Murray Steel's property featured in the Katikati Garden Ramble.
Garden Profile
Arriving down the tree-lined driveway and rounding the bend, Murray Steel’s private sanctuary opens up with Te Mania Stream at its heart.
Murray has lived on the Lund Rd property named Bentaxel for more than three years. With the help of partner Kate, they have enhanced their rural haven started by Ian Carroll 20 years ago.
The Te Mania Stream wends its way through the property.
One of its notable features are eels, which come to be fed on Murray’s special brew concocted from possum dog rolls. Visitors are able to sit in comfort in a structure to watch the eels feeding.
A sculpture piece of a longfin eel adorns the lawn. Its spine has solar lights atop poles where kingfishers sit. The shadow created by their wings light up the solar lights to give a flashing-light effect.
There is a footbridge over the stream and walkers can enjoy a 10-minute bushwalk around a loop that has a few quirky features.
Murray’s aim has been to create a garden that will “thrive on neglect”.
The garden has an amphitheatre-like backdrop of native bush that can be admired from all angles.
Murray’s early life as a fencing contractor in the Waikato (before moving to Australia) had him develop a love of New Zealand’s native bush.
Kate started her working life in sales and marketing and was involved with charitable trust Trees for Survival. This led to a variety of conservation roles and she now works locally in a conservation role with Western Bay District Council.
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The Details
What: Katikati Rotary Garden Ramble
Where: 17 gardens at various locations
When: November 4-5
Tickets: $30. www.katikati.org.nz/katikati-garden-ramble or at Katikati Information Centre
Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell is taking the city’s council to the Ombudsman.