Coast bus station pou restored

A carved pou at the Hibiscus Coast Bus Station has been restored after years of exposure to traffic left it coated in oil and carbon.

The carving, unveiled on March 3, 2021, by then Hibiscus & Bays Local Board chair Gary Brown, tells the story of Silverdale from the 1700s to the present day.

Specialist cleaning company The Timber Doctor was called in last February after routine cleaning failed to remove the build-up. The work has now returned the surface of the carving to its original condition.

The pou was created by inmates through the Whakairo Workshop at Northland Region Corrections Facility as part of a rehabilitation and skills programme. 

A Corrections spokesperson said they also gain an understanding of principles or tikanga required to undertake a lot of the work that they complete.

 “This incorporates whakapapa, history, and the spiritual aspect that connects us to everything including the understanding of who they are,” they said.

The brief was to create a visual timeline of Silverdale’s development. The design includes scenes of early industries such as logging, gum digging, flax milling and orcharding, as well as the importance of the river as an early transport route before roads were established.

The carving is made from laminated kauri timber sourced from Northland and was commissioned in 2017.

The spokesperson says the programme provides an opportunity for participants to gain practical skills, connect with cultural practices and contribute positively to the community.