2023 Brew of Islands festival participants post for the camera. The festival is returning to Kerikeri in July. Photo/Claire Gordon
The Brew is back
Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, beer lovers are eagerly anticipating another sip from the cup in a beer festival being held at the Turner Centre.
Brew of Islands 2024 promises to build on what was established last year, with offerings of craft beers from 10 breweries spanning from the Bay of Islands to Wellington.
Exhibiting breweries include Parrotdog, Garage Project and Urbanaut alongside local favourites Kainui Brew Co, Phat House, McLeod’s and 8 Wired. Adding to that line-up is Pacific Coast Brewing from Mangawhai and Panhead from Upper Hutt.
Dedicated beer enthusiasts and festival organisers, Tyler Bamber and Gerry Paul, have curated a festival that celebrates not only exceptional craft beer but also the unique Northland experience and manaakitanga for which the region is renowned.
The street food experience includes Ken Van Mackelberg, the 2023 NZ Barbecue Alliance Grand Champion, Chuck and Anna Marshall’s beer and cheese dip paired with pretzels and Mrs. Miller’s Mussel Fritters, renowned for their “irresistible quality and taste”. For those looking for alternatives to beer, Ben Thrippleton from Kindred Spirits is back for 2024.
On the entertainment side the eight-piece family-based Lost Tribe Aotearoa is performing for the first time. LTA’s music “is not just heard, it’s felt”. They are joined by Whangārei’s originals band, Mermaid Bait and local Kerikeri rockers, Dogfather.
Returning favourite is Conrad Coom, accompanied by characters like the non-binary rooster Rachel and Rocketman and offering whimsical fun with an army of garden gnomes.
Brew of Islands Beer Festival will be held on July 26 and 27 and more information can be found on the Turner Centre’s website.
Capturing caulerpa
Last month, Kororāreka Russell School welcomed a group from Te Rawhiti who are working on the caulerpa incursion at Omakiwi Cove.
Ambassadors and parents came to the school to talk to tamariki about caulerpa, its impact and what is being done to mitigate the problem. The students in Peata (the newly-built senior classroom) wrote an explanation on how it is spread and made artworks to highlight the issue.
Peata is named for Hoki, the niece of rangatira Rewa, who became the first Māori nun and was baptised by Bishop Pompallier, from beata, meaning blessed.
In her subsequent story on the problem, Peata student Chloe Barnett, outlined what caulerpa is, how it was spread, and how to stop it.
“Caulerpa and its spread are a big problem. Everywhere it has been found it has proven it takes a lot to stop it. Do your part and if you find caulerpa take a picture, bag it and bin it.”
The Conquer Caulerpa Charitable Trust was incorporated in February this year and in May held an open meeting in Russell to bring residents up to date on the caulerpa fight.
Presenter, Andrew Johnston, said the dredging programme was “going well”. Other, relatively small, eradication methods include trialling harakeke matting, using salt, chlorine and benthic matting with and without chlorine.
Ngāti Kuta and Patukeha Trusts have driven the eradication project to date and the Conquer Caulerpa Trust has been established with two hapu representatives and three community representatives. The caulerpa trustees are Michelle, Elboz, Liz Witehira and Tania Heke who will be holding another presentation in early June.
Witehira said they are still in the process of adding long-term professional trustees who can drive the various aspects of the project.
Last Saturday Jacqueline Rewha-Clendon posted a video on Facebook showing a yacht anchored at Omakiwi. It was intercepted by trustees from the surveillance team and they lifted approximately 90kg of Caulerpa from its anchor.
Citizen scientists set sail
Citizens of the Sea, a charity recently co-founded by Cawthron Institute (NZ) and New Zealand Geographic, has recruited sailors to help understand the health and function of the world’s biggest ocean.
An impressive 25 boats departed Opua last Friday to take part in the Island Cruising Association’s Pacific Rally which is an annual, four to six-month sailing passage through the Pacific Islands.
Erin Bomati from Paroa Bay near Russell, is field operations lead for Citizens of the Sea.
“It’s an experiment to get non-scientists to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) samples so we can find out what species are living and where,” she said.
She is going along for the ride on her 11-metre yacht Love Machine which was built by her partner and she has the experience.
She previously worked with a biotech company that did DNA sequencing and then put that knowledge to work by visiting various Northland schools and taking the children out on her boat and teaching them to collect eDNA.
She has trained the sailors who are taking part in the rally and equipped their boats with the necessary apparatus to fulfil obligations.
“The boats taking part will tow Cawthron’s cutting edge ‘TorpeDNA’ sampling devices on offshore passages, collecting eDNA samples at up to 12 knots or 22km/h.
“We’re running this project in close partnership with leading local scientists and conservation groups in each island.”
Through a partnership with global genomics leader Illumina, samples collected by the sailors will be analysed to provide data about biodiversity in the Pacific and the impact of climate change.
Cawthron Institute’s Dr Xavier Pochon, founding scientist, said the Pacific Rally is just the starting point for Citizens of the Sea’s vision and they’re hoping to take the initiative global.
Two Russell establishments win Trip Advisor Awards
Two Bay of Islands accommodation suppliers have won awards in the TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards for 2024.
The Duke of Marlborough Hotel in Russell was placed in the top 20 of the best hotel awards, coming in at 15th overall for New Zealand.
The hotel received 1670 reviews and the citation said the hotel “is set in a beautiful waterfront location, offering outstanding views and beach access. The comfortable well-appointed rooms and historic charm are complemented by the hotel’s commitment to sustainability”.
It also mentioned the on-site restaurant as “serving delicious food while knowledgeable and courteous staff cater to your needs”.
Arcadia Lodge in Russell topped the Best Small and Boutique Hotel award. The award citation said “this is a charming inn with a rich history and well-appointed facilities, set in a fantastic location [and] the renowned hosts provide exceptional hospitality”.
Co-owner Peter Gillan said every year TripAdvisor gives awards to properties and Arcadia Lodge has held the Travellers Choice Award since he and Greg Hoover took ownership in 2017.
“For us a guest stay runs well beyond a feather pillow and door key.
“Arcadia Lodge is a quirky but charming old house that was built in 1902 on whalebone foundation and this year celebrates 100 years of the lodge being an accommodation provider.”
The lodge also finished runner-up in the whole South Pacific region behind Yarra Gables in Healesville, Australia. They moved up one notch from last year.
The two Bay of Islands hotels were the only accommodation providers in Northland to rate a mention in the prestigious awards.
The best hotel in the world award went to a boutique establishment in a small Brazilian village. Hotel Colline de France in Gramado with its French-themed accommodation in the mountain village received more than 4000 five-star bubble reviews.
The latest news bites from around the region.