The dog is the Nowell family’s treasured pet on Bellamore Station, in the Waitaki Valley, and the subject of a new children’s book written and illustrated by Emma Nowell.
Hunting is one of the family’s favourite activities; in fact, when Mrs Nowell first visited Bellamore with her future husband Ben, he took her hunting on the sheep and beef property which overlooks Lake Waitaki.
The 2636ha property where Mr Nowell grew up is now also home to the couple’s three children, Jack, 12, Harry, 10, and Charlie, 7, who are all mad-keen hunters.
Mrs Nowell, who met her future husband at Lincoln University when she was studying landscape architecture, has been keen on art and design since she was a child growing up on a cropping farm at Darfield.
Settling on Bellamore after the couple returned from a stint overseas, pursuing a career in landscaping was a challenge given her location and also with the busyness of farm and subsequent family life.
But she had tinkered away with various art and design projects, setting up a studio in the beautifully restored former shearers quarters in the station’s yard, built in 1906 and steeped in history.
As a longtime lover of the “olden days”, she had spotted the potential of the building and kept the original floors and other historic features and it had become her “wee little hive”.
It also stopped any art works being scribbled on or painted on while languishing on the kitchen table, she said, laughing.
As she boiled a billy on the little potbelly stove in her cosy studio, Mrs Nowell said she drew all her inspiration from the surrounding area, including the lakes and mountains, and the rural life.
Punter the Hunter was inspired by the family’s regular hunting adventures which were often shared with friends and family members.
There were not many hunting books on the market aimed at children, she said.
Mrs Nowell was giving $1 from every book sold to the children’s ward at Dunedin Hospital.
One of her sons had spent time in the ward and it had been a “tiny insight” into what others went through.
She wanted to give back to the ward by buying something which would cheer sick children up.
She also planned to give copies to local schools.
With a flair for rhyming and also his pig-hunting knowledge, Mr Nowell had helped her with the catchy text while she estimated she had spent about 160 hours on the illustrations.
But they had come easily to her; every time she sat down, she knew what she was going to draw and no second copies were required.
Punter – named after cricketer Ricky Ponting – was now father and grandfather to Roger (Federer) and Baz (Brendon McCallum), a sporting theme being prevalent.
“I’m quite often out-numbered,” Mrs Nowell laughed, although the family’s Jack Russell was a girl called Lucy.
“It [life] is full on and noisy and messy but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said.
During hunting expeditions, she enjoyed taking photographs, walking in the hills and enjoying the banter, while it was also an opportunity to replenish the freezer.
As well as offering hunting opportunities, the backcountry of Bellamore was also home to Sparrowhawk Hut, a couple’s retreat open from September to May each year.
Having loved their experiences in backcountry huts during their own outdoor pursuits, Mr and Mrs Nowell decided to build something similar but with a little added luxury.
The off-grid hut, on the lower eastern slopes of the Mt St Mary Range, was now in its fourth season and it was proving very popular, including with international visitors.
With sheep often turning up at the front of the hut, it was a “real New Zealand experience”.
And it was to the hut that a friendly wild kitten – “the coolest cat” – followed the family to and made himself at home and was now firmly ensconced in family life and likely to be the subject of her next book.
She was also hoping to have an art exhibition.
The local community – which included plenty of other women doing interesting and innovative things – was very supportive, and that was infectious.
She was part of a newly established group of businesswomen in the area who were meeting to share ideas and support one another.
