kookaburra - Kawau Island

Transcription

AUTUMN 2016
KOOKABURRA
Magazine of Kawau Island New Zealand
Kawau Island Kookaburra
“To publish the Kawau Island Kookaburra as a means of communication
and as an outlet for news and articles written by interested persons”
Kawau Island Residents & Ratepayers Association Rule 3(g)
Correspondence and contributions to:
Michael Marris editor@kirra.org.nz 021 739 973
Advertising managed by:
Shelley Futcher shelleyfutcher@gmail.com 422 3158
KIRRA membership is invited:
Contact Helen Jeffery secretary@kirra.org.nz 022 399 0075
Membership includes four issues of Kookaburra each year
Check out our Kawau Island website: www.kawauisland.org.nz
KIRRA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
2016 - 2017
Chairman: Les Mellars
021 270 2223
Secretary: Helen Jeffery
422 8831
Treasurer: Ian Henderson
422 8944
Gael Archer
021 052 9002
Colin Bright
09 524 6189
Peter Buckton
422 3520
Pam Dallow
09 444 3378
Martine Fernandez
021 777 161
Shelley Futcher
Andrew Fyfe
Alan Marshall
Lin Pardey
422 3159
021 622 231
021 0837 1266
422 8997
Simon Pirie
09 480 6044
Paul Strauss (Taz)
027 333 6676
KOOKABURRA Autumn 2016
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Contents
Editorial
Michael Marris
Letter To The Editor
Stephen Hudson
Granddaughters’ Concert
Fay Richardson
Vivian Bay News
Fay Richardson
Pembles Bay News
Andrew Fyfe
North Cove News
Ross West
South Cove News
Andrew Stone
Camp Bentzon Report
Peter and Erin Hyde
Afloat Around Kawau
Lin Pardey
A Kereru Story
Alan Marshall
We’re All Together
Ross West
Replacing Carpet at Kawau Kawau Girl
Patria Hume
A Kawau Achiever
Poem: Fishing Off Kawau
John Adams
Review: “When We Were Old”
Michael Marris
Cask Shells
Alison Fowler
VB Fishing Competition
Patria Hume
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Editorial
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4
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6
8
10
12
14
16
20
22
24
26
29
30
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Park Notes
Sue Stoddart
RIP Marjorie Rowe
Chic Vercoe
Fire Team Report
Ruth MacClement
Poem: Asian New Year
lois e hunter
Starboard Arm Observations
Carmen Miranda ll
Music in the Gardens
Views And Reflections
Pam’s Recipes
Pam Dallow
Kawau Real Estate
Dave Jeffery
Pohutukawa Trust
Carl Weaver
Coastguard Kawau
Coastguard Media
Harbourmaster Report
Angela Bedford
LegaSea
Scott Macindoe
Kawau Boating Club
The Committee
Argentine Ants Success
Lyn Hume
Guess Who’s Coming.....
Anon anon
KIRRA Minutes November
Helen Jeffery
KIRRA Minutes - February
Helen Jeffery
Michael Marris
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Kawau.......families........ our community.
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Our Kawau Island community is distinguished
in the New Zealand environment in many
ways. One way, notably, is our deep family orientation.
Our little Island society is so unlike that of,
say, suburban Auckland. We enjoy and value
experiencing the close quarters of a wide demographic spectrum. We are not encumbered
by trappings of mainland sophistication. We
are not transfixed by social status. We require
a fortitude and a sense of adventure to successfully take part in Kawau Island life. Here, multigenerational family groups are unmoored
from any sense of class hierarchy.
A snapshot:
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The family bach started life over 60 years ago
on a ti-tree riddled hillside looking out over
the scintillating waters of Kawau Bay. A wellworn gravel path meanders from the wharf.
The big RIB is the family conveyance and the
collection of kayaks, paddle boards and sea
biscuits are the other family playthings. The
bach has encountered various additions and
minor upgrades over the generations but is still
the same modest, functional and homely place
that it was always designed to be. New carpet
this Christmas created excitement! A high fluttering flag signals occupation – the flag being a
major source of competition with neighbours
across the water: who can fly the most esoteric
and unidentifiable flag on any one day! Google
searches run hot!
But it is the family unit that is most significant. Three generations now: grandparents,
parents, grandchildren and the partners of
the grandchildren - all totalling well over 30
people. Ages range from six months to over
80 years. At any one time there might be between 2 and 30 sharing and enjoying both the
family warmth and the Kawau environment.
Come the tide and most will gather down on
the wharf for a major display of aquatic enthusiasm! The sound of laughter, of delight and of
loud splashing echoes over the water. Everyone
is relishing in the shared enjoyment of family
togetherness and a benign and relaxed environment.
Afternoon times see various spreadings of activity – often generationally determined. There
are naps for some olders (and not so olders).
There are bushwalks for the adventuresome.
There is fishing out in the Bay for the huntergatherer clique and there are some thoughtful
creations being designed by the artistic. Property maintenance is an ongoing need but also
an ongoing pleasure.
In this wide family grouping there are no generational boundaries, no hierarchies of authority. Rather, there is a warm and mutually
appreciated awareness that invites everybody
to contribute, everybody to participate and
everybody to respect each other. This culture
has created the successful situation that it so
obviously is.
And not everything is inward focused. Whilst
family life is important and the family deeply
integrated, and enhanced by these multigenerational threads, there is also an awareness of
neighbours, of community, and of the need to
ensure the well-being of everybody who is able
to enjoy this wonderful Kawau environment.
Evidence, a neighbour going by on her runabout heading for the Boating Club. Her motor
stops. She is drifting and trying to get it started.
Continued on page 5
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Letter To The Editor
Stephen Hudson
Would you be able to help in some way to resolve a problem we seem to have at Kawau.
beasts 2m or more in length close in to the
shore at Swansea Bay.
Over the last few years we have had rare sightings of the bronze whaler sharks in the Bon
Accord Harbour but during this last Christmas
period we have been having almost daily sightings and often see holiday makers and boaties
feeding them as they fillet their fish. The sharks
seem to have become established and are often
seen around the boats and wharfs. So much
so that we have photos from Christmas of the
Can we/you possibly make mention of this as
we need to stop this feeding of the sharks as
the sightings and presence of the sharks is not
good for the swimming and water sports for
the families and the risks to our children. It
might only be a matter of time before someone
is bitten.
Hope you can help. Thanks.
Granddaughters’ Concert
Fay Richardson
My two granddaughters composed and sang this for me at our Xmas concert:
She is observed to be in difficulty although not
in danger. A quick family conversation and the
race is on down to the wharf, the RIB is now
in service to tow her, and the mechanically
minded in the family are identifying and fixing
her problem.
On the twelfth day of Kawau Xmas my
grandma gave to me,
Twelve big snapper
Eleven tuis chirping
Ten pairs of jandals
Nine kids a-swimming
Eight trees a-growing
Seven birthday parties
Six baby wekas
Five flipping dolphins
Four blooming flowers
Three paddle boards
Two pot plants
And a wood pigeon in a kauri tree.
By Cleo and Celia, 9 and 7 years old
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Editorial continued from page 3
Another neighbour suffers a dinghy mishap
due to a rising tide, an easterly wind and a
running line not properly secured! Farewell Aquapro! The permanently crumpled
small inflatable will be no more. Family help
again intervenes: a grandson holds an executive role in a marine company. He can source
a new dinghy at a very reasonable cost. And
delivery............ delivery is organised from the
factory to the grandparents’ family home at
Whangaparoa....... the new inflatable is loaded
onto the back of the grandparents’ RIB and delivery made via the perils of the Tiri Passage to
the surprise and gratitude of the neighbours.
Family evenings revolve around the barbecue,
around a few beers and wines and around a lot
of animated and convivial conversation. There
are stories to be told, plans to be made and new
adventures to be sourced. As evening draws
down and darkness slinks in various family
members make their way either inside or to
bed. Another wonderful day, another fabulous
family gathering, another shared companionship in a community that has no need for hierarchy or bigotry.
This is but one snapshot. Every Bay, every
Cove, every little grouping of houses on Kawau
Island is a testimony to the grace and beauty
of the New Zealand family in its every best
sense. Ours is a family community and brings
with it classic family values, a shared sense
of togetherness and an ongoing awareness of
being “other directed” – looking out for your
neighbours.
This is our Kawau. The Kawau that we know.
The Kawau that we share. The Kawau that we
create and nurture.
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Vivian Bay News
Summer hugs
Fay Richardson
New Year’s Eve is always about fishing in Vivian Bay.
There is always a great turn out from nearly
all the residents, young and old, and the prize
giving on the Hume wharf at 4pm started the
celebrations which continued until our family
joined the Beach House staff and the Hume
crowd, to count down midnight, while Emily
pulled in two squid - not an easy accomplishment.
Lucky for us we have solar power, as next
morning everyone else woke to no power.
Out came the generators but we had a very
social morning drinking coffee with people
coming to charge their cell phones and laptops
as the solar power doesn’t surge and is much
safer.
nally came to and frantically started the motor
and pulled anchor. Luckily, from our elevated
position we notice things that everyone else is
unaware off.
I finally got a watermelon patch established
this year after several failures, only to have the
wekas find their way in after months of safety.
They must sense when things are ripening as
my first harvest of grapes also disappeared
overnight. I would love to have seen them scaling the trellis to get my precious harvest.
Terry Nuthall, Lyn& Alan Hume, Bea Nuthall
The seaplanes have made many visits this season and the sight never fails to awe us with
their graceful approach and landing, before
taxiing up to the Beach House with their visitors.
Party cocktails for Alan’s birthday
The annual sandcastle competition was held
on Sunday to suit the tide, and when the dolphins swam into the Bay everything was abandoned while all the children ran into the water.
They were delighted when the dolphins stayed
amongst them and played.
Puri felling
Thanks go to Kristin Brown for judging again.
Early on another morning, Dave was making
our morning tea around 6.30, when he yelled
for us to come and look at a yacht which was
dragging its anchor and heading out into the
channel.
Our kayak was quickly paddled out to our
mooring, then our boat chased the yacht, the
people on board still sound asleep.
Dave had to circle their boat, revving the engine and yelling to wake them up, until they fi6
Alan Hume’s birthday lunch
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Pembles Bay News
Andrew Fyfe
BARGE TO KAWAU
Views to die for. People to live for.
A
You can witness part of this miracle at lunch
time, on Friday 10th January 2017 at his place
on top of Pohutukawau Point. All Kookaburra
readers are invited. The only thing you need to
bring is a love of this Island and a tolerance for
long, emotional speeches from Bob’s friends
and family and from the man himself.
The Pembles Bay views from Max and Michal
Templeton’s deck are to die for. Fortunately the
prompt, preemptive actions of two close North
Cove friends meant that this remained a metaphor rather than becoming a reality.
Dean and Amanda Stuart’s son Connor, quickly recognising that I usually finish my sentences standing up, (rather than hunched over
on all fours) calmly asked if I was okay. After
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M
E
G
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Freight
Building materials
Rubbish removal with bins
Septic tank cleaning
Surveyed vessel
[No Moorings]
The bible allotted us three score and ten. With
the significant advances made since then, most
people feel a little robbed if they only make it
to seventy. Indeed, the man who literally gave
my brothers and I, Kawau, is now less than a
year from celebrating his ninetieth birthday.
Bob Fyfe plans to celebrate four score and ten,
by turning wine into water.
Dad’s recent eighty-ninth was a good dress
rehearsal. However, one, which was nearly ruined by yours truly on the eve of his big day.
His celebration could have nearly been anything but. Those who know me well, already
know that I talk too much. Especially after a
few drinks and good food. What I now know,
is that expressing my opinion, drinking chilled
Sauvignon Blanc and eating barbecued scotch
fillet, should be done separately, rather than all
at once.
T
N
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Kawau Wharf & Moorings 2015 Ltd
R
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D
UN
W
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M
Mark Phillips
P:021 424 151
E: bargetokawau@gmail.com
P O Box 13 Warkworth
shaking my head in the negative he wacked me
on the back. This didn’t quite work, however
I was extremely lucky as I was taking in some
air, but certainly no where enough to guarantee a fifty-fourth summer.
Another year at Kawau was secured when Connor’s uncle - Tim Giles calmly asked me if I’d
like him to perform the Heimlich Manoeuver.
After vigorously nodding in the affirmative, I
lifted my arms in the air, while Tim literally
picked me up like a rag doll and gave me a very
welcome bear hug. His huge fists expertly compressing into my abdomen. A windpipe size of
New Zealand’s finest grass fed beef went flying
through the night sky and I took the greatest,
most welcome breath since I was born.
Amanda’s brother is Dean’s best friend. Tim
Giles is even more than that to me. He’s my
lifesaver.
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North Cove News
Ross West
North Cove has three different physical areas
all joined by the common element, water. Or
at least at high tide. There are the properties
with deep water on their boundary and with a
couple of exceptions they rise sleepily from the
water’s edge. The two tidal inlets, Moana Creek
and Starboard Arm lead off the harbour more
or less towards the east. Both these dry at low
water so property owners have both boats and
good gumboots. Recent purchasers of property
fall neatly into each of these groups.
The Beaumont Point property of the late Max
Edkins has been bought by Steve and Paula
Hausman. The Mount Albert couple own a
steep west facing section around the corner
and when Max’s property came up for sale they
figured most of the hard work was done. The
tranquillity and birdlife is something they both
value about Kawau and their plans are long
term. Steve’s in the ‘building game’ and Paula
in the legal profession.
It’s been Vaughan Nisbet and his partner Emily’s second summer in the upper reaches of
Moana Creek. They’re on the western side of
the inlet and back from the shore line which
means up the hill. Vaughan was Auckland
10
raised but now lives in Melbourne where he
works for the Department of Agriculture. It’s
fair to say he and Emily don’t get to the Island
every weekend. They enjoy clearing and planting the property and sailing Vaughan’s twelvefoot trimaran which he designed, built and
shipped to the Island from Melbourne. That
must be some sort of freight record for the Island. The boat has two laser rigs and anyone
on the water after Music in the Gardens would
have seen their two orange sails flapping in little or no wind as they paddled against the tide
for North Cove. Fortunately, a generous soul in
a power boat towed them back to Moana.
Across the inlet Bill Simpson has bought a nice
little dwelling more or less on the water. Bill’s
an Auckland boat builder trying to extract
himself from a long list of customers and focus
on his own projects. He worked with Rodney
Wilson, the driving force behind the Maritime
Museum, in the very early days when the museum was based on Princess Wharf. As Bill’s
mother was a Lidgard he has a long connection with Kawau and remembers many school
holidays spent with his Uncle Fred Lidgard in
Sunny Bay.
Around on the southern slopes of Starboard
Arm Phil and Suzanne Shaw have begun building a dwelling on a section they bought a year
or so ago. Phil is an Architectual Designer so
I’m enjoying watching the project take shape.
The property runs up from the track along
the water’s edge to a moderately sloping site
where the sixty square metre building will sit
enjoying a northerly aspect. Phil and Suzanne,
who works in the legal profession, holidayed
in Vivian Bay some twenty years ago and then
for the last few years have rented a bach in
Barkers Bay just around the corner of North
Cove’s western headland. They love the peace
and quiet so easily accessible from Auckland
and Suzanne is a keen plants person very much
looking forward to planting once the building
work is completed.
When I returned to the Island last week Typhoon was breasted up to the tug Clearwater
heading for Sandspit, restoration and a new
life. She was built in Los Angeles in the 1940s,
unfortunately with steel fastenings. Her Kawau
owner Cliff Carter’s nose was put slightly out
of joint when the late Des Townson asked Cliff
if she was built from steel so prolific were the
rust stains running down her topsides!
Long-time Starboard Arm bach owner Wally
Simpson has sold his Cavalier 32 after a thirty-nine-year love affair. In Wally’s words Sue
swallowed the anchor when they bought their
Island property twenty-six years ago. He’s still
got his mullety, Avian, which he bought some
twenty years ago after it ended up on rocks after a storm only to have the same thing happen
a few years ago in the Mahurangi. Wally’s looking for a good home for Avian and has bought
a sensible little centre console aluminium
runabout. He still keeps his considerable sailing skills honed in a pretty little clinker dinghy
which he replaced most of one side after rescuing from a chicken run a good number of
years ago.
With little power boat experience, well that’s
according to his neighbour, Pete Ransom has
bought a thirty-foot RIB with a couple of two
hundred horsepower outboards strapped on
the back. He and Wendy intend to commute
from Auckland rather than drive/shuttle their
way to the Island. Apparently the first trip
at pretty much fully throttle the fuel bill was
something like a king’s ransom so Pete has
learnt to back off a bit!
On a sober note I record the passing of Margery Rowe. She and husband Maurice have the
lovely little blue bach, Ashram, on the right as
you enter North Cove. It was built by her father Roley Bell. Chic and Brian Vercoe knew
the couple well and Chic has written an obituary in this edition.
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11
South Cove News
Andrew Stone
Over Anniversary Weekend residents at South
Cove held a successful community meeting.
It’d been awhile since we last got together so a
catch-up was timely and, as it proved, productive. We also got the benefit of a civil defence
briefing from Chris, who is making South
Cove his permanent home from the middle
of March. Chris outlined emergency protocols
for helicopter landings - measures we all hope
we won’t have use anytime soon.
The issues which occupy South Cove are a bit
like Kawau problems writ small, bound up
with the tensions which surface from time to
time in any small settlement - roads, traffic
(yes, on Kawau!), parking, noise, weeds, dogs
and moorings. From the feedback, it was a
constructive and valuable gathering. One of the problems with our limited road network, especially over summer, is people tend to
forget that they shouldn’t speed. We all dread a
serious accident. As a result of discussions at
the meeting, we are making a concerted effort
to remind everyone and particularly visitors
to keep it slow. There are many blind corners
and pedestrians sharing the roads - and tractors pulling boats coming the other way - so
we want to make our tracks as safe as we can. We managed to sort out some other issues
too. Once again we will encourage people who
don’t get out for at least a couple of months to
leave their vehicles at home rather than beside
the road near the jetty. We’ve arranged that residents will deliver cars and 4WDs down to the
wharf when homeowners decide to come out,
so everyone hopes this will ease congestion.
their boat down to the water or just heading
down for a swim. Over autumn, locals keen to enhance the natural environment will plant natives near some
the tracks we’ve made through the bush and
our battle against weeds will be relentless. It’s a
bit daunting though seeing how gorse is invading the place. I imagine it will be a struggle to
hold the line against the seemingly indestructible pest plant. Another decision made at the meeting might
be of interest to pétanque fans. A load of shells
is being sourced for the pétanque court near
the jetty, so anyone keen on a few boules before
the warm weather disappears should sail down
to our end of the Island.
Finally, a query from one of our people - a
Covian, as they’re known around these parts.
She wondered whether there were fewer moreporks or ruru around. It is hard to know. Ruru,
our last native owl, are nocturnal and shy, best
seen near bright lights where they chase moths
for dinner.
It would be good to hear from other Kawau
communities whether morepork numbers
have changed over the last decade or so. Their
nests are vulnerable to predation by rats so it
is entirely possible they could have been hammered. It would be shame if these appealing
birds were under threat - let’s hope they’ve just
moved to a new neighbourhood. 7KUHHZD\'LJJHUVLVQRZRSHUDWLQJDV.DZDX(DUWKPRYHUV
Kawau owned and operated....based in North Cove
We have 16 years digger experience
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we can move mountains!
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At busy times, parking is bumper-to-bumper,
and makes it a headache for people bringing
12
.$:$8($57+029(56
13
Camp Bentzon Report
Wedding Celebrations
Peter and Erin Hyde
We hope everyone has enjoyed their summer
holidays here at Kawau. The year has definite
chapters here for Peter and I at Camp Bentzon,
each chapter with something special. Summer
on the stairs to stop them being slippery? We
currently have carpet.
Book Club
Carmel and Graeme Horsley held their wedding here at Camp Bentzon. Everyone was
so helpful, the bride very relaxed despite the
weather, we had periods of heavy ran throughout the day. Some of the guests were escorted
on small boats with umbrellas from Horsley’s
bach in North Cove to Camp Bentzon very Islandish! Here is a photo of the dining room which looked amazing! Those are
hundreds of shells you can see hanging, all
hand threaded, and drift wood off various
beaches. We wish them well and hope they
enjoyed their honeymoon.
Our school group from Macleans College met
Jill Hetherington last week whilst on a kayaking trip with me. Jill was off to Book Club and
it was nice for the students to chat to a local.
There were many questions afterwards: What
is Book Club? Do they have coffee there? Do
children go? Is it like a school for adults? It certainly created a lot of interest. At left is a photo
Jill took.
has the Xmas period which brings a holiday
atmosphere in the Cove. We have our holiday
groups which are a lot of fun arranging groups
of new and regular people to come and enjoy
the holidays - many of the group leaders have
been coming for more than 20 years. We have
been here so long some of the children who
first came are now starting to have their own
children.
One thing we really enjoy during this period
is that we usually find some time to catch up
with people that stay in their baches. There is
also a bit more time to get together with people
in the Cove as despite what everyone thinks
life is quite busy on Kawau Island. Term One
is back to schools and routine. It is very, very
busy but also rewarding - this reminds us what
Camp Bentzon is here for, which is the chapter
we are in now, never a dull moment and nice
to see it through the eyes of young people.
Climbing Net
Ross Archer came over to help us with some
ideas for our playground. He then kindly offered to look at our cargo net wall and most
unexpectedly offered to donate two playground cargo nets. These usually cost around
$5000. This was a most generous donation
from you and your company Playco Equipment Ltd, thank you Ross. We would have had
a thousand children already over the new nets
so it is being well utilised. Below is a picture of
a young boy enjoying the challenge of climbing
our new net.
Stairs
Wharf stairs, they are silting up so quickly
lately does anyone have a quick way to clean
these? Or a successful product they have used
14
15
Afloat Around Kawau
Lin Pardey
Decide to do some repairs and upgrades to
your home. Research, then hire some builders. On the mainland all it takes is a few phone
calls; materials arrive, builders arrive, your
place turns into a mess, and the work gets
done. Your job is simple, clean it all up and
pay the bills. Not here on Kawau, as today once
again proved to me.
The builders had been here for three days,
working steadily through the pile of timber
and cement that had arrived and been deposited right where it belonged, courtesy of Mark
and the Kawau Wharf Company barge.
The expected mess developed as Steve and
Wayne dug in pilings for two retaining walls
and then ripped up several hundred meters
of rotted decking. Halfway through Wednesday Steve handed me the details of timber we
needed to finish all the jobs on my list, along
with a schedule that could save me several
hundred dollars if I could get the timber over
in one day. The folks at Timberworld came to
the party. Rueben got the timber on the ferry.
The ferry arrived with a heavy looking load of
very wet long boards - 150 meters of it plus 25
16
bags of cement. It looked like an even bigger
pile when it was all off-loaded onto my jetty.
But now for the problem.
Our jetty is 79 meters long. Half the timber
and half the cement was needed at the eastern
end of our property another 100 meters away,
and half at the western end 150 meters in the
other direction. A quick calculation showed
it would take two men three or four hours to
carry everything to where it belonged. They’d
be exhausted after carrying each board since
some weighed 30 or 40 kilos. But wait, I have
a barge, a motor boat, the tide is in. So begins
the fun.
The barge is quickly untied, then brought
along the end of the jetty. The timber and cement destined for the east end of the property is loaded. Jay Dee is fired up. She runs a
bit reluctantly, but she runs. Steve and Wayne
shove off. Jay Dee’s motor quits. Now boat and
barge are drifting slowly toward the entrance
of the Cove. I am running out along the jetty,
climbing over timber trying to get to my small
dinghy (named Cheeky) to row out and try to
assist when I notice one of the oars for Cheeky
is missing. Then I spot the oar. Steve is using it
on the barge, slowly making headway toward
the big pontoon that services Moana Creek
residents. Wayne is trying to get the motor to
run. I am upset as I knew the motor was faulty.
I’d called my mechanic after my last run on Jay
Dee when she had idled very roughly at low
speed He had me convinced she had water in
the fuel, dirty sparkplugs or worse.
I already had plans to nurse Jay Dee across to
Sandspit on Friday to get the motor repaired.
Now two tradesmen are stuck 60 meters from
my place fiddling with my engine and no
building is getting done.
I think of the dollars flowing out. I rush into
the house, call Helen Jeffery. “You are welcome
to use my big inflatable. Motor’s small but
might help.” Only problem – Helen’s place is
150 meters across the water. I only have one
oar. But that can be overcome as I know how
to scull Cheeky. I rush back down the jetty. But
just when I begin to launch Cheeky, Wayne
calls out, “It’s not the spark plugs, it’s the fuel
connector. I can get this thing running if you
have some wire.” Steve holds the fuel connector tightly in place as they motor back to my
jetty. I run into the work shop. Wire, pliers and
presto! the motor on Jay Dee is “sweet as”.
meet boat and barge at the far end of the property and use my 3 ½ meter long barge pole/
boat hook to grab the tow line and help secure
both boats. Back to my office while Steve and
Wayne offload. Then, half hour later, I play line
grabber at the eastern end of the property.
Now the barge is back in play. I start to head
back to my office. Then I see Steve and Wayne
are having problems as they try to tow the
loaded barge like most people would, securing it on a long tow line bridled to the two
stern cleats on Jay Dee. I run to the end of the
jetty and share a trick learned through working with Larry in boatyards around the world.
“Turn Jay Dee around, secure the barge to her
bow. Then tow with Jay Dee in reverse,” I yell.
When everything is off-loaded within meters of where the work is in progress, when
the barge is secured back in its storage spot,
I climb into Jay Dee and take her for a spin.
The motor now runs smoothly. Though getting the materials moved from the end of the
jetty has cost me half my day and more than an
hour’s worth of two workman’s wages, Wayne
has saved me at least half a day and who knows
how many dollars because now I can cancel my
appointment with the mechanic.
No questions asked, they do the switch over.
The barge now follows sweetly, turning as the
boat turns, not trying to sheer off or overtake. I
But even better, the complications of building
on a road-free Island have given me one more
excuse to be afloat around Kawau.
17
18
19
A Kereru Story
Alan Marshall
In the meantime, on looking out my window
I noticed that an adult kereru had come right
down onto my deck right next to the injured
bird and seemed to be comforting it, possibly
feeding it. (The picture at left taken through
my window shows the two birds together). I
then packed the bird into an apple box and put
it on the ferry.
A couple of weeks ago I received a call from
the Sanctuary in Warkworth to say that the
kereru was restored to good health and that
they would be returning it to me on Wednesday 10th February for release. I duly picked up
the bird from the ferry and prepared to release
it, hoping at the same time to get some photos
of the event.
Fay and Dave came up from Vivian Bay with
their visitors from the USA and our bird was
released - as the other photos show. It flew
straight up to a tree about 50 metres away
where it was immediately joined by two other
adult kereru.
One day in the middle of January I was on
my way down to Vivian Bay when I spotted a
kereru on the ground, unable to fly. I decided
that if it was still there on my return I would
try and catch it and see what could be done.
As it turned out it was still in the vicinity, so I
caught it and took it home where I placed it on
my deck, and there it stayed.
So, a happy ending.
It was not clear what damage it was suffering.
A call-back from the Warkworth depot of
DOC suggested that if I could get the bird to
Mansion House it would be taken by DOC to
Warkworth for treatment.
So I arranged for a pickup by Kawau Cruises.
20
21
We’re All Together
Ross West
The Sunday before the week leading up to
Christmas Day I returned to Sandspit with
family aboard my eight metre Dory, John Harrison. It was a bright day with a good breeze
from the south west so we had a bumpy and
spray laden trip across much to the delight of
my five-year-old grandson Vinnie. Alongside
Sandspit wharf, with a good tide running, I engaged reverse to bring the stern in and to my
great surprise the engine stopped dead! It restarted and then stopped.
Thankfully I have long mooring lines on each
corner so lobbed one to Johnny Costello who
caught it and made us fast otherwise we would
have been on our way to Matakana.
With family packed up and off back to Auckland I turned my attention to the engine that
didn’t look like it was going to get me back to
the Island that afternoon. Johnny Houseboat
put his mind to it and Reuben got on board
and tried a number of things. I’ve got a reasonable amount of mechanical experience but
it was very nice to have some support when
caught out by the unexpected. We decided it
wasn’t going anywhere fast so Reuben’s office
organised a mooring for the night and later
that evening Reuben towed it to the mooring
on our way back to the Island.
In the middle of the afternoon a mildly concerned John Pryor called to see if I was ok.
John had seen me heading out into a whited
capped sea and then not return. Later in the
afternoon I called Dave Jefferies to cancel an
arrangement made earlier. Dave was at home
with his boat tied up for the day but immediate
offered to come and tow me back to the Island.
I caught the first shuttle back to Sandspit in the
morning. Reuben towed us to the wharf and
helped me tie up where we would be out of
the way. Fortunately, Wayne from Mahurangi
Marine had a job at the Yacht Club so gave me
twenty minutes, found the problem and ordered the part. Later that evening Johnny H.
towed me back to my mooring in North Cove.
He’d been on the go since six that morning and
still had two trips to take care of.
I was most grateful for the support and it shows
you’re not alone in Kawau waters.
Lodge, licensed restaurant, wedding and
function venue, conference room
Come over for lunch served on our extensive terrace overlooking the white sand and crystal waters of Vivian Bay or sample
each night, beautifully cooked meals served either under the
stars or in our elegant and intimate licensed restaurant.
Stay in one of our luxurious suites and experience the unspoiled
charm of Vivian Bay and let Katie and Zehn make your stay a
memorable treat.
22
23
Replacing Carpet at Kawau
Kawau Girl
lect him from Sandspit. Early Saturday morning the beds joined the other furniture out on
the deck. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to do any
heavier lifting.
After 25 years we really needed to replace the
carpet or replace what is left of it. Woollen
carpet is on the diet for carpet beetle and our
carpet had been well eaten with about a 6-inch
border round the walls including the completely bare carpet under any heavy furniture.
All furniture has to be shifted, our tiny bach
has very little space to store anything. We
started packing, the drinks cabinet had to be
emptied, glasses wrapped in paper, all bottles
of wine packed into boxes and bedroom dressers emptied.
The Saturday weather was sunny and all ok for
collection of both carpet and Warren at 8am
from Sandspit. Warren had cut the carpet into
room sizes for easier transport and for lugging
up our hill.
To accomplish anything on Kawau needs much
discussion and planning so after several years
of this discussion I had persuaded the Man of
the House that it had to happen.
Then where could we put it??? The Man Of the
House had thought about it for a long time and
he had come with every decent tarpaulin he
could find.
Warren is a great worker, he never stopped
and by midday our new carpet was installed.
MOH took Warren back to Sandspit and job
completed!
We had been advised by carpet companies you
must not even consider wool as you can never
get rid of carpet beetles and we had tried every
product so checked out the nylon product and
it looked really good.
We have a large deck so the Man Of the House
and I struggled and emptied the house of everything except the two queen-sized beds which
were too heavy for us two to shift. We then
covered it all well with the tarps. Next, everything in reverse and all furniture
to be replaced. We are still looking for things
- MOH lost his camera bag but we have found
it now. Camera bag was in the hot water cupboard, just where you would think of looking!
Next locate an obliging carpet layer who will
fit in with a schedule and doesn’t mind a sea
voyage. We were lucky we know a very helpful
carpet layer, Warren. He suggested we select
the carpet from Carpet Court in Takapuna and
he would pick up and bring to Sandspit in his
truck ready for our transport to the Island. Yes, of course then it rained.
The carpet is lovely and really nice to walk on.
Then a suitable day had to be arranged which
was four weeks away due to his workload.
The next drama is our transport to the Island
.We have to travel in our 8 metre R.I.B. from
Gulf Harbour, bit hard to predict the weather
that far in advance. We never go out if the forecast is over 20 knots as it can get very rough
and uncomfortable in the Gulf.
Luckily we decided to come over earlier and so
we came on the Thursday prior to the lay date
on the Saturday. The weather was ok, not too
much wind.
Have you ever had carpet replaced????????
24
All old carpet had to be lifted and M.O.H had
cut the old carpet into sections that could
be rolled and easily transported, so boat was
loaded with old carpet, beetles and all ready for
transfer on Saturday, to take to the mainland
for dumping. Now what next can I find for the MOH to do?
The underlay was retained, in exceptional condition: 25 years ago, they obviously made underlay to last forever. With only the beds to shift M.O.H. decided to
paint ceilings: what about paint? I wanted
white, so out to his man-cave and then back
he comes “look” he says “it’s perfect, it’s pale
grey”. With no choice, that’s what we got: pale
grey ceilings. I guess they look better than pale
apricot that was fashionable all those years ago.
And who else looks at your ceilings?
On the Friday, son number three phoned and
said he was coming to help and could we colKOOKABURRA Autumn 2016
25
Patria Hume
A Kawau Achiever
Our Kawau community contains a large number of “quiet achievers” whose mainland life is
far removed from the peaceful Island paradise
that we so much love and enjoy. One such person comes with the surname that is legendary
to all of us for both she and her family are huge
contributors to our little society.
Patria Hume will be recognisable to all Kookaburra readers as a regular and valuable commentator on Vivian Bay life and her photographs grace the pages of every issue.
Less well-known is the fact that Patria is a professor of Human Performance, in the School of
Sport and Recreation at AUT. She has recently
been granted the internationally prestigious
Geoffrey Dyson Award of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports. This award is
a recognition of excellence in her field and she
will deliver the keynote address at the Society’s
conference later this year in Tsukuba, Japan.
Patria, in other times, was a world-class rhythmic gymnast. She represented New Zealand
for six years including competing at the world
Championships in 1981 in Munich. Patria then
spent six years coaching gymnasts for the New
Zealand Olympic squad. That set the scene for
her to complete a BSc and then an MSc with
honours and in Sports Physiology and Sports
Psychology from the University of Auckland.
Patria focuses her research on improving
sports performance and on reducing sporting injuries. She is the lead researcher for the
International Rugby Board long-term player
health outcomes study that is focused on concussion, and player clothing and equipment.
She also consults and researches for ACC projects. After completing a PhD in biomechanics at the University of Otago, Patria received
26
a three-year postdoctoral fellowship funded by
ACC which took her to Canada, Switzerland
and Australia.
One of her many research successes was the
development of a 10-point plan for injury prevention (now known as SportSmart) which
has been utilised for rugby, netball, league and
snow sports.
Patria epitomises the grace, elegance and humility that characterises so many of the high
achievement people who live amongst our
Kawau community. Her warmth and vitality
is continually evident and her contributions,
particularly on Vivian Bay, to our Island life
are many and varied. Patria is an important
member of an important Kawau family. Whilst
our community is enriched by her vibrance
and her enthusiasm it is equally clear that the
wider international community is enriched by
her academic expertise and her research skills.
27
Fishing, off Kawau
turns and spits: which part of no don’t you understand?
N O is two islands, lumps of difference in a flat film
like skin near some place I’m taken to
fish, one of them, I’m not sure which, a sanctuary,
landing not permitted. Someone must have landed
once, there was a jetty. Whenever low tide curls
back, jagged rotting piles raise a silent jeer
as you float by. One snot-green molar sports
a gulping shag; wet globlets flick; its neck
snakes. There must be fish
here somewhere
The nearer part of N O is poorly charted,
presence of rocks noted but locations
uncertain. Not to mention
the rip.
The middle of a poem is as likely a place to find fish as anywhere else in my
experience. Down here they dream past in schooling streams, eager for any
morsel I care to place before them. Yes, these are my fish; they will know me
well; dappled silver to scale; mouthing uncanny words ending shortly in O as I jerk
awake.
Now my slender thread
drips
down
through the disappearance,
baited
with little hope
John Adams
John Adams is a retired judge who has an affinity for and affiliations with
Kawau Island. He won the Jesse Mackay Award for best first poetry book in
2012, along with being a consultant editor of legal texts! He was most recently
seen on the Island enjoying the Music and the Gardens event.
28
29
Review: “When We Were Old”
Michael Marris
situations that we have all encountered. Some
with warm memories. Some not so.
Perhaps the best sampling is from the very first
poem “Introduction to “When We Were Old””:
I look inside myself and I am forty two.
I look in the mirror and I am forty two.
I look at me in the holiday photograph?
I’m left bemused to see I’m standing by my
daughter, who I know in seven years, will
be forty two.
There’s a certain quiet magic come Sunday evenings in North Cove. Weekend visitors have
gone, water taxis finish early and a general
peace settles over the Island. This is exactly the
time to sit on the deck outside, to pour a glass
of wine and to sit in quiet contemplation with
this sometimes sombre, often reflective and always thoughtful book of poems.
More particularly, this is the latest collection
from Kawau identity (and lovely lady) lois e
hunter.
Readers will know how much Kookaburra
is enhanced every issue with a lois e hunter
poem, mostly focused around our Island
life. This gracious book however has 67 poems with a mostly different theme: a journey
through some parts of life and examination of
30
These poems traverse those years of getting
older. The scene is set with the first five - collectively in different ways presenting a reflective tapestry on lois and her background. Then
come five further sections containing poems
that travel through events - motherhood, weddings, death, hospital circumstances and retirement. Interspersed in each part are poems
about the environment, about animals and,
one that is extremely poignant, about faith.
Kawau identity, Stephen Horsley. This design
cleverly echoes the poetry contents and nicely
contemplates what lies ahead for the reader.
Published by Eden Productions, this is lois’s
seventh book of poetry. The richness of her
verse is eloquent testimony to the depth of her
thinking and her willingness to explore personal areas of experience which are not always
comfortable.
For this reviewer, the delicacy of reading one
poem equates to one glass of wine, followed by
another two glasses of wine in pleasurable contemplation afterwards. By then darkness will
have fallen over the Cove and another evening will be slowly drawn down with a sense of
fulfilment.
“When We Were Old” is a book to be savoured
and contemplated.
This is a book which requires each poem to
be read one at a time. That leaves room for
the reader to think around the author’s own
thoughts and to allow her carefully chosen
sentiments to be absorbed. Each poem demands its own reflection, every bit as much
as it is a reflection of lois herself. This is very
much an internally focused book of poems,
but the musings of lois e. hunter are wrapped
in a beautiful shawl of evocative language and
external beauty.
The grace and elegance of lois’s poetry is apparent right from the simple and stark graphic design of the book – the work of another talented
31
Cask Shells
Alison Fowler
It was close to Christmas when Sophie and Isabelle Fowler - from Banks Peninsula - found
two giant shells on the shore in Shark Bay, near
Mansion House. The girls are on an extended
yachting holiday with their parents who are
both ecologists. “When the girls showed them
to us we did a search on the internet and they
fitted the description of a Cask Shell,” said their
dad Simon. “Their identity was confirmed
when we visited the Marine Laboratory at Goat
Island a few weeks later,” Simon added. “We showed them to some of the local residents on Kawau who hadn’t seen them before,”
said the girls’ mum Alison. Davo from the
Kawau Boating Club reckoned he could hear
the sea all the way to Rarotonga when he held
one of them against his ear!
The Cask Shell (also known as Tona tankervillii) is more commonly found in the far North
of New Zealand and in Queensland, Australia. The largest of the shells found by the girls
measures just over 20 cm in length which is
close in size to the largest recorded in New
Zealand waters. The smaller one is about 16
cm.
“It seems curious that there would be two
washed up together, but apparently they are be-
32
coming more commonly found further south
which is perhaps an indication of warmer sea
temperatures,” said Alison. “They have been
found as far south as the Bay of Plenty and are
sometimes washed up after big storms,” she
added.
The snails are eaten by stingrays. But the snails
themselves feed on sea cucumbers, small snails
and shell fish, particularly on sandy shore lines. “The girls are planning to take them back to
show their class mates in Little River but in the
meantime they bring a tropical look to the inside of our boat,” said Simon jokingly.
33
VB Fishing Competition
Left: Children with fish entries
Patria Hume
Vivian Bay 2015 New Year’s Eve
The numbers fishing were similar to last year
for the 2015 News Years’ Eve Vivian Bay Fishing Competition with 31 adults and 10 children.
Patria Hume was MC for the prize giving held
on the end of the Hume’s wharf and started
proceedings by blowing the conch shell and
welcoming the attendees in Maori and English.
Jarrod Hume and Trevor Tait weighed the fish
while Stan West adjudicated the entries and
weights. As the previous year’s winner of the
Emily Award, Jarrod Hume was to give out the
awards but was busy with weighing fish.
Below: Emily Award winner 2016
The “Emily Award trophy for the heaviest
snapper” went to Glynn Flowerday with a 44.5
cm, 1.7kg snapper. Second prize went to Sarah
Morton with a 42.5cm, 1.65kg snapper. A very
close third was Aldin Reeve with a 44.0cm,
1.6kg snapper. It was great to see so many people catching fish with David Morton, Adam
Wilson, Steve Wilson, Silvio Calderlari, Trevor
Tait, Jarrod Hume and Patria Hume also entering fish over 38.0cm.
A lucky draw was held with another six people
gaining fishing prizes. It was another successful event with the locals mixing and mingling
with drinks and fishing stories while enjoying
the sunshine.
Trevor weighing fish
Therefore the prizes were laid on a sulu on the
wharf so people could select which item they
wanted. Carissa Hawes was the chief photographer and Patria recorded names and fish
weights.
The first award - Kane Award trophy - for
the under 12’s biggest fish (any species) went
to Frida from Faye and David’s house with a
34.5cm snapper. The second prize went to Alexander Morton with a 34.0cm snapper. Dylan
Flowerday (31.0cm) and Harvey Kitt (30.5cm)
also entered fish. The “heaviest fish other than
snapper prize” went to Ellie Gardner with a
Trevally.
Above: Snapper adult entries
The new “Stan the Stone-man Wharf and Rock
Award” was carved by Jarrod Hume from a
piece of the Hume’s wharf pile. Four of Stan
West’s rocks were added at the base of the carving. Stan explained the origins of the trophy
and then presented the trophy to Sam Kingston who caught a 38.5cm snapper off Kawhiti
Point rocks to win the award.
34
Centre Left: Inaugural Stan-TheStone-Man Award winner 2016
Left: Children in a queue to get their
fish weighed on the wharf
35
Park Notes
Sir Robert Peel/Sir George link and to learn
that, as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
at the time, Robert Peel was instrumental in
George Grey’s first appointment to the Governorship of the New Zealand Colony.
Sue Stoddart
Hello All,
Sue here, the most recent addition to the Reserve team. First, I’d like to say how much I
am enjoying my role as caretaker for Mansion
House and the gardens. I started at the end of
October, expecting a busy time over summer,
and have not been disappointed! It is great to
see so many people enjoying the Reserve in
the sunshine and also a pleasure to meet the
adventuresome souls who make the most of a
blustery wet day to explore the Valley. It has
also been a treat to see so many boats in the
Bay during the Christmas and school holiday period and of course over the Royal New
Zealand Yacht Squadron weekend. And last
month we had the pleasure of seven St Ayles
skiffs pulling up in the Bay.
Some exciting events thus far: In September
the interior of the House was photographed by
New Zealand photographer Jane Ussher (who
received the Insignia of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to photography) as
part of the “Islands Book” bring written and
produced by her and journalist Bruce Ainsley.
The photo shoot featured many authentic Grey
era interior shots and furnishings. Some of the
36
images will be made available for limited edition post cards to raise funds for the House.
We now have two brilliant murals in the Reserve toilets created for us by artist Sarah
Matthew (https://sarahkmatthew.carbonmade.
com/). Sarah has worked as a volunteer on the
Reserve and recently returned from 18 months
on Raoul Island. Sarah also did a great blackboard sign for the Gardens.
We have had two lovely weddings in the garden. Both days dawned glorious following
some wild weather which saw the grounds
covered with debris and our mowing schedule
blown to pieces. As it was, an early morning
tidy-up and mow saw the gardens putting on
a fine show enhanced by the beautiful scent of
gardenia and heliotrope.
A good number of loads of school children
have visited the Big House this season, heralding their arrival in a joyfully raucous manner
as they wander through Mansion House Valley.
“Music in the Gardens” went very smoothly for
us with many visitors to the House. Cheers to
all the organisers. Pictured below is the “shot
The swan plant plantation behind the gazebo
worked its magic this season. It has been a delight to watch the chrysalides develop and to
now see troupes of monarch butterflies everywhere.
of the day” taken by one of the Historic Heritage Team.
Coatesville Garden Club is back in full swing
following a Christmas break. Welcome back!
We have missed your hard work and good humour. We had a full on day last week, particularly, amongst many other things, clearing old
branches from the Giant Strelizia (you can now
see the wonderful colour and texture of the
trunks – thanks Don!) and pulling dead palm
fronds from the water gardens. Now remains
the task of removing all the stacked debris!
I’m looking forward to 13th March when the
historic tug the William C. Daldy – one of the
last working coal fired tug boats in New Zealand – will visit Mansion House Wharf (http://
daldy.com/category/charters-excursions/
kawau/) as part of its bi-annual chartered visit
to Kawau Island.
Have a wonderful autumn everybody. Look
forward to seeing you at the House sometime.
Thanks to Peter the agapanthas have been tidied up and plant growth cleared from around
the Sir Robert Peel rhododendrons. The rhododendrons have put on a lot of growth this
season. It has been interesting to explore the
37
RIP Marjorie Rowe
Chic Vercoe
Monday 25 April
MARGERY ROWE 1931-2015
There will be an ANZAC Day commemorative ceremony held at Kawau
Boating Club on 25 April at 12.30pm (to fit with ferry times). All welcome to
attend, and all are invited to join others at KBC for refreshments following
the ceremony.
Margery was farewelled in early December by
family and friends after a short illness.
The ceremony epitomised the qualities of this
woman who I was proud to call my friend. It
was warm, real and personal with humorous
little vignettes relieving the feeling of overwhelming sorrow. Touches of elegance portrayed the lady that she was.
Margery was born in Hamilton, the only child
of Roley and Margery Bell and educated at Diocesan School for Girls.
The Bells owned a succession of boats and
sailed the Gulf in a ‘C’ class yacht called Miro.
Margery thought that the first time they anchored in Kawau waters was about 1945. Part
of her water initiation happened when she fell
overboard from the family launch at 12 months
of age and was unceremoniously fished out, to
survive many more wet experiences.
She thought that she probably was the first
and certainly the youngest woman to sail the
Balojkovic Cup while still a schoolgirl. I have
sailed this race a few times and realise what an
achievement that was. The first leg starts off
Orakei Wharf then crosses the Tamaki Strait,
through the Ruthe Passage at the bottom of
Waiheke, heads across the Thames and rounds
the Cow and Calf islands off Coromandel Harbour. From there it is a change of tack and a
long haul usually on the wind to Flat Rock in
time to catch a glimpse of Kawau at dusk.
The last leg is usually a spinnaker run in dying wind, pushing the tide through the Tiri
and Rangitoto Channels to finish where the
38
ANZAC DAY
race started - hopefully by midnight. This is a
challenging race for a crewed-up modern boat.
Imagine the wet, wild, exciting ride it must
have been for this 15 year-old in a small classic
yacht with low freeboard and no life lines?
.
A wreath will be laid on behalf of the Kawau Island community, and any
other wreaths would also be welcome.
Any enquiries to Jill Hetherington 022 184 0299
The Bells built the little blue bach with the
“Maori” chimney on land they purchased from
Grace Mills in 1949.
Margery meanwhile had met and married another sailor with a ‘C’ class yacht. His name
was Maurice Rowe. The boat was called the
Matua and they sailed her on weekends and
summer holidays until 1965.
Continued from previous page
When Roley died they spent more time at
Kawau as they often brought Mrs Bell up to
enjoy the Cove.
Our association with Maurice and Marjorie
began when we dropped them off a couple of
kahawai as they worked on the end of their
jetty one day. An exchange of civilities and a
few laughs over tea and scones cemented a relationship that has lasted since then.
Margery was an accomplished musician, an
expert on the Hawaiian slide guitar. Maurice
played the double bass and they had played together in dance bands in the late 40s and 50s.
Brian and I spent many wonderful afternoons
with them in the intimacy of that ‘blue bach’,
thrashing the old songs and singing ourselves
hoarse to the accompaniment of my basic ukulele skills and Brian’s piano accordion.
In the spells between the music we put the
world to rights, drank tea, ate chocolate biscuits and laughed until it was time to gather
‘Polly dog’ from under the bed and head home
in the tinny.
Inevitably times change and the gatherings
became fewer as old age and illness took their
toll.
Thank you for the good times Margie. Your
sense of humour, your humility, your mad
laughter, your unwavering hospitality, your reluctance to accept a dinner invitation in case
you were ‘putting us out’ were just a few of your
endearing qualities.
I miss you.
Thanks for being in my life.
39
ANOTHER MAGIC “MUSIC IN THE GARDENS” EVENT
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021 422 173
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40
45
Fire Team Report
Ruth MacClement
Summer fire team summary:
The fire team has, as usual, been busy but, incident wise, it’s been a good end of summer with
only two notable callouts.
January pagers went off with a medical trauma, Schoolhouse Bay, 14-year-old male, bitten
tongue? Actually, he was in a boat at Mansion
House. It’s worth noting here that if you do
need to call 111, you may be asked for a street
address. Most of us don’t have a road anywhere
relevant to us but if you can provide them with
a name of the nearest road (usually Schoolhouse Bay Road for Bon Accord Harbour and
north) and then describe the actual location
when you report the incident, you’ll find this
gets things moving.
The second incident involved a 68-year-old
male in Harris Bay with a head injury so he
was promptly helicoptered out.
We held a special team building training session at Poplar Bay involving rope and a treeto-tree crossing as well as creative ways to get
water from one place to another using only
what was on hand. There was a strategy session
discussing the pros and cons of a new amphibious rapid response vehicle (RRV), that had
been tested by more of the team in the early
new year, concluding that, although response
times might benefit, further figures were needed to establish costs and durability.
Attendance at “Music in the Gardens” was
good with active Fire Team and associate
members all turning out in force to lend a hand
with running the event and provide first aid as
needed. Those oysters claimed a few young
victims but thankfully only painful but superficial damage. Special thanks to the guys and
46
gal on the sausage sizzle whose endurance on
an overly long hot shift was well proven. Fire retardant trees
With ever warmer, drier summers on the way,
our kanuka covered Kawau is at risk of fire.
We all know, or should know, by now that the
prospect of a fire getting at all out of control
on Kawau would be devastating for everyone
and everything living here or visiting the Island. So, looking around at our climate and
vegetation, it makes sense to be prepared for
the same sorts of issues people face in NSW,
Australia: hot wildfires in bush clad settlements are a very real issue. In fact, at one of our
training sessions on the mainland, my class of
experienced firefighters was shown a picture of
a typical Kawau bay as an example and we all
immediately drew a sharp breath as we identified each and every fire hazard and accelerant
factor present on site: slope, onshore breezes,
trees that produce flame accelerant oils and
gasses, dry litter and branches, sun-exposure
and dry brown vegetation…....
When planning for fire events, we usually think
about the emergencies: how to survive the crisis by evacuation, gear, water and warning systems. These are all important and we will talk
about them throughout the year, and remind
you every summer just how close to the edge
we are here in paradise. However, realising we
do have the sort of conditions here that we’re
more used to hearing about in California and
Australia means we, unlike much of mainland
NZ, need to make the much long-term preparations than residents do over there. Reading
Bull Canyon by fellow resident and famous
yachtie Lin Pardey struck me with just how
much of the Californian landscape was shaped
by the past and future of fire. She mentions a
very large fire break around all houses and the
removal of trees like cypress from anywhere
near the house and buildings. That’s an option,
and part of a good personal bach fire plan,
but I doubt many of us really want to come to
Kawau only to perch in a desert of bare dirt,
gravel or paving. Although, certainly, ensuring
that no dry, accelerant shrubs such as tea-tree
grow right under your eaves is a sensible plan.
Retardant trees will have large, glossy, fleshy
leaves that don’t burn easily and smooth bark.
They are often deciduous and must grow well
in the place you put them (irrigation might
be needed if they fail to thrive as a drought
stricken fire retardant species of tree can still
be more fuel for the fire when too dry). These
are good to grow around the house as they put
out shade and shield the house from heat and
sparks with their fleshy green leaves.
There is a much softer end of preparation that
could save your life and your bach. Planting and maintaining fire retardant parkland
around your immediate bach area gives multiple benefits and looks and feels great on a hot
summer day too.
Accelerant plants are dry, even brown, in
summer. They often have small leaves, aromatic resins that burn well and rough peeling bark: think tea-tree, eucalyptus, piles of
brushwood, macrocarpa, pine etc. These fuel
the flames and only increase the heat directed
at your house. For those of you who have a
fire permit for beach burns during the winter
months, there’s an easy test: try throwing a few
What does this mean? Start by identifying fire
retardant trees and fire accelerant trees, shrubs
and groundcover.
Continued overleaf
47
fresh branches or prunings on your fire when
it’s still quite small and not overly hot. If they
catch and burn well, you don’t want that plant
near your house. If they burn well only when
dry then keep them well pruned and healthy
near the bach.
Small Tree Farm in Australia have a very handy
pdf on the subject (written for Australians of
course) which has:”Fire Services advise people who have built in or near bushland to clear
or thin out a buffer zone around their house
and to ensure that the crowns of any remaining trees do not touch each other, and that
continuity between the crowns and ground
vegetation is broken by pruning. This in ‘farm
speak’ has been known as ‘parkland clearing’
and has its parallels in the English Park; the
original meaning of the word ‘park’ being pastureland that is dotted with wide spaced, wide
crowned trees. Early English colonists were
pleasantly surprised to find many such open
grassed Parks scattered on fertile river flats
through the forest country (and quickly occupied them). These had been cleared and maintained by the indigenous Australians around
their regular campsites through regular low
intensity burning; creating a comfortable fire
safe living space which also fostered grazing
for kangaroo.”
Obviously we’re not suggesting you start any
little controlled burns on Kawau but the same
can be achieved with basic garden planning
and care.
Try looking at your bach as the centre of a target - with zones in rings around it (make them
wider where the slope heads up your house or
in the direction of the prevailing wind and/or
sun).
In the ring closest to your building you want
only fire retardant plants.
Consider some of the following tested fire retardant natives in a new planting plan:
Carpodetus serratus, putaputaweta
Coprosma grandifolia, raurekau, kanon
Coprosma repens, taupat
Coprosma robusta, karamu
Corynocarpus laevigatus, karaka
Fuchsia excorticata, kotukutuku/fuchsia
Geniostoma ligustrifolium, hangehange
Griselinia littoralis, papauma/broadleaf
Griselinia lucida, puka
Macropiper excelsum, kawakawa/pepper tree
Pseudopanax arboretum, five finger Pseudopanax crassifolius, lancewood
Solanum aviculare, poroporo Fruit trees, deciduous trees and irrigated
fleshy leafed trees are all good choices. As
are flax, healthy hebes, renga renga lilies,
cabbage trees, even matipou, and any large
leafed natives. Look for Broadleaf species:
Griselinia, Coprosma, Pseudopanex (fivefinger, lancewood), Pittosporum eugenioides (lemonwood), etc.
Watch out for and avoid Australian natives:
they evolved to encourage and thrive in fire
environments. Eucalyptus is a positive pyromaniac - igniting and supercharging the
flames across the continent til everything else
was burnt out of its way. Fire retardant trees
can be brought close together in this zone to
better shield from heat, wind and ember. They
can grow quite densely if they’re all lush and
well cared for (with any dead wood pruned and
taken away well before summer) providing lots
of cool shade and continuous green canopy as
shelter from sun, and the heat or sparks of any
fire. No piles of dead leaves and branches nor
long dry grass that can easily catch fire. Water
and mulch everything well, and ensure that
any mulch you do use is kept moist below the
first 3mm.
Wood chips can be used in autumn and wellwatered but in summer you want to keep that
mulch to less carbon-rich stuff (like fresh
grass clippings or rocks). Then, in the next
ring, you can have some of the more flammable types of plants but they have to be spaced
out - so they’re not touching each other and
making easy paths for the fire to burn toward
your dwelling. Think leaving mature tea tree
48
or pines growing as they do but with their
crowns not touching and their trunks either
clear of vegetation or surrounded by lush,
fire-retardant growth. Here you can keep a
wood pile but, don’t stack it by tree or power
pole, try storing it in an old metal tank or in a
shed or pile surrounded by a good buffer zone
of irrigated grass or hard ground. Keep your
kindling separate from your wood and your
smaller branches apart from your big logs. As
you know from lighting your fires at home,
logs don’t catch fire on their own and so are
relatively safe by themselves but in the presence of kindling and smaller branches pose a
real risk. Leaf litter needs to be raked up into
similarly isolated patches rather than continuous cover if it can’t be kept moist through summer. This is a long term plan, a goal to strive
for, not something we’d expect many of us to
achieve anytime soon. Start with clearing away
all the flammables from around your dwelling
and know you’re that much safer.
Of course, the fire team are here as the first line
of defence in case of fire. We aim to arrive at
and contain every fire before it can grow large
enough to threaten more than your brushwood. That’s why we still need everyone calling
in any sign of smoke at the earliest opportunity: that way we can get on scene and assess
risks before anything can get out of hand. That
means calling 111 before you know why there’s
smoke. We can sort it out from there.
Websites to read more:
http://www.smalltreefarm.com.au/about-retardants.pdf
http://treelogic.com.au/facts/fire-retardanttrees/
Trees with the best fire-retardant properties are
those which have soft leaves with a high moisture content, smooth and non-peeling barks,
and low volatility oils in their foliage. In generContinued overleaf
49
al, this includes the majority of deciduous trees
and some evergreens from the sub-tropics and
rain forests. Trees that create or hold on to lots
of dry dead branches and debris, have loose
flaky bark, have dense, fine foliage with a low
moisture content should be avoided.
Asian New Year of the Monkey
Another hot summer’s day, and
although the park will be crowded
with tourists, I’m strolling toward
Maree’s Café for a cold lemonade.
Climate change research predicts that Canterbury and other rural areas in NZ will be hotter,
drier places in the next few decades, and the
tendency for vegetation to facilitate fire spread
will become more and more important. I’ve left the sun-blinding stone
of the sign-posted road and walk
in the silent shade of a winding
path- a soft carpet of needle-leaves,
to enter an ancient fantasy-world;
Shelterbelt trees are an important, long-term
planting on most farms of all sizes, so what are
the best ones to choose in a drier climate? Tim
Curran is an ecologist and lecturer at Lincoln
University who has been researching flammability of plants grown in NZ. His recommended low-flammability native species for shelter
belts are:
a landscaper’s botanical dream
with its palette of varying greens:
soft leafed punga, kanuka, the
delicate ferns among gnarly old
pines tagged with lichen graffiti
that stand tall and at ease
ankle-deep in dark green moss.
Broadleaf species (griselinia)
Pseudopanix (five-finger, lancewood) I pause mid-way to look at some
scattered remains of an unknown
cottager’s home – I’m imagining
misty immigrant ghosts, white
sprigged muslin, white bonnets,
lavender…
Copromsa
Pittosporum eugenioides (lemonwood)
Note: if the weather is hot and dry enough,
even low flammability species are likely to
burn. Trees that will tend to burn hard and fast:
when into my revere, arms pumping,
Eucalyptus, eg manna gum (E. viminalis),
which is high in natural oils
strides a white spandex apparition
with bright lavender hair. I get a brisk
nod as she passes, her elderly eyes
fixed intently on the hill up ahead.
Mens Cut/Boys
Ladies Cut
Ladies Cut and B/Wave
Restyle
Blow Wave from
Cut & Set
Children under 5
5 to 12
12 and over Girls
Perms from:
Colours:
Retouch Tints from
Semi-Permanent from
Foils start from
Half head foils
Full head foils
Individual Foil
Toner Extra
Senior Citizens Days:
Wash cut blow wave
Mens cut
$26
$40
$50
$50
$28
$40
$20
$25
$30
$85
$55
$55
$50
$75
$95
$8/Foil
$15
Tues & Wed
$36
$15
Pines, eg Pinus radiata, especially when it
retains dead material
Gorse, especially old gorse hedges with
high levels of dead material
The year of the Monkey-Mind is underway.
Kanuka, Kunzea ericoides
Manuka, Leptospermum scoparium
lois e hunter
Source: Future Farming Centre, BHU
50
51
Starboard Arm Observations
Carmen Miranda ll
Well! The Kookaburras have incrementally
moved further along the Cove to be amongst
us. Delightfully they have been laughing their
heads off. I can only speculate on the source of
their mirth ...
Ross taking his opti for a walk down the middle of the estuary, at high tide, was one for sure.
The Whitehouses employing a new form of
outboard motive power, a human, must surely
be another. This slave labour was also deployed
in the summer monsoon.
From the darn right hilarious to the spectacular then ... Wendy has progressed on the SUP
to rival the elegance of Lambergs’ SUP cruising
club. We’ve witnessed the complete evolution
of womankind, from crouching tiger to upright primate, through Wendy’s daily displays
of mangrove Slalom.
Mr Ranson on the other hand, appears to be
hard pressed to keep up with the outstanding maritime progress of their son Cameron.
No doubt he’s being trained up to take over as
captain on the good ship Albatross. The Protector RIB arrived from Half Moon Bay via a
comprehensive tour of the Hauraki Gulf. Fuel
consumption, nor GPS use, are in any way to
be discussed here.
No comment either must be had on Kim’s
mysterious leg injury nor Guido’s Christmas
LED light spectacular. It was very thoughtful
of Guido leaving his lights on for us to enjoy,
shame he had to return in his James Bond boat
just to turn them off.
There have been new developments in Starboard Arm though. Rumour has it that Chris
is developing a new team NZ with a squadron
of children at the helm. He might find more
recruits on the wharf as Mrs Goodhue’s grandContinued on next page
52
children have been having a great time there.
The Sinclair’s have a few children to add too
no doubt.
Then there are the Harpers, who seem to be
running a wildlife sanctuary. Wiremu Weka
and his family enjoyed many a night dining
alfresco under the highchair of Messy Max.
Word got around the Cove and it seems every
ant, and bird has dropped by to check it out.
Sadly, some serious health issues and a changing of the guard have hit the Cove. To those
families we send kindest wishes and due respect at such a time. May the sanctuary of our
special area of this world be a healing place.
53
Music in the Gardens
Views And Reflections
This year’s Music in the Gardens was a magnificently staged event on one of those glorious
Kawau summer days. The intense heat we had
been experiencing had mellowed and there
was no wind. The Park was looking fantastic.
The OPAK Committee who had spent literally
hundreds of hours during the year in their organising role could not have hoped for a better
day.
•
•
•
•
•
•
“people love to see Mansion House come
to life..... it reminds them of the old days
and it becomes a living historic monument
rather than a static museum”
“our kids found that it went on for too long
and although there were things for them to
do there were slow pieces in the process and
they became bored”
•
“loved the various stalls around the perimeter but thought they might have deserved
more publicity from the stage”
•
“the auctioneer was good but sometimes
hard to hear and it might help for him to be
more vigorous”
•
“sound system could have done with some
enlargement”
“I love seeing so many people relaxed and
enjoying the day and it’s all about lying
back and enjoying”
“we had a fabulous picnic, enjoyed a lovely
day out with the music and the auction but
also being able to mix with other Islanders”
“the wine and beer and soft drink supplies
were excellent and the food on offering was
superb”
“I came with my family and we all had such
a splendid time in such a safe and pleasant
environment”
“we’ll certainly all be back – ready to buy
our tickets now!”
•
“transport from Sandspit was extremely efficient and reasonably priced and added to
the pleasure of the day”
“weather is so important and I’m looking
to another great day perhaps with some
changes to the format”
•
“we are thinking about it – maybe, maybe
not - would like to see a change in musicians and a speed up in how things are presented”
•
“count us all in but think about some fresh
faces on the stage “`
“the sponsors were wonderful for such good
Kawau Island causes”
•
“loved the wine glasses – bought a dozen!”
The Good
•
•
“the weather gods really looked after us and
created a great family atmosphere...........
everyone was so happy”
“a beekeeper came up, a helper from Orewa, who is going to come next year with his
family and bring friends “
•
“watching the children dancing right along
with their parents was a real treat”
“great to see the service organisations on
display – Coast Guard, Fire Team, Camp
Bentzon, Police launch DOC and the harbourmaster”
•
“superb to see and experience so many
stalls with local products”
•
“what I really liked about it was it was a
really good opportunity to meet new people
and other Islanders”
The Prospects for Next Year
•
•
“the ambience of the Gardens and the setting was just fantastic”
•
“it’s a great event to support because it
helps a number of other organisations on
the Island and it was such fun”
“the music was not familiar enough to
us – the performers were fabulous but we
would have liked to hear more songs that
we know”
•
•
54
•
•
“I had a lot of people who came up to me
and commented that they were having a
wonderful day – the best ever – and it was
absolutely fantastic”
And thus the scene was set. But how did it play
itself out? Here are some comments sampled
from around spectators, kids, organisers and
local suppliers:
•
“I loved being able to climb the trees and to
dance in front of the stage”
•
Tickets were sold out to the maximum 750 allowed and the various ferry and water taxi services provided efficient transport to and from
Mansion House Bay. Indeed, some arrived by
seaplane – being in a fizz boat and following an
aircraft up the fairway which marks the Marine
passage into the Bay is an interesting event!
Others walked on foot from Schoolhouse Bay
and many brought their own yachts, runabouts, kayaks, RIBs and there were two Sealegs
driven up the beach to the Park. The auctioneer cleared his throat, the musicians limbered
up around the stage, and people settled with
their picnics and drinks in the shade of the
wonderful Park trees.
•
“we came as a large extended family group
so it was a fabulous opportunity for us all to
get together in a beautiful outdoor venue”
The “Could Have Been Better”
•
“our group had trouble hearing the auctioneer and we were only sitting in the middle of the crowd”
55
Pam’s Recipes
Kawau Real Estate
Pam Dallow
Dave Jeffery
Summer has done us a big favour this year with innumerable hot and sunny days, not too much
wind and around the Island all sorts of exciting events. Now with autumn creeping down we are
looking for a little more comfort food. Anticipating some cooler days, hopefully some rain and
hopefully not too much wind, it’s time to review the world of winter recipes. Here are some.
The days are starting to draw in and the bays
are not quite as full over the weekends but
overall it has been another very good summer
around Kawau Island so far.
Easy Sultana Cake
2 small bags Sultanas
225 g butter cuopped
3 eggs
1 ½ c sugar
1 tsp vanilla ess
1 tsp almond ess
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
More boaties and boat clubs are making the
Kawau Boating Club a destination now, which
all generates interest in the Island as more new
people are introduced to our very special place.
In a pot, cover sultanas with water and boil for
10 mins
Drain quickly and return to the pot and add
the chopped butter and pot lid, till melted.
Beat eggs, add sugar and beat again.
Add to fruit along with the essences, stir
Add the sifted flour, baking powder and salt mix well, pour into a lined pan
Bake 180C for 1¼ hours for the first hour. Cover with foil or baking paper, but then remove
for last ½ hour
Salmon Pasta Mornay
400 g small pasta shells
30 g butter
6 spring onion sliced
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbsp plain flour
1 c milk
1 c sour cream (or another cup milk)
1 tbsp lemon juice optional
425 g can salmon drained and flaked
½ cup chopped parsley
56
Cook pasta in lightly salted boiling water till
just tender
Melt butter add spring onions and garlic stir
over low heat for 3 minutes
Add flour and stir 3 minutes
Combine milk, sour cream and lemon juice
in jug and gradually add to flour stirring constantly.
Stir over medium heat for 3 minutes or until
boils and thickens
Add flaked salmon and parsley to pan, stir 1
minute or till heated, add drained pasta, stir to
combine Season with salt and pepper before
serving
Once again the “Music in the Gardens” event
at Mansion House estate in February was a
huge success, and our display on the day in
the Hooker’s tent attracted considerably more
interest than last year, resulting in several new
genuine enquiries and follow-up visits.
Sales are up significantly this financial year but
vendors are still having to meet the market,
as buyers have a lot to choose from and will
not pay a premium unless the property is outstanding in some way.
As we go to print this month we hear that the
KIRRA team representing us at the Unitary
plan hearings have successfully negotiated
largely retaining the “status quo” regarding our
moorings, which is very important for many
Kawau property owners, especially the permanent residents as the need for a mooring handy
to their home is a necessity not a luxury, which
fortunately the planners seem to agree with.
As always I am available at most times to answer all your real estate enquiries, whether
buying or selling or just for a chat if you are
interested in what’s happening around Kawau.
Herbed Potato pancakes
2 tbsp chopped chives
2 tbsp chopped parsley or tarragon
600 g potatoes, peeled
60 g unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Mix chives, parsley and salt and pepper in
bowl.
Coarsely grate potatoes in to large bowl, add
herb mix stir to combine.
Heat 1/2 the butter and oil in large non stick
fry pan, over a medium heat cook heaped tablespoons of mixture for 2 minutes. Turn and
cook 2-3 minutes ro till golden.
Drain on baking paper and keep warm.
Repeat till all the mixture is cooked.
57
Pohutukawa Trust
Carl Weaver
things, the retention of wallaby as a declared
pest. You may have seen recently in the media
the issues elsewhere in NZ that the environment is facing from wallaby destruction.
Hello supporters.
Well Christmas has gone and we are into the
New Year, I am constantly hearing that we will
be finishing summer and into autumn soon. I
can’t see much sign of it yet, it feels to me like
we have shifted to the tropics with the temperatures and humidity that we are experiencing.
There were some good snapper to be found at
the head of the Bon Accord earlier in January.
In August last year the Trust assisted in conducting hunts in specified areas using contract
shooters, highly skilled in day and night hunting operations. Modern technology such as
thermal devices play an important role in them
safely and successfully operating. All hunts
were conducted during the hours of darkness
for a number of reasons.
All animals were recorded and logged including gender, smd using global positioning sys-
I hope that those of you I had an address for
enjoy your calendars. If you should be on the
list please contact me by email.
David and Robyn are pleased to announce that
Sky TV is back on at the KBC! Come along and
enjoy selected sports events over a meal and cold
drink!
Morning scones and baking available daily
Petrol, diesel, 2-stroke oil, ice, bait, bread and milk all available
plus other general store items
You are all very welcome!
Every Thursday Curry Night (phone to book)
Watch our Facebook page and check upcoming
events on our website:
www.kawauboatingclub.nz
Robyn and Davo Lee
Kawau Boating Club
09 422 8845
tems (GPS). This has provided some valuable
information for us going forward. A total of
827 wallaby were encountered and dispatched.
Other pests such as opossums were also culled
when encountered.
The trustees would like to take this opportunity to give you a brief update on where we are
at, and where we envisage our efforts will go
this coming year. We also wish to thank you
for your assistance and enthusiasm in pursuing
the Trust’s objectives, which we acknowledge is
very important to achieving our goals.
The hunters reported numerous encounters
with kiwi and weka, with their calls able to be
frequently heard. That is heartening and indications of our developing ecosystem.
As you may be aware our licence for the use of
Brodifacoum-based baits expired and we are in
the process of working through an application
for a new licence. Until this is finalised we are
not able to supply this bait for wallaby control.
We have a supply on stock and are happy to
supply for opossum control.
This year the Trust is planning on continuing
supporting hunting as it has proven to be so
effective; we hope to expand the area of the
shoot where possible. If you would like to be
included, please make contact via email with
me so that we are able to plan to include you.
Earlier this year the Trust and trustees made
submissions to the Auckland Council on the
revision of the Regional Pest Management
Strategy. This was in support of, amongst other
58
Kawau Boating Club
The Trust and its trustees wish to communicate in more depth and more frequently with
you. The most efficient and effective way for us
to do this is by email.
Please make contact with your email address
to Carl@workw-ise.co.nz so we can include
you in our mail out.
POHUTUKAWA TRUST NEW ZEALAND
Registered New Zealand Charity CC23836
All donations are tax deductible,
gratefully received, and needed
Please support the Pohutukawa Trust
pohutukawatrust@xtra.co.nz
59
Coastguard Kawau
Coastguard Media
Coastguard Kawau has had its usual busy summer season on and off the water – supporting
the busy summer boating traffic and participating in the many fundraising activities that
enable us to maintain our very vital service.
At Christmastime, the local Lions’ ladies decided we would be the sole benefactor of proceeds raised from their annual Christmas tree
display and raffle. It was a very worthwhile
joint venture. We also enjoyed support from
the Algies Bay Residents and Ratepayers committee whose generous donation went towards
the purchase of ‘Henry’, the much needed, new
tractor. Henry is a great asset to the unit: he
comes with more power for a much heavier
workload, an enclosed cab, and is much easier
for all to operate confidently.
It’s great to have the support of local community groups who sustain the efficiency and viability of our operation, and on that note, we are
also very grateful to “Music in the Gardens”,
organized by the Kawau Island community, for
again making a donation to our unit. For the
event, we used our crew and boat to transport
equipment and supplies to the Island as well as
supporting efficient and safe operations on yet
another very successful day. All this while attending three callouts – life is never dull when
you are a Coastguarder!
Throughout December and January we were
also fundraising by selling national lottery
tickets at various locations from Orewa to
Warkworth, and beyond. Kawau can take
great pride in being the unit that sold the most
tickets in the northern region and the second
highest number for tickets in New Zealand. All
thanks to our dedicated crew of volunteers and
their supportive families who sometimes had
60
Coastguard Kawau looking resplendent in her new pontoons, courtesy of the very generous donation from Music
in the Gardens 2105, attends the 2016 event before departing hastily for another callout
to be roped in to fill spaces when a boat callout
took priority.
Dramatic rescue
While we were out training on Kawau Rescue
shortly before Christmas, a mayday was heard.
We were able to be on scene near Little Barrier very quickly, even though details were very
sketchy about the location in a large area of
open water and in quite lumpy seas.
However, by some miracle and careful observation the boat was found rapidly sinking with
only the bow protruding and the sole occupant floating in the water. He was in a state of
serious hyperthermia but, with the assistance
of the Westpac rescue helicopter, a successful
rescue was carried out and a very grateful survivor was returned to his family that evening.
It is always very satisfying and rewarding to be
part of a success story of a rescue at sea. It is
times like these that make being a Coastguard
volunteer so satisfying and rewarding, inspiring our crew members to maintain high levels
of training to ensure confidence in any situation.
Ongoing maintenance
As the boat is now six years old, it is really important to keep up the ongoing maintenance.
Planning is now in progress for a major ‘midlife’ refit involving a major overhaul of the two
diesel engines. Work will also be carried out
on the electronic systems, the hull and exterior
paintwork. The boat trailer, also starting to
show its age, will also receive some attention.
Luckily we have some new young recruits!
As always, new volunteers are continually being recruited and supported through the induction and training phases to become fully
fledged members of the unit. Consequently we
have a great group of people from all walks of
life who have a great deal to offer through their
differing level of skills and experience … but
all with a passion to save lives at sea.
Coastguard Kawau does a great job finding a missing
boat, sinking fast, in a big area of water near Little Barrier
Island in no real reported position. The difficulty in spotting
a boat in such a predicament in choppy seas is clearly
shown by the photographs.
It has been a steep learning curve for our new
president Peter Garman but he is well supported by a dedicated band of volunteers and
the accumulated wisdom and experience of
former president Roger Davies. Roger has remained with the unit and continued to be one
of the very valuable skippers and a key member of the unit.
The story has a happy ending because the man who ended up in the water was found just in time, and he then received treatment for hypothermia aboard Kawau Rescue,
and by a paramedic dropped in by the Westpac rescue
helicopter.
Coastguard are currently encouraging increased membership by developing different
levels of membership which can suit everyone,
so that everyone can be safe at sea.
We repeat the old mantra … put on your life
jacket and have an efficient reliable means of
communication. Make a trip report and let
someone know where you are intending to go.
Further information about memberships can
be found on www.coastguard.org.nz.
For any potential volunteers or enquiries about
Coastguard Kawau itself, call our president Peter Garman on 021 921 174.
61
Harbourmaster Report
Angela Bedford
We would like to highly commend on the
growth of people wearing life jackets. This is
great stuff and with drownings at 30 (37 this
time last year!) so far this year, there is a big
light on this topic. And they aren’t as ugly as
they use to be ;)
With winter slowly approaching it is a good
time to be checking head ropes for any chaffing, wear and tear, putting covers or plastic
tubes back over the fairleads and looking over
how ropes are tied up, sails etc.
needs any changes in vessels, or if you have any
detail changes.
What an unfortunate shame that the powerboats
won’t be coming to Kawau Bay. But as more
and more events come up these ways I’m sure
we will be host to a lot of exciting things in
the future.
Moorings are getting slowly caught up on, with
Kawau and Omaha areas still to go. When any
mooring service providers are known to us to
be going into these areas, we will be calling to
make sure you a booked in. Please let us know
at any stage if there are any problems i.e. another boat that is too close or if your mooring
On a side note: if anyone can
donate some small plants for
the Sandspit Wharf planter
box, can they please leave
them at our Office so we can
give it a little spruce up.
The Harbourmaster team talking some “serious talk” with two
errant jet skiers in the uusually
peaceful but busy waters around
Sandspit Wharf.
62
Yet another Beaumont Wharf catastrophe. Max Edkins held some sort of unfortunate record
for the number of times he had to retrieve his boat from the sea bed......but his legacy seems
to live on. Here Harry Verney’s is barge called in to do another lift. It is always a sad thing to
see....always a sad reminder to be careful.
MANSION HOUSE CAFE
Open 7 Days to March 31
10am to 4 pm
Now Stocking
OOB Organic Icecream
Private Functions
Weddings by arrangement
Phone Cafe 09 425 8006 or Maree 021 159 5596
Email: kawau_catering@hotmail.co.nz
63
LegaSea
For a fully comprehensive range of
Building Supplies
Contact....
Scott Macindoe
boats were out in the Gulf carrying about 7700
fishers. It is this type of misinformation, the
incoherent consultation document and vague
answers from officials that leaves us wondering
what to believe and questioning the real motive behind this process.
A New Marine Protected Areas Act
A marine protected area is coming to a place
near you if you live in a coastal community
or fish in the sea. New legislation has been
proposed and is expected back in parliament
in late 2016. The Government proposes four
types of MPAs variously managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), Ministry
for the Environment and Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The proposed MPAs are
marine reserves, species-specific sanctuaries,
seabed reserves and recreational fishing parks
(one in the Hauraki Gulf the other in the Marlborough Sounds)
Recreational fishers need to be cautious in their
support for recreational fishing parks because
there will be trade-offs and strings attached.
The proposal document it states that there is
increasing tension between fishers and that on
a good day in the Hauraki Gulf there are 6900
vessels carrying 21,000 fishers.
However, MPI reports fishing participation is
dropping and that recreational snapper catch
in the Gulf has reduced by more than 50%
since 2011-12. Bruce Hartill, NIWA’s Group
Manager and fisheries scientist, has been researching recreational catch in the Gulf for
decades. He reports that the most popular fishing day on record is when an estimated 3200
64
Another question is how will these parks be
funded? We have already been told that DOC’s
compliance budget can be blown in a matter of
weeks so we can’t expect too much from that
Department. And we already know from experience how stretched the fisheries budget is.
There is no indication that any new money will
be available after these parks are established.
Maybe the public will be expected to volunteer
their time and effort to manage and monitor
fishing activity in both the Gulf and Marlborough Sounds.
An advisory group will be established for each
recreational fishing park. Group members will
be drawn from commercial and recreational
fishing, environmental, iwi, science, and community interests. They would be tasked with
providing advice to the Minister on what is occurring in the park. Our concern is that this
would create another barrier between the public and the Minister responsible for providing
abundant fisheries and protecting our rights
and fishing interests.
Adding to these issues is the proposal that selfreporting will be mandatory. All recreational
fishers in the parks will need to report their
daily catch, electronically. We already know
that self-reporting is not an effective way to
gather reliable data to determine annual harvest estimates so there must be another agenda
underpinning this whole process. What that
agenda is, is anyone’s guess.
Suppliers of:

Timber
Mouldings
Precuts/prenails
Trusses
Retaining timber
Fencing
Poles
Trellis
Home appliances
General hardware
Power & hand tools
Generators
Garden sheds
Clotheslines

Premixed concrete products
5RR¿QJ
Steel
Gib board
Prehung doors & hardware
Particle board
Custom wood
Insulation & building papers
Plywood
Hardie sheets
Hardie weatherboards
Plumbing
Drainage
Paint
Friendly, knowledgeable staff
Free quotes
WE SPECIALISE IN KAWAU ISLAND NEEDS
State Highway 1, 1km north of Warkworth
Ph: (09) 425 1021
Fax: (09) 425 8787
65
Kawau Boating Club
chines and a new drier. French doors have
been added to the library area which not only
makes access to the courtyard easier but also
has brightened up the whole inside of the Club. The Committee
We’ve had a long hot February and March to
make up for the rainy start to the summer.
Despite the weather it has been a good season
for the KBC with many new faces joining the
familiar ones. Word certainly has got out about
this special part of the Hauraki Gulf! Many
visitors joined on the spot, feeling that they
would like to be a part of this unique coastal
Boat Club. Discussions are taking place now on how to
best use the $10,000 grant provided by the
Rodney Local Board to upgrade the ablution
block.
We have also had a great rate of renewals. Don’t forget if you have joined up online then
your new card (with your new unique number) is available for pick up at the Club. This
card will be your annual card and will enable
you to swipe for your diesel/petrol discounts
and bar discounts so make sure you pick it up
and bring it with you each visit.
What’s been happening....
lights and decorations made the Club a cosy
welcoming place. New Year’s Eve was again
wet and windy. Still it turned out to be the best
party ever with the ever popular Take Note
Duo livening the evening. More than 150
guests were up and dancing until the wee small
hours! Take Note Duo is already booked for
next New Year’s Eve bash.
Christmas week was rather wet but Christmas
Bon Accord Bar
Robyn and Davo have created the ‘Bon Accord
Bar’ under the pohutukawa tree and around
the far end of the courtyard area. Groups of
up to 60 can be catered for in this area. Live
music, cold tap beer and wine will be available
here. Keep an eye on Facebook for dates and
times. St Ayles Skiffs
One of the highlights of the summer was the
arrival of the St Ayles Skiffs (NZ Coastal Rowing) – what a magnificent sight! Seven beautiful skiffs pulled up on Lidgard lawn. Mike Mahoney of Sandspit, assisted with the creation of
these boats and organised the first ”Raid” or
traditional rowing skiff expedition of the Hauraki Gulf. KBC catered for the 27 participants –
mostly from Tasmania –providing breakfasts,
dinners and daily take out lunches.
66
Auckland Anniversary Weekend was yet another wet one but with the Sandspit Yacht Club
regulars celebrating their Anniversary Weekend racing and Kawau Boating Club hosting
one of only three Anniversary Day Passage
Race starting lines it was a huge night at the
Club. Anniversary Day the kitchen was open
early with 8am breakfasts for the Auckland
Anniversary Regatta starters. Eleven boats
were on the starting line. Though KBC does
not, at this time, own a set of signal flags, the
starters didn’t seem to find any problem with
the definitely oddball flags which were substituted. We are pleased the Auckland Anniversary Regatta Committee agreed to return this
event to the KBC. Hopefully this will become
a regular event. Robyn’s morning sales of baking products
are proving popular with folks who come
in to get newspapers or coffee. For those
of you who would like to have a half or
dozen cheese or date scones, savoury muffins, cookies or focaccias to take back to
your boat, place an order the previous day.
Robyn also has added a 730cm Paella Dish
for use with big crowds. And Curry Nights
which were popular last year, will commence
on Thursday March 3. Call now - 09 422 8845
to book your table. Robyn says Goat Shank
Curry will definitely be on the menu!
The resource consents necessary to build a
deck to improve the area in front of the library
are being prepared and ideas as to how to improve the library area so it will continue to
grow as a community library play, area for kids
and memorabilia room are being explored.
The RNZYS has built a children’s play area on
the Lidgard Lawn which is available to KBC
members.
Changes to the Committee
David Innes, one of the very important founding members of the KBC has stepped down
due to his desire to enjoy the new-to-him
boat he just purchased. David spent countless hours negotiating for the creation of the
Club then working on membership and accounting. He is due a vote of thanks from
everyone who enjoys being part of the KBC.
The constitution of the Club allows for combining the role of Secretary and Treasurer.
Thus it is not imperative that someone be appointed to fill David’s position. But, to future
proof the KBC and insure it continues to thrive
as others on the committee seek to retire, we
hope a few among you will consider stepping
up for a role within the Club.
Physical changes to the Club
Besides the improvements to the kitchen and
bar area carried out last winter, your dues have
been used to purchase two new washing maKOOKABURRA Autumn 2016
67
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69
Argentine Ants Success
Lyn Hume
and it is tough going - we know how steep
it is. Jeff talks about almost breaking people
the first year.
You will be encouraged to know that at the
last Vivian Bay visit by two members of the
“ANTS” team in January they checked out all
the sites previously identified and no argentine
ants were to be seen.
e. And of course Jeff Cook, Brian Shields
and Rhys Jones – this is what passion and
commitment really looks like. It’s been a
pleasure and an honour to have you guys in
the Bay.
There could be one of several reasons for this:
4. Lyn Hume – who could ask for more – total commitment, host, coordinator, accommodation and strong backbone to the relationship
we have forged with Auckland Council Biosecurity – I could go on.
* we have managed to wipe them all out
* the weather was too hot when they were here
* they missed new colonies which have spread
out away from our poison.
Our hope is that the first option is the correct
one.
Now however we need to enlist the further cooperation and involvement of every property
owner in Vivian Bay to check your own properties, particularly your water pipelines and
path log edges as these are the areas the ants
favour for trailing/moving along, before the
team make a visit just after Easter.
As you know a huge amount of time, effort and
money has been poured into this project to try
and clean out our area. I can supply by email
altogether three ants’ nests charts so you can
see for yourselves how the ants have been eradicated in some places and sprung up in others.
For the December 2015 map you can increase
the size when you look at it and see if you had
nests on your property in December - those
property owners particularly please do a personal check by the end of Easter. Please all
come back to me and let me know when you
have done your check and also don’t forget to
mark any sites found. Both David Kingston
and I have product which you can use straight
away to stop the ants trailing any further before the team arrive.
70
If you have any doubts about what we were
close to experiencing and still could experience without total community involvement,
PLEASE check out the following, note the
dates of the articles, the need for total community involvement and know that they still
haven’t got rid of them to date. Also you could
go online and check out what is currently happening in Taranaki.
5.
Ron Patrick – made the logistics possible. Has generously made available his shed
for storage, vehicle to break the back of the
heavy lifting and as much water as the project
has needed. Nailed the weeds on the driveway
making it possible for real access to control the
Argies.
6. David Kingston – tireless enthusiasm and
resident networker. Distributing the insecticide and pumps.
This is a magnificent achievement for Vivian
Bay and has also set up a model for other communities on mainland New Zealand.
Credits list compiled by Scott Macindoe:
1.
Key Industries – Frank and Peter Visser have given freely of their technical advice,
heaps of staff time contribution and generous
food and beverage support for the volunteers.
4 people x 9 visits x 8 hours x three days = 800
hours - WOW
2.
UNITEC – Diane Fraser and her team
who have made 9 three day visits over three
years with three people per visit = 650 hours
on the ground, doing the business – cheers
UNITEC and students
3.
Auckland Council for
a.
The bait.
b. The transport and ferry fares for all the
volunteers, staff and gear.
c.
Health and Safety equipment.
d.
8 people x 9 visits x three days x 8
hours = 1500 hours of professional input –
71
Guess Who’s Coming To Stay...
Yes, you’re right. The Two Jens. Beautiful features of the Island “smart set”,
they have relinquished their mainland
Ministry of Education roles and as of
March 31 take up new roles as Schoolhouse Bay icons. Pictured here at “Music in the Gardens” a few weeks ago,
The Two Jens will add their joy and vivacity full-time to our already-splendid
Kawau community.
ANZAC DAY
There will be an ANZAC Day commemorative ceremony held at Kawau
Boating Club on 25 April at 12.30pm
(to fit with ferry times).
All welcome to attend, and all are invited to join others at KBC for refreshments following the ceremony.
72
MOORINGS
• Installed • Serviced
• Lifted
• Inspected • Repaired
Based at Sandspit
RDC registered
RODNEY MOORING
MAINTENANCE
Phone Harry
423 0389 or 027 490 9299
Fax 422 9904
73
74
75
KIRRA Minutes November
Helen Jeffery
MINUTES OF THE KIRRA EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE MEETING held Wednesday
November 2015, Ponsonby Yacht Club, Westhaven
PRESENT: Colin Bright, Helen Jeffery, Peter Buckton, Shelley Futcher, Pam Dallow,
Cath Bryne, Simon Pirie, Michael Marris, Lin
Pardey
APOLOGIES: Les Mellars, Alan Marshall, Ian
Henderson, Greg Sayers, Beth Houlbrooke
MINUTES OF LAST MEETING: Minutes had
been circulated it was moved by Peter Buckton
and seconded by Pam Dallow that they are true
and correct.
CORRESPONDENCE: Inwards: Emails:
Amanda Peart, Auckland Council re Pest Mgt
discussion document, everyone needs to put in
comments before 27th November 2015. They
can help the Island especially with noxious
weed control.
Outgoing: nothing outgoing
TREASURER’S REPORT: financials were presented. The financials were moved by Colin
and seconded by Simon, carried by all present.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATE: Lin
P (KIAC) reported to the meeting: Precinct
Plan – Lin has spoken with the Zakara Investments planner and they are interested in what
our actions are regarding the Precinct Plan and
happy to help to share information. Lin has
been provided with a list of requirement, it’s
good that they are happy to engage with KIAC.
Question was asked – does our Precinct Plan
76
trump overlays? Michael to follow up with
funding idea.
With regards to the Mooring Zones, all evidence needs to be put in by December, we are
waiting to see what Auckland Council puts
forward before we do ours.
MOU – meeting adjourned until late January
2016. Local Board meeting on the Island also
put off until 2016.
Lin has been informed that the Rodney Local
Board has granted the Kawau Boat Club $10k
to upgrade toilet and shower facilities and also
OPAK have received $3k towards “Music in
the Gardens” entertainment costs
GENERAL BUSINESS:
Kookaburra: Kookaburra cost per magazine is
$2.20 per issue without bulk discount. Editor
preparing for the summer issue, copy due end
of November. David Faulls will courier completed copy of magazine to the Island and Alan
and Helen to do labels and organise postage.
Database & Membership – update complete
until its time to send out subscriptions in the
New Year. Helen to take over the membership
role and work with Alan with invoicing.
Sunny Bay – a programme was aired on “Story”
about Sunny Bay and featured Piers Barney.
Colin continues to do further research into
the background of Sunny Bay, and he will talk
with the Pinky bach owners. So far he has not
found any conditions, there has been an Iwi
notification on the title for the past two years.
Ray Weaver – memorial service and memorial
bench to be discussed at next meeting, once
woodworkers have been approached.
Sandspit Carpark – after many phone calls and
letters being sent both ways, Lin has received
the latest draft from Auckland Transport. The
wording Kawau Island Residents & Ratepayers
needs to be put back into the draft, they also
proposed an increase in yearly car park price
to $320, discounted day rate during winter
months, increase in daily rate to $12 during the
busy months. Lin is determined that we keep
fighting until they come up with a reasonable
plan. Another meeting to take place next week
between AT, Lin P, Lynne Hume and Michael
Marris. We await the outcome.
Meeting closed at 6.55pm. Next meeting will
be our Xmas function at The Beach House on
Saturday 12th December 11.00am.
77
KIRRA Minutes - February
Helen Jeffery
DRAFT MINUTES OF THE KIRRA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
Held Wednesday 17th February 2016 at the
Ponsonby Yacht Club, Westhaven
PRESENT: Gael Archer, Colin Bright, Helen
Jeffery, Peter Buckton, Shelley Futcher, Pam
Dallow, Cath Bryne, Simon Pirie, Les Mellars,
Alan Marshall, Michael Marris,
APOLOGIES: Lin Pardey Ian Henderson,
Greg Sayer, Beth Houlbrooke
MINUTES OF LAST MEETING: Minutes
had been circulated it was moved by Shelley
Futcher and seconded by Pam Dallow that
they are true and correct.
CORRESPONDENCE: Inwards: Emails:
Company’s Office re-late return, asked for extension and all okay for end of March; letter
re-KIRRA mooring.
Outgoing: nothing outgoing.
TREASURER’S REPORT: financials were
presented. The financials were moved by Colin
and seconded by Simon, carried by all present.
Much appreciation from the committee to Ian
Henderson for the great rates he has achieved
over the year on our term deposits.
Sinclair and the late Ray Weaver have put into
this project over the past few years, Kawau Island will be forever in their debt. They made
the Commissioners listen to them and for that
we are forever grateful plus a few other people
who don’t wish to be named, much thanks and
appreciation from all KIRRA members.
GENERAL BUSINESS:
ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATE: Lin P
(KIAC) was unable to attend but she reported
to the meeting: Mooring Zones – Lin, Lyn H,
Steve Hoyle and Michael M will attend the final
hearing for mooring zones on the 23rd February, not sure how this will go, Auckland Yacht
& Boating Association seem to have a lot of
clout and they want the zones around Kawau
changed. This will affect North Cove, Swansea,
Schoolhouse Bay.
MOU – Michael Marris has developed an
MOU and presentation will be made to the Local Board in March 2016.
PAUP – there is another hearing in March and
feedback from Auckland Council is that it has
been improved for Kawau Island, its sitting exactly how we wanted, just a few minor details
to be sorted. All KIRRA members need to understand the value of the huge amount of work
that the team, Lin P, Lin H, Michael M, John
Kookaburra: next issue due out mid-March.
Alan and team will get together to put in envelopes and post.
KIRRA Website Upgrade: it was moved by
Les and seconded by Gael that the committee
supports an upgrade to the website and Helen
to arrange with Design Solutionz who have
kindly given us a super cheap rate.
Sunny Bay – Colin continues to do further research into the background of Sunny Bay, and
nothing has been found on the titles as to how
the land was to be used by DOC. The Iwi notification has been on the title since 2013 subject to a compensation treaty claim – similar
to a caveat. The committee authorized Colin
to write to Maggi Barry, DOC minister and
make an official information request on behalf
of KIRRA that any decisions made to compensate for the use of Sunny Bay for compensation
for treaty claims, for us to be kept informed.
Colin to bill KIRRA for costs. Moved by Alan,
seconded by Simon, carried. Meanwhile Pam
to investigate the Lidgard connection and report to Colin.
Kookaburra to remind people and also remind
people that there are bait stations around for
possums.
Ray Weaver – memorial service and memorial
bench – wood workers have been approached
and they have a stock of pohutukawa available
– this needs to be completed by Ray’s anniversary date. Michael to follow up.
Sandspit Carpark – the carpark seems to have
worked well over the busy summer period, but
one huge negative is that it shuts at 4.30pm and
there is nobody in the office or around when
the machine breaks down, which is quite frequently. There is a possibility that someone
could purchase the carpark but if this was to
happen, KIRRA needs to manage it. Auckland
Transport are still looking at several changes,
so even though it was a great outcome the saga
continues on into 2016. We have asked Ross
Derecourt to attend the AGM on the 5th March
2016, Michael M to follow up and see if he is
still available.
AGM Preparation – apart from Cath Bryne
who is standing down due to work commitments, the remainder of the committee are
happy to stand again. We do need 2-3 new
embers and discussion took place on who to
approach, hopefully we will have some success.
Meeting closed at 7.45pm. Next meeting will
be the AGM on Saturday 5th March commencing 9.30am.
Pest Management Strategy – no one on committee put in any comments but discussion
took place about dogs running free around
the Island, some residents just don’t care about
keeping their dogs restrained within their
properties. The law is that a dog should be
kept within their owners’ property and on a
lead outside the property. An article to go in
78
79
Kookaburra Advertisers
Please support our Kookaburra advertisers as they support the Kookaburra. Have
a look through our directory...you’ll be
pleased with what you find! Note that businesses followed by a * have a larger space
advertisement elsewhere in the magazine.
Advertising prices for each issue of Kookaburra: full page $60; half page $40; quarter page $30; all include a listing in this index. A three-line listing in the advertisers’
index for a year (4 issues) is $40.
ACCOMMODATION
THE BEACH HOUSE* • Lodge • Licensed
restaurant • Wedding and function venue
• Conference room • Degustation menu •
Katie & Zeyn • 422 8850
BARGE HIRE
KAWAU WHARF & MOORINGS* • Freight
• Moorings • Rubbish removal • New specialist barge for wharf & jetty maintenance
• Ph Chris Garner 021 424 151 or 422
2657
BUILDING SUPPLIES & TIMBER
FARM & LIFESTYLE CENTRE* • Extrensive range of Island essentials • Locally
owned • Peter and his team • 2-4 Morrison
Dr • Ph 09 425 7754 • www.farmandlifestylecentre.co.nz
ALBANY TIMBER DISTRIBUTORS Ltd*
• Timber • Precuts • Prenails • Trusses •
Hardware • Free quotes • Bush Road Albany • Ph 09 415 6889 • Fax 09 415 6661
CARTERS BUILDING SUPPLIES* Main
Road Warkworth • If you’re serious about
saving! • Ph 425 7879 • Fax 425 7445 •
www.carters.co.nz
80
TIMBERWORLD* Timber • Precut/Prenails • Trusses • Panel products • Hardware & fencing • Everything you need •
Delivery to Sandspit Wharf • Ph 425 8511
• Fax 425 8787
DIGGER HIRE
KAWAU EARTHMOVERS* • North Cove
based • 16 years experience • Diggers
(2) • Bobcat • Tractor & trailer • Paul or
Kerry Jellick • 027 365 7002 • 027 333
3840
ELECTRCIANS
ACI ELECTRICAL SERVICES* • House
work • water pumps • boat wiring • break
downs • emergency plumbing • “we will
have a crack at anything” • Contact Bob
0274 968 799 or 09 424 3199
AUTEC AUTO ELECTRICAL* • Marine electrical parts & service • Lights •
Switches • Starters • 27 Glenmore Dr •
Ph 425 7969 • Mob 027 220 7006 • Open
most Sats 9 - 12
WARKWORTH AUTOELECTRICAL* •
2 Gumfield Dr • Commercial • Marine •
Air Con • Benny 09 422 2162 • 0275 720
457 • E: warkworthautoelectrical@gmail.
com
ENGINEERS, CONSULTING
ASHBY ENGINEERS* • Building site
inspections • Wharf calculations and
designs • Sewage disposal systems • 3
Elizabeth St Warkworth • Ph 425 9422 •
Fax 425 9431 • 029 94 96 949
FERRY SERVICES
JOHNNY’S WATER TAXI* • Comfortable
safe transport • Licensed for 27 pax • MSA
Surveryed • Personal luggage free (within
reason) • Children uner 5 free • Charters
available • Ph 021 422 173
KAWAU CRUISES* • Ferry and water
taxis • Concession tickets • Generous domestic freight policy • Safe and comfortable • Free tea and coffee at Office • After
hours service • Ph 0800 111 616
KAWAU ISLAND EXPERIENCE • Fast,
efficient service on demand • Licensed for
16 passengers • Freight free • MSA Surveyed • Dave Jeffery • Ph 021 951038
FREIGHT & BARGE SERVICE
KAWAU WHARF & MOORINGS LTD* 20
ton cap. • Nothing too large or small • MV
Hokomai • Retaining & sea walls • Septic
tank cleaning • Ph 422 2657 • 021 424 151
MOORINGS & MARINE* • Moorings •
Barge Hire • Pontoons/Jetties • Freight •
Wharf Repairs • Call on 027 414 6766 •
0508MOORINGS • www.mooringsandmarine.co.nz
HANDYMAN SERVICES
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE* • House
cleaning • Windows • Lawns • Gutters •
Firewood • General labouring • Reasonable rates • Paul 021 0269 2413
HELICOPTERS
SKYWORK HELICOPTERS* • Lifting to
heli-fishing • Specialist in local area • Ask
about our sightseeing tours • Ph 422 7018
• Fax 422 7064
KITSET BUILDINGS
IDEAL BUILDINGS* • Kitset sleepouts,
cottages and garden sheds • Ideally configured for Kawau environment • Other
building projects also available • Contact
Rosemary Scofield 09 422 8963 or 027
210 3535 email: rosemary@ideal.net.nz
MARINE BROKERS
GARDENING SUPPLIES
MAHURANGI MARINE* • Honda Marine,
Yanmar, Briggs & Station • Batteries • Marine stereos & fish finders • Chainsaws •
Sales and service • Ph 425 5806 • Fax
425 5817
MITRE 10 GARDEN CENTRE* • Landscaping supplies • Garden centre • Great
selection of plants • Paving supplies •
Compost • Trade Department • Cnr Woodcocks Road & Mansel Drive Warkworth •
Ph 425 8119
WESTHAVEN MARINE BROKERS Ltd* •
Catherine Wenzel • Top quality expertise •
Full inventory of boats • Pier J Westhaven
Marina • 09 376 0102 • info@westhavenmarinebrokers.co.nz • www.westhavenmarinebrokers.co.nz
GIFTS AND ACCESSORIES
MOORINGS
NOT JUST HATS* • 17-19 Queen St Warkworth • Great seasonal selection • New
location • Large range of hats & accessories • Open 6 days • Contact Rae • Ph 025
9516 • times to suit Island residents
MOORINGS & MARINE* • Moorings
• Barge Hire • Pontoons and Jetties •
Freight • Wharf Repairs • Ph: 027 414
6766 • 0508MOORINGS • www.mooringsandmarine.co.nz
81
RODNEY MOORING MAINTENANCE*
Moorings lifted • Inspected • Serviced •
Repaired • RDC Registered • Dedicated
barge • Freight • Call Harry Verney • Ph
423 0389 • 0274 909 299 • Fax 422 9904
MOTORCYCLES, CHAINSAWS
WARKWORTH MOTORCYCLES & MACHINERY* • Chainsaws • Mules • Brush
cutters, Quads & trailers • Whittaker Rd
Warkworth • Ph 425 8535 • Fax 425 9118
PETROL
WILMOT MOTORS* • Shell petrol • Open
7 Days • Husqvarna chainsaws • NZ Courier agent • Toyota dealer • Top of Mill Lane
Warkworth • Ph 425 8439 • Fax 425 7631 •
www.wilmot.co.nz
PLUMBING
LASER PLUMBING* • Greg Jones • Warkworth • Drain layer • Plumbing • Gas fitting
• Septic Tanks • Water pumps & Filter Systems • Ph 09 422 9051
REAL ESTATE
DAVE JEFFERY* • LJ Hookers Warkworth
• Kawau Island specialist • Best listing selection • Phone 021951038 • djeffery.warkworth@ljh.co.nz
EQ HOMES* • Investment • Retirement •
Holiday • Family • A new home to love •
look at Moore’s Bay opportunities • 0800
4EQHOMES • www.eqgroup.co.nz
KAT CARTER* • Tandem Realty Warkworth • Kawau property owner • Ph: 021
222 8781 • E: kat.carter@harcourts.co.nz
• Excellent local knowledge •
SEPTIC TANK CLEANING See ‘Freight’
listing - Kawau Wharf & Moorings*
82
SEPTIC TANK INSTALLATION
BIOLYTIX Sewage System* • Local agent
Greg Jones • Warkworth • Biolytix Wastewater & Sewage system • Built to last • No
expensive aerators • Chemical Free • Ph
422 9051
JETHOME* • Sewage Treatment Plant* •
Aerated sewage system • Environmwentally friendly • Installed in NZ for over 25
years • Fibreglass option available • Ph 09
415 1538 • www.jetwaste.co.nz
SUPERMARKETS
NEW WORLD WARKWORTH* • Great
range of products for every occasion •
Percy St • Undercover parking • Open 7
days • 8 am – 8pm • Ph 425 1040
TIMBER
SEE BUILDING SUPPLIES & TIMBER
UPHOLSTERY
LAVERS UPHOLSTERY* • Snells Beach
• Boat covers and canopies • Shade sails
• Biminis • All types of furniture • Free
Quotes • 331 Mahurangi East Rd • 09 425
5659 or 021 023 557 28
WATER SYSTEMS
SPLASH WATER SPECIALISTS* • Sales
& service - Filtration • Pumps • Hoses & fittings • Water tanks • Water blasters • Spas
& pools •31 Woodcocks Rd Warkworth •
Ph/Fax 425 9100
Fast efficient service • Ph 0800 111 616
• 425 8006
WHARF CONSTRUCTION
HALLETT Enterprises Ltd* • Wharf construction, repairs, inspections & maintenance • Digger hire • Site works • Mark
Hallett • Ph 021 957 019 • E: hallettent@
xtra.co.nz
KAWAU WHARF & MOORINGS* • All
wharf maintenance and construction •
Mooring lifting, • Inspection and repairs
• Pile driving • Freight • New operator •
Mark Phillips • 021 424 151
WINERIES
RANSOM WINES* • Call in or phone en
route to the Island • We deliver to Sandspit 6+ bottles • Open Tuesday - Sunday
10am to 5pm • Valerie Close Warkworth
(5km south of town) Ph 425 8862 • E:
info@ransomwines.co.nz
Please support our Kookaburra advertisers as they support the Kookaburra. Have
a look through our directory...these advertisers recognise and understand the
unique characteristics of Kawau Island.
KIRRA MEETINGS 2016
SATURDAY 5th MARCH 9.30AM
KAWAU ISLAND AGM
SATURDAY 23rd APRIL 9.30AM
KAWAU ISLAND Shelley Futcher’s,
Stockyard Bay
WEDNESDAY 22nd JUNE 5.30PM
PONSONBY YACHT CLUB, WESTHAVEN
SATURDAY 20th AUGUST 9.30AM
KAWAU ISLAND Shelley Futcher’s,
Stockyard Bay
WEDNESDAY 12th OCTOBER 5.30PM
PONSONBY YACHT CLUB, WESTHAVEN
*SATURDAY 10th DECEMBER 9.30AM
*(set AGM at this meeting)
KAWAU ISLAND TBA
WATER TAXI SERVICE *
KAWAU WATER TAXIS* • Sandspit –
Kawau & beyond • Reasonable rates •
Surveyed vessels • Qualified skippers •
83
Contributors to this Issue of Kookaburra
Editor: Michael Marris
Cover Design: Rosemary Scofield
Photography:
Patria Hume, Grant Whitehouse, Elise Harper, Lin Pardey, Peter & Erin
Hyde, Gabrielle Wilson, David Faulls, Alan Marshall, Gabrielle Wilson,
Alison Fowler, Sue Stoddart, Michael Marris, Gavin Brunton
Our Contributors:
Cynthia Archer, Alison Fowler, Sue Stoddart, Carmen Miranda II, John
Adams, Chic Vercoe,Patria Hume, Alan Marshall, Angela Bedford, Andrew
Fyfe, Ross West, Fay Richardson, Lyn Hume, Graeme Kearney, Andrew
Stone, Helen Jeffery, Lin Pardey, Lois Broom, Scott Macindoe, Peter &
Erin Hyde, Pam Dallow, Dave Jeffery, Gavin Brunton, Ruth MacClement,
Stephen Hudson, Helen Jeffery, Michael Marris
Printed by:
ExPress Communications Ltd
Next Issue:
15 June 2016
Emergency Numbers
FIRE
CIVIL DEFENCE Martin Duytshoff
ST JOHN AMBULANCE
Non-Urgent
HEALTHLINE (24 hours)
POLICE Warkworth
COASTGUARD Auckland
FAULTS
MEDICAL
AUCKLAND COUNCIL
SANDSPIT WHARF
SANDSPIT CAR PARK
MANSION HOUSE
KAWAU KAT BOOKINGS
WARKWORTH TAXI
WARKWORTH INFORMATION CENTRE
RODNEY MOORINGS
CAMP BENTZON
111 (Service will alert DOC & Rural
Fire and will activate the siren)
021 041 7868
111 Kawau Island First Response
0800 4 AMBULANCE (0800 426 285)
0800 611 116
425 8109
09 303 1303
Power 0800 200 444
Telecom 120
Warkworth Medical Centre 425 1199
Kowhai Surgery 425 7358
Mahurangi Medical 425 5055
Kowhai Coast
425 6666
09 301 0101
425 7315
425 7039
422 8882
425 8006
425 0000
425 9081
0274 909 299
422 8807
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We know you don’t like talking about it ....
but every household needs a wastewater solution
Biolytix is Autralasia’s Most Awarded Sewage System
Built to last ....
No expensive aerators to
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And all this while watering your garden.
Phone 09 422 9051