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COROMANDEL LIFE
SPRING 2013
moons, Mars and Venus. The space station
crossing the sky is a spectacular sight, day or
night, visible to the naked eye.
Reference materials and books are available
for purchase along with planispheres, easy
to assemble spectroscope kits, binoculars,
small telescopes, green laser pointers, etc
- all selected to enhance your stargazing
adventure. Or order from the website and do
some viewing at home.
WHAT’S ON IN THE SKY?
Be sure to check with Alastair or visit
r upcoming stellar
events. Jupiter and four of its moons will be
visible from December to late Summer.
Comets are notoriously unpredictable, but
Alastair tells us many astronomers are waiting
to see if
C/2012 S1 (
ISON) will be the ‘comet
of the century’ or burn up when rounding the
Sun with nothing left to view.
When discovered late in 2012, ISON was
said to have the potential of being a striking
object visible to the eye on November 28 at its
perihelion, or closest point to the sun, What
will become of ISON in the remaining months
of 2013 – a sizzler… or a fizzer?
Extend your stay...
STARGAZERS B&B
Alastair’s wife Harriette makes the welcome warm
offering a choice of accommodation. Within the
Observatory Lodge is an ecologically designed,
tastefully furnished B&B unit. Or, down the drive is
a quaint, newly renovated three-bedroom miner’s
cottage (family’s original home), set up for self-
catering guests.
Many events have been hosted here, including house
concerts and staff parties. Harriette also caters these
gatherings, so the sky’s the limit when it comes to
the services this couple offers!
Ph 07 866 5343
BUYING KIWI
JUST A CLICK AWAY
Many of you may recognise Michelle Dobson from
her successful local publication,
The Matarangi
Beach Paper.
Michelle told me of her ‘challenge’
experiment to ‘buy only local’ when I met her two
years ago. I was impressed by her dedication to
the project even when the going got tough. The
difficulties she discovered when attempting to buy
local has led her to this ingenious plan to make it
easier for all of us. -
Tovi Daly
Avid ‘foodie’ and a proud Kiwi Michelle Dobson
has taken on the concept of ‘buying local’ and is
ready to share it with the entire country.
Having been on a locavore challenge (where
you eat food only from a local radius), she was
concerned there were only five Coromandel
items in her pantry. And when she searched for
New Zealand-made ... ouch!
So, she has created a website that sells only
products grown or produced in New Zealand.
Michelle shares, “Food from New Zealand tastes
so much better, and the implications of buying
local are huge; it supports our whole economy.”
Example: if one were to buy a can of New
Zealand tomatoes, not only the grower benefits,
also the one who canned them, who delivered,
who designed the label, and who sold them in
their shop. “If we support New Zealand foods,
the economy flows,” says Michelle. “This is
better than buying foreign tomatoes, where our
money flows out of the country.”
Michelle’s buyinglocal.co.nz, offers delicious
Kiwi-produced pantry items: nuts, seeds, dried
fruits and herbs; oils; flours; seasoned salts;
condiments and honeys. And if you are keen to
support New Zealand producers and artisans,
shop at farmers markets and look for ‘Made in
New Zealand’ whenever you shop.
Three local chefs are in awe of the
variety of local produce Michelle
Dobson has managed to discover in
her ‘quest for the best’ in NZ.
BUSINESS
Jeremy with Graeme Riki & Dhyana Muir
A year ago,
Jeremy Bendall
was lured to the
Coromandel by its lifestyle, beautiful scenery and
fishing. A professional advisor who has mentored
businesses throughout NZ and overseas, he’s
thrilled to occasionally replace the Auckland
boardroom with with his deck overlooking the sea
and Paku Mountain. He’s now enjoying a more
casual approach when helping clients like these
owners of FEAST, a new business in Tairua, and
others across the Coromandel.
Jeremy observes that often small businesses do
not realise their true potential in owner lifestyle
and/or financial terms. He has developed a practical
management guide that covers the life cycle (from
start up to exit) and business status/mode (survival
to market leadership).
Supporting
Small Business
on the Coromandel
Bendall Advisory
, a niche consulting practice
that prides itself on being distinctive,
personable, professional and passionate in
its service delivery, provides expertise and
assistance to a wide range of organisations –
commercial, social enterprise, community good,
and not for profit – large and small throughout
New Zealand.
Jeremy
Bendall
leads this
practice and
has recently
located
in Tairua.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
call Jeremy on 021 802 129 or refer
Advice spans these areas:
1.
Personal and business goals and objectives
2.
Skills and competencies
– Identify skills, attributes
and behaviours that generate value. Staff develop-
ment/training plan; review sourcing/back up options
3.
Financial performance
– Timely, accurate and
reliable reporting of cash flow, key results and trends
4.
Sales / marketing
– Strategies, resources and tactics
5.
Risk assessment
– Reality check on business status.
Identify risks. Develop action for quick wins
6.
Exit and Succession
– Exit? or pass the baton?
Extract maximum value or ensure business continuity
7.
Governance
– Plan direction/oversight of business
3. Alastair’s most memorable event was viewing Comet
McNaught in 2007. The biggest comet ever measured,
it blazed across the sky of the Southern Hemisphere,
visible to the unaided eye even in daylight.
