Last Saturday night I went to a friend’s 60th birthday party held at the Riverfern Restaurant and adjacent Rimutaka Tavern in Upper Hutt.  As well as the enjoyment of helping a good friend celebrate the highlight was an acoustic performance of the song “Nature” by vocalist Carl Evison and guitarist Alistair Richardson.  This was specially arranged for the “birthday boy”.

“Nature” was written in Upper Hutt by Wayne Mason over 40 years ago.  Carl and Alistair are fellow musicians who played in the band Formyula with Wayne and recorded the original version which now receives much airplay.

In my work role as Business Liaison Manager for Upper Hutt City Council I have had plenty of exposure in the last week to  the Tourism NZ international branding of NZ 100% Pure campaign.  I find the song  “Nature”  reminding me of all the relevant features of Upper Hutt that support the 100% pure focus.

The Hutt River running through our urban and rural mix makes Upper Hutt a pretty special place.  Staglands Wildlife Reserve in Akatarawa Valley set  by owner John Simister about 33 years ago is a tribute to him and partner Sarah Purdy.  It is one of the city’s major attractions and offer an insight to exotic and native wildlife combined with quality hospitality of the Country Cafe.  I really enjoy a glass of wine in  such natural  surroundings  of the  birdlife  and bush .
I  was talking to another “natureman” from Upper Hutt during the last week – Don Merton, who was part of the team that saved the Chatham Island Robin.  He was  also recently honoured for all his work on the kakapo recovery programme by being offered the opportunity to name the 100th kakapo bird!

There is a regional project underway at present intending to be part of the NZ Cycle Trail project.  This started at the ‘ Jobs Summit’ and is now being championed by Prime Minister John Key as Minister of Tourism.  Tourism partners and local authorities in the Wellington Region are now considering a proposal to link Wellington to Martinborough along the Hutt River Trail and Rimutaka Rail Trail – right through “ Nature Capital “ Upper Hutt.

The Kennett Brothers started the Merida Karapoti Class Mountain Bike race in Upper Hutt.  It celebrates 25 years when run on Saturday 6 March 2010.  This race will be a major focus of the NZ Mountain Bike Week 25 Feb -7 March 2010 and the Hutt Valley Summer of Cycling.

If you don’t have a mountain bike of your own but want to sample the trails and tracks just call Bike Hut  in Upper Hutt on George Hickton, the CEO of Tourism NZ has been very successful at the helm for the last 10 years and relinquishes the role in early December.  I attended a Regional Tourism Seminar last week at which George Hickton reviewed the current status of Tourism.  I was chuffed when TNZ Communications Manager Cas Carter remembered encouragement from me to apply for a tourism role 10 years ago when we worked together.  It was a sense of déjà vu as I had taken a new part-time staff member along to the seminar,  She has just completed her first year tourism degree and shows much potential  for the future.

Finally I must say the new format of the Dominion Post looks great.  The new feature page “Capital Day” inside back page of A section gives a daily update of action and characters in our region.  I am looking forward to the new team of the Metro Desk creating a renewed interest in wider regional new coverage.

Scoopit

Digg

Reddit

Del.icio.us

Paul Lambert is City Promotion Manager for Upper Hutt City and is passionate about the whole region. His days at Wellington Zoo, Michael Fowler Centre, attending and assisting every International Festival of the Arts, living in Petone (KoroKoro) and now Upper Hutt have trained him well! - plus he is English!!