28 June 2024, Devonport Flagstaff

Consent costs dismay flood-hit residents... p5

June 28, 2024

Heritage group lambasts AT parking plan... p6

Interview: Debut novelist William McCartney... p13

Local schools losing low-speed safety zones

Low-speed zones established around four Devonport peninsula primary schools for safety reasons will be rolled back under a central-government policy reversal.

Under Ministry of Transport proposals, Hauraki School, Belmont Primary School, Stanley Bay School and St Leo’s Catholic

School will all lose the full 30km/h zones introduced in recent years in streets surrounding each school.

The changes, ordered by Minister of Transport Simeon Brown, will cut the zone size to focus around the school gate and reduce a permanent measure to one that covers only

morning and afternoon pick-up times.

Compared with the extensive consultation when Auckland Transport (AT) began introducing the contentious zones under its Safe Speed Programme from 2020, the National-led coalition’s reversal, which is open

To page 6

Kapa haka groups light up Matariki

Seasonal showcase... Bayswater School students (from left) Awanui Faulker, Elena Stephenson, Karlia Dunne and Mira Ataseven (all aged 10) were among the many young performers in action at the Bayswater Matariki Festival last weekend. More photos, pages 10-11.

Navy housing given budget boost

A $7 million funding boost for housing Navy personnel will be spent on leasing extra accommodation on the Devonport peninsula and elsewhere on the North Shore.

Based on current leasing costs, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson says it is estimated around 35 homes and apartments will be provided with the new funding, allocated over four years in last month’s Budget.

“There is likely to be a mix of housing types, and the housing is likely to be in a variety of suburbs on the North Shore with exact locations still to be determined,” the spokesman said.

It would be up to two years before all the housing would be ready and occupied.

North Shore MP and National Party Cabinet Minister Simon Watts welcomed the housing funding announced by his colleague Defence Minister Judith Collins. He said the government was proud of its Defence personnel. “The funding provided in the Budget announcement will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an

increasingly unstable environment.”

The Navy has 271 existing homes on the North Shore for its personnel. Defence did not respond to a Flagstaff query about how many of these homes were on the Devonport peninsula and how many were currently vacant.

The spokesman said the Budget money would help offset the loss of housing from homes progressively transferred to iwi groups under Treaty settlements.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei told the Flagstaff it had 143 homes under lease to Defence, in varying locations within the Belmont/ Bayswater area.

“The current lease provides for a staged handover of these homes over the next two years,” said the iwi’s general manager property, Neil Donnelly. “We’re in early discussions with the New Zealand Defence Force to understand their ongoing housing needs.”

The iwi is using sites previously used for Defence housing in Belmont for the staged Oneoneroa development bordering Eversleigh St. It also has properties in Hauraki.

Fort Cautley prefab dwellings linger on

Prefabricated Navy accommodation at Fort Cautley in Narrow Neck looks like being in place a while yet.

The prefab buildings – bordering the back field at Fort Takapuna reserve –were described as temporary when erected at a cost of $7 million in 2020.

Asked by the Flagstaff how long the prefabs would remain and what was happening with the refurbishment of an old large accommodation block near Vauxhall Rd, in which asbestos was found, Defence said: “The annex accommodation will stay in place until a more permanent accommodation solution is decided on.”

Some weather tightness work had been done on the old building but refurbishment depended on available budget and operational need.

The prefabs were initially a five-year solution, said a spokesperson, but that “could be extended as necessary”.

Woolworths wins Lake Rd consent but cuts Hauraki hours

Woolworths has obtained Auckland Council consent for the “Direct to Boot” grocery distribution outlet it plans to open at the former service station site at 25 Lake Rd early next year, increasing supermarket competition on the Devonport peninsula.

But the chain will also soon reduce the opening hours at its Hauraki Corner store, closing at 8pm rather than 9pm from 1 July, attributing the change to “an operational decision made due to the changing retail landscape”.

Woolworths has previously launched its Direct to Boot service at other supermarkets around the country, but Lake Rd (shown in an artist’s illustration at right) will be the first stand-alone facility.

A spokesperson said it was pleased to have received council resource consent for the development and was working through the building-consent process, with the aim of opening in early 2025.

The council decision granting resource consent said signage proposed for the site would be small in scale to the building and unobtrusive, and that adverse traffic-safety effects would be mitigated.

A contaminated land site management plan had detailed measures

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to ensure risks to human health were minimal during soil disturbance. The decision said the effects of the facility would be similar to permitted retail-type activities such as a service-station or drivethrough restaurant.

The development was expected to generate about 22 vehicle movements per peak hour and 220 per day, well below thresholds requiring the consideration of traffic impacts.

“The crash history does not show patterns that would suggest the development will worsen existing traffic issues,” the decision said.

The Woolworths spokesperson said the company couldn’t yet confirm the opening hours planned for the new facility.

Save our pool! Pupils splash out for good cause

Brave effort... A few of the 160 Devonport Primary School students who took a shortest-day dip to raise money for pool repairs

Devonport Primary School pupils defied wintry weather to plunge into the school swimming pool on the year’s shortest day last Friday, raising $40,000 for crucial pool repairs.

Each of the 155 participating students collected sponsor donations for the fundraiser organised by the school PTA.

PTA co-chair Lisette Knight said she hadn’t been sure how the students would respond to the idea at first but that the number taking part and the funds raised “shows how

much the pool means” to them

School principal Beverley Booth said the pool, built in the early 2000s, needed resurfacing as the bottom had started to degrade.

It was a valuable asset to the school, so retaining it was a priority, Booth said.

“We live completely surrounded by water. The children are swimming there, they’re learning aquatics and they’re learning about how to be safe in water.”

Children swam twice a week during summer, which wouldn’t be possible if an

off-site pool was used.

Booth said the repairs need to happen soon otherwise the problem could become worse and more costly to fix.

The cost of work on the pool has been estimated at $80,000, which will be partly met by the proceeds of the sponsored plunge and $34,000 raised at the Fair on the Hill in March.

Knight said the PTA is hosting a quiz night at the school on 13 September in an attempt to raise the rest of the money.

Consent costs pile up for flood-hit homeowners

Bayswater residents wanting to stabilise the cliff at the rear of their properties are frustrated that council red tape is delaying progress and adding extra cost.

The owners of 19, 21, and 23 Norwood Rd have applied for a joint resource consent to install ‘soil nails’ into the cliff face and pin a steel mesh across it to stabilise the cliff and remediate damage caused during the Auckland Anniversary floods last January.

Major landslides were caused by the flooding, as water flowed from the road and through their back yards, washing away topsoil.

Homeowners John van Rensburg and Paddy Stafford-Bush said that Auckland Council had not taken any responsibility for the flooding or been helpful during the consent process.

The residents had found the whole process “unfair”.

The residents have been trying to have the work done ever since, but have been slowed down by council demanding more elements in the resource consent, such as a planting plan and building consent, which they feel is unnecessary.

“Why do we need a building consent? It’s not a building,” said Stafford-Bush. “That is regulation gone stupid.”

The residents want the cliff stabilised as the “white placards” issued to their properties by council following the floods will not be removed from property records until remediation works are done.

Failure to complete the remediation could also affect the eligibility of the properties for future EQC coverage, lowering their value, van Rensburg said.

He said the resource-consent team at Auckland Council told him the work needed a building consent, while the building-consent team told him in a phone conversation that it did not.

Beset by delays... Norwood Rd property owners Paddy Stafford-Bush and John van Rensburg have been forced to wait for building consents before work can start to stabilise the cliff face at the rear of their homes

The owners had no choice but to apply for the building consent as contractors, scheduled to begin work in two weeks, won’t go ahead without one, van Rensburg said.

Unlike the resource consent, building consents were needed for each property, adding extra costs.

It had already cost each of the households $20,000 for the resource consent and $14,000 for a geotechnical report. Building consents would add another $10,000 per household.

“We haven’t even started it and look how much we’ve spent,” Stafford-Bush said.

Van Rensburg said he expected the whole project to cost around $150,000-$200,000 per property when it was completed, with insurance covering only a quarter to a third of the total.

Auckland Council northwest manager

for resource consents Ian Dobson said the resource-consent application had involved the consideration of a number of technical, geotechnical and engineering issues resulting in requests for further information, which was why it had taken longer to approve.

He said a building consent was required because work to protect buildings or that is done in conjunction with other building work to remediate or build a new building normally required one.

Stafford-Bush and van Rensburg said the geotechnical assessor they hired said there was no risk of future erosion threatening the properties, as they sit on bedrock.

Van Rensburg said the residents were waiting on approval for the planting plan for the resource consent and were still working on their individual building consents.

Parking plan means ‘visual pollution’ – heritage group

Heritage campaigners are raising the alarm over the proposed installation of paid-parking machines on the Devonport waterfront.

Responding to an Auckland Transport (AT) call for feedback on plans to introduce parking charges of $2 an hour on Queens Pde and most of King Edward Pde, Devonport Heritage has voiced alarm at the visual intrusion on a heritage waterfront precinct.

In a newsletter to supporters headed “Hands off our parades!”, chair Margot McRae said the proposal will mean Queens Pde and King Edward Pde will each have five machines along them as well as numerous signs about the parking charges.

“The pay machines and signs will have a hugely detrimental impact on these superb promenades which at present are almost completely free of such intrusions,” she said.

King Edward Pde in particular was a popular walking route for visitors.

“We believe this is a form of visual pollu-

tion that will permanently clutter the waterfront and is completely unacceptable in an area of such high heritage value.”

She urged supporters to go online (at haveyoursay.at.govt/destination-devonport) to oppose the proposal.

McRae also took aim at Housing Minister Chris Bishop’s plan to allow the building of granny flats on residential sites across the country without resource consent.

“Knowing Chris Bishop’s disregard for heritage we have no confidence he will respect the Special Character rules that have been in place in Devonport for 30 years,” she said. “It may yet again be a case of central government overriding the democratic process of local councils and ignoring environmental and heritage concerns.”

She suggested supporters make a submission on the proposal (at mbie.govt.nz/ have-your-say/grannyflats) before the 12 August deadline.

Locals turn out to hear AT on parking goals

Community members turned out in good numbers for parking-consultation sessions at the Devonport Library last week.

Librarian Jicca Smith said 45 people attended the lunchtime session where Auckland Transport staff answered questions on Wednesday 19 June, with similar numbers turning up last Sunday afternoon.

The consultation over extending the waterfront area covered by parking charges and introducing resident parking zones closes on 5 July. Feedback will be collated and reported back to the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board for input before AT makes decisions, with a view to implementing changes later this year.

Mixed views expected on school speed-zone reversal

for public feedback now, , has drawn little community awareness or debate.

But Devonport-Takapuna Local Board (DTLB) chair Toni van Tonder is among those opposed to removal of the zones. “Personally, I don’t support the changes to speed limits where they have been widely consulted upon and changes have been executed,” she said.

Van Tonder said safe-speed zones around schools and in town centres sent a signal from the community that pedestrians, children and cyclists were important and needed protection. “Any travel-time savings gained by increasing speed limits in these areas will be negligible and the difference can mean life or death in the case of an accident.”

Local boards were to be briefed on the changes this week. Van Tonder expected DTLB members would have “mixed views”.

St Leo’s principal Vimi Chandra said the 30km/h speed limit raised awareness of schools nearby and the need for drivers to look out for pedestrians. She was passing on information about the changes to parents. Hauraki and Belmont schools say they are happy with morning and afternoon go-slows.

Across the Auckland region, AT says 118 schools with Safe Speed zones will be affected by the changes.

Until February 2023, AT had rolled out the programme in three phases, which it said had “introduced safe and appropriate speed limits” to nearly 40 per cent of its roading network. A draft consultation plan for a further 359 schools, 13 town centres and 982km of rural roads was delayed in May this year, awaiting the government’s draft speed rule.

AT says it is still reviewing the rule to understand what this means for its speed management in Auckland. “AT will continue

to follow legislative requirements,” a spokesperson said.

Van Tonder said the new government is looking to apply a cost-benefit analysis to changes, “and in the case of speed limits where changes have recently been made, there will be a negative cost-benefit ratio”.

When the Hauraki zone was the first to be introduced locally – following consultation with residents and workshops with local board members – it covered Jutland Rd, west of Francis St and side streets either side, but some in the community wanted the full length of Jutland Rd to be included.

AT and Waka Kotahi, the New Zealand Transport Agency, have both cited research showing the speed limit that greatly reduces the chances of a pedestrian being killed or seriously injured is 30km/h.

Consultation is open until 11 July. To participate go to consult.transport.govt.nz.

From page 1

Numbers boom helps land award for tennis club

Ngataringa Tennis Club members are celebrating being named the region’s Club of the Year by Tennis Northern.

Club president Allister Irving put the club’s success ahead of 24 other clubs down to a lot of hard work enhancing facilities and making it easier for community members, especially juniors, to try the sport through “have a go” options.

Tennis Northern CEO Chris Casey told the Flagstaff: “Ngataringa have been hugely proactive in attracting new members and providing a wonderful customer experience. Added to this they have been successful in obtaining funding for the renovations of the club. They are community focused and are an important part of the Devonport landscape.”

Irving said the club had 343 members, a 12-year high and a big bounce-back from last year, when membership was just 258. The post-Covid recovery in the face of cost of living price rises and competition from other sports had seen both its junior and senior numbers grow by around a third.

Offering the likes of two-month trial sign-ups had been part of a strategy to attract players, he said. “We’re working hard at making it a family kind of club.”

At an awards night held at the Albany tennis centre last week, Ngataringa also received a silver Growth Membership Award, behind

Local MP enters sporting fray

North Shore MP Simon Watts (right) captained the parliamentary rugby team against a North Harbour Invitational side last Friday night, while women MPs squared off against former Silver Ferns in a double-header fundraiser at Onewa Domain.

Watts, playing as a flanker, said afterwards he could do with some physio.

The handful of MPs in the side, including Watts’ Cabinet colleague and prop Mark Mitchell, were supplemented by parliamentary staffers in their match against former Harbour representatives and club players, including some from North Shore Rugby Club.

Counting the score was deemed less important than the $38,000 raised for the Tania Dalton Foundation, set up in memory of the late former Silver Fern.

Ace result... Ngataringa Tennis Club’s (from left)

Sonya Northgrave, Allister Irving and Raewyn Rumble with the Club of the Year award

only Marlborough Park in Glenfield. Treasurer David Dowsett, a mainstay volunteer, was also a finalist for Club Volunteer of the Year. Irving said he was “really proud of what we did this year”. Willing helpers and fundraising made a big difference.

North Shore Rugby Club’s table-topping premiers can look forward to a home semifinal as they head into their final round-robin game against Mahurangi at Vauxhall Rd this Friday 28 June. Unbeaten Shore have already guaranteed themselves top spot and a week off before hosting a semi-final against either Takapuna or Massey. If they make the final, that too will be at home.

The defending North Harbour champions have enjoyed comfortable wins over Kumeu (83-7) and Helensville (36-7) over the last two weekends.

The club’s premier women’s side made the top four of the Auckland women’s competition in just their second year competing, being beaten 41-7 by Ponsonby in their semi-final last weekend.

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TGS duo snare awards

Basketballer Bailey Flavell and yachtie Will Mason will benefit from AIMES awards to fuel their sporting aspirations. The two Takapuna Grammar School students are already national youth representatives in their respective sports. Each won a Scholarship Award and $3000 at the AIMES 2024 ceremony put on by the North Harbour Club this month. Janayah Wadsworth, a former TGS student who relocated to London to pursue her musical theatre and recording ambitions, was a winner in the Emerging Talent section, with a $7500 award. Piano prodigy, Lisa Murata Guiterrez, aged 13, also won a scholarship. She intends to use the $3000 for more tutoring and competing internationally.

Church hall endorsed

The Holy Trinity church hall project in Devonport has won an excellence endorsement in the national Property Council Awards. The renovation and extension of the old hall to recognise its heritage while creating a modern community space was recognised in the Heritage & Adaptive Reuses category of the awards. The award was submitted by Waitakere Architects Ltd. The awards celebrate excellence in design and innovation in the built environment.

Hospital building opens

Three months late and not fully staffed, the new North Shore Hospital building, Totara Haumaru, will partially open from July. Senior staff are reportedly unimpressed that the completed facility, equipped with eight theatres and four procedure rooms, will not deliver promised extra surgical capacity because theatres elsewhere in the hospital are being closed so it can be staffed. The building’s planned opening in April was delayed for want of staff and an operating budget. An official opening will be held this Sunday 29 June. It is hoped the hospital will be fully open by mid-August.

Peninsula volunteers feel the

Three Devonport peninsula residents have been recognised as community champions with the presentation of the inaugural Devonport-Takapuna Community Volunteer Awards.

Terehia Walker from Narrow Neck, Bernie Randford from Bayswater and Aloi Moata’ane from Belmont were announced as category winners at an event where the contributions of other local residents were also acknowledged by the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board.

In all, 24 people and groups from across the board area were nominated by the public. Their community service was celebrated at a gathering at the Milford Cruising Club on 18 June, timed to coincide with national Volunteer Week.

Local-board chair Toni van Tonder said the board wanted to acknowledge the positive impact local volunteers had in their own communities. “These are the everyday heroes who volunteer at community events, who plant and weed our public spaces or empty street gutters and collect litter,” she said. “They’re the people who volunteer their skills to see community organisations thrive, or coach kids on our sports fields.”

Without such champions, the board would be unable to meet its own aspirations of keeping communities connected, the environment thriving, town centres prospering and sports clubs burgeoning, van Tonder said.

Five categories were created for the awards, with winners selected in a “blind” vote by the six local-board members.

Walker was the Diversity and Inclusion category winner, nominated for being a driving force in connecting the community to all aspects of te ao Māori, enhancing inclusivity and cultural understanding through voluntary activities such as the formation of a community kapa haka group. She works with the Depot Artspace and is currently helping steer Matariki celebrations.

Ranford was selected in the Community Leader category. Her involvement in a range of organisations has included being president and treasurer of the Belmont Park Bowling Club, treasurer for the Rose Centre and assistant group leader for the Calliope Sea

Scouts. The retired accountant was recently sworn in as a JP. Moata’ane was named Youth Champion (see story opposite).

Other category winners include Milford resident Bruce Ward, who topped the Environmental Hero category for his work at Brian Byrnes Reserve and with the Pupuke Birdsong group, and advocacy on behalf of neighbours affected by the 2023 floods.

The Collaborative Volunteering category was won by New Dawn Partnership, a Milford-based non-profit organisation serving people with complex needs. Category winners each received a plant, a framed certificate and a $200 supermarket voucher to shout morning tea for their posse of helpers.

Everyday heroes... Bernie Randford (top) and Terehia Walker

love as inaugural community awards bestowed

Barbecue regular enjoys the friendly energy

A familiar face at community events on the peninsula is urging more young people to get involved with volunteering after winning an award for his own efforts.

Aloi Moata’ane can regularly be seen looking after the barbecue at school fairs, running onto the field with water for under-21 North Shore Rugby Club players, singing with the Village Song choir, or helping out in various ways across community events.

That work was recognised last week when he was awarded a youth champion award at the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board’s Community Volunteer Awards ceremony.

The 21-year old has been volunteering since 2019, when he was asked to come along to a Takapuna North Community Trust ‘Charlie’s Play Date’.

Since then he had tried to offer his assistance as much as he can, he said, to help build connections in the community.

Moata’ane said he was passionate about more young people getting into volunteering as it helped those involved to become more connected and provided experience which could translate into skills for employment.

“The most important thing is getting more young adults, teens to get involved in the volunteering community.”

Last year he completed a Career Navigator programme with the Graeme Dingle Foundation, which aims to help young people achieve their goals despite life’s challenges.

Because Moata’ane is well-known as a volunteer, he is contacted regularly by community organisations asking if he can help lend a hand. Most recently, he was called on by the Bayswater School PTA for last weekend’s Matariki Festival.

He said the people of Devonport and their friendliness are the best things about the area. He always attracts greetings when he walks through the village.

Willing helper... Aloi Moata’ane is contacted regularly by community organisations seeking another pair of hands

“It’s the energy that we all love here.”

Moata’ane went to St Leo’s Catholic School (where his dad, Tima, is the caretaker), Belmont Intermediate School and Takapuna Grammar School.

The Belmont resident told the Flagstaff he would like to study performing arts in the future, and develop his interest in acting and singing.

And the nominees were...

The other nominees, who each received certificates, were (by category):

Diversity and Inclusion: Trish Deans, for work protecting heritage and promoting causes important to Devonport; Belmont Park Bowling Club board members, for club and community volunteering.

Collaborative Volunteering: Joanna Steele and Jenny Hamlin were nominated separately, but both for providing short-term practical and emotional support for families with babies and preschoolers; Owen Melhuish, president of North Shore Brass, who wears many hats, promoting and managing the organisation and this year organised its 100th anniversary celebrations and concert; and Trish Deans, for dedication to heritage, social and creative volunteering efforts over several decades.

Youth Champion: Jamie Vukovich, Nabeel Khan, and Kira Sharrock, for dedicated coaching of Takapuna Grammar School Rowing teams.

Environmental Heroes: Restoring Takarunga Hauraki community volunteers, for

many hours’ mahi in developing and undertaking a programme of ecological restoration and eco-literacy work; Norma Bott, for dedication to Milford, including in pest control and as co-chair of the residents association; Grow Forrest Hill community garden volunteers including Andy Parker, its foodie and plant-based champion; Scott Litherland, compost champion; Helen Porter, gardening guru with a horticultural background; and Doug Allen, all-round helper. Community Leaders: Cliff Brown, for 10 years as leader at 1st Devonport Scout Group; Marguerite Spencer, of Calliope Sea Scouts, for six years as group leader and 10 as a leader; Siobhan Yurak, chair of the Rose Centre, for good governance and community engagement; Trish Deans for heritage preservation advocacy in Devonport; Malcolm Iodine, leader of gardening volunteers at Lake House arts centre; Simon Watson, for long-time leadership of the Sunnynook Community Centre management committee; and Trucy Qin, for helping deliver the Milford Sea Scout programme and empowering Chinese community members.

Full noise! School kapa haka groups come

Everyone welcome... (clockwise from top left) Kaumatua Danny Watson gave the mihi whakatau; Bayswater’s junior kapa haka group; Vauxhall School performs; signage and lighting decorated the school for the occasion; Bayswater principal Marianne Coldham in one of the t-shirts and with a poster designed by students for Matariki.

‘Mai i te Moana ki te Whenua’ is a multi-media exhibition that shares stories of Matariki and Puanga, acknowledging the many ways that this time of year is celebrated throughout the country.

Coming from across the motu, the artists will share their knowledge of mātauranga Māori through toi whakairo, raranga, and rongoā.

The exhibition is curated by Natanahira Te Pona, resident carver at Lake House Arts Takapuna and long-time collaborator of DEPOT Artspace.

Head to depot.org.nz for more info about the exhibition and to register for one of our workshops!

29 June - 10 August 2024

Opening / Artist Panel: Saturday 29 June, 2-4pm

Curator’s Tour: Friday 5 July, 11am

Rongoā Workshop: Saturday 20 July, 11am

Live Carving Session: Saturday 27 July, 11am

DEPOT Artspace

28 Clarence St, Devonport depot.org.nz

Seasonal celebration... (from top right) Bayswater students show their skills with the poi; a large bonfire provided an exciting spectacle; Hauraki School representatives give their all; two of the expressive participants in the Stanley Bay School kapa haka group.

Destination Devonport Parking availability

Changes are needed to manage the high demand for parking around your much-loved village

We want to ensure parking is well-used where everyone can easily find a space to enjoy Devonport

We have two sets of changes for your input – one is a new resident parking zone in some of the high parking demand streets around the village, and the other is a new paid parking zone along Queens Parade and King Edward Parade between Buchanan Street and Church Street. The free P120min parking in the shopping area will not change.

Scan the QR code below or go to haveyoursay.at.govt.nz and search for Destination Devonport to find out more. Our online survey will be open until 5 July 2024.

Your local knowledge will help us improve the proposed changes so there’s less congestion and frustration, and more availability and flexibility – and more time to enjoy everything Devonport has to offer.

Destination Devonport parking changes

Scan the QR code or email ATengagement@at.govt.nz with any questions

Lawyer vaults into crime fiction set close to home

Barrister William McCartney has been tackling some different challenges lately, undertaking a solo overland adventure across Europe and Asia and publishing a debut novel partly set in Devonport. He tells the Flagstaff about trying his hand at fiction – and the upcoming excitement of his daughter Eliza competing at the Paris Olympics.

Real-life Devonport, its volcanoes, beaches, harbour views, cruiseship tourists – and rats – make an early appearance in A Fly Under the Radar, barrister William McCartney’s first novel.

Even an unnamed newspaper, “published only fortnightly because not a lot happened” and featuring a letter in support of architectural heritage, might bear a passing resemblance to an actual publication.

But these details provide just some of the setting for a rollicking yarn, which has a cast of characters that rate as notably eccentric, even by Devonport standards.

Gisborne-raised and Otago University-educated McCartney, who arrived in Devonport with his partner, city GP Donna Marshall, and their three young children in 2008, wrote his book at the Vauxhall Rd home where a dining-room door frame still bears faint markings recording the heights over the years of first-born Eliza – future Olympic-medal-winning pole-vaulter – and her two younger brothers, Finn and Hamish.

McCartney has had to do plenty of writing over a legal career dating back to the 1980s, and thought vaguely over the years of trying his hand at fiction. But, like others, he found Covid lockdown finally provided the opportunity to make a start.

He hadn’t been a particular reader of crime fiction, preferring science fiction, non-fiction and classics such as Dickens. But his own book was always destined for the crime shelves, given it began from an idea “about the maggots” – though McCartney urges the Flagstaff not to reveal any spoilers – around which the story is constructed.

The bulk of it was finished when the lockdowns ended, though the reviewing process dragged on subsequently. “I wouldn’t leave it alone.” He found the dialogue easy enough but the rewriting “tedious”.

The central character is a lawyer, who lives in Devonport. The rest of the cast includes the lawyer’s young sidekick, a conniving landlord, a couple of police officers and one or two judges.

“The courtroom scenes are pretty realistic,” McCartney says. “There are judges who will recognise themselves.” That said, McCartney’s treatment of them might reflect the fact his own courtroom career is ongoing. “I treat all the judges well,” he notes with a smile.

He has ideas for a sequel, perhaps following the adventures of that young legal offsider, though McCartney’s work as a barrister specialising in land and construction law keeps him busy for now.

His next writing project seems more likely to be the packaging of a popular series of blogs he wrote and posted during a 41-day solo overland journey he made in September and October last year from the Atlantic coast of Western Europe to China. “Mostly sand,” he says wryly of the journey which took him through the likes of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, generally traveling by rail and bus.

A first attempt at the trip, in 2019, began in Dunkirk, included a swim across the Dardanelles Strait in Turkey and continued as far as Iran before a leg infection forced him to call it off.

This year’s version, starting in Amsterdam, followed a different route. “Parts of it were a lot better than I expected,” he says, mentioning Tbilisi in Georgia as a particular highlight.

Eventual arrival in Hong Kong was a “huge relief”, after the trials of negotiating China’s packed rail services.

The travel should be simpler when he and Donna and their sons head to Paris to see Eliza compete again on the Olympic stage in early August, though McCartney expects the women’s pole-vault to generate sufficient tension in itself.

Nervous spectator... Barrister, travel blogger and first-time crime novelist William McCartney admits he can find it stressful watching daughter Eliza compete

“It’s stressful watching that stuff,” he admits.

Injury prevented Rio 2016 bronze-medallist Eliza from competing at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, but she has had a heartening return to form since then.

William was watching in Glasgow in February when she soared to a silver medal at the World Athletics Indoor Championships. “It’s nice to have her reasonably healthy,” he says.

Both parents had a school-days sporting background, Donna as a gymnast and William as a self-described “adequate” high jumper who came third in the national secondary school champs in the sixth form before opting to prioritise rugby in his final year.

Surprisingly, it was the high jump rather than rugby injuries that took a long-term toll: the effect on his teenage frame of the Fosbury flop, which puts particular strain on one leg, is thought to have contributed to him having to undergo a hip replacement not too long before that first, truncated, overland adventure.

He has had an ankle replacement in the other leg since then, but at age 61 remains physically active, ocean swimming all year round, cycling and skiing. The lanky resemblance to his famous daughter is easy to pick.

McCartney recalls Eliza being physically adept even as a young infant, effortlessly sitting up from a reclined position in her cot. “She was always very athletic, from day one.” At primary school, “she immediately started winning running races and it carried on from there”.

When she comes to compete in Paris, New Zealand athletics fans will be on the edge of their seats, hoping she can add even more lustre to her determined come-back.

They might also spare a thought for a certain dad in the stands, going through his own competition anxiety.

“You can’t do anything about it,” he says. “You’re just sitting there biting your nails.”

Former patients flock to farewell GP

Around 170 people attended a farewell at the Devonport Community House for long-time local GP Erica Lauder, who has moved to Hawke’s Bay. Among them were friends, former patients and some of the more than 4000 babies she has delivered during her medical career.

Intergenerational... Lauder delivered both Ruby Brooking (25) and her daughter Roxy Tafuna (3), pictured with Ruby’s mother, Therese Brooking. Right: Lauder with former patient Rosemary Innes-Jones of Devonport. Lauder attended to the birth of Innes-Jones’ daughter Kyra. Inspired by Lauder, Kyra (now 33) has become a cardiologist.

Close bonds... (above, clockwise from top) Erica Lauder, holding her youngest patient, threemonth-old Rowan Takuira, with former patient and friend Sophie Field, of Narrow Neck; Rowan’s father, Armagh Takuira, gives a blessing at the farewell event; past receptionists (from left) Naima Tui, and Nicky Marcellino, with Lauder and Diana Sweetman, and former practice manager Jane James at right.

Devonport 09 446 2030

Proud Sponsor Of North Shore Rugby Club

Idyllic and Central

Auction Thursday 11th July at 12.00pm In Rooms (Unless Sold Prior)

Saturday/Sunday 1.00pm -1.30pm harcourts.net/L28356446

This instantly appealing turn of the century villa retains its original charm, beauty and elegance, but has been tastefully renovated to make it very well suited to modern day living. A welcoming entranceway leads to three good sized double bedrooms, a spacious lounge, and open plan kitchen, dining and second lounge. The west-facing garden is drenched in afternoon sun and has a lovely private outlook making it perfect for weekend al fresco dining and entertaining. Just a short walk from your doorstep is the ferry terminal accessing the CBD, King Edward Parade waterfront offering great views of the Auckland City skyline and the great little beach at Flagstaff Terrace where you can swim so close to home. A short walk in the other direction is the heart of Devonport Village providing a superb array of amenities, boutique shops and fabulous restaurants and cafes plus New World supermarket less than 2 minutes' walk away. What a sensational place to call home! This stylish property has been lovingly updated and looked after by its current owners. There is further scope for improvement, or you can just move in and enjoy all this home and its fantastic location has to offer. Make this one yours.

Jemma Glancy 021 246 5300

jemma.glancy@harcourts.co.nz

Ian Cunliffe 027 227 9322 ian.cunliffe@harcourts.co.nz

Devonport 09 446 2030

Proud Sponsor Of North Shore Rugby Club

Golf, Swim Or Sail

Auction Thursday 18th July at 12.00pm In Rooms (Unless Sold Prior)

View Saturday/Sunday 1.00pm - 1.30pm harcourts.net/L28432179

This architecturally designed family home celebrates a quintessentially perfect Devonport location. It's directly across the road from the Waitemata Golf Club and enjoys uninterrupted views over the green, plus is just a short, flat stroll from beautiful Narrow Neck Beach. Architect Donn Roberts designed the unique three-level residence to embrace the site and maximise the expansive green and surprisingly private outlook, which can be enjoyed from every window. A serious amount of engineering went into the foundations and construction, which includes a root barrier underneath to protect from surrounding trees. Entry is on the ground floor, along with access to the double internal garage and a bedroom/home office. The main living level is located upstairs, with a series of different zones perfect for family life and entertaining. The expansive formal lounge opens out to a deck overlooking the golf course, while the dining space is a dream for dinner parties. This flows into the open plan casual living and Italian designed and built kitchen. The three remaining bedrooms are located upstairs, including the master suite with walkin wardrobe and ensuite with separate bath and steam room. Live your dream life by the beach.

Maria Stevens 021 979 084

maria.stevens@harcourts.co.nz

Devonport 09 446 2030

Proud Sponsor Of North Shore Rugby Club

Hauraki Family Oasis

Auction

Thursday 11th July at 12.00pm In Rooms (Unless Sold Prior)

View

Saturday/Sunday 11.00am - 11.30am harcourts.net/L28459617

Tucked peacefully away behind security gates, this hidden oasis unfolds to offer stunning landscaped gardens and a significantly spacious, stylish residence that ticks all the boxes for modern family life. The home's classic design has been elevated with an elegant yet very liveable interior renovation and the expansive floorplan extends up over three levels. It provides essential separation when required, as well as social zones to come together and connect, both inside and out. The ground floor incorporates the large separate lounge and open-plan casual living, dining and kitchen space. This flows out to the al fresco living and rear garden, which are bathed in afternoon sun. A glass roof with UV protection, heaters and lighting make the patio another room, while two walls of mature hedges create lovely privacy for the spa pool and platform of flat lawn. This area is also fully fenced for kids and pets. Upstairs offers the master with luxury ensuite, the family bathroom and a bedroom with a separate, flexible loft office area with abundant storage. The restful top floor bedroom has sea and Rangitoto views on one side and city views on the other. This is Hauraki family living at its best.

Maria

We need you!

As many readers will know, New Zealand’s media is undergoing massive change.

In the last couple of months, Newshub has confirmed it is canning its hourly evening news show and morning AM show in July; TVNZ has dropped Fair Go and its Sunday programme; Life and Leisure Magazine has closed.

In the world of community newspapers, The 50-year-old Howick and Pakuranga Times has shut down, along with the 100-year-old Wairoa Star.

The common reason for the media cutbacks and closures is declining advertising revenues unable to match rising costs. Newspapers across the country have faced print bill increases of 56 per cent over the last five years.*  (Our print bill has gone up $6000 per month during this time.)

At the same time, New Zealand companies are spending millions of dollars on Google and Facebook advertising. This money goes offshore, with massive impacts on New Zealand journalism and jobs.

Journalist numbers in New Zealand have dropped from 4000 to 1700 in the past 20 years.*

At Devonport Publishing, we employ nine people (full-time and part-time) across our two newspapers — The Devonport Flagstaff and the Rangitoto Observer. All live locally.

How long can community newspapers continue under the current model?

If the trends in advertising and costs continue, we are likely to run out of money — sooner rather than later.

On publication day, I see dozens of people — young and old — wandering around with the Flagstaff. It is read and valued as much today as it was when it was started 32 years ago.

Most media are now relying on donations or subscriptions in some form to survive.

I hope you are prepared to pay something towards the production of our newspapers.

Click ‘Become a supporter’ at the top of our website pages: devonportflagstaff.co.nz  Every little bit helps.

Please sign up for our email alerts for when the paper goes online and to get our weekly newsletter.

Finally, a massive thanks to our advertisers who continue to support us, and to those readers who have already made donations.

Rob Drent Devonport Flagstaff Owner and Editor for 27 years

Hauraki School pushes the buttons with musical mash-up

All 175 Hauraki Primary Year 5 and 6 students have spent four days participating in school production The Button Box. Among them were: (above from left, front row) Lulu Aitchison-Studd and Henry Hawes; (middle row) Corban Purcell, Piper Fitzgerald and Violet Wilkinson; and (back row) Reynold Gunda, Daniel de Jager, Gia Baskerville, Isabella Clements, Maddie Gaylard.

took the audience on a musical journey around the world. The performances, accompanied by a large orchestra, featured musical flavours from Australia, China, Jamaica, Africa, India and Ireland, and styles ranging from music-hall to pop, country and western and a sea-shanty.

Principal Clarinda Franklin said the show, by John Gleadall,

The show was performed before family, friends and fellow students in the school hall over four days this week.

Works ‘didn’t cause tree to lean’

Arborists say a leaning Norfolk pine near a Narrow Neck development was not affected by earthworks at the site.

Enrolment for Out of Zone Students for 2019

ENROLMENTS FOR TERM 2 2024

Enrolment for Out of Zone Students for 2019

DPS operates an enrolment scheme, details are available from the school office.

Devonport Primary School invites applications for out of zone enrolments in Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 for 2019

Devonport Primary School invites applications for out of zone enrolments in Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 for 2019

Applications close: 17th Oct Ballot Date (if required) - 24th Oct

Application for out-of-zone places, across all ages, are invited for admission from 17 June with a deadline of 21 July. If required, a ballot will be held, and parents notified on 22 July. Multiple out-of-zone enrolment ballots may be held throughout 2024. If planning to enrol later in 2024. please contact the school as soon as possible to assist our planning.

Residents were concerned the large, protected tree on a Niccol Ave property had developed a lean during work at the Handley Ave site formerly occupied by pensioner flats, posing a safety risk. But Auckland Council says its arborist and another hired by the developers have each determined the tree’s roots were not compromised by the earthworks.

arborist was engaged by the developers and their findings had aligned with those of the council arborist.“Importantly, both arborists confirm that the roots of the subject tree remain uncompromised,” council compliance officer Ally Bradley told Niccol Ave resident Innes Asher by email.

Asher, whose worries about the tree were reported in the Flagstaff on 14 June, said she accepted the arborists’ findings that the lean wasn’t caused by earthworks, but was still concerned the tree could come down in adverse weather.

Please contact the school for application forms, or an opportunity to visit 445 0183 office@devonport school nz www devonportschool nz

Applications close: 17th Oct Ballot Date (if required) - 24th Oct

Council compliance team leader Paul Northover said the council arborist who inspected the tree on 13 June found it to be on a very slight lean, but no more than was apparent from historical Google street-view images. “There were no other signs of root plate movement or reasons for undue concern about the integrity of the tree.”

Council also told a resident an independent

A lawyer for developer Handley Investments Ltd, John Jon, said work on the site had complied with council consents and been guided by consultants, including geotechnical engineers. “Our client’s observations and historical imagery suggest that the tree has been leaning for an extended period.”

Devonport 09 445 2010 Major sponsor for the North Shore

14 ABBOTSFORD TERRACE

Discover an exciting opportunity to acquire a charming family home on a sunny corner site spanning 696m².

barfoot.co.nz/892766

AUCTION

12pm 3 Jul 2024 at Branch (will not be sold prior) VIEWING Thurs 5:00-6:00pm Sat/Sun 1:00-1:30pm

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681 4 1 2 1 1

DEVONPORT 19/53 VAUXHALL ROAD

This completely renovated 1970's home with garage, shed and an expansive deck looking over to Browns Island will take your breath away.

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16 HASTINGS PARADE

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barfoot.co.nz/859498

AUCTION

12pm 3rd July 2024 at Branch Office (unless sold prior) VIEWING Sat/Sun 12:00-12:30pm

Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452

Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681

By Negotiation VIEWING

Wednesday 5:00-5:30pm Sat/Sun 11:00-11:30am

Cathy Fiebig 021 383 149

ROAD

If sunshine, easy living, a vibrant lifestyle and transport are your priorities come visit this affordable light and bright gem today!

barfoot.co.nz/892676

By Negotiation VIEWING

As per advertised or private viewing appointment.

Bianca O'Dea 021 361 116

Desiree Tod 021 851 975

Barfoot & Thompson Limited Licensed REAA 2008

Another chilled-out Sunday: Brave swimmers

Brrrrilliant fun... (clockwise from above): Devonport Druid Chris Mullane was among the first in; Unicorn or Arctic narwhal?; Beth Beard of the Devonport Peninsula Trust (left) and event organiser Suzanne Stickney; Citrus crew (from left) Sarah Ostergaard, Katherine Mason and Tiina Carryer, with tiger Aldo Carryer

of all ages take the plunge to mark midwinter

Shrieks, chattering teeth and goosebumps? It must be the annual Devonport Midwinter Dip, which drew a healthy crowd of swimmers and spectators to the beach at Windsor Reserve a fortnight ago.

Wet, wet, wet... (clockwise from top) A group of Year 8 Belmont Intermediate girls made a splash; Captain America James Coburn and Wonder Woman Tracy Lynch, both of Devonport; Jim Fraser (6), Zoe Fraser (8) and Noa Roborgh of Narrow Neck; artist Beatrice Carlson wore a set of bespoke horns for the occasion.

Advertising Feature

Pleasantly private: creating your own oasis

Winter’s the perfect time for catching up on property chores. Our Home & Garden feature opens with some expert advice about maximising privacy.

Feeling a bit close to your neighbours? Here are some of Sculpt Garden’s most popular ways of creating greater privacy:

Natural Screening Ideas

Pleached trees: Pleached trees, with their lower branches removed to expose the trunk, are perfect for narrow spaces where typical hedges might be too wide. We often use Ficus tuffi.

Strategically positioned trees: Trees can be a great screening option. Strategically placed evergreen trees or a feature tree can provide excellent coverage. Commonly used varieties include magnolia Little Gem, Australian frangipani, and the native kohekohe.

Tall hedges: Hedges provide complete privacy and beautiful greenery. They do require maintenance, so choose plants suited to your environment to reduce pests and diseases. Our top picks are Ficus tuffi and Syzygium Resilience.

Manmade Screening Ideas

Pergolas & structures: Pergolas, louvres, canopy structures, and shade sails are screening solutions that protect you from wind, rain, and sun – perfect for dining, barbecuing, or lounging areas.

Large patio umbrella: A large patio umbrella blocks the view from neighboring windows or balconies, ensuring a secluded space.

Fencing & decorative panels: Fencing is a simple and cost-effective way to add privacy to your garden. In New Zealand, you can usually build a fence up to 2m in height without needing consent from your local council. Decorative panels, such as laser-cut aluminum, are a rising trend offering strength, durability, and aesthetic appeal.

Curtains/blinds & frosted glass/film: For areas where planting or structures aren’t feasible, consider using films, glass, or blinds. These solutions allow maximum light while providing complete privacy.

• Sculpt Gardens is a boutique garden design consultancy that transforms outdoor spaces into beautiful landscapes with clever layouts and unique plant choices. Contact us today to book an initial garden design consultation.

Backyard oasis... Symmetrical planting and borders can introduce pleasing greenery

PROFESSIONAL INTERIOR DESIGN PRACTICE DEVONPORT

Our expertise includes interior design, renovations, kitchen & bathroom design, furniture and much more.  We work on projects alongside architects and builders to bring new builds and renovations to life or work with you directly to help plan the home of your dreams.

Our free measure and quote service is offered for all window treatments including drapes, blinds, shutters and more.

DEVONPORT DELIGHT

Nestled in the heart of Devonport is this beautifully renovated 1920s character bungalow.  The homeowners had a desire to create their forever home, complete with a culinary-grade statement kitchen, high-end entertaining zones and bespoke design features.

The exquisite renovation of the entire house required Michelle Gillbanks of Kitchens by Design to work very closely with the home owners and their builder so the vision for the home could be seamlessly brought to life.

The home has had no expense spared, with the kitchen area redesigned to meet the needs of modern family living and the delivery of a contemporary design. The original layout was not ideal, with a small U-shaped kitchen and a walkway between the kitchen, with food storage on the opposite wall.  The new layout brought the pantry into the new galley style layout, eliminating corners altogether creating better flow and functionality for the clients.

The dark finish decided for the kitchen was to connect it with the underlying theme of the rest of the new interior. The combination of stained brushed veneer, bronze metal paint and plain painted surfaces was used for cabinet finishes. The leathered granite stone tops and splashback were chosen to provide a tactile experience, adding visual impact and beauty.

The addition of Gaggenau appliances and the Fisher & Paykel integrated fridge freezer delivered modern elegance and outstanding functionality to this gorgeous kitchen. The connection from kitchen to dining room, or out to the newly landscaped rear garden for al fresco dining has been seamlessly delivered in this beautiful home.

Custom luxury is distinguishable in the materials, technology, and craftsmanship, with this home delivering on all of these. Michelle and the team at Kitchens by Design were also involved with the design of the bookshelf, laundry, office, wardrobes and aquarium surround.

Design is individual to you and your space, so if you are looking to create your dream kitchen or bathroom, give Kitchens by Design a call on 09 379 3084, or visit the Newmarket showroom located at 9 Melrose Street, Newmarket.

For inspiration, take a look at some fabulous projects at www.kitchensbydesign.co.nz

Dealing to those pesky pests

While spending time and money beautifying your home and garden, don’t forget to guard against environmental aggressors on your property.

Pest plants and animals can not only cause issues for your home and garden but also cause problems in the wider environment.

Pests like rats, mice, hedgehogs and possums often go unseen.

If you suspect you have them or want help to find out, contact environmental group Restoring Takarunga Hauraki (RTH) for advice, or to borrow a bait station or trap: email info@rth.org.nz.

Targeting pest plants is equally important as they grow rapidly and can displace native species

Using Forest & Bird’s weed-control guide – available online – for effective identification and management is recommended.

RTH works to enhance the peninsula’s unique biodiversity and ecosystems by eradicating animal and plant pests, restoring native plant species, championing trees and organising conservation and eco-literacy education initiatives.

For more advice and resources, check out the group’s website at rth.org.nz.

Dear Owner/Vendor

Ze Build here, are you thinking about freshening up your home in preparation for putting it on the market?

We are here to help!

As a reputable local building company serving the local area, Ze Build is eager to offer our expertise and support in bringing your vision to life.

With years of experience and a commitment to quality solutions, we have established ourselves as trusted partners in delivering diverse construction projects and have been recognised in our recent accolades awarded by Deloitte.

At Ze Build, we understand that embarking on a building project involves multiple decisions and considerations. From concepts to completion, our dedicated team is here to guide you through every step of the process, ensuring seamless results.

We appreciate the opportunity to introduce Ze Build and would love to jump at the opportunity to talk more.

You can scan the QR code below to book a time with our team to come visit you on site or give us a call on 09 884 0107.

We are committed to marking your house the most desirable on the market.

From The Team at Ze Build

you are planning a garden refresh or a full renovation, let us work with you to define your vision so that you can proceed with a plan.

ALBANY HEAT PUMPS

Trades & Services

• New builds and renovations

• Rewires

• Home network cabling

• Wall-mount TVs

• Home theatre

LocaL to Devonport

Call Peter Cairns for your free quotation

Phone 021 858 243 or 445 4675 email allsafe.electrical@xtra.co.nz

Painting & Decorating Specialists

Serving Auckland for over 35 years Master Painter of

Office: 445 8099

email: info@bissetltd.co.nz www.bissetltd.co.nz

Andrew Holloway Floorsander

Landscaping Devonport

Garden design and construction

Whether you are planning a garden refresh or a full renovation, we can help with all the planning, construction and planting. Including decks, retaining, pergolas, paving and fencing. Everything outdoors!

Call Steve on 021 345 694 www.naturalgardens.co.nz

• Floorsanding

• Floorsanding

• Polyurethaning and staining

• Polyurethaning and staining

• Tongue and Groove repairs

• Serving Devonport since 1995

• Tongue and Groove repairs

• Serving Devonport since 1995

Please phone for a free quote

Phone 027 285 4519 ahfloorsanding@xtra.co.nz

Please phone for a free quote Phone 027 285 4519 ahfloorsanding@xtra.co.nz www.ahfloorsanding.co.nz

Plumbing, Gasfitting, Drainage, Roof Leaks MAINTENANCE SPECIALISTS

Prompt courteous service

Fully insured for your peace of mind Certifying Plumber, Gasfitter and Drainlayer Call Matt

John Bisset LtD

•

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•Boundary

•Subdivisions

•Topographical Surveys

•Cross-lease

•Drone

•Siting/asbuilt

20 years ago from the Flagstaff

• A security guard who walked away from a raider who had just looted an antiques shop lost his job at Devonport Wharf.

• Nicky Jepson Nalia Di Palma, and Chrissie Langkulsen star in Takapuna Grammar’s production of The Crucible

• Anna Anderson is the new community constable.

• Walking school bus groups are stepping in dog droppings and tramping the mess through classrooms.

• Late-night ferries running until 3am are being sought for the Devonport to Auckland run.

• Ron Alison, who has been teeing off at Waitemata Golf Course since 1938, celebrates his 90th birthday.

• Musician Jordan Luck records a video for his latest single in Devonport.

• It’s revealed that Devonport journalist Warren Berryman received an outstanding achievement award in hospital before he died of cancer.

• North Shore’s oldest Montessorri centre located at Stanley Bay, moves to Kawerau Ave.

• DoC area manager Beau Fraser is the Flagstaff inteview subject.

• North Shore rugby premiers face a crunch game against Silverdale and will likely be boosted by the return of Highlander and All Blacks trialist Craig Newby.

• North Shore United’s Chatham Cup run ends in the third round.

• Devonport Primary puts on a wearable art fashion show.

Lay’s personal contribution also notable

Congratulations to you for publishing Graeme Lay’s three-part tribute on the literacy legacy of the North Shore (Part 2, pages 34-35). His own contribution is both extraordinary and prodigious. Tessa Duder has contributed in the marine theme, as well, especially on our coastal heritage, while Anne Salmond has intrigued us with the unique cultural interaction at the meeting of two differing worlds.

Graeme’s wide body of work mainly covers the greater Pacific especially in the realm of marine exploration. All live and work in Devonport.

As a committee member of Devonport Library Associates l express my gratitude to him for his generosity over many years to our events with book launches, panel discussions and intellectual interactions with some our nation’s literary legends, all at our exquisite library.

Paul Beachman

While dining at the fabulous Dulcie on Devonport’s waterfront and reading a copy of the Flagstaff, I noticed an advertisement from Auckland Transport (AT) that nearly made me lose my delicious lunch.

Once again, AT is attempting to ruin yet another Auckland suburb with its ‘solution’ to... actually, I’m not entirely sure what it sees as the problem. The proposed ‘improvement’ is just another project to keep its staff employed in my view. This proposal is just yet another example of AT’s determination to waste our money on unnecessary projects that no one wants or asked for in the first place.

Resident parking schemes are being imposed on ratepayers and residents throughout Auckland. They achieve nothing of substance but raise money that AT then wastes on their continuous but mindless construction of raised pedestrian crossings and ‘speed calming measures’, none of which actually prevent deaths or serious injuries.

On its website AT states that Devonport car parks are “often 90 per cent full”.

Well, that means that there are at least 10 per cent that are free and therefore there is no parking shortage. AT’s attempts at justifi-

RAISE THE ROOF CAMPAIGN

Blues back with boogie-woogie

Blues returns to the Harmony Hall on 11 July following the success of a sell-out ‘D-Day for the Blues’ concert early this month.

The upcoming show will feature boogie-woogie sensation Emily Joy, Railway Pie (Alan Young, Jack Craw, Terry Toohill and Gary Trotman), Mark Laurent, Nigel Gavin, John Olding and others.

A fortnight later, on 25 July, the hall hosts a fundraiser for fiddler and vocalist Krissy Jackson who is heading to the US and is calling on a line-up of friends including Chris Priestley & the Unsung Heroes.

cation for these expensive money raisers are fatuous rubbish.

The unjustified removal of parking spaces does NOT help retailers, or residents, and building bus stops out into the roadway rather than indenting them is simply nuts.

The advertisement for AT in the Flagstaff asks for Devonport residents’ feedback regarding new resident parking zones and paid parking zones. ( I ask: Who has ever voted to increase their own costs and ruin their own neighbourhood?).

Resident parking zones throughout Ponsonby and many other suburbs have raised money and achieved nothing else but frustrate residents and ensured a loss of parking spaces, to no benefit to any resident.

I urge ALL Devonport residents to ‘get involved’ (haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/destination-devonport) and object to these ridiculous and unnecessary plans now, before AT tell you that they have conducted “research” and found residents wanted these ‘improvements’.

These projects are ruining our neighbourhoods, our access to shops and to the Devonport waterfront that we all love so much. Roger Hawkins, Ponsonby

• Friday Night Live open-mic evening, 7pm. Hear and play music and singing. Bring a plate and BYO.

• Ukulele Monday Nights at 7pm.

• Sunday singing from 3pm. Lyrics on the large screen. Email dellgraham@gmail.com for song lists each week. Wine and cheese at 4 pm.

• U3A has guest speakers on the second Wednesday of each month at 10am. Join for $30 a year.

Writers’ colony: The Shore’s lustrous literary legacy

In the second of a three-part series, Graeme Lay traces the roots of the North Shore’s long-standing popularity with writers of all stripes.

From the 1930s onwards, the North Shore has been home to many writers of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Why is this?

‘The Shore’ has the distinction of being more informal than the rest of Auckland. This suits writers, who tend to eschew formality in favour of a laissez-faire attitude to life and living (although definitely not to their writing). This tolerance and informality was valued by the early Shore writers, who savoured what later was termed an ‘alternative lifestyle’.

Until the 1960s, publishing companies were all based overseas – mainly in Britain and the States. This meant aspiring writers had to bundle up their manuscripts and dispatch them to London or New York by sea mail, which took about 30 days. The process also meant that the post offices in Devonport, Takapuna and Browns Bay played a large part in the life of a North Shore writer. Here too were branches of Whitcombe & Tombs, for the supply of the writers’ materials: stationery, carbon paper, envelopes, typewriter ribbons and all the rest required for producing a manuscript. The whole business, from submission to publication, could take several years.

(Today, a touch of the ‘Send’ button and a 100,000 word manuscript can instantly be on a publisher’s desk in New York or London – and can be rejected almost as quickly.)

Another attraction of the North Shore for writers was the proximity of the sea. There’s a natural affinity between writers and the sea. (Thus, there are few writers in Hamilton.) Writers are drawn to it for its beauty and its mystery, and its changing moods. And if you live on the Shore the sea is never more than a few minutes away. A walk on the beach, or a sea swim, usually cures a writer’s block.

Throughout the 1930s and 40s the First Wave of writers wrote, read and socialised at various literary hubs on the Shore. What helped was the fact that they supported each other. There’s an old saying that the only person who has time for a writer is another writer. So, at the baches of Robin Hyde, D’Arcy Cresswell and Frank Sargeson, writers discussed the business of writing, the latest reviews, the frustrations of publishing and its perceived prospects.

Sargeson’s Esmonde Rd cottage in particular became the setting for gatherings of the bohemian set: not just writers but also musicians and painters. They all supported each other by what we today call ‘network-

ing’, at a time when there were no such things as ‘Creative Writing Workshops’ and little government support for writers. Universities did not offer courses in New Zealand literature because it was thought that no such thing existed. But at the little bach hubs, literature and bohemia thrived, fuelled in the case of Sargeson’s house gatherings by intakes of Lemora – lemon wine, served in Vegemite jars.

By the late 1940s, many writers were drawn to the North Shore and its primitive beachside baches, while the littoral itself was a never-ending source of inspiration for them.

Some examples:

Poet ARD (Rex) Fairburn (b 1904) loved the sea. He was an ardent swimmer and a fearless solo yachtsman. In 1946 he and his family moved to a house at the foot of Devonport’s Mays St. “There are ferries at the bottom of our garden, the Takapuna people envy us,” Fairburn memorably wrote.)

Robin Hyde (b 1906) lived in various baches in Castor Bay and Milford in the 1930s, and found solace there from her bouts of depression. She visited Frank Sargeson at his bach in Takapuna, before leaving for war-torn China and eventually, England, where she took her own life. Hyde published a poem sequence, called The Beaches, as well as the landmark work The Godwits Fly (1938), before becoming a godwit herself.

Frank Sargeson (b 1903) was a fisherman and a gardener. Read his short story “A Great Day”, for evidence of this. His unforgettable short story “An Affair of the Heart” is set in 1920s Castor Bay.

Four of the First Wave writers – Anna Kavan, Greville Texidor, Robin Hyde and Margaret Escott – committed suicide. But only one, Escott, did so while living on the Shore. She drowned herself in the sea in 1977.

SECOND WAVE: These were the writers who came to the Shore in the 1950s and 60s, inspired partly by the example set by the first wave listed in Part 1 (Flagstaff 14 June). Maurice Duggan, Keith Sinclair, Kevin Ireland, Una Platts, Phoebe Meikle, Kendrick Smithyman, Mary Stanley, James Bertram, Maurice Shadbolt, Janet Frame, Selwyn Muru, Hone Tuwhare, Antony Alpers, Sarah Campion, Alistair Paterson, Maurice Gee, CK Stead, Phillip Wilson, Barry Crump, Sam Hunt, Barbara Anderson, Jean Bartlett, Ian Middleton, Harry Bioletti, Mark Richards, Rosemary Menzies, John Reece Cole, Christine Cole Catley, Jack Lasenby, Michael King, Lee Dowrick, Dorothy Butler.

Read Maurice Gee’s Under the Mountain (1979) to appreciate the role that Lake Pupuke and Rangitoto Island play in that children’s classic. And the chilling climax of Gee’s murder-mystery novel In My Father’s Den (1972) takes place on Takapuna Beach.

CK Stead’s novel All Visitors Ashore (1984) has a thoroughly Takapuna setting, while Bruce Mason’s one-person play End of the Golden Weather (1960) features Christmas Day in Takapuna, and the singular sight of Rangitoto across the channel. Mason lived at Ewen St, Takapuna, from the age of five. And the turbulent sea necessarily plays an important part in Tessa Duder’s young adult novel Night Race to Kawau (1982).

The sea plays a vital role in all these works, and many others.

I attempted to depict some of this ambience in my novel Larry & Viv (2022), an episode of which has the great Shakespearian actor Sir Laurence Olivier, who is on tour with the

Connections to the Shore…Opposite page: Frank Sargeson (left) with Dan Davin. This page (clockwise from above): Keith Sinclair, Janet Frame, CK Stead, and John Reece Cole.

Royal Shakespeare Company, visiting Frank Sargeson at his Takapuna cottage. Sargeson had sent Olivier a copy of his notable work That Summer & Other Stories (1946); Olivier is on a New Zealand tour with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Disguising himself to prevent the public recognising him, the famous actor takes the Devonport ferry and a bus to Takapuna. He is in the company of Jed, one of the company’s young stagehands. The year is 1948:

The ferry Ngoiro was docked alongside a long, corrugated-iron wharf. Laurence and Jed disembarked and walked out onto the street. On the corner opposite the terminal was a three-storeyed hotel with several balconies. Esplanade Hotel, a sign above its entrance declared. As Sargeson had promised, there was a bus waiting for the ferry passengers, a pale yellow Bedford, with North Shore Bus Company painted on its side. It was dusty and aged, like something out of a vehicle museum.

They boarded. A middle-aged driver in a loose grey topcoat greeted the pair, issued them with tickets and they took a seat near the front. Inside was a smell of diesel fumes, cigarette smoke, vegetables and stale milk.

The other passengers were mainly young couples with children and a few elderly pairs in coats and hats. As they boarded they glanced at the two visitors but no one showed any signs of recognising Laurence. ‘No one knows me,’ he murmured to Jed. ‘What a delightful change.’ Jed smiled, nodded. He had never seen Sir Laurence so relaxed. Anonymity became him, he thought.

They were driven up a street lined with shops with protective canopies, then around the slopes of the extinct volcano. There were

weatherboard, corrugated-iron-roofed villas on both sides of the road. The driver shoved the bus into a lower gear, accelerated, then back into a higher gear.

They were driven along a road that passed a lovely beach, then minutes later through semi-rural country, with just a few houses and many wooden power poles. Lines drooped from the poles like jungle vines.

They looked around curiously at the land and building as the bus ground its way up a long hill. They passed a row of shops. All were closed and there were few other vehicles or people about. Everything, it seemed, was closed on a Kiwi Sunday. Jed pointed at a Model T Ford, parked alongside the closed shops. ‘It’s like stepping back in time, isn’t it?’

Laurence smiled. ‘Yes, like England in the 30s. Rural England, that is.’

As the bus made its way along, Laurence wondered, when had he last taken public transport? Probably back in 1928, when he took the double-decker in London, when he was at drama school. Since then he had always driven himself, or had been chauffeured. This was different, this was fun.

They reached an elevated section of road.

To their right was the dark blue sea and a dark, slump-shouldered island. ‘Another volcano I should say,’ said Jed. Laurence stared. ‘And quite a landmark. It’s as if it’s guarding the harbour.’

‘It feels very different here, doesn’t it?’ said Jed. ‘The North Shore.’

‘Yes. Quite different to the city side.’

After a few stops and starts to let off and take on passengers, the driver called out, ‘Next stop, Napier Avenue!’

They climbed down from the bus, then walked along the pavement to the next block, Esmonde Road. It was unsealed and lumpy, more track than street. A handful of small wooden houses were set back from the road, which descended a hill, then petered out in a backwater filled with grey-green mangroves.

Laurence and Jed walked along a rough footpath, noting the letterbox numbers. A couple of minutes later they stopped at an overgrown berm and an unruly hedge. In a gap in the hedge was a tilted post with a letterbox atop it. On the letterbox was painted a number, 14.

See the next Flagstaff, on 12 July, for Part 3: Maintaining the tradition.

Level 2 History — Civil Rights

Our L2 History students were granted the privilege of meeting one of the Little Rock Nine, Minnijean Brown Trickey. Earlier this year, we studied the Civil Rights movement in America so this was very relevant and interesting for us to learn about. Minnijean was one of nine students who became the first black students to attend Little Rock High School in Arkansas in 1957. This was groundbreaking, as schools had previously been segregated. This integration was not easy, however, with the State Governor calling in troops to prevent the students from entering school. The students persisted, and eventually President Eisenhower was forced to step in and provide armed guards to ensure that the nine students had access to an education.

Minnijean told us a firsthand account of her experience, sharing details and providing information only accessible through a firsthand account. Minnijean spoke of her personal encounter with racism in the south, regaling us with tales of how she used a ‘Gandhi-like approach’ to de-escalate situations with racists (and the story of how she later got expelled for standing up for herself!) Listening to Minnijean and hearing her story was an eyeopening experience that really made us rethink what we knew about the Little Rock Nine and the power we have as young people. She was witty, caring, and inspirational. She made us feel like we could do anything if we put our minds to it. It was an absolute pleasure to meet such a brave woman

TGS

Dance Shines Again

Congratulations to our premiere team, Cactus Dance Company, who were awarded a first place trophy at the recent National Dance Challenge (NDC) for their performance of ‘Under Pressure’. Cactus is led by three student choreographers, Heidi Cairncross, Audrey Roberts and Samatha Lathwood (pictured front row centre L-R), who have worked hard throughout the year to get their team ready for NDC - a competition which is attended by schools from around the country. Supported by teacher Mrs Alana Grant, the dance leaders’ responsibilities include choreographing their performance pieces, teaching and training their teams, and costume selection. It’s this collaborative effort Alana Grant

is most proud of; “We have some fantastic dancers at our school, but their talent really shines when they work well together, blending their ideas and energy.

“As a teacher, it is very gratifying to watch their growth, and to see the effort of the whole team recognised in a high-calibre context like NDC”.

A big congratulations also goes to the TGS Special Education dancers who wowed the judges with their performance of Lil Boo Thang. The NDC lineup includes a category called ‘Dance Without Limits’ and our Special Ed team absolutely rocked the stage, taking home the award for ‘Funkiest Dancing’. They were undoubtedly audience favourites on the night too!

and we feel incredibly privileged to have had this opportunity.

By Hannah Brotherton, Aliza Hasnain, Heloise Phillips-Smith and Holly Sherlock

Star attraction: Work returns for Matariki exhibition

An artwork made in Devonport 15 years ago has been repurposed to welcome visitors to a joint Matariki exhibition at a local gallery.

The work, Star Rise Star Eyes , by acclaimed weaver and multimedia and installation artist Maureen Lander, depicts the eyes of seven atua (gods) of Matariki, with one large star surrounded by six smaller stars.

It is being displayed in the front window of Satellite2 Gallery on Victoria Rd, during an exhibition of matariki-related work by eight other artists, representing diverse disciplines and themes.

Lander, who lived in Devonport between 1994 and 2012, originally created three different variations of the piece to be displayed at three different exhibitions.

Another variation, called The Delicate Balance of Wobbling Stars, was aimed at making astronomy accessible for children. It had flax balls representing planets orbiting a sun.

The stars won’t be orbiting on the piece’s latest iteration, but Lander said it was exciting to see how her work could have different purposes in different spaces.

“When it comes out in a different context it might create a different relationship with the work that surrounds it.”

Lander worked as a teacher before attending Elam School of Fine Arts in the 1980s.

She was first introduced to flax fibre by well-known weaver Diggeress Te Kanawa. and went on to teach fibre arts at the University of Auckland, before retiring from lecturing in 2007.

Lander has received many awards and been made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori art.

But she said her favourite moment was winning the prestigious Walters Art Prize in 2021 for Atapō, a collaboration with the Mata Aho collective.

Back on show... Maureen Lander with her work Star

welcome visitors to a

The work was created for the Auckland Art Gallery’s Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art exhibition, a survey of Māori art from the 1950s to the present day.

“I was mentoring the Mata Aho Collective and we were asked to collaborate together on a big work for Toi Tū Toi Ora and that was the work that eventually won

the Walters Prize. That would have to be a highlight.”

• The Matariki exhibition at Satellite2 Gallery, featuring the work of Michelle Morunga, Maureen Lander, Michelle O’Loughlin, Lindsay Antrobus Evans, Joanne Barrett, Tony Johnston and Kristina Robertson, runs until 21 July.

We are all one under the stars

Maureen Lander, Joanne Barrett, Michelle O’Loughlin, Michelle Morunga, Lindsay Antrobus Evans, Kristina Robertson, Tony Johnston, Laura Allen, Tracey Williams.

27 June - 21 July

Rise Star Eyes, which will

Matariki exhibition at the Satellite2 gallery

1 Parnell Street, Rawene 61a Victoria Rd, Devonport

Michelle O’Loughlin: Empty Vessels for Matariki

Carver and curator has full schedule as artists

Master class... Carver Natanahira Te Pona offers tips on design to Stanley Bay Year 6 pupils Milly

and

Come in for a coffee in our cafe lounge anytime

• Barista made coffee in a comfortable environment

• Catch up with friends while the kids watch a movie.

• A remote work meeting, or to clear some emails.

• How about an evening night cap to finish the day.

We make fresh coffee and tea all day

09 666 0714

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OPEN MATARIKI WEEKEND — BOOK TICKETS ONLINE NOW FOR: Despicable Me 4, The Road to Patagonia, IF, Garfield, HAIKYU!, Challengers, The Fall Guy, BadBoys, Unsung Hero, Golda, Wicked Little Letters, The Way My Way, Joika, Chandu Champion,

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CHILDREN AND STUDENTS DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

The guest curator of Depot Artspace’s Matariki exhibition opening this weekend is a busy man, also helping organise local community celebrations and school programmes.

Ahead of the Depot opening, which features Natanahira Te Pona’s carvings alongside works by eight other invited artists, he spoke to the Flagstaff at Stanley Bay School, where he passes on his knowledge to the next generation. Year 6 students are working this term on learning carving skills and the meaning of the patterns behind them in a project which will later in the year lead to a waharoa they have made being erected at the school entrance.

The gateway will be carved of recycled polystyrene rather than wood, but then painted and attached to ply and coated in resin for longevity. In the classroom last week, the students were enthusiastically tracing patterns onto rectangles of polystyrene and using scalpels to shape them. “They’re getting really good at doing different angles,” Te Pona says.

A kowhaiwhai pattern features on a number of the panels, with Te Pona explaining that within the curved design a mother and father and other symbols could be found.

Passing on mātauranga or knowledge of the Māori world is at the heart of both the school and the Depot projects. Although the school project is not a Matariki one, it explores similar themes of identity and connection.

For the two-week long Depot exhibition, Matariki 2024: Mai i te Moanai ki te Whenua, Te Pona has drawn together artists from across the motu. Several of them are involved in workshops being hosted by the Depot.

Each artist was tasked with depicting one of nine star stories from the Matariki constellation, some through carved and woven works. Te Pona says though the constellation is sometimes known as the Seven Sisters of Greek mythology, and nine stars are most often recognised in te ao Māori, more can be identified. “It depends how good your eyes

On task... Stanley Bay pupils Cooper Ede and (on facing page) Pippa Vanshaik (at rear) and Mia Rawlinson at work making waharoa panels

Seaburg

Sophie Sickling (at rear)

Late Night with the Devil, and Watchers.

and others mark Matariki on the peninsula

are,” he says wryly.

Te Pona, who lives in Hauraki, is the resident whakairo at the Lake House arts centre in Takapuna. He hails from Turangi and trained in Rotorua but has become one of those in the North Shore community who have spearheaded efforts to celebrate Matariki.

As a spin-off from the two-week Depot exhibition, which has its public opening on Saturday 29 June, from 2pm to 4pm, he will give a live carving demonstration in late July.

Last week he oversaw the opening of an art exhibition at the Lake House and on Sunday 7 July he will be at a Matariki celebration day at the Rose Centre in Belmont, which opens with him leading a carving ceremony at 7am.

His work at Stanley Bay School is funded by a Ministry of Education Creatives in Schools programme. Rita Harvey, the lead teacher for the classroom project, says last year the students contributed art works for the Matariki Festival hosted at Bayswater School. They were focusing on creating the waharoa for their own school this year.

Students told the Flagstaff they enjoyed the work. Beth Rigby said being careful with the blade was important. “I like the technical side of it.”

Teacher Harvey said the waharoa would add to two sets of painted pou the school installed last year.

• The Depot exhibition runs from 29 June to 10 August. Workshops include an artists’ panel, with korero about their work and Matariki on Saturday 29 June at 3pm; a tour of the show by gallery curator and manager Dilohana Lekamge on Friday 5 July at 11am; rongoa insights with Whaea Judy Henderson, during which participants will create traditional Māori medicines on Saturday 20 July at 11am (registration required); Te Pona’s carving demonstration on Saturday 27 July at 11am; and an already fully booked raranga workshop by exhibiting weaver Kiriana O’Connell.

Hands on... Carved and woven works, including weaving by Kiriana O’Connell (whose hands are pictured, top) and this carving by Natanahira Te Pona (above), feature in a Matariki exhibition at the Depot. Right: Stanley Bay School Year 6 pupils Beth Rigby and Isabelle Crawford with their polystyrene carving.

NOW SHOWING

A Quiet Place: Day One (M) 100min

Inside Out 2 (PG) 97min

Ka Whawhai Tonu: Struggle without End (M) 115min

Despicable Me 4 (M) 90min

The Road to Patagonia (E) 97min

The Watchers (M) 102min

COMING SOON

Kinds of Kindness (R16) 164min PREVIEW 3 JUL

200% Wolf (PG) 98min

The Bikeriders (R13) 117min

First Thursdays Artist Films: Bill Cunningham (PG) 84min

Fly Me to the Moon (M) 132min

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