Primary school festivals... pictures, p7-9 and 16-19
Interview: Musician Diane Ponzio... p22-23
Woolworths shelves Lake Rd grocery pick-up plan
Woolworths has canned its planned direct-toboot grocery distribution outlet at the former service station site at 25 Lake Rd.
“The cost of establishing and operating a direct-to-boot facility on this site as currently designed makes the project uneconomic,” a Woolworths spokesperson said.
“That means we are pausing development at our Lake Rd site for the time being while we consider other models.
“We’re aware this will be disappointing for the community to hear however we are exploring how we can utilise the Lake Rd site in the short term all while considering
longer-term options.” Woolworths still had stores at Hauraki Corner and Takapuna as well as online shopping options.
The Flagstaff broke the news of Woolworths’ direct-to-boot plan in November 2023, after it lodged consents for the project.
To page 6
Belmont’s Bruce bows out with a slam dunk
Heading for calmer waters… retiring Belmont Primary principal Bruce Cunningham was sent off with a dunking at the school’s annual fair last Saturday. More pictures, pages 7-9.
PICTURE: KATHRYN NOBBS
Fundraising idea leads to three-book global deal
A character originally created for a Stanley Bay School fundraiser has turned into the main character in an internationally released children’s book, which is soon to spawn a series.
Hannah Tunnicliffe and Erica Harrison came up with the idea of Detective Stanley the dog when they were making The Great Devonport History Mystery , an activity book for kids to solve puzzles, riddles and mazes as they walked a 1km route through Devonport.
Both author Tunnicliffe and illustrator Harrison have children at Stanley Bay School, which received the proceeds from the Devonport-based book.
The pair liked working together so much they decided to pitch the idea of a detective-themed activity book, with dog Stanley as the main character.
London-based publisher Flying Eye Books said it liked the idea, but didn’t want an activity book. It gave the pair a couple of weeks to rejig the idea to suit a story book.
Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum releases in New Zealand on 2 April, having already come out in the United Kingdom and Europe. The story follows Stanley, a shy retired detective, when he is called in to solve a mystery at a museum where a painting has been stolen.
Tunnicliffe and Harrison have a threebook deal with the publisher, with a second book, set in a botanical garden, due for release next year and a third scheduled for a year after that.
On the first book’s release, Harrison will have a window display at Paradox Books, where the original activity book is still sold. It is a nice connection, she said. “For us it’s really exciting that this character originates from something that started here.”
The book is written in a graphic novel style
Pictures and words... illustrator Erica Harrison (left) and author Hannah Tunnicliffe have collaborated on a children’s book in a graphic novel style
targeted towards six- to nine-year-olds who are reluctant readers, to encourage them to embrace reading, Harrison said.
“You’ve got lots of interaction with the pictures which keeps it exciting, not too much text on the page and it feels quite grown up because it’s not just a picture book.”
Tunnicliffe included references to classic detective/mystery stories such as Sherlock
Holmes so the adults buying and reading the book to their children could enjoy it as well.
“We hope that adults who read Tintin or love Agatha Christie and that kind of thing find it nostalgic and vintage,” Tunnicliffe said.
The book is being translated into Korean, Spanish, Catalan, French, Chinese, Turkish and Italian so it can be released in many countries.
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Versatile Bayswater teen eyes decathlon career
Bayswater’s Connor Brady confirmed his status as a top-class young athlete by taking five medals including two golds from five events at the recent New Zealand Track and Field Championships.
Representing Auckland, the 15-year-old won the under-18 shot put and pole vault.
In variable weather in Dunedin he also achieved silvers in javelin and the 110m hurdles and a bronze in the 300m hurdles.
Connor’s versatility has him emerging as a rising star of New Zealand decathlon. He will compete in the 10-discipline event at the Australian junior championships in Perth early next month.
Turning out for Takapuna Grammar School last week, the Year 11 student again hauled in the medals at the Auckland College Sport Athletics championships. He collected a gold in shotput and silvers in discus, javelin and 100m and 300m hurdles.
He backed up at Mt Smart again last weekend at the New Zealand Combined Events Championships, where he won his first decathlon. Against a small but quality field, including two overseas competitors, he won five of 10 of the under-18 events.
The victory gave him a debut world age-group ranking of number two, albeit at a time of year when much competition is to come.
Connor, a product of the Takapuna Athletics Club, said athletics was near all consuming. “Having a social life with the amount of training is hard.”
But he’s happy to manage the juggle of school work and sport in pursuit of a black national representative singlet. “I’m aiming at the 2027 Youth Olympics and hopefully Commonwealth and Olympic Games.”
He has three to four training sessions most days. “It’s really about managing the intensity,” he says. Monday is shot put and
discus and through the week he tries to hit a certain number of reps, with weights and jogging. Recovery sessions and plenty of stretches are important.
Study often comes late at night. “I like to sleep in in the morning.”
Connor’s athletic season will wind up after the Australian trip, but he will then have playing for the TGS First XV to keep him busy. Hockey had to go by the wayside.
“I’ll be playing winger this year.” In the under-15s, he was put at centre: “Because I was always decently solid, and could bust through and run.”
In athletics he has been strongest at shot put, pole vault and 110m hurdles. Not specialising has turned out to be his strength.
He started out at age four, at the Takapuna club, where his father, Dan Brady – a former top hurdler who also played for North Shore Rugby Club and is a Devonport volunteer fireman – is now president. By the age of nine, Connor, after doing well at the Colgate Games, entered his first multi-discipline event and was hooked.
“My dad proposed I do the octathlon. He said: ‘You’ve done really well at a lot of things, how about you try this?’”
The octathlon omits pole vault and javelin from the line-up for youngsters, but includes the other decathlon events: 100m, 400m and 1500m races, the 110m hurdles, high jump, long jump, discus and shot put.
Decathlons kick in at the under-18 level. Being staged over two days they are not held at all meets, meaning prospective competitors often spend years competing in individual events.
This pits them against event specialists. Doing well in a wide range of events is an indication of the talent needed to tackle points-based decathlon. With Connor’s track and field record, he is at an age to build decathlon experience. To compete in Australia, he had to get a special dispensation.
“I love the opportunity athletics gives me and the amount of places it can take me,” he says.
• Other TGS students shine, page 24
Moving into his prime… decathlete Connor Brady
Ruling faction shuts out eligible board replacement
The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board has controversially decided to leave a vacancy in its lineup, rather than boosting its numbers from five members back to six.
The move – decried by two of the five members as undemocratic – was decided 3-2 as the Observer went to print.
Members George Wood and Gavin Busch argued unsuccessfully at a board meeting on Tuesday that Mike Single – the highest-polling unsuccessful candidate at the 2022 local body elections – should have been invited to step up. Single stood on the same Communities and Residents ticket as Wood and Busch.
Terence Harpur, Mel Powell and Peter Allen, from the majority Fresh Approach grouping, took the view that with council elections decided in October there was little point filling the vacancy, left by the resignation in February of chair Toni van Tonder, who has moved to Australia.
Council rules only require a vacancy to be filled when it is more than 12 months from an election – when a by-election must be held. However, the neighbouring Kaipatiki board filled a vacancy with a next-in-line candidate in February.
Van Tonder’s departure also triggered the election of a new chair, with Mel Powell voted in, on the same 3-2 split. Harpur, the board deputy and acting chair since van Tonder left, nominated Powell. Wood and Busch had opposed this, instead nominating Harpur.
Wood said he believed Harpur would more capably represent the board at council’s forums, such as when the chairs of all 21 local boards met.
On assuming the chair, Powell said she
hoped the board would work productively, as it had for much of the term.
On his recommendation not to fill the board vacancy, Harpur said a new member would find it hard to get up to speed. The next few months involved 98 projects and programmes and 18 leases being worked through.
Any new member would not have joined the board before its April meeting. The public would have their say soon, he said, with nominations for new candidates open in July and postal voting starting from 9 September.
The board’s dynamic had been good, he added, with most decisions unanimous, but a new person could disrupt this.
Wood and Busch said Single deserved a shot and the public deserved a full board to represent it.
With six months of meetings to go having fewer than six members “isn’t in our interest”, Wood said.
Big decisions loomed regarding the Takapuna library and the Francis St to Esmonde Rd connection.
Single, from Bayswater, would add to the peninsula representation, he said, with Busch the only member from the southern half of the board’s areas since van Tonder left.
Had Single been appointed, the board may have split 3-3 at times, with the chair having to cast a deciding vote, as occurred frequently in the often fractious 2019-2022 board term.
Before the board voted, it held a public forum at which three people took brief speaking slots to urge the vacancy be filled.
They were Single himself, former board member Trish Deans, who after Single was the next highest polling in 2022 for the ousted Heart of the Shore team, and Kevin Brett, a 2022 local-body election candidate for the Trump Party of New Zealand.
The forum speakers were among 10 members of the public who attended the meeting in person, including Auckland councillor Richard Hills, who congratulated Powell on her appointment.
The new chair, who lives in Sunnynook where she raised her two now adult children, has been active in community and flood issues.
Her background is in not-for-profit groups and working with diverse communities.
In her pepeha on taking her role she said she was born under Te Aroha maunga and happy to climb mountains to get things done for the good of the community.
Instead of the council’s usual karakia to close the meeting, Powell said to acknowledge St Patrick’s Day the day before she was closing with the Irish blessing, starting “May the road rise to meet you...”
Rejected candidate sets sights on board seat in October
Bayswater resident Mike Single says he is more determined than ever to win a seat at the local-body elections this year, after not being appointed to fill a vacancy on the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board.
“I was aware it was highly likely to be the outcome,” he says of the board’s vote on 18 March.
“They wanted an outcome and they made the facts fit,” he said of the three members of the Fresh Approach team on the board, who swung the vote 3-2.
Single said the bloc of new chair Mel Powell, deputy Terence Harpur and member Peter Allen wanted “total control”, rather than to follow the course of other boards with vacancies in appointing the highest-polling unsuccessful candidate from the 2022 election – which he was in Devonport-Takapuna.
He plans to team up again with George Wood and Gavin Busch, the Communities and Residents (C&R) representatives on the board to run in this year’s local-body elections.
The postal ballot begins in September, with the winners to be announced on 9 October.
This year, the men intended to run under a C&R North Shore banner and field a full team of six candidates. “We’re talking to people now,” Single said.
Fresh Approach is also expected to again
field a full ticket.
“I take it as a compliment that they worked so hard to keep me off,” Single said.
But he said Harpur’s suggestion a new member would find it difficult to get up to speed so late in the budget cycle was disingenuous.
In his case he was familiar with budgets, balance sheets and lease approvals from long experience as a company director and shareholder.
He had worked in the health sector, been on the Takapuna Grammar School board of trustees and was involved in community issues.
He said he had been willing to work collaboratively.
“I know the nature of getting things done is sometimes compromise.”
Single said it was disappointing for the community not to have a full board of six members.
• Flagstaff Notes, page 6; Letters, page 27
New chair… Mel Powell
Denied a board seat… Mike Single
Kitchen reno reveals time machine
A time capsule discovered during a kitchen renovation has helped connect three peninsula families who lived in the same home.
Builders renovating the kitchen at Ann Langis’ Bayswater home found a silver rocket-shaped container under the bath, which they left on the kitchen bench for her to open.
When Langis opened it last Tuesday, she found a collection of photos and letters left by the Spurdle family in 2000 and a letter written by the Beans in 1979.
Photos of all the Spurdles – father Glen, mother Sharon and children Becks, Jono and Hannah, 12, 9 and 5 years old at the time – were in the capsule alongside letters by Becks and Jono about their hopes for the future and a family background by Sharon.
The youngest, Hannah, drew a picture depicting her love of Paddle Pops.
Langis made a post on social media about the discovery, not thinking about what would happen next, and found the Spurdles.
The family saw the post on the seventh anniversary of Glen’s death, which was symbolic as he encouraged them to make the time capsule after he found the 1979 letter in a wall.
“He was making his presence known for sure, so it made it even more special,” said Becks.
Last Friday they visited the house, where they lived from 1991 to 2003, with Lyndsay Rendall, the mother of Jonathan Bean who wrote the 1979 letter.
Becks – now Becks Spurdle-Fisher – said she’d forgotten about the capsule until the post popped up on her notifications.
“I was like this is weird. I’m being tagged
in a Devonport community-page post and then next thing I opened it up and the first image was all of those photos and I was like, that’s me.”
In many ways, the dreams the Spurdles expressed in their letters came true.
Jono, now 34, said in his letter that when he grew up he wanted to be a builder, be able to drive by the time he was 18, be flatting, have a flash car, a superyacht and a girlfriend.
He now owns his own building company, Evolve Homes, and is married with two children. Although he isn’t a superyacht owner, he does have a boat.
“I am offering a regular, reliable service at a genuinely affordable price, using quality products, following infection-control protocols and salon standards of sterilisation. Benefits include improved circulation and vitality with a relaxing pamper,” Fiona said.
•
Becks, now 37, wrote that by the time she was 21 she hoped to be flatting, learn to drive, go to teachers college, visit Egypt and have a boyfriend.
She’s now married and a teacher at Takapuna Normal Intermediate School – but she still needs to tick off that trip to Egypt. Hannah, now 29, wanted to become a pop star and although that didn’t come true, she did have a career in interior design before deciding to retrain as a teacher.
Langis said she, her husband, Jason, and their three children are planning to keep the time-capsule tradition alive by leaving their own mementoes for a future generation.
Enrolment for Out of Zone Students for 2019
ENROLMENTS FOR TERM 2 2025
Enrolment for Out of Zone Students for 2019
Devonport Primary operates an enrolment scheme, details are available from the school office. Applicationforout-of-zoneplaces, acrossallages,areinvitedforadmission from28Aprilwithadeadlineof 27April.Ifrequired,aballotwillbeheld, and parents notified on 28 April. Multiple out-of-zoneenrolmentballotsmaybe heldthroughout2025. If planning to enrol later in 2025. please contact the school as soon as possible to assist our planning.
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
Please contact the school for application forms, or an opportunity to visit 445 0183 office@devonport school nz www devonportschool nz
Applications close: 17th Oct Ballot Date (if required) - 24th Oct
Across the generations… (from left) Ann Langis with Becks Spurdle-Fisher, Hannah Spurdle and Jono Spurdle, who left the capsule in 2000, and Lyndsay Rendall, mother of Jonathan Bean, who wrote the first letter in 1979
By Rob Drent
Much was made by Aidan Bennett, Toni van Tonder and their A Fresh Approach ticket about the need for constructive policy-making and an end to the infighting and point-scoring which so often mars local-body politics.
But in terms of adherence to democratic principles, A Fresh Approach has been on shaky ground. Last term, Bennett was against opening council workshops to the public and the media. This term, under van Tonder as Devonport-Takapuna Local Board chair, they were surprisingly (given her previous support for Bennett’s stance) opened to the public. This was a sensible move, especially in light of an Ombudsman’s office investigation and ruling workshops should be open as of right.
Now the A Fresh Approach team – which held four of the six seats on the local board – has decided against appointing another member to replace the departed van Tonder.
They say it would be unnecessary and unproductive having a new member for just a few months until the local-body elections in September.
The trouble is the next logical cab off the rank is Mike Single, a Communities and Residents candidate who was the highest-polling unsuccessful candidate at the last election.
Adding his vote to those of the two sitting C&R board members, George Wood and Gavin Busch, would have led to a potential 3-3 split of the kind that occurred during the 2019-2022 board term, possibly leading to conflict: not the look A Fresh Approach would want leading into an election. Moreover, why would it promote an opponent to a board position, giving him and his ticket a greater public profile as the election looms?
But the stance taken leaves A Fresh Approach open to criticism that it has reverted to stale old power politics – retain control at all costs and never give your opposition an opening. Even at the local level, politics is still politics.
One from the Probably Would Never Happen in Devonport department: playing tennis for Belmont Park Racquets Club in Beachhaven last week, play was stopped after we were pelted with feijoas raining down from the neighbouring reserve.
Two very angry youths responded to our
calls to stop with Mongrel Mob chants and one saying “Do you want to fight us, bro?” We swapped courts rather than confront them while our hosts called the police.
The new Devonport BID (Business Improvement District) manager, Tabitha Coleman, enters a job which has become something of a hot seat – she is the sixth manager in a decade.
She’s has lived in Devonport almost all her life, moving back to the suburb with her husband to raise their two children after time in England. She is positive about Devonport’s future and local businesses post-Covid and coming through a recession.
We have done entry interviews with all the past managers. Strangely, though, Coleman was the first to ask me what I thought the DBA could be doing better. Back in the office, it struck me as an insightful approach. I’m not saying I know better than anyone else, but I have been covering local issues for close to 30 years.
I suggested going back to some cheap, successful options such as having weekend music on the green outside Vondel, and also looking at money-making ventures to provide the DBA with more ongoing cash.
We’ve agreed to meet regularly and I hope for a more collaborative relationship than with some previous managers and boards.
Supermarket giant ‘pauses’ plan for Lake Rd outlet
From page 1
Consent was later granted and preparatory work started last year. It stopped recently, however, prompting our inquiry to Woolworths on progress.
The building was to have been used to store food and groceries, and to assemble online orders which customers would drive through to collect.
Five pick-up bays were to be created in the forecourt where staff would load orders into vehicles.
The only change to the building was to be a small loading dock and canopy at the rear.
Woolworths said in its consent application that the proposal was prompted by an increase in online orders since the Covid-19 lockdowns.
It said reduced vehicle kilometres trav-
elled by customers would reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
Woolworths estimated the facility would distribute around 1100 orders per week when it reached a peak in 10 years’ time.
The former Mobil service station at the site ceased operating around 2006.
The site was to be the first example of a direct-to-boot standalone facility with no supermarket attached.
Devonport – making a name for itself
A Hollywood-style, Devonport pop-up sign to be used at events to brand the village has been proposed.
The Devonport Business Association (DBA) put the idea to the Devonport Takapuna Local Board workshop this week seeking $20,000 public funds for the project.
The sign, which can be moved around and screwed into place, would cost $25,800, with the DBA contributing $5800.
The proposed 3D sign would be one metre high by nine metres wide, with the DBA saying a moveable sign was more adaptable to modern-day events than a permanent sign. It could be used at occasions such as the Sunsetter Festival, Devonport Mid-Winter Swim, Auckland Marathon and Devonport Santa Parade. Board members were to discuss the proposal after the Flagstaff went to press.
Moveable feast… an artist’s impression of what the sign may look like
All’s fair as Belmont Primary wins the battle
The annual Battle of the Schools competition between Devonport peninsula primary schools went to hosts Belmont last Saturday, as teams competed at the Belmont Primary School Fair.
Around 200 year-six pupils from the schools took part in a variety of challenges including mission impossible, fireman’s challenge, leaky bucket, thread the needle and the magic carpet. (Above) members of the winning Belmont team proudly display the trophy, and (below) work in action together.
About 800-1000 people attended the fair, and some $24,000 was raised for playground upgrades, changing the school’s pool from chlorine to salt-water and installing shading around the grounds. More pictures by Kathryn
Nobbs, overleaf
“Bayswater mums” (from left) Laura Oxnam, Irene Toric, Alex Renall, Bhoomika Patel and Natasha Wehrl. (Below, from left) friends Mikaela Topolsky, Charlotte Avery, Olivia Bruce and Hannah McQuarrie.
(Above) Candy-floss kid Jack Pearson (8), and Peter Kingsley with son William Kingsley (10). (Right) MC Toni Street with son Lachie France.
Fun takes many forms at Belmont Primary fair
Getting drenched... Jackson Boyes (above) and Cole Blinker (below)
Baton-fighting friends Maddie Byrne and Coco Taylor
Picking a prize... Lotta Neugebauer (4), Casey Kozak tries the “hook a duck” stall, while enjoying the ring toss at the flamingos is Jan Rowntree (2)
Local product aims to help boost business community
New Devonport Business Improvement District (BID) manager Tabitha Coleman has experienced the whole gamut of village life: as a student at local schools, in part-time hospo jobs through to life as a homeowner and mother.
Now she hopes to be part of Devonport on the rise.
“The tide is on the up in Devonport – more life is coming back into the village with events like Sunsetter,” she says, referring to the successful festival at Windsor Reserve in January.
After a tough five to six years, with Covid and the subsequent recession, from what she heard from businesses in the last week Coleman said confidence seemed to be returning. Coleman came to Devonport from London with her family in the early 90s, aged four, growing up in Victoria Rd. Other than a stint of OE, she has lived in the suburb ever since.
She went to St Leo’s School, then Carmel College. “My first job [while a student] was at Devonport Deli making coffee,” she said. She also had a stint at the Patriot pub.
She first wanted to be a journalist and enrolled in a Bachelor of Communications Degree at AUT, but ended up majoring in advertising and minoring in public relations.
She joined agency Ogilvy & Mather and has been in PR and marketing ever since.
She recalls her most unusual success in PR was working in London with Nissan European as a client. Coleman drew on memories of the Zorb tourist attraction in Rotorua to pitch an idea that led to a Nissan car being rolled down a hill in the north of England as part of a campaign.
She was married at Devonport Yacht Club in 2018 to Ben Partington and bought a home in Church St. Her son Remy goes to Devonport Primary and daughter Rosie to the Methodist Day Care on Lake Rd.
With young kids on the go, she’s been freelancing in PR, and in 2020 set up the Thrift Store, an online-only, second-hand store selling women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories on behalf of others. “It started as
a side hustle, but it grew quickly.”
She’s looking to eventually hand the reins over to someone else.
She jumped at the chance to become BID manager for the Devonport Business Association.
The new remit for the job has more emphasis on marketing and social-media promotions and also linking in with partners
for events rather than running events.
“I’m firmly ensconced here and I saw the role pop up and it touches all my skill sets... I live here and want Devonport to do well,” says Coleman.
Her first steps are to get out and talk to businesses to gauge how to best work for them.
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Tourism remains important but unpredictable especially in winter, when local trade is vital. More “shop-local” style marketing campaigns are planned in 2025.
In her spare time Coleman enjoys second-hand shopping, travel, documentaries, true crime shows and podcasts.
She recently started True Crime Pal, a true crime page where she shares stories on interesting cases via Instagram and Substack. “It’s something I try to contribute to when I can — a fun creative project I really enjoy.
“Spending time with my kids is honestly one of my all-time favourite things. They’re at such fun ages now, and weekends are usually spent adventuring around Devonport, heading to the beach, or going for walks — preferably with a coffee in hand.”
Working for businesses on her home patch… Tabitha Coleman
Bayswater teen skis to victory in Europe
Bayswater teenage skier Mischa Thomas overcame a year off competition due to injury to win her first overseas open-aged event this month.
Thomas left the Northern Hemisphere early during last year’s season with a presumed concussion and later strained her quad while in New Zealand, but bounced back to win the women’s freeski slopestyle at the European Cup Premium in Laax, Switzerland, on 14 March.
“It felt really good, especially because it was my first comp in a year.”
Bad weather was rolling in on finals day, delaying her run, but she remained calm to take out the competition.
The 17-year-old’s victory will give her confidence heading into the Ski Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships in Corvatsch, also in Switzerland, where she’s currently competing in the halfpipe discipline.
Halfpipe is the event she’s focusing on for
qualification to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The young skier has been overseas training and competing for the past two months, and plans to stay on for another European Premium competition before heading back to New Zealand for the Southern Hemisphere season.
Thomas has been enjoying her time
Upston, 13, wins Ngataringa tennis singles
Promising tennis player Neve Upston was crowned the youngest winner of the Ngataringa club champs on Sunday, beating Chris White.
Neve (13) partners his dad Andre in the men’s doubles final this weekend.
The club champs win is one in a series of excellent results for Neve this year.
In January he won a junior invitational tournament held in conjunction with Auckland’s ASB Classic.
Then he was selected to represent New Zealand as one of three U14 age group boys to play in a World Junior Tennis teams event in Malaysia in early April.
skiing on the big European mountains, she said.
“I’ve loved it, loved every minute so far.”
In the near future, Thomas said she’d like to represent New Zealand at the Olympic Games, get on top of a podium at a World Cup event and inspire young people to take up the sport.
On the podium in Europe… Mischa Thomas
Netflix boosts coffers of schools and other groups
Three community groups and three schools have benefited from unexpected $1500 donations from the makers of a Netflix series filmed in Cheltenham in February.
Devonport Rotary, North Shore Rugby Club, Devonport Heritage and the Vauxhall, Devonport and St Leo’s primary schools were the recipients following the filming for a series based on John Steinbeck’s East of Eden.
“It was a total surprise, but what a lovely gesture,” said Devonport Primary School principal Beverley Booth. “The notification said how friendly and welcoming the local community had been and they wanted to
acknowledge this.”
Booth said that other than the filming taking part in the school area, she knew of no other connection with production. The money would go towards fundraising for new kapa haka uniforms.
Vauxhall principal Gary Lawrence and St Leo’s Vimi Chandra were similarly surprised. Vauxhall will put the money towards resurfacing its basketball court and St Leo’s towards learning-support teachers.
The rugby club did work with the film company during its week filming, helping provide places for it to stable horses and store vehicles used in the production.
Club manager Callum McNair said the film team had been great to deal with and the club appreciated the koha. The donation will go towards club running costs.
Devonport Heritage’s chair, Margot McRae, said it was thrilled by the surprise funds.
“They said it was because of the work we have done to preserve heritage buildings in Devonport, which was the reason they came to film here.”
The money would go towards the group’s documentary film about the history of Devoport, or towards a book on Devonport it planned to produce.
True grit: Relaid gravel plan has happy ending for club
Stanley Bay Petanque Club has gained new terrains as a byproduct of a recent Netflix shoot on Cheltenham Rd.
Though an initial plan to reuse the gravel laid in Cheltenham for the filming of street scenes for the East of Eden mini-series had to be abandoned, the club still benefited from the use of trucks that were carting it away.
Volunteer club members were last week working on finishing a tripled playing area on a resurfaced former bowling green.
The conversion adds 18 new playing areas, known as pistes, to the nine pistes on the existing terrain on the lower level of the club grounds overlooking Ngataringa Bay.
Club president Jacquie Mockeridge says the upgrade will enable the revitalised club to bid to hold national tournaments.
A lucky chain of events in February led to the happy outcome, she explains. “The planets lined up for our club that week.”
Club member John O’Toole – whose home featured in street scenes for the mini-series – first won agreement from the filmmakers to repurpose the shingle.
The club prepared to fit in with the scheduled shingle removal, at the same time that 21 of its members were in the South Island on a petanque tour.
But a further complication arose when a contractor who “knew his gravel” advised it would not be suitable for the club’s needs because of its clay content, which would eventually set like concrete.
A new plan was hatched. Because trucks were going to be driven to Devonport empty to collect the gravel, a deal was struck to bring in fresh gravel at a much lower cost than would otherwise have been the case.
Two club members had to lend the necessary funds to buy the gravel at short notice. To cover the upgrade costs the club has run a fundraising drive under which donors can name a piste for $2000. So far, half of the new pistes have been adopted by club members. Sponsorship has been sought from local businesses for the rest.
Club neighbour Carlos Palmer was also instrumental to the upgrade, allowing the club, which does not have a driveway, to truck in the shingle across his property.
His father, Jim, who died last year, was a keen bowler who used to be the club’s patron.
The Stanley Bay Bowls club was formed in 1910, with petanque added to the name and playing options in the late 1990s.
The few remaining bowlers agreed in April 2024 to wind up that side of the club. Soon after, the club voted to shorten its name accordingly.
Mockeridge became president last year and with her husband, Eric Selwood –whom she jokes she appointed ground manager – has joined with a core of members to make improvements.
The interior of the character clubrooms was repainted and bowling memorabilia given to the Devonport Museum.
Membership and hireage has bounced back. Nearly 70 people now belong. “It’s
very, very social,” says Mockeridge.
The keen tennis player at Ngataringa only got involved in petanque a few years ago, after her husband gave it a go due to problems with his knees keeping him off the tennis courts for some time.
They are among the members who have put in 1100 volunteer hours to spruce up the club-owned site of nearly a hectare. Environmental group Restoring Takarunga Hauraki is also helping with the planting of natives.
Mockeridge is optimistic about the club’s future. Now it has pistes that meet national and international standards it can be promoted as a destination for tournaments and tours. By bringing people into the area to play and inviting locals to take a fresh look at the treasured facility, she hopes the club can also give back to the wider community.
“Even though we did not receive the film-shoot gravel, none of this would have been at all possible without the film shoot occurring in Devonport,” she says.
Surface appeal... Stanley Bay Petanque Club president Jacquie Mockeridge on the club deck overlooking its new terrains
Shore aiming for championship threepeat in 2025
North Shore Rugby Club starts its season missing incumbent halfback and co-captain Brad McNaughten (pictured), who dislocated his shoulder in a pre-season match against Patumahoe on 8 March.
Shore premiers’ first match is against Kumeu at Vauxhall Rd, with McNaughten facing a likely six-week recovery time.
Shore goes into 2025 trying to win the North Harbour championship for the third year in a row – which would be a club first.
Last Saturday, Shore played Hamilton Marist, the 2024 Waikato Champions, in a match at Takapuna Grammar.
The senior squad, premiers, reserves and under-21s have been training and playing together pre-season and are building well,
with flanker Liam Sturm making the Blues under-20 squad.
Props Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou and Sione Mafealo are unlikely to see much game time as they have been playing for Moana Pasifika.
It’s all action at the club over the next month, with the Shore Smash cricket day on April 5, the North Shore Rugby Club golf day on 17 April and a full senior play list on Anzac Day, 25 April. The premiers and the reserves play Mahurangi and the under-21s and under-85kg team play Silverdale.
• Both the North Shore premiers and reserves play Kumeu at Vauxhall on 29 March, with kickoffs at 12 pm and 2.45pm respectively.
Coach Reid reflects on cricket’s ups and downs
Cricket matches, seasons and legacies can turn on the flight of a few balls, something retiring North Shore premiers coach Chris Reid knows only too well.
North Shore was battling in the second division when Reid arrived in the 2018-19 season.
An experienced coach, having led Waitakere premiers for three years and then Takapuna women for four, Reid said, “the real focus at Shore was to get back in the top division – they'd been in the minor division for seven years”.
Reid made an immediate impact, bringing in Ryan Quinn, a fast bowler from Takapuna, and the Dhadwal twins Adi and Amit, experienced batsmen from Waitakare, to build a formidable team alongside experienced Shore players like Michael Olsen and Tendai Chitongo.
The team won the minor two day competition in his first year gaining promotion to the first division in 2019, and its trajectory continued to rise, wining the premiership title in 2022-23 – the club’s first in 35 years.
“My aim was to win the Hedley Howarth (premiership) Trophy in four years and we did it in five and we could have perhaps achieved it in four (bar the Covid interruptions to play).”
Players even set world records: Ronnie Hira received global media coverage, single-handedly demolishing Takapuna with
Winning days… sucessful coach Chris Reid with star bowler Tendai Chitongo after winning promotion
figures of 14 wickets for 78 runs and 73 runs not out – including a 50 off 12 balls in just 12 minutes.
“Ronnie was a great catalyst for us and I was lucky to have him in four of my seven years. He offered amazing leadership for the boys.”
But after the premiership, the team lost four of its best players: Quinn went to play in England and settled there; Olsen moved to Nelson; Chitongo, who won most valuable player in the competition, retired; and Amit Dhadwal was sidelined with a shoulder reconstruction.
The team was thrust into a rebuilding
phase, made harder when players Jock McKenzie, Will Clarke and Simon Keane got Auckland Aces contracts, which restricted their availability for Shore. It battled to stay in the premier league last season and is now heading back to the second division after this year.
Reid said he made the decision just before Christmas to retire as the premiers coach.
“It’s been a fantastic 14 years as a premiership coach,” he said. But it was time to concentrate on his eight-year-old daughter Ella and a new business.
He wishes Shore all the best but adds it is becoming more and more difficult to build depth at the club, with the congestion on Lake Rd putting off out-of-suburb players travelling to the club for practices and games. Older players, often with young families, were also finding it harder to commit to the hours needed to play competitive cricket.
The oldest player in the current premier team was 26, and very few 35-year-olds were playing premier any more, Reid said.
• In Shore’s last match of the Hedley Howarth two-day competition, it was struggling against East Coast Bays at home. Bays scored 121/10 in its first innings last Saturday; Shore posted 110/10 in reply. East Coast was 0/40 at stumps with the second day on 29 March.
Cricketers and rugby players face off for Shore Smash
Players for the Shore Smash cricket match have been largely confirmed, but the final teams won’t be decided until April 4. Those taking part are a mixture of current and past rugby players and cricketers: Richard Jones, Anna Peterson, Ronnie Hira, Anna Browning, Ben Wall, Ben Stewart, Sara McGlashin, Katie Perkins, Jamal Todd, Jock McKenzie, Jono Hickey, Cam Howell,
Ofisa Tonu’u, Bruce Warner, Riley Mudford, James Fiebig, Rishika Jaswal, Tendai Chitongo, Will Clarke, Donald Coleman and Emily Handyside.
One more player is to be added, say organisers. Umpires are Andrew Alderson and Simon Dallow.
The Smash day at Vauxhall Rd grounds starts with a junior fun family day at 10 am.
The Shore premiers have a bye that day, but will be training at the ground. At 1 pm an under-21s clash between North Shore and Northcote kicks off.
The Shore Smash match starts at 3pm.
Profits go towards the joint venture between the North Shore cricket and rugby clubs to create women’s changing facilities at the defunct Devonport Bowling Club.
Devonport 26A Queens Parade
Auction
10th April at 12.00pm (Unless Sold Prior)
Auckland Waterfront Address - Blank Canvas
This original mid-century home is set on a freehold, level 800sqm section (incl. driveway), off the prestigious Queen's Parade. Nestled on a sun-drenched, private right-of-way, this unique property offers limitless potential for renovation, rebuilding, or development in a highly sought-after waterfront location. The home features three double bedrooms, one single bedroom and a separate lounge. An open-plan kitchen/dining area opens onto a north-facing deck with a lovely covered circular pergola, perfect for enjoying your morning coffee. At the rear there is a standalone double garage with loft space for additional storage, as well as rear parking, ideal for accommodating a boat or campervan! Surrounded by shops, cafes, restaurants, as well as beautiful beaches and parks, this location truly encapsulates the best of Devonport living.
Grant Speedy 027 4511 800 grant.speedy@harcourts.co.nz
An enviable prime location in the heart of Devonport Village. Character home with excellent indoor-outdoor flow to deck/patio/garden. Family friendly street with tight knit community feel and everything is right on your doorstep! A hidden gem - once you experience this location, you simply won't want to leave.
Monika Bak 021 857 565 monika.bak@harcourts.co.nz
or by appointment
Home and Income
The main house is open plan with spacious living areas. Plus a legal self-contained studio which is perfect for extended family or rental income. Plus a separate art studio, ideal for creative work or a home office. Private rear decking for entertaining and back garden with plenty of sunlight. This should be at the top of your viewing list.
Jackie Mark 021 458 797
Jane Hastings 021 735 263
Prime Waterfront Location and Classic 1950s Home
Deadline Sale
Wednesday 16th April at 4.00pm (Unless Sold Prior)
View
As advertised or by appointment cooperandco.co.nz/L33442710
Nestled in a serene waterfront location, this substantial 1950s family home offers breathtaking views across the inner harbour to the city skyline. Sitting high on a remarkable section, this property presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure a unique piece of paradise.
• 6 Spacious Bedrooms: Including a self-contained flat, providing flexibility for extended family.
• Spectacular Views: Take in panoramic vistas of Ngataringa Bay and Auckland City's skyline.
• Separate Section: A rare chance to create a prime waterfront section in the Residential Single House Zone.
Whether you're looking to create your dream home or simply invest in an iconic waterfront location, this is your chance to secure a truly special property.
Diana Murray 021 911 522
Thursday 17th April at 12.00pm (Unless Sold Prior)
View
As advertised or by appointment cooperandco.co.nz/L33333716
diana.murray@harcourts.co.nz
Flexible Layout For Families
Spread over two levels, this home offers versatility and space. You not only have two double bedrooms, family bathroom and a spacious lounge/dining area that seamlessly connects to a covered north-facing deck, but a whole lower level. How you use this lower level is entirely up to you, currently a study, rumpus, laundry, toilet and masses of storage. Internal access to the garage adds to the convenience.
Located in a peaceful cul-d-sac with Bayswater Primary at the end of the road plus shops and transport only a few steps further this home will appeal to families, investors and downsizers alike.
Marissa Muirhead 021 337 222
marissa.muirhead@harcourts.co.nz
Maria Stevens 021 979 084
maria.stevens@harcourts.co.nz
Head for the hill! Devonport Primary School’s
annual fundraiser attracts plenty of punters
Around 2000 people flocked to Devonport Primary School’s Fair on the Hill on 15 March, raising about $30,000.
PTA co-chair Lisette Knight said it was great to see so many families from the school there, but also members of the wider peninsula community. A pre-loved designer clothing sale the night before drew around 100 people. More pictures overleaf.
PHOTOGRAPHY: KATHRYN NOBBS
Fun times... (clockwise from top left) Horse-riding Ollie Palmer (9) with mum Ginny Palmer; Ethan Wells (7) attempts to ‘Beat the Goalie’; taking a turn on the water rollers were Mila Hinds and Evie Chapple Dodds (both 10); Thea Hielkema (6) rode the teacups with grandmother Joanne Foster and brother Felix Hielkema (4)
Song and dance... The Devonport Primary kapa haka group performed at the fair. Below: Aerial action with Georgia Roberts swinging high while friends Aba Walden-Green and Zoe Smith wait below, and Isaac Bray (7) getting some hang time.
Stepping out... Devonport School of Dance student Lola Marshall performed for the crowds
Loud and clear... Emcees Mark Casey and Debbie Thompson at the microphone. Below: An outing for the Coutts family – Sam holding Elliot (2) and Cara with Spencer (5)
Green patch... Becky Little gave Otto Loveday-Rhodes (10) a paint job
Devonport 09 445 2010
Major sponsor for the North Shore Cricket Club
DEVONPORT
26A NICCOL STREET
Located in a peaceful culde-sac, this spacious family home is just a short stroll from Narrow Neck Beach. Come along to our open homes.
barfoot.co.nz/909267
Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452
Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681 (unless sold prior) VIEWING Sat/Sun 1.00-1.30pm
BAYSWATER
2/59 NORWOOD ROAD
Sitting in a premium location is a top-floor unit, offering an enviable lifestyle with stunning water and city views.
3/53 MERANI STREET
If you're ready to step into home ownership and say goodbye to paying rent, this is your opportunity!
barfoot.co.nz/908585
TENDER
2:00pm 8 Apr 2025 at Devonport Branch (unless sold prior) VIEWING Sat/Sun 2.00-2.30pm
TENDER
2:00pm 1 Apr 2025 at 39
Victoria Road, Devonport (unless sold prior) VIEWING Sat/Sun 2.00-2.30pm
Trish Fitzgerald
Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452
Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681
NORTHCOTE POINT
1/18 CHURCH STREET
With all the real estate 'must haves' aligning, this three-bedroom 1920s bungalow is definitely one for your real estate radar!
barfoot.co.nz/909001
AUCTION
10:00am 16 Apr 2025 at 34
Shortland Street, City (unless sold prior)
VIEWING Sat/Sun 1.30pm - 2.00pm
Toni Gregory 021 044 3663
Alexandra Corbin 021 643 673
1 1
Welcome to 2/16 Hastings Parade, a delightful 2bedroom home offering comfort and convenience in one of Auckland's most sought-after suburbs.
barfoot.co.nz/909093
2/16 HASTINGS PARADE 2 1 1
1/51 FRANCIS STREET
5/16 QUEENS PARADE 3 1 1 1 2
This light-filled, lock-upand-leave gem on Devonport’s waterfront is an absolute must-see! Tranquil setting, yet minutes from the village.
barfoot.co.nz/907907
12:00pm 2 Apr 2025 at 39
Victoria Road, Devonport (unless sold prior) VIEWING Sat / Sun 12.00 - 12.45pm
Lance Richardson 021 796 660 AUCTION
Standing proudly above the rest, this stunning 1940s double-brick bungalow exudes character, charm, and modern convenience.
barfoot.co.nz/908871
VIEWING
Phone For Viewing Times
Kurt Piper 021 137 6450 FOR SALE By Negotiation
NARROW NECK
2/28 NICCOL AVENUE
After 28 wonderful years, this cherished family home is ready for its next chapter. Enjoy as-is, or take advantage of the potential to add value.
barfoot.co.nz/907055
10:00am 3 Apr 2025 at 8-12
The Promenade, Takapuna (unless sold prior)
VIEWING Sat/Sun 1.00 - 1.45pm
Lance Richardson 021 796 660 AUCTION
3 1
AUCTION
10:00am 27 Mar 2025 at 8-12 The Promenade (unless sold prior)
VIEWING
Phone For Viewing Times
Kurt Piper 021 137 6450
Barfoot & Thompson Limited
Devonport 09 445 2010
Major sponsor for the North Shore Cricket Club
Guitar the ticket from Big Apple to the Bunker
Diane Ponzio is Devonport’s ‘complete unknown’ – the folkie who went from strumming in Greenwich Village to an international music career. She tells Helen Vause about the journey.
Growing up in a Sicilian family in New York, Diane Ponzio loved the buzz of music, art and drama that washed through her daily life, bringing stars into her eyes and hopes of somehow becoming part of it all one day.
There was no silver spoon – her father was a Post Office worker and her mother waited tables – and turning an extra dollar for young Ponzio was likely to mean waitressing too.
In the early 60s, when the Beatles came to town, she was out there screaming with the best of them, and her passion for performance was wound up another notch. She was 13 years old and she just had to have a guitar.
Now in her early 70s and looking back from her “little slice of paradise” in Devonport, Ponzio well remembers that first guitar and where it took her.
“I didn’t know how my Dad was going to be able to get one for me, but we went down to a store and there he saw what I’ve always called ‘a guitar-looking object’. It was about 20 bucks, no doubt pretty awful and it was mine. I loved it – the ‘GLO’ as I always called it.”
However basic, it was the instrument that launched her into singing in the tiny venues she found to welcome her and her style in New York City as ‘a complete unknown’.
She was already a student at the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts, also known as the ‘Fame’ school after providing the location for a movie of the same name.
Ponzio had started as a drama student but soon found herself moving into music. And, somehow, she had enough confidence in
Instrumental... Diane Ponzio these days plays more beautiful guitars than the ‘guitar-looking object’ her father paid about $20 for back in the 1960s
herself to forgo taking the route of singing cover songs, or channelling the folk and blues artists who were in their heyday all around her.
She was self-taught on the guitar and she only wanted to write her own songs, to tell her own stories, and stand or fall on however well she could do that.
“I was sort of nutting it all out for myself. I was finding gigs in coffee houses and bars all over Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. And I was often waitressing for a bit of extra money. I’d gone on to university to
do maths, thinking that would be a qualification for making money, particularly if I was going to support myself as a musician.”
Her passion and determination must have made a big impression on her friends in the city. One day an invitation to a Brooklyn apartment led to a surprise celebration for her and the revelation that the friends had chipped in to buy her a coveted Martin guitar, which would have cost thousands of dollars. From that day it became her new best friend, replacing the faithful old GLO.
“Getting that beautiful guitar sort of
Uncovering Nuclear Weapons
sealed my intentions.”
The Martin family had been making their highly regarded acoustic guitars in Pennsylvania since 1833 and the sound of their many models is on the tracks of over a hundred years’ worth of the world’s most popular music. John Lennon had a Martin guitar, so did Elvis Presley. Neil Young and Bob Dylan played them.
So there was the young Ponzio, chasing gigs, pouring out her words and creating the tunes that went with them and hoping she could keep it all together, keep going and maybe even get a record deal.
She’d felt encouraged by someone who pointed out to her that although the neighbourhood was thick with hopeful young performers like her, she was somewhat set apart by sticking always with her own original songs.
But how was she going to make ends meet and still chase her dreams?
The answer came from a friend who suggested she write to the Martin family, tell them about herself and ask to become an ambassador for them. “It sounded like a great idea so I did that. I sat down and wrote what I thought was a really good letter. And very soon after I got a call from one of the family.
“I was so surprised to get that call so fast and from one of the Martin family. And I was very excited to be asked to meet up right away and let them see if I’d be the right girl for them. For starters I’d thought they may want a guy to be promoting their guitars.”
But Ponzio seemed like a good fit, and wherever Martin went putting on guitar clinics around the USA, Ponzio went too, singing and strumming on the beautiful instrument, usually to an audience already focused on quality guitars. That was in 1985. By 1988 she was the global ambassador for Martin, travelling solo to set up her
own clinics. She spent decades doing this in Europe.
Sometimes, she says, when the work was over she’d be able to set up her own gigs and venues in Germany which may never have been possible without the might of Martin
New Zealand, Devonport and the many wonderful rooms full of folk musicians that welcomed her everywhere made a lasting impression.
“I performed in places where people listened.”
landing her in town to start with.
In a travelling life that was not that glamourous and always flying economy, she clocked up millions of miles and made it to countless festivals on the folk-music circuit.
Being the face of a big guitar brand didn’t hurt, she grins.
Martin started producing a range of signature guitars, bearing the names of legends such as Eric Clapton and Joan Baez.
The thinking was that when fans played them, they could feel a little bit closer to their heroes. Eventually Martin made Ponzio a signature guitar of her own. About a hundred of these Diane Ponzio guitars were sold, she says. She always gets a kick to hear from someone, somewhere in the world who has one.
All the while, she was writing songs with poignant, meaningful lyrics, and delivering them in her mezzo voice accompanied by her accomplished guitar playing.
She has released 10 full-length albums. In Europe she enjoyed running songwriting courses, helping others find a way to create a song from something they wanted to say, or a story they wanted to tell, and to make the music that would go with it.
It’s a skill she says she still loves to share – and promptly bursts into a song about a house nearby that’s sorely in need of a lick of paint and a lot of care.
These days life is a lot less pressured for Ponzio, who says she feels incredibly lucky to have found Devonport and to have been able to stay in New Zealand.
She was lucky too, she says, to have been able to sell her tiny Greenwich Village apartment right before the world was turned upside down as Covid hit.
Her working circuit eventually bought her to New Zealand. She still remembers when she first walked into the Bunker in Devonport 20 years ago and made her first acquaintance with those who frequented it.
New Zealand, Devonport and the many wonderful rooms full of folk musicians that welcomed her made a lasting impression. “I performed in places where people listened.”
Wanting to work less and settle somewhere, in 2018 she put down roots in Devonport.
“It was time. I didn’t have to keep up the battle any more, to keep on climbing those mountains, and believe me it was a full-on working life.”
Ponzio is still creating music and still performing on the national folk circuit –and sometimes at the Bunker. She lives surrounded by beautiful guitars within a minute’s walk of Cheltenham Beach
“Yes, I know I got lucky. I was able to follow my dream and now I live in paradise.”
Local athletes fly high at national championships
Established and emerging Devonport peninsula athletes did well at the recent New Zealand Track and Field championships, with medallists ranging from Olympian Eliza McCartney to two teens competing at their first nationals who were also in the medals..
McCartney won gold in the pole-vault for a sixth national title.
Takapuna Athletics Club president Dan Brady said the club’s overall haul of 12 national titles, plus multiple other medallists and finalists was a sure sign that athletics is strong on the North Shore.
Half of the titles went to peninsula athletes. His son Connor Brady (see story, page 3) collected two golds in under-18 competition, and four silvers.
Kate Hallie defended her U20 shot-put title with a personal best throw and came third in the senior event. She also claimed a silver medal in the U20 discus, with another personal best throw.
Samantha Lathwood won the U20 100m and was third in the 200m. With her younger sister Jessica in the team, she also claimed a silver in the 4x100m relay.
German exchange student Teresie Hess,
who trains at the club, claimed the U18 long-jump title, a silver in 100m hurdles and bronze in high jump.
As well as being club members, the peninsula medallists are all former or current Takapuna Grammar School students, some of whom turned out at the Auckland College Sports championships at Mt Smart last week. (Results below.)
At nationals, held in Dunedin from 6-9 March, the athletes were competing in Auckland singlets against the best from other provinces.
Dan Brady said the event was a major focus of the club athletics season for members who had trained hard and competed in lead-up events to qualify.
Another local medallist was Sascha Letica, who was third in both the U20 1500m and 5000m races. Like Kate Hallie, she finished at TGS last year and is bound for the US on a college scholarship mid-year.
Still at TGS is Jessica Lathwood, who added an individual silver medal in the U18 pole vault to the sprint relay silver she gained with her sister.
Alex Hallie claimed a silver medal in
the U16 discus, with a personal best throw at his first nationals. A fellow debutante was Romey Jewell, who was part of the U16x100m Auckland relay team which won bronze. Recently turned 14, Jewell was the youngest club member in competition.
Although the athletics season is winding down, training for many will continue through the year.
McCartney plans to head overseas for competition during the upcoming European season.
Fellow Olympian Jacko Gill, withdrew from nationals after suffering an injury during warm-ups, denying him the chance to contest for a third straight national shotput title or at the World Indoor Athletics Championships last week.
The New Zealand contingent in China included pole vaulter Imogen Ayris, another Takapuna club member and former TGS student, who flew in from Europe. The Paris Olympics finalist based herself in the UK from last year, so was not at nationals, but the move is paying dividends, with Ayris having achieved a personal-best vault in France last month. She came 9th in China.
TGS stars bring home the gold from Auckland champs
Takapuna Grammar School students brought home six gold medals from the College Sports Auckland Athletics Championships at Mt Smart last week.
Asha Edwards won the 3000m senior final, backing up on the intermediate title she won in record time last year.
In the intermediate age group, Teresie Hess won the long-jump, Jessica Lathwood the triple jump and Connor Brady the shotput.
Paige Burrows won the junior 100m and Romey Jewell the junior 300m.
The school’s team of 23 athletes also
claimed eight silvers and one bronze in a total haul of 15 medals.
The silvers went to: Asha in the senior 1500m; Connor in intermediate discus, javelin, and hurdles over 100m and 300m; Teresie in intermediate high jump and shot put; and Romey in the junior 200m race; along with Ella Blincoe in junior 1500m. Ella also claimed bronze in her 800m final.
Teresie is on a student exchange from Stuttgart, Germany, for six months. She ended her athletics season in style by winning the NZ Combined Events U18 heptathlon at Mt Smart last weekend
Things are picking up
We are seeing more inquiry for both owner occupied and investment properties from borrowers as confidence seems to be picking up – particularly as a result of lower interest rates (2yr now 4.99% is very popular) which will help many borrowers cash flows as they rollover more expensive fixed rates and with a better GDP number out last week reflecting a growing economy led by the agri sector (still the backbone of the country) and tourism.
Banks also tell us they are flat out more with new business, restructures and rollovers and being understaffed as usual (disgraceful given their profitability) – turn around times are up to 10 days... even for a simple fixed rate rollover! Hence speak to us as early as possible for any advice or applications and remember most banks will allow rollovers to be renewed within 60 days of the fixed rate maturity.
Teresie Hess
Croquet cruisers bring inter-country rivalry to Devonport
A group of 20 croquet players from cruise ship the Crown Princess descended on North Shore Croquet Club last week for a day of matches which included a hard-fought United States vs Australia clash.
Priscilla Flowers and Josephine Rugart from the United States played an entertaining match against Australia’s Sandra Grant and Alison Sharpe, who has won Australian state and national titles.
Flowers said: “We’ve loved it here – all of New Zealand has been fabulous.”
Devonport had been particularly appealing: “How much does it cost to buy a house here?” she asked.
The players were part of a 14-day Sailors Cup Croquet Cup Cruise, which had also visited clubs in Dunedin, Christchurch, Rotorua and Auckland.
More than 30 players were supposed to play at North Shore, but some had been struck down by illness.
It was the second time the cruise company has visited North Shore Croquet Club and it planned to return in 2026, said Craig Fyfe of tour company Your Travel Expert
North Shore was a great setting with friendly hosts. “We’ve loved playing here,” he said.
North Shore and the other clubs visited were chosen from 113 croquet clubs across New Zealand and 10 in Auckland.
The catered lunch and drinks supplied for the cruise contingent were a fundraiser for the Devonport club, which is celebrating its 120th year.
Cruising in… Priscilla Flowers (left) and Josephine Rugart, who represented the US against Australia during a cruise-ship passenger visit to North Shore Croquet Club. Below: Australians Sandra Grant (left) and Alison Sharpe, and Sharpe in action under Rugart’s watchful eye.
Brown retreats from tough stance on board budgets
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has walked back cost-cutting budgets put up by council finance staff that would have savaged the community spend available to the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board (DTLB).
Facing cost blowouts from rising costs, staff had suggested massively cutting the discretionary spend of the city’s local boards, whose members control just a small portion of the finances spent in their areas.
As reported in the last Flagstaff, DTLB faced losing 40 per cent of the $1.3 million it directly controls. Much of the $9.6 million in operating expenses in the area is tied up in centrally managed contracts to pay for parks and other maintenance which the board has no say over.
It took the combined advocacy of the chairs of Auckland’s 21 local boards and
opposition from some councillors, including North Shore’s Richard Hills and Chris Darby, to quash the plans.
Then acting board chair, Terence Harpur, attended a recent chairs’ forum and spoke against the move. The forum’s resistance resulted in Brown telling staff to find other ways to make the savings.
Harpur said it was frustrating there was an impression boards had more money under their control than was the case.
This included having to convince the mayor – who has promised more local decision-making – and councillors that the bulk of local spending was out of their control.
Contractor Ventia swallowed up more than $5 million of the local spend and its charges were going up, Harpur noted.
“We’ve got a one-year reprieve, but what
is going to happen next year?” It made no sense to have a Long Term Plan if there was no certainty.
Board budget matters are further complicated by council’s staged shift to a fairer funding model, under which boards will be primarily funded based on their populations rather than the assets they have that need maintaining.
For asset-rich areas, such as DTLB, which has a small population compared with many boards, the changed equation is particularly tricky.
Initial cuts on the new model’s implementation from 2026-27 were staved off when councillors decided the equation should apply to new funding only. But managing with ongoing shrinking allocations over time will be a challenge for the DTLB.
Fence for golf course Pool mystery resolved as council comes clean
Waitematā Golf Club is installing a safety fence at the southern end of its Lake Rd boundary, where dead macrocarpa trees were felled recently.
Course manager Jamie Palmer said the fence, to be erected this week, would form a barrier around 50-60m long and 10m high.
The need for this had been underlined by “an incident with a ball that got through gaps in the collapsing trees and hit a car”.
The course went through the council, from which it leases the land, for permission to do the work. Replacement planting is planned, with the course working with Restoring Takarunga Hauraki to get native trees for this area and others it wants to improve.
Flagstaff investigations have finally cleared up the question of who is responsible for the historic soldiers’ rehabilitation pool behind the Navy Museum at Torpedo Bay. Since a stingray became trapped in the pool last month, the Flagstaff has been attempting to establish which organisation is responsible for cleaning it up. The dead ray decayed in the heat, making the pool unusable for locals who sometimes dip in at high tide.
The paper became involved after a frustrated resident contacted the Department of Conservation, the Ministry for Primary Industries and Auckland Council, but had little joy in finding out which organisation
might help remove the then-intact stingray. At first, the council told the paper it did not manage the location. “We believe this area is managed by the Defence Force,” it said. But a Defence spokesman said: “The pool is outside the boundary of the National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. This makes the pool council property.”
However, the spokesman said Navy Museum staff went to clean up the pool, but found the tides had already done the job. This week, the council, asked for a map, came back to the Flagstaff to apologise for earlier incorrect information, saying the pool did in fact fall within its boundaries to administer.
Diana Murray
Decision by ruling three a loss for all
Last week the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board held its first-ever vote on whether to fill a vacated position.
The vote to not fill was ultimately won three-two, with the three members of the A Fresh Approach team outvoting George Wood and myself.
Prior to the vote a public forum was held. A number of previous board members and candidates spoke in support of filling the seat and following the Kaipatiki, Waitematā, and Whau local boards’ lead in picking the next-highest-polling candidate.
It was disappointing that the board could not reach a consensus to fill the position, as the governance of the board, the decisionmaking and ability to liaise and work with the wider community would be much better for it over the next six to seven months.
We have six members for many reasons, including:
• More not fewer members promote robust discussion, enabling varying views to be presented.
• With a large work programme to complete, having more members always provides for better outcomes.
• The number of representatives is calculated as a proportion of the population, thus there is less representation across the area.
• Six members provide flexibility for a quorum when people are away. Five reduces the flexibility to do this, as seen two weeks ago when we had only two members present during a workshop.
Presently, we have three members who live north of Takapuna (Powell, Wood and Allen), one outside the area (Harpur) and myself south of Takapuna, in Narrow Neck. The Devonport peninsula has a long history of local-board participation and representation, and this reduction will leave a significant gap in ability to engage and represent views.
Sadly, the decision by three people to choose to water down the opportunity for local representation and engagement makes all of us losers.
Gavin Busch, DTLB member
Democracy not served by board stance
I attended this week’s meeting of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board – hoping to be among the first to personally congratulate Mike Single on being appointed as a member of the board. He would have brought great skills to the table and served the community very well. I was very disappointed when the three Fresh Approach members blocked Mike’s appointment and instead chose to leave the seat vacant for the seven months.
The accepted tradition is to offer the vacancy to the next-highest-polling candidate in the last election. The Whau and Kaipātiki local boards did exactly that at their February meetings, when they also had unexpected vacancies. Leaving the seat vacant is perfectly legal – but I do not believe the decision has served either democracy or the community well.
Ruth Jackson
Write to the Devonport Flagstaff
Let the people choose
Based on the emails that Mike Single sent me in my capacity as chair of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, it’s my view that the community has dodged a bullet.
Nominations open in July for candidates to stand in this year’s local government elections.
Let the public decide who they wish to represent the area.
We should let democracy be the winner on the day, and give the people the right to vote.
Toni van Tonder, former DTLB chair
Thanks, Toni
I feel like our Devonport-Takapuna Local Board has been doing a great job over the past few years. Overall they have been working well together, have achieved a lot and have been a good functioning team even though at times they haven’t always agreed on things. George, Toni, Terrence, Mel, Gavin and Peter all deserve some praise for their time and efforts.
With the local elections coming up later this year, hopefully the new board will be made up of another good mix of people to represent our areas.
A big thanks to Toni van Tonder for all of her work on local board and in our community over the past number of years. With her move to Australia she will be a big loss to the peninsula and to NZ.
Adam Bennett
We welcome letters. Please limit to 300 words on local topics. Noms de plume or unnamed letters will not be printed. Email news@devonportflagstaff.co.nz or write to Letters, PO Box 32 275, Devonport.
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Professionally qualified with CA (CA ANZ) or CPA and with 4-5 years+ current NZ experience is ideal, but a part-qualified individual or someone with strong technical experience will also be considered.
We have modern offices in Devonport and a great team environment. We offer flexibility in the hours of work.
Please apply by email attaching your CV to Sheryl Beaumont: sheryl@axiome.co.nz
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Olympians Visit Inspires Students
Takapuna Grammar School students were treated to an inspiring visit from two accomplished Olympian kayakers, Olivia Brett and Tuvaa Clifton. Olivia Brett, a gold medalist in the New Zealand Women’s K4 canoe sprint at the Paris Olympics, and Tuvaa Clifton, a two-time Olympian representing Samoa. They shared their journeys, challenges, and insights. Brett, who had dreamed of becoming an Olympian since the age of eight, spoke about her experiences with overtraining and the importance of taking breaks to maintain performance. Clifton, who started in surf lifesaving before committing to kayak sprint, recounted how he adapted his training during COVID-19 lockdowns.
During the Q&A session, students eagerly asked about the athletes’ biggest challenges. The Olympians highlighted the importance of listening to their bodies, with sleep being a key indicator of overtraining. They emphasised that beyond medals and recognition, their greatest gains
came in the form of self-knowledge and a deeper understanding of their goals and needs. The highlight of the event was when students had the rare opportunity to hold an Olympic gold medal. The visit left a lasting impact, inspiring many to apply the athletes’ lessons to their own ambitions. It was truly a day of learning, motivation, and inspiration for all.
Warm Welcome at the Year 9 Breakfast
Takapuna Grammar School's PTA hosted its annual Year 9 Welcome Breakfast on 14 March, bringing together new students, parents, staff and prefects and it was a great success. Held in the school staffroom, the event provided an opportunity for families to mingle with senior staff, including deans, deputy principals, and prefects, while learning more about the exciting opportunities available at TGS.
A highlight of the morning was hearing from past students Bill An and Pania Rowe-Karanui, who shared
their inspiring stories. Bill is set to attend an Ivy League University, the University of Pennsylvania; while Pania, a returning student, is shining as a student teacher in Tū Tangata before joining the Navy. Thanks to our sponsor Toasted Espresso for the fresh coffee, tea and hot chocolate which kept everyone fuelled throughout the event. The morning was a wonderful way to welcome new students and families into the TGS community, and we look forward to another fantastic morning next year.
Shortland Street: The Musical - Coming Soon!
Few things scream ‘Kiwi Culture’ quite like Shortland Street, so this year we're taking a trip back to Ferndale in the ‘90s to catch-up with some old friends: Doctors Hone Ropata and Chris Warner, Nurse Jaki Manu, muffin man Lionel Skeggins, Marj Neilson (the purse-lipped queen of the reception desk), and all of your favourite characters from yesteryear. Our talented students can't wait to bring these icons to life when Shortland Street: The Musical hits the stage in early May. Written by TGS Alumnus and experienced TV/ stage actor Guy Langford, Shortland Street: The Musical was a critically acclaimed success when it first hit the Auckland theatre scene, and now Takapuna Grammar will be the first school ever to produce the ‘Teen Issue’ version of the show.
Filled with quirky humour and cheeky entendres, catchy tunes and lively dance numbers, the stage show will appeal to Shorty newbies and longtime fans alike.
Personal experience inspires brain-injury group
A Devonport woman who suffered a brain aneurysm has started a support group for people with brain injuries to address gaps in the health system.
Sita Proud said the group’s aim was to provide aftercare support for people with brain injuries which often isn’t provided to people after operations.
Proud said she wants to help fill that gap to help people through difficulties in recovery such as dealing with depression, memory loss, personality changes, fatigue and other niggles which occur post-injury and post-surgery.
She runs a monthly peer-support group at the North Shore United clubrooms where participants discuss a topic or do an activity relating to recovery – such as yoga – while sharing their experiences.
The group provided the opportunity to
meet others going through similar situations, so they can talk about their experiences and feel like they’re not alone, she said. “In that time everyone’s able to get things off their chest.”
Families can also come to the sessions so they can learn ways to help their affected family member, said Proud, who is on the North Shore United board.
Proud was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm in 2021 when she had an MRI for a burst artery in her neck, which she had suffered earlier in the year.
Through her recovery, Proud suffered from depression, severe memory loss and changes to her emotions which she said would have been easier to manage if she had more professional support, which is why she’s running the group. “When I got strong enough I decided that I needed to give back because I’m still alive.”
She runs the peer-support group through Headway, an organisation which supports people with brain injuries.
She notes what people say they need and shares that information with Headway to
Offering support... Sita Proud
help guide the supports and resources it invests in.
The sessions are available to anyone who has suffered any type of brain injury. Email sitaproud@gmail.com to enquire.
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We need you!
New Zealand’s media continues to undergo massive change.
Last year, Newshub canned its hour-long evening news show and morning AM show in July, while TVNZ dropped Fair Go and its Sunday programme; among other job cuts.
In the world of community newspapers, The 50-year-old Howick and Pakuranga Times has shut down, along with the 100-year-old Wairoa Star. (Both have reappeared under new ownership.)
Last year, NZME closed 14 community titles. (Several have since been bought by local communities). Last week, the company announced 38 further jobs would go - reporting, sub-editing and production roles.
The common reasons for the media cutbacks and closures are declining advertising revenues and rising costs. Newspapers across the country have faced print bill increases of 56 per cent over the last five years.* (Our print bill has gone up $6000 per month during this time.)
At the same time, New Zealand companies are spending millions of dollars on Google and Facebook advertising. This money goes offshore, with massive impacts on New Zealand journalism and jobs.
Journalist numbers in New Zealand have dropped from 4000 to 1700 in the past 20 years.*
At Devonport Publishing, we employ nine people (full-time and part-time) across our two newspapers — The Devonport Flagstaff and the Rangitoto Observer. All live locally.
How long can community newspapers continue under the current model?
If the trends in advertising and costs continue, we are likely to run out of money — sooner rather than later.
On publication day, I see dozens of people — young and old — wandering around with the Flagstaff. It is read and valued as much today as it was when it was started 32 years ago.
Most media are now relying on donations or subscriptions in some form to survive.
I hope you are prepared to pay something towards the production of our newspapers.
Click ‘Become a supporter’ at the top of our website home page: devonportflagstaff.co.nz
Every little bit helps.
Please sign up for our email alerts for when the paper goes online and to get our weekly newsletter.
Finally, a massive thanks to our advertisers who continue to support us, and to those readers who have already made donations.
Rob Drent
Devonport Flagstaff Owner and Editor for 28 years
*Source: Koi Tū: University of Auckland Centre for Informed Futures. A position paper on New Zealand’s news media. Author: Gavin Ellis. Released May 2024.
Go to devonportflagstaff.co.nz and click to ‘Become a supporter’ at the top of the page
Lights costing $125k eyed for ‘unsafe’ Windsor Reserve
Better lighting costing $125,000 is being investigated for Windsor Reserve on the Devonport waterfront.
The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board board has $180,000 set aside for safer lighting projects and had hoped to get several under way this year. But cost estimates are such that board members will likely have to choose between two of three options staff initially assessed.
High-use areas such as Windsor Reserve and Sunnynook Park pathways have been given higher priority by the board than lighting at Stanley Bay wharf, which had an estimated cost of $215,000.
Testing has shown lighting at Windsor Reserve is below recommended standards.
“The park is dark and unsafe at night,” said council project manager Xavier Choi. Consultants had recommended adding six lights, he told board members at a recent workshop.
Sunnynook Park has similar issues, with locals having long called for a well-used pedestrian path parallel to Trinidad Ave to be property lit. Lighting this stretch could require up to 11 lights, to meet standards elsewhere in the park, the board was told. The improved lighting was estimated to cost $165,000.
Staff cautioned costs could rise if further investigations found the distance between power supply and new lights required more work to be done.
The board may have to choose one project or the other. Installation would be in the next financial year.
Board members have asked staff to provide more detail and further options.
Member Gavin Busch suggested floodlights up into the trees at the reserve would be cheaper and prettier than erecting power poles, as would the addition of stairway lights. “Make the solution fit the site and it’s an aesthetics solution as well.”
Deputy chair Terence Harpur repeated past criticisms of council costs and professional services fees and said he could not understand why parks and facilities or contractor Ventia could not do the work, rather than hiring lighting specialists.
20 years ago from the Flagstaff files
• The Navy’s secret development plans for a new museum emerge at a council meeting.
• Vandals wreck a classic Honda Civic by turning it on its roof in Regent St.
• Ed Knowles and the Checks star at the Victoria Theatre, as thousands flock to three weekends of open days at the heritage building.
• The Checks song ‘Mercedes Children’ is nominated for the best unreleased song category of the b.net awards.
• A consent application for the Bayswater ferry terminal is lodged with the Auckland Regional Council.
• Jacko Gill (10) announces himself a potential track and field star, with a 13.86 shot put which smashed age group records for both Australia and New Zealand.
• Dredging in the Rangitoto channel is
blamed for the dirty state of Cheltenham and Narrow Neck beaches.
• Basil Latimer and Philip Close win the Auckland Aquathon champs at Long Bay, with Latimer completing the sea leg and Close doing the running.
• A Fred Mans photograph of a reflection capturing the Victoria Rd fountain beside the library won the Devonport Award in the Depot’s 2005 Art Awards.
• Marion Callagher, who looks back on 30 years of taking Devonport Girls Brigade members to a Rangitoto Island bach, is the Flagstaff interview subject.
• The Mt Victoria signal station and its various signalmen are detailed in history column Ramblings with Rod.
• Large-scale hearings on the Navy’s “defence purposes designation” are held at North Shore City Council, with a number of submissions from community
groups including the Ngataringa Bay Society 2000 Inc, led by Joel Cayford.
• Devonport Primary School holds a Wacky Friday, with proceeds going towards a toilet-pan tax, levied by North Shore City Council, and the Kidney Foundation.
• Peter McQueen, Rod Cornelius, Rikki Morris and Rachel Dennyss win North Shore City civic awards, presented by North Shore Mayor George Wood, deputy mayor Dianne Hale and Devonport Community Board chair Mike Cohen.
• Surfing brothers Oliver and Finn Cameron take first and second place in the national under-14 longboard champs at Mangawhai Heads.
• New Blues recruit Tom Harding will play for North Shore, after All Black Craig Newby transferred to Otago.
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Art sale delivers $35,000 boost for Cure Kids
Around $35,000 was raised for the Cure Kids charity at the Art of Giving exhibition held by Bayleys at its real-estate offices – a former art gallery – on King Edward Parade.
Twenty artists, potters and sculptors submitted their work for the three-day exhibition, including pieces from acclaimed artists such as local Rob Tucker and also Weston Frizzell, a collaboration between Otis Frizzell and Mike Weston.
Twenty Takapuna Grammar students also contributed pieces, with 80 per cent of their works sold.
Bayleys Devonport manager Sue Stanaway said 200 people visited the exhibition, with 75 to 80 people attending an auction last Friday night.
Works by Weston Frizzell and Laken Whitecliffe sold for more than $5000 under the hammer. A silent auction was also held for 14 donated pieces.
Stanaway said the exhibition was a great success, enjoyed by all those who attended. Bayleys would consider holding a similar event in the future, she said.
Well-attended... the Bayleys art sale
E sales@devonportflagstaff.co.nz W www.devonportflagstaff.co.nz
Over
Tēnā koutou, welcome to March, and with it a host of exciting events, exhibitions and creative news to share!
DEPOT Artspace
Opening on Saturday 22 March at 2-4pm, DEPOT Artspace is proud to present ‘Self-Care for Aliens’ featuring the work of Natasha Munro Hurn and Ezra Munro.
March also sees the return of our wildly popular First Thursdays event series. Check out depot.org.nz for info on our upcoming workshops for full details!
DEPOT 3 Vic Road
Opening on Friday 14 March at 5-7pm, DEPOT 3 Vic Road’s second exhibition of 2025 features local multidisciplinary artist Sarah Morrah’s works in ‘Neural Bloom’.
Visitors can also browse the DEPOT Shop | Toi Toa collection at 3 Victoria Road, including our Maker of the Month for March - Shaw Road Ceramics.
DEPOT Sound
Since flooding severely damaged the studios and our beloved gear last year, Studio Manager Noah Page has been getting Studio One ready for a serious glow-up – soldering, fine-tuning, rigorously testing, and locking in the perfect setup.
The studio is fully functional while new gear keeps rolling in, and we’re almost there. Book a recording or rehearsal session on our website today!
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
Theatre company head enjoys role behind the spotlight
Company Theatre president Stephen Hood is an excellent example of the range of skills that come together to stage a theatrical production.
While others enjoy the limelight on stage, Hood (pictured) contributes his skills at the lighting and sound controls.
He fills those technical roles in Company’s latest production, Out of Order, a farce written by English playwright Ray Cooney.
The plot follows a government minister who plans a tryst with an opposition secretary. When things go horribly wrong, the minister has to lie his way out of the embarrassing situation to avoid a government scandal.
Hood, who is also a co-production-manager, described the play as a chaotic spectacle filled with frenetic comedy which allows the actors to take the audience on a “roller-coaster ride of laughter”.
Set in one hotel room, the play puts a major focus on the actors’ performances, so Hood sees his job as complementing their efforts without distracting from them.
He says the stage needs to be evenly lit and the songs which fit the jokes need to be played at opportune times.
It’s a task which, when it’s done well, isn’t noticed by the audience, instead blending seamlessly into the show, he said.
Hood (49) first joined Company Theatre when he was working in IT and decided he needed to indulge his personal interests more.
An audition earned him a supporting role in a play in 2014.
During that production Hood mentioned he had some experience operating a lighting desk, which “piqued the interest” of company figures.
He was recruited to run lighting and sound on a show later that year, and has done so on many productions since.
He’s remained involved – despite living south of the Harbour Bridge – due to the bonds he’s built over the years.
“It becomes a friendship group as well as a theatre company.”
Hood has been president for the past six years and was the treasurer prior to that. He said there’s a good mix of ages at Company Theatre, with many members who have been there since its founding in the 1980s along with young emerging talent – including a stage manager for Out of Order who is still at Takapuna Grammar. Out of Order, at the Rose Centre from 29 March to 12 April. Tickets and more info at iticket.co.nz.
Racing gig raises $3300 for Depot
A gig in Devonport by the band Racing raised $3300 for Depot Sound.
Attendees at the event, held at the RSA on 15 March, also kicked in with additional donations.
The money will go towards the studio’s recovery from a damaging flood, which put it temporarily out of action last year.
Musicians from Racing and many other local bands have recorded in the studio for decades.
When the band heard about the losses it
had suffered they suggested the fundraiser.
Support act CCTV also previously recorded at the Depot under its sound engineer Noah Page, who with workmate Alex Twidle set up sound equipment for the successful fundraising show.
“Huge shout out to everyone who made this happen,” said Twidle, who thanked the bands, Takapuna Grammar School for lending a stage, the RSA, Bruce Kerr of Pisces Promotions for equipment and volunteers from Depot’s Artslab.
Young soprano hits the high notes for a local crowd
Olivia Forbes (pictured) is looking forward to bringing a night of opera and singing to Devonport.
The 23-year-old soprano – who will head to the Royal College of Music in London in August to further her studies –says performing on her home patch will be special. She promises a fun evening at the Depot Artspace on 12 April, with the bonus of canapes and wine from Chateaubriant.
Accompanying Forbes will be pianist and coach Claire Caldwell. “We’re presenting arias from famous operas, German lieder, French songs, some music from New Zealand composers and some musical theatre as well to lighten the load,” she says. Expect everything from Mozart, Puccini, Strauss and Debussy to Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Forbes is back home living with her parents in Devonport after a time flatting, as she saves up for the shift to England.
The fee from her Depot show will go towards this. She finished her studies at the University of Auckland last year, with a BA (Hons) in voice. Her conjoint undergraduate degree was in Italian, which will come in handy for tackling future operatic roles.
Acting is also a big part of operatic performance, and was something she first got into while at Kristin School. In her final year at school, Forbes scored the coup of working with New Zealand Opera, taking a role in its season of The Turn of the Screw Since then, while studying and juggling retail work in the city,
WANTED:
A reporter with several years’ experience to join the team at the Devonport Flagstaff and Rangitoto Observer fortnightly newspapers.
You will produce general news stories, as well as reporting on sports, arts and local-body politics, writing longer features, taking photos and generating news leads from community contacts.
Excellent opportunities exist to build on these skills to take on an editing, layout and management role.
Send CV and covering letter to Managing Editor, Rob Drent at rob@devonportflagstaff.co.nz
she has followed the traditional path of entering national competitions. She was a finalist in the New Zealand Aria competition last year and awarded an outstanding talent prize at the Nicholas Tarling Aria finals this year.
In the last Becroft Aria final, at the PumpHouse in Takapuna, she placed third. Another North Shore performance of note was with the Auckland Philharmonia at the Bruce Mason Centre.
For the last two years, she has been part of New Zealand Opera’s summer school in Wanganui, being awarded the 2025 Dame Sister Mary Leo Award for dedication to the craft of opera.
Forbes says knowing she is following a path taken by other New Zealand singers who have moved overseas is encouraging –the likes of tenor Peni Pati, from Sol3 Mio, and his wife Amina Edris, a soprano, who have both debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. “There’s such a strong community of New Zealand singers overseas.”
Leaving Devonport would be tough, but a bigger world of opportunity awaits.
Opera, she says, is a universal experience and once she completes her Masters in performance voice she will be looking to take further steps to the big stage. “I just love the creative liberty you have performing.”
• Olivia Forbes at the Depot Artspace, Clarence St, from 6.30pm, 12 April. Tickets, $85 from events@humanitix.com
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