The Trans-Tasman travel bubble is here!
After waiting months for the long-promised COVID bubble between Australia and New Zealand to come into effect, Jacinda Arden has just announced we’ll be hopping across the pond from 11.59pm, 18 April, for quarantine-free travel. Great news for anyone itching to get their feet off home soil, and even better news for me, who had the breezy task of digging up some favourite New Zealand travel flicks to get you hyped on a trip to the Land of the Long White Cloud. Scroll on for seven short films that will sell you on the NZ dream.
Lost Track New Zealand
Fly to NZ, jump on a couple of Royal Einfelds, and spend three months zigzagging through rugged mountains in search of surf and solitude with Torren Martyn and Ishka Folkwell in surf doc Lost Track New Zealand. Then, go do it yourself. Thanks Jacinda!
Everywhere Unseen
Once upon a time, we travelled across NZ’s South Island with Kiwi photographers Jake Mein, Beth Eastell, Jereme Aubertin and Nick Rapley. Rolling thunderstorms, flawless waves, impromptu helicopter rides, and a whole lot of bleary-eyed humans rising at sparrow’s fart—god we miss those days. But they’re back!
Team Average 2.0
Dylan Rieder, Natas Kaupas, Greyson Fletcher, Ryan Wilson, Jack Fardell, Alex Gray, and Chippa Wilson tearing NZ to bits. Pointless hyping it up. Just watch it, then go book your plane tickets.
Cult of Freedom: The New Zealand Part
Creed McTaggart, Dion Agius, and Nate Tyler stumbling upon some out-of-the-way, North Island spots. Good conditions, great surfers, and a dreamlike backdrop. You need anything else? Good, get clicking.
Scratched: Lee Ralph
You already knew about New Zealand’s dreamy natural offerings, but let’s get acquainted with their second-best feature: the people. Start with this fascinating doc about New Zealand skateboarder Lee Ralph, who was poised to join the sport’s elite back in the 1980s, before he was kicked out of the US—and the limelight—for good.
Neck of the Woods: South Island NZ
Short, but oh so sweet. Our pal Jason Domancie packed his boards, camera gear, and various cold weather apparatus into his (mostly) reliable 4WD for a trip from North to South Island NZ.
Skateboarding in Christchurch
Surfing has gotten a lot of airtime so far (it is New Zealand, after all). But let’s (tre)flip the switch and have a look at the local skate scene in Christchurch. In the wake of the horrific 2011 earthquake that ripped through the city, we teamed up with Levi’s® Skateboarding to turn some dirt and give back to the local skateboarding community with this DIY skatepark. Less travel porn, more a portrait of the enduring spirit of our neighbours across the pond.
