Exploring the country in an RV stars in a new TV series
The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association has taken its support of the country’s regions to the next level with the launch of a mainstream television series, starting in the Far North.
RV Explorers, which debuts on Choice TV at 1.30pm on Saturday October 13, goes off the beaten track to discover what makes New Zealand the ideal place to experience the motorhoming lifestyle.
The show was officially launched at the Kaikohe Pioneer Village on Friday, where guests saw the Far North episode, and heard about the positive impact motorhome tourism had on regional New Zealand.
The six-episode series is a joint production between Spot on Publications (publishers of The Motor Caravanner magazine and former owners of the Covi SuperShow) and Calcomm Productions, which has more than 20 years of television production experience for Sky, TVNZ, TV3 and 60 Minutes.
Executive producer Brent Gillies said the NZMCA-backed programme was aimed at promoting the motorhoming lifestyle, and encouraging people to places that don’t traditionally get much attention.
“Domestic tourism is a multibillion-dollar industry that has been increasing steadily for a number of years. Combine that with the fact that motor caravanning is one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing recreational activities, and it’s clear a resource such as RV Explorers is well overdue,” he said.
“The programme will appeal to those who are new to the activity, as well as those who have been travelling for years.”
The programme was the latest in the NZMCA’s successful Delwyn Walker (Pioneer Village) and Noeline Inverarity (Okaihau ¯ Railstay), both of whom appear in the first episode of
off-the-beaten-track strategy, which five years ago ensured that the regions got a fair share of the tourism bonanza. Along with the Far North, the first series takes in Kaikoura, Whanganui, Whanga¯rei, the Coromandel and Tararua.
Each episode follows the adventures of Anne Marie and Jonathon, a new motorhoming couple trying out a different vehicle, experiencing what each area has to offer and swapping stories with other motorhomers they meet.
“It’s about regional New showing off Zealand and exploring the motorhoming lifestyle,” NZMCA CEO Bruce Lochore said. “There’s guidance for those who are new to the lifestyle, and ideas on new places to visit for existing motorhomers. It’s also shining the spotlight on those regions that are fantastic destinations, but don’t necessarily get the publicity of the main tourism centres.”
Viewers will see Horeke’s Wairere Boulders, quad biking in Kaikoura, exploring the Bridge to Nowhere on the Whanganui River and the Coromandel’s hot springs. It is not unusual for cars, stolen or past their use-by date, to turn up on 90 Mile Beach, and 10 days ago Scott Collins found another one in a pond on the Te Hiku Forest coastal road, north of Waipapakauri Ramp.
“It’s no more than 300 yards from the pile of rubbish you showed in your September 18 edition,” he said.
“The day after the photos were taken the rear and side windows had been broken and a number of items, including wet clothing that was left strewn about, had been removed.”
Picture / Scott Collins