Paul Deacon: Our Cover Artist..............................4-5
HMS
Buffalo
‘Homecoming Week’..................... 8-12
Stargazers: The Winter Skies..................................13
The Mystique of the Kauri.................................16-20
The Making of Thames...................................... 21-27
Thames Historical Churches and Playground. 28-31
The Treasury Recognised.................................32-34
Choosin’ your Cruisin’............................................ 35
A Toast to Coromandel Couples.......................36-38
Wineword / Hospitality Scene...........................39-40
Coromandel Calendar.......................................44-45
The Coromandel Showcased Worldwide.........46-48
Community Spotlight.........................................49-51
Cheers to our Advertisers ..................................... 52
Destination Coromandel...................................54-55
Publishers
Tovi and Greg Daly
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Tovi Daly Carol Wright
Design & Layout
Carol Wright Ange Gregory Tovi Daly
Contributing Writers/Editors
Carol Wright Tovi Daly Kate Palmano
Sandra Scott Geraldine Dunwoodie Russell Skeets
Monett Johnston Alastair Brickell Gary Barker
Advertiser Liason
Tovi Daly
Calendar Coordinator
Sandra Scott
Contributing Artists/Photographers
Paul Deacon Alan Duff Jane Crisp Peter Latham
Charlotte Giblin Ross Davies Ian Patrick Tovi & Greg Daly
Printing & Pre-press
Crucial Colour, Penrose Auckland
Distribution, Volunteer & Misc Support
Gavin Hedwig Althea Barker Tracey Salkeld Ben Grubb
Ron Morgan/Mercury Bay Museum Karen Vowles
...
and the many others helping us
spread the community spirit – Thanks!
Permission for Reproduction of material and/or photographs?
Contact us.
PO Box 144, Tairua, 3544
P: (07) 864 9908 E:
info@coromandellife.co.nzWhat’s Inside
WINTER 2015
COROMANDEL
life
Nothern End Cook Dr,
Whitianga, Mercury Bay,
the Coromandel Peninsula
An easy walk to Buffalo Beach and a
brief drive to town, Pacific Estate is a
quiet, family-friendly, highly desirable
subdivision with a bird-filled native
bush and stream backdrop.
S U B D I V I S I O N
SALES OFFICE
26 Lee St, Whitianga
Sherri Simpson
- Sales Consultant
Ph
07 866 0510
Mob
027 6776 189
www.pacificestate.co.nzSTAGE 4E1
NOW SELLING
Looking to the light of Winter
VIEW
ALL
issues online at
www.coromandellife.co.nzor send the link to families & friends to read.
All the stories and content of the printed version are
viewable online in a familiar “page turning” style.
It’s always sad to say goodbye to those
long summer days, but in saying that,
I am reminded of some really special
things that we can look forward to as we
approach the shortest day of the year.
Cosy fires and the lovely smell of manuka.
A much slower pace. Crisp starry nights.
Walks on deserted beaches. Uncrowded
golf courses. Cafes with open fires or wood
stoves where one can hunker down with a
cuppa and a good book. Plenty of parking
spots. Community events that might draw
a small crowd, but a warm one. This is
when we “get our peninsula back” some
would say.
And the list of ‘what’s on’ for winter just
keeps growing with lots of fun things
to do – Illume in Coromandel Town, the
Whitianga Scallop Festival, and more.
Whitianga is valiantly staging the HMS
Buffalo
Homecoming Week with dozens
of activities including a Polar Bear Plunge.
(Think I’ll watch that one from shore.)
We are fortunate here on the Coromandel
as our Winters are quite mild. No snow and
rarely a freeze. Some bright sunny days
can almost feel like Summer... till the air
cools as the sun starts to set.
I’m actually looking forward to slowing the
pace – doing a bit of hibernating, reflecting,
re-grouping and a lot of cuddling with our
cat (oh, and Greg, too).
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING.
There’s
always mixed views on the Coromandel
getting too much exposure. Most
everyone wants to increase their business
while not losing why we love living here.
This became clear when we wrote about
The Ultimate Waterman
and the exposure
the video would bring to NZ and the
Coromandel (up to 4 million viewers).
Quiet, secluded Otama Beach had a
starring role... suddenly having awesome
curl barrel waves, thanks to Cyclone Pam.
The first such day since 1997.
And Luke Reilly’s sudden fame when
his Orca whale encounter went viral. 20
million views! Now the little village of
Kuaotunu and his Luke’s Kitchen is on
everyone’s must see list. Great? Well, wait
a minute... we do like our privacy!
During the history research and fact
checking for this issue, we met some
great knowledgeable folks that ended
up being godsends – Russell Skeets,
Ben Grubb, Althea Barker, Geraldine
Dunwoodie to name a few. We very
much look forward to working with these
‘history buffs’ in the future.
We’ve already started on our next issue
which will be jammed packed with more
history, more things to see and do, more
character profiles and more about LIFE
on the Coromandel.
See you in the spring!
Greg and Tovi Daly
6
COROMANDEL LIFE 2015 WINTER
It’s YOUR Coromandel Life!
This is to be a group project we can all be proud of – for the region, from the region.
get involved.
As a reader, a contributor (writer/photographer/artist/news source/distributor), or an advertiser.
Tell us your ideas.
Contact us at (07) 864 9908 or by email at
info@coromandellife.co.nz