Mozzie reality stars briefly on home turf

HOME: Rosanna Arkle and Zane Houia at Shotgun Betty's in Whangarei on Thursday night. PHOTO/ SEAN JAMES

Rosanna Arkle makes a living out of figures - both in business accounts, and her own.

By day, the 25-year-old reality TV star is a bookkeeper for a Gold Coast-based company.

"I hated math at school, and I never thought I'd end up doing it in my work. Although admittedly, I do use a calculator," she laughed.

In her spare time, she's one of Australia's top glamour models - with her sights set on one day modelling in the United States.

"I know it's not a long-term career, so I'm going to enjoy it while I'm young," Ms Arkle told the Northern Advocate yesterday. "I'm taking every day as it comes."

She was back in her hometown of Whangarei this week as part of a North Island tour with her partner and The GC co-star, Zane Houia.

The pair appeared at Shotgun Betty's in central Whangarei on Thursday night, having photos and chatting with fans. "It was pretty quiet, but everyone that came along was awesome," Ms Arkle said.

It's quite surreal for the former Whangarei Girls' High student to be approached by fans. "I think it's bizarre when they want a photo."

The visit to Whangarei and her Matarau family home was only fleeting, however - on Wednesday night the pair had an Auckland meet-and-greet, and last night they appeared in Palmerston North, closer to Zane's old hometown of Hastings.

"It was a really good visit [to Northland], but it was too short," she said. "I love Whangarei, and I have the best childhood memories.

"Every time I come back, it is really different. It's really cool coming back and seeing all the changes."

When Ms Arkle visited in February this year she enjoyed a day swimming and boating around the Bay of Islands, and another day collecting pipi at Ngunguru, which she cooked and ate.

The couple now live in Merrimac in the Gold Coast, where Ms Arkle said there are "heaps of Northlanders".

"There are heaps of Kiwis over there in general."

Which explains the high level of interest in the TV show she starred in - The GC - a reality show tracking the everyday lives of a group of "Mozzies", local slang for Maori Australians, living on the Gold Coast.

Lately Ms Arkle has been busy with shoots for an online clothing company, a magazine called ROMP, and shooting with a top Gold Coast photographer, with the chance of images being on-sold to magazines such as Zoo and Maxim.

Zane is working on his new clothing label called Dirty Lawndry. The couple are looking at eventually moving to the United States.

Ms Arkle's advice to young people in Whangarei is to follow their dreams.

"My advice would be if you can dream it you can do it."