Putting the finishing touches to a tartan bench in Waipu are (from left): painters Barbara McAulay, Jennie Howard, Philippa Ross and Mags Crichton. Photo / Julie Paton
Putting the finishing touches to a tartan bench in Waipu are (from left): painters Barbara McAulay, Jennie Howard, Philippa Ross and Mags Crichton. Photo / Julie Paton
Winter in Waipu A group of volunteers from community group Waipu Evolution have worked hard to brighten Waipu's main street just in time for Winter in Waipu, a month-long winter celebration of Waipu's unique culture.
Philippa Ross, Barbara McAulay, Jennie Howard and Mags Crichton spent more than 60 hours painting the Waipu tartan on to the park benches near the monument.
Ross says she was inspired by colourful heritage-themed paintings at Waipu Cove.
"There's nothing in the village or main street that says much about Waipu, apart from the museum."
Ross submitted her idea to the Resene Colour Your Community competition and won $1000 of paint for the project.
The tartan pattern on the benches is the Waipu tartan, a seven-colour pattern designed several years ago by pupils at Waipu Primary School.
The Resene prize bought enough paint to complete the tartan benches - but they also required waterproofing to protect them from wear and tear and the weather.
Fellow Waipu Evolution members Ailsa and Graham Ure answered their plea and donated the money for marine varnish to protect the artwork.
The project has been a labour of love, McAulay says.
"We've loved doing it, and we've met so many really cool people who say it looks fabulous."
The team are grateful to Logan McLean cafe across the road, which kept the painting team's spirits high with a steady supply of hot drinks. This summer the four women plan to paint the benches in Cape Breton Park next to The Pizza Barn, this time in the McLeod tartan.
Ruakaka kids compete in the kitchen Four Ruakaka Primary School pupils were Northland semifinalists in the first nationwide Root to Tip cooking competition last week.
Ruakaka School students (from left): Tayla Batten, Sophie Pram, Jackson Whitehead and Kade Powell show off their chef uniforms at school assembly last Friday. Photo / Julie Paton
Fourteen teams from Ruakaka entered by submitting recipes online, with two teams, Kade Powell and Jackson Whitehead, and Tayla Batten and Sophie Pram going through to the semifinals where they prepared, cooked and served their dishes to judges MasterChef style in Northtec's professional kitchen.
Open to Year 5 and 6 pupils from around New Zealand, the competition is designed to encourage children to create menus and recipes using seasonal fruits and vegetables while minimising waste.
Teacher Jennifer Hay, who leads Ruakaka School's Garden to Table programme, oversaw the teams' preparations for the competition and says the students were excited and motivated by the challenge.
Although pipped for first place by a Parua Bay team who will fly to Wellington in August for the national final, Powell and Whitehead were second by just half a point; with Batten and Pram a point behind them.
Hay made the team a uniform of aprons and purple chef hats and managed the boys' team during the competition, while teacher Kylie Batten managed the girls.
"We were only able to say yes or no to their questions," said Hay. "That was hard, but they worked so competently."
Judges, Northland chefs Colin Ashton and Roger Jones, commented that Powell and Whitehead had a good concept of root to tip, using produce from school gardens and hives and were the table with the least waste in the competition, also demonstrating brilliant knife skills.
They said Batten and Pram, the only Year 5 team in the heats, also had a good grasp of the root to tip concept and incorporated school produce well, making effective use of the whole kumara plant including leaves. Their kumara pie was so good that Ashton said he wouldn't hesitate to put it on his menu.
Bream Bay Classic Head to Waipu Golf Course this weekend for some great golf action at Waipu Club's premier tournament, the Bream Bay Classic.
Kylie Jacoby (left) with Waipu Golf Club's Ladies' tournament sponsor Kathy Cogan at prizegiving. Photo / Julie Gordon
Some of Northland and Auckland's top players will compete over 54 holes in open, masters and ladies divisions.
If you're a spectator, enjoy lunch, coffee and the views over Bream Bay as you watch your favourite players play. If you're a golfer, consider entering.
It's a limited field of 90 with some spots still available.
Last Thursday was Waipu's ladies 18-hole tournament, sponsored by club member Kathy Cogan.
