Crossing the Waitemata Once More!

JANUARY 10th 2014

Parnell - Albany Village

Click on the Google Map to enlarge it for a good view
 of where I am, and where I've been!

Dear Diary,

Well at the end of my last post my supervisor and I had some decisions to make about where we travelled to next. So over lunch at Fred Ambler's Point while watching the straddle cranes haul the containers around the Ports of Auckland like some huge alien insects storing food for the winter, we decided that we would do a whirlwind tour back over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to see friends we'd run out of time to catch up with before Christmas. So we said another goodbye to the Parnell team, thanked them, buckled up, and were on our way!

I do like the new Victoria Park Tunnel connection it makes things so much easier. Speaking of tunnels I forgot to tell you about the major excavations going on in Waterview. We could see the construction site as our bus travelled through to Grey Lynn. There's a massive earth drilling machine over there working on a new motorway link to ease traffic. If you search 'Waterview Tunnel' you should be able to find 'Alice' she's a bit like a Thunderbird's vehicle.

Hmm...Now that we're in the right lane for the Shore we start the incline up the Bridge. Later this afternoon the big barrier machine will come and shift the barrier blocks along to open up the extra lane across, so that the North Shore people can get home a bit quicker.

I always get a weird feeling in my tummy when I look up at the New Zealand flags flying high atop the bridge...Then when I start looking around it's okay again! The Bridge is a great place to take in the whole of the Waitakere Ranges to the west. I wonder how high that volcanic rock really flew all those years ago?

My supervisor has the radio on, we've got Stan Walker blasting and we're singing 'Take it Easy'. I have my window down but I have to hold onto my hat! I feel like one of those happy dogs that you see sometimes, you know? Tongue hanging out with silky ears flapping in the wind!

The motorway winds on like a huge skipping rope strewn on the ground. Hey, is that a totem pole on the left there? Wow! That must be Awataha Marae an urban meeting place. Finally we reach the turnoff. You really do have to know which lane to get in ahead of time!

We are going to meet Lana, she is the children's librarian at Albany Village.

Hi from Albany Village Library!

Lana thought you might like to see this photo,
 the librarians are wearing their international costumes for Dare to Explore World Dress Day.

After we'd parked the car we went to find the library. It was a little bit tricky as it is around the back of the village. What a surprise when we did find the librarians, they were all dressed up in national costumes! It was a lot of fun trying to guess the country's that they all represented. (PS: If you click on any of the photos in my posts they will come up larger).

Here I am having a go at being a librarian and checking out books for people!

The librarians even let me check in some books and chat with their customers. Can you see the collection of chickens behind me? The chickens used to roam freely through the village and roost in the bushes by Lucas Creek. They don't anymore, but some artists have made a set of poultry sculptures that sit on Albany Library's shelves. 

"Book! Book! Book!" Sing the roosters and hens...Well I imagine them singing that funny song about chickens in the library...

It is always funny when I'm out and about and other kids recognise me and remember me from the school visits we did when we were promoting D2E! It's cool though, I really enjoy being a mentor for the reading programme. I just know that reading is so much fun and it gives you so many opportunities that you might not have otherwise. If you know kids that aren't into libraries, spread the word - because libraries are where it's at! 

Free, fun, social and educational. How could you go past that!?

There is a definite poultry theme here! Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!!
I don't think a taxidermist got him though? He's more like a sculpture.

Some people say to me they don't like the library because they might get a fine, but as Lana tells me you only get fines for lost or late books so if you are responsible you will be okay.

After talking to the librarians on my travels so far, here are a couple of tips for you that may help you to organise your book borrowing:

1. Put the due by date somewhere safe - on the fridge, or on your pin board for example;

2. Get a calendar especially for the kids in the family to write their due by dates on and make a habit of doing this after you've been to the library;

3. Have a place either in your bedroom or in the living room where you can put your library books when you have finished looking at them;

4. Keep a libraries bag or a reusable supermarket bag to carry your books in so that they don't get damaged;

5. If you've got little ones in the family you might want to keep your books out of reach of them, unless you're sharing a book with them;

6. Librarians don't bite - if you need a book for longer ask them to help you renew it! (I bet they'd be happy to help you with that!)

Maybe you've got some other ideas that might help? You could leave me a comment below?

I found some new books to read and checked them out. I just felt like some of those Paul Jennings short stories for tonight after the tour to relax with. I also returned some other books I'd picked up at Helensville. That's what I love about the Supercity libraries you can take out books and return them from all 55 libraries! 

After finding my reading material, Lana took me for a walk in the village square. I was in awe of the Balancing Art Sculpture outside the library and wondered how it was made? 

Then she took me over to Kell Park. Lana says the kids like to play in the park and then come and read in the library afterwards. I went on the slide, played on the fire engine and climbed up to use my imagination sitting in the Giant's Chair.

Albany was known as Lucas Creek until 1890 when the name changed.

These guys recognised me from their school visit!
I'm waiting for my turn on the flying fox! AWESOME!!

What a cool thing to do with an old tree stump!

In the old days the Flying Fox was used to bring huge logs down the Lucas Creek but now it is one of the kid's favourite attractions. (No surprises there!) I was looking down as I flew along and just about lost my cap and sunnies again!

Lana told me that the library keeps copies for self guided walks in the area. So I might have to check that out next time I'm here.

Albany Memorial Library

On Library Lane stands the old Albany Memorial Library. It commemorates the local men who fought and died for New Zealand in World War I and II. Hey btw, that reminds me about my last challenge questions: The centennial commemoration is for WWI which began in 1914 and lasted through to 1918. We are now hopefully 100 years wiser! 

Oh and the name and date of the day related to the Gallipoli inscription at the Auckland War Memorial Museum is of course ANZAC day held on the 25th of April. You might have been to a service or seen the red poppy with the black centre used as a symbolic reminder? 

A 'taxidermist' is a person who stuffs/preserves the animal form. 

Voyager Maritime Museum is free to enter for those who can provide proof of address or an Auckland Libraries card.

The Memorial Library houses special books from the 19th Century too.

School's in! I reckon they might've even had a hand bell at this school!

My last stop for the day was the original Albany School. What a huge difference between the original school and the new, large modern school that stands behind it. 

I like Albany it is a 'happening' arty, little township! Lana says she will take me to the local waterfall for a picnic next time when I'm not in such a rush. I'm looking forward to that thanks Lana!

If you want to go and mingle with a crowd then there is always the Albany Mega Centre and if you're into sports there is no going past North Harbour Stadium! I'm going to pass this on my way to my next destination at Brown's Bay where I will meet Helen - Children's Librarian at East Coast Bays Library. I haven't seen the stadium before so I'm excited!

My challenge questions this time: 

What are the North Harbour colours on their provincial rugby jersies? 

Have the North Harbour team ever held the Ranfurly Shield? 

Are there any North Harbour players on the All Blacks national team?

Ka kite ano! See you at ECB! 

Back to the CBD! (Central Business District)

JANUARY 8th 2014

Blockhouse Bay - Parnell (via Britomart)

Dear Diary,

So I've been crazy busy running all over Tamaki Makaurau!! I said goodbye to Rhiann and the crew out at Blockhouse Bay. We went to www.maxx.co.nz to work out the answer to my last challenge question. Did you know that you can go onto their journey planner site and type in where you are and where you want to go, and explore the options and prices before you even leave home!

We discovered that it would cost $1.10 for me and $1.90 for my supervisor to bus from BHB to New Lynn (which is kind of a hub for the West if you live in any of the smaller suburbs like Glen Eden, Titirangi, or Laingholm). I wanted to catch the train, but it looks like they are completing some upgrades, so I'd need to take another bus instead. To go from New Lynn to Britomart (the big transport hub in the CBD) we would pay $2.60 for me, and $4.50 for my adult. 

I bet if you are really sharp you could figure out how much my supervisor and I paid altogether!

The journey planner can help you to make an itinerary. You can even use the free internet at the library if you don't have access at home. It's a lot of fun to plan and take an adventure around Auckland!

Mini came down from Parnell to collect me. We had a quick look in the Maritime Museum before heading up to her library. The Museum is such a cool place to visit! Did you know admission is free if you can show your library card or an Auckland proof of address! I mean how neat is that? Maybe you could plan a bus trip into the city and spend the day at the Museum? (Visiting a museum is a challenge on the Ancient Civilisations page so I can get that one stamped off now. Cool!)

Inside Voyager Maritime Museum -
if you dream about competing in the America's Cup one day
this could be the place for you!

I'm here at Parnell Library!

So, Happy New Year everyone! Far out Parnell library is a blast from the past! I walk in expecting everyone to be wearing formal Victorian dress (like the kind they have in Auckland Museum) but thankfully everyone was really modern and the past met the future in a cool kind of way!

I arrived at the Jubilee Building where the library is and not long after met some cool kids who were reading awesome graphic novels like Twisted Journeys, Percy Jackson and Asterix! Mini also showed me a few graphic novels that I had not seen before so I was stoked with that and they have plenty available! The lovely librarians Emily, Laura and Mini showed me some D2E challenge books that I could read! Sweet!

Me with the friendly Parnell librarians
- I can't see any Victorian clothes here phew!

I saw some fantastic completed challenges for D2E hung up in the library as well. There were lots of drawings and something I really liked was the way the kids had coloured the flags of the world. Mini let me colour one too - I felt quite proud when I seen it hanging up there!

Can you see my one? I coloured in South Africa.

Mini tells me that Parnell is Auckland's oldest suburb. Europeans settled here as early as 1841! I was being a bit smart and said that's as old as my mum! Lol! (Sorry mum, you know I love you! xx)

After learning about BHB I thought I'd look at a bit of history here too. There are lots of Maori Pa around this area and the oral histories are very rich indeed! Tales of settlement and battles over the ownership of the land abound. 

One of the stories tells that in around 1750 the Ngati Whatua from Riverhead took possession of the area following a clash with the Waiohua. Full on! Anyway if you have a Nanny or a Koro out there that you want to ask, you can always leave me a comment on the link below.

Parnell was named after Pakeha settler Samuel Duncan Parnell who was the guy credited with establishing the eight hour working day in New Zealand. But there are a few other stories about its naming so I might try to order a few books on it and see if I can uncover the truth. Most of the libraries Mini tells me, have a stack of local history books that can be borrowed for 24hrs or used in the library as reference books.

Everyone at the library said that I had to visit the Auckland War Memorial Museum - it's massive and sits on top of a big hill looking like a majestic Greek building! There is some cool stuff in there ,like a giant moa, a real stuffed elephant, sharks, polar bears and maybe you might find their Huia birds too? There are cannons and medals, even bomber planes!! If you get the chance you've got to check it out!

Man I am dwarfed by those huge pillars!!
Oh, and what is that dormant volcano in the  Waitemata Harbour in the background there?

Me at the entrance!

Here I am below the Gallipoli inscription,
I am sure there is a National Day that is something to do with this?

I also visited Kinder House - which is one of the many historic houses around Parnell. I heard some people talking about how it was haunted! It's been on 'Ghost Hunt' - a New Zealand paranormal show! Oooooooooooooooooooo! Spooky!

It's sometimes known as the 'Headmaster's House'. It was built in 1857 and commissioned by the Bishop G.A. Selwyn. It was designed by Frederick Thatcher. He designed a lot of Anglican buildings. The stone used to build this house came from a nearby quarry at Mt Eden, Maungawhau. A lot of the volcanic cones around Auckland were mined for building. If you drive around the older parts of Auckland there are many stone walls.

So anyway, getting back to the story, John Kinder, the painter, photographer, teacher and reverend lived here with his wife. I wonder if he got freaked out too!!

Kinder House

On the corner of Parnell and St Stephen's Road is the huge Holy Trinity Cathedral. Wow! It's impressive! The old building that I am standing in front of is St Mary's church built 1886. It's the largest wooden Gothic Church in the world!! Wowsers! They have a cool mini maze out the back!

St Mary's 1886

Holy Trinity Batman! I'm dwarfed by the splendour once again!!

I decided against swimming at the Parnell Baths which I'm told have the most awesome water area for smaller kids  - so I went for a look at the Olympic Pools. An Olympic sized swimming pool in Newmarket not far from Parnell. I didn't swim (because I am cardboard and was a bit worried about the results) - but I watched Mini and plenty of other very fit people swimming laps!

Olympic Pools

I went to the Rose Gardens too which are a big attraction here. There are plenty of paths to ramble around on, a great place to just come and relax, maybe have a picnic? The roses are amazing, the fragrances are aromatic. They also have a variety of old plants and lots of very big exotic trees that were planted by the settlers. 

I met some lovely people there who were just sitting enjoying their books so I went and said, 'Hi!' and had my picture taken with them!

Me with some fellow readers enjoying the Rose Gardens!

I went for a walk to the Parnell shops and found some really good icecream - as you've seen by the beautiful blue sky in my pics, it was fairly hot! 

Checking out Parnell shops. I think Dr Who might appear soon!

So I hope you enjoyed learning a few things about wonderful Parnell! Thank-you so much to Mini and the team at Parnell Library. I think I'll need to go and chill out with a few good books for a while, before I hear about my next assignment!

My challenge questions this time...Hmmm! I hope you have got your 'thinking cap' on like me!

- Thinking about Museum's what do you call a person who stuffs/preserves the form of dead animals?

- How much do you have to pay to get into the Voyager Maritime Museum if you live in Auckland and have proof of your residence?

and thinking about the Auckland War Memorial Museum, what special national day celebrates peace in the present and the sacrifice and achievements of all New Zealand Soldiers? When does that fall?

Oh, I'm feeling really brainy today after all of my touring around Parnell, so what about this one?

There is a centennial celebration coming up next year related to the Auckland War Memorial Museum can you find out what it is?

I'm on my way to Blockhouse Bay!

DECEMBER 31st

Massey - Blockhouse Bay

My journey so far!

Dear Diary,

 

Woo! Back on the road again! While all the traffic was heading North, I was heading in the opposite direction. This time I am heading closer to the centre of Auckland to see Rhiann at Blockhouse Bay Library. I can’t wait to spend New Years with the kids in the Bay!

Oh btw, in the Yvonne Morrison story Santa had a tractor for a sleigh and instead of reindeer he had sheep!

Check it out! I’m here!

I was chilling outside waiting for Rhi to get here when a whole HEAP of ducks and pigeons waddled past. Keira was having a picnic with her Granddad on the village green and she let me use a bit of her sandwich to feed the ducklings:

Choice! Kia pai tō rā Keira!

When Rhi arrived, she gave me a big high five, and showed me around the Library. The librarians have been building a mean cardboard castle! We decided to play kings and queens for a bit. I pretended I was a knight dressed in a suit of armour and defended the castle from a GIANT fire-breathing dragon!

Oh yeah! Adventure time at BHB library!
I love using my imagination.

It was thirsty work so Rhi went to get us a smoothie from one of the cafes next to the library. There are so many to choose from! Slurp, slurp, mmmm!

That’s when I spotted Anna and Tane drawing in the castle and they let me join in! When we were finished, we stuck our drawings to the castle walls. Maybe you would like to come in and make some more cool drawings with Rhiann?

 

We went on a bit of a tour around the township and visited the beautiful Armanasco House! It was built when the first settlers came to Blockhouse Bay in the mid 1800s. Phwoar! It’s really old! Look at the beautiful entrance!

Early Settler Stefano Armanasco's home
- he came to New Zealand in 1885

I wanted to learn more about the history of Blockhouse Bay so I put on my thinking cap and checked out the local Blockhouse Bay Historical Society online, then I caught up with Mr Keith Rusden who very happily told me more about the heritage of the area.

Did you know that the Blockhouse was built in 1860 to house military people who were employed to protect the early Pakeha settlers? Twenty years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi things were not going well further down the West Coast in Taranaki. The settlers feared the retaliation of the iwis and prepared themselves incase of fallout from the New Zealand Wars.

On a good day you can see Maunga Taranaki (Mt Egmont) from the Whau area. So it would not take much for sea-faring waka to mount an attack. This caused concern for the new settlers.

In 2010 Blockhouse Bay celebrated 150 years of the 'Blockhouse'
Musket fire to salute the Blockhouse & the unveiling of a mural of soldiers at the Blockhouse.
(Images appear with permission of www.blockhousebayhistoricalsociety)

Another interesting thing about this area is that it was the 'portage' way - the connection between the Waitemata and the mighty Manukau Harbours. It had been a very old passageway for Maori navigators of the time and of particular importance to the Tainui people whose ancestral waka lay further South on the West Coast at Kawhia. 

The mighty Manukau has a lot of scope for discovery with all of its neat little bays. Many enjoy fishing or kayaking here, some even brave the Manukau Bar to reach the Tasman Sea beyond. You can fish for crabs, scallops, mullet and flounder and enjoy squelching around in the mud! Further South you can see the planes take flight from Auckland International Airport and way in the distance you can see the chimney's of the Glenbrook Steel Mill. My travels will come to an end at Waiuku so that's kind of where I'm headed!

Coming back to the future! It was market day in Blockhouse Bay and there were lots of stalls selling yummy things to eat. I chose a great big chocolate muffin and some freshly baked bread for my morning tea!

Rhi needed to pay a visit to Avondale Library so I came along for the road trip! Avondale Library and New Lynn Library are the closest libraries to Blockhouse Bay! They are full of friendly librarians. It’s awesome that there’s so many libraries to visit in Auckland! The best part is that all of them have a special attraction!

finda.co.nz New Lynn Public Library.

Hey, if you look in your grandmother's cupboard you might just find crockery from
Crown Lynn our own famous brand of pottery came from the New Lynn area.
You might also go on a hunt for demolition bricks made in New Lynn,
I found one recently at a pizza place in Mangawhai...
and have also discovered them on Great Barrier!

Hmmm...I just discovered this so I might have to check it out before I reach the city
avondaleheritagewalks available through Auckland Council.

On the way back to the Blockhouse Bay we met Jeremy at the Blockhouse Bay Primary Playground. He wanted to show us his skills on the monkey bars! Here’s me about to give it a go.

We had a great time on the swings too. It was a bit too cold for swimming today but Jeremy said he had a pool key and could go swimming anytime in summer!

What a busy day! I’ve had so much fun –and it’s not over yet! I’m staying here for New Years Eve! We are going to head to Blockhouse Bay Beach and watch the fireworks on the horizon. I hope I can stay awake until midnight!

Auckland City ablaze with fireworks!

I’m heading to visit Mini at Parnell next. I can’t wait to see where this awesome tour takes me! Yipeee!

Loads of Love, and a super New Year's Eve whatever your family chooses to do!

Matatoa, the Little Dude Adventurer aka Tyler.

Oh and my next challenge...If I caught the bus to New Lynn from Blockhouse Bay then the train from New Lynn to Britomart, how much would it cost me?