Local group Dome Valley Mountain Bikers, have managed to secure a lease for use of land in the Waiwhiu Valley and $150,000 of funding from Auckland Council.They have plans to turn more than 1000ha of land into a bike park that will rival the best in the country.The group also has an agreement with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to use a neighbouring scenic reserve to build even more trails.The land has 5km of flat valley floor and steeper rises up to Conical Peak, giving a rough total of 30km of track with 13 trails planned so far.Snells Beach LaundromatThis will include easy sections for beginners, intermediate level trails and extreme downhill sections, featuring technical challenges for advanced riders.Currently, Warkworth riders seeking a more varied riding experience are faced with an hour-long car drive to mountain bike parks at Woodhill or Riverhead.

If you haven't heard already, we are running our first competition here at The Matakana App!We are super excited to share that we are giving away a double pass to the Matakana Beer & Food Festival.All you have to do to enter is head to WIN STUFF! and tell us your favourite snack to enjoy with a beer. The Matakana Food & Beer Festival is an opportunity for Northland food, beer, and entertainment lovers to get lost in the beautiful surrounds of Matakana, with a hand-selected range of food trucks, and breweries.Set amongst the surrounds of Matakana Country Park, with a hand-picked line-up of fantastic music, creating an immersive experience, and a day for your tastebuds to remember.The festival will be held on Saturday 26th February 2022. Enter our competition today to win a double pass! 

Around 200 police officers have been stood down today, as they have refused to get vaccinated against Covid-19.Police staff and defence force personnel must have received their first vaccination by today, otherwise they cannot keep their job.WIN STUFF!Child vaccination roll out's have begun today, with hour long queues at drive through vaccination centres. Book my Vaccine is now taking bookings online.Rapid antigen tests are available at the following three pharmacies: Wellsford Pharmacy 149 Rodney Street, Wellsford 09 4238145Unichem Lee and Hart Pharmacy 27-35 Queen St Warkworth 094258344Snells Beach Pharmacy 332 Mahurangi East Road, Snells Beach · Phone. (09) 425 5821 However, these tests are only available to people over the age of 12, unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, asymptomatic and requiring the test for the purpose of leaving the Auckland region. Please contact your local pharmacy to see if you qualify.

Hazardous sea conditions are still expected about exposed eastern coastlines of the North Island, where large easterly swells, significant sea surges/rips and coastal inundation are possible until the end of Tuesday as #CycloneCody passes east of Aotearoa New Zealand.WIN A DOUBLE PASS TO THE MATAKANA BEER AND FOOD FESTIVALHead of weather communication at Metservice Lisa Murray said: "Wave buoys have already recorded large waves for northeastern coasts. These are separate to the tsunami wave from the Hunga-Tonga- Hunga-Ha'apai volcano which has affected parts of New Zealand."We are advising people to be on alert for high waves over the coming days. Waves of this size and direction mean that they will be seen in places that rarely see large waves and are usually considered safe for swimming, so please take care."Great damage was done to boats in Tutukaka early this morning, as seen in photos shared online by locals.

A diver has died in the water at Goat Island, off the coast of north Auckland.Emergency services, including two rescue helicopters, rushed to the aid of three divers in difficulty at Goat Island about 1.35pm, a police spokeswoman said.“CPR was performed on one of the divers, but sadly they died at the scene.”A St John spokeswoman said two others in a minor condition were treated at the scene and did not need to go to hospital.WIN STUFF!“Inquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident,” the police spokeswoman said.The number of drownings has dropped in New Zealand over the last 40 years, however this summer is tracking to be one of the deadliest summers in the water.

Tropical Cyclone Cody is tracking further east than previously forecast, but MetService is still warning Gisborne and East Cape to be prepared for heavy rain and swells.The cyclone is currently over waters to the north of New Zealand and is expected to move southwards approaching the country on Sunday and pass near East Cape on Monday.“At the moment the most likely track is to pass just east of Gisborne – but that’s the centre of the cyclone, it doesn’t mean severe weather is going to miss New Zealand. There is a large area of rain and gales that will affect parts of the country,” MetService meteorologist Stephen​ Glassey​ said.MetService issued a heavy rain watch for Gisborne and the Wairoa District this morning, along with a strong wind watch for Bay of Plenty east of Whakatane and Gisborne north of Tokomaru Bay.”One thing we are more certain about is large waves from the cyclone – we are expecting hazardous large waves along the east coast of the North Island, starting on Saturday, and getting worse as the cyclone approaches.”

Police are in attendance at a serious crash on a section of State Highway 1, just south of Warkworth.The crash, involving two vehicles, was reported at 1.38pm. One person is in a critical condition and will be transported to hospital. A section of State Highway 1, south of the Warkworth township, is currently closed and diversions will be put in place for traffic heading north and south.The Serious Crash Unit has been notified and will be examining the scene. Police are advising motorists to plan ahead and expect delays on their journeys this afternoon. UPDATE 3:40PM - One person is reportedly dead with four others injured. The crash was near Cowan Bay Road. Road is currently closed.

More than 38,000 people reported feeling a magnitude 5.8 earthquake which hit the North Island on Wednesday night.The quake took place at 11.49pm, and was centred about 25km east of Stratford at a depth of 187km.Reports of the quake flooded GeoNet immediately after it hit, with tens of thousands of people reporting feeling it within 15 minutes.The quake has been classified as light, and the vast majority of GeoNet reports reflect that, categorising it as light or weak.

Mahurangi Rugby Club is hosting a Super Rugby pre-season match between the Blues and the Hurricanes on Saturday, February 5. The match will be held at the Mahurangi Rugby Club, inside the Warkworth Showgrounds.Mahurangi Rugby Club is planning a full day of activities, dubbing the day “footy fest”. There will be live music, local food, “fans on field” and a kid zone.There will also be a Wahu Little Blues Ripper tournament at half-time and a curtain-raiser between North Harbour and the Barbarians.Admission is $5 for adults or a family pass for $20. Gates open at 12 noon and kick off is 1.35pm. Info: www.blues.rugby.

Event promoters across NZ have just shared statements on social media regarding their upcoming events.Due to a number of reasons, Northern Bass Jan 2022 has had to be cancelled. They mentioned the Northland low vaccination numbers being one reason as well as many of the artists being in quarantine, as well as one of the headliners recently getting COVID-19.The team at Rhythm and Alps has also just issued a statement, sharing they have had to cancel the Shapeshifter & Andy C gig that was set to hit Matakana Country Park on the 5th February. Therefore, we are sad to announce that we have to cancel our competition as the gig is no longer going ahead. We do however have another competition ready and waiting in the wings... so look out for that notification soon!

This weekend the ever popular Food Truck Collective will be heading north to Omaha to feed local appetites!Experienced food truck chefs with different dishes will be preparing food right in front of your eyes, at William Fraser Reserve this Friday at 5pm. The trucks will be serving food until 9pm.ENTER OUR Competition TO WIN A DOUBLE PASS TO SHAPESHIFTER AND ANDY C!Attending this event are the following trucks: Che Lucio BBQ, Double Dutch Fries, Lalele Organic Gelato, Paella Pan, The Corner, The Rolling Pin and Amaranto.Expect a vibrant atmosphere with family friendly entertainment. You can also grab a cold beer or wine from the bar!Omaha Beach lifeguards will be holding a 'bucket shake' to collect donations at the event. Any donations are appreciated, to help continue to save lives, build the community and develop youth.

Local furniture, homewares, clothing and gift store Green with Envy has recently opened at a new location, just a short drive from their original spot.Check it out at 615 Matakana Road or shop online here

The Matakana Country Park market was once again a must visit this past Sunday.With locals and visitors hitting the stalls nestled amongst the trees at the country park, it was great to see so many of us supporting small Kiwi businesses.The second instalment of the MCCP market had 77 stalls in total, showing just how much people love the area and that more stallholders wanted to get involved this time around.It was great to see returning businesses and new faces, we hope to see even more this Sunday 16th January.

Hidden Valley festival, held in the heart of Matakana has been listed on the Ministry of Health website as a location of interest.The one day event held on the 2nd January this year, went ahead as planned and was a sold out show. Photo credit: Hidden Valley Festival FacebookAttendees have been advised to self monitor for Covid-19 symptoms for 10 days from the 2nd of January. The Ministry has instructed anyone with symptoms to get a test and to stay at home until they receive a negative result.The Drum and Bass festival held in Mt Maunganui on January 3rd has also been listed as a close contact location. Anyone who attended is required to self isolate and get a Covid test immediately.

Locals reported that a car had rolled into a ditch along Quintal Road and Takatu Road around 5:30pm yesterday.Fire services were at the scene to wave traffic through, as one lane was blocked due to the crash. There has been no reports on the occupants of the vehicle and their status.We will continue to update as we learn more.As of 8:44am, the road is now open and clear. You can check for Road updates here, The Matakana App has you covered.We hope those involved are safe and sound.

We are very sad to report that the death toll for water related incidents has risen by two, a number that is now 180 percent higher than the five year average. On Tuesday we reported that a child had died at Kai Iwi lakes and a woman drowned at Wenderholm Regional Park, which you can read here.There have now been at least 30 water-related deaths since the beginning of December, with two months left of the summer period - including a man today who died after sustaining critical injuries when a boat upturned in Pauanui yesterday, and another man who died at Mt Maunganui today after a group of four swimmers got into difficulty.Six deaths at rivers accounted for 43 per cent of drownings over the holiday period. Half of those were aged 25-34. A common theme in these tragic incidents, is people underestimating the conditions and overestimating their ability in the water,' according Water Safety NZ chief executive Daniel Gerrard. Check the conditionsDo you know how to spot a rip? Learn more HEREKeep an ACTIVE eye on small children near bodies of waterTake a buddy with you when you go swimmingWhen boating, ensure you have TWO methods of waterproof communication devices, in case you get into trouble. Swim between the flagsEducation will help keep yourself and others safe from harm. You can learn more about water safety HERE.

Aotearoa has seen near record temperatures in many locations across the country this week, especially in the central North Island. Meteorologists marked Wednesday as the fifth consecutive day of maximums above 30C, for only the third time in recorded history. Today’s weather showcased more of what is to come for the remainder of the week, with showers expected overnight in Auckland and Northland. Photo credit: MetserviceFriday will be a cool 24C for Warkworth and back to 27C/28C for the rest of the week. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water and continuously apply sunscreen! Click here for local Weather updates, we have you covered! Kia kaha New Zealand.

A woman has died whilst scuba diving at Wenderholm Regional Park today. At around 1:30pm, the victim was reported to be unresponsive after getting into difficulty in the water. CPR was administered but tragically was unsuccessful.In a separate incident, a child has drowned at Northland's Kai Iwi Lakes. Police say they received a report of a possible drowning shortly after 2:10pm.A rescue helicopter was dispatched and the child was located unresponsive."Despite the best efforts of members of the public and then paramedics performing CPR, the child has sadly died" a police spokesman said.This brings the number of people who have drowned this summer, to a total of 24. Water Safety NZ reports this is the worst summer so far since 2015. Last summer, 25 drownings were recorded across the whole three-month period, which is also the average over the past five summers.Having been in lockdowns for so long, we need to ensure we are checking our water equipment, check your motors and don't overestimate your fitness ability in the water. Keep an active eye on your friends, family and kids.With two months left of summer, we hope everyone can stay safe in the water.

Yesterday it was confirmed that a teenager was struck and killed by a vehicle in an early morning incident north of Auckland yesterday. Emergency services were called to Omaha Drive yesterday around 4am. The young man was found and pronounced dead at the scene.Police say the teenager died after he was run over by a person driving a vehicle that was known to him. The driver of the vehicle is co-operating with authorities.