Trains ‘n boats…

Franklin Country is having their fantastically popular Thomas the Tank Engine Weekend this weekend!!

If trains are your thing, this will be the place to be.

The Glenbrook Vintage Railway ‘s annual Thomas day always proves to be a great winner and an added bonus will be the new Glenbrook Morel Railway, which is situated on Morley Road…..a train stop away from the station at Glenbrook.

Bob and his elves have been working intently to make sure that they can get the Model Railway operating to coincide with the Thomas weekend, so if you are in the area……keep an eye out to discover the magic of the miniature train, boats and more!

….but wait!!….there IS more.

The Port Waikato Whitebait fritter competition is also on!. Head out to our west coast beach for a taste test of some of the locals recipes for the perfect fritter!!  mmmmmmm….mmm

I can personally vouch for a fantastic taste tingle!

so why wait??

Head to our patch of country – where Auckland meets the Waikato – and check out what’s on!!

……and here we are again…almost summer….almost Christmas!

WOW!!!  Franklin is once again showcasing a great deal of things to do and places to be over the next few weeks – just to start the summer season!!

Our area is quite a vast rural one, on the outer edges of what is now the Auckland Supercity, (not too far from the airport) but also taking in the Northern edge of the Waikato region, so we do have lots around – the west and east coast beaches are great for surfing and swimming (when the weather is fine), but also fantastic to walk along and take in the sounds, smells and sights at this time of year.

Port Waikato on the West coast

East coast beaches in summer

Right now we can also enjoy (well many of us can!!) a long weekend with fun times at the local Glenbrook Vintage Railway. This weekend is their opening weekend for the season and there will be fun aplenty for all ages,, including a country market day on Monday!

Our local Pukekohe Performing Arts group will help bring back memories of a bygone era with their production of “Grease,” showing until  Sunday.

Then there’s the local markets, an Orchid fair and the amazing Blast to the Past at Waiuku!

Heaps of great accommodation choices too – motels, hotels, campgounds, B&B’s – you name it!! along with dining experiences of all sorts!

If that isn’t enough to get you interested, then just wait and keep an eye out for more happenings in the region – including the V8 Supercars – only a matter of weeks away now!!! and with Christmas looming ever closer, there’s always the Christmas display to help get into the swing of things to come .

Autumn is here – and no slowing down!!

Autumn is officially upon us but that doesn’t slow things down here in Franklin Country – a region also known as Auckland’s Southern playground – where Auckland meets the Waikato!!

For those car and vintage vehicle enthusiasts, Franklin’s main town of Pukekohe is home again to the ever popular Swap Meet, where all things vehicle related should be able to be found – whether in the original state or a reproduction, there should be something there and very likely all manner of other items too. Should be THE place to be!!

Following on from that, over the next weekend, is the celebration of Franklin’s Bombay area. Another part of our district will be having a ball showcasing the 150 years of Bombay,

March 14th 2015
Bombay Family Festival, open to all, no entry charge.
10am to 3pm in the Bombay School grounds.
Farmers market, bouncy castle, Clydesdale cart rides, unicycles, tractor displays, face painting, historical displays and refreshments.

Book sales: ‘They came by ship’ the history of the first 100 years of the district, and ‘Bombay, the next 50yrs’ telling the stories of the families, clubs, farms and businesses of Bombay between 1965 and 2015.
This Family Fun day is being held as part of Bombay’s 150th Anniversary Weekend, so come along dressed up 1860’s style and you may win a prize.

Should be a great weekend for all –

FRIDAY
Mix & Mingle
Venue: Bombay Rugby Club
Time: Evening
SATURDAY
Fun Run & Family Festival
Venue: Bombay School
The Pioneers Settlers Fun Run will start the day with a festival atmosphere growing as we celebrate success of fun run entrants. We envision games, food and fun activities for the whole family! Local Stalls/Farmers Market, Athletics, Old School Races (Egg & Spoon, Sack Races), Ethnic Foods, Vintage Tractors, Photobooths, Displays, Olden day Dressups/Photos, Facepainting. Ideas and input welcome!
SATURDAY NIGHT
Dinner & Guest Speaker
Venue: Bombay School Hall
SUNDAY
Church Service
Historical Bus Tour/Scavenger Hunt
With the help of local/school families, we would love to put together an ‘Amazing Race’ type challenge for families/teams to be a part of. This could be a really exciting way for us all to learn about our wider community and what it was like in years gone by.

……but wait – there’s more!!
If you haven’t already decided to book some accommodation and enjoy a great few weeks, this may help you to decide ……

we have our very own Taste Franklin happening, This should be an amazing event showcasing the wonderful food that we produce right here on the edge of Auckland!

Us locals know that we live in an area that grows, produces, cooks, carves up, bakes and ferments some of the very best stuff that we consume here in Godzone yet do you always buy locally? What about people moving into the area – do they know what’s available? Do you know about cheesemakers, butchers, growers, breadmakers, fishermen, winemakers and brewers plus so many other culinary magicians that are found around the corner, a few streets down, or a short drive away (we are semi-rural after all)..

Check out the newsbeat piece here about this event.

So if you hadn’t considered Franklin – (where Auckland meets the Waikato) before now, this IS the time to get on over to our patch and celebrate – history, our own home-grown everything and so much more