Sandra Coney and Russell Stone at his inaugural Sir John Logan Campbell address

Last night, Profesor Russell Stone, opened the Auckland Heritage Festival with the inaugural Sir John Logan Campbell address. This is planned to be an annual event, allowing a scholarly person or contemporary analyst to look at Auckland now through the lens of the life of Campbell, entrepreneur, civic leader, philanthropist, patron of education and the arts, admirer of Maori and provider of some of Auckland’s premier open space – Cornwall Park.

Russell did a fabulous job and you can read about his views at this link to the NZ Herald which featured him this morning http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10837282

I was honoured to introduce Russell last night, not just because he is the premier academic on Campbell and early Auckland, but also because Russell in an old bach owner at Piha, having bought a place in Beach Valley Rd with his wife Mary, many years ago. Now 89, Russell visits when he can and is a special friend of his long-time neighbour, Jan O’Connor. Russell stills walks from his bach to North Piha Surf Club and back when he visits, and in town swims 400 metres daily at the Glen Innes Pool.