stormy and loud night for many of us across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland a brief spell of sunshine came out for us to complete our weekly Saturday parkrun along Oakley Creek Run Director Rob Boasman gave his briefing some of us tried out some new Brooks running shoes (thanks Athlete’s Foot) and we set off on the course This week we had an amazing 146 finishers who ran we had seven first timers and 23 new PB’s – well done everyone a massive welcome to our seven first timers it’s great you joined us at Owairaka Parkrun this week and we hope to see you again in the future Hopefully you found it a friendly event and remember we love to see prams and dogs on the course too a big welcome to all our parkrun tourists (including the UK) - welcome to Aotearoa New Zealand and we hope you enjoy a few parkruns whilst you’re visiting Congratulations to both the male and female winner’s this week David Atkinson was the first person over the line – great effort A massive well done to the first three females who crossed the line You can find the full results from this week’s parkrun and a complete event history on the Owairaka parkrun Results Page A huge thank you to our 23 amazing volunteers we had this week We really appreciate volunteers getting up extra early (especially after that storm last night) and especially love the inspirational chalk messages along the course to keep us motivated Remember there is a volunteer role to suit everyone at parkrun just email or Facebook message us and we can find you a role © parkrun Global Limited (Company number: 09411750) No part of this site may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read The public is being invited to see inside the first almost-completed apartment building at the new multibillion-dollar Maungārongo village in Ōwairaka has got the new 65-unit Toi block up but not yet completed at Carrington on ex-Unitec land the developers plan tours for people who pre-register for free tickets The pre-arranged one-hour visits on March 16 are from 10am until 1pm entering via gate one off Carrington Road next to the old brick hospital pushchairs or wheelchairs and wear strong shoes Ockham’s website directs people to Humantix to pre-register for a ticket only a third of the units in the six-level block have been sold even though Toi is due to be finished soon with a flurry of new interest this year,” an Ockham saleswoman said of Toi “We are looking forward to Q4 when the building is anticipated to be complete and we can hand over keys to the excited purchasers.” Toi studio units are selling from $535,000 one bedroom with flexi-space from $760,000 two bedrooms from $900,000 and three bedrooms from $885,000 when it’s a construction site and not yet finished Even Ockham says it usually reserves open days for when a project is almost done but it brought that forward in what appears to be an attempt to get more pre-sales as construction nears completion We absolutely love visiting the team out there and we’d love to share it with you,” the invitations said Ockham described features it thinks will appeal “This is your opportunity to see our fit-out materials aspect and surrounding locale in the flesh with a handful of near-complete ground-floor apartments to peruse and a wander up the building to a higher floor for epic views across the city the Waitematā Harbour and the Waitākere Ranges “You’ll be able to chat with our construction crew there will be coffee and treats to give you some energy for Ockham projects on now or about to begin soon are: The developer shifted its head office from the Hypatia apartment building in Newmarket, which it developed, to The Greenhouse in Ponsonby which is one of its largest city developments The Greenhouse was the last major building completed by Ockham which has downsized and cut staff during the downturn Mark Todd co-founded Ockham with Benjamin Preston When Ockham finished its 16th development – Aroha at Avondale – it had built 879 units Todd featured last year in a podcast with the Herald’s Liam Dann in a feature headlined Surfer-turned-property developers shares the secret to being wealthy. The native-born Aucklander is proud of the city but said: “I was increasingly frustrated” over the building he saw going on in the late 1990s and early 2000s that’s what happened around Auckland from the mid-′90s through to the GFC.” He describes it as a period of “urban ugliness” and “economic vandalism” large-scale projects of poor visual quality they actually are a form of economic vandalism in that they preclude future high-value development of a neighbourhood.” Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas. Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read. The casino operator has downgraded its earnings guidance for the second time. With the investigation works for the Ōwairaka and Wesley watermain project now complete we have the green light to upgrade crucial water infrastructure to improve services and facilitate future development in the area the construction work in Wesley will involve installing 4.2 kilometres of new pipeline to enable future growth in this area to be installed by our construction partner Fulton Hogan will range between 200mm to 610mm in diameter This will enable larger volumes of water to be transported from the Mt Albert Reservoir to homes The main works follow on from the construction of new watermains on O’Donnell Ave Farrelly Ave and Denize Rd completed in mid August Project manager Peter Kukulsky says the next stage will continue from where the early works left off and will be executed by crews working simultaneously across two sites to speed up delivery “Both crews will begin the work at the same time The first crew will be installing a watermain from the corner of Hendon Ave up Richardson Rd all the way up La Veta Ave and connecting it to Mt Albert reservoir The second crew will be working a couple of blocks away “By having two crews working simultaneously we’re aiming to have the new watermains installed by the end of next year and commissioned in mid 2026.” Kukulsky says the work will cause some traffic delays as the pipeline will be installed using open trenching due to the hard rock beneath the road surface “Using this method will require us to implement traffic management One-way detours will need to be put in place to enable us to complete sections of the pipeline as efficiently and safely as possible.” Kukulsky says this will be the third project we will deliver under the $95m ‘shovel-ready’ programme to improve water services in Mt Roskill and its surrounding suburbs “The other two water infrastructure projects in the Mt Roskill ‘shovel-ready’ scheme are the Akarana Booster Pump Station and Waikōwhai works “The Akarana booster pump station project is now complete and will be brought into service later this year after the Waikōwhai watermains project is completed.” A new bridge now connects Owairaka Park and the Walmsley and Underwood Reserves in Owairaka/Wesley It spans the boundary between Albert-Eden and Puketapapa Local Boards across Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek) “We’ve been looking forward for years to connecting our communities and providing easier access for our people to access these green spaces,” say the local board chairs Peter Haynes and Harry Doig The local boards have advocated vigorously to build this infrastructure and committed significant funding to it “The local communities also strongly supported this project and are making great use of it already,” they say The bridge is part of the Te Auaunga: Walmsley and Underwood Reserves Project This $25 million stormwater project has advanced the naturalisation of the awa reduced the flood-prone area along the 1.3 km stretch of parkland between Richardson Rd and Sandringham Rd improved water quality and renovated the parklands More information visit the Auckland Council website here.  © Auckland Council 2025 All rights reserved For more information on what data is contained in the cookies, please click the 'Find out more on the Auckland Council website' button. To accept cookies from this site, please click the 'I Agree' button. Sign up for our e-newsletter and be the first to know about exciting events and news. Auckland CityBy Negotiation331Sophisticated Urban Living - Perfect first home DEVELOPER IS OFFERING GENEROUS FURNITURE PACKAGE FOR NEXT 3 SALES -------------------------------------------------------------------- and an excellent location on fee simple titles A unique opportunity to secure your new 3 bedroom with spacious a sunny north facing outdoor living Everything is here to make you enjoy living It's a great location directly opposite the popular Park and only a short stroll to the No expensive body corporate fees to ever worry about here Steven Glucina 021 888 455 or Dee McDade 021 448 832 based on a borrower’s individual credit assessment.Canstar's Most Awarded Personal LoanGet a renovation loan up to $70K and bring your vision to life we can approve your home improvement loan quickly and get your renovation started The Mount Albert community in Auckland is shocked and saddened by the death of a young woman near Ōwairaka Domain failed to return home after going out for a walk on Wednesday morning Her body was found that afternoon in bush off a walkway and police launched a homicide investigation Flowers and cards have been laid at the entrance to the Mount Albert Ōwairaka Domain where Zhang normally took her walks Lucy Leslie brought flowers from her garden She worked in special education and was devastated by what had happened "It's really important for people with special needs to be given independence and to have this end so badly really just is worst case scenario and not fair at all These people should feel protected at all costs," she said now had questions about how safe the neighbourhood was "We would assume everybody in our area is friendly and of good nature Now we don't really want to be out walking if this is what's going on in our community," Eustice said Michael Field said he would pass Zhang a couple of times a week on top of Ōwairaka/Mount Albert "I sort of marked her as an independent kind of woman and although she clearly had issues she was stoic and strong in her own way and to have this happen to one of us on the maunga Kay McGarry felt shattered and said her heart broke for the family We're not leading this stop us keeping her memory alive by keeping walking here and and making sure we think of her." Police are appealing for information about a man they say is of interest - he is described as dark-skinned balding with a distinctive mark on his forehead The 27-year-old woman with Down Syndrome who was found dead in Mt Albert yesterday was the victim of foul play and police are seeking a man seen on CCTV footage at the scene Police have confirmed they have found a body while searching for Auckland woman Lena Harrap who went missing from her Mt Albert home this morning New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News I haven’t enjoyed a parkrun this much in a long time and the strange thing is I’m not even a Star Wars fan Run director Rob’s enthusiasm and genius just created an amazing morning The turnout of costumes was outstanding and the light sabre duel but who’d have thought that parkrunners dressing up in elaborate but ultimately silly costumes in a theme with a very tenuous link to parkrun could be so much fun And a record attendance of 292 parkrunners is the proof Celebrating Star Wars at parkrun can’t really happen again next year In case you’re wondering (I was) it last happened in 2019 The photos from their May 4th event in 2019 prove May the Fourth was a parkrun thing back then at least in the far reaches of the deep south Even though it may not sound like it so far there was actually a parkrun starting in Owairaka Park this morning (it wasn’t only about the costumes or the light sabre duel) At 7:45 it was looking like it was going to be a dismal failure with no more than a handful of people in weird outfits standing around The impressive sound system appeared to be overkill possibly resulting in noise complaints to the council word had obviously spread around the galaxy that the force was too strong to resist and pretty much every regular Owairaka parkrunner had rolled out of bed and down to the start line there were modest numbers of first timers (15) and visitors (18) This means that it was our wonderfully loyal regulars that turned out in force While some parkrunners embracing their Star Wars selves found costumes a little tricky to run in First across the line was David Atkinson in 17:18 and first female was Freyja Prentice in 20:33 Freyja held the course record for 19 weeks back in 2021 – great to see you back for the fourth time The highest age grade percentage of the day was Keith Burrows (in second place) with 80.55% which is pretty amazing since Keith raced the London Marathon just 14 days ago Congratulations to all the parkrunners who placed in their age group today you will find that detail in your results email There was also a nice round 50 people who managed a PB made up of 22 men and 28 women – go the ladies on the occasion of her 25th parkrun (26:17) Watch out for our milestones pictures on Monday There are plenty of reasons to love parkrun but today I thought of one more: You don’t need to wear lycra I love seeing these parkwalkers in dresses Thank you to all the people who attended today but the biggest thank you is to the Boasman family whether it was racing against time to get costumed when online shopping turned bad or performing to the max on the day to make it unforgettable we’ve got six years to wait for the next legit Star Wars themed parkrun unless we cheat a bit and celebrate it on a nearby date Plans for the four new apartments buildings on the site Plans have been launched for a new multi-billion-dollar Auckland "village within a city an urban kāinga" of 40 new apartment buildings with more than 3000 units on land within the established suburb of Ōwairaka Mt Albert has announced a scheme with Ockham Residential for the newly-created Maungārongo beside Unitec and the old Carrington Hospital The Marutūāhu-Ockham Partnership plans work in the next 20 years within the larger Te Auaunga Precinct: nearly 40ha around the ex-hospital and neighbouring university being developed by three rōpū - Marutūāhu Majurey said the almost 11ha share of Marutūāhu land would bring new mixed-use buildings to the established Ōwairaka Mt Albert community a 10 to 15-year project which in time will have over 3000 homes across 40 buildings also chairman of Eke Panuku Development Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has called for Majurey and all Eke Panuku board members to resign Marutūāhu has master planning under way on the 10.5ha it has been allocated but hasn't released plans for all 40 buildings yet it will work at the Point Chevalier end of the site near the historic brick ex-hospital building developing four new apartment buildings up to 10 levels high and with around 280 units Those first four buildings will be developed on around 1ha of the 10.5ha rōpū site a strip about 200m wide which begins beside Point Chevalier village and continues for 800m along Carrington Rd up towards Mt Albert/Ōwairaka," Majurey said Marutūāhu had given the planned village the name Maungārongo: "There are layers to its meaning of peace It is an etymological nod to the famous Tūpuna Maunga of Tāmaki Makaurau," Majurey said Master planning for other planned projects are for a "metro supermarket Toi [meaning art and knowledge] is a proposed 65-unit seven-level building with studio two and three-bedroom places with commercial ground-level spaces including for food and beverage operations The partnership has now begun marketing pre-sales there "We appreciate we're launching in a soft market," Majurey said of Auckland residential prices dropping since the market peaked last November Studio units in Toi start at $530,000 and three-bedroom places start at $875,000 Majurey said the aim is for apartments to be affordable "We don't want thoroughfares in terms of internal roads," Majurey said Ockham's Mark Todd said Toi's construction was scheduled to start next July and be finished 16 months later That first building was designed by architect Hannah Chiaroni-Clarke and Majurey said the architecture would reflect te ao Māori including art "This project is our contribution to an Aotearoa aesthetic," Chiaroni-Clarke said "a reimagining of what multi-density housing can look like." Majurey said: "The inspiration for Toi was from Hotunui" referring to the great wharenui of Ngāti Maru/Marutūāhu inside Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum Exterior colours and design features on the four planned apartment buildings pay homage to growth and use phases of the harakeke plant: • Mid-green new shoot phase for the first apartment block • Dark purple and red for the second 10-level building the stalk and flower of the stem of the harakeke; • Darker green for the more mature growth phase or awhi rito • Silvery green representing the woven phase of the tūpuna or older leaves for the fourth seven-level block Housing Minister Megan Woods was at the opening of the partnership's new Waterview building last year the second by the Pākehā/Māori collaboration which is developing 541 affordable new units in four blocks Woods said last year that Kōkihi was delivered ahead of schedule and an example of how to do great development "Exemplary developments" from the partnership completed were the already-opened Tuatahi in Mt Albert and now Kōkihi "instantly recognisable with their brick facades and motifs and the next two will be equally impressive" she said of the under-construction Aroha at 1817 Great North Rd "We've taken seven houses and created 95 new apartments There are 95 new apartments on land where seven houses once stood and it's 10km from the CBD emphasising the new uses of Auckland land with intensive housing models Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei's investment arm is also planning its first 38 homes at the Carrington/Unitec site Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa's property general manager Neil Donnelly said last month: "We're weeks away from applying for resource consent for the first 38 on the southern part of the site near Woodward Rd The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development says of the 39.7ha site: "The project is a large-scale urban development led by the three Tāmaki Makaurau rōpū of Marutūāhu Ngāti Whātua and Waiohua-Tāmaki and their project partners It is being facilitated by the Crown via Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development." Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the development at Unitec's Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae in her Mt Albert electorate saying the mix of affordable and open-market housing would include parks please build something here – anything' debate on a site empty for 36 years Protesters attempting to stop the felling of exotic trees on Ōwairaka-Mt Albert in Auckland say they plan to stay at the site round the clock The Tūpuna Maunga Authority is planning to cut down the trees from today as part of a programme to restore native vegetation and wildlife to the maunga spokesperson for Honour the Maunga community group said all trees supported native wildlife and the mature exotics should be left until the native trees planted there were bigger Ms Radford said over the course of the morning about 100 people had come and gone from the site and tree-felling contractors had left A smaller group was staying at the entrance "We're organising rosters to make sure that people are here 24/7 because we are committed to preventing the felling of 345 exotic trees on Mt Albert but also we want to stop this madness on Auckland's maunga "This has already happened on some other mountains and is going to be happening on other places." Ms Radford said residents were not consulted and the first anyone in the community knew about it was a "limited letterbox drop" and a councillor's Facebook posting late October However, Tūpuna Maunga Authority chairman Paul Majurey in a statement said they'd taken several rounds of Auckland-wide public consultation on plans for the ecological restoration of the 14 maunga administered by the Authority He said the Tūpuna Maunga Integrated Management Plan underwent public consultation from February to May 2016 and the Tūpuna Maunga Authority Integrated Management Plan Strategies underwent public consultation in July and August 2019 In an earlier statement in October Mr Majurey said restoring and enhancing the original features of the maunga where possible was important "The starting point for the Authority is our commitment to honouring the maunga as some of Auckland's oldest and most important natural cultural and archaeological landmarks," he said "In the biodiversity stream of the Tūpuna Maunga Integrated Management Plan a priority goal is restoring and reconnecting native ecological networks within and between the maunga and the wider landscape," the statement said "Proactive management of exotic plant species and reintroducing indigenous flora and fauna is a vital step towards that outcome." The first phase restoration was completed in August with the planting of 2700 native shrubs Some Auckland residents say they are exhausted and stressed after a month fighting council plans to fell nearby pine trees It was such a relief to have some sunshine this morning after all the rain works causing the underpass to be closed off Rob Boasman had it all in hand with a fantastic group of high vis heroes It was especially awesome to have so many marshals pointing the way It is fun to have the loopy course once in a while You get to see your friends lots of times as you turn around and around We had a very special milestone today with young Lucas achieving 25 volunteer efforts Lucas let out a whistle and called out for mum Joyce Leevard She joined him up the front to celebrate her 100th run Joyce has been working hard to get this in before welcoming another child We are so grateful for all your family’s efforts The 50 club gained three new members today with Annika Vashi What fun to celebrate so many milestones today No t-shirt for this one but still an exciting moment holding the trophy and having lots of friends make the effort to come and support Of course with 200 runs there is always a bit of a history So if you will permit me to be totally self-indulgent I would love to share with you my parkrun journey We are all shaped by our stories and sharing them connects and inspires us I hope something in this story will encourage one of you to keep going or even to try out your first parkrun if you’ve never been before I ran my first parkrun at Cornwall park on August the 29th My friend Luke had told me about parkrun several times but I was so intimidated to turn up with all those runners I was new to running however it was not my first attempt to start running My whole family are great runners but there was never any pressure for me to join in I spent my teen years standing at finish lines Welling up as people from all walks of life crossed over the journeys they had taken to get there written on their faces I had tried to start running several times What I wish someone had told me was that although it feels like death at the start keep at it and eventually running feels like life I kept giving up in the ‘death’ part thinking I just wasn’t made to be a runner But something in me wanted to do it so bad I started going out for little runs around my area While I was thinking about going to this parkrun thing He’s a bit of a star so he rocked up no worries and managed to claim the honor of being the first parkrunner of the family Eventually I ran out of excuses and turned up There is actually a photo from my first parkrun because coincidently I bumped into a bunch of friends there including Luke who had told me about it in the first place You can laugh at the quality of phone cameras back then But the second parkrun… that was the worst My brother used to chuckle each week asking me “Did you get a PB today?” as I went through a hilarious 5 weeks getting one every time It was an intoxicating feeling seeing those results emails coming through who will come first but won’t mention it and will get excited with you about your time or achievements Chris and I made parkrun our special Saturday ritual with my baby nephew joining us for the run and a coffee at the cafe afterwards He eventually got smart to the fact that he should sit with daddy while he ate and then go and stand by Auntie Bee when her date scone arrived I was thrilled to celebrate my 50 and 100 with Chris My biggest memory is the first time I was timekeeper at Cornwall park I turned up and someone had left the stopwatches in West Auckland So we had to download the new parkrun app and use it for the first time The rest of the family was strangely reluctant to join in on the fun of parkrun Mum and dad live in Hamilton and are very keen competitors I was annoyed that I kept telling them to try the Hamilton Lake parkrun knowing they’d love it but they had other plans Well eventually they were worn down and now they are regular volunteers with their 100 shirts The kids have blown us all away by becoming parkrunners and volunteers themselves but it's a pity their efforts as pram passengers don’t get a barcode   As a family,  we love dressing up and running on Christmas morning or trying new parkruns when we are travelling. It's the best feeling when you realise you are attending an event in a town where they have a parkrun! I was pumped when my name turned up on the https://www.parkrun.co.nz/results/mostevents/ page for running at least 15 parkruns in New Zealand so many people love the challenge of visiting them all Once my niece arrived and Cornwall park changed to the new 3 lap route we took the pram and departed to alternate between Barry Curtis and Western Springs depending on the amount of mud likely to drag the pram down I took great pride in taking a turn every now and then to push 2 kids around the course Although at Western Springs I would need Chris or my good friends Sarah or Danni to push my back to get up that sharp hill I did miss the challenge of the Cornwall Park hill and seeing everyone on the out and back Those who have done the old route will remember that hill I went out one day after work and ran up and down that hill three times My own running journey progressed as I gained more confidence week after week Each one felt like the hugest accomplishment I was so proud and so grateful to be running that I welled up at every finish line After thinking running was something that was too hard and that I couldn’t do it breaking these self imposed barriers gave me such self confidence Boyed up by this I went off to Outward Bound and signed up for a half marathon series the more I could do and I finally signed up for a marathon I have now completed 29 half marathons (as a runner and pacer) and three marathons If you told me on the 29th August 2015 about any of this I would have been totally in disbelief Julie reminded me this morning that she is at parkrun because Chris and I were doing it We knew each other from when I taught Winona in my first ever class Julie had heard about this free event called parkrun It sounded too good to be true but the fact that we were there encouraged her to try it I realise this is all not at all our Kiwi way to talk about all my achievements… but there is just one final one that really deserves a tshirt: 200 parkruns and I’ve never forgotten my barcode 😉 Now you can have it on your phone or watch So thank you all for being a part of my journey and for being courageous enough to walk and run your own Protesters at a public hui today in Auckland cursed mana whenua of the ancestral maunga telling them they were colonisers and questioning their whakapapa was for the public to air their concerns about the restoration project on the mountain A small group of protesters, Honour the Maunga, who are against the felling of 345 non-native trees refused to attend - with only some members going individually Earlier this week, Tūpuna Maunga Authority chair Paul Marjurey described the situation at the maunga as a clash of worldviews While everyone gathered at the entrance of the maunga prior to the hui on one side was the Honour the Maunga group and their supporters members of the public who had come to see what was going on - the division was clear from the outset which he said was used by his ancestors who walked that very whenua to whakawātea - or clear the way - for the rōpū making their way up the maunga a member of the maunga authority addressed the crowd reminding them of the Treaty Settlement that led to the authority's conception the devastation and desecration of wāhi tapu in Tāmaki Makaurau - including the ancestral maunga - and that the authority's role is to restore them said she only brought a small group of tauira in fear of how the adults might behave She also asked the protesters to not question her students about how often they go to the maunga - the maunga which is acknowledged at their kura and kohanga every day Protester Lisa Prager has been one of the key figures in the protest since it started 19 days ago In a televised interview on TVNZ's The Hui last Sunday but said she would still "assert my heart felt connection and love of this very special land" but the truth is we all have a place to share," she said She then described the felling of 345 non-native trees as utu - and proceeded to explain the concept to a pae of prominent kaumātua A woman who says she moved to Aotearoa from Samoa 50 years ago says she feels like mana whenua and then performed a karanga to the crowd cursing mana whenua and their future generations for allowing this project to go forward What was described as a mākutu was met with much hostility with Independent Māori Statutory Board representative Tau Henare saying he felt he was being colonised twice over He called the protesters a group of woke and entitled pākehā - with only one lone police officer attending their protest - a stark contrast from Ihumātao "What's the difference between Ihumātao and here You can speak to as many trees as you want to Koro Ngapo said it was clear the message and purpose was lost on many in the protest group and what was said was offensive "I just don't think they really understand what they were actually engaging in I think there were a lot of people that were really really offended by what they actually said it's up to the TMA to do what they need to do but certainly from a cultural view in terms of karakia and takutaku and so forth we did what we had to do to keep everybody safe." Honour the Maunga spokesperson Anna Radford said if any offense was caused by those from the protest group that attended did so in their individual capacity She said the decision was made to not attend because she did not believe the Maunga Authority wanted to meet them halfway because we believe that there is no integrity in the process and no willingness to engage in an open way with us - we have decided to just stand here and we are not blocking the hui in any way." Among other speakers on the day included Māori arborist and lecturer Zane Wedding He expressed his gratitude to mana whenua and the Tūpuna Maunga Authority for wanting to restore the maunga to its original state He told the protest group to worry more about ancient trees their neighbours were cutting down - not mana whenua He said the maunga restoration project was more than just planting trees and that no devastation would be caused - instead it was tino rangatiratanga in practice "So to give them [protesters] precedence on this maunga how much mana does that give back to my people I am a Māori that didn't grow up with tikanga Māori or within te ao Māori Tūpuna Maunga Authority chair Paul Majurey said that some of things throughout the hui were ill-informed - but was a good opportunity to hear many views He said they still needed to engage with the protest group to see where they were at - and for that reason there was still no decision on when the tree felling would start "We have tried to accommodate what they sought from us in terms of a meeting it seems there were a few from their folk that were here but certainly the great majority were not are they looking to absolutely say that regardless of what's spoken about and what we discuss they're going to try and stop us - we don't know we'll have to see where we get to with that." Although Koro Ngapo deemed much of what was said by the other side as offensive he believed that could be solved if they engaged genuinely in this country's history "[They need] to educate themselves around co-governance and not to be threatened by it because I understood what everyone was saying today we all have a connection to all our maunga throughout Aotearoa but I think one group has used this type of issue to put their views across and I don't necessarily think they are listening." The protesters have tied ribbons around the trees they don't want cut down - which sit in among healthy tōtara karamū and karaka trees that Tūī and kererū/kūkupa were flying in and out of during the nearly three-hour hui Honour the Maunga vow they will continue to occupy the land until they know the non-native trees on the maunga will not be cut down Protesters trying to stop trees being felled on Auckland's Ōwairaka/Mt Albert say the announcement that a hui will take place has taken them by surprise Protestors in Auckland are in a standoff with the Tūpuna Maunga Authority over the planned chopping of trees on Ōwairaka - but this is a dispute that goes beyond wildlife Protesters plan to stay at the entrance to Ōwairaka-Mt Albert in Auckland to try to stop the felling of more than 300 exotic trees Te Ao Māori RSS Owairaka parkrunners awoke to perfect conditions on Saturday morning for a walk the reward was a shot at a good time on the fast and flat-ish Owai course Returning Run Director Julie Collard got us underway and with the inspirational chalking from Winona and Christiana enroute the day was set for a flurry of personal best times: a whopping 30 PBs meaning 1-in-5 were recording a best parkrun time at Owairaka These times were being recorded by fan favourite timekeepers Francis McCormick (43 volunteers) and John Kelly (39 volunteers) welcoming a total of 136 parkrunners across the finish line This represented the second biggest event in terms of numbers of participants hosted by Owairaka PR in its almost 2-year history who was the first female across the line at a time of 22:49 recording a personal best by 20-seconds and her first number 1 gender position finish Keith Burrows took the honours for the first male across the line looking svelte and resplendent in his long-awaited 100 run T-shirt despite my best efforts to ruffle his feathers Amongst the 136-strong field were 22 first-timers We welcomed a couple of members of the Speedy Geese running group over from Canberra whose usual runs start from Parliament House in the Australian capital I must thank them for introducing me to the 5k Parkrunner Results app which is a treasure trove of interesting stats and mildly amusing challenges I understand that their run at Owairaka was nicely filling in a gap in the "O" section of the Alphabeteer challenge which is completed when an event starting with every letter of the alphabet is finished (except for "X" for which there is no current parkrun event And it was great to see some of the regulars too - our friends at the Speed Freaks had good group at the run including a charming baby in a lovely crocheted get-up (I'm told by my sources) Thank you to all the volunteers who made the event happen Sarah Jane SINCLAIR • Trent VANNISSELROY • Alicia SCHIMANSKI • Craig LINDSAY • Owen MITCHELL • Bridget LAWRENCE • Callie VANDEWIELE • Christiana BARKER • Paddy THORNLEY • Julie COLLARD • Winona LEE • Rosalind KELLY • John KELLY • Carrie AUSTIN • Tony AUSTIN • Francis MCCORMICK • Jennie PARKER • Leanne COMER • Gillian ROACH Owairaka parkrun started on 24th October 2020 Since then 1,414 participants have completed 5,479 parkruns covering a total distance of 27,395 km A total of 232 individuals have volunteered 1,009 times jogged and walked our beautiful Owairaka parkrun course and 18 people put their hands up to be volunteers There were six people who completed their very first parkrun today A further 11 parkrunners were visiting us for the first time - we hope you enjoyed the experience and come back again soon The weather was pretty near perfect if a bit cloudy but by the end of the morning the sun was peeking through Congratulations to owners of the 18 Personal Bests out there today it’s a great feeling to be seeing such progress Huge thanks go to the awesome team that put on the event today: Owen Mitchell It’s great that there was a balance between the ‘old hands’ who have volunteered before and a couple of first time hi-vis heroes who took the plunge today who was on barcode scanning with the help of son Callum had this to report: ‘I enjoyed myself and it wasn't too taxing The highlight was being part of the event without having to run!’ So rest assured that it’s easy and fun to volunteer Our favourite parkrun power couple Owen & Tia took line honours for both males & females today There must be some celebrating going on in their house tonight Tia and Owen both also volunteered before 8am this morning so we can clearly see how good things happen to those who serve For more statistics from today, check out the full results ( a complete event history) on the Owairaka parkrun Results Page As much as we celebrate runners on the speedy side we also love our growing walking community and the fact that our average finishing time keeps getting slower while our numbers are slowly rising That points to us being inclusive and continuing to identify and remove barriers to participation If you know of someone who’d benefit from parkrun please do spread the word and help them to come along and give it a try It was wonderful to see the Berry family back at parkrun with one brand new member in tow but rumour has it that Dylan is going to graduate to his own two feet soon leaving a much lighter buggy for Dad to push around We will be eagerly awaiting a corresponding leap in your finish times Today parkrun ambassador Kent Stead also checked in to see how we were doing Kent was instrumental in getting us ready to join the parkrun family back on October 24 It was great to see him back and hear his kind words about the wonderful community we’re building we love seeing all the parkrunners standing around at the finish line cheering others on and chatting for their parkrun debrief Remember there’s always spare seats at Cafe L’oeuf down the road to continue the conversation with a tea or coffee and a tasty morsel from the cabinet or menu Since then 1,392 participants have completed 5,343 parkruns covering a total distance of 26,715 km A total of 232 individuals have volunteered 990 times of whom 19 were first timers and 17 recorded new Personal Bests Representatives of 18 different clubs took part and the weather cooperated really nicely until 9am when it began to tip it down This week was busy on all fronts for Owairaka Not only did 115 people come along to walk co-ED at Sherwood parkrun and longtime friend of Owairaka parkrun While not a “t-shirt milestone” we at Owairaka are chuffed that Andrew has spent 8 years worth of Saturday mornings running walking or jogging parkruns while also volunteering regularly to help make parkrun accessible to other people We were also very lucky at Owairaka this morning as Helen Watson brought along a very generous collection of cookies and cakes to celebrate Unbeknownst to us until after the run was over running a speedy 21:42 came in as our fastest woman and broke the VW65-69 age group record and shattered our age grade record setting the new bar at 94.85% In addition to our good friends from Sherwood reserve we were delighted to welcome the Sheen family from Tasmania Rumor has it (from one of their facebook comments) that they loved our course and it might be a family favorite In addition to all of the excitement it is important to remember that Owairaka parkrun started on 24th October 2020 a total of 228 individuals have volunteered 972 times, including 16 people who volunteered today to make each one of our 61 event spossbile. We would be delighted to have 250 individual people volunteer with us before the year is out. If you think you could be one of those people, please email us at owairaka@parkrun.com Andrew CAPEL • Lynne HARRISON • Stu MCGARVA • Sarah JANTSCHER • Earl IRVING • Doug O'SHEA • Callie VANDEWIELE • Helen WATSON • Julie COLLARD • Winona LEE • Rosalind KELLY • George CULVER • John KELLY • Francis MCCORMICK • Charlie PARKER • John BARBER Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Owairaka parkrun Results Page First up a big thanks to this week's volunteers And a total of 88 happy park runners headed out on course today As such Nick Moore is the first recorded with 16:27 1st Female and 10th overall - Naomi McGarva with 20:56 1st Junior and 38th overall – Reuben Edlington with 28:33 (and a PB!) After being rudely awakened by a couple of heavy downpours and howling wind we were wondering what the conditions were going to be like out on course After a check of the Facebook page to ensure we were still on it was off to Owairaka to check in for our various volunteering duties Lucas got his phone ready to go for barcode scanning Joyce got the first timer's brief all sorted and I started my watch wondering how/what I’d write in the report I decided that I was going to go out fast this morning This put me in the top 5 or so for the first K nowhere near the top two who disappeared quickly into the distance It was cool to see the water level so high in the river as we went under the bridge As I slowly remembered I was not as fast as I was in 2015 and upon hitting the bridge on the way back I decided a walk up was required Thanks to the park runner who checked in to make sure I was alright  From here it was “all downhill” to the finish A unique surprise was in store for the way back under the bridge where the river had made its presence known I hope everyone enjoyed Owairaka parkrun number 60 jogged and walked the course of which 19 people were first timers to Owairaka parkrun In this group of people we had Jacqui Taogaga recording their very first parkrun ever and right through to Sarah Jantscher recording their 338th parkrun As you can see already everyone is at different places in their parkrun journey When you hear the word parkrun what does it mean to you Do you know what it means to that regular smiley face you see each week I challenge you all to take a moment at your next parkrun and ask the person next to you why they attend and what it means to them everyone has their own reason why they parkrun or could be coming back from injury or illness or to maintain or develop a stronger mental wellbeing or maybe it is the only time they see other people socially in their week They could even be running for recovery (hey Speed Freaks!) or are a part of Achilles with a disability being led by an able-bodied participant (shout out to Achilles come on over and check out Owairaka) or parkrun is possibly part of something bigger that they are training for The reasons are endless and parkrun means something different to everyone We had a beautiful morning this morning with the sunrise shining over the course Even the Aussies (Auzzy Auzzy Auzzy oi oi oi) picked the best way to spend their school holidays She’s a pretty big flight all the way from Western Australia to come all this way just for parkrun 😉 Thanks to all the international and national visitors for joining us all here at Owairaka Stephanie Tieu was the only milestone for the morning celebrating her 100th run Congrats on earning that black shirt Stephanie 1st Male and 1st overall - Jon Turner with 18:54 1st Female and 7th overall - Naomi McGarva with 20:33 1st Junior and 2nd overall - George Howcroft with 19:51 In addition to this there were 21 people who recorded new personal bests No matter your result well done to everyone for simply just showing up Of course we can not forget the most important part about the morning is that parkrun is not possible without the hi-vis heroes Christine MUNRO • Alicia SCHIMANSKI • Brenda ROBINSON • Sarah JANTSCHER • Bridget LAWRENCE • Jon TURNER • Christiana BARKER • Julie COLLARD • Nick SOMERVILLE • Jack MERRALL • John KELLY • Francis MCCORMICK • Joyce LEEVARD • Charlie PARKER • Sandra HULSE • Eimear CHAPMAN • Richard EDLINGTON We were certainly very lucky for a break from this week’s rainy weather with nice blue skies and sun shining through this Saturday morning for 165 parkrunners to run We had visitors attending from Gold Coast and Sydney and several new first timers to welcome Lots of milestones were celebrated: Dan Frost on 25 and George Douglas on 50 –Congratulations! And thank you to Malcolm Campbell who celebrated his 25th volunteering event – parkrun relies on volunteers to operate and it’s a lot of fun so please do consider have a look at the roster and consider signing up for a volunteer role at an upcoming parkrun Also a big Happy Birthday to Stu McGarva today who celebrated his birthday with a balloon and the most gorgeous looking cupcakes and cookies I’ve ever seen Today’s 1st place finisher was Steve Furminger with an incredible 16:54 for his debut at Owairaka parkrun 1st female finisher was Stella Hammond with an impressive 19:03 and PB for her 2nd parkrun at Owairaka Well done to the other 17 participants who enjoyed getting a new PB today particularly those who enjoy the numbers side were missing today as they travelled down to Tauranga for the inaugural Gordon Spratt parkrun which had 122 finishers Don’t forget to download the 5k App and put your Barcode details in so you can see all your achievements and the various statistics and analysis you can see Thanks again to our esteemed Run Director today Rosalind KELLY and her team of volunteers namely: Rob BOASMAN It has been such an up and down week weather wise in Auckland post Easter with record temperatures in the high 20s humidity that can stifle anyone’s running efforts plus bouts of rain we woke today to a beautiful sunny clear morning with just a slight cool breeze making for perfect running conditions for Owairaka’s 49th parkrun Run director Jon Turner gave us an inspiring briefing reminding us to soak in the atmosphere of running past Arthur Lydiard’s house who trained the likes of Peter Snell and Murray Halberg to Olympic glory back in the day Also thank you to the wonderful singing dog today during the briefing who was obviously just keen to get going A total of 87 runners joggers and walkers embraced the early morning 8am start successfully completing the 5km course Owairaka parkrun has its challenges with quite a few twists and turns to navigate as you follow Oakley Creek under roads out towards New North Road and then back before following another loop up to Beagle Ave and finally back into Owairaka Park Congratulations to the 25 first timers completing their parkrun today and we really hope you come back for more a shout out to our visitors from other parkruns around Auckland and further afield The combination of the field today saw 9 personal bests achieved and representation from 9 different clubs There was a good team of runners who set the pace today with the first 4 finishers in under 20 minutes and the top 20 runners today finishing under 25 minutes Keith Burrows and Owen Mitchell finished first and second in times of 19:01 and 19:30 respectively Third place to Jonathan Dixon at 19:49 which was a PB until results were updated due to a timing issue after about one hour Our first female finisher today was Krystyna Knight at 20:41 followed by Anna McRae second with a time of 20:56 and third Winona Lee at 21:54 Congratulations to all our finishers! Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Owairaka parkrun Results Page We can’t have a run report without acknowledging our volunteers today who helped to make it happen Thanks for taking time out of your weekend Michael GREENWOOD • Owen MITCHELL • Jon TURNER • Inge KÄMINK • Lesley RYAN • Krystyna KNIGHT • Julie COLLARD • John KELLY • Francis MCCORMICK • Jennie PARKER • Max PARKER • Charlie PARKER • Clare BROWN • Abdulaziz (Abdul) MOHAMUD • Anna BROWN I am forever grateful for parkrun and it is always fun to run with others in a friendly and non-competitive way This was really obvious today when I saw one of our runners trip and fall and many others stopping to check he was okay and assist Have a great long Anzac weekend and we will see you all next Saturday for the big 50th celebration of Owairaka parkrun 1,177 participants have completed 4,078 parkruns covering a total distance of 20,390 km A total of 196 individuals have volunteered 770 times It was so lovely to see so many new faces at Owairaka again this week we were stoked to have 101 people people turning up to run Lovely Run Director Roz had us cracking up in her briefing then quickly sent us off on our merry way It was wonderful to have 17 first timers trying Owairaka parkrun today These included youngster Revanth KISHORE doing his first ever parkrun and Simon REA completing his 352nd It is neat to have people who have been firsttimers over the last few weeks We are so glad you are enjoying parkrun and seeing the benefits of this happy Speedfreaks were well represented today with 2 newcomers looking awesome in their uniforms Today even marked the first barkrun for several dogs including the 2 fluffy and cute siblings pictured All the puppers had a lovely time greeting each other out on the course and there was a good meet up of happy dogs at the finish line Please make sure to keep your human on a short leash held in their hand Some of us came to parkrun for a great chat a coffee and a tricky challenge with the Canvas quiz afterwards at L'Oeuf I really enjoyed a lovely yarn with parkrun friends and volunteers But it appears many of you came with a different agenda I know for some of you this represented an Owairaka parkrun PB a this-was-my-second-week-and-was-faster PB an overall 5km PB (wow the bridge must have hurt!) or a the-kids-are-not-with-me-I-can-actually-run PB Regular volunteer Krystyna KNIGHT has worked her way into the run report for a second week in a row giving it absolutely everything in an attempt to beat the female record on our course We commiserated with her when her time of 19:28 was one agonizing second off the female course record held by Freyja Prentice in 19:27 Krystyna returned this week and again setup the long course for us leaving lovely chalk messages and "boosts" to keep us going Then once again she was paced by her partner Owen (who then jumped in as barcode scanner!) into an incredible time of 18:56!!! Smashing the record and her best time by over 30 seconds So were you slacking off last week or what Krystyna?! Congratulations and thank you and Owen for being such stars at parkrun volunteering so faithfully and then racing off to new heights The event was made possible by 16 gorgeous volunteers: Owen MITCHELL • Bridget LAWRENCE • Krystyna KNIGHT • Julie COLLARD • Rebecca BERRY • Rosalind KELLY • John KELLY • Carrie AUSTIN • Tony AUSTIN • Francis MCCORMICK • Annabel REID • Mandy DONALD • John BARBER • Lindsay SIMPSON • Dianne MCARDLE • Tash SIMMONS Volunteering is easy and lots of fun. Please consider trying it out if you have never volunteered or haven't done it in a while. You can sign up on the board on saturday mornings, email us at owairaka@parkrun.com or message us on Facebook (we regularly have plea requests to reply to!) Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Owairaka parkrun Results Page Please come along next week if you are in town for a Matariki parkun Since then 1,309 participants have completed 4,845 parkruns covering a total distance of 24,225 km A total of 217 individuals have volunteered 907 times A witness at the inquiry into abuse in care has revealed seeing a boy being beaten to a near pulp at the Ōwairaka Boys' Home in 1970 He stayed for just four weeks because he could not stand it any longer Solomon's evidence was read to the Royal Commission by his daughter Pulotu was told by other staff not to fraternise with the boys because ''I could tell they were reluctant to say anything but after a couple of weeks talking to them I think some of them knew I was on their side but I didn't want to push it because if they were found talking to me they would be in trouble.'' He said a staff member asked if he knew what went on in the secure unit after boys who ran away were brought back ''He said that we put them in there for the night and the next day we go in and give them such a thrashing that they do not want to go out again.'' Pulotu said one incident really shocked him and helped him make up his mind to leave It involved a staff member lunging at a boy and punching and kicking him ''I thought to myself what is going on here He said a colleague's advice was to keep his trap shut ''It made me question what was going on there ''I felt helpless to say or do anything about what I saw because the abuse was coming right from the top so I only stayed for a short period of time.'' ''You are just going to get a bad name and be out the door I think if I was older I would have reported it.'' as children in welfare homes are there for a reason there is no use in sending them to a place where people will not look after them properly ''What these kids need are people to be supportive be patient with them and listen to them.'' Solomon said welfare homes need staff who are of high standing He said it comes down to the quality of the people that run the institutions A life of abuse from an early age has been outlined to the inquiry into abuse in care by a woman of Tongan and Palagi descent The theft of his name led a Pacific Island boy down a path of state care A Samoan man was robbed of his cultural identity after spending time in state care The Children's Commissioner is warning the inability of the the Royal Commission to look at recent cases will result in the need for a second Abuse in Care inquiry That’s the narrative Pita Turei plans to share on one of his historical walks over the maunga this Thursday afternoon Walking about Te Wai o Rakataura is one of a series of oratory events organisers by Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery rather than being a counter to the weekend wānanga on the mountain held by Pouroto Ngaropo from Ngāti Awa Mr Turei says he attended the start of the wānanga organised by the Honour the Maunga protest group to voice his support for the Tūpuna Maunga Authority’s vision of restoring the vegetation on the maunga to reflect the unique biodiversity of the isthmus “I wasn’t going to address the issue of Wairaka I think the idea it was named for an ancestor of Ngāti Awa was a mistake by George Graham (author of Māori Place Names of Auckland) that was picked up by some in Ngāti Awa wanting a to give themselves status in Tāmaki Makaurau I can find no evidence Wairaka was resident on that mountain ever The notion that she was came from George Graham shortening the name Te Wai o Rakataura.” who from Kawhia after a dispute over succession and who should inherit two significant taonga the dogskin cloak Pīpītewai and the mere Karioi-mutu “It’s a Game of Thrones narrative with jealousy the Wairaka narrative has no place to belong,” he says He hopes members of Honour the Maunga will join the walk Walking about Te Ahi Kā a Rakataura starts at the carpark on Summit Drive at 7.30pm Thursday Copyright © 2020, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com Enter your email address to receive regular updates from Waatea News Produced by iDigital A sacred archaeological site on Ōwairaka Mt Albert has been "significantly and irreversibly" damaged by the illegal planting of 27 trees The illegal planting of 27 trees on an Auckland mountain has "significantly and irreversibly" damaged a sacred archaeological site dating back 1000 years The Tūpuna Maunga Authority (TMA) said the planting was in an area previously unmodified damaging archaeological material from a historic pā settlement Illegal modification of the landscape on Ōwairaka is prosecutable under the Reserves Act 1977 and the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 The damage was reported to Heritage New Zealand TMA chair Paul Majurey said the sacred site at Ōwairaka appeared to have been deliberately changed A large area around the planted trees was damaged with herbicide Protesters had earlier rejected plans by the TMA to remove 345 exotic trees and replace them with up to 13,000 plants and trees Protest group Honour the Maunga (HTM) held a sit-in at the site to stop contractors from cutting the trees down The plan was halted after a successful appeal in court The TMA had earlier been set up as a group to which ownership of Auckland's 14 tūpuna maunga (ancestral mountains) could be returned to 13 iwi The plan to revegetate Ōwairaka/Mt Albert maunga was linked to a wider plan to restore native flora culture and mana to a landscape changed by colonisation had earlier told how they regularly walked the mountain and felt a deep connection to the towering oak and gum trees that had been in line for the chop In taking the matter to the Court of Appeal they argued the plan breached the Reserves Act and didn't allow for enough public consultation The Court of Appeal's three judges found the plan should have been publicly notified as required by the Resource Management Act the High Court had previously found the authority and Auckland Council both acted lawfully when granting consent to remove the trees on a non-notified basis customary and historical significance of the mountains of the original peoples of Auckland Maunga to Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau as part of the authority restoration programme we look at all these factors – ensuring the least damage to the archaeology of the maunga as possible." "It is tragic that there are people desecrating this ancestral Maunga and taonga in complete disregard to cultural significance of this taonga," he said TMA staff and contractors would monitor activity on Ōwairaka closely The authority worked closely with archaeologists and other experts for legitimate plantings "We have a zero-tolerance of unauthorised digging on the maunga and anyone found responsible for such activity will be prosecuted We are seeking information from anyone who might know something about this." Other historic sites on Auckland maunga have been damaged before Ōtāhuhu Mt Richmond was damaged in October 2018 and Takarunga Mt Victoria was damaged in September 2019 The only high-reach ladder truck in Auckland broke down last night Sacred archaeological area of Ōwairaka/Mt Albert in Auckland has been damaged A sacred archaeological area of Ōwairaka/Mt Albert in Auckland has been damaged after 27 trees were found to have been planted into the site illegally The disturbed area was previously unmodified meaning it was in the original form of the maunga dating back near 1000 years to a preserved historic pā settlement At one section the planting spans a historic pā terrace and there is also evidence of disturbed midden Given the historic significance of Ōwairaka any illegal modification is prosecutable under the Reserves Act 1977 and the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 The damage has been reported to Heritage New Zealand said the sacred site at Ōwairaka appears to have been deliberately altered with a large area around the planted trees treated with herbicide "The management of the Maunga is guided by the spiritual and historical significance of the Maunga to Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau," he said as part of the Authority restoration programme we look at all these factors – ensuring the least damage to the archaeology of the maunga as possible." "It is tragic that there are people desecrating this ancestral maunga and taonga in complete disregard to cultural significance," Marjury said "When undertaking the authority's planting programme the team work closely with archaeologists and other experts to ensure planting is managed engaging authority to modify from Heritage New Zealand "We have a zero tolerance of unauthorised digging on the maunga and anyone found responsible for such activity will be prosecuted Similar damage occurred on other Auckland maunga and historic sites Ōtāhuhu/Mt Richmond in October 2018 and Takarunga/Mt Victoria in September 2019 Makutu on the maunga at Auckland’s Tupuna Maunga Authority and protesters talked past each other on the future of exotic trees on Ōwairaka Mount Albert The hui was called by the authority to explain its plans to reforest the mountain About 150 people followed kaumatua up to the sports field in the crater while about 50 members of the Honour the Maunga group stayed in their camp by the gate Tūpuna Maunga Authority manager Nick Turoa explained the cultural and spiritual importance of Ōwairaka to iwi and how the restoration was part of a wider vision of seeing Tamaki’s 14 volcanic cones as part of a world heritage area protester Lisa Prager described the removal of exotic trees as a massacre and ethnic cleansing Her partner Suella Wilson says she was learnng Māori and felt like mana whenua she delivered what she said was a message from the other side warning mana whenua they would unleash hate on future generations by cutting down the trees the chair of the Tūpuna Taonga Trust which holds the title to the maunga on behalf of iwi said it was unacceptable to curse the tribes Independent Māori Statutory Board member Tau Henare said the pair made him feel he had been colonised twice in a day He said the issue was not about trees or birds but about the authority of mana whenua to determine what happened with their own assets Copyright © 2019, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com Four major water infrastructure projects under construction in Mt Roskill and its nearby suburbs will play a major role in supporting the construction of more than 12,000 homes The four projects underway are: the Huia 1 replacement on Duke Street and McCullough Ave the construction of the Akarana Pump Station and the watermain upgrades in Wesley and Owairaka These projects – alongside other planned water and wastewater infrastructure projects - will significantly support the development of a mix of 11,200 public as well as an additional 945 privately funded residential homes Project manager Tim Manning says the Huia 1 replacement will transport treated drinking water to around 20% of Auckland's population "We’re building a new pipeline because the current pipeline is aging and is no longer fit for its intended purpose “The new pipeline is being installed along road corridors and reserves to ensure easy access in case of any future network failures the new pipes will allow for increased water flow throughout the community.” Manning says the Duke St and McCullough Ave sections of the Huia 1 replacement project is on track to be completed by the middle of next year "Work on the replacement pipeline will begin on Donovan Street and White Swan Road in December." "We also plan to return to finish work on the pipeline's May Road and Marion Avenue section mid-next year." Project manager Peter Kukulsky says the Akarana Pump Station Waikowhai pipelines and watermain upgrade in Wesley and Owairaka are among the seven projects we will deliver in partnership with Kāinga Ora These projects are part of the Mt Roskill shovel-ready programme and will be completed within the next 15 years "These projects and upgrades are needed as our current water and wastewater networks cannot support future residential and commercial development.” Kukulsky says under the shovel ready program the Akarana booster pump station will be the first of the three water infrastructures to be built and is expected to be completed by March 2024 the Akarana booster pump station will be able to pump over 200 litres of water per second into the network - roughly doubling the amount of water available in the community.” Kukulsky says the Waikowhai replacement pipeline is expected to be completed in early 2025 with the Wesley and Owairaka upgrades scheduled for completion later that same year "Both infrastructure projects will see the installation of larger pipes that will be able to take advantage of the extra water the Akarana booster pump station can pump through.” construction partner Fulton Hogan has started the second stage of the Wesley and Owairaka upgrades "The project crew has commenced work on O'Donnell Ave and will proceed to work up Parkinson Avenue the team in Mt Roskill will continue working on the Waikowhai pipeline at the intersection of Richardson Road and Penney Avenue and on Richardson Rd East.” Kukulsky says commuters and residents can expect to experience some traffic and noise disruptions while these critical works are underway "Traffic management will be present throughout the project and consist of one-way detours "The traffic management currently on Richardson Rd will switch to Dominion Rd and Dominion Rd extension next year." to keep these disruptions to a minimum these works will be carried out during regular work hours 7am to 6 pm Monday to Friday – and we will continue to notify the public of any traffic management and layout changes before construction Sites will also be fenced to ensure public safety “Please follow the guidance of our on-site traffic personnel and posted signage.” Kāinga Ora General Manager Urban Development and Delivery Mark Fraser says the work they’ve undertaken with Watercare has already seen significant community benefits “Together over the last five years we have installed more than 5km of new watermains and 4.5km of new wastewater pipes in Roskill South “It not only lays the foundation for us and our build partners to build hundreds of new homes but also unlocks future private development in Mt Roskill while significantly improving service delivery and amenity for existing residents “The outcomes of these projects are testament to what working together collaboratively can achieve and we’re looking forward to continuing this partnership so we can keep delivering for Auckland.” A legal bid to stop the removal of exotic trees on Ōwairaka/Mount Albert in Auckland has been rejected by the High Court A protest group, Honour the Maunga began occupying the Mt Albert site in November last year The Tūpuna Maunga Authority wants to fell 345 non-native trees and plant 13,000 native plants as part of a restoration project on Ōwairaka and Te Ahi ka a Rakataura the protesters have kept that from happening the High Court found the authority acted lawfully in deciding to remove the trees and that the Auckland Council acted lawfully when granting the consent on a non-notified basis The finding is being welcomed by the authority which said it was committed to delivering the plan for ecological restoration said he was pleased that the Court had recognised that the Reserves Act legislation must be read in the context of the Treaty settlement in terms of the rejection of all the challenges against decisions for the Owairaka restoration programme and all that involves that the approach the authorities undertook - its careful approach with assessments and giving vision to the spiritual and cultural landscapes which is part of the mahi that we've been doing has been upheld He also said the court's view that the Treaty settlement legislation established the Tūpuna Maunga Authority to govern the Tūpuna Maunga while providing for the exercise of mana whenua and kaitiakitanga by the mana whenua of Tāmaki Makaurau "The Authority considers that the decision also acknowledges that the maunga are distinct from other parks and open spaces in that they are wāhi tapu - sites of immense spiritual and historical significance to mana whenua," Marjurey said Honour the Maunga said its position remained unchanged and it would continue its efforts to prevent the felling of non-native trees including plans to continue occupying the land "We're here for as long as it takes to honour the beautiful Ōwairaka and all the life forms she supports by saving the trees from being felled," spokesperson Anna Radford said "We are not deterred and will continue to stand strong for the maunga The Tūpuna Maunga Authority said it would take some more advice and consider its next steps in the New Year An environmental group protesting the felling of hundreds of non-native trees on Ōwairaka/Mt Albert have laid a police complaint over threats of violence they've received Students and staff and Unitec-Te Pūkenga supporters at the opening of Toi o Wairaka gallery kaimahi and Aotearoa’s art and design community has opened at Unitec-Te Pūkenga Toi o Wairaka has been unveiled as part of the School of Creative Industries’ new facilities in the Mt Albert The gallery supports the latest contemporary art and design projects by ākonga (students) kaimahi (staff) and other artists and designers in Aotearoa New Zealand The project space for research and creative practice is guided by the values of Te Noho Kotahitanga and the gallery supports teaching and learning through an annual programme of activities including exhibitions The name was selected from suggestions developed by the School of Creative Industries kaimahi “It immediately caught the attention of the Te Reo Committee as it invokes our connection to the whenua and the wai It also invokes both the spirit of Rakataura who stamped her foot to bring forth the puna [spring] that is the heart of Unitec.” “The gallery demonstrates our support for the wider arts community and strengthens our relationship to external festivals and other institutions – this space will enable exhibitions to travel between sites “Toi o Wairaka has many roles – it is a research facility for ākonga and kaimahi a teaching and learning space for postgraduates and undergraduates a connection point with external art practitioners a professional arts space where industry learning can take place “For the people of Tāmaki Makaurau and beyond we aspire to extend beyond the gallery walls and make the arts visible to the wider community the community art trail which opened at Unitec-Te Pūkenga earlier this year.” Toi o Wairaka was officially opened this week and simultaneously its website launched along with its first exhibition Wharehoka Wano will lead Te Tōpuni Ngārahu a body representing the region's eight iwi There is a groundswell of activity in Albert-Eden and at the centre of it are committed locals propelling the community towards sustainable living by forming Eco-neighbourhoods Eco-Neighbourhoods is an Albert-Eden Local Board initiative The programme connects like-minded neighbours across local suburbs so they can find fun ways to make a positive difference to the environment It’s an opportunity for people to learn different ways to live lightly by learning how to grow and buy local food “We aim to create a more sustainable future These activities bring incremental progress that adds up,” says Peter Haynes “By supporting actions such as this we’re helping people to live sustainably in a realistic way.” 13 groups have set up initiatives in the Albert-Eden Local Board area This Eco-Neighbourhood has a community chicken coop The coop and the chickens travel to different houses twice a year so that families can share the experience of keeping chickens and collecting fresh eggs There are 3 families on the waiting list for the travelling chicken coop already! “Through Eco-Neighbourhoods I have enjoyed learning about how to make jams and relishes I am keen for a free community fruit shelf next so we can share excess food and stop waste,” says Brenda This group successfully completed a waste/method bin zero waste project Their community garden working bee has transformed backyard communal space into a vertical vegetable and fruit garden our parent group has incorporated sustainability and a connection with nature into all aspects of children’s play and development Through this exercise we have developed a shared sense of purpose and happiness,” says Ellie Harrison Kids activities and making Kingsland bee-friendly has kept this group busy They have handed out a huge amount of  bee friendly seed packets to households to plant to provide bees with a healthy environment “In Kingsland the Eco-Neighbourhood initiative has been a great way to bring neighbours together to make a positive impact on our area Our focus is on becoming more bee-friendly and less rat-friendly!” says Rachel Fanshawe this group built a community herb garden and a community butterfly and bee garden and created a vegetable garden project Their workshop ‘How to use kitchen herbs’ had a robust turnout too and showed the community’s growing appetite for living lightly “Eco-Neighbourhoods has allowed me to get to know my neighbours through growing local shared kai and creating a community vegetable fruit and herb garden which is great for insects Take action around issues that affect the environment There is funding and facilitation support for 18 groups to do sustainable activities and workshops in their own neighbourhoods. For more information check out the website or email econeighbourhoods@gmail.com For more information on what data is contained in the cookies please click the 'Find out more on the Auckland Council website' button Sign up for our e-newsletter and be the first to know about exciting events and news Owairaka-Mount Albert will be cleared of many of its exotic trees over the next couple of months as the Tūpuna Maunga Authority sets out to restore and enhance the maunga’s original features A community planting day in August resulted in 2700 native shrubs being planted in what’s the first instalment of 13,000 natives that will be planted over the next few years Authority chair Paul Majurey says the next step is removing pest species such as olive and monkey apple There are also elms infected with Dutch Elm Disease and trees deemed dangerous in the wake of last year’s super storm when a number of large trees fell over tracks no one was around at the time because if there were there would have been serious repercussions so we have health and safety issues those are quite small percentage-wise to the amount of planting we are doing at Owairaka and around Tāmaki Mākaurau," he says By RNZ A decision by police not to press charges after a Māori woman was allegedly racially abused and physically assaulted at Ōwairaka / Mount Albert has been described as racist and will be legally challenged Ngahina Hohaia in June said she was verbally and physically attacked when she asked the owner of a dog if she could put her animal on a leash Ōwairaka / Mount Albert is at the centre of heated protests over the felling of 345 exotic trees to make way for native plants AUT law lecturer Khylee Quince is appealing to the Solicitor-General this week on behalf of Hohaia after she was advised by police that they would not be pressing assault charges because the alleged perpetrator had a plausible explanation of self-defence Quince said this should have been tested in court "This decision is racist and is not accepted by Ngahina and by leaders within the wider Māori community The New Zealand Police have a history of poor responses to hate crimes perpetrated by Pākehā against Māori and other ethnic communities," Quince said "The police have failed to acknowledge and understand the significance of this as a racially motivated attack on Ngahina as a wahine Māori wearing moko kanohi and as a Māori citizen accessing Ōwairaka maunga as a place of spiritual sustenance." Quince said police deputy commissioner Wally Haumaha was contacted to oversee the case and iwi liaison officers called in to assist Ngahina Hohaia with giving a statement after she found the officer who originally conducted the interview with her to be unable and unwilling to address or understand Māori cultural issues Quince said that despite this there were no Māori present when the decision not to prosecute was made "We think police failed to consider the seriousness of this as a racially motivated hate crime," she said Auckland City West Area Commander Grant Tetzlaff said police conducted extensive inquiries into matter including speaking with witnesses in the area and examining CCTV footage "Police will be considering all available evidence against the Solicitor General's Prosecution Guidelines before making a decision on how to proceed," he said Owairaka locals have welcomed refurbishment to Plunket rooms in Albert-Eden children and families can now enjoy a better space thanks to upgrades funded by Albert-Eden Local Board insulation in the ceiling and a lick of paint have just been completed at the Auckland Council-owned community facility in Owairaka Supporting community well-being and ensuring people get access to facilities that meet their needs is an important aspect of the local board’s work It’s carried out with careful planning and consideration sometimes based on feedback from the community on what they need most “Well-looked-after facilities provide a direct and immediate benefit to people Our local organisations often meet unique and specific needs in our communities including Plunket and we’re pleased to be able to support them in any way we can,” says Albert-Eden Local Board Chair Margi Watson the Jack Dickey Hall in Greenlane benefitted from an upgrade too The upgrade works included the replacement of the old switchboard waterproofing to address water-tightness issues new front doors with new security swipe access and a new shade sail to the sandpit Jack Dickey Community Hall is a popular venue for social functions, playgroups and meetings. It can be booked through Auckland Council venue hire here with modules based on a system from Sweden The first of three modular apartment blocks designed and made in a south Auckland factory but based on a Swedish system then trucked to the site and craned into place A video clip shows the construction of the first block where the first stage of the $90 million project has risen on land that Property Partners bought from Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities with the rider that some affordable housing be built there Kāinga Ora is selling 55 to 60 per cent of all its large-scale Auckland lots to pay for its rebuild of the city’s state housing stock the agency’s urban development and delivery general manager told the Herald last June: “We are selling several billion dollars worth of land Auckland has 1397 hectares of state house land and we’re selling 55 to 60 per cent of large-scale holdings.” The Ōwairaka site is one block of that land and Mikkelsen said half the units in the first block are being sold to KiwiBuild buyers because Kāinga Ora’s sale stipulations demanded some of the units be made available under that scheme Innovation and Employment (MBIE) featured the Mt Albert project under its construction sector accord saying market demand existed for suppliers who could deliver quality housing at pace and scale Property Partners had investigated offsite manufacturing at scale and ultimately decided that the Swedish model was the best to bring to New Zealand China and Europe but the Swedish model was the right model for us We aligned ourselves with a Swedish company We’re working with a consultant from Sweden talking to them on every aspect from design to delivery and manufacturing techniques,” Mikkelsen said though he was reluctant to provide details about the Swedes for fear of competitors The timber modules were different to steel modules from China which some Kiwi companies had investigated and imported Property Partners is using timber from Nelson Pine and Rotorua’s Red Stag Half of the affordable project will be sold to KiwiBuild-eligible buyers Two-bedroom units are going for around $750,000 via KiwiBuild but free market places would sell for more than $850,000 at the project This is the fourth project Property Partners has done and a fifth is in the planning The use of offsite manufacturing techniques was becoming more popular here for small-scale builds Property Partners’ subsidiary Evergreen Modular is using timber volumetric modular construction a form of offsite manufacturing in which buildings are put together by connecting a series of pre-built modules and stacking them on top of each other to build apartments The first block showed what could be done on a larger-scale project for 108 apartments in Richardson Rd Three six-storey apartment buildings are planned for the entire site The project is being built with New Zealand-sourced and carbon-positive timber volumetric modules which Mikkelsen said is a first in New Zealand Property Partners showed off a video of the scheme of its Evergreen Modular Construction assembling and building a total of 108 apartments on three neighbouring blocks Property Partners has a factory in Wiri where it is making the units in what is essentially a pilot plant “This is our learning plant so we’re looking at systems that can be scaled up to a much larger The Wiri site has potential room to expand “We’re currently in the mid phases of designing a purpose-built factory that has much more capacity Up to 4000 modules or 2000 apartments could be built annually once Property Partners expanded “We’re also looking at the retirement sector Affordable and social housing is what we’re doing at the moment but there’s student and hotel rooms that can be done,” Mikkelsen said Then lift shafts and circulation corridor spaces were completed we were also completing the brick veneer and aluminium cladding facade,” he said Property Partners conducted research on its system the business built its first three-level apartment block in Māngere East Modular construction is being used elsewhere. On the corner of Great North Rd and Point Chevalier Rd, a block of apartments imported fully-built from China has risen surprising some locals but with the aim of housing people aged 55-plus moving into or from existing state housing Vietnamese apartments are also going on a state-owned North Shore site in what the importer says will be New Zealand’s largest off-site manufactured housing construction project imported 182 fully-built housing units on four ships to stack on top of each other on the corner of Lake Rd and Fraser Ave Twelve Guangzhou-built container-style Hobsonville Point modular homes were imported by Tony Houston which owns the pioneering Modul building system Mikkelsen said he had visited Chinese modular housing factories but was disgusted about the conditions and did not like the products Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 23 years written books and covered property extensively here and overseas A child safety campaigner is calling for speed restrictions outside schools to be fast-tracked The government has committed to doing this over the next decade but with children set to return to school from next week transport authorities are being asked why the wait The students of Owairaka District School in Auckland will be returning to the classroom in the next few weeks a busy arterial route in the suburb of Mount Roskill Outside are signs which signal a lower 40km/h speed limit during school hours and principal Sheryl Fletcher said she was surprised that is not standard for all schools across the country "It was kind of news to me that the 40km/h zone wasn't around all schools because I had been a principal at a previous school that that became a 40km/h zone," Fletcher said my expectation is that all schools are 40km/h [zones] and I was surprised to hear that wasn't the case." Fletcher said the speed reduction outside the school has made the children their parents and their teachers feel much safer moving to and from school But they still notice speeding drivers from time to time "The students who are out there on road patrol who I always say to the students in Year 6 that 'this is the most important job in the school' sometimes they will say to me or whoever is out on duty with them The reduced speed limit is important outside Owairaka District School There is a crest on the road approaching the school, which obscures the zebra crossing outside the school The government has set a goal to have lower speed limits outside at least 40 percent of schools in the next three years and for most to be down to 30km/h over the next decade who campaigns for safer speeds near schools and was consulted on the government's new Road to Zero safety strategy "It's not happening as fast as it could," she said they have not promised consistency of speed limits outside schools just suggesting that 40km/h when appropriate I just think is irresponsible just because of the likelihood of it doubling the probability of death." obviously it's an important thing for children to have safer speed limits outside schools and absolutely no more than 60km/h outside any school at any time." the Ministry of Transport manager of mobility and safety Brent Johnston said a number of councils were already on board and tackling unsafe speeds He said by the end of the decade councils would have to have reduced speed limits outside all schools be they variable or permanent speed limits But he said there needed to be a change in legislation to allow for the wholesale change of speed limits near schools Transport officials are working through those changes now lowering limits would be much simpler and more transparent Children have helped convince a regional council to lower speed limits outside their school and cut the chances of being "squished" Speed limits around the country's schools will be reduced to make streets safer for students and more speed cameras are planned to enforce the change Driving speeds around the country's schools will be reduced to make streets safer for students walking to school Tūpuna Maunga Authority announced plans to replace the Ōwairaka trees with natives in November 2019 The Supreme Court has refused to hear an application by Auckland's Tūpuna Maunga Authority to appeal a decision blocking the immediate removal of 345 exotic trees from Owairaka (Mount Albert) The Court of Appeal had previously found that the authority acted unlawfully by failing to comply with its obligations to consult the community while the authority's management plan for the maunga did say it planned to plant native species it had not made it clear that a large number of mature exotic trees would be removed and that it would be done all at once It found the authority needed to follow the consultation provision in the Reserves Act if it wanted to remove all the trees The Supreme Court says the Court of Appeal decision does not affect the integrity or efficacy of the Tāmaki Collective settlement or co-governance arrangements which co-governs Auckland's mountain reserves on behalf of 13 Tāmaki Makaurau iwi announced plans to replace the Ōwairaka trees with natives in November 2019 nearby residents expressed alarm at the loss of mature oaks and other exotics and suggested if all were removed at once a Tupuna Mauna Authority spokesperson has said the authority would take advice on the implications of the court's decision for the Tūpuna Maunga restoration programme "It is noted the Court of Appeal did not decide against tree removal Content warning: The following story contains racist language Police are investigating an attack on a wahine Māori with a moko kauae in the car park at the base of Ōwairaka / Mount Albert a visual artist from Parihaka living in Auckland said she frequently went walking up Ōwairaka for her hauora She said there was a dog wandering in front of her car when she arrived at Ōwairaka about midday on 8 June and she asked the owner who she described as an older Pākehā woman "She replied with 'oh shut up you black b*tch you disgraceful idiots who go around with this mokos on your face'." Hohaia said while it was not the first time she had been subjected to a racist attack she was shocked at the ease at which the woman threw the abuse at her and began recording the woman on her phone and asked her to repeat what she had just said "I was incredibly shocked that there was no hesitation to strike me Before the attack as she was driving to the mountain Hohaia said she saw the woman talking to the Honour the Maunga protest group which has been fighting to stop the felling of 345 exotic trees to make way for native plants Honour the Maunga spokesperson Anna Radford said the group did not "condone the alleged action" We have naturally cooperated with the police in any way we can but this is an incident that happened between two members of the public Hohaia said the group's presence had heightened tensions on Mt Albert "It's become really uncomfortable as a Māori woman to be on the maunga to have to come through the gate and enter the maunga past that campaign every single time and the campaign messages that are visible on the maunga every single day that it's become a really uncomfortable place to be as a Māori woman." She said the group were co-opting Māori words like "maunga" for their campaign while undermining the authority of the iwi collective that governed it Authority chair Paul Majurey said he had been told by other local Māori they felt uncomfortable visiting Ōwairaka and security had been increased there as a result "We've had a lot of feedback that people do not feel as they had previously that this is a safe space for them and their whānau even tamariki from kura kaupapa being approached and questioned as to why they're there.. West Auckland Area Commander Inspector Grant Tetzlaff said police were investigating the attack including examining CCTV footage from a nearby area He said police were disappointed at the racial overtones of the attack and had spoken to both the Tūpuna Maunga Authority and the Honour the Maunga group Anyone who saw what happened was asked to call Avondale police on 105 A Marist College student whose teachers tore down Black Lives Matter posters at the school says it's indicative of the systemic racism students deal with The protest camp at Ōwairaka has been removed because it breached the alert level 4 lockdown rules people are dealing with one of the most extraordinary and frightening events in our country's history Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter said the law changes would come into force next year but it could take up to a decade to implement nationwide "It's really important that our kids have the freedom to be independent to get to school in their own steam The reality is the dangerous traffic environment has led to a big reduction in kids being able to walk to school," Ms Genter said Speed limits outside urban schools will reduce to a maximum 40km/h The reduced speed limits are part of wider changes that will also see more speed cameras around schools including the New Zealand Transport Agency take over speed cameras Ms Genter announced the changes at Owairaka District School in central Auckland School principal Sheryl Fletcher said they had reduced the speed limit near the school to 40km/h as part of a pilot programme with Auckland Transport Ms Fletcher estimated only a third of kids were walking to the school "It's an arterial road and the 40km [limit] absolutely makes a difference but I'm not sure we have full compliance there Ms Genter said the reduced speed limits around schools would be made law by the middle of next year and she would like urban schools to use a default limit of 30k/h It will then be up to schools to work with their local council to decide what streets and times the reduced speed limits will apply "The rule changes and legislative changes will be done by the middle of 2020 and then we'll expect the changes to be rolled out progressively over the next three to 10 years." Ms Genter said there would also be more cameras around schools to monitor the reduced speed limits She said the speed cameras would be well signposted and any changes to fines would be decided next year "Over time we expected there to be more speed cameras but they'll be very well signposted so it will be really hard to accidentally get an infringement." Road safety campaigners Brake and Living Streets Aotearoa both say it's important more schools have 30km/h speed limits in place Parent Jane Coughlan walks a dozen kids to Owairaka District School on a Walking School Bus and although she supports lowering the speed limit around schools questioned why people were not more careful "What's New Zealand come to that we don't look out for our kids we shouldn't need a law that says slow down and look after your kids Seven-thousand drivers are petitioning the Transport Agency to scrap lower speed limits on State Highway 6 from Nelson to Blenheim A rural Hawke's Bay community says an Education Ministry plan to reduce its school bus service will have dire consequences for the area Auckland Transport has voted to implement a bylaw which will lower speed limits on many Auckland roads Pouroto Ngaropo with Honour the Maunga organiser Anna Radford on Ōwairaka/Mt Albert My whānau and I have watched with growing concern the developments at Ōwairaka/Mt Albert where the Honour The Maunga community group is now well into its second month of campaigning to save 345 exotic trees from being felled spiritual and cultural connection to Ōwairaka obliges us to protect the places of those areas where our ancestors' footsteps are imprinted We therefore care deeply about the maunga wellbeing now and forever Our views on the tree felling issue need to be understood in the context of the story of our ancestor the high-born chieftainess Wairaka after whom the maunga was named She established her mana and mauri over it 800 years ago and her wairua (spirit) flows so strongly through the maunga and surrounds that there are many striking parallels between her own story and today's events Wairaka and her extended whānau journeyed to Aotearoa from the island of Mauke in Rarotonga on board the waka Mataatua which was captained by her father the high chief Toroa After making landfall at Parengarenga Harbour they ventured south before settling on the maunga which was inhabited by Tutumaio (fairy people) led by their chief Ōwairaka's whānau lived harmoniously alongside the Tutumaio until the light-sensitive night creatures were caught in the sun and perished Many well-known places in the Auckland district bear the whānau names to this very day Puhinui (after her mother) and Toroa Tce (Mt Albert) / Toroa St (Torbay) after her father and Ngati Awa St in Onehunga Ruarangi Rd in Mt Albert commemorates the Tutumaio chief who died at Oruarangi stream in Ihumātao Wairaka's father blessed some karaka saplings he had brought from Rarotonga He planted them on the summit and told Wairaka they would be a symbol of her home should she later wish to return and establish herself there In an interesting parallel with exotic trees planted on the maunga hundreds of years later Toroa karaka were also introduced species that reminded him of home Yet over time we have all come to love karaka and have adopted them as our own Wairaka's whanau left the region and sailed the Mataatua down the East Coast to Whakatane the men anchored the waka and went ashore to set up the camp leaving Wairaka and the rest of the women and children to wait on board it came loose from the anchor stone and started drifting out to sea Wairaka defied the tapu that forbade women to handle a canoe calling: "Kia Whakatane au i ahau – I will act the part of a man" Her bravery is commemorated in a bronze statue which stands on a rock at the Whakatane Heads Wairaka subsequently married and had three children she decided to return to Auckland to be near to a brother The maunga was still unoccupied when she returned so Wairaka climbed to the summit and lit her fires thus creating Te Pa o Wairaka – the home of Wairaka establishing herself as a brave and strong yet fair leader From that time onwards the name has been held because of the mana the authority and physical and spiritual influence that she had Wairaka became the mountain; the mountain became her Wairaka's spirit and memory of her strong personality also flows through the surrounding areas Western Springs was formed when she passed urine (mimi) there and placed her eels in the resulting pool she buried a Keo (powerful stone) at what is now Auckland Zoo She also created a spring at nearby Unitec by stamping her foot above the aquifer until water sprang forth To this day the spring bears her name - Te Waiunuroa o Wairaka (the long drink of Wairaka) have therefore always been of great importance to Ngāti Awa whanui and the people of Mataatua through her son Awanuiarangi Fast-forward nearly 800 years and Tupuna Maunga Authority's unilateral decision to remove 345 trees from Ōwairaka/Mt Albert We as the descendants of Wairaka weren't consulted about the proposed plan to remove the trees It appears that nobody – Māori or otherwise – were consulted even though they should have been the authority's planned action is shameful because all trees give life and come from Papatūānuku Removing hundreds of trees all at once from Ōwairaka and thousands more from other Auckland maunga it is shameful to see this is a Māori versus Pākeha issue because back in time all of us – people birds and everything - ultimately came from the one source Te Tawera hapū has also a strong connection with these exotic trees and to our Treaty partners We acknowledge that we as Ngāti Awa Ki te Awa O Te Atua have Scottish family connections that put us right alongside our Pākeha whānau in protecting the trees at Ōwairaka and protecting the Treaty relationship we have with each other Te Tāwera hapū members have on several occasions travelled to Ōwairaka to meet with Anna Radford and the Honour the Maunga group In meeting with them and discussing the issue we have started to develop a strong and meaningful relationship that is based on the shared belief that all trees are the children of Ranginui and Papatūanuku Trees provide us with the air that we breathe They enable us to live in the world and the environments in which we need to be one with all the elements These trees connect us all to a shared existence in the time dimensions of the past We acknowledge and respect the many other tribal histories imprinted on the maunga in the centuries since Wairaka's return to Whakatane These histories are interwoven with Wairaka it should never be forgotten that Wairaka and her mana and mauri is still imbued in these historical sites That's why we need to build positive Māori/Pākeha relationships in order to protect the memory of Wairaka and the environments that she created – at Mt Albert but also at Western Springs where Auckland Council plans to fell 200 mature pine trees we believe Western Springs' ecology and mauri will suffer if so many trees are felled Ngāti Awa Ki te Awa O Te Atua are in full support of Honour The Maunga's campaign to protect all the trees that are growing on our ancestral mountain Ōwairaka named for the daughter of Toroa and wider to Maiurenui of Tainui and the people of Taranaki • Pouroto Ngaropo is the chairman of Ngāti Awa ki Te Awa We’re now into the second week of protest over the removal of 345 exotic trees from the slopes of Ōwairaka/Mt Albert Public hui about the changes have been held over the last year Many locals though say they weren’t aware of the extent of the tree removal until workers arrived en masse And in a city that’s lost a huge amount of its mature urban forest through the removal of protection legislation Here’s a twist in the tale – The Tree Council isn’t protesting Tree Council chair Sean Freeman says he spends all his spare time fighting for trees in the city roadside trees … so of course it’s difficult and it’s painful But if we’re to manage the urban forest in a modern city you have to take a rational and logical approach to the way in which you weigh up decisions about what you’re going to do “I have that much respect for the passion that people demonstrate when they put themselves in jeopardy by breaking the law … so I have no massive negativity towards the protesters at all “There is an opportunity through what’s planned to make an immense difference to the environment in this city and the Tree Council really hopes that that the Tūpuna Maunga Authority has the ability to fulfil the plans that it’s put forward.” Freeman says if this plan goes to fruition the maunga will be beacons of natural ecosystems located within high density residential areas The tihi – summit area - of the maunga will be predominantly free of large vegetation “One of the keystone elements of healing the maunga is to re-establish the visual connection between the maunga across the city from one maunga to another.” Freeman says communication about what the TMA wants to do clearly hasn’t been totally successful “Hindsight’s always wonderful – it’s very difficult for any management authority to know with any certainty if it has communicated effectively and the lack of response is often taken as acquiescence It’s merely the fact that people aren’t aware.” A letter drop is not the way the planning scheme works but Freeman says in this case it might have been a good idea with their public hui that they ran following the hearing approval in 2016 But clearly that wasn’t effective either in communicating.” Freeman says the Tree Council has received as much support as it has detractors over this issue but the nastiness on social media has been “ridiculous” “Some individuals need to think very carefully about what it is they’re projecting when they say certain things about the Authority and about their management plan and about their treaty settlement,” he says And the English-born New Zealand resident of seven years says we should be proud of our treaty settlements The Detail RSS Minister calls in experts after National Standards data shows a decline in Years 5-8 Owairaka District School pupil Havea Fisiihoi The achievement rate of primary and intermediate school children declines as their year level increases Education Minister Hekia Parata said the trend was a concern and she has directed an advisory group to make recommendations on how to address it educators have warned against reading too much into the results saying the year-level data may not reveal anything other than problems with the National Standards themselves yesterday's release of overall National Standards data included rates of achievement by year level which suggested achievement is higher in Years 1-4 than it is in Years 5-8 The steepest rate of reported decline is in mathematics achievement 85 per cent of students nationally achieved at above the National Standard in Year 1 Yesterday Ms Parata said the Ministry of Education had established an advisory group of literacy and numeracy experts and asked them to suggest how to address the issue She said the apparent decline was not surprising as "the curriculum gets more complex and harder each year" The Government wants to have 85 per cent of children at or above the national standard in 2017 director of maths tutoring company Numicon NZ said the National Standards maths achievement rates were not surprising teaching competence and a student's home environment While the basics could be achieved in early levels a strong numeracy foundation was crucial when lessons advanced "Children do not have the foundation knowledge when arriving at school saying that their new entrants are coming in with no idea of numbers." a senior lecturer in education at Victoria University who writes on behalf of the Assessment Academy said parents should not necessarily be alarmed by the apparent decline It could reflect the failings of the National Standards themselves which were notionally and unscientifically set at each year level "I don't necessarily trust where they have put the standards they are just not getting better fast enough to have the same proportion of them meeting the standard each year." National Standards are descriptions of what students should be able to do in reading writing and mathematics as they progress through levels 1 to 8 Schools decide how to assess their pupils in relation to the standards and results are not moderated Council for Educational Research director Robyn Baker said debate was needed about why standards are set at the level they are Yesterday's figures show 77 per cent of children were at or above the reading standard for their year level last year Individual school data will be released this month a Year 6 student at Auckland's Owairaka District School was below the national standard for mathematics But now the carefully written decimals in the 10-year-old's workbook speak to achievement that has come through hard work and the support of teachers and family said students could feel frustrated by maths and made to feel stupid so that by the end of the year he was achieving all the time." The hardest challenge was to move basic facts from children's short to long-term memories and it was crucial families assisted in that "A lot of parents will not have had a good experience with maths so they are less confident to help their kids So we've been sending ideas home how parents can help." Havea's mother Elizabeth said the family didn't have internet so went to the library to download learning materials from the school website Her son also uses maths games such as Sum Dog on school computers before the morning bell Owairaka principal Diana Tregoweth said a problem with national standard measurements is they did not account for English second language or special needs students Those protesting plans to remove hundreds of exotic trees from an Auckland maunga have been labelled "woke entitled Pākehā" during a hui that at times boiled over in emotion which co-governs the city's 14 tūpuna maunga (ancestral mountains) plans to remove 345 exotic trees from Ōwairaka/Mt Albert and plant 13,000 natives as part of a long-term restoration project But a group of protesters have occupied the maunga since November 11 preventing contractors from starting what was meant to be a month-long job The authority - established after the maunga were transferred to mana whenua in a 2014 Treaty settlement - on Thursday morning held a hui near the summit to address concerns drawing about 200 people from all walks of life About 60 protesters opted not to attend and remained at the foot of the maunga TMA operations manager Nick Turoa spoke of their restoration plan in the wider context of colonisation and the alienation of Māori from their whenua and culture "There are few places left where Māori culture has not been destroyed or modified This is about restoring significance of mana whenua to these sites." Protester Lisa Prager said she acknowledged the "pain of colonialism" but that "we are all human" Fellow protester Soala Wilson said she moved to New Zealand from Samoa 50 years ago but felt like she was "mana whenua" and performed a karanga before delivering what she described as a "message from beyond" to the TMA about the trees "If you choose to ignore this message from beyond Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) deputy chair and former MP Tau Henare then took to the microphone to voice his discomfort "I have never been colonised twice in one day The IMSB "100 per cent" supported the TMA's plans "What I find personally appalling behaviour is after all the work with the Government to come here this morning and feel like a f***ing criminal." He said those protesting were a "bunch of woke Māngere arborist Zane Wedding said people simply claiming mana whenua - the concept of historical or territorial rights over an area - was "insulting" now a whole heap of people are claiming it." the TMA's plans to restore mana to the city's maunga was "empowering" the ngāhere (forest) will represent the new He also questioned why the group was not protesting other trees being felled across the city on private land "We hear about the lizards and the trees – think about the slightly bigger process." Charmaine Pountney said it was important for Pākehā to stand up and be good Treaty partners "I think many people don't understand the history "It is time for Pākehā to trust tāngata whenua The authority is about both parties coming together - what was promised in the Treaty who had been leading protests since day one said it was not an easy decision to not attend the hui "We are damned if we do and damned if we don't." She reiterated they supported the long-term restoration plans but were concerned about how all 345 exotic trees were to come down at once There had been poor communication from the TMA "If they had been more engaged and open from the start it could have been a much more constructive process." When asked about the hurt their protest had been causing Māori but also has a responsibility for benefit of all people of Auckland." TMA chair Paul Majurey said he was "saddened" majority of the protesters opted not to attend "Had the group been there and heard the different worldviews that may have helped bring a resolution." the hui had been a "very positive" experience and he was looking forward to hearing from the protesters and discussing a way forward "There is clearly a lot of love and passion for the maunga." The city's 14 tūpuna maunga were transferred to the mana whenua tribes of Auckland in a 2014 Treaty settlement They are managed by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority six Auckland Council representatives and one non-voting Crown representative The authority is independent of the Council and has decision-making powers and functions Majority of the city's maunga were important Māori pā (settlements) making them separate from other parks and open spaces in that they were wāhi tapu - sites of immense spiritual and historical significance to mana whenua The tree removals are the latest in the wider restoration project to replace hundreds of exotic trees on the city's maunga with 74,000 new native trees and shrubs by 2021 150 trees were removed from Māngere Mountain/Te Pane o Mataoho/Te Ara Pueru in April 112 trees from Ōhuiarangi/Pigeon Mountain and last year a two-year removal of 100 pine trees began on Maungarei/Mt Wellington The aims of the city-wide project were to reconnect native ecological networks within and between the 14 maunga and the wider landscape Honour the Maunga protesters on Owairaka/Mt Albert with Anna Radford (centre) and Lisa Prager (far left) Protesters are camped out on Ōwairaka/Mt Albert to stop the owners of the mountain Simon Wilson looks at the unfolding dispute and its wider implications "The Tūpuna Maunga Authority," he continued "which manages the city's 14 tūpuna maunga (ancestral mountains) plans to remove 345 exotic trees from Ōwairaka/Mt Albert between November 11 and mid-December as part of a long-term native restoration project." It explained the context and some of the historical background for what the authority was doing The iwi were given the maunga in a Treaty of Waitangi settlement in 2014 His story noted that "residents were informed of the Ōwairaka tree removal works via a letter on October 29 although they were also invited to make submissions on the wider management plan back in 2016" was "committed to honouring the maunga as some of Auckland's oldest and most important natural While short term there could be adverse impacts they took a long-term view to enhance the areas and native wildlife for 'generations to come'." Majurey said some of the trees to come down were pests some had to come down for "safety reasons" And he reported other relevant points of view too "So far 2700 new shrubs have been planted on Ōwairaka the first instalment of 13,000 natives to be planted over the next few years." Despite a great deal of media attention that followed that story is probably still the most comprehensive account of the issue it had quite a headline: "Auckland residents' fury at plan to fell hundreds of trees in Ōwairaka/Mt Albert" the link to the story proclaimed: "Mt Albert massacre" cultural values and the processes of civic engagement in a democracy It points to the heart of our values as citizens It's about who we are and who we want to be Neilson had been contacted by local resident Anna Radford She told him she "supported the overall project" But she was "concerned about the speed and severity" "Removing 345 trees all at once will have a huge impact," she said Radford said she's lived on the edge of the maunga for 21 years She was involved in the local pest-trapping programme and there had been a "massive increase in native bird life" involving residents near parks and reserves all over the city.) Radford worried that losing all those trees would mean losing the birds too Obviously the native plants and trees will help with that in the long term but why can't they do it in a more staged approach?" She said the new natives would be slow to grow and it "just does not make sense" with the exotics "to take them all out at once" That was the essence of the objection: It's good to restore the native bush on the maunga A few days later Radford and other locals had become Honour the Maunga They blockaded the road up Mt Albert and the protest was underway RNZ Checkpoint caught up with the story on November 10 She talked about "stopping this madness" and declared: "Exotics aren't evil" RNZ also reported fully on the other side of the dispute The TMA's Paul Majurey rejected Radford's claim the maunga would be "almost bare" He said the felling "will not clear the summit of trees" He said there had been three stages of consultation over three years noise and traffic specialists all provided information to support the consent application [to chop down the trees]." Majurey also said he was "aware of some of the public comment around harm to bird species and the like" He told RNZ listeners those things were "subject to some very detailed conditions in the resource consent" He said he thought it was "relevant we have support from both the Tree Council and Forest and Bird" He added that drawing the process out over time extends the pain "Experts suggest it's better to do it now." On other maunga And that was the essence of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority's position In deciding how to pursue its long-term strategy for the maunga the TMA had not gone rogue on environmental concerns It had taken expert advice and developed a plan based on it – and was because it is spelled out in the resource consent Stuff reported "about 200" protesters were on site and they had vowed to "stay 24/7 until they get a promise the trees won't be chopped down" Some of the people who have tried to stop bike lanes and street safety programmes elsewhere in the city – like Lisa Prager – also turned up • Getting rid of all the trees at once would cause harm to birds and wildlife and give "no protection for growing saplings" • Lack of "adequate consultation": They had known for only a week "Residents just wanted to understand the reasoning behind this 'drastic approach'." The Stuff story then reported Majurey's responses • Ecologists had surveyed trees scheduled to be removed and "a small number of exotic trees with nesting native birds had been marked and would not be removed at this time" • It was important to restore and enhance the original features of the maunga where possible "One of the priority goals is restoring and reconnecting native ecological networks within and between the maunga and the wider landscape Proactive management of exotic plant species and reintroducing indigenous flora and fauna is a vital step towards that outcome." • The TMA acknowledged there was a range of views and staff were "working through a backlog of emails" • There had been discussions about holding a public meeting The story also noted that "public consultation for the Integrated Management Plan Strategies ran from July 6 to August 16" Stuff also reported that under the plan for the 14 maunga more than 100 exotic trees were removed from Ōhuiarangi/Pigeon Mountain in April and 150 trees were felled on Māngere Mountain in March about 100 pine trees were cut down on Maungarei/Mt Wellington the Herald reported there were "more than 60" protesters on the maunga the Herald revealed the demand was now for the TMA to abandon its programme altogether Radford told the paper that planting seedlings to replace mature trees didn't make sense there is no need to cut down 345 trees just because they're exotic." She added: "Exotics aren't evil." The Herald then repeated the TMA's explanations and also talked to Ngahuia Owena Hawke who it said "grew up in Mt Albert and has ties to many Tāmaki iwi" Hawke said it was a "bit rich" for people to be criticising Māori for a perceived lack of consultation when Māori were not consulted over earlier uses of the maunga by Pākehā just ignoring all of the history of the area." She pointed out that since the 2014 Treaty settlement the TMA and the council had done a lot of work to enhance the maunga and maintain public access Hawke said the matter ran deeper than that "We don't own them - nobody owns them," she said "But we said let's put it back to what it was like Revert the maunga to places where all wildlife flourish." Hawke "encouraged concerned residents to read more about the restoration plans and visit their local marae to hear the Māori perspective" The TMZ has equal numbers of iwi and council reps on its board along with one independent person appointed by the Crown: Filipaina is a council rep He said "the correct consultation process" had been followed in June and July including information in the local papers and the engagement of local boards They'd received 34 submissions and were "happy" with that On November 11 MediaWorks' Newshub also weighed in It said "150 people" had come together for "a funeral procession concerned about the 'environmental destruction' caused by giving the long-established trees the chop others claim they are the homes to entire ecosystems." it conducted a poll on whether people supported the tree felling the poll was running 86:14 against the TMA's plan Councillor Christine Fletcher got involved saying she would do what she could to help the protesters Councillor Fa'anana Efeso Collins chimed in on the other side accusing the protesters of "cultural ignorance" The council is an activist and research group heavily involved in tree planting and often quick to denounce anyone cutting down any kind of trees "The Tree Council has always recognised the positive role that large established trees can play in our environment whether they are exotic or native," a spokesperson said "The long-term outcomes of removing exotic and weed species and restoring the native ecology not just on one maunga but between all of them will be hugely positive for both Mt Albert residents and the whole of Auckland." The spokesperson said the first stage of restoring the maunga began in August About 2700 native shrubs were planted on the slopes with the goal of a further 13,000 natives planted in the coming years "The second phase is the removal of approximately 345 exotic trees from Ōwairaka." It's the oaks that probably mean the most to many of those worried by the plan the Tree Council said the public was notified in April 2016 and invited to make submissions then Also: "Over the last 12 months the Tūpuna Maunga Authority has been running regular public hui in relation to all aspects of their management of each of the maunga These hui have provided an opportunity for any member of the public to raise their concerns about the Integrated Management Plan and for the authority to explain the rationale behind specific elements of that plan." The Tree Council called the dispute "a cultural issue as much as an ecological one" security guards and tree fellers from the company TreeScape turned up When the blockade wouldn't let them through She called the incident "cowardly and disgraceful" "We would prefer they didn't evict us at all," she said She said it was "absolutely shocking" and "I'm really disappointed the Tūpuna Maunga Authority has taken a cowardly approach" "To send in the police in the wee small hours of the morning to wake up and terrify a group of peaceful people who are sleeping - it's shocking." Police Inspector George Fanamanu told the Herald police were asked to be there by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority "Police's role was simply to ensure the public's safety and the safety of all those who attended," he said "We recognise and respect the public's lawful right to protest while also acknowledging people's right to go about their day-to-day business and to feel safe." The Spinoff published an opinion piece that was strikingly different from most of the other media reports a former press secretary to National's Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations His said the protesters on Ōwairaka were "entitled to feel sad that some familiar landmarks to them are passing "Like a dear friend being counselled through a relationship break-up it's good to tell their stories and that they will always have their memories they should remember that loving something doesn't mean owning it." He criticised the protesters for having "whipped themselves into a fury on Facebook to the point where their noise has attracted the support of noted race baiters Hobson's Pledge" It's an old adage: Be careful who your friends are Thomas argued there was a basic misunderstanding behind the protesters' actions in particular their appeals to the Prime Minister and the council and the implication in their protest that as ratepayers their views should prevail "a strong sense that decisions about the maunga are ultimately for the 'people of Mt Albert' or Auckland or New Zealand or whatever He reminded his readers the maunga are held in trust by the iwi for the "common benefit of Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau and the other people of Auckland" The Tūpuna Maunga Authority exercises its powers on behalf of iwi having regard to "the spiritual and historical significance of the maunga to Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau" This is what it means to give effect to the Treaty of Waitangi: Māori actually do get some rights "What's really grating about the Ōwairaka protesters," he said "is an almost brattish refusal to recognise that this is just one more act in a long tradition of iwi generosity in Auckland" noted that shortly after the signing of the Treaty in 1840 the Crown bought 1214ha of what is now downtown Auckland for £281 from iwi it had sold just 36ha of that land on to settlers for £24,500 (a mark-up of around 8500 per cent) Auckland was literally built on Māori capital it was built on their manaakitanga – the welcoming of guests." Thomas went on: "The iwi of Tāmaki Makaurau continue to welcome guests with open arms And they continue to have it thrown back in their faces by a small but noisy minority ranging from over-entitled residents like Lisa Prager to cynical politicians like Christine Fletcher and the divisive creatures of Hobson's Pledge." He noted the TMA says its plan is ecological best practice and it has the backing of "heavyweight experts" on that it's not up to the authority to put aside its vision of what's best for the maunga in favour of some noisy neighbours' own personal views." there's a common theme among people supporting the protesters that this should not be made into "a race issue" But is it really up to Pākehā to decide that Anna Radford told TVNZ on November 17 that protesters feel misunderstood "What they're trying to do is position us as bunch of racist rabble-rousers who are here illegally but that is so not what we are about," she said This has become an ugly dispute between people who are not ugly Chairing a public meeting is a good role for the mayor Repeated efforts to meet with the protesters occupying Ōwairaka have been rebuffed and it's clear there is a clash of worldviews the chair of Auckland's Maunga Authority says Those objecting to plans to remove 345 exotic trees and plant 13,000 natives have been camped out at the maunga for two weeks now The Tūpuna Maunga Authority is a result of the 2014 Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Deed and as part of that Treaty of Waitangi settlement 14 Tūpuna Maunga were returned to the 13 mana whenua iwi and hapū of Auckland The maunga are held in trust for the common benefit of the mana whenua and all other people in Auckland The return of the Tūpuna Maunga and the establishment of the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority was an essential outcome of the Treaty of Waitangi negotiations The small group protesting the removal of non-native trees claims the authority has been manipulative and been difficult in setting up a meeting with them and said they would not be attending a public hui tomorrow on Ōwairaka The protesters said they felt they had been backed into a corner and would not be going Maunga Authority chair Paul Marjurey said the hui arrangements have become a 'he said she said' situation and despite the group saying they would not attend he still hoped to clear the air at the hui - and invited anyone who would like to attend to come along Mr Majurey said it had become clear that it had become not about trees or protecting nesting birds because those allegations had been clearly debunked and there had been independent ecological experts in support of the programme and council consent granted "I think it comes back to worldviews and philosophies and somehow this group considers that there is some negotation going on over what they think they can control "If we think about what has been quarried and destroyed over time on these maunga - there has been commentary that this is somehow revenge of that." He said the authority's stance was about a long-term worldview that reflected the history of the ancestral landscapes and an articulated vision in terms of restoration of native flora and fauna - with aspirational goals of bringing Kiwi back Mr Majurey said it would be sad if the protest group did not attend tomorrow's hui but it would not mean there could be no ongoing discussions "More importantly this is not a negotiation it is not a case that a relatively small group of protesters get to prevent the lawful authority and work of Tūpuna Maunga Authority in fulfilling its statutory role." He said no one wanted to see the police having to come in to clear the way for the work to continue and so the authority had been quite careful of its approach - but at some point the group had to make a call about what they were trying to achieve The Tūpuna Maunga Authority continues to work towards delivering the plan for the ecological restoration of Ōwairaka / Mount Albert which includes the removal of 345 exotic trees and the planting of 13,000 new native trees and shrubs Attached is the Tūpuna Maunga Authority media release of 29 October 2019 regarding the Ōwairaka / Mount Albert restoration 19 August 2019 regarding the planting of 74,000 new native plants across the Auckland maunga network Chair of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority confirms the following The management approach recognises that the maunga are distinct from other parks and open spaces in that they are wāhi tapu “ sites of immense and historical significance to Mana Whenua Most of the maunga in Tāmaki Makaurau including Ōwairaka /Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura One management objective is to facilitate the restoration of the natural spiritual and indigenous landscape and to help restore and enhance the mauri (life force) and wairua (spiritual essence) of the maunga Another is to preserve and enhance the authenticity and visual integrity of the maunga so that they are markers in the landscape and their cultural and natural features are visually apparent Vegetation management is one way the Tūpuna Maunga Authority is seeking to achieve these objectives Native vegetation is one of the natural features of the maunga that has diminished over many decades replaced by an increasing number of exotic (non-native) species Removing exotic species and replanting and restoring indigenous flora and fauna is therefore a long-term goal across the network of maunga in Auckland A range of views have been expressed about the maunga restoration programme with many comparing the impact of native ecological restoration on what might be seen in a short period of time The Tūpuna Maunga Authority holds a long-term world view that these taonga are restored and are enhanced as wāhi tapu and as native wildlife habitat for generations to come The Ōwairaka / Mount Albert restoration is the latest in the wider restoration project to regenerate the Auckland maunga with 74,000 new native trees and shrubs by 2021 Tree removals and plantings have already been undertaken on Te Pane o Mataoho /Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain at Ōhuiarangi / Pigeon Mountain and at Maungarei / Mt Wellington The Tūpuna Maunga Authority has also undertaken and supported significant pest animal control at Ōwairaka / Mount Albert to contribute to the long-term goal of native wildlife habitat The Tūpuna Maunga Integrated Management Plan and Strategies confirm direction for proactive management of exotic species replanting and restoring indigenous flora and fauna and biodiversity of the maunga and reconnecting ecological networks within and between the maunga and the wider landscape The Tūpuna Maunga Integrated Management Plan underwent public consultation from February to May 2016 and the Tūpuna Maunga Authority Integrated Management Plan Strategies underwent public consultation in July and August 2019 These documents can be read online at www.maunga.nz Of the 345 exotic trees to be removed at Ōwairaka / Mount Albert 183 are pest species identified in the Auckland Regional Pest Management Strategy or are a weed species of concern to Auckland Council The balance of the exotic trees to be removed are mainly Eucalyptus – a number of which pose a health and safety risk due to their size and location Ōwairaka / Mount Albert also includes a large area of bush land under the administration of Watercare No exotic trees on the Watercare land will be removed as part of these works There are a significant number of native trees on Ōwairaka / Mount Albert making up over half of current tree canopy An assessment by an independent ecologist has determined that the remaining native trees will provide appropriate habitat for the native wildlife at Ōwairaka / Mount Albert The tree removal at Ōwairaka / Mount Albert is authorised by a resource consent approved by Auckland Council The resource consent approval was supported by independent expert ecological assessments including in relation to the timing and staging of the tree removals The resource consent does not permit the removal of any exotic tree that has a native bird nesting in it Tūpuna Maunga Authority contractors will be undertaking the authorised activities in full compliance with the resource consent The Tūpuna Maunga Authority welcomes the support of The Tree Council and Forest and Bird for the ecological restoration of Ōwairaka / Mount Albert arborist contractors have peacefully attempted to access Ōwairaka / Mount Albert to establish the work site early in the morning to commence works at 7:30am as per the requirements of the resource consent On both occasions protestors have unlawfully blocked access by obstructing a public road with vehicles The protestors have assumed an entitlement to control a public road and to choose who they want to allow access to the maunga The Tūpuna Maunga Authority has reported these matters to the Police including the health and safety issues such as emergency services Watercare and contractors requiring unobstructed access to the maunga The Authority are working with the Police to resolve this Ashley Campbell visits a long-established suburb with mixed-bag amenities A view from the summit of Mt Albert/Owairaka Mt Albert is one of Auckland's oldest suburbs Named after the volcanic cone at the centre of Mt Albert Owairaka Domain it was the city's second suburb to be settled after Remuera it was a place of grand houses in acres of land the most well-known being Ferndale and Alberton Houses - Ferndale now used as a wedding and function venue while Alberton is owned by the Historic Places Trust and serves as a window back to a more gracious era for visitors The suburb's major growth occurred between the two world wars when Mt Albert Borough became New Zealand's largest borough with a population of more than 20,000 in 1932 This is obvious now in the many of the suburb's restored bungalows One resident who can remember it during its boom is Sir Harold Marshall who started school at Gladstone Primary School in 1931 (now it's the country's largest primary school) He still lives in the home that his great-grandfather built in 1867 and which his great uncle first substantially altered in 1916 He remembers referring to the Mt Albert shops on New North Rd as "the terminus" "That was because the trams [from the CBD] originally stopped there." that shopping area has been in a state of decline over recent decades "Easily the worst aspects of Mt Albert are the shops and shopping precinct on New North Rd that are a complete eyesore," says Mt Albert Grammar Headmaster Dale Burden Sir Harold reckons the decline of that particular area began with the amalgamation of Mt Albert Borough into Auckland City in 1989 but says there are now sure signs of regeneration and renewed community pride in an area many locals refer to as "Alberton Village" He reckons there's a real community spirit returning "They feel proud of the area they are in and they want to take care of it."Mt Albert is demographically and economically mixed with a range of housing from small units to larger homes in its very desirable "Golden Triangle" - roughly bordered by the mountain Everyone speaks of the sense of community - "Many of the streets have regular street barbecues," says Burden - the excellent schools tertiary institutions and the proximity to the CBD "Mt Albert adjoins iconic Auckland features Western Springs lake and parkland," says Catherine Goodwin of Ray White Mt Albert "It has excellent public transport with regular bus services to the city Pt Chevalier and Henderson," says Anne Duncan of Anne Duncan Real Estate "Trains run through Mt Albert on the Waitakere-Auckland route." And Mt Albert train station is scheduled for a major upgrade a two-bedroom unit of around 60sq m on a cross-leased section costs from $285,000 to around $500,000 A mid-level three- to four-bedroom home on a section of 400-800sq m costs from $500,000-$800,000 And a top-end four- to six-bedroom house on a section of up to 1500sq m will cost from $800,000 to more than $1 million RentsA two-bedroom rental costs from $300-$430 a week rising to $360-$520 for three bedrooms and $580 to $900 for four bedrooms or more Allendale and Stilwell Rds and Sadgrove Tce Owairaka Primary and Gladstone School; Kowhai Intermediate; Mt Albert Grammar School Where to: Step back in time Alberton House Ph 846 7367The original home of the Kerr-Taylors this grand 18-room timber mansion was given to the Historic Places Trust in 1972 It's now open to the public 10.30am - 4.30pm Wednesday - Sunday offering the chance to view much of its original furniture and even some of the remaining 19th-century wallpaper Where to: Splash aboutMt Albert Aquatic Centre Ph 815 7005Whether you want to train in the 25m competition pool take the kids for a paddle in the toddlers' pool Where to: Shoot arrowsMountain Green Archery Club Email: lynnbrott@clear.net.nz Mountain Green Archery Club began during the 1940s in the Mt Albert Owairaka Domain with its archery range in the former quarry pit and all forms of archery including compound The adult coaching line is on Saturday mornings the junior coaching line on Sunday mornings * From the New Zealand Herald's quarterly 'Property Report' - a guide to house prices and great places to live Rare plot of land is home to ancient kauri trees.