How could I miss that post!?!? I'm sorry about that. Thanks for patience with me.

You are always welcome and quite frankly, you are a pleasure mate ;) I am going to get ready to entertain the party monster ... Saturday night here and I have places to go and people to see ;) Have a great weekend and take care :cheers:

You are always welcome and quite frankly, you are a pleasure mate ;) I am going to get ready to entertain the party monster ... Saturday night here and I have places to go and people to see ;) Have a great weekend and take care :cheers:

Thank you. You have a great weekend too! :cheers:

Issue # 10|07

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[21 JULY 2009] - 15°C TUESDAY, 13:00 Partly Cloudy with periods of Rain

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

NEW [MARINA] FOR WAIHEKE ISLAND
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Proposals for a marina at Matiatia are due to be heard by members of the island’s community board, with a presentation to its meeting on Wednesday. Graham Guthrie, of Waiheke Marinas Limited, plans to outline advantages of a 150-berth marina for both boaties and the future of Matiatia. His report claims the location is ideal for the project as the bay is well protected, already has wharves and other facilities, and acts as a gateway. It says berths will range from 10 to 20 metres and occupy a land area of around three hectares. Existing ferry and boat movements around the terminal and wharf would not be affected, according to the report, with minimal dredging required to achieve the required water depth for craft. There would be two wave attenuators, and two outer piers of the marina would be designed to accommodate the Coastguard vessel and visiting craft. There would also be a pump-out facility. Investigations are being made into parking demands, a marina office, a petrol supply on the existing fuel jetty, and where the sewage pump-out facility would be sited. Auckland City Council has said the marina proposal is not contrary to future plans for the area and feedback from council’s Matiatia Working Party has been neutral. On-going consultation is also taking place with the Department of Conservation, Auckland Regional Council, and neighbours.


AUCKLAND [CBD]
[UPTOWN] - PART 1

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nice photos mate!

nice photos mate!

Thank you very, very much indeed :)

Issue # 10|07

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[21 JULY 2009] - 15°C TUESDAY, 13:00 Partly Cloudy with periods of Rain

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

[VICTORIA SQUARE] TAKING SHAPE


A new home for 2500 Telecom staff is rising fast on a vast Auckland inner - city fringe site of almost 1ha. The new four-building campus is being developed by private company Mansons TCLM on the site bounded by Victoria St West, Dock St and Hardinge St. It will provide space for staff from eight different Telecom sites around Auckland. Behind street hoardings, four tower cranes are swinging on the site in the block between TVNZ and Victoria Park Markets directly opposite Les Mills. Gary Young, Mansons' construction manager, said the site for the $250 million building was the largest single commercial job going on in Auckland, easily outstripping Cooper & Company's new East Building rising in the Britomart Precinct and being built by Hawkins Construction. At 7800sq m, the Telecom site is just 2200sq m off being 1ha, making it the single biggest city office building platform in New Zealand, Young said. Four buildings of about 30,000sq m now span the site and the Australian-manufactured double-glazed glass curtain wall cladding will soon be applied. Each of the four buildings are slightly different and Mansons has coded them alphabetically. The seven-level Building A is on the northwest Dock St side of the site. Its neighbour is the eight-level Building B on the northern front on the Hardinge St or city side. Behind them, both flanking Victoria St, is the six-level Building C on the western side and the seven-level Building D on the eastern or city side. In between these buildings, a quadrangle has been created which is a central atrium area. Its most distinguishing feature is a large internal flight of stairs about 12m wide, under which the Telecom auditorium or theatre space is housed. "We're referring to these as the Spanish Steps," Young said. The opportunity to get this building near city transport hubs such as Britomart and the ferry terminals was a chance to get people out of their cars. Telecom also actively rejected the prospect of one dedicated high-rise because, Robb said, vertical offices created vertical separation through their very nature. RENDERS of this project can be viewed HERE (http://eyeonauckland.blogspot.com/)


AUCKLAND [CBD]
[MIDTOWN] - PART 2

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Issue # 10|07

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[21 JULY 2009] - 15°C TUESDAY, 13:00 Partly Cloudy with periods of Rain

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

WORK GETS UNDERWAY ON UNI'S NEW [LABORATORY]
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Work on a $30 million laboratory for start-up science companies begins today, promising new inventions in food, medicine and environmental protection. Auckland City Mayor John Banks will launch construction work on a purpose-built addition to the University of Auckland's Institute for Innovation in Biotechnology, on the corner of Symonds St and Waterloo Quadrant. The building will be an "incubator" for start-up biotechnology businesses that might not otherwise be able to afford the latest technology. It is expected to more than double the number of science companies working alongside University of Auckland scientists under an existing programme from five to a dozen or more. The new building is being paid for by the university ($20 million) and the Government ($10 million). Biotechnology companies have committed a further $10 million to carry out research at the institute under a dollar-for-dollar science investment partnership with the Government. Biotechnology has been earmarked as a growth export industry for New Zealand, and in May scientists argued the Budget should have allocated more money to new research. Institute director Professor Joerg Kistler said there were three big growth areas for designing new products - food, health and methods of cleaning up the environment. Companies already at the institute are looking at bull sperm, wound healing and the benefits of manuka honey, and Government-owned farm research giant AgResearch also bases some of its scientists there. Several more companies are expected to move there when the new building opensin 2011. Eventually, it will house up to500 researchers and graduate students. Professor Kistler said new companies often had little money, and the equipment needed to research biotechnology was growing more and more expensive. re] they can share use of all the expensive facilities because we all use the same machines.


AUCKLAND [CBD]
[FROM DOWNTOWN TO THE VIADUCT] - PART 3

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Issue # 10|07

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[21 JULY 2009] - 15°C TUESDAY, 13:00 Partly Cloudy with periods of Rain

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

[GRAFTON BRIDGE] TO REOPEN AHEAD OF SCHEDULE FOR BUSWAY
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Auckland City's pioneering Grafton Bridge is expected to reopen in October - more than two months ahead of schedule - after being bolstered with carbon fibre in a $6.9 million strengthening project. Council project manager Graham Long said yesterday that the strengthening work, which has included injecting epoxy resin into 805 metres of cracks in the 99-year-old structure's concrete beams and columns, was headed for completion in September. That would allow the two-lane bridge to reopen in October, at the same time as the rest of the council's $43 million Central Connector Busway between Britomart and Newmarket, which Mayor John Banks sees as the most critical public transport project undertaken by the city. Lead contractor Brian Perry Civil and engineers Beca have been under strict instructions not to modify the look of the bridge, given its category A heritage status. Mr Long said the strengthening would increase its maximum load rating from seven-tonne to 44-tonne vehicles. It would also gird the bridge to withstand an earthquake of a magnitude unlikely to occur on average more than once in 1000 years. Most of the work has been unseen by pedestrians, who have been allowed to keep crossing the bridge as a crew of up to 70 workers toiled beneath them. The underside of the 284m structure's central arch - at 98m the world's largest ferro-cement section when it opened in 1910 - has been enclosed by a deck of scaffolding which accounted for about $1.5 million of the project's budget and protects motorway traffic passing 43m below.


AUCKLAND [CBD]
[THE VIADUCT] - PART 4

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Awesome pictures! I really love that Grafton Bridge. I think it is very cool looking bridge. Will light rail run though that bridge sometime in future?

:applause:

Awesome pictures! I really love that Grafton Bridge. I think it is very cool looking bridge. Will light rail run though that bridge sometime in future?

Grafton Bridge is "sweet as" :) I love the tunnel effect it creates from one point to the next. It will be a busway for a long time. I am not quite sure whether or not it will have light rail, your guess is as good as mine. I am just happy that the trip from downtown to Newmarket will be 15 minutes quicker :) More time to shop ;)

Thanks for the comment mate - hope that you are keeping well and very busy designing. I have recently submitted a design for the Queen's wharf competition - cross fingers :cheers:


:applause:

Thanks Bebe, IWU !

Are these for me ? you shouldn't have ;)

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Excellent pictures once again Sydney. You and Mr KF should be on Auckland Tourisms payroll.

Grafton Bridge is "sweet as" :) I love the tunnel effect it creates from one point to the next. It will be a busway for a long time. I am not quite sure whether or not it will have light rail, your guess is as good as mine. I am just happy that the trip from downtown to Newmarket will be 15 minutes quicker :) More time to shop ;)

Thanks for the comment mate - hope that you are keeping well and very busy designing. I have recently submitted a design for the Queen's wharf competition - cross fingers :cheers:


Wow good luck with your work! Would love to see your work. Hope you get this job! I'm upgrading my portfolio and adding some new works. I will show it to you when I am done.

Are these for me ? you shouldn't have ;)

Just for my mates with good taste ;) Pick one :)


Excellent pictures once again Sydney. You and Mr KF should be on Auckland Tourisms payroll.

Thank you mate, that is a huge compliment but I am afraid that NZ Tourism can't afford us ;) I am high maintenance.


Wow good luck with your work! Would love to see your work. Hope you get this job! I'm upgrading my portfolio and adding some new works. I will show it to you when I am done.

Thank you, NZ is a tough market to crack, design is rather on the conservative side over here and I tend to think outside of the square, however I do feel lucky ;) ..... don't forget, I would love to see your amended portfolio :) Good luck :cheers:

Issue # 11|07

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[24 JULY 2009] - 15°C FRIDAY, 11:00 Partly Cloudy

AUCKLAND[NEWS]

DEMAND FOR [LUXURY APARTMENTS] PICKS UP
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The market for high end apartments is increasingly healthy, with buyers still opening their wallets and rental pressure remaining strong. One of Auckland’s top penthouses sold for a significant price last week, and celebrity real estate agent Michael Boulgaris said high end apartments are in hot demand despite the property downturn. Mr Boulgaris said luxury apartments were selling well at the moment, with supply almost outstripping demand. “Apartments with sea views should be sustaining about $10,000 a square metre,” Mr Boulgaris said, with $6000 -10,000 for a luxury apartment otherwise. Last week Auckland prime real estate specialist agency Kellands sold one of Auckland’s top penthouse apartments for upward of $1.4 million. At auction the Waterloo Quadrant penthouse only inspired one bid of $1.4 million, which was too low for the vendors. But Kellands real estate agent marketing the property Fiona Mackenzie told NBR it went for more than that after the auction. Her clients preferred not to reveal the sale price. The two level penthouse is the only one other than the Metropolis to have a 360 degree views of the surrounding city and harbour with three bedrooms, a private gym, elevated spa bath, a fireplace and three carparks. Luxury apartments remain desirable as rental properties. While the average rent fell in most areas, rent on one and two bedroom inner city Auckland apartments went up by 3% in the past year according to new data from Crockers. Pressure on larger luxury apartments increased even more. Three bedroom properties in the CBD now fetching 14% more rent than last year, and the limited number of properties in the inner city with upwards of four bedrooms increased rent on average 43% in the same period.


AUCKLAND [CBD]
[SPRING HAS SPRUNG] - PART 1

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Fantastic light and capture -

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Fantastic light and capture

It is also one of my all time faves :cheers:

Issue # 11|07

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[24 JULY 2009] - 15°C FRIDAY, 11:00 Partly Cloudy

AUCKLAND[NEWS]

PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE PROPOSED BETWEEN AUCKLAND AND [HAMILTON]
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KiwiRail has agreed to present a proposal to Hamilton City within weeks on a trial daily passenger service to and from Auckland. "We are refining a proposal to run a service using the Silver Fern railcars between Hamilton and Auckland on a trial basis," spokesman Kevin Ramshaw said last night. His comment followed discussions KiwiRail chief executive Jim Quinn and his passenger services general manager Ross Hayward held in Hamilton yesterday with city representatives. City transport committee chairman David Macpherson said KiwiRail had offered to work on a proposal over the next couple of weeks to present various cost and timing possibilities to his council, which had allocated $250,000 in its budget towards a rail service. He said the proposal would be based on two return services daily which, combined with the long-distance Overlander, would offer Waikato residents three trains a day to Auckland. Mr Macpherson said that if KiwiRail could produce a scheme the council could afford, the trial could begin late this year or early in 2010, with trains possibly stopping at Huntly, Te Kauwhata, and Papatoetoe (for a bus connection to Auckland Airport) en route to Britomart or Newmarket. Although the Environment Waikato regional council failed to include a rail service in its list of three-yearly funding applications to the Transport Agency, 85 per cent of about 700 Hamilton residents told a city-sponsored survey they believed it would be a good idea and 43 per cent expected to use it.


AUCKLAND [CBD]
[SPRING HAS SPRUNG] - PART 2

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Issue # 12|07

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[25 JULY 2009] - 12°C SATURDAY, 10:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

PARKING LOT TO MAKE WAY FOR [VIADUCT EXCHANGE]
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Mansons TCLM Ltd will develop 50,000m² Viaduct Harbour after putting the project off for a year – because, says Culum Manson, the company has more work on its hands than it can cope with in a quieter climate. The Viaduct Harbour development - covering most of the block surrounded by Fanshawe, Halsey, Gaunt & Daldy Sts but excluding the Caltex service station on the Fanshawe-Daldy corner – is to contain 5 buildings in one complex, with 2 levels of basement parking. “We’re building 30,000m² for Telecom and we’re going to start 8000m² at 162 Victoria St West (across the road from the Telecom project). “Our construction guys are just stretched, so we put Viaduct Exchange on hold for a year. Once we start that it’s a big commitment. We’ve got resource consent and we’re all ready to go. Babcock have just moved out (of the Fanshawe-Halsey Sts corner of the site). “I was quite keen to get it to market – there are big users out there. But we don’t have the capacity or human resources in-house to deal with it.” The Victoria St development for Telecom is on the site of the former NZ Post mail centre which ran across to Graham St, overlooking Fanshawe St and, for Telecom – looking over competitor Vodafone. The smaller development across Victoria St from the Telecom project is speculative, on a site currently occupied by parking, next to Les Mills’ World of Fitness. RENDERS available HERE (http://eyeonauckland.blogspot.com/)


AUCKLAND [AUCKLAND COUNTRYSIDE]
[TINY HAMLET OF PUHOI] - PART 1

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Issue # 12|07

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[25 JULY 2009] - 12°C SATURDAY, 10:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[INFRASTRUCTURE]

[HARBOUR CROSSING] TAKING SHAPE
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A duplicate Manukau harbour crossing is starting to bridge the gap, with project construction just over half-way. It is expected the State Highway 20 link, a $230 million project, will double traffic capacity between Onehunga and Mangere. New Zealand Transport Agency acting regional director for Auckland and Northland Tommy Parker says the project remains on target to fully open by April 2011. "Building such a significant piece of infrastructure in the midst of established communities is no mean feat." Mr Parker says the foundations of the duplicate bridge are complete and about 24 of the 110 bridge deck segments are in place. He says there is a slight tilt to the bridge, to allow for the camber of the road. The existing bridge will carry four northbound lanes while the new bridge will carry four southbound lanes, each direction inclusive of a bus shoulder lane. Mr Parker says by the end of last month about 600,000 hours of work had been put into the project and it has also been future-proofed for a rail link. The Manukau Harbour Alliance, MHX, involves the transport agency, Fletcher Construction, Beca Infrastructure and Higgins Contractors. The Onehunga causeway currently is being widened and landscaped and MHX will landscape Gloucester Reserve once the bridge is complete. Mr Parker says the project team is also working with the Manukau City Council to finalise the master plan for the Mangere foreshore. "NZTA is also assisting the Auckland City Council in the preparation of a master plan for the Onehunga foreshore, developed in consultation with the community, including the Onehunga Enhancement Society." Society chairman Jim Jackson says the group is encouraging MHX to prepare a master plan for both the Onehunga and Mangere foreshore restoration once the bridge is complete. Questions have also been raised about the fate of the old low-lying Mangere bridge. Society member Peter Gibson recently approached the Maunga-kiekie Community Board to express the group’s concern about the state of the bridge. He thinks it was built in the early 1900s and says there has been ad hoc planning around the structure. Mr Parker says there has been strengthening conducted on the old bridge but it will need eventual replacement as sometimes the wind has caused boats to hit it. The board plans to write a letter to MHX about the original bridge’s future.

AUCKLAND [AUCKLAND COUNTRYSIDE]
[TINY HAMLET OF PUHOI] - PART 2

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^^ And those areas, probably suburbs of Auckland are also very nice

^^ And those areas, probably suburbs of Auckland are also very nice

Yeah, my next post will be of Orewa, a suburb close to Puhoi .... Thanks for the comment CG :cheers:

Great sets, lovely winter sunshine too.

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^^ This reminds me so much of homes in suburban Britain and even villages and towns away from cities. The whole mock-tudor and those lower floor windows are typical. Looking out for more as usual :).

Apologies for the second post, was unintentional.

Mock tudor is quite common in NZ. Though they always look better in photos. In real life they look terribly fake. They are simply too "straight" to be taken seriously. I guess if someone had never seen the real thing they might look a tad authentic, I did as I even lived in one once. But when I went to the UK for the first time and saw the real tudor half timber framed houses and then came back to Australia and NZ, the mock tudor's never had the same appeal.

Yeah, my next post will be of Orewa, a suburb close to Puhoi .... Thanks for the comment CG :cheers:

Feel free to go crazy with the Owera photos. As a small child I used to go to Owera on sunny school holidays or summer weekends and swim on the beach. Of course, we would go on sunny warm days, so my memory of that part of Auckland is always of sunshine, icecream and blue water. Great fond memories.

We also had family friends who lived in a giant house overlooking Little Manly Beach on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. It was always great to get there. Of course, in those days when we passed through Albany on the way, that was really just a tiny village, not the large new suburb it is today. When I'm back in Auckland later this year I may try to get up to the Hibiscus Coast. I guess there are regular buses from Auckland? Hey, would they use that new busway you showed earlier?

Anyway, as I said, looking forward to your Owera photos :cheers:

Great sets, lovely winter sunshine too. This reminds me so much of homes in suburban Britain and even villages and towns away from cities. The whole mock-tudor and those lower floor windows are typical. Looking out for more as usual :).

Spring has come early to Auckland, let's hope that summer does too ;) It is easy to see where modern day NZ gets its roots - major British influence here. The big difference between mock Tudor and the original Tudor is age - gives the ones in NZ a couple pf 100 years and they too will be collapsing inwards/outwards ;)


Feel free to go crazy with the Owera photos. As a small child I used to go to Owera on sunny school holidays or summer weekends and swim on the beach. Of course, we would go on sunny warm days, so my memory of that part of Auckland is always of sunshine, icecream and blue water. Great fond memories.

We also had family friends who lived in a giant house overlooking Little Manly Beach on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. It was always great to get there. Of course, in those days when we passed through Albany on the way, that was really just a tiny village, not the large new suburb it is today. When I'm back in Auckland later this year I may try to get up to the Hibiscus Coast. I guess there are regular buses from Auckland? Hey, would they use that new busway you showed earlier?

Anyway, as I said, looking forward to your Owera photos :cheers:

It is still an area of sunshine, ice-cream and blue water but it has grown a lot. As you can imagine the purple rinse in the area are not too happy ;) I wanted to get pics of the town centre and beach front but it is a MESS, they are upgrading the boulevard and a few buildings are getting a facelift ... the signs of construction is everywhere. Once it is all complete I will get some pics of the new look Orewa for you :)

Issue # 01|08

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[25 JULY 2009] - 12°C SATURDAY, 16:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

[BIRKENHEAD LIBRARY] UNDER CONSTRUCTION
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Construction is going well on the new Birkenhead Library, corner of Hinemoa Street and Rawene Road, Birkenhead. Mainzeal Property and Construction were appointed as the successful tenderers for the contract and on 19 December 2008 a dawn blessing and sod turning ceremony was held on site. The library will house some of council’s important community services such as the Birkenhead Northcote Community Board meeting rooms. It will also be home to the Citizens Advice Bureau, Plunket and will allow Community Co-ordinator contact. The building will be built to Green Star NZ status, which is New Zealand's first comprehensive environmental rating system for buildings. The design concept for the new library responds to the existing established trees in the Nell Fisher Reserve, which in ancient times was part of an extensive Kauri forest. Panoramic views of Auckland, Rangitoto and the upper harbour edge are able to be seen through the trees from the reserve. The building deploys Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) principles giving substantial energy savings for cost in use, recyclable materials, night purging in summer and natural rather than artificial lighting where possible. The ESD is further supplemented by mechanical & fire services where because of site orientation and the libraries floor plan arrangement to the brief, further cooling or heating is required in some circumstances. For a VIDEO & RENDERS please go HERE (http://eyeonauckland.blogspot.com/)

AUCKLAND [SUBURB]
[OREWA]

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Spring has come early to Auckland, let's hope that summer does too ;) It is easy to see where modern day NZ gets its roots - major British influence here. The big difference between mock Tudor and the original Tudor is age - gives the ones in NZ a couple pf 100 years and they too will be collapsing inwards/outwards ;)


Actually, the mock tudor in the UK is about 100-150 years old ;O) At least it dates back that much. Real tudor homes are often over 400 - 600years old. Though houses of similar style date back to over a thousand years (no kidding, check out this pub I posted in this thread: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=905874 These are the ones that have the most character, and there is a big jump between something which oozes character and a mockup copy that has none.

But it's more than just the simple name of mock tudor. It's also the materials. The older mock tudor found in the UK is still far nicer than the newer ones found in NZ, as the latter tend to be made of very cheap cladding and average workmanship.

I see it this way. On your photos you also show some of the lovely wooden historical homes in places like Devonport or Mt Eden etc. These are wonderful examples of NZ's historical architecture. They are authentic and made with quality timber, and they also have loads of character. Also, many of the new modern apartments that can be seen in Auckland are very attractive. But the mock tudor houses just appear as poor and cheap copies which on close inspection do not appear very nice.

It is still an area of sunshine, ice-cream and blue water but it has grown a lot. As you can imagine the purple rinse in the area are not too happy ;) I wanted to get pics of the town centre and beach front but it is a MESS, they are upgrading the boulevard and a few buildings are getting a facelift ... the signs of construction is everywhere. Once it is all complete I will get some pics of the new look Orewa for you :)

Looking at your photos it has changed enormously. I remember the north end on the west side of the highway, it was pretty much empty land, and now it's all developed.

Actually, the mock tudor in the UK is about 100-150 years old ;O) At least it dates back that much. Real tudor homes are often over 400 - 600years old. Though houses of similar style date back to over a thousand years (no kidding, check out this pub I posted in this thread: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=905874 These are the ones that have the most character, and there is a big jump between something which oozes character and a mockup copy that has none.

But it's more than just the simple name of mock tudor. It's also the materials. The older mock tudor found in the UK is still far nicer than the newer ones found in NZ, as the latter tend to be made of very cheap cladding and average workmanship.

I see it this way. On your photos you also show some of the lovely wooden historical homes in places like Devonport or Mt Eden etc. These are wonderful examples of NZ's historical architecture. They are authentic and made with quality timber, and they also have loads of character. Also, many of the new modern apartments that can be seen in Auckland are very attractive. But the mock tudor houses just appear as poor and cheap copies which on close inspection do not appear very nice.

Thanks for that, today we strive for perfection and that is the problem with the mock Tudor homes here, I for one would build it all rickety - like something out of a fairy tale ;) ... OMG ! how are those Vancouver pics - you won't see anything even close to that in Auckland - thank God ! I find it extremely upsetting :(

Looking at your photos it has changed enormously. I remember the north end on the west side of the highway, it was pretty much empty land, and now it's all developed.

The Boulevard upgrade is going to look real good, loads of palm trees and a median down the street with better pedestrian access. The local Council has also approved a bill to allow more medium high-rises such as Nautilus ... all good in my books ;)

This is a really nice development!!

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Awesome pictures! These suburban neighborhoods look nice but not my kind of place to live in. :) I am such as city person and prefer to live in greater downtown area.

That pictures in Vancouver are shocking. I didn't see it when I went to Vancouver few years ago.

Very nice photos as well :)

Awesome pictures! These suburban neighborhoods look nice but not my kind of place to live in. :) I am such as city person and prefer to live in greater downtown area.

That pictures in Vancouver are shocking. I didn't see it when I went to Vancouver few years ago.

Thanks :) ..... that makes two of us :) I live on the border of the CBD and St Mary's Bay .. even that is too far out for me :) When we sell our place we are going to move into the heart of the city and I can't wait.

My friend moved to Vancouver and he was quite surprised to see this sort of thing, now he wants to move to Auckland and I am stoked .... every weekend will be party weekend ;)


Very nice photos as well :)

Thank you CG :cheers:

good photos

Thanks :) ..... that makes two of us :) I live on the border of the CBD and St Mary's Bay .. even that is too far out for me :) When we sell our place we are going to move into the heart of the city and I can't wait.

My friend moved to Vancouver and he was quite surprised to see this sort of thing, now he wants to move to Auckland and I am stoked .... every weekend will be party weekend ;)


Nice! :) I used to live in right in downtown Seattle area. Now I live in greater downtown Seattle area because my boyfriend couldn't stand the noises in the city. I don't mind the noises (I'm Deaf and I can hear some but no big deal for me). We still living close to downtown Seattle and it only take us around 7 minutes to get there.

I was considering to move to Vancouver few years ago until I finally had an opportunity to visit there... I love downtown Vancouver area but it is just not for me.

Nice! :) I used to live in right in downtown Seattle area. Now I live in greater downtown Seattle area because my boyfriend couldn't stand the noises in the city. I don't mind the noises (I'm Deaf and I can hear some but no big deal for me). We still living close to downtown Seattle and it only take us around 7 minutes to get there.

I was considering to move to Vancouver few years ago until I finally had an opportunity to visit there... I love downtown Vancouver area but it is just not for me.

7 Minutes is not that bad at all - at least you don't require a visa to get into the city ;) ... we went into the suburbs for a house-warming on Saturday - FAB PARTY - but the burbs have no soul :( Thanks but no thanks. Get the bf some camp pink fur ear plugs and move back into the city sweety :)

My friend in Vancouver thought that he was getting away from all the squalor (he is from Johannesburg) .... Vancouver is not nearly as bad as JHB, I get the feeling that he is exaggerating but if you ask me it is the weather that gets to him. He worships the sun - a modern day Liberace :)

This is a really nice development!!

It is lovely - for somebody else ;) IWU :kiss:

7 Minutes is not that bad at all - at least you don't require a visa to get into the city ;) ... we went into the suburbs for a house-warming on Saturday - FAB PARTY - but the burbs have no soul :( Thanks but no thanks. Get the bf some camp pink fur ear plugs and move back into the city sweety :)

My friend in Vancouver thought that he was getting away from all the squalor (he is from Johannesburg) .... Vancouver is not nearly as bad as JHB, I get the feeling that he is exaggerating but if you ask me it is the weather that gets to him. He worships the sun - a modern day Liberace :)

Yep. That's why I don't want to live in the suburbs anymore. I grew up in Los Angeles/San Diego suburbs and hate it. I bought ear plugs for my boyfriend when I lived in downtown Seattle and it didn't work for him. He still can hear it.

Vancouver have same weather as Seattle. I believe that Auckland have much similar weather as Seattle/Vancouver. I think you should visit Vancouver and see it yourself. If your friend can't live without sun, he should move to southwestern of USA.

Yep. That's why I don't want to live in the suburbs anymore. I grew up in Los Angeles/San Diego suburbs and hate it. I bought ear plugs for my boyfriend when I lived in downtown Seattle and it didn't work for him. He still can hear it.

Vancouver have same weather as Seattle. I believe that Auckland have much similar weather as Seattle/Vancouver. I think you should visit Vancouver and see it yourself. If your friend can't live without sun, he should move to southwestern of USA.

Our winter's are milder ... no snow at all with an average temperature of 14 degrees Celsius. He hates the snow and the associated cold, therefore he would be much happier here in Auckland :) .... his bf is very anti-USA so that option is out of the question .... they should just get their priorities right and move here :banana:

SPECIAL EDITION

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AUCKLAND THE BEST OF [COLLECTION]
[2007] - PART A


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Our winter's are milder ... no snow at all with an average temperature of 14 degrees Celsius. He hates the snow and the associated cold, therefore he would be much happier here in Auckland :) .... his bf is very anti-USA so that option is out of the question .... they should just get their priorities right and move here :banana:

:lol::lol::lol: Okay. We do have some snows here. I don't blame his bf for being anti-USA. I know a lot of people around the world even Americans living in USA hate USA because of our former dictator (I won't call George W. Bush our president) and some arrogant Americans tend to put people down if they don't speak perfect English or follow American ways or bigotry. I agree with that. Hope his bf knows that not every American is bad person. He should try Mexico. :lol:

By the way, awesome pictures!!! I have seen some pictures before. Always nice to see them again. :)

Nice photos as usual :cheers: But for me, snow is one of the great pleasures of life. 14° and grey sky's is a waste of winter ;O) It's too cold to walk around in a t-shirt and not cold enough to enjoy the brisk climate and change from summer. And when the snow comes, the whole city is completely different, everything covered in white and so silent. It's amazing how snow dampens the sound. Everything you thought you knew looks completely different.

I love our true change of seasons. The summers are usually as good as Auckland's, often much warmer (though this year is nothing special), our autumns are true autumns where most of the trees change to gold and brown, and again this really makes everything look different. I can walk to the city center in 30minutes, but I also have a forest only 15minutes walk away. In autumn, the forest is knee deep in golden leaves, the paths have dissapeared except for signs above the leaves pointing which way to go, or you could just walk in any direction and watch the deer stroll wearily past as the trees are so less dense in autumn. And then winter sets in and great cold, brisk weather takes over. When I wake up in the morning and the city below me is completey white, it's a sight of beauty I simply can not put into words. After a while though, the cold days of winter drags on and we start to yearn for Spring. Then, that first day of spring comes, the sun is out, the trees are sprouting fresh green growth and it is enjoyed and appreciated that so much more.

I would miss this so much if I left it.

:lol::lol::lol: Okay. We do have some snows here. I don't blame his bf for being anti-USA. I know a lot of people around the world even Americans living in USA hate USA because of our former dictator (I won't call George W. Bush our president) and some arrogant Americans tend to put people down if they don't speak perfect English or follow American ways or bigotry. I agree with that. Hope his bf knows that not every American is bad person. He should try Mexico. :lol:

Yeah he is very anti US Government and don't get him started, you will hear about it until the cows come home :lol: I hate politics and believe that all politicians should be thrown into the Grand Canyon ;) ... I just want to live in a peaceful, glamorous life :cheers:

By the way, awesome pictures!!! I have seen some pictures before. Always nice to see them again. :)

Thanks sweety :)

Nice photos as usual :cheers: But for me, snow is one of the great pleasures of life. 14° and grey sky's is a waste of winter ;O) It's too cold to walk around in a t-shirt and not cold enough to enjoy the brisk climate and change from summer. And when the snow comes, the whole city is completely different, everything covered in white and so silent. It's amazing how snow dampens the sound. Everything you thought you knew looks completely different.

I love our true change of seasons. The summers are usually as good as Auckland's, often much warmer (though this year is nothing special), our autumns are true autumns where most of the trees change to gold and brown, and again this really makes everything look different. I can walk to the city center in 30minutes, but I also have a forest only 15minutes walk away. In autumn, the forest is knee deep in golden leaves, the paths have dissapeared except for signs above the leaves pointing which way to go, or you could just walk in any direction and watch the deer stroll wearily past as the trees are so less dense in autumn. And then winter sets in and great cold, brisk weather takes over. When I wake up in the morning and the city below me is completey white, it's a sight of beauty I simply can not put into words. After a while though, the cold days of winter drags on and we start to yearn for Spring. Then, that first day of spring comes, the sun is out, the trees are sprouting fresh green growth and it is enjoyed and appreciated that so much more.

I would miss this so much if I left it.

The most snow that I have seen is a sprinkling of a few flakes, a couple of millimeters ;) I hope that I get to see thick blankets of snow when I go to Queenstown in September ... cross fingers for me.

I myself love the seasons and I would be very unhappy if I lived in a place that has constant sunshine or constant rain .... I would go bonkers. The thing that I love about Auckland is that the weather is so comfortable ... no extremes ... never too hot and never too cold ... just right ;)

I am glad to hear that you are happy and if so then you should stay where you are and never budge ;) Thanks for the compliment by the way, it is very sweet of you.

I myself love the seasons and I would be very unhappy if I lived in a place that has constant sunshine or constant rain .... I would go bonkers. The thing that I love about Auckland is that the weather is so comfortable ... no extremes ... never too hot and never too cold ... just right ;)


That's the nice thing about New Zealand. Am I right in thinking the weather is quite variable is well all through the year with rain alternating with sunshine, like what the UK is supposed to have? I think the only thing you would be missing out from is the snow in winter. I suppose you get thunderstorms in summer but there's no real need for heatwaves in summer as it can be pleasantly warm with strong sun and be fine like most days here in the UK.

Aside from that, wonderful photos as usual mate, looking forward to more. Spring is only round the corner ;).

good photos

Thank you very much

That's the nice thing about New Zealand. Am I right in thinking the weather is quite variable is well all through the year with rain alternating with sunshine, like what the UK is supposed to have? I think the only thing you would be missing out from is the snow in winter. I suppose you get thunderstorms in summer but there's no real need for heatwaves in summer as it can be pleasantly warm with strong sun and be fine like most days here in the UK.

Aside from that, wonderful photos as usual mate, looking forward to more. Spring is only round the corner ;).

Winter is predominantly rainy but we do get showers in summer ... thunder storms are very rare - a shame really because I do so enjoy those :) The sun is very, very strong here, much stronger than I experienced in South Africa and that is probably one of the reasons that the skin cancer rate is so high here :(

Thanks for the compliment Mike, yes, spring has arrived - the last couple of days have been heavenly :) Enjoy what is left of yours and may your winter be a mild one :)

Issue # 02|08

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[06 AUGUST 2009] - 15°C THURSDAY, 10:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

6 ARCHITECTS CHOSEN FOR THE [RHUBARB LANE] PROJECT
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The site covers nearly 3ha, sloping down from Nelson St toward Victoria Park, with frontages to Wellesley St and Cook St. Mr Rikard-Bell acquired an interest in the property about four years ago. While the financial complexity is daunting, and the current financial climate means there is no certainty for any development, Mr Rikard-Bell has forged ahead with most unusual design schemes. Six architects who worked separately on adjoining buildings to be erected in Rhubarb Lane were each given parameters such as stud height, total floorspace and the number of floors, and asked to go to. These are not bunnies - Ian Moore, Patrick Clifford, Fearon Hay, Andrew Barclay at Warren & Mahoney, Pip Cheshire and Chris Kelly from Architecture Workshop. Mr Rikard-Bell asked them not to communicate with each other but to work on their separate designs. They differ extremely - and Mr Rikard-Bell wants them all to be built in the first stage of his project. For Mr Rikard-Bell, the story is not so much about property or even getting good design, but about people. He envisages retailers of fresh produce enhancing the streetscape, live-work spaces which will mean life in the precinct day and night, growth of the western fringe's innovative business element through day-to-day links in an entrepreneurial environment. The site has consent for 3000 parking spaces, which will be created as a basement beneath new buildings on the 3ha. The first stage, down the hill, will feature eight-storey buildings. These first 100 units "are not normal residential, not normal commercial - they're really both. We call them Apods," Mr Rikard-Bell said. The second stage is intended to have 153 units, not yet priced. Buildings in that stage, up toward the Nelson St ridge, will be 10 to 11 storeys. In between, Mr Rikard-Bell is intent on creating liveable space - he is determined to see butterflies and birds in the gardens between buildings, and said the buildings could be set in such a way that between two of the largest structures there would be a 100m space. The first stage is intended to take 30 months from earthworks to completion and the whole project is planned as a development taking less than five years, with a completion value in today's money of about $1.3 billion. For RENDERS please go HERE (http://eyeonauckland.blogspot.com/)

AUCKLAND [DOWNTOWN]
[ON THE WATER'S EDGE] - PART A

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Issue # 02|08

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[06 AUGUST 2009] - 15°C THURSDAY, 10:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[NEWS]

NUMBERS TRAVELLING BY [BUS & TRAIN] HIT 25 YEAR HIGH
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Use of public transport in Auckland has hit a 25-year high, with commuters reporting increased satisfaction with the service on offer. The Auckland Regional Transport Authority's annual passenger figures showed 58.6 million trips were made in the year to June 2009, a 7.7 per cent increase on last year and the highest level of public transport use in the city since the mid-1980s. In 1984, Aucklanders made 60.69 million trips on public transport, but by 1994 that number had declined to a low of 33.3 million. Rail use has almost doubled to 7.6 million trips, the highest since records began in 1955. Meanwhile, a customer satisfaction survey conducted by research company Gravitas showed satisfaction rising from 71 per cent in 2005 to 84 per cent this year. Ninety-six per cent said they were likely to use public transport again. Sixteen per cent cited fuel and vehicle costs as their reasons for using public transport, and that it was a less stressful way to travel to work and school. Mr Rabindran said the survey also indicated that customers wanted greater frequency and a more integrated transport network. Authorities are working on an integrated ticketing system to streamline the use of ferry, bus and train services in the city in time for the Rugby World Cup 2011. Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee said the aim was for Auckland to have a public transport network capable of 100 million passenger trips within 10 years.

AUCKLAND [DOWNTOWN]
[ON THE WATER'S EDGE] - PART B

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Not long to go and I will be in Auckland on contract. Beau pictures. Merci.

Amazing pics

Beautiful pictures!!! :drool:

Not long to go and I will be in Auckland on contract. Beau pictures. Merci.

Received your pm, thank you :)


Amazing pics

Thanks mate :cheers:


Beautiful pictures!!! :drool:

Thank you sweety

Issue # 03|08

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[09 AUGUST 2009] - 14°C SUNDAY, 13:00 Partly Cloudy

AUCKLAND[NEWS]

[SH20] WATERVIEW MOTORWAY SUPPORTED BY ACC
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Auckland City Council's submission on New Zealand Transport Agency's proposed SH20 Waterview alignment supports the project on the condition it includes steps to mitigate and enhance the affected areas. Council has included measures in its submission to help ensure the project is consistent with the city's long-term objectives and meets local needs. A number of Waterview residents and interested parties presented their views at today's meeting of council's Transport Committee. The council has consistently supported the early completion of the SH20 Waterview connection, and in recent weeks has been analysing NZTA's latest proposal for a new $1.4b alignment, which is a mix of road, tunnel and construction methods. These measures are: That all affected residents and the wider community are fairly recompensed, Reconstruction of Great North Rd as a boulevard with bus and cycle lanes, Careful treatment of tunnel air emissions with ventilation stacks located away from sensitive areas, and cleaning/fitering of emissions, Quality open space replacement and enhancement at Waterview and through Owairaka/Mt Albert, Protection and enhancement of Oakley Creek, Providing for built form along the planned Richardson Rd bridge edges and Hendon Ave, Local access along and across the corridor, Ensuring that international best practise in catering for light spill is incorporated. The report to the council's transport committee also highlights a number of other issues which need to be addressed as part of the Waterview connection: Open space fragmentation and quality impacts along Hendon Ave (including the need to realign Oakley Creek in several places), A need to integrate the design with the future rail line through the same area, Reduce community severance by creating new crossing points, Ensure that the transport corridor supports Stoddard town centre's future development.

AUCKLAND [SUBURB]
[PINE HARBOUR] - PART 1

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Nice photos as usual :cheers: But for me, snow is one of the great pleasures of life. 14° and grey sky's is a waste of winter ;O) It's too cold to walk around in a t-shirt and not cold enough to enjoy the brisk climate and change from summer. And when the snow comes, the whole city is completely different, everything covered in white and so silent. It's amazing how snow dampens the sound. Everything you thought you knew looks completely different.

I love our true change of seasons. The summers are usually as good as Auckland's, often much warmer (though this year is nothing special), our autumns are true autumns where most of the trees change to gold and brown, and again this really makes everything look different. I can walk to the city center in 30minutes, but I also have a forest only 15minutes walk away. In autumn, the forest is knee deep in golden leaves, the paths have dissapeared except for signs above the leaves pointing which way to go, or you could just walk in any direction and watch the deer stroll wearily past as the trees are so less dense in autumn. And then winter sets in and great cold, brisk weather takes over. When I wake up in the morning and the city below me is completey white, it's a sight of beauty I simply can not put into words. After a while though, the cold days of winter drags on and we start to yearn for Spring. Then, that first day of spring comes, the sun is out, the trees are sprouting fresh green growth and it is enjoyed and appreciated that so much more.

I would miss this so much if I left it.

Sounds like the monologue given by the politician in the movie Bird Cage when the parents meet for the first time and they asked him about his trip down. :)

Nice photos as usual :cheers: But for me, snow is one of the great pleasures of life. 14° and grey sky's is a waste of winter ;O) It's too cold to walk around in a t-shirt and not cold enough to enjoy the brisk climate and change from summer. And when the snow comes, the whole city is completely different, everything covered in white and so silent. It's amazing how snow dampens the sound. Everything you thought you knew looks completely different.

I love our true change of seasons. The summers are usually as good as Auckland's, often much warmer (though this year is nothing special), our autumns are true autumns where most of the trees change to gold and brown, and again this really makes everything look different. I can walk to the city center in 30minutes, but I also have a forest only 15minutes walk away. In autumn, the forest is knee deep in golden leaves, the paths have dissapeared except for signs above the leaves pointing which way to go, or you could just walk in any direction and watch the deer stroll wearily past as the trees are so less dense in autumn. And then winter sets in and great cold, brisk weather takes over. When I wake up in the morning and the city below me is completey white, it's a sight of beauty I simply can not put into words. After a while though, the cold days of winter drags on and we start to yearn for Spring. Then, that first day of spring comes, the sun is out, the trees are sprouting fresh green growth and it is enjoyed and appreciated that so much more.

I would miss this so much if I left it.

WOW!! I should use that for my creative writing assessment!

^^ Should the NZ prime minister get involved? That usually happens when someone doesn't promote NZ as 100% perfect in a publication ;)

Pine Harbour is a great development - with a ferry service to match

http://www.pbase.com/enigma35/image/115906760.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2576/3808609367_6a432bbb41_o.jpg

^^ Should the NZ prime minister get involved? That usually happens when someone doesn't promote NZ as 100% perfect in a publication ;)

:lol: NZ doesn't have nearly as much shit to deal with as so many other countries, that is why our PM always has extra time to deal with the misinformed ;) The perks of being small and "isolated".

Mr KF has a good point, your monologue did remind me of the politician's description of their drive from upstate to Florida in The Bird Cage. A great piece of writing and you should be proud mate :cheers:

Issue # 03|08

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[09 AUGUST 2009] - 14°C SUNDAY, 13:00 Partly Cloudy

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

MEGA [CONVENTION CENTRE] PROPOSED FOR DOWNTOWN AUCKLAND
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A national convention centre and a six-star hotel on Bledisloe Container Terminal will be central planks in John Banks' campaign for the mayoralty of the new Auckland Council next year. The Auckland city mayor said the centre and hotel could be built over five to seven years and he had a strategy in place to fund the estimated $750 million cost. Banks, who is also promising an improved train service including rail loop to link the Britomart terminus with the western line, said Bledisloe was ideal for super-cruise ships. Smaller ships could use Queens Wharf and the existing passenger terminal on Princes Wharf. "Long term, the international cruise ship home should be at Bledisloe with an international convention and exhibition centre and a six-star hotel. It is a much bigger wharf than Queens Wharf." Karen Lyons, group manager in the Auckland City Council strategy office, confirmed that Bledisloe had been looked at as a possible site and would be an attractive option were there not problems with the ownership of the land. "There are not many sites in central Auckland that are suitable for a centre. You could do it at Bledisloe or perhaps Wynyard Point or you could come back to the Aotea Centre." Banks' plans for Bledisloe run counter to Ports of Auckland which in June sold nearby Queens Wharf to the Government and the Auckland Regional Council for $40 million - initially to be used as a public venue, dubbed "party central", for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

AUCKLAND [SUBURB]
[PINE HARBOUR] - PART 2

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Pine Harbour is a great development - with a ferry service to match

For sure and more improvements on the way :cheers:

Now for Gulf harbour to play catch up!

Climatically, which is the mildest part of NZ?

^^ Should the NZ prime minister get involved? That usually happens when someone doesn't promote NZ as 100% perfect in a publication ;)

Oh heck yeah! How dare they insult our South Pacific Island like that? lmao

Actually, you are quite right. Next thing you know, there is a huge headline in the NZHerald with "Auckland's winter a no-no for Germans"...with a link to this forum. :lol: This has happened before wit other blogs.

Climatically, which is the mildest part of NZ?

Northland would be the mildest part of NZ which has a 'subtropical' climate. Coldest winter month (July) lows of 7/8C (45F) and daytime high of around 15/16C (65F)

Well, I apologize if my post seemed like a monologue. I just wanted to point out that weather is a very subjective opinion. Most people are quite content with the weather they are used to where they live. Of course, this is different to when travelling on holiday and then almost everyone wants sunshine, but you know what I mean.

Many NZer's find Australia too hot, but ask any Australian and they will say they have the best weather in the world. It goes the same for winters. Some people really miss snow when they have a winter without it ;O)

:cheers:

good photos

Climatically, which is the mildest part of NZ?

Bumsmoke is quite correct but you could say that anything North from Hamilton (North Island) is the mildest part of the country .. which includes Auckland and Tauranga (one of my favourite towns).

Well, I apologize if my post seemed like a monologue. I just wanted to point out that weather is a very subjective opinion. Most people are quite content with the weather they are used to where they live. Of course, this is different to when travelling on holiday and then almost everyone wants sunshine, but you know what I mean.

Many NZer's find Australia too hot, but ask any Australian and they will say they have the best weather in the world. It goes the same for winters. Some people really miss snow when they have a winter without it ;O)

:cheers:

It was a good point, no worries mate :cheers:


good photos

Thank you :)

Now for Gulf harbour to play catch up!

That is surely where we would love to live :hug:

Issue # 04|08

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[09 AUGUST 2009] - 14°C SUNDAY, 13:00 Partly Cloudy

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

PROPOSAL FOR [RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011] BRIDGE
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Plans are advancing for a $2 million temporary bridge linking the Viaduct Harbour with the Tank Farm in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Auckland City councillors are expected to approve a design tomorrow for a 6m wide pontoon bridge capable of carrying up to 14,700 pedestrians an hour. The council has put back plans for a permanent $47.3 million Te Wero bridge from the eastern end of Te Wero Island to Halsey St until 2016. In the meantime, it wants to build a temporary structure for the cup to provide easy access from the city to a new $32 million marine events centre on the old Team New Zealand base in Halsey St and the first retail and entertainment precinct at the Tank Farm. Sea + City, the public body developing the 29ha Tank Farm, is spending $107 million on entertainment and retail facilities around Jellicoe St, North Wharf and a park based around the old cement silos - to be known as Silo Park. Waterfront programme manager Jane Simmonds has put up three options for a temporary crossing. They include a ferry service costing $1.57 million, a simple pontoon bridge costing $1.42 million and a higher spec pontoon bridge costing $2.07 million. She has recommended the higher spec pontoon bridge that would be raised 2.5m to 3.5m above the water level. It would have an opening section 36m wide and the raised feature would allow small vessels to pass underneath without the need to open it. Meanwhile, a two-stage design competition for Queens Wharf is expected to begin within three weeks. Everyone from school students to professional architects will be able to submit plans for the proposed Queens Wharf do-up in the first stage. The submission period will be followed by a two-week judging process in which five designs and three teams will be selected to advance to the second stage and produce a developed design within a $76 million budget. The entire process is expected to be completed by the end of October. Auckland City has $56 million budgeted for the project. Auckland City, the Auckland Regional Council and the Government are finalising funding arrangements for the remaining $20 million to turn Queens Wharf into a cruise ship terminal and "party central" for the Rugby World Cup. For more INFORMATION please go HERE (http://eyeonauckland.blogspot.com/2009/07/project-seacity-part-3.html) & HERE (http://eyeonauckland.blogspot.com/2009/04/about-eye-on-auckland.html)

AUCKLAND [DOWNTOWN]
[MEET YOU @ BRITOMART]

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Brilliant ! :applause:

Brilliant ! :applause:

Thank you :tyty:

I like the pics - and all the info! Lol i learn quite a lot bout Auckland through this thread.

Nice pics syd :)

After a long time I decided to check this thread today and the pics are still refreshing.

Great pictures! Suburban homes are very plain and simple. I'd love to see these suburban people to add the details to their homes like rocks, wood frames, wrought irons, tile roofs, etc. to add the character to their houses.

I like the pics - and all the info! Lol i learn quite a lot bout Auckland through this thread.

Thanks DML2, that is wjat I am here for mate :)


Nice pics syd :)

Thanks 84, I still can't believe that it was 2 years ago that we last saw each other, unbelievable.


After a long time I decided to check this thread today and the pics are still refreshing.

I am glad that you are back Pule, I have missed you mate. I also hope that you are healthy and very wealthy :cheers:

Great pictures! Suburban homes are very plain and simple. I'd love to see these suburban people to add the details to their homes like rocks, wood frames, wrought irons, tile roofs, etc. to add the character to their houses.

Aren't they just, row after row of houses but every area does have some sort of variation like the following examples ...

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Our kind of place :)

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^^ Sounds like a good plan :)

good photos

Wow! That really awesome pictures of homes!!! I can see myself living in few homes of these!

I really love this exterior wood details! Can you please take picture of entire house like this?
http://www.pbase.com/enigma35/image/91017508.jpg

those r some pretty hardcore houses there lol

good photos

Thanks :cheers:


Wow! That really awesome pictures of homes!!! I can see myself living in few homes of these!

I really love this exterior wood details! Can you please take picture of entire house like this?

They make my undies moist ;) I will try and see what I can do for you :cheers: Thanks for the comment Sweety.


those r some pretty hardcore houses there lol

I agree mate, sweet as :)

F**k me ! I would be happy with any one of those homes. Beautiful thread man.

F**k me ! I would be happy with any one of those homes. Beautiful thread man.

:lol: These are mild in comparison to what I have seen ... I read somewhere that NZ has the most architecturally designed homes per capita in the world. I will try to get more pics for your next orgasm ;)

They make my undies moist ;) I will try and see what I can do for you :cheers: Thanks for the comment Sweety.

:lol: Okay. Please take your time, no rush. :)

:lol: Okay. Please take your time, no rush. :)

Okay mate, stay tuned ;)

Great stuff mate, always looking out for more. Warming up for spring yet? :)

Great stuff mate, always looking out for more. Warming up for spring yet? :)

Thanks Mike :) It is thankfully getting warmer with a high of 17 expected today ... now the clouds must just piss off ;)

Love the latest set. :cool:

I thought all Kiwi's left for Aus, but there is life on that island! Beautiful city.

Love the latest set. :cool:

Thanks Quall :)


I thought all Kiwi's left for Aus, but there is life on that island! Beautiful city.

:lol: The big OE (overseas experience) ... you can find Kiwi's all over the globe but most come back after they have quenched their thirst for travel ;)

:lol: These are mild in comparison to what I have seen ... I read somewhere that NZ has the most architecturally designed homes per capita in the world. I will try to get more pics for your next orgasm ;)

I can hardly wait :lol:

Ditto =D

Ditto =D

All in good time mate, I need to stop being so lazy and having a life ;) I need to hit the streets again :)

Issue # 05|08

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[16 AUGUST 2009] - 16°C SUNDAY, 13:00 Cloudy

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

[SUBURBAN] DENSIFICATION APPROVED
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Fifteen luxury townhouses are to be built as part of Milford Centre’s intensification plans. The Milford Terraces project has been given the go-ahead by the North Shore City Council. Mall owner New Zealand Retail Property Group is set to start construction in summer. The group’s leasing manager Stephen Holyer says demand for the million dollar townhouses has been greater than expected given the economic downturn. "We’ve sold six units already and we aren’t at the ground breaking stage yet," he says. The townhouses will be built at the mall’s greenbelt area fronting Milford and Ihumata roads. There will be 13 two-storey and two three-storey units priced at around $1 million and $1.3m. The project forms part of the property group’s stage two development for the
centre, with a mix of residential and commercial buildings dominating the landscape. Mr Holyer says construction is expected to start early next year and finish by December 2010. The back of the townhouses, currently the carpark area, will be developed into a 2600 square metre retail centre with 25 additional tenancies. The group has a pending proposal to amend the district plan to allow high-rise commercial and residential buildings in Milford.

AUCKLAND [DOWNTOWN]
[F**K OFF WINTER]

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lovely photos, again

you say your leaving Auckland, thats no good

lovely photos, again

you say your leaving Auckland, thats no good

Thank you :) the time that we have been dreading has finally come, it is necessary for us to make some firm decisions and we have been making long lists of pro's and con's ... should we stay or should we go .... the end result is that Melbourne and/or Sydney will be better for both of us in the long run.

There is so much that I will miss in Auckland but we will keep coming back for a weekend or two ;)

Great pictures! I can't believe that you're leaving Auckland... That means no more new pictures of beautiful Auckland? :(

Great pictures! I can't believe that you're leaving Auckland... That means no more new pictures of beautiful Auckland? :(

Thanks :) Yup, it will definitely happen - we can no longer dilly-dally, a decision had to be made. We will still be here in Auckland for at least another 2 years :) Lots of pics still coming :cheers:

Thanks :) Yup, it will definitely happen - we can no longer dilly-dally, a decision had to be made. We will still be here in Auckland for at least another 2 years :) Lots of pics still coming :cheers:

Good to know. Once you move there, you might want to start a new thread and start show off your new city just like you do with Auckland. :)

Good to know. Once you move there, you might want to start a new thread and start show off your new city just like you do with Auckland. :)

Most definitely mate, the Auckland thread will be put to bed and I will start the eye on Melbourne thread - very exciting indeed :)

A little video for you to watch while I take a break ;) Enjoy !

CbtBW3OeGnk

A little video for you to watch while I take a break ;) Enjoy !

Oi, you are not allowed to rest, get back on the streets ;)

Oi, you are not allowed to rest, get back on the streets ;)

:lol: Yes Sir !

Great video. I wish that was in HD!

Great video. I wish that was in HD!

I agree - how have you been ?

[SPECIAL EDITION] ... My better half and I went to [TAURANGA | MOUNT MAUNGANUI] for the weekend ... this is where many Aucklander's have holiday homes | apartments (2 hour drive). It is an awesome part of the country. En-route we stopped @


[WAIHI BEACH]

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[TAURANGA | MOUNT MAUNGANUI] - PART A

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[TAURANGA | MOUNT MAUNGANUI] - PART B

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Great fresh shots there mate, the area looks very nice! How much are these sort of holiday homes in New Zealand?

Shit, you two have been all the same places as I have in the last few days!

A little video for you to watch while I take a break ;) Enjoy !

CbtBW3OeGnk
Indeed an amazing video SYDNEY :cheers:

Great fresh shots there mate, the area looks very nice! How much are these sort of holiday homes in New Zealand?

Thanks :) it runs into the millions but I am willing to bet that it is cheaper than property in the UK and that is probably why so many Britons settle there. The weather is also gr8 !


Shit, you two have been all the same places as I have in the last few days!

You have admirers ;)


Indeed an amazing video SYDNEY :cheers:

I am so happy that you enjoyed it :) Thanks for the comment.

[TAURANGA | MOUNT MAUNGANUI] - PART C

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[TAURANGA | MOUNT MAUNGANUI] - PART D

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^^

Hot!!!!!!

^^

Hot!!!!!!

Me ?

Me ?

Hot Photos on Both Threads :banana:

Sydney, I am afraid we are going to work you to death for the next two years, and wring every possible picture of beautiful Auckland out of you before departure time! :D

Very nice photos as well :)

Hot Photos on Both Threads :banana:

:lol: Thanks Marky Sweety :cheers:

Sydney, I am afraid we are going to work you to death for the next two years, and wring every possible picture of beautiful Auckland out of you before departure time! :D

Damn ! Now I have to be even more creative than before, a shame that the scenery doesn't change every 7 days :) .... I will probably drive you all crazy with my Melbourne / Sydney pics ;)

Very nice photos as well :)

Thank you :)

[TAURANGA | MOUNT MAUNGANUI] - PART E

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[TAURANGA | MOUNT MAUNGANUI] - PART F

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Fabulous pictures!!! I also love that video!!! After seeing that video, made me very tempted to book a ticket and fly to Auckland right away!

LOL! Banana seats and butterfly handlebars. Looks like my bike when I was a kid! :D

Fabulous pictures!!! I also love that video!!! After seeing that video, made me very tempted to book a ticket and fly to Auckland right away!

I am glad that you enjoyed it, that is a summer video, Auckland is not a winter city (very dull & grey in winter) but definitely a summer city - then it is best time to come here and somehow I think that you might find it disappointing ;) One thing that you must see is New Zealand proper - it is WOW !


LOL! Banana seats and butterfly handlebars. Looks like my bike when I was a kid! :D

:lol: I used to have a pink one, who could have guessed ;)

Brilliant shot of The Mount :hug:

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Brilliant shot of The Mount :hug:

Thank you :kiss:

Issue # 06|08

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[27 AUGUST 2009] - 16°C THURSDAY, 13:00 Partly Cloudy

AUCKLAND[INFRASTRUCTURE]

UNDERGROUND [RAIL] LOOP FOR DOWNTOWN AUCKLAND

Investigations into a 3.5km rail tunnel under central Auckland are continuing. KiwiRail and the Auckland Regional Transport Authority are today announcing a $5 million study, to be funded equally by the two organisations, to find a preferred double-tracked tunnel route from the western end of Britomart Station to Mt Eden. The study by a team of four consultancies will run until the end of next year. It envisages a $1 billion-plus tunnel to be ready 2020, doubling the capacity of Britomart before it becomes choked by trains having to keep backing out of the station rather than circulating freely through an inner-city loop. But the announcement follows Transport Minister Steven Joyce's refusal to guarantee the Government would have enough money available to buy 140 electric railcars sought by Auckland Regional Council and its transport authority subsidiary. "No, I cannot," the minister said in Parliament in answer to a bid by the Green Party's Auckland transport spokesman, Keith Locke, to gain such a guarantee. Mr Joyce said last night that the Government was making no more and no less money available than Labour did when it joined Auckland's $1 billion rail electrification project. He also dismissed concern raised by regional council chairman Mike Lee that a re-allocation of money in the Transport Agency's three-year programme, due out today, towards more new highways would result in Auckland's railway services being slowly starved of operating funds. He said $500 million allocated by Labour to electrifying the Auckland railway tracks and $500 million which the Government had promised for electric trains, while abolishing a regional fuel tax to pay for those, was at the limit of affordability and he was concerned about potential cost overruns across both elements. Mr Lee said the inner-city tunnel was "absolutely essential if we are to achieve the quantum leap in Auckland rail patronage that we need - but it can't work without electric trains". KiwiRail network commercial manager Neil Buchanan said the tunnel route would almost certainly reach under the Albert St road reservation to Aotea Square, but the study was needed to determine how best to reach Mt Eden from there.

AUCKLAND [INFRASTRUCTURE]
[GO YONDER & EXPLORE] - PART 1

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^^
It will be good to get that underground railway loop going!

wow

beautiful pics


............

^^
It will be good to get that underground railway loop going!

Oh hell yeah, after how many decades :)


wow

beautiful pics ............

Thank you very, very much :cheers:

Issue # 06|08

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[27 AUGUST 2009] - 16°C THURSDAY, 13:00 Partly Cloudy

AUCKLAND[INFRASTRUCTURE]

NEW [MANUKAU RAIL STATION] AND TERTIARY CAMPUS

A land deal to allow the creation of a tertiary campus for 25,000 students in Manukau city centre has been approved. The Manukau City Council decision means that the planned new Manukau rail and bus station will be part of a tertiary campus building with a floor area of approximately 10,000 square metres. The council has approved a 99 year lease of approximately three hectares of land to Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) for a peppercorn rental. The campus site will be on a section of Hayman Park bordered by Wiri Station Road, Davies Ave and Lambie Drive that has been ear-marked for development for a number of years. MIT plans to open stage one of the campus in 2012 with an initial 1500 full time equivalent students, with numbers expected to increase during the next decade. Manukau Mayor Len Brown says the creation of the tertiary campus opens up opportunities for the city centre and wider Manukau. “The station and campus development is the first stage in a long term plan to lift the city centre to a new level. “There are huge benefits from having a tertiary campus in central Manukau, which is why the council is helping make it happen by providing the land. “It also means there will be a much bigger and better station building than the simple station that would have been there without the campus,” Mr Brown says. “The council has been pushing for many years to get a tertiary campus in the city centre that offers a full range of courses. Soon we'll have two, with Auckland University of Technology (AUT) opening their Manukau campus soon and the planned MIT campus coming in 2012. Having education close to home gives Manukau residents the best opportunities possible for their future. The transport interchange and tertiary campus projects are part of a masterplan the council has developed to create a better city centre – one that is easy to get around and attracts people and investment to the area. The long term aim is to create opportunities for investment, economic development, better public spaces and to make the environment an attractive part of the city centre.

AUCKLAND [INFRASTRUCTURE]
[GO YONDER & EXPLORE] - PART 2

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Tauranga district has very beautiful, and very nice buildings/houses :)

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Sydney and Mr_Kiwi_Fruit, I'm getting a cheap-o flight to Auckland towards Xmas time when the weather is nicer. Would you two ladies be interested in having a drink and maybe showing a wayward Melbournian around town? It looks so beautiful there. So much cleaner and healthier than dirty auld Melb. I know no one else in NZ, just a helluva lotta Kiwis here.

I've just been watching all these cool Kiwi things on Youtube, I LOVE this pre-take off safety video from Air New Zealand. Very inventive. The pilot is very much my type too :lol:

7-Mq9HAE62Y

And this advert from Kiwibank is great too...

NmNTwKbLHgU

And the NZ Tourism Ad, which seems to play here every 3 seconds...

9sEZ-wdFegU

I'm an NZ state of mind tonight.

Tauranga district has very beautiful, and very nice buildings/houses :)

It is one of my favourites, I could quite easily go there every weekend :)


Sydney and Mr_Kiwi_Fruit, I'm getting a cheap-o flight to Auckland towards Xmas time when the weather is nicer. Would you two ladies be interested in having a drink and maybe showing a wayward Melbournian around town? It looks so beautiful there. So much cleaner and healthier than dirty auld Melb. I know no one else in NZ, just a helluva lotta Kiwis here.

That's gr8 news :) when exactly will you be here ? there is a good chance that we might be in South Island but nothing has been confirmed as yet :( Don't expect too much from Auckland, after living in Melbourne you might find it very dull here. I did, after returning from Melbourne I was depressed for months on end but I can give you loads of advice as to what to see etc. It will all help :cheers:

It is one of my favourites, I could quite easily go there every weekend :)

Most of them, are looking great indeed. And those apartments should be really expensive, right?

Issue # 07|08

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[28 AUGUST 2009] - 18°C FRIDAY, 11:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

NEW LUXURY [HOTEL] FOR BRITOMART PRECINCT
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The developer of Auckland's $1 billion Britomart Precinct has scaled back plans for a towering luxury hotel on the waterfront and has instead unveiled plans for a stepped building that is not as high as the hotel building proposed last year, but still breaches the allowable height limit. The company announced plans in June last year to build a luxury 175-room hotel on the Seafarers Building site on Quay St in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It would have been up to 101m, four times over the allowable height limit at the historic Britomart precinct. After a public outcry at the height, bulk and how the building related to the precinct, Cooper and Company went back to the drawing board. Auckland City's urban design champion Ludo Campbell-Reid called the hotel "alien" in scale to the heritage needs of the precinct. The Historic Places Trust said that it would disrupt the rhythm, pattern and grain of the urban zone. Chief executive Matthew Cockram said the company had listened carefully to the feedback for the hotel building and taken a new approach for one of the last remaining development sites along the waterfront. He said a panel of architects - Pip Cheshire, Clinton Bird and Jeremy Salmond - had looked at all the issues and created a "much superior" building envelope. The plans had been peer reviewed by Sydney architect Richard Johnson and run past Auckland City Council's urban design panel. The new building would be made up of two heights to echo the pattern of different heights along Quay St. The maximum heights would be 61.4m and 35.4m. The allowable building height for the site is 24m. Mr Cockram said the economic recession counted against a luxury hotel proceeding, but the company would love to build a boutique hotel on the site some time in the future. For RENDERS & INFORMATION please go HERE (http://eyeonauckland.blogspot.com/)

AUCKLAND [DOWNTOWN]
[BLUE ON WHITE] - PART 1

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Nice pictures! :) I don't really like the rendering of new hotel at all. It is very uninspiring and unfit for Auckland. Auckland deserves nicer looking hotel tower.

Most of them, are looking great indeed. And those apartments should be really expensive, right?

They run into the millions unfortunately, I will have to wait for my winning lottery ticket ;)

Nice pictures! :) I don't really like the rendering of new hotel at all. It is very uninspiring and unfit for Auckland. Auckland deserves nicer looking hotel tower.

Thanks mate, I love Concept B, it is very SANAA :) The proposal that they had last year was gr8 but the village idiots shot it down - they don't have hobbies and sit around waiting for something to bitch about. Many Aucklander's actually thin that they live in some village out in the countryside :ohno:

Well spotted :popcorn: :hug:

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Well spotted :popcorn: :hug:

I have a very, very good teacher ;)

And the NZ Tourism Ad, which seems to play here every 3 seconds...

9sEZ-wdFegU

I'm an NZ state of mind tonight.

That is one of my favourite videos, it just screams New Zealand !

Issue # 07|08

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[28 AUGUST 2009] - 18°C FRIDAY, 11:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[INFRASTRUCTURE]

MAJOR [TRANSPORT] PLAN APPROVED
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Design work can now start on a major transport package linking Auckland and Manukau cities. Funding has been confirmed for the design stage of the Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative. The New Zealand Transport Agency has also officially endorsed stage one of the project due for completion in 2019. The agency will contribute more than half of the estimated $10.6 million cost. Stage one’s total cost is estimated at $427m. Manukau City Council group manager transportation David Collings describes it as a "definite commitment into the future". "They’re well aware of what expectations will be placed on their future budgets," he says. "Design work can now happen. It doesn’t require consultation. It’s gone through those phases and I guess we’ve gone through the hard parts." Mr Collings describes it as a corridor of growth and development for future traffic demand. The two-stage joint project between the Manukau and Auckland city councils and the transport agency is a $1.33 billion package of improvements to major roads, public transport, walking and cycling facilities. Key points in the first package of work from 2010 to 2019 include: Pedestrian/cycle lanes clip-on to the Panmure Bridge, interim improvements at Ti Rakau Drive/Pakuranga Bridge and Pakuranga Rd/Ti Rakau Drive, intersection upgrades on Gossamer/Ti Rakau Drive as well as Truegood Drive and Cryers Rd, bus lanes on Ti Rakau Drive and Pakuranga Rd, and beginning work on the Reeves Rd flyover. The second stage due to start in 2019 will be completed by 2031.

AUCKLAND [DOWNTOWN]
[BLUE ON WHITE] - PART 2

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Great pics as always.:cheer:

This is the newly arrived floating paddle restaurant the 'Waipa Delta'.
(Click the image for more info.)

http://www.pbase.com/enigma35/image/116629789.jpg (http://www.waipadelta.co.nz/MV_Waipa_Delta/Home_IDL=3_IDT=722_ID=10709_.html)

Fantastic shots all round, a real sense of early spring by the looks of it. I notice in the first picture of the second batch that the guy is in shorts and tee-shirt. It must be warming up! :) Look forward to more as always.

Thanks mate, I love Concept B, it is very SANAA :) The proposal that they had last year was gr8 but the village idiots shot it down - they don't have hobbies and sit around waiting for something to bitch about. Many Aucklander's actually thin that they live in some village out in the countryside :ohno:

What did it was looked like before village idiots killed it?

BTW, neat pictures! :) We still want to see more and more pictures of beautiful Auckland! :)

Fantastic shots all round, a real sense of early spring by the looks of it. I notice in the first picture of the second batch that the guy is in shorts and tee-shirt. It must be warming up! :) Look forward to more as always.

Things are warming up but one day sun three days grey is starting to annoy me endlessly :lol: ... I have decided that I need to live somewhere sunnier - a sunny disposition needs a sunny climate ;) ... Sydney is looking more attractive as the days go by :cheers: Thanks for the comment Mike.


What did it was looked like before village idiots killed it?

BTW, neat pictures! :) We still want to see more and more pictures of beautiful Auckland! :)

You could say that it was more of what you can expect to find in a city such as Sydney but too tall for the nimby's - bastards !! :) Thanks for the compliment mate :cheers:

[CENTER]Great pics as always.:cheer:

This is the newly arrived floating paddle restaurant the 'Waipa Delta'.

How romantic, I can see us cruising the harbour on a hot summer's evening ;) :hug:

Issue # 07|08

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[28 AUGUST 2009] - 18°C FRIDAY, 11:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[EVENT]

AUCKLAND [HERITAGE] FESTIVAL
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A unique opportunity to take a guided tour of Auckland Art Gallery's $113 million heritage refurbishment with experts from the project team. Sunday 27 September. One hour tours starting at 10am, 11am , Midday, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. Tours depart promptly from the gallery foyer, on the corner of Wellesley and Lorne Streets. To secure your place, please register 10 minutes prior to departure. The Auckland Heritage Festival will take place from September 19th - October 4th 2009. Celebrate the unique stories and secrets of Auckland while reflecting on our city's natural, built and social history. The festival will feature everything from art and architecture to fashion and music, something for people of all ages and interests.

AUCKLAND [DOWNTOWN]
[BLUE ON WHITE] - PART 3

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It all looks so clean, shiny, new and fresh. Thanks for the photographs.

Neat pictures!!! Sydney, can you find old pictures of Auckland back in the 90s, 80s, 70s and beyond and show us how much Auckland changed since then? :)

It all looks so clean, shiny, new and fresh. Thanks for the photographs.

You are more than welcome :)


Neat pictures!!! Sydney, can you find old pictures of Auckland back in the 90s, 80s, 70s and beyond and show us how much Auckland changed since then? :)

Sure thing :) I am currently working on just such a project. Stay tuned sweety and thanks for the comment :)

^^ Awesome! I am looking forward for it! :cheers:

Issue # 07|08

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[28 AUGUST 2009] - 18°C FRIDAY, 11:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[EVENT]

[THEME PARK] HERE TO STAY
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Rainbow’s End has been granted a lease extension and has just invested in a big new attraction. Theme park operator New Zealand Experience has been negotiating with Manukau City Council to extend its lease from 2019 to 2034. "We have an understanding between the council and the company. It just needs to be approved by the Auckland Transition Authority as part of the supercity implementation process," says chairman Tony Frankham. The council says it is committed to keeping Rainbow’s End in the city. Part of the current leased land will be extracted for use by the Justice Ministry but a similar area of additional land has been set aside for inclusion in the new lease. Rainbow’s End will be compensated for the cost of relocating an existing attraction because of the lost land. The process has progressed enough for the company to invest in a new ride. It’s the first new significant attraction in the park since the Fear Fall in 2004 and it was selected after extensive planning and evaluation, Mr Frankham says. It will be located near the existing rollercoaster and log flume attractions where redevelopment is already under way for a new food outlet and outdoor area. He hopes the new ride will be up and running in time for the Christmas holidays or early January but he’s tight-lipped on what the attraction it will be. "It’ll be a major attraction and it’s an exciting one," he says.

AUCKLAND [DOWNTOWN]
[BLUE ON WHITE] - PART 4

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^^ Awesome! I am looking forward for it! :cheers:

You are more than welcome :cheers:

Issue # 07|08

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[28 AUGUST 2009] - 18°C FRIDAY, 11:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[NEWS]

[WARMEST] AUGUST ON RECORD
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It's not global warming, it's just good weather - last month was the warmest August New Zealand has seen since temperatures were first recorded 155 years ago. New Zealanders could thank strong westerly winds coming off Australia for an average temperature almost 2degC warmer than usual, said Auckland climate scientist Jim Salinger. The average temperature for New Zealand last month was 10.4degC, which gave the normally wintery month the kind of temperatures usually seen in spring. Regions that registered the highest temperatures above average were areas such as Central Otago and inland Canterbury, where the Australian air kept both days and nights relatively warm. Auckland and Tauranga shared the title of the warmest main centre for August, while Wellington was both the sunniest and wettest, Dunedin the driest, and Christchurch the coolest. Niwa's outlook for spring said New Zealanders could continue to expect warmer weather than usual throughout September, although there was likely to be a change mid-spring.

AUCKLAND [DOWNTOWN]
[BLUE ON WHITE] - PART 5

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Sure thing :) I am currently working on just such a project. Stay tuned sweety and thanks for the comment :)

If you start a new thread for this, make sure you link it here as I would hate to miss it :cheers:

If you start a new thread for this, make sure you link it here as I would hate to miss it :cheers:

Sure thing, I will probably continue it here but it is going to take some time to collate everything ... stay tuned mate ;)

Issue # 07|08

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[28 AUGUST 2009] - 18°C FRIDAY, 11:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[NEWS]

THE BIG AUCKLAND [CLEAN UP]
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Aucklanders are being encouraged to get involved in clean-up projects for the Great New Zealand Spring Clean. Keep New Zealand Beautiful’s annual Clean Up Week runs from September 4 to 11 with events across the city. Bunnings Warehouse staff will be doing their bit for the clean-up with a day of litter collection at sports clubs, schools, community centres and parks while Auckland New World staff will also be helping with local clean-up projects. For further information please go HERE (www.knzbcleanupweek.co.nz)

AUCKLAND [DOWNTOWN]
[BLUE ON WHITE] - PART 6

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"Aucklanders are being encouraged to get involved in clean-up projects for the Great New Zealand Spring Clean. Keep New Zealand Beautiful’s annual Clean Up Week runs from September 4 to 11 with events across the city. Bunnings Warehouse staff will be doing their bit for the clean-up with a day of litter collection at sports clubs, schools, community centres and parks while Auckland New World staff will also be helping with local clean-up projects."

What a fantastic idea!

How could Auckland clean up since Auckland already TOO TIDY?!?!? :lol:

What a fantastic idea!

:cheers:


How could Auckland clean up since Auckland already TOO TIDY?!?!? :lol:

:lol: We still have our share of litter bugs ;) they should change it to an "internal" clean up, looking into some of the apartments and their balconies is a frightful experience - some people live like pigs :puke:

Issue # 01|09

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[30 AUGUST 2009] - 18°C SUNDAY, 12:00 Stormy

AUCKLAND[NEWS]

HERITAGE TRAIL FOR [HOBSONVILLE]
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Plans to develop a heritage trail in Hobsonville have been endorsed by Waitakere City Council. The council’s Infrastructure and Works Committee has agreed to a service level agreement with the Hobsonville Heritage Trust for the design and construction of a trail that will highlight the area’s rich history. The agreement will see the trust receive a one-off payment of $300,000 for which it will have to • Develop a landscaping plan for Limeburners Bay and obtain building and resource consents for a Hobsonville Heritage Trail • Apply for and obtain an authority to modify an archaeological site (uncover the kiln floors, re-cement in the bricks; and install drainage and fencing where appropriate) and • Construct the heritage trail and install interpretive signage and prepare heritage brochures that will explain the significance of heritage sites in Hobsonville. The $300,000 is the balance of compensation paid to the council for the demolition of Sinton House by the New Zealand Transport Agency to allow for the construction of the new SH 18 motorway. “This is a public/private partnership where the council acquires land through the subdivision process but a private trust adds value, in this case through the development of a heritage trail,” says committee chairman Derek Battersby. Council officers are negotiating with the landowner as part of the planned development of that site, to acquire the land adjacent to the esplanade reserve that has archaeological features associated with it. The proposed subdivision will require the approval of the council, Auckland Regional Council and the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. The archaeological features were given additional protection by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust last year to include the post-1900 features of the site along the coastal foreshore under the Historic Places Act 1993. An archaeological assessment of the area conducted by the council last year highlighted the heritage significance of Limeburners Bay and the archaeology is more extensive than first thought. The bay contains the remains of Carder’s and Holland’s heavy clay pottery works, and the R.O Clarks Ltd works and is regarded as the birthplace of ceramics in Waitakere, before the industry shifted to New Lynn.

AUCKLAND [SUBURB]
[DEVONPORT] - PART 1

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Awesome pictures! :)

This chick's facial expression like "What are you looking at me for!?!?" :lol::lol::lol:
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Awesome pictures! :)

This chick's facial expression like "What are you looking at me for!?!?" :lol::lol::lol:

Thanks sweety .... she was licking her lips and thinking "if only he wasn't gay - the things that I could do to him" :lol:

Issue # 01|09

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[30 AUGUST 2009] - 18°C SUNDAY, 12:00 Stormy

AUCKLAND[NEWS]

TRAVELLER'S NAME [NEW ZEALAND] SECOND BEST DESTINATION
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New Zealand has been named the second-favourite destination in the world by readers of Conde Naste Traveller magazine. The publication's annual Readers' Travel Awards rank everything from cities, countries and islands to tour operators and spas. New Zealand topped the 'favourite countries' list last year but was pushed into second place this year by Italy, which the magazine's readers identified as having the best food, culture and climate in the world. Each country was given a mark out of 100, with Italy this year scoring an impressive 95.55. New Zealand's score was 95.18. Rounding out the top five were Turkey (94.84), Australia (94.47) and France (94.31). Luxury Glenorchy hotel Blanket Bay was named the best leisure hotel in Australasia and the South Pacific, with Taupo's Huka Lodge, the Wairarapa's Wharekauhau Lodge and Country Estate and The Farm at Cape Kidnappers also making the top 20. Local carrier Air New Zealand also performed well in the awards, being named second-best airline for long-haul leisure travel. First place in that category was taken by Virgin Atlantic, with Qantas, British Airways and India's Kingfisher Airlines making up the top five. Air New Zealand was also singled out as having the best in-flight catering of all the long-haul carriers. In addition to identifying winners in each category, the travel awards features a 'Top 100' list, which ranks the destinations and experiences according to the score they were given - regardless of the individual categories. New Zealand's score on the 'best countries' list gave it a spot at number four and Blanket Bay's score of 94.44 in the 'best hotels' category placed it at number 10 on the 'Top 100' list.

AUCKLAND [SUBURB]
[DEVONPORT] - PART 2

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Is that a real duck? Looks not quite right somehow.

btw. All good shots. Those weatherboards look like too much work to upkeep.

Thanks sweety .... she was licking her lips and thinking "if only he wasn't gay - the things that I could do to him" :lol:

:lol::lol::lol:

Nice pictures by the way! :cheers:

For once again very nice photos :cheers:

More fantastic shots mate, well done. Loving the going from the busy centre of the city and street-level piccies to the outskirts of the city where it is quieter and you can get sea views :).

Is that a real duck? Looks not quite right somehow. btw. All good shots. Those weatherboards look like too much work to upkeep.

Yes it is :) as tame as anything that you have ever seen. It is quite common to see the ducks walking along Devonport's streets and they are very tame as well - so cute. Thanks ML :cheers:


:lol::lol::lol:

Nice pictures by the way! :cheers:

Thanks mate :cheers:


For once again very nice photos :cheers:

Thank you CG :cheers:


More fantastic shots mate, well done. Loving the going from the busy centre of the city and street-level piccies to the outskirts of the city where it is quieter and you can get sea views :).

Thanks Mike, Devonport is my favourite suburb, I could live there tomorrow. I wish that we hadn't bought our place, it just ties you down ;)

Thank you CG :cheers:

Welcome @SYDNEY :) i will expect more photos

:lol: We still have our share of litter bugs ;) they should change it to an "internal" clean up, looking into some of the apartments and their balconies is a frightful experience - some people live like pigs :puke:

VERY true

Welcome @SYDNEY :) i will expect more photos

The cafe society has been keeping me very busy :)


VERY true

:cheers:

Issue # 01|09

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[30 AUGUST 2009] - 18°C SUNDAY, 12:00 Stormy

AUCKLAND[NEWS]

LEN BROWN WANTS TO BE AUCKLAND'S FIRST [SUPER CITY] MAYOR
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Two years ago Manukau mayor Len Brown was no fan of the supercity. He couldn’t see how "one city based in Auckland’s central business district and focused on the waterfront and the Viaduct" was going to benefit the region’s communities.Now that same fear – that people and communities will lose their representation – is driving his bid to be the first mayor of "all Auckland" in November next year. Mr Brown announced his campaign to lead the first Auckland Council before a couple of hundred supporters gathered at One Tree Hill in Onehunga on Sunday. Another reason compelling him to stand is the chance to strengthen regional governance, he says. He wants to preserve the gains local councils and the Auckland Regional Council have painstakingly made over more than 150 years and "propel the region forward to the pre-eminent position it deserves". "We can only do that if we strengthen local communities and ensure each of them is cared for, that there is a high degree of connectivity among peoples and communities in all their diversity, and that the leadership is primarily focused on fulfilling their hopes, dreams and aspirations. "We are all in this together and we will not leave anyone behind." To realise the region’s potential for "spectacular economic growth", the council has to have a development platform, he says. "Outstanding infrastructure like roading and public transport is critical. "Electricity is hugely important. We need to upgrade power grids and lines and put in place high-speed broadband in two or three years." There’s a need to "power up education to a higher standard" and campaign for cleanliness and safety on the streets. "We have a primary focus on safety in Manukau. We will continue with that and have a stronger focus for the region. The single-mindedness we applied to graffiti in Manukau, we will also take to the region." Environmental sustainability is also "very high up in the list". "We have to preserve our green zones, maintain our reserves and volcanic areas and improve water quality. "We have to look into waste reduction and air and water pollution which are impacting on Auckland." Focus will also go on to Auckland’s central business district as the commercial, cultural and artistic hub of New Zealand. "It is the face of the country. Visitors come into the country through Auckland." Funding the supercity is going to be a "huge challenge", he says. "But I will continue to put forward myself as a strong and prudent manager of council assets and the council’s rating base. "That’s why we will keep and not sell council assets. We want our council to have an affordable future." And Mr Brown says his position on Maori representation on the council has not changed. "Our council advocates direct Maori representation. Maori are a strong, active part of our community. "As leader of the city I will continue to advocate for it. "The government has made a decision without waiting for the report of the select committee, jeopardising the democratic process." He has pledged to take his campaign to the streets of Auckland "and we’ll have local democracy".

AUCKLAND [SUBURB]
[DEVONPORT] - PART 3

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Grt pics y'all. Thanks.

Nice pics again. Which camera you using these days? Did you get that Canon camera yet? The G10 wasnt it?

I put those nightshots in my last post of my thread. Dont know if you remember me telling you about them??the ones i took from the carpark roof on high st

great shots

Auckland's a beauty and i like its setting!

Thanks Syd! Great thread!

Grt pics y'all. Thanks.

Thanks for leaving a comment :)


Nice pics again. Which camera you using these days? Did you get that Canon camera yet? The G10 wasnt it?

I put those nightshots in my last post of my thread. Dont know if you remember me telling you about them??the ones i took from the carpark roof on high st

Thanks mate, still the same camera but realised that I was using the wrong setting, the Devonport pics are very grainy and pixelated - all fixed now :) I haven't seen your pics, I will go and look at them straight away :)


great shots

Thanks mate :cheers:


Auckland's a beauty and i like its setting!

Thanks Syd! Great thread!

Yes, she is growing up and the setting does help dress her ;) you are most welcome and thanks for leaving a comment :)

Issue # 02|09

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[02 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 16°C WEDNESDAY, 13:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[DEVELOPMENT]

[EAST BUILDING] RISING
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Hawkins Construction is seven months away from finishing the new East building in the $1 billion Britomart project. Chris Hunter, Hawkins' chief executive, said the 12-level building would be completed next April and construction had reached level nine. Hawkins started on the site at the intersection of Britomart Place and Galway St behind the old Wharf Police Station in July last year. About 20 per cent of the building is not leased but head tenants are Westpac and Ernst & Young. Developer Cooper and Company is searching for more tenants in an attempt to get full occupancy when the building opens. A large central atrium has been developed in the middle of the new building and its roof will be clad with the transparent ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) which is also being used on the new South Stand at Eden Park. Hunter said the East job in the CBD was extremely unusual and presented challenges specific to the site. "Structural steel columns that support the new building are directly above the existing structural walls of the Britomart train station. The Britomart was built to allow construction above it at a further stage. "All structural steel columns in the new building sit on elastomeric or rubber bearings to isolate the building from vibrations caused by the trains below," Hunter said. The steel on the structure is complete and fitouts, roofing and cladding is under way. Glass on the exterior will be finished by November. A "walking street" has been created through the middle of the building, opened up via the glass atrium. This will allow access to and from the Britomart transport centre. The building will be divided into two parts when finished: East 1 will be Westpac on Takutai Square and East 2 will be the Ernst & Young Building.

AUCKLAND [SUBURB]
[PARNELL - LOFT & DESIGN DISTRICT] - PART 1

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Issue # 02|09

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[02 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 16°C WEDNESDAY, 13:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[INFRASTRUCTURE]

[TRANSPORT SYSTEM] RECEIVES A BOOST
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Auckland’s transport system will receive a $2.8 billion funding boost during the next three years, a $613 million increase in investment compared with previous years. The funds are part of the New Zealand Transport Agency’s $8.7b boost for the national land transport programme. It is designed to move Auckland forward with a significant increase in public transport spending and a stronger capital works programme for state highways. Agency chief executive Geoff Dangerfield says it places emphasis on activities that encourage economic growth, productivity and employment. He says Auckland’s public transport system is set to receive $518m during the next three years through the programme. "Public transport is critical to contributing to economic growth in the region by reducing peak time congestion." Mr Dangerfield says other priorities for the investment include new or upgraded rail stations, new trains, integrated ticketing, ferry terminal upgrades, completing the central connector bus corridor, funding roads of national significance and many other projects. Sandringham Rd improvements near Eden Park in preparation for the 2011 Rugby World Cup will also be funded. "Auckland is the engine room of the national economy and this additional investment will help unlock the region’s potential to increase productivity and create jobs at a critical time for New Zealand." Transport Minister Steven Joyce says this is the largest ever investment in the system and represents a 17 percent increase from the previous three-year period. "This sustained boost to investment reflects the importance of transport to our economic prospects." Mr Joyce says within three years the Victoria Park project will be complete and the western ring route construction will have started. The time frame for the programme allows for investments with a longer term view. Auckland Business Forum chairman Michael Barnett says he is disappointed there is no funding provision for the east-west link between State Highway 1 at Mt Wellington and SH20 at Onehunga. "The Neilson St corridor carries more freight and other business traffic than many of the region’s state highways and is heavily congested most days."

AUCKLAND [SUBURB]
[PARNELL - LOFT & DESIGN DISTRICT] - PART 2

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Hey this reminds me of the millenium galleries in sheffield, my home city, what you reckon?
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Its really nice in the paddington, ive been meaning to got there one night for something to eat

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Hey this reminds me of the millenium galleries in sheffield, my home city, what you reckon?
http://images.google.co.nz/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=millenium%20galleries%20sheffield&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

Its really nice in the paddington, ive been meaning to got there one night for something to eat

Yeah it does look like a mini version of it. I love what they have done to all those old wool sheds and warehouses in Parnell. Just goes to show what a bit if recycling does ;)

I did my weeks' work experience at Ignite Architects and they have their meetings in The Paddington - how cool is that :)

Beautiful!!

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Beautiful!!

Thanks gorgeous :hug:

Issue # 03|09

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[06 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 15°C SUNDAY, 11:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[INFRASTRUCTURE]

SUBURBAN [ONEHUNGA] RAILWAY STATIONS MAKE PROGRESS
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Onehunga’s historic rail station could be returned to the town centre as part of the redevelopment of the ‘ITM site’. This is one of the ideas to emerge as Auckland prepares to reopen the Onehunga Branch Line (OBL) to passenger services. It’s almost 137 years since the OBL first started carrying ship passengers between the Manukau Harbour and the settlement of Auckland, saving them a treacherous overland trip by horse and cart. Travellers looking to beat traffic jams that now dominate that overland route will soon be able to catch the train once again. The old station might sit next to the new rail station, along with new shops and apartments on the ITM site on Onehunga Mall. The Auckland Regional Council’s Transport and Urban Development Committee today received a report about how the ITM site might be redeveloped, with the old station, a new station, and shops and apartments all incorporated into concept plans. Onehunga’s original station is one of only a handful of Auckland’s wooden stations to still exist, thanks to rail enthusiasts looking after it. The distinct, triangular building is currently in Onehunga’s Alfred St. Located between the town centre and the Onehunga Branch Line, the regional council saw that the land offered the chance to bring passenger trains into Onehunga’s heart as they originally were, while at the same time promoting quality urban development that would help Onehunga become a growth centre and transport hub as envisaged under the Regional Growth Strategy. Committee chairwoman Christine Rose said the purchase was a strategic one. “Onehunga will be a key future rapid transit interchange with possible rail extensions from Onehunga to the airport and Avondale.” Locally known as the ITM site, the land is located east of Onehunga Mall, bounded by Princes and Neilson Streets. The Onehunga Branch Line forms the eastern boundary. Officers told the committee that: • The Onehunga branch line would open in the first half of 2010 • It is proposed that the new Onehunga station will be on the southern half of the ITM site • The northern side could initially be used as a temporary park and ride • KiwiRail Network (formerly ONTRACK) will use the site as a base while they rehabilitate the rail line. However, the committee was urged to take a longer-term view of the site’s redevelopment. A draft development framework envisages that, in future, the northern end could be redeveloped with a high-quality, intensive form of development, which would breathe new life into the southern end of Onehunga Mall. The new rail station especially would increase the number of pedestrians in the area, and redevelopment would improve the attractiveness and commercial viability of that part of the town centre. Commercial property advice suggested that in the medium term, the most appropriate uses would be a mix of retail and residential, as economic conditions picked up. There was also an opportunity to tap into the area’s local history – the committee supported officers’ recommendation that the return of the historic rail station be investigated. It currently serves as a base for the Railway Enthusiasts Society, which would continue to use the building if it is moved. Cr Rose said it was very important that the local community’s views on redevelopment were canvassed before the committee signed-off on the draft development framework, and that even temporary facilities such as a park and ride would need to be attractive. ARC officers will be visiting the immediate neighbours of the site and community groups to tell them about options for redevelopment, to find out what they think and to listen to any concerns. They’ll report back to the Transport and Urban Development Committee in November.

AUCKLAND [SUBURB]
[NORTH SHORE - ONEPOTO CYCLE WAY] - PART 1

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For once again awesome photos; i like and i really enjoy sseing those photos

Is there any online map of the Onepoto Cycle way?

WOW!!! I really love this Onepoto Cycleway!!! I must admit that New Zealand do have a great taste in art! :applause:

WOW!!! I really love this Onepoto Cycleway!!! I must admit that New Zealanders do have a great taste in art! :applause:

For once again awesome photos; i like and i really enjoy sseing those photos

Thank you so much and I am glad to read that you enjoy the so much :cheers:


Is there any online map of the Onepoto Cycle way?

I don't have a map but it is on the North Shore, Esmonde Road off-ramp just after the Harbour Bridge


WOW!!! I really love this Onepoto Cycleway!!! I must admit that New Zealand do have a great taste in art! :applause:

Now if only they would apply the same design principles to everything that they do, we will be at the forefront of cutting edge design ;) How have you been - working yet ?

Issue # 03|09

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[06 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 15°C SUNDAY, 11:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[INFRASTRUCTURE]

NEW [MOTORWAY] THROUGH WATERVIEW GETS GO-AHEAD
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The controversial Waterview Connection will go ahead in Auckland as planned, it was announced today. The 4.5km motorway extension between Waterview and Mt Roskill will result in the demolition of 365 houses and cost $1.4 billion. The New Zealand Transport Agency Board (NZTA) Board confirmed today the combined surface/tunnel alignment that will complete the Western Ring Route around Auckland. It said the alignment was the same as that selected by the board in May this year as its preferred option. Chairman Brian Roche said the board had chosen a route that was affordable and which could be completed on time. The board was aware of the community's interests and concerns about aspects of the project, but he believed the combined surface tunnel alignment was the best option to complete the Western Ring Route within available funding. The planned Waterview Connection has been the subject of angry public protests. Margi Watson, organiser of a protest march in June, said then the community was concerned about the negative impact the planned motorway would have on its environment. "It's time to stand up and say to the Government this is not an acceptable or accountable solution. It's a 1950s solution to a 21st century problem," she said. Mr Roche said today the board knew that building a major infrastructure project in urban Auckland would affect people's lives and the environment. "The Waterview Connection project is especially challenging because no land has ever been set aside to connect the highway network," he said. The board was confident that the project's effects could be managed in a fair and reasonable way and that many of the community concerns could be addressed through good design. Further work would be done before the board gave approval to begin statutory consent processes. "We are acutely aware of the community's concerns about the effect of this project in their neighbourhoods and how the issues they have raised will be managed. The board is confident that these issues will be addressed as we proceed to the next step," Mr Roche said.

AUCKLAND [SUBURB]
[NORTH SHORE - ONEPOTO CYCLE WAY] - PART 2

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Now if only they would apply the same design principles to everything that they do, we will be at the forefront of cutting edge design ;) How have you been - working yet ?

I'm doing great! Yeah I am working but not on interior design field. It is better than no job right? I am still looking for interior design job. US economy is starting to rebound... I hope to see more interior design jobs opening soon.

By the way awesome pictures!!! I really like that bench! Is it comfortable to sit on? :lol:

I'm doing great! Yeah I am working but not on interior design field. It is better than no job right? I am still looking for interior design job. US economy is starting to rebound... I hope to see more interior design jobs opening soon.

By the way awesome pictures!!! I really like that bench! Is it comfortable to sit on? :lol:

I am very glad to read that mate and I look forward to viewing your amended portfolio :) Surprisingly yes, it is very comfortable :lol: Thanks for the compliment and have a gr8 weekend, be naughty ;)

A few [ODDS & SODS] I have lying around .....

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Do you take all these photos yourself?

You're a genius :applause:.

I am very glad to read that mate and I look forward to viewing your amended portfolio :) Surprisingly yes, it is very comfortable :lol: Thanks for the compliment and have a gr8 weekend, be naughty ;)

:lol::lol::lol:

I am still working on my portfolio. I will let you know when I am done. :)

Do you take all these photos yourself?

You're a genius :applause:.

Yes I do :) WOW, what a compliment, thanks :)


:lol::lol::lol:

I am still working on my portfolio. I will let you know when I am done. :)

Sweet as :)

^^ And those new ones are very nice as well

^^ And those new ones are very nice as well

Thanks, you are very kind :cheers:

Omaha Beach is spectacular :)

Omaha Beach is spectacular :)

Maybe we should retire there :lol:

Maybe we should retire there :lol:

That is still a loooooong way off :)

BTW about that beach, it is awesome no doubt :)

That is still a loooooong way off :)

It feels as if it is knocking at our front door - must be a mid-life crises :) IWU !


BTW about that beach, it is awesome no doubt :)

There are some great beaches in the Auckland area, now if only it was sunny every day :) Thanks for the comment mate :cheers:

Issue # 04|09

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[08 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 17°C TUESDAY, 14:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+LIFE]

THE [LIGHTER QUAY WESTIN HOTEL] IS AUCKLAND'S BEST
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The Westin Auckland has been voted 'Best New Zealand Hotel' in the 2009 HM Awards. The nominations which were put forward by industry peers, where collated and then judged by panel made up of 50 travel writers, industry experts and key clients. “To be nominated New Zealand's Best Hotel by people from within the hotel industry is certainly an honour” says General Manager Marcus Reinders. The Westin Auckland was also voted 'Best City Hotel in New Zealand' by the 2009 Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards and named in the Top 100 World's Best Hotels in the Expedia Insiders List earlier this year.

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[FROM UP HIGH] - PART 1

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Is that legal ? Lol

Is that legal ? Lol

Girlfriend was "advertising" :lol: Maybe "she" wanted to be arrested ;)

^^ I think she is the man... He possibly reading "How to commit suicide" book before he jumps.

By the way, neat pictures! :) Good to know Westin is New Zealand's best hotel. I will put that on my list when I can afford to fly there.

^^ I think she is the man... He possibly reading "How to commit suicide" book before he jumps.

By the way, neat pictures! :) Good to know Westin is New Zealand's best hotel. I will put that on my list when I can afford to fly there.

:lol: He gives queen new meaning but we won't hold that against him, he can't help it. Sure thing sweety, start saving now and make it a summer to remember. I do hope that you get to see NZ one day, it is Godzone ;) Thanks for the kind words :cheers:

More like living in hope that "it pays to advertise" :)

More like living in hope that "it pays to advertise" :)

:lol: All that is missing is the "FOR SALE" sign ;)

Issue # 04|09

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[08 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 17°C TUESDAY, 14:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+LIFE]

PROPOSED [FORT STREET AREA] UPGRADE
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Six streets in the Fort Street area are to be transformed into an attractive destination, they are: FORT STREET + FORT LANE + JEAN BATTEN PLACE + GORE STREET + COMMERCE STREET + SHORTLAND STREET. The Fort Street area upgrade aims to transform the area into a lively, people focused destination that reflects the area's rich cultural and geographic history. Shared spaces, new artworks, interesting design features, seating, vegetation, lighting and high quality stone paving are proposed to create an attractive, interesting destination in the CBD. For more INFORMATION + RENDERS please go HERE (http://eyeonauckland.blogspot.com/)

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[FROM UP HIGH] - PART 2

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The fort street upgrades look great. We need more pedestrianised area's of Auckland. Its just not normal for a city to have so few lol. Nice pics :)

Btw did you see my night shots? they are "ok" lol I'll put some more on later

The fort street upgrades look great. We need more pedestrianised area's of Auckland. Its just not normal for a city to have so few lol. Nice pics :)

Btw did you see my night shots? they are "ok" lol I'll put some more on later

High time, I agree :) It will be gr8 once finished. I haven't seen them yet, I forgot :( I will go and look soon :cheers: We owe you a coffee :)

Good-bye Winter, Hello Summer Video

2LIAja7IkZs

Issue # 04|09

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[08 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 17°C TUESDAY, 14:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+NEWS]

PUTTING THE [PARK] INTO CAR PARK
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Cars will be banished from parking spots in Auckland city on Friday 18 September as a group of Aucklanders reclaim the streets as ‘people places’. Five Auckland city parking spots will be ‘hijacked’ as part of an annual international event called ‘PARK(ing) Day’. In cities around the globe, artists, activists and citizens are temporarily transforming metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces. It’s the first time New Zealand has participated in the global initiative designed to promote “people-friendly cities”. The Auckland sites will be transformed into a fishing pond, a play area featuring petanque, golf and twister, a picnic area, an area on Queen Street complete with a lawn mower and a Parisian artist’s corner in Lorne St. Parking Day was first established in San Francisco in 2005 to highlight that 70 per cent of their city is dedicated to the private vehicle. CBD advocate Heart of the City is supporting PARK(ing) Day, partnering with Intersect[1] to bring the programme to Auckland. CEO Alex Swney says for far too long priority has been given to the private motor vehicle. “Together with Intersect we are making a stand for place-building in this city of ours. Instead of parking lots, green pockets of park like spaces will sprout up around the city. “It’s about thinking outside the five metre by two metre parking lot, and encouraging people to use alternative means of getting to and from the CBD such as cycling, walking or public transport,” Swney says. Heart of the City says PARK(ing) Day is a small step in moving Auckland forwards. It’s about building a city people want to be part of and one where there are activities and facilities for citizens to take part in and use. “Parking Day is a symbol for positive change. People and not cars should be shaping our city,” says Swney. Chair of Intersect, Nick Potter concurs. “When I think of a people-friendly city I imagine a place that is safe for cyclists, fun to explore by foot, full of fresh air, and has plenty of buzz from people not cars.” In Auckland the five parking spots hijacked for (PARK)ing Day will be situated at: 191 Queen St (outside Valley Girl), 3 Lorne St (next to Sheinkin Café), Corner of Swanson St and Queen St, Corner of Darby and Queen St (outside The Body Shop), Corner of High St and Vulcan Lane

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[FROM UP HIGH] - PART 3

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High time, I agree :) It will be gr8 once finished. I haven't seen them yet, I forgot :( I will go and look soon :cheers: We owe you a coffee :)

It'd be good to meet up for a chat again yeah :) I was thinking the other day, when I've got the money for my cafe, maybe you should help design the interior for me, what's ya going rate these days? lol

By the way, ya pictures, do you do any post processing on them or are they straight out of the camera shots?

It'd be good to meet up for a chat again yeah :) I was thinking the other day, when I've got the money for my cafe, maybe you should help design the interior for me, what's ya going rate these days? lol




Hang on, Sydneys doing my apartment first.... We better shut up with the praise, or he'll be charging through the roof.

btw where's your ideal location for your cafe?

It'd be good to meet up for a chat again yeah :) I was thinking the other day, when I've got the money for my cafe, maybe you should help design the interior for me, what's ya going rate these days? lol

By the way, ya pictures, do you do any post processing on them or are they straight out of the camera shots?

It will be gr8 to meet up again, as you know we are off to Queenstown tomorrow, I am so excited :banana: .... I will give you a special price which we will discuss confidentially and I would love to do it for you :cheers:

Some of the pics are straight off the camera, those that come out too dark I post process.

Hang on, Sydneys doing my apartment first.... We better shut up with the praise, or he'll be charging through the roof.

btw where's your ideal location for your cafe?

:lol: I give friends special deals ;) best you hurry up and get that apartment, I only have tow years left in Godzone.

Issue # 04|09

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[08 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 17°C TUESDAY, 14:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+PROJECT]

[OREWA PROJECT] GETS NEW LEASE OF LIFE
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Initial sales contracts are being signed at the Kensington Park residential housing project at Orewa. A year ago, work stopped when businesses developing the project went into receivership. Helen Wreaks, the park's marketing and communications manager, said that in the last week buyers had signed deals to buy seven apartments at the $500 million project at Orewa. The buyers will pay $430,000 to $600,000 for the apartments before the end of this year, she said. Deposits have been taken on the partially developed units and Wreaks estimated about 120 people would be living in the park by Christmas. "The total sales over the past week was $4 million from seven homes. Interest certainly is picking up and confidence is on the increase." Total sales since July 1 were $10.3 million. "Presently there are 50 homes occupied by around 110 residents," she said. New agreements on "SeaView" houses - four-bedroom low-maintenance places on the hilltop overlooking the park - are also being sold, she said. Heads of agreements had been signed on five of those houses in the last fortnight, including an $800,000 property being used as a show home, she added.Some of the SeaView houses further up the hill would sell for more than $1 million, Wreaks predicted. Tenders are being let to finish the indoor pool. "Lakeside" apartments are also being marketed and Wreaks said the original plan to develop 12 apartments in three buildings would go ahead.

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[FROM UP HIGH] - PART 4

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Damn, NZ is fucking great..hope visit soon!!

:cheers:

Damn, NZ is fucking great..hope visit soon!!

:cheers:

Make it a summer vacation, Auckland rocks during summer and sucks in winter ;)

Issue # 05|09

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[13 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 19°C SUNDAY, 12:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+NEWS]

AUCKLAND [SUPER CITY] LAW PASSED
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The Government's legislation setting up Auckland's new super city council was passed by Parliament today on a vote of 64 to 58 after a long debate under urgency. Ministers had hoped to get it through last night but a 9am to midnight sitting wasn't enough, with Labour, the Greens and the Maori Party opposing the bill. The new council would deliver decisive leadership, robust infrastructure and the facilities and services of a world class city, while local boards would ensure communities could deal with local issues, he said. Super city mayoral candidate and current mayor of Manukau Len Brown said it was a mistake to not have included a provision preventing the sale of council assets. "Generations of Aucklanders have invested in our public ports, airport and water company. They are owned by the community. They provide an asset base upon which we can build the infrastructure needed to turn Auckland into an economic and cultural hub for the South Pacific. They must not be sold," he said. "We must make sure the new council protects and develops our assets for all Aucklanders." The bill put in place a unitary council with 20 members elected from wards and between 20 and 30 local boards. There will also be a mayor with executive powers and the power to appoint committee chairs and a deputy, the mayor's office will also get a separate budget and staff. A third bill on the Auckland council will come before Parliament later this year that will fill in detail and finalise transition arrangements.

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[FRESH] - PART 1

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Spring is in the air :) Looking forward to your next installment.

Issue # 05|09

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[13 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 19°C SUNDAY, 12:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+PROJECT]

WORK STARTS ON $90M [RAIL LINK]
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Auckland is about to gain its first rail network extension since 1930 as a $90 million branch line for Manukau's city centre moves into its main construction phase. Transport Minister Steven Joyce, under fire from regional politicians for delaying Auckland's rail electrification project while fast-tracking highways, will today lead a sod-turning ceremony for the 2km mainly double-tracked link between Manukau and the North Island trunk line at Puhinui. Government-owned KiwiRail is spending about $50 million on the link, which will include a north-facing junction with the main trunk and a 300m trench at its eastern end. Manukau City is contributing almost $33 million for a rail and bus hub and earthworks. The Auckland Regional Transport Authority will cover other costs of a new railway station to be built in the trench, 7m beneath Hayman Park and a proposed campus for up to 25,000 Manukau Institute of Technology students. Manukau's financial share includes a $7 million regional grant from the former Infrastructure Auckland, and Transport Agency subsidies for two new local roads above the trench and a bridge over it. The line will run parallel to the new motorway link being built between State Highways 1 and 20 for $210 million and will initially carry trains every 20 minutes or 30 minutes at peak times. Manukau Mayor Len Brown says he expects the new station to rival Newmarket as the second busiest in the region behind Britomart when it opens in early 2011. Passengers arriving at the Manukau station will use an escalator to reach Davies Ave, where they will step out into a covered bus interchange. That will form the main hub for most bus services in southern Auckland. About 600,000 passengers a year are expected to use the railway station, and twice that number is forecast for the buses. KiwiRail says the line will be included in the Auckland rail electrification project, due to be completed by 2013.

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[FRESH] - PART 2

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cool pics

cool pics

Thank you, you are very, very kind mate :cheers:

Super rounds as usual mate, brilliant stuff and nice weather. Spring must be here in Auckland! Autumn is just round the corner from us I think. Hope you are well :cheers:

I love this shot:

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Super rounds as usual mate, brilliant stuff and nice weather. Spring must be here in Auckland! Autumn is just round the corner from us I think. Hope you are well :cheers:

I love this shot:

That shot was taken by my better half, I stole it ;) Spring is here but taking it's time - I think that it is more cloudy now than it was during winter :( Oh well, we went to Queenstown, the most amazing place on planet earth - it was FAB and you must make an effort to go and see it ! and now I want to live there :)

Issue # 05|09

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[13 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 19°C SUNDAY, 12:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+PROJECT]

OPENING THE [RED GATES]
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The red gates of Auckland's Queens Wharf will swing open on Sunday 13 September, allowing people to get a sense of the waterfront space to be developed into a public treasure. Everyone from schoolchildren to architects is being asked to give their ideas and comments on potential designs. Being able to wander the wharf, gauge its size and enjoy different views of the harbour will help people envisage what could be done there. It also represents one of the first chances to get a glimpse of submitted designs. From 13 September the designs can also be viewed online at www.queenswharf.org.nz and they will be physically on show at the Union Fish Company building, located at 116 Quay Street, from 13 September to 24 October. Interest in the design competition has been high. Almost 900 people - individuals, school groups, architects and consortiums from around New Zealand - registered to receive the design brief. The Government and Auckland Regional Council have bought Queens Wharf as an enduring public asset. Together with Auckland City Council, they are coordinating the transformation efforts and financing the project. The immediate focus is preparing the wharf as the main fan zone for Rugby World Cup 2011; the long-term benefit will be opening up the wharf to Aucklanders and visitors, with new public spaces and a passenger terminal for the flourishing cruise ship industry.

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[OPENING THE RED GATES] - PART 3

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Issue # 05|09

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[13 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 19°C SUNDAY, 12:00 Partly Cloudy

AUCKLAND[CITY+PROJECT]

[RAIL] BEATS [ROAD] IN SPENDING WISH-LIST
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One of seven Government "roads of national significance", a $2.3 billion highway north of Auckland, has been placed at the bottom of a list of regional transport priorities. The proposed 34km four-lane link between Puhoi and Wellsford was listed behind 14 other transport projects in a staff report to the Auckland Regional Transport Committee, which is working on a blueprint to keep the region moving through the next 30 years. Top of the list is the $1 billion rail electrification project, for which the Government has yet to allocate money for new trains, followed by a central Auckland rail tunnel and integrated public transport ticketing. "On one hand it is very important that we have public transport in the central area, but we also need transport links to the Rodneys and Franklins of the world," he said. "There is also the question of inter-regional links - and it's not really for Auckland to say we don't give a damn about that." The proposed road has been dubbed by Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee as a "holiday highway" being contemplated in defiance of more immediate needs of Aucklanders struggling to move freely within their region. At the same time as the Transport Agency was preparing to spend $103 million on investigations and property purchases on such an "ill-developed" project, Aucklanders were still waiting for the Government to allocate money for electric trains against an arbitrary funding cap. The priorities are: 1. Rail electrification, 2. Central Auckland rail tunnel, 3. Public transport integrated ticketing, 4. Western ring route, 5. Auckland-Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative, 6. Airport rail loop, 7. Panmure-Botany-Manukau City centre rapid or quality transit network (dedicated busway or light rail, or priority lanes on roads)

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[OPENING THE RED GATES] - PART 4

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Issue # 06|09

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[14 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 19°C MONDAY, 10:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+PROJECT]

[NEW LYNN'S] $300m MAKEOVER
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Funding for the redevelopment of New Lynn has been secured which will go towards upgrading the town centre as well as the rail and road. The West Auckland area aspires to have a town centre like that of Newmarket according to Waitakere City Council's website. “New Lynn has a future that one day will see it rival places like Newmarket as one of the most prestigious town centres in the Auckland region,” the website said. “Millions of dollars are being poured into New Lynn right now by central and regional government and Waitakere City, with millions more to come, to ensure that it grows into a stunning place to live, work, do business, relax and be entertained. It will be a place people come to enjoy the experience that will be New Lynn of the future.” As part of the project, a kilometre-long trench will be dug up through the railways corridor in central New Lynn. KiwiRail has committed $120 million to the trench, Waitakere City Council fronted $69 million for road upgrades and the trench. Auckland Regional Transport Authority has put $13.6 million toward a new railway station, with Waitakere City Council contributing an additional $22 million and the balance funded by Watercare and the NZ Transport Agency. "When this massive trench is complete, the double track railway will be lowered into it. This will allow trains to pass through the town centre in both directions every 10 minutes without holding up traffic flows, which will cross the railway on bridges," the Council website for the project said. Transport Minister Stephen Joyce said one of the key issues for transport is getting the right balance of local, regional and national input and ensuring transport infrastructure projects are successfully matched with land use development. “New Lynn has shown the way – and the importance of that investment mix. Congratulations to everyone working together to successfully manage and deliver what is a very challenging project,” said Mr Joyce. One of the project's facets is Merchant's Quarter, an historic block that will be a new pedestrian focused "high street" heart to New Lynn with retail, cafes and offices. The project is due to be completed by October 2010.

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[THE SUN GOD RA] - PART 1

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Amazing city!

Spring is arriving there! Enjoy and take some more awesome pictures :D

Amazing city!

Spring is arriving there! Enjoy and take some more awesome pictures :D

Thank you :) Spring is here, finally ! My camera is attached at the hip therefore photos will be forthcoming ;) Thanks for the comment.

Issue # 06|09

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[14 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 19°C MONDAY, 10:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+PROJECT]

NEW LOOK REFLECTS [ART GALLERY'S] PAST
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Splashes of the past are set to be revealed in the new-look Auckland Art Gallery, to be completed by 2011. A year has passed since the $113 million restoration project began and plans for a modern design with hints of the original building have been uncovered. Intricate detailing, pillars, high ceilings, domes and larger open spaces will be able to house up to 900 pieces of art. At a tour through the construction site yesterday, gallery director Chris Saines said the traditional-meets-contemporary design was important in showing off one of the country's most beautiful heritage buildings. "We have effectively taken the building back to 1916 and then gone forward." Mr Saines said the art collection had pieces from the 16th to the 20th century and so it was only fitting that the building that housed the art reflected it. The restoration process had been a voyage of discovery, with various "gems" uncovered and brought back to their original glory. "We want to make these heritage parts of the building as available to the public as we can," he said. "We're really turning this on its head." A series of glass panels - running on the eastern side of the gallery - will provide an interesting and unique interactive feature. Looking out at Albert Park, those walking through that side of the gallery will be ableto see out to the park and people on the footpath. In the same way, those walking through the park will be able to look into the gallery and see the various pieces of art and people admiring them. "It allows the public - inside and outside - to connect with the gallery," Mr Saines said. "The art gallery is no longer just a building on the street. It's a part of the city, the people and the culture."

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[THE SUN GOD RA] - PART 2

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A series of glass panels - running on the eastern side of the gallery - will provide an interesting and unique interactive feature. Looking out at Albert Park, those walking through that side of the gallery will be ableto see out to the park and people on the footpath. In the same way, those walking through the park will be able to look into the gallery and see the various pieces of art and people admiring them. "It allows the public - inside and outside - to connect with the gallery,"

It is going to be interesting to see this completed.

It is going to be interesting to see this completed.

Will we still be here ? :lol:

Issue # 06|09

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[14 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 19°C MONDAY, 10:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+EVENTS]

NEW ZEALAND [FASHION WEEK] UPDATES
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Midday Designer Selection Show - MIchael Boulgaris was outside looking excited, and of course, he’s front row. and Andrew Melville interior designer is here too and so’s Jason Gunn. Maybe there will be boy-clothes in this as well. Its Day 2 already and the talk is of a) how beautiful Denise Keller is, 2) Pamela Anderson’s arrival, and 3) the Wrap Party. Its going to be really huge this year. Everyone is going and that hasn’t really happened before. I guess Russell’s new Mata Hari room at Shanghai Lil is a big draw card bit most of, Richie Rich singing is a big deal. For more news please go HERE (http://nzfashionwk.wordpress.com/)


AUCKLAND [CBD]
[THE SUN GOD RA] - PART 3

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Issue # 06|09

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[14 SEPTEMBER 2009] - 19°C MONDAY, 10:00 Sunny

AUCKLAND[CITY+NEWS]

[SANTA] BACK FOR CHRISTMAS
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New Zealand’s most loved Santa will indeed be returning to his favourite perch for the festive season after New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for him to return. Now in his 50th year, Santa is set to be installed in his annual spot on the corner of Queen St and Victoria St in Auckland’s CBD. The announcement of the return of the historic 19 metre high Santa coincides with the Auckland Heritage Festival that’s currently underway.

AUCKLAND [CBD]
[THE SUN GOD RA] - PART 4

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Santa Santa!!! Can you give me a trip to New Zealand?? :banana:

Does Santa's finger still move?

Santa Santa!!! Can you give me a trip to New Zealand?? :banana:

:lol: Cute ... he only likes good little boys, best you behave ;)


Does Santa's finger still move?

Yes it does, I find that Santa so creepy, it always reminds me of a pedophile ;)