I’ve grown up in a small bay on the coast of Thames called Waiomu so I try and get back there whenever I can. This is a fantastic cafe in Tapu that is right on the beach. It’s a hidden gem and I love it! You have to try the coffee, it’s great.

I lived in Whanga for a year and it is a place I always love to visit and catch up with mates for a beer. My older brother is a keen surfer - he tried to teach me on the small breaks here but I was pretty hopeless!

If you’re a local in Thames there are so many iconic spots along this river. My friends and I love places like, "the swing bridge" and "Hoffmans". They are our backyard pools in the summer. As a kid, we would bike up the river and swim all day.

Early morning fishing trips up the coast are great. I’ve got a few mates with boats so we head out now and then for a fish. The boys think I’m not a very good fisherman, but secretly I reckon I’m probably the best!

It’s a bike trail and every year we have a tradition where we bike from Paeroa to Thames. We stop at a few pubs for refreshments. It started out as being just a few mates but now it’s a pretty big party. It’s a great thing to do on a nice day.