I saw Aurora Australis on the 13th.03.1989 in West Auckland. Amazing !!
As i'm involved in the Volunteer Firebrigade we were called out to red skies South West of Auckland near Waiatarua and Piha.
There were thoughts of a large bush fire or a nuclear bomb but it was the Aurora Australis.
The sky was dark orangy red with sometimes whitish bands moving around like the Northern lights.
An amazing phenomena which i can still clearly recall and also very spooky but a great experience to have seen it.