I often find myself drifting back to my childhood in Motueka, nestled along the shores of Tasman Bay, where life felt simple and full of warmth. Long summer days were spent splashing in the cool currents of the Motueka River with my siblings, laughter echoing across the water as the sun stretched lazily overhead.
Some of my fondest memories are of riding alongside Dad in his trusty D-Series Ford truck, travelling the winding roads of the Tasman region as he delivered firewood, coal and fertiliser, each trip feeling like a small adventure. Those moments, woven together, created a childhood grounded in family, hard work and the quiet beauty of our surroundings.
– Adrian, Managing Director
The hum of cicadas, warm sand underfoot, water so clear you forget it's the ocean. Abel Tasman is only twenty minutes from home but it has always felt like another world - no reception, no rush, just the sound of water lapping the shore. Growing up we'd find whole bays to ourselves.
Now I watch my two little daughters play in the same sand, shriek at the salt spray on the boat, and disappear up creeks on their own little adventures. Some things carry through - Mum's layered salsa dip, a local gin, the smell of the barbecue. The feeling of coming back full.
– Huxley, director/son of Adrian & Jackie, our founders
We used to gather at Breaker Bay as teenagers, sun-kissed, bare feet, and snacks aboard. It was always a sprint to see who could get into the water the fastest, the feeling of the sun on your skin, smell of sunscreen and the only worry being what was on at school the next day is a feeling I will always cherish.
– Jacinta, Sales & Marketing Manager
We used to run along the beach after dinner searching for kanohi pūpū - cat’s eye shells. Mum always had the most in-tune eye and we would count and compare our shells at the end of each day.
We still have bowls of them scattered around home, holding memories of those special days growing up.
– Lucy, Brand Manager
I didn’t grow up here, but this is where life truly began for me. Axel & I married on Little Kaiteriteri beach, with the tide rolling in around us and our favourite people gathered nearby.
What once felt like a destination has since become home, layered now with the rhythm of everyday life and the comfort of raising our children along the same coastline. It’s a place that holds both our beginnings, and the life that has unfolded since, with each visit further embedding its meaning.
– Shanelle, Finance & Support Services Manager
We lived across the road from an estuary, and I have many memories of our great times. Such an amazing place to be a kid. Dad used to white bait across the road between the boat sheds.
We would visit to take him his morning tea and get excited watching the bait in the bucket, trying to count how many there were. Then when I got older, I was beside him on the bank trying to catch my own and treasuring our special time together.
– Jill, Client Experience Coordinator
An ode to our home — Tasman. Explore Kindred, Chapter 01 on display in our Auckland Showroom.
