CUE Haven’s mission is to be a freely accessible, well maintained nature reserve for the community to enjoy for education and enjoyment. However, up until recently, visitor entry to CUE Haven had been by appointment only as the entry gate was kept locked for security reasons since we lacked secure storage facilities for the ute and work equipment.

Earlier this year we embarked on a project to renovate the three-sided former milking shed, which we had been using as a nursery and workshop, into a secure storage facility. The renovated shed also includes space for educators and researchers to store their test kits and educational supplies. Additionally, we reconfigured the entry to the reserve to create car parks and install a new entry gate and a pedestrian entrance so visitors could come and go freely and safely.

Thanks to the very generous support of the community and businesses, the CUE Haven shed renovation project has been successfully completed.

Our heartfelt thanks to our numerous friends and CUE Haven supporters in NZ and overseas who gave donations. Several of them have never even visited NZ and we hope this provides them the motivation to visit!!

Massive thanks to the organisations and companies who also assisted our fundraising and gave grants or donated products or provided pro bono services–ASB Community Fund, Beca, Capability Group, Cervin, Dulux, Fortress, The Jenkins Foundation, Pie, QBE, Scrub, Sovereign Doors, and Wharehine.

A huge thank you to the following companies for partnering with CUE Haven and providing services and materials at excellent sponsorship rates – Advanced Concrete Pumping, ENH Windows, Mitre10 Mega Westgate, Solid Concrete and Steel & Tube.

And many thanks to our fantastic volunteers Joshua, Naina, Richard, Xerxes and Yazdy who helped us clean and empty the old shed before the renovation work. And then again helping us move the timber and supplies back into the renovated shed!!

Also, many thanks to the wonderful building team who did all the renovation work – Adam, Andrew, Camilo, Iain, Neal, Nesh and Peter. Landscaping around the shed and in the adjoining area will be done once the weather is cooler.

And finally, a very special thank you to our friend and very talented artist, Doug Ford, who transformed the building into a beautiful work of art.

Here are some photos of the renovated shed –

Doug has painted murals on all four exterior walls of the shed.  Doug’s concept was to make the shed blend in with the natural scenery and accordingly, each side of the building shows a different aspect of the surrounding landscape.

The west wall depicts a lush native NZ forest blending into the regenerating forest in the background.

The north wall blends in with the bush and the neighbouring paddocks in the background.

The east wall shows a view of the Kaipara Harbour, 2 km away.

And the south wall shows the forest and harbour at sunset (and yes, the sunsets over the harbour viewed from CUE Haven are as spectacular as depicted in the mural).

In addition to the bush views, there are a number of native birds incorporated into the mural.

View of the shed from the new main entry gate and the pedestrian gate

Visitor parking for 8 cars by the entrance to CUE Haven.

To celebrate the completion of the project and the important milestone in the CUE Haven project, the renovated shed was formally blessed by our dear friends and elders of our local hapu, Ngāti Rango, Ngāti Whātua, Kaumatua Gary Brown and Kaumatua Richard Nahi, at a ceremony on Friday, 10^th October.

The welcome powhiri for the blessing was organised and conducted by CUE Haven’s cultural advisors and very dear friends Rewana, Rita, Marion and Christina also of Ngāti Rango, Ngāti Whātua.  Rewana, Rita and their whanau had previously performed a blessing ceremony with the building team and their families before the construction work started in February.

Our heartfelt thanks to Kaumatua Gary, Kaumatua Richard, the Walker whanau – Rewana, Rita, Christina and cousin Marion for the special blessing and wonderful welcome to the manuhiri. We really value and appreciate their friendship and continued support of our efforts at CUE Haven.

The event was attended by CUE Haven trustees, advisors, friends and some of the many wonderful individuals and organisations who supported this project and helped make the shed renovation a reality.

Our thanks to Xerxes and Richard for assisting Thomas in cleaning up and setting out the chairs for the manuhiri and tangata whenua before everyone arrived.

Our thanks to several of the guests for sharing the following photos of the event
Once the guests arrived, Rewana explained the plan and protocol for the day.

Kaumatua Richard added additional remarks and background information about the proceedings and he talked about the importance of caring for our environment and creating green spaces for the community to freely enjoy.

He also acknowledged and complimented artist Doug on his talents for creating a work of art and for so realistically depicting the NZ ngahere, manu and moana and its connection to the surrounding landscape.

Kaumatua Gary requested everyone to then assemble by the lower car park for the formal blessing and powhiri – welcome ceremony.

Marion and Rita said the opening karanga – ceremonial call of welcome.

Kaumatua Richard gave the response to the welcome call.

He then led the group around the building, blessing it as he went around.

The group then reassembled in the upper car park and Marion and Rita gave the karanga to invite everyone inside the shed.

Kaumatua Richard then led everyone into the shed.

Kaumatua Gary said some prayers and blessed the building and all the people gathered there.

Everyone then took their seats outside for the mihi (speeches).

On behalf of the CUE Haven trustees, Thomas welcomed everyone and explained the significance of the day. He thanked everyone present for their support and he also acknowledged the many individuals and organisations who could not join us for the blessing event.

Rewana led the tangata whenua in a waiata to acknowledge Thomas’s mihi.

Kaumatua Gary spoke next about the very special connection members of the Ngati Whatua iwi living in the area have with CUE Haven. This land was part of their ancestral property before being settled by the European colonizers. He mentioned how pleased they are that they have free access to the land, that it has been restored and is again thriving with native trees, birds and fish.

Kaumatua Gary’s mihi was acknowledged by another special waiata led by Rewana.

The manuhiri were then invited to speak and talk about their connection with CUE Haven and the renovation project.  And after each person spoke, Rewana sang a beautiful waiata to acknowledge the speaker.

Adrian Moreton spoke on behalf of Mitre 10 Mega and mentioned how happy they were to be supporting the CUE Haven community efforts. Mitre 10 Mega Westgate was our main sponsorship partner on this renovation project.

Builder Andrew Lum, of West Coast Carpentry, spoke about his and his teams’ nice experience during the building process and how enjoyable it was for them to work on the renovation in such a beautiful environment and seeing and hearing the tuis and other native birds daily.

Dr. Dan Blanchon, Curator of Botany at Auckland Museum, spoke about his many enjoyable educational field trips to CUE Haven over the years with students in his former role as Head of the School of Biological Sciences at Unitec. He noted how the property had transformed over the years and how grateful he was that CUE Haven was continuing to provide students and researchers such wonderful opportunities for environmental studies and research.

Simon Hepple spoke on behalf of Pie and mentioned how Pie staff have enjoyed volunteering at CUE Haven and supporting CUE Haven in other ways too. Pie is one of the several wonderful companies and organisations that gave donations or grants for this project. 

Brent Bailey, former Chairman of the Rodney Local Board talked about the importance of community projects like CUE Haven and the Board’s historical support.

Our very talented artist and friend, Doug Ford, made a special early morning 3 hour drive up to CUE Haven from his home in Raglan. He explained his vision and approach to the current mural painting on the renovated shed and thanked Dulux for donating the lovely paints. Doug also reminisced about the fun time he had at CUE Haven in 2011 involving the community to paint the mural on the old shed and working with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award students to paint the cement water tank that was converted into a hut in 2014. He remembered getting sunburnt then as the trees around the hut were just knee high and noted how much CUE Haven had transformed as the hut is now totally under the shade of those trees.

Also, our very dear friend and long-time CUE Haven volunteer, Rosemarie Knapman-Smith, who now lives in Taranaki, made the 7 hour drive up to CUE Haven with her husband Neil especially for this event. She spoke about her and her family’s special connection to CUE Haven through Lisa’s Wish Grove established in 2015. Rosemarie carved and decorated with paua shells, the beautiful Nau Mai Haere Mai welcome sign. Over the years Rosemarie has also carved and gifted the track name signs and several beautiful inspirational signs that are installed around the CUE Haven reserve.

Kaumatua Richard gave the final speech thanking the CUE Haven trustees, builders, artists and all the wonderful people and organisations that helped on the shed renovation project. He reminded everyone of the importance of community working together and, also thanked all the people who have over the years helped with the restoration of CUE Haven to create this special place for everyone to enjoy. 

He then led everyone in the joyous Te Aroha waiata.

The ceremony ended with manuhiri greeting tangata whenua with a hariru or hongi.

With the ceremony over, everyone adjourned to the volunteer cottage for refreshments which Rita and Marion had helped cater.

Rita led a blessing for the food.

And everyone had a chance to socialise.

Some visitors even made a quick trip up to visit the viewing platform, Te Rite o Taranaki, to check out the views of the CUE Haven ngahere and Kaipara Moana.

Kaumatua Gary ended the morning with a blessing and leading the group in a waiata wishing everyone a safe journey ahead.

It was a wonderful day of thanks and friendship and our many thanks to friends from our local hapu and everyone who came today and helped make the day so very special.

We also want to once again thank everyone who helped on this project.  We could not have accomplished the shed renovation project without the support of so many wonderful thoughtful and generous individuals and organisations.  Our heartfelt thanks to you all. 

It has truly been a community effort and working together we now have a very functional but also beautiful shed. The shed renovations and the provision of the extra parking and pedestrian gate are enabling the public to access CUE Haven at their convenience and get the benefits of being and learning in nature.  We encourage you all to feel free to stop by and explore CUE Haven at your convenience and enjoy this wonderful space owned and restored by the community for everyone to enjoy.