Ray White took to their rafts in the annual Ray White Tutukaka Raft Race in August.
Part of the Tutukaka Coast Winter Festival, this annual event sees teams, of four people, competing in hand-made rafts, racing to glory along the Ngunguru River for cash prizes. Rafts can only be self-propelled (no motors) and constructed from any material other than existing watercraft and/or flotation devices.
This year saw a few old rivalries, a few newbies, and as always: a water cannon ‘somewhere’ as competitors tackled the course in business and open class categories – racing from the Ngunguru Town Hall to the Ray White Tutukaka office with a selection of cash and spot prizes awarded to the winners.
“Over 1,000 people gathered to watch this years’ racing unfold… with people coming from as far away as the Bay of Plenty for the Festival events – the whole area was buzzing,” said Peter Vink from Ray White Tutukaka.
Other events in the Tutukaka Coast Winter festival, recently nominated as Finalist in the New Zealand Event Awards – Best Community Event 2017, include: a Boutique Beer festival; Drive-In Movie Nights; Take a Kid Fishing; a Comedy Night; Poor Knights Ocean Swim Crossing; a Snapper Fishing Competition; a Polar Bear Surf Classic; Ping Pong Tournament; Dragon-Boat and Stand-Up Paddle Board Racing – with events run across the last few weeks of August (and targeted around weekends).
“We’re big fans of the festival and what it brings to the region… It can traditionally be a quiet time out on the coast – especially for the local businesses,” said Allan Sykes, Co-Director of Ray White Tutukaka, Bream Bay and Whangarei.
Rated as one of the top coastal destinations on the planet by National Geographic Traveler Magazine, the Tutukaka Coast is home to over 1,400 locals and was recently voted one of the ‘Top Ten Must-Do’s in New Zealand’. A summer destination for many with pristine white sand beaches, stunning coastal bush walks, and the incredible Poor Knights Marine Reserve the areas is certainly a favourite with locals and tourists alike. The Tutukaka Coast Winter Festival festival creates a variety of reasons for people to visit the region – enjoy the restaurants and bars and participate in activities and provide benefit too to local service providers.