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000:00 Gary McCormack visit the Hokianga Harbour towns and villages; DJ, Dave Hēnare
002:28 Ōpononi: kids diving off the wharf into the harbour;
004:08 Gordon Andrewes: reflects over the years from 1871 - 1982 when the ‘Andrewes’ family storekeeper business’ operated.
005:24 Koutu Beach - Jack & Kuini Selwyn: speaks about the Andrewes business was the only place they could deal from and if people couldn’t pay for goods they lost some of their land; how they were strapped by the teachers because of speaking the only language they knew, Māori; they made friends with pākehā children who helped them learn the language.
008:02 Nils King: talks about the use of Kauri trees; in pioneer days they were taken from the bush and floated down the Whirinaki River.
010:27 Fr Brian Prenderville: discusses the closure of the local Post Office and how policies made by government has had major effects on the economy of small communities in the area.
013:03 WAIMĀ RIVER: Gary takes a trip on the ‘Elma’ and old traditional scour built in Auckland in 1902; GRAEME DARROCH explains the operations once carried out by the Elma which is also in the process of being restored.
014:54 HOREKE: preparations are underway for the Horeke Regatta.
015:40 DICK HOLDAWAY: explains how they moved the large homestead to its present site and have spent the past 10 years working on it. The community spirit of shared hardship, so impressed them, that they have never been able to leave as originally intended.
Gary participates in some of the events which take place during the regatta and has a few laughs with some of the local elders.
022:05 CYRIL CHAPMAN: Local radio DJ.
026:47 ANDREW BRADLEY - Snr Bungee Run Champion: An unemployed local lad who like many others in the area would like to work and maybe even move away from the area.
028:33 MANGAMUKA BRIDGE: Gary pops in to chat to local DJ, Dave Henare of Tautoko radio station which came about because of Hokianga’s isolation and enabled the locals to catch up with whanau and friends in the area as well as producing good community music.
030:16 KOHUKOHU - VIC GURNEY - a local sexton of the area and former garage owner.
033:45 MALCOLM ADAMS - Master Carver: explains the work his students are doing; students Malcolm Pomare and Jason Tana talk about the type of designs they prefer and about the impact that unemployment has on young people in the area.
036:48 MOTUTI MARAE - FR HĒNARE TATE: Locals powhiri Gary onto the marae and he later chats to the locals over a cup of tea. JOHN PAPAROA explained that he moved back from Auckland, attended a Polytechnic builders course for a year, then built his own house. JOANNE DIXON could not adjust to living in Auckland and finally moved back home for the benefit of her children. Fr Tate claims the young people are gifted in their hands and Motuti Marae is proof of that. Their most valuable possessions are human resources.
040:40 PANGURU - DAME WHINA COOPER: Gary visits 98 year old Whina at her home at Panguru.
According to Gordon Andrewes governments have forgotten them in the north and they’ve had to fight for everything; Kuini Selwyn says today there is no distinction between Maori and Pakeha and that they are all one big family; Vic Gurney says the only hope for the north is to maybe go back to re- afforestation.
“If the Hokianga is allowed to continue to slide into neglect, what do we say about the value we place on ourselves.”