Hibiscus Matters_Issue 363_15 January 2024 by Localmatters

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for beach accessibility Spending time at the beach with family was possible for Rachel Peterson, and other disabled people, this summer thanks to a mobility chair that had been in storage at Red Beach Surf Club. Rachel is pictured, centre, with daughter Ruby and, from left, Red Beach Surf Club volunteer lifeguard Gail Colliar, senior committee member Andrew Short and lifeguard Rod Moratti.

Easy access to beaches is a key reason that people live on the Hibiscus Coast – however, that access can be difficult, or even impossible, for those with disabilities.

It’s been five years since Red Beach resident Rachel Peterson, who has muscular dystrophy, has been able to spend a day at her local beach although she swims at the

Leisure Centre pool. After a recent double mastectomy, the 47-yearold put ‘spending a day at the beach with my family’ on her bucket list. “I have always loved the ocean,” she says. “It is so different from the pool – I find it grounding, spiritual and therapeutic. I think I am a mermaid!”

A chance conversation with Red Beach Surf Club committee member Andrew Short, who works for assisted technology company Permobil NZ, got things moving. The company sponsors the surf club, and Andrew is an accessibility advocate. The club has a C1 South floating beach wheelchair that was provided by the Halberg Foundation a few years ago for use by a member’s daughter.

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It was brought out of storage for Rachel, and the responses to her excited post on social media, when she first got down to the beach, made it clear that there are many others who would love to use it. As a result, the chair is now freely available – you don’t have to be a surf club member. Getting in and out of it can be tricky, and a friend, carer or family member is needed continued p2

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localmatters.co.nz Next issue: January 29, 2024 Book your advertising now General manager: Jannette Thompson gm@localmatters.co.nz Editorial: Terry Moore ph 022 019 6569 terry@localmatters.co.nz Patrick Goodenough ph 022 549 8271 news@localmatters.co.nz Advertising: Angela Gallagher ph 022 029 1895 sellit@localmatters.co.nz Leigh Cameron ph 022 096 8517 sales@localmatters.co.nz Graphic design: Lorry McCarthy hibiscus@localmatters.co.nz A division of Local Matters. Hibiscus Matters is a locally owned publication, circulated to more than 22,450 homes and businesses fortnightly: Pūhoi • Waiwera • Hatfields • Ōrewa • Silverdale • Millwater • Dairy Flat • Red Beach • Whangaparāoa Peninsula Views expressed in Hibiscus Matters are not necessarily endorsed by the publishers. All rights reserved. Reproduction without editor’s permission is prohibited.

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continued from p1 to assist. Surf lifesavers are also there to show people how to use it. Clipped into the chair, people can be pushed down the ramp onto the beach and into the water, where it will float. Andrew says the club, which has a lift, values accessibility. Both he and Rachel, who has worked in the disability sector and lobbies for better accessibility, say that matting on the beach so that wheelchairs can get to the shore would be a great step to take, if the community and surf club want it. The

local board would also need to approve it. “It just takes someone to start it,” Andrew says. “The determination of the community is needed to make a change. We have an ageing population and that can also affect mobility. There is a big need out there for something like this.” Rachel has now joined the surf club and says she will be down there a lot, enjoying the ocean and encouraging others to do the same. The club administrators have had multiple enquiries about the chair and ask that anyone

interested in using it contacts them first, so they can ensure someone is there to help.

Beach access

Ōrewa Surf Club has had mobility chairs in the past, but not currently as it does not have storage space. However, its planned new clubrooms and community hub will have space for two lifts, and storage for two mobility chairs. • C1 South has an Accessible Beaches NZ website www.accessiblebeaches. co.nz, and is updating it to include beaches that have mobility chairs available.

Anniversary Day Floods: what has changed? It’s almost a year since the devastating Auckland Anniversary Day floods. But if another civil defence emergency happened today, would the Hibiscus Coast be better prepared?

A report commissioned into Auckland Council’s response to the flooding focused on the need for proper maintenance of drains, culverts and soak pits (see story p3) as well as for civil defence support to be balanced between centralisation of planning and localisation of service delivery. Hibiscus and Bays Local Board chair, Gary Brown, says while work is ongoing to improve the area’s emergency preparedness, he is confident we are a lot further down the track than last January. Several initiatives are in the pipeline. These include the local board and Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) funding four groups across the Hibiscus and Bays area, to develop community resilience networks. Brown says these will “swing into action during emergencies and will be ready if they are called upon when AEM asks.” “The local board recognised that our area was caught out terribly after the events of Auckland Anniversary weekend. So we now have these groups that are made up of locals from the surf clubs, business associations, community organisations, churches, and schools,” Brown says. “They

are also connected with local emergency services when they have the first response station (at Hilltop) set up in an emergency. It has taken a while to get this organised and it is an ongoing process, but it’s about empowering the community to do what it does best – use local knowledge to care for our neighbours, while acting as a communications line to the centralised response.” Brown says he expects that the local board will play a role in the overall governance of these new groups and, once they are operational, they will connect the community plans with the AEM local board response plans. “There are a lot of complexities with so many groups, but we are focusing on supporting our communities to be more prepared as best we can.” He says there has still been no confirmation of locations for local emergency shelters, although the Stanmore Bay Leisure Centre will again be activated as a hub, depending on the emergency. AEM acting general manager, Adam Maggs, says multiple actions to improve AEM capacity and effectiveness for emergency responses have been completed. These include reviewing the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group Plan and organisational structure; implementing wide-ranging enhanced training for staff;

reviewing and confirming the model, process, roles and standard operating procedures for emergency response communications; creating the new role of lifeline utilities adviser as well as a dedicated communications role and refreshing the AEM website to improve it as an emergency response communications channel. Maggs says other work underway includes contingency planning for tsunami and volcanic hazards; reviewing standard operating procedures of the emergency response welfare function; expanding work to support marae and resilience strategies and contingency planning for flood alerting. “We are also developing local board readiness and response plans to help clarify preparedness arrangements for local boards and their communities before, during and after emergency events. This includes working with local boards to identify locations for Civil Defence centres (managed by AEM) and community emergency hubs (managed by the community).” He says AEM has also carried out a number of other actions to improve operational readiness for an emergency response, including ongoing duty training for staff; relationship building with local boards and liaising with Healthy Waters on the work it is doing around flooding, including the Auckland Flood Viewer and Get Prepared resources.

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From left, Council replaced the grille in the Doyly Reserve with one featuring horizontal bars over the winter. A culvert alongside William Bayes Park was clean and clear of obstacles last month.

Auckland Council maintains Hotpools drains, urges vigilance demo stirs up dust concerns

As the anniversary of the Auckland Anniversary weekend floods approaches, Auckland Council is encouraging property owners to take steps to help reduce flood risks, while continuing its own efforts to mitigate the risk in low-lying parts of Red Beach and Stanmore Bay that were particularly badly affected last year.

Last August, Council’s Healthy Waters (stormwater) department upgraded grilles in D’Oyly Reserve and at the Kauri RoadBrightside Road intersection, both of which had proven to be problem areas. “The new grille features horizontal bars that are spaced at the maximum allowable width to reduce the risk of blockages,” Healthy Waters head of operations Andrew Skelton said. “It is checked for debris monthly, as well as before and after forecast heavy storms.” Skelton said drains and culverts at other sites on the Hibiscus Coast are also checked regularly. Among them, those at William Bayes Park in Red Beach and the KauriBrightside crossroads are inspected monthly, before and after forecast heavy storms. Council is encouraging residents to take precautionary steps themselves as well. If an overland flow path – the natural course water takes across the land – runs through a property, it should be kept clear so water can flow freely. Private drains and waterways should also be kept free from debris, to enable water to flow unimpeded. (To find out if an overland flow path runs through a property, use council’s online Flood Viewer: http://bit.ly/41wfVud ) Residents should also report any public stormwater-related issues to council on 09 301 0101. During the heavy rains in Auckland and Northland in late January last year, a combination of large quantities of water

and debris buildup in the D’Oyly Reserve saw a number of properties inundated. Skelton said subsequently that even if debris had not washed down from the wider catchment area and blocked passage, the sheer amount of water would have been too much to drain away and it would have overtopped the reserve (HM, March 20, 2023). He described the weir and grille at the reserve as a “critical hotspot” that was regularly inspected and cleared, adding that council had cleared it six times between January 26 – a day before the severe weather event began – and mid-February. More flooding occurred during heavy rainfalls on May 9-10, causing flooding in Pūhoi, Dairy Flat and Ōrewa as well as parts of Whangaparāoa. There were landslips in Manly and prompting the closure of schools, the Stanmore Bay Leisure Centre, and council offices in Centreway Road, Ōrewa. The event again raised questions about the capacity of the area’s stormwater infrastructure. Council says that the drier El Niño forecast means the likelihood of a repeat of the extreme weather events hitting Auckland this summer is low. However, it still pays to be prepared, and residents should regularly clear gutters and check and unblock drains on their property. “Summer storms can be a surprise to many people due to the speed they happen and their unexpected nature,” Auckland Emergency Management general manager Paul Amaral said, adding that they can be dangerous, even if short-lived. “This is due to rain intensity and the potential for strong winds and tornadoes that sometimes accompany them. A little bit of planning in advance and maintenance around your home can help mitigate their effects.”

Project plans advance

The demolition of Waiwera Thermal Resort, which began five months ago, caused a number of residents to contact Hibiscus Matters last month, concerned about dust and possible contaminants circulating in the air. Waiwera Residents Association sought urgent action from Auckland Council’s Environmental Monitoring Unit. The work has gone on far longer than planned, with property owners Urban Partners saying that this is due to the discovery of much more concrete than anticipated – with slabs on top of slabs needing to be removed. In response to the complaints, Urban Partners emailed residents saying health and safety is its top priority. The company said that asbestos containing materials (ACM) were found but not of the type that require air monitoring. “Regardless, we are carrying out air monitoring whenever ACM is being dealt with or concrete is being crushed. To date, the results have all been clear. With good management, we expect that that will continue to be the case,” the email said. Measures were also taken to reduce dust, including some required by a Council environmental officer who visited the site. One Waiwera resident told the paper that it’s a shame locals had to “kick up a fuss” to get any action and that Council must continue to monitor for compliance until the job is completed. Work on site recommenced last week, after the Christmas break, with an estimated two weeks of demolition remaining.

Plans to build a new wastewater pump station, wastewater pipeline and watermain in Waiwera moved ahead this month when Watercare contractors began geotech ground surveys in the area. From early January to late February, survey work is taking place within the road corridor, berms and reserves along Weranui Road, Hibiscus Coast Highway and Twin Coast Discovery Highway, Watercare major projects design delivery manager Nolwenn Lagadec said. “Our work as part of these ground surveys includes borehole groundwater testing and monitoring, as well as soil testing to test for contaminated land and potholing,” he said, adding that the surveys were a vital part of the investigation process. The Waiwera water and wastewater servicing project aims to increase capacity and ensure that the wastewater network keeps up with projected population growth in Waiwera, Hatfields Beach and surrounding suburbs. A new wastewater pump station will be constructed at the treatment plant on Weranui Road, west of the village, along with a rising and gravity main pipeline to transport wastewater to the Hatfields Beach pump station. From there it will be pumped to the wastewater treatment plant at Army Bay. Watercare also plans to build a new watermain, connecting into the existing Waiwera water reservoirs. “Once complete, this project will provide additional capacity ensuring that the water and wastewater network is able to keep up with population growth,” Lagadec said. People in the area may see contractors hand digging and using vacuum trucks, drilling rigs used to collect core samples, as well as supporting vehicles. Although the investigations will cause some noise and traffic disruption, Watercare says it’s unlikely that access to private property will be needed. If required, however, it will contact property owners in advance to arrange a suitable day and time to carry out the work. The design stage of the project is expected to be finalised by August 2025, and construction completed in 2027.

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Local Board overhaul could reduce Coast representation

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s desire to overhaul local boards across the city could see the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board amalgamate with its Upper Harbour counterpart, an outcome some feel may dilute local representation for the Hibiscus Coast.

An Auckland Council meeting on December 14 heard several options put forward by council’s Joint Governance Working Party (JGWP), including one that would see the number of local boards reduced from the current 21 to 15. The option would affect those areas where more than one local board operates within the boundaries of a single council ward. Since the Hibiscus and Bays and Upper Harbour local board areas both fall within the Albany ward, the proposal if carried through would see the two local boards essentially merged into one. The same would apply to Devonport-Takapuna and Kaipātiki, among others. Council adopted a motion tasking the JGWP to continue developing a draft reorganisation plan, based on the 15 local board option versus the status quo. The reorganisation plan is a separate exercise to a parallel review of representation arrangements which the council is required by law to carry out for the 2025 elections. Mayor Brown has argued that fewer local

boards would enable staff and financial resources to be better spread across the city. Hibiscus and Bays Local Board chairman Gary Brown said the option under consideration would mean the newlook local board would have its base and meetings in Albany. This may discourage people from traveling to meetings to make presentations, he said – although presentations can be made virtually as well. (The local board has been meeting in Browns Bay since last August, following the closure of the Ōrewa Service Centre on Centreway Road. The planned refurbishment of the Ōrewa library is intended to include a space for its meetings, which would enable the board to meet alternately in Browns Bay and Ōrewa.) The amalgamation proposal would also have an impact on representation, Brown said. A new combined board would have 12 members, six from Upper Harbour and six from Hibiscus and Bays. Of the latter, three would be from the Hibiscus Coast and three from East Coast Bays. In contrast, the current local board comprises eight members, four representing the Coast and four representing the Bays. Brown wondered whether three board members would be enough to represent the Coast.

Mayor’s view of libraries rebuked By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.

Mayor Wayne Brown has suggested libraries are falling into disuse, comparing them to telephone boxes. Auckland Council’s latest quarterly performance report showed a number of areas where libraries were underperforming. Targets for the number of checked out books, website visits, library visits and memberships were unmet in the latest report. Some slow months are being cited as to why council fell short of those targets, but the report was optimistic that libraries are recovering after Covid-19 lockdowns. At council’s Governing Body meeting on December 14, Mayor Brown used the unmet targets to say libraries were being used less and less. “We cane ourselves for the public trends that are happening but basically libraries are becoming less important than they

used to be,” he said. He suggested adjusting the targets to match with expectations. “It’s the public’s right to have a trend. They don’t use post boxes or telephone boxes as much; they don’t use libraries as much.” Council’s customer and community services director, Claudia Wyss, was quick to correct the Mayor, explaining that library visits have been growing, despite not meeting the targets. “Library visits, year on year, have grown 17 percent, active members have grown nine percent, new registrations have grown 19 percent and e-issues have grown 37 percent,” Wyss said. The targets were set as a part of council’s last Long-Term Plan and Wyss said council was unable to predict the lockdowns from Covid-19. “We are actually seeing a stronger rebound than even we had anticipated.” Chief executive Phil Wilson recommended a refresh of targets in council’s next LongTerm Plan.

As part of the proposed restructuring, the mayor is keen on giving local boards more money and more powers. Gary Brown wondered how that would be managed, if boards have fewer members. At workshops he has attended on the reorganisation proposals, Brown said it’s been suggested that local board posts could become full-time.

Currently only the chair holds a fulltime, paid position. Brown said many people are now able to fit being a local board member alongside their other jobs. He argued that making all posts full-time could negatively affect the diversity of representation.

Council spokesperson Jo Davidson said engagement with stakeholders on the impacts of the potential changes will begin in mid-February. The JGWP will report back to the governing body in May, “for a decision on whether to proceed with formal consultation on local board reorganisation or to remain with the status quo”. The separate representation review will proceed regardless of a decision on the reorganisation plan, she said. Council expects consultation on both processes to take place by mid-year, so that any changes decided upon can be implemented in time for the 2025 election.

The Hibiscus and Bays local board area stretches from Waiwera to Campbells Bay, and across the Whangaparāoa peninsula out to Tiritiri Matangi island. The Upper Harbour local board area includes Whenuapai, Herald Island and Hobsonville and West Harbour in the west, and Paremoremo, Greenhithe, Albany, Rosedale, Northcross, Unsworth and Pinehill in the east. In the 2018 census, the Hibiscus and Bays area population was 104,010 (representing 6.6 percent of the Auckland population), up 15.8 percent since the 2013 census. The Upper Harbour area population in 2018 was 62,841 (representing 4.0 percent of the Auckland population), up 17.1 percent since the 2013 census.

Will public have say on subdivision?

Auckland Council is expected to decide soon whether to publicly notify an application by the owners of the shuttered Gulf Harbour Country Club (GHCC) to have its boundaries changed. The application is a first step towards selling off almost half of the 89 hectare site. The application had been put on hold as further information was being sought from the applicant. On the last day of business, December 22, the spokesperson said the application was no longer on hold, but a decision would not be made before the New Year. In its application, Long River Investments said it wanted to subdivide in order to sell off the 42.2 percent of the golf course (37.52 ha) located north of Gulf Harbour Drive. It said the remainder would be used to redevelop the golf course in conjunction with an adjoining portion of land which it planned to buy. However, the owner of that land, Hopper Developments, denied any plans to sell it and was due to begin earthworks last week to develop the site into an 88-home subdivision. The shutdown of GHCC last July added fuel to long-held concerns by residents that its owners would seek a rezoning to enable residential development – despite a 999-year encumbrance protecting the open space. The lobby group Keep Whangaparāoa’s Green Spaces is spearheading a campaign designed to ensure that that does not happen.

AT seeks feedback for public transport study

The study that Auckland Transport (AT) commissioned into Whangaparaoa Peninsula’s public transport options has begun (HM December 11) and residents will be able to give their feedback in the coming months. In the meantime, AT has set up an email address, wpstudy@at.govt.nz, that can be used to provide comments on any aspect of public transport on the peninsula. AT is also keen to hear, via that address, from anyone who wants to be involved further as the study progresses. The study is focused on ferry and bus services and AT principal network planner, Dave Hilson, told the paper last week that providing a resilient public transport service is one of the key things being looked at. As details come to light around drop-in sessions and other feedback options for the study, they will be made public in this paper. AT will update the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board on the study, and respond to members’ feedback, at a workshop this week (on October 30, 10am). It is open to the public who can attend at the local board’s East Coast Bays office, Cnr Bute and, Glen Road, Browns Bay, or via via Microsoft Teams. For a link, email hibiscusandbayslocalboard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

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Viewpoint Jake Law, Hibiscus & Bays Local Board jake.law@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Changes could impact local voice Our public transport modes and opportunities are at risk, and we have heard overwhelmingly the need for a reliable and well managed Gulf Harbour ferry service to be retained and improved upon. This is vital considering the constraints of getting around the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, regardless of the opening of O Mahurangi Penlink. For Penlink to be opened without a bus station and turn around to bring rapid and frequent service would be a significant missed opportunity. I developed several recommendations regarding these Hibiscus Coast public transport needs, and now that these have been approved by the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board, they need to be repeated time and time again to Auckland Transport to ensure they know we are united and serious about what is required for a successful public transport network on the Hibiscus Coast. You may know that a proposal has been brought forward to change local representation (see story p4). The proposal to combine our local board with the Upper Harbour Local Board will be going out for consultation in the coming months and will then be voted upon by Auckland Council’s governing body. If it is adopted, this change may result in decreased governance costs and improved efficiency for council staff, however I am more concerned that it could lead to a loss in our local voice which at times already feels disempowered. We cannot be sure that strong local advocacy will remain for projects and opportunities that will ensure the Hibiscus Coast continues to be

an amazing place to live. There are those who have questioned the relevancy of local boards, and some areas which may have seen falling engagement with local governance, but I am satisfied that this is not the case on the Hibiscus Coast, as several key issues have been keeping our steadfast community engaged with Council’s decision making and consultation structure. While it’s important to know that many decisions are not made by the local board, our ability to influence change and deliver improvements is often held in advocacy, representation, and relationships. Having elected members who understand Council’s complex system is key, but the ability to forge positive relationships that can open doors and opportunities for our community is paramount now and will be essential in the coming years. It’s been just over a year since I was first elected to the local board, and it has been a privilege to meet so many amazing community groups, dedicated residents and volunteers who are all tirelessly ensuring that the Hibiscus Coast is the best place to live in Auckland. I am proud of standing for a community which deserves active and dedicated community representatives, who understand the unique needs of our coastal community, are prepared to listen, and to bring your voice to the table. I hope you had a safe and enjoyable start to the New Year, and I look forward to what this year may bring.

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YourOpinion

Briggs honoured in NY list

Contributions to this page are welcome but letters under 250 words are preferred. We reserve the right to abridge as necessary. Unabridged versions can be read at www.localmatters.co.nz/opinion Letters should be sent to terry@ localmatters.co.nz or 21 Florence Ave, Ōrewa 0931. Note: We do not publish abusive or unsigned letters.

Golf course needed

A recent letter with the above heading promoting that Gulf Harbour golf course be turned into a regional park (HM December 11) contained a number of inaccuracies. The purchase price in July 2021 is not publicly known; the price referred to of $12.8 million relates to a purchase in 2016. Golf participation is far from declining; the world golf governing body recently released new global golf participation figures which reflect a 15 percent increase since 2020. In New Zealand it has the highest participation rate of any sport. The letter made reference to alternatives at Wainui and Whangaparāoa Golf Clubs. Wainui is virtually at capacity and may soon be closed to new members and Whangaparāoa has significant drainage issues resulting in limited access at times. There is a misconception amongst some that golf is an elitist sport; this is far from true. Research has found that golf is a source of inspiration for enjoyment, social connection and wellbeing with many health benefits. The Gulf Harbour golf course provided local employment and many benefits that flowed into the local economy. In the Queenstown region, golf tourism is huge to the local economy. Auckland and Northland have the potential to replicate

this. However, to permanently lose the Gulf Harbour golf course would be a travesty. It would also be an indictment on Auckland Council should a developer with a very dubious record be allowed to change the zoning of the golf course when there are parties interested in purchasing the property and continuing to operate it as a golf course. Colin Wells, Ōrewa (abridged) Golf Vacations NZ Ltd

Inspiring park idea

The letter in your recent paper (HM December 11) about the potential for Gulf Harbour Country Club to become a public park was inspiring. There is so much potential there – we could bring back the summer evening concerts on the 16th fairway, create gardens and wild places so that nature can thrive and walkways to showcase the beautiful coastline. Perhaps a café or wedding venue? The possible future development of that course cannot happen while the covenant is in place, but as a private golf course it has limited potential for the general public to go there and grow to love and value it. The fear of increased traffic, should it ever be developed, is real, but surely it would be a win/win solution to let a little of the land go for housing, and the rest become a park, as the letter writer suggested? Andrea Walker, Army Bay

Sunflowers came early to Red Beach school – normally February is peak blooming time for these big-faced beauties, but Room 5, a Year 1 class, had other ideas. At the end of last term, there were blooms at the school, and in the classroom. Room 5 teacher Rachel Capizzi said her students had been learning about plants and looking at sunflowers. This included planting some at the school. Room 5 also did some sunflower writing and looked at the artist Vincent van Gogh, using his famous painting as inspiration for their own sunflower art.

Child Cancer Foundation chief executive Monica Briggs of Ōrewa was named in the 2024 New Year Honours list for services to women and governance.

Monica, who was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, has contributed for more than 20 years to the health and charity sectors focused on social justice and women’s empowerment. Prior to taking the helm at the Child Cancer Foundation, she served as head of the Centre for Social Impact from 2018 to 2021, and was chief executive of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) Auckland from 2012 to 2018. Child Cancer Foundation board chair Dennis Turton expressed the organisation’s delight. “Monica’s strategic and empathetic leadership along with her courageous growth mindset has been significant in advancing Child Cancer Foundation’s ability to walk alongside and support Kiwi families impacted by childhood cancer,” he said. “She is wholeheartedly deserving of this prestigious honour.” At the foundation, Monica has been advocating for, and supporting whānau advocating in favour of, retaining a unique Pharmac funding exception for paediatric cancer treatments. A current rule, which means that any medicine used to treat paediatric cancer is automatically funded

without a Pharmac assessment, is under review, and the foundation is concerned that if changes are made, new medicines may not be funded. During her tenure at the YWCA, Monica re-established a mentoring programme for young women from low-decile schools in Auckland to improve their confidence and provide guidance on education and careers. In 2014, she led the establishment of New Zealand’s Equal Pay Awards, a campaign to discuss the issue of pay equity in the public domain. Monica also created brand ambassadors to encourage big companies to examine pay equity, leading to the creation of government gender pay gap reduction initiatives, Mind the Gap and Gender Tick. She serves on the AUT Business School Industry Advisory Group and is a board member of the Grief Centre.

Half a century of tireless voluntary work in Pūhoi was recognised in the recent New Year Honours list when Jenny Schollum was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for services to the community and heritage preservation. Jenny has been involved with the Pūhoi Historical Society (now the Pūhoi Heritage Museum) since 1985 – as past president and secretary, and currently treasurer, historian, museum coordinator, archivist and newsletter editor. Up to four days a week she can be found volunteering at the museum, helping families to trace their ancestry – including descendants of the Bohemian settlers who came to Pūhoi in 1863. A Pūhoi local for much of her life, she founded and has led the Pūhoi Bohemian Dance Group since 1987, and was involved a decade ago in organising 150th anniversary celebrations of the settlers’ arrival in New Zealand. Jenny was secretary of the Pūhoi Public

Cemetery from 1986 to 2004 and has been treasurer of the Pūhoi Community Forum since 2014. Other voluntary contributions included leadership positions on the Pūhoi Centennial Hall Committee and helping to organise ANZAC Day commemorations. In 2005 she received a Rodney District Council community award recognising her contributions. The Queen’s Service Medal and Queen’s Service Order retain those names, although new names for the honours will likely come into effect with the King’s Birthday in 2024.

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Michelle Kerr of Red Beach has begun her big walk fundraiser for a cancer charity, after an earlier raffle campaign netted almost half of the $11,000 goal she hopes to achieve by the end of her adventure.

On January 12, Michelle set out from Bluff towards Invercargill on her northbound trek to the Marlborough Sounds, a 1300 km walk along the South Island leg of the Te Araroa trail. She expects it to take six to eight weeks to knock off.

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In preparation, she has sent resupply packs and spare walking shoes to stops along the way. “I’m most looking forward to finally just starting – and to meeting people along the track,” she said last week. “Biggest concern? Probably the rain and the mud.” At the age of 11, Michelle lost her mum to multiple myeloma (see HM, December 11). With that tender age in mind, she hopes to raise at least $11,000 for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBCNZ), which supports blood and bone cancer patients and families. Shortly before Christmas, local Phillippa Simpson was the lucky winner of a raffle Michelle had been promoting around the

Michelle Kerr

Coast – a hamper of goodies and vouchers donated by area businesses, valued at more than $1300. As she undertakes the walk, Michelle is inviting support on her LBCNZ fundraising page: https://lbc-community-fundraising.raisely. com/michelle-kerr She will also be providing updates on her walk on her Facebook page: “Mishy’s Long Walk - Te Araroa”.

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January 15, 2024 | Hibiscusmatters |

Mandie and Scott Greer

The Fat Oyster Bar & Eatery

hen it comes to hospitality, Mandie and Scott Greer have impressive resumes, working front of house and as head chef in high-end restaurants in Italy, England, and NZ over more than three decades. The Stanmore Bay couple have now launched their own venture, a restaurant quickly making its mark on Ōrewa’s popular promenade. Since opening, The Fat Oyster is attracting customers of all ages keen to sample a menu that champions oysters but also much more. Some have already become regulars. Since moving to the Coast three years ago, Scott and Mandie had struggled to find the kind of eatery they would enjoy visiting on rare nights out. Now they’ve created that themselves: a casual, beachy vibe, elegant food and drink offerings – and an oversized bar.

“We went for a large bar because we want people to be able to dine around it,” says Scott. “You can sit around the bar, enjoy some oysters, a cocktail, chat to the barman – even if you come in alone. No-one seems to offer that around here.” During the four-week fit-out, they intentionally interacted with the community, not boarding up the premises but inviting curious passersby to pop their heads in. Mandie’s previous job was at a 200-seater establishment on Auckland’s waterfront. “That was a walk in the park,” she laughs. “This one terrifies me, because it’s so little. We want everything to be perfect.” “We’ve done high-end all of our lives. It’s time for us to do what we want now – and we’re having fun!” Scott says special events such as oyster nights are planned. “We’re only just getting started.”

SkinSafe

hree doctors from Silverdale Medical have branched out to focus on skin cancer services, opening a purpose-built clinic, called SkinSafe, in Florence Ave, Ōrewa. Dr Dave Hassan, Dr Martin Denby and Dr Warren Groarke are the principal partners in SkinSafe. All three are GPs who have expert training in skin cancer and are members of the NZ Skin Cancer Doctors. Visiting specialists and surgeons will also provide services. Dr Hassan says skin cancer diagnosis and treatment can be a big part of GP work. “We were all doing it every day for years at Silverdale and Weiti Creek, so we decided to join forces and provide a convenient, one-stop clinic,” he says. The new clinic, which has three operating theatres, covers all the bases – from detailed, head-to-toe skin checks with

Dr Dave Hassan

equipment that can see through layers of skin, to surgical removal of skin cancers, lesions and moles. There is space to hold educational events too. This area has a very high rate of skin cancer and Dr Hassan says annual checks are becoming the norm, especially for those over 40 years of age or at higher risk because of a lot of sun exposure, fair skin type, or family history. Regular imaging of your skin helps because 75 percent of melanomas come from new, not existing, moles. Early detection is critical, before cancer can reach “the main highway” of your body and potentially spread. Finding melanomas is therefore a key part of what the doctors do. “We are melanoma hunters, and it’s very satisfying when you pick one up,” Dr Hassan says.

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A 25-year-old toilet block at the northern end of Ōrewa Reserve, near the main playground, is to be demolished and replaced because of its poor condition. In a presentation to the local board last month, Auckland Council’s area operations Hibiscus and Bays and Upper Harbour acting manager, Sandra May, said it had been repainted twice and had maintenance work done, but it was a losing battle. The roof leaks and the block has been closed many times due to vandalism or faults in the last few years, May said. It has now been assessed by Council as ‘beyond repair’. Replacing the toilet comes in at an estimated cost of $330,000. The new toilet block will consist of two changing rooms, one standard unisex toilet and one accessible unisex toilet. The unit will include an exterior water fountain with dog bowl as well as external shower and foot wash. Because of its proximity to the beach, the unit is a prefabricated one, bolted to the concrete foundation and can be relocated if needed due to ongoing erosion of the foreshore.

Bring, share, swap at community Crop Swap

A chance to swap your homegrown produce with other local growers began quietly last year but will have a regular monthly slot in 2024 that could see it grow. The swap is for all things garden related – plants, seeds, produce, preserves and so on. Co-organiser, Sarah Williams, says it is quite informal and friendly – a chance to meet like-minded growers and swap what you have surplus of, for other things you may need. Everything is put out to swap and there is time to chat and look at what everyone has bought and take whatever items you like. “It has proved to be a chance to share knowledge about what grows well locally, and create resilience around food supply,” Sarah says. “It means that every backyard gardener doesn’t need to grow a wide variety – they know they’ll be able to swap to fill in any gaps.” Anything left over will be donated to the local foodbank. Garden tools, and tools to make re-use, repair and repurposing easier, are also welcome. Some examples are items to help with sustainability, such as a sourdough starter or worm farm. The Crop and Tool Swap is on the last Saturday of every month (next one is February 24) at Ōrewa Community Garden, 216 Hibiscus Coast Highway (on the corner of Centreway Road and the highway, opposite Ōrewa camp ground), 9.30am-11am.

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Helen Shale

Tempo

n the surface, Helen Shale was a busy professional and high achiever. But she says underneath, unresolved issues led to chronic, long term stress and major health challenges. “I got into a pretty dark place,” she says. Once she acknowledged the problem, and sought professional help, not only was she happier, but her life changed in ways she could not have imagined. Hypnotherapy and counselling taught her skills that she feels everyone should know, and be able to apply to their own lives – and she decided to share that knowledge. After three years of training, the Tindalls Bay resident obtained a Diploma in Clinical and Advanced Hypnotherapy from the NZ School of Hypnotherapy, and also became a Master Life & Advanced Neurolinguistic Programming coach. She has been using those skills to work with

Increasing density continues to change the face of residential Ōrewa. This property, top, in Moenui Ave could be transformed into seven terraced houses, above, if resource consent is approved.

people for several months and the results encouraged her to start her own clinic. “Seeing the changes in people is so humbling,” she says. “Hypnotherapy is a remarkably quick way to get to the heart of an issue, safely, by tapping into the subconscious mind.” She says this can resolve mental, emotional and even physical challenges that may originate from past experiences. It is especially effective for treating anxiety and stress and the lasting effects of trauma, as well as phobias, pain management and helping with weight loss or habits like smoking. “However you feel, no-one is broken,” Helen says. “I know from personal experience, and from helping others, that things that happened in the past do not define who we are or what we are capable of. Hypnotherapy is a very effective way to heal and move on to enjoy life to the full.”

Seven townhouses proposed for central Ōrewa site A proposal to replace a single residential dwelling at 8 Moenui Ave, Ōrewa with seven, three-storey terraced houses is being considered for resource consent by Auckland Council.

An independent commissioner decided last November that the consent application would not be notified. The 1156sqm site is in the Residential – Terraced Housing and Apartment Building zone, which enables high density. The application notes that this form of development “is likely to result in a change from suburban to urban built form over time” – changes that have already begun on a number of sites around Ōrewa town centre. Like much of Ōrewa on the flat, the land

is on a flood plain and overland flow path, with the plans showing how that has been factored in, including placing the floor level above the anticipated flood level. Each unit will have a two car garage. The application notes that shading and dominance over nearby properties will be different from what currently exists, but that the three-storey complex will provide less of those issues “than is typically expected”. The resource consent is being considered by an independent commissioner, and Council hopes to release a decision early in the New Year. Property owner Eight Moenui Limited, sole director William Hewitt of Ōrewa, was contacted for comment.

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Small cup – big change Along with the standard New Year’s resolutions, often come thoughts about what we could do to leave our planet a little better off and I’m here to tell you that it could be as simple as changing your takeaway coffee habits. The Packaging Forum estimates that, in New Zealand, 295 million beverage cups end up in landfills yearly, roughly equating to every adult in the country throwing away a single-use cup every five days. Something completely and easily avoidable that we could change instantly. Sure there are much bigger fish to fry, but every person has a role to play and just because some have more to tackle than others, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do what we can. A quote I go back to when looking to put things in perspective is ‘You can’t do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good you can do.’ Getting a $6.50 reusable coffee cup from The Warehouse and keeping it handy in the car is something most of us can do. ‘But my local has switched to compostable cups,’ is something I hear a lot and unfortunately, while that is a small step in the right direction, it is far from being a sustainable solution to our wasteful habits. For starters, compostable cups still use a lot of resources, usually made of paper and bioplastic as a liner so that they can hold liquid. Those are all resources that need growing, harvesting, manufacturing, packaging and shipping, all to only be used once and then thrown away. Which brings us to the composting part. There is no current New Zealand certification standard for industrially compostable products and the difference between a product being

MP for Whangaparāoa

For appointments and assistance please get in touch. 7 Tamariki Avenue, Orewa 09 426 6215 mark.mitchellmp@parliament.govt.nz

industrially or commercially compostable and home compostable is very important. Most “compostable” coffee cups don’t have a hope of breaking down in our backyard compost – they need temperatures of 55°C or higher, as well as the right balance of oxygen and microbiology which are not found in landfills. So unless the compostable coffee cups end up in commercial compost collection bins, they are like any other piece of rubbish buried in our landfills. The good news is that the best solution is something simple that already exists. Imagine you usually buy two coffees a week but you switch to a reusable coffee cup instead. Two times a week multiplied by 52 weeks a year, multiplied by say an office of 30 people is 3120 single-use items that have not ended up in landfill because of one simple action in one workplace. Many cafés are jumping on board and providing solutions, like UYO.co.nz where you can search for cafes that offer mug libraries (like Drifter Café in Ōrewa) and cafés that use systems like Againagain where you can loan and return cups to other participating cafés. Every small thing adds up and the collective impact of changing our individual behaviours drives demand and wider change.

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Estefania (Stef ) Muller Pallarès joins our Environment columnists. She is a proud Coastie. Adventuring in Shakespear Park, and climbing trees at local beaches after school are not only some of her fondest memories, but perhaps what shaped her passion for making sure that future generations can experience nature the way she was able to. As a teenager, she bought second-hand clothes and up-cycled and sold them at markets, and at university, she convinced her flat to keep a worm farm and volunteered at tree plantings. “My family instilled in me the value of looking after our earth and living our values to the best of our abilities,” Stef says. “My interests at times felt different to those around me but I cherished it.”

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Waiwera dotterels beat the odds A group of conservationists from around the Coast have come together to protect nesting NZ dotterels on Waiwera beach.

Although there have been dotterels on the beach for years, and people have watched over them, the minders group was only recently formed, after a cat took one of the precious chicks. In previous years, breeding success has been poor and only one chick fledged in the 2022/23 season. The new minders group hopes to change all that, and so far is having notable success. Kate Harland lives opposite the beach. She says looking after the rare birds is a real community effort that includes students from Riverhead School where she works, making signs to alert the public. Restore Hibiscus & Bays, and DOC also assist by trapping stoats, rats and possums. There are more than 27 volunteers on the Waiwera Dotterel Minders facebook page. Until the chicks fledge, their work includes two overnight shifts, dusk-2am, and 2amdawn, chasing domestic cats away. They have also fenced off the nesting areas, put up signs, and raise the nests when storms or high tides approach. This season, their hard work has been rewarded with an initial five chicks hatched by three breeding pairs – which is more than other local dotterels, at Manly/ Tindalls and Shakespear Regional Park, have managed this season. It hasn’t been easy though – two of the Waiwera pairs had two goes at nesting, and the other is on its third nest. Three chicks died – two possibly from gull predation or natural causes. The other was killed by a cat on its first night after hatching. That is what spurred Alistair Owens, of

Waiwera’s dotterels Photos, Alistair Owens. Waiwera dotterel minders, from left, Danny Battershill, Kate Harland and Alistair Owens. Signs were made by Riverhead School students.

Hatfields Beach, to start a more official Dotterel Minders Group, connecting with others with the assistance of Auckland Council. He says only managed populations of dotterels result in breeding success high enough to sustain a population. A minimum average of 0.5 chicks per year, per breeding pair, for three years is required to sustain a population. The NZ national average for managed sites is 0.6 and unmanaged sites 0.23. “Conservation is about building community – you can’t have one without the other,” Alistair says. It is largely an educative process. The beach is a dog-free area, but there is not 100 percent compliance and dogs are a big threat to the breeding birds. Cats from nearby homes are also a big concern. Alistair says the next step is that it’s time for a cat strategy – “in a country where the wildlife is birds, it’s long overdue,” he says.

Alistair reports that the two surviving chicks are doing well, and another two hatched last week. With four chicks to care for, the group is seeking more volunteers to watch the birds at night (11pm-5am) and keep cats away. Training will be given. If interested, message Alistair Owens via the group’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/ groups/221446177617768

Long wait for dotterel hatch

The Manly/Tindalls dotterel volunteers are watching closely with their fingers crossed to see if the one egg that has resulted from this season’s activities will hatch. The group expected the chick to hatch around Christmas, but Jenny Hanwell of Forest and Bird says although that didn’t happen, the fact that the birds continue to sit on and defend the egg is a positive sign. “They may know something we don’t and if it isn’t viable they would likely have abandoned it,” she says. She says support for the dotterels continues to grow, and most beach users are very respectful of the signs and give the birds some space. “Unfortunately someone has been seen driving a ute on the beach recently and also letting their dog get far too close,” she says. Volunteers are also reminding people that when the birds run up to them they aren’t being “friendly”, they are trying to tell them to keep away from the nest. This will increase if and when the egg hatches as they use a “broken wing” decoy behaviour to distract from chicks.

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Principal Pierce talks after sudden resignation The news that Ōrewa College principal Gregory Pierce had resigned, after just three years in the job, came as a bombshell to the college and its community.

He had accepted a job as Executive Principal at Brisbane State High School. Reactions to the news, when it went on Hibiscus Matters website and Facebook pages last month, were mixed with many positive supportive comments about his time in the role and others, considerably less so. Pierce took over from long-time principal Kate Shevland at the start of 2021 and a turbulent time lay ahead. The period included two years of Covid-19 disruptions, teacher strikes and significant floods, as well as a major curriculum “refresh” related to changes in NCEA standards. Pierce says the school has not yet been able to move on from the impact of Covid-19 lockdowns on student learning and social interaction. “All my colleagues comment on dealing with higher levels of anxiety among students, and parents,” he says. “We will still see those consequences in the next year to 18 months.” He says at a recent end of year school assembly he spoke about disruptions worldwide – including, for some nations, political unrest, and war. “I said in light of all that, we need to take the undoubted difficulties we face on the chin and move forward.” But he admits, this has been easier said, then done. “I believe we responded to the various events by supporting students, families and communities as best we could with the resources we had,” he says. “But now it’s time for a new normal, with no excuses and the need to take personal

Outgoing Ōrewa College principal Gregory Pierce says he leaves the college in good shape for the future, although his tenure was short.

responsibility when you make a mistake.” Although not a fan of some of the new government’s stated policies around education, he supports National’s promise to be ‘tough on crime’. The college re-assessed its discipline processes in the middle of last year, and although Pierce says few actual changes were made to things like the criteria for standing down a student (enforced leave from school for a certain period), there was clarity given to the school community that discipline was a focus and things would be ‘firming up’. “We also had to clarify rules to help us deal with more recent issues, such as vaping in the toilets and inappropriate use of digital devices,” he says. How the school handled incidents of bullying angered some parents, who expressed concerns about this to the school and on social media. “Our stance on how we handle bullying, when we are aware it is occurring, has been consistent,” Pierce says. “Sometimes we

get the information retrospectively, but we follow up every incident of that behaviour that is brought to our attention or observed by staff in classrooms or around the school at break times.” He says that the heightened level of anxiety in the community after Covid-19 came to the fore when disciplining students. “When someone’s son or daughter was stood down, or disciplined, the automatic response of the parent/caregiver was to demand a close look at the circumstances, evidence and school processes, rather than start by acknowledging that the student had got something wrong,” he says. “Young people have been getting things wrong forever, but the levels of accountability have changed, in my view.”

Things that would have been considered minor, pre-Covid, were elevated to crisis level, in some cases. He says at times, parents’ reactions were “disproportionate”. “Things that would have been considered minor, pre-Covid, were elevated to crisis level, in some cases,” he says. At the same time, Pierce acknowledges that the disruptions to education caused by the flooding, strikes and the pandemic also meant that if a student was stood down or suspended, it created another level of distress for those involved: more time off school, parents unsure what to do if their child had to be at home while they were working. The school has nearly 2000 students. There were six suspensions last year and

Pierce says that is considerably fewer than previous years; the number of detentions has also fallen. There were 27 stand-downs per term last year, which Pierce says is consistent with other years (average of 2025 per term in the last four years). He says the reduction in suspensions is, in part, due to the school’s Manaaki 4-Step programme which involves students ‘selfreflecting’ when they get things wrong. Among the positives achieved during his tenure, Pierce points to keeping the school fully staffed throughout all the employment market ups and downs, and a growing focus on increasing ‘student agency, accountability and engagement’ with their learning. The school is working with Auckland University on staff professional development to assist with that. He is proud of the school’s strengths in areas such as sport, music, the performing arts and the Duke of Edinburgh outdoor programme. “Overall, I am pleased with the progress that the college has made in the challenging environment of the last few years, and it’s in a good position for the new principal to take forward,” he says. At the age of 60, he says the job at Brisbane State High School was too good to miss. “My wife and I had talked about finishing my career in an international environment and this was the opportunity of a lifetime.” Pierce says he would have liked to give more notice, but it came down to the timing of when his new employer needed him to start work. He will have relocated to Brisbane by the middle of this month. Associate Principal, Anna Kenny, will be Acting Principal for Term 1, 2024 while the Board of Trustees goes through the recruitment process.

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Free help with digital devices If you are aged 65 or over and there’s something about your phone, tablet or laptop that you just don’t understand, a new free service that arrived on the Coast last month could help.

Citizens Advice Hibiscus Coast (CAB) has teamed up with Digital Seniors to bring their drop-in, one-on-one digital help hub to Whangaparāoa Library. The first session, on December 13, saw half a dozen older people get help with their devices from a Digital Senior coach. Digital Seniors is a charity launched by former Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern in 2018, initially in the Wairarapa. A year ago, it began operating six hubs on the North Shore and now Whangaparāoa. It is hoped that sessions will be offered in Ōrewa next, once a suitable location is found. The aim is to support those aged 65 and over so they can be comfortable using technology.

Funding comes through grants, and sponsors such as Chorus. Community service lead, Madeline Ball, 25, says it’s important to realise that Digital Seniors coaches are not experts, but they are passionate about technology, helping people and problem solving.

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With her background in visual effects and 3D animation, Madeline says she understands how daunting getting to grips with technology can be. “I have to constantly upgrade and learn new software, so it does affect the younger generation too, in that sense. We have to keep up as things move so quickly, and learn all the time.” She says a huge range of questions are brought to the coaches, including deleting photos, emailing and messaging. “It all comes back to wanting to use the

Peter Hobday, left with Eloise Thorne of Digital Seniors

device for connection with others – so a lot of questions around that,” she says. Fears around scams are also prevalent and Madeline says Digital Seniors may make

regular presentations on that topic in future. Tanya Gouws of CAB says if a query a client brings to Digital Seniors requires more advice or support than they can offer, CAB is on hand to assist. In the New Year Tanya hopes to get Age Concern Rodney involved, but those details are still being discussed. The next CAB and Digital Seniors dropin session is on Wednesday, February 7 at Whangaparāoa Library, 10am-12 noon. After that, it will be held every two weeks on Wednesdays at the same time. Bookings are not necessary.

Small acts of kindness connect Ōrewa students Soft toys designed and created by Ōrewa College students have brought smiles to the faces of displaced children in war-torn Syria. In what began as a fun elective project, Ōrewa College year eight students made soft toys based on drawings by children at neighbouring Ōrewa Beach Kindergarten, inspired by their term reading book, The Colour Monster (HM October 16). “The kindy kids drew fabulous monsters, and my students brought those creations to life by crafting soft toys based on their designs,” said Year 8 teacher Gail Boshard. But then the initiative took a global turn, when New Zealand aid agency ReliefAid offered to facilitate the distribution of the toys to war-ravaged regions. They were initially bound for Ukraine,

but due to practical safety issues they then travelled with ReliefAid founder and chief executive Mike Seawright to Syria, which has been wracked by civil war since 2011. There, they found their new homes in a displacement camp, where children made homeless by the conflict have few, if any toys. “While this may not be our usual form of aid, we recognised the value of assisting this lovely connection,” Mike said.

the students were able to take part in such a positive project. “While education is a prominent discourse in New Zealand, connecting with children in Syria serves as a poignant reminder of the freedom and nurturing environment we are fortunate to provide in our country,” she said.

“I was thrilled to learn that Mike and his team at ReliefAid successfully delivered our softies to a Syrian displacement camp, a place these children now call ‘home’. The pictures we received were both heartwarming and sobering for our students,” Gail said.

ReliefAid teams have been working in Syria, Ukraine, Gaza and earthquake-hit western Afghanistan. Mike emphasised the gravity of the global refugee crisis, with more than 100 million people displaced due to conflict, and said it was important not to forget overlooked conflicts and those affected by them.

Ōrewa College acting principal Anna Kenny said it was “truly wonderful” that

To contribute to ReliefAid’s humanitarian efforts: www.reliefaid.org.nz/donate-now/

Ōrewa College students with their softie creations. From left back row: Emma, Libby, Aria; and from left front row: Sanjana, Monique, Alina and Zoe.

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Teachers to remember Teachers have shaped the person I am today. Of course, my parents and grandparents played a huge role in developing the moral grounding and the basic pillars of living a life. Riding a bicycle and my total disdain for lateness comes from my grandfather. My proclivity to listen and empathise comes from my grandmother. Patience and perseverance come from my mother. Navigating anger and my political acumen comes from my father. They were all my teachers but being my ancestors, it was their responsibility to teach and shape me so that I can steer through life. School teachers, tutors, professors, and lecturers are the strangers who choose it as their careers to shape and educate young minds. These people used their chisel and hammer to sculpt the human being that I am today from the basic mould that was created by my ancestors. My ancestors created the safe and reliable Toyota Corolla, but my teachers souped it up with the V8 engine, forced induction, and performance throttle. It was Sir Itrat (a ferocious nose picker) who made me realise that chemistry was a philosophy of the basic building blocks of our existence. Miss Diana taught mathematics as a toolkit for navigating life through logic and common sense. My favourite, Sir Hasan Akbar, unlocked classical literature in both Urdu and English as a vehicle to understand our collective past through fiction and poetry. Even though Sir Hasan was a teacher of literature, he unlocked the critical part of my brain which kickstarted the rebellion against the religious theocracy and foundation myths of

the nation state of Pakistan. It was the critical thinking instilled by Sir Hasan that made me make the decision to quit my well-paying marketing role of eight years and take up postgraduate degrees in Indigenous Studies. That decision opened me up to other teachers – not all of them taught me in the classroom, but through their collective works. Giants like Ranginui Walker, Moana Jackson, Tracey McIntosh, KK Aziz, Nadeem Farooq Paracha, Ayesha Jalal, Ilan Pappe, Ani Mikaere, Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Margaret Mutu, Vincent O’Malley, William Dalrymple, Rashid Khalidi, Linda Waimarie Nikora, and others now shape my thinking about New Zealand and the wider world that I come from. That is the legacy of Sir Hassan who continuously shapes who I am and how I think since 11th and 12th grade. Now you might not agree with the people I have mentioned above and the path I have taken, but the fact that I realise that there might be disagreement is directly linked to the teaching of Sir Hasan. The point I am trying to make here is that teachers are the most important contributors to formulating a young mind who grows up to be a building block of our society. Why then do we treat teachers as stepping stones for our children to just get a better job? Why do we reward them less than marketing executives and real estate agents? I love both, but you get my drift. With some exceptions, without teachers we are all just basic Toyota Corolla minds. Teachers, such as Sir Hasan, create the souped-up minds that drive the progress of our society. Who was your Sir Hasan?

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Steve sees the book as ‘a tribute to all the people who’ve contributed to my life’.

Leaving a lifelong legacy A retired school teacher and lifelong student of theology living in Red Beach has published a volume of poems reflecting his personal journey with family, friends, students and colleagues, but one which he also hopes may inspire a wider readership.

Steve Beguely’s Songs of the Beloved bundles together a range of topics and poetic forms, from sonnets dedicated to his newborn grandchildren to poems grappling with deep political and religious issues – including a subject of particular interest to him, the end times as envisaged in the Bible’s apocalyptic passages. The poems are drawn from a life of secondary school teaching, academic study, and personal and family challenges big and small. Steve traces a creative streak to his youth in Auckland, when he dabbled in watercolour. He remembers causing a stir among acquaintances by painting a portrait of Jimmy Hendrix surrounded by imagery relating to death – three months before the musician died, aged 27. As a young man he was heavily involved

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in karate, and at one stage helped to run a disco in South Auckland, designed to keep local kids off the streets. It was burnt down months later, presumably by gang members who had been denied entry.

Other memorable episodes from those years include working as a Red Cross volunteer during protests against the Springbok rugby tour, including the infamous ‘flour bomb test’ at Eden Park in 1981. After Steve embraced the Christian faith in 1980, he felt the urge to write, and poetry came naturally. His career as a geography and social studies teacher took him to several schools, including Auckland Grammar and St Peter’s College, before he accepted a post in 1997 at Rutherford College in Te Atatu. He eventually became head of the social science faculty, retiring in 2014. Along the way he authored several school textbooks, and he and his wife Sue both completed honours degrees in biblical theology at the Bible College of New Zealand. Getting his poems published now was

driven by a desire “to leave a legacy for the family, mainly of all the things I’d written for them, but also for friends, past students and teachers I had associations with, some of whom have been ‘immortalised’ in verse”. “In a way, it’s a tribute to all the people who’ve contributed to my life – family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances.” Moving from the city to the Coast seven years ago was a return of sorts: He recalls family holidays at a bach in Ōrewa in the late 1950s and early 1960s, comprising swimming, roller skating, open-air film shows, and watching stunning sunsets – his

“first real spiritual experience”, convincing him, aged seven, “that God must exist”. Fittingly, the author of school textbooks on coastal geography has retired to a home overlooking the ocean. He enjoys sitting, taking in the view, including on one special occasion the sight of a visiting pod of dolphins. “The very first morning we were here, there was a golden sunrise, and bathing in this golden light was a three-masted sailing ship [the Spirit of Adventure Trust’s barquentine],” he recalls. “It was such a blessing. Wonderful, I thought. This is where we need to be.”

WIN THIS BOOK

Hibiscus Matters has two copies of Songs of the Beloved to give away. To go into the draw, ‘like’ Hibiscus Matters on Facebook and message us your name and phone number with Songs of the Beloved in the message. Alternatively, write your name, address and daytime phone number on the back of an envelope and post or drop into Songs of the Beloved giveaway, Hibiscus Matters, 21 Florence Ave, Ōrewa. Entries close on Friday, February 2. Songs of the Beloved (Wipf and Stock/Resource Publications) is available in hardback, soft cover and e-version at online booksellers and through Mighty Ape and Fishpond. • Songs of the Beloved (Wipf and Stock/Resource Publications) is available in hardback, soft cover and e-version at online booksellers and through Mighty Ape and Fishpond.

Time running out for Stroke Club The Rodney Stroke Club is still hunting for one or more volunteer coordinators, amid growing concerns that it may have to shut down after almost 40 years of weekly gettogethers that enrich the lives of stroke survivors. Gaye Miller and Lillian Carde, both in their late 70s, have been sharing the role for the past 15 years, but now need to step aside (HM December 11, 2023). For many attendees, the Friday gatherings at the Red Beach Methodist Church hall provide fun and friendship they would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. The group will resume meetings at 9.30 on February 2, but the future looks increasingly uncertain. Closing down would be “heartbreaking for our members”, Gaye says. Info: contact Gaye on 021-410462 or Lillian on 021-2687606

January 15, 2024 | Hibiscusmatters |

Local schools face government changes Changes in our schools, initiated by the National-led government, take effect in terms one and two.

Education Minister Erica Stanford announced last month that students would be banned from having cellphones at school from Term 2, although the government expects most schools to do it in the first term. Each school can decide how to apply the policy. Schools have also been directed to implement National’s policy of delivering at least one hour per day of maths, reading and writing, in Primary and Intermediate schools, from the first term. Both policies were part of National’s campaign manifesto and in its 100-day plan. Hibiscus Matters asked local principals for their comments, and things quickly got political. Stanmore Bay principal, Matt Sides said the government needs to support the Ministry of Education in having the learner at the centre of all decisions and continue to progress equity and excellence for all learners. “With the political direction being rearranged from the previous six years, one would hope that the professionals (principals and teachers) are consulted before directives or initiatives are launched,” he said. “Too often, decisions are made without the child at the centre nor nationwide collective expertise gained. No one wants politicians putting their finger in the wind to guess what they’re directing next.” He says post the Covid-19 pandemic, Stanmore Bay School has invested in an hour of reading, writing and mathematics anyway. “Our assessment trends in those core subjects had dropped due to the inability to effectively teach those skills while everyone was in isolation,” he said. “Are we nervous about an hour of reading, writing and mathematics per day? No – we have been doing so since our return to full time,

uninterrupted schooling post Covid-19 and alert levels. Trust the professionals rather than what a stopwatch will say at the end of a week. While we focus on these subjects, we are also integrating them through other curriculum areas. All curriculums have a time and place at Stanmore Bay School.” Head of Wentworth College, Philip Lee, said the focus of education should be teaching and learning, especially in language, mathematics and science. Wentworth teaches the Cambridge curriculum, which Lee says emphasises academic learning to international standards by being taught and examined in 160 countries. He said the relationship teachers form with their students is also crucial. “Teachers must be mindful of their students’ emotional and learning needs and, similarly, convey information and skills to their students. One is not exclusive of the other. A teacher’s passion for and knowledge of their subject, as well as demonstrating a genuine interest in the young people before them, enables learning to happen,” he said. He said balance is crucial – between the well prepared teacher who informs students of content, alongside other less directed approaches of group work, discussions and seminars; the use of material like textbooks, and electronic modes of acquiring information, the written and oral word; and between learning in the classroom and activities such as sports, arts and culture. Whangaparāoa College principal, Steve McCracken, says the change in government will not bring significant changes at his school. “The need to improve literacy and numeracy and better outcomes is what Whangaparāoa College has focused on for nearly three years and [those basics] will continue to be a focus, particularly at the senior school with NCEA,” he said. “However, we will continue to review what we do in our junior

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school to ensure compliance, but more importantly, better long term outcomes for all learners,” he said. Before he left, outgoing Ōrewa College principal Gregory Pierce, said he agreed with the government that a more consistent and structured approach to literacy and numeracy in Years 1-8, would reap rewards for students. The incoming Common Practice Model, which all teachers have to adhere to, should support this. He said there need to be no more addons to the education system before 2027 because Auckland schools and students have experienced four years of disrupted learning, heightening anxiety and stress for students, parents and teachers. He said pastoral support resources need to be increased to meet the growing complex needs of students. The principals also reiterated the role of parents in their children’s education. McCracken said for learners to get the best possible outcomes, they need to be at school, on time, with the right equipment and the right attitude. “Our community needs to continue to support us with this, and ensure young people are at school and engaged in their learning.” Wentworth head of college, Lee, agreed, saying parents are pivotal to their child’s learning by ensuring their child attends school and that they are supported and held responsible for their commitment to studying. “Despite the crises we have faced over the last few years with Covid and natural disasters, parents must appreciate that their children cannot be successful in all things or happy at all times. In the development of a child, some monitored experiences of failure and difficulty, some discomfort and hardships are necessary pathways to building resilience. If we cocoon our children, we cannot expect them to prosper when we are not there to watch over them,” Lee said.

Cellphone changes ahead • Whangaparāoa College has tightened its cellphone use policy from Term 1. Its learners have previously been expected to only have their phones out when given permission by teachers. But from Term 1 they will not be allowed to use them during break times either. Their phones must be on silent and in their bags the entire day. “Our community can trust that we will look after their young people and not contact them during the school day,” principal Steve McCracken says. • Wentworth students are already not allowed to use devices during school time without permission. They can bring cellphones to and from school, especially since one third travel from outside the Coast, as before or after school hours, they may need to contact with their parents. Teachers may also allow students to use their phones for research in some lessons. However, they may not use phones or any electronic device at school without permission from a teacher. If a student breaks this rule, their phone is confiscated for the day, they have a detention and lose a House point. Parents of repeat offenders are contacted and that student does not bring their phone to school for a week or more. “This has seldom happened, as students know the rules,” Wentworth head of college, Philip Lee, said. • Outgoing Ōrewa College principal, Greg Pierce, said ongoing education about digital use, social media and vaping is essential as opposed to blanket bans. “Students need to learn to use their devices responsibility, and that is a joint parent/school responsibility with the edges around that again blurred by Covid,” he said.

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Business Phil Pickford,

phil.pickford@thinkdifferently.kiwi.nz

Education for better business I have been in business, and worked in businesses, both large and small, in New Zealand and abroad, for almost 50 years. In that time, and over those many and varied experiences, there has been one great insight that confronts me time and again – great managers and leaders are very rare! The truly great managers and leaders are those we don’t read about, those that have an incredibly unusual quality of mixing humility with drive and performance. They are motivated to achieve through others; the development and growth of people being their core purpose. They are not driven by ego. They make mistakes, are human and accept they don’t have all the answers. Research tells us that truly great managers are capable of triple the team productivity of average managers. Their teams are engaged and motivated. We need more of them, right now! Education is an area close to my heart, and helps produce great managers and leaders by growing and developing those skills. Education is needed in the art of reflection, to create awareness when there can be a gap between what someone says and what they do. And by ensuring managers are aware of the importance of principles – the basics of managing and leading people. Managers need to understand people. They need to pack their ego away and start listening. And I mean really listen – listen to understand others’ points of view and

opinions, that may be totally at odds with their own. They need to understand that the more complex the problem, the more people it will need to solve. They need to stop being the Lone Ranger and be Silver instead (Silver was the Lone Ranger’s horse – he was quiet, bore the weight, listened, was courageous, led, and ultimately made all the decisions whilst his rider, the Lone Ranger, took all the kudos!).

Managers need to understand people. They need to pack their ego away and start listening. Listen to understand others’ points of view and opinions. Education is defined as the transmission of knowledge, skills and character traits – either in an informal, or formal way. “Transmission” is the key word here. As has been found in significant areas of educational research, the most important influence on the positive outcomes of education is not class size or the school environment, it’s not where you live, it’s the quality of the teacher. It’s the same with educating managers and leaders. The quality of the teacher, mentor, coach, call them what you will, is crucial to positive outcomes. And we really need those positive outcomes, right now!

The Mockers, pictured and Greg Johnson provide a top double act at Parāoa.

Hear the hits as Mockers and Johnson come to town Two popular Kiwi acts, The Mockers and Greg Johnson, come together on a double bill at Parāoa Brewing in Whangaparāoa in March.

It’s a first-time performance on the Coast for The Mockers, and four years since their last live shows. Band members have returned from all over the globe to reform their classic line-up. The band comprises New Zealand-based frontman Andrew Fagan, guitarist Brett Adams and drummer Chris O’Connor, UK-based bass player Geoff Hayden, while keyboardist Tim Wedde crosses the ditch from New South Wales to play his part. Fans will be keen to hear hits like Forever Tuesday Morning, Swear It’s True, One Black Friday, and My Girl Thinks She’s Cleopatra. Singer-songwriter Greg Johnson, who now lives in California, returns to Parāoa Brewing after performing there in 2022. It is more than 30 years since he first made • FREE 15-minute hearing checks his mark on the New Zealand music scene

with his breakthrough single Isabelle. Since then, fans have embraced Johnson’s melodic, story-telling songs like Don’t Wait Another Day, Liberty and Save Yourself. Greg will perform with his New Zealandbased band. The show is on Thursday, March 7. Tickets from Eventfinda.

Win tickets

Hibiscus Matters has one double pass to The Mockers and Greg Johnson gig at Parāoa to give away. To be in to win, ‘like’ Hibiscus Matters’ Facebook page and message us, mentioning the Mockers and Greg Johnson giveaway. Include your name and contact phone number. Alternatively, write your name, address and daytime phone number on the back of an envelope and post or drop into The Mockers and Greg Johnson giveaway, Hibiscus Matters, 21 Florence Ave, Ōrewa. • Prices toon suit all budgets Entries close Friday, February 2.

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Rodders festival back on track No quick fix for weight loss The popular event will take over Ōrewa for January 26-28 with dozens of hot rods shined to perfection and with engines roaring, live entertainment and a major prize draw. Organiser Sharon Morris of Hibiscus Rodders says a new element to look forward to is the Mothers Shot in the Dark; the hot rods will cruise down Ōrewa Boulevard on the Friday night, with owners dressed up. Ten cars will be chosen to be professionally photographed and the images go to sponsor Mothers Car Products in America, which will pick a winner to be used in its marketing. The Miss Hibiscus Vintage competition is on Saturday on Ōrewa Reserve – two winners of the Miss Australasia Vintage are the judges. The action will also be in Pūhoi, where the What’s Under your Hood competition and the Auckland Harley Davidson Bike Show will be held. The entire event is, as always, a big fundraiser for the Westpac Helicopter Trust (see below). This includes the auction proceeds and Sharon says this year there are some great items up for grabs, including a Bar Leaner made by Fabrication Specialists of Silverdale, a car and vintage fridges that have been converted into safes. One of the biggest crowd-pleasers is the Show and Shine where the cars can be

seen up close by the public, lining Ōrewa Boulevard. This will be held on Sunday – for the first time since 2021 and will finish with the V8 Rumble as the hot rods start their engines en masse. The cars then head out to the Country Club in Dairy Flat to let rip with the Loudest Sounds and Loudest Exhaust competitions! Info: www.roddersbeachfestival.co.nz/fullintinerary A Rescue Helicopter spokesperson says that the service is forever grateful for the Rodders Beach Festival and the Hibiscus Coast community’s support for its ongoing work. On the Coast the service was involved with seven missions last year, including three to Gulf Harbour and three to Tiritiri Matangi Island. On New Year’s Day 2024, they assisted a male patient in his 50s in Army Bay after he suffered a fall onto some rocks. He needed to be extracted by winch from a height of 13.7 metres and was flown to North Shore Hospital in a moderate condition. By comparison, there were a total of 11 local missions in 2022. At the end of this month, the service will launch its Classic Car Lottery with a 1972 Plymouth Cuda Tribute, an American muscle car, up for grabs. Valued at over $150,000, this rare beauty has been lovingly restored with a V8 engine and a finish of Plum Crazy Purple. It will be at the Rodders Beach Festival for the community to view up close.

Weight loss medications have a chequered history. Most of them have turned out to be useless, dangerous or uncomfortable in the extreme. My particular favourite was the craze for mail order tapeworms, as shown by magazine ads from 100 years ago (and some modern internet ones). Nobody really knows if they worked, or even if there was an active organism in the capsules, but it goes to show how far people will go in search of ‘the body beautiful’. When I first qualified, Xenical was being promoted. This worked by blocking fat absorption in the gut, therefore reducing total calorie intake. The irony was that it was meant to be used with a “low fat, calorie-controlled diet”. In any case, the side effects were so disgusting, namely loose oily motions and wind, that almost nobody carried on with it. Then came Ponderax, which was withdrawn after a few years because it caused heart problems. Likewise, Reductil. In fact, a recent study showed no less than 25 diet medications were taken off the market between 1964 and 2009, though to be fair during that time the drug companies were getting spooked and took defensive action even if there were only a few case reports of adverse effects. One can understand, then, a degree of scepticism about any new product which comes on the scene. But, with an obesity epidemic in most developed countries, there is an ongoing demand for the holy grail of an effective diet pill, preferably one which is

also safe, affordable and convenient. The latest candidates are Saxendra (liraglutide) and Contrave, which is a combination of naltrexone and bupropion. Saxendra is given as a daily injection whereas Contrave is in tablet form. They can both achieve a weight loss of 5-10 percent over a four-month period but for many patients cost will be a barrier at a RRP of $499 per month and $240 per month respectively. The real survivor in this field is Duromine, a 40-year veteran drug in NZ, though it is not approved in some other countries. I find it a reasonable option, well tolerated and capable of “kickstarting” weight loss for a motivated patient. However, it’s important to see it as a short-term intervention and to have a reasonable expectation of modest weight loss over a three-month course. Without lifestyle changes, unfortunately, most people drift back to their original weight after they stop this medication. There is also a cost factor– approximately $80 per month, although it varies between pharmacists. This brings us back to the fact that weight loss is not easy. There is a many a time that my resolve to eat less on a particular day failed by morning tea-time, particularly if gingernuts were involved! There has to be a commitment to a long-term change in dietary habits, plus the hard work of things like exercise, all of which need to be supported (or at least not sabotaged) by cultural pressures. Our relationship with food is complex, including emotional, social and physiological elements. Not something a pill can fix, usually. nchi s

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January 15, 2024 | Hibiscusmatters |

Open your eyes to nature this summer

New Year’s resolutions for nature

Many people like to see a new year as a fresh start, a time to start new activities and refresh their lives. Unfortunately our native species can’t resolve to change their lives, but here are five things you can do to help them in 2024:

– Jenny Hanwell, Forest & Bird –

One of my favourite authors, and truly inspirational conservationist, Gerald Durrell, once said that one of the best things about being a naturalist is that you can indulge your hobby literally anywhere and you will never be bored.

Noticing the little things in nature is a perfect way to slow down, breathe and relax. In Māori culture, the phrase tīhei mauri ora, (literally ‘the sneeze of life’, stemming from when Tāne breathed life into the first woman, Hinahuone) is used to express the breath of life and can be used in calm breathing exercises. So I encourage you to take a breath, and open your eyes to something new this summer, here are a few places to start.

• Remove rats: don’t assume someone else will do this.

if you are lucky there might be a native skink hiding there. Very dependent on predator control, ornate and copper skinks can be found all over the Hibiscus Coast, but are easily mistaken for the very common rainbow or plague skink from Australia. Native skinks are generally much larger and stockier, with shorter toes, and in the case of the ornate skink, distinctive markings. If you get a close up photo, you will see that rainbow skinks have one large scale on the top of their heads, whereas in native skinks this is divided into two.

Photo, Grant Birley

Photo, Alistair Owens.

• At the beach: many of our Hibiscus Coast beaches are shared spaces between people and an abundance of wildlife. Well camouflaged, small shore birds like NZ dotterels are easy to miss, as they run along the tideline looking like clockwork models. Next time you see one, stop, sit and watch. Their behaviour is fascinating as they search for snacks amongst the washed up flotsam – this is why “tidying up” the beaches of seaweed isn’t a good idea. • If like me you enjoy beachcombing in search of interesting shells, you might also see some of the more scarce animals, like the heart urchin, or sea potato. A relative of the more common sea urchin, or kina, the heart urchin spends most of its life under the sand, and all we see is the vivid white, brittle exoskeleton, or “test” displaying a stunning star-like design. • In the garden: take a moment to carefully turn over a log or stone, and enter the world of the millipedes and pill bugs, or

• In the park: find a quiet spot first thing in the morning, or late evening in one of our many awesome local parks and listen to the birdlife. One of the most distinctive is the grey warbler, or riroriro. More often heard than seen, and only found in New Zealand, its distinctive call (hear it on NZ Birds Online) rings out clearly to the keen listener. Keep watching and you might see this diminutive grey bird with red eyes slitting through the bushes unable to keep still. Right now, some riroriro find themselves rather busy as they feed an unexpected fledgling. The shining cuckoo, which overwinters in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, is a “brood parasite” that lays its eggs in grey warbler nests and leaves their much larger offspring to be raised by the little parents. Keen to identify and learn about what you see? I recommend downloading the iNaturalist app, which uses your photos and location to make suggestions about what you have seen, and experts on the forum verify, or identify them for you very quickly. There is a Pest Free Hibiscus Coast Project site you can join on the iNaturalist app as well, which shows you what others are seeing in the area.

The scale of the problem with pest animals is such that is takes all of us to solve it, so get and set a trap or bait station regularly and join Pest Free Hibiscus Coast. If you make any change this year make it this one. All it requires is to set reminders and keep going until it becomes a habit – set your trap when you put out your bin for example. In addition, Forest & Bird volunteers remove thousands of rats each year or parks in partnership with Auckland Council, and you are warmly invited to join them. • Provide fresh water: it’s hot out there, and birds enjoy a refreshing drink or cool bath just as much as we do, so make or buy a bird bath and fill it with fresh water daily. Don’t add sugar in summer as birds don’t need it, and the water can evaporate leaving a sticky mess that can be damaging to bees. • Take four for the shore! Next time you go to the beach, make sure you have something with you to put litter into, or find the nearest bin. In addition, consider taking four items of other rubbish with you. If everyone did this it would make such a difference, especially discarded fishing line which sea and shore birds can so easily get tangled in. Ninety percent of New Zealand’s sea bird species are in trouble, and most are found nowhere else in the world, so let’s help reduce plastic in our oceans. • Get rid of weeds: I’m not talking about dandelions here, there are ecological weeds that cause a real threat to the native bush all around us, and they spread from our gardens. Keep your eyes open for the strangling moth plant, the smothering climbing asparagus or the noxious woolly nightshade. Check out the Forest & Bird Weed Guide, or contact Restore Hibiscus & Bays for advice. Swap them out for lovely native plants with abundant nectar. • Be a conscious pet owner: can you confidently say your pet is having no negative impact on the environment? If you can’t, there is plenty of information out there to help you make a change, or if considering getting a pet for the first time, think carefully about your choice, for the sake of your pet and native creatures alike.

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| Hibiscusmatters | January 15, 2024

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Snapshots of simple pleasures Getting off our digital devices and back to simple outdoor pleasures is a recurring theme in these images sent in by members of the Hibiscus Coast Photographic Club to show what they have been up to this summer on the Coast. For more info on the club, visit www.hcpc.org.nz

ToTalspan Rodney pRoud sponsoRs of

THE scorEBoArD ToTalspan Rodney pRoud sponsoRs of THE scorEBoArD scorEBoArD aATHE Roundup spoRTs acTiviTies IN in THE THe DISTRICT disTRicT ROUNDUP of OF SPORTS ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING LOCAL SPORT FOR FIVE YEARS AND RUNNING

Run Millwater Free, fun, friendly 5km community activity. What a way to start your weekend! Every Saturday, 8am-9am, meeting at Metro Park sportsfields, Millwater. Walk, run, jog, volunteer or spectate! All welcome. Info: www.parkrun.co.nz/millwater/ Cargo Plus Coastal Challenge Online entries are open for this annual multisport event, which takes place on February 24. The course runs from Arkles Bay down the coast to Takapuna Beach. Run, walk, wade, and rock hop. Multiple distances – something for all ages and abilities. Fun and festivities at the finish line. Online registration closes Thursday, February 22. Entries available on the day, but late fees will apply. Info: www. coastalchallenge.co.nz/ Twilight Bowls Thursday Twilight Social Bowls is on at Manly Bowling Club, 56 Laurence Street, Manly. Open to the public, $5. Beginners welcome. Ōrewa Croquet Club Come and see if croquet is for you. Golf croquet is played Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and Association on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. Coaching programme and mallets available. If interested phone the club on 09 426 3506 or Pixie 021 0249 5910 or visit 43 Hatton Road, Ōrewa ToTalspan Rodney

Clockwise from top, Cooling off at Ōrewa Estuary. Photo, Mike Grunsell. Paul Donegan was up early to capture sunrise at Waiwera. Eight-year-old Harry Anderson at Ōrewa Skate Park. Photo, Paul Donegan. Jetskiers at Manly Beach by Christine Hay. Martin Sanders calls this image “Audience of three”. Paul Donegan took this photo of his grandson, Ridley Feavearyear, rescuing a fantail.

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January 15, 2024 | Hibiscusmatters |

Blast from the past Susanne Wilson

FB: Hibiscus Coast History

The best way to start the day. The group has been going since early last spring, when the mornings were cooler.

The big dip Come down to Ōrewa beach at 7am, three days a week, and you’re likely to see a small group of hardy locals venturing into the sea for what has become a highlight of the day.

Meeting at the picnic table just south of the surf club, the ‘Ōrewa Dippers’ have been taking the plunge since before daylight saving time started in late September – when the sun was barely out of bed at that time of the morning. By mid-December the water had become considerably warmer, although it still takes some pluck to have a dip – not a wetsuit in sight – at a time when beach walkers are still wrapped up snugly. “I’d never go in on my own at this time of the day,” says one. “You have to do it with other people.” “Morning!” a latecomer is greeted as the early light sparkles along the edges of the waves. “It’s so beautiful!” The idea began with a friend from England, Jenny, who has since moved to the North Shore but occasionally returns for a “guest appearance” visit. Numbers fluctuate, but the six dippers on this particular morning – Lynsey, Kim,

Stephen, Louise, Nicki and Camelia – are all locals. Earlier places of origin include England, Scotland and Romania. Some knew each other before; others are new friends. The sound of laughter carries across the water as the conversation moves between families, the weather, the covid resurgence and who’s managed to dodge it, and how pesky the sea lice will be this year. As body temperatures drop and then stabilise, there’s talk about the purported health benefits of swimming year round. The dippers say they plan to “just keep going” through the summer and beyond, and encourage others to join. In no time at all, ten minutes is up and “we’d better start drifting in”. Back on the beach, Stephen says the morning dip has become an important part of his routine. “It’s invigorating, good for mental health – connecting you with the outside and helping to keep everything else in perspective.” After a last “Have a great day,” it’s a quick change and then off to work, or whatever else the morning holds. With a start like this, it’s bound to be a good one.

The ‘beach store’ was on the corner of Langton Road and Claude Road in Stanmore Bay and was famous (locally) in its own right. Built in the 1940s, it was the place to grab an ice cream for those coming off Stanmore Beach using the original boat ramp during the long, hot summers and, in its later years, a staple for fish and chips. Gosh, I remember the queues! Many an old Coastie’s childhood was spent on the steps outside that store, relishing the treats the shop had to offer. This picture depicts the store in the 1980s, just how I remember it. Photo, courtesy Kim Diack

Big Dig could be big

If the summer beach weather continues, it is expected to draw a big crowd to the Ōrewa Big Dig this month. The event, run for charity by Ōrewa Lions, is held on Ōrewa Beach, by the surf club, and provides an opportunity for hundreds of children to dig in fenced off areas of sand for ice-block sticks which are then exchanged for prizes. Entertainment, including games, rides, raffles is provided to keep the crowd happy, along with a sausage sizzle. Ticket sales open at 9am and digging commences for the youngest ones (aged five and under) at 10.15am. Proceeds go to Ōrewa Surf Lifesaving’s clubhouse and community hub project.

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Jan 19

Tide Times

2:21am 3.1 8:25am 0.8 2:50pm 3.2 8:56pm 0.7

Sun

6:22am 8:40pm

Fishing Guide Moon

Sat

Jan 20

7:43am 8:07pm

Mon

Jan 22

Tue

Wed

Jan 23

Jan 24

3:20am 3.0 4:23am 3.0 5:26am 3.0 6:26am 3.0 12:50am 0.8 9:27am 0.9 10:30am 1.0 11:31am 1.0 12:28pm 1.0 7:20am 3.0 3:46pm 3.1 4:45pm 3.0 5:44pm 2.9 6:43pm 2.9 1:21pm 1.0 7:39pm 2.9 9:54pm 0.8 10:54pm 0.8 11:53pm 0.8 6:24am 8:40pm

Best At

Sun

Jan 21

6:25am 8:39pm

Best At

8:33am 8:58pm

6:26am 8:39pm

Best At

9:25am 9:52pm

6:27am 8:38pm

Best At

10:19am 10:47pm

11:15am 11:42pm

2:27am 0.8 8:54am 3.1 2:56pm 0.9 9:16pm 3.0

6:29am 8:37pm

6:30am 8:37pm

Best At

12:09pm

Fri

Jan 26

1:41am 0.8 8:09am 3.1 2:10pm 1.0 8:30pm 2.9

6:28am 8:38pm

Best At

Thu

Jan 25

Best At

12:36am 1:02pm

Sat

Jan 27

1:27am 1:52pm

Mon

Jan 29

Tue

Jan 30

Wed

Thu

Jan 31

Fri

Feb 1

3:09am 0.7 3:48am 0.7 4:25am 0.7 5:02am 0.8 5:39am 0.8 12:27am 2.9 9:36am 3.1 10:15am 3.1 10:52am 3.1 11:29am 3.1 12:05pm 3.1 6:18am 0.9 3:38pm 0.9 4:18pm 0.9 4:56pm 0.9 5:33pm 0.9 6:10pm 0.9 12:43pm 3.0 6:48pm 0.9 9:58pm 3.0 10:37pm 3.0 11:14pm 3.0 11:50pm 3.0 6:31am 8:36pm

Best At

Sun

Jan 28

6:32am 8:35pm

Best At

2:15am 2:37pm

6:33am 8:34pm

Best At

2:59am 3:20pm

6:34am 8:34pm

Best At

3:41am 4:01pm

6:35am 8:33pm

Best At

4:21am 4:40pm

4:59am 5:19pm

5:38am 5:58pm

2:37am 2.8 8:39am 1.1 2:52pm 2.8 9:04pm 1.0

6:38am 8:31pm

6:39am 8:30pm

6:40am 8:30pm

Best At

Full Moon Set 12:49am Set 1:19am Set 1:54am Set 2:36am Set 3:24am Set 4:19am Set 5:19am Set 6:21am Set 7:23am Set 8:23am Set 9:21am Set 10:18am Set 11:15am Set 12:12pm Set Rise 2:49pm Rise 3:57pm Rise 5:05pm Rise 6:09pm Rise 7:07pm Rise 7:57pm Rise 8:39pm Rise 9:14pm Rise 9:44pm Rise 10:09pm Rise 10:32pm Rise 10:54pm Rise 11:15pm Rise 11:38pm *Not for navigational purposes.

Good Fishing

Fair Fishing

Not So Good

www.tidewiz.com

www.tidespy.com

www.ofu.co.nz

Sun

Feb 4

1:48am 2.8 7:47am 1.1 2:05pm 2.9 8:13pm 1.0

Best At

Sat

Feb 3

1:05am 2.9 7:00am 1.0 1:22pm 3.0 7:29pm 1.0

6:36am 8:32pm

Best At

Feb 2

6:19am 6:40pm

Best At

7:02am 7:25pm

Last Quarter

Best At

7:49am 8:15pm

1:11pm Rise 12:03am Rise 12:32am Set 2:12pm Set 3:17pm

Graphic supplied by OceanFun Publishing Ltd.

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PHONE (09) 424 5556 • 671 WHANGAPARAOA RD, WHANGAPARAOA • SALES@GULFLANDMARINE.CO.NZ • WWW.GULFLANDMARINE.CO.NZ 26

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027 476Repairs 2741 or&(09) 426 0851 HibiscusGarageDoors. service to all door makes and models. co.nz • Window handles, seals, hinges & stays • Security locks for windows & doors • Sliding and bi-fold door rollers, locks & handles • Retractable insect screens • Window handles, seals, hinges & stays family business servicing Rodney & Hibiscus Coast •Local Window handles, seals, hinges & stays • Security locks for windows & doors • Security locks doors • Sliding and bi-foldfor doorwindows rollers, handles Calllocks free&&anytime • Retractable insect screens

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CAR SEAT RENTAL

Long or short term hire We can check if your car seat is installed correctly.

Trained technician Phone 426 3598

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| Hibiscusmatters | January 15, 2024

OR 833 MORTGAGE FINANCE FOR: 0800 323

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Support the advertisers who support Hibiscus Matters

TEAMWORK

SCAFFOLDING

SCR

Residential Specialists Friendly professional & dependable service Free quotes available

Decks • Bathrooms • Pergolas • Doors • Renovations • Fencing Gates • Maintenance • Gib fitter • Plastering • Painting • Kitchens CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

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Roof Maintenance

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Silver Ferns call up for Sokolich-Beatson Five years since Michaela SokolichBeatson was last in the Silver Ferns squad, she has been named to play in the upcoming Netball Nations Cup.

The four-day tournament will see the English Roses take on Australia, NZ and Uganda in London and Leeds on January 20-21 and 27-28.

Hall nails its colours to wall

The Dairy Flat Live Music Club has organised more than 50 gigs for bands every year in Dairy Flat Community Hall. Recently it decided to celebrate that achievement with a display of instruments on the wall. This year there will be new Open Mic and Jam afternoons at the hall every third Sunday of the month, with young musicians, including school bands, encouraged to take part. The Hall is on a reserve in Postman Road, Dairy Flat, and there are both outdoor and indoor stages, a dance floor and licensed bar (club prices). Both new and experienced bands are also invited to organise gigs to give their family and followers the opportunity to dance the night or afternoon away while they perform. Info: DFlat.info

Sokolich-Beatson says she will get the most out of whatever the tournament brings. “It’s a very experienced team, so even to get on court will be fantastic,” she says. An experienced defender, SokolichBeatson made her Silver Ferns debut in 2018 and was cover for Katrina Rore in the build-up to the 2019 Netball World Cup. Injury, including two ruptured Achilles in nine months, put her on a carefully managed return to play programme which culminated in a standout ANZ Premiership campaign for the Mystics last year – she also captained the Fast5 Ferns.

Long wait for pontoons

In announcing the Netball Nations Cup squad, Coach Dame Noeline Taurua said Sokolich-Beatson brings another level of leadership to the group. “I’m delighted with how she has been playing following a tough road back from injury,” Dame Noeline said. Sokolich-Beatson says her inclusion does not provide any certainty going forward.

Michaela Sokolich-Beatson captained last year’s Fast5 Ferns. Photo, Michael Bradley Photography.

“I just get to be part of it, here and now,” she says.

The day after her return from the tournament, she will head back to her

www.localmatters.co.nz

day job as Health and PE teacher at Whangaparāoa College.

The pontoons put out by Auckland Council at local beaches every summer are popular with swimmers on a hot day. Usually they are all installed by last month, and the ones at Arkles Bay and Stanmore Bay are in place. However, this summer a delay with an overseas supplier meant that the new pontoons coming to Tindalls Bay and Manly Beach will not be installed until next week.

January 15, 2024 | Hibiscusmatters |

Classifieds

NEW CLIENTS WELCOME

WANTED

COMMUNITY NOTICES

CAN’T MAKE IT TO A HAIR SALON? No problem I can come to you. Qualified Hairstylist providing cutting and blow wave services. Please phone Julie 021 112 8015

OLD UNWANTED FISHING RODS for a Wearable Arts project. Please contact Helen 0274 933 816. Ideally free, will collect.

HOME & MAINTENANCE

FURNITURE REMOVALS exp Owner Operator 30 years. Single Items to Flat/House lots. Silverdale Based. Ph Gavin 0274 973 867

DO YOU HAVE ANY OLD CAR OR BOAT BATTERIES SITTING IN YOUR GARAGE, THAT YOU NO LONGER WANT? I can pick these up from you and dispose of them. The Ōrewa Lions collect all old batteries and ALL the money received for them goes into the Child Mobility Foundation fund. This is certainly a fabulous cause to support. So, if you want to get rid of those old car or boat batteries or any batteries for that matter (although not the small AAA batteries) then just give me a call and I will dispose of them for you. If you would like to see more information regarding this, then go to this url, and you may well be staggered by what you see, at just what a difference can be made. www.lionsclubs. org.nz/Clubs/Activities/Child-Mobility So come on, if you have some batteries you do not want anymore, then please call me, Martin, on 09 410 2363 . If I do not answer, then by all means leave a message and I will get back to you very quickly. DEANZ REPAIR CAFE - encouraging the concept of Repair-Renew-Reuse. Items that can be repaired include small furniture, bikes, toys, clothing, laptops and electronics and small appliances (not microwaves). Hibiscus Coast Community House, 216 Hibiscus Coast Highway corner of Hibiscus Coast Highway and Centreway Road. 1st Saturday of month, 11am-2pm. FREE. Contact: coordinator@ hibiscuscoastzerowaste.co.nz

ALARMS SECURITY AND FIRE, MONITORING, CCTV, servicing & installation, all brands 027 553 3032 www.tdssecurity.co.nz

HANDYMAN

Odd jobs, gardening, painting & water blasting. Phone Nev 021 399 226. CARPET LAYING, CARPET RE-STRETCH, VINYL LAYING, CARPET REPAIRS Over 30 years’ experience. Contact Dexter 027 4956 436 HOUSE WASHING - SOFT WASH / LOW PRESSURE / CHEMICAL WASH Also Window Cleaning / Gutter Clearing Careful service, reasonable rates.

Phone 021 057 9743

PUMP DOCTOR

SERVICES

RECORDING STUDIO Vocals to backing tracks, original projects, vocal training & vocal PA hire. Ph Skimp 021 115 5233.

HYPNOTHERAPY

Lose weight. stop smoking. anxiety and depression, confidence, self esteem. Ph 021 635 966 www.hypnotherapy2succeed.co.nz LIFE COACH – FEEL STUCK? I CAN HELP Phone Steve 021 264 2506 www.hibiscuslifecoach.com ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER, New Builds, Additions & Renovations. Concept Design & Building Consents. Clinton 0800 642 425.

WATER PUMP & FILTER SERVICES. New installs for all your water pump requirements. Ph 0274 430 654.

WANTED TO BUY TO BUY, RECORDS/LP’S 09 428 1587 txt 0210 258 3437

ARKLES BAY PAINTERS/DECORATORS In the area for the area. Shane 021 0813 8481. CARPET CLEANING, repairs installation. Dwayne 0274 997 929.

and

HOME REPAIR SERVICES Maintain, repair, renovate. Ph Jeremy 027 237 9455.

HOUSIE

SILVERDALE PIONEER VILLAGE Open every Saturday & Sunday 10am-3pm. Group visits Monday-Friday by arrangement Email: Pioneervillage1968@Gmail.com

JACKPOT

ADULTS SOCIAL BADMINTON Every Wednesday Stanmore Bay Leisure Centre 9am -11am, $5 per session. Contact Nick Fraser 021 433 299 email nickf69@ slingshot.co.nz

$1000

PEST CONTROL, Flies, spiders, cockroaches, ants, rodents, wasps. Competitive prices. Ph 426 2253.

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

Played 1pm Every Friday, Clubrooms Bowls Orewa, Ph 09 426 5937

A SMART REPAIR Service for F&P smartdrive washers, F&P/Simpson dryers. Prompt service ph 021 168 7349.

Hiring?

DVDS & VIDEOS

Advertise online with Hibiscus Matters

VIDEOS TRANSFERRED to DVD/hard drive. Phone or text Te Totara Video 021 777 385.

SILVERDALE STREET MARKET, every Saturday, 8am-1pm. New stallholders welcome, phone Margaret, 027 663 2010.

www.localmatters.co.nz/jobs localmatters.co.nz/jobs

GOLDEN YEARS FISHING CLUB. Do you love fishing. Are you 50+. Don’t have a boat or want some company. Maybe a little mobility issue. We can help. Our club does weekly charters on Hauraki of Kaipara Harbours. Step on stop off. Even shore based torpedo expeditions. Come & join us for a great fishing experience. Ph. Derek 021 032 6878.

ACCOUNTING For all your accounting requirements • Monthly and end of year accounts and tax returns. • Business planning and advice • Personal Tax Returns • ACC Coverplus Xtra • Cashbooks, Xero & MYOB • GST, PAYE, FBT • Agent with IRD PO Box 308 001, Manly Whangaparaoa 0952 Phone: 09 424 4684 Mobile: 021 912 184 Fax: 09 424 4688 greg@douglasconsulting.co.nz www.douglasconsulting.co.nz HIBISCUS COAST HIGHLAND PIPES AND DRUMS – DRUM TUTOR Wanted We are wanting a snare/side drum tutor to join our band and tutor others. Tuition on bag pipes offered also. Free tuition – conditions apply. No previous experience needed to learn. All levels of playing and supporters welcome. Wednesday 7:00pm practices at St Johns Ambulance Hall 36 Silverdale Road Silverdale. Drop in to check us out Contact Leslee O’Connell 027 426 7170 or Bob Logan 09 424 1838. HEARTBEATS HEART SUPPORT GROUP Meetings are held the 1st Tuesday of every month, 10am-11:30am at the Hibiscus Coast Community House (behind Estuary Arts Centre). Guest speakers. Ph Trent 0220 606 199 A CLUB FOR SENIORS TO ENJOY FRIENDSHIP, Monthly meetings, guest speakers, bus trips, luncheons and movie group. Meet 4th Wednesday, 10am, Bridge Club, Edith Hopper Park, Manly. Hibiscus Coast Friendship Club. Phone Peter or Jeanne 426 8675.

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DOWN: 2 Poisonous, 3 Elect, 5 Half, 6 Pharaoh, 7 Exaggeration, 8 Diary, 9 Precede, 10 Race, 11 Stitch, 12 False, 13 Lettuce, 14 Savings, 16 Backbencher, 22 Pigeon, 23 Grenade, 24 Pointed, 25 Strong, 27 Inmates, 28 Jetsam, 30 Toys, 32 Clean, 34 Guess, 36 Rash, 38 Emu, 42 Mitre, 43 Relapse, 44 East, 45 Enough, 46 Ladle, 48 Photo finish, 49 Altered, 50 Ink, 51 Bedouin, 52 Scoffs, 53 Mezzosoprano, 54 Scum, 57 Nudism, 64 Tennessee, 65 Require, 66 Cleaver, 68 Exhibit, 70 Twofold, 71 Nettle, 72 Smirk, 74 Reaps, 76 Cobra, 78 Brie, 79 Stow.

Shop 3, Silverdale Centre 09 421 1307 | 16F Link Drive Wairau Park 09 444 0244 | www.waitematabackcarebeds.co.nz 30

| Hibiscusmatters | January 15, 2024

Support the advertisers who support Hibiscus Matters

What’s on ... January 2024

The Big Dig, Ōrewa Beach, by surf club. Children dig in sand for prize tickets. Hosted by Ōrewa Lions Club. Tickets $5 for children aged five-and under; $10 for over 5s. Sales open 9am. Digging at 10.15 and 10.45am.

Fashion & Thrift Pre-Loved Market, Ōrewa College Arts & Events Centre, 8.30am-1pm. Something for every budget, size, and style. High Street brands, retro and vintage pieces, designer labels.

Ako Hoe Waka/Learn to paddle a Waka, Ōrewa Beach, 11am-12pm. Free family activity, training with Matatoa – Time 2 Train. Lifejackets and paddles provided. Bookings essential on Eventbrite, as numbers limited.

Joy Bells, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

26-28 Rodders Beach Festival, Ōrewa. Hot rods, music, entertainment and more! Raises funds for Westpac Rescue Helicopter. 27

Salty Dogs, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 7pm-10.30pm. $8 members, $10 non-members.

The Feelers – Reimagined – Greatest Hits NZ Tour, Parāoa Brewing Co, 719A Whangaparāoa Road, 7pm-11pm, tickets (including VIP option), from Eventfinda.

Christina Cusiel, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

February

Always Elvis by Mike Cole, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 7pm-10.30pm. Tickets $15 per person – available at RSA and on Eventfinda.

Mark Taipari, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

Mark Benjamin, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

Hoedown with DJ Going Bananas, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-9.30pm. Free entry.

Boulevard Arts Fiesta, Moana Reserve, Ōrewa,11am-5pm. Market stalls and entertainment. Info: www.orewabeach.co.nz/whatson

Craig Hallen, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

Ducky Derby, Western Reserve, Ōrewa, 9am-12noon. Free family event with games and entertainment where 100s of yellow ducks race down Ōrewa Estuary. You can purchase a duck ticket for $10 at Ōrewa Beach Kindergarten, or visit www.facebook.com/ OrewaDuckyDerby/

Dave Ewart, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 7pm-10.30pm. Entry, $8 members, $10 non-members.

Chet O’Connell, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

March

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To list events, email: online@localmatters.co.nz

Summer Magic - Music in the Garden, Couldrey House, Wenderholm Regional Park, 6pm-8.30pm. Performance by Opera Factory. Rain day March 10. Tickets $45pp plus booking fees. Under 16s free. Tickets: Eventfinda. Mockers and Greg Johnson, Summer Sunset Shows, Paraoa Brewing Co, 719A Whangaparāoa Road, 7.30pm. Tickets at https:// www.plus1.co.nz/mockersgreg and Eventfinda. (see story p21, ad p11)

See www.localmatters.co.nz/whats-on/ for a full list of upcoming events

Pharmacy Talk with Tania Adams

Pharmacist at Unichem Manly

Are you Dehydrated? Hot and humid conditions are forecast for the summer and with our bodies being made of up to 78% water, hydration is always important. Dehydration can be caused by vomiting and/or diarrhoea, fever, sunstroke or simply excess sweating from being too hot in this weather! At best dehydration will cause you to feel thirsty but at it’s most severe, dehydration (especially in the very young or elderly) can be life threatening. If you feel thirsty, get this... you are already dehydrated! I often think of a wilted daisy with no water... that is how dehydration looks. You feel tired, weak and light headed just like that daisy. Other symptoms might include a dry mouth or cough, headache, swollen feet, constipation, dark coloured pee or muscle cramps. If you are very dehydrated symptoms might include not passing urine, your skin stays up when pinched, your eyes and cheeks might become sunken or you have cold and clammy skin. Babies and children may become irritable, sleepy or floppy and may have changes to breathing. “At best dehydration will cause you to feel thirsty but

at it’s most severe, dehydration (especially in the very young or elderly) can be life threatening.” Whatever the cause, replacing fluid is the most important thing you can do. (for moderate to severe dehydration, seek help from a health care professional immediately) The best way to rehydrate is to use specially balanced oral rehydration solutions like Hydrolyte, that you can get from us at the pharmacy. These contain the right amounts of electrolytes, glucose and water to replace lost nutrients. They come in powder form or ready-made and if your stomach is not upset, you can even try the effervescent variety. If you haven’t anything else around, at least drink water or diluted fruit juice or energy drinks (five cups of water to one cup of drink) Note that undiluted flat lemonade or energy drinks contain too much sugar and will just make things worse. Note also that babies and young children need special care, so call a health care professional for rehydration advice first. Sometimes rehydration is difficult if you are feeling nauseous. The secret to getting fluid into your body, in this case, is to have small amounts of fluid often. For babies and children, this literally means a teaspoonful every minute. For adults 1/4 cup every 15 minutes. To prevent dehydration, keep track of how much fluid you drink. Be sure to drink water throughout the day, including at meals and avoid sweet fizzy drinks, alcohol and caffeinated drinks. One way to make sure you are properly hydrated is to check your pee. If it’s clear, pale or straw coloured, you are properly hydrated. If it is darker, then you will need to keep drinking. How much water do I need to drink each day?

FRIDAY: Silverdale Rugby Club, every fourth Friday of the month, 4pm-8pm • SATURDAY: Silverdale Market, every Saturday from 8am-1pm, 7 Silverdale Street • SUNDAY: Ōrewa Artisan Market, Estuary Arts Centre, 9am-1pm • Ōrewa Beach Farmers Market, every Sunday from 8am-12.30pm, Ōrewa Square • Silverdale Night Market, 5pm until late, in the carpark underneath The Warehouse in Silverdale • Hibiscus Coast Grandparents Parenting Grandchildren Car Boot & Craft Market fundraiser, every second Sunday of the month from 10am-2pm, Lower Coast Plaza Carpark, Whangaparāoa. www.localmatters.co.nz

The age old question. However it does not have a standard answer as it depends on your weight, age, level of activity, if you have certain medical conditions or medications, the temperature on the day, etc, etc. So even though standard advice is eight glasses of water, check with us at the pharmacy or your doctor for what is best for you. 53B Rawhiti Road, Manly Village Whangaparaoa Ph (09) 424 7708 Fax (09) 424 7427 www.unichemmanly.co.nz

Manly Pharmacy

Your local health professional January 15, 2024 | Hibiscusmatters |

Coast’s Darren Tait, left, and Ankit Desai leave the field after a 39-run, 9th wicket partnership to beat Eden Roskill. Right, Ryan Coetzee was selected for the Auckland U17 team.

Coast cricket notching up big wins Hibiscus Coast Cricket is having a dream season, after a near washout due to the weather last summer.

Last month the club’s Premier Men’s team had a run of successive wins placing the team top of the table in the 20-20 competition, made up of 13 Auckland teams. With one round-robin game to go (as the paper goes to print) the team will then face the semi-finals. They are also tied second-equal in the Richard Jones limited overs competition, after winning two from three in that format. Their 20-20 success included notching up

big wins over powerhouse clubs Takapuna and North Shore. International cricketer Max O’Dowd who captains the 20-20 men’s team led the way with the bat scoring 96 off 57 balls vs Takapuna, and 91 off 50 balls against North Shore.

Team manager Gair McSkimming says O’Dowd, who played for The Netherlands in the last year’s World Cup, is also passing on his experience to young players, working alongside them to further their development. Those young players are returning the favour notching up some fine performances including bowler Connor McCarthy

Morrogh with the outstanding figures of four wickets for 13 runs vs North Shore. Batter Ryan Coetzee was selected for the Auckland U17 team after being top run scorer at the U17 district tournament, featuring scores of 105 and 83. Coetzee has been part of the Hibiscus Club since he was in the U12s and McSkimming says it’s great to see the investment in the club’s youth programme paying dividends. In addition to its work with local Primary Schools, starting in Term 1, the club will also coach and run the college sport cricket programmes on the Coast. “We believe we have the resources and

skillset to enter the college sport arena and assist our schools to further deliver cricket opportunities for youth,” McSkimming says. Meanwhile the club has repeated its pleas to the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board for assistance in obtaining a home base. McSkimming made a presentation to the local board at its December 12 meeting, with the options it is exploring including Sharks Sports Club at Victor Eaves Reserve, and Metro Park, which currently has existing plans for shared clubrooms on the table, as well as an option put forward by YMCA North (HM October 30, 2023).

$20 OFF!

32 | Hibiscusmatters | January 15, 2024