Little blue penguins, kororā, have been out at sea feeding on small fish and fattening up.But now it is time to start coming ashore prior to nesting. One couple were filmed as they checked out the real estate at Ti Point. There were various holes amongst the boulders that they explored. It will be interesting to see if they return to the same place as last year.Our coastline is a great place for penguins to nest. They love rocky shores where there are numerous caves and spaces between the boulders.They also love areas below pohutukawa roots where they can get some shelter.Since our project began they have chosen some very colourful real estate - penguin nesting boxes painted bright colours by Leigh School children. It is very rare for us to see penguins, but we look for signs that they are about.Footprints on the beach, guano near burrows and videos from our cameras. When they come ashore they will usually greet their partner with a very loud donkey braying sound. They'll begin making nests by carrying leaves and twigs into their choice of burrow and after mating they will begin the next cycle of laying eggs.It's going to take them about 36 days to incubate their eggs. That is when their real work begins as they head out to bring back food for their chicks. As the chicks grow they get more demanding and the parents are kept pretty busy going back and forth from the sea.To see some awesome videos of our local kororā go to our LeighPenguinProject facebook page https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=leigh%20penguin% 20project, or Leigh Penguin Project instagram.*Author: Jenny Enderby for Leigh Rag. Reposted with [email protected]

A Whangārei company has been sentenced after a trailer came off its truck and hit a car behind, killing a nine-year-old girl.WorkSafe said the failure by Johnston's Direct Logistics to do basic maintenance is a warning to all businesses.The towball and coupling of the trailer were so worn that a small bump or change of incline could dislodge it, it said."The trailer's safety chain failed, disconnecting it from the truck towing it in October 2020," said WorkSafe in a statement today.The trailer had an expired certificate of fitness, and uneven tyre pressure, when it hit the car south of Whangārei in October 2020."This tragedy should serve as a warning to other businesses to keep a much closer eye on basic maintenance."A young girl's life has been lost through no fault of her own, and her whānau is forever impacted," WorkSafe area manager Danielle Henry said.The district court fined the company $50,000 and ordered it to pay $145,000 in reparations, on the health and safety charges.The maximum possible fine is $1.5 million.RNZ has approached the company for comment.

New Zealand's cycling teams today notched up another four medals - including three gold - while Lewis Clareburt won gold in the Commonwealth Games pool.The New Zealand team are still sitting second on the medal table behind Australia and New Zealand has now clocked up a total of 13 medals with seven gold, four silver and two bronze.England and Canada are in the third and fourth spots and although England now has a total of 21 medals only five of them are golds.Many New Zealanders woke on Sunday morning to discover that New Zealand had had another very successful day in the velodrome picking up three more golds and a silver medal.New Zealand took the gold and silver in the Men's 4000m Individual Pursuit.Aaron Gate won gold in the event with a time of 4min 07sec, coming in nearly five seconds ahead of his team-mate Tom Sexton who came away with silver.The pair won gold in the 4000m team pursuit yesterday.Aaron Gate (centre) wins gold, Tom Sexton silver and Australia's Conor Leahy gets bronze in the men's 4000m individual pursuit. Photo: Photosport / Will Palmer / SWpix.comTrack cyclist Bryony Botha won the gold medal in the 3000m individual pursuit.Botha qualified for the final against Australia's Maeve Plouffe in a Games Record time and reduced that record time again in the final for a time of 3min 18sec.The 24-year-old Aucklander was also part of the team that won the silver medal in the women's team pursuit.Botha said she surprised herself."I was so surprised. After this morning's ride I left it all out there and I was wondering what I'd have left in the tank. When I got out there I felt awesome and I kept running and I'm so happy with the result," Botha said."It's so special. This is my event. I can't imagine an event I'd rather get a gold medal in."Ellesse Andrews completed a fantastic morning for the team with a gold in the women's sprint by beating Canada's Kelsey Mitchell 2-0 in the best of three final. It is the 22-year-old's third medal of the Games, and her second gold.Cyclist Ellesse Andrews won gold in the women's sprint at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Photo: Photosport / Will Palmer/ SWpix.comClareburt wins goldChampion swimmer Lewis Clareburt won gold in the 400 metre individual medley, setting a new Games record time.The 23-year-old had a winning time of 4.08 seconds, with Australia's Brendon Smith getting silver and Scotland's Duncan Scott bronze in the event.In his favoured event, Clareburt went out fast this morning withstanding the challenge of Australia's Brendon Smith."You know it's crazy to think that four years ago no one knew my name and then I guess to get the gold medal and to get a PB [personal best], a Commonwealth record."I honestly thought that would never happen but ... I knew it was going to happen at some point but to execute it at the right time and the right place and the right moment, you know it's a pretty good feeling."Standing on the top step of the podium, Clareburt said he had a plan."I grew up watching you know the flag being risen at you know big competitions where someone wins a medal and you know you never really think it would be you and I always said that I'd sing the national anthem at the top of my lungs if I ever got a gold medal and I was pretty proud in that moment."Lewis Clareburt is back in the pool in the butterfly tomorrow.Earlier 18-year-old Commonwealth Games debutante Cameron Gray won a bronze medal in the Men's 50m Butterfly.Lewis Clareburt won gold in the 400 metre individual medley. Photo: PhotosportWhat's coming up at the GamesThere's more cycling with the finals of the women's 25km points race and the women's 500m Time Trial happening overnight New Zealand time. The men's sprint finals and the men's 15km Scratch Race finals are also tomorrow.In swimming, Lewis Clareburt is back in the pool just before 6.30am New Zealand time in the 200m Butterfly. Other events include the women's and men's backstroke and breaststroke finals.The Black Ferns will be playing a bronze medal match at 7.50am after losing to Australia 17-12 in the semifinal.The 73kg men's weightlifting final is set for 5.45am.

New Zealand has picked up another four medals on the track at the Commonweath Games in Birmingham.Track cyclist Bryony Botha won the gold medal in the 3000m individual pursuit at the Commonwealth Games.Botha qualified for the final against Australia's Maeve Plouffe in a Games Record time and reduced that record time again in the final for a time of 3.18 seconds.Aaron Gate then won gold in the Men's 4000m Individual Pursuit.It was a head to head battle between Gate and team-mate Tom Sexton - who came away with Silver.Sexton set a personal best and broke the Commonwealth Games record in his qualifying heat in 4.8 seconds but Gate bettered that to be top qualifier in 4.7 seconds.In the final Gate won by nearly five seconds with a time of 4.7 seconds.The pair won gold in the 4000m team pursuit yesterday.Aaron Gate (centre) wins gold, Tom Sexton wins silver and Australia's Conor Leahy gets bronze in the men's 4000m individual pursuit at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Photo: Photosport / Will Palmer / SWpix.comThen Ellesse Andrews completed a fanstastic morning for the team with a gold in the women's sprint by beating Canada's Kelsey Mitchell 2-0 in the best of three final.It was Andrews' third medal of the Games, and her second gold.Botha said she surprised herself."I was so surprised. After this morning's ride I left it all out there and I was wondering what I'd have left in the tank. When I got out there I felt awesome and I kept running and I'm so happy with the result," Botha said."It's so special. This is my event. I can't imagine an event I'd rather get a gold medal in."The Aucklander was also part of the team that won the silver medal in the women's team pursuit.

New Zealand Paralympian Dame Sophie Pascoe has won gold in the women's S9 100 metre freestyle.Dame Sophie Pascoe won gold with a time of 1:02.95 with Australia's Emily Beecroft coming in second.Dame Sophie said winning gold was overwhelming after a build-up that included a bout of Covid and losing her Nana."After the circumstances and adversity coming into this Games and to see a number one beside my name and especially that last 10 metres really hurt - but you know I know that my Nana was with me in those last 10 metres."It was the 29-year-old's only event of the games - and she said she was undecided about her future in the pool."If this was my last one then I gave it everything I had, if it's not then, well then here come's Paris, you know a bit more training to go. But I'm just so proud of myself for getting here, overcoming everything," Dame Sophie said after the event.Dame Sophie Pascoe is New Zealand's most decorated Paralympian. She has won a total of 20 medals across four Paralympian Games, including two golds, a silver and a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics last year.She was made a dame last year for her services to swimming.She made her international debut when she was 13 years old and when she was only 15 she won three golds and one silver at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.Dame Sophie has also been named Disabled Sportsperson of the Year on six occasions at the Halberg Awards and was named Para Athlete of the Decade in 2020.

Two Auckland butcheries have taken out the top spots in this year's 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards.Returning after a three-year hiatus, the awards saw almost 200 entries from about 40 retailers.Warkworth Butchery was named the Supreme Winner in the bacon category in Auckland last night.Owner Rob Lees said he was stoked."I didn't expect that," he said."I mean, we picked up two golds last night, but a lot of people got a lot of other awards and bronze and silvers, and so I wasn't sure how it was all judged, but it was purely on that cut."Lees took over Warkworth Butchery eight years ago, but the butchery has long been part of the local landscape - it first opened in 1905.The awards will add to Lees' collection - he was awarded the Pure South Master Butcher of the Year Award in 2020."We're just a very traditional butcher," he said."We don't get carried away with trends and whatnot. I mean, our bacon is predominantly still sugar, salt, and smoke, just tried and true."He said anyone wanting top-notch bacon should head to their local butcher instead of the supermarket, for a cleaner cut.Westmere Butchery was awarded the second Supreme Award of the night for their bone-in leg ham.Glenn McKeendry said the award was a credit to the team's hard work.Westmere Butchery's bone in leg ham, which won the supreme award in the ham category of this year's 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards. Photo: NZ Pork"It was a team effort to produce an award-winning ham - time, patience and the right amount of cure are the key ingredients, and that effort has paid off," he said.Competition judge Hannah Miller Childs said when choosing the winning ham it was largely about finding something with great smoky characteristics as well as good texture."You want it to be nice and meaty, but still be moist and have enough fat content," she said.Childs said Westmere Butchery's entry was a clear winner, as it was "insanely delicious".

The first clinical trial into the use of kānuka oil has found it's an effective cream treatment for moderate-to-severe eczema in adults.The trial led by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand involved 80 participants across Aotearoa and a quarter of them were Māori.Out of that 80, 41 were randomised to use a treatment cream with 3 percent of kānuka oil while 39 other participants used a treatment cream without the oil.Lead study author, Nick Shortt said the 3 percent of kānuka oil used in the treatment cream showed to be more effective at improving eczema."We assessed participant reported frequency of eczema symptoms at the start of the study and then after six weeks of treatment and we found that while both groups improved, the kānuka oil group to a greater extent than the vehicle control."He said the research was an example of an evidence-based alternative to standard treatment creams."There's a benefit in having different options out there for people, one of the things we did find was that a lot of people wanting to take part had tried many other different things and hadn't seen any effect."Eczema is a chronic condition that damages the skin barrier function which makes skin more sensitive and prone to infection and dryness.Eczema affects one in three New Zealanders at some stage throughout their lives.It occurs in 15 percent of children and 9 percent of adolescents and is particularly common among young Māori and Pacifica.Hikurangi Bioactives Limited Partnership Co-Founder Manu Caddie said the trial was very promising."The success of this trial using kānuka oil to treat eczema is hugely exciting and could now lead to a sustainable and profitable industry for the Tairāwhiti region, providing new jobs for local people."Kānuka, often mistaken for mānuka, is native to Aotearoa and grows abundantly throughout the Tairāwhiti region.The kānuka tree has traditionally been a part of Rongoā Māori treatments.Shortt said kānuka was proven to be beneficial in many ways."Based on some lab research that's out there, it looks like kānuka oil has primarily antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties."So it looks like it's really effective at dampening down the inflammatory symptoms you'd see with eczema. And then also potentially limiting the amount of secondary infections you get of eczema lesions."

Friday 29th JulyResponse to our World | Group Show OpeningTruffle Celebration Degustation Dinner, Rothko@SculptureumThe Keepers at RSA WarkworthLive Comedy in MatakanaMick Fleetwood and the early years of Fleetwood Mac - MovieSaturday 30thBarfoot & Thompson - Charity Sausage SizzleMangawhai Tavern MarketMatakana Village Farmers MarketKaimoana – Seafood FestivalSunday 31stWarkworth Country MarketThe Shoe Science TrailNav Challenge (Rogaine) - Event 3MATAKANA WINE GROWERS PRESENTS: FROM THE VINEEnjoy your weekend!

More helipads have been approved for Aotea Great Barrier and Waiheke islands in the face of community opposition.Locals are expressing frustration at the rate consents are being granted and aim to pick up their lobbying of Auckland Council next week.In March, when locals met with councillors to appeal for tougher rules, Waiheke had 49 sites approved for helipads - now it has 51, plus six new applications in the works.The much more remote Aotea has four approved and three more in front of council planners, up from zero a year ago.The planners are restricted to weighing up mostly just the noise impacts.Waiheke local board chairperson Cath Handley said since March they had put a lot of work in to emphasising the wider impacts of some of the latest applications to planners - including those of two helipads approved last month beside Te Matuku Marine Reserve."It's so deeply disturbing," she said."Nobody can knowingly disturb a marine reserve, so I would have thought landing with full force right adjacent to the shore of a marine reserve would, at the very least, disturb marine life to a point where you'd need to understand its impacts before you consent it."Handley was among islanders who had hoped that when they appealed to the council, they were buying time - but they also feared the opposite."There is a flurry of people seeking consents, and we did warn council of this when we spoke to them, and the rate is actually higher now than it was when we spoke to council, of consents being applied for and approved."Aotea local board chairperson, Izzy Fordham, said it felt like they were losing a war of attrition."There is one, two, at least three pending applications at the moment."Given the three granted consents all in the same street, Greenside Rd, in February, April and June - as well as a fourth back in December a few kilometres away - Fordham expected these new ones would also go through.The site of one of the approved helipads on Aotea, and the flight path (in blue) a helicopter must follow. Photo: Supplied"That's the bit I don't really understand."I mean, if you've got a short road with six properties in it, and five of them are wanting helipad, why couldn't they just go for one and share? It's kind of a little absurd."The last thing we need is another flurry of consent applications to go through before anything can be done," Fordham said."As we heard ... any possible plan change is a long way away. But we're doing our best to keep lobbying for them to relook at that."The approval documents all set caps on flight numbers per helipad - most commonly two a day - and an overall cap."An annual cap has also been set across the other helipads on Greenside Road to ensure collectively, that cumulative effects upon the wider surrounds is being appropriately managed," said one.The two island local board reps, along with those from Waitematā, meet the council's planners next week to continue lobbying.In Waitematā, the opponents are counting a win over a helipad resource consent application that will now be publicly notified so locals get more say on it.The lobbyists succeeded in March in getting councillors to tell the planners to update the guidelines they apply to helipads, to ensure consistency - except the update has not come out yet.Planning committee chair Councillor Chris Darby is asking why not."I have been assured that verbally all the reporting planners have been called into sessions and been reminded of what they are supposed to be doing in assessing helipad applications."Read the council's practice and guidance note in fullHe was reasonably confident the applications till now would have been assessed correctly.Council's planners are also halfway through a study of chopper flight movements in the Hauraki Gulf, after claims by the Waiheke local board and community group Quiet Sky Waiheke they are uncontrolled and unsafe.The results won't be out until after the local body elections in October.Council planning's chief of strategy Megan Tyler put out an online opinion about helipads on Monday, saying they are working on finding a balance between competing interests.They could not publicly notify helipad applications in general, but only "under special circumstances", case-by-case.One option depending on the study, was to change the Auckland Council District Plan to make it tougher on helipads, she said.The latest five-year consent approvals for Aotea impose a one-off $1026 monitoring fee on the applicant.They also state that all incoming choppers must have GPS tracking turned on, and their flight path logged."Overall, it is considered that the use of a helipad within the rural-residential environment will continue to protect the rural-residential style of living without compromising the amenity and landscape values of this area," the approval document for a helipad on Gray Rd said.

Mahurangi Wastebusters is excited to announce that Phase 2 of the redevelopment of the Lawrie Road Community Recycling Centre is ready to start.This stage includes:Building an education centre, reuse shop, staff facilities and will be an asset for the community for years to come.As with Phase 1, the site will again be closed to the public to allow these works to be undertaken effective immediately. During this time, the Mahurangi Wastebusters team is looking forward to getting out and about in the community with a number of new initiatives and the Rustybrook Road Community Recycling Centre in Wellsford will remain open, as will the Rusty Station shop at 47 Station Road, Wellsford.

Thousands of people turned out for the Gull Laser Light show at the Mahurangi Winter Festival of Lights, Baxter Street in Warkworth on Saturday. The weather was a bit iffy but for the most part we got away with it! Families thoroughly enjoyed the laser light show. We had some new attractions this year, including glow in the dark mini golf, the virtual reality experience; both kids and parents showed their dance moves on the disco floor in the Disco Den. The teacup rides were a hit and many enjoyed the fun of the mini V-W Kombi train.  A team of volunteers work for months putting the festival together and event organiser Murray Chapman says the smiles on the faces of children and their families makes it all worth it! The festival receives an annual grant of $5000 from the Rodney Local Board, and wonderful local businesses step up every year for the remainder of the $50,000 tab, to which the festival organisers are extremely grateful. We look forward to doing it all again next year!

Area Warning: Auckland from Whangaparaoa northwards, also Great Barrier IslandHeavy Rain Warning - OrangePeriod: 24hrs from 2am Mon, 25 Jul - 2am Tue, 26 JulForecast: Expect 80 to 100 mm of rain to accumulate. Peak intensities of 15 to 20 mm per hour from Monday afternoon.Impact: Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.--------Area Warning - NorthlandHeavy Rain Warning - OrangePeriod: 27hrs from 8pm Sun, 24 Jul - 11pm Mon, 25 JulForecast: Expect 120 to 160 mm of rain to accumulate about northeastern areas from Whangarei to Kaitaia, and 60 to 90 mm of rain elsewhere. Peak intensities of 15 to 20 mm per hour Monday afternoon and evening.Impact: Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.-----Area: NorthlandStrong Wind Warning - OrangePeriod: 21hrs from 9pm Sun, 24 Jul - 6pm Mon, 25 JulForecast: Severe northeast gales gusting 120 km/h in exposed places.Impact: Strong wind gusts could damage trees, powerlines and unsecured structures. Driving may be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.

Anti-government protesters have walked out onto an Auckland motorway as police look on, causing traffic to back up for kilometres.Several hundred people gathered at the Auckland Domain this morning, before leaving in a march led by Brian Tamaki.They walked out onto the southern motorway at about 11.30am, as police blocked off all traffic heading south.Southbound lanes on the motorway were closed as the protesters made their way from the Khyber Pass on-ramp to Market Road.The leaders of the march reached the Market Road off-ramp and turned around to get back on the motorway in the other direction. All northbound lanes are now closed. The southbound lanes have reopened.Anti-government protests have also been planned for other centres.In Wellington, organisers told police a march was planned to travel between between Frank Kitts Park and the Railway Station, from 11am.Police asked for drivers to avoid the area, if possible. They said officers would be present to ensure the safety of all.

Get Ready have updated their Tsunami Evacuation Zones.The tool allows you to enter your address e.g. home, work, school etc. to determine what zone you are in for the likelihood of if you need to evacuate in the event of an Earthquake or a Tsunami warning is issued.You can search for your address herehttps://getready.govt.nz/en/emergency/tsunami/tsunami-evacuation-zones/

Auckland Transport will be in Leigh on Thursday this coming week to meet with residents to present a revised proposal for their blanket 30km/h speed limit for the small town. Many residents have been perplexed and up in arms re the proposed changes.Tony Enderby who has been spearheading the talks is pleased AT have agreed to talk directly to the community and is hopeful common sense will prevail.If you would like to attend it will be held at Leigh Community Hall this Thursday 28th July 4pm-5.30pm.

Friday 22nd JulyWine Blending workshop @ Matakana Estate‘It Takes A Village’ TourKerry Adams with Mattie at RSA WarkworthSaturday 23rd JulyMangawhai Tavern MarketMangawhai Community MarketThe Matakana MarketMatakana Village Farmers MarketOyster & Wine Pop-upMahurangi Winter Festival - Laser ShowSunday 24th JulyLeigh Clothing Swap

Weather ok today but starting to deteriorate over the weekend with winds picking up on Sunday.Friday 22nd - Fine. Southerlies. High of 14 and low of 8 degrees.Saturday 23rd - Partly cloudy and a few showers north of the city. Easterlies. High of 14 and low of 10.Sunday 24th - A few showers developing. Northeasterlies becoming strong.Head along to the Mahurangi Winter Festival of Lights Mahurangi Winter Festival - Laser Show

Road closures in downtown Warkworth this Fri. pm - Sat. pm for the grand finale of the Mahurangi Winter Festival of Lights - the Gull Laser Light Show. Please plan in advance, and be kind to our volunteers who will be helping manage traffic and keep everyone safe. Any concerns contact Murray Chapman or email [email protected] more info on the festival this Saturday https://www.facebook.com/mahulightfestival/

**SH1 Warkworth, Road Closure Update**Due to the recent wet weather and with more on the way, we have postponed the SH1 road closure from Hudson Road to Kiapara Flats Road, Warkworth. The overnight closure will now start on Sunday 24 July and we will need five nights to complete the pavement works (ending 29th if no delays).When the full closure is in place, there will be a detour around Warkworth (via Woodcocks Road and Kaipara Flats Road). The detour will add up to 10 minutes travel time for some road users, so we advise planning ahead for travel over this time.Pavement work is very weather dependent, and the team need five full nights to complete this work, so timings may change at short notice. Work that is unable to be completed during wet or very cold (<5C) weather, will roll over to the next available fine night. If you want to keep up to date, you can follow us here, website: www.nx2group.com or check out the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner - www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic before you travel.