Delivered free to letter boxes, post boxes, libraries and selected outlets throughout Tītīrangi, Glen Eden, Green Bay, New Lynn, Konini, Wood Bay, French Bay, Waima, Woodlands Park, Laingholm, Parau, Cornwallis, Huia, Oratia, and beyond. Published by Fringe Media Ltd, PO Box 60-469, Tītīrangi, Auckland 0642
Editor: Bevis England 817 8024, 027 494 0700 bevis@fringemedia.co.nz
Advertising: info@fringemedia.co.nz
Writers and contributors: Moira Kennedy, David Thiele, Naomi McCleary, Fiona Drummond, Jade Reidy, John Goudge, Karen McCarthy, Kerry
It’s time to have OUR say
Local Government elections are fast approaching and the candidates for local boards and Council will soon be telling us what they think is important and why we should be voting for them. But perhaps we should be telling them what WE think is important
Let The Fringe know what you think is important and we will publish your thoughts in our August issue. Email info@fringemedia.co.nz by July 11.
Most people have never heard of the horrific murder that took place at Sunnydale cottage on Parker Road, Oratia in 1892.
Sunnydale is West Auckland’s oldest remaining cottage and graces the subtropical Landsendt garden.
Lindsey Dawson, a well known author and editor, has unravelled the story which in the beginning of the research was only the court trial. Her book, Poisoning on Parker Road, delves deeper into what happened and the aftermath.
The victim’s grave is in the Oratia cemetery and the murderer was hanged at Mt Eden gaol and lies in an unmarked grave in Waikumete cemetery. But what happened 133 years ago has a ripple effect to this day.
Poisoning on Parker Road has just been published and is now available from the Lindsey’s website, lindseydawson.com, The Woman’s Bookshop in Ponsonby and Dear Reader in Grey Lynn.
Every issue of The Fringe (and the Tītīrangi Tatler before it) since April 2011 is on-line at www.fringemedia.co.nz. Like us on Facebook (www. facebook.com/FringeWest) to hear when each issue is available and get other updates.
ON OUR COVER (and above): The Manukau Harbour is a special treasure, with many unique inhabitants. A recent forum celebrated the work that many are doing to protect it. (See page 3.) Photos by Bevis England.
Manukau Harbour Forum: sharing knowledge
Tides come and go in dramatic fashion on the Manukau but the mahi to protect and enhance the harbour’s delicate ecology creates hardly a ripple. A recent symposium sought to celebrate volunteers and share knowledge. JADE REIDY reports.
On King’s Birthday weekend, Green Bay High School’s performing arts centre hosted over 100 participants in the Manukau Harbour Forum’s first gathering since 2017. Awards were handed out and the symposium coincided with the release of Auckland Council’s latest environmental assessment report. Water quality overall is better than it was 30 years ago and is set to further improve as the seven-year, $1.67 billion Central Interceptor storm water project kicks into life. All tunnelling for this project was completed earlier this year, the southern section is already live and full completion is due in 2028. The project aims to reduce wet-weather overflows by 80%, capturing overflows from 19 suburbs, including those draining in to the Manukau. However, slightly larger volumes of treated wastewater will also drain into the Manukau.
As part of the forum, Dr Peter Nutall, a scientist and technical advisor for the Micronesian Centre for Sustainable Transport graphically illustrated the realities of climate change in the Pacific and how it will impact coastal communities here – sooner than many would think.
Green Bay High School has a Green Impact team that is conducting a number of projects including carbon cycle composting boxes in the school’s orchard. Paper4Trees, a national waste minimisation and tree planting programme, takes all the school’s paper waste in return for giving the school a selection of fruit and native trees each year. The Green Impact team has joined Council’s regional Rangatahi Environmental Action Leaders (REAL) programme, along with 14 other schools across Auckland. They provided feedback on what teenagers would like to see from Council’s new climate-focused centre planned for Onehunga Port.
In other news, a fast ferry service is scheduled to begin operation in 2027 although its route and other details are not known at the moment.
Tītīrangi Coastguard has received $3.5 million from central government for a new base and is negotiating where it will be located. The Manukau retains its reputation as the top drowning spot in Aotearoa but Coastguard’s French Bay HQ was destroyed during Cyclone Gabrielle.
One of the team members, Stella Raccuglia, is writing a children’s book about the Manukau and oceans in general. “I plan to interview experts and do my own research,” she says. “And my mum [artist Lene Toni Kjeld] is going to illustrate it.” She aims to have the book completed by the end of 2025.
Yet another Ports of Auckland-commissioned study into moving Auckland’s port to the Manukau was recently published but this project is highly unlikely to progress, given the impacts and costs.
For videos of speakers at the forum, visit manukauharbour. nz/mhf-video-stream.
‘I don’t go to heavy metal concerts anymore’
The presentation of the Order of St John Priory Vote of Thanks to Tītīrangi’s Jean Piper and her team of Nu2U volunteers (see The Fringe, May 2025) was a special thrill for local man Lindsay Roberts, writes MOIRA KENNEDY.
Lindsay is a 37-year veteran of Hano Hone St John who spent 25 years as a volunteer ‘ambo’ and has been a team leader/driver for the West Auckland Shuttle Service for the past 10 years. Lindsay himself was admitted as a Member of the Order of St John by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Lindsay signed up as a cadet on his 10th birthday. “I loved the first aid lessons.” By 15 years old, he’d become a senior cadet and then took on ambulance work, still as a volunteer.
“Doing ambulance work was where you got out to see the world and doing nights and weekends in Auckland, you saw everything,” Lindsay says. A highlight was delivering his first baby at 18 years of age. “That was pretty cool.” He’s since been involved with the birthing of his own children.
Back in the 1960s-80s, things were different for the ‘ambos.’
The first female wasn’t appointed until 1972 while about 50 per cent of staff nowadays are women.
“We were trained and knew what to do when we went out on a job. Whatever you did or saw, it was a case of get on with it. Deal with it. Today, there’s very good support and significantly more training and equipment.”
Work as an ambo is a job that comes with a vast variety of ‘then and now’ stories. “Back in the day there were only two or three ambulances on duty at night in Auckland. It would be nothing to go from Greenlane to an accident in Clevedon and then, while en route to Middlemore Hospital, being told there’s an accident in the city. Now there’s a full shift of some 35-plus ambulances on 24/7,” Lindsay says.
Over the years, there have been massive changes in the work St John volunteers undertake particularly at big events such as international rugby, cricket or concerts. Now there will be a field hospital at the back of the stand, with some 50 personnel on duty. Security, police, fire and St John managers co-ordinate all incidents from an on-site control room.
“It’s a big team effort. At a heavy metal concert you’ll get a lot of drug abuse so we need people in the stands, and security to help us get them to our triage centre. There’ll be an emergency doctor, a couple of paramedics, first responders, stretchers, golf carts, ambulances. We’re treating people all night,” Lindsay says. “At an Eden Park event, for example, we can expect about 60 patients from over-indulgence in everything from alcohol to heroin. You’ll be surprised how many arrive at 3pm for an 8pm concert with drinks already under their belts. Some flake out before the concert even starts.”
Any regrets? “No, I loved it. I’d do it again. In a heartbeat. But I’m at the age where I’ve pulled back from the front line. I still go to some events, though. I don’t go to heavy metal concerts anymore but I will go to Billy Joel!”
1 15/11/16 16:33
Lindsay Roberts: “I loved the first aid lessons.”
Memorial church seeks support for heritage listing
Tītīrangi Soldiers’ Memorial Church in Park Road is already a significant building and the trustees have now decided to apply for a heritage listing with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, writes FIONA DRUMMOND
Sandra Coney’s book Gone West: Great War Memorials of Waitākere and Their Soldiers records many of the war memorials in the West and their significance for the people of Waitākere. The Tītīrangi Soldiers Memorial Church is one of them. The local community already had a commemorative obelisk, erected in 1917, but the local families wanted a significant landmark to remember the fallen.
The church was granted heritage status by Waitākere City Council in 1996 for its historical and physical attributes and aesthetic criteria. The award recognised the early 1900s building construction using locally made hollow concrete blocks, the tiled roof, and its uniqueness as one of few churches in New Zealand that built as a war memorial.
The Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act provides
Rocks in your head?
The evolution of human society rests on two fundamental cornerstones, our control of fire, closely followed by our management of water.
From the Indus Valley Civilisation around 2600 BC to the Incas and Romans, classical civilisations were known for their lasting drainage systems. Proverbs have evolved to express the importance of well-kept drainage. The one I like best is Mind your drains or the land complains
Roman roads emphasised drains as much as pavement. Fragments of these systems remain in use today, and instead of placing rocks in drains, they dug them out.
Yet in recent years Council and AT have started putting rocks in our drains. Council tells me this is “to reduce maintenance.” (I assume to save money). I was surprised. I had presumed the answer would be ‘to reduce water velocity and scouring’. However, it answered my next question: “Why are rocks in drains with little fall (gradient)?”.
“Mind your drains” is an old way of saying ‘keep them clean’, reflecting the centuries of learning that maintenance is essential to protect against the costly ravages of water. Placing rocks in drains makes regular cleaning virtually impossible, certainly with machinery.
a framework for protecting and preserving New Zealand's historical and cultural heritage. The trustees of the church believe it has both historical and cultural significance and needs the extra protection afforded by being listed with Heritage New Zealand.
The West Auckland Historical Society has offered a letter of support for the listing and other expressions of interest or support will be helpful in securing long term security for this Tītīrangi landmark.
The church is currently used for Sunday services and is an attractive, quiet, ambient space for small concerts, recitals, book launches, or as a regular meeting place for a group, in addition to the more traditional uses for congregations, weddings, funerals and baptisms. The church facilities, including heating and bathrooms, have recently been upgraded.
If you have an interest in using the church, or would like to support the heritage listing application, please contact Don Anton, anton43d@gmail.com.
I watch these rock-filled drains clog with debris, grow weeds, raise the water table, and collapse the road edge, necessitating complete reconstruction in a few years. This approach saves no money and delivers limited and continually decreasing drainage capacity. And it completely fails in our preparedness for a storm event.
In some cases, this method fails so fast that I have seen Council and AT repeatedly replace rocks, then build a concrete rock-impregnated drain, then knock out those rocks, and finally construct a traditional concrete culvert. From start to finish costing far more than simple regular maintenance.
We (Council and Auckland Transport) must stop ‘reinventing the wheel’ and return to our core responsibilities of maintaining our communal assets, ensuring they consistently serve their intended purposes. I’m always hammering this point, but there is a sentiment in the Council that the task of maintaining everything is too large to achieve. And therefore, we must eliminate the need.
Ken Turner and Sunil Kaushal WestWards: Keeping it Real!
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The Tītīrangi Soldiers Memorial Church c. 1924.
Trackside stories
Some of us already know many of the stories associated with the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park, but there’s always more to learn and track-side storyboards can be a good introduction to this vast, semi-wild area.
Michelle Edge, an ‘interpreter’ with Auckland Council Parks, has recently completed a number of storyboard projects.
Whatipū has a new suite of informative panels focussing on the history of Whatipū Lodge, Liebergreen Cottage and the scientific reserve. Stories associated with the pou are shared and there is also a listening post where you can hear voices of people who have a strong association with the area.
Te Piringa / Cascade Kauri Track has also had a refresh. Due to kauri die-back and flood events this track has been re-routed and re-bridged. Here you can see the dramatic impact of kauri die-back on a 900 year-old kauri and learn about the rahui. Small and simple panels on posts offer information about some special creatures found in this area and introduce the research that is underway and the management challenges. “This is an easy walk and manageable for most as it is relatively flat, and board walks carry you over wetter areas and around vulnerable kauri,” says Michelle. – Fiona Drummond
Business Association formed
Tītīrangi is set to get its own business association committed to improving business in the Village. The paperwork has been filed and office holders are to be elected later this month. To find out more email Titirangibusinessassociation@gmail.com.
Tītīrangi’s ability to respond swiftly to emergencies on the notoriously dangerous Manukau Harbour and its bar. The craft, currently based in Cornwallis, can reach areas that larger rescue vessels are not able to – including shallow waters and sandbanks. The Manukau Harbour has been identified as New Zealand’s highest fatality ‘blackspot’ having claimed 54 lives since 2000 – including 11 in the past decade.
Two new jet skis will enhance Coastguard
Green Bay High School Year 12 and 13 hospitality students won Gold, Silver and Bronze awards at the 2025 Secondary and Tertiary Training Hospitality Competition, held at Manukau Institute of Technology recently. Pictured, left to right, are Tyrus Raymond, Hazel Hochwimmer, Benji Godsmark, Noele Banicevich, Anna Hashimoto and Pheonix Meredith.
Aranui to become pest-free hub
The Pest Free Waitākere Ranges Alliance will have a new base at Aranui / Rose Hellaby House on Scenic Drive from the beginning of September. PFWRA will be using the house as an office space, and will have hot-desking available for the many environmental groups of the Waitākere Ranges. FIONA DRUMMOND reports.
Perched high on Scenic Drive in the Waitākere Ranges, Aranui, designed by architect Horace Massey, offers sweeping panoramic views that stretch from the sparkling waters of the Waitematā Harbour in the northeast to glimpses of the Manukau Harbour in the southwest. The historic 1930s homestead, gifted to the city in 1974 by philanthropist and adventurer Rose Hellaby, stands as a proud testament to Auckland’s built heritage.
ethos of a well appointed 1930/40s home. Some reupholstering of existing furniture is also needed.
“We'd love the community to be part of furnishing and finishing the house, so everyone can feel a sense of ownership,” says Pamela Gill, Chair of Pest Free Waitākere Ranges Alliance. “We just ask that any items are checked with us first to make sure they’re suitable and needed.”
Aranui is to become a place where the community can discover what is being done to protect and restore the biodiversity of the Waitākere Ranges, and how they can get involved.
Over the years it has been a park ranger house, a base for the West Auckland Historical Society, and an antique shop. (For more on its history see The Fringe, December 2024/ January 2025.)
The house’s gardens are currently being restored to their original glory through regular community weeding bees.
The Botanic Gardens is establishing a garden plan for the grounds, and Regional Parks will be providing many new plants, with Brendan Mackie from the Arataki Visitor Centre nursery organising the materials and overseeing the planting over the next few months.
Negotiations have been underway with Auckland Council over the last year, and repairs have been undertaken, as the house has been unoccupied for some time.
Initially, the house will be open for people to see in its prefinished state, while PFWRA reaches out to volunteers for furnishings to give the house a sense of home.
Internet has to be installed. Some furniture has been donated and more would be welcomed if it meets the heritage
PFWRA plan to provide free rat traps for those willing to record their catches. They will also have a range of information pamphlets available, including information on weeds, responsible pet ownership, and the heritage area.
To be part of the next weeding bee or to offer furnishings or services, contact Michelle at michelle@pfwra.org.nz.
Volunteers are restoring Aranui’s gardens with regular community weeding bees.
Places to go – Things to do
Out and About in the West
Event organisers: Do you have an upcoming event you’d like listed in The Fringe? Send the details, including a contact person and number, to info@fringemedia.co.nz.
Readers: While we take care to ensure listings are correct, errors may occur. Check with the contact person if possible, especially over the festive and holiday season
Exhibitions
w – 27, Life in forms, works by Pauline Yearbuiry (Ngaphui); Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
w – August 4, Whetūrangitia, a presentation of works by West Auckland rangatahi including Kākano Youth Arts Collective, Kelston Boys’ High School and Liston College; Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mount Lebanon Lane, Henderson; Phone 838 4455, www.ceac.org.nz.
w – August 10, Matariki – Artworks by Lone Kauri School; West Coast Gallery, Seaview Road, Piha; Thursday/Friday, 10–3pm. Phone 812 8029. www.westcoast.co.nz.
w – August 24, Differences in kind and rhythm, a dialogue exhibition pairing the practices of Italian abstract painter Giorgio Griffa (b.1936, Turin) and local sculptor Peter Robinson (Ngāi Tahu, b.1966, Hakatere); Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
July
w 4, Flicks presents Exit through the gift shop (PG), the story of how an eccentric French shop-keeper and amateur film-maker attempted to locate and befriend Banksy. To coincide with the Banksy exhibition at the Aotea Centre; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 10.30am, 6pm and 8.15pm; $16 / $12. Text 0210 222 5558 for bookings.
w 5, West Lynn Garden Club. Learn new skills, meet new people, monthly speakers, day-trips; West Lynn Gardens, 73 Parker Ave, New Lynn; 9:3011:30am. Contact lynne.hunter@xtra.co.nz, 0210 245 5120.
w 6, Pony Rides, Huia Road Horse Club; 436B Huia Road, Laingholm; 3-4pm; $5 per child per ride. Phone 027 499 1732.
w 8, Tītīrangi Library presents a Matariki Bead Weaving Workshop suitable for ages 8+; Seminar Room, first floor, Lopdell House, 418 Titirangi Road; 10.30-11.30am. Bookings required: https://events.humanitix.com/ matariki-bead-weaving.
w 9, Glen Eden Library presents a Rāranga Workshop for Matariki with Rewa Grimsdale; Te Hoe Urungi, Arataki Visitor Centre, 300 Scenic Drive; 1-3pm.
w 9, Flicks presents West Side Story (1961, PG), a Classic Movie Night with Sir Bob Harvey. West Side Story is the award-winning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet set in New York; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 7pm; $16 / $12. Text 0210 222 5558 for bookings.
w 10, Tītīrangi Library presents Moana!, a whānau movie. Suitable for ages 5+; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Titirangi Road; 2-4pm. Limited seating – please arrive promptly or you may miss out!
w 11, West Auckland Men’s Rebus Club, guest speaker and morning tea; Friendship Hall, 3063 Great North Road, New Lynn; 10am-12 noon. Phone Vince 021 189 6822.
w 11, Ladies’ Probus Club, fellowship, fun, speakers, and a monthly day trip; St John’s Hall, 247 Edmonton Road, Te Atatū South; 9:45am-12 noon. Phone Betty 09 832 0484.
w 12, Tītīrangi Poets with a guest poet and readings by members; Tītīrangi War Memorial Hall, 500 South Tītīrangi Road; 2-4pm. Phone Ron Riddell 021 181 6698.
w 12, Tītīrangi Folk Music Club presents Pomahaka–Tyne, floor-singers in first half; Tītīrangi Beach Hall, bottom of Tītīrangi Beach Road; 8pm; $15, members $10, under 18 free. www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz or text Cathy on 021 207 7289.
w 13, Live music with Jan Elliott & Friends; Glen Eden RSA, 9 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 4-7pm; Free.
w 15 and 29, Tītīrangi Library presents Crafty Tuesdays. Make your own artist trading cards. Suitable for ages 8+; Seminar Room, first floor, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 3.30-4.30pm. Bookings required: https://events. humanitix.com/artist-trading-cards-crafty-tuesdays
w 16 and every Wednesday during term time, Tītīrangi Library presents Rhymetime, a fun preschool music, movement and storytime for toddlers; Tītīrangi Community House, 500 South Tītīrangi Road; 9.30-10am.
w 16, Combined Waitākere Rebus Club; St John’s Hall, 247 Edmonton Road, Te Atatū South; 10am-12 noon. Contact Philis on 838 5361.
w 16, Soup Day. Enjoy hot home-made soup, then take home a goodie bag of ingredients and the recipe to enjoy later; Green Bay Community House, 1 Barron Drive, Green Bay; 12-1pm; Free. https://www.facebook.com/ share/1GD6Lb663g/ Phone 827 3300.
w 17 and every Thursday during term time, Titirangi Library presents Wriggle and Rhyme, a fun music and movement session for babies and toddlers; Tītīrangi Community House, 500 South Titirangi Road; 9.30-10am. w 17, Waitākere Forest and Bird Talk: Philip Summerhays on the variation between and within populations of Zephlebia mayflies; Ranui Community Centre, 474 Swanson Rd, Ranui; 7:30pm; Koha appreciated. Phone Liz 027 476 2732 or email lizanstey@hotmail.com.
w 19, The Iona Fair: a fun-filled, treasure-hunting, tastebud-tempting extravaganza and your one-stop shop for bargains, bites, and brilliant finds Iona Presbyterian Church, 38 Donovan Street, Blockhouse Bay; from 8am. Contact Hadley Brown, hadleydb2@gmail.com.
w 19, Clothing Swap, donate five or more quality items by July 18 and receive five tokens to spend at the Swap. Additional items are available to purchase on the day, with proceeds going to Hospice West Auckland; Green Bay Community House, 1 Barron Drive, Green Bay; 9.30am-12.30pm; Entry by gold coin koha and a sanitary item to donate to “One for her" charity. https://www.facebook.com/share/19JbgDkggh/ Phone 827 3300
w 21, Henderson Falls Combined Friendship Club – fun, friendship and fellowship with monthly speakers and frequent outings; Henderson Bowling Clubrooms, 2/20 Alderman Drive, Henderson; 10am-12 noon. Contact Joy 837 4646 or 021 267 3544.
Places to go – Things to do
w 21, Tītīrangi Ladies Friendship Club, speakers, outings, afternoon tea and friendship; Green Bay Community Hall, Barron Drive, Green Bay; 1.30pm. Phone Diane 817 2239.
w 22, Tītīrangi U3A – informal learning for people 50-years plus, guest speakers, study groups; West Lynn Garden, 73 Parker Avenue, New Lynn; 1pm. Contact Irene Pearcey ipearceyu3a@gmail. com. www.u3a.nz.
w 25, Glen Eden Combined Probus Club: company and fellowship, interesting speakers, morning tea and monthly outings; Glen Eden Recreation and Community Centre, 44 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 9:45am. Phone Brian Holt 838 5857.
w 25, Lyrical Visions VII, an evening of films from the Aotearoa Poetry Film Festivals 2023-4 including a new work by Tītīrangi-based film maker Martin Sercombe; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 7.30pm; $20 / $15 via Eventfinda and on door if not sold out. Phone 027 309 3681.
w 25, Tītīrangi Folk Music Club presents Friday Folk, an informal gathering of musicians, singers and listeners; Tītīrangi Beach Hall, bottom of Tītīrangi Beach Road; 7:30pm; $5. www. titirangilivemusic.co.nz or text Cathy on 021 207 7289.
w 26, New Lynn Repair Cafe organised and run by DEANZ (Doughnut Economics Advocates NZ). Bring your broken items and work with skilled volunteers to fix them; New Lynn Community Centre, Tōtara Avenue, New Lynn; 11am-2pm; Koha. Phone Surbhi Gupta 022 507 0905.
w 26, Glen Eden Library presents a Rongoā Hīkoi for Matariki with Emma Haslam; Te Hoe Urungi, Arataki Visitor Centre, 300 Scenic Drive; from 10.30am.
w 26, Live @ Lopdell presents live music with Shane and the Warmen, a jazz sextet featuring Shane Warman on Alto Sax, Will Ralph on Tenor Sax, Bill Liu on Guitar, Thomas Christie on Drums, Will McIntosh on keyboards and Monjoon Kim on Bass; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; Tickets $25 and $20 (students $15) from eventfinda.co.nz and on door if not sold out. Text bookings to 0210 222 5558.
w 27, Tītīrangi Village Market: art, craft, produce and music. This community market has been running for 33 years as a major fund-raiser for the Tītīrangi Rudolf Steiner School and it will continue despite the Tītīrangi War Memorial Hall being closed for renovations. The market will take place in the Hall car park with the indoor stalls kindly hosted by the Tītīrangi RSA, 502 South Tītīrangi Road; 10am-2pm. Contact tvm.manager@gmail.com.
w 28, Plan ahead with this informative workshop focussing on EPOA, advance care planning and living wills, with speakers from Hospice and Davis Funerals; Green Bay Community House, 1 Barron Drive, Green Bay; 7-9pm. https://www.facebook.com/share/16VFbFg2B5/. Phone 827 3300.
August
w August 2, West Lynn Garden Club. Learn new skills, meet new people, monthly speakers, day-trips; West Lynn Gardens, 73 Parker Ave, New Lynn; 9:30-11:30am. Contact lynne.hunter@xtra.co.nz, 0210 245 5120.
There is so much happening in and around our community, including many regular events, that we can’t fit everything into these listings. If you can’t see the event you’re interested in, visit: www.fringemedia.co.nz/ourplace
213 – 215 Woodlands Park Road, Titirangi, Auckland 0604
Phone: 09 817 8495 or 09 817 6188
www.kenturnermotors.co.nz
Tuba Tunes
6.30pm, Monday 18 August Glen Eden Playhouse Theatre PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY
Art & About with Naomi McCLeary
The Surface of Things
There are so many ways to be with a painting, or indeed any work of art. I want to talk about ‘surfaces’; the textures that we can sense with our eyes. It is the bit that is missing in every famous reproduction.
One of the pivotal moments in my life was being in the Guggenheim in New York, where I saw for the first time works that I knew only from books. I have no idea how I ended up in a modest gallery room, where four paintings, one to each wall, surrounded me; a Chagall, a Picasso blue period work, a Cezanne and a Modigliani. I remember standing dazed in the middle of the room, turning slowly to try to take it in, then tentatively approaching each one. It felt dream-like.
What do I carry with me still? The surfaces; the depth of paint; the movement of the brush strokes.
The Chagall was so thick with paint in places that it seemed almost three-dimensional; yet that familiar clarity of image was leaping off the canvas. I stood in front of the Modigliani woman and wondered had it been painted in a haze of opium? Was she a lover? It was so precise and contained and
the surface seemed to hold secrets. And so on, as I felt with my eyes the beauty of each artist’s hand.
That night, dining, looking over Central Park, the sun going down over Manhattan, I wept for the sheer magic of the day. The confused Italian waiter thought my partner and I were breaking up. My explanation was lost in translation.
It is still a major event to have, for the next four months, an exhibition such as A Century of Modern Art at the Auckland Art Gallery. There are so many reasons to go, but, for fun, take heed of the surfaces of the works and sense the artist’s hands. (Note: A Century of Modern Art is a ticketed exhibition. Bookings advisable.)
And extrapolate that gaze to any exhibition, because there is always work to see locally, and this sense of the surface of things is as good a reason as any to make the effort to visit our local galleries and see work that has that immediacy, those marks and brush strokes of intent.
You could not have a better example of that at the two main shows at Te Uru Contemporary Gallery. Giorgio Griffa (Italy) and Peter Robinson ‘talk’ to each other through their art
Marc Chagall's Le bonheur du jeune couple aux fleurs , 1967.
Art & About with Naomi McCLeary
forms, painting and sculpture, in Differences in Kind and Rhythm. There’s plenty of surface there, as there is in Pauline Kahurangi Yearbury’s Life in Forms; the delicacy of grain and incision and story.
The Upstairs Gallery has a kaleidoscope of brief and longer exhibitions; too much to mention; other than it is always a place to go to see new work and new artists and perhaps, take in the surfaces?
At the Corban Estate it is a total celebration of young artists. ‘Whetūrangitia’ is a combined show by the Kākano Youth Arts Collective, Kelston Boys High School and Liston College. It is full of life and surface and meaning. Forget these artists are school age; they have produced work that stands up anywhere; but it is somehow moving that they are so young and talented.
To Say Goodbye
We must not grieve a man of 93 quietly slipping away; but we can grieve the end of a writing life that has so shaped our sense of ourselves.
Maurice Gee was a quiet presence; a man who wrote into the heart of things. When we wanted to invent a ‘westie’ literary festival, my partner Murray Gray contacted Maurice and asked whether we could use his book title, Going West as our festival moniker; and, by the by, could he be our patron? The answer is there in the 25 years of the Going West Literary Festival. Maurice came twice to the festival, but the time most vivid in my mind is 1997. This was the second year of the Going West train trip which became an integral part of the festival. His Going West is set in Loomis (Maurice’s oft-used name for Henderson). There is a brilliant scene in it describing school kids taking the train trip from Henderson to Central Auckland. Maurice stood on a soap-box on the old Henderson Station (now slowly deteriorating in Railside Avenue) and read the famous scene involving a tunnel and some ‘steaming’ teenagers. He was clearly moved to be back there for the first time since he had been a school boy and we all got dewy-eyed sharing that experience. We will always cherish his generosity in sharing Going West with us.
Beware of candidates who do not believe in climate change
It is Local Government election year. Candidates are in the process of announcing their candidacy and seeking your support. Candidates will come in all sorts of political shades and types.
There are right wing candidates who will claim that politics should be kept out of local government while at the same time running well funded and resourced campaigns.
I am running again under the Future West banner. This is a Labour Green Community Independent coalition. Our politics are progressive, we believe in community and we want to preserve and enhance the Waitākere Ranges.
And we all believe in climate change. It is difficult to understand how some can still claim that climate change is a hoax.
The local area still bears the scars from two one in one hundred year storms that happened a week apart two years ago. How much more proof do you need?
We are now at the stage where we have to continue to seek reductions in emissions so that the effects are lessened. And at the same time we need to be working on adaption, making sure our
infrastructure is in reasonable shape and that our resilience networks are supported and ready.
So beware of the candidate who refuses to acknowledge that the climate is going through human induced change.
They are easy to spot. When asked about climate change they will say that it is always changing, and thereby refuse to acknowledge the severity of more recent weather events.
They will talk about maintenance not resilience. They will hint darkly at some world entity driving "climate hysteria".
They will talk about academic-think supercharged by a bureaucratic infatuation with computer modelling.
The first thing that someone seeking public office should display is a basic understanding of the world around us and how it is changing. If they refuse to accept that climate change is happening they do not deserve your support.
And for the record Future West candidates believe in human induced climate change and the urgent need to address emissions and to work on resilience.
– Greg Presland
Maurice Gee reads at the Henderson Railway Station, 1997. Photo by Gil Hanley, Going West Festival Collection, Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, GOW-003.
The grey-faced petrel / ōi: a local success story
A decade-long conservation effort on the Cornwallis Peninsula is being recognised as part of the Special Species project, an initiative led by the Pest Free Waitākere Ranges Alliance in partnership with local iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki.
The project is aimed at highlighting the vulnerable wildlife of the Waitākere Ranges and the communities working to protect it.
At the heart of this story is the grey-faced petrel, or ōi, a native seabird that returns each winter to nest in underground burrows beneath tall coastal forests or in grassy spots near sea cliffs across the North Island.
Photo by Shaun Lee.
In 2015, a colony was rediscovered by researchers from the University of Auckland at Puponga Point, prompting concern about its condition and its vulnerability to introduced predators.
In response, a group of local residents formed a volunteer group, the Cornwallis Petrelheads and, with support from
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Auckland Council rangers and the University of Auckland, began targeted predator control to support the small colony.
Ten years on, the group’s efforts now span over 300ha from Mill Bay to Kakamatua, with more than 165 DOC traps, 150 A24 traps and bait stations in operation. Around 1600 rats and 25 mustelids are killed each year.
And the hard work is paying off. According to recent monitoring, 60-80% of active burrows are now successful each year.
“We’ve found that ōi can only survive in these mainland areas when rats and stoats are reduced to near zero levels,” says lead University of Auckland researcher, Michael Fox.
“In the next 5 to 10 years we’re likely to see the population of this long-lived and slow breeding species start increasing further as a decade of hard work pays off.
“My research shows that reducing stoat and rat numbers during August and September are the most important for ensuring survival of early chicks, " he says.
As part of the Special Species project, the ōi has been paired with a local artist and community outreach activities to encourage wider public involvement.
Cornwallis artist Jay Linden has created an ōi-inspired artwork for the project and her work will be on display during an open studio event, during which the public is invited to learn more about the birds and the restoration work happening in their backyard.
"There's something magical in knowing these delightfully charismatic birds are raising chicks on our peninsula. I hope my artwork will inspire others to join our efforts to protect them," she says.
Jay Linden’s open studio event will take place on Sunday July 6 from 11am-3pm at 77 Cornwallis Road, Cornwallis.
There are many ways locals can get involved in this and other local conservation projects:
• For more information on pest-free group Cornwallis Petrelheads, or to get involved email pestfreecornwallis@gmail.com.
• To connect with other groups working to protect our special species in the Waitākere Ranges visit pfwra.org. nz/find-your-people.
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Monitoring water quality
The water quality and health of local streams is declining and the Whau River Catchment Trust wants your help to help find solutions.
As Tāmaki Makaurau approaches a wet winter, the increase in flooding events highlights the lack of care and maintenance of the rivers within the Whau. From clogged storm water drains to leaky sewage pipes, the health of the river is directly related to the people and communities that live around it.
In the past, locals would be able to play in the rivers and spot the occasional long-fin eel. Nowadays, however, the water quality becomes so poor after heavy rainfall that there is a risk of contracting illnesses if ingested.
The Whau River Catchment Trust (WRCT) is looking to improve river health and community engagement with their awa through long-term community-led monitoring.
The population of West Auckland has grown by 21% over the last 10 years, with an increase of 50,000 people. This has put increased pressure on the extensive network of storm water drains and sewage systems. This network has been poorly maintained resulting in leakages from pipes and overflows. Such leakages have negative impacts on humans and stream health alike.
As waste overflows into streams, there is a higher chance of contracting E coli, making people severely sick. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus from waste can also lead to algal bloom, which can create “dead zones,” killing aquatic life.
Currently there isn’t enough data about our rivers and streams to guide appropriate solutions and the WRCT is asking for community help to fill this gap.
The trust would like West Auckland locals to form volunteer groups to help with stream health monitoring. This is a great opportunity for locals to come together and make a real difference.
To get involved or find out more, email andrian@ whauriver.org.nz.
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Live @ the lounge
“... always consider the people first before the economy.”
Yeah gidday. Lizard here.
Whew! Where to begin? I got up quite early and went outside (brrrr, it’s getting colder) with a cup of coffee, just in time to see Whitevan disappearing out the gate. He had W.I.T.H. painted along the side in huge letters with Workers In The Hood Unite graffitied underneath in felt pen. Bob Marley’s Redemption Song was blasting out and there was an acrid smell in the air.
Guess if I’m going out I’ll be walking. Who knows when Whitevan will be back once he has ‘protesting’ on his dials.
I eventually found my left boot in the chicken coop. Dorothy the hen is getting a bit clucky and has taken to using my boot to entice the neighbour's rooster, Bob, over. I think she’s a bit needy but she’s a sweet wee thing and everyone deserves love. Right? So, after another coffee, I decide to head off, on foot, to town.
Of course, it starts to bucket down. A rain that thinks it’s on a job that will take all day with maybe, even the possibility of some overtime. The reason I was heading into town was I had a couple of questions, well gripes actually, to ask the council.
I couldn't be bothered walking all the way in to Auckland city so headed West. I still miss being our own separate city but what can I do. I made a beeline to the library. By the time I got there, I was so wet I should have been approaching dryness from the other end. But it had, at least, stopped raining.
“Can I be of assistance?” the pleasant librarian asked.
“I hope so. I want to ask the council a couple of questions about how they’re treating us.”
The pleasant librarian said, “Please keep your voice down. This is a library. You’ll need to come along when the council is holding one of its public meetings.”
“Where are they held?” I asked.
‘Here,” the pleasant librarian answered.
“Does it ever get a little heated?” I asked.
“No. Never.”
“Why not?” I asked.
"Because the meetings are held here in the library. They must keep their voices down,” said the pleasant librarian.
I wandered off a bit frustrated. A book on topiary caught my eye. I’d long harboured a desire to shape the privet in to a V8 symbol. I took the book over to the window seat, sat down, and gazed outside.
To my pleasant surprise, down by the car park was Mopey Jesus and his girlfriend Wendy Truehart. They were sitting crosslegged by a small and (as I was still soaking wet) invitingly lit brazier. Behind them was a large sign that read, Vote Mopey Jesus for Council. The councillor that promises rebates for KINDNESS.
Less of a pleasant surprise was that they were with
Brick. Remember our old school chum Brick? I’m not saying he is insane, but it is becoming abundantly clear that for Brick, the world happened elsewhere.
I placed the Tips for Shaping your Shrubs into Simple Balls, by Lorne Green (really?) back on the shelf and went outside to see Mopey Jesus and Wendy.
“S’Up?"
"S’Up Lizard. Get close to the fire. You’re all wet. We’re just getting my Kindness message out to the good folks of Henderson, Massey and the surrounding Ranges. I’m going to reward community acts of kindness. Be they by the people or by corporates.”
“Blimey. How?”
Wendy Truehart said, "Mopey Jesus, when elected, and he will be elected, will give rebates on rates to individuals who do kind things like mowing the neighbour’s verge (say $10), the neighbourhood’s berm ($50), maybe cleaning up along our waterways ($740). He’s so lovely isn’t he Lizard?”
Mopey said, “Since the ‘Pandemic', so many difficult and new situations have arisen. One thing that remains is the need for kindness. To always consider the people first before the economy. If I start rewarding acts of kindness in our community I hope that one day the love will spread to central government.
“Imagine a political party that rewards businesses that say, really support Women’s Refuge, or generously fund affordable housing. The social dollar can be huge. People will gladly support those businesses and the government can give well earned and honest tax benefits. Benefits for all! It needs to start here. It needs me to start it. And I will.”
I said,”Yeah, but will the council agree with you? Councils thinking about us is pretty radical, bro.”
Mopey said,”What harm can it do to find out? Then again, that’s a question that has left bruises down through the centuries, even more than, ‘It can’t hurt if I only take one’ and ‘It’s all right if you only do it standing up.”
We all had a giggle at that.
Well folks, I guess we’ll just wait and see.
We sat round the fire. I dried out nicely. Mopey Jesus chatted to dozens of people. He really is very kind. Even Brick made the afternoon special by playing Killing in the Name, by Rage Against The Machine. It’s the only song he knows but it really comes across when he plays it on the tabla.
The last word is with Wendy Truehart, “He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is the people. It is the people. It is the people.” Later, Lizard.
CDs, LP records, 45s, Cassette Tapes
Cash paid for large or small collections in good condition
Email bobloblaw264@gmail. com or call/text Luke on 021 031 2769
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