#Window Film South Auckland

[alliyah213157]

Rebecca Ann Hobbs

2.2

Hobb’s is an Auckland based artist who works with lens to create film and still images. Her works are humorous, while celebrating the body and its relation to a specific site. In her work Otara at Night (2011), a dancer performs to a dancehall track right outside a Polynesian clothing warehouse in South Auckland. The performance and song allude to the influence it has on the Polynesian community and even the music they listen to.

I was a slightly out of my comfort zone when creating this piece because majority of the windows were open and I felt people staring at me. Although, I felt it complemented the piece as Hobb’s has a sense of awkwardness in her works.

[gumnut-logic]

Thank you, @tracybirds :D You all might want to stand back cos I did research! :D

For Secret Santa in 2019 I received the prompt 'Driving home for Christmas'. I knew, of course, that unless I planted the Tracys back in Kansas, there would be no driving, and flying was a problem because they are all too fast for an extensive story, so I ended up using a boat (Scott was much put out, but Gords loved it big time).

I knew where TAG Tracy Island was because this scene is in several episodes.

So I dumped the boys in Auckland by making Virgil unable to fly (he was not happy at all).

So on 8 Dec 2019, I poked around Google Maps trying to work out what was between Auckland and Tracy Island. This was how I found out about the Kermadecs and the fascinating geology and ecology of the area. Incidentally, as @tracybirds mentioned, on 9 Dec 2019 White Island at the southern most tip of the Kermadec Ridge erupted and killed a bunch of people (it was horrible). So I went from not knowing the place even existed, to suddenly being very aware of the region and what it could do.

But anyway, these are the Kermadecs and the spots I had to write about in We'll be home for Christmas. It is definitely a marine habitat made for our amazing Gords.

I did a huge pile of research for this fic and other fics (it has become a series) and ever since I have alluded to the wildlife on the Island because I'm a bit of a biology geek in general (and geology and meteorology...very much a geek).

Tracy Island is considerably further north than the northern-most Kermadec, so would be even more tropical. But I have to say that the TAG designers definitely did their research because their Tracy Island is definitely based on the Kermadec Islands.

So here are some great places for info.

iNaturalist has a great list of plants and animals (was looking at this yesterday :D )

Wikipedia was a great place to start.

Documentary film on the Kermadecs by New Zealand Geographic - I don't think I've seen this one, so will have to watch eagerly :D

Dave Saggs has a sailing catamaran, a drone, and has visited the Kermadecs. I used several of his videos in the writing the fic. And I just found the post I babbled on about this before, complete with the videos :D

The Minerva Reefs are also very close to Tracy Island (and are mentioned in Episode 1 of TAG). Dave Saggs has some great video of those as well - I blabbed about it here. Minerva has an interesting history as it is fought over by Tonga and Figi for ownership and shows what Tracy Island's history could possibly be like outside the umbrella of the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary (which in my head exists in the future, despite not yet being ratified by current governments).

But anyway, I'm off the topic of general flora and fauna of Tracy Island. I tend to write the following rough ecosystem:

Main tree is the pohutukawa. An endemic Kermadec new Zealand Christmas Tree. Flowers red all year around (unlike the NZ version which only flowers at Christmas).

There is also coconut palms because the Island is in the range for those useful fruits - just. Raoul is not.

There are albatrosses and petrels in the area. I tend to put a colony of petrels on Mateo so I can have some bird life for the boys to stare at out of the kitchen windows. I have also included some sea eagles that nest on the Island.

There would be insects of many kinds, and non-seabirds like the Tui (a large NZ honeyeater - smart, too, as they can be taught to talk - I had Gordon train one to annoy Virgil), parrots, various sea birds.

What mammals are available depends. I suspect that Tracy Island was infected with rats, goats and various other feral animals as were the rest of the Islands. But in my little Kermadec universe, I headcanon Jeff Tracy, under the direction of both Gordon and the slightly obsessive ecologist based just to the south on Raoul Island, would have cleaned it up over time and replanted to repair damage after the building of the base. International Rescue, because it is international, would have to operate with good protection for all native environments. Those 'birds would have to be very clean, otherwise they could both export and import invasive species. Science!Gordon is very opinionated on this topic in my head :D

It would be a similar deal for reptiles. There are definitely sea turtles, but there is likely to be a shortage of lizards and no snakes, not unless they rafted across or were introduced by travellers.

So mostly birds, insects and sea life, plus the gorgeous Tracy family themselves :D

Some fics, including mine, introduce pets into the Tracy household. These pets would have to be kept to the villa or a set area as even a single cat could decimate the bird populations, for example. Science!Gordon has extensive things to say about that in my head as well.

Regarding the whales that I apparently can't stop writing about, the Kermadec Islands are a point on the Humpback migration path between the polar and tropical regions. Near Raoul Island, there has been a special spot documented where the whales meet to exchange or learn new songs.

So, in summary, lots of sea life of all kinds, sea birds, a parrot or honeyeater or two, insects, bats! I forgot bats! And to think I threw Virgil off the back of Two once for exactly that reason - yes, there are bats. But there is likely to be a shortage of reptiles and land mammals unless introduced.

But anyway, explore, it is a fascinating corner of the planet, plus it has Thunderbirds :D

Nutty

(who needs to go have breakfast now :D )

Random thought of the evening: does Tracy Island have wildlife? They're a remote island so, possibly birds, but any ideas?

[gumnut-logic]

World Windows 2020

19 April 2020

Today’s Windows:

Visit Lucas Creek, Auckland, New Zealand with @onereyofstarlight​

Visit Christchurch, New Zealand with @onereyofstarlight​

Visit the Great Ocean Road, Port Campbell Coast, Victoria, Australia with me.

Thank you wonderful peeps for participating. If you have some favourite places you would like to share while we are all stuck at home, simply   post some photos and tag #WorldWindows2020 (tagging me also helps so I can add your Window to the list). ��Remember, your backyard is exotic to people on the other side of the world (like me).

Today I’m going to throw many, many photos of ocean and rock at you. In fact, the day you travel the length of the western half of the Great Ocean Road, otherwise known as the Port Campbell Coast, you will be so sick of rock that the world famous Twelve Apostles will just be meh :D

So starting from where we left off last time travelling west from Apollo Bay, you wander through some more temperate rainforest, through some rolling hills and then things start to change. As the road turns north-west, you come up against a sandstone coast that is subject to the full power of the most violent ocean on the planet.

The majority of the weather that hits our southern coasts comes from the west to south-west. Consequently, any coast facing in that direction takes a pounding. The eastern side of the Great Ocean Road still has open ocean to contend with, but it is a little more protected. The western side is not.

Check out the satellite image and zoom in to see all the rocky and wobbly coastline.

Hey, look, it is the Twelve Apostles as you will never see them in the tourist brochures. This is because I was there in the middle of winder. It was a trip to Melbourne for Hubby’s birthday and since he managed to get born in the depths of the coldest parts of the year in one of the coldest capital cities, yay, we get to visit in winter.

But at least it makes for moody lighting.

It should also be noted that there are not twelve apostles. They keep falling down. I don’t know if there was originally twelve, but I’ve only counted eight and I know at least one has fallen down in my lifetime.

There are a large number of spots to stop and look at on the side of the road.

This is Island Arch. (EDIT: Um, while looking up the London Bridge collapse, I discovered that this collapsed in 2009. It is now two islands. This photo is from 2007.) It is a part of a group of formations that include the Razorback, Mutton Bird Island (yes, it has a colony, I think) and Loch Arde Gorge. Loch Arde Gorge has been used for film making several times in the past, and in the actual past it was the sight of a shipwreck. The video at the top of this post was me on the beach in Loch Arde Gorge, with my kids (hence the interruption part way through) in 2015. Just some wave action. It is a very moody beach.

Back in March 2007, just outside Port Campbell we encountered something else along side that road.

Port Campbell is one of a few towns on the stretch of road. I want to actually stay there one day. It looks like a fascinating place to explore, but we usually drive straight through as we view the Great Ocean Road in transit, rather than a destination.

This is the remains of the London Bridge rock formation. It fell down.

Here is a Wikipedia article on it. I did manage to see it as a teenager. It collapsed in January 1990. I think I saw it in about 1986.

The last thing to see before you make it to Warrnambool is the Bay of Islands, which is lovely, but I don’t seem to have a great shot of it.

So here is someone else’s drone footage :D

I hope you enjoyed this World Window ::hugs you all:: Thanks for reading and watching :D

Nutty

(this is about 700kms from my backyard)

[delfinamaggiousa]

‘Vintage’ Takes Wine Lovers Behind the Scenes of New Zealand’s Legendary Villa Maria

“We wine lovers forget that so much of grape growing and so much of winemaking is sweat and blood and endless commitment and endless long hours,” says wine writer Oz Clarke in “Vintage,” a new documentary. The film, now on Amazon Prime, goes behind the scenes of New Zealand’s Villa Maria winery, following the hectic final weeks of the 2019 harvest. As Clarke says, “It’s not a glorious occupation most of the year, but it is really worth it.”

Moving beyond the expected shots of lush, sun-kissed vineyards and close-ups of dewy grapes, the feature-length documentary introduces key (increasingly sleep-deprived) members of Villa Maria’s team who come together to make the final product possible.

Along with founder-owner Sir George Fistonich (and a few familiar faces from the wine world, including Master Sommelier Brian McClintic), “Vintage” follows chief winemaker Nick Picone, experienced viticulturists Stu Dudley and Ollie Powrie, and viticulture intern Jess Marston, in the midst of her first vintage, to give an insider’s look at the all-consuming process of making wine.

“’Vintage’ is fast-paced and it’s chaotic because it all has to happen in a really short window of time,” says Nick Picone. “You’ve got so many tons of grapes to process, [but] you’ve only got so many hours in the day, you’ve only got so many days in the season in which to pick the fruit, to move it into the winery, to make all the wine decisions, to carry the winemaking out and to get the right results.”

The feature-length documentary introduces key (increasingly sleep-deprived) members of Villa Maria’s team who come together to make the final product possible.

While plenty of wineries would be interesting subjects for such a documentary, Villa Maria’s longevity — Fistonich started in 1961 — its leadership when it comes to sustainability, and its award-winning wines from all of the best corners of the country are just a few reasons it’s particularly deserving of the camera’s eye.

A START IN THE CITY

New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, holds special significance for Villa Maria. It was there, in 1961, that 21-year-old native George Fistonich decided to invest in his passion for winemaking, and leased a small portion of land from his father in Mangere, a suburb of Auckland. He planted his first acre of vines and Villa Maria was born.

As seen in “Vintage,” Fistonich has truly been the godfather of New Zealand wine ever since. In 2009, Fistonich was even knighted for his stellar contributions to the New Zealand wine industry over the last six decades. Even though it’s grown exponentially since its start, Villa Maria is still family-owned and today, that small Mangere plot (still an important part of the Villa Maria story) has expanded to nearly 100 acres of Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, and Verdelho vines.

Villa Maria continues to run a winery in Auckland, but it has two other facilities, enabling it to be closer to its vineyards in Marlborough and Hawkes Bay.

A DIVERSE LANDSCAPE

One of the largest wineries in New Zealand sources its 28 grape varieties from the country’s premier grape- growing regions in both the North and South Islands, including Hawkes Bay (the winery owns a large portion of the esteemed Gimblett Gravels region), Gisborne, and Marlborough.

One of the largest wineries in New Zealand sources its 28 grape varieties from the country’s premier grape growing regions in both the North and South Islands.

While the winery reliably produces outstanding varietal wines from Albariño to Pinot Noir, Villa Maria’s role in elevating New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to its world-famous standing has been substantial. “Vintage”  highlights the cool, dry Marlborough region where the vast majority of Sauvignon Blanc, including Villa Maria’s Private Bin Marlborough and the limited-release Platinum Selection Sur Lie, is produced. Viticulturist Stu Dudley takes viewers into the vineyards and through the rugged terrain as he keeps close watch over the harvest while struggling to remain connected to his young family.

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Always innovating, taking the lead when it comes to environmental concerns is a priority at the Villa Maria winery and the results of that dedication are on display in “Vintage,” too. “I really love the idea of organic sustainability,” says Nick Picone. “When I walk into one of our organic blocks and notice the increase in life in that vineyard block, I feel good about that — about that fruit, about tasting that fruit, about being in that environment, about making wine from that fruit.”

Always innovating, taking the lead when it comes to environmental concerns is a priority at the Villa Maria winery.

Currently, 30 of Villa Maria’s company-owned vineyards are certified organic and it was the first major New Zealand winery to receive organic certification for its winery and bottling facilities in Auckland in 2009. However, the company’s commitment to eco-friendly practices began nearly 15 years earlier when it cofounded Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. This certification program recognizes wineries that use 100 percent  certified grapes and in 100 percent certified winemaking facilities. Since then, Villa Maria continues to move the bar forward with both its wines and winemaking practices by investing in energy-efficient systems, harnessing natural energy, ensuring that food waste goes to worm farms for fertilizer, opting for locally supplied glass, and by using recyclable materials and electric machinery.

“Vintage” is available in the U.S. and U.K. via Amazon Prime. It is also available globally on iTunes, Google Play, SommTV, and Vimeo On Demand. Passengers on Air New Zealand will also be able to watch the film via the airline’s in-flight entertainment system. Check out the trailer below!

https://vinepair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Vintage_Promo_45R_v001HD.mp4

This article is sponsored by Villa Maria.

The article ‘Vintage’ Takes Wine Lovers Behind the Scenes of New Zealand’s Legendary Villa Maria appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/behind-the-scenes-of-new-zealands-villa-maria/

source https://vinology1.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/vintage-takes-wine-lovers-behind-the-scenes-of-new-zealands-legendary-villa-maria/

[wineanddinosaur]

‘Vintage’ Takes Wine Lovers Behind the Scenes of New Zealand’s Legendary Villa Maria

“We wine lovers forget that so much of grape growing and so much of winemaking is sweat and blood and endless commitment and endless long hours,” says wine writer Oz Clarke in “Vintage,” a new documentary. The film, now on Amazon Prime, goes behind the scenes of New Zealand’s Villa Maria winery, following the hectic final weeks of the 2019 harvest. As Clarke says, “It’s not a glorious occupation most of the year, but it is really worth it.”

Moving beyond the expected shots of lush, sun-kissed vineyards and close-ups of dewy grapes, the feature-length documentary introduces key (increasingly sleep-deprived) members of Villa Maria’s team who come together to make the final product possible.

Along with founder-owner Sir George Fistonich (and a few familiar faces from the wine world, including Master Sommelier Brian McClintic), “Vintage” follows chief winemaker Nick Picone, experienced viticulturists Stu Dudley and Ollie Powrie, and viticulture intern Jess Marston, in the midst of her first vintage, to give an insider’s look at the all-consuming process of making wine.

“’Vintage’ is fast-paced and it’s chaotic because it all has to happen in a really short window of time,” says Nick Picone. “You’ve got so many tons of grapes to process, [but] you’ve only got so many hours in the day, you’ve only got so many days in the season in which to pick the fruit, to move it into the winery, to make all the wine decisions, to carry the winemaking out and to get the right results.”

The feature-length documentary introduces key (increasingly sleep-deprived) members of Villa Maria’s team who come together to make the final product possible.

While plenty of wineries would be interesting subjects for such a documentary, Villa Maria’s longevity — Fistonich started in 1961 — its leadership when it comes to sustainability, and its award-winning wines from all of the best corners of the country are just a few reasons it’s particularly deserving of the camera’s eye.

A START IN THE CITY

New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, holds special significance for Villa Maria. It was there, in 1961, that 21-year-old native George Fistonich decided to invest in his passion for winemaking, and leased a small portion of land from his father in Mangere, a suburb of Auckland. He planted his first acre of vines and Villa Maria was born.

As seen in “Vintage,” Fistonich has truly been the godfather of New Zealand wine ever since. In 2009, Fistonich was even knighted for his stellar contributions to the New Zealand wine industry over the last six decades. Even though it’s grown exponentially since its start, Villa Maria is still family-owned and today, that small Mangere plot (still an important part of the Villa Maria story) has expanded to nearly 100 acres of Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, and Verdelho vines.

Villa Maria continues to run a winery in Auckland, but it has two other facilities, enabling it to be closer to its vineyards in Marlborough and Hawkes Bay.

A DIVERSE LANDSCAPE

One of the largest wineries in New Zealand sources its 28 grape varieties from the country’s premier grape- growing regions in both the North and South Islands, including Hawkes Bay (the winery owns a large portion of the esteemed Gimblett Gravels region), Gisborne, and Marlborough.

One of the largest wineries in New Zealand sources its 28 grape varieties from the country’s premier grape growing regions in both the North and South Islands.

While the winery reliably produces outstanding varietal wines from Albariño to Pinot Noir, Villa Maria’s role in elevating New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to its world-famous standing has been substantial. “Vintage”  highlights the cool, dry Marlborough region where the vast majority of Sauvignon Blanc, including Villa Maria’s Private Bin Marlborough and the limited-release Platinum Selection Sur Lie, is produced. Viticulturist Stu Dudley takes viewers into the vineyards and through the rugged terrain as he keeps close watch over the harvest while struggling to remain connected to his young family.

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Always innovating, taking the lead when it comes to environmental concerns is a priority at the Villa Maria winery and the results of that dedication are on display in “Vintage,” too. “I really love the idea of organic sustainability,” says Nick Picone. “When I walk into one of our organic blocks and notice the increase in life in that vineyard block, I feel good about that — about that fruit, about tasting that fruit, about being in that environment, about making wine from that fruit.”

Always innovating, taking the lead when it comes to environmental concerns is a priority at the Villa Maria winery.

Currently, 30 of Villa Maria’s company-owned vineyards are certified organic and it was the first major New Zealand winery to receive organic certification for its winery and bottling facilities in Auckland in 2009. However, the company’s commitment to eco-friendly practices began nearly 15 years earlier when it cofounded Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. This certification program recognizes wineries that use 100 percent  certified grapes and in 100 percent certified winemaking facilities. Since then, Villa Maria continues to move the bar forward with both its wines and winemaking practices by investing in energy-efficient systems, harnessing natural energy, ensuring that food waste goes to worm farms for fertilizer, opting for locally supplied glass, and by using recyclable materials and electric machinery.

“Vintage” is available in the U.S. and U.K. via Amazon Prime. It is also available globally on iTunes, Google Play, SommTV, and Vimeo On Demand. Passengers on Air New Zealand will also be able to watch the film via the airline’s in-flight entertainment system. Check out the trailer below!

https://vinepair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Vintage_Promo_45R_v001HD.mp4

This article is sponsored by Villa Maria.

The article ‘Vintage’ Takes Wine Lovers Behind the Scenes of New Zealand’s Legendary Villa Maria appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/behind-the-scenes-of-new-zealands-villa-maria/

[isaiahrippinus]

‘Vintage’ Takes Wine Lovers Behind the Scenes of New Zealand’s Legendary Villa Maria

“We wine lovers forget that so much of grape growing and so much of winemaking is sweat and blood and endless commitment and endless long hours,” says wine writer Oz Clarke in “Vintage,” a new documentary. The film, now on Amazon Prime, goes behind the scenes of New Zealand’s Villa Maria winery, following the hectic final weeks of the 2019 harvest. As Clarke says, “It’s not a glorious occupation most of the year, but it is really worth it.”

Moving beyond the expected shots of lush, sun-kissed vineyards and close-ups of dewy grapes, the feature-length documentary introduces key (increasingly sleep-deprived) members of Villa Maria’s team who come together to make the final product possible.

Along with founder-owner Sir George Fistonich (and a few familiar faces from the wine world, including Master Sommelier Brian McClintic), “Vintage” follows chief winemaker Nick Picone, experienced viticulturists Stu Dudley and Ollie Powrie, and viticulture intern Jess Marston, in the midst of her first vintage, to give an insider’s look at the all-consuming process of making wine.

“’Vintage’ is fast-paced and it’s chaotic because it all has to happen in a really short window of time,” says Nick Picone. “You’ve got so many tons of grapes to process, [but] you’ve only got so many hours in the day, you’ve only got so many days in the season in which to pick the fruit, to move it into the winery, to make all the wine decisions, to carry the winemaking out and to get the right results.”

The feature-length documentary introduces key (increasingly sleep-deprived) members of Villa Maria’s team who come together to make the final product possible.

While plenty of wineries would be interesting subjects for such a documentary, Villa Maria’s longevity — Fistonich started in 1961 — its leadership when it comes to sustainability, and its award-winning wines from all of the best corners of the country are just a few reasons it’s particularly deserving of the camera’s eye.

A START IN THE CITY

New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, holds special significance for Villa Maria. It was there, in 1961, that 21-year-old native George Fistonich decided to invest in his passion for winemaking, and leased a small portion of land from his father in Mangere, a suburb of Auckland. He planted his first acre of vines and Villa Maria was born.

As seen in “Vintage,” Fistonich has truly been the godfather of New Zealand wine ever since. In 2009, Fistonich was even knighted for his stellar contributions to the New Zealand wine industry over the last six decades. Even though it’s grown exponentially since its start, Villa Maria is still family-owned and today, that small Mangere plot (still an important part of the Villa Maria story) has expanded to nearly 100 acres of Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, and Verdelho vines.

Villa Maria continues to run a winery in Auckland, but it has two other facilities, enabling it to be closer to its vineyards in Marlborough and Hawkes Bay.

A DIVERSE LANDSCAPE

One of the largest wineries in New Zealand sources its 28 grape varieties from the country’s premier grape- growing regions in both the North and South Islands, including Hawkes Bay (the winery owns a large portion of the esteemed Gimblett Gravels region), Gisborne, and Marlborough.

One of the largest wineries in New Zealand sources its 28 grape varieties from the country’s premier grape growing regions in both the North and South Islands.

While the winery reliably produces outstanding varietal wines from Albariño to Pinot Noir, Villa Maria’s role in elevating New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to its world-famous standing has been substantial. “Vintage”  highlights the cool, dry Marlborough region where the vast majority of Sauvignon Blanc, including Villa Maria’s Private Bin Marlborough and the limited-release Platinum Selection Sur Lie, is produced. Viticulturist Stu Dudley takes viewers into the vineyards and through the rugged terrain as he keeps close watch over the harvest while struggling to remain connected to his young family.

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Always innovating, taking the lead when it comes to environmental concerns is a priority at the Villa Maria winery and the results of that dedication are on display in “Vintage,” too. “I really love the idea of organic sustainability,” says Nick Picone. “When I walk into one of our organic blocks and notice the increase in life in that vineyard block, I feel good about that — about that fruit, about tasting that fruit, about being in that environment, about making wine from that fruit.”

Always innovating, taking the lead when it comes to environmental concerns is a priority at the Villa Maria winery.

Currently, 30 of Villa Maria’s company-owned vineyards are certified organic and it was the first major New Zealand winery to receive organic certification for its winery and bottling facilities in Auckland in 2009. However, the company’s commitment to eco-friendly practices began nearly 15 years earlier when it cofounded Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. This certification program recognizes wineries that use 100 percent  certified grapes and in 100 percent certified winemaking facilities. Since then, Villa Maria continues to move the bar forward with both its wines and winemaking practices by investing in energy-efficient systems, harnessing natural energy, ensuring that food waste goes to worm farms for fertilizer, opting for locally supplied glass, and by using recyclable materials and electric machinery.

“Vintage” is available in the U.S. and U.K. via Amazon Prime. It is also available globally on iTunes, Google Play, SommTV, and Vimeo On Demand. Passengers on Air New Zealand will also be able to watch the film via the airline’s in-flight entertainment system. Check out the trailer below!

https://vinepair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Vintage_Promo_45R_v001HD.mp4

This article is sponsored by Villa Maria.

The article ‘Vintage’ Takes Wine Lovers Behind the Scenes of New Zealand’s Legendary Villa Maria appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/behind-the-scenes-of-new-zealands-villa-maria/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/616742019335847936

[johnboothus]

Vintage Takes Wine Lovers Behind the Scenes of New Zealands Legendary Villa Maria

“We wine lovers forget that so much of grape growing and so much of winemaking is sweat and blood and endless commitment and endless long hours,” says wine writer Oz Clarke in “Vintage,” a new documentary. The film, now on Amazon Prime, goes behind the scenes of New Zealand’s Villa Maria winery, following the hectic final weeks of the 2019 harvest. As Clarke says, “It’s not a glorious occupation most of the year, but it is really worth it.”

Moving beyond the expected shots of lush, sun-kissed vineyards and close-ups of dewy grapes, the feature-length documentary introduces key (increasingly sleep-deprived) members of Villa Maria’s team who come together to make the final product possible.

Along with founder-owner Sir George Fistonich (and a few familiar faces from the wine world, including Master Sommelier Brian McClintic), “Vintage” follows chief winemaker Nick Picone, experienced viticulturists Stu Dudley and Ollie Powrie, and viticulture intern Jess Marston, in the midst of her first vintage, to give an insider’s look at the all-consuming process of making wine.

“’Vintage’ is fast-paced and it’s chaotic because it all has to happen in a really short window of time,” says Nick Picone. “You’ve got so many tons of grapes to process, [but] you’ve only got so many hours in the day, you’ve only got so many days in the season in which to pick the fruit, to move it into the winery, to make all the wine decisions, to carry the winemaking out and to get the right results.”

The feature-length documentary introduces key (increasingly sleep-deprived) members of Villa Maria’s team who come together to make the final product possible.

While plenty of wineries would be interesting subjects for such a documentary, Villa Maria’s longevity — Fistonich started in 1961 — its leadership when it comes to sustainability, and its award-winning wines from all of the best corners of the country are just a few reasons it’s particularly deserving of the camera’s eye.

A START IN THE CITY

New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, holds special significance for Villa Maria. It was there, in 1961, that 21-year-old native George Fistonich decided to invest in his passion for winemaking, and leased a small portion of land from his father in Mangere, a suburb of Auckland. He planted his first acre of vines and Villa Maria was born.

As seen in “Vintage,” Fistonich has truly been the godfather of New Zealand wine ever since. In 2009, Fistonich was even knighted for his stellar contributions to the New Zealand wine industry over the last six decades. Even though it’s grown exponentially since its start, Villa Maria is still family-owned and today, that small Mangere plot (still an important part of the Villa Maria story) has expanded to nearly 100 acres of Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, and Verdelho vines.

Villa Maria continues to run a winery in Auckland, but it has two other facilities, enabling it to be closer to its vineyards in Marlborough and Hawkes Bay.

A DIVERSE LANDSCAPE

One of the largest wineries in New Zealand sources its 28 grape varieties from the country’s premier grape- growing regions in both the North and South Islands, including Hawkes Bay (the winery owns a large portion of the esteemed Gimblett Gravels region), Gisborne, and Marlborough.

One of the largest wineries in New Zealand sources its 28 grape varieties from the country’s premier grape growing regions in both the North and South Islands.

While the winery reliably produces outstanding varietal wines from Albariño to Pinot Noir, Villa Maria’s role in elevating New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to its world-famous standing has been substantial. “Vintage”  highlights the cool, dry Marlborough region where the vast majority of Sauvignon Blanc, including Villa Maria’s Private Bin Marlborough and the limited-release Platinum Selection Sur Lie, is produced. Viticulturist Stu Dudley takes viewers into the vineyards and through the rugged terrain as he keeps close watch over the harvest while struggling to remain connected to his young family.

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Always innovating, taking the lead when it comes to environmental concerns is a priority at the Villa Maria winery and the results of that dedication are on display in “Vintage,” too. “I really love the idea of organic sustainability,” says Nick Picone. “When I walk into one of our organic blocks and notice the increase in life in that vineyard block, I feel good about that — about that fruit, about tasting that fruit, about being in that environment, about making wine from that fruit.”

Always innovating, taking the lead when it comes to environmental concerns is a priority at the Villa Maria winery.

Currently, 30 of Villa Maria’s company-owned vineyards are certified organic and it was the first major New Zealand winery to receive organic certification for its winery and bottling facilities in Auckland in 2009. However, the company’s commitment to eco-friendly practices began nearly 15 years earlier when it cofounded Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. This certification program recognizes wineries that use 100 percent  certified grapes and in 100 percent certified winemaking facilities. Since then, Villa Maria continues to move the bar forward with both its wines and winemaking practices by investing in energy-efficient systems, harnessing natural energy, ensuring that food waste goes to worm farms for fertilizer, opting for locally supplied glass, and by using recyclable materials and electric machinery.

“Vintage” is available in the U.S. and U.K. via Amazon Prime. It is also available globally on iTunes, Google Play, SommTV, and Vimeo On Demand. Passengers on Air New Zealand will also be able to watch the film via the airline’s in-flight entertainment system. Check out the trailer below!

https://vinepair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Vintage_Promo_45R_v001HD.mp4

This article is sponsored by Villa Maria.

The article ‘Vintage’ Takes Wine Lovers Behind the Scenes of New Zealand’s Legendary Villa Maria appeared first on VinePair.

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Australian man faces court charged over Christchurch terror attack

Accused Christchurch massacre gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant has made a white power gesture from behind a glass window during a brief appearance in court.

Tarrant, 28, originally from Grafton, New South Wales but more recently a resident of Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island, was dressed in a white custody outfit with a black sash around his waist.

Flanked by two much taller armed security officers, Tarrant smiled faintly as he stood behind a small glass barrier which came up just above his eyes.

Police allege that after opening fire inside the Al Noor Mosque Tarrant drove to the Linwood Masjid Mosque across town and continued his rampage. 

A second man Daniel John Burrough, 18, has also been charged with ‘exciting hostility or ill-will’ in relation to the mosque attacks but he did not appear in court.

Members of the public were banned from entering the court during the proceedings, but one man outside tried to break-in during the hearing.

He said he wanted to ‘knife’ the accused attacker and showed reporters a weapon he was carrying.

So far 49 people have been confirmed dead – including at least one child – while dozens more remain missing. 

Scroll down for video 

Accused Christchurch massacre gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant (pictured) has made a white power gesture from behind a glass window, during a brief appearance in court

Flanked by two much taller armed security officers, Tarrant smiled faintly as he stood behind a small glass barrier which came up just above his eyes.

Tarrant, 28, originally from Grafton, New South Wales but more recently a resident of Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island, was dressed in a white custody outfit with a black sash around his waist 

Chilling photos show blood soaked survivors emerging from the Linwood Mosque just minutes after Brenton Harrison Tarrant allegedly opened fire

Shocked survivors embrace one another just metres away from where dozens lay dead after the horrific shooting

Police allege that Tarrant began his shooting rampage at the Al Noor Masjidal Mosque in the city’s east, before driving across town to the Linwood Masjid Mosque and again opening fire

Short of stature with a stocky build, with thinning hair and beady brown eyes, Tarrant stood squarely in place throughout the entire hearing.

He swivelled his torso around to repeatedly glance at the media, at District Court Judge Paul Kaller and out the windows of the Christchurch District Court.

At the beginning of the hearing he appeared to have a faint smile on his face, but it faded into a neutral expression as the hearing continued.

Security was tight, with about six security guards and police in total, the guards wearing black protective vests.

No members of the public were allowed to attend except for media ‘in the interest’s of public safety’, the judge said.

Tarrant was remanded in custody. His duty lawyer did not apply for bail. 

He has been charged with one count of murder but police say many more charges are expected to be laid. 

The hearing was all over in just a few minutes, with Tarrant taking one final look at those gathered and marched away.

He is due to reappear in the High Court on April 5.

Tarrant was photographed and filmed in court by New Zealand cameras but they have been ordered to pixellate his face in images from inside court. 

Burrough has also been charged with intent to excite hostility or ill will against any group of persons in New Zealand and publishing written matter which is insulting, court documents said.

Another man remains in custody, and police are still trying to ‘build a picture of any of the individuals involved and all of their activities prior to this horrific event’.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush confirmed the death toll stands at 49, with 42 injured.

He said that after receiving the initial emergency call at 1.42pm local time, police took 36 minutes to track down and detain Tarrant.

‘That is an incredibly fast response time. You had a mobile offender across large metropolitan city. I am very happy with the response of our staff,’ Bush said.

Police arrested three men – including Tarrant and Burrough – and a woman following Friday’s attacks.

Commissioner Bush said that the third man was spotted carrying a gun by a police officer, but after questioning it was revealed the man was on his way to collect his children from school and took the weapon to protect himself.

‘In terms of people who have been charged, we have – as you know, we apprehended four people on the day,’ Mr Bush said. 

‘One was released quite early – a member of the public who just wanted to get their kids home, but decided to take a firearm.’ 

With hundreds of people gathering at Christchurch District Court, a heavy police presence was required – including armoured vehicles

Heavily armed police and sniffer dogs were also called in, but police commissioner Mike Bush said there was ‘no intelligence about current imminent threats’

There are fears for three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim (pictured) who was last seen at the Deans Avenue mosque with his father and brother Abdi

Naeem Rashid (pictured), from Abbottabad in Pakistan, was hailed a hero after he tried to wrestle the gun from the Christchuch shooter on Friday

Omar (pictured) said his father was one of the first Muslims in New Zealand, opening the Tuam Street mosque in Christchurch, after discovering the country was a ‘slice of paradise’

A man wearing military fatigues (pictured) was arrested outside Papanui High School. Police confirmed on Saturday that they had released the man who had taken a gun as protection when he went to pick up his kids from school

The first victims of the terror attack have been confirmed as Haji Daud Nabi, 71, Naeem Rashid and his son Talha, 21.

Mr Rashid could be seen in the chilling live-stream of the attack at Al Noor Mosque attempting to prise the gun from the grip of Tarrant.  

Two of Mr Nabi’s sons Omar, 43, and Yama, 45, appeared outside Christchurch District Court on Saturday morning where they shared photos and stories of their father.

Omar said his dad was one of the first Muslims in New Zealand, moving to Christchurch in 1977 and opening the Tuam Street mosque after discovering the country was a ‘slice of paradise’.

There are fears that several children who had accompanied their father’s to Friday prayers were killed when the gunman opened fire.

Among them is three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim who was last seen at the Deans Avenue mosque with his father and brother Abdi.

The accused gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant grew up in the rural New South Wales town of Grafton, but left the area in his early 20s following the death of his father Rodney to cancer.

He spent up to seven years travelling the world from 2011 onwards, and one woman who knew him before he left Grafton speculated to Daily Mail Australia that ‘something happened to him’ during this time. She also recognised him as being the man in the massacre video.

Tarrant claimed in a so-called ‘manifesto’ to have made money trading Bitcoin, enabling him to travel the world. He also spoke of visiting a wide range of countries including Pakistan, and a photograph showed him on a tourist trip to North Korea. 

A picture posted on social media by a Pakistani hotel manager in 2018 appears to show him in the country during his time abroad.

But at some point he seems to have become obsessed with terrorist attacks that happened in Europe between 2016 and 2017. His ranting manifesto is filled with Neo-Nazi ideology and hatred for Muslim people. 

Brenton Tarrant is pictured as a child being held by his keen athlete father who died of cancer in 2010 at the age of 49. He grew up in Grafton in the Northern River region of Australia’s New South Wales and worked as a personal trainer before leaving to travel the world

Tarrant grew up in a picture-perfect house (shown above) in Grafton in the Northern River region of Australia’s New South Wales

Witnesses reported hearing dozens of shots at Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch on the country’s South Island. Pictured is a still from a live-stream of the shooting

The shooter’s rampage began when he got into his car wearing military-style body armour and a helmet saying ‘let’s get this party started’

Timeline of terror: How the Christchurch shootings unfolded

Friday March 15, 1.30pm local time (12.30am GMT): Gunman identifying himself as Brenton Tarrant live-streams mass shooting inside the Al Noor Mosque as Friday prayers are underway. The Bangladesh cricket team were on their way to the mosque at the time.

1.40pm: Police respond to reports of shots fired in central Christchurch. People are urged to stay indoors and report any suspicious behaviour. Shortly afterwards, all schools in the city are placed into lockdown.

1.47pm: Gunman believed to have travelled to Linwood Masjid Mosque, where he shot dead seven people.  

2.10pm: Police confirm they are attending an ‘evolving situation’ involving an ‘active shooter’

2.16pm: Hero cops detain gunman in dramatic roadside arrest, captured on camera by passing motorist.  

3.30pm: Two explosive devices attached to a car are found and disarmed by a bomb squad at Strickland Street, not far from the Al Noor Mosque.

4pm: One person confirmed to be in custody. New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush says there have been ‘multiple fatalities’ at two locations – both mosques. Mosques across New Zealand urged to shut their doors.

4.10pm: Prime minister Jacinda Ardern calls it ‘one of New Zealand’s darkest days’.

5.30pm: Mr Bush says three men and one woman are in custody. Australian prime minister Scott Morrison confirms one of those arrested is Australian.

7.30pm: Ms Ardern says 40 are dead and more than 20 are seriously injured but confirms the offender is in custody 

National security threat level is lifted from low to high.

7.45pm: Britomart train station in central Auckland is evacuated after bags are found unattended. The bags were deemed not suspicious.

9pm: Death toll rises to 49 and Police Commissioner Bush reveals a man in his late 20s has been charged with murder. 

Police are not looking for any named or identified suspects, he says, but adds that it would be ‘wrong to assume that there is no-one else’.

11.50pm: Investigation extends 240 miles to the south where homes are evacuated around a ‘location of interest’ in Dunedin. 

Prosecutors in Bulgaria have launched a probe into Tarrant’s recent visit to the country. 

He visited Bulgaria from November 9-15 last year claiming he wanted ‘to visit historical sites and study the history of the Balkan country’, according to Bulgaria’s public prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov. 

Tsatsarov said he hoped the inquiry would establish if this was ‘correct or if he had other objectives’.

One woman who knew Tarrant before he left Grafton said he worked as a personal trainer who was obsessed with fitness but seemed like a well-adjusted young man. 

In a twisted manifesto that he posted online before the massacre, Tarrant described himself as an ‘ordinary, white man’, who was born into a working class, low income family of Scottish, Irish and English decent.

The gunman wrote that he had ‘little interest in education’ growing up, and did not attend university as he had no great interest in anything offered at the schools.

He claimed he made some money investing in Bitconnect – a type of digital currency – before he then used the money to travel overseas. 

Tarrant, who would later go on to become a personal trainer, inherited a love of physical fitness from his father, who reportedly died of an asbestos-related illness. 

A woman who claims to have previously known Tarrant through the gym, alleged it was him in the live stream.

She told Daily Mail Australia that he followed a strict dietary and exercise regime and worked at the gym after he finished school. 

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said Tarrant always ‘threw himself into his own personal training’ before he later became a qualified a trainer and started training others. 

After retrieving one of at least six assault rifles stored in his car, he walked up to the front door and began firing at the first person he saw

In addition to the dead, health officials said 48 people were being treated at Christchurch Hospital for gunshot wounds. Injuries ranged from minor to critical 

A man breaks down in tears as he speaks on a mobile phone near a mosque in central Christchurch, New Zealand

He was very dedicated to his own training and to training others, she said. 

‘He was in the gym for long periods of time, lifting heaving weights. He pretty much transformed his body,’ she said.

The woman also said she had not spoken to him or heard him talk about his political or religious beliefs.

‘From the conversations we had about life he didn’t strike me as someone who had any interest in that or extremist views,’ she said.

‘But I know he’s been travelling since he left Grafton. He has been travelling overseas, anywhere and everywhere.

‘I would say it’s something in the nature of his travels, something he’s been around.

‘I know he’s been to lots of different countries trying to experience lots of different things in life and I would say something’s happened in that time in his travels,’ she said.  

In a previous Facebook message about a trip to Pakistan on Facebook, he wrote: ‘an incredible place filled with the most earnest, kindhearted and hospitable people in the world,’ The Sydney Morning Herald reported.  

‘The beauty of hunza and nagar valley in autumn cannot be beat,’ he stated.

Tarrant allegedly entered the Al Noor Mosque on Friday during afternoon prayers and opened fire, capturing the attack on a camera strapped to his helmet.

The distressing video streamed to his Facebook profile shows a man firing more than 100 shots at those inside.

The guns were scrawled with the names of past mass killers and cities where the shootings occurred.

Local residents leave floral tributes at Deans Avenue near the Al Noor Mosque on March 16, 2019 in Christchurch, New Zealand. At least 49 people are confirmed dead

Floral tributes are left before dawn at Deans Avenue near the Al Noor Mosque on March 16, 2019 in Christchurch, New Zealand

People taking part in a vigil at the New Zealand War Memorial on Hyde Park Corner following the mosque attacks in Christchurch

Pictured: Bloodied bandages on the road after the shooting at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch

At least one gunman opened fire at a mosque in New Zealand , shooting at worshippers and killing dozens of people. Pictured: A wounded man is helped from the scene

Police said the investigation had extended 240 miles to the south, where homes in Dunedin were evacuated around a ‘location of interest.’ They gave no details. Police are pictured in the city on Friday night

The alleged gunman’s rampage began when he got into his car wearing military-style body armour and a helmet saying ‘let’s get this party started’.

He then drove to the mosque listening to a Serbian folk song glorifying war criminal Radovan Karadzic and military tunes before parking in an alley around the corner.

After retrieving one of at least six guns stored in his car, he walked up to the front door and began firing indiscriminately at worshippers inside.

The gunman stormed inside and fired quick bursts at anyone he saw. One wounded man tried to crawl away but was shot again after he calmly reloaded.

He fired into crowds of huddled worshippers, sometimes not even looking where he was shooting and reloading numerous times.

When the sound of his gun stopped between magazines, the moaning of wounded people could be heard until the shots began again.

Several times he stood over wounded men, reloaded his gun, and shot them multiple times to make sure they were dead.

Tarrant then walked outside and appeared to fire on at least two targets, returned to his car and swapped his shotgun for a rifle.

The gunmen live-streamed the mass shooting inside the Al Noor Mosque, which happened at 1.30pm as Friday prayers were underway. Police are pictured outside the mosque on Friday

Survivors gather near the Al Noor Mosque on Deans Road hours after the place of worship was attacked

How killer’s rifles bore white-supremacist references

The self-proclaimed racist who attacked a New Zealand mosque during Friday prayers in an assault that killed 49 people used rifles covered in white-supremacist graffiti and listened to a song glorifying a Bosnian Serb war criminal.

These details highlight the toxic beliefs behind an unprecedented, live-streamed massacre, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called ‘one of New Zealand’s darkest days.’

Some of the material posted by the killer resembles the meme-heavy hate speech prominent in dark corners of the internet. Beneath the online tropes lies a man who matter-of-factly wrote that he was preparing to conduct a horrific attack.

MUSIC

The shooter’s soundtrack as he drove to the mosque included an upbeat-sounding tune that belies its roots in a destructive European nationalist and religious conflict. 

The nationalist Serb song from the 1992-95 war that tore apart Yugoslavia glorifies Serbian fighters and Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic, who is jailed at the United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague for genocide and other war crimes against Bosnian Muslims. 

A YouTube video for the song shows emaciated Muslim prisoners in Serb-run camps during the war. ‘Beware Ustashas and Turks,’ says the song, using wartime, derogatory terms for Bosnian Croats and Muslims.

When the gunman returned to his car after the shooting, the song ‘Fire’ by English rock band ‘The Crazy World of Arthur Brown’ can be heard blasting from the speakers. The singer bellows, ‘I am the god of hellfire!’ as the man, a 28-year-old Australian, drives away. 

SYMBOLS

At least two rifles used in the shooting bore references to Ebba Akerlund, an 11-year-old girl killed in an April 2017 truck-ramming attack in Stockholm by Rakhmat Akilov, a 39-year-old Uzbek man. 

The self-proclaimed racist believed to have killed 49 people at a New Zealand mosque during Friday prayers apparently opened fire with rifles covered in white-supremacist graffiti and listened to a song glorifying a Bosnian Serb war criminal

Akerlund’s death is memorialized in the gunman’s apparent manifesto, published online, as an event that led to his decision to wage war against what he perceives as the enemies of Western civilization.

The number 14 is also seen on the gunman’s rifles. It may refer to ’14 Words,’ which according to the Southern Poverty Law Center is a white supremacist slogan linked to Adolf Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf.’ 

He also used the symbol of the Schwarze Sonne, or black sun, which ‘has become synonymous with myriad far-right groups,’ according to the center, which monitors hate groups. 

In photographs from a now deleted Twitter account associated with the suspect that match the weaponry seen in his live-streamed video, there is a reference to ‘Vienna 1683,’ the year the Ottoman Empire suffered a defeat in its siege of the city at the Battle of Kahlenberg. ‘Acre 1189,’ a reference to the Crusades, is also written on the guns.

Four names of legendary Serbs who fought against the 500-year-rule of the Ottomans in the Balkans, written in the Cyrillic alphabet, are also seen on the gunman’s rifles.

The name Charles Martel, who the Southern Poverty Law Center says white supremacists credit ‘with saving Europe by defeating an invading Muslim force at the Battle of Tours in 734,’ was also on the weapons. They also bore the inscription ‘Malta 1565,’ a reference to the Great Siege of Malta, when the Maltese and the Knights of Malta defeated the Turks. 

By Associated Press 

Returning to the mosque he walked over to a pile of dead or wounded men in the room and began shooting them in the head to ensure they were dead.

He then ran outside and shot another person he saw on the mosque’s front lawn.

The woman stumbled on to the street and was lying face down in the gutter yelling ‘help me, help me’ as the shooter walked up to her. Tarrant calmly leaned over her and shot her twice in the head.

Seconds later he returned to his car and drove over her body to make his escape, stopping to shoot at least one other person through his car window.

As he drove he expressed regret for not staying longer and ‘burning the mosque to the ground’. Two jerry cans of petrol were earlier seen the the back his car. 

‘But, s**t happens,’ he said. ‘I left one full magazine back there, I know for sure. I had to run along in the middle of the firefight and pick it up.

‘There wasn’t even time to aim there were so many targets. There were so many people, the car park was full, so there’s no real chance of improvement.’

Footage from within the Masjid mosque later showed survivors tending to the wounded.

In a manifesto seemingly written by Tarrant and shared to Twitter, he mentions being inspired by other shooters including Anders Breivik who killed 77 people in Oslo, Norway in 2011.

Police escort distraught witnesses away from a mosque in central Christchurch following the massacre. A 28-year-old man has been charged with murder

Armed police could be seen pushing back members of the public trying to reach the Masjid Al Noor mosque to check on fellow worshippers

Armed police maintain a presence outside the Masijd Ayesha Mosque in Manurewa in Auckland after the attack in Christchurch

He said he ‘disliked’ Muslims and hated those who had converted to the religion, calling them ‘blood traitors’.

Tarrant said he originally wanted to target a mosque in Dunedin, south of Christchurch, after watching a video on Facebook.

‘But after visiting the mosques in Christchurch and Linwood and seeing the desecration of the church that had been converted to a mosque in Ashburton, my plans changed,’ he wrote.

‘The Christchurch and Linwood mosques had far more invaders.’ 

He said he had been planning an attack for up to two years and decided on Christchurch three months ago.

The shooter said he was motivated to carry out the attack by the death of Swedish schoolgirl Ebba Akerlund, a girl who was killed in a terrorist attack in Stockholm in April 2017.

Tarrant said he was a supporter of Donald Trump as a ‘symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose’.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (pictured on Friday) said the shootings were an ‘unprecedented act of violence’

Worshippers in Bangledesh march through the streets of Dhaka to condemn the Christchurch mosque attacks 

A world united in grief: Leaders around the globe express their horror at New Zealand mosque shootings 

Leaders from around the would have condemned the deadly attack at two New Zealand mosques that left 49 people dead. 

United States President Donald Trump took to Twitter to express his condolences and pledge that the US would do ‘anything we can’ to help New Zealand. 

President Trump tweeted his ‘warmest sympathy and best wishes’ to the people of New Zealand after ‘the horrible massacre in the Mosques’. He added that ‘innocent people have so senselessly died. ‘The U.S. stands by New Zealand for anything we can do. God bless all!’   

In the UK, the Queen said she was ‘deeply saddened’ by the attack while Prince Charles said he and his wife were ‘utterly horrified’ to hear about the ‘barbaric’ attacks. 

In a message to the Governor-General of New Zealand, the Queen said: ‘I have been deeply saddened by the appalling events in Christchurch today. Prince Philip and I send our condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives.

‘I also pay tribute to the emergency services and volunteers who are providing support to those who have been injured.

‘At this tragic time, my thoughts and prayers are with all New Zealanders.’

 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also shared their horror at the news. 

Pope Francis denounced the ‘senseless acts of violence’ in the shootings and said that he is praying for the Muslim community and all New Zealanders. 

Erna Solberg, the prime minister of Norway which saw 77 people killed in a far-right attack eight years ago, has expressed solidarity with New Zealand.

He described himself as ‘just a regular white man’.

He said he was born to ‘working class, low-income family… who decided to take a stand to ensure a future for my people’.

‘My parents are of Scottish, Irish and English stock. I had a regular childhood, without any great issues,’ he wrote.

The gunman said he carried out the massacre to ‘directly reduce immigration rates to European lands’.

He said New Zealand was not his ‘original choice’ for the attack but said the location would show ‘that nowhere in the world was safe’.

‘We must ensure the existence of our people, and a future for white children,’ he wrote.

He wrote that the shooting was an ‘act of revenge on the invaders for the hundreds of thousands of deaths caused by foreign invaders in European lands throughout history’.

‘For the enslavement of millions of Europeans taken from their lands by the Islamic slavers… for the thousands of European lives lost to terror attacks throughout European lands,’ the gunman wrote.

He shared photos to his now-removed Twitter account ahead of the attacks, showing weapons and military-style equipment.

In posts online before the attack Tarrant wrote about ‘taking the fight to the invaders myself’. 

Ms Ardern condemned the attacker, saying: ‘You may have chosen us, but we utterly condemn and reject you.’

‘My thoughts, and I’m sure the thoughts of all New Zealanders, are with those who have been affected, and also with their families.’

Early reports indicated a shooting at Christchurch Hospital. However, Ms Ardern said the mosques were the lone targets on ‘one of New Zealand’s darkest days’.

Dozens of families spent the night crowding the front doors of Christchurch Hospital, unsure whether their loved ones had survived. One woman took to social media to ask whether anyone had seen her husband.

‘Assalamualaikum [peace be with you] currently we still don’t have any news on my husband. Please keep him on your prayer.’ 

The nation’s terror threat level was elevated to ‘high alert’ following the terror attacks, the second highest possible.

However, police have confirmed there are no further suspects.

New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush confirmed the death toll had risen to 49 as of 9pm local time.

‘This is absolutely tragic. So many people are affected. We don’t know the identities of those who have died yet because those places are in lockdown,’ he said in a statement at about 6pm.

Speaking of the victims, Commissioner Bush said: ‘Our love and thoughts go out to them and all of their family, all of their friends and all of their loved ones.’

He also praised local police officers who responded to the attacks.

The gunman behind at least one of the mosque shootings in New Zealand that left 49 people dead on Friday tried to make a few things clear in the manifesto he left behind: He is a 28-year-old Australian white nationalist who hates immigrants. He was set off by attacks in Europe that were perpetrated by Muslims. He wanted revenge, and he wanted to create fear. Members of a family react outside the mosque following the shooting in Christchurch

Pictured: Grieving members of the public after the shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand

‘We have staff around the country making sure everyone is safe, including armed offenders at all mosques. Police staff have gone above and beyond to protect people today.’

Armed police were seen patrolling the Masijd Ayesha Mosque in Auckland after the attack in Christchurch.

Bush earlier urged Muslims in New Zealand not to go to mosques on Friday.

Commissioner Bush said four people were taken in to custody with one later released. He also confirmed there were bombs attached to a car near the scene of the shootings, which were disarmed before they could detonate.

Ms Ardern condemned the attacks, saying they were ‘an unprecedented act of violence, an act that has no place in New Zealand.

‘This is not who we are. The people who were the subject of this attack today, New Zealand is their home. They should be safe here. The person who has perpetuated this violent act against them, they have no place in New Zealand society.’ 

She confirmed that police believe the attacks were ‘meticulously’ planned out.

Ms Ardern flew to Wellington from Christchurch to hold a crisis meeting at parliament.

A floral tribute to the victims of the Christchurch massacres is seen on the same avenue as the second mosque

The 73-page document, which he called ‘The Great Replacement’, was published on the morning before Brenton Tarrant opened fire inside the Al Noor Mostque in Christchurch

Police rushed to an Auckland train station after reports of abandoned backpacks. The bomb disposal robot (pictured) detonated a bomb in a ‘controlled explosion’ while commuters were cordoned off

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was ‘horrified’ by the ‘callous, right wing extremist attack’.

‘The situation is still unfolding but our thoughts and prayers are with our Kiwi cousins,’ he said.

He and Ms Ardern discussed the repercussions of the attack later on Friday evening. Australia’s terror threat level did not change as a result of the attacks.

Witnesses described horrific scenes as the gunman went on the rampage just after 1.30pm on Friday. 

A man inside the mosque at the time of the shooting said there ‘bodies all over me’. A man who escaped during the shooting said he saw his wife lying dead on the footpath.

‘My wife is dead,’ he said while wailing.

Witness Ahmad Al-Mahmoud described a white man wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest.

‘The guy was wearing like an army [suit]. He had a big gun and lots of bullets. He came through and started shooting everyone in the mosque, everywhere,’ Ahmad Al-Mahmoud told Stuff.

‘They had to smash the door – the glass from the window and the door – to get everyone out.

‘We were trying to get everyone to run away from this area. I ran away from the car park, jumping through the back [yard] of houses.’

Police escort people away from outside one of the mosques targeted in the shooting. The massacre in Christchurch left 49 dead

A police officer photographs witnesses near the scene of one of the shootings on Friday. The massacre happened during Fridayt

The country’s police commissioner, Mike Bush, said 49 people were confirmed dead and that a man in his late 20s has been charged with murder. Pictured: A tearful woman waits outside the mosque on Friday 

A man who escaped the mosque during the shooting said he saw his wife lying dead on the footpath. Heavily armed police are pictured escorting people from the area

Witness Ahmad Al-Mahmoud described one of the shooters as being white, with blond hair and wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier said at least 20 other people had been seriously injured, and described it as ‘one of New Zealand’s darkest days’, adding: ‘What has happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence’

Another witness said he ran behind the mosque to call the police after hearing the gun go off. 

‘I heard the sound of the gun. And the second one I heard, I ran. Lots of people were sitting on the floor. I ran behind the mosque, rang the police. 

‘I saw one gun on the floor. Lots of people died and injured.’   

Meanwhile, dramatic footage has emerged of a person suspected of being involved in the attack being arrested on Friday afternoon. 

The video filmed by a passing motorist shows the suspect’s grey station wagon wedged between the gutter and another police car, with its front wheels in the air spinning.

The suspect appeared to still be inside as officers approached the vehicle with their weapons drawn.

One officer reached inside the vehicle and dragged a person out, as a second stood guard with their weapon drawn.

The suspect was seen wearing dark clothing, and in the footage an officer appeared to have hit the person.

The Bangladesh cricket team (pictured) were on their way to Al Noor Mosque when shooting broke out inside

Witnesses reported hearing as many as 50 gunshots at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch on the country’s South Island

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said there were ‘some absolute acts of bravery’ during the arrests of four people.

Bangladesh players and support staff have been preparing for the third test of a series against New Zealand, set to begin on Saturday, and were walking through Hagley Park when shooting broke out at the Al Noor mosque.

Tweets from sports reporters and team members say the group ‘just escaped’ the shooting, which saw a man enter the mosque and fire multiple shots at dozens of people as they tried to flee. 

The team’s opening batsman, Tamim Iqbal said on Twitter the ‘entire team got saved from active shooters’.

He said it was a ‘frightening experience’ and asked supporters to keep the team in their prayers.

Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim said Allah had saved the team.

‘We r [sic] extremely lucky,’ he wrote. ‘Never want to see this things [sic] happen again… pray for us.’

Shrinivas Chandrasekaran, the team’s performance and strategic analyst said they had ‘just escaped active shooters’. He said their hearts were pounding and there was ‘panic everywhere’.

ESPN cricinfo correspondent Mohammad Isam told the New Zealand Herald the team were ‘not in a mental state to play cricket at all,’ following the horrific attack.

‘I think they want to go back home as soon as possible. I’m speaking from experience, I’m speaking from what I’ve heard,’ he said.

‘Everyone is at the Hagley Park dressing room … two players are back at the hotel. They didn’t come out for the prayers so they are back at the hotel and the entire coaching staff are safe.’

The scheduled test between New Zealand and Bangladesh has been cancelled. 

A man was seen with bloodstains on his trousers near the mosque after the shooting, as 48 people are left with gun wounds

A police officer gestures to a person outside the mosque after the shooting in Christchurch

Members of the public react in front of the Al Noor Mosque as they fear for their relatives

Parents refuse to leave without their children as their school, Te Waka Unua School, was in lockdown for hours on Friday

Later in the day, two abandoned backpacks sparked another bomb scare at Auckland’s largest train station. A bomb disposal robot was used to investigate the backpacks while pedestrians were cordoned off. 

While there was no reason to believe there were any more suspects, the prime minister said the national threat level was raised from low to high. 

Air New Zealand cancelled several flights in and out of Christchurch, saying it couldn’t properly screen customers and baggage.

Police said the investigation had extended 240 miles to the south, where homes in Dunedin were evacuated around a ‘location of interest.’ They gave no details.

Among the victims was a Jordanian man, the country’s foreign ministry said, the first and only victim identified so far.

People from around the world were in the mosque at the time of the assault.

Among them were were six Indonesians – three of whom were reported safe, the country’s foreign minister Retno Marsudi said, adding they were searching for the others.

A Saudi Arabian man, two Malaysians, two Turks and at least five Jordanians were among those wounded.

India’s high commissioner to New Zealand said nine people of Indian nationality or origin were missing.

Young children were among 48 people being treated at Christchurch Hospital.  

A shirtless man speaks on the phone as an armed police officer patrols the area outside a mosque in Christchurch

Police urged people near the area to stay indoors and report suspicious behaviour, describing the incident as ‘critical’

Shocked family members are seen standing out the front of the mosque, unsure whether their loved ones have survived

The gunman entered and opened fire while hundreds of people were inside the packed mosque for Friday prayers

A man who escaped the mosque during the shooting said he saw his wife lying dead on the footpath 

Armed police officers were seen outside Christchurch Hospital after the shooting, remaining there through the night

The shooting happened near Cathedral Square where thousands of children were protesting for climate change action. The protesting children were told to go home to ensure their safety.   

Christchurch Boys’ and Girls’ high schools were both placed into lockdown. The restrictions were lifted hours later.

Parents of students at Christchurch Girls’ High School were sent a text message telling them the lockdown was ‘not an exercise’.  

The Canterbury District Health Board activated its mass casualty plan and the city council placed its central city buildings into lockdown. 

Rugby star Sonny Bill Williams shared an emotional tribute to those killed in Friday’s mosque shooting.

In a video posted to Twitter, a tearful Williams, who is a proud Muslim, said he ‘couldn’t put into words how I feel right now’.

The 33-year-old told followers he was sending prayers to the loved ones of those killed, and praying himself the victims would end up in paradise.

‘Just sending my duas (prayers) and Mashallah (god willing) – everyone that’s been killed today in Christchurch… your families … [I’m] just sending my duas to your loved ones and Mashallah you guys are all in paradise,’ he said.

‘I’m just deeply, deeply saddened that this would happen in New Zealand.’  

Worst peacetime gun massacres 

New Zealand’s worst ever gun massacre ranks among some of the world’s most horrible mass murders.

The death toll has surpassed Australia’s April 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, which saw 35 people gunned down at an historic tourist attraction. New Prime Minister John Howard spearheaded national gun laws in the wake of this tragedy.

It occurred just seven weeks after Scotland’s Dunblane massacre, which saw 16 children and one teacher shot dead near the town of Stirling.

Port Arthur was the world’s worst peaceful massacre until June 2016, when a 29-year-old security guard killed 49 people at the American Pulse gay nightclub at Orlando, Florida. Friday’s Auckland attack has now matched that total.

Just over a year later, in October 2017,  a gunman opened fire killing 58 people at the Route 91 music festival in Las Vegas.

The United States has been home to a spate of gun massacres, defined as the death of four or more people.

In April 2007, 32 people were killed at Virginia Tech when a student opened fire at Blacksburg.

In December 2012, a gunman shot and killed 20 children aged between six and seven years old at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

In November 2017, a gunman opened fire at the First Baptist Church at Sutherland Springs in Texas, killing 27 people, including the 14-year-old daughter of the church pastor. 

Until now, New Zealand had not had a mass shooting since June 1994, when David Bain, 22, killed his father Robin, mother Margaret, his sisters Arawa and Laniet , and his brother Stephen.

New Zealand tightened gun laws after the Aramoana massacre of November 1990, which saw 13 people shot dead in a small township near Dunedin , following a neighbourhood dispute. 

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[garyringrose]

Bali and New Zealand Day 14

So the flight left Dampasar on time at 2200. Next was 7.5hr flight to Auckland. These flight times are great as you can eat drink and then sleep. It was a fairly full flight.

I started to watch a film but decided to sleep instead as we loose another 6hrs when we arrive in NZ because of the time difference.

The flight itself was very smooth but the staff!!!

We're flying Emirates and both legs of the flight to Bali were ace. Fantastic service. The flight from Bali to Auckland couldn't have been more opposite.

I don't know if the staff had to do double shift/quick turn around and we're tired/teasy but that's the impression I got. It was as us passengers were a huge hindrance and inconvenience to them.

I lost count of the times I got banged into by the staff everytime they passed me (I had an aisle seat but I'm pretty slim and didn't spill out into the aisle).

The food and everything other than the staff were great, shame considering how good the other flights were.

Arrived on time in Auckland. We had a 2hr space before the domestic flight down to Queenstown.

This seemed a nice lot of down time but we only had about 30 mins again.

As we we're going from Emirates to Jetstar we had to collect all our bags, go through passport control and customs and then leave the terminal building for a 10 min walk to the domestic terminal to check in again, leave bags, go back through security and into departure lounge. It sounds a faff and a rush but it wasn't at all, very smooth in fact .

I was worried about my coffee and camping gear in customs as very strict in NZ re getting seeds, nuts, bacteria from food or soil from overseas on shoes hiding non native bugs or pests into the country, and rightly so. I'd filled in paperwork on the plane prior to landing, handed it in and was asked what I was bringing in and they were fine with it.

Boarded the domestic flight (bit like easyJet) for 1.5hr to Queenstown. Was surprised when we were informed our ticket included drinks and snacks so coffee and cheese & biscuits for me and tea and a muffin for Heidi.

Clear skies and sunshine allowed great views from the window seat of the coastline , mountains and snow.

Spotted Mount Tongarario where hopefully I'll be walking in a few weeks, Mount Egmont/Taranaki which hopefully I can summit (it's stunning and impressive to see), Able Tasman, Tamuka & Timeru etc.

The landing into Queenstown was a first for me. The airport is in a mountain valley so the wind funnels through and when you look out of the window going down the valley, the mountains are higher than you which shows the scale of them as your not in a small plane!

Landed, baggage reclaimed and met by Heidi's sister 😎

The plan was for me to head south with them for an hr, meet Jason and get into his car and head back an hr to Queenstown for the stag weekend.

As I'd been in a long flight I chose to pack a small bag in the carpark and walk into Queenstown, find a bar and wait for them!

The airport is on the outskirts so thought I had a mile to walk, errrm 3.5 miles later!!

It was a lovely day though and I picked up the Franklin trail which followed the lakeside and snow capped mountain views.

I met Micheal & Callum, two of Marks (my nephew/stag) friends in a pub that used to be the old court house (complete with courtroom and bench inside), had a couple of beers and headed up to the house that was rented for the weekend that slept 14.

We we're actually 11 in total.

Met everyone else and party started. 😎

[wayneooverton]

Merinos, Mercedes and meatballs: A 30th birthday adventure

If you had asked me ten years ago where I would imagine I’d be celebrating my 30th birthday, playing in the mud on a sheep farm in New Zealand would not likely have made the list.

Nope, definitely not.

I suppose my last birthday of note was the big old 21, an important coming of age moment in America, where you go from playing beerpong in frat houses basements in secret to being able to buy a cranberry vodka in a bar loudly in public.

Like the best 21st birthdays, I don’t remember much, and reflecting back on it now, I almost yearn for that time of my life where I was only worried about term papers, boyfriends and what I would do when I graduate.

I’m sure turning 30 couldn’t have been further from my mind.

Long gone are the wild nights, so far gone in fact I can’t even remember the last time I wore heels ever, and now my idea of a great night out is good home-cooking with close friends and a lot of Pinot Noir. Also, I am wearing sweatpants.

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

It wasn’t really even on my radar that I was turning 30 in May this year, and only as the date inched closer I began to think, I should celebrate this one and do something special.

So I gathered my best girlfriends up, crammed the back of my new Mercedes X-Class pickup with wine, cakes, cheese, books, and a lot of elaborate spreads, and we headed out to Lake Heron Station, one of my favorite haunts in New Zealand.

The modern history of the South Island is very much intertwined with farming, and if you’ve heard anything about New Zealand, likely it’s related to either the Lord of the Rings or sheep, both of which have a close tie to Lake Heron.

The vast and sprawling region of Canterbury covers large swathes of the South Island all the way up into the very heart of the Southern Alps and its story is tied with sheep farming, which still holds strong in many areas. Lake Heron is no exception.

An old sheep farm (station) that covers 75 square miles of stunning wilderness, Lake Heron Station begins by a beautiful little lake in a tussock-covered valley surrounded by stunning mountains that leads up into the Alps and even onto glaciers. Here merino sheep reign supreme in harsh conditions, growing the wool we love so much.

And Edoras from the Lord of the Rings was filmed in the next valley over.

The Todhunter family has farmed here for a 100 years, and have a beautifully restored historic cottage visitors can rent, along with an old-but-new New Hut up the valley for the more intrepid travelers. When I first visited the New Hut back in the summer, I knew this would be the place where I’d like to spend my 30th.

This was my happy place.

I couldn’t wait to return with friends for a special occasion.

In New Zealand, May is generally not the favorite month to visit. Perhaps the equivalent of November in the Northern Hemisphere, its marked by cold, wet short days, as the seasons shift from autumn to winter. Generally before the snow arrives, it’s definitely the quiet season, and to get out to the New Hut on the farm at this time of year, you need a hearty 4WD.

Readers, meet my new baby. The X-Class.

Mercedes-Benz in New Zealand and Australia has just launched their very first pickup, or ute, which we say here, and kindly leant it to me for my birthday month. Jokes on them to see if I ever give it back!

I quickly drove it down from Auckland with the idea that Lake Heron would be the perfect place to put this new ride to the test. It wouldn’t stay shiny and new for long if I had anything to do with it.

Before….

After!

From the homestead at Lake Heron it’s a 10 kilometer long walk, bike ride, or drive out to the New Hut. With all the recent rain we’ve had this May, I knew we were in for a mudfest, and we weren’t disappointed.

I grew up driving 4WD SUV’s in the States, doing donuts in Walmart parking lots as a teenager, but those days have been replaced but much more responsible and practical behaviors on the wild New Zealand roads. Perhaps it was the fear of becoming a boring old lady at 30, but something hit me on this trip, and while I knew I was given a precious charge of a brand new Mercedes to look after, it didn’t stop us from doing burnouts on the gravel and driving it straight into mud pits within a few hours of arriving at Lake Heron.

Who says utes are just for guys?

Fast cars aren’t just for boys

The New Hut is off the grid but has a gas stove, lights, hot water and sleeps up to 13 people in big cozy king single bunk beds with all the trimmings. It has double glazed windows and insulation (I don’t even have that!) and a big fire. There is a long-drop toilet out the back and has hot water for a shower. No wifi and no reception, just what the doctor ordered.

This is the kind of place for turning 30.

This is a fancy hut by New Zealand standards, and a far cry from the rickety backcountry huts we’re used to on tramping missions.

While I’m abysmal in the kitchen, my kiwi bestie was there who traveled with me to Mongolia a few years ago, and who is a talented chef and saved us all.

The New Hut is a great base for people looking for all kinds of outdoor adventures (even scenic flights – it has its own airstrip), but let me just put a case forward that it is also the perfect place to just hide away for a few days and eat good food, have good conversations and drink lots of wine.

I’m all about being an advocate for chilled out holidays.

It was the best couple of days away from the hustle and bustle of real life, and I was so happy I could finally share a place that means so much to me with some of my closes friends.

We only wore sweatpants and comfy sweaters, drank heaps of hot tea, read books and nibbled fabulous cheese platters, reflecting on life and giving me insider tips for my thirties.

With Chef E at the helm, we also didn’t go hungry, and I distinctly remember falling asleep in the biggest food coma after an enormous meal of homemade lamb meatballs and spaghetti topped up with a few bottles of red and a Pinot Noir chocolate cake. Does it get any better than that? Don’t think so.

Life is good.

So how do I feel about turning 30, you ask? Or didn’t you? I’ll tell you anyways.

At first when I had the whole “oh shit this is actually happening” epiphany, I freaked out for a bit. So many of my friends seem to be more settled than me, with mortgages, husbands and a baby or two. I haven’t even been on a date in months, and if I’m not careful I can easily slip into that dangerous mental state of comparing myself to other people, a conversation you have with yourself that never ends well.

This year I’ve been working on being nicer to myself, being proud of what I’ve done instead feeling like I didn’t do enough, and just enjoying being in the moment.

And you know what? Without any cynicism (seriously), I can happily say I’m really excited to be 30 and see what’s in store for me next!

Ever celebrated a milestone birthday somewhere cool? Are you a fan of fun road trips? Share!

Many thanks to Lake Heron for hosting me for my birthday and to Mercedes-Benz for hooking me up with the sweet X-Class, like always I’m keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me. 

The post Merinos, Mercedes and meatballs: A 30th birthday adventure appeared first on Young Adventuress.

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[tintingexperts]

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[anniversary-magazine]

A Gentle Lens ⏤ In Conversation with New Zealand Photographer Derek Henderson

As a child growing up in Auckland, my parents would often take my brother, sister and I on annual road trips south of the city to New Zealand’s smaller towns. Each time, a ritual would occur. Once we reached Waikato, an hour or so out of Auckland, my parents would prompt us to look out of the window, and say, “Look - there’s Huntley power Station!”. Its red and grey chimneys emitting smoky plumes was a signal that our road trip was in full swing.

There is an image of the Huntly Power Station in Mercy Mercer (2009), a publication by New Zealand photographer, Derek Henderson, that could’ve been lifted from my memory of these road trips. It fills me at once with nostalgia, safety, and the excitement of impending adventures.

And yet Henderson’s photograph of this well-known landmark is rendered new to me by his lens; the beauty of the power station’s brutalism set amongst the grassy banks of the Waikato River’s native fauna.

It seems Henderson too had similar road trips throughout New Zealand growing up. Regarding his first book, The Terrible Boredom of Paradise (2005) Henderson says, “I was trying to recapture what I saw as a child in the backseat of my parents’ car when we went on holidays. Even though the car was moving fast the car window seemed to frame, isolate and freeze these moments which have stayed with me more as emotions rather than an image.” The body of work that resulted in The Terrible Boredom of Paradise began with a 13,000-km road trip he took around New Zealand in 2004, over four and a half months, armed with a view camera and some colour film.

Henderson’s latest body of work, entitled Circadian Rhythm sees him come full circle. This year he returned with his camera to capture the daily life in the small towns he visited in for The Terrible Boredom of Paradise. Ahead of the unveiling of his new works at Wellington Gallery, Precinct 35, we talk to Henderson about finding beauty in the over-looked, the continuing pulse of life and how much has changed since he first photographed the far-reaching corners of New Zealand.

SC: Looking over your works, your lens is equally at home in international fashion shoots as much as it is in rural parts of New Zealand or Patagonia. Although your subject matter differs, what is it about the way you approach each of your subjects that is the same?

DH: Probably just that, that I give it equal value. The subject matter, is no less or more important than anything else. I think they’re all of equal value, whatever it is I’m photographing. It’s having a democratic approach. I give them equal value, whoever they are and wherever I am.

SC: I feel like you have a very unique signature to your images. No matter what landscape or space you’re photographing, you can tell that it’s one of your images. I was wondering if you see yourself as having a signature, and if so, how you would you describe it in any way?

DH: It’s hard for me to see that, but it’s probably driven by the emotional, and partly intellectual and how you see the world and how you see the human condition. It’s about making observations of people and things. I try to simplify things. I take things away, I don’t like things looking overly complicated. I don’t want them to be obvious, I think I’m quite gentle in my approach to things. I don’t want to shove them in people’s faces. Some people call it photographing things that are the ‘mundane’ or something that’s quite obvious that you overlook every day, but I think they’re quite beautiful.

SC: I think that’s what I really like about your canon of work, you’ve got this juxtaposition of some very vast landscapes, but alongside them you’ve got these very focused details of that area.

DH: When you’re looking to take pictures and you have a rough idea of the working title of what you’re thinking about, you have a notepad of things that might interest you with the research that you’ve done. I keep it quite broad, so that I don’t cut myself off. But simply it comes down to observations of things that interest me.

In this exhibition [for Circadian Rhythm], when I was in Mohaka someone had kept what I think is a cow, and hung the skins over a rails on the side of the road. That to me is interesting, that somebody had done that and left it there. Why would they leave it there? Were they leaving it there to dry them? Or did they not want them? So often there’s this kind of message of - why are we here, what’s going on, what are we doing? There’s always a question in my images, that wonder. I just wonder what happened before I got there.

I think also you don’t have to take a portrait of someone to tell someone about that person, you can take a picture of the interior of their house and you might get more of an idea of who they are. I’m curious to see how people live and what makes the tick. I like to see other people’s perspectives on what it’s like to be a human being. If I go to a restaurant, I listen in to what people are talking about, I’m just nosy. And being a photographer, it’s kind of perfect.

SC: Tell me a bit about the background to your images for Circadian Rhythm...

DH: I called it Circadian Rhythm because I am interested in that rhythm of life. Circadian Rhythm is in plant, animals, fungi, phytobacteria, pretty much every single organism. It’s been around for a long time and it governs the way we live our lives. For human beings, in the morning, it gets us up and at night it makes us go to sleep. It makes us alert to things or less alert to things. It’s really got to do with a rhythm and a continuation of life. That’s what I’m interested in. I’m not too specific about my observations. As far as concepts go, I keep them quite broad for that reason. I just make observations as I go somewhere and I like to re-visit places too. This was a re-visit I did to some of the places in a book, The Terrible Boredom of Paradise. I wanted to re-visit some of those places and see what was going on.

SC: And what were your observations – how have these places changed?

DH: In 2004 and 2005 when I did The Terrible Boredom of Paradise, the small towns that I visited, the economy wasn’t as good, they might have been a little more depressed possibly. Whereas now, I’ve noticed they’re a lot more vibrant, there are things happening in small towns. I think it’s because tourism is getting bigger, even in those areas. I noticed that in the East Cape and obviously, industries such as dairy, produce, beef and wool – people are wanting those things now and it’s supplying people. It’s a pretty basic thing, people have work, they can support themselves, they feel independent.

Obviously, there’s still things that need sorting out, but at the same time, I travel around the world a lot and think New Zealand isn’t too bad a place to live and I think it’s only going to get better and better.

SC: That’s quite a unique perspective to have, to be able to go through to these more remote parts of New Zealand and really document them with your camera and then to go back and do it again.

DH: Yes, it is. I do it because I’m genuinely interested in those places, and I grew up in those places. That’s part of my practice as well, it’s about memory. I spent a large part of my childhood going to those places as well.

SC: Where did you grow up in New Zealand, and how did it inform your photography?

DH: I grew up in Hawkes Bay. A bit of my childhood was spent on an orchard my parents had, in-between Hastings and Havelock North. I suppose I am a romantic at heart, I pretty much idolised that growing up in those places and that’s probably what I go back to. A lot of my work is about memory and remembering those things that make you feel good. Most of the things I photograph I think are positive things, but they’re also questioning things as well.

SC: Whenever I’m not in New Zealand and I feel homesick, I always go to your images and they bring me so much comfort. Looking at them there is such a specific culture we have there and that you manage to capture in your photographs, that I can’t put into words, and I’m not sure if it should be put into words. Can you describe it in any way?

DH: I suppose it is hard to describe those pictures. It’s a comforting thing. A lot of the time it’s looking at life and form and taking something that is the mundane, and a thing that people don’t look at or appreciate. I guess that’s what you do as a painter or photographer, or a sculptor, is take something that’s ordinary, or everyday things, and just by using light and form you can make people take notice of them. It may begin to have a different value to people and maybe their appreciation of those things is understood.

There is a picture I took for Circadian Rhythm of two baches [New Zealand beach-houses] at Ngawai which is on the way to Palliser Bay, a fairly remote part of New Zealand. It’s just a pink and a green bach. All it is is those fibreglass baches. But it is actually really beautiful because they’re self-contained. You don’t need much more; you have the beach close by, you can get seafood out of the ocean, you can come back, cook it on your barbeque, you’re in a nice place. You don’t need a hell of a lot really, to be fulfilled.

It’s also escaping the materialistic world and the direction of consumerism that we head to and we look for pleasure in those areas when maybe we’ve missed the point that less is more. A walk along the beach is very cathartic. Looking at the natural world is a not a bad thing for human beings, I think it’s good for you. I like to tell a story about how we relate to that natural world or don’t relate to that natural world, and it’s a vernacular that I’ve developed through the natural world of New Zealand. Hopefully it talks to people who don’t just live in New Zealand.

SC: Apart from New Zealand you’ve photographed the South Pacific, Patagonia and Friesland, are there other places you’d like to photograph?

DH: There’s so many places I’d love to go and explore. I think it’s part of our Circadian Rhythm, as hunter/gatherers. For me and I think for a lot of human beings, staying in one place is stagnating. That’s why humans travel a lot, it’s part of our psyche.

Circadian Rhythm is showing at Precinct 35 in Wellington New Zealand until December 27th 2017.

All images by Derek Henderson

[courtenaychung]

Auckland, New Zealand

July 22-25, 2017

Auckland was a change of pace for us.  Coming out of the quiet, relaxing resort town of Queenstown and back into the hustle and bustle of the city meant that we too were back to jam-packed days of sightseeing and exploring.  We started our first full day as I always do - with a walking tour.  The tour lasted about two and a half hours as we wound our way from the Quay and through the central business district, past the University of Auckland and various parks and historic spots.  After the tour, we had a cheeky Nando’s for lunch, then made our way to SkyTower on the opposite side of the CBD as the clouds began to roll in.

Looking down onto the city and the landing pad for the SkyJump from the observation deck at the top of SkyTower.

We spent the majority of the afternoon up SkyTower, taking in the views and watching people whizz past the windows as they jumped from the top, sliding down in their harnesses as they propelled towards the street-level target.  As the grey clouds began to pour out a heavy rain, we wandered to the Sky Café for a real New Zealand flat white.  We waited out the storm in the café, watching the rain fall over the city and the ocean beyond.

The view out over the city and the Pacific from the Sky Café at the top of SkyTower, the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere.

After the storm had cleared we made our way back to the hostel, The Attic Backpackers, to relax a bit.  Not wanting to sit around the hostel all night, but also exhausted from a busy day, we went to the movie theatre for the night and watched Dunkirk.

Our second full day in Auckland was also our second road trip of the trip.  We picked up our little silver Toyota Yaris bright and early, creeping our way south through morning rush hour.  About two hours later we arrived at the Shire’s Rest at Hobbiton, the movie set for the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies.  There, we boarded a bus to the sets and commenced a walking tour through the rolling green hills, past hobbit houses with brightly-painted doors and into the Green Dragon Pub.  There we had a pint by the fire before getting back on the bus to the Shire’s Rest.  

Hobbit houses and little details from Hobbiton, the movie sets where scenes of the Shire were filmed.

After the tour, we hopped back in the car and drove another hour south, through Otorohanga to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves.  We arrived just in time for the last tour of the day, on which no photography is permitted while in the caves. After entering the caves, we went through different caverns, the largest of which is called the Cathedral, named for its high domed ceiling.  It was here that our tour guide, a native Maori man, sang, his voice echoing off the walls in a chilling verse of a traditional song.  After the song and experiencing the true darkness that can only be reach so far below ground, we boarded a small rowboat in an underground portion of the Wiatomo River.  The boat made its way through the river, the pitch black cave ceiling above us glowing with the luminescence of little blue glowworms, like little stars in a pitch black night sky. Being the nerd that I am, I couldn’t help but feel like I was living the scene in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, when Harry and Dumbledore enter the cave where Voldemort had hidden the locket.  This was only heightened when I realized that our tour guide was maneuvering the boat by pulling a long chain that was mounted in the cave.

The mouth of the cave where the Waitomo River exits. 

Thought the tour was pretty short (about 30-40 minutes) and fairly expensive ($50 NZD per person), it was an extremely unique and magical thing to see.  Glowworms can only survive in specific conditions which are very uncommon in nature.  If you ever find yourself in an area with glowworm caves (there are a few scattered across New Zealand), I would absolutely recommend the experience.  After exiting the caves, the sun began to set and we started back to Auckland.  It took about three hours to get back to the city, where we drove around to find somewhere to leave the car for the night then went straight to bed.

The Britomart area of Auckland near the port.  Many local designers and independent boutiques are in this area.

The next day we were flying out to Brisbane, however the flight wasn’t until late that night, so we had some more time to explore the city.  We decided to take the ferry over to Devonport on the North Shore, which is an old navy base with a beach town feel.  We wandered through the streets and shops, where Alex picked up some jewelry for herself and a gift for her mom.  After lunch, we wandered down the shoreline to the Navy Museum and back again, boarding the ferry back to the city centre.  After picking our bags up from storage, we were headed to the airport yet again and set off on our way back to Australia.

A seagull on the shoreline at Devonport, the pier at the Navy Museum in the background.

Looking back on the Auckland city centre from Devonport.  The tall, pointy tower in the middle is SkyTower, at the top of which is where we spent our first afternoon in the city.

[domonthego]

When planning our road trip through New Zealand one thing was made abundantly clear – a lot of traveler’s suggested spending more time on the country’s South Island. I’d say that a lot of this must do with the fact that people tend to travel quite far to get to New Zealand and have a limited amount of time to spend there. This of course results in trying to cram lots in – layer in the jet lag and it becomes an unpleasant race to see and do as much as possible. Give yourself time and don’t knock off the North Island, otherwise you run the risk of missing out on gems like Wellington.

Wellington is the second most populous city in New Zealand after Auckland and is surprisingly the country’s capital. There is a certain charm about the city that is unique to other capital cities that we have travelled to. You have all the fixings of a capital city combined with relaxed, small-town vibes and natural beauty.

Wellington served as our last pit stop on the North Island before hopping on the InterIslander Ferry to adventure on the South Island. Craving more accommodation that felt like home, we stayed at the Boulcott Suites. These serviced apartments are centrally located and served as a great base as we explored the city.

Here’s a steer on great ways to spend your time in Wellington.

//STRETCH YOUR LEGS

 One of the joys of the capital being small? You can get around a lot of it by foot. Take the time to get out and explore the city and soak in the artsy vibes. One of the best places to do that is the Wellington Waterfront. In addition to plenty of bars and restaurants, the waterfront is lined with arts installations – like Max Patte’s Solace in the Wind and the New Zealand Society of Authors’ Writers Walk.

If you are into your scenic views, Wellington has you covered. You can take a hike up to the top of Mount Victoria for stunning vistas of Wellington city and harbor. Prefer your views without the work?  Take the historic Wellington Cable Car from the city center to the suburb of Kelburn. In addition to showcasing most of the city, the lookout spans the harbor, the CBD and Mount Victoria.

//GET CULTURED

There certainly isn’t a shortage of opportunities to visit museums in Wellington. If you only have time to choose one – be sure you make it to New Zealand’s National Museum – Te Papa. With over six floors spanning almost three rugby fields of floor space – you can imagine it being packed with all sorts of exhibits. Cool thing is – these exhibits help tell the story of New Zealand. We spent a few hours exploring the various interactive exhibits – including stepping inside a simulator to experience a 6.6 magnitude earthquake.

I particularly liked the exhibits that related to Māori culture. Insight into the rich history and culture of New Zealand’s indigenous people has always been fascinating to me.  We also quite enjoyed Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War. This unique exhibit illustrates New Zealand’s involvement in World War I by telling the story of eight individuals. Each of the characters is represented as a giant, insanely life-like sculpture that took thousands of hours to create. 2,779 Kiwis lost their lives on Gallipoli and this exhibit does a great job honoring them. Find out more about this exhibit and more at the Te Papa website HERE.

//DISCOVER MĀORI CULTURE

Māui is a famous demi-god in Māori culture that caught a giant fish using a magical, ancestral jawbone. After struggling to reel the fish in, it finally surfaced to become what is now New Zealand’s North Island. You might recall from Destinations // Taupo that Lake Taupo is said to be the fish’s beating heart. And Wellington? That’s the head. It’s just too cool. There are plenty of places in and around Wellington to learn about the mystical culture and heritage of the Māori people.

In the same way that Te Papa shares the stories of New Zealand, the Wellington Museum has exhibits dedicated to showcasing the social and cultural heritage of Wellington – that incorporates the Māori. Be sure to catch the A Millennium Ago – Māori Stories from Way Back exhibit. This short presentation uses innovative technology to share Māori creation legends.

//VISIT MIDDLE EARTH

​If you are a fan of the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy then you are in for a treat. The films were shot all over New Zealand, which means you can walk in the foot steps of Frodo Baggins in the search of your own magical, precious ring.  Wellington, the hometown of Peter Jackson, is one the popular places to check out these beautiful filming locations. There are some accessible places directly in Wellington, such as the forests surrounding Mount Victoria (used as Hobbiton Woods), the Hutt River (used as the Anduin River) and Harcourty Park (the Gardens of Isengard). Further outside of town you can visit Queen Elizabeth Park, Waitarere Forest, the Putangirua Pinnacles, and Kaitoke Regional Park for more Middle-Erath fun. Each of these places has their own significance in the films.

 There is no shortage of ways to tour these sites or companies ready to take you there. Just figure out what it is that interests you and make some calls. If you are more interested in the film making than getting outdoors – no worries. Weta Workshop, Weta Digital and the Miramar film company are all based in Wellington. The Weta Workshop offers various tours of the Weta studio and visits to the Weta Cave – a fun way to check out (and purchase) artefacts used in many films, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

//HEAD SOUTH

New Zealand’s South Island is home to the country’s most famous natural landscapes and tourist destinations. Wellington often serves as the jumping off point for travellers making their way to explore South Island. There are many ways that you can get to New Zealand’s South Island. One of the best ways? Skip the plane and take the Interislander’s Ferry across Cooks Strait.

This 92 km, three hour journey between Wellington and Picton is one of those quintessential New Zealand travel experiences and is considered by many to be one of the most spectacular cruises in the world. You check in very much like an airport – head to the check-in counter, drop off your luggage and away you go. If you are taking a vehicle with you simply follow the signs to your check in. Find a seat by a window, sit back and enjoy the scenic ride.

A little side note if you are road-tripping through New Zealand. Most car rental companies wont let you take rental cars on the ferries for insurance reasons. You’ll need to drop-off your rental at the Wellington terminal and pick up a new one in Picton. Our rental company didn’t make this clear to us in advance and we almost didn’t have a car to pick up. Chances are you will be visiting during a popular season and the car inventory may be limited. Check in advance so you don’t have any unexpected car issues.

Considering all the great things to see and do in Wellington, it was very clear once we left that ultimately didn’t spend as much time there as we should have. When we hopped on the Interislander Ferry we said goodbye to the quaint capital and hello to the South Island.

ENJOY WELLINGTON? GET MORE INFORMATION ON NEW ZEALAND OR OTHER PLACES VENTURED IN THE REGION AT DESTINATIONS // NEW ZEALAND.

Check out Wellington, New Zealand which served as our last pit-stop on the country’s North Island before heading to the South. This quirky city has all the fixings of a capital combined with relaxed, (very) small-town vibes and natural beauty. #Wellington #NewZealand #TravelBlog When planning our road trip through New Zealand one thing was made abundantly clear – a lot of traveler's suggested spending more time on the country’s South Island.

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Taranaki Computer Access puts the world at locals' fingertips

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Taranaki Computer Access puts the world at locals' fingertips

New Zealand’s North Island

From Cape Reinga in the north right through to Wellington in the south, New Zealand’s North Island offers some unique opportunities to tourist and locals alike.

Auckland city is the busiest New Zealand city and arguably the commercial capital of New Zealand. Being one of the most populated cities, Auckland offers some of the best shopping opportunities in New Zealand.

Wellington is the capital city and has a population of around 400,00. The main attraction in Wellington would have to be Te Papa, which is a museum located in the city. While at Te Papa, make time for a stroll around Queen’s wharf or a cruise in the Wellesley or catch a play at Circa theater. The Interislander ferry can also be caught from Wellington to travel across the Cook strait to Picton in the South Island.

Other attractions in the North Island include the Maori village in Rotorua, ski fields in the central North Island, stunning beaches in the Coromandel and Hawke’s Bay, Huka falls near Taupo and Mt Taranaki (also known as Mt Egmont), which was the location for the filming of the Tom Cruise flick “The Last Samurai”. Lord of the Rings tours is also available and extremely popular with Tolkien fans!

Excel Tip – Export More Than 65000 Lines From MS Access To MS Excel

Taranaki problem that I have requested about normally and one that  if you use Access and Excel collectively and export any computer an ordinary foundation.

The issue is a mistake or warning in Microsoft Access when looking to export statistics to Microsoft Excel that says

‘You decided on more statistics than can be copied onto the clipboard at one time’ while exporting information from Microsoft Access to Microsoft Excel.

By default whilst exporting data from Access you’ll usually comply with this method

Select External statistics Got to Export Hit Excel You could be given a desire to choose the destination on your records Select wherein you need to keep your exported facts In the Specify Report Options Area- you’ve got the choice to select and tick Export Data With Formatting And Layout You also have the choice to open the vacation spot file after the export operation is complete- tick in case you need to utilize this option Hit OK You may additionally now get the above mistakes at this degree if you have ticked the Export Data With Formatting And Layout Option and are looking to export greater than 65,000 information strains When the facts is exported you can then hit Close From Excel 2007 onwards the ability of Excel Rows is manner more than preceding versions (in fact it’s miles 1,048,576 whereas preceding versions the capability. So, why is Access limiting me to 65000 strains?! Like in Pre 2007 times.

Not quite pre- ancient however it is positive as heck feeling find it irresistible whilst you get the above warning while exporting data.

When you pick the Export Data With Formatting And Layout Option in Specify Report Options Excel will truly copy the contents to the vintage fashion Office Clipboard, subsequently, you get the caution of now not being capable of copy greater than the sixty-five,000 traces.

So, to keep away from the mistake all you need to do is untick the Export Data With Formatting And Layout Option in Specify Report Options Excel, if it’s far ticked then go right ahead and hit OK. This will allow you to export greater than 1,000,000 strains- from Access, but no formatting or layout settings may be transferred over.

The difficulty is not one that is hard to remedy however it isn’t an apparent solution both. But once you realize why the problem is going on it is honestly clean to clear up.

A Thorough Survey Before Buying Computer and Accessories Online

Computers are greater than just desires, these days. We have turn out to be a lot tech-savvy & dependable, that we need to take the help of the computer systems in our each unmarried movement. But best a purchaser knows that a PC on my own is not enough. You need to achieve different stuff which is essential to conjoin with your PC.

The length, form & charge of the accessories of the laptop range relying on their capabilities. Each of them executes an extra function that optimizes your laptop utilization. But as cash is associated with it, as a purchaser, obtaining the add-ons on the idea of your instantaneous necessities needs you to hold a few elements to your mind earlier than shopping any one of them.

Printers: Gone are the times when you had to Xerox your files out or copy them by way of your self. The printer is one of the technical benefits that enables this trouble. Now you may effortlessly design the layout your precious files and make a print out on every occasion you need. An easy buy of a good cartridge can store some time & money and helps you to avoid going out to a cyber café whenever making the process greater problem-unfastened.

Keyboard: When it involves computer & accessories, that is the one you cannot keep away from. Laptops have by means of default keyboards, however, individuals who use desktops, recognize that keyboards are critical. From searching ‘high-quality boots inside the global’ to writing your novel, keyboards are those you want to click on a lot oftentimes. Keyboards have many variations and a keyboard with flexible keys helps you to get aware of the use of it.

Mouse: This tailed stuff is a large ‘sure’ for the computing device users. The mouse provides flexibility to your PC utilization and internet-surfing and facilitates to locate your cursor on the screen. However, though the maximum of the users has shifted to laptops for the benefit of utilization, they still look out for the mouse to make it reachable & comfy.

Scanner: In this age of ‘paperless revolution’, few people opt for printing files. Most of them move for scanning and sending them thru mail or some other wi-fi provider. Students & servicemen are the main users of the scanning machines, who want to scan a huge variety of files. Today, you can locate scanner, printer & Xerox in one machine altogether that facilitates the usage and saves time.

Speakers: Nonetheless, the audio system is as crucial as other pc and accessories. With a huge quantity of movies, songs & audio documents to pay attention to, speakers are those you need to want. A speaker with a very good sound exceptional & facilities can help you to get a serene audible enjoy. A domestic theater is the prolonged version of the speakers which fills your home with sound. Speakers deliver your computer systems an additional essence and lead them to loud.

Headphones: With the audio system, headphones are wanted too. Headphones help to concentrate to whatever individually. They separate your private experience and prevent them to be shared with others. A headphone with first-rate audible facilities can be proved wholesome on your ears.

With the upgrading & experimenting on this discipline, each day some new accessories are coming up which allows the utilization each day.

Being a prolific author and studies pupil, Tapu Goswami has carried out a thorough survey on the technical wishes together with the PC and accessories. This article is the end result of his large understanding & analytical revel in that makes a specialty of the computer systems and the upcoming technological experiments.

Is Your Computer Slow? How to Deal With Performance Issues

Do you face performance problems along with your PC or PC? Is your PC getting slower and slower as well up and paintings on? If yes, read on for some guidelines on how to make your PC faster.

Here goes:

1) There is no want to maintain unused programs. So uninstall them. So how do you do that? Open Control Panel’s “Program and Features” page and undergo the listing of hooked up software. Be cautious to leave applications your computer’s hardware desires, the writer listed as PC maker’s call or as Microsoft.

2) Getting rid of temporary documents which include internet history and cookies should come up with a large amount of difficult disk space, dashing up your PC. Open “My Computer”, select your tough force, generally, C:/, pick out the Windows folder and open the folder titled “Temp”. Select all the files which might be older than the modern date and press delete key. Then go to Recycle Bin on your computer and empty it.

Three) Even if you make sure to frequently smooth out all your brief files, in case your tough disk turns into 85% full, it’ll have a gradual effect on your PC’s pace. If you film films or use your PC for recording television, you’ll need a tough force above 1TB in size.

4) Preventing useless startups will accelerate the time it takes for the computer or PC to boot up. Many of the applications which are released on startup continue to run and use up your PC’s memory. To save you the packages from strolling, click “Start” and then kind “Run” in the search container, click on “input” after which type “ms config” and press input. You have to see the startup tab with the programs ticked, those so that you can load while your computer begins up. You may be surprised at what you locate because they’ll now not were within your understanding. Click “Disable All” and then if needed, select those you want to run at startup, along with antivirus software.