6 March 2026 Rangitoto Observer

Are you ready for your dream home?

Takapuna cricketers eye top-flight double... p3

Collection auctioned to support artists... p5

Big stink in Forrest Hill after concrete blocks pipe... p6-7

Boat club sets $5.5m target for clubhouse rebuild

Takapuna Boating Club is launching a massive fundraising drive to restore its landmark Bayswater clubhouse.

Club president Barry Ward is confident a successful campaign can be mounted to bring the heritage wooden building back to life as a community focal point.

“The place will be restored – we have to put together $5.5 million to do the job properly,” he told the Observer. “It should be a real addition to the neighbourhood and the whole North Shore.”

A campaign launch will be held on 26 March to detail the club’s plans to members,

Heads up day in Milford

sponsors, stakeholders and supporters.

Asked what the prospects were of raising such a large sum, Ward said there had been a lot of interest in the building from community members and potential tenants who might set up a hospitality business.

Hairy stories... Librarians Anita Roshkova and James Dunning donned mullets and shared stories with young attendees at the Milford Summer Picnic on Sunday. The Takapuna Library team joined other community service groups to support the suburb as it plans its post-flood future. More photos, pages 8-9.

Boating club hopes restoration draws wide support

After years of lobbying, the club secured a law change in July last year which allowed for the dilapidated building’s partial use for commercial purposes – vital to help generate revenue to make its future more sustainable. “We’ve been busy since,” Ward said.

With the major legislative hurdle finally cleared, it got two quotes for necessary work on the building, leading to the setting of the fundraising target.“Nothing is going to happen until we get some idea of what we can raise,” Ward cautioned.

The club had already put money into the building and needed to tread carefully because, like most sports organisations, its finances were limited. But it hoped the project would attract wide interest.

“People have been involved in Takapuna Boating Club for 106 years and the building has been there for 100 years – and it was 50 years old when it was moved to Bayswater.”

Originally a tannery, the building was barged across the harbour to serve as the boating club’s headquarters until the club relocated most operations to Takapuna Beach. It is still remembered by older residents as the scene

of community dances in the 1950s.

Ward said the clubhouse was in a better state than it might look from the exterior, which has flaking paint and rotten seaside decks. It is built with solid kauri planks and in 2011 was reroofed and work done on the foundations.

Plans first revealed to the Observer last year include opening up the west-facing building to new decks, extending decking across the old concrete saltwater pool so people can walk in front of the building and connect to the public walkway to the marina. A jetty is envisaged as well.

Unwanted features linger in Huron St

Ten months after elected representatives called for unwanted street features to be removed from Huron St, Takapuna, the large planter pots and unused seating pergola remain in place.

In May 2025, the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board asked Eke Panuku to get rid of the remnants of an unpopular street experiment. Board members wanted parking spots restored in their place.

In November, when the Observer asked what council was doing to action the request, the response was that an update would be

given to the board. Another query received a similar response this week from its priority location director, Kate Cumberpatch. “We have been working with Auckland Transport (AT) to agree roles in removing the Innovating Streets infrastructure to ensure best value for money,” she said. “We expect work to start soon and will advise the local board of timing shortly.”

In November, Cumberpatch said a quote had been received for the items’ removal and was being reviewed with AT to fit into future work programmes.

Inside, a major hospitality tenant would be sought for the top floor, with a mix of existing boating use and further commercial use beneath, such as a coffee or ice-cream shop.

Details of current plans will be revealed at the launch event to be held at the Takapuna Boating Club. As the project progresses, public input and feedback will help shape the asset’s future.

Ward said a restored clubhouse could drive visitors to the area and provide Bayswater locals with a place to gather. “There’s nothing down there – you have to go up to Belmont to get a coffee.”

Briefs

Post service valued

Dozens of Hauraki residents have asked New Zealand Post to keep the suburb’s postal agency open. Community members rallied to email submissions by closing date last Friday in support of the local mail centre, run by Valentine’s Stationers owner Andy Cai. His business of nine years was on a list of 142 urban retail partners which NZ Post announced in late January it was withdrawing from. It says it will review feedback before making final decisions.

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New gym for town centre

A new community gym and two retail spaces are planned for 521 Lake Rd –the former Work and Income building in Takapuna. Minor internal changes are planned to the building said Edge Interiors in a resource consent application to Auckland Council.

Pole vaulting poser

Takapuna Athletics Club members Eliza McCartney and Imogen Ayris recently cleared the required 4.7m height to compete in the World Athletics Champs, but so did North Harbour Bays vaulter Olivia McTaggart. Just two spots are available, meaning a tense few months as the athletes battle it out before selectors decide. Ayris has had her best season so far, going on to then set a personal best of 4.76m in France.

Fizzing... Members of the triumphant Takapuna one-day side celebrate with the Jeff Crowe Cup after winning their final against Auckland University last Sunday

Takapuna cricketers snare one trophy and eye another

Takapuna District Cricket Club’s premier side won the Jeff Crowe Auckland men’s one-day trophy last weekend and is odds-on to win the top-flight double, as it leads the two-day competition.

But Takapuna didn’t have it all its own way against Auckland University at Colin Maiden Park last Sunday: batting first, it was all out for 209 in 48.5 overs.

Openers William O’Donnell and Benjamin Beecroft made a good start, hitting 24 and 26 respectively. Cam Neal and Sam Collinson followed up with 49 and 36, but Takapuna’s tail fell away.

“We were probably 20 or 30 short of where we wanted to be – we had hoped for 240 or 250,” Takapuna captain Matt Jones said.

“But we have always backed our bowling attack...to contain the run rate and take wickets.”

And so it transpired. Jacob Bainbridge put on 62 for University but then the Takapuna bowling attack kicked in, with Jordan Sussex and Jones taking three wickets each.

University was bowled out for 186 in 42.5 overs, giving Shore a win by 23 runs, a margin which probably flattered the winners.

“It was a very hard day’s cricket from both sides,” Jones said.

On Saturday at Onewa Domain, Takapuna played Howick in the first day of a two-day match, with the visitors posting 246/10 and Takapuna on 45/1 at stumps.

The second day will be played this Saturday, from 11 am.

“We are optimistic we can chase down the total to take first-innings points,” Jones said. A win would put Takapuna in the box seat to take out the championship, with its final game against East Coast Bays at Onewa Domain on 14 and 21 March.

Collection being auctioned to support future artists

Lake House Arts manager Grae Burton (pictured) has donated about 80 art works from his personal collection to be auctioned to support young talent.

All but a handful of the pieces he purchased over the last decade came from exhibitions held at the arts centre in Takapuna.

“I’ve kept about a quarter,” he says in explaining what remains at his home. “My wife has all the ones she likes.”

The Burton Collection will be used for a Lake House scholarship programme which supports young people and families facing financial hardship in accessing art training.

“With rising living costs, we are seeing more families unable to afford creative opportunities for their children,” he says. “At the same time, Lake House must remain financially sustainable in order to keep delivering high-quality programmes. This auction is a way to meet both needs –sustaining artists and supporting access.”

He hopes to raise around $8000 through the online fundraiser, which remains open until 29 March. “People are already bidding, which is great.”

The Lake House Trust will work out the best use of the money. Several long-term scholarships have already been set up for

talented but disadvantaged young people aged 12 to 18, thanks to other donors. The extra money raised may go to another or to fund term-long course participation – with 400 places having already been provided over three years. It might also fund Lake House’s outreach programme, putting art-

ists and carvers into schools.

Burton says around 20 per cent of parents who have had children at courses in recent times have struggled to continue or have left the country. “This scholarship is about helping kids experiencing disadvantage.”

Referrals come through schools and mentoring and welfare agencies, he says. The centre is keen to hear from community members who might want to donate their art collections for this purpose.

“We have to raise the money to get kids into classes. They’re the future artists,” he says.

Reserve prices for the auction have been kept low to encourage bidders, ranging from $30 to $395, being no more than the ticket value Burton originally paid. The exception is a painting with a $2000 starting price by New Zealand-born Australian artist and musician Reg Mombassa.

The auction entries are on display in the Lake House’s new Woodhouse Gallery. The room in the heritage building has recently been converted from offices and is named for one of the founders of the arts centre, Helen Woodhouse, who was a long-serving Takapuna Head Librarian.

Details at lakehousearts.org.nz

Pupuke a possible location for swimming pontoon

Lake Pupuke will be considered for a new swimming pontoon.

Locations at Killarney Park, close to the PumpHouse, and near Quarry Lake will be assessed.

This comes after a direction from the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board to council staff that it wants to proceed with two new pontoons for next summer, one to be in the northern half of the board area.

The project has $53,000 already set aside in this year’s budget for investigation and installation.

Twelve possible locations have already been assessed, with four

coastal sites ruled out entirely and eight others considered feasible but with risks. Factors included wave action, prevailing winds, undersea cables and on-shore amenities.

Board members agreed at their February meeting last week that Lake Pupuke sites should be considered, other than one at Sylvan Park which was thought too busy with water craft.

A second pontoon will likely be on the Devonport peninsula. But staff flagged that costs may be an issue for supplying both. Pontoons are in place already during summer at Castor Bay and Cheltenham Beach.

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Stench from faulty mains wastewater system blights

A Forrest Hill resident plagued by repeated wastewater overflows on his property after a main pipe was blocked by concrete despairs of a solution being found.

Hairi Mangud says summer outdoors has been a write-off, with his family forced to stay inside to avoid the smell of filthy water bubbling up from a gully trap under his deck.

The wastewater overflows into the nearby stormwater system, then runs down the back of his Morton Ave section into William Souter Reserve where it enters a small stream, around which conservation volunteers have been trying to restore native bush.

Pupuke Birdsong Project is seeking advice from council’s Healthy Waters on whether it is safe to continue with its first working bee of the year in the reserve this Saturday. Mangud says the foul water problems have been intermittent but ongoing since late December and Watercare action to date has been inadequate.

This includes cutting a hole in his deck, which is low to the ground, to get to the overflow and installing a noisy bypass pump which has broken down several times. The breakdowns meant a suction truck was sent in by day, parking on the street, but because water pooled overnight it still caused an overflow to the reserve.

The underlying blockage has not yet been dealt with. Watercare says the concrete

blocking a wastewater main is affecting two service lines. It describes the case as a “complex remediation project”.

A contractor told Mangud the concrete was likely from a large development nearby, where a manhole cover had been relocated. He had it would be difficult to get at.

Watercare says the issue is being managed as “a potential third-party damage incident” but that it “can’t make assumptions about where the concrete came from”.

Mangud says after he complained Watercare gave him $200 for chemicals to help clean up the polluted deck area, but what he wanted was a timeline for a proper fix. “It really stinks,” he says. He has written to about 20 neighbours explaining the truck’s presence and that the problem was not of his making. “They’re really confused.”

After he copied in Watercare’s chief executive in one complaint and got a response from a customer specialist the next day, the faulty pump was fixed, stopping the overflow for a week, until it broke again.

A fix in mid-February has held so far, but he is left with water in holes dug by his wastewater gully. “There’s a lot of flies and mosquitoes and the smell of course.”He fears further problems if the pipe isn’t cleared

The father of two, who works in IT, moved to the home three years ago from West Auckland, looking for a “good neigh-

bourhood”. Instead, his young girls had been unable to play outside this hot summer and the sliding door to the deck and windows from the family living area and kitchen have had to remain closed.

Visiting family were unable to enjoy the setting, looking to bush in the reserve.

“I just want someone to take responsibility,” says Mangud. He wanted to take a case against the developer, but Watercare had told him they would deal with the “third party” situation.

Local board member George Wood said the problem Mangud had got caught up in was obviously complex, but Watercare needed to take responsibility for fixing it.

After making his own inquiries with council, he could not understand why Watercare had not advised council’s pollution team the reserve was affected.

Although the portion of the reserve with the stream is up a steep bushy slope above the reserve path, Wood said it was possible young children might play there.

The stream goes into an underground pipe that flows beneath the path and out into the Wairau catchment.

Birdsong coordinator Maisie Ramsay says stream monitoring last year had shown signs of fish life. Weeding and planting was done to stabilise the bank and reduce runoff, with the aim of improving water quality.

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Watercare head of wastewater Jonathan Piggot said the organisation had put temporary measures in place, including a bypass, to ensure 60-plus affected Forrest Hill properties had wastewater services “while we work toward a permanent solution”.

Investigations had confirmed concrete blocking the main but “in complex cases involving legacy infrastructure, it’s not always possible to definitively identify the responsible third party”.

A temporary bypass had a mechanical fault with a generator on 14 February. Remote message alerting was being used to indicate any further power loss and the site was being inspected twice daily.

“This is a complex remediation project involving 1960s-era infrastructure that runs beneath residential properties. The existing network can’t be salvaged, so we are looking at a realignment project, which involves a site survey and design for a new 180mm pipe to be installed using horizontal directional drilling.

“We acknowledge the ongoing disruption this fault has caused the Morton Avenue community.”

Using equipment such as suction trucks and bypass pumps was the only viable way to prevent repeated overflows into properties and the reserve while a permanent solution was designed and implemented.

Watercare’s temporary piping runs over a reserve and into a stream

Retiree refuses to ‘sit it out’

Retiree refuses to ‘sit it out’

Annie has always been an active grandmother. Morning beach walks, pilates twice a week, and with seven grandchildren, she was always ready to play.

But at 71, that had changed.

When her four-year-old grandson asked her to play on the floor, Annie hesitated. Not because she didn’t want to, but because getting back up had become difficult.

“That moment broke something in me,” Annie recalls. “I’d been making excuses for months. But seeing his disappointed face, I realised I’d become a spectator in my own life.”

The decline had been gradual. First, skipping morning walks. Then the unopened pilates mat gathering dust.

“You don’t notice you’re shrinking your world until suddenly it’s tiny,” she says. Then a friend mentioned Koru FX over coffee.

“I almost didn’t bother,” Annie admits. “Another cream. But she’d been using it herself and lent me her bottle.”

Annie soon noticed changes. The real test came visiting her daughter’s newborn, her eighth grandchild.

“I looked at him lying there, so perfect,” Annie recalls. “And I thought, ‘I’m not missing this.’”

Without overthinking, Annie lowered herself to the floor beside him, letting his tiny hand wrap around her finger.

“My daughter found us like that,” she smiles. “She said she hadn’t seen me on the floor in such a long time.”

Three months later, Annie’s back to morning walks, gentle pilates, and being present.

“When my grandchildren need me on their level, I can get there. That’s everything.”

Milford community of all ages comes together

Hundreds of residents enjoyed a sunny Sunday at the Milford Summer Picnic on the beach reserve last weekend.

The event, part of community building in the wake of the 2023 floods, was a lovely relaxed day, said Milford Residents Association co-chair Debbie Dunsford.

“All sorts of little things were going on

for the little kids.” Takapuna Library staff in costume were a hit with storytelling sessions, the Sunnynook Community Centre loaned bats and balls for play and face-painters were kept busy for the entire four hours.

Adults relished time in the shade or checked out stalls set up by emergency re-

sponse, environmental, garden and service groups and Auckland Council.

Auckland Transport plans for Inga Rd attracted interest as did the Nga Wairau team’s catchment display.

Residents await detail of council’s flood remediation plans for bought-out land and how their suggestions for re-use fit into this.

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for relaxed picnic day on sunny beach reserve

Milford proud... Gianna (9) with dad Tony Money at the picnic day

Family outing... Chantel Court, who works at Milford Kindergarten and lives locally, holds 10-month-old Olivia as husband

Ways with water... Clare Dill (left) with the blue-green Nga Wairau network team, showing an interactive riverbed and filtration system

Let me introduce myself and this column

My name is Emily Morrow, and I am a counsellor working with individuals, couples, and families on the North Shore. After many rewarding years as a family lawyer and law firm partner, I realised that legal solutions could not meet many of my clients’ deeper emotional needs. Seeking a more meaningful way to help, I completed counselling studies at the University of Auckland.

I offer a calm, confidential space and combine a warm, accepting approach with a practical focus on the core issues affecting my clients. Alongside individual counselling, I have specialised training in couple counselling and family therapy, and I particularly enjoy helping people strengthen the relationships that matter to them most. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is one of several therapeutic tools I use. In future columns, I will explore topics such as anxiety, grief and loss, trauma, relationship challenges, depression, and family estrangement. I’ll also write about couple counselling — enhancing closeness and communication — and family therapy, which views the family as a core human system.

People often ask me what counselling involves. Through these columns, I hope to provide insight and encouragement. Please get in touch if I can help or if there are topics you’d like me to address in this column.

School friends May Hoang from Milford and Jayne Kim from Castor Bay enjoyed the facepainting

MILFORD SHOPS NEWS

Milford riding a wave!

Yachting Action in Milford during October and November

Milford main street full and set for a big year

Milford is riding a wave of prosperity, again taking the No.1 spot for top sales increase in Auckland in January 2026. If you haven’t been recently, I challenge you to come and see what makes Milford such a wonderful place to shop. With our annual Vive La France event to be held on Saturday 21st March, now is the time to explore what is driving more and more people to shop in Milford.

Milford riding a wave!

This month is full of events – almost every weekend:

neighbourhood. Milford was severely impacted by the last emergency - the major floods of the Wairau Estuary.

have the Milford Cruising Club on the beachfront reserve and Yachting New Zealand has also recently relocated its national headquarters to premises in Inga Road. This facility also includes their high-performance centre.

• March 1st: Milford Summer Picnic – was a great success!

• March 14th: Dragon Boats – Lake Pupuke

Welcome to 2026 in Milford. We hope you are relaxed and refreshed after a break over the Christmas/New Year, and looking forward to a wonderful year. We now have all the stores in the main street full – no vacancies – a sign that at least here in Milford, the economy has turned the corner for the better.

Winner of Ski Tūroa promotion

Milford is riding a wave of prosperity, again taking the No.1 spot for top sales increase in Auckland in January 2026. If you haven’t been recently, I challenge you to come and see what makes Milford such a wonderful place to shop. With our annual Vive La France event to be held on Saturday 21st March, now is the time to explore what is driving more and more people to shop in Milford.

• March 21st: Vive La France – Milford Shopping Centre

This month is full

which is kitted out with all items needed in any emergency. This will be your first point of contact if you need assistance during any type of emergency. We understand there could be circumstances when this emergency hub is inaccessible so we are currently working on alternative site as a backup hub.

Milford Emergency Readiness Group News

• March 27th to 29th: Auckland Regional Sea Scouts Regatta –Lake Pupuke

Congratulations to Bridget Agnew who won this fantastic promotion! Thanks also to the businesses involved – Mercedes-Benz North Shore, Pure Tūroa, Powderhorn Chateau, The Roof Rack Shop and Ballistics Wake & Snow.

park entertainment zone. Lots of our main street stores will be involved with special market day stalls, including Sills & Co; Mikko Shoes; SPCA Shop; La Tropezienne, Tango Shoes; Skintopia; Milford Travel and more! Look out for our food destination stores in the

• March 29th: Harcourts Shore to Shore Fun Run – Milford Beach Reserve

our popular MC is back for the

France. As well as introducing the entertainers on

she will interview our business owners and keep

with things happening at the event. The

21st

11am until 3pm. The

and

Just before Christmas, Skintopia opened next door to La Tropezienne. Skintopia specialises in results-driven skin treatments, including customised skin treatments, advanced peels, microneedling, IPL and LED Light Therapy. The studio also offers professional brow and lash services, waxing and relaxation massage — all delivered by highly trained professional skin therapists with a focus on long-term skin health.

Milford – Top Sales Town Centre on the Shore

will be

with

and shops will have French

displays and decorations. There’s a French

for the kids with entry forms available at the information

Monique our popular MC is back for the Vive La France. As well as introducing the entertainers on stage she will interview our business owners and keep you up to date with things happening at the event.

VIVE LA FRANCE STALLS: The Nougaterie instagram.com/thenougaterie/ facebook.com/thenougaterie/ thenougaterie.co.nz/ AFA alliance-francaise.co.nz Insta: af_auckland

Valeur valeur.co.nz sobathrobes.com Kalon Kalondigor.co.nz Sweet as Crepes facebook.com/sweetascrepes instagram.com/sweetascrêpesnz sweetascrepes.co.nz

Crust & Craft FB: Crust-Craft-NZ Insta: crustandcraftnz Kookie Haus kookiehaus.com Insta: kookiehausnz Well Hung Butchery wellhung.nz Insta: wellhungbutcher1 Cheese Land milfordcentre.co.nz/listing/ amsterdam-cheese-opening-soon/ Velvet Skin NZ velvetskinnz.com

A big thanks to all our loyal customers who once again supported us during the month of August as we were, yet again, the Top Sales Town Centre on the Shore. Checkout new stores, Bed Bath & Table plus Stella and Emma in the mall – and Toco Açaí & Froyo in the Main Street opposite New World.

The March 21st Vive La France event runs from 11am until 3pm. The village and main street will be adorned with flags and shops will have French window displays and decorations. There’s a French Treasure Hunt for the kids with entry forms available at the information marquee.

and

Milford Emergency Readiness Group

The last vacant space, the old Post Office site, will be welcoming the grand opening of Sills + Co this month, on Thursday 12 February. This is a flagship store for the brand featuring a mini department store design. A unique retail experience, each Sills + Co store is home to its own labels alongside a curated offering of accessories and homewares to create a truly luxurious life.

FB: www.facebook.com/ RiyanaVelvetSkinNZ Insta: velvetskinnz

Also, Milford Centre social media platforms will have more info on what the stores in the mall are doing. Have a great March – I look forward to seeing you at our events!

I'm pleased to advise the Milford community that we now have a group up and running for when an emergency occurs in our

We will also have our very own car show with four brands on display around Milford – Mercedes-Benz, GWM, Xpeng and GAC from our local North Shore car dealerships. They will be lined up in the blue, white, red of France and in the VLF entertainment zone in the top side of Kitchener Road carpark and there will be more at key places in the main street. There will be all their exciting latest models with various types of engines – petrol, hybrid, diesel and electric. Look out

Murray Hill, Manager, Milford Business Association manager@milfordshops.co.nz • 021 950 463 • milfordshops.co.nz � milfordshops � milfordnz youtube MilfordshopsTV

The Milford Business Association has a database of around 10,000 locals and this together with the substantial databases of the Milford Cruising Club and the Milford Residents Association will be your sources of information about emergency readiness in Milford. If you are not already on the Milford Shops newsletter, go to milfordshops.co.nz and sign up in the panel at the bottom of the home page – ‘Subscribe to Newsletter’. Similarly you can sign up on the Milford Residents Association Newsletter and also on The Milford Cruising Club newsletter.

the website: aucklandemergencymanagement.govt.nz

emergency, so look out for our joint communications.

Have a great October.

Murray Hill, Manager, Milford Business Association manager@milfordshops.co.nz • 021 950 463 • milfordshops.co.nz �

Vive La France Saturday 21 March

We will also have our very own car show with four brands on display around Milford – Mercedes-Benz, GWM, Xpeng and GAC from our local North Shore car dealerships. They will be lined up in the blue, white, red of France and in the VLF entertainment zone in the top side of Kitchener Road carpark and there will be more at key places in the main street. There will be all their exciting latest models with various types of engines – petrol, hybrid, diesel and electric. Look out for a competition being held in conjunction with these vehicles at the event.

A mock-up of the Eiffel Tower will be part of the Mercedes-Benz North Shore display in centre court where there will be a blue, white and red vehicle.

Fine-O-Wine will also be in the Mercedes-Benz centre court with French wine tasting.

Ensure you have this date in your calendar now for our very popular annual ‘French Themes’ market day in Milford, when the Milford and wider North Shore community really comes alive to celebrate in French style!

Head of Harbour Regatta

Saturday 7 February

There will also be Market Day Stalls from My Markets in the street and leading up to the car park entertainment zone. Lots of our main street stores will be involved with special market day stalls, including Sills & Co; Mikko Shoes; SPCA Shop; La Tropezienne, Tango Shoes; Skintopia; Milford Travel and more!

The Head of Harbour Rowing Regatta is heading into its 90th year and brings secondary schools from all over the North Island to Lake Pupuke for this all-day event. Organised by Takapuna Grammar School, you’ll see budding rowers, some of whom will no doubt go on to higher things. It’s a great day of rowing action!

Look out for our food destination stores in the entertainment zone – Well Hung Butchery with their famous sausages sizzling; and Cheeseland with their tasty French cheeses. The entertainment zone will have a Petanque court as well as entertainers and French food stalls.

Emergency Hub at the Milford Cruising Club

2026 Windfoiling Nationals Championship – Waitangi Weekend, Milford Beach

Note – times for everything will be on our Facebook, Instagram and Website. Also, Milford Centre social media platforms will have more info on what the stores in the mall are doing.

VIVE LA FRANCE STALLS

Princess Handicrafts

Alpaca Suri Bol

OOGI cookies

Mini crochet and original

real flower jewelry.

Resin Art

Long Cloud BBQ

Fancy Fairy - pretty little girls

dresses dresses

The Wind Down Mist

Current Studio - jewellery

Respace Design Studio

Waka Honey

Home décor

3D printed vases

Socks

Vintage 532

Simply Soy : Candles

Fiona Clarke Art

Velora

Gr8 for colour - leather bags made in Morocco

Handmade Gifts:

Plunket book covers, peg bags, food covers all kinds of things!

The Milford Cruising Club is a popular venue for yachting events, and the club has secured this event for the latest sailing craze –Windfoiling. There will be three days of high-speed, Olympic-class

Have a great March – I look forward to seeing you at our events!

Function at the Junction precedes centre’s birthday

Shore Junction rocked with “Summer Sounds” last Saturday, as bands performed ahead of the Takapuna youth centre’s official fifth birthday later this month.

Dicey weather meant the musicians set up inside the transformed former Takapuna RSA building, rather than playing as planned on a new deck built at the edge of the area once occupied by the Takapuna Bowling Club. The reclad and relined clubrooms have a new life as a band practice studio, with a workshop being built next door.

The outdoor area features plenty of open space, with a corner where used bicycles are being repaired. Inside are games rooms, a dance studio and meeting areas.

Shore Junction director Annaliese Hewitt said the centre had 6700 registered members. “Some come every day and some once every two years.”

It provides a multi-purpose space for North Shore youth aged from 13 to 24. With a median age of attendees of 16-17, it is busiest after school.

During the day, older students and those transitioning to work make use of it, as can people with a disability aged up to 30. Advice on CVs and budgeting is available and training opportunities include the chance to learn barista skills. Rooms are hired out to a range of groups.

Summer Sounds, which was supported by the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board for a third year, included a community wardrobe swap and youth markets.

Of the four bands playing, three practise at the centre and the other, Coast Arcade, which has done well in Rockquest, has a connection through a staff member.

Shore Junction Records gives an opportunity each term for selected musicians to record with a producer.

Centre staff, who are police vetted, are on

Happy

mix... Shore Junction director Annaliese Hewitt says the centre’s diverse users all get along

site during opening hours from 10am to 6pm Tuesday to Saturday.

Hewitt says a diverse mix of young people enjoy chilling out, playing pool or other games, making a coffee or finding a quiet space to study. “They all get along here, because they want to be here.”

She has noticed an explosion of e-sports since the centre opened. A studio has also been upgraded due to growing youth interest in making podcasts.

Parents are able to visit during the quieter day times to see what’s available.

Attendees must register to be allowed entry. Should anyone young arrive during school hours, checks are made to establish

whether they have permission to be out of class.

Screen time is time-restricted so access can be shared around. Otherwise activities are mostly unstructured.

Future plans for Shore Junction include an extension of its bike “upcycling” and ideas for planter boxes to encourage gardening. • Shore Junction was set up under the umbrella of the Takapuna-based Yes Disability service, but it has its own staff. Hewitt transferred across to be its founding manager. Its official fifth birthday is on 19 March. When Yes Disability celebrates its 20th anniversary in June, a joint celebration will be held.

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No more hornets found but vigilance urged before winter hibernation

No further yellow-legged hornets have been found in Takapuna and Forrest Hill, a month after the first detections in the two suburbs.

Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis said no more detections had been made in Takapuna, where a nest with a queen inside was destroyed, or in Forrest Hill, where two nests were found. “Nor have they been detected in Hauraki or further south on the Devonport peninsula.”

But Inglis said people should stay on the alert for signs of the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina). Extra street signs had been put up recently to spread the word.

Due to more surveillance, more sightings were expected and these were valuable before winter when the pest hibernated and became harder to spot.

By 2 March, there had been 62 confirmed queen hornets and 81 nests (48 of them containing a queen) found on the North Shore, with finds still centred in the Glenfield area. The public has reported 13,957 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.

Bigger Sylvan Park boat ramp planned

Improved public access to Lake Pupuke from Sylvan Park is planned, including an extended boat ramp.

The concrete extension to the boat ramp will increase the structure’s footprint within the lakebed from 13sqm to 33sqm, according to an Auckland Council resource consent application.

While the site is located within the Lake Pupuke Volcano Outstanding Natural Feature overlay, “the works are confined to an

already engineered and modified section of the lake margin” and changes “do not alter the crater landform, lake basin morphology or broader volcanic features,” the application said.

In addition to the boat ramp extension other works include:

• Replacement of rocks on the lake edge.

• Removal of sudden drops and improved lake access including “non-slip options”.

• Improved planting around the lake edge.

PumpHouse thrives with board’s support

The PumpHouse Theatre in Takapuna is one of the North Shore’s key cultural facilities, providing a place for local groups, schools and community organisations to meet, rehearse and perform.

Like many other facilities and amenities, its ongoing ability to serve a growing community is supported by the Devonport Takapuna Local Board, which helps maintain the building and keep it accessible to the public.

Board funding allows The PumpHouse to focus on delivering programmes rather than covering major facility costs.

This means local groups can use the space for theatre, workshops, school projects, and community initiatives that might otherwise be difficult to host.

A recent example is the Golden Age Actors showcase, featuring residents from three local retirement and care homes: The Orchards Care Home, Lady Allum Care Home and Independent Living, and Northbridge Village. While the project was funded separately, access to The

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PumpHouse gave participants the chance to rehearse and perform in a professional, communityfocused venue.

“My residents gained confidence, stepped out of their comfort zones, formed connections and had fun along the way.” - Sue Moxom, Activities Coordinator at The Orchards.

“Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to give our residents a real unique experience.” - Jacqui Thomas, Diversional Recreational Therapist Lady Allum Care Home.

The PumpHouse was originally saved from demolition in the 1960s by local volunteers and transformed into a performing

arts venue. Today it hosts theatre, music, educational programmes, and community events throughout the year. Its location in Killarney Park and adaptable spaces make it a practical and well-used facility for groups of all ages.

The Devonport Takapuna Local Board continues to invest in the venue, helping with maintenance, operations, and upgrades that keep the theatre safe, functional, and affordable for local users.

This support enables a wide range of programmes, including the Golden Age Actors showcase, youth theatre, creative workshops, and community events.

With board support and strong community engagement, The PumpHouse remains a hub where people can participate in arts and community activities, and it will continue to serve the North Shore for years to come.

Have your say on Auckland Council’s Annual Plan 2026/2027!

This plan outlines what the Council proposes to deliver over the coming year and how it will spend public money. Your feedback matters and helps shape local services, facilities, and community projects. Consultation is open from 27 February to 29 March 2026. You can read the proposals and give your feedback online at akhaveyoursay. nz/ourplan. Don’t miss this chance to make your voice heard—whether it’s about parks, transport, community services, or local events, your input helps Auckland Council plan for a better city for everyone.

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Purple reigns as military animals honoured

Pet owners gathered at the Navy Museum in Devonport last month for the annual remembrance day service to recognise the role of animals in the armed services

Four-legged friends... Kim Snowball with mother Christine and dog Chester in a Purple Poppy Day ribbon. Kim, a Milford resident who owns Devonport stationer Fitzgerald Taylor, donates ribbons from her business for event attendees’ animals each year. Christine is a retired dance teacher who used to run Devonport School of Dance.

Book returns a breeze thanks to new ‘smart’ shelves

New “smart shelves” at Takapuna Library are speeding up book returns and are a particular boon for voracious readers.

The shelves – set up last month in the main part of the library – 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 deputy manager Anne Betts 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. “Children often take out large stacks of books,” she said.

Although the withdrawal maximum sounds a lot, students and researchers are also heavy book users, as are followers of series, including comics.

The smart shelves have been introduced as a labour-saving device by Auckland Council, freeing librarians for other work.

Returned books are still put back on library shelves by staff, who these days use phones for back-of-house scanning and locating

of titles.

The long-planned project is being rolled out at libraries across the city after a trial at East Coast Bays Library.

“People were using it from the first day,” said Betts, putting this down to them having encountered the shelves elsewhere.

However some people were still using the book return chute in the library foyer. She said the exterior chute would remain in place for quick drop-offs.

No personal details are shown on screen from the scanned returns, but customers can use the device to check how many books they have out or to print a receipt..

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Latin Fiesta brings splash of colour and culture

Stepping out... Tierra Viva Colombia dance group were among fiesta entertainers representing a range of Latin American cultures

Milford / Takapuna Tides

day out...

Fiesta fans... Brazilian friends from Hauraki enjoying a touch of home were (above from left) Isabella Dias Rocha de Azevedo, Livia Freitas dos Reis and Carlos Rafael Dóliveira Souza. Left: Chilean dance group Renacer En Auckland.

BY CARL AND PETER BLAND

Shore-based theatre companies join forces for triple bill

Three times the plays from two companies, that’s the recipe for Shore Shorts, a new theatre initiative being staged at the PumpHouse in Takapuna this month.

Phoenix Theatre and Shoreside Theatre have combined for the programme, which features three varied short plays linked by themes of love and relationships. Audience members get to enjoy them all on one ticket over two and a half hours, including intervals.

All the plays are written by New Zealanders.

This Particular Room by Jess Sayer, winner of the Adam New Zealand Play Award in 2020, is a dramatic exercise in memory.

North Shore resident Paul Topliss penned Roses are Red, which is set in Germany in the lead-up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and directed by his wife Helen Topliss, a founding member of Phoenix Theatre.

Never Say Never by Joanna Pearce has a backdrop of the Blitz in London. Its first-time director, Kierron Diaz-Campbell (pictured) from Shoreside, describes it as a more comedic counterfoil to the intensity of the other two plays.

For the North Shore theatre companies, the joint venture is a chance to share resources and expertise to expand on their reach beyond the individual seasons they

each present.

Phoenix deputy chair Braydon Priest says: “We both wanted to do something a little more, without committing to a full season by ourselves.” He hopes audiences will warm to the idea of getting more bang for their buck, while supporting local companies looking to find sustainable ways to work.

The two companies have shared a common rehearsal space in Forrest Hill for at least 15 years and were both regular bookers of the PumpHouse. “The great hope here would be that we add another regular addition to the North Shore theatre calendar,” Priest says.

Diaz-Campbell says the joint approach is working well. He has benefited from advice on staging intimate scenes from another more experienced director in Lauren Wilson, who is helming This Particular Room. A group chat has been set up, where people can offer support, advice or fill any gaps with production needs, but each play has its own cast.

Diaz-Campbell is well into rehearsals for Never Say Never, which tells of two women thrown together by circumstance, whose changing relationship is interrupted

Holy Days (PG)

How to Make a Killing (M)

The Testament of Ann Lee (M)

Fackham Hall (M)

Goat (PG)

No Other Choice (M)

Crime 101 (M)

MĀRAMA (RP16)

Wuthering Heights (M)

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No Tears on the Playing Field (E) 93min

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Ash Grunwald with Mark Crotti - Live Show  13 Mar

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by the arrival home of the solider husband of one of them.

The 26-year-old from Sunnynook, who has been acting since his early teens, says turning his hand to directing is a challenge. His first play for Shoreside was in 2017, for its long-standing Summer Shakespeare season, when he acted in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Along the way he has picked up some useful insights into the kind of directing that inspires him.

“It’s really confirming a belief that I had that theatre is the actor’s art and film is the director’s art,” he told the Observer.

Watching other friends dip into directing gave him the confidence to give it a go himself. Drawing on his acting experience also helped, given he knew he liked to work with directors who have had acting experience. This was because “they can show me, rather than just tell me”, which was an approach he had adopted in his coaching of the cast.

Diaz-Campbell said he knew one of the three actors he is working with through Shoreside, but the other two were new to both companies, having attended open auditions.

Priest said there had been good interest in the roles, and the shorter plays and re-

Theatre stalwart

tells of time on the ice

Creative Talks are returning to the PumpHouse, with the first guest speaker of the year being theatre life member Frank Graveson, whose hands-on efforts – chipping concrete and scaling the building’s chimney – helped save and restore the building as an arts hub.

His readiness to take on a challenge had an earlier outlet in Antarctica, and it is Graveson’s time as a dog handler at Scott Base that will be the focus of his talk on 9 March.

He was based there in 1962-63, when dogs were the most reliable form of transport for a mapping project. The work led to him being awarded a Polar Medal and made a life member of the New Zealand Antarctic Society.

The free community talk is the first of five, with Milford historian Debbie Dunsford up next in April.

Sessions later in the year will focus more on arts and arts-administration topics.

Among the speakers will be well-known actor and director Michael Hurst, who has a long association with the PumpHouse.

• Antarctic Explorer , 7pm, Monday 2 March at the PumpHouse’s small Coal Bunker venue. RSVP required through pumphouse.co.nz

at PumpHouse

hearsal time appealed to people who might sometimes not have time for a commitment of three-months-plus. This helped with one of the aims of the season, which was to draw in new talent.

He said the companies did a bit of divvying up of who did what, but the role split was about equal, with Phoenix leading on marketing and Shoreside on backstage. It was a case of give and take and playing to people’s strengths, with more talent still in the wings. “Some missed out.”

When it comes to costs and any ticket profits the split will be 50-50. “We wanted to show that groups can work together,” Priest said. This wasn’t always the case with community theatre, when companies were often vying for the same audience.

Diaz-Campbell, who also helps out with ushering duties at the PumpHouse, heartily recommends theatre involvement and the opportunities he has found spring from it.

“It provides a huge sense of community, you get to know regulars and also there’s an inflow of newcomers,” he says.

“Theatre is the thing I care about the most and want to focus on.”

• Shore Shorts is on at the PumpHouse from 18-22 March, with evening and matinee performances and an R16 guideline. Tickets $30, details see pumphouse.co.nz.

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