Award-winning tear-jerker made in Narrow Neck... p3
Sculpture show crowds smash records... p6
The interview: Signwriter Tom Smith... p18
$11 million transformer project begins in Bayswater
An $11 million project to install three new electrical transformers in Bayswater will take more than two years to complete.
Work on the upgrade to the Belmont zone substation at 167 Bayswater Ave has begun and will continue until late 2027.
The purpose of the work is “to keep up with the increased power demand” in the area, says electricity supplier Vector.
Locals will be affected by noise, and some power outages during the construction period.
Fair fare hits the spot
The project “will boost reliability and capacity, ensuring homes and businesses in Devonport continue to have a dependable electricity supply as demand grows, and giving us more options to restore power
To page 2
Hard to beat... Lucia Tonge (5) and Leahn Lee (6) enjoyed their sausages at the St Leo’s Catholic School Christmas Fair last Sunday. More pictures, pages 12-13.
Two-year project will allow closure of low-lying substation
From page 1
quickly if unexpected outages occur,” a Vector spokesman said.
“As all the work is happening on our site, we don’t expect any impact on local roads.”
The upgrade, together with last year’s reinforcement of high-capacity lines along Lake Rd, means Vector will be able to decommission the Ngataringa Bay substation.
“Removing this low-lying site reduces the risk from flooding and helps protect the local power supply from climate-related events, and is part of our commitment to building a network that’s resilient against weather and climate impacts now and into the future,” the spokesman said.
At Bayswater the project will be done in two stages. The first, including a new switchroom, transformer bay and associated electrical equipment, will be followed by the construction of two additional transformer bays, the resource consent for the project says.
Some of the new work is underground. The new switchroom will be 20m long, 7m wide and 4.3m above ground level, with a basement 2.5m below ground level.
The first new transformer bay will be around 9m long, 8.3m wide and 6.3m above the ground. Both buildings will be located to the rear of the site.
Once the project is completed, the three transformers will allow for the decommissioning of the existing Bayswater transformer. After the substation upgrade is fully operational, the use of new technology will result in “a significant reduction in existing noise levels during normal operating conditions,” the resource consent says.
Electromagnetic fields emanating from the site would remain well within safe guidelines, according to an Auckland Council review of the project.
Building resilience... the site of the new work at Bayswater (above). The Ngataringa Bay substation threatened by rising sea levels (below) will be decommissioned.
Devonport Publishing Ltd First Floor, 9 Wynyard St Telephone: 09 445 0060
Best Community Involvement: 2021, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2005 Best Sports Reporter: 2024, 2016
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VOYAGER/CANON MEDIA AWARDS
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Community Newspaper of the Year: Finalist 2017
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CHIEF REPORTER: Janetta Mackay
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HON SIMON WATTS
Authorised by Hon Simon Watts, Parliament
Award-winning short film created in local garage studio
After making an award-winning animated film, Narrow Neck’s Adam Rowland had to call his mother to apologise for killing her off.
Mother, Rowland’s three-minute short, recently won the New Zealand 48 Hours filmmaking competition award for the best film made by a solo filmmaker or duo.
Chosen as winner by the festival founder, producer and director Ant Timpson, the film features a son who loses his mum.
Audiences were so moved by his tear-jerker, Rowland even had 20-year-old males contacting him “saying ‘you made me cry’”.
Many thought Rowland’s own mother must have died. “I had to call my mum [in the UK] and say, ‘Sorry, everyone thinks you have died.’”
It is the fourth year Rowland has entered the awards. He won best film and best director in the Auckland region in 2021 for Unfinished Symphony, which was also a national finalist. In 2024 he won the national best animation award with The Secret Life of a Sloth
His experience in the competition put him in good stead for this year’s entry. He had thought of “killing off a mum” as a theme which could be adapted to whatever concept was chosen by the judges.
The work is exacting. On Mother – which does end on a positive note – Rowland spent roughly 12 hours shooting 5000 pictures (two exposures each) and around eight hours on idea creation, storyboarding, editing and sound design.
He loves the process. “The 48 Hours film competition is the heart and soul of the New Zealand film industry for anyone, from schools to polished filmmakers, or people like me who want to share content that makes people smile.
“It is the most inspiring and heart-heart-
warming event hat fills the
cup to the brim each year and I hope to be doing it many years from now.”
For Rowland, who lives in Narrow Neck with partner Megan and children Luke (5) and Millie (3), his passion has become his career.
After working in corporate roles in England and Europe for WH Smith, Dixons group, Ralph Lauren and Asics, he moved to New Zealand in 2016 as global head of planning for Icebreaker. In the evenings he “dabbled with stop motion in the garage instead of watching telly”.
In 2020 he, Megan and baby Luke moved from Grey Lynn to Narrow Neck.
A redundancy from Icebreaker due to a global restructure led him to ask Megan
“shall we have some fun?”. Awkward Animations was born. “I chose to chase stop motion and turn it into a full-time gig.”
His Awkward Animations is based in the garage at home.
In 2022 he broke through commercially with a Burger Fuel ad, and he has since found his skills in demand in New Zealand and around the world. Some ad campaigns can take nine months from idea to completion.
Though he had thought he might expand his company beyond his garage, he has preferred to keep it low-fi – co-opting industry colleagues when needed.
However he is getting some handy help at home from Luke, who takes photos and enjoys “screen time” during the editing and animation process.
creative
From a passion to a career... Award winner Adam Rowland used to just dabble with the stop motion animation that he’s turned into his day job
PHARMACIST CLINICAL CONSULTATIONS AND TREATMENTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
We can offer same day consultations for the following:
• CONJUNCTIVITIS (Adults and Children > 3 months old)
• SHINGLES and RECURRENT HERPES
• WEIGHT MANAGEMENT (Wegovy)
• VACCINATIONS
Please speak to one of our qualified pharmacists.
Monthly Medicines Service is NOW available from your local chemist
Pricing structure for Monthly Medicines Service 4 or more regular medicines –FREE shipping + FREE PACKING 3 or less regular medicines –$6.50 shipping + $5.00 packing fee per sachet roll.*
*T&Cs and eligibility criteria apply, as assessed by Devonport 1st Pharmacy Pharmacist. 33 Victoria Road, Devonport E: devonport1stpharmacy@gmail.com (Opposite the Library)
When LAW and LORE combine
Established Devonport locals –Chapman Jones Law unveiled a piece of specially commissioned artwork to celebrate another year of serving their community.
On Wednesday 15th of October they welcomed friends and colleagues to a small launch event held at their office to acknowledge the recent partnership with artist Sarah Jane Smith.
Sarah, who has long-standing ties to Devonport, was specially selected for the commission due to her love of the landscape and history. Her painting captures Takarunga, Wynyard Street and Chapman Jones Law’s newly updated brand identity and signage. Layered with soft light and fine detail the painting masterfully elevates the significance of the maunga above recognisable heritage ele-
ments as well as local businesses - all symbolic inclusions that speak to the firm’s enduring place in the neighbourhood.
Sarah shared insights into her creative process. She spoke of walks around Devonport observing shifting light, spending time on Takarunga with its stillness above the bustle of street life and how she ended up
including some fun details to help add to the spirit of local lore.
Lesley Chapman, Director commented “We have long been anchored in the village and wanted something that reflects where we are as a local business - not just geographically – something that reminds us of our connection to culture and community. And engaging so closely with Sarah has achieved just that.”
In a time where communities are rediscovering the value of local stories and shared spaces, this collaboration is a gesture to the importance of people and place.
The painting hangs prominently at the Chapman Jones Law office reception where it will be enjoyed daily by staff and visitors alike.
Patient’s ‘aggression’ leads to medical centre closure
Belmont Medical Centre closed temporarily last week after a patient became aggressive towards a doctor.
“Last Tuesday some aggressive behaviour happened which affected one of our clinicians,” a spokesperson for the centre told the Flagstaff last Friday.
A notice to patients said the temporary closure was “to ensure the safety and
well-being of our staff and patients”.
After the closure, the Belmont Medical team shifted to Devonport Family Medicine at Fleet St, Devonport, to allow for uninterrupted patient appointments.
“Please be assured that you will see the same clinicians, and the way we work remains the same. Your care and continuity is our top priority,” the notice said.
The Belmont Medical Centre has three doctors.
Its practice manager was working with police on how to resolve the situation.
On Tuesday morning when the Flagstaff called for an update the situation remained unchanged. The centre was still closed and seeing patients at Devonport Family Medicine in Fleet St until further notice.
Council arborists checking Hauraki street tree’s health
An apparently sickly tree near Takapuna Beach at Hauraki will be checked by Auckland Council arborists this week.
Members of the public called the Flagstaff last week wondering if the tree had been poisoned.
Council aborists manager David Stejskal said: “We’re aware of the tree on the corner of Hauraki Rd and Clifton Rd outside 45 Clifton Rd.”
The tree was a Norfolk Island hibiscus, not a pōhutukawa as initially reported, he said.
“The council received an application for its removal in 2021, but the tree was instead retained, and some approved works were carried out in its root zone.
“We have no reports on record of the tree being poisoned; however, our team will check its condition when they are next in the area next week,” Stejskal said.
Not well?... foliage high in a tree on the corner of Hauraki Rd and Clifton Rd appears to have died
Italian-themed feast prepared in new ‘hub’ kitchen at Bayswater School
Kaitahi community dinners will restart this Thursday 20 November at Bayswater School.
The volunteer-powered, free community dinners using rescued food started in Bayswater in 2017.
The group has cooked at many community kitchens around the peninsula, but this week is the first time it will be using the new kitchen at the Kaitahi Hub in the old dental clinic at Bayswater School. But it has previously used the school hall as a dining venue.
The Hub includes a full kitchen, storage space for rescued food donations, a meeting space, an office and bathroom.
The first dinner is an Italian-themed feast with the buffet meal, followed by dessert.
For future dinners, volunteers are needed for food preparation, dinner service and cleanup, hub coordination, organising volunteers and committee membership.
Donations of kitchen consumables (such as paper towels, spices and oil) are welcome ahead of each dinner, as are fresh herbs, salad greens, lemons and limes.
Property tender closes soon
A slew of commercial properties which were tipped to go on the market (Flagstaff, 24 October) may be all sold before Christmas. The tender for them closes on 2 December. Owned by the Lakewood Trading Company and WJ Scott Holdings, they include: 9 and 11 Clarence St (Asahi, Liquorland, Village Chiropractic and the defunct Bike and Beyond shop), 15 Clarence St (Hammer Hardware), 8 Victoria Rd (Yaza Gelato, Vondel and Devonport Dental), 20 Wynyard St (Chiasso) and 22 Wynyard St (Firefly). “For Sale” by Bayleys signs went up last week.
Devonport Home With Sea Views!
There's something special about waking up to water views like these - a peaceful, ever-changing scene that stretches from the sparkling harbour to the Harbour Bridge and beyond to Auckland's city skyline. Whether it's the sunrise over the water or the twinkle of city lights at night, this is a view you'll never tire of. Built with solid block construction, this home was made to last - strong, warm, and filled with heart. Step inside and you'll instantly feel the sense of comfort and calm. The internal-access garage makes life easy, and there's a reassuring sense of safety and security in this quiet, family friendly neighbourhood. There's no need for a pool when you've got some of Auckland's most beautiful beaches just minutes away. Spend your mornings walking along the water, your weekends exploring Devonport Village, and your evenings soaking in the sunset from your own deck with the sea view as your backdrop.
Sculpture OnShore crowds smash attendance record
A record daily attendance of 3200 people at NZ Sculpture OnShore at Narrow Neck last Sunday contributed to traffic backups on Esmonde and Lake Rds.
The turnout, which delighted organisers, of the event at Fort Takapuna, was nearly 1000 more than the previous highest daily attendance, which was recorded in 2023 at the same Sunday midpoint of the charity exhibition’s 14-day run.
“If we keep this up, we’ll be looking at a fantastic donation to Women’s Refuge NZ,” said the event’s general manager, Dee Paranihi.
The country’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition, which has also faced some rainy days, closes on Sunday 23 November. It is held every two years. The 2024 event drew around 21,000 people.
Proceeds from sales of artworks on display (less the artist’s commission) and ticket sales are the major fundraiser for Women’s Refuge.
Paranihi said sales were going well. These ranged from cute $40 pieces to sculptures valued at more than $100,000.
“Adults, toddlers and teenagers alike are loving the variety of the artworks and the inspiration they offer,” she said.
The schools’ exhibition has been an added attraction, with Devonport peninsula students among those with work on show.
study... St Leo’s students at NZ
Evie Atkinson, Sophie Hunter and Elizabeth Cairney. Opposite page: Balancing Act by Blake Harnett was one of the event’s biggest drawcards.
Visitors have been making the most of picture opportunities with the sculptures. Especially popular was Blake Harnett’s Balancing Act, a 4.2m-high hand holding a ballerina aloft.
Other hot favourites, included The Little Red Bull by Marti Wong, and Karen Wal-
ters’ installation with wildflowers and hanging wooden pods near the Officers Mess. Simon Ward’s So Bee It, made of coloured beehive boxes, was another crowd pleaser. • Traffic is expected to be heavy again this weekend, especially if beach weather also prevails.
Retired Builder: “It just kept working for ages...”
Tony spent 40 years crafting homes for others. When he retired at 62, he finally had time to build what he wanted - toys for his grandchildren, furniture for friends, whatever his hands desired.
“Building isn’t just what I did,” he says, running his hand along a playhouse. “It’s who I am.”
But his knees had other plans. The same joints that carried him up scaffolding for decades began protesting simple workshop tasks. Standing became endurance; kneeling meant calculating how to rise again.
“I started modifying everything,” Tony admits. “Sitting more, shorter sessions. I even thought about selling my larger tools. That felt like giving up part of myself.”
His wife worried. His daughter noticed too and one day left a bottle of Koru FX on his workbench. “Natural, made in New Zealand,” she’d said. “Just try it, Dad.”
Skeptical, Tony applied it one Saturday. The cream absorbed quickly with a pleasant peppermint scent, nothing like others he’d tried.
Six hours later, he realised he’d been
working all day without his usual breaks.
“I’d forgotten about my knees,” he says. “For the first time in months, I was just... building.”
The next test was his Saturday hill walk. “I kept up the whole way, even overtook a few people,” he grins.
Now, his morning routine includes Koru FX with his coffee. “Preventative maintenance,” he calls it.
“This cream gave me back my workshop, my walks, my craft,” Tony says. “It’s not magic but it lets me keep doing what I love. That’s close enough for me.”
Retired Builder: “It just kept working for ages...”
Blue
Sculpture OnShore (from left)
Seasonal splash
Devonport shops are being encouraged to provide a splash of Christmas cheer, with a window competition offering participating businesses and the public the chance to win prizes. The public can vote in shops or through QR codes to help choose the winner of a competition running from 1 to 23 December. The winning business receives $1000, while a draw will be held to pick one lucky voter to receive $500.
Flowers in February
New planter boxes will add colour to Devonport Village early next year. Around 25 boxes have been ordered and will be planted by Ventia on 14 February 2026, thanks to a $5000 grant from the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board.
Sunsetter studied
The Sunsetter Festival at Windsor Reserve in January is being used as a case study for more large-scale events in Devonport. Devonport Business Association manager Tabitha Coleman said Devonport currently had two major events – privately run Sunsetter and the Devonport Christmas Festival, which includes the Santa Parade. “It would be good to have more,” she said. Research from Sunsetter on 31 January would be used by the DBA to scope opportunities for other events.
Christmas festival takes shape
The ever popular Devonport Santa Parade in 2024 (above), is set to become bigger and better in 2025
Local artists will feature prominently in the first Devonport Christmas Festival concert at Windsor Reserve on 6 December.
Confirmed acts include the DB5 Band, Joel Bird, Oni Kidman and Nathan Fry, with Shane Cortese & The 8 Track Band closing out the evening’s entertainment. Organisers are hoping to have children from the Encore Theatre Collective give a performance before the music.
On 7 December, the ever-popular Santa Parade will be held, followed by the tradi-
tional Christmas market and Dance in the Park events.
Victoria Rd will have a strong Christmas feel in the lead-up to the festival and beyond, with a large Christmas tree ordered for outside the Flagstaff Gallery and a couple of dozen wreaths adorning power poles around the shopping area.
• For further details and a programme of events, don’t miss the 5 December issue of the Devonport Flagstaff, our final publication for the year.
World series returns
North Shore Cricket Club’s junior world series will be held from 19-21 January. The popular holiday competition pits teams of young players under various nations’ flags. It is the 33rd year the event has been held. Go to the North Shore Cricket Club website to register.
North Shore United Association Football Club Notice of Annual General Meeting 2025 Tuesday 25th November start 7.00pm at Allen Hill Clubrooms, Lake Road Devonport.
www.nsu.org.nz
BIS student wins Shore-wide speech contest
Belmont Intermediate School pupil Erik Havranek this month won the North Shore Rotary Speech Competition with his speech about FOMO – Fear of Missing Out.
The competition, open to intermediate school students from across the North Shore, drew 20 contestants to Northcross Intermediate in East Coast Bays for a preliminary round of competition.
Six went through to the finals at Pupuke Golf Club on November 3.
Another BIS student, Juliette France, also made the finals.
Erik received a cup and a Whitcoulls voucher for winning the competition, with his school receiving a shield and a voucher.
His speech was the same one he gave to win the Belmont Intermediate School speech contest.
It detailed the anxiety induced by a social-media-fuelled fear of missing out.
It offered a solution in “Jomo”, the joy of missing out and being happy living in the moment.
Not missing out… Erik Havranek with BIS principal Nick Hill and the trophies Erik won in the North Shore Rotary Speech Competition.
• Qualified CLIA Cruise Master with 35+ years of experience
• Extensive personal cruise experience (Europe, Arctic, Galapagos, NZ, Hawaii & more)
• Owner of Helloworld Travel Takapuna & Westgate
• One of North Shore’s top cruise specialists
• Her team has won multiple cruise awards, including Top Store with Scenic Cruises
Local environmentalists join battle against invader
Local volunteers are joining the fight to eliminate yellow-legged hornets, setting traps in seven locations on the Devonport peninsula.
Biosecurity New Zealand announced last weekend that it was stepping up its campaign to locate and eliminate the pest, first identified in Glenfield last month.
By last Sunday, 10 queen hornets, two workers and seven nests had been found and removed from Glenfield and Birkdale.
Trapping had been extended to 5km from the discovered sites, and a specialist from the UK’s hornet response team called in to give training and advice.
The government agency has also asked members of the public to report sightings, but only if they have a specimen, a clear photo, or have located a possible nest.
Devonport environmental group Restoring Takarunga Hauraki (RTH) has set traps in peninsula reserves.
Its community nursery project manager, Chris Lucas, says it hopes residents will supplement its efforts with homemade traps in their own gardens.
Hornet queens can fly more than 30km to establish new nests. The pests are aggressive towards people and eat honeybees and native bees.
Their establishment in New Zealand would threaten both commercial horticulture and native ecosystems.
RTH programme lead Lance Cablk says home traps are simple to make and deploy.
They can be fashioned from a plastic drink bottle with two 25mm square upside-down U-shapes cut on opposite sides, halfway up the bottle, leaving flaps to be pushed inside the bottle. A liquid mixture of 1 cup of beer, 1 tablespoon of sugar, a dash of vinegar (to deter bees) and a few drops of dishwashing liquid should then be placed inside.
Home traps need to be monitored and
Fatal attraction... Restoring
Takarunga Hauraki volunteers Alexey Krivobokov and Simon Bucherer with a trap designed to catch yellowlegged hornets like the specimen at right
efforts made to distinguish the yellow-legged hornet from local wasp species.
The hornet has distinctive dark legs with bright yellow tips. In contrast, common wasp species in New Zealand, such as the German wasp, typically have uniformly yellow or yellow-striped legs, and are much smaller.
Sightings can be reported on Biosecurity New Zealand’s 24-hour pest hotline: 0800 809966.
Lower rates increase lending, but...
The lower OCR (now 2.50% and possibly one more 25bp to come) and hence lower mortgage rates (now 4.49% for 2 yr fixed) has helped increase the amount of bank lending ......BUT it is still slow to materially impact property prices which are still pretty flat as supply continues to increase and immigration has slowed to a mere 12,000 net gain over the last year.
The flat property prices are a constraint on the economic recovery as the “wealth effect” of increasing property prices is quite significant as home owners feel more comfortable spending when their property is increasing in value, while they tend to pull back on spending if prices are flat or negative.
Also the impact of lower interest rates may not be as great as some believe as ANZ (30% of the mortgage market) report their average mortgage balance is just $203,000 - this despite the average new mortgage amount is $416,000... I guess not everyone lives in Auckland!
Devonport
27 & 28 Queens Parade
Tender Thursday 4th December at 4.00pm (Unless Sold Prior)
View As advertised or by appointment cooperandco.co.nz/L37563555 cooperandco.co.nz/L37564743
Buy One Or Buy Both
One of the rarest opportunities in Devonport awaits a discerning buyer - the adjoining waterfront properties at 27 and 28 Queens Parade, 1123sqm and 1088sqm sites respectively. Tightly held by one family since the late 1800s, this remarkable holding stands as a true testament to the lifestyle it affords - the sea at the front, a park at the back, and endless potential for its next owner. Purchase both 27 and 28 and potentially develop four sites including the original homes with access from 27. Purchase separately and renovate/extend and still have space for the dream scenario of pool and plenty of land right in the heart of Devonport. There are multiple options to explore. The family have shared countless happy memories here, spanning generations of parents and grandparents. The workshop was once a bustling hub of creativity, where bespoke furniture pieces were lovingly crafted by hand. In the garden, the orchard, gardens and hen house provided an abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables and eggs - a true taste of the good life. This enviable lifestyle could soon be yours. Don’t let this rare opportunity pass you by. Act now, because opportunities like this favour the brave.
Marissa Muirhead
021 337 222
marissa.muirhead @harcourts.co.nz
Maria Stevens 021 979 084
maria.stevens@harcourts.co.nz
Hanging around... Lucy Butchers (6) enjoyed the obstacle course
Below: Victoria (7) and Beatrice Rea (5) in their matching outfits
We’ve moved!
After 25 years of being located in Northcroft Street, YOU Travel Takapuna has now moved to a new location to Shop 16, No 1, The Strand, Takapuna. This is the former council building across Lake Road from our current premises.
YOU Travel Takapuna is one of the most established businesses in Takapuna operating uninterrupted for over 50 years. Starting out as United Travel, the business was originally in the Griffith’s building on Lake Road. It has remained in the Shanahan family with Jim Shanahan first taking over the business back in 1975 from Alpe Travel. Jeremy Shanahan joined his father and took over the business after Jim retired.
YOU Travel Takapuna — aside from traditional holiday and business travel also operate a number of niche travel specialities: YOU Travel — focuses on bespoke travel itineraries, cruising, tours, flight bookings, hotel and bookings world wide www.youtravel.co.nz
Island Holidays — Island Holidays specialises in surf holidays worldwide including resorts and charters. www.islandholidays.co.nz
Island Holidays phone 0800 336660, email Pete Head: pete@islandholidays.co.nz
YOU Travel Takapuna new premises:
Family time... Rhema, Giorgi (3) and Andy Coon
Below: Former St Leo’s pupils (from left) Alice Gillies (16), Chiara Albrecht (15) and Dulcie Boulle (15)
Sun shines on crowds at St Leo’s Christmas Fair
All the fun of the fair... Rio Ha (11), with Jolie Vuon, was happy with his lamp purchase. Right: Avia Keys Posimani (8) tried the bouncy castle while Peyton Tenamu-Jerri (4) had her face painted.
More than two thousand people attended St Leo’s Catholic School’s Christmas Fair, held in fine conditions last Sunday. Organisers estimate around $20,000 will be raised by the event, which offered food, games, used goods, books, raffles and more. Funds raised will go towards teaching resources for the new primary school curriculum.
EMDR and how it can help
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a powerful, research-backed therapy that helps people recover from distressing memories linked to trauma, grief, and loss. When painful experiences aren’t fully processed, they can become “stuck” in the brain, causing emotional distress to resurface again and again — as if the event is happening in the present.
EMDR helps the brain reprocess these memories so they lose their painful intensity. Through gentle “bilateral stimulation” — such as guided eye movements or alternating tapping — EMDR activates both sides of the brain. This allows memories to be safely integrated, reducing emotional charge and replacing negative beliefs with more positive, empowering ones. Therapy unfolds in structured phases. Early sessions focus on understanding your needs and building emotional resources for safety and stability. The middle phases focus on reprocessing distressing memories so they no longer trigger overwhelming reactions. The final stages consolidate healing, promoting long-term relief and emotional resilience.
EMDR is safe, effective, and recognised internationally as a leading treatment for trauma, post-traumatic stress, grief and loss. Many clients report feeling calmer, more confident, and better able to manage painful memories and life’s challenges. To learn more about EMDR, or explore whether it might be right for you, please get in touch.
Top-polling pair sidelined in post-election machinations
Trish Deans faced a testing start as initial chair of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board after a bruising behind-the-scenes battle spilled over to the public arena.
The usually ceremonial inaugural meeting saw the two top-polling board members, George Wood and Gavin Busch, speak out against a move to have the role shared.
Two of their supporters observing at the PumpHouse Theatre interjected during nomination proceedings, unhappy the Communities and Residents duo had been shut out of the top jobs.
Instead, Deans – who ran as an independent and polled third – emerged through the middle after the local body elections last month failed to deliver a majority for any board grouping. She will share the chair’s role with Scott Macarthur, a newcomer on the A Fresh Approach (AFA) ticket, who will initially be deputy chair before a role switch at the end of April 2027.
In taking the chair, Deans, who served a term on a split board from 2019-22, said: “You, the voters, have asked six representatives to work together and that’s what we need to do.”
Wood claimed at the meeting he had not been aware of the final deal, which followed weeks of board members sounding each other out on workable arrangements. The veteran said experience on boards that had split roles led him to believe one chair for the full three-year term worked best. Busch said: “We are here to represent the community, we’re not here to play games or share the baubles.”
This prompted member Terence Harpur, who was the AFA deputy chair last term, to interject that C&R had earlier proposed to him that the two tickets split jobs. “We [now] need to be like a professional board and get on with it.”
Board games... The new Devonport-Takapuna Local Board at Killarney Park in Takapuna, shortly before they were sworn into office at the PumpHouse theatre. Chair Trish Deans is flanked (on her right) by deputy Scott Macarthur, with whom she will swap roles mid-term, and Terence Harpur. Back row (from left): George Wood, Gavin Busch and Garth Ellingham.
Deans said as late as the morning of the meeting she had been on the phone to see if she could encourage a “better mix”, but that did not come about. “Two new members [Macarthur and Garth Ellingham] want to do things differently.”
She pledged to sit in the centre and work with all members, urging them to do the same. “It will take strong commitment and goodwill to achieve that.” The job in hand was to focus on issues including how to deal with budget challenges.
Macarthur said he wanted to work on
building agreement around the table. The Observer understands some members trenchantly opposed 79-year-old Wood being chair. Choices were further narrowed by Busch and Harpur saying they did not want the top job. Busch was happy to be deputy. Deans was willing to work with Wood and Busch, but wanted to avoid a coin toss to decide roles if there was no clear majority, believing this was no way to signal that six members could function together effectively. • The board’s regular business began last week, with a closed workshop on budgets.
Pressure rises for cuts to library hours, grants and more
The need to look at cuts to services – including library hours and the frequency of park mowing – and community grants made for a grim first workshop for the newly elected Devonport-Takapuna Local Board (DTLB).
The Flagstaff understands Auckland Council budget pressures have escalated since the paper reported in July that savings of $460,000 were needed from the board’s discretionary spend of around $1.6million for the 2026-27 year.
As much as $200,000 in extra savings may now be required locally, it is understood, with the council factoring in further inflationary cost pressures during budget setting.
North Shore ward councillor John Gillon gave an early indication of the increased pressure the DTLB faces in his maiden speech to council this month, which called for a rethink on its “fairer funding” allocation formula (see story below). He said the board now stood tolose $500,000 or more.
DTLB chair Trish Deans acknowledged to the Flagstaff last week
the need for tough decisions ahead, after the board’s workshop was held in confidential session. She confirmed the rising cost pressures, but not the amounts.
The board was seeking further advice from staff about areas where trims might be sensibly made, she said. It was weighing options across a range of areas.
Asked if reducing library hours was on the table, she said: “It’s not drastic but there will be some change.”
Deans said the board’s intention was to come to a consensus to present options for community feedback that would be sought from stakeholders and community partners and then from the public through the council’s Have Your Say process. “We are really keen to do it together to take the message out that there’s a consensus,” she said.
The chairs of the eight local boards negatively affected by fairer funding were also meeting to discuss a joint approach to council, Deans said.
Gillon wants rethink of model forcing local budget squeeze
New North Shore councillor John Gillon has called for a rethink of the “fairer funding” changes hanging over some local boards.
In his maiden speech to Auckland Council last week, he told Mayor Wayne Brown and fellow councillors that boards such as the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board faced having to make budget cuts under the looming formula.
“They’ve been considering cuts to library hours, community groups, reducing maintenance levels, selling public assets or letting them run down,” he said.
The main problem with the formula was that it did not take into account a board’s existing assets and the cost of renewing or maintaining them.
“Next financial year, eight [of 21] local boards will be in a far worse position under Fairer Funding than they were previously, including the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board which is half a million down, possibly more,” he said.
Fairer funding – which weights budget allocations according to board size and population in a bid to ensure those boards with historically fewer assets are in a po-
sition to provide more – could be made to work, Gillon said.
“But both the current formula and the pool of funding that is fed into the formula aren’t right.”
He called on councillors to work together to find a solution to get boards through to the next Long Term Plan with their budgets intact and then to come up with a way to permanently fix the formula.
In the last term, the governing body eventually agreed as an interim measure to ease in the fairer funding it voted in, following much lobbying from impacted boards and from councillors whose wards cover them, including North Shore’s other representative, Richard Hills.
But with cost increases pressuring all council budgets, striking another grandfathering deal may be a hard sell to the majority of councillors.
Gillon cautioned councillors that the issue of being adequately funded bit deep, using the example of the Kaipātiki Local Board he chaired until his election to council last month.
Kaipātiki and Devonport-Takapuna together constitute the North Shore ward.
While larger and more populous Kaipātiki had initially benefited from the redistributive approach of fairer funding, due to an increase in its operating expenses, much of this was being clawed back through cost increases, so with capital expenses capped it would over time be in a similar situation to Devonport.
“The public do not find this acceptable when the North Shore pays around $200million in rates each year, and these cuts affect the most front-line assets and services.”
He spoke against long-term project budgets that had previously been deferred being deferred again, “just as we catch up to them”. This included Lake Rd upgrades, which he said were a top priority mentioned to him by many voters.
Gillon also used his maiden speech to speak against the “intentional downgrading” of road with chip seal, which he said was also often poorly applied. Its use should be reassessed, he said.
Compliance enforcement by council and maintenance standards by its contractors should be improved, he urged.
Kaipatiki’s policy of shade sails in all playgrounds should become city-wide, he said.
New local board ready to seek changes to density plan
Responding to intensification plans for Auckland will be a focus of the new Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, says chair Trish Deans.
She says the board wants to hear from community groups and to encourage the public to engage with Auckland Council’s plan change process.
“We can’t stop the plan change but we can push for amendments,” she told the Flagstaff.
Issues the board would look at included the extent of intensification proposed in parts of Milford and Sunnynook – suburbs badly hit by floods in 2023 – and the greater heights proposed for a swathe of suburban
Hauraki, where heights of up to 10 storeys will be possible if Plan Change 120 (PC120) is adopted next year.
With the Government insisting Auckland Council allow for up to two million homes to be built over time, the challenge in seeking any downzoning changes to PC120 in certain areas is that compensating upzoning would be needed in other areas.
Deans said the board was eager to hear feedback from residents groups, a number of which are planning to make submissions on PC120.
Submissions, including those from individuals, are due by 19 December.
Council is holding a North Shore public
meeting on Wednesday 26 November, from 6.30 to 8pm at North Harbour Stadium in Albany, to help inform the public about PC120.
The board itself has until early next year to give its own feedback to council. Deans said this would draw on the views of the community.
Deans said new board member Scott Macarthur, who is deputy for half the term before swapping roles with her, was able to bring his extensive planning background to the table as the board formulated its positions.
“It’s helpful having Scott on the board,” she said.
Stirring new Devonport Primary haka and principal’s
Making a splash... principal Beverley Booth took a first dip in the now solar-heated pool. Below: Children enjoyed their first experience of the upgraded facility.
first dip mark reopening of improved school pool
Devonport Primary School opened its pool after a $200,000 upgrade last week with the first performance of new school haka.
The haka was written and given to the school by Ngaiwi Walker, who has worked on it with children from Years 4-6, their teachers and principal Beverley Booth over several weeks.
The pool upgrade included installation of a solar heating system – making it warm enough for Booth to take a dip with dozens of enthusiastic kids. “I’ve been at the school since 2009 and that’s the first time I have been in the pool,” she said.
No one splashed Booth as she went in but the children looking on were delighted as the principal threw water on them as she did a kind of impromptu victory lap.
The upgrade was “basically a new pool”, she said.
With many other schools closing their pools due to running and maintenance costs, she was happy Devonport Primary still had a working facility.
The pool would still be there for the kids when they were parents sending their children to Devonport Primary, she said.
She thanked the school’s board for
backing the project and the PTA and its cochair Lisette Knight for fundraising efforts, including the school fair, to produce most of the money towards the upgrade. Children took part by jumping into the old pool on the coldest day of the year.
Each class can now swim twice a week and the facility is hired to an after-school swim school. The school also has a water polo team which trains three mornings a week.
The pool will be available for use by the school community up to 7pm on weekdays and 6pm on Saturdays.
Haka debut… senior students at Devonport Primary School perform its new haka as the junior school looks on
Signs of long career endure on main street
Tom Smith fell in love with Devonport on a visit from the UK in the 70s and has left his mark on the place both literally and as a community-minded local identity. He talks to Helen Vause.
You could probably put together the story of Devonport businesses just by poking around in Tom Smith’s workshop studio.
You’d certainly have a good sample of the many comings and goings in and around Victoria Rd over the years.
Whatever the business, it’s highly likely Smith will have done some art for them, from the grandest to the simplest, at some point in the 43 years he’s run Devonport Signs & Graphics.
Smith is a familiar figure around Devonport – cap and glasses, driving his ancient sign-written white 1996 Toyota. He’s not saying when his 80th birthday was, but admits he’s had it.
Most mornings he is in his studio before seven and for many long hours after that. Many of his mates may now be in retirement villages and long finished with their careers, but for Smith it’s business as usual. Far too much of it, he chuckles.
Smith and his late wife, Felicity, came to Devonport in the 1970s and raised two children, Eden and Katie, in their big old villa that looks out over the golf course. They excavated enough room downstairs for an office and studio workshop, where Smith has made his living in his one-man business. He’s still “saving up to pay my rates”.
Smith grew up in Manchester and in 1962
was accepted into the Manchester Regional College of Art. He was interested in graphic art and specialised in type design.
At the height of Beatlemania in nearby Liverpool, Smith played trombone – “by ear” – in a jazz band.
He found work in the London offices of the international, edgy advertising agencies of the day and made his way up to art director.
“I phoned Felicity in England and said, ‘Put the house on the market – we’re going to New Zealand’.”
Although it was heady fun involving some of the big brand names of the time, there was an aspect of the glossy and glamorous world of agency life that wasn’t a fit for Smith.
“I was sent to European branch offices quite often. I couldn’t stand all the posturing and politicking that went on.”
He often rode his old racing bike to work,
17 miles from his Hertfordshire village to St Giles Circus in the West End. With a best time of 44 minutes, he remembers being faster than the trains. Cycling had been a passion from childhood and as a teen his bike had taken him all over Britain and on trips into Europe.
When things changed in the advertising world, Smith, who had met and married Felicity, took a generous severance offer and flew to New Zealand to visit a friend.
He came across to Devonport on the ferry and went with his host to the old Masonic Tavern at the corner of King Edward Pde and Church St.
“I immediately fell in love with Devonport. I phoned Felicity in England and said ‘put the house on the market – we’re going to New Zealand’. Felicity jumped at the prospect of new horizons.”
That was in 1974. A year later the Smiths had bought their home in Devonport.
He worked in advertising agencies in Auckland but when an opportunity arose in Devonport for a change of direction, he took it. The local signwriter, Hod Vail, was retiring and happy to help the newcomer get started in the business.
“Back then, signwriting – which I prefer to call letter art – was done with paint and brushes. In the late 80s the signwriting business became computerised, so it became
Hard to miss… signwriter Tom Smith with a photo of his Welcome to Devonport sign
more like the typography I had learned at college.”
On the business strip of Victoria Rd, the two signwriting jobs he likes best embellish the Victoria Theatre and the front window of Catch 22 takeaways.
Bookmark and The Patriot are among other examples of his work that have endured.
As businesses have come and gone, so too have some of his carefully crafted signs. But the honours boards of schools, clubs and institutions, with their ornate lettering in need of regular updating, have been a steady stream of work.
His most public work is the Welcome to Devonport sign on Lake Rd, which he has updated several times.
The first sign, erected around 75 years ago, had the slogan “Auckland’s marine suburb”.
Smith redesigned it to read “Welcome to Devonport Centennial Year – 1986”, after which it became “Devonport Auckland’s Historic Maritime Suburb”, and later, “Welcome to Devonport...Where time is always well spent”, which remains today.
“The design was a development of the Devonport Festival design work I did in 1980, with the Don Binney bird in flight over the top.”
He has a great affection for Devonport and its community, and he’s proud of the time he spent on the Devonport Borough Council.
He served for two terms from 1983 to 1989 and had a role with organisations such as the Auckland Local Bodies Association, Auckland Memorial Museum, North Shore Civil Defence (of which he was chair) and Takapuna Citizens’ Advice Bureau.
Later he was elected to the Devonport Community Board.
The 1980s were a challenging time in politics, with the Independent Devonport movement in full swing, as the borough
Sign of the times… Smith and his late wife Felicity were so happy to be living in Devonport that Tom took a photo of her and their children to send back to England
fought against amalgamation with other North Shore local bodies.
Smith recalls that he knocked on 90 local doors and got a 98 percent anti-amalgamation response.
“One of the supporters of amalgamation gave as her reason that the shoe shop didn’t sell her size.”
Other causes were also dear to his heart. When he first arrived he says he saw Devonport as “a precious little time capsule of serious historic significance and it seemed to be in danger of being wrecked”.
He became a founding member of the Devonport Museum. As a skilled calligrapher, he produced a “Street Names of Devonport” map as a fundraiser.
“Felicity and I sold them at New World with the joke that there were five mistakes in it and if you could find them you could have one for free.”
The map has become something of a collectors’ item.
Felicity’s health began slipping after their first decade in Devonport and she died just over 20 years ago, in July 2005.
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“I concentrated on my signwriting business and calligraphy for obvious reasons and still do. Every job is different and there’s always more work coming.”
In amongst the work there is a crossword on the go on his desk. He also shows an appreciation for new technology, making use of AI.
You can almost hear the brain whirring, and anyone who has been at a quiz night with Smith knows he’s always got an answer ready and very often he is right. “I watch the history channel a lot,” he says.
Smith says he can’t see the point in retiring. The calls for his work keep coming.
In a large house, he says he just closes the doors of the rooms he doesn’t need. He can manage the stairs with care.
And the old Toyota in the drive is highly likely to last the distance, he reckons. That’s because out the front, under a tarpaulin he has a spare one. It’s there as a source of spare parts – to help keep the show on the road.
The registration plates when both cars were running were D SIGN and D SI9N.
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By Rob Drent
A couple of people stopped me in the street earlier this month, pointing to the congratulations bestowed by National MP Simon Watts in his latest newsletter. “You’ve got your OBE now Rob,” one laughed. There’s no such thing as bad publicity they say, but it is possible to be damned by faint praise. In a snippet, Watts encourages the community to support The Devonport Flagstaff (and our sister publication The Rangitoto Observer), Channel magazine and Grey Power’s publication. Perhaps he could do so by placing more advertising with us. He has a regular ninth of a page advert in both publications, but his predecessor Maggie Barry had a full page once a month, which covered off her parliamentary work, while also supporting a local business employing local people. Watts’ four-page newsletter was derided by one of my street contacts: “I counted 19 photos of Watts before I binned it,” she said.
As a reporter looking in, I’ve always found it strange that so much time in politics is spent infighting rather than working for the
communities politicians often claim to serve.
Locally, it is no different. No clock was running during the negotiations and manoeuvrings over the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board chairpersonship, but I’d wager quite a few hours were clicked over. Many will say with a split board (two from the A Fresh Approach Ticket, two from Communities and Residents and two independents) robust discussion over leadership is the normal course of politics.
For local communities, the board is their connection into Auckland Council decisionmaking. Historically, divided boards giving mixed messages have had little influence at city hall.
Time will tell how unified the new local board will be. Keep an eye on the news columns of the Devonport Flagstaff and Rangitoto Observer.
Having just celebrated 28 years editing the Devonport Flagstaff, I have recently found myself taking pictures of children whose parents I photographed as kids 25-plus years ago. Last week, a swimming pool reopening prompted some reflections on the passing of time. In 2006 I photographed Robyn Langwell, then Devonport Primary board chair, opening the school’s new pool. Real estate agent Ian Cunliffe and North Shore Rugby club manager Callum McNair were also in the paper dressed in period costume for the ribbon cutting. I was back at Devonport
Primary last week for the opening of the pool after an upgrade. One thing that never changes is the joy the kids get out of a simple swimming pool.
More emphasis needs to be put on promoting public transport use on the Devonport peninsula when a major event is being held. Getting in and out of Devonport last weekend was something of a nightmare. Sunny weather and the popular Sculpture OnShore event at Fort Takapuna proved a double whammy for traffic with queues at times stretching back to the motorway.
At the same time, I observed near-empty buses going up and down Lake Rd, even though they stop right outside Fort Takapuna.
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The Rose Centre has “sold” 10 seats so far in its campaign to fundraise for new sound and lighting gear for the community theatre in Belmont.
The “Buy a Seat” campaign which the centre’s board launched this month provides an opportunity for people to have their contribution recognised with engraved plaques on the backs of seats. The message might record their name or that of a business as a donor, or be in memory of someone. Other suitable lines may also be featured.
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Centre community engagement manager Abby Jones said Lisa Brickell, who the centre had previously helped stage a show, had requested a plaque with the message “You’re Awesome”, which would be seen by the person in the seat behind.
The board hopes all 112 seats will be sold. The front two rows cost $100 each, with those behind going for $75. The aim is to raise around $8000 towards gear updates. Grants are also being sought.
Board member Anni Dowden-Jones said even a basic upgrade would cost around $15,000.
Sound and lights had been patched together for some time. Work was likely to be staged as funds were obtained, she said.
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Nestled at the end of a private cul-de-sac, this delightful north-facing home bathes in all-day sun, promising an immediate sense of belonging and relaxation. Whether you’re a discerning family seeking entry into the area or a downsizer desiring effortless living, this meticulously maintained home offers the perfect blend of ease and comfort, complete with an internal access garage. The sunny open plan lounge, dining and kitchen opens to an outdoor patio and grass area. Experience ultimate peace of mind within your fully fenced sanctuary, while children or pets play freely, or cultivate your own kitchen garden. Recently freshened up with new paint and gorgeous soft new carpet, this freehold home is ready for you to move in and enjoy. Offering three well proportioned bedrooms, plenty of handy extra storage. Take a leisurely stroll to historic Devonport, where boutique shops, bustling cafes, and restaurants await, or effortlessly connect to Auckland’s Waterfront via the regular ferry. For the active enthusiast, both the prestigious Waitemata golf course and picturesque Narrow Neck beach are just a short walk away. In zone for some of the North Shore’s very best schools, plus only being a stone’s throw from Allen Hill Football grounds and the bush loop walking tracks. This is more than a home; it’s a lifestyle, offering an exclusive blend of natural beauty and urban convenience.
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Talented TGS filmmakers win at NZ OnScreen Awards
Two Takapuna Grammar School students have earned national recognition for their outstanding work in film. Year 12 students
Antoine Audonnet and Jude Caudeville each produced short films that impressed judges at the NZ OnScreen 2025 Awards.
Their wins across multiple categories highlight the creative talent within the school’s media studies programme.
Jude Caudeville’s short film Empty Seats placed third overall in the National Film Awards and also won the Emerging Filmmaker Award. The film also picked up Best Lighting and Best Original Score, while Jude’s other work, Ko Wai Au (Who Am I), won him Best Picture, Best Cinematography, and Best Up & Coming at the Aotearoa Street Dance Film Festival.
Antoine Audonnet also received several accolades. His music video Quite Alright won Best Cinematography and Best Styling
in the Music Video Technical Awards category. He has also been nominated for the AUT Promising Young Storyteller Award at the New Zealand Youth Film Festival (NZYFF) for his short film Coastal Rhythms: The Monologue.
Sam Lilly, Head of Media Studies, said the Devonport Peninsula “has always been home to some of the nation’s best artists, creatives, and media producers, so it’s no surprise to see exceptional work coming out of Takapuna Grammar School.”
He said the school was incredibly proud of Antoine and Jude, who “had produced their respective independent pictures in their own time while also completing school assessments as their day jobs.”
Well-known film reviewer and OnScreen judge Kate Rodger said Jude’s short film Empty Seats was “one of her favourites” and commended his ability to tell a story.
Historic first: Girls selected for New Zealand beach volleyball squad
Takapuna Grammar is celebrating a groundbreaking achievement with the selection of two female athletes, Isobel Tuttle and Nadia Letica, in the New Zealand U18 Beach Volleyball squad. This marks the first time in school history that girls have earned a place on a national volleyball team.
Their success is part of a wider triumph for TGS, with teammates Theo Andrade and Caleb Wilson also gaining national selection in the men’s U18 team after a season of exceptional performances.
Sports coordinator Kinga Rozmus said Nadia and Isobel’s selection was the first time any TGS girl had been named in a New Zealand volleyball team.
“What an amazing milestone and a testament to the growing strength of our volleyball programme,” she said.
“This achievement reflects their dedication, hard work, and consistent performances throughout the season.”
Rozmus said the school was proud to see TGS athletes represent the school and region with excellence.
“Congratulations once again to our students on this outstanding, history-making achievement. We can’t wait to see what’s next in your volleyball journey.”
Antoine Audonnet
Isobel Tuttle and Nadia Letica
Jude Caudeville
Commander Muzz in charge as retirement beckons
Commander Muzz Kennett officiated for a final time at Remembrance Day on behalf of the Devonport RSA this month.
As RSA president, the long-serving Navy officer has for years championed the major military commemorations held in the village, with Anzac Day and Purple Poppy Day being the others.
Kennett told the Flagstaff it was pleasing to be Master of Ceremonies again before he steps down from the RSA role and retires from service in March next year.
“I am proud of the Devonport RSA’s dedication to commemoration events and its involvement with the community.”
Remembrance Day is observed around 11 November each year to recall the end of World War I hostilities and honour servicepeople who died in the line of duty. The Devonport event at the war memorial was held two days earlier and drew service personnel, the public and new local board chair Trish Deans. North Shore MP Simon Watts, who attended but did not speak, later posted acknowledgement of Kennett’s contributions.
North Shore MP Simon Watts (left) and Devonport RSA president’s, Commander Muzz Kennett. Top left: Some of the Navy cadets in attendance.
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Last rites... demolition work began on two former council buildings next to North Shore United football club near Lake Rd last week. Council has
Festive Bites & Delights
FRIDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2025
3.00-9.00PM
BAYLEYS DEVONPORT
33 KING EDWARD PARADE
Be ready for Christmas early this year while supporting Waterwise!
This charity event features festive food stalls, including homemade Christmas cakes, Christmas decorations for sale, and live music.
Enjoy the BBQ, and buy a ticket to win a Christmas ham by Well Hung, plus other fabulous prizes and silent Auction items including Te Motu Wines.
Join Devonport Rotary and Bayleys Devonport at our Christmas Market.
20 years ago from the Flagstaff files
• Devonport architect Wayne Lees is panned at a planning hearing for work he did on his King Edward Pde property which a report said destroyed many of its heritage features.
• New Zealand Black Caps bowler Shane Bond turns out for Takapuna Grammar’s golf fundraiser, being escorted around in a cart by Tristan Cullen as a back injury prevented him playing.
• Belmont Intermediate School band Tyre Damage wins the North Shore Intermediates Battle of the Bands competition. The band (Tom Nicholls, Elliot Ryan, Andre
Knight, James Brooke, Josh Camp, Catherine Campion and Josh Bouwhuis played God of Thunder, N.I.B and Free Falling . Vocalist Catherine was judged best singer in the competition.
• Concerns are raised that a voting paper on the future of the Victoria Theatre has not reached ratepayers’ letterboxes.
• A bus carrying students to Belmont Intermediate collides with a car on Lake Rd. The car is extensively damaged but no injuries resulted.
• A festival of street parties around Devonport is planned for 2006 in
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an attempt to build community spirit and closer contact between neighbours.
• Rocket scientist to environmentalist and councillor: Joel Cayford is the Flagstaff interview subject.
• A reduction in the six sets of traffic lights planned for Esmonde Rd is sought by the Devonport Community Board.
• CCTV cameras for Devonport Village are investigated by the Devonport Community Board.
• A wall-sized tile mural is unveiled at Stanley Bay School’s hall.
Dinghy ramp closure
The Stanley Bay dinghy ramp was closed last week due to structural safety concerns. Council staff will be on site this week to assess options to fix it.
The well-used ramp was fenced off after a routine inspection spotted deterioration in its timbers. Previous maintenance had been done in 2023 and early this year and cleaning and oyster removal.
Eloi Fonseca, Auckland Council Manager Area Operations – Devonport-Takapuna & Kaipātiki said: “We appreciate that this temporary closure will be inconvenient. Safety must come first, and we will provide further updates once the assessment is complete.”
OceanFun Publishing Ltd
Could development’s delay relate to risks for coast?
Hopefully, the delay with the council consents for the stage 1 Ngāti Whātua development at the eastern end of Marsden St (Flagstaff 7 Nov) could be due to careful consideration of risk management. This development is above a sensitive coastal area.
The adjacent steeply sloping Jutland Reserve has a Significant Terrestrial Ecological Area (SEA-T) overlay. The reserve fenceline boundary with the development site is also marked on council maps as having areas “susceptible to coastal instability and erosion”. The Shoal Bay coastal marine area below the reserve has Marine 1 & 2 Significant Ecological Area overlays and is a Department of Conservation-designated “Site of Significant Wildlife Interest” (SSWI).
The stormwater outlets for this Marsden St former Navy housing site development area are either nonexistent or in “third world” condition. The drains from the cul-de-sac western end pour water through decrepit pipes into the reserve and down the cliff into Shoal Bay estuary wetland with no filtration. Stormwater at the eastern end flows through the Marsden gully into the estuary below.
Risks to be managed... A council map showing the Marsden Block with lines indicating areas susceptible to coastal instability and erosion
Updating stormwater infrastructure could safeguard the reserve and the coastal marine area below, however building it and exposing bare clay once development begins adds another risk. Earthmoving machinery combined with heavy rainfall increases the risk of slips and sediment flowing into the estuary.
Council GD05 guidelines for sediment and erosion control during development are woefully inadequate to deal with climate-driven heavy rainfall and are poorly monitored.
The 1945-built Northboro Reserve sewage
storage & pumping station, although upgraded, is surely a weak link too. Sewerage infrastructure continues to be added to this facility. It’s shown on the updated council flood viewer to be in a potential “flood area” and at risk from “coastal inundation”.
Recent coastal development sites around Shoal and Ngataringa bays have all had to substantially upgrade stormwater outlets for their developments. They have all experienced either sediment flows or slips during development following heavy rainfall. I’m certain that Flagstaff and Rangitoto Observer readers could add their experiences of silt flows from development sites across the North Shore.
The proposed Council Plan Change 120 for housing intensification and resilience strengthens the rules in the Auckland Unitary Plan that relate to building in areas prone to natural hazards. It also will allow far greater intensification. Maybe council is considering if the new development is intensive enough? Resilience is the new buzzword. I’m more inclined to hold my breath.
Philip Moll
Why did the Flagstaff single me out by raising my age?
During this last election period I have wondered about being singled out for my age. I’ve followed your papers for some time now and this is the first time that anyone’s age has been singled out like this during an election. Does your paper see some age related ailment I have that the supporters who voted for me have missed along the way? Incidentally I did get the greatest number of votes out of all the 20 Devonport-Takapuna Local Board candidates.
In passing, another long-term female member of this board retired three years ago aged 82. Her age was never pointed out to your readers. It makes one wonder if you follow an agediscrimination policy on the matter of age.
I would like to say that I am ready and willing to step into the fray for another three years. I’m the only one elected to the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board who lives north of Hauraki. The 2023 Census indicates that we have 27,927 people in the northern suburbs of Westlake, Milford, Castor Bay, Forrest Hill and Sunnynook. There are 8487 in the three areas around Takapuna while the southern area to Devonport has 21,597 residents.
I am in this northern area every day and I have never heard anyone saying I can’t be found.
Being an elected representative is something that I see as a privilege but also a great responsibility.
George Wood CNZM
Editor Rob Drent replies: Perhaps, with a demographically ageing population, age will increasingly become part of voting consideration, as it did in the United States in the Joe Biden/ Donald Trump presidential race. It will no doubt confront New Zealand First’s Winston Peters at next year’s election.
Former local board member Jan O’Connor’s age was not part of the election debate last time round as she was retiring from politics – but we should have recorded it prior to the previous election.
A candidate’s age is a fact and is part of the voting public’s election decision-making. But only part. As I pointed out in an editorial commenting on your age, a natural consequence is experience, which the voters clearly valued as you topped the poll.
Air New Zealand veteran spreads her artistic wings
Former international flight attendant Nikki Kelly draws on a world of inspirations in her art, but hints of what is closest to home and heart often emerge spontaneously on her bold canvases.
The long-time Takapuna resident begins with an abstraction of colour. But as she continues, familiar subjects have a way of popping into view. An outline of Rangitoto, a stretch of sea – perhaps with the peaks of sails. It’s not a literal landscape, more a colourful collage of ideas and emotion.
Part of her attraction to painting is that it is a journey of exploration. “I’m not trying to emulate what is out there.”
What was a hobby has developed to the stage Kelly (pictured with two of her works) is holding her first solo show, at Satellite2 gallery in Devonport until 7 December. Previously she has had a few paintings in group shows in Wanaka, where she and her partner Dean spend part of their time.
Kelly says her paintings these days are increasingly peopled with figurative shapes. One called “Group Hug” is an example.
Her works are created at home. When the couple are in Takapuna she sets up in the lounge with a view out to sea.
Her father brought his family to the area when she was 12. Jack Kelly was the headmaster at Takapuna Grammar School. “He didn’t want me there,” she recalls. She went to Westlake Girls. Her mother encouraged her to study French rather than art, although taking art history fuelled her creative interest. “I was always envious of people who knew what they wanted to do when they were younger,” she says. “To have [now] found something I want to do is marvellous.”
After 33 years at Air New Zealand, Kelly took redundancy. Dean, who had been there for 31 years, did the same. The couple – who started out as friends and flatmates and have been together for 20 years – wanted an active lifestyle by the beach in summer with skiing in Wanaka in winter. They rent out one of their properties when they are having longer spells at the other.
But Takapuna remains Kelly’s anchor
lucky to have the time,” she says, adding: “I haven’t been driven to travel since we retired.”
Kelly doesn’t use brushes, favouring rollers, scrapers and sponges. On a background of colour, generally “something shows itself”, she says. She has even created clouds using a squeegee. “I’m really excited to get my paints out and see what happens.”
Often she has three paintings on the go
A bumper First Thursdays arts programme will enliven Devonport’s galleries and hospitality venues for the final time this year on the evening of Thursday, 4 December.
The monthly event will gain a Christmas soundtrack with the addition of outdoors entertainment from the North Shore Brass Academy Band, performing on the Victoria Rd green in front of the shops by Flagstaff Tce between 7pm and 9pm.
Gift-givers might want to check out a workshop at the Devonport RSA on Japanese furoshiki, the use of fabric squares to fashion carry or wrapping bags. Wreath-making was on offer but proved so popular it sold out. There’s also a ticketed session on ham preparation with eats at Stone Oven.
Depot director Amy Saunders said the full programme, running from 4pm until late, showed the momentum that had built behind
Full roster for First Thursday Workshop series
First Thursdays this year. Eleven events are scheduled, including comedy at The Patriot.
Participants and venues have grown since the Depot first launched the overseas idea locally, with early buy-in from The Vic cinema in showing art-themed movies and the Flagstaff gallery also joining the Depot in showcasing its creatives.
For hospitality venues, hosting ticketed arts events, sometimes alongside specially themed menus or wine tasting, has offered another way of reaching customers. This month Vic Rd Wine Bar, Vondel and Stone Oven Cafe are all taking part. The Ray White real estate office is hosting a knitting activity.
First Thursdays will resume in February next year, with backing from the Devonport Business Association and the Local Board.
This week’s full programme details are available at firstthursdays.org.nz
hosted at Whare Toi
The Depot is running a series of “taster” arts workshops at Whare Toi in Devonport, allowing people to try their hand at different creative endeavours.
The small hands-on workshops, being held over four weekends, are led by local artists. The first, on upcycled jewellery last weekend, had Beatrice Carlson at the helm. If the series proves successful, the Depot plans to run a broader creative programme throughout next year, says director Amy Saunders. “We are wanting to support makers who live locally and provide accessible learning experiences for creatives.”
The second workshop this Saturday, 22 November, led by printmaker Celia Walker, is on Beginners Cyanotype, a photographic process that uses light to create striking blue-toned images. The following Saturday 29 November, the workshop will be Monoprinting for Young People, run by Ina
Arraoui. The final workshop on Sunday 7 December will have Walker take a session on advanced cyanotype.
Saunders says its Whare Toi space at the base of Takarunga is an ideal location for more community courses.
In a further community outreach, an open day with activities is planned on Saturday 6 December at the original Depot Artspace in Clarence St and its 3 Vic Rd extension. Details will be in the next Flagstaff. Saunders said the wider aim was to spark creativity and strengthen connection. For the workshops, Depot worked with the Tūpuna Maunga Authority. The pilot series was also being being supported by Creative New Zealand, Resource Recovery Devonport and the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, she said.
Kia ora and Hello Devonport,
Welcome to ‘Ask Mrs. N0ughty’, your monthly advice column where we answer all your most pressing waste questions!
Dear Mrs. N0ughty: Why do we have to pay for services at Resource Recovery Devonport (RRD)? Isn’t that a disincentive to proper disposal? Signed, Bea Frugal
Dear Bea Frugal: Humans create waste, and societies have to figure out what to do with it. There are costs associated - whether it’s recycling, reuse, recovery, or disposal. In Auckland, home waste services are paid for through rates, but additional services are paid for by individuals - hopefully an incentive to reduce waste.
RRD is a charity, and profits are gifted back to the community. As of this month we have provided $200K to local schools, environmental groups, and sports clubs. So thank YOU for using our skip service, buying landscaping supplies, and shopping at the Reuse Shop… you’re helping reduce waste going to landfill and supporting your community at the same time!
Signed, Mrs. N0ughty
• Workshop bookings (tickets are $45 for a three-hour session) online at depot.org.nz.
ENROLMENTS FOR TERM 1 2026
Enrolment for Out of Zone Students for 2019
Enrolment for Out of Zone Students for 2019
Devonport Primary operates an enrolment scheme, details are available from the school office.
Devonport Primary School invites applications for out of zone enrolments in Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 for 2019
Devonport Primary School invites applications for out of zone enrolments in Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 for 2019
Applications close: 17th Oct Ballot Date (if required) - 24th Oct
Application for out-of-zone places, across all ages, are invited for admission from 4 February with a deadline of 3 February. If required, a ballot will be held, and parents notified on 4 February. Multiple out-of-zone enrolment ballots may be held throughout 2026. If planning to enrol later in 2026 please contact the school as soon as possible to assist our planning.
Volunteer Shop Assistants wanted! Apply here
Free Zero Waste Christmas Workshops 7, 14, 21 Dec
Please contact the school for application forms, or an opportunity to visit 445 0183 office@devonport school nz www devonportschool nz
Send your burning questions to community@devonportrecycle.co.nz and let’s sort through School Holiday Programme Dec 17-19, Jan 20-22, 28-30
Applications close: 17th Oct Ballot Date (if required) - 24th Oct
Tēnā koutou, December is shaping up to be a bumper month at DEPOT, with three exhibitions alongside our ongoing creative workshop series at Whare Toi and our Open Day on Saturday 6 December. Read on to find out more!
Come and try your hand at a range of creative making classes as part of our Whare Toi Workshop Series - including monoprinting and cyanotype - in a fun and relaxing environment.
This series has been generously subsidised by the Creative NZ Creative Communities Scheme, allowing us to support our facilitating artists and keep workshop costs affordable.
Visit depot.org.nz for full details on each workshop and to book your tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!
We are delighted to announce our upcoming DEPOT Open Day on Saturday 6 December!
Join us across our spaces for an Open Studio & Mini Market at Studio D3, Christmas shopping and ceramic ornament painting at 3 Vic Road, along with three exhibitions including our Staff Exhibition opening at 4pm at DEPOT Artspace, and a live gig featuring folk band hoop. at 7:30pm.
We can’t wait to share everything going on at DEPOT, so save the date and we’ll see you on the day!
Visit depot.org.nz for more info and stay up to date by subscribing to our e-news!
Ngā mihi nui, Amy Saunders
Director | Kaiwhakahaere, DEPOT amy.saunders@depot.org.nz
More local buildings showcased with
A lot has changed in five years for Anna Cernis, but after an art-making hiatus she is back celebrating her home suburb’s architectural charms in novel style.
Using Microsoft PowerPoint, she ingeniously turns the software program into a tool for creating graphic depictions. She makes images from simple shapes, resulting in pared-back representations of Devonport landmarks.
Her singular and painstaking way of working was developed during the long hours of Covid lockdown in 2020, producing prints of buildings she studied on walks around the neighbourhood. A small exhibition resulted in a Vauxhall Rd space. A story featured in the Flagstaff with images of some of her favourite buildings, including the old power station on Church St and the former fire station on Calliope Rd. Sales and other shows followed.
Working under the artist name Anna Victoria, Cernis is now back in action, having had a baby and moved house. Next week
she has a show opening at the Depot’s 3 Vic Rd space.
The exhibition is called Time Well Spent, which is a title drawn from a line on the Welcome to Devonport sign on Lake Rd. The retro sign is one of the local spots she is showcasing. As to her artist’s working name, Cernis says this came about by using her first and second names, rather than her last name, because the latter could pose pronunciation difficulties. If you’re wondering, just say Chur(nis) – a Kiwi-as sounding moniker for the transplanted Englishwoman who has been here 10 years.
With exhibition launch night looming, so too does the juggle of what to do with toddler Alfie, who will turn two before Christmas. He will probably make a brief guest appearance on the night.
It was a change in job and Alfie’s arrival that had Cernis set aside her art-making for a time, but with her son growing fast and becoming a little more independent, she began dabbling again.
help
“It’s about finding time to get back into it,” she says.
Partner Billy Worthington, who grew up locally, has been encouraging. His parents, who live in Stanley Point, help out with babysitting. The young couple, who met through work, have bought their own home in what she describes as “mini Belmont”, near what is sometimes known as “Kings Store”.
“This is where we plan to stay,” says Cernis, who has already enrolled her son at the Devonport Community House creche for next year.
She says her art has helped her really get to know the area, because she likes to photograph the buildings that catch her eye and then research their history.
“People love to tell their stories about the spaces,” she says.
Local cafe Chateaubriant was a building given the Anna Victoria treatment. That led to the offer of a show from regular cafe customer and Depot director Amy Saunders. “The gift of a deadline” was the motivation Cernis decided she was ready for.
So it was back to PowerPoint and a process she admits is laborious. It has the benefit, however, of stripping buildings back to clean outlines, freed of the distractions of their surrounds or additions. “It’s like having guard rails to what I can do.”
Colour palettes are also a way of playing up the impression she is after.
Among the 13 images she has carefully constructed are The Esplanade, The Vic theatre, North Shore Cricket Club and White’s Dairy. Clear facades are easiest to deal with, while buildings with more 3-D looking frontages, such as the Esplanade with its wings, are a challenge to recreate.
But she’s always up for of new subjects, having even tackled the “mushroom” air vents on Takarunga. “I think people have been interested because they love the places.”
• Time Well Spent, from 21 November to 14 December, Depot 3 Vic Rd. An artist talk at 6.30pm is part of the exhibition opening on this Friday evening from 6-7.30pm.
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