Getting to know Gisborne _{by Annabella Gamboni}

Gisborne (Winter 2018)

On a Friday morning, one of my oldest friends, Hannah, and I headed north for a weekend of relaxed fun in Gisborne. After a surprisingly smooth take-off from Wellington airport, we landed in Gisborne just after lunchtime.

Our first port of call was a set of wheels – a car is an essential tool when exploring the rural region of Gisborne. The woman behind the counter at Thrifty, located inside the airport, was friendly and knowledgeable. While my companion and I probably didn’t absolutely need the roomy Rav4 we were provided, the large boot did prove useful during the trip. She was happy to explain how the car’s GPS and push-button key systems worked and pointed us in the direction of our first stop: the Eastwoodhill Arboretum.

After a pleasantly scenic 50-minute drive along Gisborne’s winding country roads, we arrived at the Arboretum. We stepped inside the pretty reception and were immediately greeted warmly by name. We were then taken out for a tour, first by foot, and then on a longer drive in an open-top buggy. Our tour guide, Dan, was quick to assure us he doesn’t usually do the tours – his official title is Assistant Plant Curator – but he was an excellent host nonetheless. I learnt more about trees in the hour and a half we were at the Arboretum than I have in my 25 years on this planet – and we loved seeing the gorgeous views of trees in their autumn colours.

We bade farewell to Dan and the team at Eastwoodhill, and jumped in the car for our next stop: the Rere Falls and Rockslide. We were informed that the man-made waterfall is packed with visitors in summer, but on this rather grey day, we had the place to ourselves. It made for a magnificent view, and our interest was piqued by the information stand that told us about Gisborne’s river cleaning efforts. Suffice to say, if it was any warmer we would have jumped on a boogie board and rode down the Rockslide, as is custom!

The drive back into town was just under an hour. As we were running a little early, and we hadn’t had anything to eat since before our flight, we decided to pop into a favourite local café. Even at 3pm – well past peak lunch time – Zest Café still had plenty of choice in their cabinet, as well as an extensive lunch menu. Like almost all of the customer service representatives we came across in Gisborne, our waitress couldn’t do enough for us, and made us feel right at home.

Up next on the agenda was a rather more intellectual activity: a visit to the Tairāwhiti Museum. Regarded as one of the best provincial museums in the country, the museum was surprisingly big. We spent most of our time perusing the fascinating permanent exhibition Watersheds: Ngā Waipupū, which told the story of local iwi and Pākehā settlers; in other words, all the historic forces that have shaped Tairāwhiti (Gisborne) as we know it. Outside, there were more interactive exhibitions to explore, like the Wyllie cottage – the oldest standing colonial cottage in the region.

Before checking into our hotel, we stopped by the Harvest Cidery, which was conveniently right around the corner. General Manager Teresa gave us a warm welcome and invited us to sample all of the ciders Harvest produce. Her manner was informal, but very informative. Owner Hamish also gave us a tour of the brewery, which can produce a whopping 23,000 litres of cider per day.

Just after 4:30pm, we checked into our accommodation at Portside Hotel. Our room was pleasantly spacious, with an adjoining living room, kitchen, and huge bathroom. All amenities were accounted for; we even had a full working oven and Sky TV. After watching a waka ama crew paddle past our window, we strolled down the road to our final destination for the day: The Dome Cinema.

Housed in a large, colonial-style building on the corner of a main road, The Dome comprises a hall space where the movies are screened, and a very cool restaurant and cocktail bar. On this chilly Saturday, the place was humming; we managed to score a seat at the bar and luckily, the last two tickets to the evening’s final film screening. After a long day, we both chose hearty dishes for dinner, and were rewarded with beautiful bowls of fresh pasta, made in-house. The film itself was an unusual, but highly enjoyable cinemagoing experience. Owner-operator Sally (who everyone seemed to know by name) ensured every customer was comfortable in their seat (or beanbag!) and brought round ice cream at intermission. Next time I’m in Gisborne, I’ll be racing back – I need to sample more of their incredible cocktails!

The next morning, Hannah and I arose early to prepare for an action-packed day. The air was still cool, but the day was forecast to be sunny, so we headed out just before 7am to catch the sunrise at the Makarori Headland. After a quick, though steep, trek up the hill, we enjoyed a peaceful few moments soaking in the spectacular, pink-and-gold speckled ocean and sky.

With tummies rumbling, we headed off to the Gisborne Farmers’ Market. Located on the river, only a minute away from the museum we had visited yesterday, we reached the market a little too early. As the friendly baristas at the coffee cart were already set up, we grabbed a (perfectly brewed) hot drink and strolled down the pretty riverside until we reached the Gisborne Botanical Gardens. At just past 9am, it was deserted save for a few joggers, and very, very pretty. After spending some time strolling around the lawn, perusing magnificent cacti, and sampling the playground’s flying fox, we walked back to the market.

At a tick past 9:30am, it was suddenly packed. People of all ages were strolling around the stalls, catching up with friends, and listening to the sounds of live musicians. I sighed over the high quality and low prices of the groceries, while Hannah was drawn to the scrumptious hot food on offer. Not wanting to miss out, we sampled sumptuous pork dumplings, luscious oliebollen (Dutch-style doughnuts), and delectable meats from Manurau Game Birds. As a self-proclaimed foodie, I could have stayed at the market for easily another hour – all the stall-holders we spoke to were friendly and passionate about their products.

After a quick game of mini-golf at the Gisborne i-SITE, we drove out to Sunshine Brewery’s headquarters for a spot of lunch and to sample their brews. Famous for their classic lager, Gisborne Gold, this brewery is beloved amongst locals. As their brewers aren’t in on the weekend, we unfortunately didn’t tour the facility. However, we did spend a lovely, relaxing hour with a flight (sampling platter) of crisp, flavoursome lagers, and a pizza from the food truck stationed outside.

Our next attraction was undoubtedly the one I was most excited for. We were booked in for a Reef Ecology Tour to visit Ngā Tamariki O Tangaroa (the children of the sea) that afternoon! On arrival, we were warmly welcomed by our hostess, Chris, and our tour guide for the day, Nina. Alongside a group of a dozen or so fellow tourists, we climbed into waders that strapped up at our shoulders and grabbed a wooden stick to aid our walking on the reef. We were briefed by Nina on basic stingray safety (don’t step on them; don’t touch their tail), and made our way into the water in single file. Tours only go out during low tide, so the reef is easily reachable on foot; the water only made its way past my knees a couple of times. Once we had settled, a couple of stingrays and half a dozen kingfish swarmed around us, accustomed as they are to Dive Tatapouri’s guides. We were lucky enough to meet four stingrays, the largest of which, Tara, is estimated to be about 150kg! However, they were all incredibly friendly, gently butting our boots like cats for pats and nibbles of kahawai. I was incredibly impressed with our guide, Nina's knowledge. I asked her where she had studied marine biology, and was totally gobsmacked when she said she was still at high school.

We warmed ourselves with a quick shower back at Portside before heading out to our final destination on our Gisborne adventure: the iconic pub and music venue Smash Palace. If you’ve never popped in for a pint, Smash Palace is also known for its artfully cluttered décor; record sleeves paper the walls, bicycles hang from the ceiling, and there’s even an entire fighter jet in the garden.

At 6:30pm, it was still reasonably quiet; a set of four bands was scheduled to start at 9pm. At the bar, we were met by owner-operator Daryl, who kindly guided us through the drinks list and menu. Watching him warmly interact with other customers and locals, it’s clear he has a knack for hospitality, and is well-liked by his regulars. After a full weekend, I admit we didn’t stay to watch the bands… But we loved our evening at Smash Palace all the same.

Even in early May, I was delighted to find there was still plenty to see and do in Gisborne. While it’s a much-loved summer destination, I would argue it’s just as worth the trip during the colder months. I loved getting to know the distinctly laidback, creative Gisborne character, and will absolutely be making a return visit.