#1083 ... Wellingtonian Winging to Gisborne

Images from the flight to Gisborne this morning ... just over an hour in a BeechD 1900D, 19 seats, and YES it is one of those planes where you can see the pilots and give them directions if you feel you are not on the right flight path ... YEAH RIGHT. In the top left hand photo of Mike (one of the pilots) you may be able to see Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro just above his sunglasses on the horizon. the strobe effect of the photo 0f the plane propeller in the sunlight creates an interesting effect

#1082 ... Wrights Hill Fortress

Wrights Hill Fortress was built in the 1940's as a long range coastal battery to protect Wellington city and environs from possible enemy attack and invasion from the Pacific in World War Two. The site was selected as early as 1935, but it wasn't until March 1942 that authority was given for work to proceed on the construction of three 9.2 inch guns.

Wrights hill, Karori, Wellington showing the concrete mixing plant during construction of defense works. 15-Apr-1943 The British designed Fortress was adapted to New Zealand conditions and by October 1942 construction was being pushed ahead with top priority. Towards the end of 1943 when the situation in the Pacific had improved, the priority lapsed and its completion was carried out in more leisurely fashion. The whole project was kept secret and was referred to as Site "W". A barbed wire fence surrounded the Fortress.

The extensive underground work started in November, 1942, by a firm of engineering contractors, Downers. They constructed the massive task of 2,030 feet (620 metres) of interconnecting tunnelling in just two years, worklng often three 8-hour shifts over 24 hours. When Downers became short of men in December 1943, the Public Works department helped out with men and machines. Two massive 185 horsepower Ruston and Hornsby diesel generators were installed to provide the power to manoeuvre the guns, and a smaller auxiliary generator was put in to provide power for lighting and air conditioning. Wrights hill tunnel up to gun emplacements 1944

Two huge 9.2 inch guns were installed by the Army in 1944, after arriving by ship fom England. The whole gun weighed 135 tons, with the barrel alone weighing 28 tons. The order for the third gun was cancelled after an improvement in the Pacific war situation. The guns could fire a 380 pound (172 kg) shell up to 18 miles (30 km) across Cook Strait towards Tory channel, or up as far as Plimmerton. Each shell was about three feet (1 metre) long and was propelled by two half charges of 62 pounds (28kg) of cordite. The guns of course never fired in anger but were test fired, each with three rounds, in 1946 and 47 after the War. The Army reported later that the "proofings," as they were called, were "most satisfactory". Broken windows resulted at the Fortress after the blasts.

The Fortress was used for training purposes up to the mid 1950's but a Government decision in early 1960 resulted in the guns being cut up for scrap and being sold, ironically, to the Japanese. The gun emplacements were filled with rubble and other equipment removed from the Fortress.

After years of neglect the Fortress complex was "rescued" in 1988 by the Karori Lions Club who opened them up to the public for the first time on ANZAC Day 1989. The Wrights Hill Fortress Restoration Society was formed a few years later and it has been actively restoring the coastal battery to its former state. Thousands of voluntary hours and tens of thousands of dollars have been spent over the past ten years on restoration work. This includes digging out gun pit number one, restoring the radio room, waterproofing inside the tunnels, rebuilding wooden walls, repainting and completely rewiring the Fortress. Work is also progressing on the engine room. A replica gun barrel, ten metres long, was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the installation of the guns at the top of Wrights Hill. The Incorporated Society's aims are "to restore and preserve the Wrights Hill Fortress as an historical monument for the benefit of the community". Membership is available to anyone for a small charge and money raised from membership and Open Days goes towards restoration costs.

#1081 ... The "new" Royal Thai Embassy

The old Thorndon Tavern under major refurbishment to create the new Royal Thai Embassy ... may currently be much much safer that their capital city.

#1080 ... Lord of the Rings country ???

The view from Wadestown to Ngaio looking across the Ngaio Gorge ... LOTR?

#1079 ... Thai Night

Two of the Thai dancers ... all ready to perform at a function,last night, to raise money for a monastery. The evening was made up of Thai authenticity right down to some very interesting and tasty desserts ... delightful

#1078 ... Religious Cleansing

Taranaki St ... giving religion a clean facade

#1077 ... On the street

An eclectic pair of shoes spotted walking along Featherston Street this morning ... a statement that reinforces the sunny autumn day

#1076 ... The Source of Wings

Sam & Belinda, the Winged Warriors at the Wellington source of Red Bull Energy drink... a secret location in the centre of the city where those neat little Mini Cooper utes .. and the large Red Bull can ... get replenished for your body's benefit. Note the rego plate on the back of the Mini.

Thanks guys for my Body & Mind vitalizer

#1075 ... Apartment View

The view from yesterday's apartments ... looking from the old dry dock tracks , across Evans Bay towards Wellington Airport ... the flat bit in the distance beyond the end of the wharf.

#1074 ... Apartments @ Cog Park

The new apartments at Evans Bay ... on the road to the airport ... and a great place to watch the boats and planes.

Designed by award winning architects Warren and Mahoney, these stunning apartments have the usual tow or three double bedrooms, underfloor heated bathrooms (some ensuite), entertainer's deck and car parking. The development also has bicycle and kayak storage on site. Fantastic sea views from every room and great afternoon sun. Quality fittings and added luxuries such as sliding timber privacy screens, 4-way ceiling heat pumps. This is an historical and coastal site that overlooks Evans Bay & Cog Park.

#1073 ... Good Night Kapiti

Tony, the resident weekend photographer at Peka Peka, seems to capture the brilliance of the evening with ease ... here is another sunset on the Kapiti Coast ... magic on your doorstep

#1072 ... Meet the Maker

Jonathon the spicy concoction maker from Palmerston North ... here he is at Moore Wilson's Fresh promoting his superb spices and dressings.

Jonathan's Spices was established in 2000 and specialises in high quality spice blends, flavoured oils, spiced salts and sauces. The spice blends are gluten free, and all products are preservative and additive free. Jonathan's Spices is based in Palmerston North and the products are available at selected gourmet food outlets throughout New Zealand. The spice blends are also available in catering packs suitable for use in the catering industry. Jonathan also provides corporate gifting and can cater these gift packs to suit a variety of needs.

Jonathan runs cooking demonstrations and tastings throughout the year. Please check the news page for upcoming events.

Recipes from previous cooking demonstrations can also be found on the recipes page.

#1071 ... Get Ready for the Game

The Boys from Blenhiem (top of the South Island) in the city for the Super 14 Rugby game ... Hurricanes vs. the Reds. They were dining at the Grand Century Chinese restaurant, in Tory Street ... and apparently they were also in town to look for some "fish tanks" ... at Mermaids !!!

#1070 ... Bird Bath

The water feature at Te Aro Park (formerly Pigeon Park) put to great use by the birds on a sunny autumn afternoon. View east along Courtenay Place ... Mt Victoria in the background.

#1069 ... Real or imagined

It is not often that you can be transformed from the real to the "not so real" ... yours truly helping out Dave at "man to man" ... the Hugo Boss boutique in Wellington ... a quiet motionless stint in the window displaying all the action of a modern (or was that old) male mannequin ... YEAH RIGHT

#1068 ... Legal Mentoring

Staff of Russell McVeagh ... Lawyers ... out and about in the city with students of Naenae College ... for this part of the treasure hunt they were on the corner of Midland Park ... another means of learning outside the classroom. WELL DONE Russell McVeagh

#1067 ... Scrap

On the Royal Thai Embassy building site in Molesworth Street ...eclectic sculpture in the making !!

#1066 ... Keepin' Warm

Conner of Vance Vivian, Lambton Quay with his very warm mannequin ... great style for the winter!!!

#1065 ... Graffiti Bike

An simple graffiti backdrop ... Waitangi park, Wellington

#1064 ... 'Canes sneek through

Enjoying the atmosphere and drama of a close, end to end game of Super 14 rugby at the Stadium

========
MATCH REPORT FROM TVNZ
Ma'a Nonu led from the front and scored a match-winning try for the Hurricanes in their season-saving 33-27 Super 14 rugby defeat of the Chiefs in Wellington on Saturday night.

The hosts somehow emerged on top in a frantic game which saw Chiefs first five-eighth Callum Bruce miss a straightforward penalty shot with two minutes remaining that would have handed his side the lead and a potential upset win. Instead Hurricanes prop Tialata drove over for just his third try in 85 matches for the franchise on the final hooter, earning a bonus point which could yet grant them a late entry into the competition semifinals.

The Hurricanes climb to within two points of the top four, with matches remaining against the Reds and Waratahs while the Chiefs remain stuck in mid-table, having gone winless through four matches. Down by 16 points after half an hour, the Hurricanes dominated possession and the penalty count in the second half to surge back, with Nonu a constant menace on attack. He scored the decisive try to give his team the lead with just 5min remaining, storming 30m after a sharp break from deep by winger Hosea Gear.

They then breathed a collective sigh of belief when Bruce botched his penalty shot. His team landed just three from seven shots, let down again by poor goalkicking following their awful efforts in last last week's 25-all draw with the Cheetahs.

#1063 ... Sartorial Clarity

On my trip to Auckland yesterday ... I found out that this was the way windows are meant to be cleaned ... by appropriately dressed professional glass cleaners ... this is "Sky" an American who is about to complete his 20th year in New Zealand ... he is a well known icon around the city as he goes about his tasks.

#1062 ... Number 627

On the waterfront ... The Loaded Hog ... sunshine and a cool drink

#1061 ... Cookie Time

Sitanun decided at 11:00pm that cookies just had to be made .. and I am not complaining ... YUM YUM ... and here is the amazing very tasty result ... thanks Chef!

#1060 ... Flash Tub

A bit of luxury above water at Queens Wharf ... not a usual visitor

#1059 ... Made it !!

Roller blades (inline skates) can be great fun when you know how ... however when you are a learner they can be hard work. This young girl on Queens Wharf was very thankful for an appropriately place bollard on which to have a secure rest!! ... NOTE the size of the roller blades to her size.

#1058 ... ANZAC DAY

5:45am, ANZAC Day, Dawn Service, The Cenotaph, Wellington, NZ

#1057 ... Poppies on the Street

Selling poppies on the Willis St, Lambton Quay corner ...

The red Anzac poppy has become a symbol of war remembrance the world over. People in many countries wear the poppy to remember those who died in war or who still serve. In many countries, the poppy is worn around Armistice Day (11 November), but in New Zealand it is most commonly seen around Anzac Day, 25 April.

The red or Flanders poppy has been linked with battlefield deaths since the time of the Great War (1914–18). The plant was one of the first to grow and bloom in the mud and soil of Flanders. The connection was made, most famously, by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae in his poem 'In Flanders fields'.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

#1056 ... The GR8 Wellington Race

I spotted these two girls ... Jen & Emily near Mojo Coffee Shop at Old Bank Arcade during lunchtime today. They are promoting George Seymour College thru an event called "The Great Race" ... go girls!!!

#1055 ... FOR SALE

Round hay bales on the market in the Wairarapa ... 1 hour from Wellington ... took the photo during a trip over the Rimutaka Hill to Masterton yesterday ... a great day and many new images from a region that is a "day trip" for many Wellingtonians

#1054 ... Have an orange

Orange, yellow and red kayaks outside Ferg's Kayaks on Queens Wharf

#1053 ... Stop if you Can

Even the traffic lights that normally work 24/7 without complaint ... need their light bulbs replaced ... work being done outside Kirkcaldies on Lambton Quay

#1052 ... hey that's my space !!

The Helipro chopper pad on Queens Wharf ... the perspective makes it look like one is going to land on the other ... helicopter mating season ... hmmmmmm

#1051 ... Kapiti Magic

Last night's sunset at Peka Peka on the Kapiti Coast. PHOTO BY TONY EYLES ... thanks to the man who will soon be able to put the boot in!!!

#1050 ... Italian Art

The art of Ducati on the streets of Wellington

#1049 ... Waterfront Sunrise

Sunrise on the way to the airport ... The Boat Shed to the left ... Te Papa is to the right, out of frame.

#1048 ... Nearly There

Nearly landed at Wellington Airport after a very bumpy approach from over Cook Strait ... on a very windy evening ... 100kph+ wind speed

#1047 ... Student Behaviour

Actually not Wellington ... but Vulcan Lane, Auckland CBD during my day visit ... arts students performing noisy street theatre ... liked the vibrancy it created for the lunchtime suits !!!

#1046 ... Framed

Anna framed in the window of an old shack on the hills over Makara. PHOTO BY SALLY ... thanks

#1045 ... Da Porta-Loos City !!

Morning sun on the portable toilets in Waitangi Park ... brought in for the REAL Women's Duathlon.

The black Museum Hotel, left centre with Te Papa at the right hand edge.

#1044 ... Ready ... Set ... GO

The start of the REAL women's duathlon this morning ... they all looked great in the pink branded running shirts ... a fine day with a cooler breeze ... see this link for the course map

#1043 ... Local Knowledge

A stunning autumn day ... and it takes a couple of locals from around the corner to know where to grab a sunny spot and a chilled wine ... to sit and watch the world go by .. outside ohtel opposite Waitangi Park, Oriental Bay precinct ... the boutique hotel with sophisticated urban chic.
I am jealous ... although am enjoying the amazing day in other ways.

#1042 ... Sunny Disposition

A superb bunch of sunflowers in "Flowers on Featherston" ... all read to celebrate a wedding tomorrow at the Woolshed in Ohariu Valley ... 30 minutes north of Wellington City.

The flowers matched the crisp, sunny, windless, autumn FRIDAY.

#1041 ... That One Please

Paul of Moana Road helping a customer select her special piece of art. These guys have set up in one of the vacant shops on Lambton Quay a few doors along from the Parliamentary Offices at the northern end of the Quay ... a welcome edition to the eclectic nature of the city.
See the Moana Road website for examples of their work ... affordable artworks for you to enjoy

#1040 ... Jelly Fish

Jelly fish and seaweed on the Makara coast ... 30 minutes west of Wellington City ... photo courtesy of Anna Blandford

#1039 ... R&R

The whanau goes walkabout along the beach. Yours truly, Sitanun, Tran (obscured), Anna, Puinoon ... and Ziggy the dog .. enjoying the great Easter weekend weather on the Kapiti Coast ... photo courtesy of Josh

#1038 ... Volcanic Eruption

Up close and personal with a volcano ... YEAH RIGHT. The result of beach activities ... build a volcano out of sand, hollow out the core, dig a tunnel, build a fire ... and you have a smoking volcano ... sort of like "beach science" ... Peka Peka Beach

#1037 ... Kapiti Island

Sitanun, Ziggy and Puinoon ... enjoying the space and sea air at Peka Peka on the Kapiti Coast. Kapiti Island in the background.

HISTORY

Kapiti Island is a small but conspicuous island about 8 km (5 miles) off the west coast of the lower North Island of New Zealand. It is 10 kilometres long, running southwest/northeast, and roughly 2 kilometres wide, being more or less rectangular in shape, and has an area of 19.65 km² (7.6 sq miles).

The island is separated from the mainland by the Rauoterangi channel. The highest point on the island is Tuteremoana, 521 m. The seaward (west) side of the island is particularly rocky and has high cliffs, some hundreds of metres high, that drop straight into the sea. The cliffs are subject to very strong prevailing westerly winds and the scrubby vegetation that grows there is low and stunted by these harsh environmental conditions. A cross-section of the island would show almost a right-angled triangle, revealing its origins from lying on a fault line (part of the same ridge as the Tararua Range).

The island's vegetation is dominated by scrub and forest of kohekohe, tawa, and kanuka. Most of the forest is naturally regenerating after years of burn-offs and farming, but some areas of original bush with 30 m (100 ft) trees remain.

In the 1700s and 1800s Māori settled on the island. Te Rauparaha formed a base here, and his Ngāti Toa tribe regularly sailed in canoes on raiding journeys up to the Whanganui River and down to Marlborough.

The sea nearby was a nursery for whales, and during whaling times 2,000 people were based on the island. Oil was melted from the blubber and shipped to America for use in machinery, before petroleum was used. Although whales can be seen once every year during birthing season, there still are not as many as there used to be.

The conservation potential of the island was seen as early as 1870. It was reserved as a bird sanctuary in 1897 but it was not until 1987 that the New Zealand Department of Conservation took over the island. In the 1980s and 1990s efforts were made to return the island to a natural state; first sheep and possums were removed. In an action few thought possible for an island of its size, rats were eradicated in 1998.

In 2003 the anonymous Biodiversity Action Group claimed to have released 11 possums on the island. No evidence of the introduced possums has been found.

#1036 ... Night steps

Looking down Plimmer Steps ... night time

#1035 ... Rocky Shore

The rocky shore at Makara Beach ... on the west coast behind Wellington ... photo courtesy of my daughter Anna

#1034 ... Well Oiled

Peter Hackett
The artwork ... the details ... "Exhibitions" ... the gallery ... thanks Ron

From a very young age Peter Hackett’s creativity was obvious. Buoyed by the adulation shown in his drawing ability, he pursued a career in the fine arts, specializing in drawing and painting in every school he attended during his formative years.

After leaving the compulsory constraints of high school art classes, he traveled to Paris, France earning a scholarship in sculpture, painting, printmaking and life drawing whilst studying under some of the most respected names in the Parisian art world such as Camillo Otero and Susanne Runacher. The sweet taste of student life in a liberal art school like The Paris American Academy became the catalyst to the unrestrained experimentation evident in his work for the next ten years.

From 1990 to the turn of the century, prompted by his marriage to his first wife and settling back in New Zealand, the experimentation gave way to a recognisable style and a preoccupation with extending his technical range instead of pursuing a narrative. He seeks to establish a dominant theme to his work, concentrating his efforts on maturing the subject matter and technique without surrendering to the influences of social trends.

Hackett has been a finalist in several major art awards including the Air New Zealand Art Award, The Nola Holmwood Memorial Portrait Prize, The Eider Este Art Award and has received a silver medal in the Duke of Edinburgh Award. His predominantly large works have been exhibited in France, America, Australia, and New Zealand with consistent public interest and he has been rewarded with a faithful customer base. Peter Hackett is an artist who refuses to be overlooked! He stands out among his peers as original and technically advanced.

Artist Statement

The ‘Honeymooners’ Bed' series is indicative of how my interest in the medium of oil has found itself in competition with the subject matter.

My newly rediscovered love of oil paint sits very well with the subject in this case, which was inspired by the mass seeding of wild flowers along the southern motorway and the marriage of a close friend. However my enjoyment has to be tempered by the knowledge that the technique and the subject were inspired by one another and that to allow the lustful application of paint to overshadow the subject, in this case, would be a backward step.

The title 'The Honeymooners’ Bed' invokes images of passionate lovemaking in a field of wild flowers at a time when love is the only thing that matters. Notions of scent, texture, colour and the sublime, incomparable beauty of nature are hinted at in these paintings. I expect to continue painting The Honeymooners’ Bed for as long as the love lasts. - Peter Hacket