Local event expert Craig Murray fills “every nook and cranny” of Rotorua Energy Events Centre with his popular expo. Photo / Supplied
Local event expert Craig Murray fills “every nook and cranny” of Rotorua Energy Events Centre with his popular expo. Photo / Supplied
Three-year-old Charlotte Cocks was abnormally pale and complaining of an earache.
She was sent away for blood tests which revealed a devasting result – leukaemia.
Following her diagnosis, Cocks spent the next two years receiving treatment at Starship children’s hospital.
Now 22, Cocks said her family had leanedon the Child Cancer Foundation, receiving “critical” emotional and practical support during an “incredibly tough time”.
She was giving back by helping her uncle, Craig Murray, with his New Zealand Fishing, Hunting and 4X4 Expo in Rotorua, running from Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24.
This year’s expo will support the Child Cancer Foundation through the raffle of a Walker 390 Tiller boat package, valued at more than $35,000. Organisers hope to raise $20,000 for the charity.
Rotorua local Murray said supporting the “very worthy” cause was about more than just the help his niece received. It was also about all the families needing support right across New Zealand.
He credited many Rotorua businesses for collaborating on building and preparing the raffle boat for the water.
Murray, a self-described “event entrepreneur”, had been running events such as mountain biking races and marathons around New Zealand since 2003.
Spotting a gap in Rotorua for an event catering to the fishing, hunting and overlanding community, he launched the expo in 2023 with Intrinsic Events.
A keen ocean fisherman himself, he described it as an event “where camo is fashion and gumboots is formal wear”.
He said it wasn’t just an expo, it was an “experience”. Even waiting in line, usually the most boring part of an event, visitors would have plenty to see and enjoy.
He said the expo had grown rapidly since its launch. Its first year drew 5500 visitors, and last year attendance doubled to 11,000. Visitors had travelled from as far south as Gore and as far north as Spirits Bay.
Murray hoped to see more than 15,000 people attend this year.
Charlotte Cocks wants to give back by helping her uncle, Craig Murray, with this year’s New Zealand Fishing, Hunting and 4x4 Expo in Rotorua. Photo / Supplied
He said “every single nook and cranny” of the Rotorua Energy Events Centre would be filled with 150 exhibitors catering to hunting, fishing and 4X4 enthusiasts.
Attendees could try out the latest fishing and hunting gear, watch live demonstrations and take part in free workshops covering stick baiting, trout fishing, long-range shooting, boat safety, butchery and sounder tuning.
A hunting and fishing competition would involve up to 300 participants heading out into Rotorua’s forests and lakes, bringing their catches back to the venue on Sunday for weigh-ins and prizes. Thirty-five fully kitted-out 4X4 vehicles would also be on display.
The expo had a strong focus on family-friendly activities. Children could enjoy a scavenger hunt, a “movie mai mai” and a 7.5m rock climbing wall, while adults could sample wild food from local eateries such as Black Label Barbecue, Coastal Chaos from Tauranga, and Ngaiz Kai from Whakatāne, or relax at the DB Ultra Bar.
An overview at a Hunting and Fishing Expo. Photo / Supplied
Murray said these were just some of the activities on offer and promised there would be “lots and lots going on”, making the expo enjoyable for everyone, even those who weren’t hunting, fishing or 4X4 enthusiasts.
Chief executive of the Child Cancer Foundation Monica Briggs said fundraisers liked this helped them provide “vital support” and showed families facing childhood cancer that their community was behind them.
Briggs said they are “extremely grateful to Craig, Charlotte and the team at Intrinsic Events for this unique initiative”.
Tickets cost $20 for adults, $10 for children under 16, with family passes available. Entry for children under 16 will be free.
Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.
