Inside the New Zealand family dynasties in music, acting, sport, property, fashion, glamour and more.
The muso family
Music legend Tim Finn's brother, Neil and nephew Liam made Spy's last generations list two years ago.
Later that year, Tim's son Harper entered the music business. Since then the 23-year-old singer/songwriter has become one of New Zealand's rising music stars and kicked off a nationwide tour in May.
Last year, Harper told Spy he didn't think he came from a Kiwi musical dynasty — despite dad Tim and uncle Neil being two of the country's most legendary writers and performers. He has been proud and aware of how much his family's music has meant to people and loves seeing the joy music brings to people's lives.
From the side of the stage, he liked watching Tim transforming into an out-of-this-world performer in front of thousands. This imprinted a strong image in his mind of the power of a frontman. His influencers include the Beatles, the Beach Boys and, of course, dad Tim.
He may be continuing his famous family's legacy, but Harper's proving himself as an artist in his own right and not just with numerous catchy singles. He also likes to dance. At the end of last year, he released Dance Away These Days, a synth ballad with an edgy video to match. Not only did he write and sing the track, but he also choreographed his own dance moves and taught the dancers how to perform them.
It's not just the Finn music gene that runs through Harper's veins as his dad was a fashion icon back in the day. In a shoot with Viva, Harper showed he's inherited that talent too.
The bridal dynasty
Vinka Design has been dressing society brides since 1959. Legendary couturier the late Vinka Lucas transformed the fashion scene when she established the business. Daughter Anita Turner was practically raised in the Vinka workroom and her earliest memories are of watching her mother designing and creating.
Turner never even considered any other career aside from following in her mother's footsteps.
Turner is firmly now at the helm of the long-standing design house with more than 30 years of professional experience to her name.
And now the third generation has entered the business. Anita's daughter Helena started out modelling the bespoke gowns and is now Vinka's marketing manager. She has woven a new generation of A-listers and social media stars into the intricate workings of the Atelier at 242 Queen St, which is currently being transformed into a magnificent space for brides-to-be to be guided into their dream gowns.
Bedfellows and fashion figures
The owners of leading bedmaker Sleepyhead, brothers Craig and Graeme Turner, made headlines after getting the green light for their billion-dollar plans to create a manufacturing hub and community village in Ōhinewai, North Waikato, creating 1500 new jobs and 1100 new homes over the next 10 years.
The brother's grandfather, Sidney Turner, bought the business in 1946 and Craig's son, Carlos, now works in the family firm.
Meanwhile, daughter Cameo has taken her lead from the legacy of her mother's family — Cara Pollock-Turner comes from pioneering textile family business, Barker and Pollock, and was a top model.
Cameo, who studied journalism and has worked at the Herald and Remix Magazine, recently entered the fashion business and this month launched knittednz.com, which aims to break the barrier between quality and price for consumers. Cara has even modelled the range — which includes a cardigan named after her late grandmother, Renee Pollock.
The family businesses don't end there. Cara's sister Meegan Pollock established Centrepoint Fabrics and her daughter, Georgette Pollock-Johnson, is fashion stylist who has worked in New York, where she styled the likes of Rita Ora.
The Kiwi/Italian job
The children of former All Black Sir John Kirwan have definitely taken a few steps in his sporting direction as well as his other passion — Italy. Daughter Francesca has worked with her father celebrating and importing Italian wine for their company Jk.14 Wines.
This year she has shown her sporting prowess by winning the New Zealand Beach Volleyball Championships— her third victory in five years.
Younger brother Luca was a member of the New Zealand Coxed Four that finished fourth at the world U23 rowing championships in 2020.
Sir John and his Italian wife, Fiorella, spent their early family life in Treviso, Italy so it is no wonder the flavours of the country run deep in the family. Luca, Francesca and her fiancé — also named Luca — watch football at 3am on Mondays to watch the third sibling Niko play for AC Reggiana in Italy.
The waterfront barons
Viaduct Harbour Holdings was originally founded by Mark Wyborn, along with Trevor Farmer, Ross Green, Alan Gibbs and the late Adrian Burr in the 1980s.
Their $1billion-plus business owns more than 20ha of Auckland waterfront land, including the Viaduct Basin, along with big slices of Newmarket and its surrounds.
Numerous America's Cup regattas have set the hospitality, business and residential scene, that have made the Viaduct become the place in Auckland to eat, play and work.
And just as the Viaduct has grown over the decades, the second-generation family members are now instrumental behind the scenes.
Wyborn's son Justin, Farmer's son Dean and Gibbs' daughter Emma are all active directors of the firm, which makes money by retaining ownership of the Viaduct land and charging a leasing fee to the apartments, offices, restaurants, hotels and other businesses built there.
Justin is also a director of Wyborn Capital and managing director of Vantage Group. Last year, his mother, Fran, founded the Due Drop Foundation, dedicated to helping disadvantaged Kiwis.
Dean and his father, Trevor, are also directors in Tappenden Holdings, which became famous when it sought resource consent to test helicopter flights on a putting green on Ōrākei's Paritai Drive in 2018.
Emma Gibbs lived in New York for many years, and shares a love of the arts with her parents. There is the famous sculptural Gibbs' farm, north of Auckland, and her mother Dame Jenny is recognised as a leading patron of the arts and philanthropist.
Fashionable footsteps
SkyCity corporate events manager Lizzie Leuchars is an institution on the event circuit for her sense of style and her eye-catching ensembles.
The apple didn't fall far from the tree with daughter Julia, who turns heads at events herself and ended up working in fashion for Trelise Cooper as marketing brand communication director and co-designer.
There is no doubt Julia's innate style came through her mother's DNA — and it's no surprise that Lizzie is often seen donning Trelise Cooper and loves mixing it up with other leading designers.
All Black father and son
It was one of last year's most memorable sporting stories when former All Black Eroni Clarke's son, Caleb, made his All Black debut in the Bledisloe Cup Test series. He became a rugby hero, cutting a swathe through the Wallabies as well as being one of the top performing players for The Blues in 2020.
In the 90s, Clarke snr played 150 times for Auckland, 51 Super Rugby games for the Blues and Highlanders, and made 14 appearances for the national side, scoring 11 tries and retiring from professional rugby in 2005. He is engagement manager for NZ Rugby Pasifika and last year got back on the pitch for Three's show Match Fit, where he got back into shape with other former rugby greats.
Caleb has been called an Auckland prodigy. He was a key member of the Kiwi team on the World Sevens' Series after making his international Sevens' debut in Sydney in January 2018.
The younger Clarke hopes to take the family legacy to even greater heights, chasing gold at the Tokyo Olympics this year in the All Blacks Sevens' squad.
Brokenwood and other TV family affairs
The seventh season of The Brokenwood Mysteries launches this weekend on TVNZ and boasts a cast full of family connections.
After a career on stage and screen spanning since the 1950s, Elizabeth McRae became a household name for her long-running role as Shortland Street receptionist Marjorie Brasch.
The 84-year-old stars in Brokenwood as nosey Mrs Marlowe — and daughter Kathy, an actress and director, also features in the show. The pair have worked together numerous times — including a stint where Kathy played her mum's fictional adopted daughter on Shortland Street in the early 90s.
Amber Cureen, another former Shortland Street actor, is also in Brokenwood alongside her son Te Rongopai Cureen-Tukiwaho. It's a true family business as dad, Tainui Tukiwaho, is also an actor who has starred in Step Dave and The Sounds.
This season of Brokenwood, which has won international acclaim and screens all over the world, will also feature sisters Rebecca and Katrina Hobbs, whose other sister Jessica is a director on The Crown and whose brother was also on Shortland Street.
And the detective drama's lead, Neill Rea, is joined by his brother, Iain, for an episode.
Staying on the small screen— the king of Shorty Street, Michael Galvin, who has played Chris Warner since the show started 29 years ago, had beautiful daughter Lily make a cameo in Ferndale recently.
Meanwhile, Shorty alumnus Robbie Magasiva recently worked on rugby drama Head High with daughter Sophie, who was crew on the series. The show also had a mother and son casting with stage and screen siren Theresa Healey starring on the show and her son, Zac O’Meagher, also appearing in the series.
From where to get the best view to when the roads will close.