Meet Francis Hewitt. It feels like eyeballing the human embodiment of one of the machines he painstakingly restores, alongside his colleagues Mike Blake and Turoa Royal. He exudes the same robust confidence. It taps into a similar history of resilience and...
1. Maraetai Beach My favourite beach in Franklin (not too far ahead of Karioitahi) where you can do everything from swim and relax to launching the boat. 2. Manukau Heads Lighthouse Located at the tip of the ancient Āwhitu Peninsula, the lighthouse gives amazing views...
Hunua Falls The Wairoa River snakes its way across the wild, volcanic landscape of the Hunua Ranges.
Travellers into Pukekohe might be forgiven for making a few false assumptions about this relaxed street side café. Firstly, if they were after some kind of greasy fry up, they wouldn’t be disappointed. Not because they’d get it, but because they’d get something much...
Live music, like spring, brings renewal and fresh energy – encouraging us to get out of the house, shake off the winter blues, reconnect, and enjoy the vibe at the local.
For a small but bustling town, Waiuku’s got plenty of this going on. On Sunday the 14th, there’s a good old-fashioned hoe-down at the Cossie Club, featuring dress-ups, dance-offs, and endless amounts of country music. This doesn’t happen every Sunday, so now’s your chance to throw your cowboy boots on and head down to the club to get your membership. If that’s not your thing, then every Friday night there’s a live band at the Kentish Hotel, and every Saturday night a DJ.
In the heart of Franklin, artist Katie Blundell is cultivating a flourishing artistic practice. Her painted relief works—carved and coloured by hand with meticulous care—explore the collective human experience, the natural environment, and her deep-rooted connections...