Exploring in our own backyard
People will want to explore their own backyard after the Covid 19 pandemic is over, and what better place to come than Waihi Beach.
New event manager Nicky Austin joined Waihi Beach Events and Promotions in February and says there is so much more of a focus on tourism at the beach.
“After Covid-19 I’d like to think there will be an influx of local tourists.”
Nicky spent the last 18 months as events coordinator at Katch Katikati and is looking forward to making more connections with the Waihi Beach community.
“I absolutely loved my job at Katch Katikati but was offered the opportunity to work 20 hours per week alongside project manager Teresa Qualtrough.
The new role allows Nicky to spend more time with her family.
“I’m looking forward to spending more time with the children and being able to be at home to cook meals a bit more.”
Nicky moved to Katikati from the South Island. After she stopped rowing competitively she worked within the rowing community as a manager of different entities that required putting on events, organising clubs to regattas and schools to camps within the club. She also organised masters corporate regattas.
She came to Katch Katikati through promotions manager Jacqui Knight.
“Jacqui is an amazing boss. I feel totally privileged to have been able to have learnt from her.”
Being new to Katikati Nicky had to very quickly get to know the community and within six months felt she knew hundreds of people.
“I feel it will be the same at Waihi Beach.”
Nicky’s passion is for communities and small towns to be involved in events, and this will continue.
“I can’t wait to know how the Waihi Beach community ticks because it is very different.”
She works five hours a day on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and Friday except when there is an event on.
Her first impression of Waihi Beach so far after getting to know a few people in town, is “vibrancy”.
“There’s a future focus and a modern focus here and so much more the focus is on tourism.
“You can spend hours here with quirky shops, cafes, art galleries, walks, trails, the Waihi Beach Sunday market, run by Kelly Moselen and the Flat White Cafe, with Andy Kennedy.
Many business owners in the village have come from large towns or cities so it’s quite a slick group, she said.
Alert level 4 changed the landscape completely for events at the beach, she said.
“While we are continuing to plan for the summer events held regularly, we do realise we have to think on our feet and have a number of ideas rolling around for once this pandemic is over.”
One new event Nicky was part of at Katikati was the Festival of Cultures in collaboration with Welcoming Communities.
She said she loved the collaboration with so many community groups.
The 2020 Katikati-Waihi Beach Community Business Awards are planned for November.
Nicky said they will have to wait and see how the business community has fared post-Covid-19.