Ross Murray working on his children’s book. Photo / Jodi Bryant
Ross Murray working on his children’s book. Photo / Jodi Bryant
On a suburban street in Whangārei, reporter Jodi Bryant comes across an interesting man cave. She steps inside for a closer look.
When the door rolls up on Murray Ross’ man cave it unveils an owner with an abundance of passionate talent, nostalgia, wit and a soft spot for Ranfurly.
The suburban garage is chocka with local memorabilia from decades past, many stemming from his artistic skills.
A talented artist as a kid, Murray knew he wanted to be either an artist or a signwriter. Murray Ross Signs will be a name familiar to many longtime Whangārei residents – he owned the business, based on Lower Port Rd, for around 25 years from 1988. Prior to that, he owned a similar business in Australia after completing a signwriting apprenticeship.
His work entailed creating signage on buildings and vehicles which would resonate with many locals. While these days, the industry is largely digital, Murray still freelances from his man cave working in conjunction with local business Fastsignz.
“Traditional sign writing is a dying art nowadays,” he muses. “It’s a shame.
“But I’m doing more art work now, which was my original passion. Now that I’ve got the time I’m enjoying it more as there’s no pressure,” he explains, producing a booklet bearing vibrant artwork and the title The Adventures of Coco and Scratch.
Murray’s paintings adorn their family home; Smugglers Cove and birds of Paradise.
The idea for the book came about when a Noosa Heads-based friend of Ross was on a bush walk with his partner and noticed a koala and bush turkey walking behind them as if they were mates. A novelist, he decided he was going to write a story about it and approached Murray to conduct the artwork for a kids’ book. However, due to other commitments he subsequently handed the idea to Murray, who developed it while based in Auckland supporting his wife, who was undergoing treatment.
With plans to publish, Murray enjoyed the project so much, he already has a follow-up version in mind where Coco and Scratch visit Kenny the Kiwi and Penny the Pūkeko when they visit Aotearoa New Zealand. He plans to create this while undergoing his own treatment in Auckland this year.
While his sketches of Coco and Scratch are cute and funny, across the other side of his man cave is a wall adorned with a different kind of humour. In fact, Ross has strategically covered some images, deeming them inappropriate for his granddaughter’s eyes.
These cartoons derive from finding the good-natured satire in anecdotes or situations, capturing and embellishing it, then gifting it to the subject – often well-known characters.
An example was when the Parua Bay Tavern, which Murray frequents – you will find him sitting at the bar leaner called “Ross Corner” – began closing on Mondays. His creation depicted the pub’s regular punters undergoing desperate measures to obtain their usual Monday beverage.
A snippet from the book Murray Ross has created and plans to publish. Photo / Jodi Bryant
“[Closing on Mondays] upset a lot of punters so I presented it to Tom [the co-owner] and he framed it and put it up on the wall. It’s still closed Mondays but it caused a lot of laughs,” Murray chuckles.
Further beyond, past the paint-splashed backdrop of the original Murray Ross Signs billboard, paints, brushes and colour charts, is another wall covered in newspaper clippings of some of Murray’s signage work, photos and memorabilia from back in the day, including some of his largest homegrown tomatoes. His glass-topped workbench encases the original photo board from his shop displaying clippings and photos depicting daughter Belinda in a beauty contest, and himself in the former Northern Advocate “Northlanders at Work” photo-caption series.
Murray Ross gazes at some of the comical cartoons he’s created from local situations over the years. Photo / Jodi Bryant
“People would come in and say, ‘Oh, I know that bugger!’”
Also featured prominently are clippings and paraphernalia on Ross' other favourite hobby - golf, including accolades he’s won, though he’s too humble to point those out.
Above the workbench are mounted a set of bullock horns obtained by his great-grandfather Robert Ross.
Bullock horns acquired from Murray Ross' legendary great-grandfather adorn the wall, along with a collection of caps from his own travels. Photo / Jodi Bryant
“He was quite a legend in his time. He was at least six-foot six, nearly 20 stone and a really good horse rider. He was a drover and the Waipu Museum have a display about him,” says Ross proudly. “He’d drive stock from Kaitāia to Waipū and to Auckland. He was renowned in the area around the 1900s and those horns are from the last bullock he killed.”
Ross is well-travelled and his cave is lined with caps collected from each destination and, near the door, is a recycling bin looking fairly healthy with empty Ranfurly cans.
“That’s my assistant,” he laughs.
Also keeping him company are the three parakeets and two cockatiels in the adjacent aviary, which often perch on the window ledge keeping a watchful eye over things.
Ross estimates he spends a couple of hours each day in his man cave and his wife of 53 years Denise doesn’t mind.
“She knows that’s where I’ve disappeared to, like most retired guys,” he says with a chuckle.
