Talk of the Town: Kawakawa locals divulge best-kept secrets of their town

Lau’rell Douglas reckons the best thing about Kawakawa – apart from Te Hononga pictured in the background – is the people. Photo / Jenny Ling

There are many small towns dotted around Northland’s vast, rolling countryside. Reporter Jenny Ling hits the road and finds residents keen to talk about their hometown and the reasons they love it. Today it’s Kawakawa.

Creativity, laughter, and genuine people are just some of the reasons Lau’rell Douglas loves the colourful town of Kawakawa.

The mother-of-two has been involved in some of the town’s most ambitious projects over the last 10 years, including Te Hononga Hundertwasser Memorial Park, a community hub dedicated to late Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser that opened in 2020.

Douglas also owns Kings Theatre Gallery and is currently project manager for the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway’s restoration project.

Douglas, who grew up in Dargaville and studied in Auckland, was living in Kerikeri when she spotted the abandoned and historic movie theatre for sale on Kawakawa’s main street in 2014.

She bought the building, renamed it Kings Theatre Creative and transformed it into a thriving art gallery and creative community space.

What Douglas loves most about Kawakawa is “the people”.

Te Hononga is a popular tourist attraction dedicated to late Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

“Everyone takes the time to have a conversation and there’s always laughter,” she said.

“They’re not afraid to show emotions.

“There’s a lot of children and older people, it’s a real mix. It’s a community, and what I like is they’re really non-judgmental.”

Douglas has made many friends in Kawakawa over the years, including the late Noma Shepherd, a community stalwart who was the Hundertwasser Memorial Park Charitable Trust chairwoman and in 2021 was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community.

Shepherd died in November 2023 aged 88.

“As a single mum I’ve had my older friends here, which I’ve really enjoyed,” Douglas said.

“I was best friends with Noma, she was a really big role model because she was just so kind.”

Douglas loves the vintage train for “connecting communities” and because, built in 1864, it’s the oldest passenger railway in the North Island.

“It’s spectacular.

“There are volunteers that have worked 30 years to keep this thing going and you’ve got lots of young kids coming to enjoy it as well.”

Marion Wikaire loves helping people appreciate Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s art and architecture at Te Hononga Hundertwasser Memorial Park. Photo / Jenny Ling

Douglas also loves the Hundertwasser park, located behind the rammed-earth building that contains a public library, and interactive video and audio displays of Hundertwasser and his works.

“It’s beautiful, we walk around there every day.

“I really like the proximity [of Kawakawa]; we’re really central, people are always popping in because they’re on their way to Whangārei or Auckland or Kerikeri.

“There’s lots of visitors popping in for hugs.

“There’s lots of energy, with international visitors coming to see the [world-famous] Hundertwasser toilets.

“You have these really diverse conversations, it’s interesting.”

Named after the kawakawa shrub, Kawakawa is located 17km south of Paihia.

Initially the site of an early flax-milling enterprise, it developed as a service town when coal was found in 1861. The coal was railed to Opua for shipment.

Hundertwasser moved to the Bay of Islands in the ’70s, where he spent much of his time at an isolated property at Kaurinui, about half an hour’s drive from Kawakawa. He died in 2000.

Marion Wikaire was born in Kawakawa hospital, just up the hill from the township, and moved to Auckland with her parents when she was a child.

After growing up in the city, and later getting married and having three children, she returned to Kawakawa to live after her husband died.

Daphne Andrell is glad her partner convinced her to move to Northland 10 years ago. Photo / Jenny Ling

“I sold up and bought a house in the middle of town,” she said.

“It’s between my two marae; Waikare and Motatau.”

These days Wikaire spends her time on the Hundertwasser Memorial Park Charitable Trust and volunteering at Te Hononga, greeting visitors and taking donations.

She is also a trustee of Te Ruapekapeka Trust.

“I like the friendliness of people, you get to know people at the shops and the laundromat.

“You get all the goss.”

Wikaire’s favourite place is the vintage railway station, especially the Railway Station Cafe, which does some of the best cinnamon scrolls around.

“There’s another one, Konnie’s Kafe and the Bakehouse is a popular place, they have very nice savouries.”

But for Wikaire, the best place of all is home.

“I quite like home,” she said.

“There’s gardening to be done, this is the time to be in the garden.

“I enjoy walking around Kawakawa and out in the [Hundertwasser] park. It’s a nice area out there, it’s kept well.”

Locals love the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway, which has scenic routes across farmland and over rivers towards Opua. Photo / Jenny Ling

Daphne Andrell was living in Christchurch when she “met her man”, who convinced her to move to Northland over a decade ago.

The couple now live in Moerewa, but Andrell spends a lot of her time in Kawakawa manning the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway shop.

Volunteering at the railway was a no-brainer for Andrell; her dad used to work on the New Zealand railways back in the day.

“I was born and bred around trains,” she said.

“When I found out they had a vintage railway it was second nature to be here.”

Andrell works four days a week at the shop, selling souvenirs and tickets, and interacting with a diverse bunch of people, which she enjoys.

“Where else can you go where you have people from the United States and Alaska?

“Last week we had some from France and young people from Hamilton.”

Andrell likes Kawakawa’s St John and Hospice op shops and will often pop in and grab a bargain if she has a spare 10 minutes in her day.

She also appreciates the colourful Hundertwasser toilets.

“It’s the only one [building] in New Zealand that was done while he was alive.”

Overall, Kawakawa gets the thumbs up from Andrell.

“It’s a nice little town.

“I like Northland summers and the people are down-to-earth.

“Just about everybody knows everybody.”

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.