November 4, 2025 • 6 mins
Our Garston correspondent says tourism numbers are looking good for the south as the busy Summer season approaches.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This interview brought to you by Agriss into South Branches
in Lawnville, Gore Cromwell, Milton and ranfully dropped by your
local Agress into South Branch today.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Thomas O'Brien, Garston, business owner in Northern Northern South and
joins us once again this afternoon, Get a Tom good Andy,
how's everything up in Garston. Ha's been an interesting couple
of weeks, to say the least where you are there.
You're reasonably exposed up on the hill. How did things go?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yes, we are reasonably exposed, well, very exposed right off
on the top of the hill. But you know, we
shared pretty well, Andy, compared to a lot of other people. Actually,
the day of that really horrific sort of win that Thursday,
a couple of weeks ago, other number Cargo and the
building that I was in was actually sort of shaking
a bit, and the lights were going off and on,
and we were kind of looking at each other in
(00:55):
the meeting game do we really want to be in here?
So yeah, I just amazed at you know, the number
of trees down obviously, I mean it's been talk of
the town and country for the last couple of weeks.
I know, but yeah, it really did impact a lot
of people. We were very lucky. The only damage we
sustained was a bit of debris going through a ranch
(01:17):
slider door and that was about it. No trees down, yeah,
no other real issues. So got off pretty lightly really.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
But the weather's been all over the show, highlighted by
the fact that Corney at Pete's looking the best it
has all year.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
I know, right, it's yeah. You know, if you believe
the medium to long term forecast for New Zealand as
a whole, it looks as if the northern and western
parts are going to be warmer and wetter than normal.
But yeah, sort of, the eastern parts is probably going
to be a bit drier, and I suppose you know,
if we're anywhere in between, it'll probably be a relatively
(01:55):
sort of normal comer and commons with a bit of luck.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Now you're up in Queenstown at the moment. I flew
in there a Monday afternoon on a very full plane.
And when you're coming into Queens Sound, when you've got
to drive south, all you want to do is get
on the ground. But you're looking at these tourists all
around you, and your eyes are just lighting up by
these vistas that are mountains just covered in snow as
you land into Queenstown itself.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
So i'd say it's quite a vibe up there at
the moment.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Oh, definitely like and you know, further south in Queenstown
because you know, I've probably got a bit of a
love hate relationship with Queenstown. You know, there's probably a
lot of us do you know. It's a very very
beautiful place as we know, and it won't change, you know,
on math, I suppose, but it's also it does have
its challenges as well. But I had a pretty nice
chat to someone who he's got a highday house near
(02:42):
Kingston and he's actually Melbourne based and he's been, oh
he's been at his place for a couple of weeks
and he just said I had a contrast between Melbourne
and that fear light straight you know. He said, I
just drive up the driveway and he told me he
gets quite emotional now when he comes in and he
just gets inside. They has a lookout and seeing those
beautiful mountains, you know, the hectors and then yeah, he said,
(03:07):
it's just another different world. So we're very very lucky
where we live, you know.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
When you say you have a love hate relationship with Queenstown,
you sound like me. The older you get, the more
cynical you get.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Well, yeah, I don't think I don't think we're isolated
in that respect, you know, Like you know, there's been
a lot of a long time local people who've come
up from the Cargo and Gord have had holiday houses
up here for a very long time. And I'm pretty
sure people from the Dunedin sort of christ area they
come down to Wantica. Yeah, I'm talking over the last
fifteen sixty seventy odd years. And yeah, they're sort of
(03:40):
getting a bit long in the teeth now and they're
sort of, yeah, they're tolerance for all sorts of stuff
probably gets a bit less, which is understandable. And yeah,
a lot of them are sort of uprooting and going elsewhere,
or just pulling the pin and taking advantage of some
probably relatively good property prices over a relatively long period.
I know it's probably not the case right now, but
(04:03):
just this last week or so that that old chestnut
when they say these little green shoots are starting to
come through with the economy, I think that's starting to
come through with real estate prices starting to just creep
up a little bit more again. And yeah, businesses starting
to reinvest back and their infrastructure again, which is good
(04:25):
to see.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
As far as the Kings and fly the season started,
those twenty two thousand sleepers over that thirteen to fourteen
kilometers of track that you helped fix up.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
How's it been.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Oh, you know that we're starting off with a pretty
good season. You know, we've got a regular charter trip
on a Friday, they see Edmund Hillary Trusters. Yeah, they
have a couple of buffaloes of people that come through
on a Friday. So that's a good regular kind of
once again talking about consistency that's going right through the season.
And then there's a regular Sunday run which is open
(04:56):
to the public and all in sundry. So yep, we've
got really good team on It's a small team. You know,
it's quite a complex operation, quite a costly operation. But
as long as we get good patronage and you know,
and the word gets out, you know, it's a great
experience and iconic experience in every sense of the word.
And yeah, looking forward to a great season.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Good on your time. We'll leave it there. I always
appreciate your time.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Cheers Mady Kit check.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Laugh out Loud with Pad Proud because life on the
land can be a laughing matter. Brought to us by
sheer Well Data working to help the livestock farmer.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
So Guy rings up the cops. He goes, Hi, is
that the cops? And they say, yeah, what do you want?
He goes, I'm calling to report my neighbor Billy. He's
hiding drags inside his firewood logs. Thank you very much
for the call, sir. The next day of the police
descend on Billy's house. They searched the sheer with the
firewood is stored. Using exes, they bust over every single log.
No drugs are found. They swore at Billy and left.
Later that day the phone rings at Billy's house. Hey Billy,
(05:57):
did the police come? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:58):
They chop you would yep. Happy birthday, buddy. Just a
reminder as well. Wednesday night Country of Sheryl Anderson. Thisce evening.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Thanks for Regional Ford, longtime supporters of Hockennuy Radio. Much
appreciated by Nathan and the team. That's me all over
and done with for the afternoon. I'm Andy Mullitt. This
has been the muster on Hock, and now he thinks
the Peter's genetics.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Enjoy the afternoon. It's a little bit warmer. It's a
thing of beauty. See you tomorrow.
This interview brought to you by Agriss into South Branches
in Lawnville, Gore Cromwell, Milton and ranfully dropped by your
local Agress into South Branch today.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Thomas O'Brien, Garston, business owner in Northern Northern South and
joins us once again this afternoon, Get a Tom good Andy,
how's everything up in Garston. Ha's been an interesting couple
of weeks, to say the least where you are there.
You're reasonably exposed up on the hill. How did things go?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yes, we are reasonably exposed, well, very exposed right off
on the top of the hill. But you know, we
shared pretty well, Andy, compared to a lot of other people. Actually,
the day of that really horrific sort of win that Thursday,
a couple of weeks ago, other number Cargo and the
building that I was in was actually sort of shaking
a bit, and the lights were going off and on,
and we were kind of looking at each other in
(00:55):
the meeting game do we really want to be in here?
So yeah, I just amazed at you know, the number
of trees down obviously, I mean it's been talk of
the town and country for the last couple of weeks.
I know, but yeah, it really did impact a lot
of people. We were very lucky. The only damage we
sustained was a bit of debris going through a ranch
(01:17):
slider door and that was about it. No trees down, yeah,
no other real issues. So got off pretty lightly really.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
But the weather's been all over the show, highlighted by
the fact that Corney at Pete's looking the best it
has all year.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
I know, right, it's yeah. You know, if you believe
the medium to long term forecast for New Zealand as
a whole, it looks as if the northern and western
parts are going to be warmer and wetter than normal.
But yeah, sort of, the eastern parts is probably going
to be a bit drier, and I suppose you know,
if we're anywhere in between, it'll probably be a relatively
(01:55):
sort of normal comer and commons with a bit of luck.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Now you're up in Queenstown at the moment. I flew
in there a Monday afternoon on a very full plane.
And when you're coming into Queens Sound, when you've got
to drive south, all you want to do is get
on the ground. But you're looking at these tourists all
around you, and your eyes are just lighting up by
these vistas that are mountains just covered in snow as
you land into Queenstown itself.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
So i'd say it's quite a vibe up there at
the moment.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Oh, definitely like and you know, further south in Queenstown
because you know, I've probably got a bit of a
love hate relationship with Queenstown. You know, there's probably a
lot of us do you know. It's a very very
beautiful place as we know, and it won't change, you know,
on math, I suppose, but it's also it does have
its challenges as well. But I had a pretty nice
chat to someone who he's got a highday house near
(02:42):
Kingston and he's actually Melbourne based and he's been, oh
he's been at his place for a couple of weeks
and he just said I had a contrast between Melbourne
and that fear light straight you know. He said, I
just drive up the driveway and he told me he
gets quite emotional now when he comes in and he
just gets inside. They has a lookout and seeing those
beautiful mountains, you know, the hectors and then yeah, he said,
(03:07):
it's just another different world. So we're very very lucky
where we live, you know.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
When you say you have a love hate relationship with Queenstown,
you sound like me. The older you get, the more
cynical you get.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Well, yeah, I don't think I don't think we're isolated
in that respect, you know, Like you know, there's been
a lot of a long time local people who've come
up from the Cargo and Gord have had holiday houses
up here for a very long time. And I'm pretty
sure people from the Dunedin sort of christ area they
come down to Wantica. Yeah, I'm talking over the last
fifteen sixty seventy odd years. And yeah, they're sort of
(03:40):
getting a bit long in the teeth now and they're
sort of, yeah, they're tolerance for all sorts of stuff
probably gets a bit less, which is understandable. And yeah,
a lot of them are sort of uprooting and going elsewhere,
or just pulling the pin and taking advantage of some
probably relatively good property prices over a relatively long period.
I know it's probably not the case right now, but
(04:03):
just this last week or so that that old chestnut
when they say these little green shoots are starting to
come through with the economy, I think that's starting to
come through with real estate prices starting to just creep
up a little bit more again. And yeah, businesses starting
to reinvest back and their infrastructure again, which is good
(04:25):
to see.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
As far as the Kings and fly the season started,
those twenty two thousand sleepers over that thirteen to fourteen
kilometers of track that you helped fix up.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
How's it been.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Oh, you know that we're starting off with a pretty
good season. You know, we've got a regular charter trip
on a Friday, they see Edmund Hillary Trusters. Yeah, they
have a couple of buffaloes of people that come through
on a Friday. So that's a good regular kind of
once again talking about consistency that's going right through the season.
And then there's a regular Sunday run which is open
(04:56):
to the public and all in sundry. So yep, we've
got really good team on It's a small team. You know,
it's quite a complex operation, quite a costly operation. But
as long as we get good patronage and you know,
and the word gets out, you know, it's a great
experience and iconic experience in every sense of the word.
And yeah, looking forward to a great season.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Good on your time. We'll leave it there. I always
appreciate your time.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Cheers Mady Kit check.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Laugh out Loud with Pad Proud because life on the
land can be a laughing matter. Brought to us by
sheer Well Data working to help the livestock farmer.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
So Guy rings up the cops. He goes, Hi, is
that the cops? And they say, yeah, what do you want?
He goes, I'm calling to report my neighbor Billy. He's
hiding drags inside his firewood logs. Thank you very much
for the call, sir. The next day of the police
descend on Billy's house. They searched the sheer with the
firewood is stored. Using exes, they bust over every single log.
No drugs are found. They swore at Billy and left.
Later that day the phone rings at Billy's house. Hey Billy,
(05:57):
did the police come? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:58):
They chop you would yep. Happy birthday, buddy. Just a
reminder as well. Wednesday night Country of Sheryl Anderson. Thisce evening.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Thanks for Regional Ford, longtime supporters of Hockennuy Radio. Much
appreciated by Nathan and the team. That's me all over
and done with for the afternoon. I'm Andy Mullitt. This
has been the muster on Hock, and now he thinks
the Peter's genetics.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Enjoy the afternoon. It's a little bit warmer. It's a
thing of beauty. See you tomorrow.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!