This month in Devonport...

Devonport village is great to call home, but also a vacationer's dream and an explorer's paradise! I’ve been visiting and falling in love with Devonport for 20 years and am so fortunate to now be able to call it home. On my own or with family and friends, here are some of my favourite things to do on summer days. So when you find yourself in Devonport for the day... here’s a little checklist:

Enjoy boutique shopping along Victoria Road
Established in the 1860s, the commercial area on lower Victoria Road was prompted by a ferry service connecting Devonport with the city and the development of a wharf and hotel at the foot of the street. By the 1880s Victoria Road had become the leading commercial centre of the North Shore and by the 1920s the western side of Victoria Road was lined with fine Victorian and Edwardian commercial buildings.
Today Victoria Road has one of the most intact collections of Victorian and Edwardian commercial buildings in Auckland. Several have been listed by Heritage New Zealand and the Auckland Council. It is a spectacular sight and the minute you jump off the ferry you will see that they are now occupied by beautiful boutique shops and businesses that hold treasures for everyone.

Explore the gun emplacements, military tunnels and take in the views on North Heath/Maungauika:
Grab a coffee, fish and chips or a picnic lunch from one our many cafés or restaurants and make your way along King Edward Parade to North Head/Maungauika. Strategically located on a headland at the entrance to Auckland's harbour, North Head, or Maungauika, commands sweeping views over the Hauraki Gulf and its islands. It has a long history, first of Māori occupation, and then as a coastal fortification.
It is considered the most significant coastal defence site in New Zealand because of the size and variety of its defence installations, which span nearly 120 years and include elements from all periods of New Zealand's coastal defence history.

Learn and Play at the Torpedo Bay Navy Museum
Fun for the whole family, the National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy is the guardian of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s memories. This beautifully presented, interactive and thought-provoking museum is nestled at the base of North Head/Maungauika and a perfect place to awaken and inspire your inner historian.

Explore Devonport by Segway
Looking for a fantastically fun guided tour of the area? Join Pauline and her crew on a unique and exciting segway tour ride. You’ll learn to safely ride these cool units then take in the views from the volcanic cones, the stunning gold sands of Cheltenham beach, and wind your way through the heritage streets of Devonport.

Pack your beach bag and get set to relax
Roll out a towel or blanket on Cheltenham, Narrow Neck or Torpedo Bay beaches and feel stress and worries melt away. Time is always well spent with a little escape from the hustle and pace of city life. On any given day, there’s a good chance you’ll find me at one of the three – because beach life is a good life!

Hope to see you here in Devonport – Shaulyn. Visit: www.devonport.co.nz