North Shore Radio Club says the valuable role it plays in emergency communications will be jeopardised by an under-the-radar planned sale of its clubrooms by Auckland Council.
The club has been housed for 28 years in a council building at 400 East Coast Rd,
Sunnynook, but a council property review found the building surplus to requirements. Council staff moved out last week and while the club remains on a month-by-month arrangement, it has been told it will have to leave when the property is sold, likely later this year.
The premises, on a ridgeline, are ideally located for radio transmission, allowing con tact to be maintained across greater Auckland. Club members perform weekly check-ins for Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) to ensure working radio links to command
Sun shines on rescheduled Takapuna festival
Aiming high... Benji (3) and sister Paige Grayson (4) from Hauraki enjoyed trying one of the games available at the Takapuna Summer Days Festival, held in warm conditions last Sunday after being called off due to rain the week before that. More photos, pages 12-13.
NZ Post axes service from Hauraki Corner
Hauraki Corner is losing its postal outlet, with the shopping strip’s stationery store among 142 urban retail partners NZ Post is cutting adrift.
Valentine’s Stationer owner Andrew Cai says the decision puts his entire business at risk and he will likely have to close.
Customers were shocked to be losing the postal facility, probably from mid-June, he told the Observer. “It’s not good for the community.”
A Takapuna woman visiting the store who did not want to be named agreed, saying it was handy, with plentiful parking and provided helpful service, such as assisting people to fill in forms. Personally, she preferred the security of dropping off parcels rather leaving them out for courier pick-ups and risking theft.
“I always come here, I’m sending a family heirloom today – I want to know it will get there.”
NZ Post announced the cuts to its network across the country last week. Locally, they include the loss of two post counters serving the Navy Base at Devonport from depots at 1 Queens Pde and on Jim Titchener Pde. Takapuna and Devonport retain their centres located in Paper Plus stores.
Milford town centre lost its service in October 2024, with the owners of the stationery
store that provided it deciding to close at the same time.
Cai, aged 46, who bought the Hauraki store nine years ago from a long-term owner, said he had put hundreds of thousands of dollars into his business. Although he had diversified into computer repairs and had a Lotto counter, it was postal services that brought in 50 per cent of his trade.
From what trade will be left, the father of two who lives in Forrest Hill says he will struggle to pay costs and rent or find a buyer. “I can’t get any dollars back. What will I do next?”
He says partner stores shoulder the costs of keeping stores open, and NZ Post should have sought public feedback on reducing services. “The post shop is the link to the community.” It brought people in who visited other shops as well.
Customers included people from Belmont and Narrow Neck, but most were from the Hauraki neigbourhood. “They don’t want to go to Takapuna or Devonport.” Parking charges or difficulty finding a park put them off.
The first inkling he got of change was last October when NZ Post asked stores if they wanted to remain in its network. He said he did, but in mid-January was told the Hauraki partner deal would end in mid-June.
Hornets spread to Takapuna, Forrest Hill
Yellow-legged hornets nests have been found in Takapuna and Forrest Hill, Biosecurity New Zealand confirmed on Tuesday.
Three small nests – one in Takapuna (with a queen inside) and two in Forrest Hill (without queens) – were located.
Using radio tracking, trapping and ground surveillance, along with public notifications, the team has located and destroyed 49 queens, 51 nests and hundreds of workers.
On the Takapuna detection, a hornet was reported by a member of the public on a pohutakawa tree in a commercial premises. Field teams visited the site where additional bait stations/open traps were placed. Another hornet was then discovered in one of these traps. Further monitoring and observations lead to the discovery of the primary nest across the road from the pohutukawa, in another commercial premises.
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NZ Post says changes in mail usage drove the latest cuts. Auckland loses 29 centres in all. Those going from the wider North Shore are at Beachhaven, Northcross, North Harbour and Albany village.
To allow the network reductions, NZ Post secured agreement for a change in its deed of understanding with the government to reset minimum post shop requirements for the first time since the 1980s.
NZ Post general manager – consumer Sarah Sandoval said much had changed since then. “Customers now rely far more on NZ Post stores for collecting and sending parcels compared to letters.”
The network needed rebalancing to reflect this, she said.
But there would still be more NZ Post stores across the country than any New Zealand supermarket or bank branch network.
“Ninety percent of Kiwis living in urban areas will still be within four kilometres of a New Zealand Post store,” she said.
Upgrades to some remaining stores and new retail hubs for parcel handling were planned.
Closing dates for stores vary, starting in May, with customers to be informed in advance through in-store notices and on the NZ Post website, which lists the nearest other options.
Carmel oaks felled
Three large oak trees were removed from the Shakespeare Rd frontage of Carmel College at the weekend after a safety inspection. The trees were found to be “no longer healthy” and removal was recommended. The school has not said whether the trees will be replaced.
Around a dozen large oaks and several smaller specimens remain on the boundary.
Shore resident shaken by campground tragedy
Karyn Henger was staying in a cabin at Mount Maunganui when a slip claimed six lives. She spoke to Rob Drent.
Karyn Henger has stayed at Mount Maunganui campground for each of the last five years, but in 2026 felt a sense of foreboding.
She and friends from her school days at Napier’s Taradale High School have met at the Mount for a summer catch-up: swimming at the pools and beach, and taking daily walks up the mountain. This year the group included Henger, her 16-year-old son Mikey, two couples and one of their adult children.
When they arrived, however, a rahui in place after a swimmer died at Pilot Bay during a triathlon put a cloud over the start of their stay, as did the unusually wet weather. “We had fun but the mood continued,” Henger says.
On Tuesday 13 January, before the Thursday slip, the heavy rain began and didn’t really stop until the tragedy. On Wednesday, Henger and Mikey made the most of what they could do: a lunch and dinner out and a “soak in the hot pools in the rain”.
On Thursday morning, a “waterfall” was pouring down the mountain next to their cabin: number 107, right at the base of the mountain. They couldn’t go for their usual walk as the tracks were closed. “Surely if they were worried about the tracks they should have been worried about a slip as well,” Henger says.
Holidaymakers received no notifications from the campground or authorities. “We did not know we were in any danger.”
Henger, who works for Harbour Hospice in Takapuna and lives in Glenfield, was packing and getting ready to leave just after 9.30am when all hell broke loose. A large
slip smashed into the campground ablution block “and a campervan had ended up in the pool.” Police and emergency services were suddenly everywhere, with helicopters overhead.
“There was a sense of confusion – we didn’t know how bad things were. The atmosphere felt very charged.”
Henger and Mikey left the campground, giving their names to police. They knew people were hurt but only on the drive back to Auckland learned of the full extent of the catastrophe.
Henger has experienced various emotions, feeling “we kind of escaped with our lives” but also empathy and sadness for the victims. “How horrific for their families.”
For a few days after coming home she was “just in shock”.
She returned to her job at Harbour Hospice on the Tuesday after Auckland Anniversary Weekend, “which was probably a good thing – getting back to some sort of normality”.
But she suspects the impact of the event will linger as she fully processes what happened.
She’s prepared to give evidence to any inquiry into the slip.
“Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but if they are going to put a family campground at the foot of a mountain they should make sure it is safe for us. It’s not our job to keep up with geotechnical reports.”
Close call... Karyn Henger woke to a “waterfall” pouring close to her cabin at the Mount Maunganui campground
New radio site offered in Henderson
From page 1
posts, airports, police, community centres and marae across the region.
Radio provides vital back-up if digital services are out of action, as occurred in Cyclone Gabrielle on the East Coast in 2023.
Club members are also involved in Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC), a national network devised to kick in when digital or satellite communication fails due to weather or solar flares.
Club deputy chair Clive Brumby says the club is now the sole tenant in the building and was not mentioned in key documents addressing the future of the facility. “I fear we’ve been forgotten,” he says.
He has been trying to raise awareness that the club of 150 members aren’t just hobbyists.
Council has offered other sites, but Brumby says these were a valley in Albany, unsuitable for transmitting, or in West Auckland, which would see membership drop away.
Devonport-Takapuna Local Board chair Trish Deans says: “These are guys with serious skills, we want them in the community. We don’t want them to lose them.”
Deans has asked AEM to give its views to the board and hopes a suitable local home can be found for the club.
Until late last year, AEM had staff of its own working in the building. Its use for civil defence purposes dates back to North Shore City Council days.
The board does not have a decision-making role over council corporate property.
Brumby says the East Coast Rd building could still be of value if retained by the council, because of its location “high and dry” on an arterial road.
Community sources have told the Observ-
Surplus site... The council property at 400 East Coast Rd is being sold
er they think more flood-proof community space is needed for the wider area, with the recently refloored Sunnynook Community Centre at capacity and in a floodplain and Milford lacking a council community facility.
AEM head of operations John Cranfield said it was continuing to invest in the radio communications network.
“There is full provision for emergency radio communications at an alternate site in Henderson.” In an agreement with AREC, the club’s members had access to that site to provide support in an emergency response.
“We do recognise the North Shore club of Amateur Radio Emergency Communications’ valuable contribution to emergency radio communications over many years. We hold a strong and enduring relationship with AREC, and are working through this matter with them and the council.”
Options for all ears and budgets
Up in the air... Clive Brumby and fellow North Shore Radio Club member Alastair Emerson outside the council-owned facility that houses the club
Chopped trees from cliffs left on Takapuna Beach
Chunks of large trees left for months on Takapuna Beach are riling residents. They want the mess at the Hauraki end of the beach cleared up and fear that if carried out to sea on high tide, the tree pieces could be a maritime hazard.
“Who is responsible and liable for the trees that have slipped down the cliffs?” asks Marion O’Kane who lives nearby. “The ratepayers shouldn’t have to pay for the trees to be removed because people are silly enough to build on cliffs.”
Auckland Council confirmed to the Observer it was aware of the felled trees and understands some came down the cliff in recent bad weather.
But the issue dates back to October, when trees towards Clifton Beach first came down the cliffs from properties above.
Ongoing clifftop slip remediation work is taking place at one property in the vicinity. Helicopters and abseilers have been involved in consented remediation work and the cliff base remains roped off.
When the Observer took its latest look at the beach last weekend, substantial cut-up tree portions – some taller than an adult and metres wide – were visible.
They are piled together close under the cliffs, around the rocks from the public shower at the southern end of the beach. Some trees had been cut up before they
came down the cliff, the paper was previously told. A regular beach walker said last week she and friends wondered if the unsightly pile was being left in the hope it would be buried in sand.
“Locals want the beach returned to its former glory,” says O’Kane. She is also concerned that a branch from a tree that washed up and blocked the drain outlet at the end of Hauraki Rd for several weeks last year was still lying nearby.
She worries about tree branches endangering swimmers and boaties and says if one of the large logs on the beach washed into the channel, it could spell disaster for the likes of a pilot boat travelling at speed. “Someone could die.”
Council told the Observer the trees would be removed but gave no timeline for this.
Council compliance manager Adrian Wilson said: “We will be carrying out a site visit to establish where the trees have come from and who is responsible for removal. As this is currently under investigation we can’t provide further detail at this time.”
The council has taken a hands-off approach to dealing with trees that have come down onto beaches from its own reserves, mostly leaving nature to take its course.
Concerns have also been recently raised about fallen trees on St Leonards Beach, Belmont, and at Castor Bay.
Over the last two years, we have got stuck in to fix the basics. We gave Kiwis tax relief, cut wasteful spending to bring down inflation and interest rates, built more roads, schools and hospitals, and introduced tougher sentences so there are fewer victims of violent crime.
We’ve lifted education standards with an hour a day of reading, writing and maths, and hired more doctors and nurses to cut health wait times. We are fixing the basics and building the future — and 2026 will see that work continue here on the Shore.
Trunk call... Residents want chopped trees cleared from Takapuna Beach
Retiree surprises mates at golf
Retiree surprises mates at golf
Perry thought he’d never play another round of golf. The keen golfer had been playing since age twelve, but at 66 his knees forced him to abandon the sport he loved. What started as switching from walking to a cart eventually became complete retirement from the game.
“The worst part wasn’t giving up golf,” Perry admits. “It was losing touch with my mates. We’d played together every week for fifteen years.”
After trying various remedies with limited success, Perry discovered Koru FX through a chance conversation with his neighbour.
“He saw me struggling in the garden and mentioned this cream his wife used,” Perry recalls. Quietly skeptical about the natural approach, he decided to give it a go.
Koru FX combines 16 botanical oils in a unique triple-action formula. Warming oils like black pepper help the ingredients penetrate, peppermint and eucalyptus provide cooling relief, while mānuka, arnica and calendula offer lasting support throughout the day.
“No chemical smell, just pleasant peppermint. And it absorbed quickly without leaving that greasy feeling,” Perry notes.
He began applying the cream to both knees morning and night. Within a week, he noticed significant changes.
“I was getting out of my chair without thinking about it,” he says. “That’s when I knew something was working.”
Three weeks later, Perry sent a text that stunned his golf buddies: “Anyone free for nine holes Thursday?”
“They couldn’t believe it when I showed up,” he laughs. “Thought I was just coming to watch.”
That first round back, Perry shot 44 for nine holes, respectable for someone who hadn’t touched a club in months. Word spread quickly through the group.
“The lads were asking what my secret was. Now half of them are using it too,” Perry says. “We joke that the pro shop should stock it next to the golf balls.”
He’s since returned to playing full eighteen-hole rounds, still using a cart but actively playing.
“My wife says I’m like a different person,” he admits. “Having that weekly game back, seeing the boys, being outdoors, it’s given me my retirement back.”
Perry now keeps a bottle of Koru FX in his golf bag alongside his tees and markers. The locally-made cream has become
Perry did more than just come to watch his mates play a round of golf.
as essential as his lucky ball marker.
“Some guys carry lucky balls. I carry this,” he grins. “Though I suppose it’s more than luck when it actually works.”
When Perry played his favourite 18th hole for the first time, his approach shot landed six feet from the pin.
“Missed the putt,” he laughs. “But just being there to miss it felt like a hole in one.”
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Perry keeps a few bottles around the place for when he needs it.
Just before Christmas, Skintopia opened next door to La Tropezienne. Skintopia specialises in results-driven skin treatments, including customised skin treatments, advanced peels, microneedling, IPL and LED Light Therapy. The studio also offers professional brow and lash services, waxing and relaxation massage — all delivered by highly trained professional skin therapists with a focus on long-term skin health.
The last vacant space, the old Post Office site, will be welcoming the grand opening of Sills + Co this month, on Thursday 12 February. This is a flagship store for the brand featuring a mini department store design. A unique retail experience, each Sills + Co store is home to its own labels alongside a curated offering of accessories and homewares to create a truly luxurious life.
Milford main street full and set for a big year
Yachting Action in Milford during October and November
Vive La France Saturday 21 March
Welcome to 2026 in Milford. We hope you are relaxed and refreshed after a break over the Christmas/New Year, and looking forward to a wonderful year. We now have all the stores in the main street full – no vacancies – a sign that at least here in Milford, the economy has turned the corner for the better.
Ensure you have this date in your calendar now for our very popular annual ‘French Themes’ market day in Milford, when the Milford and wider North Shore community really comes alive to celebrate in French style!
This month the focus is on the major World Championship sailing event coming to our shores in late October and early November. Milford is becoming a bit of a yachting mecca as we have the Milford Cruising Club on the beachfront reserve and Yachting New Zealand has also recently relocated its national headquarters to premises in Inga Road. This facility also includes their high-performance centre.
Winner of Ski Tūroa promotion
Head of Harbour Regatta
Saturday 7 February
Just before Christmas, Skintopia opened next door to La Tropezienne. Skintopia specialises in results-driven skin treatments, including customised skin treatments, advanced peels, microneedling, IPL and LED Light Therapy. The studio also offers professional brow and lash services, waxing and relaxation massage — all delivered by highly trained professional skin therapists with a focus on long-term skin health.
Congratulations to Bridget Agnew who won this fantastic promotion! Thanks also to the businesses involved – Mercedes-Benz North Shore, Pure Tūroa, Powderhorn Chateau, The Roof Rack Shop and Ballistics Wake & Snow.
The last vacant space, the old Post Office site, will be welcoming the grand opening of Sills + Co this month, on Thursday 12 February.
The Head of Harbour Rowing Regatta is heading into its 90th year and brings secondary schools from all over the North Island to Lake Pupuke for this all-day event. Organised by Takapuna Grammar School, you’ll see budding rowers, some of whom will no doubt go on to higher things. It’s a great day of rowing action!
Milford – Top Sales Town Centre on the Shore
This is a flagship store for the brand featuring a mini department store design. A unique retail experience, each Sills + Co store is home to its own labels alongside a curated offering of accessories and homewares to create a truly luxurious life.
Ensure you have this date in your calendar now for our very popular annual ‘French Themes’ market day in Milford, when the
The Milford Cruising Club is a popular venue for yachting events, and the club has secured this event for the latest sailing craze –Windfoiling. There will be three days of high-speed, Olympic-class
A big thanks to all our loyal customers who once again supported us during the month of August as we were, yet again, the Top Sales Town Centre on the Shore. Checkout new stores, Bed Bath & Table plus Stella and Emma in the mall – and Toco Açaí & Froyo in the Main Street opposite New World.
Milford Emergency Readiness Group
I'm pleased to advise the Milford community that we now have a group up and running for when an emergency occurs in our
Head of Harbour Regatta Saturday 7 February
neighbourhood. Milford was severely impacted by the last emergency - the major floods of the Wairau Estuary.
We now have an Emergency Hub at the Milford Cruising Club, which is kitted out with all items needed in any emergency. This will be your first point of contact if you need assistance during any type of emergency. We understand there could be circumstances when this emergency hub is inaccessible so we are currently working on alternative site as a backup hub.
The Head of Harbour Rowing Regatta is heading into its 90th year and brings secondary schools from all over the North Island to Lake Pupuke for this all-day event. Organised by Takapuna Grammar School, you’ll see budding rowers, some of whom will no doubt go on to higher things. It’s a great day of rowing action!
competition from Friday through to Sunday. Elite all-action sailors from New Zealand, Australia, USA, Norway, Hong Kong and the Pacific with more than 40 of the leading domestic and international Windfoil sailors.
The Milford Cruising Club is a popular venue for yachting events, and the club has secured this event for the latest sailing craze –Windfoiling. There will be three days of high-speed, Olympic-class competition from Friday through to Sunday. Elite all-action sailors from New Zealand, Australia, USA, Norway, Hong Kong and the Pacific with more than 40 of the leading domestic and international Windfoil sailors.
The Milford Business Association has a database of around 10,000 locals and this together with the substantial databases of the Milford Cruising Club and the Milford Residents Association will be your sources of information about emergency readiness in Milford. If you are not already on the Milford Shops newsletter, go to milfordshops.co.nz and sign up in the panel at the bottom of the home page – ‘Subscribe to Newsletter’. Similarly you can sign up on the Milford Residents Association Newsletter and also on The Milford Cruising Club newsletter.
It’s all go in Milford in 2026! Have a great February.
It’s all go in Milford in 2026! Have a great February.
More information on what to do in an emergency can be found on the website: aucklandemergencymanagement.govt.nz
We want to keep Milford connected in the next community emergency, so look out for our joint communications.
Murray Hill, Manager, Milford Business Association manager@milfordshops.co.nz • 021 950 463 • milfordshops.co.nz � milfordshops � milfordnz youtube MilfordshopsTV
Murray Hill, Manager, Milford Business Association manager@milfordshops.co.nz • 021 950 463 • milfordshops.co.nz
Sills + Co opens new main street fashion store
Sills + Co, the home of New Zealand labels Caroline Sills and Sills, is pleased to welcome Milford as the newest location to its family of retail stores across New Zealand.
A unique retail experience, each Sills + Co store is home to its own labels alongside a curated offering of accessories and homewares to create a truly luxurious life.
Emergency Hub at the Milford Cruising Club
Sills + Co was founded by Caroline and Lloyd Sills in 1982, in Devonport, New Zealand. Today, the family business is in very good hands with daughters Toni and Christina heading sales, marketing and retail, and the talented Mandy Villars heading the design department.
Discover the new Autumn Winter 2026 collections (and more) at the Milford store grand opening on Thursday 12 February. Sills + Co – 115 Kitchener Road, Milford. www.sillsandco.com
Your monthly update from Murray Hill, Manager of Milford Business Association.
Milford and wider North Shore community really comes alive to celebrate in French style!
Beat cops pound Shore pavements over summer months
Takapuna beat team officers are averaging at least 10,000 steps per shift, police say.
The team, which hit town-centre streets from November and is fully staffed for February, kept up the pace through the busy holiday season.
Acting Senior Sergeant Alex Waworis, relieving communities manager for Waitemata East, said the beat team had particularly focused on retail crime in the lead-up to Christmas.
Earlier the six constables and a sergeant had established relationships with shops, malls and business groups.
For January, six newly graduated constables were deployed to gain experience with the core team.
“Team priorities still remain the same from last year,” Waworis said. As well as the focus on retail crime and community engagement, a visible police presence helped deter crime in public spaces and allowed for on-the-spot responses to incidents.
She did not give specific numbers on retail theft prosecutions locally, but said examples of intervention included intercepting two young people observed stealing items from Farmers in Takapuna as they exited the store. Police had also dealt with youths spotted
by mall security in other stores. “We’re tackling retail crime daily, which is helping reduce offending and build confidence among local businesses.”
More incidents were being reported by retailers, which enabled police to better target resources and identify patterns – such as peak times and locations. This meant officers could be deployed where they were needed most.
Like the community team in Takapuna, the beat team is often on hand to help frontline staff as needed.
Waworis said it was pleasing to be making a difference and gaining community trust, which included people coming up to team members to say it was great to see more police out and about.
Feedback was welcome to help ensure the team was making a meaningful difference.
North Shore Beat Team members also spend time in central Glenfield and Albany. They keep an eye on bus stations too, sometimes using buses to get about.
The police ask the community to report any suspicious activity.
Call 111 if it’s happening now or 105 if it’s after the fact. Online reports can be made to 105.police.govt.nz.
Briefs
Padel delayed
A shipping delay has put back a projected opening date for padel courts in Takapuna until late February. The three courts were to be up and running in the town square before Christmas. “We import the best courts from Spain, and sometimes there can be delays,” Pacific Padel chief operating officer Alex Hersov said. The courts have arrived and construction has restarted. “By the end of February the courts should be up – given no serious rain or uncontrollable delays,” he said.
Heritage grants
Takapuna Methodist Church and the Lake House have won Auckland Council regional heritage grants. The church on Lake Rd gets $25,000 to safeguard its stained glass windows by replacing rotten window frames, which will also prevent leaks. The arts venue’s $5000 grant is to repair and restore its original upstairs windows and doors.
Five-storey block on hold
Plans for a five-storey apartment building in Kapiti Pl, near the Sunnynook Bus Station, are on hold with Auckland Council, pending further information from the applicant.
Villa Monastero, Lake Como, Varena
Auckland awaits new government line after Luxon u-turn on density
After spending $13 million – and counting – on drafting new house-zoning rules, Auckland Council is still waiting to hear what changes a government rethink of intensification directives might require.
“It’s not clear – we haven’t been told,” says Richard Hills, the council’s policy, planning and development committee chair.
He and Mayor Wayne Brown are seeking meetings to get more clarity, which they hope will come soon, he told the Observer.
Hills said he had spoken to Minister of Housing Chris Bishop. But Prime Minister Christopher Luxon appeared to have made an election-year captain’s call for a backtrack in the face of a public backlash against council’s Plan Change 120 (PC120).
Council had heard rumours of a rethink, but was not informed of it ahead of Bishop stating publicly in mid-January that one was underway, said Hills.
“We hope we don’t need to spend another $3 million consulting,” he said, referring to the costs to ratepayers so far on PC120, excluding staff costs. A further $10 million had earlier been spent on the jettisoned Plan Change 78, which had gone into the hearings stage.
“We haven’t been leading this. It’s been government-directed for four years,” Hills said.
Government has set April 2026 to have a new plan in place. Signals are that it may lower the mandated and controversial notional provision for up to two million homes in Auckland. It is unlikely, however, to change the priority on intensification around transport hubs and town centres.
“Any delay just shortens the time the [independent hearings] panel will have to consider the feedback,” said Hills.
Submissions had yet to be fully collated, but included thousands from individuals and residents groups made to a tight deadline before Christmas.
Devonport is one of the few areas that under draft PC120 retains single-house zoning due to its special character status. Most Auckland suburbs are Urban Housing Zone, which allows terrace housing as of right, but it could change with lower density.
Between Milford and Takapuna, allowing apartments up to six storeys has alarmed residents.Takapuna metropolitan centre already allows greater heights. Parts of Hauraki within Takapuna’s walkable catchment, now face builds up to 15 storeys. Submissions against this have called for Esmonde Rd to be the upzoning boundary.
Hills says the panel process offers the ability for localised concerns to be factored into the final form of the plan.
Tree protection felled by govt decree
Protection of more notable urban trees by Auckland Council has been halted, after the government’s refusal to allow it.
Council has had to withdraw its proposed Plan Change 113, which would have added 174 individual trees and 29 groups of trees on private land to its Notable Trees Schedule under the Auckland Unitary Plan.
Included were seven trees in Takapuna and Milford – a pin oak at 132 Shakespeare Rd, an English oak at 68-72 Shakespeare Rd and a pūriri at 23 Auburn St, plus pōhutukawa in Takapuna (at 2 The Terrace, 3 O’Neills Ave and 19 O’Neills Ave plus another on the road reserve of the same street).
The Tree Council said it was “appalled” by the move, fearing loss of more significant specimens to development. It wasted years of work done by volunteers to identify trees and through council assessments.
The Notable Trees Schedule was itself a response to earlier government removal of more general tree protection in 2013 changes to the Resource Management Act. The government is now replacing the RMA with new legislation.
The Tree Council fears the draft Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill – on which submissions opened over the Christmas break – may be used to override the existing council tree schedule.
Call to protect shellfish along lower North Shore coastline
The coastline from Devonport to Milford should be included in a two-year fisheries closure proposed to stretch from East Coast Bays north to the Hibiscus Coast and Rodney and some Hauraki Gulf islands, says the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board.
The closure would prohibit taking invertebrates such as shellfish, and seaweed from the intertidal zone.
Not extending the closure risked the local foreshore being stripped of shellfish, said board member Terence Harpur. The community was already concerned about the extent of stripping and this could worsen unless the ban took in the peninsula.
The board backed his motion for a closure extension at its final meeting last year, and will lobby Fisheries New Zealand, relevant
ministers and local MP Simon Watts to that effect.
It also backed the initial application for the northern closure, which comes from the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust.
The wider issue blew up last month, with Whangaparāoa peninsula residents protesting about lack of enforcement action over so-called “bucket people”.
Just over a third of Milford homes assessed as being at severe flood risk have now been removed.
Three years on from the devastating 27 January 2023 flood, 45 homes have been cleared from their sites – mostly in the Nile Rd and Alma Rd area backing onto the Wairau Creek and culverts. A total of 138 properties were assessed as being a “Category 3” risk, triggering a buyout process.
The owners of 126 properties have agreed buyouts with Auckland Council, clearing the way for further removals in the coming months.
Milford Residents Association (MRA) co-chair Debbie Dunsford says gaps in the streetscape are already apparent, but there will be many more to come.
Homes to go include some in side streets off Shakespeare Rd.
A bridge in Woodbridge Lane has already been taken out to remove the risk of debris build-up during high rainfall.
Council’s group recovery manager, Mace Ward, said: “What we’re doing in Milford is
Removal of buyout homes rolls on $55 EAR CLEANING
not just repair and recovery, it’s about making the area safer from future flooding, and supporting a place and community people can enjoy and feel proud of.”
The MRA has been working with council on community engagement to ensure locals have input into future land use. Ideas are feeding into council planning.
Mace said some of the cleared land would be needed for council’s blue-green network, giving space for water to flow naturally, but park space was intended, he said.
“Figuring out exactly what the network will look like, and then what land will be needed for it, will take about a year.”
While that design work went on, home removal would continue. Council would both maintain the land and support low-risk shortterm uses of it. “This could include things like community activities, art, film sets, or construction staging, depending on what each site can safely manage,” Mace said.
• A community picnic organised by the MRA will be held at Milford Beach Reserve on Saturday 1 March.
Park or ride –AT raises cost of both
Public transport fares and parking charges both increased from the start of February.
Auckland Transport says the “modest” fare increase – averaging 5.1 per cent across bus, rail and ferry trips – helps offset rising costs and council and government funding expectations.
Car parking charges, on-street and in AT-operated parking buildings, including Toka Puia in Takapuna, are reviewed annually, as are fares. Parking will increase by 50c an hour, except in areas that have already faced rises in the past year.
Higher prices are planned for residential parking permits, up from $70 a year to $114, in what AT says would be the first increase for 13 years.
AT says it has kept rises as low as possible, and below its own costs for providing the services. Director of public transport and active modes Stacey van der Putten says AT had to make annual increases to continue to deliver reliable and frequent services.
“AT’s operating costs for public transport have grown by more than 10 per cent over the past year, driven by higher rail charges, the cost of running more frequent bus services and contractual adjustments,” she said.
The $50 weekly fare cap – which includes the Devonport ferry – would remain. In its first year, she said, the fare cap delivered 886,000 free trips and saved customers more than $2 million.
The tertiary concession increased from 20 per cent to 40 per cent in December to encourage students to use public transport. AT also offers a Community Connect concession, providing half-price fares for people with a Community Services Card.
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Sultry weather arrives for beachside festival
On a sweltering day last Sunday, Takapuna Summer Days Festival – delayed by rain the week before – drew thousands to the beach reserve.
Old-fashioned games proved popular with children while many adults were happy to relax on the grass in the shade or enjoy a cooling dip in the sea
Seeking shade... Westlake Girls High School students (from left) Emma Smith and Isla Lawrence, both 16, enjoyed chilling on the grass as did (above) North Shore residents Ana Ivanovich-Tongue and her mother Ljubica Ivanovich
PICTURES: KATHRYN NOBBS
Mix and match... Milford dad Kieran O’Mahoney and five-year-old daughter Ailbhe, who came along in her favourite fluffy vest
Hands on... Luke Milina-Fowlee (6) from Hillcrest enjoying a game
Thumbs up... Rich Kitto shows his approval of the entertainment
it out...
Family fun.... Oliver (5) and sister Layla Cruden (7) from Belmont tried a wooden game
Check
Catherine Grealish of Forrest Hill on the rug with her threemonth-old baby Meavh
Jasper Zhang (6) from Hillcrest takes timeout on the bouncy castle. Below: The Bubble Fairy Mirabelle entertained youngsters
Shore schools name student leaders for 2026
Westlake Boys High School
Westlake Boys High School announced Harper Wilson as Head Boy at assembly last Friday.
The Year 13 from Milford is the elder son of All Black Jeff Wilson and World Cup winning Silver Ferns captain Adine Wilson.
A talented sportsman, Harper (pictured at the rostrum) captains the school’s premier basketball team and is in the First XV squad. He plays on the wing, a position his father excelled in. The school said he was an allrounder, being a top academic student as well.
In his speech at assembly, Harper urged students to make the most of the school year ahead – to leave no regrets, embrace and learn from challenges, support and lean on one another and be engaged.
Both Harper’s parents – who have maintained public profiles through sports commentary – have encouraged their two sons to participate in a range of sports.
Adine, a lawyer, told the Observer at a
Rosmini College
Max Barry, Head Boy of Rosmini College for 2026, was elected by staff and his fellow Year 12 cohort in a process last year.
He was chosen as an all-round student who was respected by students and staff alike.
As head boy, he says: “I aim to strengthen not just fellowship among students, but a true sense of brotherhood – particularly between juniors and seniors. Our boys should feel they each have a voice that will be heard, encouraging action within our community and college.”
Looking ahead, he hopes to have a role in further developing Rosmini as a school where students form a genuine bond and become “simply good mates to one another”.
charity netball game that she didn’t think her sons had seen her play the game in which she made her name.
Most other North Shore high schools chose their student leaders last year.
Carmel College
Carmel College has continued its tradition of naming two Head Girls. In 2026 they are Kirra Redfern-Hardisty and Leighton Esera.
The school described Kirra as always willing to help and support those around her. Deeply involved in school sport, she plays netball, basketball and touch, and values the sense of teamwork and connection these experiences bring.
Alongside her sporting commitments, she has a strong interest in the Catholic character of the college and is passionate about uplifting others through faith and encouragement.
She aims to be a clear and positive voice for students and help create a welcoming, inclusive environment.
Carmel says Leighton enjoys connecting with others and is always ready to lend a helping hand. Passionate about the strong sense of sisterhood at Carmel College, she is particularly motivated to help grow and strengthen the school’s basketball programme.
Westlake Girls High School
Westlake Girls High School says Head Prefect for 2026 Dorsa Jahedi represents the school’s values, is an accomplished public speaker, and “has energy and intelligence to burn”.
When the Year 13 student was given the role she phoned family overseas and says she couldn’t hold back the tears. “I felt immensely grateful, excited and overwhelmed in the best way possible.”
She sees the position as one allowing her to shine a light on others and help them feel seen and supported.
“I believe one of the most important aspects of school life is our school spirit. ”
She hopes to help create an environment where students felt confident and connected. She aims to “lead with authenticity and help others feel comfortable being themselves”.
Leighton also values the Catholic character of the college and the role it plays in shaping a supportive and faith-filled community. Leighton wanted to be a positive role model and to help students feel settled, supported, and confident throughout their school journey. She hopes to leave a lasting legacy by encouraging students to discover their “why” and feel a strong sense of belonging at Carmel College.
Takapuna Grammar School
Takapuna Grammar School’s 2026 Head Prefects are Nathan Fry and Cami Crowther. Both bring strong leadership qualities, enthusiasm, and a shared commitment to supporting the school community.
Cami applied for the role after admiring the impact of previous leaders and hopes to help others achieve their goals. A keen water polo and tackle rugby player, she also plays social basketball and is active in clubs including Enviro and UNICEF. This year she aims to inspire students to make the most of everything TGS offers and to help the Year 13 cohort enjoy a memorable final year.
Nathan continues a proud family connection with TGS stretching back to when his great-grandparents were caretakers of the school.
A former TGS rower, Nathan now dedicates himself to music, performing widely at corporate and charity events. In 2025, he received an AIMES Music Scholarship. Nathan hopes to strengthen a culture of manaakitanga, encouraging kindness and support for each another.
Together, Cami and Nathan seek to foster inclusion, positivity, and a supportive environment where all students can thrive in the TGS community.
Kirra Redfern-Hardisty (left) and Leighton Esera
Compassionate volunteers wanted for Hospice shifts
Volunteers are needed to help at the Inpatient Unit (IPU) of Harbour Hospice in Takapuna, especially at weekends.
Existing volunteers say the roles are a satisfying way to support the charity, which provides specialist, compassionate care to one in three people in the community who are dying.
Claire Simpson, from Takapuna, who has a background in nursing and natural health, began volunteering in the IPU after Hospice cared for her late husband. “It could not have been a more loving environment,” she says. “I was so impressed with the love and care of the hospice folk, I wanted to give back.”
Hospice says it needs at least 12 volunteers per weekend to cover three four-hour shifts each day at its Shea Tce facility.
“Our greatest need is for weekend receptionists,” says its community and volunteer engagement manager, Vicki Parker.
“The work involves working closely with the IPU clinical team, taking phone calls, signing in visitors and completing light admin work. And, of course, the most important part of the role is to be the friendly, smiling face of Harbour Hospice and ensure that everyone who comes in feels welcome and taken care of.”
Weekend volunteer receptionist Nickie Stipsen has helped for 13 years, and finds the work “incredibly fulfilling”.
“You become part of the visitors’ lives,” she says. “They’re very unsure when they come into hospice for the first time. You’re there to greet them and to talk if they want to chat. It’s a few hours out of your day and it’s so worthwhile.”
Jackie Reyland, who worked for 15 years as a medical receptionist, found volunteering on the desk gave her a sense of purpose in retirement.
As well as reception work, Hospice has
set up two new patient-facing volunteer programmes in the IPU; one is the Day Respite Programme which provides support and companionship to patients on day respite, giving carers at home a break. The second is the IPU Volunteer Programme designed to free-up nursing staff so they can focus on core tasks.
Volunteer lead Tina Perenara explains: “You don’t have to have a clinical background. What’s most important is that you are compassionate and enjoy people.”
Training is provided for all roles. Duties of those on the IPU Volunteer Programme include delivering meals and giving extra care and attention to patients who might be
on their own.
“They can prepare rooms for new patients and welcome visitors to the unit. The afternoons, especially, can be busy in the IPU.”
Milford resident Pam McGlynn made the switch to assisting in the IPU in December, after 18 months volunteering as a patient driver and in kitchen support.
She appreciates the kind and good-natured people who work there and the care and attention that goes into every meal for patients.
The former travel broker says: “Hospice is like this microcosm of goodness”.
• To find out more about volunteering for Harbour Hospice email volunteer@harbourhospice.org.nz
Friendly faces... (from left) volunteers Claire Simpson and Pam McGlynn with Harbour Hospice’s Vicki Parker
Takapuna athletes fly high at annual junior games
Takapuna Athletics Club enjoyed a successful 2026 North Island Colgate Games in Tauranga, achieving strong results in challenging hot conditions.
Held on 9–11 January, the annual national junior athletics competition for those 14 years and under featured more than 1300 athletes from across New Zealand.
A highlight for Takapuna was Sina-Maria Su’a earning the “double-double”, taking out the gold in discus and shot put at both the North Island and South Island Colgate Games, the southern version being held in Nelson the following weekend.
Sina was also awarded one of four prestigious Athletics New Zealand Nick Willis Scholarships after her North Island performances.
The Northcote resident attends Diocesan School on a scholarship. In winning gold in the shot put, she set an Auckland age-group record of 16.03m.
The club says she is a humble and respectful role model who is on track for continued success.
Other role models are the club’s Olympians – shot putter Jacko Gill and pole vaulters Imogen Ayris and Eliza McCartney – who sent video messages of support to the nearly 50 youth athletes who headed to Tauranga.
Of club members who live locally, Ruby Flyger, a student at Takapuna Normal Intermediate School, won gold in the discus (Grade 12).
Further success came with April Peita securing silver in the long jump and bronze in the 100m (Grade 14) and Madeleine Anderson bronze in the 200m (Grade 13). Both attend Westlake Girls High School.
Other top performances came from all-rounder Makaia Anesi who finished her Grade 10 competition events with an impressive five medals. The Hauraki resident won gold in the discus and was part of the winning Grade 10 Girls 4x100m relay team alongside clubmates Mila Kailahi, Summer McKnight and Mackenzie France. All four girls are attending Belmont Intermediate School this year.
Makaia also secured silver medals in the 100m and shot put as well as a bronze medal in the long jump.
Mila travelled to Nelson to compete in the South Island Colgate Games, securing a gold medal in high jump and silver in discus. She trains with Jacko’s father Walter Gill.
Further club success in Tauranga came from Takapuna Grammar School student Romey Jewell, who claimed silver medals in both the Grade 14 Girls 400m and 200m.
Leo Simons, who goes to BIS, rounded out the medal tally with a bronze in the Grade 12 Boys long jump.
Plenty more summer competition looms for club athletes, working through to March and Auckland championships .
See me go... Madeleine Anderson takes flight into the turn in the 200m
Golden girls... Relay gold medallists in the Grade 10 race are (from left) Summer McKnight, Mila Kailahi, Mackenzie France and Makaia Anesi
Romey Jewell and (below) April Peita
Double champion... Sina-Maria Su’a winds up to put the shot
Good form... Ruby Flyger with her gold medal and in discus action
Takapuna cricketers continue strong form in two-day competition
Takapuna Cricket Club premiers are in prime position to extend their lead at the top of the Hedley Howarth two-day table after a commanding first day against Cornwall last weekend.
Electing to bat in the first innings Takapuna scored 228 for 9 declared. At stumps Cornwall were 26 without loss.
William O’Donnell top scored for Takapuna with 62 and was backed up by solid knocks from Flynn Goodley-Hollister (36),
More accolades for Westlake speedster
Matt Fleming – the speedy Westlake first XV centre whose dodging, diving dot-down was named Sky Fans Try of the Year at the New Zealand Rugby Awards in December – further underlined his talents over the holidays.
After selection to the New Zealand U18 Sevens side, he was named finals MVP when the team defeated Australia 41-10 to win the Global Youth Sevens tournament played at Dilworth School. He also made the tournament team.
His fan favourite try was scored when Westlake won the North Harbour 1A Final.
Jordan Sussex (31) and Gregory Johnson (24).
The second day of the match at Onewa Domain starts on 7 February at 11am.
Going into the match Takapuna were 20 points clear at the top of the table, having won their first three matches and being the only undefeated team in the competition.
A win against Cornwall would make Takapuna clear favourites to take the Auckland title with only three matches left to play.
Foilers set to fly off Milford Beach
International sailors will join New Zealand’s best off Milford Beach this weekend for the 2026 Windfoliing National Championships.
The three-day event starting on Waitangi Day runs through this weekend and is based out of the Milford Cruising Club. Spectacular high-speed races will involve elite competitors from New Zealand, the United States, Australia and other nations.
Fast-growing windfoiling developed from windsurfing taking on yachting’s hydrofoil technology, to lift boards with sails above the water, reaching speeds up to 20 knots.
Briefs
Trio make NZ team
Two Westlake Boys High School students and one from Westlake Girls were named in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Track and Field Team after standout performances at secondary national champs in December. All were throwers who won gold medals: Oliver Chung in the senior hammer throw, Adam Leece for senior discus and Karmen Maritz, who claimed senior shot put and discus titles.
Devo hosts squash event
Devonport Squash Club has been selected to host the Auckland Masters championship for the first time. It will run from 19-21 March and is open to players aged 35-plus. Up to 100 entries are expected.
Breakers ace honoured
North Shore basketball legend Tom Abercrombie was honoured when the Breakers retired his No. 10 jersey last weekend. The Tall Black, aged 38, who was raised in Hauraki and went to Westlake Boys HIgh School, was acknowledged at the game between his old club and Melbourne United last Friday 30 January at Spark Arena. He played 16 seasons for the Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League.
Junior Squash Open at Devonport
Devonport Squash Club is hosting a Junior Squash Open from Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 February, featuring some of Auckland’s top junior players. The event is a warm-up for the NZ Junior Open in Christchurch in early March and will include cash prizes. Enter via MySquash!
It’s a great opportunity for families to watch junior squash in action and discover a fast-paced, indoor racket sport that builds fitness, focus, and confidence. Spectators are welcome — parents interested in junior squash are encouraged to come along and learn more.
Devonport Squash Club 69 Wairoa Road, Narrow Neck, Devonport
Young director calls on mates for Orwell adaptation
Castor Bay drama student Arlo Feeney is bringing the classic satire Animal Farm to the stage this month, drawing on a coterie of former Westlake Boys High “schoolies”.
The classic George Orwell novella –which substitutes animals for historical characters in a biting commentary on revolutionary ideals turning to authoritarian rule under Stalin – is as timely today as when it was published in 1945, he reckons.
“As a play, it’s good for a lot of reasons. It’s concise, great for a night out and it’s funny – but darkly funny so it leaves people thinking.”
Feeney first read the book years ago. “It really landed – it stuck out to me.”
Over time, its themes became even more apparent. Feeney is working from Ian Wooldridge’s stage adaptation, a script sparse in instruction, making it both a directorial challenge and open to stage interpretation.
Feeney has opted for a middle ground in costuming the characters, including Napoleon the pig, a role taken by Corey Snape from Forrest Hill, who like Feeney is a former Westlake student.
“They’re between animal and human,” says Feeney. “They’re in headpieces and tails and fur, but you can see the actors’ faces.”
This is the second play Feeney has direct-
Depot issues invite to rangatahi creatives
A Young Artists Jam Night to be held next week in Devonport will launch a new outreach to North Shore creatives.
The Depot arts hub is targeting 18 to 29-year-olds, starting with young musicians. More themed evenings this year will focus on visual arts, dance, performance or spoken word.
Depot gallery assistant Lily Eketone, aged 25, who championed the initiative, says she wants to ignite a collaborative spark for young artists, making creative pathways seem more possible and creative spaces feel welcoming. From her own experience she says the creative pathway can be unclear for school-leavers transitioning to study and those in their twenties. By connecting them with each other and for informal talks with more established arts community members drawn from the Depot’s network, she hopes a next-generation cohort will grow.
The first free evening has Depot Sound’s engineer Nate Selway attending. Young musos are welcome to bring their instruments. “He’s someone in the industry who is our age,” says Eketone.
• Jam Night runs from 5-7pm on 13 February. (For numbers, those interested in attending are asked to RSVP on Humanitix, with details about the event at www.depot.org.nz.)
By George... Arlo Feeney (left) is director and Sachin Subramaniam producer of a production based on an Orwell classic
ed at the Rose Centre in Belmont. A year ago he put on Clue, a dramatic take on the game Cluedo, which drew good audience support.
He is hoping for a similarly strong turnout for Animal Farm, partly from his widening circle as he looks to begin his second year of study for a BA in drama and media at the University of Auckland.
Feeney has been acting from a young age. His father Peter is a professional actor.
Sister Francesca, who is in her final year at Westlake Girls High School, has also been drawn to drama. She is among old school friends and acting community and university talent in Feeney’s cast of seven or eight key speaking roles and around a dozen extras.
Sachin Subramaniam from Milford, who went through school with Feeney, is his producer and helping with publicity.
The cast have been rehearsing since late last year, with the play timed to fit in with the tertiary break.
Feeney says directing his contemporaries is “definitely weird”, but is a good adjunct to his main focus on acting. “Directing is really good for diversifying my craft.”
It requires him to take a more authoritative position. “It’s fulfilling but you have to be really creative and keep tabs on things.”
Working with people he knows helps, as does being back in a familiar theatre.
The Rose Centre has been “super supportive”, he says, with the play being staged under a scheme it has to usher in more young and diverse productions.
• Animal Farm at the Rose Centre, Belmont, 7.30pm from February 19-22, with a 2pm matinee on the final Sunday. Tickets $25, with discounts for four or more. Book at actorslab.co.nz.
Much ado about Shakespeare in its 30th season at
Love and loss... Alice Dibble and Grant Zent in Shoreside Theatre’s production of Romeo and Juliet. The play’s enduring appeal made it an easy choice for the company’s 30th season of Shakespeare in the Park.
The audience appetite for Auckland Shakespeare in the Park is undimmed after 30 years, with Shoreside theatre company again bringing the Bard back to Takapuna.
Part of the appeal is the setting in the PumpHouse’s outdoor amphitheatre, says theatre company chair Matt Goldsboro’.
“It’s one of the very few opportunities to experience Shakespeare outside these days,” he says. “People love to see it outdoors in the traditional way.”
For the significant anniversary season ending in a week, the alternating format of two plays was again chosen. The perennially popular Romeo and Juliet is on one night and the comedic romp that is Much Ado About Nothing staged the next.
Goldsboro’ acknowledges that rain has forced the productions inside on a few occasions, but says its more significant impact has been in making people delay buying tickets while they wait to see how the weather is going. If it’s raining, the company doesn’t cancel, but rather transfers to the cover of the main theatre space.
For those who prefer certainty in advance, this year the company introduced two indoor matinees for the first time.
A period version of Romeo and Juliet will delight traditionalists, whereas Much Ado is a high-energy rendition set in the
Bridge lit for Waitangi and Pride Festival
SHOWING NOW
Is This Thing On? (M) 121min
We Bury the Dead (R16) 94min
The Choral (M) 113min
It was Just an Accident (M) 103min
Send Help (R16) 111min
Marty Supreme (R13) 149min
Mercy (M) 100min
Nouvelle Vague (M) 106min
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (R16) 110min
Anchor Me - The Don McGlashan Story (E) 88min
Hamnet (M) 126min
My Brother’s Band (M) 104min
SPECIAL EVENTS & NEW RELEASES
Potluck - Live Comedy (E) 12 & 19 Feb
No Other Choice 139min (M) Advance Screenings 7-8 Feb
Mārama (RP16) Advance screenings 6 - 9 Feb For more info on films & events go to thevic.co.nz
Locals can access good vantage points for two light displays on the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The first, to celebrate Waitangi Day, is already operating and runs through the public holiday this Friday 6 February until Sunday, with lights cycling every 15 minutes from 9pm until midnight.
Developed by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei for Vector Lights, the display has an accompanying soundtrack that can be listened to on vector.co.nz/lights.
Bayswater Marina, Little Shoal Bay and Takarunga in Devonport are good spots to watch (and listen) from.
From 13-21 February, a rainbow of lights will illuminate the bridge to mark the city’s Pride Festival. Running from 7pm for 180 minutes each evening, the display is presented by Vector and Auckland Council.
the PumpHouse
punk community. The poetic tragedy that is Romeo and Juliet is directed by Steph Curtis to be rich in atmosphere and emotion. But it also highlights the turbulent times that leave the teen characters bereft of support systems, while exploring how pride, silence and misunderstanding lead to disaster. The leads are played by Grant Zent and Alice Dibble, both North Shore actors.
Much Ado has surprised Goldsboro’ by slightly edging Romeo and Juliet in advance bookings. Its setting around music festivals and venues adds a contemporary vibe, enhanced by original live music. Director Michelle Atkinson draws out larger-than-life performances from her cast, as they grapple with schemes for good and evil and encounter ambition, betrayal and, of course, love.
Shakespeare has long been the bedrock of Shoreside’s success as a community-based company able to produce three different seasons a year to a high standard.
• Auckland Shakespeare in the Park’s annual season by Shoreside Theatre is at the PumpHouse’s outdoor amphitheatre, Takapuna, until 14 February, with its two plays alternating evenings at 7.30pm. The season’s final 2pm matinee is Romeo & Juliet on 8 February. Adult tickets cost $30, with free entry for accompanying children under 12. Book seats through the PumpHouse online, with some door sales available.
Bard film pulls crowds
Oscar-fancied Hamnet, about the private life of William Shakespeare and his family, is proving a drawcard at local cinemas.
Based on a historical fiction novel by Maggie O’Farrell, it centres on the impacts of the real-life plague death of William Shakespeare’s son.
The reimagining, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, explores the ways the Bard and his wife Anne Hathaway (called Agnes in Hamnet) deal with it. She holds the home fort, while he writes his famous tragedy, Hamlet
Lake House offers artist ‘residencies’
Lake House Arts is launching a series of artist residencies this year – with the catch being that the chosen creatives don’t get to sleep over.
But they will have full use of one of two studio spaces for a month, for a fee of $500.
The Artist Residency Programme provides the opportunity for creatives to develop new work or existing projects, to exhibit or host small workshops.
Applications from a broad range of disciplines will be considered. Details at lakehousearts.org.nz
Punked up... Jack Powers (left) plays a modernised version of Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing, also featuring (above from left) Grace Blackwell (Hero), Heather Warne (Beatrice) and Rose Herda (Margaret).
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