Hibiscus Matters_Issue 375_1 July 2024

Gulf Harbour sailing centre floated once again

A Yachting NZ high performance sailing centre, proposed for a site in Gulf Harbour, is back on the table.

The idea was first floated in 2016, potentially for the Hammerhead, after two sites proposed for Takapuna had been rejected by that community’s local board. That earlier Gulf Harbour proposal also never eventuated.

Yachting NZ chief executive David Abercrombie and chair Greg Knowles put the latest scheme before the Hibiscus and

Bays Local Board at its meeting on June 25. They were asking for the board’s support, as Yachting NZ needs council approval to sub-lease the land where they want to build the centre.

The location is roughly opposite the Hammerhead, on the other side of the breakwater from where Hoppers Developments is proposing to build a marina and public boat ramp (HM May 20).

Abercrombie and Knowles described the

concept as a 1000sqm centre, with around 20 full time staff. It would support national and international athletes and sailing clubs, provide a chance to host regattas, offer training and a programme for schools.

A well as support from Yachting NZ, funding would be sought from Sport NZ, private investors and sponsors.

Abercrombie told the board that the 1.05ha piece of land where Yachting NZ wants to build the centre has already been gifted to the

organisation by Gulf Harbour marina owner, Covington Group Holdings.

However, he said they recently found out that it is an esplanade reserve. These are strips of land, usually along a coastline, which provide public access – in the same way as the Queen’s Chain. While that may complicate the process, Abercrombie says there are plenty of examples of builds on esplanade reserves. Several local board members were supportive

The rising of the Matariki star cluster, marking the start of the Māori New Year, is being celebrated all over the Coast. Schools, including Whangaparāoa College and Red Beach School, are sharing kai with whānau, there are kapa haka and waiata performances, artworks and native plantings. The public holiday, last Friday, included

ceremony hosted by Te Herenga Waka on Ōrewa Beach.

21 Florence Ave, Ōrewa, 0931 | ph 09 427 8188

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of having a sports facility like this on the Hibiscus Coast, but deputy chair Julia Parfitt said that the esplanade reserve designation was a key issue to clarify first. She asked council staff to investigate the legal status of the land and report back to the board.

“This may not be Covington Group’s land to gift – in fact it could be a council parks asset,” she said.

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Around a year ago, Auckland Councillors John Watson and Wayne Walker were approached by Yachting NZ for their views on the latest site proposal.

Cr Watson said they were both of the view that the land was not suitable, taking into account sea level rise, the need for continued public access, drainage issues with a nearby stream and slips and subsidence on the cliff on the eastern side of the accessway.

“It’s a very poor choice, with limited access to what is a sensitive piece of land,” Watson said. “We will be following the process closely once it comes to the governing body for approval of any sub-lease.”

He said there were also related issues with any development that might, at times,

require additional space and facilities – that may be incompatible for example with the use of the Hammerhead for park and ride, boat launching and general recreational use.

Abercrombie told the board there would be no blockage of public access, and that the comings and goings of boats would be worked around the ferry timetable in consultation with Auckland Transport.

“We are also very aware of global warming and the environment,” he said. “Warren & Mahoney will be the architects and they

will take sea level rise into account. And of course we will need council consents, which will also take all that into account.”

He said the benefits for the community would include improved public launching facilities at the Hammerhead, as well as economic and educational spin offs.

Yachting NZ expects completion of the centre could take three years once all the necessary leases and licences are obtained. Covington Group was approached for comment.

Dairy Flat surf park rides consenting wave

Champagne corks were popping last week as international developer Aventuur received resource consent for its Auckland Surf Park, to be built in Dairy Flat.

The community will have a chance to ask questions and find out more at a public event to be held in Dairy Flat this month. The project has taken around seven months to complete the consent process through government’s Covid-19 recovery fast-track consenting.

The 43ha surf park, which will be built at 1350 Dairy Flat Highway, includes a Wavegarden ‘Cove’ lagoon with surf waves, high performance sports and leisure facilities, tourist accommodation, a farmto-table restaurant and garden and public

walking and cycling trails.

It also has a solar farm and Spark data centre on site. Excess heat from the data centre (powered by renewable energy including the solar farm) will warm the surfing lagoon yearround, which Aventuur says is a world-first.

Other sustainability initiatives include regenerating streams on the property, native plantings, the use of ‘zero embedded carbon’ concrete, harvesting rainwater, composting, and no single use plastics.

The facility is predicted to generate more than 400 jobs during construction and 100 full-time equivalent positions once it opens.

Construction is expected to begin late this year, with the Auckland Surf Park opening to the public in the summer of 2026-27.

The public event is at Dairy Flat Hall on Saturday, July 27, from 9am to noon. Sir John Kirwan is hosting the drop-in day. Everyone is welcome, along with feedback. w Back stories www.localmatters.co.nz June 12 and November 13, 2023

The surf park in Dairy Flat.

Youth Centre refocuses on support for at-risk youth

A programme of intervention for young offenders, and those at risk of offending, has been so successful that it is expanding, and will be based at a hub in Ōrewa.

Initially, the gym-based programme was trialled with eight boys from Whangaparāoa College, and two who were not attending school. It started eight months ago and has since brought in seven girls, mostly from the college.

None of the boys have reoffended since the programme began.

It is run by two local PT instructors, Willy Wilson and Alistair Wotten, supported by the police Youth Aid team.

Wilson, a former professional rugby player, says the model of using physical activity to connect with troubled youth worked in his own life.

“I was one of those kids getting in trouble, and sport saved me,” he says. “The values I learned from team sport – discipline, respect and attitudes to work – changed my life.”

He says he has seen “massive changes” in the kids who he and the team have been working with.

“They are turning up to school, and their behaviour, in school and at home, has vastly improved,” he says. “They are playing rugby and continued coming to the gym, even in

the school holidays, to train.”

He says they discovered that some of the boys about to start the PT session had not eaten since the day before. After connecting with Salt Trust and Love Soup, each session now begins with food and mentoring.

Rodney Youth Aid Sergeant Jon Williams says setting up a proactive intervention project, with wrap-around support services, has been his goal since he began working with Rodney Youth Aid. He initiated the police patrols at Whangaparāoa College (HM August 21, 2023), which have wound down, and flowed into the gym programme.

Finding a centre to operate from was key to the plan, and recent changes at the HBC Youth Centre in Ōrewa facilitated that.

There have been big changes at the centre, including the departure of a number of long-term staff. Remediation work currently underway is required to bring the building, where the centre has been based since the 1970s, up to code.

Once that is complete, hopefully next term, the centre will be relaunched as Hibiscus Youth Hub, something its board chair, Ali Butler, is excited about. It includes employing Wilson and Wotten to oversee the hub, including running the gym programme for youth offenders and a preventative one for Year 7 and 8 children.

The vision is to work with community groups and offer wrap around services such as alternative education, career guidance, mentoring and health. A small group of retired teachers has volunteered to work one-on-one with students to improve literacy and numeracy.

Funding has been an ongoing challenge for the youth centre, with grants never guaranteed and income generated from holiday and after school programmes.

Butler says those programmes have ended, but they intend to develop new ones including a breakfast club.

“We intend to be primarily funded through our programmes, with direct funding from government, community support, business sponsorships and fundraising initiatives,” she says.

Williams says the centre will enable coordination of services, many of which were existing.

He says early intervention is a key focus.

“If we don’t get it right with the young ones, they become a problem for the

community, so we see big benefits, longterm,” he says. “It is hard work. There is a lot going on for these kids and although Whangaparāoa College is doing all it can, and more, it’s a community issue.”

The aim is to also bring Ōrewa College into the programme.

“This is a game changer for the Coast,” Williams says. “Once the centre is up and running, we will have solutions for this community.”

Paid parking in Ōrewa strongly supported in AT report

Auckland Transport (AT) says its recent survey of car park use in Ōrewa town centre supports the introduction of paid parking.

AT parking designer David Martin presented the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board with the draft Ōrewa Town Centre Parking review at a workshop on June 18.

The review is looking at parking demand, issues and management options for the town centre.

Reviews are held in town centres to ensure that parking availability is meeting demand and introduce new management techniques if needed.

So far the work in Ōrewa has included talking with business association Destination Ōrewa Beach (DOB), a survey of local businesses and a study of parking occupancy.

The study focused on public parking spaces, however the report identified that there are more than 800 privately owned parks (not including underground or covered spaces) in Ōrewa, including the large supermarket carparks.

There are around 408 spaces in the current

P120 parking zone, which are currently at 87 percent average occupancy at peak times, and it is in that zone that AT told the board it considers paid parking could be appropriate.

Martin said current time limits were not working.

“The high occupancy needs to be addressed and existing restrictions lack flexibility,” he said. “Each business has different needs for their customers, and paid parking gives flexibility.”

“Paid parking has no time limits. This ensures that customers are able to park as long as they need to whilst a reasonable level of availability is maintained on-street.

A graduated tariff can be applied which encourages short stays and the price of parking can be based on demand responsive pricing principles (this means the price can go up or down, depending on demand –occupancy is reviewed regularly and prices adjusted to achieve 85 percent occupancy).”

Martin said while the business association was initially supportive of paid parking, that changed after discussions with its members because of a number of concerns.

Issues raised by DOB included the need for increased enforcement, as otherwise meters may do little to help the parking situation, and the risk of people ‘boycotting’ Ōrewa in favour of places where parking is free.

DOB also wants some spaces to have restrictions removed – such as on Moana Ave between Keith Morris Lane and Centreway Rd, as most of those spaces are often empty.

The report states that around 20 percent of all parking spaces in the P120 zone are taken up by staff of local businesses and Martin noted DOB’s efforts to discourage workers from using carparks meant for customers.

He said that “new methods of enforcement”, including number plate recognition, could assist with this, should paid parking come in. The system recognises how long vehicles have been parked to ensure higher priced tariffs for longer stays are used.

DOB asked AT to defer proceeding with the programme to provide time to educate employees around parking outside the CBD area.

Martin said that paid parking incentivises the

use of public transport, as it becomes cheaper to use the bus than park in the town centre.

“Some people need to drive, but they can lease a park, or park outside the town centre,” he said.

AT is suggesting there is potential to make the whole of the two-hour (P120) zone paid parking, effective Mon to Friday 8am-6pm. Weekends could be included at lower cost. Martin said pricing is key.

“If $2 per hour didn’t affect availability, it could be reassessed and tweaked.”

Once local board members have provided their feedback, AT will finalise the report and share it with DOB. Its recommendations will be put forward as a proposal to be consulted on publicly. No date has yet been set for that consultation but, if changes are introduced, they will not happen until 2026.

DOB did not wish to comment further until the public consultation stage. The draft review is linked to this story at www.localmatters.co.nz

The HBC Youth Centre will be renamed Hibiscus Youth Hub. Personal trainer Willy Wilson.

Sports club defibrillators proven lifesavers

Cardiac incidents at sports matches have reinforced the importance of having a defibrillator on site.

On June 15, Hibiscus Coast Raiders were playing at Glenfield versus the Greyhounds when one of the opposing team’s players dropped on the spot.

Raiders chair Seth Gleeson says it was lucky that one of the Raiders supporters was a heart specialist and started CPR.

“The Glenfield ground is next to a community hall, which had an AED (automated external defibrillator) available,” Gleeson says. “It took us quite a while to find it, tucked away in their kitchen but when we used it, the player’s heartbeat returned.”

The fire brigade turned up shortly after this, then an ambulance, which took the player to hospital.

Gleeson says Raiders had discussed the need for a defibrillator, but this incident expedited it. There is one close by at Stanmore Bay Pool & Leisure Centre, but Gleeson says the incident highlighted how important every minute is in getting that process happening.

“We have supporters interested in sponsoring an AED and we’ll ensure one is installed at the club soon,” he says. “I think it’s our duty of care to our members and visiting players and supporters to have an AED available in the off-chance a medical event arises in future.”

The player is reported to be stable and undergoing further tests.

In May, a Massey U85kg player collapsed during a game at Silverdale Rugby Club. The club has two defibrillators. One was used to resuscitate him and that, coupled with the quick action taken by first responders among the crowd, was crucial in saving the player’s life.

The defibrillator at Silverdale Rugby Club was supplied by the NZ Rugby Foundation, which supplies them to all rugby clubs.

Silverdale Rugby chair Hugh Goddard says the player is now doing well and is lucky to be part of a small percentage of people who survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Councillors allege excessive spending

Auckland Councillors John Watson and Mike Lee recently lodged a formal complaint with the auditor-general regarding the payment of more than $3.5 million by Auckland Council  to Australian consultants Flagstaff Consulting Group for advice relating to council asset sales – the sale of Auckland International Airport shares and the proposed lease of the Port Of Auckland. Approximately $2m was paid for the advice on the Port of Auckland, which didn’t proceed, and $1.5m in regard to the airport shares. The councillors, who both opposed the sale of the airport shares, have also questioned $135,000 worth of ‘out of pocket expenses’ paid to the company. Council says the advice, commissioned by officials, was independent and the fixed-price fee was payable to Flagstaff for further work, if the council opted to proceed with the sale.

Seawall contractor selection underway

Construction of the seawall on Ōrewa Beach, from Kohu St to Marine View, is expected to begin towards the end of this month, or early in August. The selection of a company contracted to do the work is imminent, after the tender period closed in mid-May. Auckland Council Resilient Land & Coasts general manager Paul Klinac says evaluation of the tenders is underway, and staff are currently seeking clarification from tenderers on aspects of their proposals. Once a contract is awarded, council will discuss options with the contractor around staging of the works and what can be achieved this year. “All contractors have indicated that the project is able to be completed by the end of October 2025 as planned,” Klinac says.

Defibrillator advice

Hato Hone St John’s advice is, in any situation where someone collapses or is unresponsive, call 111 and follow the call handler’s instructions: • If there is an AED nearby, ask a bystander to fetch this, while the initial caller remains on the line with the Hato Hone St John representative • The call handler will be able to advise if there is an AED nearby. Once the AED has been obtained, push the button and follow the instructions. AEDs provide clear and easy-to-understand advice, in addition to the 111 call-handler who will remain on the line until an ambulance arrives • It would be beneficial for all sports club members to know if your club has an AED, and where exactly it is located. In the heat of the moment during a medical event, it’s better to have clarity on how to reach it quickly • Knowing how to administer CPR is also helpful in medical situations, and you can find out more about Hato Hone St John’s free 3 Steps for Life course at www. stjohn.org.nz/what-we-do/community-programmes/3-steps-for-life/

An additional $16,000 will be spent on Ōrewa’s Airborne water feature, located on Moana Reserve. The sculpture was unveiled in December 2020 and cost almost $200,000. It was a replacement for the previous in-ground water feature, which had rusted out. The latest cost relates to the installation of a wireless wind cane which is connected with the sculpture’s misting function, enabling it to switch on and off. The wireless connection will mean that the temporary cabling/ cable ties on the structure can be removed.

The Raiders and Glenfield teams unite to pray for a player’s full and speedy recovery, after he was taken to hospital. Photo, Natasha Stil.

Viewpoint

Louise Johnston, Dairy Flat Representative, Rodney Local Board deputy chair louise.johnston@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Rural carve up begins

In previous Viewpoint columns, I have been critical of the unplanned and haphazard industrial businesses that have been consented in Dairy Flat in the last five years. The area’s rural character is slowly eroding away, replaced by high-security fences, construction yards and storage containers with limited, if any, landscape planting and zero urban design.  Given that this part of Dairy Flat is zoned Future Urban, and the proposed industrial area is not due for development until 2030 at the earliest, you are not alone in feeling bewildered at how this can happen in Auckland.

There are plenty of good examples of wellplanned industrial areas both in Auckland and internationally. However, things are all about to change. Council has accepted Fletchers and Fulton Hogan’s request for a private plan change to rezone 107 hectares of future urban land to light industrial. The site of the private plan change (PPC 103) area is from the Silverdale interchange and includes the area to SH1 to the east, and Dairy Flat Highway to halfway to Wilks Road.

The PPC includes landscape buffers along both SH1 and Dairy Flat Highway, stream and wetland plantings, walking and cycling infrastructure and new roads within the proposed industrial area, and upgrades to intersections along Dairy Flat Highway. However, there are several waste and water constraints, and temporary solutions are proposed if there is no capacity at the Army Bay treatment plant, when the staged development is ready. On the wider integrated transport front, the PPC does not propose any updates to the Silverdale interchange and no upgrades to the public transport network. Given that the bus

service along Dairy Flat Highway from the Silverdale park ‘n’ ride is not even hourly, it might be a struggle for workers to use the bus to get to work! Unfortunately, you can’t walk or cycle from the Silverdale park ‘n’ ride to Dairy Flat. All the supporting information on the PPC will be up on the council website shortly, and will be open for public submissions. There will be the opportunity for submitters to present their feedback to an independent hearing panel who will ultimately decide whether this PPC is successful.

The other big change for Dairy Flat is the newly consented 43-hectare surf park development at the old dairy farm on 1350 Dairy Flat Highway (see story p2).

This land had been earmarked as future industrial. The surf park includes a data centre, solar farm, extensive landscaping, restaurant, surf pool, visitor accommodation, walking, and cycling. The heat from the data centre warms the surf pool, making it suitable for year-round use and first heated wave pool in the world. Aventuur, the company behind the surf park development, and Spark, are hosting a community engagement event at the Dairy Flat Hall on Saturday, July 27, from 9 am to noon.

This is a very exciting and transformational development for the area and brings new opportunities and amenities. I know locals are keen to know more, and it will be great to have a team of experts to answer questions – I encourage the community to get along to this drop-in event. On a personal note, I think the surf park will be a huge uplift for the area. It is well-designed and planned with a rural aesthetic. Hopefully, this will encourage better development in area going forward.

Ōrewa dog park moves forward

The possibility of creating a designated dog park in Ōrewa is slowly moving forward behind the scenes at Auckland Council. Recently the local board was advised that the team working on the project will discuss it further with the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board at a workshop, hoping to gain direction on community engagement and the extent of any dog park facilities. The possibility of putting a dog park in Ōrewa’s Western Reserve was first discussed by the local board towards the end of 2021.

LocalOpinion

Ōrewa parking

With reference to Andrew Westaway’s comments on parking in Ōrewa (HM June 3), I would suggest that the most ideal position for a parking location would be in Centreway Road where the old bus station used to be. Privately owned it might currently be, it still appears to be a bit of a lost cause as the large and strategic position has remained empty for a very long time and if the current plan proceeds I’m guessing that it will just add more vehicles to Ōrewa’s already crowded parking situation.

Sue Norwood, Ōrewa

Editor’s note: Several properties are currently on the market for the residential development development at 188 Centreway Road (the former bus depot). Auckland Transport also has ruled out a public park in Ōrewa at this time, due to cost.

A question of culture

I was recently helping my school-aged children prepare for our school’s cultural day. We have a school full of an incredibly diverse range of cultures. Like many, our family has a predominantly British whakapapa (primarily Irish and Scottish). You don’t have to go back many generations to get there – my maternal grandad came out from Ireland. So, my son wore Scottish dress and my daughter Irish. I helped my son work on a slideshow presentation about Scotland - I had to help him look up information online, and as we didn’t have anything, I bought some outfits. It made me feel sad, that we knew and had experienced so little of our cultural ancestry and I started thinking about why this is the case when other cultures around us are so strong in their knowledge, history, and identity. In the late 19th and early to mid-20th Century, many New Zealanders considered England the mother country, home. Understandably, New Zealand later moved through that to forge its own national identity. The pendulum seems to have swung, in this present day, to the extreme opposite. Have we just lost interest, or even become somewhat ashamed of our British whakapapa? We are all aware of England’s colonising history and the dishonouring of Te Tiriti, and rightly so. However, we recognise that it is good when people are

secure in their cultural identity. All cultures have both positive and negative stories in history. As a bicultural country with a fantastic multicultural makeup, we promote and fund different cultures’ festivals and events. However, I can’t remember the last time I saw any British events (eg Highland Games) receiving the same treatment. Yet, 70 percent of the population identifies as NZ European (2018 census). I now intend to dig deep and find out more. I am a New Zealander with British whakapapa, and my cultural ancestry is more than buzzy bees, kiwifruit and sheep.

Sarah Menzies, Red Beach

Matariki Poem

Ten-year-old Charlotte Sutton, a year five student at Dairy Flat Primary School, wrote this poem for Matariki:

Bird song.

Choosing to collect everyone’s ears, ready for matariki

Trudging forward clenching onto their jackets, as the cold bites their cheeks

The stars shine on all Illuminated by the matariki cluster.

People look across the horizon as the ruru sing loudly Inviting the bright sky with their songs.

Waita making the ocean churn and burst out waves the height of flags.

Decreasing the water when the kai is delivered.

Peace between the stars and people.

Hiwa-i-te-rangi granting those wishes that people dream upon a star.

Ururangi capturing the kites and sailing the wind making the trees dance over a new Māori year.

A group of ukulele players began getting together last month for a bit of fun and a strum. The group, Uke Can Do It - Community Ukulele Band, was started by Calum Hodgson. He previously played guitar, but began giving ukulele a go when his daughter started playing one at school, last year. “ I love the twee joyful jingle jangle of ukulele, and the ease of playing and taking it places for musical mischief. Ukulele is a forgiving, fun and easy instrument to play,” he says. Anyone can join Uke Can Do It – no experience needed. “It’s all about ukulele fun, we’re not experts,” Calum says. “I’m still learning and look forward to playing tunes with others who want to have more ukulele in their life.” Meet ups are every Wednesday from 7pm at Whangaparāoa Library. Ukulele play along videos complete with chord charts are screened on a digital projector. A gold coin donation is requested. When the warm weather returns, Calum is hoping to have the sessions by the beach. Info: www.facebook.com/share/UMNq2DjidqWEwzAp/

Readers

Congratulations to Carol Hamilton of Hatfields Beach and Claire Rodenburg of Stanmore Bay, who each won a double pass to The Science of Getting 2 High at Paraoa Brewing in Whangaparāoa, on June 22. Thanks to all who entered.

Congratulations to Julie Fuller of Stanmore Bay and Pamela Cusack of Ōrewa, who each won a copy of The Story of You by Rose Stanley. Thanks to all who entered.

Silverdale Rugby Club’s Under 11s Rippa Rugby Team was chosen to play in the Eden Park curtain raiser for the Blues v Fijian Drua game on June 8. Coach Matt Gilmour says that the boys were absolutely ecstatic about playing there and had a wonderful time. “The curtain raiser against Taiamai Ohaeawai was more about fun than anything else so we don’t actually know who officially won, but it’s safe to say this was one for the memory books for the boys and their families.” The team is pictured with Matt, left, and manager Phil Jackson.

Carvings connect to Matariki

Master carver Joe Kemp, of Lake Rotoma, is exhibiting his work for the first time at Estuary Arts Centre in Ōrewa as part of the Spotlight on Sculpture show which opens this week.

Joe has been carving for more than 20 years. In more recent times, his wife Sherie and son Teimah have joined him. Whenever possible, they exhibit as a family.

All three have work in the sculpture exhibition and each piece has strong ties with the star cluster Matariki.

Sherie has created offering bowls made of stone, which connect to the fifth star, Waiti. This star celebrates fresh water, lakes, streams and rivers.

Teimah, aged 24, has carved patu in acknowledgment of Hiwa i te Rangi, the eighth star, depicting strength, ambition and resolution.

Joe says his works acknowledge Matariki, the mother of the stars, who represents health, wellbeing, fortune and peace to mankind within the Māori New Year .

Alongside these works are more traditional carvings by Natanahira Pono, from Takapuna. His works depict Ronomatane, guardian of flora and fauna and forest floor, paying homage to Tupu ā rangi, the fourth star.

The Spotlight on Sculpture exhibition is on at Estuary Arts Centre, July 3-28.

Works by the Kemp family of sculptors – each has ties to Matariki stars.

By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter.

Auckland Council has chosen not to provide private property owners with sandbags ahead of severe storms, as it did before Cyclone Gabrielle, unless directed to by an emergency authority.

At council’s Civil Defence and Emergency Management Committee on June 4, there were three options on the table: supplying sandbags to protect private property ahead of severe weather with the cost carried by ratepayers; not supplying sandbags; and only supplying sandbags when directed to by an emergency authority.

Auckland Emergency Management head of operations John Cranfield said there was no consistent approach to the issue in Auckland, or nationally.

Plastic free inspiration at library Council reconsiders sandbags for storms

A talk at Whangaparāoa Library this month is designed to share ideas that could help reduce people’s reliance on single-use plastics.

Presenter Courtenay Hunt of Auckland Council’s Wastewise team says rather than overwhelm people with the size of the problem, she wants to empower them to do something about it.

“I start with philosophical things – the connections between humans and the environment, what people value and want to see in the world they live in,” she says. “But highlighting the problems as we try to achieve zero waste can be overwhelming, so I focus on what individuals can do because that’s within our control. It’s about doing what we can, thinking about it and making small changes.”

The talk, How to Make it a Plastic-free July, is part of an international Plastic Free July movement.

Plastic Free July is a charitable foundation in Australia. Its global campaign began in 2011 and now has more than 100 countries involved. Council began promoting it around five years ago.

Courtenay, whose previous jobs included working with Mahurangi Wastebusters, says creating less waste starts with

thinking about what we buy – from how it is packaged to choosing second hand and reusable items.

Starting points include using reusable drink bottles and hot drink cups and replacing plastic food wrap with beeswax, paper or reusable plastic containers.

“Have a look in your rubbish bin or bag at the single use offenders and see what you can do about that.”

She says for some people it might eventually include not only changing their buying habits, but asking questions of companies that continue to produce single use packaging –from petfood to snacks.

“It only creates 30 days to make a new habit, and once you start, it can get addictive,” she says. “My presentation is not only for people who are starting to think about waste, but even those who think they are doing all they can and might share ideas. There’s always something to learn.”

The free, How to Make it a Plastic-Free July talk is on at Whangaparāoa Library, Tuesday, July 16, 11am. All welcome. Info: www.plasticfreejuly.org/, https://wastenothing.co.nz/ zero-waste-programmes/waste-minimisation/zero-waste-athome/ or look for Plastic Free July Aotearoa on Facebook for online tools and YouTube clips.

He said that 190,000 sandbags were provided across three stations in Auckland before last year’s cyclone.

“In the lead up to Cyclone Gabrielle, we did provide sandbags and we provided them at scale,” he said. “Demand significantly exceeded the available supply and [the process] resulted in a significant amount of resourcing, time, effort and cost. If we can get a consistent approach, it will provide us with a greater level of certainty.”

Houkura member Glenn Wilcox asked if there was any legal risk of council not providing sandbags, should a stormwater drain overflow into a property adjoining a council property, for example.

Auckland Emergency Management acting general manager Adam Maggs said that council would still protect public assets and do its due diligence around areas that it is responsible for.

“I guess we are talking more about individual property owners taking more responsibility themselves,” Maggs said. Chair Sharon Stewart said it was important for communities to be educated and prepared.

“A lot of people who know they have got flooding issues need to educate themselves, get the bags and have them ready,” Stewart said.

It might seem strange to talk about coffee in light of something as personal and serious as a funeral, but that’s just the point.

At Dil’s we take the smallest details very seriously, including the quality of our espresso. Because everything should be just the way you want it.

beautiful funerals

Consume and toss, single serve packaging like this is everywhere. It is convenient, but most of it ends up in landfill. Alternatives such as petfood in cans or reusable containers, and snacks that you can divide into smaller portions yourself, are something to consider to reduce waste.

EACH number in our CodeCracker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 23 represents Z, so fill in Z every time the figure 23 appears. You have one letter in the control grid to start you off. Enter it in the appropriate squares in the main grid, and solve the starter word. Fill in other squares in the main and control grids with the found letters and look for the next word. Follow the word trail through the puzzle to its completion.

www.codecracker.co.nz

Kip McGrath Ōrewa

Unlocking progress in maths and English can require extra support for some students and that is where private tutoring comes into its own.

Burnett Bakker, owner of Kip McGrath Ōrewa, has been a teacher for more than 10 years and says every child absorbs learning differently.

“The teaching in school is not at fault,” she says. “When you have 29 students, there is only time for one method of teaching. Working with individuals is my strength and what I love.”

Kip McGrath offers personal tuition in English and maths for primary and secondary students, with programmes to suit each child. Students receive a free assessment, then one-on-one coaching and computer work, to build their skills.

“You find the child’s sweet spot, and that’s when lightbulb moments happen,” Burnett

says.

The reasons for extra tutoring are mainly because the child wants to keep up, or catch up, with their class.

Burnett says since covid there has been a lot of catching up required.

“Children can come in with low selfbelief, and want to go under the radar in the classroom. As they progress, their confidence grows and they start putting their hands up and participating.”

Burnett moved to the Coast from South Africa with her family four years ago and has been teaching at local schools.

Kip McGrath aligns with her teaching philosophy and also enables her to work closer to her Arkles Bay home.

“Teaching is like being a mum – you need to be approachable, patient and kind,” Burnett says. “I put quite a bit of mothering into my work, and I want every child to succeed.”

Cut Creation Barbers

Watching barber Dinesh Naidu cut and shape hair, it is clear he is a perfectionist and wants every client to look their best.

Dinesh is the owner of Cut Creation Barbers in Whangaparāoa. This is his fourth barbershop in Auckland, and in Whangaparāoa he will share the barbering with Hibiscus Coast local barber, Sadlva Mani.

Growing up in Fiji, Dinesh always wanted to cut hair and says he learned the best way, by working alongside a barber. He’s been a professional barber for 15 years and moved to New Zealand seven years ago. Currently he lives in Manurewa, so it’s an early start for him to get to the Hibiscus Coast each morning.

Dinesh enjoys the precision and fine detail required of things such as razor and zero

fades but he’s happy working on any style or length of men’s hair, trimming beards and also shaving heads.

“People look happier and younger when they’ve had a haircut,” he says. “What I enjoy is making them look smart and feel good.”

Talking to customers is another aspect of the job that Dinesh relishes.

“I have no family in New Zealand, so my customers have become family,” he says. “That’s one reason I chose to be a barber in New Zealand, to meet lots of people through work and keep busy and happy.”

Dinesh set up Cut Creation Barbers in Whangaparāoa (by St Pierre’s) towards the end of last year and says good feedback and reviews online and plenty of repeat customers shows that he must be getting it right.

Burnett Bakker

Dinesh Naidu

Winning speeches take teenager to national comps

Public speaking, especially when the topic is something she cares deeply about, is something 15-year-old Maria Walker-Kinnell is excelling at.

Recently the Year 12 Ōrewa College student won two Auckland competitions –the Lion Young Speechmakers competition and the Ngā Manu Kōrero secondary school speech competition.

Her love of thinking on her feet and getting her message across will stand her in good stead, as she plans to study law and pursue her interest in politics.

She belongs to the National Party, and wants to be Minister of Education one day. The topic for her Ngā Manu Kōrero speech was about the transformative power of voting, but it is her Lions speech, on the

Lions speech

subject of the NZ education system, that she is proudest of.

“I got to choose my own topic, and education is something I have strong opinions about,” she says. Both competitions had an impromptu section, where competitors have to come up with a topic on the spot and prepare a speech in just a few minutes.

Walking the stage, sharing her thoughts and ideas was, Maria says, a brilliant experience.

“I was getting applause and that motivated me to ramp it up even more,” she says.

Maria will compete in the nationals of both competitions later this year.

Short excerpts of both her speeches are below:

New Zealand’s education system is in crisis. In the past decade our scores have fallen to today’s harsh reality of a 40 percent student illiteracy and innumeracy rate. The days when the world envied our education system are over and these declines coincide with a rise in student-led learning. The profound transition towards student-led learning signals a departure from the traditional expert-led educational framework. The allure of student-led learning, while appealing in its apparent student autonomy, inadvertently undermines the very essence of education by removing structured expertise. Most devastatingly, student-led learning exacerbates inequality, depriving low-income students of essential mentorship. This is why I care! Because a good education is the only way kids like me can change our circumstances. Kids from low income households with parents who scrape by as cleaners and checkout operators. We have the right to achieve more than what we were born into. The student-led system needs to be destroyed to fix education. The only way it will change is if people speak the truth. If you believe in setting kids up for success in effective teaching environments, join me in the fight against student-led learning.

Ngā Manu Kōrero speech

“I understand this [voting] sounds like a lot of work and you may think your voice doesn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. Well it is a lot of work and it may not always make a difference. But what is guaranteed to achieve nothing, is doing nothing. Suffragette Kate Sheppard said “do not think your single vote does not matter much. The rain that refreshes the parched ground is made up of single drops.” And you know what, sometimes it does make a difference.

Maria Walker-Kinnell’s speech-making ability has won trophies and certificates, plus some prize money in recent Auckland competitions.

Challenge goes out with big Ōrewa Lions donation

Ōrewa Lions Club recently handed over a substantial donation to support the Ōrewa Surf Lifesaving Club’s redevelopment project, at the same time challenging other community service groups to match it.

The $20,000 raised by Lions represented the proceeds from the sale of this year’s calendar, the Big Dig and numerous sausage sizzles. It was handed over on Sunday, June 16 at the surf club.

Lions president Wendy Miller said that numerous hours and volunteer skills were involved in grassroots fundraising to achieve this donation.

Ōrewa Surf’s redevelopment committee chair, John Chapman, said the generous donation would have a lasting impact, benefiting residents and visitors alike for years to come.

Take a visual walk through the planned facility or get in touch with the project at https://orewasurflifesavingcommunityhub. co.nz/

“This contribution reflects a strong commitment from our group to enriching community life and ensuring a safer, more connected environment for all,” she said. “The planned building will not only improve facilities for surf lifesaving but also create a space for the entire community to enjoy. Ōrewa Lions Club members are proud to support this important community asset. We challenge other community service groups in the area to match our donation to this very worthwhile cause.”

Members of the Ōrewa Surf Lifesaving Club board and fundraising team thank Ōrewa Lions Club for its generous donation.

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Colourful and cold Winter swim notches up nine years

Towards the end of this month, an enthusiastic bunch of locals will dress up in colourful, but usually not very warm, costumes and plunge into the cold waters of Arkles Bay – all in the name of fun.

The Arkles Bay Winter Splash is also a fundraiser – Harbour Hospice has been the beneficiary since the start, with more than $10,000 raised to date.

Organiser Greg Holland wanted to create

a fun event that offered a challenge, while raising money for a good cause. The community embraced it – there were around 70 participants last year.

Along the way, the event has also turned Greg into a year-round swimmer.

“I ended up in the cardiac ward with a suspected heart issue that turned out to be stress-related,” he says. “Regular dips in the ocean have really helped improve that.”

In particular, he finds it fantastic for mental

health.

“I’m a busy person running a business and with a family, so it is time out, and a great way to appreciate the place where we live,” he says. “It’s thought that the cold-water triggers dopamine, so that’s the feel-good side-effect.”

He says there’s no doubt the Arkles Bay Winter Splash must have been in his mind when he began his year-round swimming.

“Getting in is tough, but I know how good it feels afterwards and the more I do it the

Bingo! Family event supports young performer

Performing in musical theatre has become a passion for 11-year-old Boston Davis of Manly.

He is currently rehearsing for Finding Nemo Jr at Centrestage and the Northern School of Performing Arts production of Elf the Musical Elf will be part of the Junior Theatre Festival in Australia in October, and Boston and his family are fundraising so that he can be part of the festival with the rest of the cast. On stage, acting and singing, he is right at home, but Boston has his challenges which include Tourette’s syndrome, ADHD and OCD, which mean he will need to travel

with a friend for support.

Enter Noah Taylor, aged 20 – Boston’s friend and mentor who shares his love of theatre.

The Davis family found Noah, who is also involved with the Northern School of Performing Arts, when looking for someone to help Boston and give his parents and siblings some time out. As mentor, Noah says it’s cool to be part of helping others grow and learn things and the two have become great friends.

Getting Boston and Noah to Australia will cost the Davis family around $5000, but Boston’s mother Laura is determined to make it happen, although they only had a

month to fundraise.

An event seemed a good way to showcase live entertainment while raising funds and so Laura has organised a Music Bingo Party at Whangaparāoa Primary School hall. The event, on Saturday, July 6 at 6.30pm, will include several rounds of music bingo – a game where snippets of songs are played, and you mark off the names of the tunes on your bingo card. Between rounds there will be performances from Boston, Noah and friends as well as raffles, snacks and drinks. Tickets, which are $25 for adults, $15 for children are limited to 100. Email davisfamilynz@gmail.com

more I want to do it,” he says. “Maybe some of the winter splashers will go onto become year-round swimmers like me.”

Greg says it was great to see so many young people, including a number from Whangaparāoa College, take part last year and he would love to see more give it a try.

The Arkles Bay Winter Splash takes place on Sunday, July 28, 10am-11am.

Fundraising is mainly via Givealittle, https://bit.ly/3XDLpi5

Nine years on, the Arkles Bay Winter Splash has become a must-do event for many locals.

Boston Davis, left, with his mentor and friend Noah Taylor.

Restoration work on Pūhoi walkways progresses

Volunteers are continuing work to restore walking tracks around Pūhoi after damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle last year, with planting days, winter weed control efforts, and the construction of picnic tables to replace those swept away in the flooding. Some track sections remain closed to the public due to slips or storm damage, Pūhoi Community Forum secretary Sorrel O’Leary said.

Walking options around the village include the 40-minute loop track, which takes visitors through established and regenerating native bush to the ridge overlooking the village, and the river walkway, which follows the Pūhoi River through the Domain. Longer trails incorporate sections of the Te Araroa walkway, such as the 28 km Pūhoi to Dome Valley trail.

Loop track

O’Leary said the loop track has now been reopened to the public, following the clearing of extensive slips and mowing of the track by volunteers. Auckland Council has resumed its mowing maintenance of this track, which provides views over the historic village and down the Krippner and Pūhoi valleys.

“Visitors should bear in mind that parts of this track are steep and slippery in winter conditions,” she cautioned.

The loop track was conceived and constructed by Bill Marcroft and Arthur

Dunn in 2007, when council purchased a large block of land connecting Pūhoi Pioneers Memorial Park with the Department of Conservation reserve to the west, and leased this to the newly incorporated Pūhoi Community Forum to manage for the community. There are memorials along the walkway to Arthur Dunn, a farmer and conservationist who died in 2008, marking his contributions to the environment and the community.

River walkway

The river walkway is also now open to the public, thanks to the efforts of volunteers who repaired the fences and mowed a year’s growth.

Last August, council contracted the Citycare Group to clear blockages from floods that effectively cut off the river walkway near its entrance. Sorrel said the blockage was around three metres high and six metres long – “quite a barrier”.

“The flooding also extensively damaged the fencing along the walkway and it has taken dry weather to tension and repair the fences to ensure stock exclusion,” she said. “The trail remained unmown until recently, when volunteers were able to reestablish the track, enabling council contractors to begin regular maintenance.”

Planting along the banks, which volunteers had undertaken over a decade, was severely damaged by flooding in the summer of 2023. Sorrel said extensive infill planting

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and major weed control operations were necessary. Planting days have been scheduled for July 21 and August 11, and all volunteers are welcome.

The river walkway was established in conjunction with riparian planting after fencing was completed in 2013. Over a 10year period, volunteers planted successive stages of the riverbank, winning an Auckland Council environmental award in 2019 for their efforts.

O’Leary said the Pūhoi River Park Group has two further slips to repair along the upper ridge track, which links the loop track to the Te Araroa track heading west. The group was working on a plan to route the track around those slips, she said.

“In addition, we are currently deciding on the route for a new track, which will connect the end of the Pūhoi river walkway to the ridge track section of Te Araroa, just before it enters the DOC reserve.”

The plan was a further step towards the goal of having a series of walking tracks throughout the greater Pūhoi River Park, accommodating different levels of fitness for the local and wider community.

“We will be continuing our revegetation efforts, both with infill planting along the river walkway to counter the devastation from the flooding last summer, and in other areas of the park.”

For updates and more information: www.puhoicommunityforum.org

A volunteer mows the river walkway.

Photo, Pūhoi Community Forum

The view from the loop track. Photo, Pūhoi Community Forum

Green scene

Jenny Hanwell, Hibiscus Coast Forest & Bird j.hanwell@forestandbird.org.nz

Strange fungi to watch for

This is the season when nature lovers get very excited about the emergence of some of the strangest residents of our forests and grasslands.

There are at least 7500 species of fungi recorded in New Zealand, but many are yet unstudied so there could be thousands more. With quirky names like devil’s fingers, dog vomit fungus and shaggy inkcap they can really capture the imagination!

My personal favourite is the bird’s nest fungus (Crucibulum laeve) which looks like miniature nests with eggs inside. Neither plants nor animals, fungi are classified in a kingdom of their own, and have an essential role to play in our ecosystem. Many species are nature’s recyclers, turning dead material into nutrient rich soil, and some, the mycorrhizal fungi, work in essential partnership with trees. This is called symbiosis, and in return for the carbon that the fungus gets from the tree to convert to sugars, the tree receives nutrients that it couldn’t otherwise access, boosting the root system and increasing resilience to disease. This underground network is essential for a healthy ecosystem.

Do you know the difference between fungi and mushrooms? All mushrooms are fungi, but not all fungi are mushrooms. The mushroom is the part of the fungus that we usually see – the “toadstool” or the bracket on a tree. It represents the fruiting body of a much larger organism, mostly made up

of mycelium, fine threads or filaments that spread under the ground or through wood. Some fungi have no mushrooms at all, but are entirely made up of mycelia, such as the aptly named slime moulds.

The mushroom contains spores, fine powdery particles, which are the fungi’s way of reproducing, almost like seeds. Some disperse them from their “gills” on the underside of the cap, on the wind, and others, such as the anemone skinkhorn, produce a pungent smell of rotting flesh to attract flies to a sticky substance containing the spores, which they then carry away on their legs.

Some fascinating fungi you might see locally include the basket fungus (looks like a white slimy basket), slippery jacks, spectacular rustgill (the colour is in the name), puffballs, and under pines, the fly agaric – the red and white poisonous toadstool of fairy tales.

Māori have used fungi for centuries, in rongoā for medicine, for kai, and as a pigment in tā moko tattooing. Pūtawa, one of the bracket fungi, was used to carry fire as it could hold an ember for many hours without bursting into flame.

So next time you are out in the bush, look closely for fungi popping up on trees or on the ground, and if you are keen to know them by name, take a photo of the cap, stem and gills and upload it to the iNaturalist app, a favourite at Forest & Bird for recording and identifying critters.

Our gorgeous gift shop is located in a tiny Victorian summer house in the grounds of Orewa House. Call in for a delightfully unique shopping experience.

All natural skincare, candles, crystals, jewellery and other lovely treasures.

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BOOK HEAVEN

Donations of books welcomed

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Community Shop

Health

Dr Peter Hall hallpeter708@gmail.com

Early Greeks thought that illness was due to an imbalance of the four ‘humours’ – black bile, phlegm, blood and yellow bile. They also thought that the basic temperaments arose from a preponderance of one of these fluids, hence melancholic from black (melan) bile, phlegmatic, sanguine and choleric.

Ancient Hebrews sometimes said that the deepest feelings came from the kidneys or the womb. I understand the phrase “Let not your heart be troubled”, when translated into an Inuit language, became literally “Let not your liver shiver”! These are all examples of interoception, the process of perceiving signals from our internal organs. “Butterflies in my tummy”, “it felt like a kick in the guts”, “my blood boiled” or the old-fashioned “I feel it in my waters”, are all expressions of an awareness of our visceral responses. But perhaps most consistent in our culture is the association between the heart and the emotions. Everybody knows what a heart emoji means, even though it is anatomically far from correct. We can be half-hearted, cold-hearted, soft-hearted, faint-hearted, light-hearted and all the opposites. Our heart can sink or soar. Our heart can rule our head. We can follow our heart, and so on.

No wonder than that a serious cardiac event can have a very significant emotional impact. After a heart attack, or surgery, up to 80 percent of patients will experience

what is called ‘the cardiac blues’. This is understandable, considering these are potentially life-threatening events and often occur without warning.

There may be a fear of recurrence, hypersensitivity to physical symptoms, withdrawal from others, loss of confidence, tearfulness, a sense of disorientation and all the stages of grief. Since these reactions are so common and mostly resolve within a few months, the best approach is supportive understanding and reassurance. Talking to people who have ‘been there’ is helpful as well.

And in my experience, there can be positive emotional responses as well – a sense of the preciousness of life, a re-evaluation of priorities and an appreciation of friends and family.

But a third of cardiac patients will experience clinically significant anxiety and depression and approximately 15 percent will be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Besides the emotional distress, these patients tend to neglect their rehabilitation programmes and have poorer outcomes. This is more common if there is a history of previous mental problems, social isolation, financial strain, other health problems, smoking or a concurrent bereavement.

Fortunately, there are hospital and community-based resources for this situation. Cardiac rehabilitation programmes explore all aspects of recovery, including physical and psychological, and have been shown to improve quality of life, readmission rates and mortality. Heartbeats Charitable Trust, founded by local Trent Lash, has been particularly successful in this area. There is also evidence that exercise and optimisation of diet can help, as well as formal counselling and medication. Keeping in touch with your GP, especially in the year after a heart event, gives them an opportunity to monitor your wellbeing and access support. A lot of the time they will be able to reassure you and your family that what you are going through is normal but, if not, there is help out there.

Spectators welcome at Bastille Day pétanque

The Hibiscus Pétanque Club, located behind Bowls Ōrewa, is keen to showcase its sport on what it considers to be one of the best terrains in Auckland, featuring more than 20 pistes.

The club has held an annual tournament on Bastille Day for more than 12 years, as a way of celebrating the sport’s French origins. Committee member Greg Wade says the tournament is popular with players Auckland-wide.

“We restrict the day to 36 teams of two players, and it is always fully subscribed, being the only Bastille Day event,” he says.

Although it is a competition, the emphasis of the event is on fun, with participants encouraged to dress in French style –champagne is on offer for the best-dressed.

The event takes place rain or shine – Greg says only downpours ever stop play.

Spectators are welcome, with plenty of places to get a good view.

“We hope watching the tournament encourages some new players to try the sport,” Greg says.

The tournament is on Sunday, July 14, 8.45am-3pm.

“There will be a good mix of players – top teams are always keen to travel and hone their skills.”

Cuisine

Lauraine Jacobs www.laurainejacobs.co.nz/blog/

Hearty vegetable and chickpea soup

Often I think there seems to be nothing for dinner, despite having my vegetable drawer half-filled with staples that see me through each week. When asked “What’s for dinner?” most people respond first with the protein that takes centre plate, (vegetarians excluded.) Usual answers will be lamb chops, steak, chicken, mince or fish or, as in many households, pizza or spaghetti. But turning to the vegetables on hand, and especially now that winter has arrived with a vengeance, wonderful soups can be whipped up to make a satisfying and delicious meal. It’s also a good idea to think like this as all the food waste that is being constantly discussed can be avoided by tossing all those vegies into a pan, boiling them up together for a filling soup. Add some crusty bread or toast and there’s dinner.

One of the handiest gadgets in my kitchen is the blending stick (and, in case you’re asking ‘hasn’t she got an air fryer’, the answer is no, I have not.) My blending stick can change a mixture of vegetables into a super smooth soup, or into a lovely puree of potatoes, pumpkin, or any combination to serve over pasta. One of my favourites is when I have a surplus of broccoli from the garden, as all the plants produce their heads at once. Broccoli, blended with olive oil, a few fresh herbs and some parmesan or cream makes a great meal served with chunky pasta tubes.

Likewise, a chunky soup of vegetables on hand makes for an easy dinner. Add in some chickpeas or white beans from a can to add interest and texture. And the bigger the saucepan, the more the chance of leftovers that will do for a quick lunch in the next day or two.

The lovely soup recipe here was whipped up in less than half an hour. The ingredient list might appear long, but it can be altered, added to or take a different direction according to what is in your fridge. That one remaining carrot or kumara or a chunk of pumpkin could also become a parsnip or a large potato, and if you haven’t got a leek, a nice big onion will do the trick instead.

I have made soups like this with rice instead of the chickpeas, or pasta shapes like macaroni, tubes or shells. Other type of beans or lentils are also great ingredients in any soup. But do consider the order you add the various ingredients to your pan. Onions, garlic and leeks all develop more flavour with a longer cooking time, but softer, fragile vegetables like pumpkin and green beans, broccoli or other types of squash do not need to be cooked as long as those dense carrots, kumara and potatoes.

And finishing touches are important, too. A pile of fresh herbs makes a great difference to a soup, as does the addition of a little cheese like the feta in the recipe or some grated parmesan. And if you have a little leftover like ham or sausage, pop that in the soup at the finish. Keep warm!

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 leek, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

1 large kumara, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

150g cup chickpeas, drained

1 litre chicken stock

1 cup water

1 tin crushed tomatoes

salt and freshly ground black pepper

150g pumpkin, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 handful of fresh spinach leaves, washed and sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

To finish

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 thick slice ham cut into matchsticks

60g feta cheese, crumbled

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan and add the leeks and garlic cloves with the cumin. Cook for about 8 minutes over a very low heat until the leeks soften. Add the carrot, kumara and chickpeas and toss well in the oil. Add the stock, tomato and water and set to a low simmer for about 15 minutes. Next, add pumpkin chunks and salt and pepper and continue to simmer slowly for a further 10 minutes. Finally stir in the spinach and cook for a further minute.

To serve, ladle out into individual bowls and scatter over ham, feta cheese and extra black pepper. Serve hot with fresh crusty bread or buttered toast. Serves 4 to 6 as a complete meal.

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Hearty winter vegetable soup

New Coastie

Ed Amon edamonnz@gmail.com

The allure of fantasy land

In the academic world of my doctoral studies, where theoretical frameworks breed like tribbles and deadlines loom like dementors, the fantasy literature genre is my refuge. Imagine this: I’m hunched over my desk, eyes bleary from hours of dissecting complex theories that would make Einstein’s hair curl even more. But then, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, I reach for my trusty volume of fantasy literature. As soon as I crack open that spine, the real-world melts away faster than ice in a dragon’s breath. Suddenly, I’m not a frazzled doctoral student; I’m a brave knight, a fearless princess, or perhaps a misunderstood sorcerer that loves dramatic entrances.

The world of fantasy is a place where the impossible becomes delightfully possible. Where else can you encounter a dual personality Gollum with a knack of speaking in the third person? Or witness a battle where an impending loss is thwarted by magical fairies? The audacity of these tales has the ability to make one forget the weight of our problems, even if only for a moment. Take dragons, for instance. These magnificent creatures are the essence of fantasy allure. They come in all shapes, sizes, and temperaments, from the wise and ancient Smaug to the loyal and obedient Drogon. There’s something incredibly liberating about losing oneself in a world where dragons are as common as seagulls (albeit not as fond of fish and chips).

My favourite dragon is Azdhaar from the

Chitral folklore of northern Pakistan. With the body of a snake and a lion’s mane, what’s not to like? As I read, I can befriend these gigantic creatures or ride them over continents without worrying about citations or footnotes.

The most wonderful thing about fantasy literature is its ability to tackle profound themes like good versus evil, war, politics, corruption, bigotry, classism and mortality with amazing ease. It’s like a spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine of deep, philosophical reflection go down. My serious non-fiction world, which I love, often feels like navigating a maze of dense prose and convoluted arguments, but fantasy literature? That’s like flying over the labyrinth on the back of a griffin, laughing at the centaur below.

As a teenager I used to lose myself in the adventures of Amir Hamza, the original South Asian slash Persian fantasy. Recently I picked it up and I felt like I was that happy child again. Next minute, I am deep into the fantasy sci-fi interplanetary world created by Pierce Brown in the Red Rising Trilogy and the enchanted world of djinns, peris, shedus, and karkadanns created by SA Chakraborty in the Daevabad Trilogy. These stories are in my ears when I go for long walks, clean up the kitchen, or as I go to bed. You might ask – hey what about social media? To that I say – what social media? Let me know what your favourite fantasy book, character or creature is.

ToTalspan Rodney pRoud sponsoRs of

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aRoundup of spoRTs acTiviTies in THe disTRicT

AIMS

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North and South Trust and Muldoon’s Irish Bar is supporting Orewa College’s sports teams and individuals to get to the AIMS games this year. The college says the support will substantially alleviate the financial burden for those attending the week-long tournament in Tauranga this September.

CROQUET

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 09 426 3506 or Pixie 021 0249 5910 or visit 43 Hatton Road Ōrewa.

GIRLS FOOTBALL

Hibiscus Coast Football Club’s Girls Night Under Lights was postponed due to weather and will now take place on Friday, July 5. Registration from 5pm-5.30pm at Metro Park in Millwater. Girls age 4-9 years old will be able to take part in fun football-based activities with great coaches, all free of charge. All welcome.

NETBALL

Netball skills holiday programme. Calling Year 4-8 netballers: Learn valuable skills from last year’s Netball North Harbour Premier winners, Whangaparāoa College’s premier team. Programme held on July 11 and 12, 9am-3pm –one day $40, two days $70. Register at https://bit.ly/wgpskills

PÉTANQUE

Petanque competition, on Hibiscus Pétanque terrain behind Ōrewa Bowling Club, Western Reserve, Ōrewa, July 14, 8.45am-3pm. See players from around Auckland compete in the annual, Frenchthemed, Bastille Day event. Spectators welcome.

ToTalspan Rodney

List your sports here FREE email: terry@localmatters.co.nz

229 sTaTe HigHway 1

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ToTalspan Rodney

pHone 09 422 3149

229 sTaTe HigHway 1

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pHone 09 422 3149

40 day challenge up and running

Twenty-one-year-old Danielle Watson of Whangaparāoa is halfway through a challenge that, on some days, involved doing five gym classes in a single day.

Among the sessions she has tried are F45, pole fitness, Zumba, kickboxing, weight training, Crossfit, running, and pool classes.

Her 40 Days of Fitness challenge, which started on June 14 and ends on July 23, is her latest method of raising money for World Vision. Last year she raised $1200 from walking 400km in 40 days, outdoors and also on a treadmill.

“The more you upscale the challenge, the more you can potentially raise,” she says. Her passion for supporting good causes began at school with things such as the 40 Hour Famine. She also supports the Breast Cancer Foundation and Plunket.

Her plea for support from local fitness instructors and gyms saw offers of free sessions from places such as F45

Whangaparāoa, Attitude Pole Fitness in Albany, Collective Care in Warkworth, Northern Arena and Empower Academy.

“I’ve had so much support, and I’m packing in as much as I can in the 40 days,” she says.

Once a dancer, Danielle has had a baby, put on weight and has some health issues.

“The challenge not only raises money, but gets me off the couch and active,” she says.

She has already noticed increased stamina.

“I used to go to gym classes and watch the clock, wanting it to be over, but the ones I’ve been to on this challenge have been great, with an uplifting vibe so I might just fall back into it once the 40 days is over,” she says.

Donations can be made to her World Vision fundraising page: https://my.worldvision. org.nz/d/ss/sEZBwt/danielle-maree-watson To follow her journey: www.facebook.com/ share/9jz1sStWeVYonT1J/?mibextid=K35Xfp

Butterfly sanctuary seeks home

By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.

The Moths and Butterflies of NZ Trust is looking for a perfect spot in Auckland to build a butterfly sanctuary, and recently asked Auckland Council for help.

At council’s Planning, Environment and Parks Committee on June 13, founding trustee Jacqui Knight said a sanctuary could look after native species, be a tourist destination and an educational facility.

“There are endangered species of butterfly that we could raise,” Knight said.

She said although there was no formal evidence of a decline in native butterfly numbers, there are fewer sightings reported.

“I have not had a monarch butterfly come into my garden this year – I am getting people contacting me all the time saying this is happening,” she said.

Councillors proposed a number of options, such as partnering with Auckland Zoo, the Botanical Gardens or Butterfly Creek.

Knight said the Trust had a good relationship with Butterfly Creek, but that organisation focuses on tropical butterflies.

The Moth and Butterflies of NZ Trust was encouraged to speak to local boards about opportunities and, once a site is proposed, to seek funding.

In 2020, Fusion 8 proposed building a tropical bird and butterfly house on land near Snowplanet in Silverdale, as a tourist attraction, but that has not yet eventuated.

Danielle Watson with the PE Club’s Jumper Hamilton. Local gyms have offered her free sessions so she can fundraise for World Vision.

Volunteers at work restoring Ōrewa wetland

Mud-spattered volunteers armed with spades, sickle knives and “a sense of adventure” gathered on June 26 for a community planting day with a difference – for many of those involved in the Restore Hibiscus & Bays project, it was their first focusing on a saltmarsh. The area, on the Te Ara Tahuna Estuary walkway route adjacent to Kath Hopper Drive, is classified as a terrestrial significant ecological and a biodiversity focus area, RHB ecological restoration advisor Deborah Colson explained.

About a year ago, 25 young people with the Duke of Edinburgh programme carried out some significant weeding of Arum lilies dominating the area. Last

week the gumboot-shod volunteers were manually tackling resprouting weeds, ahead of planting salt-tolerant grasses as well as kahikatea, New Zealand’s tallest indigenous tree. Deborah said kahikatea were perfect for the site because they like a wet environment – and wouldn’t block anyone’s view when fully-grown.

Natives already growing in the area include kiokio ferns, cabbage trees, tree ferns and the climbing vine Muehlenbeckia, a perfect habitat for lizards.

The weeding and planting of around 1000 new plants aimed to enhance the nursery habitat for native fish, and the native habitat for at-risk species such as banded rail and fernbirds, she said.

Skin Medications Decoded: Efudix

Efudix or 5FU is a cream used to treat certain early skin cancers and precancerous lesions. These conditions are often caused by sun exposure and can lead to skin cancer if left untreated. Efudix contains a special ingredient called 5-fluorouracil, which helps to stop the abnormal growth of skin cells. It is like a cream version of chemotherapy that should be used with care and under the guidance of a medical professional. When you apply Efudix to your skin, it gets absorbed and starts working by interfering with the way abnormal cells grow and multiply. This helps to get rid of the damaged cells and allows healthier skin cells to take their place. It is kind of like weeding a garden – Efudix targets the bad plants (abnormal cells) while leaving the good ones (healthy cells) alone.

Using Efudix is pretty simple. You just apply a thin layer of the cream to the affected area of your skin as advised by your doctor. This may be from under one week to over six weeks, depending on what is being treated. It is important to use it exactly as your doctor tells you and for as long as they recommend for maximal effectiveness as there is a wide variation in how skin can respond. Do not use the cream simply because it was lying around in the house or you just borrowed it from your neighbour. If used incorrectly it may be ineffective or cause harm like scarring. While it is an effective medication, it can also cause some side effects. When you first start using it, you might notice redness, itching, burning, or peeling of the skin. These side effects are usually mild and go away on their own as your skin gets used to the medication. However, some people may experience more severe reactions like blistering or ulceration. If you have any concerns or if the side effects are bothering you, it is important to talk to your doctor.

Even though it can be a bit uncomfortable at times, using Efudix is worth it because it can prevent and treat skin cancer and keeps your skin healthy. Just remember to follow your doctor’s instructions carefully, be patient, and give your skin the time it needs to heal properly. And always wear sunscreen and protective clothing when you’re out in the sun to help prevent future skin problems.

Dr Talat Nur

MBBS, FCPS (General Surgery) Associate SkinSafe Ōrewa

•

Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm | 18 Florence Ave, Ōrewa Clinic: 09 242 7546 | support@skinsafe.co.nz skinsafe.co.nz

From left, Julia Clavel, Jocelyn Sanders and Deborah Colson of Restore Hibiscus & Bays oversee the campaign.

HOME & MAINTENANCE

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

CARPET LAYING, CARPET RE-STRETCH, VINYL LAYING, CARPET REPAIRS

Over 30 years’ experience. Contact Dexter 027 4956 436

For your drainage requirements. Certified drain layers. All Round Drainage Ltd: Ph/txt 0274 890 851 email jeff@ardnz.com

HANDYMAN

Odd jobs, gardening, painting & water blasting. Phone Nev 021 399 226.

HOUSE WASHING - SOFT WASH / LOW PRESSURE / CHEMICAL WASH

Also Window Cleaning / Gutter Clearing / Decks / Concrete. Careful service, reasonable rates. qualitywash.co.nz / 021 0579743

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

ARKLES BAY PAINTERS/DECORATORS In the area for the area. Shane 021 0813 8481.

CARPET ADVICE, FREE QUOTE FOR STEAM CLEANS, Carpet Repairs, 35 years experience Dwayne 027 499 7929.

ESTATE LANDSCAPES – For all of your landscaping needs Ph SEAN 027 904 7506

HANDYMAN EX-BUILDER Repairs to old windows & doors. Fencing, paving stones, brick garden walls, wooden garden boxes all sizes. Painting inside & outside etc. Phone 027 436 1828.

Classifieds

INVESTMENTS

WANTED TO BUY

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

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

DVDS & VIDEOS

LOST CAT

Help bring Marco home

Marco escaped from a local cattery while his family were away. He is dearly missed and they are worried he is cold, scared, hungry and in an unfamiliar neighbourhood.

Marco may be trying to make his way home to Ōrewa. (has been spotted near The Plaza & Rosario Reserve Red Beach)

His family would love to have him home safe & sound, please contact Ann 027 589 8963.

SITUATIONS VACANT

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

DRIVER WANTED - must have Class 4, earthworks etc. Ph. 027 499 2430

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

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

HYPNOTHERAPY

Lose weight. stop smoking. anxiety and depression, confidence, self esteem. Ph 021 635 966 www.hypnotherapy2succeed.co.nz

PEST CONTROL Eradication of rats & mice. Competitive Rates. Ph 426 2253 Ph 027 286 7321, www.noratsandmice.nz A SMART REPAIR Service for F&P smartdrive washers, F&P/Simpson dryers. Prompt service ph 021 168 7349.

HOUSIE

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

HIBISCUS COAST COUNTRY MUSIC CLUB, Sunday, July 7th, 1pm, at the Ōrewa Community Centre, $5 entry, all welcome. 60’s UP MOVEMENT, HIBISCUS COASTMeetings are held 3rd Wednesday of every month, 10am at the RSA in Vipond Road, Whangaparāoa. Outings 1st Wednesday of month. Ph Gloria 027 386 2339

ACROSS: 1 Copying, 4 Bill of fare, 9 Broaden, 13 Reek, 14 Strain, 15 Toucan, 16 Armoury, 18 Ear, 20 Inevitable, 21 Infamous, 22 Sight, 25 Devout, 26 Preach, 28 Spotlight, 33 Vendetta, 34 Septic, 35 Gingham, 39 Massacre, 40 Sonata, 41 Foil, 42 Faith, 43 Asset, 46 Stumbling block, 53 Adorn, 56 Broth, 57 Fern, 58 System, 59 Betrayal, 62 Hexagon, 63 Parody, 64 Contempt, 67 Undecided, 69 Plenty, 70 Costly, 74 Worth, 75 Sombrero, 77 Painkiller, 81 Gas, 83 Lanolin, 84 Handle, 85 Placid, 86 Ring, 87 Peckish, 88 Starry-eyed, 89 Grinned. DOWN: 1 Corgi, 2 Preserve, 3 Gateau, 4 Brawl, 5 Lane, 6 Ostrich, 7 Fluffy, 8 Realm, 10 Rare, 11 Abolish, 12 Earthy, 17 Lieutenant, 19 Quota, 23 Catacomb, 24 Timid, 25 Dilemma, 27 Rate, 29 Painful, 30 Adores, 31 Sprang, 32 Batter, 34 Swami, 36 Guard, 37 Asks, 38 Disc, 44 Survey, 45 Extra, 47 Tier, 48 Mundane, 49 Lesion, 50 Nasty, 51 Bleached, 52 Keeper, 53 Acrophobia, 54 Onyx, 55 Nullify, 60 Cover, 61 Gnat, 65 Pivot, 66 Stallion, 68 Network, 69 Progeny, 71 Locate, 72 Gender, 73 Ending, 76 Boast, 78 Award, 79 Rigid, 80 Airs, 82 Spry.

10:45pm3.1 4:51am0.9 11:08am3.0 4:57pm0.9 11:26pm3.1 5:33am0.9 11:49am2.9 5:39pm0.9 12:07am3.0 6:15am1.0 12:31pm2.8 6:25pm1.0 12:50am2.9 6:58am1.0 1:16pm2.8 7:14pm1.1 1:34am2.9 7:45am1.0 2:07pm2.7 8:08pm1.2 2:21am2.8 8:34am1.1 3:02pm2.7 9:04pm1.2 3:10am2.8 9:28am1.0 4:01pm2.7 9:59pm1.2 4:04am2.8 10:23am1.0 4:57pm2.8 10:52pm1.1 4:59am2.8 11:17am0.9 5:50pm2.9 11:44pm1.0 5:56am2.9 12:09pm0.8 6:40pm3.1 12:34am0.9 6:51am3.0 12:58pm0.7 7:28pm3.2 7:33am 5:18pm 7:33am 5:19pm 7:33am 5:19pm 7:33am

What’s on ...

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

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

4 Quiz Night and Music with Going Bananas, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 5.30pm-7pm. Free entry.

6 Music Bingo, Whangaparāoa School hall, 39 Ladies Mile, Manly, 6.30pm.  Fundraiser to get two local children to the Junior Theatre Festival in Australia. Entry adults $25, kids $15, includes performances, raffles, snacks and drinks. Tickets, email Laura Davis, davisfamilynz@gmail.com (see story p17)

6 Community planting day, Pacific Parade Coastal Reserve, Army Bay, 10am1pm. Hosted by Restore Hibiscus and Bays. Planting 500 trees to extend native habitat area. All welcome. Info: https://restorehb.org.nz/planting-days

7 Hoedown at the Ranch, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 4pm-7pm. Free entry.

10 Sharón Blow, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

11 & 16 School holiday clothing upcycling workshops for youth, Stillwater Community Hall, 10am-2pm. Learn basic sewing skills and techniques in this hands- on workshop. Limited to 10 participants, aged 12-18, per workshop. Entry $5. Registration essential, email coordinator@hibiscuscoastzerowaste.co.nz

14 Community planting day, Shakespear Regional Park, starting 10am. All welcome. Bring clean, sturdy covered footwear, gardening gloves, a rain jacket, sunhat and sunscreen. You can bring a clean spade, but they are also supplied. Info: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/tags/planting/

16 How to Make it a Plastic-Free July, Whangaparāoa Library, 11am. Reduce use and reliance on single-use plastics. Free event. (see story p9)

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

17-19 Three-day t-shirt knitting workshop, Evelyn Page Retirement Village, Ōrewa, 2pm-4pm each day. Learn how to turn your favourite t-shirt into a new garment thanks to expert knitters at the village. Suitable for ages 12-18. Free. To register, email coordinator@hibiscuscoastzerowaste.co.nz

18 Quiz Night and Music with Going Bananas, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 5.30pm-7pm. Free entry.

18 NZ Marine Biosecurity 101, a talk by biosecurity specialist Dimitri Colella, Gulf Harbour Yacht Club, near ferry, 7pm-8.30pm. Topics include updated hull surveillance operations, the state of cleanliness of the Auckland fleet and the latest on the Exotic Caulerpa situation. All welcome, entry $5 for non-members.

20 Blame the Cats, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 7pm-10.30pm. $5 members, $10 non-members – door sales only.

21 Death Café, Whangaparāoa Library, 10.30am. Conversations about grief, death and dying over cake and coffee. Free event.

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

27 Toucan, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 7pm-10.30pm. $5 members, $10 non-members – door sales only.

27 Community planting day, Shakespear Regional Park, starting 10am. All welcome. Bring clean, sturdy covered footwear, gardening gloves, a rain jacket, sunhat and sunscreen. (BYO spade, but also supplied). Info: https:// ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/tags/planting/

27 Stanmore Bay Kids’ Market, Stanmore Bay Community Hall, 1pm-3.30pm. A market run by kids, for kids. Cash only. Info: stanmorebaykidsmarket@gmail.com

27, 28 & 30-Aug 3 The Sound of Music, Centrestage Theatre, Centreway Road, Ōrewa. Evening and matinee performances. Info and tickets: https:// nz.patronbase.com/_CentreStage/Productions/AR24/Performances

28 Arkles Bay Winter Splash, annual fundraiser for Harbour Hospice, Arkles Bay Beach, 10am-11am. Participants encouraged to wear fancy dress. (see story p17)

31 2 Of Us, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

30 Dementia Auckland’s Understanding Dementia, Whangaparāoa Library, 11am. Types and symptoms of dementia, management and preventive measures. RSVP WhangaparaoaLibraryEvents@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Pharmacy

Talk with Tania Adams

Pharmacist

Dry Eye July

While over the counter artificial tears have been the traditional treatment for dry eyes, new treatments and a more holistic approach is the latest way to go. Dry eye sufferers now have a range of treatment options to choose from.

Symptoms of dry eyes may include one or all of the following: A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes

• A sense of a foreign substance in your eyes

• Eye redness

• Watery eyes

• Eye fatigue after short periods of reading

• Difficulty wearing contact lenses

• Medications, aging and other causes, such as environmental factors (eg. air conditioning), insufficient blinking (to much screen time!) can lead to dry eyes.

In your tears, you will find both water for moisture and oils to help you see and keep your eyes comfortable. Having dry eyes is caused because your tear system is “out of whack”. This means that replacing tears with an over-the-counter eye drop will help. We can advise you on which formula will suit you, whether it be frequent use or a longer lasting formulation, to be used with contacts, no preservatives, oil based lubrication, etc. Selecting an incorrect eye drop can lead to all sorts of problems, whereas getting the right one feels like a silk pillow for your eyes!

However, when it comes to treating your dry eyes, there’s more to consider than just some drops. Decreased oil production to help with that lubrication can happen when the glands around your eye get blocked. A moist heat eye mask will help to unblock the glands (where oil has solidfied) and allow natural production of lubrication for your eye again. (Bring in this article for a 10% saving off price of the Opti-Soothe Moist Heat Mask) You can also prevent blockages by using special eye wipes to keep these sensitive areas of your eyes clean and clear.

Can your nutrition help? Yes it can! The results from recent studies show that Vitamin D can help your lubricant eye drops be more effective. Another study showed that supplementing with Vitamin D improved tear quality and dry eye symptoms. Given that over a quarter of New Zealanders are low in Vitamin D, this may be contributing to some of us having dry eye symptoms. Taking the active form of Vitamin B12, methylcobalamin, has also been studied in combination with using eye drops and showed promising results. Vitamin B12 may specifically help reduce the burning sensation related to dry eye. Be sure to ask one of our pharmacists or natural health experts for advice on specific dosage of any natural health supplements in relation to your dry eyes.

Treatment for dry eyes first involves getting the diagnosis right. There are many other conditions that exhibit the same symptoms as dry eyes. Myself or my pharmacist colleagues at Unichem Manly Pharmacy can run through a set of questions to help you exclude other causes, some of which can be quite serious. Make sure you take this important step. You’ve only got two eyes, so best look after them.

day of footy kicks off

Saturday June 22 was an action-packed day at Hibiscus Coast Association Football Club in Stanmore Bay. Its grounds were packed from 10am with a mini festival for the U11 players, which brought teams from all over Auckland to take part. Hundreds of young players in mixed girls and boys teams, and their supporters, filled the fields. The same day, both the men’s 1st team and

the U23s had home games against Franklin. The club’s men’s 1st team have a Chatham Cup match coming up on July 6 versus Melville United. A win will see them reach the quarter finals of this premier nationwide knockout tournament.

Hibiscus Coast is one of four NZ teams currently in line for a quarter final spot that are not currently playing in the National League.

*Please