The Matakana Country Park are disappointed to let you know due to a rainy weekend forecast, Action Ninja World will be closed on Saturday 1 October and Matakana Country Park Market closed on Sunday 2 October. The good news is (weather permitting) Action Ninja World is open daily during the school holidays and the The Country Park Market will beback on Sunday 9th October. Have a great weekend.Check out our Events Notification to see whats on this weekend?

Warkworth regionFriday 30th - Cloudy. Scattered showers turning to periods of rain from afternoon, possibly heavy. Light winds.Heavy Rain Watch from 1pm Friday - 8pm Saturday for Northland, Great Barrier and Auckland. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria.Saturday 1st - Rain with heavy falls possible. Northeasterlies, becoming strong from evening.Sunday 2nd - Showers, some heavy, clearing in the evening. Fresh northeasterlies.Whangarei / Mangawhai regionHeavy Rain Watch from 1pm Friday - 8pm Saturday for Northland, Great Barrier and Auckland. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria.Friday 30th - Cloudy. A few showers, then periods of rain from afternoon. Northerlies.Saturday 1st - Rain with heavy falls possible, especially in the evening. Northeasterlies, becoming strong from evening.Sunday 2nd - Showers. Northerlies.

Big changes are coming to Auckland streets with new speed limits on our roads.This will impact many people in how they move around the city.The speed limit will change on more than 1600 roads in Tāmaki Makaurau.These will come into effect in stages between December and March 2023.For a full list of the changes:https://at.govt.nz/about-us/have-your-say/proposed-speed-limit-changes-phase-three/full-list-of-new-speed-limits-phase-three/?fbclid=IwAR0ZRok2Jc0YjuTRW_seII3euzvgqLxBIkPId3HcUuPCBFGSzTTr8CkGABoFor a visual aid to see these changeshttps://atgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a13aa8469db642f283ef3ad241b71882Here is a list of the changes to Leigh, Matakana and Warkworth.

Friday 30th SeptemberCrafty Conversations @ Women's Centre RodneyLA SOIRÉE @ Warkworth HotelSaturday 1st OctoberRepro Rally New ZealandHigh Tea in the CountryMangawhai Community MarketMangawhai Tavern MarketMatakana Village Farmers MarketLA SOIRÉE @ Warkworth HotelThe Joe Cocker Encounter and Dance SetSunday 2nd OctoberBivouac Outdoor Wild Auckland Trail Run/Walk - Event 3 - Te Arai

An University of Otago study has found microplastics are present in three-quarters of commercially caught wild fish in New Zealand's southern waters.The research, published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, looked at a sample of 155 fish from 10 species, including red cod and tarakihi, caught off the Otago coast over the course of a year.Of the 391 microplastic pieces found in the fish, 98 percent were less than 3mm, according to the study.Packaging, clothes, and discarded fishing nets are some of the likely sources of record-high microplastics that fish have swallowed.Researcher Isabella Clere told Morning Report that for an isolated island nation with a small population - the numbers are horrifying.Ingesting microplastics was not only bad for the fish but also for the people who ate them, she said."Nanoplastics and plastic chemicals may transfer from the gastro-intestinal tract and stomach into the muscle tissue which is what we're eating."Understanding how these microplastics get into the seas around New Zealand was complicated, she said."New Zealand like many other small island countries has a very complex oceanographic system so plastic can travel in oceanic currents and by winds all around the globe so it's really hard to know where it's coming from."It also was "very uncertain" whether these microplastics originated from land-based plastics such as clothing, or ocean-based plastics like fishing nets and hooks, Clere said.Fish that are eaten whole - like sardines and shellfish - carried a greater risk for ingesting plastic, she said.The study found similar levels of microplastics in different fish species living around the upper surface of the ocean, Clere said this suggested microplastics were ubiquitous in this section of the ocean.Farmed fish, especially those bred within plastic nets, could also be ingesting microplastics but this area of study had not received much attention due to industry regulation, she said.While the study's findings were concerning, Clere said people didn't need to ditch the fish just yet."We need to be conscious of our plastic use and potential misuse and how that's getting into the natural environment and potentially affecting ourselves but in terms of eating it that's just a personal choice really."

The second phase of the Mangawhai shared path cranks up construction next month and includes a collaboratively designed boardwalk running alongside the causeway.Te Uri o Hau environs group worked with Kaipara District Council staff and Resilio Design Studio on the boardwalk, which reflects Maōri design principles. Kaumātua Hone Martin says several species of fish and shellfish are integrated into the boardwalk design.“From head to tail the boardwalk reflects the mahinga kai (natural resources) of Mangawhai, especially the estuarine environment the boardwalk traverses. In the boardwalk design we have included whai (stingray), pātiki (flounder) and pārore.”At the northern entrance of the boardwalk, a tohu te whai (stencil of a stingray) will be engraved in the path, and at the southern side a pou representing te upoko o te ika (head of the fish) will be carved and installed.“Mai i te Upoko o te Ika, ki te Hiku o te Ika – from the head of the fish to the tail of the fish. This concept is present in many visual elements of the boardwalk.”  A fishing platform, located in the middle of the boardwalk over Tara Creek takes on the fin shape from the ika (fish) species found in the estuary. The movement of whai wings is represented through the undulating balustrade that hem the fishing platforms. The smaller balusters also symbolise the spines of the various ika (fish) species. Specific design features will be further refined with Te Uri o Hau and local Māori artists and carvers.Mātua Hone Martin has also gifted a te reo Māori name to this section of the shared path, and also encompassing the Backbay boardwalk (built by the Mangawhai Trackies).Explaining the name, Mātua Hone says, “The name Te Ara o Te Whai has three dimensions or reference points – referring to the pathway of (The Stingray); the pathway of (The Chief); and the pathway of (Pursuit).”Contractors Fulton Hogan have been awarded the contract for Phase Two physical works. Phase Two continues from the end of Phase One (approximately 80m past Estuary Drive) through to Mangawhai Central and includes the boardwalk alongside the causeway. It is part of a wider shared path network planned for Mangawhai, improving safety and connectivity between its two centres, and making it easier to travel by foot, bike, or scooter along busy Molesworth Drive.To kickstart the second phase of shared path works, Fulton Hogan will build a retaining wall beginning at 90 Molesworth Drive down to the causeway.Tim Manning, Kaipara District Council project manager for the works says all construction is being carefully timed to fit in and around the busy Christmas break.“Fulton Hogan will start work on the retaining wall sometime in the week beginning 10 October, finishing up ahead of Christmas. There will be traffic management in place when they are working but just like last year, we will then shut down over the Christmas New Year period and Molesworth Drive will be open to two lanes across the summer break, from early December through to mid-January.”The work on the boardwalk section will start in mid-January 2023. Phase Two is planned to be complete by August 2023.View the boardwalk design and other information on the shared path at www.mangawhaicommunityplan.co.nz

More women and birthing parents will now receive cover from ACC if they suffer an injury during childbirth.The Accident Compensation (Maternal Birth Injury and Other Matters) Amendment Bill has passed its third reading at Parliament, and expands ACC cover to birthing injuries.ACC Minister Carmel Sepuloni said the bill improved the gender balance, fairness, and equity of the ACC scheme."The bill's approach to covering maternal birth injuries is the best approach in ensuring birthing parents have the support they need to recover as quickly as possible in what will already be a time of great change in their lives," she told the House.Sepuloni referred to an article by RNZ's Anusha Bradley which shone a light on injuries experienced by women during childbirth, and their struggle for treatment."It was a distressing read, but I instantly knew that this was something that needed to change."ACC minister Carmel Sepuloni. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Samuel RillstoneMore than 70 percent of women may suffer from an injury during labour or birth.The bill adds specific categories of birth injuries, such as prolapses, tears, and dislocations.It is estimated the bill will help 28,000 parents a year.Green Party ACC spokesperson Jan Logie would like to have seen more general cover, as well as injuries to babies (something also called for by National and ACT), and standalone cover for mental injuries.But she said it was still a day to celebrate."Today is a milestone, that birthing parents, women in this situation from October 1st will be able to reach out and get support they need to prevent many of these consequential impacts in terms of their mobility, in terms of their relationships, in terms of their ability to parent, the integrity of their body and life choices. This is hugely significant," she said.It has been nearly 50 years since ACC legislation was first passed in the house. Many of the MP's remarked how the language was outdated, referring to women as housewives."It was certainly written for a time and in a language that reflected the attitudes of the day," National MP Michael Woodhouse said."Times have changed, and this is an appropriate change to the legislation."The bill is not retrospective, which means people who have already suffered injuries will not be covered. Instead, it only covers anyone who gives birth from 1 October 2022.National MP Erica Stanford thanked everyone who sent submissions to the Education and Workforce Select Committee, especially the 46 people who submitted to the select committee in-person, acknowledging their submissions even though they would not receive the benefits of the bill."It was very personal, and very gruelling for some of those women who needed to go into quite graphic detail in front of strangers at the select committee. And their bravery needs to be acknowledged, because actually that graphic detail was really important for the deliberations of the bill," she said.National MP Erica Stanford. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Samuel RillstoneLabour MP Sarah Pallett, a midwife, is not a member of the select committee, but her experience as a midwife meant she was often consulted on the bill. She praised the bill's inclusive language."The vast majority will be women, but we must remember in this conversation that non-binary, transgender, and other gender-diverse folk also give birth and it's really important we continue to acknowledge that in this house," she said.The bill also makes five policy changes to the Accident Compensation Act (including reducing the threshold for accessing injury-related hearing loss cover from 6 percent hearing loss to 5 percent), and seven technical changes.

Uncontrolled dogs are savaging livestock in night-time raids on farms in the far north, leaving helpless owners with dead animals and big vet bills.The dogs have killed and maimed sheep, lambs, cows and chickens at properties in Te Iringa, south of Kaikohe.John and Lily Coleman's farm was hit three times and he believed the culprits were unregistered uncontrolled pets allowed to roam, not wild dogs."It's traumatising on the stock and the owners, because the stock can't defend themselves against that type of dog, and it's at night," John Coleman said."We've had three attacks, and different coloured dogs. It's the same with the neighbours."Council officers have had no luck tracing the dogs, and dogs that have been shot attacking livestock on Coleman's farm or others locally weren't microchipped, he said."We had 16 adult sheep - we are down to six, we had 22 lambs - we lost half of those. They killed a calf. One ... is on three legs and the other recovered."And they cleaned out our chooks - eight hens I think it was."Going out at night on the farm to try to defend the stock was risky not only because of the dogs themselves, but also the risk of slipping on the wet clay soil, he said.He had several reasons for believing they were unregistered pets."Years ago ... my daughter heard this lamb getting crunched up, I went out and all I could see was the eyes, and I fired a shot - what had happened was it was a neighbour's labrador ... nice friendly fella in the day, but at night, a killer."So you don't know what breeds are on the go, but most are pig dog types."Recently one of his neighbours had seven sheep "wiped out", and the other lost three and all his poultry."We shot one and the one that ran away was feeding pups. My neighbour who works down the road saw where the dogs came from."The dog ranger went to that house to find the dog, but Coleman said the people there turned the ranger away with information he said did not add up."The [council officers] came and set some traps here and across the road ... but those dogs don't go into traps, they just go out to kill."It's difficult for all parties, because the only way is to catch them in the act, and if you can't catch them at night - what do you do?"If the dog people had more powers - well what's the use of more powers if you can't identify the dog that did the damage? You can't expect people to sit up all night waiting for dogs, it's a bit of a losing battle - it's the trauma of it all."The vet had been out to his property twice to catch and then either put down or patch up the mauled animals."Sheep with bite marks they don't heal so good and then the blowflies start attacking - it's not nice. There'll be $1000 damage."Other farmers have suffered ... further down the valley they ... lost sheep and they got together and they finally got the dogs and they were just pig dogs - unregistered and just gone wild."Coleman said there was no easy solution he could see."[The neighbours] ... are not going to buy any more [sheep] because they'll be attacked again."Another neighbour had to lock his sheep up in the wool shed, and finally he went into pine trees."

A quick update on Mangawhai Central:New World Mangawhai has an opening date of the 18th October 8.20 am. Normal opening hours will be 7am - 9pm.Mobil has yet to begin building.Bunnings is still under construction with no opening date yet announced.

Warkworth regionMonday 26th September - Partly cloudy. Showers, mainly north of the City, becoming isolated this morning. Fresh Easterlies.Tuesday 27th September - Partly cloudy. Fresh northeasterlies, easing late.Wednesday 28th September - Partly cloudy, with possible isolated showers in the morning. Fresh northeasterlies, easing in the afternoon.Thursday 29th September - Mostly cloudy, with isolated showers developing. Northerlies.Mangawhai regionMonday 26th September - Partly cloudy. Showers, becoming isolated this morning south of Cape Karikari. Easterlies, fresh about the eastern coast.Tuesday 27th September - Partly cloudy, with isolated showers. Fresh northeasterlies, easing late.Wednesday 28th September - Partly cloudy. Isolated showers, clearing in the morning. Fresh northeasterlies, easing in the afternoon.Thursday 29th September - Cloudy, with scattered rain developing. Northerlies.

Repro Rally New Zealand is returning to Auckland. Set to make its 32nd appearance on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar.A decade since it was last staged and two years after the pandemic prevented an historic return of Rally New Zealand, Auckland has been confirmed to host a round of the 2022 World Rally Championship*.From 29th September through to 2nd October. Affected residents should have received notices of road closures. Below is the closure map.

Action Ninja WorldMatakanaIf you've ever fancied yourself as a flying trapeze artist, adrenaline junkie, or Ninja Warrior, this is the place for you.Action Ninja World, Matakana is kicking off its third season this October the 1st.  Open every day in the school holidays and Friday - Sunday during the school term - Action Ninja Word is the ultimate destination for a birthday party, work function, school group visit or simply a fun day out for the whole family (parents included). As featured on The Project, the Action Ninja Warrior obstacle course is designed to test your speed, agility, and strength. The Theme Park includes but is not limited to; a Ninja Warrior Course, Flying Trapeze (as high as the professionals use), a High Wire at 4 metres, Tarzan Swings, a Jousting Pole, an 8.5m Climbing Wall without a harness, Jumping Pillow, Trampolines, Zorb Soccer and a 9 metre inflatable waterslide. Not only providing hours of pure entertainment but visitors will also gain confidence and new skills too. Book in Action Ninja World to your calendar for these school holidays - with the option to bring a picnic and use the BBQ or enjoy Bramble Cafe and Smiths bar next door. Winner of the Tripadvisor following awards: ‘2020 Traveler's Choose Winner’ and ‘Top 10% of Attractions Worldwide’. Nominated for ‘Denizen Everyday Heros’ Favourite Children’s Entertainment Venue. Book online now: www.actionninjaworld.co.nz1151 Leigh Road, Matakana - Matakana Country

Kia ora koutou, Sunday 25 September is the beginning of daylight saving!  That means it's also time for another six-monthly test of the tsunami siren network in Northland coastal communities.The sirens sound twice: firstly at 10am for 10 minutes and then again at 10.30am for 30 seconds, and will be monitored for any faults.We're grateful for the ongoing support of Northland's two electricity networks (Northpower and Top Energy NZ) and the volunteers - mainly from Community Response Groups - who assist our team by monitoring the sirens on the day.You can check out whether you live, work or play in a tsunami evacuation zone, and plan the quickest route to safety, using the interactive maps here: www.nrc.govt.nz/tsunamisirens (The maps also show you where the Tsunami sirens are located)Tsunami evacuation zones can also be viewed on the new national maps here: https://getready.govt.nz/.../tsunami-evacuation-zones/

We’re asking Mangawhai house owners and residents on the wastewater system to flush water through their drains, toilets and showers and prevent gases from backing up into their homes.Recent monitoring at pumpstations has detected elevated levels of hydrogen sulphide in the pipes coming from houses and the wastewater network. Hydrogen sulphide is the key odour contaminant from wastewater systems – in low concentrations it has the distinctive smell of rotten eggs.While elevated levels of the gas in the wastewater system is not unusual, we’re asking residents, and in particular bach owners, to run water through their systems and make sure their p-traps are working as they should. • If you have been away for a while and smell odour, open up your windows and doors when you arrive, and do a quick run of all your taps, showers, baths, flush the toilets.• Same applies if you have a bathroom or laundry that hasn’t been used for a while. Running water (just for a short time) ensures your p-trap is full of water and working as an airtight seal, blocking any gases from coming back into your house.Don’t know what a p-trap is? The p-trap is the u-bend part of the pipe found under sinks, showers, baths and laundry tubs. A p-trap is designed to always hold a small amount of water in the bend of the pipe, creating a seal or plug which prevents foul odours and gas from entering homes.Toilets have an s-bend which act in a similar way. Each time you run water, flush toilets, take a shower, the p-trap is filled with new water.Read more: https://www.kaipara.govt.nz/.../412-Mangawhai-residents...

Events for this weekendFriday 23rdCrafty Conversations @ Women's Centre RodneyWellsford Friday Night MarketViva L’Italia Special Event Sculptureum Dining CelebrationWestern Night at the Bowls Club Warkworth FundraiserThe Gaffers Band playing in WarkworthSaturday 24thRangatahi Whakairo (carving) workshopsPakiri school annual pet / gala dayMangawhai Community MarketMangawhai Tavern MarketMatakana Village Farmers Market80th anniversary of Warkworth’s friendly wartime invasionWood Fired BBQ & Charcoal Making WorkshopSculptureum 5th Birthday CelebrationBarfoot & Thompson - Charity Sausage SizzleCellar Door Live Sessions - September @ Matakana EstateBrooke Lane Vineyard’s Last Saturday Club Sunday 25thPuhoi Village MarketWarkworth Country Market

Warkworth regionFriday 23rd September - Showers clearing this morning, then returning this afternoon with a possible thunderstorm. Northerlies developing this morning.Saturday 24th - Showers, possibly heavy early morning, then easing and becoming isolated in the evening. Fresh southwesterlies, easing in the evening.Sunday 25th - Mainly fine. Southwesterlies, dying out.Whangarei / Mangawhai regionFriday 23rd September - Morning cloud breaking up, then showers after midday with a possible thunderstorm. Light winds.Saturday 24th - A few showers, clearing to fine in the evening. Southwesterlies, easing.Sunday 25th - Mainly fine. Southwesterlies, dying out.

Matakana Link Road - Project updateConstruction works on the Matakana Road roundabout are 90% complete and traffic is flowing freely. Night works carried out last month meant work on the eastern side of the road could be completed. The bus stop on the western side of the road has been moved, cycling paths are fully formed and mulching and planting continues. A final layer of asphalt will be laid later in the month.On Te Honohono ki Tai (Matakana Link Road) attention is focussed on finishing kerbs and channels (90% complete) and pouring footpaths and cycleways (70% complete). Side barriers for the bridge are being cast offsite prior to installing, while drainage, road construction and landscaping works continue.Latest drone footage:

** Pukerito roundabout is OPEN!! **If you’ve have travelled north of Warkworth this week you will have driven around our the newly opened Pukerito roundabout. The naming of significant project features is an important process for mana whenua (the people from this place) which highlights connections to their ancestors and iconic identity markers in our environment. The Hōkai Nuku Cultural Advisors gifted the name Pukerito which translates as ‘middle hill’ this reflects the general location of the roundabout recognising the hill between the two gullies.Please follow the temporary 50 km/h speed limits in place, drive safely and don’t be distracted by the construction activity – we will share photos and updates of what we are up to on this page and our website https://nx2group.com/https://fb.watch/fFezYPWnCz/

Students from Te Kura o Puhinui / Warkworth School helped design a new playground at Shoesmith Reserve that opened in August.Concerned about the state of the old playground next to the school, students carried out a school-wide survey about the types of play everyone wanted.This feedback along with that of Ngati Manuhiri was captured in the design brief for the new playground being developed by Rodney Local Board.The collaborative project involved 96 students, Ngati Manuhiri representatives and council staff who all contributed to the final design approved by the local board.A nature theme carries through the playground with artwork illustrating a story of significance provided by Ngati Manuhiri.Tāne battles te aitanga pepeke / the insect world to retrieve three baskets of whatukura/ sacred knowledge from the heavens. The insects were sent by his brother Whiro, who wanted the baskets for himself. Tāne repelled their attacks by calling on the wind to blow them away. The winds blew the insects back down to earth where they remain today.Artwork elements feature Tāne on the climbing tower and bugs such as the wetakatipo / spider, te hara / centipede and the kapowai /dragon fly built into the playground’s surface.Students wanted to challenge their strength and skills with demanding physical equipment, and a training circuit is part of the playground.The playground’s large footprint accommodates several play areas for different ages.Features include:a wide concrete path for pedestrians, bikes and scootersa play tower with slides and a see-sawswings, a spinner and rockera picnic area with tablesa training circuit with trampolines, a tightrope, a rotating beam, ninja wall and posts, and climbing nets.