Little blue penguin loos at Oneroa Bay
New public toilets sporting images of little blue penguins have replaced an ageing 1980s facility at Oneroa Bay Beach (Long Bay), near Russell.
The new wheelchair-accessible toilets were opened a week before Christmas, just in time for summer holiday season. To complete work on the prefabricated, three-cubicle facility, artwork featuring little blue penguins was applied to an exterior wall of the building this month.
The new toilets replace a deteriorating concrete block facility that was built in the 1980s. That building was not wheelchair accessible, was damp, had poor lighting and required high levels of maintenance.
It was demolished and, to minimise disruption for beachgoers, the new prefabricated building was placed on the same site where it was connected to existing water and wastewater services.
Deputy Mayor Ann Court says removal of the old toilet block will be welcomed by locals and regular visitors to the popular beach.
“The new toilets are modern and clean, are easy to maintain and look great. And because Oneroa Bay Beach is a surf beach, we have also added a surfboard-shaped outdoor shower next to the toilets for beach users.”
She says the penguin artwork was selected to acknowledge the close connection the area has to the marine birds.
According to legend, Kororāreka (Russell) got its name after a Māori chief wounded in battle was given a broth made from the birds.
It is believed he said: “Ka reka te korora (How sweet is penguin).”
Little blue penguins are common to the area and sometimes nest under the floorboards of waterfront buildings at Kororāreka. To ensure the toilets are accessible for all users, a new concrete footpath leading to the facility was also constructed from the beach carpark.
Funding for the project came from the council’s renewals budget.
Golfing enthusiasts and businesses in the Mid-North are being asked to step up to help with cancer research.
Kerikeri’s Zane Britton, founder of Bay of Islands Plumbing and Gas, is hosting a Best of Stableford charity golf tournament on February 11 to raise money for the Auckland Cancer Research Society. Funds raised will be used in Northland.
There are already nine teams of four entered but Britton says there is space for 13 more teams and he is appealing for locals to pitch in and help raise $5000.
Along with his second in charge, Ray Hernandez, Britton has been affected by cancer.
‘‘My younger brother was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer when he was nine years old and lost the use of his left leg as a result but the came clean at 14. Due to people donating to cancer research my whole family was able to bounce back,’’ Britton says.
‘‘And my wife lost her sister to a very rare form of cancer at 18, so I guess it is these collective experiences are driving me to want to help out. So I would love more locals to enter a team and businesses to donate prizes on the day for things like longest drive, overall winning team and more. They just need to register with the Bay of Islands Golf Club and contact me.’’
Similarly, Hernandez has also had close experience with cancer.
‘‘Before moving to New Zealand in 2021 I had lost two cousins to cancer and two of my friends told me they had breast cancer on the same day. After researching, I realised there were all sorts of cancers, so I want to try and make a difference now that New Zealand is my home. I moved here to give my family a better life so I want to give back to the community,’’ Hernandez says.
While only new to golf, Britton has fallen in love with the sport in the region he was born and raised in. Hernandez is more of a ‘‘golfing tragic’’ having played for over 20 years. Both agree that the day is about having fun and trying to make a difference to help others.
The shotgun tee-off is at 10am and entry is $100 per team for members of the Bay of Islands Golf Club and $120 for nonmembers.