The old Warkworth Hotel building has stood in the centre of town since 1862 and has recently been refurbished to house an exciting new bar and restaurant. The decor is reminiscent of the hotel in its glory days, with chesterfield sofas and tiffany lamp shades taking you back in time. The Hotel is split into two sections: the Lobby, for drinks and small sharing plates, and the Dining Room, which will be open Thursday - Sunday for a slightly more formal dining experience. This project has been undertaken by Woody and Kim, owners of The Stables and Smiths at the Matakana Country Park. However, The Warkworth Hotel is a completely different experience. The Warkworth Hotel is a classy little piece of town history that will be affordable and casual enough for anyone to enjoy, whether you're looking for an after-work beer or a three course meal. As well as the beautifully kitted out Lobby and Dining Room, The Warkworth Hotel has an incredible space upstairs, perfect for hosting a function or wedding reception. After a year and a half in the works, The Warkworth Hotel is almost ready to open its doors to hungry customers. Keep an eye on the Matakana App for details. 

Today marks the opening of an exciting new business in Matakana that has been in the works for months.  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. Owners 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 that work has paid off, located behind The Bach Matakana, Neighbourhood Recycle opened its doors to customers for the first time today. 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 profit 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!”

The 2020 general election will be held on Saturday, October 17. Voting opens two weeks before election day, meaning that voting will open this Saturday, October 3rd. Many people choose to vote before our official election day as they may be away from home on election day. However, voters have until 7.00 p.m. on election day to vote.Everyone who is enrolled to vote gets two votes: an electorate vote and a party vote. The electorate vote is for the candidate you want to represent the area you live in (your electorate). The party vote is for the party you want to represent you. For an extensive guide on the policies of different parties and candidates, visit https://policy.nz/At this year’s general election, you can also vote in two referendums. You can vote on whether the recreational use of cannabis should become legal. You can also vote on whether the End of Life Choice Act 2019 should come into force, giving people with a terminal illness the option of requesting assisted dying. To find out more about the referendums, visit www.referendums.govt.nzThere are plenty of places to vote locally, both in advance and on election day. So, visit one of these locations, and make your vote count:Open on Election DayLeigh School, 22 Hauraki Road, Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pmMatakana School, 952 Matakana Road, Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pmOmaha Surf Lifesaving Club, 57 Broadlands Drive, Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pmPoint Wells Community Hall, 5 Point Wells Road Sat, 17 Oct 9am - 7pmPuhoi Fire Station, 52 Ahuroa Road, Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pmSnells Beach Primary School, 62 Dawson Road, Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pmMahurangi College Hall Foyer, 2 Woodcocks Road, Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pmOpen for Advance VotingMatakana Community Hall, 43 Matakana Valley Road: Sat 3 Oct & Sun 4 Oct 8:30am - 6pm Fri 9 Oct & Sun 11 Oct 8:30am - 6pm Fri 16 Oct 8:30am - 6pm Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pmMahurangi East Community Centre, 21 Hamatana Road: Sat 3 Oct - Fri 16 Oct 8:30am - 6pm Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pm Unit 7, 1/9 The Grange Warkworth, Fairwater Road, Sat 3 Oct & Sun 11 Oct 8:30am - 6pm Mon 12 Oct - Thu 15 Oct 8:30am - 7pm Fri 16 Oct 8:30am - 6pm Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pm Warkworth Masonic Lodge (above Westpac Bank), 12 Baxter Street: Sat 3 Oct - Mon 12 Oct 8:30am - 6pm Tue 13 Oct - Thu 15 Oct 8:30am - 7pm Fri 16 Oct 8:30am - 6pm Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pm Warkworth Old Masonic Hall, 3 Baxter Street: Sat 3 Oct - Mon 12 Oct 8:30am - 6pm Tue 13 Oct - Thu 15 Oct 8:30am - 7pm Fri 16 Oct 8:30am - 6pm Sat 17 Oct 9am - 7pm

Yesterday was a busy day for local firefighters, with two blazes needing to put out in the area. A fire broke out in a bakery on Orewa’s Moana Ave at about 9.30 a.m. on Thursday. The fire in the roof void was contained but not out until about 10.15 a.m. It was finally out around noon. There were no reports of any injuries. Four fire trucks and one aerial fire appliance attended.The cause of the fire is not yet known.The second fire occurred in the dunes of Omaha Beach yesterday afternoon. The cause of which is still unknown. Three fire engines were in attendance and got things under control fairly quickly. Residents also used garden hoses to assist.

Yesterday evening Warkworth Police and the Police Eagle Helicopter managed to located a missing hiker in Tawharanui Regional Park and returned her to safety. Police recently posted on social media - "Thanks to the efforts of our Police Eagle Helicopter and our officers in Warkworth, we were able to swiftly locate a woman who got lost in Tawharanui Regional Park yesterday and bring her back to her family.The woman set out on her hike yesterday morning – but didn’t return home by early evening, so her family raised the alarm and called Police.The Police Eagle Helicopter was dispatched and spotted the woman within 30 seconds of being in the area.They landed and picked up the woman, returning her to a nearby carpark where her family were waiting.A great result and reminder of the importance of telling someone where you are going and when you are due back, and if possible, having a means of communication with if you do need help.Stay safe everyone."Great work police.

Algies Bay Beach had a surprising visitor on its shores on Sunday, in the form of a sea turtle.The women who found the turtle contacted the Department of Conservation (DOC) to make sure it wasn't in any danger. The turtle was very lethargic, causing concerns that it may have ingested plastic, or be suffering from chronic illness that is often seen in sea turtles. DOC took the turtle to Auckland Zoo for medical treatment.Of the seven species of marine turtles, five can be found in New Zealand's waters, and all are classed as endangered, with some being on the verge of extinction. Turtles are generally found in warmer tropical waters but can get washed into colder areas if they are weak from injury or sickness.Turtles found on New Zealand beaches most commonly suffer from dehydration, cold shock, and starvation. Other issues include missing limbs or large wounds, bacterial infections and fishhook or plastic pollution ingestion, to name a few.Calling DOC was the right thing to do in this situation. DOC staff attend beached or entangled sea turtles. Those that are found alive may be sent to a specialist facility such as an aquarium for rehabilitation. Dead specimens may be given to museums and scientists for research and educational purposes.All reptiles, including sea turtles, are protected under the Wildlife Act 1953. This means it is illegal to kill or harass any species of sea turtle within New Zealand's Territorial Sea or Exclusive Economic Zone.The turtle will most likely be sent to Kelly Tarlton’s for rehabilitation and kept in quarantine to ensure it is as healthy as possible before being released back into the ocean. The Auckland aquarium provides a temporary home for these amazing creatures for anything from a few months up to three years. 

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises that work is about to start on significant road layout changes on State Highway 1 (SH1) at the Johnstone Hill tunnels.On the night of Wednesday 30 September, both northbound and southbound tunnels will be closed for maintenance. This is part of regular maintenance to ensure the Auckland motorway network is kept in a good and safe condition for all road users.The tunnels will be closed from 8.00 p.m. to 5.00 a.m. with traffic diverted to the Hibiscus Coast Highway. This effectively closes the motorway toll road between the Silverdale interchange and Pūhoi. Motorists are advised to allow an extra 15 minutes for the journey.“Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journey. The night-time closures are to minimise disruption when traffic is light. We appreciate your cooperation and apologise for any inconvenience.”The scheduled changes are part of a staged sequence of work to connect SH1 to the new Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway under construction north of the Johnstone Hill tunnels. There will be changes to the alignment of SH1 and new lanes will be added north of the tunnels before the 18.5km motorway is due to open in May 2022.The motorway extension will vastly improve the safety, connectivity and resilience of the transport network between Northland and Auckland, helping to boost the economic potential of the Northland region.

Auckland Council have finally spoken on their stance on the proposed landfill in the Dome Valley, saying that plans should be refused because of cultural and environmental concerns.Chinese-owned private waste firm, Waste Management, has promised its new dump would be environmentally sound. However, the valley's iwi and landowners worry any breach in the dump's lining could spill poisons into the Hōteo River. The Hōteo empties into Kaipara Harbour, where sedimentation already plays havoc with marine life.Independent consultant planner Mark Ross has prepared a report ahead of the resource consent hearing in November.Over the two-month submission period, there were 958 oppositions from the public, while only 10 were in support of the plans.“The reporting officer is recommending, subject to contrary or additional information being received at the hearing, that the application be refused,” the newly released report stated.Cultural values, the impact on freshwater and the surrounding ecosystem, sedimentation and air pollution, environmental and human health risks, traffic safety and the rural character of the area were all taken into consideration in the report.An Auckland Council spokeswoman said Ross' report was a recommendation and the final decision on whether the dump could be built will be made by independent commissioners following a resource consent hearing starting on November 9.,2020 at Warkworth Town Hall.

Highlife festival will be returning to the Matakana Coast to celebrate the end of 2020 and ring in the new year.Revel in the occasion with live bands, DJs, dancers, performers, gourmet food, craft beverages, multiple areas to explore, lots of good people and a heart-stopping fireworks display to welcome in the New Year!The boutique New Year’s Eve event is held at Ascension Wine Estate. Previously, it had been held in stunning locations like Waiheke Island, but has moved to the beautiful Ascension Vineyard right here in Matakana. It's a one-night festival, so it's perfect for anyone who doesn't want to spend three days camping, using communal showers and getting no sleep. This event sees a higher class of New Year celebrations, so leave the jandals and singlets at home and get a little dressed up. The festival is R22.Last year's event went well with a really great crowd in attendance and no major issues. Organisers are limiting the capacity further this year and will have all the resources in place to make sure they deliver another quality, safe festival.The festival sells out every year, and with limited numbers you need to get in quick. If you are coming in from out of town, there are plenty of options for local accommodation, or transport options back to Auckland.For Tickets and Info click here

Unfortunately, due to current Covid-19 developments, the Kowhai Festival’s annual Huge Day Out will be cancelled for 2020.The festival committee has collectively taken the decision to cancel the Huge Day Out which was scheduled for Sunday, October 18th, 2020.This decision was not taken lightly. Organisers worked extremely hard, and even considered re-scheduling for a later date. However, with the current risk of Covid-19 in New Zealand, organisers feel it is their responsibility to keep the community safe and would hate to see an outbreak of Covid-19 during the festival.So, after careful consideration of the health and safety of members, participants, exhibitors, volunteers and the wider community, the decision was made not to proceed with the Huge Day Out this year.The team behind the festival want to reassure everyone that they are committed to continuing the 50-year tradition of this celebration and will do their best to have an amazing Huge Day Out in Warkworth in October 2021.Although locals are understandably disappointed, they understand the reasoning behind the difficult decision. 

Envisage yourself: brush in one hand, glass of wine in the other and copious amounts of fun while creating a masterpiece. This is what is in store for you with The Village Picnic’s newest event, Paint n’ Picnic. The event incorporates local wineries, local delicacies and local artists. Enjoy a fun-filled afternoon painting session, for which no experience is required, just a good sense of humour.There will be three Paint ‘n Picnic afternoons over October: on the 1st, 11th, and 25th, and all will be held at the beautiful, newly renovated Matakana Estate. The launch event on October 1st will cost $89.00, while the other two dates will only be $69.00 per head. This price includes a glass of wine, a picnic box filled with great local products, and a two-hour guided painting session by a local artist. All participants will paint the same painting and take home their masterpiece.The idea is to have fun while experiencing some of the great things our area has to offer, with no pressure on participants to be the next Picasso. These events are for everyone, so drag along your partners, neighbours, and friends for an afternoon of picnicking and painting. Tickets can be purchased via The Village Picnic Facebook page, or at Eventbrite, here.These events have already generated a lot of interest, so get your tickets quick! However, if you miss out, don't stress. This event is likely to turn into a regular occurrence over summer. If painting doesn't sound like your cup of tea, The Village Picnic has another great experience on offer: their Mystery Tour. Start with a picnic hamper and embark on a journey to discover local artisan producers by solving clues and riddles along the way. At each stop, you will stop and admire the scenery and / or collect gourmet picnic food to enjoy at your final destination.The Matakana App is giving away a DOUBLE PASS, to enter simply go to our Facebook To see more of what the Village Picnic has to offer, click here

Today, Friday the 25th of September marks the end of term three for schools. As we are all well aware, school holidays often bring a huge influx of traffic to the area, and with Harbour Bridge repairs happening, journeys are likely to be even more delayed. To help alleviate these problems, Auckland Transport recommends planning your travel well in advance and travelling outside the busiest periods. Live north of the bridge? Instead of heading south this year and having to deal with a heavily congested harbour crossing, consider exploring areas up north instead. To make travel easier for you, Auckland Transport has created an interactive map. Based on travel patterns from previous years it shows when to expect traffic to be heavy. You can use the journey planner to map out your route, and see what kind of traffic conditions to expect. Traffic over these school holidays is not expected to be as congested as some of the peak holiday times, such as Labour Weekend, Christmas, Auckland and Northland Anniversary Weekend and Easter. However, with the added delays due to the Harbour Bridge repairs, it is a good idea to allow plenty of extra time for your journey.

The Waiwera Hot Pools were a Rodney institution for over 50 years. But in 2018, the park closed its doors, ostensibly for a renovation, but fell into disrepair. The present owners have just made preliminary decisions on a $250m masterplan that could see the pools and the slides at Waiwera return, along with a day spa, a hotel spa complex, a micro-brewery and apartments. The pools were purchased by Russian oligarch Mikhail Khimich in 2009. Khimich, a fast-living oil company magnate, wanted the bottled water, but was forced to take a water park he never wanted as well.By 2018, Khimich and his business partner (and reported Las Vegas-based diamond trader) Leon Fingerhut had run Waiwera Hot Pools into the ground and vanished from the country, owing significant amounts of rent on the pools - among other debts.New Zealand-based family-owned property company Urban Partners own the Waiwera land, but not the water park lease. Now they have the chance to take over the business and develop a plan to start the pools and slides again from scratch.Evan Vertue, Waiwera project director for Urban Partners has said "It's a strong, high-foot traffic attraction and would get Waiwera on the map."We haven’t scoped up the whole investment, but we are in the $250m stage, so we are going to look for other parties to hold hands with us on this one".And as for timing? The whole project might not be complete in the next 10 years, "but it will be well on the way. Patience can't go on forever", Vertue said.

The school holidays marking the end of term three begin next week, on Monday the 28th of September. It can be hard work keeping the little ones entertained for two weeks straight, so we've come up with some options to help you out.Dance and Drama School Holiday Program, Matakana School28th-30th SeptemberWhat could be more exciting than a day of dancing, drama games and sport activities? These workshops are dynamic with a focus on body awareness, movement, balance, coordination, play, presence, imagination, concentration, confidence, fitness, and most of all fun! Classes start with a warmup, games, exercises and end with a cooling down for mind and body. Over three days kids will work on team building, storytelling and creating from the heart. Through sport, team games, dance and music imagination can run free. To book please email: [email protected] and Sculpture Experience, Brick BayAll HolidaysIf you are looking for a fun activity for the whole family that will get everybody out of the house and into the fresh spring air, look no further. Join the team at Brick Bay to explore the Sculpture Trail and meet some of their gorgeous new lambs. The kids can enjoy a hot chocolate after petting and feeding the lambs and then carry on exploring the Sculpture Trail.Monday to Friday only, weekends excluded.Kitten Taming, Mangawhai Helping PawsAll HolidaysMangawhai’s Helping Paws (Animal Rescue) needs helpers to spend time socialising their rescued cats. If your children are calm and confident around cats, and would like to spend time socialising timid cats in the rescue centre, please message Helping Paws Admin on Facebook. Many of their cats came to them as wildlings. Helping Paws have done a huge amount of work to socialise dozens of them and sending them off to forever homes, but they need help socialising the next generation.School Holiday Art Program, The Foundation Gallery Leigh5th-9th October, Leigh HallThe aim of the Foundation School Holiday Program is to give children an opportunity to investigate a range of artistic pursuits. Foundation has engaged the skill of many artists and craftspeople to encourage and educate the holidaying youngsters. Ages six and onwards are welcome. This program is suitable for older teens as well. The kids will get to explore different mediums and techniques, such as screen-printing shirts, drawing, carving, and ceramics. 

Traffic heading into and out of the city has become a heavily congested nightmare. NZTA has been forced to close half of the Auckland Harbour Bridge to make urgent repairs to a strut damaged from two truck crashes on Friday.Those who commute to the city from our local area are faced with delays hours long, and traffic was backed up to Takapuna yesterday morning, as only two lanes are open heading in each direction.However, there is one way to bypass this traffic: public transport. The Mahu City Express made the journey from Warkworth into the CBD in under an hour yesterday morning, despite the congestion. They are part of the AT traffic management plan that prioritises buses getting in and out of the city as rapidly as possible. The Mahu City Express is not expecting the delays those driving cars will face.For new passengers, please note that booking is essential due to COVID health and safety regulations. All passengers are required to wear face masks. Booking can be made by downloading the Mahu City Express app and following the step by step instructions.While repairs on the Harbour Bridge are taking place, Mahu City Express will be discontinuing the Parnell pick up in the evening to allow the quickest exit from the city. The first pick up will be 4.45pm on Commerce Street.Auckland Harbour Bridge may will see a temporary solution today: a new piece for the bridge will be tested and if all goes well, there should be two new lanes opened by the end of the week.Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Transport Services General Manager Brett Gliddon said they expected the work would take between two to three nights and the southbound lanes would be closed between 9.00 p.m. and 5.00 a.m.

The Ara Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth Project advises there will be nighttime lane closures and road layout changes on State Highway 1 (SH1) near the Johnstones Hill Tunnels over the next few months.From Sunday 20 September to Thursday 01 October (not including Friday and Saturday) there will be night works happening north of the tunnels with stop/go traffic management in place from 8.00 p.m. to 5.00 a.m.Works will include temporary lane closures and road layout changes on the Pūhoi side of the tunnels. All northbound SH1 traffic will be moved to a southbound tunnel lane. The Hibiscus Coast Highway northbound lane will be closed, with traffic diverted onto the southbound lane, under stop/go traffic management.Safety is the highest priority and the reduced speed limit of 60km/h will remain in place for the duration of the works. Motorists may experience longer travel times and are encouraged to plan ahead, slow down and to take care when driving through the area. NZTA appreciates your cooperation and apologises for any inconvenience that may be experienced.

Waka Kotahi, New Zealand Transport Agency's spring / summer road maintenance programme, will see about 100km of state highway in Northland resealed, including areas in Warkworth.Resealing in Warkworth starts this month and ramps up in October as the days become longer and warmer. Sections will be resealed near the Hudson Rd intersection, which will be done at night to minimise disruption to traffic, and new asphalt will be laid on SH1 to the south of Warkworth.The warmer weather helps the new seal stick to the road surface. Weather conditions are critical, as was demonstrated earlier this year. In November and December there will be new chip seal on sections of SH1 between Kawakawa and Warkworth. While this work will be largely done at night, motorists may experience some daytime delays."This year we will be implementing more short-term and cost-effective repair solutions such as pothole repairs and localised patching work, rather than more significant maintenance improvements. This should result in less disruption on the network for motorists," said Northland system manager, Jacqui Hori-Hoult.Despite the significant roadworks programme, most work will stop before busy holiday travel periods like Labour weekend, Christmas and New Year, to minimise disruption to people's journeys.Hori-Hoult said the repairs and resurfacing would keep the road surface maintained and make it safer, but everyone had a responsibility for safety while the work is being done."We ask all motorists to do their bit by slowing down and keeping to the temporary speed limits. The speed limit applies on both sides of the road, even though work may only be occurring in one lane at a time. Driving at the posted speed limits helps bed in the new seal and prevents stone chips flying into windscreens," she said."The road crews will do their bit by working hard to minimise inconvenience and delays. We urge people to be patient, plan their journeys and allow extra time."

Flowers are happiness. Twig + Bloom Matakana have moved into a bigger store where they can house more flowers and make more people happy. Pop in 10am-3pm, now located by the staircase in the village.

3,000 Auckland Council staff have given up part of the 1.9 per cent pay rise they were due to get this month, in recognition of the local body’s budget problems.The pay rise will be lowered from 1.9 per cent pay rise to 1.3 per cent. The sacrifice is partly offset by the granting of one day’s additional leave for union members, and improved backdating for any redundancies.The Auckland Ratepayers Alliance aren't satisfied that this decrease will help, calling it all smoke and mirrors.“The 3,000 staffers, who are also members of the PSA, have very generously agreed to a pay increase of 1.3 per cent instead of the planned 1.9 per cent. But it’s all smoke and mirrors, because it’s being offset by an additional day of leave. Despite Mayor Goff’s rhetoric about cost cutting and savings, this pay increase is still going to cost ratepayers millions of dollars – and that doesn’t include the extra resources needed to cover the lost hours as a result of the extra day off.”The deal is separate from council plans to cut 500 or more jobs as part of its pared-back Emergency Budget this year, which reflects a Covid-19-related revenue hit of around $475 million.Auckland Council has not yet released any detail on identifying how many and which jobs would be cut as part of the budget settled in July.Senior executives across the council group and the mayor have taken pay cuts of between 10 to 20 per cent for six months in response to the budget pressures. Separate negotiations continue with council agencies such as Auckland Transport.