Interview: Teen castaways of 1969 tell all... p24-25
Fourteen houses coming for one-home Belmont site
Intensification continues its march down the Devonport peninsula, with a proposal to build 14 attached townhouses on a section at Belmont.
The 1528 sqm site at 55 Merani St, at the end of a cul-de-sac, is currently occupied by a single house.
Source Group has lodged a resource consent application to build 14 two-storey dwellings, each with a carpark.
Some have bike storage and a communal bike storage facility will be provided.
While some of the proposed houses in the Merani St development exceed height to boundary restrictions, the effects are “less than minor” and the application should proceed on a limited notification basis, a
To page 12
Purple reigns as military animals honoured
Ribbon of respect…Theodore Corliss (4) with sister Harriet (7), mother Paloma Smith and dog Kaia (10) at the Purple Poppy Day at the Navy Museum last Saturday. More pictures, page 3.
Good to go... Eight new Corella Rd townhouses are being marketed for a mortgagee sale
Belmont development for sale after receivers called in
A property development of eight new townhouses in Belmont is on the market in a mortgagee sale.
Buyers are invited to “buy one, buy multiple or buy them all”, with tenders closing for the Corrella Rd homes on 5 March at 4pm.
The mortgagee sale was triggered after the developer, SW Taka Limited, was placed in receivership and liquidation owing $7.9 million.
The debt is owed by the company and director and shareholder Chenyang Wei, ac-
cording to Baker Tilly Staples Rodway in its first receivers’ report filed on 11 February.
“The company’s primary asset is a property development in Belmont, Auckland incorporating eight duplex townhouses,” the report said.
The receivers engaged a project manager “to complete residual development works to bring the property to a standard for sale”.
The receivers had “received no cooperation from the company and its director”, the report said.
The townhouses are being marketed by
Ben Potter of Harcourts Devonport.
“Presented under mortgagee sale conditions, this is a rare chance to acquire a completed, fully turnkey residential development in a high-demand location,” the property listing says.
“With construction now finished and the mortgagee in full control, every dwelling is complete, vacant, and ready for immediate occupation.
“The secure, fully completed nature of the site substantially lowers the risks usually associated with mortgagee sales.”
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Purple patch at museum as animals honoured
Pets and owners gathered at the Navy Museum last Sunday for a commemoration of Purple Poppy Day, recognising animals which have served or are serving alongside our armed forces.
Purple tie event... (clockwise from left) Kim and Christine Snowball with Chester; Bernadette Mercer (10) with Poppy; ex-Navy man Brian Clough with Bessie; Anna Rowan and Beanie; Navy padre Jacquie Fuller with Euan Blake of the Navy Museum and Adeline Bosman of the Department of Conservation with ant detector dog Veto
Cross-code fundraiser back on 28 March
The second annual “Shore Smash” cricket match between North Shore Cricket and North Shore Rugby clubs has been confirmed for 28 March at Devonport Domain, starting at 2pm.
All money from the fundraiser goes towards the new women’s facility for both local clubs at the former Devonport Bowling Club.
Last year, Shore rugby won the inaugural festival match.
More details about the star players will be revealed in the Flagstaff ahead of match day.
Bus stop rebuild ‘could cost $100K’
Rebuilding the crash-damaged Clifton bus shelter on Lake Rd near Clifton Rd could cost up to $100,000, says Auckland Transport.
The damaged section of the heritage shelter is mostly irreparable, so a new structural wall or walls are required, an AT spokeperson said.
The roof was “hopefully supported temporarily, as requested”.
The Flagstaff could not see any props in place this week, with the roof still tilted downwards at the structure’s damaged corner.
The corner took the initial impact of the crash just after 3am on New Year’s Day. The driver of the vehicle involved was nearly five times over the legal alcohol limit, police allege.
The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board
has asked that the shelter be rebuilt and AT says it will respond once it has gathered more information.
“The cost could be between $50,000 to $100,000, but will also depend on the number of quotes and who is asked to quote.
“We have photos of the shelter intact so are requesting the quotes to include a similar look as near as possible and with similar materials,” the spokesperson said.
Most of the wooden bus shelters remaining on the Devonport peninsula and in Takapuna are original, but some are understood to be replicas.
It was not yet possible to give a timeline for when the shelter might be back in operation, AT said.
Auckland Council’s consenting team would advise on what heritage consents might be required.
Father and daughter duo offer taste of local delicacy
Ross Tanner is serving up a secret taste of Devonport.
Harking back to the days when he was a lad, whitebait caught from the wharf is on his menu.
Tanner and daughter Jasmine McDermott have a pop-up stand selling fritters and frozen whitebait.
Interest has been high in the couple of weeks that they have been setting up a barbecue outside the former Lake Rd service station opposite the golf course on Thursday and Friday afternoons from 2-6pm.
Photographs on the stand of lines of fishermen on the wharf in the 1970s are talking points for customers.
Some, like Tanner, remember those abundant days from their youth and others are amazed to learn there is such a thing as local sea-caught whitebait.
“The way the world is going, it might not last,” Tanner notes.
But he swears sea-caught whitebait tastes best and enjoys supplying small packets so customers can try it out.
He remembers when old-timers would fill buckets when a good run was netted.
Over his years installing and servicing lifts in central Auckland buildings, including the SkyTower, he kept up his fishing hobby. He later sold his whitebait fritters through markets.
The fitters are made from supplies of frozen whitebait. He is not sure how long the stand will remain, but says word of mouth has helped business.
A satisfied customer who lives up the road at William Sanders Retirement Village spread the word, leading to a run of Ryman residents sampling the fritters.
Rates on hold
Latest RBNZ statement kept the OCR on hold at 2.50% and the track looks pretty flat for the rest of the year - which should give a bit of confidence and certainty to the property and investment market unlike the previous announcement which spooked wholesale higher - most borrowers seem to prefer the 2yr or 3yr fixed rates in the 4.50% to 5% range
There seems to be a bit more activity in property and borrowing with prices still pretty stable - but NZ is such a great place to live in this hectic and increasingly overheating world so I expect immigration and high net worths to continue to come here to live which should keep the market going upwards longer term! Speak to us about any financing required we can invariably help.
Taste of ‘bait... Jasmine McDermott and Ross Tanner at their fritter stand
Down from the maunga: Folkies descend
Around 150 people attended Folk in the Park at the Windsor Reserve bandstand this month. The event, which dates back to 2013, drew visitors from overseas and from south of the Harbour Bridge despite changeable and sometimes gusty weather. The performers were Pomahaka-Tyne (Janet Thomson and Helen Douglas), Clare Senior, Nick Johnston and daughters Ren and Isobel, Diane Ponzio and Friends (Hank Trenton and Helene Piper) and the Minimum Viable Band (Nat Torkington and Jenine Abarbanel. More photos, pages 8-9.
Familiar face... Diane Ponzio in full voice. Left: Some of the Devonport locals in the audience: Jess and husband Casey Cahan with their son Rory (2) and daughter Lena (6).
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Cyclist back on the road again
Cyclist back on the road again
The 6:30am alarm used to be Lesley’s favourite sound. It meant dawn rides and that glorious feeling of freedom only cyclists understand.
But last winter, the 64-year-old grandmother found herself listening to that alarm with dread.
“I’d swing my legs out of bed and just pause,” Lesley recalls. “My knees felt like rusty hinges.”
For someone who’d spent four decades cycling, watching her world shrink was heartbreaking. Her bike started to gather dust. Her husband would find her cleaning it, and just running her hands over the frame.
Flipping through the local paper one morning, an article caught her eye about Koru FX, a New Zealand-made natural cream.
“I almost turned the page,” she admits. “Another cream. But these were people my age getting back to what they loved. I tore out the coupon.”
The pharmacist said they could hardly keep it on the shelves. The natural ingredients convinced her: arnica, mānuka, peppermint and black pepper oils.
That evening, she applied the cream. It absorbed quickly with a pleasant cooling sensation.
“Within 20 minutes, I noticed something different. Not magic, but enough to take the edge off.”
Six weeks later, she stood in her garage. Helmet on and bike ready.
Now Lesley keeps Koru FX as part of her cycling kit.
“People ask how I manage. I tell them straight: good bike maintenance, proper warm-ups, and Koru FX twice a day.”
“Life is just too short to sit out. All I needed was the right support.”
Finger-pickin’ good... Janet Thomson of Pomahaka-Tyne
Right: Devonport Folk Club president and MC for the day, Terry Free.
Folk and fundraising... Thomas Schroeder with partner Nicola Schroeder of Salt and Sugar General Store supporting Calliope Sea Scouts with their woodfired pizzas. Below: Locals Charlie Patterson and Heather Walpole-Smith (left) and Christine Lloyd with friend Sally Birge from Howick.
Estrangement, Complicated Grief and EMDR
Estrangement from a family member (or other close relationship) can feel like the living death of an important relationship. Often there is no public recognition of the loss (a “disenfranchised loss”), and there is ambiguity about whether the loss is permanent or temporary (“ambiguous loss)”. Estrangements are often associated with complicating feelings of shame, guilt, helplessness or deep remorse in addition to grief and loss. One can experience long term, unresolved loneliness, emptiness, and a lack of purpose in life (“complicated grief”).
Estrangement, as a type of complicated grief, can cause painful, persistent memories about the estranged relationship. Perhaps you repeatedly recall a last conversation or intense conflict, having been told to end all contact, cut off from children and/or grandchildren etc. Whether about specific events or prolonged interactions, the memories can be intense, disturbing and even traumatic. Although EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and regulation) therapy does not eliminate difficult memories, it can lessen their intensity and frequency. It is a safe, gentle and clinically proven counselling modality. EMDR, combined with other therapeutic approaches, can expedite your healing process during an estrangement. Whether post-estrangement reconciliation is possible or not, EMDR can support your recovery and ease your grief. To learn more, please feel free to contact me.
Tuneful trio... Diane Ponzio with her bandmates Hank Trenton and Helene Piper
Skatepark advice delayed as stop-gap option raised
Further advice on the viability of building the new Woodall Park skatepark near the bike pump track will be provided at the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board’s March meeting, a month later than expected.
Board chair Trish Deans advised the Flagstaff of the delay, ahead of the board’s February meeting on Tuesday, where a resident put forward a stop-gap measure to get local kids on their boards again.
“It’s been two summers now, with the kids having nowhere to skate,” skatepark advocate Dave Casey told the paper.
He says the skate community wants temporary jumps brought back to the park, on one of the public tennis courts accessed off Wairoa Rd.
Jumps were earlier removed from the old netball court “as a goodwill measure” to neighbours, pending the now stalled building of a new facility.
Casey says jumps should be allowed back, but further from homes, on the slumped tennis court bordering the golf course.
“It’s unplayable,” he said, pointing to the uneven surface and steep drop on the golf course side. However, the slope could be a feature for young skaters.
Casey was to present his suggestion to this month’s board meeting after this issue’s
deadline.
It came with an offer from skate supporters to pay for a $3500 mobile tennis net for the netball court, which been marked up by council for pickleball.
Speaking to the Flagstaff at the courts before the meeting, Casey said tennis needed more playable community space and the netball court could give this if tennis markings were added to it.
One of the other courts was already being shared with pickleballers, who primarily played on Saturday mornings.
“I want to combat the idea the skatepark will take over.”
Skaters had lost amenity, with the ongoing issues about replacing the failing Ngataringa Park facility with something more suitable and visible for families and youngsters.
He pointed out that allowing skaters on the sloping court which tennis players avoided might also pave the way to a longterm solution, given the new board has become wary of the proposed site.
A skatepark could be built more cheaply in the courts area than was envisaged in a “grandiose” $3.2 million plan suggested by council before the previous board chose the standalone central site near the pump track.
The new board took legal advice on the
central site at a closed workshop this month, after a resident and board members raised concerns about compliance with parks management plans if it were built there.
Skateboarding is envisaged on the courts site in a 1997 reserves plan, but not in the central area of Woodall Park.
The old plan is still operative, pending completion of the delayed Devonport-Takapuna Local Parks Management Plan, which in draft form had a more blanket allowance for skating on Woodall Park. The previous board had expected the new plan to be ready for work to begin, but its preparation has dragged on through three terms.
Next month the board will receive more advice, centring on the proposed central site’s history as an old dump and possible stability, toxicity and cost issues.
The previous board was satisfied by earlier advice from consultants that the site could be built on and voted to proceed with construction this year, 4-2, but the dissenting voices of George Wood and Gavin Busch held sway with the new board, which backed their December motion that concerns needed to be explored further.
Casey says the central site is closer to more homes than using the courts and its raised design takes more space.
• More on park-plan saga, page 28
Electric-hybrid ferry in trials before starting on Devonport run
The first electric-hybrid ferry for the Devonport-to-Auckland route arrived in Auckland this month and is undergoing sea trials ahead of going into service this year.
“We don’t have a firm entry date into passenger service yet as this needs to be done in a careful and controlled manner to ensure successful and reliable operations,” an Auckland Transport (AT) spokesman said. The ferry can carry 300 people.
Sea trials and commissioning include completing vessel and onboard systems, testing by the manufacturers, operator familiarisation, crew training, maintenance and obtaining maritime approvals
Amanda Evans
for carrying passengers. AT will also have to accept each vessel once they are fully “proven and certified”, AT said.
“Fast charging infrastructure for ferries at Half Moon Bay is operational and being used to test and commission the ferries as they arrive – this includes the two EV Maritime electric ferries (one on the water, the second planned to launch in the next few weeks) and two larger plug-in hybrid electric ferries for Devonport,” AT says.
No charging infrastructure is planned for Devonport at present as the system is designed so that charging on the city side is sufficient on a short route, AT said.
Devonport skatepark money goes elsewhere on Shore
Funds for the stalled Woodall Park skatepark will be redirected to other projects in the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area.
The money would not be lost to future skating facilities, said Auckland Council work programme lead (parks and community facilities) Judy Waugh. But because the project would not now be delivered in the 2025-26 financial year, allocated spending could be juggled over the three-year works programme to allow other staged projects to start sooner.
Money was likely to go to the Takapuna Pool and Leisure Centre upgrade, Waugh told the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board at a workshop update this month.
Board member Terence Harpur asked if there was still enough money for the skatepark to be delivered. “It’s deferred, not
lost,” Waugh replied.
She said $680,000 had been allocated in the current year’s work programme for the skatepark, but only $50,000 was now needed by the end of June. The construction budget would be deferred, allowing $630,000 to be redirected. An extra $150,000 of spending is pencilled in for the 2026-27 year.
The skatepark has a total budget of $945,000, with some of that money having been spent already on preliminary work, including consultants and initial design, then a downsizing of the facility to come within budget as estimated costs increased.
Council area manager Eloi Fonseca added that construction had been intended this year but under an updated budget costs would instead show up in 2027 and 2028.
Waugh also told the board its decision
that it could not proceed with an accessible beach mat at Takapuna Beach due to consenting restraints had added a further unspent $324,000 to the surplus funds freed up from Woodall Park.
Community buildings in line for upgrades would be among the beneficiaries, including in Devonport. In the northern part of the board area, more money could be put into jetty and wall work at Lake Pupuke, improved drainage for an Asian-themed playground in Forrest Hill, and into the car park and heritage facilities at Kennedy Park in Castor Bay.
Waugh said further project reallocation was likely with the Devonport Domain playground upgrade, for which iwi consultation was pending. She flagged that future spending on the Victoria Theatre may be required, but said no commitments had been made.
Funding path opens for proposed disc golf course
A disc golf course on Ngataringa Park could be funded by council, staff have told the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board.
The idea arose after a group of enthusiasts told council they did not have the funds to deliver it.
The $80,000 required would be “a small investment” for the community, council staff told the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board at a budget update this month.
It could be funded from its work programme reprioritisation, by allocating
$75,000 to a sum of $5000 in this year’s budget to work on a plan for the course.
When the scheme was first suggested, the previous board thought it might be a good non-invasive use of the park, which is boggy and on an old landfill site. Walkers would have right-of-way and it provided a fun form of recreation.
Staff said work to date had involved adapting an initial suggested course layout around the perimeter of the park, to keep it further away from the Ngataringa Organic
Garden Society.
Baskets that function as “holes” for the discs to be thrown into would be made of galvanised steel and had a 15-year guarantee. Marked tees could be boxed-off and not made of weighty concrete, but perhaps covered in artificial grass.
“I’ve played it a lot, it’s a great thing,” said board member Garth Ellingham.
The idea is among changes to the work programme that will come back before the board for final decisions.
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Cul-de-sac development continues cascade of infill
Intensification...
From page 1
report by Sentinel Planning says. Although Merani St generally has one- to
two-storey houses, “there is infill development and increased residential intensity in the surrounding area”, the application says. Nearby developments included:
advantage of its elevated position overlooking the Waitemata Golf Course, this 1960s brick, two-storey Narrow Neck home with internal garaging and a floor area of approximately 210m² offers four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a formal living room, open-plan kitchen/dining, plus a downstairs
Birkley
Californian Bungalow with Water Views
Californian Bungalow with Water Views
Birkley
Birkley
t.gregory@barfoot.co.nz
Superb central Devonport residence
1 Kapai Road is the perfect example of why Auckland’s favourite seaside village of Devonport is the idyllic place to call home. This substantial and immaculate residence is positioned just off the Queens Parade waterfront in a quiet cul-de-sac. An impressive street presence and a private outlook give way to an attractive Edwardian veranda and wide kauri hallway. Four double bedrooms, two family bathrooms plus a study, formal lounge and a media/rumpus room, give flexible living options at ground and upper floor levels. Just five minutes’ walk from the ferry and the Village shops/cafes, this is a house where both traditional and modern style have been thoughtfully incorporated to create an impressive, quality home.
bayleys.co.nz/1470794
4 2 2 3
Auction (unless sold prior) 1.30pm, Thu 12 Mar 2026
28 Northcroft Street, Takapuna View 12-12.30pm Sat 28 Feb, Sun 1 Mar, Sat 7 Mar & Sun 8 Mar or by appointment Ian Cunliffe 027 227 9322 BAYLEYS
bayleys.co.nz
One thing I have learnt in my time marketing homes in Devonport is that when people say they are looking for their “forever family home” they don’t necessarily mean the biggest, they don’t necessarily mean the most extravagant. What they mean is a home that will be the anchor for their family for generations to come… a home in which they can create a life-time of memories, a home in which they can make their dreams come true.
36 Oxford Terrace on Cheltenham’s beachfront is one such home.
Click on the QR code to watch the VIDEO and hear 93-year-old Dorothy's story of this forever home. Then, call or email me to tell me why Dorothy made front page news in the Herald in 1991!
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50 Ngataringa Road | S. Kearney
Kim Pausina | 021 201 7488 kim.pausina@raywhite.com
Sunny full site - lovely views
Set on a sunny full site in a highly desirable point-end position, this charming character bungalow enjoys beautiful harbour and Harbour Bridge views across the reserve. Light-filled living flows easily outdoors front and back to lawns, established gardens and private courtyard - perfect for entertaining and family life.
Comfortable and well maintained yet ready for upgrading, the property offers outstanding potential for families or developers seeking a prime opportunity. An exceptional coastal lifestyle a short walk to the Marina, city ferry, waterfront parks and water activities.
bayleys.co.nz/1451869
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Timeless villa elegance
Privately positioned in one of Cheltenham’s most coveted streets, this 1905 heritage villa blends charming character with modern comfort. High stud ceilings, original kauri floors, and a gracious central hallway create elegance and warmth. Versatile living includes formal and casual lounges, updated kitchen, light-filled dining conservatory, and a self-contained cottage in the garden. Excellent indoor-outdoor flow leads to a sun-soaked 825sqm pretty garden with outdoor entertaining. Just one street from the waterfront, with Torpedo Bay, Cheltenham Beach, Devonport Village, ferry services, and parks all in close proximity – this is a truly exceptional villa. bayleys.co.nz/1451874
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Memorial seat returns to Cheltenham
A memorial seat overlooking Cheltenham Beach that locals noticed was missing has been returned to its prime perch.
The bench seat at the end of Macky Ave is a welcome resting spot for regular beach swimmers and others. But before Christmas it disappeared.
Asked about its whereabouts, council’s area operations manager, Eloi Fonseca, told the Flagstaff it had been vandalised, so was removed.
“We understand the bench is well used and that its removal caused concern locally.”
A replacement had been arranged, but due to the holiday period it had only been installed recently.
“The original memorial plaque has been carefully kept and will be reattached to the new bench once it is in place.”
Fonseca said council staff had spoken with a member of the family of the late Carole Long, the woman the seat commemorates, when they got in touch before Christmas to ask what was happening.
Taking full advantage of its elevated position overlooking the Waitemata Golf Course, this 1960s brick, two-storey Narrow Neck home with internal garaging and a floor area of approximately 210m² offers four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a formal living room, open-plan kitchen/dining, plus a downstairs rumpus. Flexible layout - Brilliant location - Superb opportunity!
10:00am 11 Mar 2026 at 34 Shortland Street, City (unless sold prior)
Toni Gregory 021 044 3663
t.gregory@barfoot.co.nz
Alexandra Corbin 021 643 673
a.corbin@barfoot.co.nz
Barfoot & Thompson Limited
EWEN ALISON AVENUE
10am 12 Mar 2026 at 8-12
Promenade, Takapuna (unless sold prior)
Unique in central Devonport. This is a special find for modern home lovers, a highly sought-after architecturally styled home in an area renowned for its heritage properties. The home is beautifully proportioned and flows effortlessly out to the north/west facing decking and garden area. There is a gate that opens out to the bordering reserve. This wonderful home is a must-see!
Devonport 09 445 2010 Major sponsor for the North Shore Cricket Club
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This fantastic family Villa is character-filled, fully double-glazed and has central heating! Easy walk to the village and ferry.
barfoot.co.nz/926207
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10:00am 5 Mar 2026 at 8-12
The Promenade, Takapuna (unless sold prior) VIEWING Sat/Sun 2.00-2.30pm
Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452
Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681
Welcome to this truly special family home on a 759m² site and in one of Stanley Point’s most sought-after streets.
barfoot.co.nz/926193
AUCTION
10am 5 Mar 2026, Takapuna (unless sold prior) VIEWING Thurs 5:00-6:00pm Sat/Sun 3:00-3:30pm
Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681
Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452
Set within one of Cheltenham’s most exclusive and tightly held streets, this exceptional lifestyle opportunity offers a rare opportunity.
barfoot.co.nz/926410
AUCTION
10:00am 5 Mar 2026 at 8-12
The Promenade, Takapuna (unless sold prior) VIEWING Sat/Sun 3.00-3.30pm
Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452
Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681
Character, views and income potential! This charming 1920s villa commands panoramic views to the city and a self-contained studio.
barfoot.co.nz/926496
AUCTION
10:00am 5 Mar 2026 at 8-12
The Promenade, Takapuna (unless sold prior)
VIEWING Sat/Sun 1:00-1:30pm
Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681
Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452
NARROW NECK
Set in the heart of everpopular Belmont, this beautifully modernised 1950s home delivers relaxed family living in a private garden setting.
barfoot.co.nz/927861
TENDER
2:00pm 26 Feb 2026 at 39 Victoria Road, Devonport (unless sold prior) VIEWING Sat/Sun 11:00-11:30am
Tracey Lawrence 021 1720 681
Trish Fitzgerald 021 952 452
This 1940s home, having been loved and enjoyed by the same family for over 30 years is now going to be sold to another lucky family.
barfoot.co.nz/926786
AUCTION
10:00am 26 Feb 2026 at The Promenade, Takapuna (unless sold prior) VIEWING Sat/Sun 12:00-12:30pm
Cathy Fiebig 021 383 149
2/11 WICKLOW ROAD
Solid, sunny, brick and tile, extra large unit. Own garage, great location. Close to popular Beach and Superb local schools, Here To Sell at Auction
barfoot.co.nz/927815
10:00am 5 Mar 2026 at The Promenade, Takapuna (unless sold prior)
VIEWING Sat/Sun 12.00 - 12.30pm
Patricia Hinchey 027 222 3367 AUCTION
This charming character home offers families an opportunity to live surrounded by other quality homes enjoying all day sun and water access.
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Devonport 09 445 2010
sponsor for the North Shore Cricket Club
By Rob Drent
I was one of thousands of Devonport residents glued to the couch last Friday morning watching Mischa Thomas give her all in the women’s halfpipe at the Winter Olympics. There’s something uniquely galvanising on the peninsula when a local athlete is starring on the world stage. And star she did. “Go Mischa” signs were highlighted in the
David Smart
Adviser
e: david@davidsmart.co
•
•
The
crowd and pre-run commentators noted she had “so much style”. She didn’t disappoint, finishing 10th overall after the first two rounds to qualify for the final last Sunday night, in which she finished 8th. The sporting hug she gave a fellow competitor after a run in the early rounds was also notable.
The temperature at the Olympic venue was -3, but Mischa’s performance was truly heartwarming for all of us cheering her on from home. At 17, she was at her first Olympics. I hope she has more ahead.
Convenience, frequency and price are always key components of a public transport offering. I was thinking about this the other day when my partner Jo and I and a visitor from Britain known as the Queen of Hove headed to the city for an evening with author Bill Bryson.
With the recent ferry price increases, the cost of a return ferry trip from Devonport to Auckland City was just over $45 for three of us. It was one of those nights that have plagued this summer, carrying the threat of a heavy downpour, which make a car trip over the bridge to the Aotea Square underground car park feel like a sensible option. Especially when you factor in the inevitable sprint down Queen St for the 10.30pm ferry after a show ends after 10pm. Typically, a performance ends at 10.17pm and the ferry is missed by two minutes. Then comes a bleak,
cold wait at the windswept ferry terminal for the 11pm boat.
The car trip was looking appealing until a reality check: what about Lake Rd and the bridge? Congestion getting out of Devonport, snarl-ups through the on-ramp to the motorway, then nose-to-tail traffic on the Harbour Bridge. In a close call, the ferry trip won out. The rain held off and we made the 10.30pm ferry.
Still, $45 seems an expensive public transport add-on to a night out. In many cities around the world public transport options are actually becoming cheaper to encourage more use and get people out of their cars.
The prospect of tolling any new second harbour crossing brought back some memories of toll booths on the Harbour Bridge.
My parents had a stationery shop at Whangaparāoa, and my mother would often drive to Auckland to select goods from various suppliers. As a child in the 1970s I’d go with her during the school holidays and got to be in charge of the book of pink toll tickets to be handed over when passing through.
The toll booths feature in another memory: my first rock concert, seeing Cheap Trick at Auckland Town Hall in 1979.
Coming home with a few mates, we were stopped at the toll booth by police with shocking news: the mother of one of my friends had suffered a stroke and died.
From Hannover, Germany, with appreciation Letters
I just wanted to say thanks for The Flagstaff. I’m not just biased because my daughter (and Benjamin the library cat) were on the cover in June 2024, or a photo of my parents appeared in your last issue – it’s just a really fascinating read.
We love Devonport (we were back there in December and met up with Benjamin again) but live in Hannover in Germany, so The Flagstaff is an incredibly special and
appreciated magazine. Your writers convey a sense of pride, immediacy and passion that makes Devonport come alive. You are the heart and soul of Devonport and that’s what we really appreciate, as well as being a great read every fortnight.
So thanks again for everything you all do, and we will count down the days until we see your town again.
Andy Pegler
Another letter from on high
The term Ngataringa Heights [used as an address in a previous Tubb letter and referred to in “The Flagstaff Notes”, 13 February], which I have copyrighted, arose because when my parents were selling our family home in Henderson, my dad coined the term Henderson Heights. Ngataringa Mangroves did not have the same marketing ring about it. Bruce Tubb
20 years ago from the Flagstaff files
• The Devonport Handicraft market – closed after opposition from the Devonport Business Association – is to reopen.
• Megan Fenton, Brittany Cunningham and Grace McMahon are pictured having fun at the Fort Takapuna Gala Day.
• Pete the cockatiel of Devonport Primary is revealed to be a female after he struck up a holiday romance with another bird and laid a clutch of eggs.
• Unofficial Mt Victoria caretaker Roger Giles reveals the history behind a sculpture on the mountain known as “Anx” – a carving of a man’s head said to look like former prime minister Sir Robert Muldoon.
•The 2005 North Shore local telephone directory has no contact number for the police.
• Musician Tim Finn sings his submission in support of North Shore City Council purchasing the Victoria Theatre.
• The Cheltenham Swim celebrates its 10th year.
• A draft master plan has been launched for the redevelopment of Marine Square near the ferry terminal.
• Local eateries Sigdi and Pyrenees Delicatessen have stalls at the Devonport Food & Wine Festival.
• Aaron Kemp is the new Vauxhall School principal.
• Metro magazine votes the Devonport
Flagstaff Auckland’s best community newspaper. “Lively, parochial and sometimes a pain in the neck for officialdom. Just like a local paper should be,” the magazine said.
• Hayden Patton is selected for the North Island softball development squad.
• North Shore Cricket Club batsman David McGuigan is pictured hitting a four in a win against Takapuna.
• Chris Mitchell is the new North Shore premiers rugby coach. He will be assisted by Wayne Underhay.
• Grant Beck, who was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to yachting and boardsailing, is the Flagstaff interview subject.
Intrepid castaways remember their teenage
It’s almost 60 years since 12 young Devonport yachties were stranded on the Noises for five nights in bad weather, making front-page news.
John Fleming and Kevin Johnson spoke to Rob Drent about their adventure.
Out of food, the boys had resorted to catching crabs and chipping oysters off the rocks.
“We cooked them up into some concoction,” recalls John Fleming (72) sitting in the lounge of boyhood sailing friend Kevin Johnson (73), reminiscing about a sailing trip in 1969 that tested a group of young lads’ survival skills – and no doubt the nerves of their parents waiting for their return home to Devonport.
“I don’t think it tasted that nice but it kept us going,” Fleming says of the seafood creation.
The 12 Devonport sailing mates had hatched an Easter adventure: off to the Noises – a collection of Hauraki Gulf islands a few kilometres northeast of Rakino Island – in five Sunburst sailing dinghies (3.5m long) and a slightly bigger Cherub (3.66m).
They had sleeping bags, a tent and enough food for the planned trip. They would catch some kahawai as well. What could possibly go wrong?
They stayed on Browns Island their first night and then sailed for the Noises. But the boys hadn’t counted on the weather, which cut up badly. They became castaways in the gulf in days long before the advent of cellphones, or even the prospect of a helicopter rescue.
The boys’ names are recorded in an Auckland Star story on the day they finally made it home: Derek and Robert Armstrong, Keith Chapman, John Fleming, Warwick Gair, Kevin Johnson, Stephen Holmes, Mark Johnson, Paul and Stephen Mitchell, Martin Robertson and Robert Warring. Paul was only 12 and Derek 13; the others were
15 or 16. The detailed Star report even published the streets they lived in around Devonport.
News snippets in the paper had kept Aucklanders updated on the boys’ situation in the days leading up to their return, when the full story and photo made the front page.
Paul told the Star the episode was “great fun”.
Looking back today, Johnson and Fleming are amazed at the licence they were allowed by their parents.
Fleming: “I had not sailed beyond Ran-
gitoto... we were experienced sailors up to a point.”
They all definitely had a thirst for adventure, Johnson adds. He’d started sailing out to Rangitoto in a P-class aged 12. “Parents didn’t really know what we were up to... we had a lot of freedom.”
After arriving at the Noises they hunkered down in one of the baches on the island. “It was rat infested and rats were running over us at night time.”
With the weather deteriorating, they were resourceful enough to send one boat back
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Looking back… Kevin Johnson and John Fleming with the newspaper coverage of their teenage adventure.
adventure
to nearby Rakino to make a call home to let their parents know they were safe. Another trip – not mentioned in the official histories – was to the pub at Onetangi on Waiheke to pick up some beer, recalls Johnson.
“I think the biggest fear for our parents was that we would attempt to make it back to school straight after Easter,” says Fleming.
Johnson laughs: “That wasn’t much of a worry for me – any day out of school was a good day.”
At one stage the parents – one of whom was George Gair, the North Shore MP at the time – talked of “sending up a plane to rescue us, but nothing came of it when they realised we were okay and sitting tight until better weather,” Johnson said.
The weather had eased but the water was still choppy when the fleet set off for home from the Noises at 6am on the Thursday after Easter, with the Sunbursts arriving back at Narrow Neck Beach late morning to waiting family, hot soup and the press.
Johnson and Fleming were the last to arrive in the Cherub – weighed down by a waterlogged canvas tent.
“We should have thrown it overboard,” Johnson said.
“It felt at times we were going backwards – we could have ended up at the Barrier.”
They all returned to school with a yarn to tell – 10 to Takapuna Grammar School, Fleming to Westlake and Johnson to Rangitoto College.
Rather than denting the young sailors’ enthusiasm, the adventure seemed to fuel their appetite for yachting, with all continuing in the sport.
Keith Chapman became a prominent
Newsmakers…Back
Rob Armstrong. Middle row; Kevin Johnson, Stephen Holmes, John Fleming and Martin Robertson. Front row: Warwick Gair, Steve Mitchell, Paul Mitchell and Mark Johnson. (Not in photo: Derek Armstrong).
Peter Blake’s boat Seamaster when Blake was fatally shot in Brazil in 2001. Fleming still owns a keelboat and Johnson was a Devonport boatbuilder until retiring in 2020.
Johnson sailed extensively in the harbour and offshore and is a past Devonport Yacht Club commodore. “I’ve been sailing all my life,” he says.
The castaway trip by the Devonport boys is a familiar tale among successive generations at the Wakatere Boating Club,
and was mentioned in the club’s 50-year history published in 1976. An Auckland Star photo of the likely lads still hangs on the wall at the club.
The boys – all but Mark Johnson still alive – have never had a reunion, but are contemplating doing so now their story has re-emerged. Any of them interested should contact Sue Johnson on 027 285 3537.
• Wakatere Boating Club celebrates 100 years with a series of events this weekend.
Saturday 14 March, 2026
Saturday 14 March, 2026
12.00-6.00pm
12.00-6.00pm
The Fair on the Hill is Back!
The Fair on the Hill is Back!
Join us for one of Devonport’s favourite community days supporting Devonport Primary School. Enjoy great coffee, food, a licensed bar, books, plants and entertainment, plus games and rides for the kids.
Join us for one of Devonport’s favourite community days supporting Devonport Primary School. Enjoy great coffee, food, a licensed bar, books, plants and entertainment, plus games and rides for the kids.
Every purchase supports our students. Bring the whānau, support local, and see you there.
18 Kerr Street
Every purchase supports our students. Bring the whānau, support local, and see you there.
Don’t miss our auction packed with fantastic local prizes. Browse the catalogue here: 32auctions.com/DPSFOTH
Don’t miss our auction packed with fantastic local prizes. Browse the catalogue here: 32auctions.com/DPSFOTH
at Narrow Neck in 1969 and photographed by the Auckland Star. Back row left to right: Robert Warring, Keith Chapman,
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Quiz Night Fundraiser
Support Your Community House!
Saturday 21 March, 7–10pm
$20 per person
Love being part of what happens at the Devonport Community House?
Here’s your chance to give back.
Join us for a fun-filled Quiz Night Fundraiser and help raise vital funds to keep our programmes affordable, our building maintained, and our community thriving. Form a team of up to 8 and battle it out for quiz glory. Nibbles provided, licensed bar available, and you’re welcome to bring a plate to share. Every ticket directly supports the House. Book now: events@devonportcomhouse.co.nz Chess by the Sea –The Devonport Classic
Thursday 5th March, 7pm-9pm
Join us at the Devonport Community House for Chess by the Sea, featuring two competitions — The Devonport Classic and The Blitz (16 Player). All levels welcome, with spectators encouraged to come along and enjoy the action.
Prizes announced monthly on Instagram the Monday before each First Thursday tournament.
Entry fees go toward prize pools, upgraded tournament gear (including TGS Chess Club clocks to meet NZCF standards), and supporting the TGS Chess Team’s journey to Nationals.
Register via Instagram through the First Thursdays Devonport page (Blitz limited to 16 players).
Our regular weekly timetable is full of classes, workshops, and groups — there’s something for everyone. Check out our latest timetable at devonportcomhouse.com.
Tree pieces finally removed from beach at ratepayers’ expense
Four months after they fell from a clifftop Takapuna property, a large pile of pōhutukawa tree pieces have been removed from the Hauraki end of Takapuna Beach at ratepayers’ expense.
Removal costs of $7400 would be paid by council, its urban forest, arboriculture and ecology manager David Stejskal confirmed.
“Only the stumps that had washed onto the beach were removed. They were cleared to prevent potential damage to adjacent public assets, including the cliffs, sea walls and boat ramps,” he said.
Asked if council would recoup costs from the property owner or take any action over the trees coming down the cliff in October, Stejskal said: “Compliance staff are satisfied the tree-removal activity on the property was consented and that one tree fell
naturally during a weather event, rather than being encouraged. As such, council will not be seeking costs from the property owner.”
Residents have been calling for the tree removal, at the owner’s expense, for months. Late last month, council said it was looking into who was responsible for costs.
Photos from August show the heavily chopped-back trees at top of the cliff before they came down. Consents for building work on what is known locally as the “old Spencer property” are also in place. Cliff “nailing” has also been done, with a section of coast immediately below still taped off.
A large truck and a digger were used to remove the partially embedded tree pieces from the sand on 11 February. A second truck was called in to take away a pile from the bottom of Hauraki Rd.
No hornets in Devonport – so far
No yellow-legged hornets have been detected on the Devonport peninsula to date, three weeks after the first were found in neighbouring Takapuna, where a nest with a queen inside was destroyed.
Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis said no more detections had been made in Takapuna or in Forrest Hill, where two nests were found.
“Nor have they been detected in Hauraki or further south on the Devonport peninsula.”
Wired... a hornet with a transmitter attached
Inglis said people should stay on the alert for signs of the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina).
Due to more surveillance, more sightings
were expected and these were valuable before winter when the pest hibernated and became harder to spot.
To date on the North Shore, there have been 57 confirmed queen hornets and 67 nests (46 containing queens), with finds centred on the Glenfield area.
The public has reported 12,760 suspected finds to authorities.
The hornet, a type of wasp, is a threat to honey bees. The non-native species was first spotted in October.
Since then, efforts to eradicate it have been aided by adopting tracking methods from overseas, including attaching transmitters to live hornets.
Modern bar & eatery. Iconic setting.
24 Victoria Road, Devonport
Open 11:30am – late everyday m 09 445 0193 k info@signalhill.co.nz www.signalhill.co.nz
We all need to support local business
When you select your agent from our local office, you’re doing your part. Check out our website to choose the right fit for you.
Auckland’s best destination for Quality Secondhand & Antiquarian Books.
Over 20,000 books from 17th century to new. Knowledgable friendly staff. Specialising in Military, Maritime, Children’s, Folio Society, Cooking.
Huge range of contemporary and classic paperback fiction. Biggles, Vintage Children’s Annuals and Fiction from your childhood! Open 7 days 9am-6pm 10 minute ferry ride from Downtown Auckland.
We are happy to pack & post your purchases to your home 15 Victoria Rd www.bookmark.co.nz ph 09 445 2960
Locally made bespoke clothing for women
Natural fabrics
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Clothing alterations service
Ray White Devonport giving your property local, national & international reach throughout our network of over 1000 offices globally.
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Locally crafted one-off jewellery
OPENING HOURS
Mon/Wed/Fri 11am-5pm Tue 10am-4pm and by appointment Shop 1, The Arcade, 13 Victoria Road, Devonport CONTACT pip@feelclothier.co.nz
Council parks-plan update process drags on... and on
Sports organisations including North Shore Rugby Club and North Shore Cricket Club have been caught up in a protracted update of the Devonport-Takapuna Parks Management Plan, which affects what is permitted under club leases on council reserve land.
Club concerns were relayed to the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board at a community forum held before Christmas.
Board member Terence Harpur said in a number of instances – including for Woodall Park at Narrow Neck where skatepark siting is stalled – changes in the draft parks plan allowed for public land use that was not allowed or may not have even been envisaged under the previous plan.
He says it is ridiculous that the new plan – in discussion for three board terms – has not been finalised.
The Flagstaff understands slow progress on the guiding document has been raised by
Lake
the board previously as a staff issue.
When the paper asked Auckland Council about timeframes for the plan, a spokesman acknowledged this was longer than anticipated, but that it was not unusual for big projects to require more time.
Delaying factors included:
• The 2020 emergency budget and recruitment freeze, followed by further lockdowns in 2021.
• The size of the draft plan of more than 400 pages, covering more than a hundred local parks.
• Additional time required to engage external consultants for technical mapping.
• The addition of a comprehensive review in 2025 of nearly 605 land parcels for classification under the Reserves Act 1977.
• Multiple workshops with mana whenua, subject matter experts, and the local board.
One staff member had led the process
alongside other projects.
The spokesman said once the draft document was legally reviewed to ensure compliance with the Reserves Act 1977 and mana whenua engagement was complete, the plan was expected to return to the local board in April 2026 for consideration.
It then needs to be publicly notified for comment before being adopted. Notification is expected in July, if earlier steps go to plan.
“Timeframes vary depending on the scope and complexity of the plan, as well as resource availability,” the spokesman said. “Typically, these plans take three to four years to progress from research and drafting, through to internal review, legal checks, and public consultation.”
Staffing levels for this plan were being “actively addressed” by engaging consultants for specialist review and mobilising internal resources where needed.
Rd money from 2024 plan yet to be confirmed
Money for a $1million redesign of Lake Rd has still to be finalised.
Auckland Transport “is currently working with the New Zealand Transport Authority to confirm funding availability of the $1million”, AT officials told the Flagstaff last week.
In 2024 the National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) identified Lake Rd for a design funding allocation of $1m for 2027 to work towards a “pre-implementation phase”.
Local MP Simon Watts trumpeted Lake Rd’s inclusion in the NLTP
Part-Time, 2 Fixed-Term Teacher Aide Positions
Belmont Intermediate School is seeking two teacher aides to work with students who need extra support with their learning. Previous experience would be advantageous, as well as strengths in literacy and numeracy. Positions are term-time only and are covered by the current Support Staff Collective Agreement 2022 - 2024.
Fixed term 2026: terms 2, 3 and 4 Five days per week, 9:00am - 1:00pm, commencing Monday, 20 April 2026 (start of term 2)
While induction will be provided, the following experience and skills are necessary:
• Experience (or an interest in) working with young people
• An understanding of supporting young people with learning and communication challenges
• Excellent relationship building and communication skills
• A good working knowledge of digital learning platforms
• Patience, resilience and empathy
• Able to work well with others in a team. Email your CV, names of referees and the position you are applying for to David Nichol (Deputy Principal and Learning Support Liaison) at dnichol@belmontint.school.nz
Closing: Friday, 20 March 2026 (unless an appointment is made sooner)
as a significant step forward for the often congested arterial route.
For locals, the slow pace of progress on Lake Rd improvements has been a source of frustration for decades.
In 2024/25 an “Optimisation study” for Lake Rd was done by AT which recommended “a staged delivery approach”.
Once funding is in place, AT says the 2027 “broader scheme design for Lake Road will commence incorporating the optimisation work as a new baseline”.
JOHN BISSET LTD
Award-winning Decorators Your Local Resene Eco-Decorator
A common problem with wooden joinery is End Grain Butt Joint Splitting in Joinery. This picture shows it occurring in a painted window.
Timber Movement Issues with Wooden Joinery
Timber naturally moves during the seasons, and this movement can tear the paint at the joint which then creates a crevice, which draws moisture in from dew, condensation and rain. This causes the timber to swell and expand, move more, causing splitting of the timber at the join and along the grain causing the paint to further split, swell and delaminate. This is not an issue with the paint application. It is because the paint film cannot move as much as the underlying substrate and so it splits. This can occur anywhere two pieces of timber join eg: where an architrave meets a windowsill or timber joins in doors etc. as shown in the pictures on the right. With moisture penetrating the timber where these movement cracks have occurred, the paint will
continue to deteriorate, peel and delaminate and overtime cause the timber to rot. To maintain the integrity of the paint it is recommended that joinery is inspected annually and any affected areas rectified. The rectification process is to sand back the paint, seal the joint with a flexible sealant and apply a primer undercoat and two topcoats. These can be spot coated if the paint can be matched and the entire window or door does not need to be recoated. If the paint has become chalky or faded, then you may want the entire window or door repainted.
John Bisset Ltd (JBL) is happy to quote for this type of rectification work. If you would like a quote, please phone 09 445 8099 or email: info@bissetltd.co.nz
Corridors the focus for group’s planting programme
Around 30 people joined a Restoring Takarunga Hauraki (RTH) hui last week to learn about the environmental group’s planting programme for the Devonport peninsula. Its focus on planting and pest control in three eco-corridors was outlined at a public session held at Devonport Library.
Volunteer efforts are concentrated in these areas as they are considered the best places to enhance and connect existing reserves and coastal fringes to allow species to thrive.
The three corridors are: Oneoneroa between coastal Hauraki and Belmont; Ngau-te-ringaringa, stretching from coast to coast via the golf course and Seabreeze Rd; and Ngamaunga, taking in Maungauika and
planted species, with the latter being a habitat for fernbirds. Mānuka and kānuka were also favourites, acting as pioneer species, which other plants could then be planted under. Tōtara and kahikatea were among the bigger trees being planted on the peninsula.
Planting to suit sites is visually important too, with Cablk citing Seabreeze Rd, where residents wanted them kept lower for views.
Among suggestions made at the hui were for more planting at the end of Aramoana Ave down to the estuary and for infill planting around the Stanley Bay Petanque Club.
Public interest was growing in RTH’s nursery on Lake Rd, which is now open on Sunday mornings from 10am to noon.
Certifying Plumber, Gasfitter and Drainlayer Call Matt
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Garden design and construction
Whether you are planning a garden refresh or a full renovation, we can help with all the planning, construction and planting. Including decks, retaining, pergolas, paving and fencing. Everything outdoors! Call Steve on 021 345 694 www.naturalgardens.co.nz
• Electronic and mechanical lock installations
•
John Bisset LtD
Assistance Wanted Visually-impaired, non-fiction author seeks part-time assistant, to help with dictation, transcription, basic Word formatting. Reading cursive handwriting important. Flexible hours. Call Dr John for details: 022 673 3736. Accommodation
Garden apartment, Central Devonport, fully furnished, to let short or long-term. Also interested in week nights only if anyone wants that option? Private, self-contained, separate entrance. One queen-size bedroom, dressing room, sep bath, shower, laundry, open-plan living/kitchen/dining. Phone 021 414 090.
Fun in the sun for Junior House Challenge Day
Year 9 and 10 students stepped away from the classroom for the Junior House Challenge Day, a full programme of activities designed to encourage energy, teamwork, and healthy competition. Guided by our senior House Leaders and the Sports Council, students rotated through fun activities such as erg rowing races, shot put and hoop throws and skill challenges across netball, rugby, cricket, and football.
The afternoon finished with a series of competitive relays - teachers included - and a crowd-pleasing appearance from our new school mascot, Roary the Lion.
The focus of the day was about getting involved and house pride. Students embraced the house-colour theme, transforming the field into a vibrant display of garlands, face paint, and bright tutus.
Four TGS Alumni in Prestigious NZ Youth Choir
Kaitlyn Darroch and Mia Brodie have been selected for the New Zealand Youth Choir, joining fellow TGS alumni Matthew Spooner and Tausala Faulalo in one of the country’s top vocal ensembles.
Kaitlyn focused on Drama and Musical Theatre throughout secondary school, earning multiple awards - including the Auckland Live Showdown Award for Best Performer in a Lead Role - and performing leads in We Will Rock You and Shortland Street: The Musical – Teen Issue. She is now studying Classical Vocal Performance at the University of Auckland.
Mia was involved in TGS Performing Arts, beginning as a singer-songwriter and becoming a long-time member of both Chorale and Leonessa, attending the Big Sing Finale multiple times. She co-founded the Songwriting Club, served on the Performing Arts
Council, and performed a lead role in We Will Rock You at the Bruce Mason Theatre and won the Sir Edmund Hillary scholarship for Excellence in Music.
The NZ Youth Choir is a prestigious three-year programme recognised
internationally and recently named Choir of the World at the 2025 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.
This is an outstanding achievement for Kaitlyn and Mia, and we look forward to their continued musical success.
Kaitlyn Darroch
Mia Brodie
Scan the code at left to watch a student‑produced video capturing the highlights of the day.
Proud Sponsor Of North Shore Rugby Club
Narrow Neck
165 Vauxhall Road
Dream Family Home by the Beach
Perfectly positioned in the heart of coveted Narrow Neck, 165 Vauxhall Road delivers space and sweeping sea views just moments from the beach. At its heart, the open-plan kitchen and dining area flows seamlessly to a covered, all-seasons entertainer's deck. The front lounge captures stunning views across to Fort Takapuna, Rangitoto and down to Narrow Neck, creating a peaceful retreat that connects beautifully to the kitchen. The ground level offers exceptional versatility. Currently configured as two bedrooms, a second lounge, an office and two bathrooms, the layout easily adapts to suit your needs, whether that's three or four bedrooms, one with an ensuite. Upstairs, the main bedroom with ensuite and elevated sea views is a true sanctuary. The easy-care garden leads to a standout bonus: a garden studio with ensuite. Set it up as an Airbnb, a separate space for guests or extended family to stay, a private teenage retreat or an office or work space. This home delivers impressive storage throughout and there is room for boat parking or three offstreet car parks. A beautiful place to live. An exceptional location to love. A lifestyle to treasure for years to come.
Jemma Glancy
021 246 5300
jemma.glancy@harcourts.co.nz
Californian Coastal Classic
Wake up and stroll just 100 metres to beautiful Takapuna Beach. Surf in the morning. Swim at sunset. Embrace the good life every day.
This classic Californian bungalow at 13 Cameron Street delivers timeless charm with effortless living. Featuring living and master on one level, it's perfectly suited for relaxed coastal living.
Set on a freehold 519m² site on the quietest street in Takapuna, well loved, beautifully maintained and easy to lock up and leave - ideal for busy professionals, downsizers, or holiday-home seekers.
With further accommodation available, there's flexibility for guests or extended family. Old-school charm meets modern-day convenience - right by the sea.
Right now, the Navy is offering male and female Year 12 and 13 students the opportunity to attend an actionpacked camp in April at the Devonport Naval Base to see first-hand what a career (and a life) in the Navy could look like for you.
You’d be amazed at what a career in the Royal New Zealand Navy can offer - learn a trade, earn educational qualifications, play sports, enjoy heaps of benefits, travel the world, make a difference and make mates for life. And get well paid for it.
On the camp, you’ll get to experience life as a sailor for three days! You’ll have plenty of interaction with our people in uniform and you can ask them anything about why they joined and what keeps them excited and motivated about their job.
Most importantly, you’ll see first-hand the traditions, values and heritage of the Navy and what it means to protect and serve the nation and its citizens.
SCHOOL TO SEAS STUDENT CAMPS 12-15 April (female), 15-18 April (male). APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN. For more information, or to register, please Google School to Seas
Book returns a breeze thanks to new ‘smart’ shelves at library
New “smart shelves” at Devonport Library are speeding up book returns and are a particular boon for voracious readers.
The shelves – set up this month beside the book return chute by the main counter – automatically scan book labels when a person returns a book to them. A screen on a stand beside the shelves shows the title as having been checked back in, meaning librarians no longer need to do this manually after retrieving books from return chutes. At the same time, the library card holder’s account is freed up to take another book out.
Library manager Georgia Charman-White says for people who borrow in bulk, the shelf technology means there is no delay in being able to access more to read, within a maximum cap of 35 books out at a time. “It’s useful for families or people with a lot of books on hold.”
Although the withdrawal maximum sounds a lot, she says students and researchers, followers of series including comics, and children’s book users are among those who regularly reach the cap.
The smart shelves have been introduced as a labour-saving device by Auckland Council, but Charman-White says “you’ll still need librarians”.
Returned books are put back on library shelves by staff, who these days use phones
for back-of-house scanning and locating of titles. “One day maybe there will be a little robot,” she jokes.
Charman-White says the advantage of improved technology and integrated systems, which librarians run on top of their public-facing work, is that it frees them up to focus on information provision.
She says the project has been longplanned and is being rolled out at libraries across the city after a trial at East Coast Bays Library.
The smart shelves are in use at Takapuna Library as well as Devonport.
Customers can place books on the smart shelves in groups, rather than singly. Automatic scanning is done through plastic divider panels on the shelves.
No personal details are shown on screen from the scanned returns, but customers can check how many books they have out should they wish to do so.
The library has also updated its self-checkout scanning machine, but this operates in the same way the old machine did.
Charman-White says the chute return slot will be removed when customers have time to become acquainted with the new smart shelves.
But the chute from the exterior of the building will remain in place for drop-offs.
Businesses scramble to help artist
Two thousand egg trays are needed for an art installation at the Depot in April.
The Stone Oven and Baked bakery are among local businesses helping out with supplies, with around 600 trays already collected. The Depot hopes the public will bring more to its 28 Clarence St base.
Artist Amanda McKenzie, who is currently on a residency in China, fashions large sculptural artworks from everyday objects.
For her Devonport show, she will also be bringing egg cartons from China to include in her installation.
Stone Oven owner Brendan Kyle said he was intrigued to see the results. He went through plenty of eggs at the cafe so was happy to help.
McKenzie’s work was included in Sculpture onShore last year, with a piece called Whirl fashioned from coathangers.
Behind the Scenes at the DBA
By Tabitha Coleman, General Manager –Devonport Business Association
When something works well in a village, you don’t usually see the layers behind it. An event feels busy. The streets look tidy. It can look effortless from the outside, so I thought I’d share a snapshot of some of the work happening in the background.
Over the past couple of months, much of our focus at the Devonport Business Association has been on practical support for local businesses.
That includes preparing funding applications to help resource seasonal campaigns designed to drive foot traffic at key times of the year.
We’ve also been working alongside event organisers, including Sunsetter, providing promotional support through our social channels and website, and capturing high-level spend data to better understand the impact of these days on the village. It’s important that we know what’s working and build from there.
There’s quieter operational work too. We’re developing a clearer plan around the village planter barrels, mapping where they sit and what’s planted so there’s a more coordinated approach going forward. We continue to support existing businesses, look at ways to activate shopfronts, and consider how Devonport is presented through transport and digital channels.
At the same time, we’re progressing larger strategic projects, including Devonport’s brand and website. These take time, but they’re about ensuring the village is clearly positioned and easy to discover, both in person and online.
The focus remains straightforward: consistent support for businesses, clear promotion of the village, and steady progress on the longer-term work behind it.
You’ll start to see more of that take shape over the coming months.
WHAT’S ON @ Devonport Library
Tēnā Koutou Katoa
March at Devonport Library is a whirlwind of historical and cultural events, music, stories, games and conversations for all ages. Wake up the little summer braincells and try something new today.
WORLD CULTURES FESTIVAL PLAY DAYS
Saturday March 28th and Sunday March 29th
Love to learn a new game? Enjoy playing board, tile, counter and card games from many different corners of the world. Games supplied or bring your own to teach others.
CHRIS PRIESTLEY
Sunday March 15th 6pm-8pm
The local award-winning musician brings his unique Songs, Stories and Slideshow to the library. Meet a host of fascinating historical characters, rogues, rebels, robbers and heroes via original music and rhyme. Actual people in our NZ colonial history. An incredible evening awaits.
PAGE TO FUTURE
Saturdays 10:30am-11:30am
A bridge between the generations. Senior volunteers will be in the library to support children learning to read and adult learners of English. Practice reading aloud, telling stories and gain confidence. All learners of all ages welcome.
KŌRERO AND KEMU
Sundays 11am-12 noon
Sunday’s Māori language games hour is a fun, easy, friendly way to practice te reo and meet others on this journey. Ka rawe. It is awesome.
Plus Rhymetime, Wriggle and Rhyme, Lego, Wednesday Book Club, AI for Beginners, Digital Seniors, Citizens Advice Bureau and the Justice of the Peace all have their slots on the weekly programme. And... try using our new Smart Shelves to return your books. (hint it’s really easy)
See you soon smart cookies.
Mā Te Wā
Seventy-something sets sights on ‘proper art practice’ after lifetime of detours
Nearly 20 years ago Peter Knowles rocked up in Devonport intending to stay for a few months. “I thought it would be like Wales. I went to the pub and got drunk with some builders and bought a house the next day,” he says.
A walk up North Head to clear his head had led to a wander down Macky Ave where he spotted the property he still lives in.
Knowles has enjoyed a few detours over the years, including from youthful studies at art college in the UK. “I met a blonde in a bar and was married by the time I was 20,” he laughs.
But now he has got serious about pursuing his shelved passion for art, with his first exhibition having opened in the former Bayleys office on Victoria Rd.
The local landscapes, portraits and figurative paintings of friends and family are very different from those he painted in his student days in the late 1960s when abstract art was in vogue.
vistas and it’s a sweeping selection. “From the top of North Head there’s wonderful views back to the city, unique buildings, big curved beaches, crazy trees and clock towers.”
The exhibition has more than 30 works, some of which aren’t for sale because they have been borrowed back from friends’ walls.
Others he brought down from his attic. They range from oils to pastels, with a couple of watercolours.
Dogs feature, and like people, their portraits are something he is open to commissions for.
“Some paintings take their own life on and start telling you what to do.”
“Now I just paint what I see.”
He reckons the “mish-mash” of styles he has in the exhibition In Plein Sight won’t be where he ends up as a painter, having finally decided to devote himself more fully to the pursuit at age 73, now he has mostly retired from “businessing”, as he puts it.
His work life includes 20 successful years in the car sales business in the UK, before a move to Perth, Australia, and other business interests.
Then it was on to Devonport, where he has enjoyed village life and having a second family, adding two more children to two from his first marriage.
Daughter Annabel Knowles, 21, went through Takapuna Grammar School and has rowed for New Zealand at under-21 level. His 17-year-old son William is just back from a couple of years at school in England.
Knowles found Devonport was conducive to sketching and painting, so he picked up his brush again for the first time in four decades.
He set about depicting people he knew and the place he loves. A first work was of the Sea Scouts hall on King Edward Pde.
His family on Cheltenham Beach is among other subjects, along with a colourful image of two friends relaxing in cane chairs.
Then there are his landscapes, painted at home from sketches. Ask about favourite
“I’ve had all sorts of interesting people come in here already,” he says.
For some, he is a familiar face from local pubs and coffee shops. Others know him from sketch classes he has run or are just keen interested in talking about what they see in the paintings.
“Every single one has got a story to it,” he says.
Putting the works on public display came about after a friend serendipitously suggested using the vacant main-street space for a pop-up exhibition.
“It’s a bit cathartic,” says Knowles of hanging it all out there – including a nude self-portrait. He said it felt akin to being on the edge of a swimming pool and wanting to strip off, as he was apt to do, and just dive in. His classically framed self-portrait –naked in front of a canvas on a trestle, in the library of a generously proportioned Cheltenham villa he once lived in before returning to his Macky Ave house – has undergone a catharsis of its own. As Knowles was preparing for the show, he daubed a wonky orange line and other paint on the image. He wonders if this might be a new direction.
“Some paintings take their own life on and start telling you what to do,” he says. Mostly he works quickly, but says: “I might shape it in a few hours and then spend six months messing it up.”
Knowles is open to exploration and took life drawing classes at the Browne School of Art in Grey Lynn.
He likes the idea of doing more figurative work combining with landscapes.
“I intend to paint pretty much full-time from now on,” he says. “I want to set up a proper art practice.”
Late bloomer... At 73, Peter Knowles has opened his first exhibition of paintings in the former Bayley premises on Victoria Rd. His works range from portraits – whether of himself, others or dogs – to the kind of easily recognisable local landscape pictured below.
SHOWING NOW
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (PG) 96min
Holy Days (PG) 101min
How to Make a Killing (M) 105min
The Testament of Ann Lee (M) 137min
Fackham Hall (M) 97min
Goat (PG) 100min
No Other Choice (M) 140min
Crime 101 (M) 140min
MĀRAMA (RP16) 89min
Wuthering Heights (M) 136min
Is This Thing On? (M) 121min
We Bury the Dead (R16) 94min
The Choral (M) 113min
It was Just an Accident (M) 103min
Send Help (R16) 111min
SPECIAL EVENTS & NEW RELEASES
Potluck - Live Comedy (E) 5 Mar For more info on films & events go to thevic.co.nz
Devonport 36 Oxford Terrace
Forever family home on Cheltenham Beach
Presenting a once in a lifetime opportunity to live the beachfront dream, this quarter acre site with much-admired heritage villa celebrates a prime position on Cheltenham Beach and is available for the first time in 60 years. With wide beach frontage, generous lawns and direct sand access, this is one of Cheltenham’s best beachfront sites. In the early 2000s, this classic villa was architecturally renovated and expanded in an inspired transformation that was far ahead of its time, creating a spacious open-plan living, dining and kitchen area – an absolute must-have for the way families live today and the perfect blank canvas for you to make your own. You will enjoy the intimate ocean views and sea breezes filling rooms with an ambiance of being forever on holiday at home. bayleys.co.nz/1470810
1,234sqm 4 2
Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 4pm, Wed 18 Mar 2026
33 King Edward Parade, Devonport View Sat/Sun 11-11.30am or by appointment
