000:00 Lead in shots.
000:00 Title HEARTLAND presented by Gary McCormick
000:23 Title EAST COAST Towards the Light
Gary visits communities and people over a 200 kilometre journey north of Gisborne to the East Cape Lighthouse.
001:19 “Tolaga Bay” - Preparations are underway at the Atkin family farm, grooming their horses in preparation for the final trials of the ‘Horse Sport Competitions’ annual event held at Ruatoria.
002:27 Diana Atkins - demonstrates the ‘Potato Race,’ one of the many events held.
004:56 Milton “Dwarfe” Brown - has a long history in the area and worked at the Tolaga Bay wharf from 1947 - 1967. The wharf built in 1929 is one meter short of 1/2 mile and was the longest in the Southern Hemisphere at the time. With very little work in the area, more than 300 families left for the cities, but are now slowly coming back.
007:05 Paroa Station, Tolaga Bay - adults and children compete in the preliminary events in the hope of making it to the finals at Ruatoria.
008:52 Morris McDonald - race events organiser who has a laugh with Gary about not needing a PR system.
009:46 Joe Queen & King Love - young lads in the competition.
010:22 Boy Atkins - Diana Atkin’s oldest son, a very good rider who won the final the previous year and hopes to do it again.
012:36 Mangaroa Station - Gary selects three sheep for the up and coming Ruatoria Show.
013:59 “Graeme Williams” - descendent of missionary William Williams, carries on the family’s farming tradition.
016:10 Tokomaru Bay township.
017:12 Phil Aspinall talks about the ruins of Borthwicks Freezing Works and about employment in the area.
020:41 Jill Carlyle - a photographer born and raised in Ruatoria, feels privileged to work in the district.
024:11 Ada Haig talks about how they were taught not to waste food, collecting only enough kai moana for a feed.
025:42 Ihungia Station - one of the last great stations on the coast shears over 30,000 sheep and has over 2,500 cattle
026:30 Neville “Cooch” Higgins - informs the shepherds of the following days work.
029:40 Debs Higgins talks about the fact that there are no drawbacks in living in such a remote place.
030:06 In Ruatoria, Gary has breakfast with the local Ruatoria Rasta group.
032:40 John Heeny - talks about the group and some of the issues that have happened over time. Land is central to the conflict.
035:15 Jeremy Williams - had his house burnt down and is happy that issues have been discussed and that people can now get on with their lives.
038:50 Tom Te Maro explains the importance of ‘Mt Hikurangi’ to his people of Ngati Porou and the significance of the Moko to them as elders.
040:46 ‘Ruatoria, Show Day’ - the sheep Gary chose won third prize and first prize for ‘Best in the Breed’, and Boy Atkins again won first prize in the horse events.
044:07 East Cape: the end of the journey at East Coast Lighthouse.