Category Archives: Education

Aotearoa AWOL at Osaka World EXPO

Murray Family’s Quest to Locate MIA New Zealand at Expo 2025 Off The Top of My Head By Paul Murray My family and I recently flew to Tokyo on our annual pilgrimage to visit my wife Sanae’s parents. This year. … Continue reading

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Posted in Adventure, Australia, Bureaucracy, Children, Economics, Education, Entertainment, Hilarious, Hilarous, Humor, Humour, Japan, Karamea, Media, Money, New Zealand, Parenting, Paul Murray, Photography, Politics, Product review, Social Commentary, Tourism, Travel, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Little Shop of Horrors

A Karamea Area School Production August 30, 2025 Off the Top of My Head Photographs by Paul Murray

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Posted in Art, Children, Community, Education, Entertainment, Karamea, Karamea Area School, Little Shop of Horrors, Music, New Zealand, Parenting, Paul Murray, Photography, Social Commentary, Theatre, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

KaraWearable 2025 Trancends All Expectations

Off the Top of My Head By Paul Murray In a small rural community like Karamea, people have different skill sets. When given an opportunity, a reason or a chance to share and contribute to a meaningful pursuit, the Karamea … Continue reading

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Posted in Art, Artist, Community, Community-Led Development, Education, Environment, Environmentally Responsible Business, Fashion, Funny, Hilarious, Historical, Humor, Humour, Karamea, New Zealand, Paul Murray, Photography, Uncategorized, Wearable Art, West Coast | Leave a comment

2024 KaraWearable Show Delights All-Concerned

Off The Top of My Head By Paul Murray On the evening of June 1, 2024, the Karamea Pulse Energy Centre came alive with creative ferment, glamour and style. The second KaraWearable Arts Show by the Karamea Pop-Up Gallery team … Continue reading

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Posted in Art, Buller District Council, Community-Led Development, Education, Entertainment, Environment, Fashion, Karamea, Nature, New Zealand, Paul Murray, Photography, Sustainability, Sustainablity, Uncategorized, Wearable Art, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Virtual Symposium” Wows West Coast Theatregoers  

Off the Top of My Head   By Paul Murray   The stage production “Virtual Symposium,” which was written, directed, produced and performed by local playwright Brendan O’Dwyer, co-director Sacha Healey and a troupe of actors from Karamea closed on Saturday February … Continue reading

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Posted in Art, Artist, Brendan O'Dwyer, Business, Community, Community-Led Development, Department of Conservation, DOC, Economics, Education, Electricity, Entertainment, Funny, Hilarious, Hilarous, Humor, Humour, Karamea, Karamea Radio, Karamea Radio 107.5 FM, Media, Money, Music, New Zealand, Paul Murray, Photography, Product review, Property Brokers, Radio Karamea, Social Commentary, South Island, Theatre, Uncategorized, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Galbraith Strikes Rowling Out

Off the Top of My Head By Paul Murray Last Christmas was the first year our daughter Diva chose presents for family members by herself with her own pocket money. She bought me two secondhand books from the Soap Box … Continue reading

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Posted in Book Review, Crime, Education, Entertainment, Gifts, Paul Murray, Social Commentary, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kudos for the Karamea Summer Holiday Programme     

Off the Top of My Head      By Paul Murray      With financial support from the Community Led-Development Programme (CLDP), local volunteers have provided Karamea kids with a wonderful schedule of exciting, intellectually stimulating and practical activities this summer. From cooking, Stand … Continue reading

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Posted in Artist, Children, Community, Community-Led Development, Education, Entertainment, Environment, Fitness, Health, Heaphy Track, Kahurangi National Park, Karamea, Karamea Radio, Mountain Biking, Music, New Zealand, Oparara, Oparara Basin, Oparara Valley Track, Parenting, Paul Murray, Social Commentary, South Island, Sustainability, Sustainablity, Tramping, Travel, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Tourism Sustains Life in Karamea  

Off the Top of My Head  By Paul Murray  The idyllic rural community of Karamea in the Buller District at the the top of the West Coast, is possibly the most remote on Mainland New Zealand in terms of its … Continue reading

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Posted in 107.5 FM, Art, Artist, Arwen Dyer, Community, Community-Led Development, Conservation, DOC, Economics, Education, Environment, Environmentally Responsible Business, Food, Heaphy Track, Kahurangi National Park, Karamea, Karamea Radio, Karamea Radio 107.5 FM, Mining, Money, Nature, New Zealand, Oparara, Oparara Basin, Oparara Valley Track, Paul Murray, Photography, Radio Karamea, Real Estate, Restaurant, Social Commentary, Social Equity, South Island, Sustainability, Sustainablity, Tourism, Travel, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

West Coast Wearable Art Show WOWs All Comers

Karamea’s Creative Couture Transcends All Expectations   Off the Top of My Head   By Paul Murray   WOW! The World of Wearable Art came to the small rural community of Karamea at the top of the West Coast of the South Island … Continue reading

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Posted in Art, Artist, Buller District Council, Community, Community-Led Development, Culture, Education, Entertainment, Environment, Funny, Karamea, LivinginPeace Project, Nature, New Zealand, Paul Murray, Photography, Property Brokers, Tourism, Travel, Uncategorized, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Schools of Thought: The Debate on Homeschooling

Off The Top of My Head By Paul Murray Book Review: How to Homeschool: A Guide for Progressive Parents by Miguel Varella-Cid Published in 2022 by Panorama Press Ltd ISBN: 978-1-784529-65-9 Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to tonight’s debate … Continue reading

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Posted in Book Review, Education, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment