grab your hairspray for bouffant hair, heavy make-up, big furs (real or fake) and show-stopping jewellry; it’s The Sopranos meets The Godfather meets Casino. Seen as a more grown up look than perhaps the Barbiecore craze, it personifies a woman who knows what she wants and who means business. Despite being popularised on the internet, it’s not a concept that has arrived from nowhere. Look to the runway and there will be elements with multiple designers: leather, bodycon, the theatrics of fashion beloved by the Italian designers from Dolce & Gabbana to Gucci. 

The flamboyance of the Mob Wife is an extension of a trend that may have come to us via the fashion houses, but it’s also an iteration of what we find around us in pop culture. And pop culture is where it’s at. One of the biggest star power influencers, Zendaya, has just released
a film based around tennis. No surprise that ‘Tennis core’ is now raging, with mini pleated skirts and sporty chic silhouettes a huge look. Likewise the recent Amy Winehouse film introduced her kitsch unique style to a new generation. The key to embracing the essence without looking as though you’ve delved into a dress up box are to stop short of tacky. Each of these trends will resonate with anyone who loves to reach into the archives of their wardrobes or charity shops where large sunnies, vinyl skirt suits and musty furs are aplenty.

Sitting alongside this over-the-top dopamine dressing is Loud luxury. This again rejoices in the bold – leopard, polka dots, colour and edgier silhouettes – and if you want to indulge in a little logomania, then do so. Seen as the anti ‘old money’ and ‘clean girl’ look, Loud Luxury is overtly glamorous, but always tasteful. Drama, creativity and exuberance are key words – all of them conjuring up a more playful attitude towards fashion. 

If all this sounds a little too out there, then fear not . Quiet Luxury – the head to toe of creams and neutrals, beloved by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow – still simmers away, a low-key look that suits the fashion lover who longs for a wardrobe packed with understated elegance. So while searches for leopard print and faux fur coats have gone through the roof, the power of trend setting becoming more of a democracy means that there is room for everyone at the fashion table. 

Victoria Beckham

Fashion forecast

Get ahead with the latest summer fashion trends.

Sheer Delight 

While sheer fabrics have successfully bridged the gap between day and evening wear, as a rule they tend to be dark tones, predominantly black or slate grey. Spring will see sheer white dresses making their way from runway to street. Eek – the mind boggles with just how many ways this could be a fail.

Alexander McQueen

Rose Tinted Glasses

With a Garden Of Time dress code for the 2024 Met Gala, which has long been considered the highlight of the fashion calendar, it’s perhaps not surprising some of the designers doubled down on their floral creations for their Spring/Summer 2024 collections. However, it’s a very specific nod to Roses. Long thought of as the most romantic of the blooms, it fits with some of the feminine themes that are headlining for this season.

Gucci/ JW Anderson

Sport of Course

Sportswear has been elevated to new heights over the last few years, with the lines blurred between leisurewear/loungewear and sportswear. It’s hard to know if activewear with heels will really take off, but it’s easy to see the appeal of oversized hoodies worn as dresses, or trackie tops with jeans.

Stella McCartney

Ice Ice Baby

Soft icy blue is a welcome colour for spring – limitless in its pairings, with black it feels bold, with brown there’s a bit of a retro vibe, or with beige for elegance. It’s a very versatile shade as it can be worn head to toe without being overpowering and looks good on blondes and brunettes alike. 

Primed to perfection

Step into a fully furnished, three-storey townhouse offering stunning beach and bay views. Recently renovated with industrial-chic design, smart technology, and a separate two-bedroom flat — this home is truly one-of-a-kind. 

Words Jo Ferris  |  Photos Amanda Aitken

Today’s trend of dressing a property for sale has a personal input with this home. It’s already dressed — ready to go — what you see is what you get. Bar the artwork of course — particularly one striking piece that dominates a feature wall in the top-floor living area.

In a move to downsize, this vendor is leaving all the furniture and much of the equipment behind — taking only personal items before closing the door on this intriguing venture. This is the heart of downtown Mount — views towards the beach on one side and Pilot Bay on the other — within walking distance of everything.  

This three-storey townhouse received a head-to-toe renovation when bought. New roof, new insulation, double glazing, new gib, new open stairwell, new decor and sophisticated technology throughout. If one word were to describe this home, personality would be it. Maybe one more; personality plus. 

The home goes beyond imagination in its approach. It introduces industrial influences with a sense of smoky-bar nightclub; cigars allowed and bourbon on tap in top-floor living. Either stepping up the flight of stairs — railings lit beneath and sensors showing the way; or taking the lift — the welcome is immediate. The kitchen sits centre stage — casual living at the front with balconies either side, dining booth in its own zone and a TV lounge at the rear — Mauao in all its glory in full view.

Party central in the middle houses a chef’s domain for serious cooking and separate stations; complete with a drinks’ bar cocktail mixers dream of. By day, perfect, by night, lights set within quartz counters highlight the brilliance of the detail – ready to set the mood. 

Moods define this entire home – from the darkness of the dedicated theatre to every bedroom. One cleverly doubles as a bedsit office, thanks to the pull-down bed within closet cabinetry. Bathroom personality doesn’t disappoint either. An industrial look in the family bathroom strikes a chord with heavy-metal style tapware and cast-iron vintage bath — complete with ceiling spout. The master bathroom follows suit
with a ceiling spout dropping water into its elegant oval bath.

Masculinity meets femininity in ways that appeal to personal tastes. Underpinning it all however, is state-of-the-art functionality. Smart technology includes wireless internet on every floor, Sonos surround sound, a talking fridge, sensor lighting, 16 solar panels, Tesla battery. All the bells and whistles; plus the bonus advantage of a separate, two-bedroom flat — complete with a tenant.

Personality plus. 

13A Commons Ave, Mount Maunganui

oliverroadbayofplenty.com

A classic twist

Adding another dimension to an established brand.

Words Nicky Adams

There’s lots to like about husband-and-wife team Paul and Corina Taylor, particularly if you enjoy good humour with a side order of honesty. Paul is articulate and animated, plus he makes a mean cup of tea. Corina’s warmth and gentle manner put you at ease straight away. Together with Paul’s brother David they hold the licence for and are owner/operators of Classic Builders Rotorua and Taupō.

To unravel what exactly this means, I double check with Paul, who clarifies: “We hold a licence agreement to build within the Rotorua and Taupō councils and we work under a licence manual… Classic provides a back-of-office service for us with our design work, accounting, marketing, health and safety.” Essentially, Paul, Corina and David are very much Classic; “We’ve got the brand; together we’ve got 28 years’ experience of working with the brand, we’ve got the national supplier agreement, the systems, the processes – the aftercare service and warranty – all the stuff that’s always at the forefront. We bring our customer service, excellence, and quality. Our biggest added value is our experience.” The formula is clearly working, as, for the second year running, the team has just scooped a slew of accolades at the Classic Builders National Awards.

Paul has been with Classic for 19 years, moving from operations to licence holder; Corina joined the business 11 years ago with a strong background in sales and real estate, and found her true passion as colour and design consultant. Brother David came up from Palmerston North and in 2014 jumped on board the Classic ship, starting as construction manager and moving up to branch manager before taking on regional manager of Rotorua and Lakes. This powerhouse combination has a real confidence that only years in the game can bring. Corina points out: “There wouldn’t be too many areas of building where we haven’t got experience or a situation we haven’t come across before. Between the three of us we’ve got a tonne of expertise. With Paul, you’ve got the land acquisition, business/finance acumen and supplier relationships; David’s got the operational and building brain and I’ve got the face to face with the clients – refining the look they want, the colours, materials and specifications.” Paul chimes in: “We know our lane; we know where our strengths are”. Corina agrees, “there’s strong leadership in all three of those areas, and that filters down to our team, so they’ve got clear, strong direction and leadership and they really feel like we’ve got their back. Talia (our building co-ordinator) always says, “it’s like we’re in one big wāka rowing in the same direction.”

The impetus to branch away and establish their own part of the company was an organic progression. As Paul clarifies; “After being within the brand for 19 years I wanted to use all that expertise that I’d learnt to continue my journey and bring that to a different region. I had a vision of how things could be done at a grass-root level and wanted to get back to being more customer facing.” They both get animated as they explain how they could see the potential and growth in this area, which they have created and generated with the help of their team. Corina reiterates how adding value to the community has spurred them on, and Paul relishes the relationships they have built with land stakeholders, local iwi, various land developers and other members of the community supply chain. 

Corina’s sideline passion is her role as work events coordinator. Laughing, they both agree her love of organisation enables her to excel in this position. Joking aside, they go on to talk about how hugely important the sense of ‘team’ is to not just them personally, but to the success and growth of the business. The social side is huge: “We always celebrate our wins, our birthdays our anniversaries.” Paul sums it up: “We work together, play together, stay together.” Talking of events, the team is about to celebrate its fourth anniversary, which is a milestone the trio are hugely proud of. Within that time the team has grown from three to 12 and is still expanding. In a flat market it’s definitely bucking the trend to be experiencing growth. I wonder what Paul and Corina would consider has helped with this. Paul is hesitant, as he’s aware it’s not something that’s currently experienced across the board. “I suppose we’ve read the market, and we know how to deliver to these conditions. We’re adaptable: that’s what a small team brings.” Corina agrees. “We’re able to reduce square meterage to bring a price down – we know how to deliver a price point product of spec and looks. What we do well is very targeted to suit the market.” Paul adds: “And we deliver what we say we will. There are no hidden exclusions.” 

They also pride themselves in managing to cater for a broad demographic, from duplexes for a couple, to four-bed family homes, to investor properties. Repeat custom is something they’re excited has started to happen – there’s real pride when they mention people who have returned, a testament, amongst other things, to their relationship building.

Client relationships, they say, are crucial to the whole team. Their carefully crafted ‘Wall of Fame’ in the office has a photograph of every handover they’ve ever done. “There’s detail,” says Paul. “We haven’t just slapped it up.” Corina adds: “We really celebrate with our clients. It’s such an emotional process – you’re a huge part of each other’s lives for the duration of the build process. We love the handovers, it’s a big deal”. The Classic Care policy ensures the continuation of the relationship, even after completion. The Rotorua-based design centre reflects the blend of Corina’s systematic and creative personality. Purposely built for the client experience, it’s a visual space where the products are almost artworks. The layout of the room follows a build schedule, enabling clients to place selected swatches on the table, ultimately creating the home they will build. Corina thrives on her role: “I love helping people create the vision they have for themselves and their home; pulling all their ideas together and giving them different options in a budget-conscious way that fits within their build and our brand. Knowing they can have a beautiful home that they can be really proud of, but that fits within all our standard specs.” Operating from the hub, the team all hail from different parts of the region, and understand the value of ties with the community. That reaches beyond the clients to every part of the build chain, from the land to the carpet layers to the kitchen supplier. Every team member, according to Corina, gives their absolute all, “the work ethic of our people blows me away.”

Client relationships are of course integral; once that bond is established the trust follows. Transparency is their currency. Paul stands by his word: “We have a fixed price; we don’t have any escalation clauses. Within the contract – if we’re in control as the build partner we can give you a fixed price contract. But also, there’s flexibility if you want to have a provisional sum where you may want variations. You sign off everything first. We have a design and build contract, or house and land where we control the overall package. We’ve got flexibility – but again, it comes to a fixed price.” Adaptability, value for money, honesty and integrity are all central to what makes the wheels turn. “And positivity,” enthuses Paul.

What advice would you give someone looking to build?
Trust/understand your build partner. Do your research. Make sure you’re comparing apples with apples – go through the details.

Why would people choose to build in this market?
You end up with a healthy home with all the new standards (better insulation/ better joinery/heating etc). Better funding options with building new. There are good options out there, and you’ve got time to research as it’s not a flooded market.

How to avoid common mistakes?
No two sites are the same, so get down to the detail. Go with a reputable brand with experience. 

What should be the primary focus on a build?
Focus on the needs – add in the wants/wishlist. Be honest about what you have to spend.

classicbuilders.co.nz

Pull back the curtain

At the helm of Guthrie Bowron Tauranga, Margaret Gill knows interiors. Here, she shares an insider’s guide to window coverings.

Window coverings have a major influence on a room’s functionality and ambience — a fact that’s both exciting and makes knowing what to choose a little daunting. The following insider info might help you decide what’s best for you.

Your first consideration? Function. Living spaces may need a sun filter treatment to manage glare during the day. Bedrooms benefit from blackout curtains to aid sleep. Window treatments will also offer additional insulation if your home is lacking in that department. 

Will curtains or blinds be best? Curtains visually soften the hard edges of a room, while providing warmth and privacy. Roman blinds provide a streamlined look for the minimalists among us, and are ideal for high or small windows. 

What size are your windows and how much wall space is there on either side? The answers may lead you to floor-to-ceiling curtains for spacious rooms, while blinds will be great for small, narrow or awkwardly placed panes. 

Keep roller blinds, venetian blinds, vertical blinds, honeycomb blinds and shutters on your radar too. All have their advantages and limitations, depending on your home’s unique requirements and the look you love.

Enjoy using your window treatments to express your creativity. Whether
you gravitate towards soothing neutrals, energising bright hues or statement-making bold patterns, there’s such a wide range of fabrics available that you can take your pick when it comes to style, colour and texture. Most curtain fabrics can also be used for roman blinds, allowing you to maintain a consistent scheme throughout the house. Then tie it together with other soft furnishings such as cushions, throws, bedding and upholstered furniture. Or make a feature out of an exceptionally special textile. For example, a printed velvet, intricate jacquard or highly textured boucle.

The secret to your success lies in talking to an experienced curtain and blind consultant at the beginning of your decorating project. At Guthrie Bowron Tauranga, you’ll find all the latest collections from UK textile brand ILIV, as well as top-notch New Zealand suppliers. Are you ready to get started? 

GUTHRIEBOWRON.co.nz

Reach for the sky

This exceptional home is a haven of privacy. The property's sleek design and breathtaking sky views add to what is the height of modern luxury - and to top off its impressive features is a truffle orchard of hundreds of oak trees.

words Jo Ferris | photos Hunter Studios

Situated in the Oropi hills, this serene, minimalist home is surrounded by nature and designed with ultimate privacy and security in mind. Nestled within blissful seclusion at the end of a private road, the property offers gated vehicle entry and a helicopter landing option for increased anonymity.

The home was built by multi-award-winning Shaw Builders and designed to a specific brief. Beautiful in its simplicity, the home disguises the extraordinary complexity behind its creation. It embraces 800m² of understated luxury to combine modern design with meticulous craftmanship.

Floor-to-ceiling windows, all-day sun, and views as far as the eye can see blend to create airy, light-filled spaces. Lush, sub-tropical gardens surround the home to instill tranquility and provide intimacy in various rooms and outdoor settings.

Architectural design wraps this home around a swimming pool with waterfall to create a resort worthy of a tropical escape. Views stretch out to embrace Mauao, Tauranga and offshore islands beyond – a reminder that this stunning setting is a discovery of true surprise.

The interior design features clean, bold lines, negative details and high-end finishes with top-of-the-line appliances. A cosy wood fire in the dining room is perfect for intimate occasions, while the chef’s kitchen and lounge serve as the central hub for gatherings.

Equipped with Crestron home automation, this home provides comfort and privacy with ensuite bedrooms for family and guests, together with a separate apartment for extended family. With its own entry, private patio and personal garage, this suite has also been designed to double as an executive workplace. Completing the home’s forethought for work and leisure, it includes a dedicated gym, office and media hideaway.

Once farmland, this 12-hectare estate has been transformed into a sanctuary for birds and nature playground. Walking and riding trails wind through native bush, with streams and springs. Along with the tropical gardens and grasses embracing the house, specialty plantings throughout the estate reinforce how the micro-climate has rewarded this property’s development. Stands of redwoods, specimens and berries, fruit and nut trees – nature thrives here.

Of particular note is the truffière – 750 specialty oak trees on park-like slopes that add peace, tranquility, and a potential future income.

This unique Oropi retreat combines luxury with natural beauty to highlight how thoughtful design can blend with nature to be at one with the world and offer an unparalleled living experience.

Nga Parae Rd, Oropi

oliverroadbayofplenty.com

Comfort in the dark

Author and former palliative care nurse Janet Whiteside reveals
the lessons she’s learned from a lifetime of dealing with death.

WORDS Hayley Barnett | PHOTOS Katie Cox

At 83, Janet Whiteside has experienced far more than her fair share of tragedy and heartbreak – mostly by choice.

The palliative care nurse worked in numerous hospices around New Zealand and Australia for 27 years, supporting and caring for those suffering from terminal illnesses at the end of their lives. In her last few years in the job, Janet worked at Tauranga’s Waipuna Hospice. Having retired full of stories and wisdom and at a loss as to what to do with her spare time, she took her husband’s advice and decided to write a book. Released late last year, she named it Deeper Engagement:

A Conversation Worth Dying For. It includes the stories of her most memorable patients and the lessons she learned from caring for them.

“I felt I needed to do something,” says Janet of her book. “There seems to be increasing fear and uncertainty about getting ill with the possibility of not recovering. People have the feeling that death has to be so difficult and so painful, but although it is difficult, I believe sharing the experience makes it that much easier.”

Janet has fought her own battles with cancer – twice, in fact. In 2003, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent radiation therapy to treat it. The cancer returned in 2008, at which time she had a bilateral mastectomy. Since then, she’s been cancer free.

“Writing the book was actually very cathartic,” she says. “I have to be grateful for what I’ve learned over the years. People would ask me whether being a hospice nurse made my cancer diagnosis any easier to accept. It didn’t, but was it easier to recover from because of my experience with other people? Yes, it was.”

It was from her own learning that she realised knowledge really is power, and other people’s experiences can have a lot to offer those who are facing and fearing the unknown.

“Being in the presence of someone who’s at the end of their life is a gift,” says Janet. “If you can learn to stay rather than run from it, to not be afraid of it, then you have some power there. Supportive care is about putting that cloak around you, and for the people suffering from an illness, it’s so important to let people in and just be open. Over the years, what I gave of myself was rewarded tenfold by the trust instilled in me by those whose lives I had the privilege of entering.”

Janet’s husband passed away four years ago, leaving behind herself and her two sons and their families. “We’re all very open with one another,” she says of her close-knit family. “We can talk about anything and everything, and that helps a lot. The ability to converse with people is so important, and to just shut up and listen at times when they need you”.

Janet’s a firm believer in palliative care both during and beyond the life of the patient. She says death can affect the people around a patient more than the patient themselves, and it’s important for everyone to remember that.

“When someone gets sick, it isn’t just about them, it’s about the whole family unit. That’s the real beauty of palliative care – that it embraces that. Illness and death is ongoing for the family, so palliative care and support isn’t just for the person who’s received the diagnosis, but also for those families, to help them stay connected, because they need each other.”

Even at 83, Janet isn’t afraid of adventure. Right now, she’s in the process of selling her beautiful, big house by the sea so she can move from the Bay of Plenty to the Blue Mountains near Sydney to be closer to her sons and grandchildren. When I mention it’s quite a big change to make late in life, she nods. “It is, but I’ve always said I’m most comfortable on the back of a Harley-Davidson than anywhere else! My sense of adventure hasn’t changed with age.”

I ask if her work has encouraged her zest for life;if being around death makes her that much more aware of her own mortality. 

“I’m not counting on living long,” she says with a smile. “I think considering my experiences, I’ve done very well to get this far. But a lot of time for people there is the fear, not so much of dying, but about how they’ll die and how much they’ll suffer. The word ‘suffering’ is so misunderstood, because you can suffer for a lot of different reasons – mentally and emotionally too. Finding a way around that and living life right to the end is so important.”

Six lessons I learned as a palliative care nurse

1. Things are not always how we wish them to be. The only certainty we have is in this very moment; meaning comes from everyday life and isn’t something we seek at the end of it. 

2. Communication is at the heart of everything. Our voice can be lost when receiving devastating news, but never doubt your inner strength, for within lies the real you. 

3. We worry about time, but it’s what we do with it that matters.

4. Forget the ‘bucket list’ – be spontaneous.

5. The only death in life is death itself. It’s the living that counts.

6. Cancer can destroy your life, but it can’t destroy the uniqueness of you.

Body in balance

Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa is the perfect place to learn the incredible benefits of calming your mind and healing your body.

Words Hayley Barnett

“Find your dimmer switch,” our mindfulness teacher murmurs soothingly.

Meditation expert and aromatherapist Helena Keenan’s constant calm demeanor is a result of 30 years of meditation practice at some of the Pacific’s most luxurious wellness centres. Right now I’m sitting in the newly refurbished Mahoney Wellness Room at Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa for their Mindful Moments Retreat in the hopes that some of that calmness will rub off on my frazzled, stressed-to-the-hilt self. But finding my inner dimmer switch isn’t something that comes naturally. In fact, at this point, I’m not even sure I have one.

For the past seven years Helena has been guiding visitors through two-day retreats to reset their intentions and commitment to wellness – both mentally and physically – to come away feeling calm, inspired and recharged. Over two days we will bathe in geothermal mineral waters, practise yoga, walk in nature, undergo spa therapies, learn about nutrition and meditate our troubles away. It’s the kind of thing a tired mother can usually only dream of.

When I drag myself in on the first day after a terrible night’s sleep I’m met with the friendly, energetic yoga teacher, Nadine Prinsloo. She introduces the group to simple movements designed to stretch and relax our bodies after a soak in the world-famous geothermal spa. She gives us a rundown on the history of yoga, why we should do it, and what sort of benefits we'll receive from stretching our bodies at least three times a week. We learn how to breathe with our stomachs and how breathing in through one nostril and out the other will instantly calm your nervous system. Nadine has gone through her fair share of body trauma over the years, which is how she got into yoga in the first place, and educates us on how to listen to your body. “If you listen to the body when it whispers, you won’t have to listen to it when it shouts,” she explains wisely. 

Though the yoga session wasn’t at all strenuous, the group had certainly worked up an appetite. Which was just as well considering the enormous lunch laid out for us. The delicious, healthy and balanced meal set us up for our silent trek through Rotorua’s Redwoods forest. 

After an hour of fresh air we were back in time for our talk on maintaining a healthy gut, led by resident naturopath, Jessica Tumata-Lane. The miracles that can happen just by making subtle changes to your diet are not only proven by science, says Jess, but also in the mental clarity and the body’s energy, which you will notice almost immediately. I almost feel bad for the gelato we’ve just consumed from the spa café beforehand.

The next day we’re led directly to the spa for what I thought would be some relaxing R&R. This time, we’re on the retreat side, which of course includes a cold plunge pool. With Nadine’s words ringing in our ears about listening to your body before it shouts, we instead plunge forth and hold ourselves under for what seems like an eternity but is really just 30 seconds. We then run straight into the now-prickly 40-degree Celcius pool to warm up. Apparently this is good for you. 

It’s just as well that our spa treatment is up next. I’ve chosen the spa’s signature Himalayan Salt Polish and Herbal Oil Massage, a treat for my tight muscles and dry winter skin. Then it’s straight into meditation with Helena, where I nearly fall asleep in the middle of the day. This has never happened to me before. I can barely sleep at night.

Our second delicious lunch brings me back to earth, before venturing out for a walk around the geothermal springs of Lake Rotorua. We’re back in time for some blueberry lemon cake with coconut yoghurt before heading home, our gift bags filled to the brim with lotions and potions to keep our skin looking and feeling its best. I can’t think of a better way to rest and recharge, and I’m already planning my trip back to this geothermal healing centre of wellness. The next retreat goes ahead in July 2024 and I'm very tempted. 

What were my greatest takeaways, Helena asks? It’s not until I’m in the car heading home that I can think of this answer clearly. Always take the time to stop and recuperate, even if you don’t feel you need it. It’s not until you stop that you can really hear your body and mind shouting. That’s when you find your dimmer switch. 

polynesianspa.co.nz/mindful-moments-retreat/

This is the place

Pāpāmoa’s renowned lakeside retirement village is about
to go even further with their impressive offering.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor | Photos Jahl Marshall + supplied

On the coastal stretch between Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa, you can feel the excitement building at Pacific Lakes Village, as the forward-thinking lifestyle village continues to expand. Designed to serve as a central hub, The Pavilion, currently under construction, is set to open in spring next year. 

The design of this 2,500m2 community facility has been carefully considered. The teams at architectural practice Peddlethorp and interior designers Space Studio have come together on the project, resulting in a classic, sophisticated building that will stand the test of time.

Spearheaded by David Sweatman of Space Studio, the selected interior focus is on “natural materials, warmth, character and familiarity. The decor will be modern, with hints of mid-century”, David says.

Other design highlights will include the extensive use of timber as interior cladding, together with natural stone; parquet flooring, and the inclusion of extensive skylights to maximise natural light. Pacific Lakes purposely selected a main structural frame of LVL timber rather than steel to align with the village’s sustainability ethos. These components were all fabricated in Auckland and transported to the site for a seamless construction methodology. 

Part of the Generus Living Collection, Pacific Lakes aims to offer a unique, modern and engaging community with facilities more like an upmarket resort. “Our intention has always been to offer our residents choice. That’s one of the great things about the village model, choice is possible, and we position ourselves to provide facilities, service and amenity at the highest level,” says Graham Wilkinson, the director of Generus Living. “Like the Lake House, which opened in 2022, The Pavilion is an integral part of that picture. Our model is firmly rooted in hospitality and The Pavilion will be a true reflection of that concept.” 

With an estimated cost of over $40 million, it will be one of the largest and most comprehensive community facilities in any New Zealand retirement village. It will provide communal areas for a variety of activities and  incorporates a stylish eatery, lounge bar, library, art studio, billiards room, beauty salon and a wellness suite for visiting consultations (for example, to cater for podiatry, acupuncture, physiotherapy, massage and village nurse health checks).  

The Pavilion will also feature an impressive and spacious multi-purpose recreation space that has been designed with flexibility in mind. Operable dividing walls will enable smaller gathering spaces, yet, when used as one large area it will be perfect for large gatherings. A similar desire for flexibility is evident in the design of the restaurant area to cater as a daytime café as well as evening dining. Highlighting the village’s garden to table ethos, a chef’s garden with raised garden beds and a glasshouse will enable the restaurant to embrace a local and seasonal approach to sourcing ingredients.

In short, The Pavilion will be perfectly suited to hosting a wide range of events, private functions and resident activities and will truly enable the village community to come together. 

Adding to its appeal is its location – on the lake’s edge opposite the popular smaller community facility, the Lake House. The two buildings complement each other beautifully. The Lake House includes sweeping decks and a barbecue area overlooking the lake, as well as the village’s Little Green café, a perfect place for socialising. Positioned alongside it is a full-size, green-weave bowling green.

Over the past year, the village has seen further development, the newest addition of pickleball courts (which also acts as a full-sized tennis court) is proving very popular. The on court pickleball action has included “try and learn” sessions that have progressed into games and then competition matches. It’s understood that pickleball courts are a first for
a New Zealand retirement village.

The Village Common, a serene area with bench seating amidst the greenery, has also been a wonderful addition to the village amenities. It features a winter garden glass atrium as well as a community garden with raised planting beds and a greenhouse. 

“It’s there for residents to use at their leisure,” says Mark Vincent Pacific Lakes Village manager. “The idea is that it offers another spot to enjoy a cuppa with a neighbour or friend, host small gatherings or
a meeting, or simply to enjoy a moment of solitude.”

The burgeoning Bay of Plenty population is watching developments at the village with interest. With its park-like grounds, beautiful waterways and eco-friendly lifestyle, it’s proudly the first Generus Living village to take a comprehensive approach to sustainability in design.

All building materials throughout have been carefully considered, and environmentally preferred solutions have been front of mind throughout the village’s development. For example, solar energy is utilised at the Lake House, LED lighting has been selected for both street and internal lighting, there are EV charging stations, and Pacific Lakes has also used
every effort to adopt best practices and demonstrate good stewardship of the water resources from irrigation to stormwater management.

Pacific Lakes is also part of the Tauranga Council Resource Wise Business Programme – a programme supporting local businesses to reduce the amount of waste they send to landfills. The Village has achieved remarkable Green status with over 98 percent of operational waste being diverted from landfills. 

These are only a few examples of an impressive list as the village is steeped in sustainable ways of living with a strong support from the residents. “Resident surveys have illustrated that a sustainable lifestyle is either important or very important to over 94 percent of village residents and over half of the respondents said that the village's approach to sustainability contributed to their decision to purchase at the village,” says Graham.

Pacific Lakes is a growing community. There are currently 190 residences, catering for just under 300 people, and when completed, the village will comprise 250 homes. Villas and terrace houses are selling now. “We are delighted but not surprised by the positive feedback being received as the village continues to grow from both happy residents and
from those hoping to make it home, says Mark. The village is already in high demand, and the addition of The Pavilion will only increase its desirability.” 

pacificlakes.co.nz

Mediterranean meditation

Surrounded by lofty palms on one of The Mount’s most coveted streets, this transformed 60s’ Beazley home is an entertainer’s paradise, and a serene minimalist sanctuary of space and light.

Words Jo Ferris  |  Photos Hunter Studios

Sitting in one of Mount Maunganui’s sought-after streets, this home doubles the prestige with a rare, full site – a tropical oasis at that. Towering palms are about the only feature this couple didn’t introduce,
when buying a home that lacked architectural finesse. They took a 60s’ Beazley and transformed it into a luxury Mediterranean resort.

While the original home had been extended, it was substantially different
to what exists now. With raised ceilings in the open plan living area, new master wing, redesigned staircase and a complete overhaul of the back yard, this home is an expression of style.

Elegant and considered in its complexity, simplicity is the star. It showcases the innate talent usually associated with professional interior design. Yet, this couple understand that less is more. The continuity of space and texture make this house a sanctuary by the beach.

The tone and natural texture form an intimate story that begins at the front door. The curvature of a stairwell day bed is stylish and genius use of an unusual space – a precious hideaway for secret moments. 

As stairs lead up to family living, a feature wall showcases the artistry of imported Venetian lime plaster – flecks of golden mica punctuating this finish to mimic beautifully aged Italian stucco.

Featured on a back-lit wall behind the TV and again in the master suite, the lime plaster is a subtle salute to the home’s European inspiration. The theme throughout – structured lines and curves underpin its striking simplicity. Streamed with light and sun, skylights and raked ceilings continue out to a sun-drenched loggia with views to Mauao peeking through luscious green palms. 

The back loggia is an entertainer’s dream, with a Mediterranean-inspired pizza oven and outdoor kitchen keeping the party in one place. An edible garden for salads and fruiting banana palms make this space an exotic retreat.  

The minimalist approach throughout hides switches and anything that upsets the finesse. Detail is discreet yet refined. Brushed gold accents add a touch of sophistication and elegance, while smart lighting technology removes obstructions which would deflect the clean finish. The streamlined excellence of cabinetry from the kitchen and scullery to bathrooms and extraordinary storage in the master wing is the work of craftsmen. Handmade curves are constant; either dramatic and a showpiece or subtle and in the background.

Complete with self-contained living quarters downstairs, gated security
and garden ribbons that embrace this home with magnificent palms; it is an extraordinary example of how complex design transforms to the simplicity of interpretation. 

70 Valley Road, Mount Maunganui

oliverroadbayofplenty.com

The comeback kid

Two years ago kayaker Luuka Jones could barely walk down the street without wheezing. In July she’ll represent New Zealand in K1 and the extreme new Kayak Cross at the Olympic Games and hope to fulfil a long-held dream.

Words Karl Puschmann | Photos Graeme Murray + SUPPLIED
Styling Nicky Adams | Hair & Makeup Desiree Osterman

When Luuka Jones was 11 years old, she set a goal that one day she would win an Olympic gold medal. In July, the 35-year-old kayaker will
look to fulfil that long-held ambition when she travels to Paris to represent New Zealand in her fifth – yes, fifth – Olympic games.

What makes her young promise so audacious is that back then, she was not a young kayaking prodigy nor was she showing promise of becoming the history-making athlete that she is now. Heck, she wasn’t even kayaking competitively. She’d barely gotten her feet wet, having only learned how to paddle a year earlier.

“I don't know where that goal came from,” she laughs, thinking back to her humble beginnings on the water. “But I do have a strong memory of setting it. I was babysitting for my neighbours. They had Sky TV so I was able to watch Sarah Ulmer win her gold medal at the Olympics. It must have inspired me.” Watching Sarah Ulmer whiz over the line at the 2004 games in Athens sparked something in Luuka. Sarah had just given New Zealand its first-ever gold medal in cycling and set a new world record in the process. Witnessing history being made was life-changing for the young Tauranga local watching along on the TV.

Shortly after she remembers entering the Waimarino Intermediate School kayak challenge on the Wairoa River. The event was a multi-stage race that strung various kayaking disciplines together and challenged participants across a wide range of skills.

She says she felt focussed and completely determined.

“I remember the nerves. The other girls were all really good but I was so motivated to try and win that competition. I remember how good it felt when I did,” she smiles, still looking chuffed at the result. “That feeling of winning never gets old. It's a deep satisfaction that you achieved something.”

It will not surprise you at all to learn that Luuka has a fierce competitive streak. It’s something you need to become a world-class athlete competing in two events at the Olympics – K1 slalom racing and the new Kayak Cross event – with all the discipline and training that is required. She guesses it was inherited. Her nana was a competitive tennis player and basketballer and her mum also plays tennis. Her sisters haven't been involved in high-level sport but their blood still pumps with that same fire.

“We played a lot of competitive board games,” she laughs. “We’d play The Game of Life and all be doing whatever it took to win. I've just always had a competitive streak. I guess what’s driven me is that I found a sport that I absolutely loved. I was going to do anything to try and get better at it.” Then she pauses and says, “It’s just been quite a long road.”

That road started on a farm. Before Luuka hit her teens, her grandparents bought some farmland next to the Wairoa River and then, shortly later, her parents moved the family next door. She started swimming lessons at the nearby Waimarino Water and Adventure Park, which is still running today, and then took up kayaking lessons, working at the park in exchange for the lessons.

“Barbara and Barry, who owned the park, were incredible and really supportive of me,” she says.

She quickly grew to love recreational kayaking. She would go away on kayak camping trips and learned how to paddle the river’s gnarly whitewater. Her skills quickly improved and before too long she was navigating the entire whitewater section right down to below McLaren Falls.

“It was such a buzz,” she enthuses. “You learn skills that you don’t know you’re learning and get that whitewater confidence. But it’s also the joy of being out on the river with everyone. That camaraderie and friendship. Some of the people I met early on in my recreation career are still my friends today.”

In a few short months, the sport of Kayak Cross will make its Olympic debut. After taking first place at last October’s World Cup in France, Luuka is considered a favourite for the event.

This kayak offshoot is best described as a mix of raw physical strength and chess-like tactics that plays out in real-time among swirling rapids.
It is thrilling to watch.

At the start of the race, the kayakers plunge down a steep ramp straight into the frothing waters below. They are frighteningly close to each other and then, suddenly, they’re not as they disappear into a flurry of paddles and shoot along their chosen lines through the whitewater and around the gates that make up the course. From their vantage point at the top of the ramp, the athletes have a split second to see a line that accounts for speed, the churning waters, and take a guess at what their competitors are thinking. Plans can rapidly go out the window. Ramp position, the way the kayak hits the water at the bottom of the ramp, and even a little bit of competitive argy-bargy on the water can sink any Olympic dreams. Kayak Cross is both physically and mentally demanding. And not without its dangers.

“It’s very tactical. Some lines are shorter or faster but people are chasing you or you’re chasing someone and you're having to read the whitewater, navigate the gates, and interpret what other people are doing. You’re under pressure because someone’s going to try and take you out or smash into you. You really need to be aggressive. There’s so much going on. That’s what I love about the event.”

As Luuka explains the physical, aggressive, aspect of Kayak Cross, I can’t help but notice a little glint in her eye. I point this out and she laughs and exclaims, “It’s true!” before elaborating.

“If you’re behind someone, you really do need to come down and smash them out of position.”

We both laugh and then she says, “But it is quite nerve-wracking, sitting up on that ramp,” before explaining what it’s like. 

Luuka competing at the Kayak Cross Nationals in Auckland

(photo Rod Hill). 

“You have your plan, but when you launch in you have no idea what’s going to unfold. You all launch at the same time and you want to be fast down the ramp and people are paddling and there’s so much going on that you have to be quite calm and composed in what is an incredibly chaotic situation. You hope that when you land, you’re going to be out in front, but that doesn’t always happen. You could get a paddle to the face.”

The most extraordinary part of Luuka’s journey to the 2024 Olympic Games, and what will make it ripe for a movie adaptation if she does indeed win the gold medal, is that less than two years ago she was diagnosed with Long Covid. It well and truly knocked her out. Forget about gold medals, she could barely make it to the letterbox without becoming puffed out of breath and needing to rest.

Her illness forced her to completely drop out of the 2022 season, losing the whole year as she rested and recuperated. For the competitive, world-class athlete, it was devastating and led to many dark days and sleepless soul-searching. During that long, hard year Luuka admits that she often thought about quitting and regularly questioned not just her commitment to kayaking but also her love for it.

“It was a hugely challenging experience,” she sighs. “I realised a lot of my happiness was wrapped up in physical activity. It wasn’t that I just couldn’t compete for a year, it was that I couldn’t do anything physical. Going for a walk was a big deal. I couldn’t feel competitive so I wasn’t excited about coming back to race. I was starting to question,

‘Should I even be doing this?’ or ‘Am I ever going to come back after a year out?’ All these thoughts cross your mind.”

It sounds like there may have been some depression seeping in, understandable given the circumstances, and she nods and heavily says, “Yeah, probably a little bit.”

Luuka talks about installing a hyperbaric chamber in her garage and laying in it for a couple of hours each day to get more oxygen to her lungs and help her body fight the infection.

Her recovery routine started out with three training sessions per week. If she had a recovery week, she never really enjoyed it, as she never felt like she'd earned it.

Eventually, after an incredibly difficult year, the fog lifted and Luuka felt able to race. She entered the Nationals, an action she describes as “a big deal” after her year off. She paddled well but disaster struck when she injured her neck. The injury took her out of contention for another couple of weeks. This set a pattern where she’d return only to hurt her knee or stuff up her arm. It seemed like every time she hit the water, she’d land another injury and be confined back to land.

“It wasn’t all just Covid, it was all these little obstacles along the way to getting back into full-time training,” she explains. “But my philosophy is that there’s an opportunity in everything. So I tried to look for the opportunities.”

One was being able to spend the year in New Zealand with her fiancé and her family instead of being off competing in Europe as she usually would be. But the biggest thing, she says, was that the enforced time off ultimately led to rediscovering her love for the sport.

“Before Covid I’d get so caught up in my mistakes. If I had a bad session, I’d take it home with me and be really pissed off for a long time. Now I’m just grateful for being out on the water, feeling those sensations and being able to paddle again. I’m glad I wrote down in my journal what was going on because I can look back and be like, ‘Oh, yeah, that was tough.’

“But I’m the sort of person who just charges forward and doesn’t really hold on to those things too much,” she continues. “They make you more resilient, or they teach you something at the time, and then you just have to crack on.”

For someone about to compete in two events against the best athletes in the world at the most prestigious and globally historic sporting competition, Luuka is extremely relaxed. She’s in good spirits and feeling confident.

“I think it’s easy to be relaxed when you’re a few months out from the Games,” she jokes. “But it’s a high-pressure event, for everyone, and we’re all in the same boat, excuse the pun. But I try and put a lot of effort into preparing mentally as well as physically. It’s a big occasion with a lot of pressure and a lot of distractions. When I visualise the Olympics I feel a bit nervous. But I enjoy this time of year because it’s been a three-year build, and it all starts coming to fruition.”

Luuka’s comeback is nearly complete. She’s mentally and physically prepared. She’s going in as a favourite. And, perhaps most of all, she’s excited.

In her astonishing career, she’s set so many kayak slalom records in New Zealand, brought home so many medals, and competed in those four previous Olympic Games that she’s now the athlete that young babysitters around Aotearoa are watching compete on TV.

“I sometimes forget that maybe I am a role model because I still haven’t achieved what I want to achieve, or I’m not at that level yet,” she says, referencing her decades-old goal.

“But when I reflect on my journey I have a lot of things to share, and it’s nice to maybe inspire someone to pick up a paddle or pursue something that they’re passionate about. That would make me really happy to know that I've helped someone to chase their dream.”

Which circles us back to the start. Luuka got Silver at Rio. Will she get Gold in Paris fulfilling the goal she set for herself all those years ago?

“Hopefully, yeah! I mean, that’s the goal,” she laughs. “My fiancé, my family and my friends will all be there watching. It’s a really special occasion to share with them and then to go out there and see what I can do. And it’s so exciting to represent the Bay.”

Then she smiles warmly and says, “Really, I’m just a small-town girl from Tauranga.” 

Flawless finish

Get wedding-ready with Leanne Cashmore’s

ultimate bridal skin plan.

words HAYLEY BARNETT photos SALINA GALVAN

Weddings are a funny thing. For many brides, when the big day finally rolls around, even the calmest of demeanours has withered away and a main character is left in its place, hellbent on criticising everything around her, mainly herself. I’m not saying it’s right, just accurate.

This is where Leanne Cashmore from Cashmore Clinic comes in. “The last thing you want to worry about on the big day is your skin,” she says wisely. When I rock up to the clinic to ask what she suggests I have done, a mere month out from my wedding, she looks sympathetic. “You should have come to me over a year ago.”

Great. So what can you do just weeks away from your nuptials, to ensure your skin looks 10 times younger and more rejuvenated than ever, even after the hen’s party? “There’s a few elements you want to focus on,” she replies. “How you would like your skin to look on the day, how you want your makeup to sit, and where your skin is starting from.” Then she analysed my maturing skin and made some suggestions. Behold, 40-something brides! Here is your ultimate bridal beauty plan.

Photo Finish

This V2 beauty booster is a combination of hyaluronic acid and Botox which is injected into the superficial layers of your skin to smooth fine lines and minimise the appearance of pores. While it’s not the most relaxing treatment by any stretch of the imagination (the stress ball Leanne passed to me apologetically before we’d even started the treatment really had its work cut out for it), in just a couple of weeks I could already see a huge difference in the appearance of my skin. And on my wedding day, when a friend shot me a dirty look while getting ready, asking, “Why don’t you have any wrinkles?”, I knew it was all worth it.

The best part is that it lasts up to three months. Small lumps can form after the treatment, but are typically gone by the next day, along with any bruising. Admittedly, I did have a few tiny bruises pop up around my face, but I can say, wholeheartedly, that a few tiny bruises are a small price to pay for photo-ready skin.

Dermaplaning

Dermaplaning is the miracle treatment

that turns your skin into a smooth canvas, ensuring makeup sits and stays for much longer than it normally would. It involves removing dead skin and that peachy fuzz, or hair, that covers your face in its annoying, wispy sort of way. This is done using a special surgical-grade blade, resulting in a refined, glowing appearance. Typically you would have this done just one day before the wedding, to get the full effects.

HYDRAFACIAL

In addition to the dermaplaning, Leanne suggests having a hydrafacial treatment the day before the nuptials. This is a non-invasive treatment designed to promote healthy skin and leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated, giving you a healthy glow for your big day.

A little redness and tingling goes down in a couple of hours. This treatment is just the relaxing activity you need right before the wedding and, by including a booster and LED treatment, your skin will be primed and ready to party.

Of course, these are the last-minute options. Ideally, what you would normally do in the case of a wedding is lock in a skin membership (like a gym membership) at least a year prior to your nuptials, giving you monthly treatments to ensure your skin is in tip-top condition.

Cashmoreclinic.co.nz

Pioneering pathways

A Tauranga businesswoman and leadership coach has undergone a transformative journey from teenage mum to commercial lawyer and now an award-winning speaker.

words Karen Clarkson

When Stacey Mareroa-Roberts (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi te Rangi, Ngāti Awa, Whakatohea, and Te Rarawa) reflects on her journey from a young law student to globally revered inspirational speaker and workshop leader, she stops to acknowledge the character and grit it took to overcome the barriers she faced. “I wasn’t thinking about failure, or what happens if I don’t. I had this clear awareness of what the world could look like if things were different. I was also a teenage mother studying full-time and working part-time trying to make ends meet, so it was needs must,” she recalls.

Her unwavering determination coupled with an inquiring mind was highlighted at age 14, when Stacey was taught a version of local history at school that wasn’t resonating. She reached out to her marae historian at Whakamarama, Te Puna, who shared some unique family treasures and local records.

“I was like a kid in a candy store, poring over court transcripts, archives, and records, interviewing our kaumatua about the treasures I explored. We wrote our own version of local history that reflected stories of our people and our community,” explains Stacey.

From there, the seed was planted to forge a path to create and share a more inclusive history and stories, she says. The ambitious 18-year old moved to Hamilton to start a double degree in law and social science – the first person from her family to attend university. Halfway through that year, she discovered she was pregnant, expecting a baby boy.

“I wanted to come home to raise my son, so I completed my first year of study and moved back to Tauranga.” At the time, there was no law degree offered in Tauranga, so Stacey pioneered one.

“The University of Waikato said they needed a dozen people to join the course to justify a programme here. So I went door-knocking,” she laughs. “And found enough people to study with me.”

From there, Stacey embarked on a challenging journey as a young mother and student, juggling night classes, assessments and work to support herself. She soon realised the lack of support for Māori women like her striving for change. Graduating as the only woman among her peers with a double degree, both achieving international honours, she also received the Top Scholar Prize for History and financial aid of scholarships, acknowledging the crucial role of community and family support.

“As I walked up to receive my degrees, my nan proudly represented my entire family, who were standing close by. It truly takes a village,” she explains.

Stacey with her son at her graduation from The University of Waikato.

After achieving a Master of Laws with top honours in Māori governance, Stacey quicky emerged as a local icon, a dynamic wāhine Māori lawyer driven by purpose in the Bay of Plenty. Specialising in post-treaty settlement business and leadership structuring, she provided invaluable advice to various Māori organisations ranging from informal groups seeking incorporation to multi-level joint ventures balancing commercial goals with their vital role in managing people and stewardship of land resources for the future.

It was during this time that her foray into professional public speaking quickly gained momentum. Within a few years, a passionate side hustle evolved into a part-time career as an inspirational speaker and workshop leader traveling abroad and hosting online workshops. “While sharing my knowledge and experiences at business conferences, universities and professional development events, I realised that, as I was going through my own transformation, I had the opportunity to inspire others to embrace their gifts and leadership too,” she reflects.

Stacey has now empowered more than 15,000 people through speaking engagements, business development workshops and leadership courses.

Last year, Stacey was named in the Top 100 Global Transformational Coaches Dominating 2023. Her most recent accolade was her selection from nearly 100 applicants across Aotearoa to join the Coralus 2024 Venture cohort – the first recipient from the Bay of Plenty in the organisation’s history. Launched in Canada in 2015, Coralus (formerly SheEO) is a global community of women dedicated to ticking off the world’s to-do list. As a collective, they contribute to a fund that provides vital support and interest-free loans to women-led businesses, like Stacey’s, striving to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“Our mahi has always been centred on inclusive leadership and high-value enterprise education for social and economic prosperity,” Stacey says. “This alignment with Coralus enables us to champion representation of indigenous people even further and create a sustainable pathway for Māori, especially women, to step into their leadership.”

The 2022 Wāhine Summit and Celebration in Tauranga.

While Stacey has rubbed shoulders with motivational coaches and speakers including Eric Thomas, Lisa Nichols, and Trent Shelton and worked with clients like Dr Michelle Dickinson (Nanogirl) and Alexia Hibertidou (GirlBoss), she says her heart lies in the roots of her community, developing business leaders at home.

“I reflected ‘Where could I have the most impact?’. And it’s here, supporting women, who are already doing incredible work, to step into their leadership and be given the tools and confidence to ignite their passion and talent.”

Stacey believes we have a real opportunity with initiatives like Coralus to shift the needle permanently. “One day I hope we won’t have strategies to promote and retain women in power, or say we are talking about wāhine leadership, we will just say leadership. There’s room for everybody and I want to help create a pathway for women to prosper in leadership roles and our rangatahi to see themselves within those leaders; exactly what I was missing as that wide-eyed teenager from Te Puna, hoping to change the world.”

onetwentylegacy.com

Nestled into nature

Shared family living can heighten the desire to move to the country. Avocados here increase the incentive, but separate living quarters also offer other options.

words Jo Ferris | photos Boundless Vision

Whakamarama is sought after within Western Bay of Plenty. It’s far enough from the bustle of Tauranga city, yet near enough for comfort when the need arises. Privacy here is absolute; nestled into the hillside with north-facing panoramic views using nature and landscaping to surround the home.

Looking down to Tauranga Harbour and the city below, Mauao stands majestically in the distance. Postcard imagery frames the harbour entrance and shipping – making gorgeous telescope views from this tranquil hillside location. Outdoor connections are integral to this home’s allure. Two living areas enjoy different settings and moods around the house. There’s a café patio, expansive full-sun decking, and a brick paved dining area around the open fire for barbecues. Fronting it all is a swimming pool; its curved, semi-infinity aspect inviting a cool dip while basking in the scenery. Some bedrooms also enjoy personal links outdoors.

The décor showcases charming traditional influences with the on-trend appeal of panelled walls. Practical hardwood flooring continues the modern thread, while high-raked ceilings and considered glazing ensure natural light and sun streams inside. Central to family life is a bespoke kitchen, its essential large island bench confirming this gathering point for entertainment. Chic finishings, ample workspace, and a spacious scullery secure a cook’s dream for hosting – particularly the barn door, which gives a butler’s entry into the scullery and out the back door. Barn-door styling also features elsewhere – most notably, a recycled native timber door to the fireside lounge.

Bathroom luxury is significant as well. Privacy for the master suite, a second guest ensuite bathroom, plus a lavish family feature everyone will want to share. Twin vanities disguise the double-entry, twin walk-in shower, while the oval bath spells total indulgence.

With five bedrooms in the main wing, it’s this home’s second wing that raises the bar. Self-contained living comprises one bedroom, bathroom and comfortable living with a generous modern kitchen. Separate in its own space, the unit connects discreetly with outdoor entertainment. A fully-fenced mature garden invites time outside for the family to explore. Lush landscaping wraps around the home in leafy garden pockets before meandering down into the orchard to check the avos and potter in the sheds.

With ample parking for the boat, campers and visitors, this is a property to share with family, or choose another path with Airbnb, perhaps? Anything is possible.

85 Plummer Road, Whakamarama

oliverroadbayofplenty.com

History in the making

After a couple of false starts, Tauranga is finally getting its very own museum in 2028. But what will it show and why do we need one?

words Karl Puschmann
photos Katie Cox + supplied

The grand opening of the new Tauranga Museum may still be four years away but director Greg McManus’ excitement has already well and truly arrived.

When UNO calls for a chat to catch up on how the project’s going he’s bubbling with enthusiasm and bursting with ideas for how he sees the museum benefitting and adding value to the community.

His energy towards the long-delayed project is infectious and leaves you wishing it was opening as soon as possible.

But alas, the museum doors won’t open until 2028. With construction on its prime inner-city site having recently started, it proves the adage ‘good things come to those who wait’. Greg is a 30 year veteran of museums around New Zealand, including stints as Director at Rotorua Museum and most recently as CEO of Waitangi Treaty Grounds where he oversaw the development of two new museums, and feels strongly about the importance of museums to communities

“I believe every community needs a museum,” he says. “Museums house our collective memory, they store and interpret the history of an area, not just for visitors from out of town or overseas, but also for ourselves. We need museums to help us better understand the stories of the place we live in, and also the stories of others who share the place with us. Museums encourage an understanding of diversity and the interwoven relationships we have as people living together in the same place and they play a huge role in inspiring children and young people to have an interest in art, culture, science and natural history.”

The future Tauranga Civic Whare, Exhibition Gallery and Museum.

Strengthening the connection between people and place is one of Greg’s big passions and is high on the priority list for the museum.

He says that people get a greater understanding and sense of belonging from knowing the history of where they live. Tauranga and its surrounding region is full of unique stories and significant sites that deserve our attention.

“When people drive down Cameron Road, they drive past the Gate Pā battle site,” he cites as an example.

“I suspect a lot of people don't know or don’t give it a second thought, but that battle was a really important event in the history of Aotearoa New Zealand, not just Tauranga. There are sites like that all through the region.”

He’s also keen to showcase the many innovations that have occurred here, including the first-ever hot water cylinder to be run off public electricity invented right here in Tauranga in 1915 by Lloyd Mandeno and in the museum’s collection.

In total the museum collection houses more than 33,000 objects in total, with most having never been seen publicly because, until now, there’s been nowhere to display them.

“Obviously, we're not going to have 33,000 objects on display in the museum,” he clarifies with a laugh. “But the permanent exhibitions will be rich with objects from our collection and other collections around the country. It will be a real weaving together of stories, objects and images into a broad, rich experience. Because that’s what museums are: places that tell stories.”

Along with the main, permanent exhibitions, there will also be two large galleries for temporary exhibitions. This, Greg says, will open up Tauranga to world-class exhibitions that we’d usually need to travel to places like Auckland or Wellington to see. He talks about partnering with other museums to bring exhibitions from overseas but also about leading the charge and bringing international exhibitions exclusively to Tauranga. This would enrich our cultural exposure and also encourage people from other parts of New Zealand to visit the region.

“There's a huge circuit of exhibitions travelling around the world all the time,” he says excitedly. “We'll be able to tap into that and bring exhibitions to Tauranga. People love coming to the Bay of Plenty year-round and if we have fantastic exhibitions it will encourage them to stay longer and contribute more to the local economy.”

But all that is secondary to his first objective of telling Tauranga’s stories and encouraging locals to feel a connection with their shared history. He wants residents to have free entry to the core museum experience and, to encourage engagement and a sense of ownership, is starting a Friends of the Museum programme. The idea is to keep people informed about what’s happening as well as provide exciting opportunities and benefits to members.

“It really will make people feel a part of the museum as we build it and make that connection so much stronger,” he smiles.

And that’s what the new Tauranga Museum is going to be all about. Greg says he wants people to come to their museum and see themselves reflected in the stories it tells and perhaps learn a little more about the place they call home and the people they share it with. It's all about providing the opportunity for gaining an understanding of the richness of living in a place.”

He pauses for a second and then laughs and says, “Tauranga’s not just about going to the mall or going to the beach. There's a lot more to it than that and our museum will reflect that!”

letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/projects/tauranga-museum

Disruptive design

An outside-the-box creative uses recycled plastic to 3D print aesthetic objects for home.

Words Casey Vassallo

Founder Matt Watkins.

Based in Tauranga, Special Studio is a design and production studio that fashions intriguing objects from recycled plastics using 3D printers. Located on Durham Street, the space acts as both the workshop and showroom, where each piece comes to life.

It kicked off with the Lulu bin in 2021, named after friend and designer Lulu Jackson (of Lulu Jackson Bridal), who suggested adding a twist to the prototype, literally. “The idea was to make a rubbish bin out of rubbish,” says founder Matt Watkins.

The first sale came through Instagram, and Mount Maunganui’s beloved Paper Plane became their first retailer. The business has since snowballed, and today, it can’t keep up with demand despite making around 100 pieces a week.

The distinct and popular Lulu form has gone on to become a display bowl, funky planter and stool, which remains their bestseller and takes up to 14 hours to print. More recently, they’ve added a bulbous Bubble side table to the repertoire, a stone-looking Monolithic side table, and a collection of mini Lulu stools for the little ones. There’s also a new rock collection, where no two objects turn out the same, and a range of lighting is in production.

Other designs have been born from collaboration, like the Twist side table by designers Daniel Vi Le (who works for the likes of Cult Gaia) and Tanil Raif (ex-Yeezy design architect), and can be found in the Orange County Museum of Art’s Please Do Not Enter concept store as Special Studio’s first international stockist. Matt has also worked with Warren and Mahoney Architects to engineer an e-waste recycling bin for One NZ’s stores nationwide, featuring the Noise design’s rippled texture and embossed with “recycled devices”.

Matt puts Special Studio’s success down to the unison between the designs and materials, similar to Tesla’s recipe. “Our products could look this great, but if they weren’t made from recycled plastic, they wouldn’t sell as well,” he explains. “If they were all made from recycled plastic, but they didn’t look this good, we wouldn’t sell them.”

Back when Matt bought his first 3D printer in 2018, it didn’t start with what to make, but how. More specifically, mass production’s unsustainable nature spurred him to create his own circularity model.

“The goal for starting the company was to figure out the best way to make stuff, period,” Matt says. “You need to make on demand, and that’s what led to get into additive manufacturing and 3D printing.” That is, 100 machines making 100 objects are more reliable and adaptable than one machine making 100 objects.

Running close to 24/7, Special Studio has a host of small Delta 3D printers and a few custom-made large-format printers of their creation. “We make what we sell, which is incredibly rare,” Matt says.

“And because we make the machines that make the products, we have total control over the production process.”

It’s also Matt’s way of looking at a global issue – plastic waste – and how he can spin it into a solution. “The problem with plastic is behavioural. We have to stop using plastics for single-use applications, but we shouldn't demonise plastic,” he says. “It’s easier to recycle, easier to process, you can mould plastic, and it requires low energy.”

In its raw form, recycled plastic filament looks like fishing wire. Matt sources the colourful matte material from Netherlands company Reflow, and KiwiFil supply the clear, white, black and amber materials. Computer-operated, the 3D printer draws each design in fine layers using the filament. “The best way to explain it is a hot glue gun on the end of a robot,” Matt says. Close up, you can see the moulded lines that give each piece a textural look.

This isn’t Matt’s first successful venture, either. Off the back of DJing around town, he co-founded SoundSwitch in 2011, a software and hardware system used to synchronise lighting and music performances. He built the business from zero, raised capital, and learned the manufacturing game before selling to American enterprise inMusic in 2018.

Special Studio is soon looking to scale and set up 3D printers overseas (like the US and Australia) to make objects closer to their destination, but the Bay of Plenty will remain home. “If we had a machine in every major market, we could send the print files, and overnight it could be released globally,” Matt says.

Matt has always had a bigger picture in mind, though. “The long-term goal, whether that’s with Special Studio or a secondary company, is to move into functional architecture components,” he says of staircases, boats and homes. “For me it’s about design – being able to create something totally unique and new. That’s the exciting part.”

After the epilogue

At some point – given the right location, the vision, and the way that vision unfolds – nothing can improve what has been achieved with a property and its story. This property is the epitome of that.

words Jo Ferris | photos Boundless Vision

The setting is Tauriko – River Oaks Drive – aptly named, thanks to the leafy ambience its handful of residents share in this prestige enclave. The distinctive aspect of this property isn’t simply the seclusion and dominant position. It’s the size and zoning. The elevated site borders Wairoa River, embracing breathtaking views across the valley to the hills. At around 6.33 hectares, this is one of only two rurally zoned lots in this enclave, complete with grazing and stockyards.

Perfect for farmers looking to downsize while keeping their hand in, this exquisite home looks further into the future. A five-star master retreat upstairs provides luxurious privacy with a bedroom that opens to a grandstand balcony and a bathroom that invites lingering moments gazing at the scenery. Forethought, however, created a second ensuite bedroom downstairs – its poolside connection adding a different perspective on life. With the bathroom doubling as a powder room for the pool, it’s an elegant guest suite in the meantime.

This home is masterfully designed to take full advantage of the scenery, while landscaping capitalises on the unusual site. In commanding this headland, the home doesn’t try to dominate nature. It honours it – bringing stone and timber together in a layered illusion with balance and harmony.

A soaring atrium and bridge in the foyer draw eyes outdoors to that stunning view. Glancing down, the reflection pool opens the first chapter of this home’s story. Architectural flair and innovative interior design define rooms with colour, tone and texture. Wall features create mood; lighting instils artistry and outdoor flow is integral to the function and flow. There are sheltered places to dine and relax, sun-drenched areas by the pool and up on the spa stage and bedroom balconies upstairs. Either watching the rising sun or toasting sunset as lights twinkle up and down the valley, this home provides special areas to retreat to and reflect on life in this unique place.

Additional aspects like the superb parking options – covered and open – solar panels, high-tech innovation, and the bonus of a heated swimming pool with swim jets and automated cover, all work to complete this home’s initial story. Headlined by refined city living and livestock on the side, River Oaks is ready for a new chapter.

37 River Oaks Drive, Tauriko, Tauranga

oliverroadbayofplenty.com