21 June 2024, Rangitoto Observer

Security fears prompt building’s early demolition

Break-ins and vandalism at the former Colmar Brunton building overlooking Takapuna Beach have brought forward its demolition, preparation for which began last week.

The demolition, including asbestos removal by a specialist company, is expected to take two months.

An application for consent to develop a large apartment complex of up to eight storeys

on the site at 6-12 The Strand and others on Hurstmere Rd is “on hold”, with Auckland Council planners awaiting further information from the developer.

Takapuna Beach Business Association chief executive Terence Harpur told the Observer the demolition project had begun earlier than initially planned due to issues of site security at the unoccupied building.

Together for good

Vandalism had included windows being smashed. People had broken into the building and a rough sleeper had moved in.

Fencing was installed ahead of a demolition process that will include site preparation, vegetation clearing and controlled asbestos removal before the building comes down.

Harpur understood an improved fence

To page 2

Double act... Milford couple Rhonwen and Keith Moratti enjoy regularly helping at the Kitchener Rd Harbour Hospice store. To mark Volunteer Week, the couple talk about their work, while new Devonport-Takapuna Local Board awards acknowledge others who donate their time to good causes. Stories, page 9.

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Site development consent ‘on hold’

From page 1

would be installed once the site was cleared, possibly with murals to improve the look of the prime site pending its development.

Consent for demolition was granted to developers HND TS Ltd by Auckland Council last year.

The proposed four-building apartment complex, with 213 apartments, ground-floor commercial use and three levels of basement parking, would occupy the former Colmar Brunton property along with the Commons and McKenzie sites at 21, 31 and 33-45 Hurstmere Rd. The proposal has buildings

rising from six storeys towards the beach to eight storeys at the other side of the site.

In response to Observer inquiries, Auckland Council said the application filed last year was still in process. “No decision has been made on the application, nor have any subsequent applications been lodged,” a council spokesperson said.

The application had been “on hold”, awaiting further information since November 2023.

In 2021, the developer unsuccessfully sought fast-track approval under Covid-recovery legislation for five buildings up to 12 storeys.

Liquor-licence change opposed

Thirty-three objections have been lodged to a Milford restaurant-bar’s application to change its liquor licence to a tavern classification.

Public objections to the Milford Motel’s application closed on 13 June.

News of the application drew a mixed response late last month, with some residents concerned a change from an existing restaurant licence would mean more noise from the site near the corner of East Coast

Rd and Shakespeare Rd.

The alcohol licensing inspector is making enquiries into the application, which are expected to be completed in the next two weeks.

The application will then be submitted to the District Licensing Committee (DLC), which will schedule a public hearing.

It is expected the hearing, to which all objectors are invited, will be held within three months of the application going to the DLC.

Authorised by Hon Simon Watts, Parliament Buildings, Wgtn.

Building up... The proposed complex of four blocks on two sides of the white ASB building on Hurstmere Rd, with Hurstmere Green in the foreground

Cheers! Friendly Takapuna bar recognised in awards

The owner of Takapuna wine bar Taylors on Hurstmere has extra reason to celebrate its recent seventh anniversary, with its naming this month as the Outstanding Local Establishment in the north of Auckland in the annual Lewisham Awards.

The recognition is very satisfying, says Steve Taylor, especially with the voting split between the public and industry members.

Taylor does not know who in the industry nominated him, but he is grateful for supportive customers who backed him.

Speaking to the Observer after a late night hosting a 60th birthday, Taylor said: “I wanted to create a nice little bar – a bit casual, where people could pop in and have a nice wine and nice food and catch up with friends.”

He received his award at a glamorous function attended by more than 600 people at the Auckland Viaduct Centre on 2 June, where top chefs Josh Emmett, Peter Gordon and the 93-year-old owner of Sails restaurant, Valerie Littlejohn, were among names recognised. The Lewisham Awards, named in honour of an industry veteran, Tony Lewisham, have been held since 2002 and are held in high regard in hospitality circles.

Some at the event said current market conditions were the hardest they had experienced, Taylor said.

He agrees margins are very tight, but counts himself lucky to have loyal local customers and a good location at the northern

end of the Hurstmere Rd strip.

“People are going out, but they are not having the second glass, or they are coming in a bit less, once a week instead of two or three times,” he notes.

The Bruce Mason Centre around the corner helps bring in welcome extra trade.

He and partner Shelley Moore, who handles front-of-house duties, live in an apartment just a short walk from work.

Taylor, aged 49, started his hospitality career in hometown Wellington as a 16-yearold kitchenhand. He then spent four years working his way up at McDonald’s. “It was great training,” he says.

At 23, he headed to the UK, gaining experience in cocktail and wine bars in the City of London, with stints in Portugal and Greece. He moved on to a 1000-person-capacity bar at Canary Wharf but, fortuitously, decided to return to New Zealand just before the Global Financial Crisis struck.

“I decided to try Auckland, not Wellington, because my sister said Wellington would feel a bit slow after London.”

Taylor has worked in Takapuna for 10 years. Before that he was on the city side, including a time with GPK founder Dominique Parat, which is what brought him over from the original Ponsonby GPK to manage a then humming outpost on the corner of Hurstmere and the Promenade.

“I got to know the locals and I got to know the Shore – which I love. And the beach.”

After ownership changes at GPK, he took up the lease on his own space, rebranding what was once Pinot Plus. He opted to call it simply Taylors, for want of finding another name.

Customer feedback helped shape the style. “It’s like Cheers, I’ll know nearly everyone and they will know people.”

He says most of his customers are female and most are aged 40-up. “It’s more of a grown-up bar.”

There’s deliberately no wine snobbery, but rather a mix of award-winning Kiwi classics, along with cocktails, craft beers and champagne specials. There’s no television sports or noisy live music, but favourite tunes can sometimes lure people up for a late dance.

Food-wise, sharing platters are popular, with favourites being pate, arancini balls and tequila chicken. Roasts are about to return for the colder season on Sunday evenings.

Taylor credits chef Calvin Handika, who hails from Bali, for the popularity of the food. He also employs two regular part-timers. With Handika back home on leave, Taylor is turning his hand to helping more in the kitchen, drawing on skills from his 30-plus years in hospitality. He has renewed his licence and is keen to continue serving Takapuna locals, who he finds easy going and down to earth.

“A guy can drive up in a Bentley and be in shorts, but the ladies mostly like to dress up.”

Local focus... Steve Taylor knows most of the customers at his award-winning Hurstmere Rd wine bar

Resident has plan for stairs that Healthy Waters deploys drone

A drone was used to survey parts of Milford last week to help planning for possible stormwater improvements.

It flew along the Wairau Creek on 13 June, capturing images in an area stretching from Wairau Rd to East Coast Rd, including the Nile Rd and Alma Rd areas (from near Stanley Ave to Woodbridge Lane).

“The survey images will inform possible flood-risk mitigation options in the area and be used in the next phase of our consultant’s optioneering work which is currently under way,” Auckland Council Blue-green Networks programme manager Konrad Heinemann said.

Further drone or other surveys would likely be required in Milford, or further up the catchment in the Sunnynook and Wairau Valley areas, he said, though none were yet planned.

Heinemann said options for staged work across the catchment were being considered. A key focus was the Nile Rd area.

“We’d like to extend our gratitude to the community for their understanding to allow this important work to happen.”

Long-time Castor Bay resident Joe Barber has come up with a way of replacing the washed-out Kennedy Park stairs without attaching them to the crumbling cliff face.

The retired design engineer also believes rebuilding north of where the previous stairs were sited – on the location where the military installed stairs in the World War II era – is a good option.

Barber’s design has three flights of stairs within a free-standing frame with foundations in the sand, removing the need for anchors to the cliff.

“As a design engineer for most of my working life I’m used to seeing problems and working round them,” he told the Observer. He hopes his idea, drawing on his local knowledge and hands-on experience, will provide an alternative approach for council and geo-tech experts to consider. “What I’ve produced is not necessarily the be-all and end-all.”

Barber was part of a group from the Round Table service club which rebuilt the old military stairs in the late 1960s, a task he says was relatively easy for the 20-odd men on the job. Steps were replaced, handrails added and posts concreted in place.

The stairs were well-used by the community until being closed 24 years ago. North Shore City Council built replacements further south towards Rahapora pa.

Barber is unsure why the site was chosen.

The lower section of the council-built stairs washed out in extreme weather in 2017 and again when Cyclone Gabrielle struck in February 2023.

The Castor Bay Ratepayers and Residents Association (CABRRA) wants them rebuilt, but the $1 million-plus price and Auckland Council concerns about their viability due to extreme weather events and coastal erosion mean a decision is yet to be made.

CABRRA chair Hamish Anderson and Barber recently took Barber’s concept to the

Step change... A graphic showing how Joe Barber’s idea for stairs within a frame might look

Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, which asked council staff to add it to options they are considering.

Barber says the steps were well used and locals want them back. “Fitness people and dog walkers in particular are regular users.”

The fenced-off start point from where the military steps once descended is about 100m from the Observation Post community building. Barber says the top section of the stairs is the easier fix.

“A lot of this is stable land. It hasn’t moved since I’ve been here.”

The lower section to the beach, running between two searchlight emplacements, is trickier. “I know the cliff face is crumbling. The obvious way to is to avoid the cliff face.”

Burns

Teresa

won’t damage Castor Bay cliff

A similar stairway design, separated from the cliff, has been used at Birling Gap on the south coast of England. Barber says his structure would be larger and could use standard six-metre timber lengths.

He and his wife bought their family house in Castor Bay in 1966. He well remembers his children using the stairs.

“The three of them used to go down there unsupervised for hours on end.”

The couple now lives in a smaller home over the road from the park.

Now aged 88, Barber says he is unlikely to be a user of any rebuilt stairs, but he wants future generations to have enjoyment of them.

Council staff will report back to the board in August, with their assessment of options, including that proposed by Barber.

The parliamentary rugby team – co-captained by North Shore MP Simon Watts – and the Parly Ferns netballers turn out at Onewa Domain this Friday evening 21 June.

The public is welcome to watch the cross-party fixtures being held to fundraise for the Tania Dalton Foundation which supports aspiring young female athletes. The charity was launched in memory of the local former Silver Fern and Sky sports commentator who died in 2017.

Sporting entertainment starts at 6pm with J4 rugby on the domain. The main rugby game is scheduled to begin at 7pm, if MPs’ flights and traffic go to plan. Joining Watts in the yet to be fully confirmed line-up is Cabinet colleague Mark Mitchell and Act MP Cameron Luxton. They and their ringins will face a North Harbour invitational team, comprising former representatives and players from Takapuna and other Harbour clubs.

The netball at Netball North Harbour starts at 7.30pm. The Parly Ferns, captained by Labour’s Barbara Edmonds, managed by Act cabinet minister Nicole McKee and including New Zealand First cabinet minister Casey Costello, face a line-up organised by former Silver Ferns captain Adine Wilson.

Takapuna Rugby Club is the base for after-match events including raffles, auctions and refreshments.

A striking action shot of Carmel student Lani Rawle, which ran with a story about her volleyball success (Observer 24 May), should have been credited to Julie Maree Photography. The omission is regretted.

Problem solver... Joe Barber (left) with CABRRA chair Hamish Anderson near where military stairs were once sited. Below: As they were in 1944.

Four clubs become one in North Shore Rotary revamp

Four Rotary clubs are merging into a new North Shore branch of the service organisation in response to declining membership.

East Coast Bays, Milford, Takapuna and Takapuna North will combine from July.

Incoming president Sean Harris says the structural change will provide a bigger pool of members to pitch in on projects and form special interest sub-groups.

Each of the clubs coming together had a higher percentage of their relatively few members tied up in administration.

The combined club will have nearly 100 members, well up on the 20 to 35 members at each of the current clubs.

Along with a board and traditional positions such as treasurer and secretary, it will have representatives advocating in areas of Rotary involvement, such as the environment, youth and community.

The new club’s structure and board were decided by a transition committee of two members from each club.

East Coast Bays club president Fay Norman said there was a “little bit of anxiety” from the clubs as they each had their own way of doing things, but everyone was on board with the new approach.

Harris said the larger club would help maintain Rotary’s connections with local schools, as liaison duties could be shared among more people.

Rubbish clean-ups in reserve areas are in

the pipeline, with other future projects yet to be decided. Previous projects have included beautification efforts.

Membership at the new club will be more flexible, with meeting-attendance

Shop Win Shop

requirements scrapped to make joining more accessible for younger people.

The completion of the new Sunnynook Community Garden on 8 June was the last official act of the East Coast Bays club.

Coming together... Incoming North Shore Rotary president Sean Harris (left) with East Coast Bays president Fay Norman and member Peter Garnett at the Sunnynook Community Garden

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Awards spotlight shines on locals who pitch in

Community champions have been recognised this week with the presentation of the inaugural Devonport-Takapuna Community Volunteer Awards.

The tireless efforts of 24 people and groups nominated by the public were recognised at a gathering at the Milford Cruising Club on Tuesday evening, with five category winners announced.

The event was timed to coincide with national Volunteer Week.

Devonport-Takapuna 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 club burgeoning, van Tonder said.

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 non-profit organisation serving people with complex needs. Its clients and staff participate in voluntary work including a mealson-wheels programme and park clean-ups.

The Diversity and Inclusion winner was

Terehia Walker from Devonport, who has been 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.

Bayswater woman Bernie Ranford was selected in the Community Leader category. Her voluntary 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. She was recently sworn in as a JP.

The Youth Champion was Aloi Moataane, who has become a regular volunteer at school fundraisers and community events on the Devonport peninsula.

Winners were selected in a “blind” vote by the six local-board members.

Volunteering together helps close couple stay in sync

From page 1

Volunteering together comes pretty naturally to Milford’s Keith and Rhonwen Moratti (pictured on page 1).

Keith, aged 78, and Rhonwen, 76, have been married 56 years and have volunteered together at Harbour Hospice’s Milford shop for the past 10 years. Along with thousands of others, they are being celebrated in National Volunteer Week (16-22 June), and the couple will also be recognised next month at Harbour Hospice’s Long Service Awards.

While Keith receives and sorts donations at the Milford shop, Rhonwen has had lots of roles, including sorting, stocking shoes and handbags and serving customers.

The couple volunteer together “because we like doing things together”, says Rhonwen. “And because it gives us common ground and things to talk about.”

The parents of three and grandparents of five joined Harbour Hospice’s 1200-strong volunteer force when the charity opened a shop in Milford 10 years ago. Keith says they wanted to “give back” after witnessing the “magnificent” care Keith’s father received when he was cared for by hospice in Taranaki, where the couple grew up. “But it’s also a certain type of person who will volunteer and we

wanted to surround ourselves with good, generous people.”

When the couple met, Rhonwen was very shy. She believes that volunteering has helped her come out of her shell. Keith concurs: “She has always been very gentle. The first time we met, which was at a dance hall, she was so shy she refused to dance with me.”

But Keith knew from the start that Rhonwen was “the one” and pursued her, convincing another boy who lived on Rhonwen’s street to introduce them.

For their first date they attended a 21st birthday party and Keith says he can still remember the dress Rhonwen wore because she looked so gorgeous in it. “It was a pinky-red satin dress and she looked absolutely stunning.” The couple were married two years later.

As well as volunteering together the couple play golf and attend a gym in Milford together. “It’s time together. That’s how you really get to know one another,” Keith says.

“We’ll be sitting there having a conversation and one will say to the other, ‘Oh, I was just about to say that too.’ We’re in sync. That’s what makes a happy marriage.”

• If you’d like to volunteer for Harbour Hospice, please email volunteer@harbourhospice.org.nz. Along with retail roles, others include visiting or driving patients or helping in hospice kitchens or gardens.

Star power: Local events switch on for Matariki

More Matariki events are coming to the northern part of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area.

A month-long programme of events is already established on the Devonport peninsula – including this Sunday’s Matariki Festival at Bayswater School – but this year the north is getting in on the act.

The season kicked off with starlight tours in Lyford Reserve in Sunnynook and Sylvan Park in Milford, hosted by Takapuna North Community Trust and Pupuke Birdsong Project. A final Nature by Night Tour, with guides pointing out nocturnal creatures, takes place at Lyford Reserve on 25 June, with tickets at humanitix.com.

Other local Matariki events include:

• Lake House Matariki exhibition: The arts centre hosts Kotahitanga i roto i

te Kanorau – Unity in Diversity, which juxtaposes traditional Korean patchwork and Māori weaving, at the Becroft Gallery from 22 June until 5 July. Opening celebrations on 23 June at 4pm.

• Grow Forrest Hill Matariki Festival: Celebrate community and nature at Forrest Hill’s community garden in Seine Reserve on Sunday 23 June from 2pm to 4pm.

The pizza oven will be on all afternoon for free kai. A weaving tutor will take classes on how to make a star from harakeke and, for those keen to get their hands dirty, there are lots of native tree seedlings that need to be planted. The garden’s community kumara harvest will also be shared out on the day.

• Matariki Twilight Markets: Back at the Lake House by popular demand, on Friday 28 June from 4-9pm. Arts, craft and market

stalls, live music and kai.

• Takapuna Matariki Market: At Anzac Square and Hurstmere Green on Saturday 29 June from 9am-3pm, featuring market stalls with a distinct Kiwi and Matariki theme plus live music and workshops offering activities such as the chance to create a Matariki star.

• Lantern and star making: Run by migrant-support organisation Open and Connect, at the Lake House on Sunday 30 June.

• Takapuna Library: Learn how to make poi at 7 July at 10.30am, and put your poi to use at the Matariki Reo Māori Rhymetime on 8 July at 10.30am. Other Matariki events are listed on the Auckland Libraries site.

• Women’s art workshop: Another Open and Connect event focused on the discovery and creation of Māori patterns, at Shore Junction in Takapuna, on 26 July.

Pleasantly private: creating your own oasis

Winter’s the perfect time for catching up on property chores so you can relax and enjoy your home when the warmer months arrive. 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 for your garden:

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. At Sculpt Gardens, 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 New Zealand 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 practical screening solutions that protect you from wind, rain, and sun. These structures are also perfect for dining, barbecuing, or lounging areas.

Large patio umbrella: A large patio umbrella blocks the view from neighbouring 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 perfect for bedrooms, living areas or bathrooms.

Backyard oasis... Simple symmetrical planting and borders are one way to introduce pleasing greenery to a practical space

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.

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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 severely harm the environment, says the Pupuke Birdsong Project, a local environmental group.

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

If you suspect you have them or want help to find out, contact Pupuke Birdsong for advice, or borrow a bait station or trap for free.

Targeting pest plants is equally important as they grow rapidly and can displace native species or others intentionally planted in your garden.

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

Pupuke Birdsong runs occasional workshops and education outreaches, including at local libraries and for ethnic groups.

It also supports community volunteers’ work in council reserves

For more advice and resources, check out Pupuke Birdsong Project’s website at pupukebirdsong.org.nz.

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Takapuna actor Izzy Creemers completes a transition from junior fan of the Tim Bray Theatre Company to on-stage performer at the PumpHouse Theatre next month.

Having enjoyed plays produced by the much-loved children’s theatre specialists when she was a child in the audience, she’s delighted to have come full circle to take a role in the company’s new production based on Enid Blyton’s Famous Five adventure stories.

“It’s really cool to sort of come back and do a show for Tim Bray now that I’m a bit older,” she says

Five Go on an Adventure follows siblings Julian, Dick and Anne, their cousin George and dog Timmy as they go on an adventure and find themselves solving a dastardly mystery.

Twenty-three-year-old Creemers (pictured) plays Anne, the sweet, energetic and intelligent youngest of the children.

She said puppet designer Paul Lewis had pulled out all the stops in creating a puppet

for Timmy – to the extent that when she first arrived for rehearsals she thought he was a real dog.

Creemers has never acted alongside a

Takapuna resident Egle Simkeviciute is the driving force behind the Lithuanian Film Festival coming to the North Shore this weekend.

A selection of films will be shown this Sunday 23 June at The Vic Cinema in Devonport ranging from a romantic drama to an environmental documentary and a children’s film.

A topical highlight is Periodical, an exploration of menstruation and menopause, featuring interviews with US soccer star Megan Rapinoe, Hollywood actress Naomi Watts and feminist Gloria Steinem. It was made by Lithuanian director Lina Lyte Plioplyte, known for her doco Advanced Style about elderly New York fashionistas.

Simkeviciute has organised two previous festivals, both held in Auckland city, after Covid kept her separated from her homeland. “I

puppet character before, but said that the expressiveness of Lewis’s puppet made it “a lot easier” than she anticipated. “The way that he moves and behaves it’s really easy to just treat him like a regular dog.”

The play’s set design features two large “rock” elements, made by Rachael Walker, which are manipulated in different ways to create varying settings.

“It’s really cool how many different environments we’ve managed to create with just these two rocks,” Creemers said.

Soon after the show ends next month, Creemers heads to Europe with hopes of kickstarting a voice-acting career.

• Five Go on an Adventure, at the PumpHouse Theatre from 29 June to 20 July. For tickets ($28-$37.50) and session times see pumphouse.co.nz.

Accessible sessions of the play, including an audio-described performance with a touch tour, a New Zealand sign language interpreted performance and a sensory relaxed performance, are scheduled.

wasn’t able to return to Lithuania and immerse myself in the cultural experiences I deeply missed, especially film and theatre.”

The few Lithuanians living here responded well, but the aim has always been to attract the wider community. Simkeviciute and her husband moved to New Zealand nine years ago, settling in Takapuna days before their second daughter was born five years ago. “We wanted our daughters to grow up in this wonderful community.”

Simkeviciute, who has degrees in theatre directing and cultural management, is now working on developing a cultural festival.

• The film festival starts at 10am with children’s film Nelly Jelly, which is followed by a drawing workshop for young ticketholders. Periodical screens at noon. For tickets visit thevic.co.nz.

WHAT’S ON @ Takapuna Library

The July School Holidays at Takapuna Library are all about Matariki, and spending time with your whanau. Come and learn how to make Poi on Sunday 7th July, then use them at our Matariki Reo Māori Rhymetime on Monday 8th July! We’ll have a family board game day on Wednesday 10th of July, chess club on Sunday 14th July at 2 p.m., and a paper plane competition on Monday 15th of July. If you like crafting, we’ll be making badges themed around the whetu on Friday 12th July, bookmarks with tukutuku patterns on Sunday 14th July, constellation boxes on Wednesday 17th of July, and photoframes on Friday 19th July.

There’s movies every Saturday, and special Matariki storytimes on Saturdays and Sundays at 2.30 p.m – including a visit by bestselling author Peter Millett on 7th July! Plus our latest Children’s Writers Festivals on Sunday 21st July with local authors Rose Stanley and Hydie Balle-Hands!

All events are at 10.30 am unless otherwise noted.

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

Guy, BadBoys, Unsung Heros, Golda, Wicked Little Letters, The Way My Way, Joika, Chandu Champion, Late Night with the Devil, and Watchers.  Check Times and book on our

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