beachlife issue#4

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Winter Review • Local News • Our Kids • Wave Rave and more

W a i n u i • M a k o r o r i • T a t a p o u r i • S p o n g e B a y

ISSUE 4/SPRING 2009

The Place To Be, Beside The SeaHistory of the Chalet Rendezvous

World’s top surfer joins local crew

2 | BeachLife BeachLife | 3

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Local GP offers a beauty aesthetic

Gisborne’s beaches are a honeypot for visitors, keeping the region topped up with people escaping the crowded grind of major centres in the Northern Hemisphere. Like many

Gisborne businesses, the Kaiti Medical Centre sweetens its web-based recruitment with online pictures of the region, and just as Dr Anuya Deshpande decided she couldn’t face another British winter, she stumbled across the site.

“The thought of another winter in Manchester getting seasonal affective disorder from the dreary, grey weather was just too much to face. On the Kaiti Medical Centre website I saw a great aerial shot taken over Makorori – blue skies, blue sea, white beaches – it just looked like an idyllic seaside town to work as a family doctor.”

So she came to see the real thing, arriving in Gisborne in time for springtime, safely out of the grip of the Northern Hemisphere winter. She spent six months before returning to another year back in the mad, busy life of London, but was soon to return to live here and to marry sixth-generation local, Martin Gibson.

She loves life on this side of the world: “I’ve really enjoyed the laid-back lifestyle and the diverse range of people here. People seem friendlier and more open than in the UK and take a genuine interest in why you’re here. And the food is great.”

As well as her general practice work at Kaiti Medical Centre, Anuya has opened Skin Deep Aesthetics – an appearance medicine clinic above Bex on Gladstone Road – to help Gisborne people to “look as good as they feel”.

“Between the ages of 16 and 18 I was undecided between a career in art or medicine. I ended up doing medicine, but it was that love for art that led me to appearance medicine, where the

two meet. As a GP, people come in feeling sick, and you get them feeling okay again. With appearance medicine, people come to you feeling okay, and you work with them to make them feel great. So it’s a whole different level of satisfaction.

“The most rewarding thing is seeing the happiness on people’s faces when they come back. You can take ten years off a person’s external age, and allow them to look as good as they feel. When you do it well people don’t notice what has been done, there is just the impression someone looks fresher, and healthier.”

Our love of an outdoors life comes at a cost, she says.“A lot of my clients were once sun-worshippers. We opened the

clinic in September, and have expanded our treatments from Botox and fillers to scar-less mole removal. More recently we’ve started offering skin rejuvenation and hair removal with the latest medical-grade IPL, which can also remove pigmentation spots and treat rosacea and fine, broken capillaries – especially on the face, hands and décolletage – which get the brunt of sun damage while people are outside.”

Gisborne people have been looking and feeling better as a result: “It’s very liberating for a woman when lines, moles or blemishes she thought were permanent are gone. It’s affordable, and people make it part of their beauty regime, just as they would haircuts and facials. Although men here are pretty coy about looking after themselves, more and more of them are sneaking in. Getting new clothes or a new haircut is not as satisfying as looking in the mirror and looking and feeling younger.”

For more information visit www.skindeep-nz.com or call 06 863 2688.

DR ANUYA DESHPANDE: “As a GP people come in feeling sick and you get them feeling okay again. With appearance medicine, people come to you feeling okay, and you work with them to make them feel great. So it’s a whole different level of satisfaction.”

Dr Anuya DeshpandeAppearance Medicine Physician24B Coronation Buildings, Gladstone RoadTel: 863 2688www.skindeep-nz.com

contentsintro7 Editor’s comments and a preview of the issue.

beachlife8 People on the move – a flurry of buying and selling this winter.

9-11 Local news and issues updated.

12 Nigel Bryant’s bid for a world wave-ski title.

13 School hangi fund raiser a success.

14 Amber Dunn reports on the sand erosion effects of this winter’s big storms.

16 California Dreaming – Sarah and Peter Dixon’s story.

19 Pop Smurf ’s DVD surfing documentaries.

beach weddings20 Locals and former locals get hitched.

beach babes22 This winter’s new arrivals.

beach history24 A Place By The Sea: The Story of the Chalet Rendezvous From the Swiss couple who dreamed up the idea in the 1950s to the present day the full story of the Chalet Rendezvous is told for the first time.

37 Windmills Mystery Continues: More pictures and updated information about these intriguing structures from a lost era.

our kids39 Lana Phillips dancing to stardom; Aaron Harding’s life with Down Syndrome.

our surf43 Wave Rave with Kelly Ryan: Surf stories, results and what the groms are up to.

All BeachLife pages can be viewed online at

www.wainuibeach.co.nz

Delivered free to every home from Sponge Bay to Makorori.

Published four times a year.

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PuBLiSheD AnD PRinTeD By

Gray Clapham Design Arts

..................................

eDiTORiAL MAnAGeR

Gray Clapham

90 Moana Road, Okitu

Wainui Beach, Gisborne

Phone 868 0240 Fax 867 7010

ALL LeTTeRS, ARTiCLeS & CORReSPOnDenCe TO

[email protected]

..................................

ADVeRTiSinG

Gray & Sandy Clapham

Phone 868 0240 Fax 867 7010

[email protected]

..................................

extra copies available at $5.00

All issues will be archived after publication on the website

www.wainuibeach.co.nz

Historical photographs and assistance courtesy Tairāwhiti Museum

M A G A Z I N E

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P I L A T E S • M A S S A G E • R E I K I

WENDY SHUTT55 Lloyd George Road Wainui BeachPhone 863 [email protected]


People often ask, what is it you do?GRAPHIC DESIGN | Design Arts is a creative bureau experienced in the artistic development of corporate logos and creative promotional concepts. We do everything from designing stationery and business cards to multi-page brochures and signage. New Zealand 2008 Magazine Designer of the Year Jaimée Clapham adds a new perspective to design concepts when required.

DIGITAL PRINTING| Design Arts has an in-house digital printing capability providing short-run printing solutions in brilliant colour on all weights of paper. We can provide you with business cards, flyers, booklets and posters at short notice if needed, and all printed here at Wainui Beach.

PRINT BROKERAGE | As a print supplier we source competitive large and medium run printing quotes from a variety of top class printeries, locally and nationally, for every printed product imaginable. Try us for a fresh price on any job.

PUBLISHING | Design Arts is well experienced in preparing and publishing large and small book projects. We designed and printed The Surfing Photography of Logan Murray and Eastwoodhill: Colours of an Aboretum books. We can advise and quote on publishing any book project. We also publish and print our own in-house publications and annual pictorial calendars. e.g. Under The Sun, Blue Sky Highway, BeachLife Magazine.

CREATIVE WRITING | Director, Gray Clapham, is first and foremost a journalist. A long career as a newspaper and magazine editor, art director and journalist preceded Design Arts. We not only design your brochure, booklet or website, we also write it.

PHOTOGRAPHY | Director, Gray Clapham, has a professional photographic career background having worked and freelanced as a photographer for many print publications. He is available for most commercial photographic work (not weddings!). The photographic function is a bonus to clients needing quality illustrations for brochures and websites.

PHOTO IMAGE LIBRARY | Gray Clapham’s huge photographic image library is viewable at www.xphoto.co.nz and all images are available for hire. Xphoto contains a comprehensive collection of high resolution photographs of Gisborne, East Coast and general images for the positive promotion of this region. Numerous businesses access these images for their own websites and printed promotions.

WEBSITE CREATION | Yes, we do this too, with a passion! Utilising the Xphoto image library and photographic skills as required and Gray Clapham’s skills as a creative writer and designer, we provide a one-stop bureau for imaginative website development.

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Publisher’s Comments | by Gray Clapham

Welcome to the fourth issue of BeachLife Magazine. If you are reading this it means we have survived a full year of publication. The feedback since we started the magazine

12 months ago has been overwhelmingly positive with so many people congratulating us on the concept in general and commenting on the stories we’ve written so far.

By now you will have a fair idea of what the magazine is all about – basically a celebration of life here at the beach. It’s not a magazine created to give a soap-box for any set point of view, or a vehicle to promote or oppose any particular issue. It’s all about the life and times of the people who live here.

People say they have never read anything quite like BeachLife. Some say it’s the best community publication they’ve ever read (love you for that!). The magazine comes from a perspective I have developed as a journalist over 30 years or more. I’m not really interested in scandals and conflict anymore. It’s pretty hard to shock people these days anyway. I love writing (and reading) stories about people achieving things, living challenging lives or taking an inspiring view of the world.

At journalism school all those years ago, my brilliant head tutor, Christine Cole-Catley, continually reminded us, “people like to read about people.” From local kids doing well at sport and work, to stories from our elder citizens lives which give us an historical perspective of how we got to where we are today. It’s all about people.

In the first issue I made a call for voluntary subscriptions for the first four issues, and this issue honours that commitment to the many households who responded. With this issue comes a new call for subscriptions to assist with the production of the next four issues through the rest of 2009 and into 2010. The annual four issue subscription cost is just $30.00 and that includes the delivery of the magazine to your letterbox. Subscription is totally voluntary. It will still be delivered to every house in the circulation area and extra copies of the magazine will be stocked in the local dairies.

This issue’s main feature is the history of the Chalet Rendezvous. What a story! When I started the research I didn’t even know the names of the people who built the well-known former restaurant and motel complex. Slowly, over several weeks, the full story emerged. So many people have been touched in some way by the history of this famous, sometimes infamous, local establishment.

introIn this issue we have a few more babies to say hello to and a lot of

new families to welcome to the beach. The community is definitely going through a time of youthful influx. There’s also a delightful story skimming over the eventful life of California immigrants Peter and Sarah Dixon. And, in the wake of the huge storms that lashed the coast this winter local beach scientist Amber Dunn gives us her observations as a lead in to a series of more in-depth features on sand and sea dynamics planned for later issues.

As this issue hits the letterboxes let’s hope the worst of winter is over and spring is in the air. Let’s hope another brilliant Wainui Beach summer is on its way!

Subscribe to BeachLife. Get 4 issues delivered

for just $30.00.

Extra copies are available from the two local dairies.

If you’ve enjoyed BeachLife Magazine over the past year, you can now make sure you get another four issues delivered to your letterbox. Fill in the subscription form loosely inserted

in this magazine and post with your cheque to BeachLife. Or make an online payment using your name, and street address as references.

“Books are lighthouses erected in the great sea of time.” - Edwin P. Whipple

chalk


People on the move, new families arrive at the beach

There’s been a lot of movement at the beach this winter with older couples moving away and a number of young families coming in. Some of the young people are former Wainui

children who grew up here returning with their own families while others are new to the area.

Representing the former group is Darryn Emerre who grew up at the beach, went to Wainui School, belonged to the Wainui surf club but, like many of our kids, moved away to find a career and a life of his own away from Gisborne. After travelling the world and working at a career for nearly 20 years, Darryn has come home to settle at the beach with his wife, Joanna, and their children Noah (4) and Hugo (nearly 2).

After leaving home in 1990 Darryn travelled and surfed through south-east Asia, worked in London where he met Joanna (from Levin), got married in Fiji in 2004 and spent the last nine years in Wellington working for a property investment company. He returns home to take over the reins of his dad’s, Wayne Emerre’s, partnership in the local insurance broking business Emerre and Hathaway. Joanna continues to work for Flight Centre as a part-time business developer.

Darryn says it was a big decision to throw in his Wellington-based career, but decided he wanted to give his two boys the same sort of life he had growing up at the beach: “The local school, Wainui nippers, the surf club, surfing. I guess it’s a trip down memory lane. But you just can’t put a price on it.” The Emerres are renting in Murphy Road at the moment while waiting on finding the right house to buy at the beach.

Leaving Wainui after 19 years on the Wairere Road beachfront are well-known locals Ray and Flo Moleta. Ray says the decision was made in five days. When Cory and Ange Hutchings’ brand-new house on the beach at Roberts Road became available Ray and Flo weighed it up and decided to move to town. Ray says they’ve already noticed they’re getting more visitors calling in; town friends and relations who seldom made the drive out to Wainui.

Wainui must have a lot of going for it to drag Cory Hutchings away from the town beach. The almost legendary 11-times New Zealand surf lifesaving ironman champion virtually grew up on the beach in front of the Midway surf club, but recently he and Angela sold their new home on the beach at Roberts Road and have opted for the Stock Route lifestyle along Murphy Road.

Like Darryn Emerre, Cory puts it down to the needs of the kids: “Town is great, but for the family I think this is the place to be. It’s great for the children as they get more and more into surfing.” Oldest son Korban, who goes to Gisborne Intermediate, is currently at the top of the under-12 boys division of the national Billabong Grom Series. Skye (9) and Luke (7) have moved from Awapuni to Wainui School. Baby Zac is two-years-old.

The Hutchings have moved into Bron and Tim Gaddums house on Murphy Road. After eights years at the beach the Gaddums are moving back to a country life on an 11 acre lifestyle block in the Matokitoki Valley. Originally from a large station on the Parikanapa Road the Gaddums are country folk at heart with Bron looking

forward to having a horse and keeping chooks.Continuing the “Domino Effect” and moving in to fill the vacuum

at the Moleta house is Pak‘nSave owner Hamish Walton and family. In probably one of the simplest moves, the Waltons – mum Cher, Sophie (9) and Ella (6) – have moved just one number from 105 to 103 Wairere Road. Originally from Oamaru, the Walton’s have retained 105 and have yet decided what their plans are in that direction.

Greg and Huia Judd, and nearly 2-year-old Matua, sold their Wairere Road home this year and are in the process of planning to build a new home on land in the Lysnar Valley.

New Zealand-known artist Tony Ogle and family have moved to Wainui Beach from Auckland’s Bethells Beach this winter. Tony, 50, has devoted over twenty years to making prints and colourful paintings celebrating the land and the coastline of New Zealand. Tony has been surfing for more than 30 years and after ten years on Auckland’s west coast he and wife Elena, and the boys Luke (4) and Jaimie (2) have succumbed to the temptations of Wainui Beach after a visit here in 2007. They have bought 131 Wairere Road; formerly owned by Matt Smythe and Sandy Hogg. “On the beach, close to the city and a great school for the children nearby,” are just three of the reasons for the move. Tony Ogle’s art can be viewed on the websites www.alohapiha.com and www.artport.co.nz.

Displaced from renting at 131 Wairere Road have been Peter and Sarah Dixon, the American couple who have been around Wainui Beach for several years now. (See page 16). The Dixons, with son Pahl, have moved to town, buying a home and an acreage on the banks of the Waimata river along Darwin Road, where they can now grow an orchard and develop a self-sustaining vegetable garden. They are also pleased to become near neighbours of their good friend,former Wainuian, Owen Williams, who lives on the river in Magnolia Street.

“ Dad you have got to get back to Gisborne!” is the message that John Wilson’s daughters gave him after recent visits to Gisborne.

“ Certainly that’s where both Katya and Rebekah feel their home is and we seem to know most of the old crew out at Wainui, the disreputable ones anyway,” comments John.

John’s first stint here was as a teacher at Gisborne Boys’ in 1971, and having lived here a couple of times since, the family are looking forward to shifting back this summer, after recently buying the house in Wairere Road formerly known as One Orange.

Another new arrival at the beach is James Evans and his English partner Jo Thurton, who have bought a home in Douglas Street. James is a Gisborne boy who has been away for nearly ten years, working as a professional sailor on luxury super yachts.

Young couple Mike and Cate King, with new baby Tilly, have also recently bought a house at the beach, the home next to the Wainui Store.

We may have missed mentioning someone, but overall there have been quite a few changes this winter with several new families with young children moving in. Far from being a retirement village, as it once was, Wainui is becoming a young and vibrant community.

beach life

Play area upgradedAILSA SHELDRAKE WRITES: As a mother and resident of Okitu I was very much aware of the need for upgrading the play facilities at the beach, I felt the existing ones were both extremely dangerous and inadequate.

When the W.D. Lysnar and Wainui Beach Reserves Management Plan (the “plan”) first came out I noticed that there was no provision for any play area and so proposed to a Council hearing that one be considered. Over the past year I have been involved with helping the Council develop a new, consolidated, much needed, play area at “Pines”. Initial work has been carried out clearing the area of bush and some trees and the old play equipment has been recycled. There is some new equipment that was previously budgeted for, the road has been closed for safety, there are new benches and tables and the site is now ready for more equipment.

At a Council hearing last June I made an additional submission and appealed to the Council for further funds for additional play equipment. The Council has replied and said that they cannot find further funds and that the necessary money will need to be raised through the community.

I have managed to secure funding from the Kiwanis and some family trusts for play equipment. It is a hard decision what to put in the playground as the aim is to make the area multi-age and multi-skilled. It will be a work in progress but I hope to have the following at some point!

Ages 1-3: a whale and a surfboard “rocker”.Ages 3-7: a small self-contained play

area (similar to the one at Wainui School) with bridge, climbing frame, “OXO” games, steering wheels etc hopefully in the shape of a boat.

Ages 5-10: a huge rope climbing frame/structure.

I would hope to raise $50,000 to really make this park a great place to play. Council have already done a huge amount of work and managed to find money when there was none budgeted, they have been supportive, helpful and encouraging. Given that there are so many contentious issues with the plan its good that there is something that everyone can agree is a positive asset for the kids of the community!

beach life

Schools access drainage scheme nears completion but residents are not happy

The retention pond stormwater drainage concept for the Schools access is nearing completion after delays caused by the recent major storms while nearby residents are voicing concerns over the effectiveness and safety of the construction.

GDC stormwater engineer Joss Ruifrok says the half-completed design stood up well in what was a one-in-nine-year storm event.

The wetland-style project is a first for Gisborne in an effort to provide a low impact drainage solution in an environmentally sensitive area. The idea is that stormwater is held in the two retention ponds during wet weather and allowed to slowly soak into the soil and percolate through the “bunds” or dam walls. When the bunds are overtopped in very wet weather the flow will be wide, shallow and sheet-like causing minimal erosion effects.

The retention ponds will be a maximum of 0.75 metres deep when full. Mr Ruifrok says they will contain ponded water during wet winter periods, but will probably be dry during the summer months. Final touches to the 9-car parking area, general landscaping and grid matting of the bund tops should be finished very soon. A low visual impact stainless-steel wire fence has been added to the design alongside the Wairere Road footpath. Mr Ruifrok says the design will be monitored for effectiveness and safety.

However, nearby residents who have watched the project develop have a few reservations. We asked Mr Ruifrok if the state of the project is the finished work. He says remedial work in the wake of the storm needs to be undertaken where the heavy seas have eroded the seaward bund: “We have been waiting on the water level to drop in the retention ponds before starting remedial works. The rain and saturated soil condition have delayed any work commencing. Some discussion has also taken place regarding potential modifications to the design to improve the rate of drainage but still maintain the philosophy and outcomes of the design.

“The scour protection matting will be laid just below the ground surface level of the bund. The top of the bunds will be grassed, with the final bund planted with small plants and shrubs on the seaward facing side.”

He says when it has matured the area will consist of two grassed bunded areas surrounded by rambling shrubs and grassy areas, a meandering footpath, and the car park.

Commenting on observations that the ponds have been slow to drain after the heavy rains in July he said: “Initially the bunds did what they were supposed to do, with many people commenting how quickly it drained away. However after several storm events the deposited silt layer has led to a decrease in the rate of stormwater infiltration into the soil. This matter should be addressed once the works have been completed and vegetation established. This was a significant rainfall event – there was roughly two-thirds of the rainfall that was recorded during Cyclone Bola.”

Some residents have been concerned about the safety issue of creating an area of open ponds which could be a potential drowning danger to small children. This issue was also bought up at a council meeting by district councillor Allan Hall. Mr Ruifrok answered: “This must be looked at in comparison with the many other (recreational) locations beside aquatic areas in the district. For example rivers through the city, the Hamanatua Stream, the Awapuni lagoon, Wainui and city beaches. There is a danger there but at an acceptable level.”

Another issue Wairere Road residents have queried is the surprise erection of a protective fence along the footpath bounding the new carpark. They say it was not detailed as a fence on the plan they made submissions to. At first it was erected with wooden railings which affected the view of the beach through the beach access which some residents had enjoyed and even based their property purchases on. The railings have since been replaced with stainless steel wires.

Mr Ruifrok says unfortunately the cross-section (elevation view) showing the fence detail was not included in the letters to the residents as part of the consent and public consultation process. However he says the fence was a requirement under the Building Act for one metre high retaining walls.

Commenting on a suggestion that similar drainage schemes may be used at the Okitu lagoon and at Sponge Bay he said there are no specific projects for these areas at the moment, however council’s approach to stormwater management is to use low impact design.


Kate Fraser’s vision for valley meets local opposition

A plan to create a 41-section subdivision in the Lysnar Valley was announced recently and quickly met opposition from residents of the area. The Gisborne Herald reported on June 5: Wainui resident Kate Fraser is

applying for a zone change from rural residential to residential for an 8.5 hectare block her family has owned for 40 years.

Kate Fraser, as director of Myland Holdings Ltd, was reported saying she: “Envisaged an environmentally-sensitive, three-stage residential development encompassing a 3.4ha reserve with public access to a large natural pond and part of the Hamanatua Stream”.

Gisborne District Council’s draft urban development and urban coastal strategies have already identified the land as a possible expansion area for Wainui. The Herald later reported on opposition to the proposed development saying the suggestion that Wainui was about to spread inland had drawn an angry response from neighbours: “It would change the zoning that has been in place since 1921, and would set a precedent for more satellite suburbia stuck out on the fringes of the city, a concept that is really falling apart in the States,” says Larry Prosor, who has a 10.9-hectare block overlooking the area, which he has subdivided in accordance with a rural residential zoning. I wouldn’t be opposed to a well thought-out subdivision, but land that is zoned general residential allows sections as small as 800 square metres.”

Kate Fraser said her vision is less grand and more in keeping with the environment. She would not be going ahead unless the development was right, she said: “It has to be right. We have kept the whole concept as green and environmentally-sensitive as possible.”

She proposes starting the subdivision with 10 sections and continuing farming on the undeveloped areas. Over five to 15 years, she will open up another 14 for sale, then the final 17.

“The last thing I want is a development that is incompatible with the valley. The sections are generous — with a median size of 1200m2. I could have squeezed another 20 sections out of the block but I wanted to keep sections family-sized and on the flat land, away from the stream banks.Because we have a clean slate, we have the opportunity to create something special with the existing pond, a walkway, picnic areas and potential for a bridle track along the stream to the beach.”

In a subsequent letter to the editor of the Gisborne Herald Lysnar Valley residents Karinjean Daniel and Trevor Herk said: “Despite the enticement of an ‘environmentally sensitive vision for the (Wainui) community’ the proposal ultimately is financially motivated. It is about carving a valley into 41 sections, from a quarter of an acre to a third of an acre, without justifiable demand. Contrary to Kate’s statements, findings from primary research indicate that the residents of the Valley and environs do not support this proposal. It is not that development is abhorrent to the residents but rather that development on such a scale is unnecessary and short-sighted.”

Kate Fraser describes it as a “soft development”, not dominated by roads and services, in keeping with her own environmental philosophies.

The proposed Lysnar Valley development is dependent on a zone change which is yet to be publicly notified and will be subject to public comment. On behalf of Myland Holdings consultant Ross Muir of Insight Resoure Mangement told BeachLife: “The initial community consultation process has been very helpful in identifying

beach lifethe matters of interest to the community in relation to the Myland Holdings Limited zone change proposal. We are presently assessing the matters relevant to the zone change process in more detail. We are particularly interested in traffic and landscape issues and are looking to commission independent professional assessment reports.

“We are also working to address matters relating to stormwater management and wastewater disposal. Myland Holdings Limited remains fully committed to ensuring the project is environmentally sustainable and one which will be an asset to the Wainui/Okitu communities. As always, we are happy to discuss any aspects of the proposal in more detail. Contact details are [email protected] or phone 929 1539. We propose to provide a further community update once the detail of the further environmental assessment work we are currently undertaking is available.”

new concrete power poles will be here for a generation

Moana Road homeowners who may have seen a chance to rid themselves of the overhead powerlines in front of their properties this winter were shocked into reality by the cost

of putting the power underground.Eastland Network, as part of its asset upgrading, have so far

replaced 18 old wooden power poles along Moana Road with new pres-stress concrete models. Some of homeowners with poles yet to be replaced, from 73 to 104 Moana Road, seized the opportunity to enquire about the option of having the power lines, 11kv and 400volt conductors, put underground – and out of sight.

The response from Eastland Network was that this could be made possible – but at a price. The extra cost to go underground instead of replacing the remaining 15 poles would be around $540,000. The cost to go underground would be $900 per metre with an average cost per household of around $18,000. And it would need to be a unanimous decision by all the properties involved. A survey has been undertaken by a local resident, Peter Carroll, to see if the issue should be pursued or other less costly options explored. The chances of a unanimous decision to accept such costs seem rather slim. Some residents are looking at an option where only the 400 volt, the lower lines, could be put underground. This allows for a greater span between poles which is already the situation near the Chalet.

Eastland Network has put the pole replacement project on hold until it gets a decision from the residents. If and when the new concrete poles are erected, they come with a 65 year plus life expectancy. So it will be a long time before the opportunity to put the power underground comes around again.

Kids get early feel for the game

Former local soccer international John Hill is running a “football fun session” at Wainui school for kids under five years old. “We started up the session on Saturday mornings

10.30 to 11.15 when I realised that the under 5 year old kids were not catered for as they were not eligible for school teams,” he says.

In its second year numbers have grown to the point where he has up to 15 children (girls and boys aged roughly 3 to 5) and their parents and grandparents arriving for a kick around and a bit of a catch up. Anyone is welcome. There is no coaching as such, as it is more about trying to encourage the kids to have fun and run off some energy. Weather permitting John will be continuing to run this for another couple of months.

Anyone interested can just turn up or call John Hill on 8688259.

Residents association to be formed at August meeting

Work is continuing on efforts to form a local residents association. A public meeting has been called for Sunday, August 16 at 7.00pm in the Wainui Beach School Hall

where the association will be formally set up and representatives elected.

A survey form was dropped in Wainui Beach letter boxes in May and the facilitators are still calling for feedback from residents.

Information about the proposed association can be downloaded from www.wainuibeach.org.nz . There is still time to email back the survey to [email protected].

According to the website the objects of the proposed association are to:

• Promote and represent the views and unique characteristics of Wainui Beach, its well-being, environmental and sustainability and future development.

• To protect and enhance the unique nature of the ecological, geographical and social environments of Wainui Beach and to provide a forum within which the community can identify discuss and deal with local issues and concerns

• To provide an informed and united voice to represent Wainui Beach ratepayers and residents to local and regional bodies and to ensure that their views are reflected in the development of policies which affect the area

• To endeavour to ensure that rates paid by ratepayers in respect of property within the district are the subject of the maximum fair expenditure by the appropriate body within the district for the benefit of residents and visitors to Wainui Beach.

So far around 80 people have said yes they want to join and two have opposed the idea. The draft constitution is on the website.

The amazing disappearing and reappearing speed signs

Driving in and out of Okitu for most of this year motorists may have been rather perplexed by the large speed restriction signs – or thresholds as they are termed – which

have been erected, dismantled, erected, dismantled and have just been recently erected again.

The first version of the signage gateway, after concrete bases were created and green panels erected, read “Okitu” on one side of the road

and “Okitū ōte tūpāpaku” on the other. The New Zealand Transport Agency says: “This was initially placed on the sign as we were advised that this was the full and correct place name for Okitu. Objections were raised by members of the community about the wording of the signs. While we had undertaken consultation on this wording, after listening to these objections, we decided it was appropriate to change the wording so the signs simply read Okitu.”

So down came the big green panels and up went new ones. But then in July the signs came down again – this time all the way down, including the removal of the underground concrete base work. The Transport Agency says it had to do this because their design did not meet new safety standards. Design requirements have been updated recently and the first signs installed were based on an old standard.

Mural idea for Stock Route wall

Former local lad and celebrated public artist Simon “Fred” Clarke sees a need for a “public art” mural on the concrete wall on the beach at Stock Route.

Advocating for his brother’s idea Adrian Clarke says he would like Wainui residents to consider the concept: “Right now the stock route wall has a pretty ugly “SRM” tag on it. I’m suggesting tidying it up with a piece of art in keeping with the beach and history of Wainui. If the council are willing to pay for a piece of art for the Wainui community, surely people will get into it? I could maybe suggest a couple of sites, but the Stock Route wall to me seems like a great spot. The other thing I have made quite clear to the council is its not about making money – its about public art. Fred would be happy to have his costs covered.”

Fred Clarke currently lives in Auckland where he works as an artist and graphic designer.

GDC has responded to the Clarke public art idea for the Stock Route by saying: “Any proposed art pieces and sites are put through the Arts in Public Places Trust for initial approval. If the proposed art pieces are on Council owned property – it makes the process a little bit easier. In the case where art is being proposed in a public place – such as the one at Wainui – there would need to be community buy-in and support for the work.

Adrian Clarke is seeking feedback on the idea by asking people to email him at [email protected].

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Most surfers and Wainui wave watchers will have noticed a dynamic new presence in the water since last summer. And they’d be hard pressed to suggest anybody more

committed to the surf than wave-ski rider Nigel Bryant. 32-year-old Nigel has been wave-ski riding for 13 years, has

competed internationally and is setting his sights firmly on winning the world wave-ski champion’s title this September in Coffs Harbour. Nigel, who lives at 89 Moana Road, currently ranked sixth in the world rankings, spends just about as much time in the water as out of it, even on a work day he can spend up to six hours in the surf working on his fitness and honing his manoeuvres for the international challenge ahead.

A Ngati Porou Maori on his mother’s side, Nigel was born and brought up in Napier and educated at Tamatea High School. It wasn’t until he was 19 that he took up wave-ski riding, and it was almost by chance. Keen to take up surf life saving he put an advertisement in the local paper seeking to buy a secondhand clubbie’s surf-ski so he could train in his own time. A guy rang up with a high-performance wave-ski for sale, so Nigel bought that instead.

So began several months of trips to Waimarama and Ocean beaches where, after several near drowning incidents, he taught himself to eskimo roll and to surf the waves. He eventually became part of a group of local stand-up surfers and, through his guts and determination, became accepted as a surfer in his own right.

Right from day one Nigel suffered the traditional rubbishing that stand-up surfers often directed at wave-ski riders: “ I know all the names, I’ve been called them all. Goat-boater, you name it. It just drove me harder to be better than them.”

That was 2002 and Nigel was at E.I.T. in Napier studying for an eventual degree in business and marketing. It’s his marketing and management skills that have brought him to Gisborne where for he is retail-wholesale manager for Ngati Porou Fisheries. Nigel has steered

the local iwi-owned company through the development of the recent Real Fresh and Off The Hook retail business concepts.

After graduating in 2002 Nigel and his then girlfriend (now wife), Claire O’Connor, set off for the Gold Coast of Australia where Nigel’s first career job was with a seafood export-import company. Living on a rented lifestyle block in the Tallebudgera Valley behind Burleigh Heads Nigel was just five minutes from the surf while Claire, a passionate equestrian, was able keep her horse which she had shipped over from New Zealand. Claire currently owns the “Divine Equine” equestrian equipment shop at the Wainui Road-Harris Street shopping centre.

Nigel wasted no time getting into the Gold Coast surf scene, picking the fiercely local Duranbah at Tweed Heads, as his home break. Right from the first day he gained the respect of the local surfers with a combination of good surf etiquette and radical wave ski riding. “I wasn’t a wave hog, but when I did get a wave I went hard, taking on the biggest barrels. I soon got to know all the locals surfers and became recognised as one of the crew, in and out of the water. There was never any animosity towards me as a sit-down surfer. I got to surf with Parko and Occy, and even Kelly Slater who was out one day. I surfed Snappers, Currumbin and Burleigh as well. Never a problem.”

Nigel has surfed all over Australia, throughout Indonesia and has even tried tow-in wave-ski surfing in cyclone surf off Currumbin. During this period Nigel belonged to a loose group of 15-20 stand-up surfers who used to have informal, but serious surfing contests amongst themselves. He was the only “goat boater” allowed into the group and regularly won the events, often against top 40 pro-circuit surfers. Up to this time, apart from these “Board Jammers” contests, he considered himself a free surfer. But after coming 9th in his first foray at the Australian Championships he decided to have a go at the World Titles which were to be held in New Zealand, at Makorori

WAVe-SKi DynAMO eyeS WORLD TiTLe

beach life Beach here in Gisborne in fact, in 2007. He came sixth in the men’s open and the following year came 5th in the world at an invitational event on Reunion Island. From here he and Claire came back to New Zealand to live; to Gisborne to take on the new job with Ngati Porou and to rent a house at Okitu where he could have instant access to the surf.

Nigel surfs every morning before work for an hour or more, at lunchtime and again after work until dark. In the weekends he’s out even longer; working towards a determined bid for the World open wave-ski title this year. He knows it won’t be easy as he’s up against current world champion Rees Duncan, who will be competing at his home beach at Coffs Harbour. Nigel has surfed against Duncan in heats three times in the past, with a won-one, lost-two record.

Behind Nigel’s obsessive training programme is the reality of just how gruelling the championships can be with up to five heats a day for up to five days in a row. He knows that in the end its fitness that will allow him to prevail if he makes the final. He also knows the judges are looking for extreme manoeuvres. Aerials are the key. Barrel-roll airs are where the most points come from and extremely difficult to pull off. Only a few wave-ski riders in the world even attempt the 360 degree roll-over while flying high above the breaking wave, and then land the move to continue surfing.

Some mornings Claire stands on the dunes with a video camera so Nigel can later study what he’s doing right or wrong. On other days he sets the video camera on a tri-pod and lets it run to record the session unmanned. He isn’t sponsored and pays for his own equipment, shelling out around $2500 for each new carbon fibre wave-ski which weigh a mere 5kgs. He has a quiver of five skis, in various states of repair in the shed. He currently rides an Australian made Gee Board.

Nigel won’t be alone travelling to Emerald Beach at Coffs Harbour in September. Local wave ski veteran who has 13 New Zealand titles across the age groups, Steve Gibbs, is going there to defend the World Grand Masters (50-55) title he won here in 2007. So too are current New Zealand champion Brett Cronin and world No.2 Tony Cherry.

Steve Gibbs says Nigel is considered one of the world’s best free surfers but has yet to back it up with a title as he so far has had a problem adapting his amazing free surfing intensity to the competitive arena.

BeachLife wishes both local surfers all the best and will watch eagerly for news from Coffs Harbour come September.

Each year local families get together at Wainui School for a social gathering and a hangi meal to help raise funds to pay for the school’s waiata tutor .

This year the food was mainly donated by parents of the school, and especially the Walton family who own Pak‘nSave.

The hangi is put down by volunteers. Daren Coulston who helps co-ordinate the event says: “The hangi is prepared ‘by consensus’ and is well supported by the school community, kaumatua, kuia and the community at large.

“This year we prepared 450 food packets, with smaller packets for the children who don’t eat as much and seem to like certain foods better. And ... plenty of gravy!”

The protocols of karakia and kawa are observed before the food is served with volunteers under Linda Coulston’s guidance organising the food in advance, making up the packets and storing them in a chiller (donated by Fenn Refrigeration). Some years the children prepare the food and make up the packets.

On the day the students are involved in the process of preparing and putting down the hangi and are encouraged to be involved as much as possible. Classes receive tutelage and various aspects of the process when visiting the food preparation and fire pit areas.

School families are involved in providing live music to add to the ambience. Daren says: “Overall the children love the day and having everyone’s families there in a social setting. The parents enjoy the evening with children self managing and there is always reluctance to head home when it’s all over.”

A STEAMING SUCCESS: Wainui School hangi crew 2009 unearth the traditionally cooked Maori feast as students and families watch on. From left at the pit we have Patrick Brass, Steve Grace, Don Green, Chuck Ngaira and Daren Coulston

School hangi a welcome feast

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ReLenTLeSS STORM STRiPS SAnD

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Wainui Beach has a long history of erosion generated by storm activity. The storm at the end of June has added another erosion event to a long list.

Storm-generated erosion manifests as large changes to the shoreline in the space of a few days (or weeks). These rapid changes involve the redistribution or shifting of beach and dune sand. This erosion, more commonly termed ‘storm cut’, is part of the beach cut and fill cycle. The main concern with storm erosion is whether the sand that is removed from the beach is a temporary shift or a permanent loss. The latter situation creates serious erosion problems; fortunately, this does not appear to be the case at Wainui Beach.

The recent storm has demonstrated this with some great visual effects. Between the Schools access and Hamanatua stream a large erosion scarp dominates the shoreline and has uncovered several

By AmBER Dunn

WHERE’S THE SAND?: In summer this section of the Pines area of Wainui is a golden, sandy beach where locals and visitors love to swim and sunbathe.

STORM CUT: Waves cut into the foredunes along this beachfront section revealing erosion protection works installed half a century ago.

IT’S BEEn A HARSH WInTER. more rain than we really needed to top up the tanks and numerous wet weather weekends. The big storm that lashed the coast at the very end of June and into July was one of the most relentless experienced for some time. Huge seas and high tides rolled continuous surging waves onto the local beach scouring away sand and tearing at long standing sand dunes. At the time of printing the beach from the Chalet to the surf club was completely denuded of sand cover and the area from the surf club to the Schools Access had taken the brunt of the sand loss from a protective, secondary dune system below Wairere Road beachfront properties. BeachLife asked local surfer and coastal scientist Amber Dunn to interpret the effects of the storm on the Wainui Beach sand stocks. In later issues Amber will further discuss the sand movement and erosion trends at Wainui beach.

historical structures including concrete and log-rail seawalls, groins installed in the 1960s, and old access steps.

Other erosion features include the exposure of the rocky platform just north of the surf club (the usual sand cover has been stripped away), the resurfacing of the top of a wooden seawall on the immediate southern side of the Schools access, and the tops of gabion baskets showing between Schools and Stock Route. All of these features are indicators of historical erosion events, and of times when large quantities of sand were temporarily removed from the beach, and then later returned. They also confirm that the beach has been in worst states in the past, indicating that erosion events of larger magnitudes have occurred historically.

Several lessons can be learnt from our history of storm-generated erosion. The first, and most important, is storm erosion involves the rapid and temporary shifting about (or rearrangement) of sand – not a permanent loss. This is the case because the phase of rapid erosion is more often than not followed by a phase of slow sand return or ‘fill’. This is very good news! The time to be truly alarmed is during a sequence of closely-spaced storms. Under this scenario, more shifting of sand occurs on an already sand-depleted shoreline, the phase of slow sand return is delayed, and the erosion hazard intensifies.

Secondly, storm-generated erosion is responsible for the erosion hazard at Wainui Beach – it is not a long-term erosion trend. This conclusion is reached by recognising that the magnitudes of storm erosion (storm cuts) are significantly greater than the long-term trend of shoreline movement. Furthermore, storm erosion is often highly localised, and causes an increased erosion risk over relatively small areas at any one time.

Lastly, the erosion manifests as large, temporary sand removals that are associated with rip currents, storm surges, and other processes. These erosion events will always occur, regardless of what the shoreline is doing over the longer term. This erosion process (or storm cut) is not to be feared, it is to be understood. One fundamental natural law of the coast is – sand moves. The sand on our beaches is meant to move. It therefore follows, given that our beach and dunes are made of sand, that the beach and dunes will

move too. This sand moving process is welcomed by some (e.g. surfers) and unnecessarily feared by others (e.g. beachfront property owners).

My next article will explain the role and importance of natural sand movement on beaches.

| Amber Dunn has a Master of Science degree. Her thesis was “Coastal Erosion at Wainui Beach”. She has published several papers on Wainui Beach erosion. Her PhD degree is to be conferred later this year based on a thesis on coastal storm activity (Department of Earth & Ocean Sciences, Waikato University). Amber grew up surfing at Wainui Beach. She was the New Zealand Grommet Surfing Champion in 1995 representing New Zealand from 1992-95. Her tribal affiliation to Wainui Beach is Te Aitanga a Hauiti. Amber will write more on coastal erosion in later issues.

PAST WORKS: Photographic proof that the sand at Wainui Beach comes and goes. The spikes used to fasten these fascines (bundles of brush and branches), which were installed along this section of foreshore near “Schools” circa 1950, were revealed for the first time in 60 years after the recent storms.

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Formative meeting of Wainui Beach Residents Association.Sunday, August 16, 7.00pm in the Wainui Beach School Hall .


They dream of California as it used to be – but know the place they loved has changed forever. Sarah and Peter Dixon are an American couple, with recent New Zealand residency, who

discovered Gisborne six years ago and have found a facsimile of their old Californian lifestyle here at Wainui Beach.

The Dixons are greying veterans of the ‘50s and ‘60s southern California surf scene. Contemporaries of Mickey Dora and his Malibu Beach cronies. Friends of people whose names echo out of the history of surfing. And they have left all that behind for Gisborne.

Calling Malibu Beach home for more than 50 years they had heard about Gisborne from Rick Hodgson, a neighbour and friend who has been coming to a summer house at Wainui Beach for over 20 years .

“So we finally came to take a look for ourselves in 2002. We took a campervan to see the country – looked around Northland, then turned south, went through Auckland without stopping, discovered Gisborne and never went any further,” says Sarah.

Meeting David Timbs at Wainui the couple were invited to a social gathering of the Moananui Longboard Surfriders at Owen Williams’ house, made some friends in the longboard scene and ended up renting a house in Gisborne for several months.

After a short time back in the States the couple returned in 2003 – saying goodbye to the congestion, over-development and pollution that had destroyed their beloved California. They bought a house at the seaward end of Lloyd George Road and set about establishing

a new life for themselves at Wainui. Although both are in their late seventies, it was “never a retirement plan”, as they continue to work in various areas of creative and literary endeavour. “Retirement is not in our vocabulary,” says Peter who is busy writing and publishing enviro-fictional novels while Sarah is rejuvenating her passion for watercolour painting and environment-friendly lifestyle practices.

To tell the Dixon’s story we need to go way back to 1931 where Peter was born in New York City. His parents were involved in acting and radio script writing. His dad, Peter Dixon senior, wrote the first-ever, radio soap opera, “Raising Junior” for NBC in the 1930s.

This early venture into “show business” lured the creative couple to Hollywood. In 1937, with seven-year-old Peter junior in tow, they set out for California where his father found work as a script writer. Peter went to school in Hollywood and through World War 2 his dad was on service with the merchant navy. Here Peter took up the new sport of surfing. With a group of teenage contemporaries from Hollywood High they were among the pioneers of the Californian revival of the sport, surfing redwood and balsa surfboards.

At 14 his parents parted and he returned to New York to live with his mother’s parents (by adoption) who were Japanese. This was New York in the ‘50s. His grandparents, living in Greenwich Village, were at the centre of the beat movement – an era of left-wing social and cultural revolution championed by poet Allen Ginsberg and writers William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac.

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His aunt by adoption, “Aunt Toshi”, was married to folk singer Pete Seeger, who lived with the extended family in a three-storeyed New York brownstone. Seeger’s good friend Woody Guthrie would come to stay and Peter Dixon says it was Guthrie who gave him his first-ever guitar lesson. Pete Seeger and Toshi are now both in their 90s, Seeger just recently hosting an environmental benefit concert in celebration of his 90th birthday at Madison Square Garden. Pete Seeger is considered an icon of American folk music history.

Peter Dixon spent five years travelling back and forth between New York and LA while still at high school. Lured by memories of warm sunshine and offshore breezes he departed from the beat culture of New York, drawn to the newly-emerging southern Californian surf scene. He stayed at first with his father’s parents spending all his spare time at Malibu, the centre of the surf movement. On leaving high school he at first studied forestry at the University of Idaho, but then transferred to the University of California (UCLA) to eventually master in education, with a special emphasis on “recreation”. While studying, and with competitive swimming skills, he found part-time work as a beach lifeguard. One day in 1952 while training on a surf boat off Venice Beach he chose to dive overboard and swim ashore. At the same time a 20-year-old off-duty Santa Monica City pool lifeguard, Sarah Daniels, was taking a swim out through the waves in the opposite direction. The two met head-on, literally crashing into each other in the surf.

They said “hello” again on the beach and eventually formed a lasting friendship that led to marriage in 1955. They discovered a certain intellectual curiosity in common, and most certainly a passion for the water. Through the early ‘50s they travelled, exploring the surf beaches around Southern California – Sarah being a natural water-woman and a stand-up girl surfer long before the Gidget craze hit the beach scene. At this time Peter was drafted into the Korean War effort but because of his water skills, he served as a swimming instructor, teaching other draftees to swim at Fort Hood in Texas.

Back at the beach in 1955 the couple married and moved into a small rented apartment under a house right on the beach at Malibu where they lived, worked and surfed for several years, members of the now famous early Malibu Beach surfing environment which was the nursery of today’s international surf culture.

First son Pahl was born in 1957, James in 1960 and Megan in 1964. Peter continued his studies, thanks to the GI Bill (which provided college education for returning war veterans) mastering in Public Recreation, based on a thesis he wrote on the use of scuba diving in forensic investigations including techniques for “body recovery”. Living on the beach, surfing, swimming and diving – he wrote a training programme for scuba diving which was adopted by UCLA – the Dixon’s life was all about the ocean. Their neighbour was

Paul Stader, underwater diving director for the TV series “Sea Hunt”, starring Lloyd Bridges. Stader was aware of Peter’s scuba diving skills and while studying at UCLA Peter spent three years as a part-time stunt diver on the “Sea Hunt” series. While doing the stunt work he wrote a script for an episode of “Sea Hunt” which was accepted. This led to his writing the very first script for the “Flipper” series and several more “Flipper” episodes through the early sixties.

After his graduation he started a full-time job working as a “human factor scientist” for the System Development Corporation at Santa Monica. He was a faceless spook in the Cold War, training radar teams sent to spy on the Russians in eastern Europe. Peter hated the job and was eager for escape. One day in 1965, while driving to the office, he saw a friend out surfing alone at Topanga Beach. “I need a job where I can go surfing and hang out at the beach all day? Then I had one of those ‘aha!’ moments. I was a writer and a surfer. I could write a book about surfing!”

He wrote the book. It was called “The Complete Book of Surfing” and

A SURER’S LIBRARY: Peter Dixon’s early publications are now bookmarks in surfing’s history and are sought after collectors’ items.


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it sold 60,000 hard cover and then 300,000 paperback copies. Other books followed. “Men and Waves” in 1966, “Where The Surfers Are” in 1968 and “Men Who Ride Mountains” in 1969. These almanacs were the Bibles surfers carried through the sixties.

Peter says he remembers a special day: “April 27, 1967 – 3.30pm to be precise – the day I left full-time employment and never returned.”

Through his writing and publishing Peter Dixon had established himself as a literary guru of the emerging surfing movement. For a while he edited Walt Phillips’ “Surfing Illustrated”. In ‘66 he and surfing photographer, Dr Don James, returned from an epic trip to Hawaii for the Duke Contest at Waimea Bay to provide eight historic pages of stunning photographs and an account of the event for “Life” magazine, a first for surfing in mainstream media. In ‘71 he wrote a novel called “Wipe Out”, a fiction about a boy learning to surf at Malibu Beach. The “Complete Guide to Surfing” was revised and republished in 2001 and a French edition was published in 2003.

As a partnership they wrote more books, wrote scripts for television shows and produced their own documentary movies. Some of the more well-known television series Peter wrote episodes for were: “Sea Hunt”, “Flipper”, “High Chaparral”, “The Waltons”, and “Bionic Woman”.

He has written and co-written scripts for several motion pictures, including an Alain Delon 1977 French production of “The Children Are Watching Us”, adapted from the novel he co-wrote with Laird Koenig, which won France’s best mystery novel award in its day. With fellow author Koenig, Peter also co-wrote “The Baby Sitter” for Carlo Ponti, “The White Lions” for Alan Landsburg, an Evel Knievel biography starring George Hamilton and a 1970s cult-horror movie involving mutant piranha fish.

As well the Dixons have created several of their own documentary television productions including “In The Land Of The Grizzlies” focusing on the natural status of bears across North America, co-produced with Liam O’Brien for the National Audubon Society.

Through most of their creative endeavours the Dixon’s have maintained an over-riding concern and passion for protecting the natural environment, particularly the ocean. During their Malibu years, Sarah became known for her delicate water-colour paintings and her involvement in eco-politics, notably the establishment of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, serving as a commissioner for Southern California. An advocate representing the Malibu Coalition for Slow Growth her plein-air paintings of the coastal areas of the then proposed national reserve were politicised for the cause and earned her a certain celebrity. She also served a term as president of the Malibu Town Council.

One of their favourite husband-and-wife projects was the publishing of “Children, Families and the Sea”, a series of five, photo-illustrated books they wrote and published together in 1978-79. The books are eco-studies of coastal people in various parts of the world; Japan, Mexico, Trinidad, Canada and the state of Maine. Other books they’ve written include “Hot Skateboarding” (with son Pahl) and “Vasectomy, Sex and Parenthood”, as well as several works of fiction, focusing on a genre Peter calls “eco-thriller”.

The latest project is “Hunt the Lucky Dragon”, a fictional eco-thriller, about a surfer who, with help from a dolphin, seeks revenge on an unscrupulous tuna boat crew after he and the dolphin are left adrift at sea. The book has been published successfully in France (Coulez Le Lucky Dragon) and is about to be published in America by Disney.

Recently, in New Zealand, they produced a documentary with local cameraman Mark Chrisp called “Lost At Sea”, an account of Rob Hewitt’s four days adrift off the Kapiti Coast. The documentary was first shown on TV3 and is now on the National Geographic channel.

The Dixon’s, and son Pahl, have recently moved from Wainui Beach. After several years here, they have bought a new home on an acreage in Darwin Road above the Waimata River where they can create an orchard and try organic gardening. It’s a long way from Malibu, Topanga Beach and all the lost magic of Southern California. Like many Californians they are nostalgic for the way things used to be – before the ocean became polluted, the coastal land “gobbled up” by millionaires, and the beaches overcrowded. “When we were married the population of California was four million, today it is 40 million,” says Peter.

Sarah says: “In many ways Gisborne, particularly Wainui Beach, is very much like California back in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Gisborne is such a special place to live. California is gone for us now.”

The Dixon’s have travelled a long way through defining eras, being witness to, and often commentators on, nearly eight decades of modern times. Retirement is not on their agenda and age has not yet wearied them. With computers humming on their laps, they sparkle with enthusiasm for projects still to be worked. They work, swim and they ride waves on their surf mats with a love for each other shining bright in their eyes. An inspiration to all who know them.

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You’ve got to take your hat off to Andrew Smith (a.k.a. Pop Smurf ). He’s not quite Peter Jackson yet, but is giving it a good lash. He’s recently released his latest movie on DVD, “A

Celebration of 50 Years of Surfing in Gisborne, 1959-2009”, and it really is a hoot.

Under the name of his movie production enterprise, “Sic Puppy Productions”, he’s combed through hours of borrowed local home movie Super-8 footage to edit together 50 minutes of ancient nostalgia from surfing’s yesteryears.

The DVD cover notes suggest viewers: “Sit back and enjoy 50 minutes of epic footage of old and new from the 70s, 80s and beyond. You will crack up so grab a beer and get stoked.”

Included on the DVD, available from both local Wainui dairies at $20.00 a copy, is an epic egg fight in Roberts Road, footage from the Tatapouri Hotel, surfing at the 1979 nationals when Al Byrne won the title at Makorori and loads of other seldom seen before documented moments from those magic days gone by.

The movie starts with a montage of mad memories including some 1957 surfing scenes from Midway Beach by Keith McCulloch, Midway Beach clubbies, local lads hamming it up to the camera and general surfing action at the Pipe and Makorori. There’s even an obligatory ‘80s scene of a red-setter running along the beach. There’s a plentitude of classic surfing on the DVD, most of it worth watching, particularly a longish segment at the Inside Island in the 80s. Those who were around at the time will no doubt identify the surfers from hair-dos and surfing styles. It’s not all surfing. There’s heaps of general fooling around, road-trips, close-ups and an absolutely classic few minutes, originally filmed by Alan “Fleetwood” McRae, of a vicious pie and egg fight involving the tenants of several flats in Roberts Road. And there are random scenes where the psychological state of the cameraman of the day could be called into question.

There’s excellent coverage from Ron Amann of the 1979 New Zealand Nationals held in small, offshore surf near the Chalet at Wainui, which was the last time Alan Byrne competed and won the title. You might spot yourself in the crowd shots. The filming of the prize-giving after-function at the Tatapouri Hotel car park is a great piece of Gisborne history. The film shows us how lean and buffed everyone was back then – it must have been the vegetarian diets – and those very short boardshorts are a blast from fashions’ past. If you’re quick, you can glimpse the early beginnings of Des Delaney’s eventual hairloss and – on the subject of fashion – wait till you see Mike Varley’s cute denim overalls in another mad-cap scene.

Smurf gathered the footage from various local sources including Glen Sutton, Alan McRae, Ron Amann, Keith McCulloch, Dean and

Mark Windybank. As word of the project grew a lot of small snippets of film came in from other sources. History is covered cleverly with the camera scanning pages from the Photo News over the years.

Smurf uses a technique to create his movies that would have Steven Spielberg weeping. Basically he sets up a movie projector, runs the film onto a white wall and then video copies the projected moving images. Hey, it works, and with a budget of $0.00 it is definitely cost effective. And somehow Smurf also persuaded Joe Walsh, Simple Minds, Tom Petty and several other ‘70s and ‘80s rock icons into donating a really groovy soundtrack. The soundtrack itself is worth the buy. To fill up the DVD there is some bonus footage of more recent surfing at various locations around the district.

The “50 Years Celebration” movie is Smurf ’s second movie project. He earlier created a similar nostalgic flashback called “Riders of the First Dawn”, and now he and associate Drew Hill, are working on a slightly more ambitious project to create a documentary-style film of the actual surfing reunion that was held here at Easter. A relaxed interview with Al Byrne, talking about his second place to Simon Anderson in the 1981 Pipeline Masters is going to be a highlight. The lads are so excited about the new project they’ve researched the criteria and are hoping to enter the finished movie in the Toronto International Film Festival.

MOVIE MOGUL: Local painter and decorator Andrew Smith is a passionate amateur surfing historian and movie producer. His recent movie on DVD “A Celebration of 50 Years of Surfing in Gisborne, 1959-2009” is a classic montage of early surfing highlights.

beach lifeLOCAL FiLMMAKeR CAPTuReS MAGiC yeARS OF GiSBORne SuRFinG


Mike Lewin with his new wife Tamoko and her parents and his mum and dad, Wendy and Phil Lewin (formerly of Wairere Road), at his wedding overlooking Miami Beach on the Gold Coast. Phil now lives at Kerikeri and Wendy at Whangaparaoa. PHOTO BY HAYLEY DALTON

Former Wainui girl Nicola Tee married Simon Etheredge of Te Anau on February 7 this year at Holy Trinity in Gisborne, with the reception at The Wharf and photos on the beach at Wainui. The couple met at Otago University and have been in the UK for about 7 years.Nic works for Bloombergs, a US financial company. Si is a semi-professional rugby player and also works for an events installation company. They are moving to live and work in Singapore later this year.

A hard core group of Wainui boys travelled to Australia for Mike Lewin’s wedding on the Gold Coast recently. From left: Nigel Jenkins, Peter Ritchie, Tom Dalton and Jett, Darryl Moleta, Phil Allen, John Lewin and Hamana Mahuika.

LEWIN WEDDING: Former local Mike Lewin, who grew up in Wairere Road, put the call out to his Wainui Beach mates to be there on the occasion of his marriage to his Japanese bride Tamoko Saito. Mike, who works for Stuart Surfboards at Mermaid Beach, met Tamoko at a bar in Surfers Paradise while she was on holiday from Sydney. Tamoko has lived in Australia for 10 years. The couple now live at Miami Beach.

weddings

Kane Stirton, son of John and Jan Stirton of Sirrah Street, married Leanne Harrison of Makorori on the beachfront at Makorori earlier this year. The groomsmen in matching checked shirts were Nick Summerton, Craig Stirton, Jody Ure and Jeremy Derbyshire. The bridesmaids were Tessa McCormick, Dairne Poole, Jo Chapman, Louise Clifton and De-Arne Sutherland. The celebrant was Norman McLean.

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The Tee siblings – Rachel (Hoggard), Robin Tee, Emily (Beetham) at sister Nicola’s wedding. Robin has now given all his sisters away at their weddings.


HERE SHE IS! Matilda Christina King, also known as “Tilly”, who has started a family for Cate (daughter of Meg and Bill Busby) and Mike (son of Steve King of Wairere Road and Sue King). Tilly was born 6lb 3oz (exactly the same specs as Mike in height, 6ft 3in) and she arrived on 8th of May. If you were wondering – Matilda is for Cate’s grandma Matilda Hickey (mother of popular TV presenter Jim Hickey) and Christina is for Mike’s grandma Christina King, who coincidentally is mentioned in our Chalet Rendezvous history as a singer in local dine and dance bands in the 1950s and 60s. Mike’s grandfather is well-known Gisborne identity Andy King. Mike works at Sport Gisborne and Cate is a clothing fashion designer at New Wave surf. Tilly is the great, great, great, great grand daughter (7th generation) of New Zealand’s first Government official, the appointed British Resident, James Busby, who later helped draft the Treaty of Waitangi.

THE LITTLE BLOKE in the middle is Taj Wainui Potter who makes a belated appearance in our magazine. He was born in March last year to Leigh Brunsdon and Stu Potter, who are currently living in Rotorua, but may be returning to Wainui later this year. Taj’s big brother is Jovan and big sister is Zara. Leigh is the daughter of Liz Brunsdon and the late Wayne Brunsdon of 38 Moana Road. The Brundson’s bought the Moana Motors business in 1999. With three children in the family Leigh and Stu have also announced their intention to get married “officially”, with a beach wedding planned at Okitu in January next year. Liz Brunsdon has moved to live in town with Stu and Leigh having bought a full share of the Moana Street house they will eventually call home again soon. Below: Stu and Leigh and the children celebrate their engagement on the beach at Okitu.

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MEET HARRY ISAAC McLaughlin, a grandson for Jan Aitken of Wairere Road. Harry was born at 81b 10oz on May 5 this year to Jan’s daughter Anna McLaughlin who is married to Glen McLaughlin who is a food technician with Fonterra based at Te Aroha. The couple met at Waikato University and live at Te Aroha.

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The Place To Be, Beside The Sea

By GRAY CLAPHAM

There’s one address at Wainui Beach that is firmly entrenched in the folklore of this community. The Chalet Rendezvous, the faux-Swiss alpine restaurant at 62 moana Road, Okitu, contains a potpourri of memories for the many people who owned it, worked in the kitchen, bar or dining room or were regular customers in its varied manifestations as a restaurant, guest house and local watering-hole since the mid-1950s. Initially the high-rolling dream of an eccentric European restaurateur it became famous nationally for its unique location, exceptional food and service and for its ground-breaking of new Zealand’s once restrictive liquor licensing laws. So let’s go on a ride back in time to see what we can find out about this fabled, often foibled, local establishment and the people whose lives it touched.

NOTE: Thanks to Richard Pearce at Survey Gisborne for providing details of the Chalet’s history of ownership. Thanks to all who were willing to trust the writer with very personal details of their lives to make this story possible.

Chalet (n): (French-Swiss) A wooden dwelling with a sloping roof and widely overhanging eaves, common in Switzerland and other alpine regions.

Rendezvous (n): (French) 1. A meeting arranged in advance at a certain time and place. 2. A place where people meet. 3. A date, usually with a member of the opposite sex. 4: A secret place for lovers to meet.

ChAPTeR One: The Swiss Connection

We don’t know a lot about Charles and Hedy Fankhauser. We do know they came to New Zealand from Switzerland in the early 1950s. And we do know they

travelled and discovered Wainui Beach and saw the potential here to realise a dream they carried from the other side of the world – a novel concept to construct a grand, Swiss-alpine chalet to house a fine-dining restaurant overlooking the ocean.

Background information about the Fankhausers before their arrival in Gisborne is minimal. Although a name of German-Austrian origin, the Fankhauser’s had earlier immigrated to New Zealand from Switzerland where Charles had previously worked as a chef, specialising as a patissier with a particular talent for creating sweet desserts. Fankhauser described himself as an “experienced restaurateur holding a diploma from the Swiss Government in recognition of his qualifications in this field.”

We can only imagine what made them decide on Gisborne, or precisely Wainui Beach, for such a novel and somewhat eccentric business enterprise. However, this was 1955 and Gisborne was

The story of the Chalet Rendezvous

beach history looking forward to a progressive and bright future. The New Zealand economy was in an upswing. Gisborne was a busy provincial town and people had money to spend on nice things, like dining out. In the 1950s New Zealander diners had a limited choice both of venue and menu. Dining rooms of hotels served a narrow fare of grilled or roasted meats with boiled vegetables. Places like the Lyric Cafe in Gisborne, where the hot plate and the deep-fryer combined to provide fish, steak, sausage and chips dinners. These fish and chip restaurants were the forerunners of the “gourmet” restaurants that were emerging in the big cities as a more sophisticated culture of food, cooking and “bistro” dining developed in the late 1950s. New Zealanders returning from experiences abroad and an influx of European and Middle Eastern immigrants eventually widened culinary expectations here. At the time the Chalet Rendezvous was being built six o’clock closing was still the rule and serving alcohol in places other than public bars was subject to stringent regulation. At the same time tourism was just starting to be recognised as an important national industry.

The Fankhausers must have seen a bright future for themselves at Wainui Beach and confidently set about realising their dream of creating a sophisticated, “continental” dining establishment. On the 19th of September, 1955, they signed a purchase agreement and paid Winifred Lysnar £1150 for an isolated block of land along Moana Road. The area had not yet been developed with empty paddocks all the way to Makorori hill.

Plans were drawn up and local builders Wagstaff and Porter began work on the construction of the curious building which looked like a prop from the “Sound of Music”. When the roof went on in April of 1957 Charles Fankhauser had a decorated pine tree roped to the highest point of the structure. “An old Swiss custom”, he told those who came out to view the building’s progress. The Gisborne Photo News reported: “The building is part of the Fankhauser’s plans to provide holiday-makers with first class accommodation and dining facilities at Wainui Beach, which he considers ranks easily with the most famous of Mediterranean beaches.”

A Gisborne Herald report from 1957 stated: “In planning the main building the proprietors chose a site easily adaptable to their main purpose, the conduct of a tourist house with all the elements of a seaside resort. Almost every room has an attractive ocean view and from the principal public rooms the panorama seen from the large windows is magnificent.”

The article continued: “The kitchen is indeed the heart of the enterprise

for it is here the proprietor Mr Fankhauser, originator of the project, will exercise his talent as a continental chef. Mr Fankhauser’s qualifications include a Swiss Diploma and his confidence of success with the Chalet Rendezvous is so strong that he already contemplates extensions to the premises. There is ample scope for an additional block of bedrooms or the erection of residential flats on the lines of the two already provided. Plans also include lawn tennis courts and a putting green.”

The restaurant opened for business with a buffet lunch on a Saturday four days before Christmas of 1957. The mayor, Harry Barker, officiated at the opening amongst an invited crowd of local VIPs and well-to-do town-folk. While the Fankhausers stood in the limelight and were described in the local press as the proprietors, another man attended the opening that day, who had quietly and unassumingly partnered the Fankhausers in their bold endeavour.

The Fankhausers had needed an investor early into the project and

LOCATiOn iS eVeRyThinG: The original Chalet complex surrounded by empty lots overlooking the beach, with the “Tourist Flats” behind.


via an introduction through a connection at Rotary had been able to catch the attention and imagination of Turihaua farmer-businessman H.B. (Bill) Williams. In April of 1957 the Fankhausers signed a deal and went into a 50-50 arrangement with Williams, forming a company called Chalet Rendezvous Limited. McCulloch, Butler and Spence accountant Joe Oates, who had recently come to town from the Tokomaru Bay office, had been given the Williams’ business to look after, remembers Charles Fankhauser being a real “enthusiast” but also a man of a rather mercurial temperament, often difficult to deal with. He says his wife, Hedy, was the “even hand” in the relationship.

Bill Williams was the “silent partner” in the Chalet Rendezvous and even to this day few people are aware of his involvement which continued for 15 years. Williams was about 35-years-old at the time and Oates says the pioneering nature of the Chalet Rendezvous would have been attractive to the enterprising young man who was then fronting the long-established family business. His father, H.B. Williams senior, who was into his 90th year, had passed on the family tradition of supporting and investing in business initiatives that had a cutting edge quality and were also of benefit to their local communities. An example of this was the Williams, backing of Robert Kerridge in his cinema business.

The Chalet was open for business from Christmas of 1957 and it quickly caught the public imagination. In 1958 the Photo News

was moved to write: “In the list of facilities and attractions which Gisborne can offer to the outside world, the Chalet Rendezvous at Wainui Beach, occupies a unique position. Set by the sea, backed by the hills, endowed with a beautiful building, luxurious guest quarters and a cuisine second to none, it is earning for itself a high reputation with visitors, many of whom have been from overseas. The Chalet is a dream come true for Mrs and Mrs C. Fankhauser whose efficient and hospitable management is not the least admirable feature of this unusual holiday resort. They have set out to create and have achieved something which blends the characteristics of their homeland, Switzerland, with the land of their adoption, New Zealand. This applies not only to the architecture of the buildings and its interior decoration, but also to the cuisine.”

In its own advertising The Chalet was cleverly positioned as: “Situated on the main East Coast highway with glorious vistas of golden sands, the blue Pacific and rolling green hills.” The menu was promoted as: “While standard New Zealand meals are available they are seldom ordered in the face of gastronomical delights of cuisine in all Continental variety. From Chateaubriand to Ravioli to Crayfish a la Mornay there is little the Chalet cuisine cannot produce nor is there any equal to the delicious Continental cakes and special ice cream confectionery appearing from the same source.”

It is of interest to note that in 1963 a dozen cocktail oysters could be ordered for 9/6d and a fillet steak for 10/6d. The much-lauded Chateaubriand for two was 21/-. A locally-caught crayfish meal was a mere 12/6d.

A 1950s Photo News feature titled “A Night Out At The Rendezvous” , where local couples “dressed up to the nines” are pictured dining and dancing, gives us a glimpse back at those times: “With fine cuisine, continental atmosphere and intimate surroundings, the Chalet provides all that is required to mark the occasional night out a great success.” Lionel Neil is pictured at the piano, Owen Houlahan on the drums and guest vocalist Christine King “providing pleasing entertainment”. A photograph of a laughing line of pleasure-seekers carries the caption: “Custom at the

Rendezvous demands that during the course of the evening, all present should take part in “La Conga”, an act in which all line up and dance single file over the dance floor, around the tables, and even through the kitchen.” On this particular night it “was discovered that Lesley Dunn and Jon Overbye were celebrating their newly-announced engagement and were toasted by all present.”

Long-time Wainui identities, Claire and Rob Bayly, both had an association with the Fankhausers. Not long after they had arrived in Gisborne from New Plymouth to start their nursery business in Lysnar Street a flood devastated the venture and to make ends meet Claire got a job at the Chalet, first as a waitress and then as a kitchenhand.

Claire says the Fankhausers had another foreign woman working for them named Helenora, who seemed to be part of the family. Claire remembers her first task on her very first night as waitress was to take out a tray of seafood cocktails. After a stumble the cocktails ending up all over the floor. “Never mind, Claire,” said even-tempered Mrs Fankhauser. “Carry on with your duties, but we’ll let Helenora take out the soups.” Rob Bayly first met the Fankhausers when he tried, unsuccessfully, to dig a bore for water on the property. Rob says Charles was quite a character with an “eye for the ladies.” Hedy he remembers as a “very stout and very intelligent woman”.

There has long been the assertion in Gisborne that the Chalet Rendezvous was the “first licensed restaurant in New Zealand”.

Along with the “world’s first sunrise”, the Chalet’s “first restaurant” claim is part of our local folk-lore, and almost essential to our city’s self identity. On September 8, 1957, three months before opening, the Chalet’s lawyers, Nolan and Skeet, assisted Fankhauser as the company’s nominee, to apply for a Tourist-house License, under Section 57(2) of the Licensing Amendment Act 1948. When the Chalet opened in December of 1957 it was ready with a bar, fully stocked and ready to legally serve wine, spirits and cocktail drinks to dining guests. It was therefore the first restaurant in New Zealand to have a license to serve liquor.

A “tourist-house” in those days generally meant a hotel-type establishment at a tourist destination, such as the Chateau Tongariro. These businesses were not hotels with public bars as such, so a special

licence was necessary to allow the sale of liquor to house guests in dining rooms. A Tourist-house licence allowed the serving of liquor under two clauses: (a) To any person who is for the time being a lodger, for consumption on or off the premises, at any time on any day. And, (b) to any person partaking of a substantial meal on the premises, in any place or room (other than a bar) used for dining, for consumption as part of the meal from 9.00am to 11.30pm on any day.

Tourist-house licences had been available for some years, but the assumption can be made that the Chalet was the first to apply the “Tourist-house” definition to, what was in 1957, a rather unique business concept.

The word “restaurant” was itself a new concept in New Zealand and only a few dining establishments, usually in the main centres, described themselves as such. Early restaurants in the main centres were not involved in providing accommodation, so had no legal recourse to a tourist-house licence. At the same time “motel”, the new buzz-word for a motor-hotel, was also a relatively new concept in this country, recently copied from the United States to cater for a newly mobile, motoring population. The Chalet Rendezvous was designed to be a blend of the two new trends.

Fankhauser’s design of a large downstairs dining room or “restaurant”, with four modest guest bedrooms upstairs and two small separate “tourist flats” behind, was unique in this country at the time, and made it possible for its lawyers (Nolan and Skeet) to present the business to the licensing authorities as a “tourist-house”.

The Chalet opened for business in 1957 with a “tourist-house licence”, definitely not a “restaurant licence”, as no such thing yet existed. It was, we believe, the first hospitality business in New Zealand to cleverly use the “tourist-house” definition to run a complimentary part of its operation as a “restaurant”, and therefore the claim of “first licensed restaurant in New Zealand” can be made, if by that we mean the “first restaurant in New Zealand to have a licence to serve liquor”.

Outside of Gisborne it is widely recognised that pioneering, Dutch-born, restaurateur Otto Groen received the first-ever “Restaurant License” for his Gourmet Restaurant in downtown Auckland in 1961. Otto Groen spend several years lobbying, petitioning and appearing before select committees to bring about a change in the liquor licensing laws. After an amendment was passed, by the Walter Nash Labour Government, the licensing commission proceeded cautiously, issuing only an initial ten licenses to restaurants

SWiSS hOSTS: hedy Mina and Charles Fankhauser at the Chalet in 1957.

Dine AnD DAnCe: A night out at the Chalet Rendezvous in the late 1950s.


KiTChen SWeeTieS: George Fankhauser (right) in the kitchen with wife hedy (in Swiss outfit) and staff members of the earliest days of the Chalet Rendezvous. Fankhauser was renown for his sweet desserts.

FOnDue Fun: Fankhauser (left) introduces guests to the newest dining trend of the late 1950s, the Cheese Fondue, which was in fact originally a traditional Swiss recipe.

in the main centres. Otto Groen has long held the claim to obtaining the first Restaurant License in New Zealand. He has photographs and clippings from Auckland newspapers, of the then chairman of New Zealand Licensing Commission presenting him with the license over a glass of champagne at a celebration of the event at the Gourmet Restaurant on December 13, 1961.

BeachLife spoke to 81-year-old Otto Groen, who is still in the hospitality business in Auckland as head of a private training school for hospitality workers. Surprisingly, he had never before heard of the Gisborne claim to his most-coveted achievement. The convivial restaurater was amused and bemused to be told of the Chalet’s long-standing claim to his famous accolade, but agrees with this writer’s above conclusion that the Chalet’s “tourist-house licence” may have

been popularly misrepresented over the years as a “restaurant licence”. So the Chalet Rendezvous at Wainui Beach may not have

technically been the first restaurant to obtain a Restaurant License, but it’s almost certain it was the “first restaurant in New Zealand to have a licence to serve liquor”, beating the celebrated Mr Groen to a celebratory round of drinks at the bar by four years.

The Fankhausers remained at Wainui Beach until 1964 when they sold their share of the business and moved on. What eventually became of the Swiss couple is not clear. There is a suggestion that they may at one time have run a restaurant in Auckland after leaving Gisborne. They did surface again briefly in 1979. Living at Matakana, north of Auckland the couple tried to persuade the New Zealand Government to take on one of Charles’ creamy dessert recipes as a potential export item.

Always quick to see an opportunity, Charles sent off an invitation to sample his new Cream Cheese Cake to the then Prime Minister, Rob Muldoon and wife Thea, who had a holiday home at Hatfield’s Beach, near there home at Matakana.

Thea Muldoon replied from Vogel House on September 10, 1979: “Dear Mr and Mrs Fankhauser. Thank you for offering to let us sample

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your cheese cake at Hatfields. I regret we do not find time to visit Hatfields very often as we are now resident in Wellington. I have referred your letter to the office of the Minister of Agriculture for his attention. Sincerely, Thea Muldoon.”

The Fankhauser’s settled on a secluded country property on the Leigh Road overlooking Little Barrier Island near Matakana. The property was sold through a trustee in the mid ‘90s after George Fankhauser was physically removed from the house and taken into care. It is believed that after his wife died he became a recluse. Kay and Lu Rathe of Point Wells, investors who bought the Fankhauser property from a trustee say it was in an appalling state – a once lovely garden had become completely overgrown and the house had become sealed off by overgrown ivy. Inside it was rat infested, full of old newspapers and hoarded belongings. We have not been able to find out what became of George Fankhauser after he was taken from the Matakana house. Cheers George and Hedy, you gave us the Chalet!

ChAPTeR TWO: A trip down memory Lane

As the Fankhausers departed for Auckland the concept of a Swiss alpine restaurant – where nights out were often orchestrated with a Bavarian beer hall flavour – was

beginning to wear thin. Restaurants by nature have their ups and downs and Bill Williams may have believed the business needed a new style of management if it was to progress and continue being profitable.

In the early 1960s Bill Lane, “tall, dark and handsome” and a member of the prosperous Lane’s Hosiery family from Levin, was running a highly-successful restaurant in the Waitakares, just out of Auckland. It went by the heady name, Back of the Moon. It included a 100-seat dining room and was promoted as a “dine-and-dance” establishment – an “exciting, new, European concept” in the days when dining out in New Zealand usually meant steak and eggs with a pot of tea at the local grill.

Back of the Moon had a full dance floor. The celebrated jazz band, the Crombie Murdoch Trio, played every Saturday night. While liquor was “strictly forbidden”, the reality in those days was that the women would smuggle bottles of whisky hidden in their fur coats. BYO wine was secretly chilled and served stealthily by a waiter in a long coat. Bill Lane had built the business up since arriving from Wellington in 1951 and had become a leading light in the Auckland hospitality industry, eventually president of the Restaurant Proprietors Association.

In 1963 Lane regrettably has to hand over the Auckland

restaurant to his first wife, as part of a marriage break-up settlement, and came to live in Gisborne with his new partner and later wife, Kathleen. He became known to local businessman, Jack Howard, who helped him get a job running the new coffee shop at the revamped Gisborne airport terminal. Liking his style Howard later engineered a meeting with Bill William’s representatives to see if there was a way the worldly and debonair Lane could take over the running of the Chalet Rendezvous. The result was the Fankhausers being bought out and the creation of a new company called Chalet Rendezvous (1964) Ltd, with Lane as an equal partner.

A new kitchen was put in, a new bar built at the front of the dining room, more accommodation was built and Lane set about establishing the Chalet Rendezvous as a highly creditable dining establishment. Visiting dignitaries and politicians would book accommodation and meals at the Chalet. It was often booked, particularly Saturday nights, as far as three months ahead, seating up to 100 dining guests each night. It was “the place to be, by the sea”. Lunches were served each day and the Sunday smorgasbord (an exciting new European dining concept) was a popular event each weekend. Jean Hawksworth was the day cook who prepared lunches over a four year period during this era. Chefs of note were a J. Spencer-Standing and Terry Knight.

In 1967 an oyster or crayfish cocktail was priced on the menu at

PARTy TiMe: All dressed up with somewhere to go at last! Locals flocked to the Chalet for a taste of the high life.

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75 cents. Soup would set you back 35 cents. A T-bone steak was $1.65 and fillet mignon with mushrooms was $1.90. Chateaubriand, the Chalet special, a whole beef fillet with port wine and bacon and bernaise sauce was now $5.00 for two people. On the wine list were imported choices including Schloss Johannisberg, Chateau La Fontaine, Cruse Monopol Bordeaux along with McWilliams Bakano and Cresta Dore, Blue Nun Liebfraumilch, Chianti, Orlando Barossa Pearl and Penfolds Chablis (all supplied by Williams and Kettle and sold at double the wholesale cost). The Chalet was open every day from 6.30pm till the technical closing time of 11.30pm.

The licensing laws were seldom policed and guests were welcome to stay until the small hours. Drinking and driving was not seen as a serious issue in those days. Bill Lane, who BeachLife interviewed for this story by phone at his home on the Gold Coast (and is alert and very much alive at nearly age 96) says: “There was never any trouble with the law, if the guests wanted to stay we just kept on going. Gordon Wattie used to come for dinner most Saturday nights and then call back on Sunday to pick up his car. We had lots of company functions. The Watties’ executives would come for lunch meetings, Fisher and Paykell people, including Sir Wolfe Fisher. Cabinet ministers stayed, Lord Vesty used to call in regularly. It was a great time with many out-of-town travellers calling in and local people having special functions. It really was a great time, full of nice happy memories.”

The Chalet was well ahead of its time. In the 1960s there were few other choices for dining out apart from the dining rooms of the local hotels. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the new concept of “bistro-style” restaurants appeared in Gisborne.

By the early 1970s Bill and Kathleen were tiring of the long nights and, by taking regular holidays there, had grown fond of the Gold Coast of Australia. One day while Bill was mowing the lawns and thinking about the warm Australian beaches, a “big flash car” pulled up and a real estate agent from Auckland said he had a client interested in buying the business.

Three months later the deal was done. On the 20th of June, 1972, Ivan Bruce Hawkless, Auckland motel proprietor and general property investor, took title of the Chalet, buying out the Lanes and Bill Williams. Bill and Kathleen left for the Gold Coast where they both still live today after many years of successful property investment. Bill is the step-father and Kath is the mother of former Wainui girl, Leslie Judd (now Papworth), who grew up at the Chalet Rendezvous, and married local boy Brett Papworth.

ChAPTeR ThRee: The hawk and his honey

In 1972 Ivan Hawkless, then aged 27, originally from Taumaranui, came to town and set about running the Chalet Rendezvous, retaining most of the staff from Bill Lane’s regime. Waitresses

were Honey Bryan, Helen Humble, Pat Flockart, May Dayberg. Bill McMurray was the wine waiter and in the kitchen were chefs Terry

Knight and Oliver Pasquale. Terry Knight later opened the Friar Tuck (later The Balcony) restaurant in Gladstone Road introducing the concept of meals on hot cast-iron plates.

Waitress Honey Bryan, the daughter of well-know local pharmacist Alistair Bryan, remembers the time vividly: “It really was the place to go in Gisborne. The dance floor was packed every night, everyone dressed up in their best outfits. There was a full a la carte menu. I think a steak meal was about $1.95 and a shrimp cocktail about 90 cents. We had all sorts of things happen out there. Lots of scandals and goings-on, but all-in-all it was mostly just lots of fun and laughter, dancing and singing. It was very upmarket, the place to be. It was actually the only place to be in Gisborne.

“Every Saturday night the place was packed. Through December and January the motel and the restaurant would be booked out nearly every night. We had a resident band, the Graham Bell Combo, which featured Graham Bell, brother Noel and his wife Bobbie Bell and Owen Houlahan on drums. Tony Beattie took over when Noel left for Australia and Lena Ruru was often also a guest pianist.”

Love was in the air not long after Ivan showed up at the Chalet. And it was a local scandal when Ivan, who had first brought his wife and family down to Gisborne, fell for the pretty 22-year-old waitress. He then separated from his wife who had returned to live in Auckland and later married Honey in December of 1975.

Ivan and Honey operated the Chalet together for going on two years and then headed off to Tauranga after which the Chalet went through a period of short leases. In December of 1973 the building was leased to a McCormick Enterprises Ltd. Eighteen months on, in July of 1975, the lease was transferred to G. F. Faulkner Ltd, then in July of 1977 to P. G. White Ltd and again in November of 1978 to Cameron Homes Ltd of Tauranga.

There are stories that the legendary hardman, Kimball Briscoe Johnson, lived in one of the back units during this era. Hawkless added to the Chalet title by purchasing the section on the south side of the site during this time. By 1981 Ivan and Honey had lost interest in keeping the Chalet and were ready to sell. They bought an orchard in Tauranga and made other property and motel investments over the years. They are now retired and still living in Tauranga.

DAPPeR DAyS: 1960s Chalet owners Bill and Kath Lane enjoy a night out over a bottle of fine Mateus Rose .

ChAPTeR FOuR: Malcolm in the middle

In 1981 a colourful man turned up in town who was to play the next lead role in the ongoing saga of the Chalet Rendezvous. Malcolm Sutherland McArthur was a dairy farmer from Waihi

when he decided to move to Gisborne with his second wife Annette and his 13-year-old son Trevor. The title was transferred into his name on the 2nd of December, 1981. Ivan Hawkless says Malcolm made a clean swap of his Waihi dairy farm for the Wainui property.

The popularity of the Chalet may have waned during the Hawkless leasing period but McArthur quickly reintroduced good service practises in the restaurant, employing a top European chef and professional front of house staff. The large dining room was soon at full steam again. Charismatic, intense, quick-witted and generous McArthur would steer the Chalet through another boom period for the next three years.

Local girl Leigh Schroder (later Dawson) who had recently returned from working at the Wrest Point Casino in Tasmania, worked for the McArthurs through this period as hostess and later manager. Megan Johnstone of Douglas Street, worked part-time as head waitress and maitre de when needed. She had also worked part-time at the Chalet for an earlier lessee before heading off on an OE (to Kathmandu!). This writer was also one of the many who worked at the Chalet during this period. My job was barman and wine waiter on the busy Friday and Saturday nights and on the many other week

nights when the house was full for functions. Other locals who worked at this time were waitresses Jill Simpson, Linda Coulston (then Foreman) and Sheree Drummond. Robyn Barker (then Pere) worked in the kitchen for a period. Mark Barker worked with me at the bar and wine waited the tables, serving Malcolm’s then comprehensive selection of imported and New Zealand wines, which were stored in a fabled “secret” cellar beneath the old bar. This was a great place for a sly slug from a returned half-full bottle of Liebestraum or some other wine of the day. Nearly all former staff members remember fondly the huge bowl of Bluff oysters which sat just inside the kitchen chiller. Malcolm himself would show

off by dipping in for a fistful now and then. So the cooks, kitchen hands, waitresses and bar staff alike decided the delicacies were fair game when work duties took them into or even near the chiller.

As Leigh Schroder confirms, these were “great times” both during and after hours at the Chalet Rendezvous with the young staff efficiently serving well over a 100 guests each night, often in the McArthur’s absence. Malcolm was an excellent and convivial host, larger than life at times and fastidious about providing excellent service in all respects to the hundreds of Gisborne and Wainui folk who flocked there not only to sample the fine menu but also to enjoy the festive, lively atmosphere of a restaurant operating at near full capacity. Many Friday and Saturday nights were fully booked with the Chalet sitting up to 160 diners.

A house band played throughout these years. Terry Sheldrake with Tama Koia and John Wilson were a three-piece called “Motion”. Sheldrake would play the piano on his own on quiet nights, but once the bookings got over 15 Malcolm would insist on calling in the full band. Later on the band was “Sapphire and Steel”, consisting of Graeme Swan, Kate Smart and Dein Ferris. The band boys and the waiting staff were easily persuaded to stick around for the after hours socialising which Malcolm generously and enthusiastically officiated over most nights. While Malcolm’s generosity and need for drinking company was eagerly taken advantage of, it was seldom outrightly abused.

However, assistant cook of the era, Ashley White, remembers a

The McARThuR eRA: Malcolm McArthur and Annette with staff members who managed the complex in their absence, Leigh Schroder and Megan Johnstone, in the early 1980s.

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particular night when Malcolm singled him out for an extended rum-drinking session with an unspoken challenge to see who would be the first to drop. One of the traditions of a Malcolm McArthur-binge was that the fellow-binger had to “shout”, which meant going to the bar to pour the free drinks. (The drinking sessions were held at the prep table in the kitchen out of view of passing traffic.) Unbeknownst to Malcolm, young Ashley was infamous on several continents for his binge-drinking exploits. Every time he set up the triple-shot rum-and-cokes for each “shout”, Ashley would help himself to a sneaky shot or two of “top shelf ” liqueur. Shortly before sunrise the proprietor collapsed snoring at the table. Ash went to the bar, put his feet up and enjoyed the sunrise while helping himself to further drinks from the top shelf before waking Malcolm up at 8.00am. “Don’t let Annette see me like this,” Malcolm mumbled, as Ashley carried his boss down the highway to his Moana Road flat, tucking him safely onto the couch, where a worried Annette found him later in the day.

On another occasion, being New Year’s eve night of 1983, bar and kitchen staff and members of the band, on Malcolm’s invite, stayed on drinking till the sun rose on New Year’s day. A spontaneous, naked, group exodus for a celebratory swim at the beach across the road occurred at sunrise. Meeting milkman Lex Gibson coming down Moana Road on dawn deliveries was funny enough until Malcolm made a late dash across to the beach and over the sand dunes, stark naked except for a bow tie.

Malcolm was legendary for these late night shenanigans but unfortunately they were not the best thing for a man with a dodgy liver. He was often in pain, sometimes very ill, spending time in hospital and at times had to go away on recovery vacations. During these absences the Chalet was at first entrusted to retired Wainui

businessman Win Ellis, who had been a great friend of Bill and Kath Lane and then the McArthurs. Later on Leigh Schroder and Megan Johnstone were given charge. They ran the ship admirably, including looking after Malcolm’s teenage son Trevor. However there was the odd night when there were no bookings and the girls would shut the doors to the public, wheel out the BBQ, put the call out and throw a grand private party for their wide and eager group of friends. Trevor and his high school mates were given access to the beer fridge and kept occupied with their own party upstairs.

The motel units were working well and even on week nights the bar was

busy entertaining the many sales reps who chose to stay in the units, most of whom would end up having late night drinking sessions with Malcolm and the chefs of the day. Front of house staff wore black and white, the wine waiters bow ties, the waitresses traditional Swiss-style uniforms, the chefs white hats. In the early McArthur years the kitchen was ruled by a highly-qualified Swiss chef who was largely responsible for the ongoing popularity of the restaurant.

Peter Britt had come to New Zealand in 1968 from Switzerland and first worked at the THC Wairakei resort. He discovered Gisborne on holiday and ended up some time later getting a full-time job with the McArthurs. He says it was just an amusing coincidence

that a Swiss cook ended up working at a “Swiss chalet” in New Zealand, but it certainly added to the appeal of the restaurant to be able to boast of an authentic, and highly-rated, Swiss chef. Manager Leigh Dawson remembers the McArthurs running a very fine establishment with the assistance of Peter Britt: “We had various elaborate set menus for corporate dinners, and a full a la carte menu. Peter Britt was a great chef.”

Other chefs from this era included Peter McNamarra and Dave Barron. Barron and Britt left

the Chalet at the end of 1982 to open Flambards in Childers Road. Other chefs were later employed, but possibly none measured up to the culinary flair of Peter Britt and the Chalet may have begun to lose its lustre after his departure.

Staff were amazed at one time when the man convicted, then later pardoned for the Crewe murders, began showing up at the Chalet. Malcolm had grown up with Arthur Allan Thomas and had been a big supporter of his retrial bids which led to the Royal Commission that found him innocent. Malcolm invited Thomas and his new wife to the Chalet on more than one occasion, to relax and possibly hide

MeL FunCTiOn: The never-before-published photograph the author took of Mel Gibson, pictured with director Roger Donaldson (right) and Tahitian actresses, which led to an infamous bar room brawl at the Chalet Rendezvous in 1983.

SWiSS MAiD: Megan Johnstone as Swiss waitress in the early ‘80s.

away from the limelight for a while. Leigh Dawson remembers him coming to stay: “He was very shy but really nice. The McArthurs were really good friends of his and he came and stayed quite a bit.” Ashley White says Malcolm once told him he had been the “bank roll” behind the Thomas retrial campaigns.

Another historic social occasion at the Chalet was the famous “wrap party” at the end of the filming in Gisborne of the movie “The Bounty”, directed by Roger Donaldson, starring Anthony Hopkins, Mel Gibson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Liam Neeson and a gang of other lesser known movie stars of the day. The Chalet connection began with one of the chefs of the time, Peter McNamarra of Makorori, catching up with Mel Gibson, who he had been to school with as a kid back in Sydney. Gibson started coming out to the Chalet for dinner most nights, bringing his wife Robyn and their children. Leigh would take the kids upstairs where they could watch TV until their parents were ready to go back to their accommodation in town. Along with being the best place in town to have a function at the time, this led to the “Bounty” hiring the Chalet for its end of film celebration. It was a famous affair with just about everyone involved in the filming – the stars, the local helpers and “extras” and even the local fire brigade (who had used their hoses to simulate a storm at Cape Horn) – turning up for an all-you-could-eat-and-drink Hollywood-style shindig. The big “do” was put together by Malcolm, Annette and staffees Leigh Schroder (Dawson) and Linda Foreman (Coultson).

This was the infamous occasion where this writer (who was working part-time at the Chalet at the time), sneakily gate-crashed the party through the back door. Mel Gibson, who knew I was a photographer for the local paper, decided I was an untrustworthy “paparazzi” and demanded that I leave. Attempting to placate the volatile actor to avoid eviction led to a classic bar-room brawl between myself and Gibson. Fists were thrown (none connected) and we ended up in a wrestlers’ clinch, crashing about the lounge bar, knocking over tables and chairs until the crowd jumped in and pulled us apart. Needless to say it was me and not Gibson who was tossed out the front door (by the treacherous local firemen!). This could also explain why I’ve never been to a Mel Gibson movie, despite his rapid rise to Hollywood super-stardom. Lethal what?

Leigh Dawson’s memory of that night is helping Malcolm in the kitchen stirring up gallons loads of maitai cocktails in plastic buckets. It was possibly the biggest party ever seen in Gisborne in terms of celebrity “who’s who”. It is believed others ended up facing the “Mad Max” side of Gibson’s personality as well that night.

Transient chefs, new restaurants in town, the new stringency of drink driving laws and Malcolm’s ongoing health and financial problems all contributed to the Chalet’s downturn from about 1984 on. In October of 1984 McArthur had to get away and leased the Chalet to a messrs Sims and O’Connor, two gay men from Auckland, ostensibly for a period of 16 years. A property in Mangere was part of the deal. Not much is known about this partnership as the couple stayed only a matter of months, the lease transferring in May of 1985. With the business up for lease the first McArthur years came to an end with Malcolm and Annette heading off to live in Auckland. Son Trevor had grown up to call Gisborne home and, after leaving school, stayed on in Gisborne. He now has his own family living at Wainui and is Service Manager for the Enterprise Motor Group.

ChAPTeR FiVe: no shrinking Violet

In 1985 Violet and Allan Foubister were a successful business couple living in Auckland. After three years OE, working and saving money in South Africa, they had a freehold Auckland

home, a boat and a bach at Piha. They had just sold a fruit and vegetable business at St. Lukes

shopping centre and Allan was trying out a new business installing Para Pools. However, they were restless and in need of a new adventure. After a visit to the Bay of Islands they caught the romantic dream of running a beachside holiday resort. As chance had it they saw an advertisement in the New Zealand Herald advertising the lease of the Chalet Rendezvous, so they came down to check it out.

They loved the beach but at first they turned down the prospective deal as the Chalet needed maintenance work and the deal offered

to them just “didn’t feel right”. But Malcolm McArthur was a persistent and compelling salesman. He pursued the couple in Auckland finally signing them into a lengthy lease, on May 25, 1985. Violet and Allan Foubister, both then aged 37, with little hospitality industry experience, sold their home and left Auckland with their 6-year-old daughter, Amanda, bound for Wainui Beach.

At first it was the realisation of the “romantic dream” , running the quaint, Swiss-style establishment overlooking the surf . “We were captivated,” says Vi. “We met such lovely people and were drawn by the energy of the place. Even though things later went very wrong, I think it was all supposed to happen.”

Things went awry from the very first week when one night, with the restaurant fully booked for the first time, the chefs didn’t show up. “It was a nightmare,” says Vi. “We kept a

straight face out front while there was absolute chaos in the kitchen, but somehow, with the waitressing staff pitching in, we got through.”

She also remembers the place being very run down and needing much maintenance. There were plumbing problems, recarpeting, rewiring – and the lease stated such things were the lessee’s responsibility. They put a “pile of money” into the business by enclosing and finishing off a swimming pool area Malcolm had started on the spare section next door and establishing an outdoor garden-bar overlooking the beach. They also redesigned the units increasing the number available from 8 to 13. Income from the motel units was crucial to keeping the business afloat. The rent was huge, but to make a go of it they were committed to putting things right, and eventually spent all their savings. They had sold their Auckland property to buy into the lease but steadfastly held on to their bach at Piha, which was later to prove fateful.

Things started to go really wrong when, in mid-1987, Allan Foubister nearly lost his foot in a lawnmowing accident. His recovery took nearly six months and during that year Vi could see the business going downhill. Their desperation to make ends meet led to a legendary era at the Chalet known as “Thursday Nights”. The restaurant licence meant they could serve people at the bar till the early hours as long as they had partaken in a substantial meal. So Vi advertised an “Italian Buffet” at $15 per head which started around 11pm each Thursday night after any regular evening diners had left. The idea was to attract the passing crowd, literally, vacating the nearby Tatapouri Hotel and looking for somewhere to “party on”.

AT The BAR: Allan Foubister in the mid ‘80s.


The concept caught on and the Chalet soon became the mecca for “night owls” from town as well as the nearby Tatapouri – the seaside pub enjoying an institutional “huge” Thursday night before the 11pm shutdown. Vi would regularly see the last of the revellers off the premises not far from sunrise.

One legendary night saw Todd Casella bring Herbs to the Chalet with Joe Walsh (ex Eagles) in tow. Through all the ups and downs Vi was a serene host, immaculately dressed, calm and polite, even when dealing with some of this town’s most prodigious “party animals”. During this era, on or about July 1, 1988, Allan Foubister drove himself to Auckland and took his own life at the Piha bach.

Shocked and bereft, Vi was left to trade on, trying to keep the place afloat. She says she could not have survived without the help of her staff, particularly Jill Simpson who took over looking after the books while Vi looked after front of house. She was also well supported by others including Sandy Kokiri, Christine Breingan, Carole Green and Chrisse Robertson.

The business carried on through to 1989 but eventually it became just too tough. One day, after she had paid all creditors, Vi tidied the place up, shut the doors and departed without looking back. “What happened after that I have no idea, I walked away and that was that,” she says.

While the Chalet days were done and dusted Vi could not break her ties with Gisborne. She had earlier started a loving friendship with charismatic Matawhero winemaker, Denis Irwin. They married and together they now run the Colosseum Restaurant and Bridge Estate caravan park at Matawhero.

ChAPTeR SiX: McArthur returns and gives Moodie the blues

During the Foubister lease period an Auckland builder and property investor named Neil Moodie came into the picture. In 1985 Malcolm McArthur bought an attractive

five-bedroom, harbour-view property Moodie owned at Hobsonville. As part of the deal McArthur provided a property he owned at Blackbridge, Mangere, as the deposit. McArthur had earlier taken this as part payment on the Chalet lease from the gay lessees, Sims and O’Connor. Moodie didn’t know it at the time, but this deal was to be the beginning of a decade long legal marathon involving mortgage battles, bank disputes and his eventual ownership of the Chalet Rendezvous.

In 1987, when McArthur needed to sell the Hobsonville property to meet mortgage repayments on the Chalet Rendezvous, Moodie ended up holding a $95,000 second mortgage on the Wainui property, then worth around $1-million. It was the beginning of a complex saga of caveats, mortgage transfers and an eventual mortgagee takeover of the property. This at a time in 1987 when mortgage interest rates had reached 18%.

After Vi’s sudden departure the Chalet was closed for a while

which drew the attention of the local press. The Gisborne Herald made enquiries and ran an article headlined, Future Uncertain for Gisborne’s Oldest Restaurant: “The fate of Gisborne’s oldest restaurant, the Chalet Rendezvous, a pioneer licensed restaurant in this country, hangs in the balance. It is understood the Chalet has been on the market for some months and is closed at present.”

McArthur was located in Auckland: “Mr McArthur confirmed he was open to offers for the Chalet but in the meantime he intended to open it for business again as soon as possible. The current tenant had left abruptly and the restaurant has to be open again as soon as possible to meet the license requirements. He said he would return to Gisborne to run the business himself, as he had done from the time he bought it in 1980 until 1984 when he leased it out.”

Like his namesake, McArthur did return, albeit briefly. The Chalet opened for business again in November of 1989, securing the services of a young Hong Kong-born chef, Stanley Choy. Sporting top credentials from London, and “direct from the Regent in Auckland”, Stanley “added an oriental touch to his classical French training and created a menu appropriate for Gisborne.”

The Chalet hung its shingle on its chef ’s shining star in 1990 when the Claridges-trained chef won the annual New Zealand Meat Producers Lamb Cuisine Award with a dish called “Chinese Lamb on Bone”, a traditional lamb-rack served with an oriental flavour.

The Gisborne Herald was moved to write: “To have reopened in trying conditions, to have raised the standard to what it once was and earn not only a Lamb Cuisine Award, but also a Taste New Zealand Award, in just over six months, is evidence enough of the McArthur’s reputation for providing only the best to patrons.” The Herald went on: “It brings a return to the magic that past patrons of the Chalet Rendezvous remember so well. With Malcolm and Annette McArthur back to welcome diners once more, the crowds are slowly flocking back. With a shuttle bus service on offer from town to Wainui every night there is no excuse not to travel the extra distance.”

Nelson Gooding, who owned Fettuccine Brothers at the time and also employed Stanley Choy, says: “Stan the Man was a real character, a Chinese with a cockney accent. He’d have five tea towels hanging off his belt and a pint of beer in his hand at all times.”

While the press reports gave an impression of the Chalet getting back up to speed, the McArthur’s finances must have been in some jeopardy at this time. Title deeds show the Chalet taking out mortgages with various banks and finance companies during the ‘89-‘93 period.

In 1989, with a vested interest in keeping the business going, Neil Moodie took over a fourth mortgage which, combined with a second mortgage from the Hobsonville property deal, was giving him a big stake in the McArthur-owned property. Moodie ended up in a dispute with the Westpac Bank over who held the first mortgage (and also the National Bank over a security for around $40,000 they

The LOnG hAuL: Auckland property investor neil Moodie, who spent a decade protecting his investment in the Chalet Rendezvous, pictured outside the restaurant in 1994.

had given to McArthur over the Chalet’s chattels, which the bank later seized and put in storage). Moodie, who was trying to organise a mortgagee sale, vehemently disputed the legality of this. Without any furnishings or kitchen equipment the Chalet could not be sold at a realistic price, an auction was aborted and the business was forced to cease operating for a period of nearly two years from 1992. In 1993 Moodie called a meeting with Westpac and National Bank representatives, sorted out the chattels dispute and gained the right to step in to run the business as mortgagee in possession. He structured a deal with Westpac to take over McArthur’s first mortgage and then took over the title, thus ending the McArthur eventful ownership of the Chalet Rendezvous.

The chattels were returned but numerous items were alledgedly missing or had been ruined. But despite the obstacles Moodie set about refurbishing and re-establishing the Chalet as a going concern. In early ‘93 Moodie put a manager into the business and entrusted a Gisborne accountant to look after the finances and generally keep an eye of the place while he returned to his affairs in Auckland. Moodie says the observant accountant drove by one night and noticed the back motel units had their lights on all night with cars coming and going till the early hours. The accountant also knew there was no money coming in from rental of the units.

Moodie says: “When I was alerted to this, I drove down the next day and went into the office while the manager was out and printed off the telephone records for the back units and saw that there were hundreds of calls being made. When the manager returned I confronted him about the mystery phone calls from the ‘empty’ units. At first there was denial but he eventually came clean about the sort of ‘profession’ he was running from the rooms, after which he was quickly shown to the door.”

Moodie reluctantly stayed on to get the business going again, while looking around for someone to lease the Chalet on so he could return to his wife and his retirement in Whangaparaoa. In late ‘93 he leased the building and business for a first term of four years to Grant Kennedy and Greg Ginn, the latter a former Gisborne man who had returned from some time living overseas. When Kennedy pulled out, Ginn then invited in Ross “Charley” McLeod.

In 1993 local girl Debbie Wooster was working as a conference and wedding planner in Melbourne when she got a call from Charley asking her to come home to manage the running of the Chalet. Debbie was flown home, given accommodation at the Chalet and made a concerted effort at marketing the restaurant back to its former glory. Fine dining and quality service was once again the promise made to Gisborne diners. Lunch being served from 11am to 2pm and dinner from 6pm to 10pm. Debbie worked for nine months before

leaving for a new job at the Wigwam Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. During this time and after her departure the Chalet became more

and more a local club house for Greg, Charley and their wide and colourful group of salubrious friends. Eventually Ginn and McLeod made a departure from the Okitu address and Moodie was forced to return to Gisborne once again to sort the place out.

Not long after this era Grant Kennedy died and Charley McLeod was killed. Debbie Wooster currently works at the Kaiti YMCA in Gisborne. Greg Ginn runs a business in Australia.

The sudden closure of the restaurant and Moodie’s subsequent arrival back in town was noted by the Gisborne Herald. An optimistic caption of Moodie standing outside the Chalet read: “Chalet rendezvous owner Neil Moodie of Auckland says the latest setback to the complex is a challenge. He aims to have the business running better than it was before.” The article went on to say: “The Chalet has had a chequered history with several changes of management and lessees in the past few years coupled with a number of closures.” Moodie said: “I would like to see the business established on a sound basis. It’s a fantastic location. All it needs is the right operator. I hope the future will be brighter than it has been. I hope it will change its downward course.”

Moodie spent 1994 and 1995 at the Chalet running the restaurant and the motel units himself, calling in chefs as needed. He remembers catering for several wedding receptions and large functions during this period: “I had some real good people helping me out. Everyone enjoyed themselves and had a real good time.”

In 1996 local lads Riwai Williams and Takapuna Mackie approached Moodie, worked out a deal and bought the Chalet Rendezvous. However, by leaving money in as vendor finance, Neil Moodie’s fun and games with the Chalet were not completely over.

ChAPTeR SeVen: Tropical ambrosia and a wild west show

Sensing the need for a change, the Chalet’s new owners, former policeman and keen body builder Williams and martial arts exponent Mackey rebranded the Chalet as the Pacific Reef

Resort. Ironically this writer, in my role as a graphic designer, created the new logo for the “resort”. In its optimistic marketing the Pacific Reef boasted “a newly decorated licensed restaurant suggesting a theme reminiscent of palm swept beaches and tropical ambrosia.” Guests were invited to “step back in time at the Western Bar to relax, meet new friends and enjoy the full bar facilities.”

The Western-themed bar was a contentious issue at the time. The bar at the Chalet, long popular with the local drinking subculture, was seen as a potential source of extra revenue but needed a makeover after the Ginn-McLeod era. Riwai Williams remembers: “At first we had an idea of opening a bar for the locals with a Western theme due to the Mexican hacienda look that the bar already had. However the

locals let us know strongly that they didn’t want this.”

For the next three years the Pacific Reef continued to operate as a restaurant and motel business, providing a venue for dining out, weddings, family functions and corporate events.

However district council zoning changes loomed on the horizon and Williams could see troubles ahead:

nineTieS STyLe: An advertisement from the Photo news in October of 1993 introducing hosts Charley Mcleod, Debbie Wooster and Greg Ginn.


“At this time the property was over an acre and I think the only property at Wainui at the time still zoned rural. When we got notice from the council that the property was about to be rezoned to residential we knew this meant a huge increase in our rates. After doing a subdivision costing we closed down the Pacific Reef as a business and began subdividing the property into seven (residential) blocks, one which contained the old Chalet building. This was sold to Don and Jenny Wilson as a private residence. Don and Jenny were caregivers from Hamilton, although Don was originally from Gisborne and used to play soft ball for Richardson’s Mill. The front set of units were sold and moved to Mangapapa and converted into flats. The units at the back I retained, had Taylors lift them and I renovated them into a private residence where my family and I lived for a further 18 months and then sold.”

When the subdivision work got underway Moodie as a mortgagee stepped in again and by the time the sections were sold off he was finally able to get his money back and say goodbye to the Chalet Rendezvous. Moodie summarises: “Looking back over the ten years or more I was involved with the Chalet, well, it didn’t do me any harm. It gave me a lot of experiences I wouldn’t have had otherwise. When I first took on the second mortgage (with McArthur) my solicitor warned me about getting involved, he said I could lose everything. But I just dug my toes and went for it and eventually rode it out and at the end of it all I’ve come out all right.”

Neil Moodie is now 75, retired and living at Whangaparaoa with his wife Shirley. Malcolm McArthur worked in real estate in Auckland and later the Bay of Plenty. He died from a heart attack at Papamoa on October 28, 1997, aged 58. Annette McArthur still lives at Papamoa. Riwai Williams went to the United States to work as a long-haul truck driver. He then moved to Perth where he is a supervisor of Transit Officers who manage the policing of Western Australia Public Transport Authority property. Taka Mackey went to Iraq to work in private security.

ChAPTeR eiGhT: The surf lodge and the Argentinian occupation

Briefly in 1998 the Chalet was bought and used as a private home by Rotorua couple Donald and Jennifer Wilson. At this point, after the subdivision, the Chalet property had become

just the road front section with the original chalet-style building. The Wilsons were IHC caregivers who, with children of their own, saw the former Chalet as an ideal place to look after a large extended family. Fourteen months later they sold the property and moved on.

Tony and Jude Harbott came to Gisborne from Dunedin in 1983. They lived in Russell Street for several years but when the opportunity arose to buy the Chalet from the Wilsons in 1999, which meant a shift out to the beach, they seized the moment. With five bedrooms upstairs and plenty of room for bunks down stairs they soon established the concept of a boutique backpackers lodge and so the Chalet Rendezvous morphed into the Chalet Surf Lodge. On its website it was described: “Set by the sea and backed by the hills, the Chalet Surf Lodge has a range of accommodation facilities from unique backpackers accommodation to our lodge, where most of the rooms have a view of the Pacific Ocean and a large roof deck from which to catch the sunrise.”

The Harbotts ran the Chalet Surf Lodge for five years, it went so well they eventually became crowded out by the backpackers. So when another opportunity arose, they purchased the semi-completed house at the rear of the Chalet which was still owned by Riwai Williams. During their time with the Lodge they were regularly visited by the Kiwi Experience bus and other free and independent travellers making their way to Gisborne. In a Gisborne Herald article from the time Tony Harbott said: “People had been asking what has been going on with the Chalet recently. Now it has new life offering funky accommodation to travellers from all over the world.”

Retaining the property at the rear of the Chalet Tony Harbott says: “It was a very special place, we loved it there and so many of the backpackers reckon it was the best place they’d ever stayed at.”

BACKPACKeRS’ BuS STOP: in recent years the Chalet has been run successfully as a backpacker lodge.

Windmill mystery continuesIt is becoming more evident that there were in fact two windmills

built on the beachfront at Wainui during the early years of last century. Old windmill photos sent in and unearthed from various

sources make it obvious that there was a larger and a smaller windmill and they appear to have been built at separate ends of the beach.

The smaller of the windmills (pictured right), which has a wind shelter structure protecting a wood-cutting bench saw, seems mostly likely to have been the first of the windmills and most likely erected on the Wairere Road sand dunes. A caption attached to this photograph from a national magazine states: “One of New Zealand’s first recyclers is how Mrs D. Goodhue of Auckland, describes her grandfather Frederick Ottaway. Frederick built this windmill out of flattened kerosene tins on Wainui Beach, near Gisborne. The photograph was taken in 1895 although the windmill remained a landmark for many years after that. When times were lean Frederick would cut up driftwood to sell for firewood and grind maize into flour.”

A Photo News caption accompanying a photograph of the larger windmill states: “Mr Frederick Charles Ottway built this windmill around 1917 on the seaward side of the road and opposite the present Chalet Rendezvous. It was built from timber and flattened kerosene tins and stood for some time after the death of its owner. It was used for grinding flour, cutting wood and appeared on marine charts at the time as a navigational aid.”

BeachLife is assuming that Ottaway built his first and smaller windmill on the vacant dunes along Wairere Road some time before 1895, long before any subdivision of the area. He may have then needed to dismantle his windmill after the Wairere Road dunes were developed for subdivision by the then landowner William Cooper in 1903. However, it wasn’t until the 1930s that baches started being built so Ottaway would have had plenty of time to move on. This writer therefore guesses that Ottaway, who is seen as a much older man in the large windmill photos, shifted his makeshift operation to the uninhabited sand dunes along Moana Road some time before 1917, and using the same kerosene tin technique, built a second and larger

WinDMiLL #2: A second, larger windmill that remained on the dunes along Moana Road until the 1940s.

iS ThiS WAiReRe ROAD?: A photograph of the first and smaller windmill. The hill shapes behind look like the view towards the Lysnar Street valley.

WinDMiLL #1: Frederick Ottaway beside the smaller of two windmills he built at Wainui from around 1895.

windmill. Early William Crawford photos of the Wainui beachfront show no sign of a windmill there around 1908. There is no archived mention of Ottaway being given permission by W.D. Lysnar, who then owned the Moana Road dunes.

Elder Wainui resident Keith Redstone says he can remember the windmill along Moana Road. He is sure it was on the high point of the dunes a little north of where Douglas Street meets the highway. He and his friends used to cycle out from Gisborne around 1939 and would explore the then ramshackle old windmill which was surrounded by boxthorn, the ground littered with broken bottles. He thinks it was finally dismantled during the war. Keith says he once spoke to Mary Lysnar, formerly of Lysnar Street, who confirmed there had been two windmills built by Ottaway. The first being opposite the entrance to Ocean Park.

However, we would still like to find more about Ottaway. Where did he live? Was he a squatter? Did he have family? The mention of his grand daughter, Mrs D. Goodhue of Auckland, is a clue that someone may be able to follow. The “Mystery of the Windmills” file is still open and BeachLife is keen to find out more.

beach history


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initiative supports humanitarian projects in Africa

BEADS FOR HUMANITY: Sara Trafford with a boy from Mkwiro village in Kenya. Sarah now lives at Makorori where she continues her humanitarian work for African communities.

Makorori beach’s Sara Trafford raises money for African communities in Kenya and Uganda through a project of her own initiative called HumanityBeads.

HumanityBeads is a company Sara founded when she returned from Africa in November 2007 to raise money and create a market for products made by African women by distributing, selling and assembling bead necklaces, bracelets, earrings and loose beads that have a humanitarian story behind them.

Originally from Gisborne, Sara lived and worked in Africa for five years, mostly in community development and wildlife research in Kenya and South Africa.

Sara sources beads from several community groups which in turn support other projects and initiatives. In Uganda she sources simple beads made from recycled magazines. The women in the community groups she buys from have either been affected by HIV, or by the war with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) which left nearly two million people homeless.

By making beads women are able to afford life saving drugs to combat HIV, to buy bicycles to help children get to school and to pay for their further education.

Sara also sources beautiful and more up-market ceramic beads from a Fair Trade Federation certified organisation in Kenya, which employs and supports over 100 solo mothers.

Profits raised from both the Ugandan sales and the Kenyan sales also help Sara to support community initiatives in the Kenyan village of Mkwiro where she lived and worked for two years. In Mkwiro, there is no electricity, phone access, roads, medical practitioner, running water or even fresh water available.

If people are interested in buying bead products, or the recent addition of African printed aprons, they can either contact Sara and make an appointment to view the beads at her home in Makorori, or simply drop by if they are out at the beach (13A Makorori, phone 0210 26 88 282, or 867 66 13). Her next general open day to view the beads will be Sunday 16th August from 10.00am to 3.00pm– write it in your diary so you don’t miss out!

It’s not until you work with people awhile that you realize just what talents people hold, some of the amazing achievements they have made, how hard

they train to meet their goals and where or what they need to do to get there. So I thought it timely to share an achievement of a young aspiring Wainui teenager, Lana Phillips.

15-year-old Lana, eldest daughter of Maria and Sam Phillips – and oldest sister to Eden, Keely and Max – is one of New Zealand’s aspiring young dancers. One to watch for in the future.

Lana went to primary school at Wainui, followed by Ilminister Intermediate and is now at Gisborne Girls High school. At the end of her high school education her future goal is to become a full-time contemporary dancer at the New Zealand School of Dance, and she dreams of dancing professionally for the New Zealand Ballet Company. This a dream that she is well on the way to achieving and has been focused on for the past 11 years.

Lana began dancing at age four and locally is a dance student at the Nadine Antoinette School of Dance. She first started with ballet, jazz, hip-hop and now majors in contemporary dance. Currently Lana is “Grade 8 Advanced 1”, trains about seven times per week and often more when it’s time for competitions.

Lana was accepted from more than 150 other dance students around New Zealand to join the New Zealand School Of Dance Junior Associates. A rigourous weekend audition, lots of hard work and determination is required before dancers are accepted. This is a programme run by the New Zealand Ballet Company and requires Lana to travel to Wellington once a term for weekends of intensive classes and sometimes up to seven times per year. She is also required to attend Master Classes with the New Zealand Ballet Company when they are on tour. These intensive training classes test dancers on classical training, point work, flexibility, freedom of movement, not to mention determination, focus, responsibility, organization and self-discipline.

Lana’s travel expenses to Wellington are covered by local sponsorship thanks to her Dad, and in her spare time Lana happily serves customers and rolls many icecreams at the Okitu Store which she fits around training and school work.

On June 12th Lana participated in an educational training class with Stacy White from the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company, and is one of the very few in New Zealand who has been nominated to perform in October for the National Young Performer of the year awards down in Invercargill.

Quiet by nature, with a bubbly personality, gorgeous looks and a lovely smile, Lana quietly keeps to herself, yet is a rising star on her way to great success. Definitely a local to watch out for in the future.

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DAnCinG STAR: Lana Phillips at the local Festival of Performing Arts last year. Photo by Stephen Jones.

our kids


If you are a frequenter of the Gisborne early morning flea market, then you’ll recognise Wainui lad Aaron Harding. Aaron is the polite, obliging, easy-going Down Syndrome boy who works

diligently at his parents’ fruit and vegetable stall every Saturday morning.

This is a story about Aaron, but it’s also about his parents, Ivan and Lois Harding, and his sisters Louise and Sarah. Because Aaron’s 27 years to date is very much about his family. How they’ve brought him up to be a really nice, thoughtful and caring young man. How they’ve worked the system to give him a relatively normal life and how they love him dearly.

It was a week after Aaron was born on September 16, 1982, that the Moana Road couple, realised something was not quite right with their new baby boy. When they found out it was Down Syndrome they were at first devastated. They new nothing about the condition. It was all new and what was ahead of them was unknown. Today we can search the internet, but in 1982 Lois and Ivan could only call the local IHC for advice. Someone came out to talk to them and the options for Aaron’s care were explained.

In those days many parents, who decided they couldn’t cope with caring for a Down Syndrome baby, would apply to have their child adopted or fostered at birth. The only other option was to take your baby home and, left to your own devices, bring him or her up as best you could. The Hardings decided on the latter option, and made a commitment to themselves to raise Aaron just as they would any other child.

Although IHC offered great support, the Hardings say they were pretty much left to work things out for themselves. Down Syndrome was first described in detail by an English doctor, John Langdon Down, in 1866. It is a congenital condition which randomly affects about one in every 1000 babies born throughout the world, male and female alike. The New Zealand Down Syndrome Association says it is a life-long condition that causes delays in learning and development caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21 inside each of the body’s cells. It is a chromosomal accident, not caused by anything the parents may have done before or during pregnancy.

In a previous era Down children were often put into group care at special homes or institutions. Today people with Down Syndrome are seen as viable members of the community and all efforts are made to provide them with just enough care so they can live active and independent lifestyles.

The Association website says the outlook for children born with Down Syndrome has improved greatly over the past generation: “It is best to not base perceptions on out-dated information, or on the lives of older adults who have not had today’s levels of health care and early intervention.”

Lois and Ivan were already thinking this way in 1982. They decided to treat Aaron as they would a normal little boy. On a list of priorities for Aaron’s upbringing the first was that he taught to be sociable; to behave acceptably so as not to be an embarrassment to his family. This meant applying the usual discipline and behavioural guidance they would to their other children.

Aaron looks forward to every day

our kids

MARKET VALUE: Wainui’s Aaron Harding is a well-known character at the Gisborne Saturday morning flea markets. Despite being born with Down Syndrome Aaron leads a full and productive life and is a real testimony to the work his parents have put in to give him a normal existence.

As Aaron grew up he at first went to the Tony Singer IHC pre-school, and then to an early special needs integration programme at the Knox Street Kindergarten which was attached to Elgin School.

When he reached school-ag he first went to Kahutia Special School but then at his parent’s insistence became an inaugural member of the first “satellite” class for special needs children to be part of a normal school, based at Riverdale. Then followed two years in a special class at Gisborne Intermediate. Later he followed big sister Louise to Campion College which was a first for the local high school where, with a teacher’s aid, he attended normal classes. While at Campion he achieved the Duke of Edinburgh Award bronze award. Through his school years, with his parents fighting for his rights, Aaron was one of the pioneers of Down Syndrome integration into normal schooling.

When he left school at 17, the Hardings faced another decision. The only real option going was a job at the IHC workshop, but Ivan decided to take him into the family butchery business at Elgin. And here Aaron has worked pretty much every day, helping in all sorts of ways from packing the shelves to serving customers, for 10 years. When the Hardings branched into fruit and vegetables and began setting up a regular stall at the Alfred Cox Park fleamarket, Aaron was once again part of the team. On Friday nights he helps Ivan pack up the horse float ready for the 5.30am start on Saturday morning.He helps set up the stall and serves customers, many who have got to know him and always offer a “hello”. While he has difficulty with numbers in general, he has learned to give basic change when customers hand over their five and ten dollar notes.

Recently the Hardings decided he needed to start to make a life of his own, so he now works two days in the Elgin shop and goes to Vanessa Lowndes for the other three days. Here he is making friends and broadening his view on life. And it’s a busy life. Aaron also goes to the Kaiti YMCA gym three mornings a week, where Carl Cairns is his personal trainer. Aaron has been working out with Carl for over a year now which is helping keep his weight under control and give him general fitness and strength (see caption story on this page).

Around 2002 Aaron went to Disneyland. With sister Louise a steward on Air New Zealand, a cheap fare was organised but Aaron set about paying for it himself from the proceeds of a road side stall outside the family home selling rock melons. Late last year Aaron went on a course at Outward Bound. He’s also completed an underwater diving course.

While he was at Outward Bound Lois and Ivan went on a driving tour around the South island and realised it was the first time they had been on their own for nearly 30 years. This has made them concerned about finding more independence for Aaron as they get older. They have in mind to buy him his own house sometime soon, where he can have flatmates of his own choice, live his own life and have access to recreational and social facilities available in town. For most Wainui parents the routine of driving the kids to town and picking them up again eventually comes to an end, but Lois and Ivan have been doing the “ride into town thing” for over three decades.

Aaron looks a little sad when leaving home is mentioned, but brightens up when his mum explains how good he already is at cooking and looking after himself in general. Ivan knows it will be hard for him too, as he admits Aaron, who pretty much goes everywhere with him, is in fact his best friend.

Aaron took part in the interview, mostly agreeing with his parents comments, and sometimes not. Quietly spoken, a little shy, open and honest and always eager to help out Aaron is pretty much a “poster boy” for Down Syndrome. Lois says he gets up nearly every morning and says, “I’m really looking forward to today.” Cheers Aaron!

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AWARDeD FOR eFFORT: Working with special needs clients like Aaron harding has earned Kaiti yMCA personal trainer Carl Cairns the prestigious “Leading By example” award within the national yMCA organisation. 35-year-old Carl, who is married to Rosie (formerly hansen of Makorori) and lives in Douglas Street, received the award for his work in developing and running fitness programmes for people with disabilities. his philosophy is that people with special needs, which includes people injured in accidents, have equal rights to belong to fitness centres and have everyday use of equipment. Carl has been working in the fitness industry for 10 years and is now based at the Gisborne yMCA. he is not only a personal trainer for special needs people but also for several elite athletes in our community. Carl won the 2009 “Leading By example” award ahead of two organisation chief executives and the Auckland area fitness co-ordinator, who were also short-listed. For more information about personal training phone Carl on 021 722 323.

Carl takes top award


Okitu Store Winter Report 2009

Winter Hours: Monday to Saturday: 7.00am to 7.00pm

Sunday: 7.30am to 7.00pm

Phone 06 867 7013

Winter sport keeps us motivated at the Okitu Store

Why is it that many Gisborne folk often hibernate in

winter only braving warmer days to venture out . The

winter blues at Wainui – not at the Okitu Store!

The sea and sky is still blue, we really don’t have a lot to be

moaning about considering it’s absolutely freezing and summer

is over. Winter in Wainui is often cold and windy. Turn up those

heaters and stoke up those fires, tis’ a time for thermals, beanies,

full-length wetsuits and where only the bravest of surfers venture

into the colder waters (or holiday where warmer surf welcomes).

However we have to embrace the winter and with it the winter

sports that we love to take part in – and admire the many

dedicated parents who stand on the sidelines supporting and

cheering along their children, whom are often in less clothing than

those of their supporters.

Yes, winter is a time where the training gets harder and the

motivation to train or play sports is harder still. No-one really

wants to get out of bed early on a winter morning do they? So this

edition I thought I’d ask how many of our staff actually play winter

sports and I was mildly surprised to find that all of them take part

in a sport during winter. Who said sports was dying code? This is

what I found.

Matt Cooper plays rugby, hockey and indoor volleyball for

Campion College. Jacob Leaf plays rugby for Pirates and

basketball for Ilminister. Kimberley and Karyn Egan both play

hockey for Campion and do gymnastics. Izis Weatherhead

plays netball for Campion College and dancing all year round.

Kim Dreifuss plays hockey for Campion College and Kia Toa and

dancing all year round. Amanda Humphries plays soccer and

rowing for Gisborne Girls High School. Katy Humphries plays

netball and rowing for Gisborne Girls High School. Lana Phillips

and Bree Dobbie both do dancing all year round. Chy Start-Walter

plays netball and does hip-hop dancing

Gary Quinn surfs all year round. I surf only when it’s warm and

coach gymnastics and am one of the many parents that scream

support from the sideline at hockey, even if I have to wear ski-gear

and gumboots sometimes, and if injury allowed I would be doing a

whole lot more.

So yes, we supportively adjust the roster to suit our Okitu Store

Sporting Team and the hot food, hot chocolates, and hot coffees

are always ready for the players and parents of Wainui players

after a bitterly cold morning of sports whom, like creatures of

habit, continue to do this year in and year out lovingly.

Winter at Wainui, ah yes, keeping warm is about keeping

motivated, get out and watch our young Wainui kids playing sports

and enjoy the warmth we can provide for you afterwards at the

Okitu Store!

maRyanne

We have a wide range of just about everything!

P 867 1684 W www.surfboards.net.nz

Winter! What a drag of a winter it’s been so far, absolutely horrifyingly cold and wet. The chill started in May and we kind of skipped that Indian summer that often rolls

on through autumn. This year we have been hammered by an endless succession of lows dropping out of the Pacific’s southwest delivering E-SE winds and plenty of precipitation.

Loads of rain also means loads of swell, the likes of which have drastically altered the contours of our beachfront. Beach users have been cut off at Pines by a completely new landscape of rocks and crevices. Thousands of cubic meters of sand from both ends of Wainui beach have been moved out to sea or down the coast somewhere.

Between squalls of wind and rain there have definitely been windows of opportunity for Wainui surfers. With the swell being regularly way overhead and tending E-SE there have been some hollow waves around for the keen. The creek outlet at the Surf Club has, at times, resembled a river and has formed some good sandbars responsible for several broken boards and bodies.

As for the water temperature, well its very cold this winter 14 degrees officially on the surf2surf website – but I’m sure its been colder than that. Judging by the amount of rubber being worn by local surfers it’s probably one of the coldest winters for a long while. Full winter suits, boots, hoods and in some cases gloves are all being

used more than ever leading me to ponder three important questions. Is improving wetsuit technology making local surfers softer? Is the globe really warming? And does buying a pair of booties pay for itself over the winter with reduced wax use? Now that wax is $5.00 a block!

I had a plan this winter to wear a thinner wetsuit as long as I could and go to a proper winter suit later to trick myself into thinking it was warm out there. I was holding out in a very good 2/3 Xcel steamer

wave rave

Top surfers ride hot waves at our beach

BIG FRIDAY: For a community that revolves around surfing, it was certainly a red-letter day at Wainui when two of the world’s top surfers turned up for a surf at the local beach. The kids thronged at “No Access” and the two Aussies were just too happy to sign autographs on just about anything presented to them, including a number of foreheads. Joel Parkinson, 28, is the current number one surfer on the ASP World Tour and Mark Occhilupo, 43, was world champion in 1999. Above: The Aussie stars head out for a surf with local legends Bobby Hansen and Maz Quinn. BELOW: Parko prepares for one on the head.


until mid July and have only just got a brand new Xcel 4/3 Superflex and with some Xcel thermo barrier booties I am now able to sit around out there enjoying the dark clouds and waiting for good waves rather than paddling around in an effort to stay warm.

I got a call from the Gisborne Herald asking me to write an article and interview two professional surfers who were coming to Gisborne for just one day in late May to put on a surfing display and sign autographs. Occy was one of my childhood hero’s, my brother and I used to watch him surf on VCR in mum’s full length mirror just so we could picture him surfing in a natural foot stance like us. Parko is the current World Championship Tour leader and could quite possibly be this year’s World Surfing Champion.

Corona, major sponsor of Surfing New Zealand and the Corona Crown Series, had organised the Occy-Parko tour which began in Piha on Wednesday May 27th, followed by a visit to the Coromandel on Thursday before flying to Gisborne to catch the tail end of a strong south-easterly swell on offer here.

The idea behind the tour was to get the surfers to the best waves on offer anywhere in New Zealand and to provide a world-class free-surfing display and the signing of autographs on the beach afterwards.

A crowd of over 150 spectators turned up to “No Access Surf Break” at Wainui to witness Parko and Occy’s surfing display and no-one was disappointed. The pair, along with New Zealand’s top surfers and Gisborne locals Bobby Hansen, Maz Quinn, Blair Stewart, Daniel Procter, James Fowell and Clint Daily lit up the waves with an intense and memorable surfing session.

Occhilupo said, while signing countless Gisborne grommets memorabilia, that these were easily the best waves they had on their visit to New Zealand. He had visited the district last year and left with great impressions and was very keen to get back. Occy also commented on Maz Quinn’s surfing ability saying: “He looked easily one of the best out there today.”

As far as the local kids were concerned it was Parko who left the most lasting impression. Kids from primary through to high school

were screaming from the dunes as Parko pulled into some thick and ledgey Wainui barrels. Both Parko and Occy live on the Gold Coast of Australia with their families and young children and their affiliation and patience with the young Gisborne surfers was brilliant.

As far as I was concerned Occy is still the man. He epitomises a true surfing legend having experienced the extreme highs of a young professional surfer in the eighties before bowing out with depression, drug and obesity issues. Occy rebounded with a popular and fabled comeback to professional surfing in the mid nineties, building up to an incredible and possibly the most talked about World Title win ever in 1999. Occy was humble, very easy to talk to and didn’t mind signing my poster as we talked. (Of course, my poster was for my oldest son’s bedroom. )

Give Adam Grimson a big pat on the back next time you see him in the surf or on the beach. He surfed his way into third place in the under-14 division at The Rusty Gromfest at Lennox Head in Australia in July. This is a solid result for the young Wainui ripper as these events draw the best Australasian surfers in each age group. Jayda Martin-Fitzharris was another Gisborne finalist in the under 14 girls division at another event on the Gold Coast in the school holidays.

Tommy Dalton down at the Boardroom has a great winter sale on now that’s worth a mention. If you’re thinking about ordering a new longboard or mini-mal for the summer do it now. If you order in July or August you get a boardbag to fit for free!

Tommy has some new Placebo and Herbie Fletcher Flexlite surfboards arriving in September just in time for spring. These will be available in some all-new models and all the old favorites as well. Some of the new models include Rocket Fishes and 7’6” and 8’0” Herbie Fletcher Mini-mals. There are also some new models of the very popular MR and Lost shortboards arriving with this spring shipment. These all look very sharp and could complete your quiver ensuring you are prepared for all conditions.

Ray Dalton (Aardee) has been back in the shaping bay this winter producing some new models of longboard and mini-mals for the summer and these look good too. These boards are very well priced.

With all the new stock arriving over the next few months the Boardroom is filling up fast so make sure you get down and at least have a browse through the racks. You will notice some extra flair in the artwork available on your new surfboard as Jason the new sprayer is creating some really exciting designs. Of course, Meady’s artwork is still available too but he’s away on an extended vacation in Indonesia but will be back sometime soon.

Finally, current New Zealand Longboard surfing champion Daniel Proctor and last year’s Open Mens’ National Champion Jay Quinn are the only Gisborne surfers selected to represent New Zealand at the ISA World games in Costa Rica in July and August. Proctor is raising money for his trip by running surfing competitions and other fund raising ventures around town. If you can help Daniel to Costa Rica with a small donation he would really appreciate it.

• Flight bookings• Package holidays and accommodation• Cruises & tours• Surfing holidays• Adventure & sightseeing• Rental Cars & Travel Insurance See Brett Papworth for travel advice.37 Bright Street, Gisborne, Phone 868 2700

8 MURDOCH ROAD PHONE 06 863 3604CELL 027 6496021 [email protected]

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n e W S u m m e R C O l l e C t i O n S i n - S t O R e n O W

When friends or family come to visit, give them the best room at the beach

W oceanbeach.co.nz E [email protected] T 06 868 6186

Wainui Beach HideawayThe Cottage & The Bach

Two unique beach bach cottages in a very private bush surrounded location just 400m from the beach

Hideaway Cottage is a 100-year-old lovingly restored shearer’s quarters,

with polished natural native timbers throughout. Sleeps five. Two ensuites.

Hideaway Bach is a classic self-contained New Zealand bach with a

queen-bedroom and fold out couch. Modern bathroom and shower. Both

self-contained with all modern facilities. Sunny, bush garden setting with

decks and outdoor furniture. Short and long term holiday rental options.

Enquiries to Clive DeanPhone 06 867 3269 or 021 027 [email protected]

unwind in style and comfort at wainui beach reservations 0800 25 0800

Relax in our large, individually-styled one or two bedroom luxury apartments or spacious studio suites.

2 Bedroom Apartments > sleep 1-6 1 Bedroom Apartments > sleep 1-4

Executive Studio & Spa Suites > sleep 1-2

46 | BeachLife

Ray White MREINZ

Gisborne property Shop Ltd MREINZTel: (06) 867 0060 Fax: (06) 867 0064

468 Gladstone Road [email protected]

www.rwgisborne.co.nz phone 06 867 0060

1 2 3

Ray White Works Phone Ray White TODAY for Real Estate

Principal OfficersDiane Ritchie AREINZ 0800 342 663Christine Gunness AREINZ 0800 536 306

Our team has the experience to make it happen ....

STEP ONTO THE SANDOne of the widest frontages on the Wainui

Beachfront this property has 180 degree

sea and beach views. Step right onto the

beach from your front yard. Architecturally

designed with stylish decking this home.

Vendor is keen to sell and is prepared

to meet the market - so you have a rare

opportunity to invest in something special

here. This home could be the bargain of the

year at Wainui.

By negotiation View by appointmentrwgisborne.co.nz ID# GIS20215Diane Ritchie 027 444 1073 or 0800 342 663

APARTMENT LUXURYA rare opportunity to purchase one of

these stylish three-bedroomed apartments

situated in one of the most sought after

complexes in Gisborne. Live the high life

taking in stunning harbour views, fabulous

sunsets and uninterrupted views of Young

Nicks Head while entertaining on your

deck. All the gardens and swimming pool

is looked after for you - time to relax and

enjoy life!

For sale $799,000View by appointmentrwgisborne.co.nz ID# GIS20220Christine Gunness021 536 306 or 0800 342 663

If you’re looking at a lifestyle decision, we have the solutions ...

Walker realty Wainui DemonsWainui SportS Club

like to join them? Give Dion Williams a call on 027 221 9419.

“... we love being part of this community.”

these local legends are just beach boys at heart

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