Bay Harbour: July 26, 2023
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Wednesday <strong>July</strong> <strong>26</strong> <strong>2023</strong> <strong>Bay</strong> <strong>Harbour</strong> News<br />
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />
NEWS 5<br />
– and the ultimate man cave<br />
He sold the cardboard replica<br />
for $2025 and donated the<br />
money to Mike King’s mental<br />
health charity I Am Hope.<br />
Graham often pays for people’s<br />
groceries at the supermarket<br />
checkout when he sees the need.<br />
“It’s not about them going oh<br />
look, thank you to me. It’s just<br />
making them think, hey, we’re<br />
all on the planet, we’ve all got<br />
different channels we’re going<br />
down, but we’re all here and we<br />
all care.”<br />
Outside the man cave, a number<br />
of incredible items can also<br />
be found in his backyard.<br />
He owns a flying 3/4 replica<br />
P51 Mustang single-seat fighter<br />
plane built in Loburn. It’s<br />
mounted on a steel post and has<br />
been painted blue<br />
and red to look<br />
like actor Tom<br />
Cruise’s P51.<br />
Inside the<br />
cockpit,<br />
there<br />
is a<br />
mannequin<br />
dressed like<br />
Cruise’s<br />
character<br />
Pete<br />
Mitchell,<br />
known as<br />
‘Maverick’,<br />
from the film<br />
Top Gun.<br />
Also on his<br />
lawn is a Land<br />
Rover on a stump and a Mil 34C<br />
Hermit light helicopter once<br />
used by the Nigerian Air Force.<br />
Graham also has a High Mobility<br />
Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle,<br />
known as a Humvee, which<br />
was used by the United States<br />
Army during the Iraq War.<br />
As you enter his man cave<br />
there is a workshop for his<br />
bikes, a helmet room, and<br />
a wall full of old skateboards,<br />
many of which<br />
were Graham’s when he was<br />
growing up. Moving through<br />
the cave, it becomes much more<br />
homely – with a bar, sunken<br />
lounge and a Volkswagen Kombi<br />
van, which has been converted<br />
into a DJ booth.<br />
On either side of the lounge<br />
area, there are display cases with<br />
more motorcycles, one of which<br />
is a bike designed by New Zealand<br />
freestyle motocross<br />
rider Levi Sherwood. It was<br />
made for a specific trick – a<br />
double forward flip – and<br />
was the first bike Sherwood<br />
ever built.<br />
Said Graham: “The fuel<br />
tank is only big enough<br />
for a specific run time.”<br />
Going through the rest of<br />
the cave there are a number of<br />
cars, including a rare replica<br />
1965 Shelby Daytona American<br />
sports-coupé and a Holden A9X<br />
Torana.<br />
He also has many motorcycles<br />
mounted on the wall, some of<br />
which he has raced or used on<br />
the farm.<br />
“I’m glad I kept them all<br />
because they are important to<br />
me.”<br />
Graham said he can look at<br />
them and remember his past.<br />
“Some people have photo<br />
albums I just keep the bikes and<br />
know what each one means.<br />
“This cave is just a whole lot of<br />
photographs of my life and how<br />
much fun I’ve had and it’s only<br />
just begun.”<br />
FLY PAD: This replica<br />
Mustang fighter<br />
plane, similar to<br />
one owned by<br />
actor Tom<br />
Cruise, is<br />
on display<br />
outside<br />
Dean<br />
Graham’s<br />
man<br />
cave.<br />
WOMEN’S GOLF<br />
STARTER CLINICS<br />
One-hour starter lesson followed by a one-hour<br />
course play with the Pro<br />
Coast<br />
WHAT’S OUR FUTURE, CANTERBURY?<br />
Our coastal environment is of special significance to mana whenua as an<br />
important source of kai moana and home to a range of taonga species.<br />
With your help we can ensure a future for these important ecosystems.<br />
Help us make the changes now that support healthy coastal habitats<br />
in the future.<br />
Tell us what you think at ecan.govt.nz/ourfuture<br />
E23/8415<br />
• 10-week clinic (max 8 people per clinic) $360<br />
• Have fun and meet other people who are<br />
keen to learn<br />
• Monday 25th September – 4th December<br />
• Group 1. – 9.30am to 11.30am<br />
• Group 2. – 1.00pm to 3.00pm<br />
• Golf clubs provided free of charge.<br />
Ts & Cs apply- not for existing members of a golf club<br />
Register interest with Jason Tilley (Golf Pro)<br />
jasontilleygolf@gmail.com<br />
CHRISTCHURCH<br />
GOLF CLUB<br />
45 Horseshoe Lake Road, Shirley