Butlers Reef always tuned

Could this be the place for the ultimate Kiwi bar experience, asks Stephanie Mitchell.

Butlers Reef in Oakura, Taranaki, is Ernie Walker’s favourite drinking hole. He’s there every day. He’s a coastal boy through and through, with wavy locks, faded tattoos and rosy cheeks from years without sunscreen. He has spent just as much time on the waves as he has at the bar.

‘‘He’s part of the furniture,’’ bar manager Leeana Hughes says.

He goes to every single one of the legendary gigs at the 153-year-old pub, in a village with a population of just more than 1000, but can’t pick a favourite.

‘‘There’s heaps of them, heaps of good bands, eh. I like all the local bands too. I just like bands. You ask the girls, I’m always dancing.’’

For years, Butlers Reef, affectionately known as ‘‘Butlers’’, has been the place to be for New Year’s Eve and over summer in Taranaki. It has seen thousands of patrons pack into its marquee for the likes of Jimmy Barnes, Shihad, Katchafire, Shapeshifter, Sons of Zion, The Feelers, and Six60.

Shapeshifter, who are regulars at the coastal pub, said ahead of their 2015 gig that it was hard to beat the crowds at Oakura.

‘‘When you get a crowd like a Butlers Reef crowd it makes our job so much fun. Our memories of Butlers Reef are of good people, good food, sunshine and great fans that know how to respect each other but mostly know how to have a good time and rock the party like no other place.’’

Walker says it was great to have a place like Butlers Reef in the village he has lived in for eight years.

‘‘I was down in Okato first, then they shut our pub down so I came here.’’

When he’s not at the bar or dancing front of stage, he can be found helping co-owner Todd Burkett build a new stage. People like Walker are the pub’s bread and butter.

Burkett and his partner Tracey Craig took over the pub 12 months ago. They’ve been busy ever since revamping the iconic venue.

Craig believed it was its proximity to the beach and the outdoor area that made Butlers Reef so popular.

‘‘The location to the beach gives it that surfy feel. When the mountain’s out we’ve got the best view and are the biggest beer garden in Taranaki.

‘‘People come out here and remark how relaxed it is and they have a really good time because of it. It is a very relaxed pub whereas the pubs in town, there’s just a different vibe to them.

‘‘They walk in and they instantly chill. New Year’s has always been really big out here because of that.’’

Unfortunately, Sons of Zion, who were scheduled to play New Year’s Eve this year, pulled out because they couldn’t get a backing band to Taranaki.

However they have played there multiple times before and Craig says they always ask if they can come back.

‘‘They love it. Everybody wants to play here, even the big bands want to play here because they draw huge crowds. The only other venue is The

‘‘We’ve always enjoyed playing at Butlers Reef. It’s become sort of a staple.’’ The Feelers’ Hamish Gee