Racing with cars and motorbikes was a popular pastime for quite a few years on the beach, before it became popular instead with bathers and strollers.

This photo is said to be of Percy Coleman on a Royal Enfield motorcycle at a race meeting held by the Ixion Motorcycle Club.

One of those curios you can come across; all we know is that this is silver plated and made in Australia (!).  Presumably it refers to our town but it could be Waikanae Beach in Gisborne.

The water meters have been the biggest waste of money by the KCDC and they are going to continue to be a stupid impost on citizens with the amount spent paying their readers (at least $1 million a year) and then administration on billing the amounts.

Michael Scott, the present Waikanae ward councillor isn’t mentioned, however his predecessor Tony Lloyd, who died in November 2014, voted against them.

The most attractive aspect of the existing Mahara Place is this fountain with its landscaping and ornaments, including three nymphs on the wall in the background.

The Pharazyn Reserve entrance is located off Rutherford Drive (which goes between Waikanae Beach and Peka Peka Beach). These lakes were formerly oxidation ponds but have recently been converted into wildlife lakes and some of the surrounding area made into an undulating park which includes a small area of children’s play equipment, while the rest involves slow rehabilitation of the former wetland area.

School classes have been involved annually in planting trees and shrubs in the periphery.

Rob Cross, the Biodiversity Manager of the KCDC, says he does not see the restoration as complete yet. The next goal is to plant the banks of the Ngarara stream which used to have stinky sewage run through it.

Some of the stream’s health measures, such as E.coli bacteria levels, are poor while others, including clarity, continue to improve.

This would be a good message for certain property businessmen today.  The photo is of Percy Godber at the summit of the Akatawara Road behind Waikanae in 1936.

A Waitangi Day event on Saturday 6 February. Admission is free.

A scene in our garden including, among others, Lophomyrtus “Kathryn” (Hybrid Myrtle), Pittosporum eugenioides (Lemonwood), Kowhai, Acer (Maple), Pohutukawa, Hoheria and Silver Birch.

Works for some extra parking at the station are on the left.