sunset on splore

After almost 30 years, 2026 marks the final year of Splore, a boutique music and arts festival set on the shores of Tāpapakanga Regional Park in Franklin's northeast.

josh
Author: josh

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Ben Bayly

Ben Bayly

Ben Bayly, chef and creator of the award-winning Ahi in Auckland’s Commercial Bay, also cultivates a productive garden in Franklin, growing many ingredients for his restaurant. The Longkeeper onion, featured recently on a TV series, is one of the vegetables he often...

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The Art of Community

The Art of Community

Catherine Tamihere (Ngāti Wairere, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi) has gone from feeling like an ‘outsider’ to making a beautiful mark on her community. Catherine TamiherePukekohe High School Art Teacher Finding a Home in Franklin Catherine moved into Franklin in 2016. She was...

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Bill Cashmore Franklin

My Franklin – Bill Cashmore

Former Auckland Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore was born and bred in Franklin District, with his family having been there since the late 1800s as sheep and beef farmers in the Hunua Ranges.

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Waiuku Inlet

Waiuku Inlet

The Franklin Paths Programme is a community-driven initiative that will enhance connectivity, reduce the need for vehicle use, and promote a healthier lifestyle for Franklin's residents and visitors. Waiuku's estuary has seen – and will continue to undergo –...

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Pick n mix production

Pick Your Mix

Jet planes. Milk bottles. Wine gums. Pineapple lumps. Jaffas. Hokey Pokey chunks. Names to set your heart aflame and your dentist on edge. Among the most emotive rituals of growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand is the childhood dairy trip for a mixed bag of lollies. Some...

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