We wish you a merry festive season and happy holidays. We will be taking a break in January but The Fringe will be back in February. ISSUE 254, DECEMBER 2025 / JANUARY 2026 community news, issues, arts, people, events
Building better in Waitākere Ranges
Growth in Auckland isn’t just about big council projects like new roads, major transport initiatives, or improved water services.
Local boards also fund projects, upgrades and facilities that build better neighbourhoods and help create great places to live.
Check out some of these improvements supported by Waitākere Ranges Local Board and make the most of what’s on offer in your community.
Tītīrangi War Memorial Hall & Library
This much-loved community space is undergoing a 12-month upgrade to become more stable, sustainable and weather-tight. The refurbishment includes a full re-roof and re-clad of the building, repair work on existing timber joinery and a full replacement of existing aluminium joinery, an upgrade of storm water drainage, installation of seismic bracing and installation of solar panels.
A book bus is now operating in the library car park to fill in the gap of the library’s closure while renovations take place, but the refreshed facility will be well worth the wait.
Koroī / Clayburn Reserve playground, Glen Eden
A completely new playground opened recently at Koroī / Clayburn Reserve, filling a gap in local play spaces and bringing joy to families in the community.
The new playground features a tree-house play module, accessible carousel, “twig stack” climbing frame, swings and slides, a “learn to ride” track, the “dancing snake”, and a basketball half court. There are a few seats scattered around, as well as a picnic set under the shade—offering something for everyone.
Waitākere Ranges Local Board approved the concept plan of the playground in April this year, with $686,598 allocated for the development of the park.
Waima Reserve playground, Tītīrangi
Despite some weather delays, the new play space is now complete. The much-anticipated playground features a play module for climbing, sliding, crawling and balancing, a double swing set with basket swing, spinning carousel and accessible safety surfacing.
Mt Atkinson Park, Tītīrangi – track renewal
Mt Atkinson Park’s track has been upgraded to a dry track standard with timber boardwalks, steps, improved gravel surfacing
and drainage. Perfect for walkers who want a smoother and safer journey.
Kaupeka / Virgo Common playground, Glen Eden
The renewal of Kaupeka / Virgo Common playground is finished. Families can now enjoy a modernised play area with a new play module, swing set, edging, and cushion fall. Accessibility has been improved with a concrete path and ramp, plus a new park seat for parents to relax while tamariki play.
George Herring Common playground, Glen Eden
This newly upgraded pocket park is perfect for families looking for a local escape. With new playground equipment, plenty of shade, a large grassed area, and picnic spots under established trees, it’s set to become a new favourite. Access is via Woodglen Road and George Herring Place.
Piha Campground cook house
The completed upgrades of the cook house included a roof replacement, asbestos removal, new weather boards, heritage roof vents and louvre windows. With the exterior repainted, this campground cook house is ready for another generation of holidaymakers.
Oratia Settlers Hall – kitchen upgrade
The hall now boasts a stainless-steel bench top, splash back, oven and range hood. A new hatch roller door connects the kitchen with the main hall, making community events easier and more enjoyable. Whether it’s playgrounds, halls, or tracks, it’s about creating spaces and places where everyone belongs and building something we can all be proud of.
Waitākere Ranges Local Board members at the Koroī / Clayburn Reserve opening event
Place: Paturoa Road reopens,
Place: Restoring the Whau, Glen Eden Community
For Village businesses ...
The new Tītīrangi Business Association is now a reality with a core group of contributors making it happen.
“It’s not a networking group although there is a lot of networking with other local business owners,” says Chair Ben Eddy.
“The Tītīrangi Business Association is about supporting the Village and whatever it needs. In the coming months we will be working with local businesses and people to find out what is on their mind, what their hopes and ideas are, and how we can best support them.
“In the meantime, advocacy is a big focus and we are already working with the New Zealand Police to help address some crime in the Village, and with Watercare to understand how we can support the Village through the Western Water Supply Projects.
“What we need now is the support of members,” says Ben.
Getting the association off the ground has been made easier by the support of local specialists. One of these is Anna Tunnell, a freelance graphic designer who has grown up in Tītīrangi and lived most of her life here –starting her career working for a local agency that was run from the owner’s home before moving to the Toby’s building.
Delivered free to letter boxes, post boxes, libraries and selected outlets throughout Tītīrangi, Glen Eden, Kelston, 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.
“What I love about Tītīrangi is it really is a Village," says Anna. "It is filled with people working and supporting each other. I love the diversity here; there is so much vibrancy and life, character and pride.
“I thought it was important to develop a logo which represents Tītīrangi; which tells a story and creates a lasting memory.”
The design incorporates a stylised letter T, a tree with the corners at the top of the trunk representing the Tītīrangi roundabout and the wavy lines of the foliage acknowledging the water surrounding Tītīrangi and the Waitākere Ranges. The colour palette reflects the natural environment and the vibrancy that local businesses provide.
Visit www.tititrangivillage.nz to find out more and to join the association.
On our cover: I will be here ... , one of the poems that was written in the sands of Piha during The Listening Sand poetry workshop organised by Going West. The workshop was facilitated by Anne Kennedy and Beach Tagger David Hilliam and took place in early November. www.goingwestfest.co.nz.
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.
Our place
Stay safe this summer
Staying safe in the water might seem daunting, particularly for those new to our West Auckland beaches. Piha Life Saving Patrol Captain and Assistant Club Captain Olivia Tukia shares her top tips with AZZURRA SNELGROVE DOUCH to keep you and your family safe.
The basic motto is always to ‘Swim Between the Flags’, and only when lifeguards are actively on patrol. (Check safeswim. org for live updates on when flags are up.) Lifeguards patrol Piha beach 11am – 7pm on weekdays and 10/11am – 6pm over weekends during peak season. Remembering that the beach is unpredictable is also key. As Olivia says, “Just because you swam at one spot on the beach one day doesn’t mean that it's still the safest spot to swim, unpatrolled.”
While strong swimming skills are a solid foundation, basic beach safety education is important, particularly the ability to identify rips,
To identify rips, look for unusual patches of unbroken or ‘crisscrossing’ waves and murky water as these are generally indicative of a body of water flowing directly out to sea.
In the event that you are caught in a rip, Olivia says the most important thing is stay calm and follow the 'Three Rs': 1. Relax and float on your back. Panicking and attempting to fight against the rip is the leading cause of drowning. 2: Raise
your hand and signal for help. If you are swimming between flags and during patrol hours, a lifeguard will be able to see you and assist. 3. Ride the wave out. "Rips end at a certain time," says Olivia. "They won’t carry you to Australia!
“If in doubt, stay out: if there are no lifeguards on patrol and you don’t know the beach or how to identify rips, don't enter the water.”
Beach safety extends beyond the sea. A leading danger seen by lifeguards is heatstroke or heat exhaustion which is easily preventable. Follow the basic rules of “Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap”. Stay hydrated, stay out of direct sun, cover up with clothes, wear sunblock, and wear footwear to protect your feet against hot black sand.
Beach safety doesn’t just apply to beach goers. Native flora and fauna must also be protected. This is why dogs and drones are banned at many beaches, including South Piha. It is also important to stay off sand dunes.
The risks present at our local beaches may seem intimidating. While Olivia acknowledges these fears, the risks can be significantly reduced. She says the majority of drownings (particularly the last cluster at Piha) have occurred because of disregard of beach safety rules. It’s everyone's responsibility to follow the rules and keep both ourselves and others safe.
1. Always swim between the flags
2. Only swim when lifeguards are on patrol
3. If in doubt, stay out.
4. Check safeswim.org regularly for live updates
5. Learn to identify a rip
6. Follow the ‘Three Rs’
7. Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap
8. Stay off the sand dunes
For more tips, check out: www.surflifesaving.org.nz/staysafe.
you can be sure they will be looking out for you!
Meet your new Piha Surf Lifeguards. Green Bay High School Year 9 students (left to right) Ella Stirrup, Brooke Harley, Fox Winton, Bowie Rewi, Cormac Gray and Lewis Child recently became fullyqualified lifeguards after sitting their third and final exam. This impressive accomplishment was the culmination of four year's hard work. Look out for them at Piha Beach;
Before and after: South Tītīrangi residents recently celebrated the repair and reopening of Paturoa Road following the slip which occurred during Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.
The community came together for a ribbon cutting, tree planting, and karakia followed by music, dancing, food, facepainting and children’s entertainment at Tītīrangi Beach.
This slip had become part of the lives of this community with many locals walking through the damaged area every day. Many West Aucklanders still feel that panic when heavy rains are forecast; clearing gutters, checking sandbags and emergency kits. But, with each repair completed, each road and connection rebuilt, the bonds that keep our communities together become stronger. It's truly something to celebrate!
A new billboard has been erected at the corner of Tinopai and South Tītīrangi Roads. This site is significant because Tinopai Road is the new buffer line for the extended predator control zone under the care of Tītīrangi Urban Sanctuary (formerly known as the South Tītīrangi Neighbourhood Network).
The expanded area brings an additional 240 households into the area under TUS control, a total of 110 hectares or 272 acres. The area is laid with bait stations in a grid, which are regularly filled and monitored by our volunteers and contractors.
For more information or to find ways you can support this predator control scheme, visit https://tus.nz.
Sick days blue
I'm sick today, on the couch
My nose is stuffy, I feel all puffy
The TV is on but I barely move
Everything feels upside down
Grey skies matching my mood
Grab a pen and paper to write this for you
I sneeze so much it's a funny sight
While I sit on the couch the day feels sooo long
Like Friday will never end
The germs are dancing like, 'Yay, she's sick
We did something right'
The TV laughs or maybe it's just me
Sick days are wild – Oh, what a comedy!
Dee Christensen writes: "My granddaughter Moringa Christensen is 11 years old. She is sporty, dives at the local pools and loves animals. When she was unwell and at home with Nana recently, filling the day was a challenge. Read, sleep, write, do nothing, mmm? We hit on the poem idea, chatted about it and Sick days Blue was the result."
Art & About with Naomi McCLeary
Just One Word!
I’m constantly searching for points of hope in a world that seems to have precious little of it. I can’t turn away; the news junkie in me slugs it out between knowing and not knowing.
In that state of mind, I follow the podcasts and interviews with Yuval Noah Harari (author of Sapiens, Homo Deus and Nexus). He is erudite, relentless and sees our species as teetering on the brink of destruction. After listening to what Americans call a ‘town hall’ on the subject, an audience member asked him for just one word we could cling to that might give us some hope; a place to start. Without hesitation, he said ‘trust’.
And then, out of the morass of talk and commentary, ‘trust’ was on every lip in every context. What does it mean that trust is so eroded that little can be assured as being true, verifiable; some solid ground under our feet. As I write the BBC, bastion of responsible journalism, is under fire; our own police hierarchy exposed as deeply flawed.
What does it mean for the arts? The online world must hold some answers, but not all. As early adopters, and with Covid as a driving force, the arts world went online with glorious inventiveness; and it changed the landscape. In many ways it expanded the fundamental purpose of culture; to make meaning through story-telling. But some accepted norms began to quake a bit; how work was valued, attributed, authenticated; but it felt that we could, in a sense, keep up.
Now we are faced with AI coming into the mix at lightning speed; and I have no answers; none whatever! So I have asked some good friends, for whom art and culture play an intrinsic part in their lives, to give me an ‘off the gut’ response.
The Question: What do you see as the future for arts and culture in an AI world?
Mark Easterbrooke: Creative Director
"We’re approaching a point where face-to-face is the only truly verifiable connection. And we’re also going to be exhausted by the endless questioning of authenticity. I’d like to think this will create a renewed appreciation of the unfakeable: the immediacy of a stage performance, the
rawness of a handmade ceramic piece, the irregularity of brush strokes. When it comes to writing, we need to remember that the likes of ChatGPT are a probability engine. They simply follow a word with the most likely next word. So, as always, art’s power is in improbable juxtapositions, surprising connections, and the irrationality of human emotion."
Tracey Sharp: Writer
"To imagine the future of arts and culture in an AI world, we first need to ask: what is art for? At its core, art is a human act – a way of making sense of experience, expressing emotion, questioning the world, and revealing something of ourselves. AI can generate images and paragraphs that look convincing, but it cannot feel, intend, or stake anything of itself in the work. Its creativity is simulated, not lived.
"We’ll see more AI-made content, certainly, but most of it will be technically impressive rather than emotionally resonant. AI doesn’t wonder, grieve, risk or desire. It acts only when prompted, and has nothing at stake. Like every technology humans have built, AI is a tool – powerful, imperfect, and always shaped by the intentions of the people who use it.
"Which is why, for me, the future of art remains human. AI may change how we create. But it cannot replace why we create. We create to make meaning from our lived experience, to express what it feels like to be human, and because all art is, in its own way, an act of resistance and a way of dreaming into being a better world. And that is why the future of art and culture continues to reside not in the tools we use, but in our shared humanity."
James Littlewood: Arts Producer
"Plagiarism, falsehoods and enviro-destruction? The broligarchs wreck havoc at our expense, and then we pay them for it? GTFO! You’re just feeding the beast. Instead, we must starve it. Any ethical applications are far outweighed by detriments. I reject it all. We prove ourselves outside of it. Make art that can’t pass for anything else: visceral, messy, unmistakably human. Performance, crafts, enviro arts have
much potential in this regard: paint, carve, tattoo, speak, plant. Or go punk if you must: use it to destroy it. Art for humans, by humans and of humans will prevail. AI will eat you alive."
Book of the Month:
My relationship with poetry is an occasional thing. I don’t devour it with the constancy and passion that I have for prose, both fiction and non-fiction. I have favourite poems and poets; and these matter enormously to me. I have a Hone Tuwhare poem that has captured my heart forever, but I can’t remember when I last read his other published work. I warm to poems that capture the everyday or domestic experience – and get rapidly impatient with the self-consciously obscure.
So when I sat down with a copy of Standing on my Shadow by Serie Barford, I expected to take a ‘bite’ of it. I have known Serie for many years. She was the chair of the Going West Trust in the early days; but more importantly, a poet, a speaker, a participant throughout the life of the Going West Writers Festival. She’s a teacher, an adventurer; a woman of such generosity in the way she engages with life and the lives around her. Serie is German-Samoan – and palagi – and that complex heritage informs and infects her every thought and word.
Two experiences shape this deeply moving book; a visit to Chernobyl, and her more recent diagnosis of advanced breast cancer. No, it doesn’t sound inviting; but here is a woman who can find beauty and joy and tenderness in the most confronting of spaces and places; a woman who
is never sentimental; a woman who unflinchingly confronts and challenges the inadequacies of our health system by detailing the small but painful insults to her culture at a moment when respect and love and kindness would make a difference. And yet she still finds love and compassion when it sneaks through.
So, to get to the point, I sat down to take ‘that bite’, and was captivated, moved to tears, in awe of her bravery and drawn forward by the narrative of the journey she has been forced to take. I read it ‘cover to cover’ and it has stayed with me over the past weeks, sitting on my coffee table, calling me to go back to it again and again.
Standing on my Shadow: Published by Anahera Press.
Stop Press!
The Paula Morris Salon on Robin Hyde, promoted in the November Fringe has had to be postponed, but for very good reasons.
A generous grant from the Stout Foundation brings to a close the fundraising for the structural restoration of Shadbolt House. The building programme starts immediately and should be completed by the end of the year, after which the Going West Trust can focus on exterior and interior upgrades.
It all brings the writers residency dream one step closer.
The seminar series of Sunday evening cocktail and speaker salons will start in the new year.
For further information: tracey@goingwestfest.co.nz.
The Summer Spa Escape
A
Serie Barford: finding love and compassion.
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 – February 8, Portage Ceramic Awards Exhibition; Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
w – March 15, Members Christmas/Summer Exhibition; West Coast Gallery, Seaview Road, Piha; Mon, Thu, Fri: 10am-3pm. Sat, Sun: 10am-5pm. Phone 09 812 8029 www.westcoast.co.nz.
w 6 – February 21, Nurturing Soul, works by Mary Timmins; Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mount Lebanon Lane, Henderson. Phone 838 4455.
w 6 – February 21, Apapacho, bringing together a group of Latin American women who create from kindness and tenderness; Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mount Lebanon Lane, Henderson. Phone 838 4455.
w 7 – February 22, Serenading Imagined Worlds, works by Aotearoa artist Bill Hammond; (1947-2021); Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
December
w 4, Christmas Rhymetime; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 10.30-11am. https://www.facebook.com/GlenEdenLibrary/events.
w 4, Book launch: How to Cook Your Life with author Jade Reidy; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House; 7-8pm; free but bookings required at Humanitix. com (search for ‘how to cook your life’).
w 5, Twilight in the Village, stalls, free films, music and more; Lopdell Precinct and throughout Tītīrangi Village; 5-9pm.
w 6, West Lynn Garden Club; West Lynn Gardens, 73 Parker Ave, New Lynn; 9:30-11:30am. Contact lynne.hunter@xtra.co.nz, 0210 245 5120.
w 6, Tītīrangi Library presents New Heaven & New Earth concert and book launch; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House; 2-4pm; Koha appreciated.
w 7, Friends of Arataki Kids Day: join the Tītīrangi Library team for some bubble fun; Arataki Visitor Centre; 300 Scenic Drive, Oratia; 11am-3pm.
w 7, Tītīrangi Village Market: art, craft, produce and music; Tītīrangi War Memorial Hall car park and the Titirangi RSA; 10am-2pm. Contact tvm. manager@gmail.com.
w 7, Pony Rides, Huia Road Horse Club; 436B Huia Road, Laingholm; 3-4pm; $5 per child per ride. Phone 027 499 1732.
w 10, Wriggle and Rhyme; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 11-11.30am. https://www.facebook.com/GlenEdenLibrary/events.
w 10, Flicks presents a classic movie night with South Pacific, introduced by Sir 'movie-man' Bob Harvey; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House; 7pm; $16/$12. Text bookings to 0210 222 5558
w 12, Christmas Gala: sausage sizzle, drinks, entertainment, carol singing, Santa visiting, nativity show and dance grooves; West Lynn Garden, 73 Parker Avenue, New Lynn; 5-7.30pm; $5 pp, free for members and children under 2. Phone 827 7045.
w Flicks presents Riviera Revenge (France, Comedy, 94 minutes), a mischievious romantic comedy; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House; 10.30am, 6pm and 8.15pm; $16/$12. Text bookings to 0210 222 5558.
w 13, New Lynn Lions Club $1 Book Sale: Books, Magazines, CDs, DVDs, LPs and jigsaw puzzles; New Lynn Friendship Club Hall, 3063 Great North Road, New Lynn (down the driveway by the traffic lights); 8am-4pm. Contact Mary Hibberd on 027 487 0639.
w 13, Tītīrangi Folk Music Club presents Skiffy Rivets floor singers in first half; Tītīrangi Beach Hall, bottom of Tītīrangi Beach Road; 8pm; $15, members $10, under 18 free. www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz.
w 14, Tītīrangi Village Market: art, craft, produce and music; Tītīrangi War Memorial Hall car park and the Titirangi RSA; 10am-2pm. Contact tvm. manager@gmail.com.
w 17, Special Christmas Craft for children 5+: weave a Christmas tree onto a card; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 3.30–5pm. https://www.facebook.com/GlenEdenLibrary/events.
January
w 14, Rhymetime at Arataki: interactive fun for preschoolers! Join the Tītīrangi Library team for songs and bubbles with a view; Arataki Visitor Centre, 300 Scenic Drive; 10.30-11.00am.
w 15, Join the Tītīrangi Library team and sculpt your own dragon’s eye using clay and a glass gem. Suitable for ages 5+; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 10-11.30am.
w 17, New Lynn Lions Club $1 Book Sale: Books, Magazines, CDs, DVDs, LPs and jigsaw puzzles; New Lynn Friendship Club Hall, 3063 Great North Road, New Lynn (down the driveway by the traffic lights); 8am-4pm. Contact Mary Hibberd on 027 487 0639.
w 20, Wearable Arts Jewellery: learn to sew and make your own jewellery and accessories using fabric, beads and assorted treasures. Suitable for ages 7+. Tītīrangi Theatre lobby, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 10-11.30am.
w January 21, Combined Waitākere Rebus Club; St John’s Hall, 247 Edmonton Road, Te Atatū South; 10am-12 noon. Contact Philis on 838 5361.
w 25, Tītīrangi Village Market: art, craft, produce and music; Tītīrangi War Memorial Hall car park and the Titirangi RSA; 10am-2pm. Contact tvm. manager@gmail.com.
w 27, 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 31, New Lynn Repair Cafe organised and run by DEANZ. Bring your broken items and work with skilled volunteers to fix them; New Lynn Community Centre, Tōtara Avenue, New Lynn; 11am-2pm; Koha. Contact Kabir on mehsanul.nz@gmail.com.
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
Protecting and Restoring the Whau
The Whau River and its coastline is an important part of the landscape of West Auckland, connecting New Lynn to the Waitematā Harbour.
In the past, the area would have been predominantly a coastal broadleaf/puriri forest ecosystem. Abundant fruit and nectar would have provided nectivorous reptiles and birds such as kākā, kererū, huia, tīeke (saddleback), kōkako and piopio with an almost year-round nectar supply. This ecosystem was greatly reduced as land was cleared for horticulture and, later, to make way for industrial use.
These changes facilitated the spread and growth of weed species such as wattle, tree privet and pampas grass which, along with other weeds, have taken over the coastal bush along the Whau and Rosebank Peninsula. These weeds compete with native plants for sunlight, moisture and space, and prevent native species from re-establishing.
Human intervention is needed to combat this problem, through plant and animal pest control, enriching the nutrientdepleted soil and new plantings. The Whau River Catchment Trust has been involved in restoring the coastal bush since 2015, planting thousands of native species, reducing weed species and fertilising nutrient-depleted soils.
Throughout the last year, the Trust has worked with many corporate and community groups to restore the coastal bush. However, support from more businesses and volunteers is necessary for the project's long term success. If you or your business would like to help through financial contributions, please visit our website or contact info@whauriver.org. If you would like to help through volunteering, please contact angus@whauriver.org.
A Monthly Celebration of Local Life
On the third Saturday every month, Glen Eden Community House comes alive with the sights, sounds, and spirit of the Glen Eden Community Market – a vibrant gathering that celebrates community, creativity, and connection.
The market features 15–25 car boot stalls, a fundraising sausage sizzle, and family-friendly entertainment like face painting, arts & crafts, and even water balloon fights in the warmer months. We welcome local schools and community organisations to run the sausage sizzle – it’s a great way to raise funds and connect with the community.
Each market runs from 10am to 12pm, and volunteers are needed to help make it all happen. Volunteers are asked to arrive by 9am to assist with setup.
The community house is always looking for local stallholders, volunteers, and community members to help make each market a true reflection of Glen Eden’s heart. Whether you're selling, helping, or simply enjoying the day, your presence will help build bridges between neighbours and spark new friendships.
To get involved, fill out the contact form at https://forms. office.com/r/SE7fDsWN5D.
New Lynn Lions past president Lianne Sloan (left) is pictured with Anne Riley, Kai Avondale co-ordinator. Anne and the volunteers behind Kai Avondale provide a fortnightly dinner for those who struggle financially or who live alone and want some social interaction. The small group has received over $10,000 support from New Lynn Lions over the last six years. Clothing, books and other goods have also been donated and club members have helped the group in other ways including delivering food parcels. The club’s monthly book sales make these donations possible.
Places to go – Things to do
Auckland Folk Festival 2026: Experience the magic!
Auckland Folk Festival is returning to Kumeu Showgrounds over Auckland Anniversary Weekend (January 23-26, 2026) with a massive programme showcasing local and international acts from across the musical spectrum. There will be something for all ages and musical tastes.
For over 50 years the Auckland Folk Festival has been New Zealand's largest folk festival. The three-day spectacular, with covered marquees, on-site camping and food and market stalls, delivers a diverse selection of the best in contemporary and traditional folk music and dance. There will be five stages (including a dedicated kids’ stage) alongside flax weaving, pottery, music and dance workshops. It's a great space for all to come together to enjoy friends, family, beautiful music and great food.
Headlining the festival this year is multi-award winning indie-folk favourite Mel Parsons (above). Her captivating shows and exquisitely crafted music has won her a dedicated fan base across six records and countless tours.
Two-time JUNO award-winning artist Old Man Luedecke, one of Canada’s best loved and most intriguing roots singer-songwriters joins the line-up with masterful banjo playing, and narrative-driven songs that are a playful and heart-warming mix of folk,
bluegrass and pop. Other Canadian acts include Cassie and Maggie, an awardwinning sibling folk duo from Nova Scotia, and duo Scott Cook and Pamela Mae
There are two Swedish acts on this year's programme: Dragkroka and Marine/Simonson/Wiskari who will be joined by internationally-recognised Māori anthropologist, taonga pūoro musician, and award-winning composer, Rob Thorne (Ngāti Tumutumu, Tainui).
Acclaimed British Folk-Punk ballad singer Jennifer Reid returns to New Zealand alongside the talented UK trio Culverake.
Local acts include Turkey the Bird (top right), Hot Diggity and Bazurka (centre right), a dynamic seven-piece band from Wellington renowned for their infectious energy and spirited performances. Hinekoia Tomlinson (bottom right) will lead waiata workshops throughout the weekend and Butter Wouldn’t Melt, Tom Cunliffe, Mice on Stilts and Miriam McCombe will provide a snapshot of the current New Zealand folk scene.
Tickets are on sale now via Eventbrite and early bird tickets close on December 31. www.aucklandfolkfestival.co.nz
The Fringe has a Family Pass to the Auckland Folk Festival to give away. To go in the draw to win this pass, email your name, phone number and address to info@fringemedia.co.nz with Festival in the subject line. Entries must be received by December 19.
Photo: Cartwright Creative.
Photo: Jemilah Ross Hayes
The story of Armanasco House
Armanasco House is one of Blockhouse Bay’s most cherished heritage treasures. It stands by the village green, that part of Gittos Domain on Blockhouse Bay Road next to the library. Built by Italian settler Stefano Armanasco, the home is a reminder of the area’s early settler days and the enduring spirit of its community.
Aged 17, Stefano left St Agata in the province of Sondrio, Northern Italy in 1863 bound for America. He then worked as a builder in Australia from 1865 to 1884 before arriving in New Zealand on February 18, 1884. After two years in the northern gum fields, Stefano purchased six acres of land, known as Windy Heights, between Blockhouse Bay Road and Heaphy St.
We know from his diary that while standing on a hill approximately where Hillsborough Heights Retirement Village is today on June 10, 1886, he suddenly heard mighty rumblings and saw smoke belching into the sky. He later discovered he had witnessed the eruption of Mount Tarawera.
In 1890 Stefano built his four-room cottage at Windy Heights and upon its completion, sent for his 23 year old bride to be, Maria Sicin, who came from the same alpine village he had left 27 years before. She bravely travelled to New Zealand alone, knowing only a good report of his character from her parents. They met for the first time and married at St Patrick’s Cathedral that same year. From all accounts, the marriage was a happy one.
Their home was a typical turn of the century New Zealand cottage, with a central hallway, two bedrooms, a parlour with a fireplace, and a kitchen-dining area with a cooking
213 – 215 Woodlands Park Road, Titirangi, Auckland 0604
Phone: 09 817 8495 or 09 817 6188
www.kenturnermotors.co.nz
range. Outside stood a washhouse, butter-making room, and sweeping gardens.
They had two sons, William born in 1894 and Vittorio (Victor) born in 1900, known locally as Bill and Vic Arman.
The family’s life was not without tragedy. Stefano disappeared during a walk in the Waitākere Ranges on June 8, 1918 and was never found. That same year, William returned from the WW1 Battle for Bapaume with a permanent arm injury and shell shock. Unable to return to his trade as a full time builder, he painstakingly assembled large glass houses at Windy Heights and grew tomatoes for a living.
Maria died on August 11, 1947. She was remembered by locals of the time as a gentle and generous lady. Victor married Edith O’Brien, a neighbour, in 1950. As a wedding gift to his bride he added the separate kitchen, bathroom, toilet and laundry we see at the rear of the house today. A gifted craftsman, like his father, more than half of Vic’s life was devoted to building Catholic churches, schools and convents throughout Auckland.
Victor died in 1987. Edith left to reside in St Joseph’s Home, Herne Bay in 1988 and the property was gifted to the Catholic Church who on-sold it to developers. The developers offered the house for free, if the community could fund the relocation and find somewhere to re-site it.
The Progressive Association and local community swung into action. Fundraising events were held, money was given and pledged, and the city council was approached for permission to re-site the house on Gittos Domain.
Edith passed away in 1990, 100 years after Armanasco House was built, and later that year, the house was relocated to Gittos Domain where it was restored to its former glory by a group of local volunteers. It was officially opened on Saturday March 21, 1992.
The Blockhouse Bay Historical Society has its home base at the house and visitors can explore displays of early photographs, memorabilia and local history archives. It is open to visitors every Tuesday 9am to 1pm and on some Saturday mornings during school holidays.
https://blockhousebayhistoricalsociety.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/751693317673151
Stefano Armanasco, Maria holding baby Victor and William overlooking Manukau Harbour in 1901.
Maria, Stefano and William in 1916.
Armanasco House today.
Olive Alderson, Lucia Cruz Loredo and Emily Brooker, all from Tītīrangi Primary School, were the winners in the recent junior art competition organised by local environmental group Tītīrangi Urban Sanctuary.
Based on the theme of ‘Protecting Beautiful Tītīrangi’, children aged between five and 13 submitted their works for judging. The Tītīrangi Library Bus and Te Uru Gallery were drop off points for artwork and many entries were also dropped off and collected from Tītīrangi Primary School.
The resulting entries were impressive and the judging process, undertaken with the assistance of Te Uru Curator, Hohua Thompson, was challenging. Each winner received a $150 voucher from art supply store Gordon Harris.
It is hoped that the designs will be used for fundraising merchandise for Tītīrangi Urban Sanctuary in the future.
The winning entries (left) were Olive's owl, Lucia's tree and swing and Emily's hand holding the Tītīrangi roundabout.
A night to remember
The Tītīrangi Folk Music Club celebrated 60 years of fun, music and community with a night of music and laughter. Many life members, former members and club stalwarts were present, stories were told and people remembered. But most of all, music was played and songs were sung.
2026 will see the celebrations continue with a programme featuring founding families and subsequent generations. Special events will include a mid-winter ceilidh and a music-focused quiz night (March 28). Get your team ready and stay tuned ...
Helena Brown, Sadie Munro, Tricia Lee (former president) and Innes Asher (founding member and new life member) are pictured (top) about to cut the cakes. Other performers included Ren Johnston, Clare Senior, Isobel Johnston and Nick Johnston, Bev and Al Young, and Bevis England.
A Tītīrangi Team Effort
You've probably already noticed the bright new mural on the wall of Ray White's offices. The project has been a community effort from start to finish. When local artist John Feary first pitched the idea the staff at Ray White Austar Realty knew they wanted to be part of it. Over the next few weeks, they worked with John to create a design that truly felt like him, and like them. Craig Smith and Len Day, CEOs at Ray White Austar Realty, helped make it happen and Demop and Fresh Choice allowed John to use their car parks. If you haven't already, take a moment to check the mural out next time you're in the Village.
See you at The Shrine!
Yeah, gidday, Lizard here.
There’s a couple of words we wish each other once a year. Merry and Happy. Right now, I wish you both. Every day.
Probably should've inserted an emoji of a Christmas tree, or a heart or an eggplant?
Any way, here’s a tale I’d like to tell ya. Not really a Christmas tale but it’s a doozy!
My Grandmother was a kind and generous woman. She was born in 1930, so her views on things weren’t exactly, ‘modern’. In her own words:
I consider it to be of the utmost importance to be very considered in one's life, Lizard. One must not fritter in frivolity. If bread be the staff of life, insist on the crusts being neatly cut off.
Grandmother married Grandpa in 1945. “A joyous time Lizard. We immediately got down to the business of marriage. We had three children in a row before we worked out what was causing it.”
As was quite popular with young husbands of the time, Granddad died in 1948.
“He suffered from the Vapors you see Lizard. Together with the Gripes and me with the Wandering-Womb he should never have been on that confounded steam combineharvester in the first place. Made a mockery of the need to wear clean underwear.”
So it came as quite the shock when, 77 years later, Grandmother announced that, after considerable consideration, she was going to marry Arthur Watts.
“We may both be well in to our dotage Lizard, but I consider us to be a good match. It serves as no distraction that he retains a cyclist's physique.”
On the third morning of their honeymoon, they were found dead in an Air BnB on the outskirts of Helensville. Grandmother had put me and Shaz down as the ‘in case of an emergency’ contact on the registration form so we drove down in Whitevan to bring them back home.
The following Wednesday morning we buried them in the same coffin at the Waikumete Cemetery. It was there that I met Arthur’s brother Johnathan, although everyone called him Theodore.
“Hello. Lizard is it? I’m Arthur's elder brother Tim. Once this is over with, could you and your good wife, I assume, join
Now here's a question ...
me up the road at The Thirsty Rooster? I have a proposal that may be of some interest to you both.”
Tim, although I liked Theodore, got in a round of Ports. a sherry for Shaz and I had a 'rusty nail’ chaser. “Never fly on one wing Lizard,” Grandma would say.
"Lizard, and Shaz of course, my brother, briefly your stepgrandfather, was a fool. A nincompoop. A complete dolt. But a dolt of considerable generosity. Never cut out to run the farm, that was up to me. He was a dreamer.
"Back in the fifties, he gifted the top of the bottom paddock to a religious mob who wanted to build a church. I think they were religious? Certainly Catholic. So we milled some trees from the farm and built them a church.
"It was very popular for some time but along came the seventies and well, we'd discovered all number of Gods. I became quite partial to Shinto with a touch of Rātana, for local colour. But I’m rambling.
"You see, the place has been empty for years. In fact the buggers sold it to my neighbour Frank. I’ve since bought it back. It seemed to me I never saw it leave the farm. It is still very sound. Native timbers. I think even the power's still on. I propose that my brother and your wonderful Grandmother would want you two to have it.”
So there you have it folks, I said it was a doozy.
Shaz, me and Mopey Jesus (yep, he’s involved, the Tītīrangi community asked him to vacate his roundabout dwelling) have moved in. As it’s still officially a church, Mopey Jesus suggested we organise a ‘gathering'. No tax. Don’t have to buy the grog from The Trust. No death duty.
We’ve called it The Shrine.
We’re putting on a huge surf'n'turf Christmas dinner. First keg on us. We’re staying open right through to New Year's day. Crash in the old bus or caravan if you like. Mopey plays a mean pipe organ and knows all the classics. New Year's lunch is for the hard-done-by-down-on-their-luck but join us when they’ve had a feed. It’s a jam night. Why not wine and dine at The Shrine.
P.S. Closed Sundays. It feels wrong to ring the bell on that day. Yep, it still has the bell!
Hey, have a very, very Merry and heaps and heaps of Happy. Later, Lizard.
Every so often the team at The Fringe sits back and ponders the future of this special community magazine. We know that we have many thousands of readers who look forward to reading the magazine. And we have many loyal advertisers who recognise the value of being seen in a quality publication. After all, it stays visible for months and is read and referred to often (unlike anything on social media!). However, it is getting more and more expensive to print and produce and our advertisers are our only source of revenue. And so the question is ... actually, it's three questions: 1. Do you want to see The Fringe continue as a print magazine? 2. What do you think are the important stories we should be covering? And 3. Will you, your company or your organisation consider joining our existing advertisers and advertise regularly in the magazine? Let us know by email: info@fringemedia.co.nz.
WANTED
TO BUY 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
Scenic Drive, Titirangi 021 113 0987 www.gordonsnurseries.co.nz
Patchett, Cert. Massage Therapist Ph 021 269 7018, 139 Seabrook Ave, New Lynn www.bodyfocusmassage.co.nz
retirement living options in Blockhouse Bay and New Lynn Open Day every Thursday
10am - 2pm
Bupa Glenburn Retirement Village | New Lynn Enquiries from $462,000^
• One and two bedroom apartments available
• Fixed or variable weekly fees available (including power)
• Close to LynnMall and train station, bus stop at the gate
• Care Home on site (subject to availability)
Contact Matt on 09 636 3809 for more info. 79 Margan Avenue, New Lynn bupa.co.nz/glenburn
Bupa Sunset Retirement Village | Blockhouse Bay Enquiries from $515,000^
• One and two bedroom apartments available
• Fixed or variable weekly fees available
• Bright and spacious common areas
• Lively social calendar
• 24/7 emergency alarm system
• Care Home on site (subject to availability)
Contact Sonya on 09 636 3803 for more info. 117/123 Boundary Road, Blockhouse Bay bupa.co.nz/sunset
