ORATIA LIBRARY
Heritage, Legal, Council documents for Oraita.
Auckland Council District Plan Oratia Heritage Listings
Map of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area , metropolitan limit and description.
Oratia and Waitarua Streams-contours
Oratia Natural Areas plan change 35 Map – Oratia Waiatarua
ORATIA STORIES – Published Oratia Stories: people & place
Neighbourhood TV Programme – Oratia Season 3 Episode 20 on TVNZ on Demand Link Here
This week Italian born Alessandra Zecchini shows us around her neighbourhood – Oratia a rural community of about two and a half thousand lucky souls on the border of Auckland’s city sprawl.
Neighbourhood Extras – Oratia
Pod Gardening: Link for full story
Mate Dragicevich | Orchardist
Mate Dragicevich “The orchard holds lots of memories for me about the traditions of my family’s life here…” Story and photographsby Pod Gardening. March 2012
Pod Gardening Link for full Story
Eric & Kathy Boyle| Set Maker, Props Builder & Film Maker and Domestic Goddess/Animal Wrangler We have planted thousands of trees,some in a forestry block for future production, some in orchards both citrus and apples, as well as plums, cherries, pears, olives, feijoas, cherimoyas, persimmons, macadamias, walnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts and of course a huge variety of natives and ornamentals which include over 30 different Magnolias
Oratia Originals: From NZ Life and Leisure
As part of the Article in NZ Life and Leisure about local Interior Designer Janice Kumar Ward, there was an aside about some of the great local artisans and food producers that make our community and our rural landscapes special. Click through for photographs and stories about Brian Nola (still growing his own – support Nola’s Store) , Ray from Just Plane Interesting, John Rogers, Neon – Sign Maker, Melanie Tomes, organic gardener, and Steve Sapich winemaker (who’s winery is now for sale). Click here to read their stories
From Life & Leisure: Janice and Julian Ward
Creative couple from Oratia, Janice and Julian Wards’ home featured in the NZ Life and Leisure magazine. Janice an award winning interior designer, and Julian a furniture maker transformed the previously humble property into a enviable family home in an idyllic spot – Oratia! The full article is available on her website.
Glucina History – Parker Road Foundry Pouring Bronze Alloy Ingots
West Auckland’s Yugoslavian population is famous for its wine making and market gardening. George Glucina wanted to follow the family tradition but in 1952 his entire Oratia tree tomato crop was wiped out by a viral infection. This forced him to seek work elsewhere to support his wife.
A friendly neighbour, Harold Bassett, offered him a job in his foundry and ingot making business. George gratefully accepted.
Ingot making was a low-tech affair in those days, and George learned the basics quickly. He was an entrepreneur at heart and in 12 months, with borrowed equipment and Harold Bassett’s blessing, he started up his own business melting brass and bronze.
His furnace was a 150lb capacity brass crucible heated with a gravity fed diesel fueled burner. There were no fuel deliveries in those days. George had to drive in to the city once a week to collect two 44 gallon drums of diesel. Link Here
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Dalmatian History Out West –
Transportation, Horticulture Viticulture and Sport
Social: Dances, Music, Weddings and
Early History. Blog Posts and Photos based on Library Exhibit.
Eating in and Dining Out: Dalmatian run Grill rooms.