In my quest to find more interesting things to do in Auckland, I have taken to the trains. Specifically the Western Line to start with, and I will investigate the local neighbourhoods of each station one by one, finishing with the city rail link.

In other big cities around the world, stations are often at the centre of local activity and thought of as urban destinations connecting the local area, rather than just stops along the line. So I wanted to explore this idea and see what I could find in the city I’ve called home for most of my life.

Avondale
Starting with Avondale, partly because it has undergone a lot of development in the last few years and I was curious to see what’s new, but also because I’ve never visited the Sunday markets which seemed like blasphemy for a West Auckland native.

From the station, I headed straight for coffee at Browne Street cafe. I wanted to try Burnt Butter Diner for brunch as I’d heard good things but being a Sunday they were closed, as was Moana Fresh – a marketplace and community space celebrating Pacific and Māori artists, creatives and authors

From the town centre, it was just a short walk past some awesome street art on the way to the Sunday market. There was lots of fresh produce here, including some I’d never seen before and giant-size versions of others. Bartering and beats, I felt like I was on the islands.

If you visit at a more film-appropriate time of the week you could also spend some time at the classic old-timey Hollywood Cinema.

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