Leigh residents have been left disappointed by some bad behaviour over the last few weeks.Reckless drivers have been driving over public embankments, tearing up the grass and leaving quite a mess. Locals described whoever had left this unsightly mess as “morons who don’t respect anything, including themselves, poor things!” and "NZ's version of the crop circle .... The cock circle!"There has also been an increase of people illegally dumping rubbish. There have been stacks of tyres, bags full of empty spray cans and wire and even furniture dumped in places where it doesn't belong. Not only is this dumping disrespectful of the community, it is also illegal. Auckland Council will investigate claims of illegally dumped rubbish and try to identify the offender(s). Offenders caught illegally dumping rubbish will be ordered to remove the rubbish and may be issued with a fine of up to $400.00. Serious offenders may also be prosecuted under the Litter Act 1979 with a maximum penalty of $30,000.If you see someone illegally dumping rubbish, call 0800 663 867 (0800 NO DUMP) to report it. Mahurangi Waste Busters is still open for rubbish and green waste disposal under level three, so there is no excuse for illegal dumping.

Warkworth has the largest population of Kiribati families in New Zealand. There are nearly 600 people of Kiribati descent living in Warkworth, with families having settled here for work opportunities and seasonal employment since the 1980s.The Kiribati community of Warkworth has plans for a new cultural space, modeled after traditional Manaeba, or meeting house that are traditionally the centre of village life in the Kiribati Islands. It is envisioned it could host exhibitions, community fairs, orientations for new migrants, support groups, youth art programmes and community kitchens.The next step is to find a site for the project, and secure funding to get it built. Locations in Matakana, Warkworth and Wellsford are currently being investigated for suitability. Rae Bainteiti, a full-time student at Massey University, arrived in New Zealand under the New Zealand Aid Programme as a scholarship recipient in 2016. Mr Bainteiti co-founded a youth charitable trust with a group of young leaders called Kiribati Aotearoa Diaspora Directorate (KADD).The Trust is focussed on the community and how they can empower members to reach their full potential in their new home of New Zealand. One of KADD's objectives is to promote the Kiribati language and culture, especially engaging young people to get involved.This new space would provide a place to do this, and be a vital monument to honour the Kiribati culture for migrants adapting to life in New Zealand.

Covid-19 has created a lot of uncertainty, particularly for small businesses. We are all being told to support local, but what can we do to help a business that is yet to reopen?Check businesses social media pages and interact with posts. A like, comment or share can go a long way, and will let others know how they can support that business too. Word of mouth can be one of the most effective forms of advertising, and it reminds people that these businesses still exist and will be back as soon as they can. Ratings on Yelp and Trip Advisor can be another effective way of letting people know about favourite local businesses. It will take you just five minutes and will do a world of good both for the business and those in the future looking for places to visit and shop in our area: a win-win.If a small NZ business you love isn't running right now but has a newsletter, subscribe to it. You'll know what's coming up for them and when they'll be able to operate again, and you'll be part of growing their customer database, which is a valuable business asset.Book an appointment in advance or buy a gift voucher. You can buy vouchers for a huge array of businesses here: https://sosbusiness.nz/ Although we may not have an exact date of when everything can reopen again, ask your favourite local salon if you can reserve an appointment sometime in the first week back, or buy a gift voucher so that you can head in whenever suits you. For a list of small businesses that would love your support, check out the support local section in the Matakana app.

The 2020 general election has been delayed by four weeks until October 17.Factors including the participation of voters, the fairness of the election, and the need for the election to be held in a timely way were considered in the decision. Yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reached out to all parties with seats in parliament to seek their view. “Complete consensus is unlikely,” she said.However, she said there were a number of areas that were agreed to by all parties. “Ultimately, the 17th of October, in approximately nine weeks’ time, provides sufficient time for parties to plan for the range of circumstances we could be campaigning under, for the electoral commission to prepare and for voters to be sure of a safe, accessible and credible election,” Ardern said.Ardern said that once parliament dissolves, the Electoral Commission has the power to move the date. If there were another Covid-19 outbreak and it was truly unsafe to vote, this would be considered, she said. According to Ardern, the Electoral Commission is anticipating 60 per cent of the voting population will advance vote. “It is unusual to hold advance voting over a school holiday period,” she said. “My hope is that will create the opportunity for potentially additional venues, venues with much larger capacity.”New election timetable:13 September: Writ day – the Governor-General issues the writ for the election to be held.17 September noon: The deadline for parties to submit bulk candidate nominations and party lists to the Electoral Commission.18 September noon: The deadline for individual electorate candidate nominations to returning officers.30 September: Overseas voting begins.3 October: Advance voting begins.17 October: Election day – preliminary results released progressively from 7.00 p.m.30 October: Preliminary referendum results released.6 November: Official Results declared for the General Election and referendums.The Electoral Commission has always planned to run the election as if New Zealand is at Alert Level 2. Health measures that will be in place that include contact tracing, hand sanitiser and physical distancing in voting places, and providing protective gear for staff if needed. Planning is also underway to have more voting places and longer voting times to reduce queues.

The Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth Motorway project is back underway, and workers are hard at it trying to minimise the effects of the Covid-19 isolation delays. Project workers recently completed the largest concrete pour on the project to date, which took place on the deck of the stunning Arawhiti ki Ōkahu, the longest viaduct on the project. Over 12 hours, 313m3 of concrete (57 concrete trucks) was poured over a 65m section of the viaduct. It will take six pours to complete the first deck pour for this viaduct. The team will be undertaking urgent repairs to the road surface on SH1, on Wednesday 12 August between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., south of Mahurangi West Road and north of Hungry Creek Road. This date is weather dependent. You may experience some minor delays during these works. However, the project team will work hard to minimise disruptions. Traffic management will be in place while the repair work takes place, with the southbound SH1 traffic being transferred into the merge-lane as a contraflow. Traffic will still be able to move in both directions, with a temporary speed restriction of 30km in place.Once open, people travelling on the new Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway can expect some spectacular views, and not just from the rolling hills. Where there are steep rock cuts, the rock will be left exposed to showcase the geology as a key feature of the journey, creating a minimalist and natural aesthetic. A fixed drapery wire mesh will be used on the rock face to catch any loose and falling debris, allowing the natural features of the rock to be visible. When it opens in mid-May 2022, the Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway will extend the four-lane Northern Motorway (SH1) 18.5km from the Johnstone's Hill tunnels to just north of Warkworth.

With active cases of COVID-19 back in the community, it is important that we all do our part to minimise the spread of germs and the risk of the virus spreading. One way of doing this is to wear a mask. In her address to the country last Wednesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern asked that Aucklanders "please cover your face when leaving your home to access those services operating at level 3". "While we're not mandating their general use at this stage, we're strongly encouraging their use in the general Auckland region...You can fashion your own face covering if needed," she said.At alert level 3, when people cannot maintain physical distancing of more than two metres, such as on public transport, at workplaces or in shops, face masks or face coverings are highly recommended. A face mask can help stop infectious droplets spreading when people speak, laugh, cough or sneeze. Disposable surgical masks are sold at most pharmacies, but stocks are limited since the announcement we would move into level three last week. World Travellers in Warkworth has bulk supplies of 50 masks for sale, if you are needing a large supply.The other option are reusable fabric masks, which also have the added bonus of being kinder on the environment. The seamstresses in the community have been sewing up a storm, and a quick scroll through any of the community Facebook pages will give you plenty of options for buying some funky facemasks. You will also be supporting local makers, so it's a win-win. If you have some spare fabric lying around, you can apply some true Kiwi DIY DNA and make your own, using this helpful guide put together by Spotlight, or this clever video even shows you how to make no-sew masks from socks: https://www.facebook.com/777759765/videos/10158588526774766/.

A new festival is coming to Matakana, and it's got us buzzing! The Big Buzz festival will be held at Matakana Primary School, on the 14th of February 2021, celebrating all things bees.Bee in Hand by Fabian KellerThe Big Buzz Festival is a free family-friendly, fun-filled country fair in Matakana with stalls of all things bees, food vendors, live entertainment, music, talks and workshops, children's activities and much more. Experience the wonderful world of these little pollinators, and all things associated with them, from honey to cosmetics, from health to gardening, from conservation to environmental awareness.The Big Buzz festival is the brainchild of two passionate beekeepers: Grass Esposti and Isabella Sullivan. Grass is a founding member and secretary of the Warkworth Beekeepers’ Society and has created Beetopia NZ Ltd, a unique educational concept which introduces practical beekeeping to those interested in becoming keepers of bees. Grass has also recently launched the NZ Honey Tasting Shed which offers guests the opportunity to savour honey varietals from throughout Aotearoa, plus honey pairings with local produce.Isabella Sullivan has a strong background in event planning and management, having worked for the likes of the Auckland War Memorial Museum and The Auckland Festival of Photography. In 2012, Isabella and her husband David acquired an olive grove in Matakana and relaunched brand and distribution of Matakana Extra Virgin Olive Oil. In 2015, Isabella developed a keen interest in beekeeping, becoming a beekeeper herself and discovering a lifetime passion which she shares with family and friends.The Big Buzz is open to volunteers, vendors and sponsors. If you Wanna bee part of the Buzz? Contact them on [email protected]

Our current alert levels will be staying in place for a further 12 days, the prime minister has confirmed. Auckland will be remaining in alert level three, and New Zealand at level two, until August 26 at 11:59 p.m.The settings will be reviewed in a week’s time, on August 21.In addition to the alert levels staying in place, the prime minister confirmed the wage subsidy will be extended nationwide. “We have identified 29 cases, at this stage all linked to the Auckland cluster… and one case that is likely linked to the cluster,” she said.More than 30,000 tests have been completed over the past 48 hours. “There are signs we have found this outbreak relatively early in its life,” Ardern said. “The earliest case we have found to date was a worker at the Americold store in Mt Wellington who became sick on the 31st of July… Contact tracing and genomic testing has not yet found a link to the border or managed isolation in quarantine facilities at this stage.“The sequence of the virus at this stage is not the same as community cases in our first outbreak. This suggests this is not a case of the virus being dormant or a burning ember in our community. It appears to be new to New Zealand."

Once again, we find ourselves in level three lockdown. This time, we had less time to prepare, with Jacinda Ardern announcing it on Tuesday around 9:30 p.m. and the lockdown coming into force on Wednesday at 12:00 p.m.With cases in New Zealand outside of managed isolation, people are scrambling to get tested. Testing facilities across Auckland have been swamped, with some having to stay open until 11:00 p.m., five hours later than they were supposed to, just to clear the backlog of people waiting to be tested. Over 950 cars were waiting outside of St Lukes testing station on Thursday morning. Luckily, there are some closer to home options for those of us in Rodney that feel like we may need a test. There are testing stations in Wellsford and Warkworth, that are open from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. However, they are doing things a little differently to testing stations in Auckland.No walk-ins are being accepted at these testing facilities. Everyone needs to have called and made an appointment in advance. In Wellsford, you will then be asked to wait in your car and telephoned when it is time for your swab. The Wellsford station can be reached on 09 423 8086 and the Warkworth station can be reached on 09 425 8585.The no walk-in policy has worked well so far, helping to keep things running smoothly and avoiding the large lines of traffic which disrupt others on the roads. On Wednesday, the Wellsford station carried out around 150 tests, which is a respectable amount for a station of its size and number of staff.If you are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, such as a cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or high temperature, call Coast to Coast Healthcare and set up an appointment with the Warkworth or Wellsford testing stations as soon as possible.

Matakana will be hitting the big screens with new Kiwi movie A Love Yarn being filmed in the old Matakana Deli.You may have noticed traffic control in Matakana Village and lighting equipment outside the block of shops opposite the Village Pub. The building has been transformed into a quaint knitting shop for upcoming film A Love Yarn.New Zealand actress Anna Hutchison (Robert the Bruce;Encounter; Vengeance), as well as Simon Arblaster (Once Upon a Time; DC: Legends of Tomorrow; Wild Justice) and Olivia Tennet (Lord of the Rings; 800 Words; Kiri and Lou) will star in this movie about the owner of a quaint New Zealand yarn shop, Sophie Dale, who gets her world flipped upside down after learning her top supplier of yarn, King Farms, is stopping production. Much to her surprise, the charming yet stuck-in-his-ways Samuel King has travelled all the way from New York to audit the business model of the farm. Desperate to keep her shop going, Sophie convinces Samuel to give her two weeks to learn the ropes of yarn spinning and raise enough money to buy the mill herself. With Samuel’s help, Sophie comes up with a fundraising plan to host a “knit-off” and auction at the local makers’ market. However, when the two weeks come to an end, Sophie finds herself at a crossroads of business and romance. Could she have misinterpreted Samuel’s growing interest in her as just business all along?A love yarn is written by Becca Johanson and directed by Peter Burger (Filthy Rich; Until Proven Innocent; Mataku). His last two films received a nomination in the category “Best Director” at the New Zealand Film & TV Awards and at the Qantas Television Awards.

Auckland moving into alert level 3 for the next 3 days has left White Chapel Jak no choice but to postpone their upcoming sold-out Friday show, Leigh Sawmill recently posted on social media."GUTTED! We were so looking forward to a weekend of all that White Chapel Jak infectious awesomeness! Making a plan and will announce new date for Friday’s show, Saturday? Guess we’ll know more about that soonish. Will be in touch with all accom and cafe bookings today. Stay safe and be kind out there!"It is unclear at this time when or if music events will be allowed.

To support local businesses in the area, we have made a new local level 3 business directory. This features all the local food outlets, shops and services that are operating right now. If you'd like to be added, contact us.To access simply click ' Shop Local' in the top right hand corner.Then browse and support local businesses.

Everyday, we are seeing more and more evidence on the detrimental effects of the fast fashion industry. Matakana locals, Sophie Hauser and Olivia Courtney, are doing their part to reduce landfill waste and break this chain, with their new sustainable clothing venture, Neighbourhood Recycle. Neighbourhood Recycle is a place for pre-loved clothes to find a new home and get some more wear rather than ending up in a landfill. The idea for it came about quite organically. Sophie and Olivia both have a passion for the environment and sustainability, so creating Neighbourhood Recycle meant that they could do their part in the bid to discourage fast fashion. Both girls grew up in the area, and they could see how much value a community space like this would bring locals. They have been hard at work and have just finished the renovations of the shed. Now, they are in the process of collecting the community's exceptional pre-loved garments. The tentative opening date is six weeks from today. The Neighbourhood shop. Until Neighbourhood Recycle opens, you can drop off your clean, good-condition garments to Bach Matakana. They will process the garments they want to accept and contact you to collect garments that are not accepted. If you choose, these items can be donated to charity.If you have any funky pieces that aren't getting much wear, definitely consider dropping them into Neighbourhood Recycle. “We are not limited to branded clothes. We are looking for garments that are re-sellable, of good-quality fabric and not fast fashion. We have got quite a few NZ made pieces and are always on the lookout for epic vintage pieces.” Once your garment has sold, Neighbourhood Recycle will split the sale with you 50/50.Follow @neighbourhoodrecycle on Instagram to keep up to date with what's in the shop. “We can't wait to receive your pre-loved goods!”

Expect heavy rain today as an active front is forecast to move south eastwards across the North Island delivering a period of heavy rain and strong east to northeast winds to Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty.On Wednesday, another front is forecast to move northwards along the east coast of the North Island, delivering a southerly change and a period of heavy rain.Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise unexpectedly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be dangerous.A severe wind watch has been issued. Northeast winds may approach severe gale at times from 11:00am to 7:00pm today.Stay up to date on weather watches as they are subject to change, and drive to the conditions.

Tuesday ACT Party in Warkworth, Bridge House, 5:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.ACT candidates are on a nationwide bus tour, from Whangarei to Invercargill.David Seymour will be in Warkworth, joined by Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden, Mark Cameron, and local candidates Beth Houlbrooke and Paul Grace. Hear ACT’s plans for New Zealand's future. FridayTalk of the Town: This Town, Matakana Cinemas, 6:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.Matakana Cinema’s Talk of the Town Series brings director and lead actor of This Town David White to the cinemas for a screening and Q&A about the movie. Acquitted of a crime, a young man tries to rebuild his life while an ex-cop turned petting zoo owner, convinced of his murderous tendencies, tries to prove his guilt.SaturdayThe Tahi Brothers Live, The Tahi Bar, 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.The Tahi Bar & Kitchen are proud to present their new house band: The Tahi Brothers! They're a versatile blues and rock band playing classic covers for your enjoyment. Head on down to the Tahi Bar for a beer and a boogie.White Chapel Jak Return of The Jak Tour, The Leigh Sawmill Cafe, 7:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.It’s time to celebrate the end of lockdown and the return of White Chapel Jak, who kick-off their “Return of the Jak - Here’s to us Nu Zuland!” live music tour. Known for putting an acoustic, funk-groove spin on upbeat songs everyone knows and loves, they have taken out the Radio New Zealand 2018 Battle of the Covers Band title and have performed more than 600 gigs NZ-wide.SundayA World of Whiskey, The Vintry, 6:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.Join Sam Snead and The Vintry to take a tour around the World of Whiskey. Single malt scotch is arguably one of the most revered and diverse spirits of the world. However, there are more and more countries creating their own styles or versions of whiskey and some deserve more than a second glance. With his own unique style, Sam will walk, talk and taste you down a global road of whiskey, making a few stops along the way to introduce some new friends to our drinking circle.

The ‘Merchants Of Leigh’ is a vintage and craft store that just opened. Located in the original brewery building at the Leigh Sawmill Cafe. The Merchants features a great eclectic mix, that ranges from furniture made by Edward Guinness & Dick Irvine to everything vintage collected by Matt Crockett. There’s something for everyone! - Open Friday to Sunday.

The British TV quiz show The Chase has never been more popular with New Zealand viewers, with TVNZ announcing that an average of 1.6 million viewers tune in to the daily 5.00 p.m. episode. For whatever reason, general knowledge and trivia is something that really ignites the Kiwi competitive spirit. So, if you think you have got what it takes, test out your skills at The Tahi Bar for Warkworth’s Sunday quiz afternoon. The first proper pub quiz came about in the 70s, in southern England. At first, the plan was to just give bars a way to get people in on slow nights, but the concept of pub quizzes turned into world-wide phenomena, even spreading all the way into little old New Zealand, and evolving into highly competitive events, sometimes with very respectable cash prizes. Trivia has also proven to have mental health benefits. “You get a rush or a dopamine burst from winning,” says John Kounios, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Drexel University in the U.S.A. “I think whenever you’re challenged with a trivia question and you happen to know it, you get a rush. It’s sort of like gambling, but without any pitfalls”.If you are a fan of random facts and are up for a little bit of friendly competition, get in touch with the Tahi Bar on 09 422 3674 to register a team. Quiz runs from 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. and you can even follow it up with a Sunday roast.

Consent has been secured for a new $10.5 million community and activity centre in Warkworth.The building proposed by the Mahurangi Presbyterian Church will be located on Mansel Drive, opposite the Summerset Falls retirement village.This huge project is scheduled to begin at the start of the earthworks season: October 1.The building will include an activity centre, as well as sports facilities, meeting rooms, a cafe and a commercial kitchen. There will also be facilities for Foodlink, Warkworth’s combined churches’ food bank, and an on-site car park with more than 100 spaces.The centre will be for both church and community use, serving as a location for church services, sporting practices and a venue for larger community events such as cultural festivals.Once these initial plans are completed, an additional 450-seat auditorium with full sound and lighting capabilities and a dedicated chapel will be added.So far, most of the funding for the project has come from members of the church and the local community. Charitable grants have also been received from Foundation North ($300,000.00), Internal Affairs Lottery Division ($400,000.00), Auckland City Council Sport and Recreation Department ($785,000.00) and the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand (300,000.00).

Elemental AKL, a festival of arts, eats and beats is back for its second year, and in 2020 Matakana will play host to some of the fun.The festival runs from the 1st to the 31st of October.Over 30 days, talented creatives will make Auckland their stage with immersive installations and show stopping performances from Matakana Village to Mangere. Choose from a host of events to inspire and delight as the days get longer, such as: Elemental Nights, a curated concert series from Live Nation; Synthony, Best Of, a collaboration between DJs, the 80-piece Auckland Symphony Orchestra, vocalists and musicians playing the biggest dance tracks of the last 30 years;. three distinct Silent Disco Citywalks, and more.There will be two events held in Matakana as part of the festival.The first is Mahi Tahi, held at the Sawmill Brewery on the 16th of October. Head chef Will Michell set off on an inspirational voyage while the brewery was repaired. Four renowned restaurants opened their kitchens to Will and he worked at The Fish Butchery in Sydney, Hiakai in Wellington with Monique Fiso, who has taken Māori cooking and foraged native ingredients to new heights, then it was off to Coda and sister restaurant Tonka in Melbourne, both known for their innovative take on modern Asian and contemporary Indian cuisine under chef Adam D'Sylva. Inspired by his experiences, Will returned to the revamped Sawmill and Smoko Room and has created a five-course menu that showcases elements from each of those restaurants, which can be enjoyed as part of Elemental AKL.The second event is the Sculptureum Story, held at the Sculptureum on multiple dates over the month. This inspired culinary event includes access to the sculpture gardens, a gallery tour and a set 3-course meal at Rothko Restaurant with menu delicacies designed by head chef Josh Hazel and inspired by specific Sculptureum artworks.Elemental AKL is delivered by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) to showcase the region’s diverse and unique food and culture and generate visitors outside of peak months.The full programme of events is available at www.elemental festival.co.nz.