Whanganui flag enthusiast flies a different flag every day

Rob van Dort and Richie with the South Africa Red Ensign flying in honour of van Dort's grandmother Elsie van Dort who was born in Hopetown, South Africa, in 1906.

Every year on February 5, the All Blacks flag flies in Parsons St for Richie's birthday.

That's Richie McClaw, Rob van Dort's dog. The flag also flies on December 31 for former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw's birthday.

Any other day of the year van Dort, a Whanganui teacher, flies one of his 45 flags which have attracted so much attention he now puts up a notice on his front fence about the significance of the flag.

Van Dort and his wife Sue have been collecting flags for four or five years since they put up a flagpole after moving to their Parsons St home.

"I fly a flag every day and I have a schedule I stick to," van Dort said.

"People started coming to the door to ask what flag I was flying and why, so now I put up a notice about the flag and an explanation of why it's flying.

"There are flags of countries that my wife and I have been to or lived in - any places that have been of special interest or schools I've taught at. There are others such as the Tour de France, South African National Parks and the South African Airforce, which I was in.

"It's mostly historical stuff and I try to keep it positive. I schedule them to fly for celebrations or anniversaries of anything significant."

The occasions range from van Dort's family's (and dog's) birthdays to special events in his life, such as moving from South Africa to New Zealand or going for his first parachute jump.

Then there are events significant to world history including New Zealand giving women the right to vote, wars, deaths of prominent people and even the last recorded sighting of the dodo bird in Mauritius.

Sporting occasions are also prominent in his schedule.

"The South African National Parks flag is my favourite because it's our favourite place," van Dort said.

"Any day when I don't have a country flag assigned, I'll put up one of the 'others' like the [New Zealand flag] referendum options or I might put up the Guinness Draught flag on a Friday when it's good to have a Guinness."

With no flag specified in the schedule for May 19, van Dort says he will fly The Royal Standard in recognition of the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.