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...
My quick lunch-time sketch of the Caretakers Cottage in Albert Park got dominated by an attention seeking Australian visitor. As you can see a massive Moreton Bay Fig tree has found its way into my view and dominated the composition.
As their name suggests they’re from Moreton Bay in Queensland, Australia and have grown to massive proportions. They look a little otherworldly with their massive buttressed root systems and massive horizontal branches.
These days they're generally considered a noxious pest as they are epiphytic, and will eventually strangle their host tree. A bit like some other Australian visitors — I’m thinking orchard and forest devouring possums and wallabies here, not Australians!
While it might now be illegal to grow Moreton Bay Fig tree seedlings in Auckland, we can at least enjoy these impressive beauties!
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