Herald Island

(A Pre-Covid adventure) 

Herald Island was once a true island in Waitemata Harbor. (The one that Auckland is on) In 1958, a causeway was built to it, giving easy access to its 100 acres. There are now 275 homes on the island, several domains (parks) and Christmas Beach.  

Our bus friend Anne told me the other day about her recent trip to the island for their yearly community garage sale.  Hearing about it reminded me of Norway, Michigan's similar event. I wish I could have taken part. Well, there is always next year.  

I figured that even if I had missed the big fun for the year, I could at least take the bus out there now and get the lay of the land, so to speak, for next year. By that time, maybe Jeanne's knees would allow her to come along.  

This post is my quick look at the island. Anne told me it is best seen at high tide and I understood exactly what she meant. At low tide, the place is surrounded by the exposed mangrove dotted mud flats. 

To get there, I took the 14t bus from Henderson, but could have also started with 14w or 120. They would all deliver me to the bus stop at Westgate where I needed to catch 114 out to the island.  

The island is a very quiet place. Only one bus per hour serves the area. The roads on it, rather than being black top, are tar with loose gravel embedded in it. Side walks line only one side of the streets.  It's the sort of place I discovered, that allowed me to cut across the roads pretty much whenever I pleased.  Every now and then though, a car would come whizzing down the street so I couldn't totally discount the traffic.   

This sign kind of spooked me.  I looked leopard seals up when I got home. A big male can be 9 feet long and weigh 700 lbs. 

A boat for the kids to play on in the playground. 

 The library is open. 

 In Auckland we have lighted bus stop signs that announce the scheduled arrival times. Here, it's back to the basics. 

(Remember than -wh- in Maori sounds like -f-) 

The lady who lives here had a unique idea for decorating the area next to their driveway. 

 To get to Herald Island, you drive through the small town of Whenuapai. I guess the island must be considered part of the town because of that name on the bus stop sign we saw.  
Whenuapai was a farming town of maybe a couple hundred population. I say was because it is about to explode into a town of a couple of thousand at least.  
I'm showing you here a shot of one of the housing projects that is almost complete. There are many more blocks of projects just like this one, but with slightly different architecture, in various stages of construction.  
I think that some of the local landowners sold parts or all of their farms and made a bundle. I wonder what the average resident thinks of this explosion though. Lots of other changes coming too because the little village market that used to satisfy the residents won't be able to handle 10 or 20 times the business.  

Whenuapai is also home to a small air force base. I think it must be used for training purposes. It does not appear to house personnel on it.  It's just this hanger and one runway.  This has co-existed with the community for many years. Sheep and horses graze along side its runway.

I liked Herald Island. I wonder what it will see as all the new residents move into their apartments during the next year?      -djf