KEY POINTS:
Waiheke Island's economy - based around seasonal tourism and the wine industry - is set for a boost, with a new conference and entertainment project designed to help bring more visitors to the island throughout the year.
Capitalising on the island's vineyards and well-known artists, Brent Gibson, a
long-term local resident and businessman, is developing a 5.5-star boutique "arthouse" hotel and entertainment centre among Onetangi's vineyards on the Isola Estate.
"Waiheke is well-known for its wine and art," says Gibson, director of Santa Monica Investments.
"It is our intention to develop an environment that adds value to Waiheke's already international reputation as a wine and art destination.
"We have a unique opportunity to showcase our talent by developing a hub on Waiheke, using the hotel as a backdrop where international travellers can experience the essence of life on Waiheke."
Gibson says the island economy is small and this project will give the vineyards, artists and sculptors an outlet to show and sell their products.
"The employment opportunities will also be important for our economy," he says. "Waiheke - as most of the country - does not enjoy summer conditions all year round. For this reason it is important to develop business that is not weather driven."
Gibson plans to make the most of the island's location.
"We are lucky on Waiheke with our close proximity to Auckland. We are uniquely placed to take advantage of the largest population base in the country and also the gateway to NZ."
The Isola development will be open all year, giving groups an opportunity to visit the island in the winter months.
"There are operators who have realised this potential and are developing products for groups suited to the off season," he says. "These initiatives will grow our beautiful island into a bona fide year-round destination."
Investment in the island's potential is serious, says Gibson. The Isola development alone is a substantial investment, and ferry companies Fullers and Sealink have already made their commitment to the island. "It is important future development is in harmony with the natural environment we already enjoy," he says.
The project has the blessing from some pillars of the Waiheke community, who do not always sing from the same hymn sheet.
Lee Stickland, the joint-venture operator-owner of 50 per cent of the island's Placemakers store, says: "It's a lovely spot for a hotel. From what we understand, it'll work in with Waiheke in [its image] as being a host for conferences. That's a big industry for Waiheke."
"They don't leave a big footprint on the island, they stay, leave their money behind and go," says Herb Romaniuk, Waiheke Community Board member.
A Fullers spokesman says the ferry company has high hopes for increased traffic to the island this year ahead, thanks to a growing number of big events being planned.
The schedule in the next few months includes the Everything Olive Oil festival, the Garden Safari, a music festival, the Fullers Wharf to Wharf fun run, and concerts with Brooke Fraser, Joe Cocker, The Little River Band and The Black Seeds.
A car fair and the popular Stonyridge Vineyard dance parties will also be a draw.
Fullers and Sealink, counting visitor tickets and commuter tickets, have about 800,000 visits a year, says the spokesman for Fullers.
As the island's population grows, Auckland City councillor Faye Storer says projections seven or eight years ago that the island's permanent population would surge to about 20,000 by now have not eventuated - with numbers sitting at 8900. This does, however, increase to about 34,000 at the peak of summer.
"This doesn't mean there isn't plenty of house-building going on the island, with second and third homes, and holiday homes, being built," says Storer. "The construction of houses is through the roof."
As well as construction, the wine industry on Waiheke Island is continuing to provide a lot of local jobs.
Chris Canning, head of the Waiheke Winegrowers Association, says his members on the island own 20 per cent of the land and employ 32 per cent of the island's labour force, while about 50 per cent of the population goes off the island for work.
"Waiheke Island is where NZ tourism was 20 years ago," says Canning. "There is no doubt wineries have been the lifeblood of the new, improved Waiheke Island economy."
"When I started 25 years ago, the biggest industry here by far was the welfare state," says Steve White, owner of Stonyridge Vineyard. "Now it would be the wine industry and included in that are restaurants, artists and accommodation."
The self-acclaimed "environmental capitalist" says: "It has become the catalyst for reinvigorating the economic and social life. You see the same thing happening in Napier."
While there are increasingly more visitors during the winter, White is wary people sometimes go over to the island, have a damp day and do not take back good memories.
Retailers on the island are cautiously optimistic about the future but they too are being held back by the island's seasonality, something that challenges every small Kiwi town.
Supermarket chain Progressive Enterprises is moving ahead with plans for a new supermarket on Waiheke, said to be planned near the market place in Belgium St, Ostend.
Its nearby Woolworths supermarket appears to work fine for most of the year but can get overwhelmed at peak season and holiday weekends.
"Plans are under way for the new store," says Adrian Walker, general manager property of Progressive Enterprises. "We are awaiting further approval. However, we are looking forward to offering our customers an enhanced shopping experience."
Placemakers' Stickland says it has been "quite a difficult winter". He says a lot of people, when they do spend money on their second homes, tend to want to be around to enjoy the benefit of the work in the summer.
Real estate agents say the property market, although it's gone through a traditional winter slump, is still active.
Clive Lonergan, an island-based agent for Bayleys, has sold some residential and commercial property "at the top end" that had been lingering.
In a battle between two local buyers, he sold a block of six shops in Oneroa overlooking the bay, including Waiheke's main wine shop, for $3.15 million, yielding 5.2 per cent.
While progress is ushering in a new era to the island, passionate Waiheke advocate and part-time resident Mike Lee, chairman of Auckland Regional Council, is one of many toiling to maintain the landscape and keep the island's open spaces.
He wants to see Waiheke avoid what has happened to the beautiful peninsula of Whangaparaoa.
"Whangaparaoa is a lesson to be learned from," says Lee. "I'd like to see Waiheke develop in a way which avoids mainland suburb sprawl."
