July 2026
- Jul 18
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 19
WELCOME
As I write this we are experiencing glorious sunny winter days, but with a chill in the air, so wrap up warm. Our recent Mid year AGM and lunch was well attended, making allowances for illness for the time of the year, and those members fortunate to be fit enough to travel overseas. The Remuera Club fulfilled its promise as usual - good quality lunch selection and convenient location for many. The catering was great value for money, especially considering it included a generous pour of wine, a beer or a soft drink.
We welcome all new members who have recently joined our club, and we hope to see you soon at an event. We pass on our sincere condolences to the families of those members of our Retirees Club we have recently lost. To those who attend our events regularly, thank you for your continuing support of our Club. You can look forward to some interesting events coming up later this year and early next year too.
Congratulations to Laurie Hamlet reaching a wonderful age of 103. We hope you are enjoying our Club Members stories in SHARE YOUR STORY. If you would like to contribute please email these to airnzretirees@gmail.com, for publication in upcoming newsletters. We look forward to hearing all your airline work stories - keep them coming.
SHARING HIS STORY
Paul Tibbutt
My story with the airline started with National Airways Corporation on 6 th February 1965. NAC took on ‘clerical cadets’ each year and I decided that a career in the Airline Industry would both satisfy my keen interest in aviation and provide a solid future. A positive interview with the Personnel Manager, Ron Benjamin on the first floor of the NAC Aircentre in Victoria St West, Auckland ( now the corporate offices of Spark ) resulted in a starting date and I was on my way to a career in NAC and Air New Zealand that was to last just under 50 years!
Download and read the full story below...
UPCOMING EVENT
Tip Top Ice Cream Factory Visit & Waipuna Lunch
Date: Thursday 20 August 2026
Location: Tip Top Factory - 113 Carbine Road, Mount Wellington, Auckland 1060
Tip Top Tour Times: 10:00am and 11:00am / $15.00 pay by eftpos at the venue
Lunch: 12:30pm Waipuna Lodge Buffet / Gold Card price $40.00pp pre-pay into club account
Please note that the Tip Top Factory visit is suitable for mobile members only, due to 80 access steps to entrance. Bookings will close 13 August.
SAVE THE DATE
CHRISTMAS LUNCH 02 December 2026 at 12:30
PROPOSED EVENT
WETA WORKSHOP UNLEASHED Early March 2027 in Auckland
NEW ZEALAND'S HOT POOLS Winter Day Trips and Getaway Ideas
There's something satisfying about sinking into naturally heated water in the middle of winter, and these colder winter months are the perfect time to plan a little road-trip, or weekend getaway from Auckland. Sitting on the Pacific Ring of Fire, we have no shortage of hot pool options, from wild bush-fringed springs to polished resort-style pools.
North Island
The Rotorua–Taupō region remains the country's geothermal capital; that distinctive sulphurus scent, with steam rising off the water is part of our DNA. If you're keen for a drive, here are a few nice spots not too far from Auckland.
Waikite Valley Thermal Pools, 30 minutes from Rotorua, draws its water from the largest single geothermal source in New Zealand. Six open-air pools of varying temperatures sit in a natural bush setting, with private spas available for those wanting a quieter soak.
Polynesian Spa, right on the shores of Lake Rotorua, is the original hot pools experience in the region - a mix of acidic and alkaline mineral pools, some with lake views, and right in the middle of town. For something special, book ahead for a Secret Spot Hot Tub, located on the outskirts of Rotorua, in a peaceful forest setting with stream views.
If you're after a little indulgence, Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa, on the shores of Lake Rotorua, opened in 2023 as a $60 million luxury development - the largest investment in the city's spa sector in over a century. Owned and curated by local iwi Ngāti Whakaue, it offers thermal pools, a geothermal mud lounge, saunas and spa treatments woven through with Māori culture and healing traditions. It's on the pricier end, but a memorable treat if you're after something special.
For something wilder, Kerosene Creek is a free, natural hot stream just out of Rotorua - no facilities, but a memorable soak with a small waterfall.Further south, Morere Hot Springs in Hawke's Bay offers a similarly low-key, local experience. Not far from Tirau is Okoroire Hot Springs with a historic hotel alongside, which makes it a good spot for lunch or perhaps an overnight stay.
The Coromandel's Lost Spring, near Whitianga, is worth a mention too - pools ranging from 32°C to 41°C, fed by water that has spent 16,000 years underground.
In the Waikato, Te Aroha Mineral Spas and the Swim Zone / No2. Bathhouse have been drawing visitors to the base of Mount Te Aroha for over a hundred years. The mineral water here is soda-charged rather than sulphurous, and the private wooden soaking tubs - some dating back to the town's Edwardian bathhouse era - make it a lovely, quieter alternative to the busier Rotorua spots.
If you're heaing up north, Ngāwhā Springs, near Kaikohe is Northland's only natural hot pools, and historically and culturally significant to local hapū. A $4.3 million redevelopment completed a few years ago gave the complex new changing facilities, a café and better flood protection, while keeping the character of the original 16 pools, each with its own temperature and mineral profile.
South Island
The South Island has fewer natural hot springs than the North, but what it lacks in numbers it makes up for in scenery.
Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa is the best-known option - 22 pools ranging from family-friendly to adults-only, set against mountain views, with a spa and waterslides if you're travelling with grandchildren.
Maruia Hot Springs, tucked into the Lewis Pass, is a more remote, wellness-focused retreat. The drive alone - through native beech forest - is part of the experience, and the springs offer overnight stays, guided walks and daily yoga alongside the pools.
Tekapo Springs, at the base of Mt John, isn't naturally heated but makes up for it with three hot pools looking out over Lake Tekapo and the surrounding mountains - a spectacular spot, particularly on a clear winter's night for stargazing afterwards.
Over in Mid Canterbury, Ōpuke Thermal Pools and Spa in Methven opened in 2021 and has quickly become a favourite - the water is heated using the town's own solar panel farm rather than a geothermal source, and the complex includes a wellness and tourism precinct that's given the local economy a welcome boost. It's handy to the Southern Alps, so pairs well with a ski trip or a weekend in Christchurch for a game of rugby at Te Kaha.
OUR AUCKLAND
Our Auckland is the official news and events platform of the Auckland Council. It is published both as an online news site and a print magazine, providing local news, community updates, and listings for events across Tāmaki Makaurau. You might enjoy one of the following events at your leisure:
Wildlife Photographer of the Year Auckland Museum 28 June - 23 August
A Heritage Feast Auckland Central Library 08 October 2-3pm
NEW MEMBERS
For those interested, you can now keep in touch via our Facebook Groups page. If you have friends or know of anyone that might wish to join the club, please invite them along to an event so they can see the camaraderie club members enjoy.
George Way 1965 - 2004 International line maintenance
Bruce Campbell 1998 - 2020 ANZES Hangar and RML Northern Line Manager
Rick Cutler 1970 - 1985 Cabin Crew
Stephen Hoyle 1974 - 2006 Pilot - 747 Instructor
Marinus Stowers 1994 - 2020 Ground Steward, Cargo Intl, Intl Ramp Foreman Barbara Curtis (nee McRae) 1959 - 1965 Wellington Freight Depot Cashier
OBITUARIES
None to report - but if any members hear of anyone passing away, please let us know. These days many people are not having funerals, or even noted in NZ Herald as an obituary.
YOUR COMMITTEE
Following our AGM the Club Committee remains the same. Members considering joining our thriving committee are invited to contact either Antoinette Nelson or Gaye Mears.
President / Treasurer Gaye Mears gayemears45@gmail.com
Secretary Antoinette Nelson antoinette@outlook.co.nz
Past President Jo Foged jonjosie.foged@xtra.co.nz
Committee Peter Elmsly, Jo Foged, Tanya Somerville, Maggie Willis,
Margaret Holden, Peter Burn
Contact us airnzretirees@gmail.com
NAME BADGES
We encourage you to wear name badges at lunches and on any trips. It makes it so much easier when you know a face but can't quite remember the name that goes with it so please order yours now if you plan to attend any of the events coming up. Cost is $15 for pin-on badge and $20 for magnetic type. Please note that badges will be handed out at the next event you attend.
CURRENT PAYMENT OPTIONS
You must be a fully paid up member to attend club events.
Annual membership fees are $ 15.00 per person, invoiced in July and January each year. You can pay into our bank account online banking (direct debit or direct credit), by phone banking, or at a Smart ATM.
Air NZ Retirees Club
Account: 06-0222-0851695-00
Particulars: Your Surname
Code: SUBS
Reference: Your phone number
Payee Name: Air New Zealand Retired Staff Club Nthn
COMPANY NEWS
Regular media releases are published online by Air New Zealand and you can access these from our website under the heading Links.
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