Our Stories
Get to know your community, from your local butcher to our city’s mayor.
Categories
I Am Rotorua – Merenia
Monday, June 9, 2025
I have always been creative and have had quite a few endeavours that I’ve pursued in my life but I never knew I was good at cake art. I have five kids and it’s expensive to buy cakes for five kids so I gave it a go and I was really good at it. From there, whānau started asking and it was a domino effect. I was home based and for nine months I just worked really hard and gained a really great portfolio and a lot of customers.
I Am Rotorua – Rauhina Martin
Friday, June 6, 2025
I didn’t grow up here, but my partner did. I have been here for three years, and I love that Rotorua is so enriched in Māori culture. Living in Rotorua is pretty special compared to other places. It has a slower, more relaxed pace of life, but there’s always something happening, whether it’s cultural events or outdoor activities.
I Am Rotorua – Benjamin Overington
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
I moved here from Mount Maunganui. Once I got fully qualified in flying, I basically searched the entire country for my first flying job and the absolutely dream job became available at Volcanic Air, not only just fulltime flying but flying floats and the charters and scenics. It’s any pilot’s dream first gig.
I Am Rotorua – Rebecca Shrimpton
Friday, May 30, 2025
I have lived in Rotorua for about 40 years now. I started Juniper two and a half years ago. The name Juniper actually came from the Juniper tree which is a tree that can survive in really adverse conditions, like it doesn’t need a lot of resources to thrive and it also provides shelter for other little things to grow up underneath it so that’s kind of the concept that I am heading for – that we can help other people get the stuff done that they need to.
I Am Rotorua – Anaru Grant
Friday, May 30, 2025
Whanoa Jiu Jitsu was established with a clear vision: to provide a safe, welcoming, and empowering space for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). Our kaupapa is deeply rooted in whānau, respect, and personal growth, ensuring that everyone who walks through our doors feels supported on and off the mats.
I Am Rotorua – Cheyenne Kennedy
Friday, May 30, 2025
I love raising my kids here in Rotorua, it’s my home. I have lived here my whole life and so have my parents and grandparents. Rotorua is deeply rooted into my family’s history. Ngongotahā is home to me, it’s where I feel my strongest connection.
I Am Rotorua – Chevez Makan
Monday, November 25, 2024
I came back to teach here because I wanted to give these boys the same experience I had. I’m an old boy myself—one of 30 on staff right now. It’s kind of funny when you think about it, how many of us came back to give back in some way.
I Am Rotorua – Tania
Friday, November 22, 2024
Tania from Portico talks about what it is that she loves about her mahi as a framer.
I Am Rotorua – Geraldine
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
There’s something precious about owning a book. That you see, that you can hold, you can feel. You can turn the pages. It’s a different feeling from reading that book online.
I Am Rotorua – Trevor Shaw
Monday, November 18, 2024
“Some people look at me and just see a fella with a guitar, but I’m here to give something back."
I Am Rotorua – Digraj Baghela
Friday, October 25, 2024
“You probably wouldn’t notice it unless you knew to look. I used to be a chef for 12 years, always in the kitchen, always moving fast. But when I got married and had kids, it became harder to keep up with that life. So, I switched gears.”
I Am Rotorua – Renee Tapsell
Monday, October 21, 2024
“We’ve been at this for about two or three years now, and we’re turning three this month. It’s been quite the journey, not just in terms of the business, but in my own māoritanga, too."
Krissie Knap – Why music saved her life
Monday, October 7, 2024
Krissie Knap is someone whose presence effortlessly, and at times unintentionally, commands attention. It doesn’t matter if she’s on the stage performing or if you come across her on the streets of Rotorua, the energy she gives off always makes you feel better.
The next chapter for Rotorua’s Pink & White Geothermal Gin
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
As with many New Zealand businesses, Rotorua's award-winning distillery Pink & White Geothermal Gin comes from humble beginnings.
Meet Rotorua’s hospitality heroes: Part 2
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Following on from part 1 of Meet Rotorua’s hospitality heroes, we have four more amazing locals to introduce.
Meet Rotorua’s hospitality heroes: Part 1
Monday, September 23, 2024
What separates a good restaurant or café from a great one are the teams behind the counter or in the kitchen. Hospitality staff are the keys to bringing a venue to life, and Rotorua has no shortage of hospitality heroes.
Indigenous artistry takes centre stage at ARONUI Arts Festival 2024
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Launching the ARONUI Indigenous Arts Festival in Rotorua this year is the premiere of “The Voices in the Shadows”, a highly anticipated performance that powerfully blends traditional waiata, dance and poetry.
Rotorua startup Bike Matrix secures $2 million to revolutionise the global bike industry
Monday, September 9, 2024
Bike Matrix, a local tech company founded by Adam Townsend, Lyndal Bailey, and Adam Barnes, has recently secured a significant $2 million seed investment. This investment not only validates the groundbreaking nature of their technology but also brings international attention to Rotorua’s burgeoning tech scene.
Dr Stacey Tremain redefines veterinary care in Rotorua
Friday, August 16, 2024
Dr Stacey Tremain, a well-respected and much-loved veterinarian with nearly 25 years of experience, recently opened his own practice, The Pet Vet, in Rotorua. It’s a decision that reflects both his love for the community and his deep commitment to providing stress-free care for pets and their owners.
Rotorua mentorship programme sparks lifelong friendship
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
When Luke Donnelly and Wade Meads were matched through Big Brothers Big Sisters Rotorua nine years ago, neither could have imagined it would mark the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
