Is Motueka the sharpest town in New Zealand?

June 28th, 2013
[by David Armstrong]

A reporter and cameraman from TV One's popular Seven Sharp 7pm programme travelled around town yesterday seeking answers to the question, is Motueka New Zealand's sharpest town?

The three-hour filming and interview stint was the result of an initiative by Kaiteriteri entrepreneur Terri Everett to stimulate her social media network to vote for Motueka.

Thanks to a strong vote, Motueka on Tuesday was announced on the short list of five towns in contention, leading to hurried arrangements to show the TV crew, comprising presenter Jehan Casinader and cameraman Dalwyn Reisima, just why Motueka is so sharp.

Terri says she was watching the show about two weeks ago when the regional town promotion was announced and she nearly dropped her meal in her lap when the thought occured to enter Motueka.

She used their website to highlight the great things about our town and its surroundings, then told her Facebook friends to get in and vote. "I thought it was a great free opportunity to show Motueka to the world," she says.

The other four towns on the short list include South Island towns Te Anau and Oamaru. The segments filmed in each town will be shown next week, with Motueka being featured on Monday July 1st. Whichever town wins will be the host for a future complete half-hour Seven Sharp programme.

Filming yesterday began at the museum and the crew were driven around by Jennifer Calder and Margaret Woodley in the town's iconic 1929 Cadillac, Lassie. First stop was Toad Hall to watch barista Jamie Andrew Brown in action, then on to the Janie Seddon to film local musician Aly Cook singing her Dream Maker single.

Next was a visit to the community gardens and interviews with Terri as well as gardens workers Tara Forde and the appropriately named Ron Sharp about why they liked Motueka so much. Finally the TV crew filmed Vision Motueka's new Adventure Tourism mural at Elevation Cafe.

Terri Everett was delighted to be able to fit this promotion of the town in with her own business promotion for the Tasman region as a destination for weddings and top-end holidays and events. That promotion in reaching its climax with the final judging of the More FM programme of wedding couples competing for the $30,000 Dream Maker dream wedding package prize. (See our earlier story here.)

Here are some photos taken of the TV crew at work yesterday.

Setting off from the museum with cameras in the back

Jamie serves up the coffee at Toad Hall

Aly Cook sings at Motueka Quay

Terri Everett spills the beans at the community gardens

Tara Forde also at the gardens

Ron Sharp explains the attractions of Motueka

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