25 August 2023 Devonport Flagstaff

Massive property buy-up in village cost $35 million

Peninsula Capital paid $35 million for the Vista Linda commercial-property portfolio, the Flagstaff can confirm.

The deal to buy the properties settled on 30 June. All but one are in central Devonport. The properties are: 1-3 Wynyard St, 12 Wynyard St, 5-15 Victoria Rd, 17-19

Victoria Rd, 21 Victoria Rd, 23-25 Victoria Rd, 33 Victoria Rd, 41 Victoria Rd, 43 Victoria Rd, 45 Victoria Rd, 24 Victoria Rd and 19-21 Clarence St, and 8-10 Birkenhead Ave, in Birkenhead.

The purchase price is $5 million less than the combined Auckland Council valuation

for the properties of $40 million.

Peninsula Capital previously bought the former Devonport Borough Council building at 3 Victoria Rd for $2 million.

The company is working towards a longterm plan for its holding and the redevelopment of the Devonport commercial area.

Trio made most of in-tents experience

Seoul survivors... 1st Devonport Scouts (from left) Melissa Busch, Caoimhe Costello and Lucy Collett enjoyed R’n’R in the South Korean capital after an early departure from the World Scout Jamboree, held during a heat wave and shortened due to the approach of a typhoon. Story, page 2.

Commuters dismayed at Bayswater ferry axing... p3

Teenager charged after multiple car thefts... p2

Teen charged after spate of car thefts Preparation pays off for Kiwis at overheated jamboree

A 14-year-old will face charges after being linked by police to more than eight vehicle thefts on the Devonport peninsula.

Police believe he is part of a small group responsible for a spike in reports of car thefts and break-ins across Bayswater, Devonport, Belmont and Hauraki in recent weeks. Patrols in the area are being stepped up.

Waitemata East area Commander Inspector Stefan Sagar says reports from the Devonport and Takapuna communities had helped investigators focus their efforts and identify an offender.

The boy had been referred to Youth Aid and would appear in the North Shore Youth Court, facing charges of unlawfully taking a vehicle.

Sagar urged people to keep their vehicles locked and parked off-road if possible, and with valuable items removed. Suspicious activity should be reported on 111 if still in progress, or 105 otherwise.

Devonport retail spend up on 2022

Business in Devonport has picked up a little compared with trading last winter. Latest data, comparing June with the same month in 2022, shows a 4.3 per cent lift in retail spending, in line with Auckland-wide MarketView figures.

The total number of local transactions rose an encouraging 10.2 per cent, but Devonport Business Association manager Richard Thorne noted this was offset to some degree by a 5.3 per cent decline in average spend.

Takapuna has bounced back slightly more with total spend up 5.5 per cent, with the hospitality sector performing best.

Three local teenagers returned last week from the aborted World Scout Jamboree in South Korea, exhausted but happy.

The trio from the 1st Devonport Scout Group were among 62 New Zealand Scouts who endured high temperatures, mosquitoes and an approaching typhoon, all the while fielding concern from home after the troubled event made international headlines.

“My friends were messaging me to see if I was dying,” laughs Melissa Busch, aged 14, from Narrow Neck, who attends Westlake Girls High School.

She, Caoimhe Costello, 15, and Lucy Collett, 17, who both live in Devonport and go to Carmel College, agree reports made the jamboree sound worse than it was for them.

“Our leaders were very prepared and we wouldn’t have had such a great experience without them,” Lucy told the Flagstaff, after the 12-hour flight back from Seoul. “New Zealanders as a whole are resilient and we still made the most of it.”

Attendees from the UK and US were less impressed, slamming the event and withdrawing their large groups early, after experiencing widespread cases of heat stroke and bemoaning conditions on a site housing more than 50,000 people.

The New Zealanders, who flew to South Korea on 22 July for sight-seeing before the jamboree began on 2 August, were better acclimatised.

The girls agree there were organisational issues early on. With temperatures up to 35degC, the lack of shelter from the sun was an issue and extra water had to be trucked in.

“You don’t go in your tents during the day,” said Melissa. “You’d pass out.”

Fortunately, the Kiwi party’s leaders had brought marquees and sprinklers, and were stocked up on food options, particularly for vegetarians, like Caoimhe, who were not

well catered for.

Caoimhe said it was a bonus that the New Zealanders were split into two groups across the site, because it gave them plenty of opportunities to mix with scouts from many nations, striking up friendships the girls are keen to maintain.

Woggles, which hold scouts’ scarves in place, were exchanged, the Dutch version being dubbed “cloggle”.

With concerns about an impending typhoon growing, the New Zealand leaders decided to pack up early.

Hours later, organisers announced the event would finish four days ahead of time on 8 August, sparking a massive logistical retreat with convoys of hundreds of buses.

The Kiwis blissed out in comfortable hotel beds before heading to Seoul for a few days of planned sightseeing and shopping.

After arriving home exhausted on 15 August, Caoimhe said: “I slept for 14 hours.”

To pay for the trip, they each had to fundraise $9500, from a series of sausage sizzles, part-time jobs and supportive parents.

They all say they would be happy to return to Korea one day – though not in summer, Melissa says. Lucy says the key to enjoying an experience such as they had was to “go in with a positive mindset and to make friends”.

Everyone came out of it with more confidence, she adds, which is what being a scout since primary-school days has also encouraged.

Melissa is looking forward to attending her first national jamboree in Hamilton after Christmas. The older girls went to the last one in 2019, before Covid put them on hold.

But the big goal they all now share is returning to a World Scout Jamboree, with the next set down for Poland in 2027, leaving plenty of time to follow the Scout motto: Be Prepared.

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Ferry canning leaves commuters high and dry

Bayswater residents were better served by transport authorities more than a century ago, says a community advocate following a shock Auckland Transport (AT) decision to suspend the Bayswater-city ferry service.

In 1908, the area had a ferry and a tram service up Bayswater Ave, said Brianna Parkinson, a member of the Bayswater Community Committee. “And 115 years later what a poor state we are in with a much bigger population which is planned to get more intensive.”

Bayswater commuters have been left scrambling for other options with the news last week that the ferry, operated by Fullers360, has been suspended from 1 October, due partly to staff shortages.

No commitment has been made to extra bus trips to the city for commuters, though AT says it is looking at both this and the possibility of contracting another ferry operator to provide the service.

Commuters spoken to by the Flagstaff were angered at the looming loss of the service, although other locals have already voted with their vehicles, returning to congested Lake Rd in the face of a service-frequency reduction in recent years.

Devonport-Takapuna Local Board chair Toni van Tonder said the move was a “massive blow for our area, given the Bayswater run was once an exemplary service”.

Board member George Wood said the service had been run down.

“This idea of blaming ferry crew shortages seems a weak excuse given the length of time Auckland Transport has had to sort out the issue.”

Some people would drive south from Bayswater to the Devonport ferry terminal, while others would drive up Lake Rd. “It will put more cars on Lake Rd.”

Wood said more buses were needed on the 802 bus route from Bayswater direct to mid-town, especially for university students

who were not catered for in off-peak times. Covid greatly impacted travel numbers on the Bayswater ferries from early 2020, with scheduling, reliability and staffing issues later arising.

Only 37,671 passengers boarded the service in the first six months of this year, compared with 169,726 in the same period in 2019.

In the first half of last year, when boardings totalled 31,871, and cancellations were high, AT reduced the morning peak-hour service to leave a gap in sailings between 7.50am and 9.15am.

In February this year, 145 sailings, or 23.5 per cent of trips, were cancelled. In the year to the end of June, 372 services (9.4 per cent) have been cancelled, including 96 (14.1 per cent) in June alone.

AT said it was suspending the Bayswater run, along with those from Birkenhead and Northcote Pt, to allow Fullers360 to start an accelerated crew-training programme.

Services to Gulf Harbour and Half Moon Bay will continue on a reduced timetable.

Passengers left pondering options

The Flagstaff spoke to Bayswater ferry passengers on the morning after the impending suspension was announced.

Ginny Cartmel thought it was shortsighted. “We should be pushing more people to use public transport,” she said. “It’s also going to be very hard getting people using it again if the ferry does come back.”

Caroline Bechayda, who uses the service to get to work a couple of times a week said she would have to switch to the Devonport ferry. “The problem is parking – you have to pay for it in Devonport.”

Matt Smith, who takes his bike on the ferry, said he would miss the bike-friendly Bayswater service. “Theres more space on this one for bikes.”

Bon voyage... The once-popular Bayswater ferry arriving at its pontoon last week after the suspension of the service was announced

Arborist power tested by board’s tree-removal support

Anne St residents have won backing from the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board in their campaign for the removal of two trees that produce large amounts of drain-blocking foliage.

But there is no guarantee this will be actioned, with the issue expected to test the authority of Auckland Council arborists.

“This issue is one we should be resolute on and support the people in our community,” said local-board member George Wood, who put a motion, passed 4-2, asking for the CEOs of both the council and Auckland Transport to be advised the board wants the two problematic trees on the street removed and replaced with natives.

Around a dozen people attended the board’s monthly meeting last week, supporting a further presentation from resident Peter McNab seeking action on the trees.

The trees have large leaves, stems and fruit that block drains. Matters came to a head after the 27 January floods when the street, a car and homes and garages were inundated.

Residents say they are having to repeatedly clear the inadequately maintained drains to safeguard their properties.

McNab told board members he was also taking the matter to the Ombudsman, having got nowhere with previous requests to council.

Before the vote, a supplementary information paper from council staff was tabled to widespread surprise. In it, arborists stated the large-leafed trees were not the umbrella tree ( Schefflera actinophylla ) they had previously been identified as, a species on the council’s own pest-management list. They were instead the relatively rare mallet flower (Schefflera pueckleri), which are not on the pest list.

The trees were planted by the North Shore Council around 30 years ago. Residents have cited the later pest listing as a reason they should be removed.

“We’re not against the trees as such,” said one woman. “But this particular tree causes damage”.

In a further development, the information paper revealed council department Healthy Waters intended infrastructure upgrades in Anne St which would lessen future flood risks.

No timelines were given, with the matter said to be in the very early stages of investigation.

Monthly street cleaning for leaves and sump clearing has now been promised, along with checks before and after heavy rain events.

Arborists repeated the general case for increasing street tree canopy, citing various council strategies and their delegated authority to make decisions.

The Anne St trees provided eco-system benefits in a street without other trees and replacing their canopy coverage would require the planting of 99 new smaller trees.

“If the Local Board decide to remove the two trees in this street, staff recommend that funding be allocated to the construction of

up to eight new tree pits within Anne St to accommodate new trees, improve canopy cover and provide benefits to the residents in the street.”

To remove the trees would cost about $3500. Replacing them – including the cost of tree pits – would be about $45,000. Due to the trees’ size, consents to remove them might be needed.

Board chair Toni van Tonder, who with member Mel Powell voted against Wood’s motion, citing the new information over upgrades and maintenance, along with Healthy Waters’ view the low-lying street was prone to flooding and that the trees were not to blame.

Canopy coverage in the board area needed to increase, said van Tonder.

Wood’s motion was seconded by member Gavin Busch and supported by deputy chair Terence Harpur and member Peter Allen. “We represent the community, and arborists coming back and saying ‘no’ is not a good look,” Wood said.

Harpur said the council’s own Urban Ngahere Strategy talked about “the right tree in the right place” and this was an example of the wrong tree in the wrong place.

Allen said information from the council had been inconsistent and the trees’ removal would not set a precedent.

Busch said the matter needed to be dealt with because it would keep coming back before the board.

“The residents and the ratepayers pay for these decisions.

“If we aren’t the people who can start to make the decisions and give people confidence, then who are?”

The Flagstaff asked the council what would happen next and was told by the regional arborists and ecological manager, David Stejskal, that it had received the board’s notice and was “looking into the next steps on how to progress this”.

Problematic... One of the Anne St trees residents want removed

One-two

Hauraki Primary School has won both first and second places in the annual North Shore Book Battle, delivering a bonanza of prizes to the school library and contestants.

Hauraki’s two four-member teams were among 25 competing in the reading quiz held this month.

The Year 6 pupils told the Flagstaff they were surprised to have done as well as they did, having been mid-field part-way through the multi-choice competition.

The two teams then found themselves part of a four-way tie, before emerging on top.

“For the next three days I was in shock,” said Thomas Cullen, the only boy among the seven students competing.

Mila Hamilton said during the contest she looked down and noticed her skirt was shaking due to the excitement.

Luckily they and the others had no trouble with a deciding question: In what Roald Dahl book did he say children smell like dog droppings? The Witches was the quick response.

Extension teacher Mel Scavone, who prepared the young readers for the contest, said she was very proud of them.

While she had hoped for a top-three place, coming first and second was a real achievement.

Principal Clarinda Franklin said the group comprised exceptional young readers, who were reaching adult levels in their ability.

Competitors were chosen from among the school’s most avid readers, mostly in the extension class, who were prepared to swot up.

“They had to be willing to read seven books over the school holidays,” said Scavone.

But extra reading is no chore for this group. Maia Davis says one of her favourite things about the holidays was “I get extra time to read”.

Hauraki reading champs win big

Janice Zhang said a downside was not being able to pop into the school library, but she liked to visit the public library in Auckland.

The students won a big box of books for the school library, along with a $100 book voucher for Team B’s first place and a $75 voucher for second-placed Team A.

Team B students Thomas, Mila, Scarlett Mahy and Gwen Barber, each got a cash

prize of $25. Team A, comprising Janice, Maia, Zoe Sun and Jessica He, collected $20 each.

The competition was sponsored by Barfoot & Thompson.

Scarlett says she loves to read because it fires her imagination. “You can picture anything.” Mila, who is a fan of fantasy fiction, considers reading “a teleportation device to another world”.

On a high... Hauraki Primary’s reading stars (front, from left) Scarlett Mahy, Gwen Barber, Janice Zhang and Thomas Cullen; and (back, from left) Jessica He, Mila Hamilton, Maia Davis and Zoe Sun

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House News

This month we announce our first ever Devonport Community House Open Day- In support of Mental Health Awareness Week on Saturday 16th September. Our AGM at the end of the month on Thursday 31st August, is open to all members of the community to attend and hear about our year and what's to come. We look forward to seeing you all at the House!

Ngā mihi nui, Devonport Community House Team www.devonportcomhouse.com

Fire hero commended by Navy

A civilian staff member from Devonport Navy base has been commended by the Royal New Zealand Navy for his life-saving deeds during a Devonport house fire last year.

Jonathan Brooke was taking a lunchtime walk on 2 May last year when he heard cries for help from a property on Queens Pde.

Brooke’s first concern was whether anyone was still in the building of eight flats. While some tenants were already outside the front of the property, he found another at the rear, helping them to safety.

Noticing the flats were on gas, he shut off the supply, and directed a tenant to turn off the power.

The seat of the fire was a piece of fabric and foam furniture in the centre of a living room. Brooke used a hose to fight the flames and directed a tenant to use another to cool the ceiling.

This helped lower the temperature of the room while the fire was extinguished.

By the time firefighters arrived, the fire was out. Brooke briefed them on what had happened.

A woman was later charged with arson in relation to the fire.

For his efforts, Hillcrest resident Brooke received an official commendation from the Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral David Proctor.

He was pleased at the recognition. “It’s awesome from my perspective,” he said.

“I’m lucky enough to have a good employer that lets you go for lunchtime walks.”

Brooke served in the Navy for 21 years and has been working as a civilian assisting with operational trials for the past two years.

He said he was in the right place at the right time.

His main concern when arriving at the fire scene was making sure everyone was safe and shutting off power and gas to the site to prevent the fire from worsening.

“Every second counts, a minute can make all the difference.”

The 41-year-old said every home should have an exit plan and a fire extinguisher at home in case of an emergency.

A resident of the flats, Lynette Collings, said she was “beyond thankful” for Brooke’s efforts. She had irreplaceable sentimental items that would’ve been lost if he hadn’t put the fire out.

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The chief fire officer who attended said had Brooke and the other tenants not taken the action they did, people could have been injured and the building and others nearby lost.

The residents of the flats showed their thanks to Brooke by sending him a card that he still keeps on his desk.

Collings told the Navy about Brooke’s heroics as she thought he should be properly recognised for his efforts.

Recognition... Jonathan Brooke, who put out a fire at an eightflat building in Queen’s Pde, with partner Tameara Hill (middle), Tameara’s niece Natasha Hill (left) and the couple’s daughter Gracie after a commendation ceremony

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Devonport 09 446 2030

Waiheke Island 102 Trig Hill Road

Deadline Sale

Thursday 14th September at 4.00pm

(Unless Sold Prior)

View

By appointment only harcourts.co.nz/DP24587

Hilltop Sanctuary, Captivating Views

Experience European influence and Waiheke charm in this architectural home with stunning 270degree views across the Tamaki Strait to the Hauraki Gulf. Elegant and light-filled, the interior features double-glazed joinery and sliding doors leading to open and covered decks. The upper level offers an open plan living area, study/bedroom with ensuite and a combined bathroom/laundry. The lower has a large master bedroom, second bedroom with a coffee-making nook and generous-sized bathroom. External stairs lead to a cedar-lined sauna. Three heat pumps, a wood burner, solar electricity and 47,000L of water storage ensures comfort and sustainability. A distinctive 'lighthouse' studio, surrounded by landscaped gardens, complements the property abundant with birdlife. Access is via a sealed driveway to level parking.

Gred de Marigny 021 266 1671 greg.demarigny@harcourts.co.nz

Karen McMahon 027 572 9659 karen.mcmahon@harcourts.co.nz

Bayswater 26 Norwood Road

Deadline Sale

Wednesday 30th August at 4:00pm

(Unless Sold Prior)

View

As advertised or by appointment harcourts.co.nz/DP24593

Perfect Family Home with Minor Dwelling

This substantial villa, accompanied by a recently completed separate minor dwelling, all beautifully located on a 1012sqm site (more or less), offers an array of possibilities in this very desirable location. Step inside and be greeted by the authentic beauty of original floorboards, a testament to the rich history of this character-filled villa. The home exudes a sense of style and sophistication with a stunning extension that seamlessly connects the back living areas, blending the old-world charm with modern design. The well-appointed galley style kitchen with a large island bench creates the heart of the home, perfect for preparing delicious meals and sharing family gatherings. Discreetly placed at the back of the garden, the modern separate minor dwelling provides an opportunity to accommodate family members or an au pair.

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Devonport 2/21 Queens Parade

2 11 1

Auction

Thursday 14th September at 1.00pm (Unless Sold Prior)

View

Saturday/Sunday 11.30am - 12.00pm harcourts.co.nz/DP24644

Affordable Waterfront Apartment Living

Lifestyle personified is on offer here with this wonderful ground floor apartment, just one of five in this small boutique block. Nestled amongst premium real estate, and only meters from the heart of Devonport Village and Ferry, this waterfront property enjoys views of the busy Auckland Harbour during the day, and the twinkling lights of Auckland City at night. This is a perfect home for professionals who want to catch the ferry to work in the CBD. It is perfect for retirees who want to live a very short flat walk to the supermarket, cafes, restaurants, the Devonport Library, and a wonderful beach. Now is your opportunity to own a waterfront apartment, in “the best” suburb in Auckland, at an affordable level. If you don’t think this property is “within budget” think again, our vendor is very much set to sell!

Jackie Mark 021 458 797 jackie.mark@harcourts.co.nz

Jane Hastings 021 735 263 jane.hastings@harcourts.co.nz

Devonport 15 North Avenue

4 22 1

Auction Thursday 14th September at 1.00pm In Rooms (Unless Sold Prior)

View Saturday/Sunday 1.00pm - 1.30pm harcourts.co.nz/MJ54572

The One You Have Been Waiting For

Get ready to own your dream home on a dream street. This gorgeous bungalow is pretty from the outside and stylish and modern on the inside, with a feeling of warmth and comfort throughout. With four good sized bedrooms plus an office, two lounge rooms and an open plan kitchen, dining and living space which flows seamlessly out to a sunny back deck and lawn with elevated views beyond, this is the type of home you can just move into and fall in love with. Instead of spending time and money on a renovation, you can spend your weekends at the beach. This is the home to truly live your best life in.

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Fullers’ decision to end its contracts to provide ferry services to Bayswater, Northcote Point and Birkenhead is the latest debacle in a public-transport crisis in Auckland that has been decades in the making.

The ferry operator is citing inadequate staff numbers as one reason for halting services from 1 October.

The runs are unlikely to be resumed in the short term unless Auckland Transport can find another operator.

Auckland’s public transport woes can be traced back to the post-World War II years, when it was decided we would follow the United States’ “car is king” example. Tramlines to innercity suburbs were ripped out (a line from Bayswater to Milford had already been taken out in 1927).

The four-lane Auckland Harbour Bridge was opened in 1959 without train tracks. Growth on the Shore naturally followed.

When the bridge began to clog, the Nippon clip-ons were installed in 1968.

Thousands of inner-city homes in Kingsland and Grafton Gully were replaced by the north-western motorway in the 70s.

Money was poured into other motorways as suburbs spread to the north, west and south. Auckland expanded much more quickly than expected.

The rapid-rail network pushed by 1960s Auckland Mayor Sir Dove-Myer Robinson went nowhere – in retrospect, an opportunity missed.

More roads were seen as the answer to congestion, but they became clogged as

By Rob Drent

growth continued. The most recent examples are the Waterview tunnel and the motorway to Warkworth. Both have eased traffic in the short term but will become congested as population grows.

Many fast-growing cities around the world have had the foresight to build comprehensive light-rail services downtown, linked to trains and buses to outlying suburbs. In Hong Kong and Singapore a car is rarely needed.

Some Auckland transport solutions have succeeded – the well-used Northern Busway, for example. Public transport trips have also increased markedly, which might reflect the frustration of getting around the city by car, rather than the brilliance of public transport options on offer.

Now the comparatively reliable option of ferries has been caught up in post-Covid staffing woes. Bayswater, with its rapidly growing population, is being left without a ferry service.

Residents are left mystified at public-transport services being cancelled in a city advocating less use of cars.

Those who have organised their lives around the ferry service have been left in the lurch.

Politicians such as North Shore councillors Richard Hills and Chris Darby are scrambling for answers. On their watch, ferry services have worsened.

A cross-party-agreed government-led plan to rapidly accelerate Auckland’s public transport network might be a long-term answer. Some solutions can’t be found overnight.

But that provides no excuse for people who were elected as supposed public-transport advocates yet have overseen this setback, or for the officials involved.

Maintaining current services was the very least to be expected. Instead, against all logic, a key service has been canned.

Fab Dad dates in Takapuna for Father’s Day 2023

Father’s Day is not far away, so seize the opportunity to celebrate your cherished dad with a fun-filled day in Takapuna. To help you plan the ultimate North Shore dad date, here are a handful of awesome entertainment options and fabulous gift ideas.

And if the weather outside is sub-par, you can always golf indoors at the Gloputt Mini Golf – a super-fun 16-hole mini golf course illuminated inglowing technicolour.

Culinary quest

Embark on a food tour with Pops, exploring Takapuna’s awesome eateries. Try seafood by the sea at Regatta Bar & Eatery, grab a gourmet burger from Burger Burger, or take in a taste of Italy at the newly opened Portofino Takapuna restaurant. And how about a bottomless beer and a pizza to share at The Elephant Wrestler?

Beachside bonding

It’s always cricket season on the Shore. Take Dad out on the sand to roll the old shoulder over or smack it for six in a game of BYC (or should that be TBC?). Kick up the sand, soak in the fresh air and amazing views, warm up with a tasty coffee from the Takapuna Beach Cafe afterwards.

Spa and relax

Treat Dad to a day of relaxation and rejuvenation at one of Takapuna’s luxurious spas. Indulge in massages, facials, and soaking in warm pools. A spa day is all about that much-needed warmth and comfort, and a chance to chew the fat in a serene setting.

Picnic paradise

Takapuna boasts beautiful parks that are perfect for picnicking and relaxation. Pack a hamper filled with Dad’s favourite snacks and head to Lake Pupuke. Lay out a blanket, savour your sausage rolls, and engage in some heart-to-heart conversation and a few laughs.

• Your sporty dad will love a Superdry Vest ($179.99) from Life for Men.

• How about a pair of Dundas Straight Chinos ($129.99) from Barkers?

• They’ll go great with a Gasoline textured longsleeved linen shirt ($79.99) from Farmers.

• There literally might not be any gift in the world that screams “dad” more than a red satin electric guitar ($1399) from Music Planet.

Takapuna Golf Course

Get golfing

A leisurely round of golf is a fantastic way to let loose and enjoy a bit of friendly competition, so take yourselves down to the Takapuna Golf Course and hit the green or the driving range.

Great gifts

Top off your dad’s fantastic day with a superb surprise gift from one of Takapuna’s many excellent local retailers. Here’s our quick Father’s Day 2023 Gift Guide:

• Difficult dad? Get him the gift of choice with a Shore City gift card.

Burger Burger

Gloputt Mini Golf Life for Men

Portafino

Elephant Wrestler

If you still need more ideas, you can check out the full list of businesses in Takapuna to treat and spoil your dad, or other wonderful activities and things to do with Dad on our website: www.ilovetakapuna.co.nz.

Takapuna Grammar

Spanish Language Students Speak at Government House

Year 13 students Georgia Glory, Martin Blanchard, and teachers Mr Chapman and Ms Matheson were invited to attend the launch of the Spanish Language Week at Government House on 14 August. Georgia was asked by the Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence who organised the event to give a speech in Spanish. The audience which included diplomats, ambassadors and people from educational and cultural organisations were very impressed with Georgia’s presentation in which she shared how learning Spanish has provided her with many opportunities and how relationships and connections are at the heart of learning a language. After the presentation the Governor General, Dame Cindy Kiro, congratulated Georgia on her speech and talked with her and Martin about their future plans. To celebrate Spanish Language Week at school teachers and students organised a fiesta latina and Spanish themed quiz. Enhorabuena Georgia! Viva el español!

EPro8 Engineering Challenge

Takapuna Grammar School entered six teams for the Epro8 Engineering Challenge this year. All of our teams did exceedingly well at Auckland region heats. Two of our teams qualified for the semi-finals. The Takapuna Technicians team placed first in the Year 9 - 10 category and the In Gears team placed fourth in the Year 11- 13 category. Congratulations and all the best with the semi-finals on the 23 August!

Health & PE Students fundraise for Mental Health

The Health and PE Faculty will be hosting a 24 Hour Walk Through the Dark event on Friday 22 September from 2.00pm to Saturday 23 September 2.00pm and raising money for the Mental Health Foundation.

The Walk Through the Dark key objective is to raise awareness around the mental health of our youth and the importance of being physically active to support a balanced wellbeing.

You can donate at https://movefor.mentalhealth.org. nz/jason-ross or please get in contact with our PE faculty direct. We would love to see as many people involved as possible. Get yourself involved by donating, supporting from the side-lines or by walking for 1 or 24 hours!

From the Sports Desk!

We have had some exciting recent sporting success by both teams and individuals. On the court our squash teams took out the National Co-Ed Cup for the 2nd year in a row and our Premier netball team have made the final of their grade.

Our Premier Girls basketball team have cemented their presence in the Premier grade by securing a semi-finals spot.

KBB Music Festival

The TGS Concert Band and Orchestra recently had a great time participating in the 2023 KBB Music Festival at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell. The students had worked hard all year on their repertoire sets and their commitment was evident in the strong performance each group delivered. Thank you to our Head of Faculty, Ms Lauren Raby, for directing the Concert Band, and also to our new Director of Orchestra and Development Orchestra (and NZSO Conducting Fellow) Miss Anne Filimoehala. We are very pleased with the commendable Bronze Awards both groups achieved - well done!

On the field the Boys 1st XI football team have won their grade and promotion for 2024 while our 1st XV rugby team made the semi-final of the North Harbour 1A grade.

In the surf Sam Frazerhurst beat out surfers from all over NZ to win the title of NZ Schools U16 Surfing Champion.

It was TGS one and two at the College Sport Auck-

land Road Race championships with Sascha Letica taking gold and Jodie Nash silver.

The pair with international student Olimpia Baruffi also picked up silver in the senior girls threeperson teams.

We wish our alumni Jacko Gill, Eliza McCartney and Imogen Ayris all the best at the World Athletics Championships this month.

Takapuna Technicians team L-R): Tyler Matairangi, Noah Webster, Seungjin Lee & Louis Tongue.

Location, Position and Plenty of Surprises!

Come and discover this delightful home that is a harmonious blend of character features along with modern day conveniences, wrapped up in this spacious transitional villa that is full of wonderful surprises. Here you will find a choice of living options throughout many of the rooms that this cleverly extended home has to offer.

Trish

Barfoot & Thompson Limited

Licensed REAA 2008

DEVONPORT

15 DUDERS AVENUE

Sitting in the much envied and sought after Duders Avenue is this spacious traditional bungalow that is really a place to call home.

barfoot.co.nz/850708

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

By Negotiation

VIEWING Sunday 1:00-1:30pm

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

Tracey Lawrence 021 172 0681

DEVONPORT 159 VICTORIA ROAD

DEADLINE SALE: Do not miss your opportunity to be the proud new owner of this beautiful heritage home, with a stunning pool

barfoot.co.nz/848903

DEADLINE SALE

Closing Monday 4th Sept at 4pm (unless sold prior)

VIEWING

Please call today for an Appt.

Tracey Lawrence 021 172 0681

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

DEVONPORT

36 WILLIAM BOND STREET

This just may be Devonports 'BEST BUY'!

Affordable three double bedroom, early 1900's weatherboard cottage. And yes, it's on a full site!

barfoot.co.nz/851315

OPEN HOME

TENDER 4:00pm 17 Aug 2023 (unless sold prior)

VIEWING Sat/Sun 1:00-1:45pm

Sue Harrison 021 909 549

Toni Gregory 021 044 3663

DEVONPORT 13/53 VAUXHALL ROAD

Deceased Estate

This solidly built, safe and secure, one bedroom unit home in a tightly held location so close to the beach is a rare gem.

barfoot.co.nz/849901

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

$675,000

VIEWING Sat/Sun 11:30am-12:15pm

Patricia Hinchey 027 222 3367

Devonport 09 445 2010

Major sponsor for the North Shore Cricket Club

AUCTION

BAYSWATER

55A BAYSWATER AVENUE

Vendor says Sell! This large four-bedroom home offers a semi selfcontained layout, perfect for elderly parents or family. Large dbl gge.

barfoot.co.nz/850577

AUCTION 12:00pm 6th September at 39 Victoria Rd, Devonport (unless sold prior)

VIEWING

Sat/Sun 12:00-12:45pm

Lance Richardson 021 796 660

Suzy Wang 022 199 7808

Agreement Fallen! Vendor has purchased! 210m², CV $1,475,000 stand alone great location with dbl Garage! 3 bedrms, 3.5 bthrms, Fantastic buying!!

barfoot.co.nz/851045

FOR SALE

$1,195,000

VIEWING

Sat/Sun 11:00-11:45am

Lance Richardson 021 796 660 Suzy Wang 022 199 7808

OPEN HOME

BELMONT 24A ALAMEIN AVENUE

1960s three bedroom weatherboard bungalow with beautiful views across to the City. Strong bones and plenty of scope to add more value.

barfoot.co.nz/852033

AUCTION 12:00pm 30 Aug 2023, Devonport Branch Office (unless sold prior)

VIEWING

Sat/Sun 2:00 to 2:30pm

Sue Evans 021 448 977

TAKAPUNA

64A KARAKA STREET

Huge family home needs new owner! Ignore the CV of $1,975,000. Partial plaster looking for offers, excellent condition. Real opportunity!

barfoot.co.nz/850730

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

$1,695,000

VIEWING

As advertised open home.

Bianca O'Dea 021 361 116

Desiree Tod 021 851 975

Devonport 09 445 2010

Major sponsor for the North Shore Cricket Club

Barfoot & Thompson Limited Licensed REAA 2008

PRICE REDUCED

DEVONPORT 67E LAKE ROAD

Eagle-eyed Kiwi wins international honours

Devonport-raised rugby player Hayden McKay is looking forward to another college rugby season in America after representing the United States in the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy tournament, where he won MVP for his side.

The Takapuna Grammar School old boy was selected for the U-20 USA squad after impressing Mount St Mary’s in Maryland in the last college season.

The Trophy, contested in Kenya in July, is the global second-tier tournament to the U-20 Championship, which was played in South Africa.

Open-side flanker McKay’s most valuable player award was on the back of him scoring seven tries in the tournament and delivering impressive performances throughout.

He was delighted to win the award and says he was grateful for the experience of playing in the tournament.

The US side came close in matches against Uruguay, Scotland and Zimbabwe but fell short in each, coming last in their pool, before beating Hong Kong China in the playoff for 7th or 8th.

Twenty-year-old McKay says the strength of the pool meant they shouldn’t hang their heads too low.

“We were a little bit disappointed, but we definitely learned a lot and we’re all growing as players.”

McKay has a US passport, because his Kiwi dad and Australian mum were in Los Angeles for work when he was born, though the family moved back to New Zealand when he was a toddler. That passport meant he could pursue a domestic-student scholarship at a US college – and win national honours.

His parents, Stuart and Natalie, made the trip to Africa and saw all of his games which was “massive”, he says. “I always play better when they’re watching.”

The buildup to the tournament was on “another level” as the squad entered a twoand-a-half-month training camp, during which their performance was tracked by GPS

and recorded from every angle.

“That was some of the most high-intensity, professional rugby training that I’ve been involved in,” McKay says. “The coaching was quality, with really good coaches, and definitely a big step up from the college level.”

The quality of competition at the tournament was the toughest he’s faced, especially against Scotland.

“They’re a tier-one nation, they’re a very well drilled side that plays very good rugby.

Half of that team have signed pro.”

The trip to Kenya was also an off-field education. “We drove through the slums and people are living in little tin sheds. Coming from Devonport, it’s quite an eye-opening experience.”

Kenyan players told him how some players would go to work with their families after a full day of training.

The USA team were followed by armed guards everywhere they went and couldn’t

Devonport rugby player Hayden McKay has made his mark with the US Under-20 rugby team. He tells Lochlan Lineham about playing on the global stage – and aiming for the senior side.

On the burst... Hayden McKay playing for Mount St Mary’s in Maryland

leave the hotel unless on scheduled outings.

“Everywhere we went we had a full police escort, three or four police cars.”

The confinement to the hotel created an Olympic-village style of accommodation, with the teams all interacting.

“It was pretty cool. You play the boys on game day and get to have a chat with them after.”

The friendliest team was Samoa, while the Scots came off a little sour, McKay says.

“They thought they were too good to be playing the likes of USA and Uruguay.

“They were just a little bit arrogant going into it so around the hotel they weren’t really as friendly as the other teams.”

McKay is now back in Maryland and training for the upcoming season, which starts next month. He’s enjoying college, saying it lives up to all his expectations of what campus life would be.

“Everything’s bigger and better here.”

McKay says university life is like the movies, at times. At a party he went to, a group of people got out of a white van and charged the house with fireworks and BB guns. “Then they jumped back in their van, hooned off and three police cars started chasing them.

“That was on my second week at school being here. It was pretty crazy.”

Apart from Americans not understanding what “chur” or other Kiwi slang words mean, it hasn’t been hard making friends for McKay.

He says his classmates and teammates were a huge help with getting settled. “They

all know I’m an international so everyone’s always asking if I’m alright. I didn’t have a car in the first year so they would offer to drive me into town to get stuff every week – just little things that made my life easier.”

In his second year at the university, he and the others in the rugby team have high expectations for the season. Mount St Marys

won the national sevens title last year, but McKay said the focus this year was winning the fifteen-a-side competitions.

He said international imports helped the squad improve in the season’s second half.

“This season we’re pretty confident we’ll do much better than last year in fifteens.”

McKay said it was time to elevate his game

on the pitch and in the dressing room. “I think definitely I’m going to try step up and lead the boys this year.”

It would be important to get the freshmen coming from American high schools up to scratch, as the gap in training intensity and quality was a large one.

Longer term, McKay said he wants to kickstart a professional career in the states, playing for a Major League Rugby side after he finishes college.

His ultimate goal is to represent USA in the 2031 World Cup.

“That was some of the most high-intensity, professional rugby training that I’ve been involved in.”

TENNIS CLUB 5 BRACKEN AVE, TAKAPUNA

Global stage... McKay in action for the US Under-20s

North Shore Rugby Club senior prizewinners

In North Shore Rugby Clubs’s 150th year, women have been given greater recognition with a series of new trophies presented for the first time at its annual awards night.

Martin Cooper Cup for premier women’s MVP: Holly Williams. Altherm West Cup for the premier women’s players’ player of the year: Tenaija Fletcher. Hannah Porter Cup for most promising women’s player: Mikayla Suluape.

Other existing trophies presented recently included.–

Coughlin Cup for under-85kg player of the year: Jack Avery. Tyrone Robertshaw Memorial Cup for under-85kg players’ player of the year: Tom Karaitiana.

Chapman Cup for under-19 player of the year: Hunter Rice. James Evans Memorial Cup for most improved under-19 player and dedicated trainer: Jackson Savage.

John Kibblewhite Memorial Cup for under-21 player of the year: Noah Eakin. John Boys Memorial Cup for most improved under-21 player and dedicated trainer: Tai Blair.

Albions Trophy for premier 2 player of the year: Jackson Rice. Gary Dell’Isola Memorial Cup, premier 2 player with most dedication to team spirit and training: Max Tu’inukuafe.

D.D. Coleman Cup for the club’s most successful goal kicker: Holly Williams (104 points, 13 tries in six games).

Murray Jones Memorial Cup for premiers player of the year: Hone Haerewa. Hinchco Cup for players’ player of the year: Alex Woonton.

Paul Thompson Memorial Cup for coach of the year: Rua Tupoki and Po Hemepo.

Bill Laurie Memorial Cup for team manager of the year: Glenn Whiting.

Spencer Buchanan Memorial Cup for supporter of the year: Brett Garea.

Alice Shaw Cup for most outstanding commitment to the club: Brett Parekura and Mark Nola.

Pitcairn Rosebowl for most promising player: Rory Taylor.

Doug Hopkins Memorial Cup for front rower with greatest potential: Tom Bradford.

Napier Shield for team of the year: premiers.

Trophy winners… (from top) North Shore Rugby Club women’s player of the year Holly Williams; Alex Woonton, captain of the premier side who won team of the year, accepts the trophy from Shore, North Harbour and All Blacks great Buck Shelford; volunteer of the year Brett Garea (right) with Po Hemepo

Hopeful Mr Whippy lines up to join Mr Chippy

Labour’s North Shore candidate George Hampton at Narrow Neck after his campaign launch at Wakatere Boating Club on Sunday.

Free ice creams for all may have been an enticing idea for Labour North Shore candidate George Hampton’s beachside campaign launch, but he played by the rules and had the treats only for sale at Narrow Neck on Sunday.

Labour list MP Camilla Belich, who was MC for the event at the Wakatere Boating Club, suggested former diplomat Hampton had more than electoral law in mind. “He’s very responsible with his own money,” his former flatmate teased.

Hampton, co-owner of the Mr Whippy New Zealand franchise, had a van on hand for the afternoon.

Hampton’s proud aunt, Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, a former Cabinet Minister in the Helen Clark government, also spoke at the event.

Hampton said he was honoured to have won the party nomination to contest North Shore. His 41st list ranking on current polling gives him a slender chance of making it into Parliament. National MP Simon Watts has a hefty 3734 majority in the seat.

As a diplomat representing New Zealand globally, Hampton said he was used to being the underdog. He wanted to be part of a Government that would deliver “a better future for all”.

Briefs

Candidates meeting

A meet-the-candidates forum ahead of the 2023 general election will be held from 7pm on 6 September, at the Devonport Community House.

DCO concert

The Devonport Chamber Orchestra’s next concert, at 2pm on 3 September at Holy Trinity Church, will feature Khachaturian’s famous Adagio from Spartacus, and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Paddy Cornfield will be piano soloist, with Warwick Robinson conducting. Tickets, $20-$25, cash only, at the door.

Great road work on Kerr St!

Congratulations to the Fulton Hogan workers for their wonderful upgrade to Kerr St, Devonport.

It is now a pleasure to drive on Kerr St and up and down the steep driveway of 66 Kerr St without having to stop and ease my

tyres over the steep gutter on the way down in fear of my car bottoming out.

The recontouring of the footpath, drainage, and raised pedestrian crossing is so much better.

Judy McGrath

Is slight crossing rise worth it?

With disbelief I have been watching contractors smashing up perfectly good roads to raise pedestrian crossings by millimetres. Locals contested this but were ignored.

Can this be economic prudence at this time of higher rates and other pressures on council finances?

Alec Hill

Devonport

Spectacular seaside reincarnation

Meticulously rebuilt, this deceptively large family home promises comfortable living with double glazing, insulation, and ducted heating/cooling throughout. Set in the coveted Cheltenham enclave, steps from Torpedo Bay and conveniently close to the village, it epitomizes the Devonport dream. A traditional central hallway leading to modern open plan living with sleek, super-sized doors that glide effortlessly back to bring the outside in. The sunny back garden has space for a pool. An outside shower is handy for rinsing off sand from between the toes. Wake up to harbour views from the master bedroom. Family movie nights await in a dedicated media room. Secure this brand new home in the best location for a beach lifestyle with urban convenience.

bayleys.co.nz/1470555

bayleys.co.nz

4 2 2 1

Auction (unless sold prior)

1.30pm, Thu 21 Sep 2023

28 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland

Your

Out-of-Zone Enrolments

Enrolment at our school is governed by a Ministry of Education enrolment scheme, details of which are available on the school website www.stanleybay.school.nz

Applications are now being invited for out-of-zone students who are eligible for enrolment who meet the following criteria;

• 9 places for new entrants whose 5th birthday falls after 12th April

• 8 places for Year 1 students whose 5th birthday falls before the 13th April

Currently there are no available outof-zone places for Years 2 to 6.

The deadline for receipt of applications for out-of-zone places is 24th October, 2023.

If a ballot for out-of-zone places is required, it will be held on 27th October, 2023. Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot within three school days of the ballot being held.

If you live in the home zone and have not yet signalled your intention to enrol your child later this year, please contact the school immediately to assist us to plan appropriately. Please send all enrolment inquiries to: office@stanleybay.school.nz

The Board of Trustees will also hold additional ballots in Term 2 and Term 3 to enable out-of-zone children to continue to enrol in 2024, notices will be advertised on the website in Term 1 and Term 2, 2024.

Decks and fences

Roof treatments

Locally owned and operated

Call

022 517

HOUSE-WASHING SERVICES

• SOFT HOUSE WASH

• PATHS, DRIVEWAYS

• SPIDER TREATMENTS

Experienced Legal Executive/ Legal Secretary

We are looking for a full time experienced Legal Executive or Legal Secretary to join our busy Devonport law firm.

We have a varied range of work consisting of residential and commercial conveyancing, leasing, business transactions, family law work, drafting of Wills and Enduring Powers of Attorney, together with some administrative tasks.

We are looking for someone who has:-

• excellent time management skills

• excellent communication skills

• pays attention to detail

• works well independently and within a team

• a positive and proactive personality

We will provide you with the opportunity to learn and grow and will reward you according to your skills and experience. Our firm values a work/life balance.

If you think you have the criteria for the job, please send your c.v. to The Practice Manager at karyn@codymo.co.nz

Landscape Gardening Team

Muddy Wellies Landscaping - urgently needs 2 reliable people to join our friendly landscape gardening team working principally in the Devonport area. One position involves general garden maintenance including planting and pruning, heavy lifting including moving garden bags, mulch etc. The other position includes tall hedge trimming (experience is preferred) and heavy lifting as above.

Your own transport and drivers license is essential.

If you are interested in a job that gets you out and about in North Shore gardens I would love to hear from you.

Robin Woods

Muddy Wellies Landscaping

021 060 6260

robin@muddywellies.co.nz

• ROOF WASH

• GUTTER WASH

• PRE-PAINT WASH

• MOSS MOULD TREATMENTS

Classifieds

ACCOMMODATION

Central Devonport cottage. 1 bedroom self-contained. Fully furnished and equipped, including linen. Less than 10 minutes walk to ferry, supermarket, movies etc. Off-street parking. Wifi and power included $550 per week. Judith 0210432586

SERVICES OFFERED

FixIT Handyman - excellent work, practical budget, most jobs welcome, interior/exterior free quote. Josh 021 261 8322. Sash window repairs. Renew cords, adjust weights, balancing for even running- any problem with your sash window. Work done on Saturdays only. Hubert 021 274 4191.

SERVICES OFFERED

Need someone to feed your cat and other pets at your home while you’re away? I love animals and would love to help you! I am 12 years old and live in Devonport. I charge $10 per visit. If you want me to visit twice a day, it will be $15 a day. Each visit I feed your pet and can play with them for about 10 minutes each visit if they are comfortable with me. Devonport only please! Text/ call: 021-270-7677.

WANTED

Vehicles wanted Dead or Alive, cash paid 0800 333 398.

Nauteringaringa Community Nursery Operations Coordinator

Preferred candidates will have interests and experience with growing plants and working alongside volunteers. Coordinator will develop seed collection process and record keeping, organise volunteers and work alongside others.

Approximately 8-12 hours per week, $34 per hour. Please contact Lance Cablk, RTH Lead Coordinator and Educator. Contact 027 359 6722, lance@rth.org.nz

15 Russell Street, Stanley Point, 0624

US college team brings lacrosse to Vauxhall Rd

A representative lacrosse game will be held at the Vauxhall Rd sports grounds on Friday – a first for the sport in Devonport.

The women’s team from the University of California Davis (U.C. Davis) will play Auckland Lacrosse at 7pm at the home of North Shore Rugby Club.

The ground was chosen because of a link between North Shore and sports-tour organiser Sports Link Travel. The firm’s general manager, Murray Scott, is a longtime player and coach at the rugby club

Scott said the match between the two sides under lights will provide a good opportunity for people to see something different at the local ground.

“Often people on a Saturday get put off

by the members talking rugby all the time, but it is and always has been a community club,” he said.

Shore will make an occasion of the game, opening the bar and putting on post-match food.

Lacrosse New Zealand operations manager Bill Hollins said it was pleasing to have a team as good as U.C. Davis in New Zealand.

The US is number one internationally in both the men’s and women’s games.

U.C. Davis is a division-one college team with professional coaches.

Hollins said the trip was organised to encourage what was already a growing sport in New Zealand.

“Hopefully we put on a good show so they’ll come back again.”

The first lacrosse match in New Zealand was played in 1887, but the sport struggled until an official league was started in Auckland in 2000, Hollins said.

Leagues have since begun in Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga and Manawatu.

New Zealand has around 1000 active players, with the women’s game growing faster than the men’s, he said.

Lacrosse is a contact team sport played with sticks and a ball and with its origins among the indigenous people of North America

Players use the head of the stick to carry, pass, catch, and shoot the ball into a goal.

20 years ago from the Flagstaff files

• Further delays to the Bayswater Ferry Terminal project are likely with conflict over its proposed location. Some groups want the wharf sited at the tip of the Bayswater peninsula instead of at the proposed reclamation site.

• The Checks – Callum Martin, Eddie Knowles, Sven Pettersen, Karel Chabera and Jacob Moore – prepare for the national Rock Quest finals after the five-piece formed at Takapuna Grammar School won the North Shore finals.

• Simon Lamb is appointed new Takapuna Grammar School principal.

• Takapuna Grammar School accounting

Welcome

to

teacher David Arthur has been removed from classroom duties after a home-made video emerged in which he appears with several teenage boys. The video, obtained by the Sunday Star-Times, was handed to police.

• Devonport is highlighted as a “top shelf” suburb in Metro magazine’s 2003 real estate guide on “The Best Places to Live”.

• “Marine Suburb” has been added to the Welcome to Devonport sign without consultation with the Community Board. Readers wrote to the Flagstaff with suggestions which included: “Jewel of the North Shore”, “A place of history for building

Waiwharariki Anzac Square

TAKAPUNA

futures” and “Devonport… what more could you want?”

• Ferry company Subritzky buys Devonport wharf. Director Michael Moore is the Flagstaff interview subject.

• Sheena, the oldest cat on Shore Vets’ books, dies aged 22.

• The Depot takes over the Wikitoria Building on the slopes of Mt Victoria, being given a 10-year lease.

• The chief executive of high-tech milk company A2 Corporation, Stanley Bay resident Corran McLachlan, dies after a short battle with cancer.

Now open in the heart of Takapuna

A place to share the sun, the excitement and the energy in the heart of our seaside town centre.

Waiwharariki Anzac Square is part of the urban regeneration of Takapuna led by Eke Panuku on behalf of Auckland Council. Thank you to local residents, the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, the Takapuna Beach Business Association and mana whenua.

Our goal is to make the most of Takapuna’s unique lake and beachside location by revitalising the town centre.

ekepanuku.co.nz/takapuna

Perfect for entertaining

for something

Michelle set about creating a warm and welcoming space with organic and earthy hues, materials and textures – even incorporating a space high up on the back wall for a spread of high-quality faux plants that can be washed in the dishwasher when needed. However, the kitchen still needed a modern edge to fit seamlessly with the contemporary aesthetic of her client’s home.

“From a functional point of view, it needed to be capable of entertaining upwards of 20 people at any given time and having the storage capability for up to 10 guests’ holiday food, platters, wine and beer was essential,” says Michelle. To achieve this, the designer incorporated a large, working scullery that houses a fridge-freezer and tall storage for food, drinks, and all those platters. Day-to-day items are kept in the

main kitchen, along with a bar area for coffee-making and drink preparation.

Easy-clean and low-maintenance surfaces were also crucial for the clients, as the house could be vacant for long periods. In response, hardwearing Dekton was specified for the island benchtop, with the same material in a different finish chosen for the feature splashback. Paired with the plants above, it provides a stylish backdrop to the kitchen.

The experienced team at Kitchens By Design offers an integrated design-tocompletion service. If you’re looking for a new kitchen, please call (09) 379 3084 to make an appointment with one of their designers. Kitchens By Design’s showroom is located at 9 Melrose Street, Newmarket. For inspiration, take a look at some fabulous projects at www.kitchensbydesign.co.nz

This kitchen, by Michelle Gillbanks from Kitchens By Design, was designed to fit seamlessly into a brand-new holiday home in the Coromandel. The clients’ brief was

different from the minimal kitchen in their architecturally designed family home, while providing a functional, userfriendly space for their friends and family to enjoy throughout the year.

Artists with big jobs behind them have more

Layers of paint and wax add up to layers of meaning for two Devonport artists exploring the impact people have on the ocean and the land.

Sarah Treadwell and Janet Mazenier, who met while walking their dogs – coincidentally both three-year-old golden retriever border collie crosses – soon found they had plenty else in common. Both had moved on from high-powered careers and raising families to devote themselves to art and post-graduate study.

Subsequent conversations led to a joint exhibition, Physical Traces: mapping with detail, opening at the Depot Artspace early next month. Their abstract works use different media, but tap into a shared passion for uncovering and interrogating how people see and interact with their environment.

“I’m not drawing a picture of something, I’m performing the effects of something,” says Treadwell, a former head of the school of architecture at the University of Auckland. A jumping-off point for her painting, which focuses on the ocean, was responding to the Rena disaster, when a container ship foundered on Astrolabe Reef, near Tauranga, in 2011, later breaking up and spewing oil onto the coast, sparking a massive salvage and clean-up operation. This became the basis of her master’s thesis.

From initial drawings, Treadwell layers on water colours and oils, the latter representing human interventions on a preponderance of water. “We live in an oceanic world.”

Architectural drawing and design was Treadwell’s speciality when she became the first woman academic staff member in the architecture school, in what turned out to be a 30-year stint. “It was a wonderful place to work,” she says, with keen students and a developing national and Pasifika idiom in design.

Before her academic career, Wellington-raised Treadwell spent time practising in London and in Wellington, for the Ministry of Works, where projects included detailing on the Beehive. She moved to Devonport in the early 1980s.With her husband, historian and archaeologist Dave Veart, she raised two children, Hester and Paul, who went through Vauxhall Primary and Takapuna Grammar Schools. Hester now teaches at Vauxhall and has children there, while Paul has also returned from overseas to live locally.

After retiring before she turned 65, she decided it would be lovely to be taught rather than teaching, so completed a masters in painting and printmaking at Unitec. Art now happily engages her. “I can take the whole time up apart from the grandchildren and the garden and the animals,” she says. Ocean swimming is another activity to fit in.

Treadwell works from a studio in a room at home. “The children had left so I took over the space,” she says

Mazenier, whose background is in corpo-

rate project management, including senior roles at Telecom, retired early from that world 12 years ago, moving from Wellington to Devonport in 2015. “There was something in me creatively that wanted to get out.”

As a child in Whanganui she remembers hopping on a bike to head out with a sketchpad. Once she shifted to Auckland, she began studying part-time, enrolling in a masters of fine arts in painting at Elam. When her brother David Downs, who also lives in Devonport, got cancer she put this on hold for a time to help support his successful battle with the disease. She is now working towards a PhD in creative practice at Auckland University of Technology.

“Sarah has come through with a very academic and intellectual way of thinking and I’ve come through a business project-manager background,” she says. “I’ve had to slow down and think about content and fight back against the business of everyday.” She says she needs to “spend more time thinking”.

Treadwell describes in Mazenier’s work a translucent glowing quality, achieved with layers of pigmented and patterned beeswax.

The idea of scraping back the surface of things appeals to Mazenier. Right down to volcanic and sedimentary levels. “It’s about layering and encapsulating history in time and space.”

Treadwell sees the layering and folding – and her initial Rena focus – as related to women’s urge to clean up. “Women are always folding things – towels and sheets.” she observes.

For Mazenier, the daughter of Irish immigrant parents, her work is also very much about place. Like Treadwell, she loves living in Devonport, but culturally she feels separated from her Irish heritage and well aware of questions of colonialism in both the histories of Aotearoa and Ireland. Treadwell, who has

Scottish ancestry, picks up on these themes too, as the women exchange thoughts on how this has influenced them.

Both women admit to a little trepidation about exhibiting locally, although they have shown widely elsewhere. “It does mean a lot to me to do it,” says Mazenier, whose next project is working on a piece to be shown at NZ Sculpture OnShore in November. She works from a studio at the former St Paul’s church on Victoria Rd.

Treadwell says painting will keep her busy, although she is not working towards another show at present. “It’s nice to doing so in the community, but it is a bit exposing.”

• Physical Traces: mapping with detail , from 2pm, 2 September until 23 September at Depot Artspace. A workshop on the coldwax medium is planned – see depotartspace. co.nz for details.

Mike & Virginia

30 August – 10 September

A romantic comedy by Kathryn Burnett and Nick Ward

Creative Talks

11 September, 7pm – FREE

With Author Lizzie Harwood. Late Night Knife Fight

15 September, 9pm Improv group challenge. Roald Dahl’s The Twits

16 September-7 October

A witty, twitty show for all ages

PH: 489 8360

PUMPHOUSE.CO.NZ

Mapping it out... Works by Devonport’s Sarah Treadwell (left) and Janet Mazenier. Opposite: Mazenier (left) and Treadwell.

Mihi mahana ki a koutou

This is my last Devonport Peninsula Trust Flagstaff column. I hope you have enjoyed the column over the years, and, again, thanks to the Flagstaff team for their support.

PLEASE JOIN US

The Trust team is going to gather for a catch up, and welcomes anyone who has worked with or connected with the Trust team over the years, to join the group in ‘raising a glass’. Where: Tiny Triumphs - just up from the Esplanade

When: Saturday 2nd September 7:00 pm.

EVENTS TO COME

The Devonport Takapuna Local Board granted up to $25,000 to the Trust, so that events which had already been scheduled for the financial year starting July 1st, could be realised including, on Friday October 27th, our widely acclaimed ‘Bayswater Halloween Trail’ - this photo from last year - just another occasion that has helped bring a diverse community together for fun and connectedness.

OTHER ACTIVITY

WINTER PLAY AT BAYSWATER SCHOOL will continue through to the end of October.

DEVONPORT YOUTH FORUM

Presents a night for Year 10 to 13 to dress up and dance! Food provided. Non-alcoholic beverages for sale. Proceeds will be donated to Gumboot Friday. Friday 15th September 7pm - 10pm at Devonport RSA. Bring your ticket and student I.D. If you have queries, please email abby@dpt.nz

On behalf of the Trustees, Abby, Karen, and Maddy, to you all, best wishes for the future.

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