ISSUE
244, FEBRUARY 2025
Reviving the promise of the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park for All Aucklanders
Twenty twenty-five celebrates the start of the fifth decade of a broken Council promise. Maybe I should say ‘commiserates.’
The 1985 Waitākere Ranges Regional Parkland management plan promised to build a walking track along the northern coastline of the Manukau Harbour:
“The following track extensions will be constructed: ….A new track around the coast from the Destruction Gully track to Little Huia.”
This is very important to me because my father and I owned the only private property along this section of coastline. In 1980, after being approached by the then CEO of Regional Parks, we facilitated a boundary change and the land was placed into public ownership to help enable this track to be built.
This track has never been constructed. Moreover, the Destruction Gully track is closed with no plans to reopen it, despite much public fanfare from Regional Parks regarding a reconfigured track network around the park’s periphery.
My frustration with the lack of practical outcomes from Council plans was one of the reasons I first stood for local government.
What is currently happening, or rather not happening, stands in stark contrast to the objectives of all the Aucklanders who, in 1939, supported and contributed to the creation of a ‘Waitākere National Centennial Park ... commemorating the first Centenary of Auckland’ (see above).
I’ve been researching the beginnings of our Regional Parks since becoming the Chair and I was amazed by the many people who donated land and money to help mark this milestone. Their foresight ensured everyone, then and in the future, would have a place to enjoy nature. Some gifts were huge for their time.
It got me thinking that these first contributors should be acknowledged for what they created.
The 2008 Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act can do this. The Act contains a section for implementing multiple Deeds of Acknowledgement.
This includes a promise to acknowledge Ngāti Whātua and Te Kawerau ā Maki’s relationship with the area, which they have been waiting 16 years for. But it is not restricted to just two deeds.
“Parties to a deed of acknowledgment will be the Crown or the Council and tangata whenua of the heritage area.”
It does not restrict this to Iwi, it says “tangata whenua” (local people of the land). There can be an Acknowledgement with “pākehā” (the other peoples of the land).
Auckland Council is drafting a Deed with Te Kawerau ā Maki, and I am asking for one with pākehā.
It’s time to get our Waitākere Ranges Regional Park back on track and provide all people of Auckland with a tangible and practical relationship with this land, as was the aim in 1939.
– Ken Turner, WestWards
The Fringe, Issue 244, February 2025
Our place: Lions and Birdcare, new Council fund,
On our Cover: The matuku-hūrepo (Australasian bittern) is one of Aotearoa’s most endangered species. It is February’s ‘Special Species’. See page 13 for more. Illustration by Derek March
Delivered free to letter boxes, post boxes, libraries and selected outlets throughout Tītīrangi, Glen Eden, Green Bay, New Lynn, Konini, Wood Bay, French Bay, Waima, Woodlands Park, Laingholm, Parau, Cornwallis, Huia, Oratia, and beyond.
Published by Fringe Media Ltd, PO Box 60-469, Tītīrangi, Auckland 0642
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Writers and contributors: Moira Kennedy, David Thiele, Naomi McCleary, Fiona Drummond, Jade Reidy, John Goudge, Karen McCarthy, Kerry Lee
Every issue of The Fringe (and the Tītīrangi Tatler before it) since April 2011 is on-line at www.fringemedia.co.nz. Like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FringeWest) to hear when each issue is available and get other updates.
Forest fires have been in the news ...
Los Angeles has been devastated by fires fuelled by tinder dry conditions caused by rainfall being only 5% of what can be normally expected for the past year. Add in 160-kilometre winds and a number of ignition points and the devastation is all too clear to be seen.
Recently we have had three fires out West, at Te Henga, Anawhata and the Tītīrangi Golf Course. Causes are being investigated. Thankfully the fire service has dealt with each fire efficiently and they were stopped from spreading.
But this raises the question, could California-type fires happen here?
A recent study suggests that climate change will cause parts of New Zealand to resemble Australia with the attendant increased risk of fire. It is predicted that fire climate severity will rise in many parts of the country as a result of increases in temperature and wind speed, and lower rainfall. The areas most at risk are the east and south of the South Island and some of the west of the North Island.
Auckland is thought to be a lesser risk primarily because of predicted increased rainfall. But an extended dry period could see this change.
What can we do? Forest health is important. Mānuka scrub and gorse burn easily, healthy kauri do not. And clearing forest does not help. We have already seen what happens to hills that do not have healthy forests holding them together, preventing slips and landslides.
The most important thing we can do is reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. It is abundantly clear that our civilisation is hurtling towards a disaster which will have profound ecological and societal implications for us all. I do not understand why our institutions do not take climate change as seriously as they should.
But look after the forest and be careful. In the future we may be one accidental ignition away from a disaster.
–
Greg Presland, Chair, Waitākere Ranges Local Board
Local musical prodigy, Lucas Kewell, has been studying overseas where his success has been remarkable. He is returning home for a month bringing Hungarian drummer and composer Zoltan Fekete and vocalist Neža Ozinger from Slovenia with him. Together with Toby Barrett on Saxophone and Tyler Diprose on bass they will perform at The Creative Jazz Club, Pah Homestead, Monte Cecilia Park, 72 Hillsborough Road, February 12, 7.30-9.30pm (www. artshousetrust.co.nz) and Atō, 3132 Great North Road, next to Mr Zhou's, February 21, 7-9.30pm (tickets on the door).
New Lynn Lions Club recently donated $1,000 to Birdcare Aotearoa, to help it rehabilitate injured wild birds from Auckland and beyond. Past President Lianne Sloan says that one of Lions Clubs International’s global causes is the environment and the local club decided to help Birdcare Aotearoa. It costs well over $1.2 million a year to treat the 6,000-odd birds that are brought to Birdcare each year. With no funding from the government or Auckland Council it is trying to get corporate funding but also welcomes donations. Check out https://birdcareaotearoa.org.nz/ or https://www.facebook. com/BirdCareAotearoa/. The picture shows staff at Birdcare Aotearoa with a frisky pūkeko chick that was trying to escape.
A limited one-off grants scheme has been confirmed to provide support to property owners with access impacted by road reserve slips that occurred in the 2023 storms.
Council and Auckland Transport are working through the details of the scheme, and are asking for expressions of interest by February 10. Applications will be evaluated in late February and the funding allocation will be decided in March/April 2025. Visit ourauckland.nz/ roadreserves to find out more.
In conjunction with Auckland Libraries, New Lynn-based Literacy Waitākere has been producing books for beginner adult readers for four years. The latest three titles include a story by a young Samoan woman about living with Cerebral Palsy, a man from Afghanistan telling of his journey to New Zealand and memories of his homeland, and a 17-year-old Māori woman writing about her connection with her awa (river). There are now nine titles in the series, all with a New Zealand or Pasifika flavour, as Auckland Libraries had identified this as a gap in the market. To find out more phone 09 825 0221 or visit www.literacywaitakere.org.nz.
2025 Trusts Funding Round still open
The Trusts 2025 funding round is open for applications until February 28. A total funding pool of $1 million is available for local projects and organisations that contribute to the wellbeing and development of the West Auckland community.
Eligible applicants include non-profit organisations, community groups, and initiatives that focus on areas such as youth development, community resilience, and environmental sustainability.
The available funds comprise two separate funds, the $750,000 Support Fund to support established community organisations that facilitate social programmes, and the $250,000 Innovation Fund which specifically targets new and innovative programmes which need a boost to get off the ground.
The Trusts is also hosting a special Grant Evening from 6pm on February 5 at Te Pou Theatre, Corban Estate, Henderson. This is an opportunity to gain valuable insights into the funding opportunities and connect with elected members.
For more information on the funds, past recipients and to apply for funding, visit The Trusts website at www.thetrusts. co.nz/apply-for-funding.
“I could make paper every day of my life. It’s my passion.”
Yvonne Meister has a unique way of viewing the world – she sees things others overlook.
Whether it’s on a gentle walk in the bush or beach, or sitting on a park bench or in her garden, 86-year old Yvonne is always on the lookout for plant material to fulfil her passion for making paper to create unique cards or artworks.
Leaves of all sorts with little seeds or gingko biloba (“lovely shapes”), lichen from rocks, walls and trees, and Queen Anne Lace (also known as wild carrot and sometimes mistaken for poisonous hemlock) are favourites.
“I have this sort of vision when I see lichen on trees. When it’s dried it looks completely different. It’s the same with leaves.”
Yvonne puts discarded shredded paper from recycling in a bucket of water to soak for a week. before she puts the mixture into a kitchen blender for a good whiz. Dyes come from coloured paper tissues.
It becomes a soft, floating pulp and then the process gets complicated. Let’s just say it involves a specially-made frame, draining, sifting, constant consistency checking, removal of bits and pieces of this and that, and then a very slow and careful procedure of transferring it into another part of the frame. Inspection for bubbles and ongoing patience are also in the mix. Then there’s the drying process, also requiring constant care. It takes two days to make 12 pieces of A4 paper.
If she wants an even greater challenge, Yvonne collects stalks of wild ginger (kahili) from the bush before lugging them (minus the leaves and flowers of which she carefully disposes) to the Blokes’ Shed at Green Bay’s Pinesong Village where she lives.
Togged up with earmuffs, apron, glasses and other protective clothing, she cuts the stalks into small pieces with
big scissors, borrows a heavy mallet and smashes and mashes them for about three hours. Yvonne then takes the mashed result home to boil in a huge stainless steel pan for four to six hours.
“I keep pouring in water and boiling, boiling, boiling, until the ginger is soft. Then I drain it in a colander and put it through the blender.” From this point the lengthy business with the frame occurs again. Many more hours of work are involved to achieve 12 A4 sheets of paper from 12 stalks of ginger. “Ginger’s a horrible, rampant weed but it makes the most beautiful fragile paper.”
Yvonne uses flax leaves sometimes too but doesn’t need to beat them with a mallet for several hours. “I just cut them up and boil them. The result is a lovely natural colour with all kinds of textures.”
Yvonne’s been making paper for over 30 years after learning the basic skills from her friend, local artist and print maker Elizabeth Steiner (who now lives in Australia). “We didn’t have shredded stuff, we just tore up paper from newspaper and other things. It was a quick learning phase for me and then I got the hang of it. I just love making paper. I’ve made hundreds of pieces of paper since then,” she says.
“I could make paper all day, every day of my life. It’s my passion and I use it for unique cards using other plants fossicked from the bush or roadsides.”
And then Yvonne gets out her card-making work-box (about the size of a shoebox), places it on her dining table and opens a pile of old books in which she’s dried bits of fragile lichen, leaves and flowers.
The card-making phase is about to begin. But that’s another creative story.
– Moira Kennedy
Art & About with Naomi McCLeary
Only Marginally an Arts Column!
This is a microcosm within the macrocosm in which we all hide. It is my lived experience, but could be anywhere.
For 52 years I have summered on five acres of coastal land in the Bay of Islands; a place of gathering and healing for my expanding family through all those years. It is my heartland. I know it intimately; with my bare feet; my eyes and ears; my soul. I have cooked on an open fire for three generations of family and friends – and become mighty good at it. It has seen me though heartache and intense joy in equal measure.
The land is rich with bush; cathedrals of kānuka; dense with ponga and regenerating rimu. It is at the upper reaches of the bay, and tidal, with a sturdy jetty that takes me out to swimmable water at high tide. The sheltered bay is rich with mullet, netted and smoked over mānuka.
This summer I have reached a point of reflection; a lingering unease; a moment to pause and try to make sense of the changes I have been witness to.
In the early days (1970s and ‘80s) bird life was not abundant. We were convinced that a strange screaming at night was kiwi, but it was occasional. The dawn chorus, if at all, was easily missed. But wader birds on the tidal flats were varied and plentiful; grey heron, oyster catchers, spoonbills and a variety of gulls.
In 2002 the Russell Landcare Trust was formed and pest
Adapting for Tomorrow
A new plan is set to empower the Waitākere Ranges community to better prepare for and respond to emergencies.
The Waitākere Ranges Local Board Emergency Readiness and Response Plan, created with Auckland Emergency Management (AEM), offers guidance to help residents and businesses stay safe during, and after an emergency.
The plan responds to lessons learned from the devastating Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, which highlighted the importance of local preparedness and community support during emergency events.
Waitākere Ranges Local Board Chair Greg Presland says readiness is a team effort.
“Our region has experienced floods and landslides but the severe weather events of 2023 caused damage on a scale and severity that we have not experienced for a long time, if ever. This plan is a tool to help Waitākere Ranges residents feel more confident and prepared. I encourage every resident to read and make use of the plan.”
The plan identifies the area’s top hazards and provides tips on reducing risk, preparing for emergencies and navigating the recovery process. Copies are available in libraries and community centres, and a digital version is on Council’s website.
“We will continue to review and reassess the needs of our local communities so they can be best equipped to deal with emergencies,” says Presland.
eradication was underway. This is a whole story in its own right, but suffice to say that, over time, our summers became home to choirs of tūī, clumsy kererū, weka, scurrying families of quail and, at night, solid evidence of kiwi and ruru. I have loved counting the kiwi cries at sleepless moments; weka never more than seven or eight consecutive calls, but kiwi up to 15 or more. It is a miracle of environmental excellence, community cohesion and sheer hard and tireless work.
Local iwi place a rāhui on the bay from October 1 until December 31 to protect the spawning grounds of mullet and schnapper. It is voluntary, but everyone observes it. The results have been stunning.
There is a parallel locally. The South Tītīrangi Neighbourhood Network (STNN) has been quietly and systematically working for nine years to rid the area south of Tītīrangi Village of mustelids, rats, mice and the occasional possum. We are talking here of around a dozen passionately dedicated locals, with additional supporters. In that time their carefully set and monitored trap lines have reduced the rat population to measurably low numbers. At one level it is a simple concept; get rid of the rats and mice and the bird population will thrive; but it is more nuanced and complex than that. When I talk with my friend Tony Dunn, he shares not just his passion for the environment, but the body of knowledge STNN has acquired and their willingness to share that and link with other emerging groups. [See page 12 for more on STNN.]
But back to the Bay of Islands. There are challenges in the camping life. For most of those 50 years we have battled mosquitoes; armies of them at dusk and night; viciously attacking us through our clothes, to the point we would spray repellent on our jeans and rub it on our necks and faces. Cooking and food brought blowflies, as did fishing and the necessary and inevitable long drop. Less challenging, but occasionally a nuisance, were wētā in the wood box and stick insects dropping on the unwary from trees.
Bubblegum, by Chris Moore. Photo: Chester Nicholls.
Art & About with Naomi McCLeary
The change has been gradual so I cannot put a date on it. The first years with a huge drop in the clouds of marauding mosquitoes were welcomed; we wondered why, but loved not living in a fug of insect repellent.
This summer, I have been brought to a sharp halt. There are virtually no mosquitoes; I realise I haven’t surprised a wētā or seen a stick insect for some years. And no blowflies! I have gone from grateful to deeply worried in one fell swoop. A ritual, vino in hand, of sitting on the jetty at evening low tide, to count the wader birds, has produced pathetic numbers. The swoops of swallows, catching insects mid-air over the mangroves, have disappeared.
The conclusions are too obvious to state. There is an imbalance here; pest eradication victory, but a serious loss of biters, creepy crawlies; even the cicada cacophony is less. I sit uneasily with it.
Here I craftily bring the story back to the arts. Artists, writers, performers are our watchers, our see-ers, our alarm bells. They dig into the past and interrogate the present; and draw attention to, and make meaning from, change.
So I segue to a perfect demonstration of this.
At Sculpture in the Gardens there is a large, in your face, seemingly abstract, sculpture by Oratia artist Chris Moore. At first glance it strikes me as technical, slightly space age. But no. With Bubblegum, Chris takes inspiration from the bubblegum coral – the largest sea-floor invertebrate in the world. By scaling it up and placing it in the Gardens, out of the ocean context, Chris intends to bring awareness to what is happening to our underwater forests.
In a video on the Sculpture in the Gardens website, he talks quietly and calmly about the beauty of this particular coral; the hundreds of years it takes to grow; the speed with which it is disappearing, along with so many other underwater
corals, and the interconnectedness of our ocean world. But you can hear the passion literally bubbling underneath. Many of this year’s sculptures in the exhibition are visual stories of nature, of what we stand to lose, of the need to act. Chris’s work is but one example.
Chris is a visual artist with over 20 years’ experience and an expansive repertoire of technical skills to show for it. Bubblegum surely demonstrates that. His studies in the traditional methods of blacksmithing and bronze casting took him to Europe for three years, after which he returned to Aotearoa and set up a studio in Oratia. So many of our artists labour away in hidden corners of our motu. This is why big events such as Sculpture in the Gardens are so important. They reveal both our artists, and, more importantly, the strength of the messages they want us to see and hear.
Sculpture in the Gardens is open at the Botanic Gardens until March 2. Visit aucklandbotanicgardens.co.nz for more.
From February 14, Upstairs Gallery in Lopdell House has an important exhibition by Pusi Urale, a New Zealand-based artist of Samoan heritage, celebrated for a vibrant and distinctive style that draws deeply from her Pacific Island roots.
Born in Samoa, Pusi moved to New Zealand with her family in the 1970s, part of the Pacific diaspora that has significantly enriched Aotearoa's cultural landscape. She began painting later in life and quickly gained recognition for her bold, colourful works that often incorporate traditional motifs and symbols, re-imagined through a contemporary lens. Her paintings explore identity, community, and connection, celebrating Pacific culture while also reflecting her experience as part of the Samoan diaspora.
Places to go – Things to do
Out and About in the West
Event organisers: Do you have an upcoming event you’d like listed in The Fringe? Send the details, including a contact person and number, to info@fringemedia.co.nz.
Readers: While we take care to ensure listings are correct, errors may occur. Check with the contact person if possible, especially over the festive and holiday season
Exhibitions
w – 2, Liquid States, paintings by Gretchen Albrecht; Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
w – 8, Curiosities of Status, the Re:Use Collective asks what is it about human nature that makes us covet things, collect them, own them, adorn and decorate; Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mount Lebanon Lane, Henderson. Phone 838 4455.
w – 8, They Saw Leaves Growing. Curator Wesley John Fourie juxtaposes the work of two printmakers, Sue Cooke, and Brie Rate; Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mount Lebanon Lane, Henderson. Phone 838 4455.
w – 23, Portage Ceramic Awards 2024; Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
w – 9, Member’s show – small affordable gifts; West Coast Gallery, Seaview Road, Piha; Thursday/Friday 10am-3pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-4pm. Phone 09 812 8029 www.westcoast.co.nz.
w – March 9, An exhibition of large-scale sculpturist installations by Turumeke Harrington; Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
February
w 1, Wetland Festival 2025, stalls with info and food, games, talks and walks; Matuku Link, 111 Bethells Road, Waitākere; 10am-3pm. Free. Phone 021 220 7136
w 7, DIY Beaded Wind Chime: fun craft session for teens and tweens; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road; 3.30-5pm. Phone 377 0209.
w 7, Lopdell Precinct and Flicks presents The Birdcage' (M, Comedy/ Drama); Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 10.30am, 5.30pm and 8.15pm; Free. Bookings essential Text: 0210 222 5558.
w 8, Tītīrangi Folk Music Club presents Dave McMillan, Blues Musician, floorsingers in first half; Tītīrangi Beach Hall, bottom of Tītīrangi Beach
Road; 8pm; $15, members $10, under 18 free. www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz or text Cathy on 021 207 7289.
w 10, Beginner ukulele for adults – loan ukuleles available; Tītīrangi Library, 500 South Tītīrangi Road; 10-11am. https://events.humanitix.com/ beginner-ukulele-for-adults-let-the-music-play. Phone 09 892 4103
w 14, Flicks presents Touch (M), romantic drama from Iceland for Valentine’s Day; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 10.30am, 5.30pm and 8.15pm; $16 and $12. Bookings Text 0210 222 5558.
w 15, New Lynn Lions Club $1 Book Sale: New Lynn Friendship Club Hall, 3063 Great North Road, New Lynn (down the driveway by the traffic lights); 8am-4pm. Contact Mary Hibberd on 027 487 0639.
w 15, Ukulele Jam Session: play along with others and enjoy a mix of easy, feel-good tunes; Tītīrangi Library, 500 South Tītīrangi Road; 2-3pm. Phone 09 892 4103
w 19, Flicks presents a classic movie night: Sleeping Dogs (R16, 1977, NZ) presented by Sir Bob Harvey, with video link message from Director Roger Donaldson; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 7.30pm; $16 and $12. Bookings Text 0210 222 5558.
w 20, Waitākere Forest and Bird presents Encounters with seabirds, cetaceans & pinnipeds between the Antipodes & Suwarrow with Tony Whiting; Ranui Community Centre, 474 Swanson Rd, Ranui; 7.30pm; Koha appreciated. Phone Liz 027 476 2732 or email lizanstey@hotmail.com.
w 21, DIY Sparkle Bubble Wands: use recycled materials to make a wand and cast your own magic. Suitable for ages 5 and over; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road; 3.30-5pm. Phone 377 0209.
w 22, Repair Cafe organised and run by DEANZ; New Lynn Community Centre, Tōtara Avenue; 11am - 2pm; Koha. Phone Surbhi 022 507 0905.
w 22, House concert featuring Alistair Brown, a Scot with squeezebox skills and an excellent sense of humour; 7.30pm; $20. Phone Cathy on 021 207 7289 for address, details and bookings.
w 23, Tītīrangi Village Market: art, craft, produce and music; Tītīrangi War Memorial Hall; 10am-2pm. Contact tvm.manager@gmail.com or phone 022 631 9436.
w 25, Falls prevention workshop presented by Harbour Sport; Tītīrangi Library, 500 South Tītīrangi Road; 10.30am. Phone 09 892 4103
w 25, Tītīrangi U3A – informal learning for people 50-years plus, guest
Shop 2, 400 Titirangi road, Titirangi (Rangiwai Road, Titirangi) Phone: 09 817 8126 | Facebook: geckointhevillage www.geckointhevillage.co.nz
Places to go – Things to do
speakers, study groups; West Lynn Garden, 73 Parker Avenue, New Lynn; 1pm. Contact Irene Pearcey ipearceyu3a@gmail.com. www.u3a.nz.
w 28, Tītīrangi Folk Music Club presents Friday Folk, an informal gathering of musicians, and listeners; Tītīrangi Beach Hall, bottom of Tītīrangi Beach Road; 7.30pm; $5. www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz.
w 28, Flicks presents Radical (M, Mexico) a comedy/drama based on a true story; Tītīrangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road; 10.30 am, 5.30pm and 8.15pm; $16 and $12. Bookings Text 0210 222 5558.
There is so much happening in and around our community, including many regular events, that we can’t fit everything into these listings. If you can’t see the event you’re interested in, visit: www.fringemedia.co.nz/ourplace
Try Country dancing!
Tuesday evenings –Beginners: 6.45-7.45pm; Regular class: 7.45-10.30pm
No partner or experience needed. Friendly social dancing.
Waitematā Scottish Country Dance Club
Kelston Community Centre, Corner Great North & Awaroa Roads. Phone: 838 7263 or 021 106 0466
EcoFest returns
When EcoMatters put on the first EcoFest in West Auckland 13 years ago, its founders had no idea that it would grow right across Tāmaki Makaurau to make an impact with over 400 diverse events. And it is gearing up for a March 22 launch for the 2025 event.
Locals will be pleased to know it’s still true to its Westie origins, sparking sustainable behaviour and fostering a love of nature and raising environmental awareness. EcoMatters is helping to facilitate over 100 events in the West as well as supporting efforts in several other suburbs. Waiheke Resources Trust, Kaipātiki Project and the Beautification Trust will cover the rest of the region.
2024 saw Aucklanders sign up for night-time bike raves, zip-line adventures, Fair Food sorting, workshops on edible mushroom growing, butter making, landscaping and even climate anxiety. Attendees got the chance to try new plantbased and organic foods and condiments and even learned to draw flowers and plants with finesse.
This year is set to offer more of the above as well as the fifth Street Art Bike Challenge, a new harvest festival, a rammed earth wall-building demonstration and recycle and repair-athons.
EcoMatters believes the festival is the perfect public antidote to worrying global climate trends as well as a place to feel positive, proactive and hopeful in our own backyards: “It’s absolutely wonderful to see this festival grow into a collaborative project with like-minded partners,” says EcoMatters CEO Carla Gee. “At the same time as we celebrate the good, we can’t ignore that this a challenging time in history – a time to amplify our care for papatūānuku (earth/ earth mother) in Tāmaki Makaurau. Being part of EcoFest is a fun and meaningful way to protect nature and tackle climate change together.”
Visit ecofest.org.nz to view the growing list of events across Tāmaki Makaurau.
Fundraising underway for Surf Lifesaving Patrol clubrooms
The Bethells Beach surf club has started a major fund-raising campaign after being hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle two years ago.
Flooding swamped the gear shed and the foundations under the lounge and bunk rooms were undermined by the floods. The building lost its deck and most of the land between the building and the river, and was partly demolished to keep it safe and functional.
Portacoms were hired last summer so that the beach patrols could operate but it was not an ideal situation and change may be now underway.
The club’s Rebuild Committee has been working with Stevens Lawson Architects on concept plans for a new bigger and better clubhouse. The designs show a building which resembles an upturned waka – reflecting the name Te Henga.
Local iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki have approved the concept. The lounge end of the new building will face the iwi’s new marae.
Waitākere Ranges Local Board, arborists, and locals are also involved in the planning process, given the building’s importance to the wider Bethells Beach community.
Lifeguards have saved many lives on the dangerous beaches of Auckland’s West Coast. In November, a young woman’s life was saved by the Bethells Beach crew. She had been swimming with three friends on an outgoing tide when strong currents pulled them off a sandbank and they were sucked out to sea. Three of the teens swam to safety, but one girl was caught in the rip.
A person on the beach called 111 and the Police Eagle helicopter was sent to the scene, dropping a flotation device to the struggling 17-year old. The chopper kept its spotlight on the swimmer until surf lifeguards could reach her.
Bethells Beach Surf Livesaving Patrol vice president Dan Harvey was part of the response. He says the young woman had swallowed water but, back at the beach, paramedics checked her vital signs and put her in a hot shower to warm up. She later went to hospital with her friends for a follow-up medical check.
Dan warns that this year the conditions at Bethells Beach are likely to result in a significant number of rescues. “We have a large hole in the front of the beach, right in front of the lifeguard tower, which is creating a powerful rip on an outgoing tide. People need to be aware of the conditions.”
The club’s patrol season began at Labour Weekend and patrols will run through to Easter.
The government is investing $14.6 million dollars to repair and replace Surf Life Saving New Zealand buildings in a number of locations, including Bethells Beach but additional funds will be needed.
– Karen McCarthy
Looking north from Tirikohua Point, on the newly reopened northern end of the Te Henga walkway. Photo credit: Adam Whatton, DOC.
Student volunteers contribute almost 21,000 hours
West Auckland intermediate and secondary students logged close to 21,000 hours of volunteering in 2024 through the Student Volunteer Army (SVA) Service Award, receiving 384 awards for their contributions to their local communities.
The SVA Service Award celebrates student’s acts of service. Students log hours in the SVA web app, building a Summary of Service to support applications for scholarships, leadership opportunities, tertiary education or employment. Since its inception in 2019, the SVA Service Award has seen tens of thousands of students sign up and log over 2 million hours of volunteering.
Over 450 local students are involved across seven West Auckland schools including Green Bay High School, where recent graduate Louie Miller was awarded the Top Volunteer Award for 2024 after completing 2,313 hours of volunteering.
18-year-old Louie has spent most of his volunteering hours with the Tītīrangi Volunteer Fire Brigade. Since being selected out of 40 candidates at a rigorous recruitment day last year, he has attended two trainings a week as well as
regular call-outs – from ducks stuck down a drain to medical emergencies, motor incidents and house fires – and graduated as a fullyfledged fire fighter in August 2024.
Louie said it felt “pretty special” to be named Top Volunteer, for logging the most hours out of 18,000 volunteers, for something he loved doing.
“I really like helping people,” said Louie, “I couldn’t see myself not working in an emergency service.”
Louie will continue fire-fighting while pursuing his lifelong dream of joining the New Zealand Police - supported by the skills he has gained through volunteering and a $1,000 Next Steps Grant from SVA and their partners at AA Insurance.
Born out of the student-led clean-up operation after the 2010 Christchurch earthquake, the Student Volunteer Army (SVA) is now a network of tens of thousands of volunteers, ready to respond when crisis hits.
SVA is a charitable organisation and is reliant on donations. Visit https://www.sva.org.nz/donate to donate.
Our firm is excited to announce our new name of Tōtara Law formerly Thomas & Co Lawyers, incorporating David J Brown and Associates and Titirangi Law Office.
Our new name reflects our growth and evolution over the years and we are incredibly proud to continue to be a staple of the West Auckland law community.
We are privileged to have the team that we do and to have you – our clients, families, friends and colleagues to work for and work with.
Our team, location and contact details will remain unchanged.
Thank you for your continued trust and support.
John Gandy and Michael Richardson Directors
GBHS graduate Louie Miller: a top volunteer.
Naturally West
Sustainable Development Goals – a blueprint for the future
Ex-Green Bay High School student Jack Anderson was lucky to spend lots of time in nature while growing up, including camping with his family.
Jack’s grandmother, Heather Tanquay, was the mayor of Palmerston North in the early 2000s and she and grandpa Jerry took him to visit the Te Āpiti wind farm when he was nine. The experience sparked an interest in renewable energy and involvement in environmental causes. Jack became a key leader in the Green Impact environmental group at Green Bay High in his senior years and his passion for maths and physics steered him towards a degree in engineering.
In late 2024, while planning a backpacking trip through Malaysia and Indonesia, Jack came across the UN ESCAP (Economic Social Commission for Asia-Pacific) 13th Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development in Bangkok. He signed up and was accepted. “It felt a little wild then, but also an awesome opportunity,” he says.
The forum involved dozens of meetings between delegates reporting progress towards sustainable development and meeting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiated by the UN in 2015. The goals were a call for action to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognised that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address various social needs, including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.
“The SDGs are part of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
STNN – a local success story
The South Tītīrangi Neighbourhood Network (STNN) had a very busy 2024 and achieved several milestones.
As part of its predator control work, STNN consulted with several experts, including Dr Biz Bell, an experienced eradication practitioner, before setting up the original STNN Predator Control Trial area.
The trial involved intensive baiting and trapping, with trap lines on public reserves and private property, and resulted in a stark reduction in predator numbers.
With the support of local residents, STNN expanded the original trial and is now baiting and trapping an area of over 45 hectares (113 acres). The plan is to continue to expand the area involved until it includes all of South Tītīrangi.
Development,” says Jack. “Unfortunately, we are well offtrack. The so-called 'Decade of Action' has become the 'Decade of Distraction’ as we deal with war, fake news and oligarchy.
“As Aotearoa New Zealanders, we are privileged to live in a corner of the world untouched by conflict. Therefore, we and similar nations have a special duty to spearhead world peace and sustainability using the SDG toolkit. The history books show us that five years can change the course of civilisation, so it is still possible to meet the 2030 Agenda,” says Jack
“Start small!” says Jack. “Choose and champion one or two SDGs you feel passionate about. Do you love the ocean? Then Goal 14: 'Life Below Water' is for you. Composting hero? Goal 12: ‘Responsible consumption and production’. Each goal is split into targets and indicators, helping to eliminate ambiguity. Learn these to identify practical ways you can contribute to your goal. Encourage your friends and family to pick their own. Pragmatism and action are how we make progress. Next, make sure that there are copies of the 17 SDGs on display in your workplace, school or institution. This will spur conversation. Finally, vote for leaders who care about the SDGs and are interested in working towards global peace and sustainability. We can do it!”
Having completed his four-year degree in civil engineering at the University of Auckland Jack is to join consulting firm Tonkin and Taylor, in Wellington.
– Fiona Drummond Visit https://sdgs.un.org/goals for more information.
Other milestones included receiving official Charitable Trust status, an important step towards gaining additional funding and support, and the completion of the group’s fiveyear strategic plan.
Preparing this plan clarified the group’s goals. For the first time the phrase Urban Sanctuary was adopted. The group sees an Urban Sanctuary as a place where people live alongside flourishing native birds, trees and plants, as distinct from a Wildlife Sanctuary where nature is protected by fencing it off.
For 2025 STNN is working to enhance its communication with a new website. More planting and habitat restoration projects are planned, and weeding and planting bees will be high on the agenda. The STNN plant nursery will continue to propagate and grow native plants for both residents and habitat restoration projects. Plants will be available for purchase at the Tītīrangi Market this year.
STNN is always looking for volunteers to help with its trapping, planting, weeding and environmetnal restoration work. To get in touch email southtitiranginn@gmail.com or visit southtitirangi.org.nz.
The Special Species of West Auckland
The Special Species campaign, organised by Pest Free Waitākere Ranges Alliance will continue to celebrate the special birds and native creatures of the West in 2025.
Following the launch of the campaign in July 2024 with the kererū (Oratia), the wētā (Waiatarua) and the giant kōkopu (Tītīrangi) have been celebrated. These three species were featured on the cover of the October 2024 issue of The Fringe (right). The announcements also acknowledge, the work of local environmental groups.
In October it was the turn of the kororā (little penguin) and Pest Free Piha which, together with Auckland Zoo and the New Zealand Penguin Initiative, are setting up a monitoring campaign which will track penguin movements, identify nesting sites and work to understand in more detail the impact of threats like climate change, food availability, predators, dogs and cats.
“Dogs are the biggest threat to kororā in our area, not just because they can kill the penguins, but because their scent alone can deter kororā from their natural routine,” says Pest Free Piha’s Dudley Bell.
The work of Birdsong Opānuku was recognised in November 2024 with a focus on the miromiro (tomtit). Opānuku is down thousands of pests and a new generation of naturalists is growing up thanks to a handson pest monitoring and trapping initiative delivered to three schools in the foothills of the Waitākere Ranges by Birdsong Opānuku.
The award-winning CatchIT programme, developed by the University of Auckland in collaboration with The Forest Bridge Trust, is giving local students the opportunity to become environmental decision-makers of the future while contributing to ongoing biodiversity according to Birdsong Opānuku Trustee and CatchIT co-educator Clem Larsen. Birdsong Opānuku has worked closely with Henderson Valley, Oratia and Waitākere schools, delivering the programme to 1000 year 5 and 6 students, with parents also invited to take part.
February’s special species was announced at Matuku Link on World Wetland Day, February 1. Matuku Link in the heart of Te Henga’s wetlands is home to the matuku-hūrepo (Australasian bittern) of which only 700 remain in Aotearoa. This elusive wetland bird is more endangered than the kiwi, making its conservation critical. It is a master of disguise, blending seamlessly into wetland vegetation with its streaky brown and white feathers. When threatened, these birds adopt a ‘freeze stance,’ pointing their beak skyward and swaying like reeds to evade predators. Their sharper-than-human eyesight, capable of detecting ultraviolet light, is another superpower that makes them unparalleled visual hunters in their wetland habitats. Visit https://matukulink.org.nz/ to find out more about matuku.
3069 Great North Road, New Lynn, Auckland 0600
Phone: 09 826 2170 paulo.garcia@parliament.govt.nz
Authorised by Paulo Garcia, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.
Ted Scott
Clem Larsen
A tale of Love and Life insurance
Yeah gidday. Lizard here.
Here’s a tale I’ve longed to tell.
Harold never liked his name. To him it sounded very serious and grown-up. He suspected it may have been why he was successful at selling life insurance. There wasn’t a Jimbo or a Trev in the insurance office.
Harold didn’t really even believe in life insurance. End of life insurance more like it. It was why he no longer went to church much either.
Pam in HR once said to Harold “you’re much nicer than your face looks.” Wrong name, wrong face.
He wasn’t convinced he thought much about his brown leather shoes either for that matter.
So when he was told to go in to the head office in Queen Street for a meeting with Mr Parkinson CEO at 10.15 on Tuesday, he was almost hoping it was bad news: ‘We’re restructuring the human side of our operation and unfortunately Harold, we must minimise your functionality blah blah blah.’
What if they wanted to promote him? Or worse, make him a team leader! His Mum always said he looked so smart in his suit and tie.
eventually found himself well placed to get the next train into the city.
The platform on the other side, heading west, was just as crowded. Harold’s eyes settled on a young woman who was glancing at her watch. 'Perhaps she has an important appointment as well,’ Harold thought.
When she raised her head, Harold forgot all about Mr Parkinson CEO. He just stared into those deep brown eyes. She never looked across but Harold thought her olive skin didn’t need make-up and her curly black hair could never, or should never be tamed by a hairdresser. She wore a coat with a waist belt that Harold could see covered a slim figure. And those legs!
“You’ll be management one day son. Mark my words.”
Harold remembered his accounting teacher, ironically named Miss Count, telling him to cheer up. “Always the gloomy face Harold. If the situation seems absolutely desperate, just think of the lobster in the tank, in the restaurant on the Titanic.”
Mr Parkinson, CEO, was an important figure in the insurance world so Harold was going to be on time. So, it was a worry that the platform at New Lynn station was so crowded. What if the train was already full? He began to slip through any tiny opening or gap and
‘I’m on the wrong bloody side of the track,’ Harold thought. She checked her watch again and then looked up, suddenly aware that Harold was staring at her. He smiled. She blushed.
Just then, the two trains arrived from opposite ends of the platform. Everyone pushed past Harold to get on the train. He was the only one left on the platform. He stared across at the train on the other side and with a heavy heart, watched it slowly leave the station. When it disappeared, the only person across the tracks was the woman. Smiling at him.
You can ask if this is true. Well it better be because I told this tale at Harry and Judy’s 10th wedding anniversary. They are a landscape gardening couple working mainly around Tītīrangi and Green Bay. Apparently, neither have life insurance. Have a romantic year. Later, Lizard.
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