The race is on to preserve the home of two of New Zealand's most beloved artists. For 30 years the Mt Eden home of Pat and Gil Hanly has been a creative hub and base for artists all over Aotearoa. With its extensive tropical garden, the Walters Road home and of course the Pat and Gil themselves, have inspired so many. Pat Hanly was a prolific contemporary artist while his wife Gil is best known for documenting some of New Zealand's most memorable events - 1981 Springbok tour, the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, the protest at Bastion Point, and the 1984 land hikoi. While Pat died in 2004, Gil lived in the house until a year ago when dementia meant she could no longer live independently. The Walters Road region is planned for long term intensification, with up to 12 story apartment blocks all within walking distance to the Kingsland Train Station. The Hanly family want to ensure the property remains a creative oasis and they want it to become an artists' residency and studio along with a museum and education and research space. Diane Blomfield has decades of experience in the arts, including running the McCahon House Museum in Titirangi.