Ahead of New Zealand Fashion Week, Kiwi designer Karen Walker gives the lowdown on her favourite stylish getaway.
As an Aucklander I have a special affection for our beautiful gulf and am yet to experience any city with a setting to compete. I grew up just 700m from the sea and summer days were often spent on our family run-about tootling around the gulf, island hopping, and fishing for sprats. I hated it. The smell of fibreglass, life-vests, sprat guts and ham sandwiches. Now I catch myself toying with the idea of buying a boat to have those very same weekend daytrips. There's just something so appealing about having the freedom to hop about from bay to bay and island to island, to visit all those out-of-way spots that wheels and legs can't get you to. And of all the islands in the Hauraki Gulf, the shiniest and sparkliest continues to be Waiheke. It always delivers.
In the warmer months, the Sealink car ferry comes and goes frequently via Wynyard Wharf, which makes it all much more convenient than the pedestrian ferry. Forget about carrying bags, booking cabs or even finding a seat. Once on the island, there's no need to worry about how to get about the vineyards or whatever far-flung bit of paradise you're chasing.
When I'm visiting the island my first question to local friends is "What's new that I should check out?" and on my last visit, every single one said The Courtyard and The Archive. Both impressed. The Courtyard offers a new option in the Oneroa shops and although it lacks a sea view, it more than compensates in every other way — food, service, sun and convenience. Need a lunch break from sunbathing and swimming at Oneroa? This one's a two-minute walk from the sand.
Mudbrick's a long-standing Waiheke classic and it keeps getting better. Its recent addition, Archive Bar and Bistro, is fantastic with a perfect mix of great food, wine, service, and views. The winners on the night I went were the house-made brioche doughnuts and that's not just because my dates included a couple of 10-year-olds. They were sensational.