MikeHawkey.com

photos and other things…

recent posts

about

  • Over to the North Shore

    North

    Looking to the North of Auckland, we can see the Auckland Harbour Bridge to the left of the image. Crossing that, we reach Aucklands North Shore. Prior to the bridge being completed in 1959, the North Shore, although in clear line of sight, was actually a fairly large land journey to reach the Auckland City area. A number of ferries ran services (and passenger ones still do), but the area was of relatively low population prior to the bridge – being used both for the rural community, and a weekend holiday area for its stunning beaches.
    Upon the opening of the bridge, the population steadily boomed. Within the first decade of the opening, the bridge use was three times that of the original forecast, and by the end of the decade, the ‘Nippon Clip-ons'(named from their Japanese construction) were made, adding two extra lanes each side. Originally given a 50 year lifespan, ongoing maintenance ensures they are stretching that life estimate to its limit! – large/heavy trucks and machinery are no longer permitted on the clip-ons.
    All the while this was happening, the North Shore was growing in population. With a size of ~130 square KM, the population is somewhere in the region of 230,000 (although census results should be available later this year).

  • North North West Auckland

    North North West

    Looking out from the Sky Tower we see the view of the CBD’s viaduct. Out beyond that one of the large marinas the make Auckland New Zealand’s ‘City of Sails’. Beyond that, the Harbour Bridge, and the western side of the North Shore.

    The Viaduct, once a more commercial area, has been redeveloped over the last decade or so into a up market apartment, bar and restaurant, and tourism area. Home to a number of very flash sea going vessels the size of a large home (and bigger), it is still being developed into a new upcoming area walking distance from the central business area.

    The marina – Westhaven Marina, is the largest of its type in the Souther Hemisphere,and one of 640 worldwide brings about our title of the City of Sails.

    Some more tomorrow!

  • Down there is Queen Street

    Queen Street Above

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, New Zealand being a country of the Commonwealth, Aucklands main road in the CBD is Queen Street. During the week, a hustling and bustling street, lined with various retail, food and entertainment shops. Its also the main street for any wider Auckland parades, graduation walks, and protest walks. An early development in Aucklands young town years (1840), a stream ran down it. This was soon directed via a small canal, and then buried underground by the 1870’s. The lower half of Queen Street was also reclaimed from the sea (reclaimed being an always off term to me as it always make me feel like we are taking back something lost rather than never had).

    Looking down upon it from up in the Sky Tower, one gets a sense of how small things are from above, We saw a number of gulls flying up near us at 300m, catching the wind currents. You can also see how cold Queen Street can get with the surrounding shadows of the buildings.

    Tomorrow, keeping ‘up high’ we will venture our view out a little more, past the goings on of the CBD.

  • Looking to the South

    SSE Museum

    Shot approximately SSE, todays view has us looking down upon the Auckland Museum, and Mount Wellington in the background (as well as two aeroplanes if you can spot them).

    As a child, from the North Shore, the museum was in clear view. A monster of a building, whilst still visible, is dwarfed by the cityscape. Built from the early 1920’s and opened in 1929, this neoclassical monument has undergone a number of upgrades over the years, but still holds true to the essential design. Holding a vast array of museum pieces (many in the underground storage archive not available to the public), its well worth a visit for anyone stopping by Auckland.

    A war memorial museum, it is also the biggest venue for our annual ANZAC dawn ceremony.

  • Aucklands Spaghetti Junction

    Spagetti Junction

    All big cities seem to have their own Spaghetti Junction. A confusing series of motorway on/off ramps, twisted and turned like a bowl of spaghetti. Auckland is no different.

    Shot again from the Sky Tower, looking down upon the city, I focused towards part of our spag bowl. Technically titled the ‘Central Motorway Junction’, Im not sure I have ever met anyone who has called it such. Without reference, my understanding is our spaghetti junction was built in the 1960’s to assist traffic flows and congestion in the central meeting point (CBD). When being built in the 70’s, it seems as there was some cost cutting, as I recall a number of pilons sticking up, going nowhere. I the 2000’s it was finally completed (or extended depending on ones position of opinion).

    Unfortunately for Auckland, and I am sure other areas of the world, a plan for traffic and traffic flow in the 60’s had no way of being able to accurately project 50 years into the future. The spaghetti may be well sign posted, but its still a muddle, and best to keep clear of any time around rush hour traffic…unless you want to more slowly and admire the engineering that is.

    And another shot from above tomorrow!