37.0429°S 174.9189°E
Nestled between Manurewa and Papakura lies the forgotten land.
Takaanini. Honoured with the name of a chief, his legacy lingers like that of a decorated soldier history has turned its back on.
Takanini. There is no need for excess.
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Rising prices, high rise. Urban sprawl. Wasted city. Lost opportunity.
South Auckland – a loaded term. Trigger. Thirty second highlights package. Misrepresented, under-represented, misidentified, under-valued. Headline. A reputation years in the making is hard to shake loose.
South Auckland / Auckland South. Words that speak volumes.
A parallel existence. They are not one in the same. Unaware of the other, ignorance is bliss. Gentrification is the word on the tip of everyone’s tongue.
First home buyers chasing dreams down the Southern Line.
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Sub/divide and conquer, what happens when we carve out space with a heavy hand?
The land that occupies the in-between, with fertile soil and forgotten dreams, the perfect conditions for growth. The world’s most liveable city, but for whom?
It is said that 1000 men once took up residence on this land seeking to extract a living in a depressed economy. A lush Kauri forest makes an attractive proposition. Willow Camp now immortalised, the address of new settlers. Place names hold history / repeating.
Sub/divide and distract. Marketing to an outside world. Uninitiated, perception is everything.
Addison Park. The land of milk and honey; golf courses, pony clubs, orchards, vineyards, upperclass cafes and a playground for recreational aviators only a stone’s throw away.
Divide. One block. North. Children of caravan park renters walk to school wondering if they’ve made it in time for the breakfast club. Hot milos and toast. Decile one. The Koha Shed fields desperate pleas for furniture and food. Community cushioning harsh realities of modern day life. $14.75 an hour falling a daily flat white short of a living wage. Rising prices, urban sprawl.
Redevelopment motivated by the promise of a transport connection no longer in the works. The closest station? One Block. North. The Southern line of possibility and hope.
Forgotten land of plenty.
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