Town Basin

I haven't spent as much time along the Town Basin as I used to before I retired.  It was always a good place to fill in time or to meet someone for a cuppa or a meal.  It  has been a pleasant place to spend time but the recent redevelopment has made it even more so.

The most recent addition has been the Undertwasser Art Centre, a project dedicated to Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an artist, visionary and ecological activist whose work in Kawakawa we Northlanders have been familiar with for quite some time.  The common themes in his design are bright colours, organic forms, strong individualism (to say the least) and rejection of straight lines.

A cupola covered in $50,000 worth of gold leaf sits on top of the building.  I'm pretty sure I lack appreciation of art, I just can't see the point of it, to me it makes the whole structure look sort of comical. 

 

You can see the little red boat that took us for a trip down the harbour to Limestone Harbour last week berthed nearby.

 

 

Below is the toilet which I think was built first to prove we had the craftsmen capable of completing the creation. Maybe that is an urban myth but the idea appeals to me so I choose to believe it.

 

 

 

Beyond the structure below lay landscaped grass terraces leading down to the harbour edge, making a very pleasant seating option.  There is also an interactive water feature (where, last week,  several children were having loads of fun) and a children's play space.

 

I've always been a bit hopeless with Labels on my blog.  I know I've twice before shown photos of the Waka Wave, one of the sculptures along the waterfront.  Now I know this artwork is best viewed from the water.

Sorry about the large blank space.  I left the draft for a few days hoping I could fix it but ...

 

Barefoot, bikes and boats

Pam came and went.  Thank heavens she didn't make it as far as my place, tucked as I am half way between two coasts.  I feel so sad when I think of the people in Vanuatu, their life is going to be very hard for quite some time.  

Yesterday afternoon I briefly visited the Town Basin.  The marina looked exactly as it always does although I think there may have been more boats than usual.

 Land and sea transport.  The flag, by the way, is Canadian.

I was looking at the water toys secured to the side of the Breeze when I took this photo.  Now I notice the shoes sitting on the gangway.  A few minutes later it was raining.  Hope they remembered to bring their shoes in. 

FSO What I love about where I live

So what do I really love about my town?  My town or where I live?  I'm going to concentrate on town today.

Whangarei is the northernmost city in New Zealand. The city population is around 70,000, big enough to provide all the services but not too big.    

We who live in the north make a lot of our laidback lifestyle, the subtropical climate (more than 2,000 hours of sunshine a year) and very few frosts.  No snow here, thank you very much.  I'd have to find somewhere else to live if it snowed, I don't do cold very well.  

I live on a farm, about a 35 minutes drive to town.   I'm happier at home on the farm than I am in town.  My favourite place in town is the Town Basin, a marina very close to the heart of the city, where yachts from around the world moor and explore the stunning coastline of Northland.  

 It's a great place for a coffee at my favourite restaurant, Rivas and look out at the boats.

 Rivas from the other side of the marina

or a look around the speciality shops where modern landscaping blends perfectly with colonial architecture

I like to take a stroll along the riverside from the Artisan's Market, situated on one of the two old bridges that previously took traffic out to Whangarei Heads.

along the walkway past the childrens playground, perhaps call in at the art gallery, Reyburn House.

 Sculpture outside Reyburn House

Past the intimate Riverbank Theatre:

and a number of interesting sculptures.  I like these bird seats.

 until the walkway ends where the river joins a small stream, at the waka (canoe)

Friday My Town Shoot Out is a group blog kept going by wonderful volunteers who love the idea of sharing our home towns and visiting other places through images. We welcome you to participate in our weekly link-ups and/or get more involved as one of our volunteers.  Check out this week's contributions here.

Town Basin

I can remember the days when having time to kill in Whangarei left you wondering what the hell to do with yourself if you aren't interested in shopping.  Not so these days. Whether I'm in the mood for a cup of coffee, a bite to eat, a wander around the gift shops or art gallery, or an easy stroll, the Town Basin is the place to head.

Chris and I met around 3 pm on Thursday.  While she waited for me Chris entertained herself in the new Information Centre, then we wandered into the Art Gallery.  I think the current exhibition finished at the end of March so we must return soon to see what is coming next.

A cup of coffee and a pizza (extra early dinner, we were off to see a movie at 6 pm) at Reva's, then we decided to take a stroll along the Heritage Trail with storyboards telling the history of Maori and European settlement in Whangarei and to see the new sculptures commissioned from local artists.

Kim Groeneveld and Trent Morgan used pine poles, corten steel, rope and stainless steel to create Punga.  It presents a connection between past and present.  "It acknowledges the history and presence of local Maori with its form referencing a hinaki (eel trap), while the use of poles, steel and rope pay homage to the area's current incarnation as a marina."

 

I loved all the sculptures but I think this one is my favourite.  I guessed it represented an undulating sea but no, entitled Dobbie Canopy "based on the local flora of the area this work represents the work of the author and fern collector H B dobbie who is 1910 donated 122 acres of land on the face of Parihaka to the Whangarei Borough Council to enable the area to be enjoyed by all in the district."

It is so elegant and captures of delicacy of fragile plants.  Beautiful from all angles.

As soon as you are close enough to see the detail there is no doubt what The Swirl is all about. On a basic level, that is.  Artist Neville Parker used steel pipe to depict the coming together of a community of fish to feed to show the power of communities compared to that of the individual.  It invites you to consider the strength and power available to us all when we work together. 

The concrete seabirds were surprisingly comfortable to use as a lounger.  Justine Murfitt created them to "mimic seabirds landing, providing a sense of movement and arrival and reflect the Town Basin as a destination for seafarers." 

And this one?  You will to have guess as I didn't take note of it.

FSO–My town by night

Yes, it’s winter now.  At first we thought the time on the clock was wrong but no, it really was just after five.  My friend, Chris along with her niece Lucy and I were in town for an early dinner followed by a movie, The Insatiable Moon, an excellent, thought provoking, NZ movie.   

Inside Reva’s in the Town Basin is warm and cosy and has a great Earlybird menu. 


 By the time we left, the streetlights across the river were on and starting to throw light on the water.

 Those who know me well will find this hard to believe but I was also in town on Wednesday night, too.  That’s right, two nights in a row, most times I feel I’m living the high life if I’m out at night once a month.  Wednesday night the occasion was a farewell to a workmate.  We gathered in the Apprentice Restaurant where I work, a truly terrific place to dine.  We (and that’s a royal we because I have nothing to do with it really) sure do turn out some wonderful chefs and waiting staff.  I’d never make a food photographer but these really did taste even better than they looked.

 Like good children we left nothing on our plates except the cutlery.


 Good luck with your new job, Pip.


 Coming home I stopped to take a photo through the windscreen (they are drops of rain you can see) just because I like the sign.  I always think if ever I get a seal I will know where to bring it for repairs.  What causes the reflection of the digging man sign?  I stopped again and took another photo the following night but the rain was heavier and I could hardly see the sign.



 You’ll have to look at the presentations from the rest of the team if you want to see night action shots.  You’ll find them here.