Hit the Trails is a collaboration between the Taranaki Sustainable Trails, Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival and Taranaki Arts Trail thanks to Access Radio Taranaki 104.4 FM. Join Virginia Winder, Sophie Walker and Nelson Smart as they take you behind the scenes of Taranaki’s iconic festivals where you’ll find insights into gardens, art, and sustainable living.
Ep 1: Magpie’s REst
In this episode, Sophie steps inside Magpie’s Rest in Huirangi/Waitara, where Jo-anne Mowat shares her journey building a warm, soulful passive solar home from repurposed treasures for the Sustainable Builds Trail.
Ep. 1: You’ll also here from Virginia where she visits Cairnhill in Toko with June Lees, uncovering the magic of heritage gardens in full bloom for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival. And Nelson and Virginia sit down with artist JD Reid to explore creativity, craft, and connection on the Taranaki Arts Trail.
Ep 2: Lil Slice
Sophie heads out to Korito to chat with Stu from Stu & Wendy’s Lil' Slice of sustainable paradise. Their journey is packed with laughter, inspiration, and clever tips, plus some brilliant hacks to keep your own backyard humming.
Ep. 2: You’ll also hear from Virginia Winder when she drops by Gravetye in Hāwera to meet Jenny and John Pease, whose garden is a tapestry of colour and charm for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival. And Nelson Smart joins Virginia to catch up with Stratford painter Jo Stallard of the Fenton St Arts Collective, diving into the creative spark that fuels her work on the Taranaki Arts Trail.
EP 3: Silk Farm
Sophie discusses planting, power and paddocks with Jamie Silk. From experimenting with livestock diets to riparian and hillside planting, renewable energy, and hands-on learning, Jamie’s lifestyle block on Weld Road is a living lab of sustainability.
Ep. 3: You’ll also hear all about the Cockerill's Garden Te Rongohua in Kinross Drive, that is set amongst the woodlands and blends natural beauty with artistic flair, and from photographer Pip Guthrie whose photography embodies a blend of the familiar, sometimes the unremarkable with narratives woven into the fabric of everyday life that are often go unnoticed.
EP 4: Bushlies Farm
Sophie chats with Kama Burwell, one of the hosts on the Sustainable Farms Tail 2025. Learn about her whānau farm in Kaimata where the care about the whenua and creating a thriving, resilient farm.
Ep. 4: You’ll also hear from Lee & Roland Brumley who welcome us into their Carrington Rd garden and chat with Virginia about The Yews that featured in NZ House & Garden magazine; and Virginia chats with the super talented potter Juliet Larkin who explores form, tension, imbalance, texture, and emotion—often through the vessel form in her work.
EP 5: Hobart haven
Hear about the backyard revolution at Hobart Haven, Hayley and Seton Bennell’s vibrant space. From relocating their whare to repurposing its parts throughout the māra, this creative duo are walking the talk of the 4 R’s: Refuse, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle. They share their story of building a vibrant, sustainable space, the kaupapa of shared native trees, and how a little imagination goes a long way. Tune in for laughs, inspiration, and practical tips to make your own backyard more eco-friendly, beautiful, and full of life.
Ep. 5: You’ll also hear about Centuria Taranaki Garden Festivals Tikoki Garden in New Plymouth owned by Janet and John King, where visitors can meander down the path to a delightful sanctuary garden filled with rhododendrons, roses and a terraced vegetable garden. Plus, Nelson and Virginia chat with stone carver Kevin McDonald whose passion lies with his hammer and chisel ahead of the Taranaki Arts Trail.
EP 6 Heart & Soil
Sophie Walker drops into Heart and Soil in Ferndale for the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail, where Mieke Verschoor’s five-tiered permaculture garden overflows with fruit trees, worm farms and a subtropical grove.
Ep. 6: You’ll also hear from Virginia who chats to artist, painter, printmaker, musician and gardener Stu Morris ahead of the Taranaki Arts Festival from his cottage in Brooklands surrounded by his art that is due to open for the festival this year. We end today's episode with Chris and Gloria Smith from L’Amour Garden who have entered their delightful Inglewood Garden in this year’s Centuria Garden Festival for the first time this year.
Ep 7 blue cypress haven
Sophie Walker visits Blue Cypress Haven in Waitara for the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail, where Peter and Cathy Gehr have turned a tiny 300m² section into a thriving food garden with quail, bees and solar power.
Ep. 7: You’ll also hear from Virginia Winder as she explores Nikau Grove for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, where Ian and Elsie Lind’s Garden of International Significance is alive with native bush, boardwalks, wētā hotels and a waterfall. And Nelson Smart joins Virginia to meet New Plymouth artist Korrena Kidd, who will have a diverse range of creative works – from painting and sculpture to photography – on show for the Taranaki Arts Trail.
EP 8 Fenton st
Sophie Walker heads to Stratford’s Fenton Street Art Collective for the Taranaki Sustainable Builds Trail, where Jo Stallard and Stuart Greenhill share how they transformed Egmont Chambers into a café, distillery and creative hub using reclaimed materials.
You’ll also hear from Virginia Winder who explores Kahikatea for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, where Katy and Willie Roach’s peaceful garden is surrounded by QEII-covenanted bush, colourful plantings and Willie’s collection of American cars. Virginia also meets Alana Ruakere, whose expressive abstract paintings in bold primary colours will be on show for the Taranaki Arts Trail.
EP 9 creekside cottage
Sophie Walker explores Creekside Cottage in Stratford for the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail, where Gwenda Pease’s food forest brims with chickens, berries and pollinator plants.
You’ll also hear from Virginia Winder and Nelson Smart who visit the Goodin Country Garden for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, where volcanic rocks, mature trees and lush lawns set the scene for works by Karl Maughan, Jeff Thomson and Erica Soman – with all three artists in residence on opening weekend. In central New Plymouth, Virginia and Nelson also meet Maureen Holmes-Woods, whose quirky dollhouses and studio – a craft heaven – will delight visitors during the Taranaki Arts Trail.