Life between shifts

Picton has a long memory, and for business owner, community advocate, and one of the town’s most recognisable locals, Amy Cragg, it’s always felt less like a place she arrived in and more like somewhere she’s simply always been part of.

Words: Amy Russ

“While I only recently discovered the full extent of my family's history here in Picton, which dates back 150 years, I didn’t need a records search to tell me I belonged. Picton has always felt like home.”

Growing up here, she says, gave her a quiet certainty about place and people. That sense of belonging never really left, even as life moved into hospitality and motherhood and everything that comes with it. Those early hospitality years, especially as a young mum, were far from tidy. “Working in hospitality as a young mum was the ultimate juggling act, and it taught me the true value of time. My boys were my world. Because life was busy, we turned everything into a team effort; whether it was cleaning the house together or being each other's biggest fans at sports training, we were a unit.”

There wasn’t really separation between work and home in those days. Everything overlapped, and in hindsight, she says that shaped how she leads now. “That time taught me that you don't just 'show up' for work, you show up for the people who depend on you. It built a foundation of resilience and deep empathy that I carry into my leadership today.” Sport added another layer to that foundation. Following a successful past in top-tier regional rugby and netball, Amy says sport became a training ground for leadership without overthinking it. “I naturally gravitated toward leadership on the field, and I’ve carried that same ‘captain’s mentality’ into my business. Leading by example is a core value for me; I would never ask my team to do something I’m not willing to do myself.”

When she took over Oxley’s in 2015, it wasn’t framed as a reinvention so much as a continuation – just on a bigger scale, with more people involved. “They say time flies when you’re having fun, and the last decade has been an absolute whirlwind. What stands out most is just how much we’ve evolved. The business has changed in such a positive way, and I’ve grown right alongside it.” The focus, she says, has never really shifted away from standards, but what’s mattered most is what sits underneath it. “I’m incredibly committed to constantly raising our standards of consistent food, a good atmosphere and service people can rely on. But what I’m most proud of is the reputation we’ve built and the connections we’ve made.”

For Amy, the business is really just a collection of people and moments layered over time. “A great team culture is the heartbeat. It’s about adding a group of people who understand their strengths, own their gaps, and are willing to grow. It’s not just about turning up for a shift. It’s about relationships between staff and guests, and within the team itself.”

That focus on people took on a different weight later, when she faced cancer by shifting pace and perspective. “Cancer was a difficult teacher, but it taught me a vital lesson: I needed to slow down and actually live. It’s about the small, beautiful things, smelling the cut grass, feeling the wind on my face, and being truly present in the moment. While work-life balance is still a work in progress, I’ve learned to stop being so preoccupied and always chasing the next thing – and instead find peace through gratitude. I make a point now of looking up, taking in the incredible view, and just appreciating where I am, right now. But perhaps the biggest lesson has been learning to make myself a priority. I’ve learned to surround myself with positive, like-minded people and, most importantly, to never settle. I don’t want a life or a career that’s just ‘fine’ or ‘okay’. I want a life that is full and meaningful, and I’m no longer afraid to put myself first to make that happen."

That same honesty runs through how she talks about ‘paying it forward’ to others. Outside of hospitality, Amy has become well known locally for her community advocacy, charity involvement, and support of youth sport across Marlborough. She continues to sponsor and encourage emerging athletes, including young fighters from the Arapawa Boxing Club, and is heavily involved in initiatives such as Picton’s Love Grace Handbag Appeal, which provides essential items for women’s refuges.

Over the years, Amy has also become a familiar face at local speaker events throughout the Marlborough region, where she openly shares lessons from business, motherhood, personal hardship, and leadership. It’s a role she’s grown into naturally; part mentor, part advocate, and deeply connected to the community she has always called home.

“I am incredibly passionate about bringing out the absolute best in people. There’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing someone grow in confidence and realise what they’re capable of.” Picton, she says, is part of that equation too, as it is not just where she lives and works, but somewhere she feels responsible to contribute to. “We’re lucky to be part of a place like Picton, where things are always moving forward. I want Oxley’s to be part of that – a space where people feel supported, where they can take the next step.”

“Gratitude is everything. Life has taught me to respect everyone, work hard, and give back when you can.Raising my boys has been my greatest joy, and seeing the men they’ve become is what I’m most proud of. But I’ve also learned resilience. You can grow through hard things; you don’t have to stay stuck in them. No matter what happens, you keep moving forward.” Even after years in hospitality, the pull of it hasn’t faded. “I love the buzz of a full restaurant and bar, people coming together and having a good time. But what really keeps me here is the mentorship side of it, watching staff grow in confidence, seeing regulars celebrate milestones. That’s what makes the long hours worth it.”

Amy says the next chapter in her life isn’t about slowing down, it's about being clearer on what gets to stay. “I’m approaching the next chapter by kicking ass and clearing out the noise. This year I have clear goals and boundaries. I’ve realised you can tolerate too much that doesn’t serve you.”

Before anything else, though, she comes back to people. “I’ve spent eleven years building Oxley’s, but I didn’t get here alone. My staff, past and present, they’ve helped build something I’m really proud of. My family and my boys are my why. My friends have been my rock. And Picton… it’s home. And I’m grateful for that every day.”