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...
From what I can find online Fale Pasifika is the second largest fale (Samoan style house) in the world. It's part of the Pacific Studies department at Auckland University (my guess is the Samoan parliament building in Apia - but don’t quote me on that).
The fale is basically surrounded by an outdoor art gallery with a soaring archway by Tomui Kaloni, Jim Vivieaere’s frigate bird sculptures and a large glossy red pou by Fatu Fe’u’ amongst others.
Definitely worth a look next time you’re riding the Grafton Gully Cycleway, it’s probably a 100 metre excursion up Alten Road, then left into Wynyard Street. Cruise past the Waipapa marae with its beautifully carved whare whakairo and the Fale Pasifika is just on the left.
Definitely worth a look next time you’re riding the Grafton Gully Cycleway, it’s probably a 100 metre excursion up Alten Road, then left into Wynyard Street. Cruise past the Waipapa marae with its beautifully carved whare whakairo and the Fale Pasifika is just on the left.
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