Familiar Faces

14/09/2026

Thank you Ellerslie Village for an amazing Ellerslie Fairy Festival & Pirate Party ! You are the GOAT!

Super magical!

11/09/2026

At The Hood - Woodfired Eatery & Bar, great food and community go hand in hand.

Located among a cluster of local businesses, The Hood is part of a neighbourhood hub bringing together restaurants, cafés, fitness, hair and other services. Since taking over in 2019, the owner has rebranded and renovated the restaurant, navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic with the support of a loyal local community.

At the heart of The Hood is a passion for authentic Neapolitan pizza. Its custom-made wood-fired oven was imported from Australia and was one of the first of its kind in New Zealand. The pizza dough is made using the traditional Italian b**a method—a pre-fermentation process that takes at least 48 hours.

The owner is also a certified pizzaiolo, recognised in Napoli for making authentic Neapolitan pizza. The Hood has also earned a place among Auckland’s Iconic Eats.

But pizza is only part of the story. The menu is designed for sharing, with homemade pasta, meatballs, prawns and more. Key ingredients including flour, cheese, tomatoes and salami are imported from Italy, complemented by locally sourced vegetables and mushrooms.

For The Hood, it’s about quality food, sharing a meal, and being part of the neighbourhood that supported them through some of their toughest years.

📍 The Hood
66 West Tamaki Road, St Heliers, Auckland

🎬 Part of the Neighbourhood Stories – Ōrākei series
Produced by No Six
Supported by the Ōrākei Local Board

At The Hood, great food and community go hand in hand.Located amo...

01/09/2026

🎨✨ Get creative with Ana this spring!

Join Face Painting by Ana for a series of fun, colourful community activities across Ōrākei — including sensory art, face painting and balloons for tamariki and whānau. 🎈🖌️

📍 Ellerslie Japanese Monthly Meet Up
🗓 Thursday 8 October
⏰ 10am–12pm
🏠 Leicester Hall
📌 Corner of Findlay Street & Ramsgate Street, Ellerslie

📍 Meadowbank Chinese Friendship Group
🗓 Friday 6 November
⏰ 10am–12pm
🏠 Meadowbank Community Centre
📌 29 St Johns Road, Meadowbank

Ana will also be bringing sensory art, face painting and balloons to events at Sommerville at Stonefields School, Glendowie Primary School and Glendowie College.

Proudly supported by the Ōrākei Local Board, Ōrākei Arts and 奧克蘭長者關愛會 奥克兰长者关爱会 Age Concern Auckland - 華語服務 / エイジ・コンサーン・オークランド　Age Concern Auckland Asian Service Team . 💛

24/08/2026

🚉🎨 Where would you go?

If the City Rail Link tunnels could magically take you anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

That was the question put to tamariki across Aotearoa in 2020, while Te Waihorotiu Station was still under construction. Their answers became something very special: more than 3,000 pieces of children’s artwork are now permanently displayed inside the station.

And there’s some local Ōrākei representation on those walls! 💛

Keep an eye out for artwork from:
🎨 Victoria Avenue School
🎨 Meadowbank School
🎨 Ōrākei School
🎨 Ellerslie School

The drawings are wonderfully imaginative — from places around Aotearoa to destinations on the other side of the world. It’s like seeing thousands of little dreams captured on the station walls.

So next time you’re travelling through Te Waihorotiu Station, don’t rush straight to the platform. Have a wander, look closely at the tiles and see if you can find one of our local schools. 👀

You might even recognise a young artist! ❤️

And if you want a peek at the children exploring the finished station themselves, there’s a lovely video of their visit on YouTube too - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtF3D29QSlw 🎥

11/08/2026

Kia ora whānau!
Exciting news — is launching at St Heliers Library this August!

Join us for free sessions of stories, songs, games and activities in Spanish — a joyful way for tamariki and their families to strengthen Spanish as a heritage language through imagination, culture and connection.

📅 Saturdays 8, 22 & 29 August
🕑 2:00–2:30pm
📍 St Heliers Library
🎉 Free — everyone welcome!

CuentiPeques also continues every Saturday at Pakuranga Library.

Proudly supported by Familiar Faces and the Ōrākei Local Board, in partnership with Auckland Council Libraries.

📩 [email protected] | 📸

08/08/2026

🛍️ LITTLE MINDS, BIG IDEAS 💡

What a turnout for the very first The Bays Kids Market at St Heliers Community Centre today!

The venue was already packed before the official 10am opening — an amazing result for first-time organiser Lucy from Lucy G Design. 👏

More than 40 local children aged 7–12 had their own stalls, creating and selling everything from crafts and jewellery to baking, plants and their own inventions.

Kids entrepreneurship is such a great way to build confidence, creativity, communication, problem-solving and financial literacy — all while giving young people the chance to learn by actually doing.

It was also a fantastic community event, bringing children, whānau, neighbours and local businesses together. Great to see the **Watercare team** there too! 💧

The event was supported by the Ōrākei Local Board, , Calimero, Life Pharmacy, , , , , , and .

🏆 A nice connection too: The Balance Project, Four Square St Heliers and Dawsons Lawyers were all recognised in the 2026 Ōrākei Local Business Awards.

Great to see successful local businesses supporting the next generation of young entrepreneurs. 💡

Congratulations to Lucy, all the young stallholders and everyone involved! 🌟

05/07/2026

Join Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei for their annual traditional Hautapu ceremony – a time to gather, remember those who have passed, and look ahead to the year to come.

This year, under the theme of Matariki Herenga Waka - For Everyone and in partnership with Manatū Taonga, there is an invitation for those across Aotearoa to gather at Takaparawhau to share in the celebration of Matariki, and welcome the Māori new year together.

When: 5.45am-7.30am, Friday 10 July 2026
Where: Takaparawhau, 59B Kitemoana street, Bastion Point, Ōrākei, Auckland

Check the link in our bio or go to: https://linktr.ee/familiarfacesnz for the event details.

01/07/2026

Kia ora everyone!
The Bays Kids Market is back – a market by kids, for everyone! Local tamariki aged 7–12 get to create, price and sell their own handmade or NZ-made goodies in a fun, safe, supportive space.

Saturday 8th August, 10am–12noon
St Heliers Community Centre, 100 Saint Heliers Bay Road .helierscommunitycentre

Come along for face painting, art & jewellery, home baking, and over $500 of prizes to be won! Food room and craft room on site too.

Here is the link to the Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/share/1BCiJS6wDP/
See you there! 💛

30/06/2026

Know anyone based in Mount Wellington, Auckland who is a natural community connector? This is a great opportunity for someone who loves to activate their neighbourhood and loves bringing people together to connect. If this sounds like you or someone you know the job listing is linked below: https://jobs.dogoodjobs.co.nz/job/21643/community-weaver-community-facilitator/