Our picks include two on engineering in downtown Auckland. Walk A looks at the stories behind the tepid baths, Sky Tower, harbour bridge and the Viaduct lift bridge. Walk B covers the ferry building, Britomart, town hall, Albert Park tunnels and around the university precinct. You need to book these walks and the first one is today.
But at any time you can take the self-guided Ports of Auckland Red Fence heritage walk. Grab a Red Fence Walk brochure at the Maritime Museum and strike out to Mechanics Bay. It could be a good addition to the Waterfront Explorer, a self-guided one-hour tour focusing on the inner-city waterfront, which starts from Queens Wharf or Karanga Plaza. It's designed for kids to identify landmarks, vessels, icons and curiosities as they learn more about the contribution each has made towards Auckland's development.
Tours of North Head focus on Auckland's defences, dating from European settlement to present-day with chapters shared from a past that includes the "Russian scare" of the 1870s, the interwar years of 1914-1938 and more recent development of the historic site.
Down to Earth
The region's geological heritage also gets the spotlight during the festival. There are guided walks of Manugawhau/Mt Eden, Cornwall Park's birds, trees and volcanic sites, Devonport's volcanoes, the Muriwai pillow lava rock formations, and the Takapuna fossil forest.
The Howick Coastal Geology walk is one of the highlight events out east. Geologist Graham Mansergh leads a walk around the Howick foreshore and cliffs to offer a new perspective on what Auckland looked like some 20 million years ago when the region was under the sea.
If you didn't know about Auckland's only urban waterfall, join the Oakley Creek Te Auaunga walk to learn more about the creek's natural, archaeological and cultural heritage.
Go further west to discover the secrets of the Whau River on a 3km guided walk from Olympic Park in New Lynn to Green Bay beach. The EcoMatters Whau Portage guided walk follows the historic portage route between the Waitemata and Manukau Harbours, which was of significance to early Maori. There's also information on how early European settlers and industry used the stream and the latest restoration. Bookings essential.
If you've got a budding volcanologist, check out Auckland Erupts to find out why volcanoes erupt, why they ooze lava, and all about the volcanoes of our own region. University of Auckland volcanologists will answer any questions and guide the young and young-at-heart through some hands-on fun activities.
Games people played
Want to show the kids how youngsters played before computer games? Helensville Museum holds a Children's Heritage Day where there will be games like horseshoe toss, sack races, marbles and a treasure quest. The games are alongside craft activities, demonstrations and music. Or there is a parlour party at Highwic House where intriguing-sounding games include musical cushions, blow out the candle and blind man's bluff.
Something a bit different
If you want a breathtaking view of Auckland visit Pah Homestead to climb the winding staircase to the usually closed turret. Guides will point out how Auckland's skyline has changed since the homestead was built in 1879.
What did it sound like at the movies when there was no sound? The Sounds of Silents at the Hollywood Cinema shows Charlie Chaplin's last silent movie, the 1931 comedy City Lights, with Ron Clark on the historic 1926 Wurlitzer pipe organ.
Papakura Museum's Horse Tales -- a tribute to bravery and sacrifice of the forgotten heroes on World War I, the more than 10,000 horses who accompanied our soldiers to battle -- gets children to make a horse tail wristlet to commemorate these noble animals. The exhibition, Harnessed-NZ's War Horses, shares their stories of courage and loyalty.
The gap between the Voyager NZ Maritime and Torpedo Bay Navy museums gets bridged with a special City to Shore museum sail. Take a return sailing across the Waitemata Harbour on the heritage scow Ted Ashby and join activities and tours at both museums. Or get close to the ports with guided tours on the tug William C Daldy (see story page 4).
Ghosts and ghouls, crime and the demon drink
This year's festival takes on a ghoulish edge, with explorations of historic cemeteries, the wilder histories of the town's pubs, and tales of true life crime. Join walks and talks -- even a picnic -- in the Symonds St Cemetery and a walk through the Hillsborough Cemetery.
In Devonport, the play Always my Sister revisits an historic crime and the woman who tried to protect her partner from murder charges. It plays at the Sea Scouts Hall, just a stone's throw where the murders took place and includes the talk A Tangled Web, background research by the playwright, authors and local historians considering how justice was meted out in colonial Auckland. If that leaves you in need of a stiff drink, try A Toast to Heritage walking guide. Learn about heritage pubs, their past and present as you head off on your own self-guided pub crawl. The more genteel can enjoy a Heritage High Tea at the Heritage Hotel, Takapuna's Lakehouse, Pah Homestead and Long Bay's Vaughan Homestead.
Need to know
• Auckland Council's Auckland Heritage Festival runs from today to Sunday, October 12.
• The Ports of Auckland Red Fence Heritage Walk and the Waterfront Explorer, daily during the heritage festival, 10am-4pm.
• Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum, cnr Quay and Hobson Sts.
• Torpedo Bay Navy Museum, 64 King Edward Parade, Devonport.
• Ports of Auckland tours. Ph 0800 AK PORT (0800 25 7678).
• Historic Forts of Auckland: email tours@forts.org.nz
• Howick geological walks.
• Oakley Creek Reserve, Phyllis Reserve, end of Springleigh Ave, Mt Albert.
• EcoMatters Environment Centre, 1 Olympic Pl, New Lynn.
• Helensville Museum, 98 Mill Rd, Helensville.
• Highwic House, 40 Gillies Ave, enter from Mortimer Pass, Newmarket.
• Pah Homestead, TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre, 72 Hillsborough Rd, Hillsborough.
• Hollywood Cinema, 20 St Georges Rd, Avondale. Book at tremsoff@xtra.co.nz or ph (09) 525 7067; doorsales from 1pm.
• Papakura Museum, 209 Great South Rd, Papakura.
• Always my Sister, October 3-4, 7.30pm. Bookings essential, devonport.heritage@gmail.com or (09) 445 1520. A Tangled Web, September 28, 4pm. Both Sea Scouts Hall, 1/25 King Edward Pde, Devonport.
• Brew on Quay, 102 Quay St, cnr Quay St and Britomart Pl, Auckland.
