The ship in a bottle

Read this classic ship-in-a-bottle tale by long time Paekākāriki resident and former journalist (among many other things) Mark Te One. Here he brings to life one of The Bowler’s talented old characters, Bob Upham.

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Growing up in Paekākāriki

Jane Cherry writes about her childhood in Paekākāriki. Her family ran the Queen Elizabeth Park amusement park with its boating pond, train, chair-o-plane, and trampolines. The park was a regional attraction, with families coming from far and wide to visit it.

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Book review: Sea Change by Jenny Pattrick

On Sunday 6 April Jenny Pattrick launched her latest novel Sea Change at Paekākāriki’s St Peter’s Hall. Local resident Steve La Hood ploughed through the book in a day and came up with this review. (Photograph courtesy of Deanna Walker, www.birdie.co.nz)

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Haere mai, Amerikana

‘Haere mai, Amerikana’ by Dani Deluka is a heart wrenching tale of a love affair between a young U.S Marine and a Paekākāriki woman. It digs deep into Paekākāriki ‘s unique World War 2 history and the tragedy of Tarawa.

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Captain Sanderson’s House for Sale: A heritage opportunity for Paekākāriki?

The former Paekākāriki home of Captain Val Sanderson, founder of Forest & Bird, is shortly to go on the market, according to real estate company Harcourts. The current owner has put considerable effort into looking after the cottage and its trees, keeping the character of the original building and the Sanderson plantings. But there are no legal protections in place to prevent the house being demolished and the trees removed.

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