Hey, I’m Emily Brickwood, a 17-year-old girl from Whangamatā. I play rugby and love to dance, but my favourite sport is skiing. I have been skiing since I could walk and come from a family where everyone loves skiing and we spend as many winter weekends as we can at the mountain. Some of my favourite things about skiing are: there is always a new challenge, the terrain is constantly changing, and being lucky enough to spend time with family or friends while doing something we all enjoy….

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Proud to be Local is our inspirational feature, highlighting homegrown Coromandel Peninsula folks doing wonderful things out in the world.

In this edition: Leah Gubb

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Can penguins fly? Yes, they fly underwater! One exception was Pico the little blue penguin … Are you intrigued? Penguins do have wings, or are they flippers? Most people call them wings. The ‘wing’ structures of penguins evolved for swimming rather than flying in the air. Pico the little blue penguin came to us in January 2021 from Corovets in Whangamatā as a young fledgling…

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Creativity flourishes in Waihi, and artists like Millie Robinson find inspiration at every turn. As the proud owner of Laughing Pottery, Millie feels her artistic journey is a tale of serendipity, resilience and a deep connection to a vibrant community. Millie completed a degree at the Otago Polytechnic School of Art, immersing herself in …

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One word that really annoys me is ‘bucket list’, as if the world is a commodity for our personal gratification, experiences we are entitled to before we die. It suggests we can travel the world contributing to pollution without contributing to better relationships and we can look at this place, Hauraki, as a pretty backdrop for our lives, without facing what is happening to its life.

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Common Ground is a space dedicated to expression. In this edition: Molly’s Story by Sue Foster, Prayer for Aotearoa by Helen Oliver and comic ‘Commander Hot-Dog’ by Dylan Castle and Jimmy Flanigan.

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... On average, teachers work 55 hours every week, in and out of the classroom. On top of this, they work an extra 21 hours a week during holidays. For most, teaching is incredibly taxing and time-consuming. In an NZCER survey, a participant said they struggled to find a healthy work-life balance, and…

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The concept of Eldership is implicit in many indigenous cultures. The word invokes images of age, wisdom and often a connection to the spirit world or some form of other reality. In the western context, the word has often been associated with churches or used in a biblical context. The Wikipedia entry focuses on church governance and various dictionary definitions are similarly focused, with the common themes being sobriety, reliability, fidelity and age.

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Dive Zone Whitianga, situated in the magnificent Mercury Bay, is the hub of diving knowledge and offers a gateway to outstanding dive locations on the Coromandel Peninsula. Spoilt for choice with beautiful islands and secluded bays, you’re bound to find a sheltered spot here when the weather elsewhere would normally prevent you from diving. Their purpose-built dive vessels depart from the Whitianga marina, literally a stone’s throw away from a multitude of ideal dive spots. Living a life less ordinary starts right here.  

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Summer in Te Whanganui o Hei/Mercury Bay was an exciting time as it meant one of the biggest events of the year was being held – the New Year’s regatta.  

The history of the regatta began in December 1887, when it was
held because the SS Iona sailed in from Auckland with visitors and a band
onboard to race against the Mercury Bay crews…

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