Online again

After a short holiday followed by a brief hospital stay we are back discovering Auckland. First day of spring and the temperatures are already warming, we took the chance to wander around Blockhouse Bay to discover some of the historical murals but also found a nicely painted utility box in the process.

 

The mural is one of a number along the main street painted by Louis Stratham from original photographs of the Blockhouse Bay area.

Losing its habitat

Out for an afternoon drive around the Flatbush area we spotted a Kahu circling one of the few remaining fields. Where once was open grassland with horses and cows now stands a new subdivision of 2 and 3 level townhouses on less than 400sq metres of land a piece.

We give this bird 2 maybe 3 years before all the grass land it used to roam is consumed by housing built for immigrants arriving in the city to build houses in an overstretched market. A self perpetuating problem that slowly eats up valuable land and creates loss of habitat for our wildlife.

Dog Exercise Parks

On a recent trip out west we recently stumbled on a new dog agility course. Literally stumbled, the weather has been so bad recently that the surrounding fields were sodden, just walking across the grass we got quite muddy. The agility course however is well designed and drains well so your dogs won't get too wet. of course they have to cross the grass to get to it, not a problem in summer.

Corban Reserve Dog Agility Course

The new agility course opened in December 2015.

We know of two other agility courses similar to this. One in Craigavon Park in Green Bay, the other in Manuka Reserve in Glenfield.

Manuka Reserve

Matching pair

On the motorway off ramp at Otara stands a bright red and yellow sculpture by Samoan artist Fatu Feu'u. We drive passed this sculpture most days so no surprise it is featured on our Sculpture Trail Map

On a recent trip out to the Westgate shopping mall we drove along Don Buck Road passed the Massey Library only to see a similar sculpture.

By the same artist this is named Ole Alia, unfortunately we do not know the name of the one at Otara. We think that Otara got the better deal as looking at it there is a greater amount of detail. What do you think? Is two better than one?

Losing the green

While wandering around Paremuka Lakeside park in Henderson we came across this painted utility box near the children's playground.

Painted by C Bolton we like the fact that she continued with the painting of the additional box to the right.
C Bolton has decorated a number of utility boxes from Te Atatu to Ranui though this was one that we were previously unaware of.