Writing's on the wall for local history

Visitors to the Bay of Islands can now learn about Paihia's history just by looking at a wall.

A community group known as the Paihia Phantom Placemakers commissioned artist Dennis Lattimer to paint a mural telling the story of the Bay of Islands town.

Mr Lattimer - who now lives in Pukenui, about 50km north of Kaitaia, but is best known for his murals in the Taranaki town of Opunake - used brushes and spraypaint to create a series of panels which have been mounted on the back of the Williams Rd shops and facing the Village Green.

The panels trace the history of Paihia from Maui fishing up the North Island and Kupe's arrival to the founding of Paihia's Mission Station, the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and milestones such as the construction of the Waitangi Bridge.

The mural is the finishing touch to a community project begun in May to transform a once shabby corner of Paihia's Village Green.

The volunteers also repainted and repaired picnic tables and benches, removed a fence, built planters and pulled up plants which were providing a hiding place for people up to no good at night.

Project coordinator Katja Caulton said the group wanted a historical mural because many visitors did not know the history of Paihia or realise the pivotal role it played in New Zealand's past.

Mrs Caulton said the group gave Mr Lattimer some pictures they wanted in the mural. It was his idea to paint each section as a jigsaw-like cut-out, and the group was delighted with the result.

The panels can be remounted elsewhere if the shops are redeveloped.