Our People

A pampered plane lets its devoted humans share its fancy hangar on a high-country station in mid-Canterbury.

Professional rugby isn’t only about what happens on match day; personal development is an essential part of the modern game.

Lynda Hallinan finds her happy place in a tiny house decorated with op-shop treasures, an abundance of plants and hues of green.

Of all the far-flung places this couple has been — and film sets they’ve seen — a heritage villa in rural Hawke’s Bay is the showstopper that surpasses them all.

A Sport Waikato initiative is helping females of all ages to feel comfortable about their bodies and encouraging them to be active.

Estella Lee is inspiring Auckland’s Chinese community to become more involved in conservation.

Christopher and Susanna Grace, both well-known in the farming and horseracing industries, downsized when they moved from their Hunterville farm to the Kāpiti Coast. But they continue to live as if just out of the starting gates.

From organic apples to apple cider vinegar, an Ōtaki business has had a common-sense evolution. The progression from vinegar-maker father to daughter is just as logical.

Monica Galetti’s tastes were awakened by the fresh fruit and seafood of Samoa, then sweetened on the processed delights of 1980s Wellington. Now one of Britain's leading chefs, she’s wowing visitors with a dash of Pacific passion at her London restaurant, Mere.

Ancient trees and modern technology are a winning combination for Chatham Island apiculturists Kaai Silbery and Francesca Bonventre.

It's been reworked, rebuilt, re-engineered and re-imagined, but this little car has retained its big heart.

A hospital volunteer discovers a good yarn can be as therapeutic as medicine — for patients and himself alike.

Thomas Schneider’s whimsical approach to significant issues results in a profusion of sculptures and statues, flowers and trees, animals and birds, and all critters — great and small.

Dance Magic, Dance – Corey Baker

Kiwi work ethic and a love of performance has seen Corey Baker’s résumé grow from shovelling horse poo to choreographing the Commonwealth Games.

Art in the Fast Lane – Jacob Root

This autumn, street artist Jacob Root (aka ‘ Distranged Design ’) swapped life in Ōtautahi Christchurch for an extended stay in Los Angeles, the city that first inspired his artistic career five years ago. We ask how he’s been making his mark on the City of Angels.

This Taranaki singer-songwriter writes her own rules for thriving in Aotearoa’s competitive music scene.

An illustrator and author gives children an insight into Aotearoa’s extraordinary natural world, from extinct monster birds to modern backyard beasts.

An environmental artist, dipping into her palette of life experiences, is painting a brighter future for young creatives in West Auckland. It’s her most powerful work yet.

A couple so in love with their picturesque village can’t help but come up with ideas to make it even better.

Take an ancient, fermented drink, then add a whole lot of coconuts and billions of beneficial bacteria. A Raglan business has hit on a winning recipe.

There’s a new player in Wellington Harbour cruising alongside the familiar red tugboats and lumbering Interislander ferries.

Uncooperative steering, motor-induced driver deafness, and general lacklustre performance haven’t dulled the love between Todd Sisson and his A40 Austin Farina.

After three decades in the fast-paced world of producing children’s television in Auckland, Mary Phillips is now flourishing in a quiet valley in Central Otago.

For two years, this couple traveled in a Jeep throughout the Americas, the length of Africa and into many of Europe’s far-flung corners — often facing great danger. But the lessons they learned together on the road will drive them into an exciting future.

Combining an artistic eye with a love for animals created a career trajectory that Grace Watson hadn’t anticipated.

Hūhana Lyndon, previously a vocal critic of the Ngātiwai Trust Board, is its new chief executive.

A retiree joins a global movement, lending a hand to build relationships — and neighbourhoods.

One of the world’s most valuable herbs is growing in secret plantations in NZ, and you can grow it too.

A natural phenomenon helped one Tasman woman shake off serious post-op complications and led to a thriving produce and floristry business involving an entire family.

Living Life to the Full

At 84, Barry Gardiner is the epitome of what it means to live life to the full. With countless sporting achievements under his belt, including becoming a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, he shares his true passion for what he believes is the complete sport – Squash.

A Gisborne couple spent many years building a farm-to-plate business, now one of New Zealand’s most significant independent brands.

Sport climbing has been around since the 1800s, but thrill-seeking Gen Z-ers have made it so popular it has earned a place at the Olympics.

When temperatures soar, the hum of air conditioning and refrigeration units sound an ominous chorus. This company is offering a greener solution.

A former theatre nurse has turned her Raglan property into an almost self-sufficient “wild garden” and is now raising a gluten-free bread business that looks and tastes as good as the real stuff.