23 May 2025, Devonport Flagstaff by Devonport Flagstaff

Flagstaff recognised in national awards... p2

May 23, 2025

Fishers peeved at breakwater ban... p3

Interview: Ex-Army man tackles Te Araroa... p18-19

Claystore repair budget blows out – sale mooted

The future of the historic Claystore is on shaky ground, after massive cost blowouts on planned work on the building and with new reports to be done on its safety and structural integrity.

Creating further uncertainty, Auckland Council is looking into selling some of the 27 Lake Rd, Devonport, site occupied by

the Claystore, which is used as a community workshop, and other buildings.

If a buyer can be found for the Claystore, it could be sold, Devonport-Takapuna Local Board chair Mel Powell has suggested.

“I don’t want to spend a dollar on it,” Powell told the Flagstaff. It would be irresponsible to pay for an upgrade amid such uncertainty.

The board last year agreed to look at a renovation, but rejected a shock $3.6 million proposal.

Staff set aside a “placeholder” sum of $1.5m for a pared-back project, but now warn this is subject to change, due to the building’s poor condition, age and complexity.

To page 8

Hauraki rookies rule the waves

winners… The

School team which took out the Peninsula schools competition for learner sailors:

more pictures, pages 12-13.

CLASSIC HOMES, MODERN APPROACH

Tailored strategies for timeless, premium homes

Bianca O’Dea 021 361 116

Devonport 09 445 2010

Waterwise

Hauraki

(from right) Henry Yu, Lydia Li, Henry’s twin, Han, and Lydia’s brother Leo. Story,

Flagstaff journalism recognised at national awards

The Devonport Flagstaff had a bumper night at the national Community Newspaper Association awards, with the work of its journalists recognised in five categories.

Flagstaff editor Rob Drent won the best sports journalist and best feature writer awards at the association’s annual conference in Christchurch this month.

Flagstaff reporter Lochlan Lineham, now in Asia on his OE, was runner-up in the best junior reporter section. Drent was runner-up in the best news journalist and best headline writing sections.

Drent’s feature portfolio included profiles on retiring GP Erica Lauder, musician and sound engineer Simon Lynch, and rugby player and Filthy Few motorcycle gang member Ethan McMullan.

His sports entries included a profile of North Shore squash legend Gary Duberly, an eight-page feature on the North Shore-Takapuna 2024 North Harbour championship rugby final and an obituary on North Shore Cricket Club stalwart Ross Parlane.

His news entry included stories on massive damage to ancient lava flows on the coastal walkway between Takapuna and Milford, revelations on the costs of fixing up ‘the Bunker’ on Takarunga and the lack of action on an asbestos-contaminated Navy building on Vauxhall Rd.

On the double... Rob Drent won awards for sports and feature writing

Lineham’s entries included stories on a theft foiled on the Devonport ferry; declining school rolls and their impact; a cat stolen, given an abortion then returned home; and the flooding of Devonport Methodist Church, for which Vector work was blamed.

Judges said: “Rob’s winning [feature] portfolio showed his long standing community connections, a reason many of his interview subjects agreed to talk to him and trusted him to tell their stories.”

On his sports entry, they said his portfolio was “lifted above the rest by stories which underlined his interviewing skills and ability to look beyond a sports result”.

On his news stories, one said: “What drew me to Rob’s entry was the breadth of his portfolio and the way he found his stories... Rob walks around with his eyes open. He’s got a great nose for a story of any sort.”

Of Lineham’s entry, judges said: “Lochlan’s lively writing pulls the reader to the end.”

His pieces showed the value of following up news tips, and he also tackled meaty issues well.

“Taking on a big company like Vector – its contractors were accused of causing flooding by blocking a drain – isn’t always easy.

“But Lochlan had holy backing – the accusations were made by a church, and there was photographic evidence.”

Drent, Flagstaff editor and owner of 28 years, said it was pleasing to be recognised for his journalism but the paper was very much a joint effort by a tight-knit team of locals (Drent, news editor Janetta Mackay, sales manager Candice Izzard, designer Brendon De Suza, sub-editor Bevan Rapson, proofreader Graham Adams, freelance writer Helen Vause and photographer Kathryn Nobbs).

“Its always been about news for the community so keep those news tips coming in,” Drent said.

Send to news@devonportflagstaff.co.nz.

Local resident named top reporter

Belmont resident and New Zealand Herald journalist Michael Morrah (pictured) won News Reporter of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards announced last Friday. Judges said: “Morrah has again delivered quality video and text in three news exclusives which will reverberate for years. He is an engaging storyteller who uses all the

principles of excellent journalism to grab our attention and explain why we should care.”

One of his top stories centred on desperate patients lined up in the dark outside an affordable health clinic in Ōtara.

In the 2024 awards Morrah won Best Coverage of a Major News Event.

Devonport Publishing Ltd First Floor, 9 Wynyard St

Telephone: 09 445 0060

Email: sales@devonportflagstaff.co.nz news@devonportflagstaff.co.nz

Website: www.devonportflagstaff.co.nz

NZ COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARDS

Best Community Involvement:

2021, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2005

Best Sports Reporter: 2024, 2016

Best Lifestyle/Feature Writer: 2024, 2023

VOYAGER/CANON MEDIA AWARDS

Community Reporter of the Year: Winner 2018

Community Newspaper of the Year: Finalist 2017

MANAGING EDITOR: Rob Drent

CHIEF REPORTER: Janetta Mackay

ADVERTISING: Candice Izzard

DESIGN: Brendon De Suza

NEXT ISSUE: June 7

ADVERTISING DEADLINE: May 30

‘No fishing’ sign rekindles fight for breakwater access

An unexpected ban on fishing from the Bayswater Marina breakwater has sparked multiple complaints to Auckland Council’s compliance team.

Council staff met with Bayswater Marina last week to discuss the issue. The gate at the breakwater was opened to the public earlier this month following an Environment Court decision in early April, which threw out the marina’s attempt to exclude the public from the structure. Public access was guaranteed under the marina’s original consents, but the marina had closed the breakwater since December 2023, citing health and safety concerns.

However, new signage at the reopened breakwater said while the public had access during daylight hours, fishing from it was banned due to safety concerns. .

North Shore councillor Chris Darby was flabbergasted by the ban. “Given the public can fish anywhere else in the Coastal Marine Area, it is unfathomable why this should be restricted at the Bayswater breakwater.

“Fishing has been one of the primary activities at the breakwater for more than 20 years and I’m damn well determined to see that enjoyment continue,” Darby said.

However, on Monday, council issued a statement saying it “does not have any control over the decision to prohibit fishing from the breakwater at Bayswater Marina.

“Consent requires public access when conditions are safe to do so. Provided that access is maintained, the consent remains compliant and there is no basis for enforcement action.

“While we understand this may be disappointing for some members of the community, Bayswater Marina is entitled to set reasonable rules to manage the use and enjoyment of the marina, including whether to allow fishing from specific areas such as the breakwater,” said Robert Laulala, Environmental Monitoring Manager, Auckland Council.

Casting call... Young fishers (from left) Luke Harbour, Finn Gibson, Elliot Chandler, Fletcher Ansley and Harrison Chandler

Lads seek return to prime fishing spot

Keen young fishers are itching to get back on the breakwater – and may defy the ban unless it is found to be legally allowed.

The breakwater is an ideal place for fishing, they say – it’s safer than Torpedo Bay Wharf, which has swift currents, and it yields better catches than Stanley Bay Wharf.

Some children who went fishing from the breakwater after it was reopened to the public were told by boat owners it was not allowed. Parents called the marina office and were told the activity was banned.

Parent Alex Harbour said if the council didn’t sort out the situation soon, the youngsters would start fishing from the breakwater anyway. “If the police come along we would ask them to prove we needed to be removed.”

Fishing was great recreation for the boys, Harbour said. It was getting them outside, away from computer screens and immersed in nature.

Stars come out for Takapuna Grammar’s

Opening and closing nights of Takapuna Grammar School’s production of a musical based on Shortland Street were made extra special for the young cast when actors from the television series and the stage show’s writer turned up to watch.

Among them was original cast member Michael Galvin, whose character Dr Chris Warner remains a stalwart of the long-running soap, and new main character Madeleine McCarthy, who plays nervous trainee surgeon Chloe Atwell. Show regulars speedy ambulance driver Logan Barnes (acted by Carlos Muller) and nurse Selina To’a (Bella Kalolo-Suraj) also attended.

Meet and greets followed the opening night, which was rated highly by the special guests.

“Michael and a few others stayed and talked to them after,” said show co-director and TGS performing arts teacher Campbell MacKenzie.

The television stars also posted about the school musical on their well-followed social media channels.

On the final night, Guy Langford, who co-wrote Shortland Street – The Musical (Teen Issue) with Simon Bennett, attended the show.

He went through TGS several decades ago and it was after his approach that the school decided to be first to stage the new version he had adapted for schools after the musical was first put on by Auckland Theatre Company in 2018.

“It’s a really, really cool show,” said MacKenzie, who worked on the musical with Bruce De Grut, who has steered previous school productions.

About 100 students from Year 9 to 13s were involved. As well as on-stage roles, students played in the band and worked backstage in technical roles and on hair,

Doctors in the house... Shortland Street star Michael Galvin is flanked by student actors Ben Young (left) and Felix Gould, who alternated in playing his character, Dr Chris Warner

makeup and costumes.

Characters of the ensemble cast were immediately familiar to audience members who have followed Shortland Street, which was first broadcast in 1992.

Dr Warner (aka Dr Love) vied for attention with Dr Hone Ropata and a host of other compelling characters.

“We initially weren’t sure how the kids would take it. It’s not a well-known musical. But obviously Shortland Street is wellknown,” said MacKenzie.

“Right from the get-go, they liked it and took it in their stride.”

The show was true to the television series, he said, but with plot points from the early years condensed into fast-moving and at times hilarious action.

Act 1 even ended with a yellow Mack truck crashing through the clinic’s reception, echoing a season-ending cliffhanger of the original series.

Despite the world of streaming making so much other content available to kids today, MacKenzie said a surprising number of the cast had watched the show, even if only because people in their families were following it. “It’s a New Zealand institution.”

musical homage to long-running soap

Spot the VIPs... The cast and crew of Takapuna Grammar School’s production of the Shortland Street musical were joined after their opening night by actors from the television series. For the final performance old boy Guy Langford (right), who co-wrote the stage show, came along.

The performers enjoyed the chance to appear in something from New Zealand, which they don’t often get to do and became quite attached to their characters, MacKenzie said.

“The New Zealandisms of it are the thing that makes it special.”

Dialogue included some te reo and local references included the Sky Tower getting a name drop.

MacKenzie said that early on, the school was put in touch with South Pacific Pictures, makers of the TV show, who agreed to make some videos for the production.

The actors’ offer to visit for opening night

“The New Zealandisms of it are the thing that makes it special.”

came later as a surprise, although word had leaked out among the TGS cast.

“I was worried it would freak them out, but that evening they put on a great show,”

MacKenzie said.

A lot of work goes into such big school

Next OCR cut this month

The next Official Cash Rate (OCR) review is due 28th May and most expect another 25bp cut to 3.25%this should see shorter term fixed rates sneak down towards or below 5%. The longer term fixed rates are driven more by global (particularly US) bond rates and these have actually been rising of late (US 10yr bond up to 4.40%) due to potential price hikes from the Trump tariffs. However their recent inflation data has been pretty benign so it seems their Fed Chair J Powell is not a Trump fan and is resisting cutting rates in the US!

Hence our longer term fixed rates (2yrs plus) will probably stick around the current level between 4.99% and 5.50%, which is a shame because the economic data in NZ is still pretty weak (despite the green shoots sentiment) as things are still tough for most businesses outside of the agri sector - this may see further cuts to the OCR and mortgage rates over the next few months.

productions, he said.

But they are highly valuable in helping students build confidence, skills and a sense of community – all useful in future endeavours. “Without high school productions, I definitely wouldn’t be here teaching at TGS,” he said.

Six performances, with alternating lead casts, were staged at the Bruce Mason Theatre in Takapuna, finishing on May 8.

The final-night verdict came from Langford, who hopes other schools will pick up the production. He told the TGS students they had put on a “brilliant version”.

By Rob Drent

The case of a Fullers ferry employee going to work on a Devonport sailing and to other city locations while infectious with measles (believed to have been caught in Asia) made the national news and was all over social media. But how serious was the health risk really? Not that much if you consider Fullers’ response. I was on the ferry a couple of days after the scare and none of the Fullers staff were wearing masks. Surely these should have been mandatory as Fullers employees could have easily been exposed.

Readers have contacted us rightly shocked that Bayswater Marina Limited (BML) has reopened its breakwater but at the same time banned fishing from it. From my reading on a recent court decision throwing out BML’s closure of the breakwater, nothing in it excludes fishing from activities the public can enjoy on the breakwater.

One reader asks: “Do they have the right to do this? It feels like a powerful corporate is wrongly excluding the peninsula public from an activity they have the legal right to enjoy.” I would agree, and I hope Auckland Council acts quickly to right this wrong. Public access to the breakwater was guaranteed in BML’s original consents. It seems strange behaviour from a company about to start building a major development on the adjacent reclamation. You’d have thought they would have wanted to get the public on side.

Whatever your position on Toni van Tonder staying on the Maunga Authority

after moving to Australia, our article proved useful for some residents. We fielded a couple of calls from locals who needed to speak to her regarding maunga matters but were unable to contact her by phone or through the authority.

Calls for a next-tier competition for the top rugby sides in North Harbour are getting louder, with the North Shore premier side continuing its slaughter of most of the teams in the competition. A regular Shore supporter told me he left mid-way through the second half of Shore’s recent 73-0 demolition of Silverdale as a game so one-sided was hardly a spectator sport. Only one or two teams –such as Northcote or Takapuna – seem to be offering Shore much competition this season.

Fans and players alike deserve games against the best teams in the Auckland Blues franchise area. Possibly the same could be said for schoolboy rugby, with Westlake and Rosmini running up a few cricket scores against other first XVs on the North Shore.

Good to see another crowd-puller in Devonport mid-week, with the Spirit of Devonport tasting event held at the Stone Oven on 14 May. Cafe owner Brendan Kyle showed his cheffing chops with food matches for samples from three Auckland region whisky distilleries. This was the third such event, attracting around 50 locals and visitors, some arriving by ferry. Three women came from Taupo.

More tastings are planned, adding to life in the village, as events at Vic Rd Wine Bar and Vondel, and the ‘First Thursday’ arts programme (with the next instalment coming up on 5 June) have done previously. It’s challenging trading times, so supporting innovative offerings is a great way to encourage vibrancy in the village.

It’s a tough life being an author, it would seem. No matter how famous you are, you

Beautifully crafted cabinetry designed for comfort, style, and timeless appeal

Neo Design specialises in premium kitchens, bathrooms, and bespoke cabinetry, delivering expert craftsman-ship, precision, and flawless finishes. Experience custom designs, superior workmanship, and a commitment to excellence—guaranteed.

Call us for a free consultation

can be consigned to the dustbin – or the next step up, the bargain bin at the Anglican Church op shop in the Arcade, which often has volumes rejected by second-hand booksellers.

Spotted languishing in the stand the other day was Booker Prize winner Eleanor Catton’s Birnham Wood ($6). Famous writers from previous generations were not spared, either. Maurice Shadbolt, a prominent Kiwi writer in the 1970s and 1980s, featured with The New Zealanders ($3); John Steinbeck’s Sweet Thursday carried the same pricetag.

Thanks to everyone who has been in contact following our successes in the New Zealand Community Newspaper Association Awards.

Reporter Lochlan Lineham and I won categories but our journalism is really a joint effort alongside Rangitoto Observer editor and Flagstaff chief reporter Janetta Mackay, advertising manager Candice Izzard, and the rest of our team of part-timers and contractors.

At the annual conference it’s always heartening to meet up with the owners of other papers like ours around the country who produce local journalism for their communities year in, year out.

The Akaroa Mail, for example, has been publishing continuously since 1876.

Not so heartening is the government’s radio silence on regulating around the income sucked out of the media industry by global giants Facebook and Google. It’s estimated that around a billion dollars annually is going overseas to these companies, with barely any of it taxed in New Zealand.

A lot of white noise has emanated from the government’s planned inquiry into limiting social media exposure for under16-year-olds.

Meanwhile, hundreds of jobs and a whole industry are being destroyed due to government inaction over the rapacious tech giants.

CUSTOM KITCHENS, BATHROOMS, AND CABINETRY TO FIT YOUR VISION

Sun-filled family living in Stanley Point

An exceptional family residence by architect Bruce Macfarlane, this striking home combines timeless elegance with modern convenience on a 751sqm freehold site behind secure, automated gates. Sun-filled interiors and bespoke finishes create a calm, sophisticated atmosphere. The expansive open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area is bathed in light from floor-to-ceiling glass and flows to a north-facing outdoor retreat with a custom BBQ, heated concrete pool, and landscaped gardens—perfect for year-round entertaining. Designed for family life, the home balances openplan living with quiet retreats, capturing all-day sun. Built from solid concrete with underfloor hydronic heating, it promises enduring quality and comfort.

bayleys.co.nz/1451745

bayleys.co.nz

5 2 3 2

Set Sale Date (unless sold prior) 4pm, Thu 5 Jun 2025

28 Northcroft Street, Takapuna View Sun 11-11.45am or by appointment

Chris Batchelor 021 217 7026 chris.batchelor@bayleys.co.nz

Top writer checks in

One of the world’s best-selling writers was staying in Devonport this month, finishing off a new book. Ben Macintyre, whose books include works on World War II history and Cold War spying, and whose latest work covers the Iran embassy hostage drama in London in 1980, was a guest at the Michael King Writers Centre on Takarunga. A keynote speaker at the Auckland Writers Festival, Macintyre stayed at the centre for a few days before and after the festival. The residence “was a wonderful place to write,” he told the Flagstaff.

Shore’s streak continues

North Shore rugby’s top three men’s teams had a clean sweep over Northcote sides last Saturday, with the premiers winning 41-10 to take their unbeaten run of games to 34. The premier reserves won 57-24 and the under-21s 27-24. After seven rounds, the premiers lead the North Harbour competition ahead of Massey and Takapuna, who thumped Kumeu 106-0. Shore play Massey this Saturday at Moire Park at 2.45pm. Victory for Shore will almost guarantee a home semi-final. The team’s match winning streak is one of the longest in national club-rugby history.

Claystore would make great bar – board chair

From page 1

Board deputy chair Terence Harpur said indications were $1.5m could double to $3m. Council operations manager Eloi Fonseca, confirmed to the Flagstaff this week that more cost scoping was needed. He also said another safety check would be done in the next few months to manager any risks.

The building’s warrant of fitness is valid until 21 December. But problems with its ‘unsafe” external staircase to the upper level and to Abbotsford Way meant this had been taped off and would be removed.

Powell said she understood a big issue for further study is the connection between the main structure and the retaining wall. She and Fonseca said it made sense to hold off any substantial work until the council’s city-wide property portfolio review next year.

Board members valued the men’s shedstyle workshop, she said. Its users often did jobs for other community groups. “[The workshop] is not something we would like to see lost for the community Powell said.

Sunday Fire

A roof fire in a house in Mays St, Devonport, occurred at around 11am last Sunday. Four fire engines and two police vehicles attended, with Mays St blocked off while the fire was extinguished.

“Whether we could relocate them into a safe place somewhere else is something we would need to discuss.”

Her preference for the 27 Lake Rd site, which is also home to Resource Recovery Devonport and other businesses, is to see some “optimisation” of assets. She says the cash-strapped board is tasked with maintaining too many ageing buildings and could put the money to better use if some were sold.

She suggested the Claystore, if a buyer could be found, might make a fantastic bar with exposed heritage features.

A report from council property arm Eke Panuku, which manages commercial leases at 27 Lake Rd, is due before the board in July.

Community leases on the property –including the Claystore, the gardens and Restoring Takarunga Hauraki’s nursery – are handled by council’s leasing team. Some unused buildings on the site are in disrepair.

The Claystore is not listed as an historic place, but council says it has “historic significance as a remnant piece of the former Auckland Gas and Fire Brick Company works”.

Devonport’s suburbs comparatively leafy

Tree-canopy coverage in the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area is highest around Cheltenham and Devonport at 23 per cent, council surveys show.

The lowest coverage is Westlake and its surrounding suburbs at 13 per cent, but Belmont is down to 15 per cent and Bayswater and Hauraki 16 per cent.

Stanley Point has 18 per cent coverage and Narrow Neck 19 per cent.

Across the city, fewer big trees are to be found on private land than previously, leading to an Auckland Council push for more planting on public land.

Its principal adviser Urban Ngahere, Howell Davies, said aerial photography in 2023, compared with earlier mapping, showed the decline in most cases related to intensification, more of which was allowed under the Auckland Unitary Plan.

Davies said the aim for the region was to reach 30 per cent coverage.

Planting of species that would grow into large trees was most urgent as these were disappearing the fastest, he told a recent local board workshop.

The combined DTLB area canopy coverage sits at 16.4 percent. The heavily wooded neighbouring Kaipatiki Local Board area has 30.3 per cent canopy coverage.

large trees, including the significant avenue

along the Memorial Drive section of Lake Rd. The trees created eco-system benefits and shelter around the golf course.

Shade from trees also helped lower surface temperatures, which were noticeably higher in some parts of Auckland.

The focus for council planting was to find the “right tree for the right place”, he said. In the DTLB area most efforts would be in the more depleted northern areas.

Board members asked if the right trees were always planted, citing issues along grass verges and with blocked drains and planting in some open-space areas of parks. They also wanted more consultation.

Deputy chair Terence Harpur urged the Urban Ngahere team to explore more planting in wetland areas, including coastal parts of the peninsula and along the edge of O’Neill’s Point cemetery. Boggy and steep marginal areas were ideal for large trees, he said, because people could not readily use the space.

Davies said other such areas were around Barrys Pt Rd and motorway edges. Planting on reserves could also lower mowing costs. He was keen to work with the board and Auckland Transport to develop future local planting plans and said a minimum of $10,000 would be needed to kick-start

Thursday 29th May at 12pm In Rooms (Unless Sold Prior)

As advertised or by appointment cooperandco.co.nz/L24195398

Step into a masterfully redesigned residence that effortlessly blends elegance, practicality, and breathtaking scenery. Perfectly crafted for multi-generational living, this exceptional home in Narrow Neck offers space, comfort, and the rare opportunity to create lifelong memories under one roof.

Maria Stevens 021 979 084 Marissa Muirhead 021 337 222

As advertised or by appointment cooperandco.co.nz/L34086729

This home boasts character features such as lead-light windows and bungalow ceilings. The large living areas are thoughtfully designed, blending classic charm with modern functionality. The north-facing rear ensures that natural light floods into the home, creating a bright and airy atmosphere throughout the day.

Gary Potter 021 953 021

Ben Potter 027 953 0210

Thursday 12th June at 12.00pm In Rooms (Unless Sold Prior)

Lovingly held by the same family since 1912, this iconic grand old lady is now ready for her next chapter. Opportunities like this are incredibly rare — especially in such a tightly held, highly sought-after location just steps from the waterfront.

Restore her to her former glory and create something truly special.

Visit the open home and view the gallery of photographs and some of the background history. Steps to Devonport waterfront and Cheltenham beach

Elevated corner site

Great bones to be refurbished

Executor has made his instructions to us very clear and that is to pass this grand old lady into new hands at auction on the 12th June 2025.

Maria Stevens 021 979 084 maria.stevens@harcourts.co.nz

Marissa Muirhead 021 337 222 marissa.muirhead @harcourts.co.nz

Brothers and sister act out in front as rookie

The Devonport peninsula Waterwise finals turned into a family affair, with the winning boat containing twins and a brother and sister.

Hauraki School were clear winners, with a crew of twin brothers Henry and Han Yu (10) and brother and sister Lydia (11) and Leo Li (10).

Asked who was the skipper of the boat, after some consideration the quartet named Lydia as their unanimous choice.

All the peninsula schools were represented at the finals day held at Narrow Neck.

Following Hauraki were Belmont, Bayswater, Vauxhall, Stanley Bay, Devonport and St Leos primary schools.

None of the students had done any sailing prior to their Waterwise course, which is run by volunteers.

Making a splash...

The winning Hauraki team in action

Left: Elyse Hilder (10) from Stanley Bay Right: Action on the water

Warmer: Thermal insulation levels that far exceed even thermally broken aluminium.

Quieter: Combined with doubleglazing, our uPVC windows offer excellent soundproofing.

Secure: Our uPVC windows and doors employ a multi-point locking mechanism for a safe, secure home.

Durable: Built to withstand 40 years in NZ conditions, with minimal maintenance.

Reduces or eliminates condensation.

boaties show they’ve learned the ropes

Rapid response... Waterwise organiser Fi Smith leads the charge up the boat ramp at Narrow Neck Beach during the Waterwise regatta

Belmont Park Racquets Club tennis champs

Jacqui Anderson took out the Belmont Park Racquets Club women’s tennis title for the 18th time this month, beating regular finalist Vanesa Cutfield.

In the men’s singles, Euan Colley won his first title, beating Luke Bodle, and going the whole tournament without losing a set. Colley was also in the winning men’s doubles and mixed-doubles combinations. Women’s doubles winners Vanesa Cutfield and Kirsty Gardyne ended the dominance of Cath Hinds and Jacqui Anderson, who had won nine previous titles in a row together.

This year’s club championships had 109 players competing with 219 matches played.

The winners were –Men’s Singles Championship (Belmont Cup): Euan Colley; runner-up Luke Bodle. Intermediate Men’s Singles: Louis Yalland; runner-up Steve Gulik. Women’s Singles Championship: Jacqui Anderson; runner-up Vanesa Cutfield. Intermediate Women’s Singles: Camilla CampbellCree; runner-up Samantha Steel. Women’s Doubles: Vanesa Cutfield/Kirsty Gardyne, runners-up Jacqui Anderson/Cath Hinds. Women’s Intermediate Doubles: Julie Fausett/ Trudi Hamilton; runners-up Nicole Bremner/ Catherine Moroney. Men’s Doubles: Euan Colley/ Benny Welte; runners-up Brady James and Derrick Travers. Mixed-doubles division 1: Louise Welte/Euan Colley; runners-up Graeme Norman/ Jacqui Anderson. Mixed-doubles division 2: Ben and Hannah Mulligan; runners-up Sam Kater/ Samantha Steel.

Interclub winners

Two Belmont Park Racquets Club teams won their interclub grades in the 2024-2025 North Harbour competition: Men’s Singles Grade 4 Winners – Fraser Brown (captain), Rob Snow, Chris Morrison, Marcus Steele and Matt Senior; and Men’s Singles Grade 5 Winners – Ben Mulligan (captain), Steve Gulik, Sam Kater, Josh Lake and Mark O’Connell.

Women’s champion Jacqui Anderson (right) with runner-up Vanesa Cutfield

Men’s doubles winners (from right to left) Euan Colley and Benny Welte with runners-up Brady James and Derrick Travers

Mixed-doubles championship winners Louise Welte and Euan Colley

Men’s champion Euan Colley (right) with runner-up Luke Bodle

Women’s doubles winners Kirsty Gardyne (left) and Vanesa Cutfield

Buying local pays off for competition winner

Linda Cassells won a $1000 pressie voucher in a Devonport Business Association Mother’s Day competition – and is planning to spend the money at village outlets. “I really support local,” she said. “I love the shops we have here.”

To enter the competition Cassells made purchases from Paradox Books and the SPCA op shop.

Devonport Business Improvement District (BID) manager Tabitha Coleman said the 10-day promotion was a great success, with more than 600 entries. The association was looking at putting on more similar promotions.

Collecting her prize… Linda Cassells, flanked by Hammer Hardware’s Trevor Dean and Devonport BID manager Tabitha Coleman

New Listing

FOR SALE

6 Church Street, Devonport

Positioned in one of Auckland’s most tightly held seaside suburbs, this is a sanctuary that embodies lifestyle, charm, and location in perfect harmony. Ideal for downsizers seeking simplicity, professionals chasing lifestyle, young families looking to put down roots, or investors searching for a premium seaside address with enduring appeal.

Proudly marketed by The EK Group - delivering prestige, passion, and property without parallel. raywhite.co.nz/PBY30923 Megan Jaffe Real Estate Limited Licensed (REAA 2008)

Auction 1:00pm, 09 June 2025 at 3 Pompallier Terrace, Ponsonby (Unless Sold Prior)

View Saturday & Sunday 12:00-12:30pm, and by private appointment

1/19 MONTGOMERY AVENUE

If you’re seeking the perfect first home or downsizing in this beautiful area, look no further. 1/19 Montgomery Ave is calling your name!

barfoot.co.nz/906425

SALE By Negotiation

VIEWING

Please Call Us To Arrange

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681

The time is nigh, make your best decsion today! Located in a peaceful culde-sac, this spacious home is just a short walk to beaches and schools.

barfoot.co.nz/909267

2/59 NORWOOD ROAD

OUR VENDOR WISHES TO SEE ALL OFFERS, so please come and view this spacious top floor unit with views today.

barfoot.co.nz/908933

VIEWING Sat/Sun 1:00-1:30pm

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681

Price By Negotiation

VIEWING

Please Call Us To Arrange

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681

9/4A AUBURN STREET

The Perfect Blend of Comfort & Community in central Takapuna. Suits 55 years plus searching for a perfect downsizer that's not a retirement village.

barfoot.co.nz/910899

Price By Negotiation

VIEWING

Please Call Us To Arrange

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681 FOR SALE

BAYSWATER

Proudly perched above the waters of this Bayswater cul de sac, this family home offers more than its fair share of spectacular views.

barfoot.co.nz/910627

By Negotiation VIEWING Sunday 1:00-1:30 pm

Toni Gregory 021 044 3663

Alexandra Corbin 021 643 673

VENDOR SAYS PRESENT ALL OFFERS OVER $699.000

Stunning apartment with tandem garaging.

barfoot.co.nz/904851

- Dual Westlake Zone - Stylish & Secluded - Total Floor 209m² - Excellent Living - Private Courtyard - Motivated Vendors

barfoot.co.nz/910854

Ron Sadler BCom, AREINZ 021 613 546

By Negotiation VIEWING By Appointment

Cathy Fiebig 021 383 149

Tim Roskruge 0274 923 125

18A STRATFORD AVENUE

What's in the Garage! There is something very special about this luxury 4 bedroom townhouse! T&C's apply but call me right now for details!

barfoot.co.nz/910996

SALE By Negotiation VIEWING Sat/Sun 1:00-1:45 pm

Lance Richardson 021 796 660

Plenty left in the tank for ex-miltary man

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Syd Dewes talks to Rob Drent about his solo journey on Te Araroa, his heartfelt legacy of serving in Afghanistan and plans for the centenary of the Devonport RSA.

Syd Dewes was so deeply affected by his deployment in Afghanistan that he fought for years to bring two local interpreters who worked for his unit to New Zealand – safely away from the Taliban.

In 2007-2008, Dewes was a patrol commander in charge of a team of 12, including the two interpreters. Deployments would take the unit deep into the Afghanistan hinterland, sometimes six hours’ drive from the army’s main base.

Interpreters Abdul and Moshen “kept us safe”, Dewes says. They were the patrol’s eyes and ears in Afghan society, advising what was happening in the wider community and region.

A testamount to their work: “We never received fire,” Dewes said.

The Taliban regarded them as collaborators with the foreign soldiers, which led Dewes to make a personal commitment to help facilitate a move to New Zealand.

Moshen came into the country as a result of a government-sponsored refugee scheme in 2012, while Abdul got here in 2010 through Dewes’ own “direct efforts through [the Department of] Immigration”.

They are both living in Auckland, with a years-long battle to bring Abdul’s wider family to New Zealand being successful in 2024.

“I felt a huge commitment to them. We employed them, they were on contract. They put their lives at risk for us,” Dewes said. Once the New Zealand patrol left, it was clear the Taliban “would be coming for them”.

Dewes’ success in getting them to New Zealand might be a reflection of his MO from years in the military: make a plan, work out how to do it and then execute it.

He grew up in Tikitiki, north of Gisborne, attended Ngata Memorial College at Ruatoria and then had a year at Gisborne Boys High before joining the army in 1976, straight from school.

Selected for officer training, he spent six months in Waiouru and then went to the Officer Cadet School in Portsea, Australia. He retired from the Defence Force in 2023, after 20 years in the regular army and stints in the army reserves and as a defence contractor “in and out of the regular army”.

He served overseas in Singapore and England and was deployed to the Middle East (Egypt, Israel, Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan) and Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands.

His overseas work had other life-changing benefits as well. In Jerusalem on a posting, he travelled to Syria for a function and first saw his future wife Juliet walking down the stairs at the Meridian Hotel in Damascus – “I thought wow”.

With Irishwoman Juliet living in London, a posting to Plymouth allowed the romance to blossom. The couple married in 1990 and moved to Belmont in 1996.

Leaving the army, Dewes was “looking for new challenges”. His mind flicked back to films shown when he was at primary school,which included reels of Nepalese sherpas hauling equipment up Mt Everest and footage of Tanzania featuring Mt Kilimanjaro. He was drawn to the mountains.

Dewes (now 68) and a cancer survivor had tramped the Milford, Routeburn and Abel Tasman and the Heaphy Great Walks, and the Round the Mountain track at Ruapehu. He had climbed Mt Kinabalu in Malaysia twice and completed the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. He was reasonably fit.

But he started working out with personal trainer Dean Rice at the North Shore Rugby Club gym to prepare for a month-long trip to Nepal and Everest base camp, and a nine-day expedition to ascend Kilimanjaro.

He found the trek through local villages to Everest base camp fascinating. “The people and the spirituality of the place... the contrast of the sheer beauty of the mountains, but knowing the danger they present.”

Ascending Kilimanjaro was a very different experience, with the glaciers at the top of the Tanzanian mountain a visual highlight.

Back in New Zealand, walking the

3000km Te Araroa trail from Cape Reinga to Bluff became Dewes’ next challenge. “I set about planning in a way similar to how I prepared for military deployments in the army.” His “mission” was to start in October 2024 and get to Bluff by March 2025.

Planning involved training with Rice three times a week, supplemented by extra gym sessions to increase his leg and upper-body strength. He’d fill up his pack and walk up the slopes and paths of Takarunga. “I pretty much did all my training around Devonport.”

Preparation extended to having a steroid injection to free up a sore hip prior to the expedition.

His main concern was the trail section in the Richmond Ranges, southeast of Nelson, renowned for its remoteness, steepness, narrow tracks, river crossings and unstable scree slopes. “I’m older and not as agile as I was.”

The potential for injury was always a concern for a solo tramper. Dewes carried a personal locator beacon strapped to his chest “so it was always accessible” and a satellite communicator to “text home every day so I could provide an update on where I was and that everything was fine”.

His only injury was severe blisters early on. “I had to have three days off in Kerikeri after they became infected.”

He got lost occasionally, losing sight of the orange track markers – “sometimes I

Life of pie... Walking Te Araroa, Syd Dewes lost count of the pies he ate to refuel on days off the trail

couldn’t see them through the mist”. Others were on trees that had fallen.

Sandflies in the South Island were so ferocious, Dewes would have to eat dinner in his tent.

After finishing the walk, the seriousness of Dewes’ hip condition became apparent – he has surgery planned this year. “The determination to complete the trail had the effect of masking the pain and discomfort.”

Dewes started the walk at 85kg and finished it at 79.5kg – only three kilograms more than on his enrolment date in the army in 1976. “I ate reasonably well on the trail,” he says, but 131 days carrying a pack took care of any excess fat.

He coped with the mental challenge by having a set daily routine: waking at 5.15am, followed by eating and packing up and on the trail by 6.30am. He averaged 17km a day, with his longest day a trek of 39.6 km. He finished walking at 4pm every day, set up camp, had dinner, wrote in his diary, ‘sit-reped’ home and was asleep at 7.30pm.

between 12 and 15kg, depending on food and water needed and consumed 2500–2700 calories a day to maintain body weight.

He was deficient by around 500 calories per day, “equating to needing a meat pie a day in addition to what I was eating”. He would often make up for it during a break from the trail, “losing count” of the number of pies consumed. The best pies were from the Mangamuka Dairy in the north, he says.

Everything he carried was pared down to the bare essentials: a tent at 850gms, quilt sleeping cover, one change of clothes for night wear and – his one luxury – an air mattress to give him a good night’s sleep.

Dewes didn’t even have a head torch: his packing was so meticulous he knew where everything was in his tent and pack, even in the dark. A torch weighed 115gm – extra weight Dewes did not want. His medical kit was cut back to a bare minimum. Vital items were included, nice-to-haves rejected.

“It feels a bit like going cold turkey, when you come back into the noise and clutter of urban life. It was quite a challenge and readjustment.”

Dewes never walked to the point of exhaustion, cognisant that mistakes and injuries often happen due to tiredness. “I was very conscious of keeping myself safe so I could finish the trail.”

The dangers involved became all too real with the news that a lone walker three days ahead of Dewes in the South Island had slipped and fallen to her death.

While walking alone and staying mainly in his tent, Dewes would buddy up with fellow walkers on some of the more technical parts of the walk, such as the Richmond Ranges. On difficult sections, “my pace also slowed – I was more mindful of the danger of when tired, how one’s concentration, focus and balance can be impaired.”

Over the trail he wore out two pairs of hiking shoes and a pair of hiking boots; typically travelled with a pack weighing

“It was my military training – get organised... I never lost or left an item of equipment behind.”

His only gear failure was a bent walking pole when he slipped over.

Although always comfortable in his own company, Dewes knew the mental challenges of a solo walk would be tough alongside the physical exertions. “It was a test of mental resilience, attitude, determination and physical ability. Without doubt, it was an adventure of a lifetime.”

When he returned home it was difficult to settle back into everyday life. Dewes had heard of the post-Te Araroa blues and suffered them to a degree. “It may sound dramatic but it’s like a state of depression.

“For quite some time, you’ve been in a unique zone – in an environment where you become quite tuned in to the isolation that I particularly enjoyed, and it facilitated a purging of all the clutter we are exposed

On the trail... Enjoying the wide open spaces and (below) keeping his sense of humour

to in our day-to-day lives.

“You are free to feel, smell and taste nature... I was able to sense the life force of our mountains, forests, rivers and alpine regions.

“Having been in that space, when you have finished it feels a bit like going cold turkey, when you come back into the noise and clutter of urban life. It was quite a challenge and readjustment.”

Dewes says it was not unlike coming home after a military deployment.

Other military men have sought out his advice about the trail, including a former Brigadier planning to do the walk this October. “He came around for the whole day and we went through how Syd approached it...it was military to military so we spoke the same language.”

Dewes hopes to get back into the New Zealand natural world at some stage, but his next stop is a trip to Europe and Ireland with Juliet, which will include a family reunion at an ancestral home, Querrin House, in County Clare.

Back in Devonport in June, Dewes, a trustee of the Devonport RSA Memorial Trust, will be working on plans for the RSA’s 100th anniversary celebrations in 2027. “We want to partner with community groups and businesses to put together an event programme that acknowledges our Devonport community’s involvement and service to our country.”

MATARIKI

Sunday 1 June

Matariki Star Hunt Competition

Te Hau Kapua - Village-wide, All day

Pick up a Star Map from the Devonport Library, Community House, or selected local businesses, then explore the village to find all 9 Matariki stars in shop windows.

Submit your completed map to go in the draw to win a $200 local shopping voucher. devonport.co.nz

Sunday 1 June

Te Hau Kapua (Devonport)

Celebrate Matariki 2025

Te Hau Kapua June / July

Matariki Opening

Band Rotunda, Windsor Reserve, 5pm Music and kapa haka at the rotunda. Haere mai, all welcome!

Sunday 1 Friday 27 June

Sunday 1 - Friday 27 June

Matariki Star Activity

Torpedo Bay Navy Museum

Drop in and make your own Matariki whetū (star). navymuseum.co.nz

Saturday 7 June

Matariki Tamariki

Devonport Community House, 2-4pm Whānau fun day devonportcomhouse.com

Saturday 7 June

Takarunga Hīkoi

Whare Toi (24 Kerr St), 4:30pm

Hīkoi up Takarunga (Mount Victoria)

Bookings Essential devonportcomhouse.com

Whare Toi (24 Kerr St), 4:30pm Hīkoi up Takarunga (Mount Victoria) Bookings Essential devonportcomhouse.com

Sunday 8 June

Community Potluck Hakari Feast

Ngau-te-ringaringa Community Nursery & North Shore United Football Clubhouse, 3-7pm Fun activities, Matāuranga Māori, and food for everyone, haere mai!

Ngau-te-ringaringa Community Nursery & North Shore United Football Clubhouse, 3-7pm Fun activities, Matāuranga Māori, and food for everyone, haere mai! Please bring some kai to share if you can. info@rth.org.nz | rth.org.nz/matariki Celebrate Matariki 2025 Devonport Te Hau Kapua June / July

Community Potluck Hakari Feast

Ngau-te-ringaringa Community Nursery & North Shore United Football Clubhouse, 3-7pm Fun activities, Matāuranga Māori, and food for everyone, haere mai!

Please bring some kai to share if you can.

info@rth.org.nz | rth.org.nz/matariki

Please bring some kai to share if you can. info@rth.org.nz | rth.org.nz/matariki

Wednesday 11 June

Devonport Library Associates

Marae Visit

159 Bayswater Ave, 7pm

Danny Watson and whānau invite you to He Manu Hopukia Marae. All welcome, koha appreciated.

Saturday 14 June - Saturday 26 July

Ruaruawhetū – Weaving Design

Celebrating the Stars

DEPOT Artspace

Exhibition Opening & Artist Talk: Sat 14 June, 2-4pm

Tuesday 17 June

Nursery Open Day

Ngau-te-ringaringa

Community Nursery rth.org.nz/events

From Thursday 19 June

Screenings of Kōkā and Elio The Vic Theatre thevic.co.nz

Screenings of Kōkā and Elio

The Vic Theatre thevic.co.nz

Friday 20 June

Te Hau Kapua

This exhibition features work from 17 artists, spanning individual and collectively produced raranga (weaving). Raranga Workshop Seriesregister at depot.org.nz

This exhibition features work from 17 artists, spanning individual and collectively produced raranga (weaving).

Raranga Workshop Seriesregister at depot.org.nz

Saturday 14 June

Matariki Festival

Saturday 14 June Matariki Festival

Bayswater Primary School, 3pm BYO firewood for the bonfire!

Sunday 15 June

Winter Swim

Screenings of Kōkā and Elio

Saturday 28 June - Sunday 13 July

Matariki Activities

Devonport Library

Matariki Activities

Devonport Library

Matariki activities for tamariki during the school holidays.

Saturday 28 June

Raranga Workshop

Rose Centre, 9am-1pm Free, limited spaces. rosecentre.co.nz

Te Hau Kapua Kapa Haka Ropu Performance

Kapa Haka Ropu Performance

The Vic Theatre, 2-3pm

The Vic Theatre, 2-3pm Nau mai haere mai ki The Vic. Come and learn waiata and a haka with the local Te Hau Kapua Kapa Haka group. thevic.co.nz

Nau mai haere mai ki The Vic. Come and learn waiata and a haka with the local Te Hau Kapua Kapa Haka group.

Nau mai haere mai ki The Vic. Come and learn waiata and a haka with the local Te Hau Kapua Kapa Haka group. thevic.co.nz

Friday 20 June

Matariki Celebration

Lake House Arts, 4pm

Artisan markets and entertainment. Free entry. lakehousearts.org.nz

Saturday 28 June

Fried Bread Competition

Rose Centre, 2-3pm

Entry $10, limited spaces. rosecentre.co.nz

Sunday 29 June

Matariki Market Day

Sunday 15 June

Winter Swim

Windsor Reserve, 11am Haere mai, all welcome!

Sunday 22 June

Windsor Reserve, 11am Haere mai, all welcome!

Windsor Reserve, 11am

Haere mai, all welcome!

Sunday 15 June

Auckland Youth Symphonic Orchestra

Devonport Ferry Terminal, 1pm Haere mai, all welcome!

Sunday 15 June - Saturday 19 July

Community Tree-Planting

• 15 June - Coastal fringe on Jim Titchner Parade, 2-4pm

• 23 June - Jutland Reserve, Hauraki, 9:30-11am

• 6 July - Jutland Reserve, Hauraki, 2-4pm

• 19 July - Montomery Reserve, Belmont, 2-4pm

Haere mai, all welcome! Equipment and refreshments provided. Please wear sturdy shoes or boots. rth.org.nz/events

• 19 July - Montomery Reserve, Belmont, 2-4pm Haere mai, all welcome! Equipment and refreshments provided. Please wear sturdy shoes or boots. rth.org.nz/events

Exhibition Opening

Lake House Arts, 4pm

Lake House Arts, 4pm Featuring works by Natanahira Pona. Free entry. lakehousearts.org.nz

Featuring works by Natanahira Pona. Free entry. lakehousearts.org.nz

Lake House Arts, 4pm Featuring works by Natanahira Pona. Free entry. lakehousearts.org.nz

Sunday 22 June

Community Hāngī & Kapa Haka

Devonport Community House, 4pm

Kapa haka from 4pm, kai from 6pm.

Bookings Essential devonportcomhouse.com

Rose Centre, 10am-2pm

Streetwear, crafts, jewellery, handmade cards, waiata, art, raranga (weaving), kai. kiaora@rosecentre.co.nz

Sunday 29 June

Candle-Making Workshop

Streetwear, crafts, jewellery, handmade cards, waiata, art, Candle-Making Workshop

Candle-Making Workshop

Rose Centre, 10am-1pm

Entry $35, learn to make a gorgeous sustainable candle to take home with you! terehia@rth.org.nz

Saturday 26 July

Takarunga Night Walk

Whare Toi (24 Kerr St), 7-8pm rth.org.nz/events

NAU MAI HAERE MAI

An inconvenience truth How about an arts residency?

Your article about Tūpuna Maunga Authority management continuing from across the ditch (9 May) brings to mind that nowhere on Mt Victoria, which lies 3km across the harbour from the largest city in New Zealand, is there water or a toilet facility. Nor is there likely to be as planning consent is “awaited”. Ironically, the summit reservoir once supplied water pumped from distant Lake Pupuke to quench the people of Devonport more than half a century ago.

David Barker

We have the world-famous Michael King Writers Centre in Devonport. Over 150 writers have enjoyed residencies there over the last 20 years. We have three council-owned houses on Torpedo Bay that don’t have a certain future. Maybe one of these houses could become a world-famous Artist in Residence location?

The Tylee Cottage in Whanganui has

Despite a judge’s ruling that the public should have free access to the breakwater at Bayswater, it remains closed to fisher folk. Prominent signs indicate they are banned

been serving that community as an Artist in Residence location for 39 years.

The current exhibition at the new Sarjeant Gallery in Whanganui is a terrific example of the value added to the wider community. More than 10 of the artists included have spent time at the Tylee cottage at some stage in their career.

Grant Alexander

from the breakwater. This situation raises many questions about public rights that need resolving.

Alec Hill

• New builds and renovations

• Rewires

• Home network cabling

• Wall-mount TVs

• Home theatre

LocaL to Devonport

Call Peter Cairns for your free quotation

Phone 021 858 243 or 445 4675

email allsafe.electrical@xtra.co.nz

Painting & Decorating Specialists

Serving Auckland

Interior and Exterior – New and existing, roofs, fences, decks and balustrading, wallpaper stripping, paint stripping, gib stopping, pressure cleaning. Accredited Lead-based Removal Specialists.

Office: 445 8099

email: info@bissetltd.co.nz www.bissetltd.co.nz

Andrew Holloway Floorsander

• Floorsanding

• Polyurethaning and staining

• Tongue and Groove repairs

• Serving Devonport since 1995

• Tongue and Groove repairs

• Serving Devonport since 1995

Please phone for a free quote Phone 027 285 4519

ahfloorsanding@xtra.co.nz

ahfloorsanding@xtra.co.nz www.ahfloorsanding.co.nz

Plumbing, Gasfitting, Drainage, Roof Leaks

MAINTENANCE SPECIALISTS

Prompt courteous service

Fully insured for your peace of mind Certifying Plumber, Gasfitter and Drainlayer Call

Landscaping Devonport

Garden design and construction

Whether you are planning a garden refresh or a full renovation, we can help with all the planning, construction and planting. Including decks, retaining, pergolas, paving and fencing. Everything outdoors! Call Steve on 021 345 694 www.naturalgardens.co.nz

John Bisset LtD

Trades & Services

Whether you are planning a garden refresh or a full renovation, let us work with you to define your vision so that you can proceed with a plan. Call Steve on 021 345 694

Cheaper Bayswater Park rooms upgrade favoured

The “not fit for purpose” Bayswater Park sports changing rooms should be demolished and replaced for $1.1 to $1.2 million, council staff have recommended, but the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board wants more information about a cheaper option.

Board members asked staff to report back on renovating the concrete part of the building to provide two changing rooms and public toilets, accessible from the outside. An early estimate costed this option at $894,000.

Member George Wood said this month that upgrades had been discussed ever since he was first elected to the board in 2016.

North Shore United Football Club has long sought improvements to the rooms it leases.

In summer, the park is used for adult and children’s cricket and touch and school zone days, but the building has no separate spaces for women and girls.

Renewals funding of $560,000 was set aside for facilities last year, but to progress matters, including future funding allocations, options need to be explored and narrowed.

Neil Atkinson, an Auckland Council parks programme manager, said the two sections of building, one older and wooden and the other concrete block, were both in poor condition.

They were currently not fit for purpose, he said. Initial testing showed a medium seismic risk and small amounts of asbestos.

The wooden building, once a rugby league clubroom, was now used as football changing rooms. Toilets and communal showers in the concrete block section were out of action.

The football club had scaled back its earlier expectations to focus on decent changing rooms, plus toilets and storage.

Parks staff will report back to the board with more information on the cheaper option before it gives the go-ahead for detailed consenting and tendering.

Inaugural TGS Golf Open a huge hit

Sixty enthusiastic student golfers teed off at the inaugural TGS Golf Open at Waitematā Golf Club, an event set to become an annual highlight. The tournament featured three divisions; a 9-hole Ambrose, an 18-hole Handicap, and an 18-hole Strokeplay, offering students of all ages and skill levels the chance to compete.

Highlights included Year 13 student Danny Glass scoring his first-ever hole-in-one, and Year 11’s Will Mutch shooting a personal best 67 (3 under par) to win the Strokeplay division. Robin Millar won the 18hole Handicap, while Isobel Tuttle

Sellout shows for Shortland Street

Takapuna Grammar's production of Shortland Street: The Musical - Teen Issue was a huge success with soldout shows and stellar performances from our student cast. The adaptation of New Zealand's favourite soap opera featured infamous lines and memorable characters such Dr Ropata, junior receptionist Kirstie Knight and "Doctor Love" Chris Warner.

The audiences loved it, including current "Shorty" stars Michael Galvin and former TGS student Madeleine McCarthy. Along with other stars, Galvin and McCarthy came to opening night and spent time with

Pink Shirt Day

Hundreds of students and staff came together on Pink Shirt Day, going allout in pink to take a stand against bullying. The nationwide campaign aims to create safe, inclusive environments where everyone feels valued. The event embraced the kaupapa of Pink Shirt Day - “Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora - Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying” - to promote kindness, respect and diversity within the school community. Everyone from our Special Education Department to teachers got involved in the spirit of the day.

and Jessica Ellis took first in the girls’ 9-hole Ambrose. Danny Glass and Jude Leonard won the boys’ 9-hole Ambrose. Prizes were generously provided by Fairway Finds, founded by Jack Li, and Overnight Leader, established by Hugo Sweetman,

our students after the show. Around 100 students helped bring the show to life on stage and behind the scenes. Co-Director Campbell MacKenzie said their enthusiasm was key to the show’s success. “A slapstick show can only work if the performances are top-notch, and I genuinely think our actors and musicians delivered.”

And the TGS teen version of the musical is just the start. TGS Alumnus and co-writer of the show, Guy Langford, was so impressed he

both recent TGS alumni and Win the Day Golf. Waitematā Golf Club’s hospitality ensured the tournament ran smoothly and is poised to become a regular fixture on the school’s sporting calendar, with excitement already building for next year’s event.

asked our students to help promote the show to other schools - another great opportunity for our students to showcase their talents.

Photo credit: Noah Stohr-Waldren

20 years ago from the Flagstaff files

• The purchase of the Devonport Wharf building is being investigated by North Shore City Council.

• Devonport firefighters rescue Milly the budgie after she fell down a hole in a kitchen cupboard and got stuck.

• Devonport businessman Les Smith

erects a new flagpole behind his offices at Belmont shops to rotate his collection of 15 flags from around the world.

• Zoe Brentnall of Takapuna Grammar School wins a $3000 university scholarship after attaining the top history marks in New Zealand in NCEA exams.

NAKED AESTHETICS

Anti Wrinkle, Dermal Fillers, Skin Rejuvenation

As a registered nurse and Devonport resident, Claire specializes in Botox, dermal filler, and skin rejuvenation treatments. Her practice is built on a strong foundation of facial anatomy, beautification, and harmony. Furthermore, she is involved in training fellow healthcare professionals in the art of aesthetics.

Book your complimentary consultation www.nakedaesthetics.co.nz

Gianni Russo

REVENGE OF THE BOX the future is now?

Exhibition: 22 to 27 May 10am to 2 pm 61A Victoria Rd, Devonport

• A $5000 tree-planting programme for Mt Victoria is dropped by the Devonport Community Board. Street trees will be planted instead.

• Remedial work starts on poorly maintained footpaths and driveways on Wynyard St.

• North Shore Rugby Club is losing half of its bar turnover due to the closure of its fields at Vauxhall Rd.

• Pansies and petunias will continue to be grown in Devonport’s public gardens despite high maintenance costs.

• A Devonport youth council will be established to give teenagers a say in what community activities they want.

• A man charged with stealing $7000 from the Devonport Arts Festival goes to court for a depositions hearing after spending more than four years trying to have the case thrown out of court.

• Historian Rod Cornelius traces the 150year history of the Presbyterian church in Devonport.

It Together: Precision Skin Cancer Care, Every Step of the Way

Glass and minds blown: looking back at the arty 80s

At the recent ‘Our Devonport’ event, Satellite2 gallery owner Lynn Lawton – a former Depot stalwart – took attendees back to creative Devonport in the 1980s.

Our tour of the Devonport creative landscape in the 1980s begins on the summit of Takarunga, at The Bunker. Auckland’s oldest surviving folk-music club was established by folk singer and Devonport icon Roger Giles, who for nearly 50 years was a virtual godfather of the Auckland folk scene. He and life partner Hilary Condon were ‘the folk’ who made folk music work in the city. Giles was also the unofficial guardian of the maunga, a familiar figure picking up rubbish and known for his dedication to the care of our local environment.

The Devonport Community House was a creative hub with a range of classes run by colourful local characters. Caroline Sills’ gorgeous, garrulous mother, Babe Mathias, ruled over the Leisure Painters; Merle Woodhams took life-drawing classes; Merylyn Tweedie taught art to children; Shirley Thomas (Jan Mason’s mother) took music appreciation.

The Community House also ran workshops in the Claystore, including the pottery classes run by Devonport Library Associates’ Suanne Lorimer. In 1986, the Claystore became a community workshop, manned by volunteer retired tradesmen. It has been available to the local community for the past 37 years.

At the top of Victoria Rd were two cinemas — the Victoria (The Vic) and the State. Built in 1912, The Vic survived fire and was held by multiple owners. Today it is thriving, thanks to the vision and relentless work of the Victoria Theatre Trust and theatre operator Philipp Jaser.

Not so fortunate across the road for the State, lost to undeterred property development in 1995. Just days after the theatre’s demolition, the law was changed to protect heritage buildings. Unfortunately, too late for the State.

Further down Victoria Rd was a cluster of creative enterprises. Compendium Craft Gallery was established by Pamela Elliot in the building now occupied by Manuka Cafe. Cross over Clarence St to Moonbird Jewellers, where Douglas Sibbald sold his exquisite jewellery and ran night classes. Sibbald grew up in Argentina, trained as a jeweller in Germany, and opened shops in Ibiza, France and England, before moving to Devonport.

Further down the road was the first Flagstaff Gallery, a serious dealer gallery owned and run by Kath Jenkins. It showcased and

Artists in action… Peter Viesnik (left) and Peter Raos set up The Hot Glass Company. Right: Barry Brickell installs tiles at the old Devonport library.

supported Devonport and nationally recognised artists, such as Julia Henderson and Stanley Palmer, who lived locally at the time.

The Esplanade Hotel, now a tragic shadow of its former glorious self, was part of a swinging music scene.

A frequent performer at the Esplanade was local legend Gary Harvey. He has been performing in Devonport from the age of 15, when he was asked to play bass for The Cavemen, one of the first bands to come out of Devonport.

Along King Edward Pde was the muchloved Masonic Tavern. The memorable Boyd Thwaites was manager as it pumped out some serious sounds from this iconic, live-music venue in the 80s. In more recent times, it was home to local bands like The Checks and White Birds and Lemons.

Across the road from the Masonic was The Works, New Zealand’s first working craft collective. It was established in 1979 by borough councillor and planner Mike Pritchard. Local glass artist Peter Raos and potters Ande and Campbell Hegan were among the creatives.

Raos, together with Peter Viesnik, set up The Hot Glass Company, where they used ancient methods for making glass, dating back to 2000 BC. The works closed in 1990, but Raos continues in Devonport to this day from his gallery on Queens Pde.

Back on Victoria Rd, the previous Devonport Library (demolished in 2013) housed 18

terracotta tiles made by potter Barry Brickell. These tiles, reinstalled in the new library in 2015, commemorate past Devonport passenger and car ferry services.

Duders Brickworks at Ngataringa Bay, on the site now occupied by Ryman, was a frequent haunt of Brickell’s. Fascinated by the fire and the kilns, it wasn’t long before his hands began working with clay. In more recent years, he became a frequent resident at the Michael King Writers Centre and exhibitor at the Depot Artspace.

We finish our tour at 3 Victoria Rd, home of the Devonport Borough Council until Devonport’s forced transition in 1989, from identifiable arts village to a less visible part of North Shore City. In 2023, the old borough crest was finally removed by Richard Tong. Tong made the crest after leaving his position of council deputy manager in 1984.

Finally, our snapshot of Devonport’s creative landscape ends with the question posed on the front cover of Metro magazine in August 1989. “Devonport, Paradise Lost?” Perhaps this is a perennial question asked at some time by each of us making Devonport our home.

Tēnā koutou, and welcome to June!

We’re excited to announce our highly anticipated annual Matariki exhibition, as well as a stunning Toi Māori collection in our shop, so read on to ﬁnd out more!

Musical hopeful finds her own path

DEPOT Artspace

Devonport singer-songwriter Oni Kidman is treading the line between personal and universal themes in forging her own place in the music world.

The 21-year-old – who has family ties to the music business – has a new single, House to Myself, ready to release next month, followed by an EP, her second.

DEPOT Artspace

With an exhibition opening an artist talk on Saturday 14 June, 2-4pm, Ruaruawhetū

DEPOT opening June,

- Weaving Design Celebrating the Stars features work from 15 artists, spanning individually and collectively produced raranga (weaving) inspired by the 9 stars of Matariki.

With an exhibition opening an artist talk on Saturday 14 June, 2-4pm, Ruaruawhetū - Weaving Design Celebrating the Stars features work from 15 artists, spanning individually and collectively produced raranga (weaving) inspired by the 9 stars of Matariki.

With an exhibition opening an artist talk on Saturday 14 June, 2-4pm, Ruaruawhetū

It’s a move on from the country-pop genre of her last few years to a more purely pop sound, but with songs that dig deep into some of the issues of the times, including her own struggles with anxiety and self-image.

- Weaving Design Celebrating the Stars features work from 15 artists, spanning individually and collectively produced raranga (weaving) inspired by the 9 stars of Matariki.

Weaving the Stars features from the 9 Matariki.

Coming from across the motu, the artists will also share their knowledge of raranga through a series of weaving workshops. Keep an eye on our website and socials for more info!

DEPOT 3 Vic Road

Coming from across the motu, the artists will also share their knowledge of raranga through a series of weaving workshops. Keep an eye on our website and socials for more info!

Coming from across the motu, the artists will also share their knowledge of raranga through a series of weaving workshops.

Oni, daughter of Kiwi music identity Rikki Morris, recorded the EP with her producer cousin Maude Morris. (Maude’s father, Ian, played in seminal New Zealand band Th’ Dudes and on brother Rikki’s 1988 New Zealand number one single Nobody Else.)

Keep an eye on our website and socials for more info!

Coming across the will knowledge a weaving eye info!

Keep an eye on our website and socials for more info!

DEPOT 3 Vic Road

Growing up in such a musical family certainly helped shape Oni, but so too have her own experiences.

DEPOT 3 Vic Road

Opening with an artist talk on Saturday 7 June, 1-3pm, artist collective Suture presents Liminal, a painting exhibition reﬂecting on how we navigate the complexities of memory, experience, and perception, inviting viewers into a space where the personal and collective intertwine.

Visitors can also browse the DEPOT Shop | Toi Toa collection at 3 Victoria Road for all your gifting needs, including our Maker of the Month for June - Changing Tides, who’s hand-carved pounamu necklaces and earrings are stunning taonga.

She talks thoughtfully about what it is like to try to build a career and how developing her own self-confidence is a part of this. She acknowledges family support has been a boon, including going on tour last year as the opening act for Rikki, but says getting cutthrough still requires craft and commitment.

“I just want to make music. I don’t want to be famous or anything – if it was up to me I’d be in the studio every day.”

Visit depot.org.nz for more info and stay up to date by subscribing to our e-news!

Oni has worked away on her songwriting in her bedroom at home since leaving Takapuna Grammar School at an early stage. “I have dyslexia and all throughout my school life my teachers struggled to teach me,” she says. Her anxiety issues kept her out of high school productions.

Oni enjoys challenging herself by crafting what she comes up with and says her style has changed. She likes singer-songwriters Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Gracie Abrams. A concert highlight was seeing Luke Combs in concert in Auckland in January. “It would be cool to have people listen to my music and develop a bit of a fanbase, but I don’t necessarily want the stardom,” says Oni.

Down the track, the part-time nanny hopes to gain a following and a record deal.

Ngā mihi nui, Amy Saunders Director | Kaiwhakahaere, DEPOT

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

Visit depot.org.nz for more info and stay up to date by subscribing to our e-news!

Visit depot.org.nz for more info and stay

DEPOT Vic an Saturday 7 1-3pm, Liminal, painting we complexities memory, viewers into the and can Shop Toi Toa Victoria needs, Maker stunning for to by subscribing 9

“I’m a very shy, introverted person, but when I’m on stage I’ve always felt comfortable.” It was just getting up there that was difficult.

ProudTO SUPPORT DEPOT ARTSPACE

She’s done a few open-mic nights at The Vic, including her first public performance in 2022. The tour with her father last year gave her valuable experience and more confidence and in the months ahead she is looking at doing a couple of shows tied to the EP release. “I was definitely born in love with music,” she says. Mother Tina Kidman concurs, saying Oni hardly ever cried as a baby. “She hummed.”

Oni mostly learned instruments by ear, jumping on the piano to find the key a song was in and then picking out each note to make the chord. She also plays guitar and has dabbled with violin, trumpet and bass guitar. At Devonport Primary School she sat at the piano and sang a song, surprising people with what they thought was a planned performance.

Songwriting took more perseverance. “I went from being not able to write a song for months, to being able to do one in 30 minutes.”

“It’s definitely more challenging in this day and age, everyone is trying to be something,” says Oni. A random viral moment may well occur, but something lasting isn’t guaranteed.

“I’d love to stay in Devonport – it’s beautiful,” she adds. Its parks and headlands have served as backdrops for her music videos and living near the ocean is a salve that has made its way into her songs.

Then there’s the tug of the menagerie assembled at home – three dogs, three cats, two bearded dragons and two parrots.

Oni hopes her own words will resonate well beyond the place she has lived her whole life in.

A theme that came up on her first EP in 2023, and does so again on her next, is body image. “I’ve kinda always been a bigger person and got teased and bullied a lot at school,” she explains. These days she is more comfortable in herself and wants others to be as well.

“That whole topic is something I’m very passionate about; letting people know that they’re beautiful and that their insecurities aren’t the first thing other people see.”

In the genes... Oni Kidman has family ties to the Kiwi music scene

Shooting stars: young filmmakers show their skills

Young filmmakers on screening night at the first Rose Centre Youth Film Festival: (back row, from left) Zac Everett, Gus Francis, Jasper Brant, Karlia Dunne, Juno Donaldson (who was named overall winner) and Willa Shapiro, and (front-row) second-place getters Otis and Billie O’Connor and Sam Bourne (right), who came third.

Around 40 people attended the screening to see seven short films on the big screen on 10 May. They were judged by Philipp Jaser from The Vic cinema in Devonport and upcoming young Auckland director Joshua Strawbridge. All submissions were described as creative and engaging.

The Rose Centre plans to make the competition an annual event, designed to motivate youngsters to try filming, in a genre of their choice, during the school holidays.

Curtain call for ‘Our Devonport’

A second session of the 60-minute ‘Our Devonport’ programme of short talks and slide shows will be held at the Victoria Theatre on Sunday 8 June at 4 pm.

The initial show on 30 April proved so popular the doors at the RSA in Victoria Rd had to be closed half an hour before the event’s start time as the venue was full.

Just on 150 people packed in for seven presentations by Dave Veart, Trish Deans and Margot McRae, Tina Frantzen, Helen Pollock, Colin McRae, Lynn Lawton and Linda Blincko, and Julie Stout and Ken Davis. Twenty slides and six minutes 40 seconds of speaking time were allowed for each presentation.

The event at the Vic Theatre, which can cater for around 170 people, will be followed by a screening of The Vic: A Love Story, a newly released short film by Margot McRae, which premiered opened at the Vic on Monday night to a sold out crowd.

The Vic co-chairs Mark Sigglekow and McRae, welcomed the audience many of whom had played major roles in saving the theatre, its reopening and restoration.

Proceeds from the night went towards replacing second-hand seats at the Vic. Donations can be made to the Vic account:12 3015 0622113 00.

Attenborough (PG)

Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua - Two Worlds (E)

Small Things Like These (M)

SPECIAL EVENTS & NEW RELEASES

The

Devonport 55 Clarence Street

1,364sqm 5 3 3 2

Asking Price $4,375,000

View by appointment

Peter Restall 021 808 808 peter.restall@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE LTD, TAKAPUNA, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Deceased Estate - Unprecedented Opportunity

Selling below land value! The Executors of this deceased estate are seeking offers on the asking price of $4,375,000, (CV $4,975.000 in 2021) and under the CV land value alone which is $4,615,000 sited on an incredibly rare 1,364sqm (approx) of freehold central Devonport land. The well maintained huge 3 level home including granny flat and 8.5m salt water pool, represents a fantastic opportunity to purchase this intergenerational landmark property with wide harbour and city views. bayleys.co.nz/1451605

Devonport 28 Jubilee Avenue

506sqm 3 2 3 2

Asking Price $3,475,000

Phone for viewing times

Blair Monk 021 399 966 blair.monk@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE LTD, TAKAPUNA, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Present all offers!

Nestled on one of Devonport's most prestigious streets, this exquisite two-storey home seamlessly blends classic 1920s architecture with modern comforts, perfectly positioned with Torpedo Bay at the end of the Avenue and a short stroll from Cheltenham Beach. Designed for easy living and entertaining, this home features a spacious kitchen, dining and family room, along with a formal lounge that flows into a private, manicured garden and outdoor entertaining area. Complete with carpeted double garage and integrated workshop. This is a rare opportunity to own a home in this quiet and highly coveted location. bayleys.co.nz/1451685

Devonport 28 Hanlon Crescent

728sqm 4 2 3 1 3

Price by Negotiation View by appointment

Lynda Betts 021 278 3024 lynda.betts@bayleys.co.nz

BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE LTD, DEVONPORT, LICENSED UNDER

Land, position, potential

Set on a generous 728sqm freehold site, this private, elevated home offers you an exceptional opportunity to move in and enjoy as it is or explore the potential. The living room sets the tone for relaxed family living or entertaining, while the open-plan kitchen forms the heart of the home. Enjoy alfresco outdoor dining and watch the kids play safely on the fully fenced section which has plenty of off-street parking. This home offers a rare blend of space, sun, and possibility. Get in touch to secure a slice of paradise. bayleys.co.nz/1470725