Liz Stolwyk’s life has been shaped not in council chambers, but out on the land, beside the water, and in the community spaces that bring people together.
These days, Liz and her husband, Andrew Reymer, farm in Ōhaupō, but rural life has always been part of her story, having grown up in rural New Zealand. It’s where she learned firsthand the care required to look after land, and how decisions made on paper can play out very differently on the ground.
Farming sits at the centre of her life, alongside decades spent managing Lake Karāpiro domain, one of Waipā’s most heavily used and deeply loved major event spaces. Between paddocks and riverbanks, she has seen how decisions ripple widely, shaping environments, livelihoods and communities long after the immediate work is done.
Together with Andrew, Liz has managed the Karāpiro domain and its major facilities for more than 20 years, balancing sport, events, tourism, environmental care and public access.
“It’s work that’s equal parts practical and people-focused, with a constant balancing act between access, safety, the environment, and the many different ways the lake is used,” she says. “It’s taught me that no decision is ever in isolation. Everything connects.”
Before local government, Liz worked in tourism and events, including Mystery Creek, managing the Cambridge i-SITE, Chamber of Commerce, and working overseas with Contiki. Across all of it, the common thread was people; bringing them together, managing complexity, and focusing on the detail needed for strong communities.
“I love being the person keeping things ticking over behind the scenes,” Liz says. “I’m always
thinking ahead so others can simply turn up and enjoy themselves.”
When Liz first stood for the Waipā District Council in 2013, it was driven by a desire to represent the communities and landscapes she knew best. Over four terms, including two as Deputy Mayor, she became known for bridging together rural and urban perspectives, and ensuring the voices of farmers, families and small communities were part of decision-making across Cambridge, Karāpiro, Waipā and the wider Waikato region.
More recently, her work has expanded at a regional level through the Waikato Regional Council, where she chairs the Regional Transport Committee.
“Looking after public transport across the Waikato can feel daunting at times,” she says. “There are so many moving parts, and the decisions you make affect how people connect to work, school, and each other every day.”
Her environmental focus has also deepened through hands-on work responding to issues such as the spread of gold clams in local waterways, reinforcing how fragile and connected the region’s ecosystems are.
What continues to drive Liz is a connection to people, place and community. She maintains close ties with Cambridge and is also involved in philanthropic work that supports local initiatives to strengthen community wellbeing.
At heart, Liz’s story isn’t a political one. First and foremost, she is a mother to her three boys, Josh, Curtis, and Nathan, and she says being a mum to them is the most enormous privilege.
The boys are now young adults forging their own paths, and she hopes her work ethic has helped shape them, alongside her husband Andrew and many close friends who have supported her along the way.
