Coromind

The following is a glimpse into the life of William Lewis Townson – a man who was dedicated to his botanical work, and had an expert knowledge of the native birds of New Zealand.  www.coromind.nz

It was the mid-1990s and we were steaming back from Aotea/Great Barrier. It was a beautiful hot summer day and the sea was flat and calm. Up ahead we spotted a pod of about 20 Terehu/Bottlenose dolphins. I noticed there was one dolphin that was not participating in playing and as I watched I saw she had a calf with her, a baby about a metre long. When I got closer, I saw that the baby had an old,...

 I don’t know anyone who would willingly do what that rat did – take such foolish risks – but the irony wasn’t lost on me as I set off alone in the dark, on day two of a solo hike. I started at Broken Hills in the Coromandel and walked up to Hihi Trig Station, taking a small detour to an old dam along the way. The views were lovely, stretching across to the cliffs where I sometimes go rock climbin...

Saskia Riemersma's journey is a testament to the power of creativity and following one's passion. From a young age, Saskia knew she wanted to create, and her path has been a beautiful exploration of various art forms. www.coromind.nz

In recent years many magazines and community newspapers have folded their pages for the last time and closed the doors. Metro magazine, which existed since the 1980s, is one of the most recent to depart from a printed format and exist only in the digital world. And with all this in mind I believe the team behind Coromind must be applauded and admired.  They have changed the model and as a result t...

Young Couples Choosing the Coromandel Over the City - It’s a rival-schools-to-lovers story twice over: two Mercury Bay Area School boys and two Thames High girls end up living the quiet life together. www.coromind.nz

Cuppa Words is a space dedicated to creative writing in the Hauraki-Coromandel community. In this edition: 'Mindful', by Mama Khou and No Time to Waste', by Roimata Taimana www.coromind.nz

To ‘wander like a cloud’ (云游) is a term that comes from the ancient Chinese spiritual tradition of Daoism. It refers to holding steadfast to the self-cultivation path whilst travelling to seek teachers, learn skills and expose oneself to different cultures and conditions, helping to dissolve the ‘acquired’ self that’s built up layers of biases and filters that shape who we are and narrow the way...

W e all love celebrating St Patrick’s Day, and how lucky are we in Whitianga to have a proper party spot right on the water. This year, Buffalo Beach Club is going all out - kicking things off on Saturday 14 March with The Grail playing Irish pub classics, then handing the stage to Twisty Willow, a Waipu Celtic duo bringing lively tunes and serious crowd energy, on Tuesday 17 March. www.coromind.n...

We have our gym bunnies, those seeking connection, and others wanting to explore Te Ao Māori – we all came to waka ama for different reasons.  www.coromind.nz

What is Art worth? Some create it, some buy it, some invest in it, and some ... just enjoy it. It is so multi-dimensional and almost unexplainable by linear and limited language, so rather than try to actually define it, let's explore the roles it plays in our lives because without Art, life could amount to nothing more than a monotonous, dull, existence of repetitious survival. www.coromind....

We’re searching for a 3 or 4 bedroom house, ideally with a large garage, unit or shed to house our mobile soundproofed studio. Whitianga is our preference, but we’re open to suggestions. www.coromind.nz

Even though I dabble in almost everything, watercolour feels the most like me: fluid, transparent, unforgiving yet honest, occasionally unpredictable and stubborn, but generally well-behaved.  www.coromind.nz

There have been many well-deserved accolades for Coromind, now well into its fourth year of publication. Leo and Taylor have provided space for an amazing array of Coromandel artists of every hue – painters, sculptors, musicians, woodworkers, potters, writers, historians … I stand in awe of what they have managed to achieve, presenting beautiful covers and fascinating stories while yet maintaining...

Welcome to the Full Audio version of Coromind magazine, issue 39 March, 2026 www.coromind.nz www.coromind.nz

Lucky Star is an independent collective that can slot into almost any festival, but experiencing it in person is something else entirely. It’s a buzzing hub that feels like a circus sideshow, a backstreet dive, and a community lounge all at once. Originally, Lucky Star began as a humble coffee caravan and juice bar. Over time, it has grown into a beloved festival institution with its own personali...

While some find their best creative inspiration in books or galleries, in conversation or music, I have found it in the grip of the forest, in the embrace of a river’s cold, in the gentle caress of sunlight. www.coromind.nz

After sharing a few tall fishing stories with my friend, I told him about the time when I was a 10-year-old kid walking along Takapuna Beach after fishing off the rocks with a mate. We hadn’t caught anything, so for fun we put a bit of bait on our hooks and dragged the line along the beach to see if we could catch a seagull.  Well, did we ever get a telling off. An old fella yelled at us and told...

Proud to be Local is our inspirational feature, highlighting homegrown Coromandel Peninsula folks doing wonderful things out in the world. In this edition, Sam Connors. Brought to you by Coromandel's CFM www.coromind.nz

The Art of Symbiosis with Iona Matheson - Iona grew up in Raumati North, near Wellington. A school trip to Kapiti Island at just nine years old left a deep imprint. Surrounded by native birdlife in a protected sanctuary, her connection to te taiao (nature) began early. Creativity was also close to home... www.coromind.nz

Wāhi Tukurua - Your Local Hub for Reuse, Recovery and Community Action. Zero waste can sound like a big, serious mission… but at heart, it’s simply something we do better together.  www.coromind.nz

There comes a moment in every coastal town’s story when something electric arrives, something that does not just add to the landscape, but transforms it. For Whangamatā, that moment came when the doors of Mekong Foo swung open, unleashing a riot of colour, flavour and unbridled joy onto the Coromandel Peninsula. www.coromind.nz

An art gallery situated in the heart of Hot Water Beach, surrounded by the sounds of crashing waves, local cafes and hot pools! The perfect way to spend a day on the Coromandel.  www.coromind.nz

When you picture New Zealand’s natural wonders, wetlands might not be the first thing that springs to mind. Yet these quiet, waterlogged landscapes are ecological powerhouses – filtering water, storing carbon, and providing sanctuary for our taonga species. www.coromind.nz

Jiwa in the Indonesian language means ‘soul, spirit or vital force’. It is also the name given to a 28-foot trimaran yacht by its builder Wayne and his wife Jill who were practitioners of an ancient Indonesian meditation at the time. www.coromind.nz