MikeHawkey.com

photos and other things…

recent posts

about

  • Urban Growth

    Urban GrowthAs with all big cities (or small cities), growth is something we see in a continual state of movement. Largely cities offer what people want and/or need – jobs, income, shops, society, action… (I’m sure the list will depend on each as an individual).

    Auckland currently, for its population, one of the most sprawled out cities in the world. With this comes issues – transportation being one of the larger ones. Our current Mayor, Len Brown, has put in place plans for an extended rail network and improved public transportations – all in an effort to reduce the peek hour traffic jams, and make Auckland a better place to live. I think the plans sound great.

    The next big argument between local and national government is what Auckland does in the future? – do we expand more, moving out into less developed land? Do we concentrate on more high population housing estates, more high-rise? Both come with their pros and cons, and likely a mix is the answer.

    For a city that holds 32% of the countries population (and growing), Auckland will always have a struggle with housing, transportation and all the infrastructure that surrounds it. For me, its still home.

     

  • Mount Wellington

    Mount WellingtonAs any of you who regularly follow me may have noticed, I have been running series images from single outings a little of late. Im in the process of moving, and also have had a bit of a boost in work business at the moment, so have not had the daily photo fix I usually enjoy. Combined with this, sometimes when out and about I get multiple images I’d like to share and putting them in a series makes sense.

    Todays shot is from near the summit of Mount Wellington. The title both referring to the peak and the surrounding suburb, it received its English name from the Duke of Wellington. Local Maori know it as Maungarei.

    Of interest, as well as the amazing views when there, is the massive water reservoir (45,100 cubic meter) built in the 60’s – its the flat part to the left of the image.

    As with many volcanic craters around Auckland, people often use the stones in the craters to write messages that can be seen from the summit (or higher).

     

  • View from Highbrook Park

    Highbrook ViewIn between showers, a quick shot of the view from Highbrook Park, looking North. Just after this was shot, the two rowers near the signal pole somehow hit it. No sinking disaster, but it made a fairly loud bump. The mix of rainy clouds and sunrise lent for some nice lighting. In the background we can see Mt Wellington. Tomorrows image source.

     

  • Highbrook Park

    Highbrook ParkHeading out early one morning in the weekend to pick up a ladder I had purchased, I stopped in at Highbrook Park. The wider Highbrook Business Park is one of the newer business development areas in this part of Auckland, and has a nice mix, or use of fitting some natural environment in with the businesses.

    Parking up at the gravel park, I managed to get todays shot in just before the rain started rolling in. It passed (tomorrows photo), but meant I strolled much of the walk with camera under t-shirt, keeping it dry whilst I wondered why I had not dressed warmer for so early in the morning.

    Shot 2 from the park tomorrow.

     

  • Natural Gas

    Gas PipesWay back (in New Zealands short history), in the 1860’s, coal was mined and burnt to make gas at the local gasworks around the country. This was used to light all the street lamps (before electricity) in those given towns. Skip forward to the 1970’s and natural gas from gas fields began being shipped around the country. Present day, gas is one of NZ’s primary energy resources.

    For quite some time (again, looking back) CNG – compressed natural gas, was used in New Zealand to power cars. I believe at one stage, per capita, we had the most CNG powered cars in the world. A locally supplied and produced fuel source, it both helped us during the fuel crises periods around the world, and in theory offered a locally regulated fuel option for the country, which potentially could lower motoring costs since we didn’t have to purchase it offshore. It was also a little less harmful on the environment.

    Between expensive conversion costs, space taken up by tanks, and perhaps lack of support from our government, CNG has all but died out in NZ. LPG is another option in vehicles, but even though we largely produce our own, prices are set at an international level. Between this, and the limited support in finding a local petrol station that can fill your car, it looks like this too (for vehicle transport) will sadly fall to the side, leaving us with the internationally priced crude option.

    Image shot on the Sony Nex. Using Gimp I slightly bumped up contrast and saturation.