Media Releases
06 March 2009 – Hill Standing Above - history booklet launched
The Michael King Writers’ Centre is today launching a booklet about the history of the Signalman’s House and the Mt Victoria signal station in Devonport.Called “Hill Standing Above,” the booklet covers the history of Mt Victoria Takarunga from Maori occupation to European settlement, when a signal station was established on its summit. In days before radar and telephone communications, flags flown from the top of Mt Victoria indicated to the harbour master what vessels were due to arrive and where they were from. The signal station was a vital communications link for the young Auckland city.
In the early days, the signalmen lived in a tent or a hut on the summit of Mt Victoria. A lookout and later a house were built after the signalmen complained of the cold. A new house was built for the signalman further down the southern slopes of Mt Victoria in 1989.
Since 2005, the Signalman’s House has been a retreat for some of New Zealand’s most prominent writers, as well as emerging authors. With ongoing support from the North Shore City Council, it is now the home of the Michael King Writers’ Centre, which was established to promote New Zealand literature and support New Zealand writers. The centre is able to host up to three paid writers’ residencies each year, with funding from Creative New Zealand. The current writer-in-residence is Wellington author, Vincent O’Sullivan.
The booklet will be launched at the centre by the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Hon Chris Finlayson. It was funded by a grant from the ASB Community Trust and will be available to the public for a donation.
More Releases
19 August 2010 – Residency programme for 2011 announced
20 July 2010 – A Million Poems at the Library - National Poetry Day, 30 July 2010
20 June 2010 – Residential Workshop, October 2010
14 June 2010 – Matariki sparks an innovative community poetry project
14 June 2010 – A Million Poems for Matariki: Devonport
14 June 2010 – A Million Poems for Matariki: Otahuhu
14 June 2010 – A Million Poems for Matariki: The University of Auckland
09 June 2010 – Michael King Writers' Centre Residential Workshop 2010
07 April 2010 – The University of Auckland/Creative New Zealand Writer-in-Residence 2010
26 March 2010 – New Chairman for Michael King Writers' Studio Trust
17 March 2010 – Whale traditions explored
2009
11 December 2009 – First Maori writer's residency announced: calling for applications for 2010
10 December 2009 – Calling for applications for six-month residency in 2010
28 October 2009 – Top writers selected for residencies
29 September 2009 – Heritage Week events
18 August 2009 – Applications are now open for two short residencies in early 2010
18 August 2009 – Call for applications for two short residencies in 2010
18 August 2009 – Short residencies 2010 - How to Apply
25 June 2009 – New writer-in-residence selected
18 June 2009 – Hometown celebration for Poet Laureate
10 June 2009 – A Million Poems for Matariki
03 June 2009 – Jam Radio features Michael King Writers' Centre authors
19 May 2009 – Residency opportunity confirmed for 2009
06 May 2009 – New residency opportunity coming up in 2009
06 March 2009 – Hill Standing Above - speech by Bob Ross at launch of history booklet
06 March 2009 – Hill Standing Above - history booklet launched
06 January 2009 – Two Writers-in-Residence Selected