The Fringe, issue 255, February 2026

ISSUE 255, FEBRUARY 2026

community news, issues, arts, people, events

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The Fringe, Issue 255, February 2026

Contents Back to school 2026; Parkrun.........................................4 Ukulele Alchemy; Swim safe this summer.....................6 Flicks: one of Tītīrangi's happy places...........................7 Out & About in the West...........................................8 – 9 Art & About with Naomi McCleary.....................10 – 11 14 Villages ... 14 species ... One shared mission........12 Keeping it local; Vege Punk, building curiosity and pride in what kids grow and cook...............................13 Live @ the lounge .........................................................14 Advertisers directory......................................................15

Got something on your mind?

Know someone we should talk to?

Contact The Fringe by emailing info@fringemedia.co.nz

www.fringemedia.co.nz 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.

March 2025 deadline: February 13

"Live and learn"

I'm a journalist. I thought I understood our language. But a recent email from a reader gave me pause for thought.

"We are a community a million miles away from global wokism," he wrote. "Talk to your readers and stop following virtue signaling [sic] trends...keep glaring politics out of your production..."

How do politics glare? How do virtues signal?

We are not a million miles from anywhere: global events and trends are increasingly important. To ignore what is going on around us doesn't seem to make a lot of sense.

Woke is an adjective derived from African-American English.

It originally referred to being aware of racial prejudice and discrimination. I think we should always be aware of injustices in our society, and work to overcome them.

I think we should be aware of the changes in our climate and environment. We need to be doing a lot more to prepare for the changes we can no longer avoid.

And I think we need to be much more aware of the changes in our society as followers of global think tanks and conspiracy theorists seek to undermine the values that have made our country and our communities special.

If that is wokism, so be it.

But I'm prepared to 'live and learn' as this correspondent instructed, and I'm more than happy to listen to our readers.

So we'd like to hear from you: What do you think is important?

What do you think we should be writing about?

What do you enjoy doing most?

What do you think are the biggest threats or opportunities we face?

I'm aware that many readers are concerned about political trends and policies and the affect they are having on our communities. What worries you most?

Are you concerned that unemployment has been climbing for the last three years and hasn't been this high since 2016?

Does it worry you that up to 48% of New Zealand's workers can no longer pursue equitable remuneration?

Perhaps you are concerned that our country isn't changing fast enough. What changes do you want to see?

Business closures seem to be accelerating. Is that important to you?

Perhaps you are completely happy with everything. What are you happiest about?

After all, there is to be a general election on November 7.

We would love to hear what you are thinking ...

– Bevis England

On our cover: A detail from one image in May Trubuhovich's Glengarry Road Series which captures an iconic piece of 'our place', a suburban West Auckland road with a special character. See pages 10-11 for more.

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.

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The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026 3

Our place

Back to School 2026 February heralds the start to the secondary school year and a new cohort of students will enter Year 9 and Year 13, writes FIONA DRUMMOND. This can be an anxious time for these students as Year 9 students transition from intermediate big kids to Year 9 small fry, while Year 13 students have the weight of academic achievement on their shoulders as they work towards university entrance and qualifying for the tertiary programme of their choice.

The careers team at Green Bay High School aims to help by seeing every Year 13 student during term 1 and students can continue to use its services throughout the year to monitor their NCEA credits, or discuss their work or tertiary ideas, and scholarship opportunities.

In addition to the help offered through the careers team, the school encourages new students to get involved in school life. There are a wealth of sports including more unusual options such as surfing, Ultimate Frisbee and orienteering.

For those who aren't interested in sports there are many other ways to get involved. Student groups are a great way for new students to meet like-minded peers in weekly forums (mostly at lunchtimes). These could include the popular library helpers role, the school's environment group ((Green Impact), the recycle a device (RAD) group, the debating club, the chess club, SAGA (sex and gender) and a knitting and crochet group. School involvement is a key component for scholarship applications, and students can also sign up to the Student Volunteer Army and find other voluntary opportunities.

Contact the careers team at Green Bay High by email: careers@greenbayhigh.school.nz.

Got something to say?

Let The Fringe know: Email info@fringemedia.co.nz

Parkrun is a global movement that aims to involve local communities in regular outdoor exercise events. Since October last year, parkrun events have been taking place every Saturday at Glen Eden's Parrs Park.

Parkrun is a free, weekly 5-kilometre event that offers an opportunity for everyone, regardless of age or gender, to run, jog, walk and volunteer together and enjoy the outdoors while being physically active. The Parrs Park group has organised 12 events so far, involving a total of 764 finishers and 95 volunteers. The average finishing time is 35'01" and 208 personal bests have been recorded.

Taking part is easy: just register before your first parkrun and then set your alarm for Saturday morning and get yourself there! The group adjourns to a local café after every parkrun to swap stories and chat to other parkrunners.

Parkrun takes place every Saturday at 8:00am in Parrs Park, 471-479 West Coast Road, Glen Eden, Auckland 0602. https://www.parkrun.co.nz/parrspark/

This space is being seen by up to 40,000 local residents. It could be yours for as little as $240 + GST, or 0.6 cents per reader.

Email info@fringemedia.co.nz to find out more.

(For all our rates, download our media kit from http://www.fringemedia.co.nz/Rates.html.)

Fishing at Cornwallis. This photo was taken after midnight by Delwyn of Cornwallis. Have you got a special holiday photo you'd like to share with The Fringe readers? Email it to info@fringemedia. co.nz.

4 The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026

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The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026 5

Places to go – Things to do

Ukulele Alchemy

Three acts. One stage. A touch of musical magic.

Ukulele Alchemy blends humour, heart and harmony in an evening that celebrates the small instrument with the big spirit. Tītīrangi is set to hum, strum, and sing along with three world-class ukulele acts – each bringing their own unique blend of wit, warmth, and musical wizardry, performing alone and in combination.

Sonia & Nigel (France/US/NZ, top left). Paris-born singer-songwriter Sonia Wilson and Kiwi-American maestro Nigel Gavin play songs that fuse French, Kiwi, and American influences into a heartfelt acoustic mixture. Tyrone & Lesley (Australia, top centre) are winners of Australia’s Johnny Dennis Music Award. Their warm, eccentric performances have graced stages from the Sydney Opera House to the UK’s Grand Northern Ukulele Festival. The Nukes (West Auckland, top right) are New Zealand’s ukulele originals, renowned for their uplifting shows and festival-favourite songs from WOMAD to the Bluff Oyster Festival.

Ukulele Alchemy is a show for families and the young-at-heart, full of laughter, storytelling, and a spark of something truly special.

Ukulele Alchemy will happen on February 13, 7pm, at Tītīrangi Theatre. Tickets $40 through Eventfinda. For more information visit www.thenukes.co.nz.

Swim safe this summer

Safeswim has expanded its beach and water quality coverage for those looking to cool off this summer.

There are now 163 beaches, lagoons, streams and lakes with water quality information listed on its website.

Safeswim provides real-time forecasts on water quality, updated every 15 minutes, as well as a wide range of beach safety information.

The website and app provide water quality conditions and alerts, including wastewater alerts; lifeguard

patrol times at patrolled beaches; hazard warnings, including rip currents, dangerous waves, jellyfish, or shark sightings; and beach conditions, including tides, weather, and water temperature.

Note: a long-term public health warning is in place for Jenkins Bay in Tītīrangi, where sampling shows persistent contamination.

Visit https://safeswim.org.nz/

Bethells Beach Cottages natural luxury for humans being

Discover the magic of Bethells Beach — extend your stay in one of our iconic cottages high above the Tasman Sea with breathtaking views, and enjoy newly introduced special rates for extended escapes: tailored offers for one-week, one-month, or three-month stays, perfect for creative retreats, remote work, or pure coastal rejuvenation.

www.bethellsbeach.com

6 The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026

Club Night: 2nd Saturday every month Friday Folk (informal): 4th Friday every month Paturoa Bay Hall Tītīrangi Beach Road www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz Advertise with The Fringe – It’s who we are

Places to go – Things to do

Flicks, one of Tītīrangi's happy places Local cinematographer, Robin Kewell is set to provide us with another year of quality films at the theatre in Lopdell House in 2026. FIONA DRUMMOND provides a personal perspective.

Robin has been showing films in and around Tītīrangi for more than 14 years, and I often reflect on how fortunate we are to have him running Flicks in the Village. Personally, it is an opportunity to catch up with many local friends (and Robin of course), and I sometimes do a Facebook round up of friends for a forthcoming film, and a dinner in Tītīrangi can be built into the equation too.

A movie at Flicks, with a glass of wine from the bar, is a lovely way to end the week, without the effort of having to drive into the city.

Movie-goers can choose the early evening session and have dinner afterwards, or eat prior to the 8:15pm session. And many retirees in our community prefer the 10:30am option.

Robin would appreciate any publicity you can provide for the daytime showings: if you are involved with a rest home, retirement village, or a school, maybe you could promote the films regularly in your newsletters by including a link to https://flickscinema.weebly.com/, which shows all the upcoming films.

Among the movies that Robin is showing in February are The Secret Agent (R16, Brazil) on February 6. This movie was the most-awarded film at Cannes 2025 and, because it is a long film, there will be only one screening, at 7pm.

Another highlight will be My Brothers Band (M, France) which will be showing at 10:30am, 6pm and 8:15 pm on February 20.

Tickets for both movies are $16 or $12.50 and bookings can be made by text to 0210 222 5558.

Some of the other films that Robin has scheduled for this year are Moss and Freud (New Zealand), Re-Creation (Ireland), Words of War (UK), It Was Just an Accident (Iran), and Sound of Falling (Germany).

Robin has also been screening classic movies, introduced

by Sir Bob Harvey, monthly on Wednesdays and he is planning to continue these in 2026.

Cinemas might be less popular these days but a local cinema provides an opportunity to connect with the local community and support a valuable community asset.

Keep in touch with upcoming Flicks showings through the website (https://flickscinema.weebly.com/), by checking the What’s On section of The Fringe, or sign up with Robin to receive his email newsletter.

Western Water Supply Programme update

Watercare is working behind the scenes to deliver a $1 billion-plus programme to upgrade the western water supply network and secure Auckland’s water future.

From time to time, they’ll pop up in The Fringe to share updates on how the programme’s tracking and introduce some of the faces you’ll meet at community events or hear from in local updates.

And what better place to start than your local community liaison, Elizabeth Stewart.

Kia ora, Tītīrangi!

I’m Liz, your local Watercare community liaison for the Western Water Supply Programme. My role is to keep you informed about one of the biggest infrastructure upgrades happening in our backyard.

This $1 billion-plus programme will future-proof Auckland’s water supply by replacing ageing infrastructure like the Huia Water Treatment Plant with robust infrastructure designed to last more than a century.

Alongside the plant, we’re replacing critical infrastructure in the western dam catchments, adding two reservoirs at Woodlands Park, building a new water pump station across from the Lower Nihotupu Dam, replacing two critical raw watermains and constructing a new pump station on May Road.

Why? Because these dams supply around 20 percent of Auckland’s drinking water. That’s a big deal for every household that turns on a tap.

Alongside the planning work we’re carrying out as part of the Western Water Supply Programme, structural work in preparation for the North Harbour 2 watermain is also underway on Greenhithe Bridge.

As a proud Westie since 2013, I’m stoked to be back working with the people who make this community so special. Some of you might know me from my time with the Waitākere Ranges Local Board or as an elected

member advisor for Watercare out west. Now, I’m here to make sure this massive project is easy to understand and grounded in real life.

I’ll be honest – sometimes I’ll have to share news that’s not so popular. Road closures, noise, vibration … they’re part of the journey. But I promise to give you early notice, clear information, and transparency about what’s happening and why. We’ll also have plans and actions in place to minimise the impact of these works, such as careful management of access, traffic and safety around work sites, along with ongoing monitoring of vibration, land stability, and reinstatement outcomes.

I also know communities want more than pipes in the ground. You care about track reinstatement, better connections, environmental protection, restoration projects, and safer walking routes. So do we. Legacy benefits matter, and we’re listening.

While this work is underway, we’ll help reinstate walking tracks and vegetation after construction and continue to work alongside community organisations like Waima to Laingholm Pest Free, embedding controls to mitigate kauri dieback in the area.

You’ll see me around at meetings, in Tītīrangi Village, or out and about in New Lynn. My hope is that you feel comfortable to wave me down to say hi or have a quick chat. West Auckland is my home too, and I’m here for the long haul.

Together, let’s make sure this project not only delivers water security but leaves something positive behind for generations to come.

Any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at westernwatersupply@ water.co.nz.

Ngā manaakitanga, Liz Advertisement

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The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026 7

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 – 8, Portage Ceramic Awards Exhibition; Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road.

Phone 817 8087.

w 13, Flicks presents River, narrated by William Dafoe with music by The Australian Chamber Orchestra and Radiohead, exploring the relationship between civilisation and the Earth's rivers; outdoors at Davy's Cottage, 37 McEldowney Road, bring a picnic, rugs and jackets (chairs provided); gates open 6pm, film at 8:15pm; $15, cash only. Bookings by text to 0210 222 5558. w 14, Tītīrangi Folk Music Club presents Jan Elliott sings the best of Joni Mitchell, floor singers in first half; Tītīrangi Beach Hall, bottom of Tītīrangi Beach Road; 8pm; $15, members $10, under 18 free. www.titirangilivemusic. co.nz.

16, 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 Gwenda Elwood on 836 0445 or 027 664 7565.

w – 21, Nurturing Soul, works by Mary Timmins; Corban Estate Arts w Centre, 2 Mount Lebanon Lane, Henderson. Phone 838 4455.

w – 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 – 22, Serenading Imagined Worlds, works by Aotearoa artist Bill Hammond; (1947-2021); Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.

w 18, Combined Waitākere Rebus Club; St John’s Hall, 247 Edmonton Road, Te Atatū South; 10am-12 noon. Contact Philis on 838 5361. w 19, Waitākere Forest and Bird presents Monitoring, Citizen Science and

w – March 15, Members' Summer Exhibition; West Coast Gallery, Seaview finding what information is out there a talk by Frazer Dale, The Biodiversity

Road, Piha; Mon, Thu, Fri: 10am-3pm. Sat, Sun: 10am-5pm. Phone 09 812 8029 www.westcoast.co.nz.

February

w 1, Pony Rides, Huia Road Horse Club; 436B Huia Road, Laingholm; 3-4pm; $5 per child per ride. Phone 027 499 1732.

Guy; Ranui Community Centre 474 Swanson Rd, Ranui; 7:30pm; koha appreciated. Phone Liz 027 476 2732 or email lizanstey@hotmail.com.

w 20, Flicks presents My Brother's Band (M, 103 minutes, France), a wildly entertaining comedy/drama/music film; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 10:30am, 6pm, 8:15pm; $16/$12.50. Bookings by text to 0210 222 5558.

w 21, New Lynn Lions Club $1 Book Sale: Books, Magazines, CDs, DVDs, w 6, Flicks presents The Secret Agent (R16, Brazil), a Cannes-award LPs and jigsaw puzzles; New Lynn Friendship Club Hall, 3063 Great North winning political thriller; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 7pm; $16/$12.50. Bookings by text to 0210 222 5558.

w 7, 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 7, Live@Lopdell: The Toby Barrett Sextet. Jazz saxophonist Toby launches Catharsis, his debut album; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 7.30pm; $25/$20 from Eventfinda or on door. Bookings by text to 0210 222 5558.

Road, New Lynn (down the driveway by the traffic lights); 8am-4pm. Contact Mary Hibberd on 027 487 0639.

w 22, Tītīrangi Village Market: art, craft, produce and music; Tītīrangi

War Memorial Hall car park and the Tītīrangi RSA; 10am-2pm. Contact tvm. manager@gmail.com.

w 24, 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, Waitākere Health Link community health services Open Day. Find w 8, Waitematā Country Music Club club night; Glen Eden Community and out more about the NGOs providing support and services to our community;

Recreation Centre, 44 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 7-10pm; $5. Phone Kathy 09 817 4994

w 11, Tītīrangi Library presents the Rhymetime preschool programme; Tītīrangi Community House, 500 South Tītīrangi Road; 9:30-10am.

Main Entrance, Waitākere Hospital; 11am-1pm. RSVP by February 16 to tracy@waitakerehealthlink.org.nz

w 27, Glen Eden Combined Probus Club: company and fellowship,

interesting speakers, morning tea and monthly outings; Glen Eden

w 13, West Auckland Men’s Rebus Club, guest speaker and morning tea; Recreation and Community Centre, 44 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 9:45am.

Friendship Hall, 3063 Great North Road, New Lynn; 10am-12 noon. Phone Vince 021 189 6822.

Phone Brian Holt 838 5857.

w 27, Tītīrangi Folk Music Club presents Friday Folk, an informal gathering w 13, Ladies’ Probus Club, fellowship, fun, speakers, and a monthly day of musicians, singers and listeners; Tītīrangi Beach Hall, bottom of Tītīrangi

trip; St John’s Hall, 247 Edmonton Road, Te Atatū South; 9:45am-12 noon.

Phone Betty 09 832 0484.

Beach Road; 7:30pm; $5. www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz.

w 28, New Lynn Repair Cafe organised and run by DEANZ. Bring your w 13, Ukulele Alchemy, three great acts in one concert. See page 6 for more; broken items and work with skilled volunteers to fix them; New Lynn

Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 7pm; Tickets $40 through Eventfinda.

8 The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026

Community Centre, Tōtara Avenue, New Lynn; 11am-2pm; Koha. Contact Kabir on mehsanul.nz@gmail.com.

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Places to go – Things to do

March w March 1, Pony Rides, Huia Road Horse Club; 436B Huia Road, Laingholm;

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

3-4pm; $5 per child per ride. Phone 027 499 1732.

w March 4, Bridge lessons to start; Mt Albert Bridge Club, Councillors

Drive, Mt Albert; 10am or 7pm. Phone Anne 021 021 7600.

w March 7, 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.

Quality Fashion

SALE

Specials for Summer 561 Blockhouse Bay Road Blockhouse Bay Village (opposite the Library) Tues – Fri: 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-3pm Closed Sun and Mon

Ph 09 626 5633

Fri Feb-13 Titirangi theatre

The Trusts support schools in The West.

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The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026 9

Art & About with Naomi McCLeary

Taking Account This column is written sporting my ‘hat’ as the Chair of the Going West Trust.

2026 marks 30 years since the birth of the Going West Writers Festival. How will we (the Going West Trust) reflect back on those 30 years? How can we celebrate the small, but beautifully constructed, annual honouring of New Zealand writers and thinkers, in a way that reflects those glory days, yet acknowledges that the world has changed and we can’t go back. Because, for many reasons, we can’t do that.

In 1996, when the festival was founded, the political and cultural environment was far more embracing of arts and cultural innovation. The government act defining local authorities’ responsibilities included, and specified, ‘Cultural wellbeing'. That one directive allowed Waitākere City Council, under Sir Bob Harvey, to support Going West and a raft of other arts and cultural events; and, let’s be clear, that meant significant funding and administrative support.

Post amalgamation the new city, for some years, devolved that responsibility to the Waitākere Ranges Local Board.

They were great years.

Fast forward; we have survived the Covid pandemic (we went brilliantly online) and now live with a complete re-imagining of the role of politics in the cultural sector. We have a government that declares they will legislate to stop local authorities doing ‘dumb stuff’. Wow! Guess what fits that definition?

I’m detailing all this because we, as a trust, still get asked when we will reinstate the Going West Writers Festival – as it was. We’re grateful for the nostalgia that sits behind those requests.

So, here’s what’s stopping it; at last count $160,000, and probably more in today’s currency. Because to deliver a festival that looked and felt relaxed and intimate, was actually an art form in itself; the fruit of very fine-grained planning and execution; and that costs.

Enough of the history. How do we go forwards; taking into account that change has the power to invent and nurture new ideas.

Firstly, all and everything that the Going West Trust does this year will come under the banner of the 30th celebration.

And we have much to celebrate.

After a decade of fighting for the right to develop Maurice Shadbolt’s house in Arapito Road as a writer's residency, Auckland Council passed a resolution in 2022 giving the Going West Trust the go-ahead.

There were some hoops to jump! It was conditional on completing a quite significant structural upgrade and raising the funding to do that. It has been a tough process requiring in excess of $300,000 to complete the work; but, hallelujah, it has been achieved and we sit on the cusp of holding ownership of the house and creating a future life for this

10 The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026

cultural icon in the west. Note that last year Heritage New Zealand marked that history with a Category One listing. And we are in ongoing conversation with the Waitākere Ranges Local Board. All good stuff.

One of our great successes of 2025 has been an extensive project, undertaken by James Littlewood, to shape and prepare the full archive of the 25 years of Going West for Kura, Auckland Libraries' heritage collection. The work has been done; the launch is imminent.

So with a secure and functional house as our base, and under our project manager Tracey Sharp, we will be rolling out a programme of ‘small but perfectly formed’ word-based events and programmes. Some have been successfully tested during 2025.

Currently in development is a series of Sunday earlyevening gatherings; we’re playing with titles – soirées, cocktail hours, salons? Wherever we land they will be relaxed events with literary speakers, conversation, wine and canapés. Conversations are in progress with Catherine Chidgey, Simon Wilson, Dominic Hoey and Paula Morris.

These will be complemented with a range of one-off workshops working through to longer weekly or weekend events. And at some point, the beginning of a residency programme; again, starting modestly while we work out what the writing sector wants, and indeed, what we, as readers and supporters, want.

Given that the media is under threat, we know that engaging with long-form journalism is a pressing need.

We’re holding in our hearts and heads, a dream that we may be able to mount a modest version of Going West later this year. That is dependent on so many things; funding, politics, local and global. So no promises, but a ‘fingers crossed’ moment.

Watch the website: goingwestfest.co.nz.

All will be revealed.

Artist of the Month: May Trubuhovich

Prior to Christmas, Dr Mels Barton emailed me a link to a page of ink and wash works depicting sights and scenes of Glengarry Road. They immediately grabbed me, and I decided, rather than a passing comment on them, I would explore a little further.

Having, until recently, lived for 15 years mere metres from Glengarry Road, it is a stretch I know well. It is emphatically suburban, but as it snakes along a high ridge, it has spectacular views over Auckland City and back towards the ranges. It is a bit of a rat run, so speed and an over-supply of parked cars can make it an interesting trip.

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Art & About with Naomi McCLeary

Artist, May Trubuhovich, also a near neighbour to Glengarry Road, has captured something very essential about this place. Her drawings are lovely loose works; lots of verticals (power poles), cars (of course), modest bungalows and the occasional grazing horse. They are deceptively simple but show the hand of an assured and experienced artist.

In her words: This quirky series of observational ink and wash drawings explores suburban life on West Auckland’s characterful Glengarry Road. Taking an anthropological approach, the series investigates car culture and its effects, our suburban built environment, and individuals' need to differentiate themselves from their neighbours.

The drawings were all made on site over a period of several months. In spite of the intricate detail and bustle, they have a feeling of quietness. Even on a busy road, you might find a construction worker enjoying their break, someone waiting in stillness at a ridge-top bus stop, or horses grazing contentedly in a tucked-away field.

To my shame, I did not know of May’s work, but her website

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reveals that she is an artist with a lengthy and prestigious arts career.

May’s name reflects her paternal Dalmatian ancestry; pronounced as the anglicised “True-buh-vitch”. She also has Scottish ancestry, and lives in West Auckland.

May graduated with a BFA (Film) from Ilam School of Fine Arts, Christchurch, in 1992. Her short films from the 1990s, including the award-winning Feline, have been shown in art galleries and many international film festivals in Aotearoa and internationally. More recently she has been creating intricate textile works, combining hand embroidery with painterly elements. Works are held in the New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa, and private collections across Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia.

After working for several years in animation, illustration and design in Sydney, she returned to her art practice after coming back home with her young family in 2011.

The Glengarry Road drawings are for sale.

They are very desirable!

Go to maytrubuhovich.com

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The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026 11

Naturally West

14 Villages ... 14 Species ... One shared mission Upstairs Gallery in Tītīrangi becomes the hub for a West Auckland conservation project this month. The project puts wildlife at the centre of community life.

From February 13 to March 1, the Special Species Spotlight exhibition brings together 14 artworks created as part of a campaign led by the Pest Free Waitākere Ranges Alliance, in partnership with Te Kawerau ā Maki.

The concept is simple but powerful. Each Village across the Waitākere Ranges has been paired with a special species, chosen to reflect its local environment and the stories of the place. These species become a touchpoint – a way for communities to notice, celebrate, and care for the creatures that share their landscape. The hope is that seeing these species in art will spark curiosity, connection, and support for the protection of threatened species, as well as local pest control and habitat restoration efforts.

As artist Celeste Strewe, who created the piece for Whatipū's species, the white-fronted tern or tara, explains: “Nothing will ever change the love I feel for the coast, sea, and all their denizens. If my art can help people notice them, appreciate them, and care for them, then that’s a story worth telling.”

The tara, a groundnesting seabird found only in New Zealand, Celeste Strewe and her tara: there's a story worth telling ... is under pressure from introduced predators and changes along the coastline.

Though it is our most common tern, its numbers are declining, making protection of this species vital.

Celeste’s artwork captures the bird from above, looking over the windswept Whatipū coastline. White caps scatter across the sea, open space stretches to the horizon, and the exposure of this “edge-of-the-world” landscape is unmistakable.

“I wanted to show the tara looking down on its home, but also the wild openness you feel at Whatipū,” she says. “That sense of place is what makes people care.”

This relationship between species and place is also important for the forest gecko. Hidden in the dense understory of the Waitākere Ranges this nocturnal, highlycamouflaged species has been paired with Waima where it is known to live, despite being rarely seen.

The artwork representing Waima has been created by Noah Hunt, a 13-year-old rangatahi artist and student at Green Bay High School.

“I didn’t know anything about the forest gecko before

12 The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026

starting this project,” Noah says. “It was interesting to learn about it – especially its patterns and how well it’s camouflaged.”

Noah’s artwork (right) depicts a forest gecko emerging in the moonlight, framed within a diamond shape that draws the viewer into the surrounding forest.

Working with pastels on blue paper allowed him to blend colour and texture, echoing the gecko’s patterned skin and the shadowed environment it inhabits.

When asked to describe the forest gecko in three words, Noah chose: “Mysterious, vital, pollinator.”

For Noah, the project was affirming and Noah Hunt challenging. “I felt really proud to be selected,” he says, “and it was a big relief because I put a lot of effort into my artwork.”

Swanson/Waiwhauwhaupaku’s special species, the pekapeka (long-tailed bat), is represented by Swansonbased artist Camille Joy Howie (right). Camille, who returned to the area five years ago to raise her daughters close to the bush and beach, describes the bat as a symbol of endurance and hope in dark times.

“They have chosen Swanson as their home, roosting in the Cascade Kauri Park, and play an important role in our ecosystems,” she says. “I hope this artwork highlights the importance and hidden beauty of the pekapeka,” she says. “If someone leaves the exhibition seeing Swanson – or the night forest – differently, that would be incredible. Art can help us notice the beauty of creation around us.”

Together, the 14 works form a visual map of the ranges: 14 Villages, 14 species, each reflecting local ecology and community connection. The exhibition leads up to a live auction on February 27, with the proceeds supporting restoration projects across the Waitākere Ranges, helping to protect threatened species and ensure their survival for generations to come.

The Special Species Spotlight is a celebration of the places and creatures that make the Waitākere Ranges unique, and an invitation to experience those connections first hand. As Celeste puts it, “Art is a story without words. What story can you see?”

Step inside. Look closely. There’s a Village – and a special species – waiting for you.

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Vege Punk, building curiosity and pride in what kids grow and cook West Auckland's favourite Ukulele trio, The Nukes, have a new kids song, called Vege Punk. It will be released on February 28.

The song was written for the 15th anniversary of Garden to table, a major nation-wide movement that is teaching thousands of tamariki how to grow and cook fresh kai.

The programme has been shown to build confidence, well-being and practical life skills, and is now embedded in schools across the country.

Vege Punk was written to celebrate that mahi in true Nukes style, with humour and heart. The song began with the idea that you can be kind to people but mean to vegetables, and behind the fun is a message about confidence, curiosity and pride in what kids grow and cook.

Supported by NZ On Air, Vege Punk comes with a high energy music video directed by Dave Thomson of Imaginary Creative.

Think The Muppets meets classic kids television and you are close.

The video features children from Garden to Table schools across Tāmaki Makaurau, including young performers from Forrest Hill School who helped create the final mosh pit scene. The video itself is super inventive, mixing hand puppets, stop motion and full veggie battle-of-the-bands energy.

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The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026 13

Live @ the lounge

'We'll leave some details in the discretion cupboard ...'

Kia Ora Aunty Nora. 2026. Dang.

I woke up this morning laughing. I must have had a funny sleep. You’re welcome.

Well, Shaz, that’s the missus and me, Lizard, have loved moving in to The Shrine. Since inheriting the old church, nestled way back in them there Huia Hills, we have created the wine and dine at The Shrine. Not far from where the fabulous Tim Shadbolt and friends had their commune and concrete cooperative. R.I.P. our kind believer.

It was great to see all you folks over Christmas and New Year, celebrating with us and house trucks, buses and the like are still most welcome. You can leave them here if you like but please leave them open for others to enjoy. A house truck is like a snail. They both carry their house upon their backs.

Of course, Mopey Jesus, blood brother, has also moved in with us permanently. He was ‘politely’ asked to vacate the Tītīrangi Roundabout Bunker, mainly because his communist preachings were disrupting traffic flow. I’m not sure why the council was so surprised. Surely they saw all the red flags?

As you’re probably well aware, we had to close the joint for a couple of weeks to completely remodel the old church. We gave total freedom of design and fitting to Māori Phil and Gay Gary. They project-managed the entire gig. And did the ‘boys’ achieve miracles? I’ll get back to that.

While that was going on, me and Shaz shot up north to off-load some odds and ends to keep the cash flow, well, flowing. We were just approaching the Hokianga Harbour when Shaz said, "Isn’t that the house you grew up in Lizard?”

Sure enough, it was. I pulled Whitevan to the curb, jumped out, and wandered up the very familiar path and knocked on the door. Eventually a very elderly couple opened the door. I explained how I’d been partly raised in this very house and would it be okay, for old times sake, to have a wee nosey inside?

“No,” said the old man.

“Fraid not,” said the old lady.

Parents! They can be so cruel. I got back in to Whitevan.

Shaz asked if I was okay.

“Yep. Fine love. Typical Dad. I remember him telling my twin sisters that one of them was unplanned! Old bugger.

Another thing he was fond of saying: 'Lizard, if we all liked the same things, everyone would be after your mother'.”

When we got back to The Shrine (I love the drive out to Huia) there was quite the commotion. Gay Gary was all a flap and Mopey Jesus had a grin from ear to ear, if you could actually see his ear as he now always wears a fur Ushanka hat.

He was holding up a copy of These Homes Are Way Better Than Yours magazine. The editor, a Ms Camilla Dawn BlytheWinsor had done a double page spread on our little slice of heaven.

We all went in through the new huge double doors, passed

14 The Fringe FEBRUARY 2026

the margarine statue of Bob Harvey, to the bar arena. Māori Phil got in a jug of Gorse Whiskey, now on tap, and Shaz read out the article.

“Dearest readers. If you ever find yourself meandering out of the bosom of the Shores, may I suggest you bravely ignore your inherited instincts and head out to the intimidating West side of Auckland. You can Google where it is. A dear friend had astounded us years ago, by falling for an ‘artist type’ and moving to Tītīrangi. Naturally we lost contact but, by chance, we met up at a St Cuthbert’s College reunion. We chatted over canapés and she overflowed with delight about The Shrine. 'It’s so refreshingly Kiwi,' she said.

"So, later that week, cameramen Jimmy in tow, we made our way West. Our first impression, as Sydney guided the Bentley through the delightfully dappled driveway was total amazement!! Unfolding before our very eyes was what appeared to be a gold-leafed bell tower atop a velveteen purple-painted church. It was ringed by beds of stunning red poppies. If scaled back a tad, it could have doubled as one of Saddam Hussein's palaces.

"On entering, we passed a most unusual statue of perhaps Donald J. Trump. The artist had certainly captured the skin tones perfectly. My senses were enchanted by the most wonderfully, ridiculously, fabulously, stupendously gauche banquet hall. It had modernist influences with echoes of Baroque and French Gothic. Chandeliers. Huge mirrors.

Faux ivory. Copper-top tables. Meticulous ornate woodwork.

Shimmering gold paint everywhere. It was magnificent.

"The dining area had the wonderful, mouth-watering fragrance of slow cooked Argentinian-inspired beef being lovingly seared over the coals. The ’No DOGS’ laws didn’t seem to apply but added that country club vibe. And the price. The true meaning of Koha. One was encouraged to pay only what one could afford!

"To my absolute delight, a most unusual, possibly Russian man, entertained us with an astonishing version of Guns n Roses' November Rain on the kazoo. Dessert was a selection of wild berries soaked in a mushroom jus that truely both relaxed and sparkled the senses.

"We’ll leave some details in the discretion cupboard, needless to say, but I released my driver with instructions to collect me the following afternoon. We sat round a perfectly proportioned open fire then retired to a quaint 1950s Zephyr caravan. Please, dear readers, take the plunge and Go West,” – Camilla.

Blimey. What can I say. We were stunned. When I asked Mopey Jesus what she was really like, he blushed.

So, take it easy. Wear big hats. Don’t fry your brain. Drop by for a feed. We’re open again.

Much love.

Later, Lizard.

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Directory

These organisations support our community and make this publication possible. Please support them.

AUTOMOTIVE & TRANSPORT

HEALTH & WELLNESS

BUILDING & PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

HOSPITALITY

Ken Turner Motors.....................................................................13

Drain Ranger..................................................................................15 Turners Drainage & Contracting...........................................15 Watkins Plumbing Services.....................................................15 Wyse Construction......................................................................13

BUSINESS & EMPLOYMENT

Punctuate, your digital creative partner...........................11 Ready Press Print........................................................................15

COMMUNITY

The Trusts, supporting local schools.................................... 9 Watercare.......................................................................................... 7

EDUCATION & CHILDCARE

Early Explorers Childcare.......................................................... 5

GARDENS & LANDSCAPE

Hunt & Gaunt Optometrists....................................................15

Bethells Beach Cottages.............................................................. 6

LEGAL SERVICES

Presland & Co, lawyers..............................................................11

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

Bupa Retirement Villages........................................................... 2 Greenview Park Retirement Village....................................16 Luke Garland: buying LPs, CDs,cassette tapes................15 Tītīrangi Folk Music Club........................................................... 6 Ukulele Alchemy............................................................................ 9

SHOPPING

Shirley’s, women’s fashion........................................................ 9

Gordons Nurseries......................................................................15

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

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Ph 817 4380 Fax 817 4383 MT EDEN 3 Walters Road Ph 630 3785 Fax 630 3746

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Community organisations, sports clubs, craft clubs and other non-commercial organisations are welcome to post their news and updates on The Fringe’s web site, FREE. Email your updates and information to info@fringemedia.co.nz See Our Place at www.fringemedia.co.nz

Quality plants at reasonable prices Open 7days 159a Scenic Drive, Titirangi 021 113 0987 www.gordonsnurseries.co.nz

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Opinions expressed in the The Fringe are solely those of the writers and advertisers and are not necessarily endorsed by the publication or its publisher. Fringe Media Ltd is not responsible in any way for the contents of any advertisement, article, photograph or illustration contained in this publication. While every reasonable care will be taken by the Editor, no responsibility is assumed for the return of unsolicited material. © Copyright 2025 by Fringe Media Ltd. All content in this issue is the property of Fringe Media Ltd and may not be reproduced in any way or form whatsoever without permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.

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