Hometown? The Village of Warkworth, New Zealand was founded by the Newcastle upon Tyne born Mr John Anderson Brown in 1853. It is situated about 3km up the Mahurangi estuary on the Hauraki Gulf, and its early industry included raping the native forests for kauri and boat building. These days it lies less than an hour north of Auckland, and like its sister city in the Hunter Valley, NSW, is designated Wine Country. WW these days has a population of just over 3K and both its schools that I attended (WW Primary and Mahurangi College) have decile ratings of 8. Whatever.
WW upon Mahurangi
One cool 1971 addition was NZ's first satellite station built a few ks south of WW where Brian Fanning, my friend Chris' Dad worked. This was completed just in time to relay the first episodes of the BBC Onedin Line TV series. Just as well, or NZers would never had heard that part of Khachaturian's Adagio of Sparticus.
New Zealand's first Satellite Station
My Dad bought a farm just north of WW in 1969, and we lived there until the end of 1976. It was something like forty acres of hills and swamps, native bush and imported eucalypts, and had sheep, cattle, horses, goats, pigs, ducks, chooks, cats, dogs and guinea pigs. My Mum grew acres of soya beans with the help of Mrs Upton, and we could raid the myriad (not 104) apple, orange, plum, grapefruit and persimmon trees at will. There was a hollow tree beehive just north of the abandoned quarry that we once threw pine cones at... We lived to tell the tale, just.
Google image of the farm
WW in the 70's was known as the Kowhai town. There was even an annual festival I think. In a way that is hauntingly similar to the Beef Week parade of Cowland, the kowhai festival has funding problems apparently. Not sure why this is important.
Kowhai in flower.
Our farm was on the Kaipara Flats road where, when it wasn't raining, the grass was so green it hurt your eyes. You could cycle from one side of NZ to the other in a day and still fill a sack with eels caught on the way by feel with your toes. In winter you would crack the ice in the puddles with your bare feet on the way to school, but the only snow around was on top of the Dome. Our most famous topographic landmark was the Knob. Go figure.
View of Kaipara harbour
My family had lived for awhile in the 60's on Kawau Island, 10km or so off Sandspit. The Former Governor of NZ, Sir George Grey, bought the island in 1862 and introduced many exotic animals and plants that nearly killed the area. I remember first seeing wallabies there when I returned for school excursions in the mid 70's. I don't remember taking a walk down the long pier as a two year old, or falling off the end and floating face down in Bon Accord harbour for several minutes until being rescued by Anthony. Explains a bit really.
Mansion House, Kowau Is
One of the many beaches around WW that I remember frequenting is Omaha. There is a beach at the south end that is pink in colour - due to the abundance of pink and red shell crushed into the sand. Always felt magical to me.
Omaha beach: out past Matakana.
WW upon MahurangiOne cool 1971 addition was NZ's first satellite station built a few ks south of WW where Brian Fanning, my friend Chris' Dad worked. This was completed just in time to relay the first episodes of the BBC Onedin Line TV series. Just as well, or NZers would never had heard that part of Khachaturian's Adagio of Sparticus.
New Zealand's first Satellite StationMy Dad bought a farm just north of WW in 1969, and we lived there until the end of 1976. It was something like forty acres of hills and swamps, native bush and imported eucalypts, and had sheep, cattle, horses, goats, pigs, ducks, chooks, cats, dogs and guinea pigs. My Mum grew acres of soya beans with the help of Mrs Upton, and we could raid the myriad (not 104) apple, orange, plum, grapefruit and persimmon trees at will. There was a hollow tree beehive just north of the abandoned quarry that we once threw pine cones at... We lived to tell the tale, just.
Google image of the farmWW in the 70's was known as the Kowhai town. There was even an annual festival I think. In a way that is hauntingly similar to the Beef Week parade of Cowland, the kowhai festival has funding problems apparently. Not sure why this is important.
Kowhai in flower.Our farm was on the Kaipara Flats road where, when it wasn't raining, the grass was so green it hurt your eyes. You could cycle from one side of NZ to the other in a day and still fill a sack with eels caught on the way by feel with your toes. In winter you would crack the ice in the puddles with your bare feet on the way to school, but the only snow around was on top of the Dome. Our most famous topographic landmark was the Knob. Go figure.
View of Kaipara harbourMy family had lived for awhile in the 60's on Kawau Island, 10km or so off Sandspit. The Former Governor of NZ, Sir George Grey, bought the island in 1862 and introduced many exotic animals and plants that nearly killed the area. I remember first seeing wallabies there when I returned for school excursions in the mid 70's. I don't remember taking a walk down the long pier as a two year old, or falling off the end and floating face down in Bon Accord harbour for several minutes until being rescued by Anthony. Explains a bit really.
Mansion House, Kowau IsOne of the many beaches around WW that I remember frequenting is Omaha. There is a beach at the south end that is pink in colour - due to the abundance of pink and red shell crushed into the sand. Always felt magical to me.
Omaha beach: out past Matakana.
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