Bay of Islands Trading Company opposite had a false frontage built to resemble a pub. Photo/Sue Fitzmaurice
Crime series starts filming
By Sue Fitzmaurice
A film crew of 60-plus actors, producers and directors started filming scenes in the Bay of Islands for a new six by one-hour crime series late last month.
“Bust Up” is the working title only. At the heart of the story are partners in life Mihi Renata and Deb Brighton, now cop partners in the entirely fictional Far North town of Waitote, named so the crime element of the story isn’t associated with any particular community. Although you’ll see in the final cut parts of Paihia, Ōpua and Kororāreka-Russell.
Filming took place in Russell along The Strand and in Cass St, leading to the wharf, and two businesses on Cass St have had quite the redecoration.
Cass Street Gallery was converted into the fictional “Tasman National Bank” due to be robbed as part of the show and the Bay of Islands Trading Company opposite had a false frontage built to resemble a pub, the “Waitote Star Tavern”, complete with posters for “Mainbrace Golden Lager” from “Shipwrights Brewery”.
Rick Waite, production manager, said it is a co-production by a group of New Zealand writers and producers and a German production company.
“It’s a somewhat comedic Far North television show, with a bank robbery and a getaway”.
The crew also filmed at the Swordfish Club and at Tapeka beach.
“The working title is Bust Up,” said Waite, “but we’re open to suggestions. We did talk about something to do with blue penguins, seeing as there’s police in it too, but we haven’t quite come up with anything yet.”
Although it’s been a while since there were horses in Russell’s streets, the film called for an archetypal – some might say cliched – Far North town horse, and Honey and her trainer were called in. Honey was happy to munch the kikuyu along the waterfront between takes.
Given the film involves a bank robbery, there were several police vehicles about town, as well as authentic-looking police officers in Armed Offenders Squad get-up. Taran and Daniel, the stunt men, weren’t taking any prisoners at Hell Hole coffee.
Waite said locals had been extremely welcoming, helpful and patient.
“We realise when we come into town with all these people and all our equipment that we can be quite a disruption, but everyone’s been great.”
Most of the crew were staying at the Copthorne in Waitangi “because they’ve got the biggest car park for our all our trucks” and several stayed in Russell.
The entire crew were welcomed at the waharoa on the wharf early on their first day with karakia from the Kororāreka Marae committee, including chair Deb Rewiri, Reverend Heather Lindauer, and whānau from Te Rawhiti.
Local community leader Ross Davies said it’s fun for everyone and “they’ve put a lot of money into the town”.
Bust Up (working title) coming soon to a channel near you.
Sue Fitzmaurice is editor of the local Russell newsletter, Russell Lights.
Unmatched friendliness in the Bay of Islands
The USA-based World Atlas website recently published a story on a dozen New Zealand small towns with “unmatched friendliness”.
Seven towns chosen were in the North Island and five in the South Island. Of the North Island, three towns were from the Bay of Islands – Kerikeri, Russell and Paihia.
The website has an eclectic range of storylines, ranging from five of the most snake-filled bodies of water in Montana, New York or Pennsylvania, to countries with blue and white flags.
The New Zealand story had the byline Adam Bogoch, but it wasn’t clear whether he visited the New Zealand small towns himself or relied on other sources.
He introduced the story saying New Zealand small towns are known for hospitality that is backed by tourism awards and traveller ratings. That’s possibly where some of his sources may lie if he didn’t venture here.
“Some of these places go further” he said, “with grounded, everyday friendliness that shows up in festivals, volunteer-run museums and attractions that are meant to draw tourists from the capital city of Wellington.”
There was no mention of Auckland.
He added that the list isn’t just about sweeping Lord of the Rings-esque landscapes (though they’re certainly included), “it’s about places where people still wave to strangers and ‘community’ isn’t a buzzword”.
He said of Kerikeri, that the town backs up its reputation with real world proof “community markets, heritage sites and grassroots activism you can see and feel”. He mentions the KOAST art trail, the Stone Store and Mission House “with real stories of Māori and European roots, and for a quick nature fix, Rainbow Falls”.
Russell is where “green hills plunge into waters dotted with boats and islands”. Despite its tiny population of fewer than 1000 fulltime residents, he said, this former whaling port radiates warmth and personality. Christ Church, dating back to 1835, stands as New Zealand’s oldest church and every July the Birdman Festival turns the wharf into a launching pad for wild human flight.
He didn’t quite get that right. The Birdman Festival “rested” for a few years during Covid lockdown before coming back two years ago but with no event since then.
Of Paihia, he said tour boats depart from the beach “headed for dolphin pods”. That, of course, doesn’t happen today. He mentioned the Hole in the Rock and that the town offers easy access to one of the country’s most important historical sites, Waitangi. Or “adventurers can kayak past mangroves into the cascading waters of Haruru Falls or take a relaxed paddleboard ride around the bay”.
Other North Island towns to rate the “unmatched friendliest” tag were Taihape, Havelock North, Raglan and Martinborough.
The South Island towns making the grade were Akaroa, Cromwell, Te Anau, Arrowtown and Hokitika, so towns like Timaru. Geraldine and Oamaru missed out.