By Ray Lilley Is it a bird, is it a plane? It’s a Billboard statement to travellers that they are entering a globally-acknowledged Dark Sky Reserve – one of only 21 such high-quality star-gazing environments operating worldwide. Another 200 lower-ranked dark sky “places” across the globe have also been recognised …
By Ray Lilley More than five years after the Martinborough Community Board (MCB) asked South Wairarapa District Council (SWDC) to see “the books” (financial records) for the 85-hectare Pain Farm Estate south of the town _ only the board members have changed. Despite repeated requests to SWDC, they have seen …
By Lyle Griffiths Sue Sullivan is a well-known identity in our community. Where else are you greeted by “Hello Darling,” giving an immediate uplift to your day? And the Havana coffee is now a basic necessity of life. Bruce and Sue both lived in Martinborough when the children were small, …
Dishonesty, theft, treachery. Three little-used words in the history of colonisation in New Zealand. Those words don’t appear in the official documents which, in late 2021, set out the end to Crown ownership of Wairarapa Moana _ Lake Wairarapa, and its return to local Iwi ownership. They do, however, underpin …
The Great Gladstone Plant Fair
A celebration of autumn gardening.
Rain or shine: Saturday 13 April, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tickets: $35 + booking fees from iTicket and iSites.
Ticket provides entry to four gardens.
Plants for sale. … Continue Reading
Susan Stephen
Definitely a Wairarapa girl, Susan’s childhood began in Pirinoa, before attending St Matthews College in Masterton, as a boarder.
“Boarding was a totally different experience then. You didn’t go home for the weekends. In fact, we were only allowed to go home every third weekend.
After leaving school I worked at the Housing Corporation as a cadet draughtsman and completed a Certificate in Town Planning at Wellington Polytech.
Married and returning to Pirinoa, I became involved in the community – Playcentre, the Tennis and Rugby Club. I became a Councillor on the Featherston County Council prior to the amalgamation with the South Wairarapa District Council. I loved it. It was so positive. … Continue Reading
Take Two by Danielle Hawkins
By Brenda Channer – Martinborough Bookshop
Reading is many things – from the deadly serious and cerebral to the uplifting and unifying.
Sometimes though, it is just a bit of fun! Recently while away for a short break I took the opportunity to read a whole stack of books and just before I returned home, I picked up an advance copy of “Take Two.”
Not my kind of cover (be honest, we all judge books by their covers – even booksellers), not my kind of genre but I had just had a bellyful of my usual fare, so I thought, why not? … Continue Reading
Quiz: Pick the size of the coming year’s rates rise from South Wairarapa District Council (last year 20.8 percent) and win a bottle of wine from The Star.
Already some punters are talking 20 percent (again), with the council’s water woes the pretext for another major rating hike.
The quiz question to answer:
How much will the SWDC component of your annual rates bill increase for 2024 – 2025 year?
Entries by no later than 14 June to: themartinboroughstar@gmail.com
For the winner: a celebratory bottle of wine.
Winner announced in The Star August edition _ after rates bills are mailed in July.
Editor’s decision is final!
ends
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