Colourful kites fill Eltham’s skies
Kites of all shapes and sizes take flight for special day
Whales can fly. So can penguins, sharks and octopuses. In fact, Eltham’s skies were filled with all sorts of animalthemed kites for the Eltham Lions Club’s annual Kite Day.
Club member Joyce Lawrence says the day went well, with plenty of families coming to view the kites flown by members of the New Zealand Fliers Association, and to have a go at flying their own.
“It was quite gusty in the morning but as the day went on, the winds died down to a steady breeze. It gave people the chance to see the amazing kites up close.”
Association members Peter and Anne Whitehead travelled from Ashburton for the event.
Anne says she’s been coming to the event since it started 37 years ago.
“Peter and I fly and make kites as a hobby. We always enjoy coming here as it’s a great place to fly and the Eltham Lions Club has always been welcoming.”
She says association members are based all over New Zealand, with members coming from a range of places for the Eltham event.
“They came from Whanganui, Paraparaumu, Rotorua and Wellington. We all enjoyed making the trip.”
For the kite day, Anne and Peter brought some of their kites in the shapes whales and penguins, with the colourful kites proving to be a fan favourite with tamariki at the event.
Lucy Henderson, 10, enjoyed flying a pink octopus kite, having bought it from a stall on the day. She says she and her family have attended the kite day for as long as she can remember.
“I think it’s pretty cool to see all the kites in the skies. I really like the sea animals.”
Keanu Paora, 11, says he enjoyed flying his kite.
“I had a lot of fun and I liked seeing the shark and octopus kites in the sky.”
The event has always taken place at the Turner’s property in Eltham and Joyce says it’s the perfect place for the event.
“Thanks to the Turner family, we’ve been able to come back each year. It’s such a good venue and we always look forward to it.”