Occasionally Auckland Sketchbook escapes the city to somewhere interesting — and close. This time the sketchbook got a workout in The Bay of Islands . Only 3.5 hours by car and a world away from work. The sketch above was made in down-town Paihia, it doesn't look it, but it is literally behind the main street. The view is the back of an old homestead called Williams House . I was attracted by the orchard of very old fig trees on the left that had me imagining eating juicy ripe figs. Sadly they weren't in season but it must be a fun place at harvest time. Right over the other side of the bay you will find his falling down old house on Matauwhi Bay. For a while there the water had a turquoise glow until the sun went into hiding. This is Pompallier House and Clendon Cottage in Russell sketched with my back to the sea. I may have used a little too much artistic licence in moving them close enough together to fit on my page so don't look too closely. Anyway, I have sketched Po...
The historic Bethany Centre is on the move. The Salvation Army berthing centre recently sold to a developer with plans to either remove it or demolish it to build a few new homes.
Supposedly the Grey Lynn/Ponsonby area contains the largest collection of Edwardian and Victorian wooden houses in the world (ok, this place is neither Edwardian or Victorian, but it is old and it is wooden!) and considering Auckland's current housing shortage wouldn't it be better kept for something more useful and keep the areas character intact at the same time? Wouldn't it make fantastic apartments or even an aged care centre?
Here we are post Christchurch earthquake, a city that's trying to save what heritage buildings it has left after the earthquakes, but in Auckland we're still pulling down anything remotely old and interesting!
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