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Reality TV Show Shot in Manawatu

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:57:54 +1200

Download the newsletter to read all about their adventures - jet boating, meeting former All Blacks, horse riding, wine tasting...

Exploring Iron Gates Gorge on The Country Road

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:44:12 +1200

Argentinean TV Crew Tries Guilt Free Ice Cream

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:44:11 +1200

Other tastings included "zingy" freeze-dried feijoia, pop corn ropes, and beer from the Institute's micro brewery.

The Institute partners with industry to provide first-class science research and tertiary education.

Triumphant Haka to Celebrate Local Club Rugby Win

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:44:07 +1200

Destination Manawatu was there to see the action - a mostly close game with the crucial points being scored in the last five minutes. Also in the grandstand were some of New Zealand's rugby greats and Manawatu residents - Ex All Black Sam Strahan (local Club Captain), Ex All Black Neven MacEwan, Ex All Black John Callesen, and rugby expert Clive Akers.

Mega Famil for Conference Organisers

Fri, 28 May 2010 14:06:59 +1200

Square Affair - A Festival of Miniature Attractions

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:27:40 +1200

Manawatu has an excellent framework for large events to be nurtured and established as an integral part of our annual scene. Large events can add richness to our daily lives, provide opportunities for local participation, stimulate economic activity and, most of all help New Zealanders see us as a vibrant and successful place.

Palmerston North and Destination Manawatu present Square Affair, a Festival of Miniature Attractions. The inaugural event takes place over three days of Easter in 2011, and then become an annual fixture at that time. The toys of the 1950â€™s â€“ Meccano, die cast cars and Hornby trains will be at the heart of the expo with the main event taking place at the Palmerston North Convention Centre. 30,000 visitors are expected enjoy 1950s themed activity over the three days. Ten satellite venues hosting exhibitions, events, competitions and a comprehensive film programme around the Square will be linked to the Convention Centre by 1950s buses. Visitors will be able to park centrally and move freely from one venue to the other each day. Entry to the main expo will also come with a multi use pass for the buses. Satellite events will charge separately for entry but generally on a gold coin basis.

Exhibitions at satellite events will include Teddies, Gollyâ€™s and Barbie, classic cars, Wurlitzer and other jukeboxes, pinball machines, fashion and home decor. Events and competitions will include a nightly Rock â€˜n Roll party at â€œPeppermint Park, Hoover races around the Square in bouffant hairdoâ€™s, pikelet competitions at central cafes, celebrity Scalectrix racing,Â and will also link to Speedway at arena on Saturday night. A full schools programme is currently being developed.

NZ Goldrush Legacy - The Chinese Experience

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:55:38 +1200

Fresh from its sell out success at the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival, The Bone Feeder comes to The Globe in late March for three performances only.Â Combining Asian storytelling with Western theatre traditions, The Bone Feeder is the story of a young man who travels to the far north in search of his great great grandfatherâ€™s bones.

Ben is a typical Kiwi teenager.Â Impulsive, trying to live up to parental expectations and still finding his place in the world, his world is unexpectedly shattered by the death of his father.Â In a bid to fulfil a promise to his father and unravel the mystery of a family heirloom, he travels to the Hokianga in search of his Chinese past.Â What he finds is life changing.

Renee Liang, the playwright, says that the story is inspired by the real-life shipwreck of the S.S. Ventnor, an English steamer, which in 1902 was chartered to take 499 coffins of Chinese men who had died in NZ back to their home villages in Canton.Â The men had worked mainly as miners in the goldfields of Otago, though some also lived in the West Coast and in Wellington. It was believed at the time that returning to your home in China was a paramount duty. Failure to do so would result in family shame and a restless spirit.Â

However, life was tough for the migrant Chinese in New Zealand and many died before they could return, of disease, accidents or of old age after they failed to make enough money to pay for the return ticket.Â The local Chinese community set up a subscription-based fund, the Shin Tong society. This was intended to collectively raise money to repatriate these bodies.Â Â It took many years to raise enough money to charter the ship. Great care was taken in the mass exhumations so that the spirits of the dead would arrive whole to their family. These dreams were shattered when the SS Ventnor sank near the Hokianga harbour in 1902.Â However, many of the bones were washed up, found by Maori and taken to urupa (family cemeteries) for safekeeping.

The Bone Feeder takes up the story in the present day, when Ben, a fifth generation Chinese New Zealander, decides to search for the bones of his great great grandfather whose bones were lost when the Ventnor sank.Â Â On the way, he meets some strange characters who may â€“ or may not â€“ be ghosts. Largely ignorant of the traditions of Chinese and Maori, he must learn from them â€“ to understand his own heart.Â The outcome of his mission will surprise and delight.

With a cast that includes veteran Maori actor Melvin Wani (seen regularly on Shortland Street) and four rising stars from the Kiwi-Asian community, Jae Woo, Benjamin Tse, Jamie Banks and Peter Huang, The Bone Feeder is sure to be an experience for the eyes, ears and most of all the heart.Â

The Bone FeederÂ is part of the Festival of Cultures 2010.Â

The Globe â€“ Palmerston North

Tuesday March 30th @ 7 pm

Wednesday March 31st @ 12.30 pm and 7 pm

Performance duration 75 minutes, plus a free Q+A after each show.

Tickets $22 full, $18 concession, $15 students (for matinee).

Door sales only. Reservations (recommended) can be made by phoning The Globe onÂ +64 6Â 351 4409, or via the Festival of Cultures website.

A Taste of Culture in Palmerston North

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:55:37 +1200

The inaugural Festival of Cultures,Â 2010- "A Taste of Culture" is to star celebrity chefs, Ray McVinnie and Richard Till, and local chefsÂ - Atsushi Taniyama from Yatai, Rueben Leung WaiÂ from Bethany's and Hester Guy.

"A Taste of Culture" is the latest in food experiences in Palmerston North, comprising some cuisine stalls showcasing local productsÂ and cooking demonstrations.Â

The celebrity chefs will demonstrate their skill in a two-course cultural dish creation during the day and will be available for discussion afterwards. There will also be demonstrations by other local chefs and cuisine experts.Â The public will have the opportunity to taste, compare, buy and learn more about local products.

Listen to The Breeze 98.6FM this week for your chance to bid on both Ray McVinnie's and Richard Till's dishes for you andÂ three of your friends.Â All proceeds will go to Arohanui Hospice.

Entry $15 everyone.Â Eftpos available - no credit.

Date:Â Sunday 28th March 2010

Venue:Â Convention Centre Palmerston North

Dine and Blog at Giapo

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:55:36 +1200

An Italian gelato shop in Auckland provides an experience beyond Italian style ice cream.Â Giapo diners can blog their experience in store directly to You Tube, see the live Twitter stream and check out the latest photographs and customer reviews on Facebook.

Click here to see the television interview.

A Fragrant Gathering this May in Palmerston North

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:55:34 +1200

Caring for the cancer patient
Plai essential oil
New product development
Rose essence therapy

Speakers include John and Peta Day from Paperbark Oils in Australia, who specialise in growing,Â steam distilling and marketing Australian essential oils - tea tree, honey myrtle, Australian sandalwood, rosalina and lemon scented tea tree.Â The therapeutic effects of these products include being antiseptic, healing, and antimicrobial.Â

An optional site visit will go to Lavender Impressions in Levin on 3rd May to look at New Zealand's first Bio-Gro certified organic lavendar farm to view a test distillation of ginger.

To register or to find out more see website.

Handy Tips for Conferences

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:17:24 +1300

Many people go to conferences, writeÂ copious notes, exchange business cards with a lot of people, enjoy the gala dinner, but get back to work, put their notes on a shelf, cards in a drawer, and return to business as usual.

If you're involved in organising a conference and are wanting the delegates to get the most out of the experience, then you might wish to do things a little different from the norm.Â According to Ed Bernacki of The Idea Factory, there are seven rules for designing an innovative conference and help make conference participants more effective participants.

Each week Destination Manawatu will talk about one of these rules, the first of which is that the experts at your conference are in the audience, not on the stage.Â

Whilst it is important for any speakers to be well prepared and put on a great show, for their part to be effective, they need to engage the audience with issues that affect them (meaningful content), and the resulting presentation created in partnership with the audience needs to leave a lasting impression that the delegates have experienced something special.

In his book, Seven Rules for Designing More Innovative Conferences, Ed says that presenters must always use the brainpower of the audience to create something, even if it's just a five minute brainstorming session resulting in 10 minutes of contributions, the exercise can generate 100s of ideas, which associations can turn into articles for newsletters, themes for workshops, and new services.

Ed also recommends rethinking traditional mingling opportunities and enable people to meet not by chance but by design.Â So, rather than people with common problems getting together to rehash stagnant ideas, create opportunities for mentor relationships or business partnerships to develop.

Of course all of this won't happen just because it's the will of the event organiser.Â The participants themselves need to have certain skills including:

Making notes with meaning
Developing ideas relating to their situations
Turning their ideas into actions at work
Networking with purpose

To help you plan your next event, order a copy of Ed's book, or send him an email and ask him about case studies, so you can see what's possible.

Pottering around on The Country Road

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:17:19 +1300

There's nothing more satisfying than coming across a great shop when you're on your travels.Â Always on the look out for that perfect gift or a piece to fill a gap in your own home, it's great to find something that no one else has...and even better if it's at a bargain price.Â

Painted Coca Cola red, Rewa Gallery can't be missed on The Stormy Point Route on The Country Road between Hunterville and Feilding.Â Paintings, raku fired ceramics, brightly decorated plates to hang on the wall and mugs perfect for supping a hot chocolate from in winter can all be found here from $10 a piece.Â

Like many places on The Country Road cash is required, so keep a stash in the car.Â Set aside a few dolalrs for some local produce from the nearby roadside stall too.

May Sale - 50% off Venue Hire

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:05:11 +1300

This May Palmerston North's largest dedicated function centre is having a 50%off venue hire sale.Â

Free car parking
Up to 800pax (theatre style) under one roof
Up to eight breakout rooms
Wheelchair access
Internet access
In-house sound system
Curtain dividers
Optional silk lining
Onsite catering
Bar facilities
In-built dance floor

Telephone +64 6 354 2780 to pencil book your event.

Places to Discover on The Country Road

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:50:42 +1300

Yesterday whilst out driving on The Stormy Point route on The Country Road we followed a campervan.Â Armed with the newly printed The Country Road maps we were fully prepared to pull over quickly and give away some copies to the travellers when they stopped at Stormy Point or Vinegar Hill.Â They didn't stop.Â If only they had known what amazing scenery, people and places they were passing by.

Little Wool Co

Tucked away on the corner of Dunolly and Williamson Roads is a unique experience in natural fibre.Â The gate gives some clue to what lies beyond with a cute sheep logo.Â Up the driveway a grand two-storey house and immaculate gardens provide a sense that you've arrived somewhere special.Â Established in 1976 the Little Wool Co comprises a Corriedale stud - a special breed of coloured sheep that produce a fine wool fleece, which is transformed at the onsite boutique mill into a wide range of 100% NZ made products available at the shop.Â Visit by appointment only.

Scenic Lookouts

World-class views are what you can expectÂ at the various lookouts along the way.

Local Art

There are some very talented artists on The Country Road working in various mediums, including pottery at Clayart Gallery and rural scenes painted on saws at Mangaweka River Centre.

Roadside Stalls

Always keep some cash handy when travelling on The Country Road, as some of the shops and accommodation providers don't have EFTPOS or credit card facilities.Â You'll also need some spare change to buy some local produce at the roadside stalls.

"Beautiful place, great service...true luxury" in Palmerston North

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:23:29 +1300

When planning travel being able to read about other people's experiences is very useful.Â One of the most popular travel review websites in the world, Trip Advisor has a lot of reviews about people and places in Palmerston North and the surrounding region.Â Most recently A Country Affair bed and breakfast was described as a "beautiful place, great service, lovely hosts, true luxury experience" by a couple from Taupo, New Zealand.

Charity Motorbike Ride on The Country Road

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:23:27 +1300

A 140km charity motorcycle ride this Saturday 6th March for Ronald McDonald House will journey through The Country Road.

Approximately 300 people are expected to register in The Square, Palmerston North between 8:30am-10am.Â The ride will go through Palmerston North, Ashhurst,Â Apiti and Feilding.Â Afterwards there will be a static bike display, bouncy castle, lunch and charity auction of over $10,000 worth of goods and serivces, including a mystery flight and a vasectomy.Â

Registration is $20 and includes lunch.Â All proceeds will go to Ronald McDonald House.

Palmerston North Students to Build a House

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:15:07 +1300

More than one hundred UCOL trades and design students will get a real taste of their respective industries when UCOL constructs a three bedroom house this year.

The modest 112 square metre house will occupy a site on land adjacent to the UCOL trades facility on Amesbury Street and building industry suppliers are keen to assist the project.

Certificate in Carpentry students (Level 4) will be involved in the preparation of the site and the construction of the house itself under the supervision of Carpentry tutors Steve Wharehinga and Mark Kitchin.

Construction Trades Programme Leader Danny Reilly says the project has been four years in the planning but will benefit a variety of students campus-wide. â€œIt will greatly enhance the quality of teaching and better prepare students for industry.â€

UCOL Diploma of Interior Design students will design the kitchen and select the interior and exterior colour schemes. Interior Design lecturer Leah Burns is excited that her students will have the opportunity to be involved. â€œIt will give them a fabulous, hands-on learning experience.â€

Introduction to Joinery students will make the kitchen and bathroom joinery. Their lecturer Bruce Birrell agrees the project is a great teaching tool and will give his students a realistic experience of their trade.

Ground work will start on the site within the next month and the house will be completed well before the end of the year.

The finished house will be sold for removal and to recover costs.

For further information contact Danny Reilly on +64 6 952 7001 extn 70059

Enjoying The Square on a Summer's Day

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:15:05 +1300

Sprinkled with salt and served with a dollop of tartare sauce and a salad, this simple and cheap meal satisfies the soul.Â The alluring smell of fish and chips is even more appealing on a hot summer's day and is ideally eaten in a park, like the beautiful Square in Palmerston North.Â No two fish and chip shops are alike so be prepared to experience a local twist on the English classic, including locally caught fish such as terakihi.Â To be assured of a fantastic meal try one of the Best Chip Shop CompetitionÂ finalists - Fish King in Feilding or Mork and Mindy's in Palmerston North.

The Country Road Brochure Available Now

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:30:57 +1300

A new touring route featuring 150 scenic highlights near Palmerston North is now available at i-SITE Palmerston North.Â Â The Country Road takes you on a journey through scenic hill country, to private and public gardens, cafes where you can enjoy devonshire teas, wetlands, and other tourist attractions unique to the Manawatu region.Â Telephone +64 6 350 1922 or email palmerstonnorth@i-site.org today to get your copy.

Bicycle Scavenger Hunt this Sunday

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:14:57 +1300

Solving clues whilst cyclingÂ interesting parts of Palmerston North isÂ one of the fun activities that Sport Manawatu has created this Sunday for Bike Wise Month.Â

Clues can be picked up from Sport Manawatu 50 Queen Street, Palmerston North) between 10am-12pm.Â Â Â Participants must be on a bike to collect clues.

Sport Manawatuâ€™s Kathy McMillan says, â€œFamilies can bike during the hunt at their own pace and are encouraged to just enjoy the ride as a family.

Without a bike?Â Not a problem!Â Sport Manawatu is running a competition to win a bike.Text BIKE4ME to 8808* followed by a space and your name and be in to win your very own bike! *Texts cost 50 cents each.