Brynderwyn Hills update: We'll be reopening State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills from 11:59pm on Wednesday 26 June.Roadworkers are now in the process of finishing the last of the work planned under this full closure. During the closure we've created a shoulder space, stabilised the hillside, and moved an initial 180,000 cubic metres of soil, followed by a further 60,000 following the slips in late April. It's been a big job to create a shoulder space on the narrow and windy road – the roadworkers have done an exceptional job.Thank you for your support during the closure. We know the closure has been disruptive. We've really appreciated your patience, especially while we've had to work to clear additional slips.Thank you also to the roadworkers for the massive effort they've put in and for their diligent work. More than 900 people who have been involved with the project, working day and night in all kinds of conditions to keep things on track so the road could reopen as quickly as possible.Our work to stabilise both the upslopes (above the road) and downslopes (the underside of the road) wouldn't've been possible without a full closure. The huge amount of earth cut away, the levels (benches) made in the hillside, and the piles and retaining walls we've installed will help the road withstand the next severe weather event.The shoulder space we've created means that in future roadworkers can work on repairing the road without lengthy closures.It all adds up to a more reliable SH1 for Northland, vital for communities and other groups such as freight and tourism.When the road reopens you can expect to see downslope works, including drainage and anchors being installed using the newly-created shoulder and planting along the road. We’ll also lay a fresh coat of asphalt on the full road width when the weather is drier between October and December.We'll continue monitoring and funding repairs for the two detour routes used during the closure to ensure your roads remain as high quality as possible until we've finished our work over the Brynderwyn Hills.

Peter de GraafNorthland businesses are considering banding together to seek compensation for losses suffered when a pylon fell over last Thursday, cutting power to more than 100,000 homes and businesses.Northland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Darryn Fisher said the Consumer Guarantees Act suggested by Transpower as an avenue for compensation applied only to retail customers, not to businesses."So businesses are essentially left with their insurer, and whatever their policy provides," he said.Whether losses would be covered depended on the business' policy and insurance provider."That's where you need to get some one-on-one advice and look at the terms and conditions of your policy. But we'll also be doing that broadly, trying to bring a bit of overall perspective to our members in the coming days," Fisher said.However, even if an insurance claim was successful, it still came at a significant cost to the business."If you were to make a claim you'd have excess to pay, your premium is likely to go up, and you'll lose your no-claims bonus - so that's pretty unfair on our members."Northland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Darryn Fisher. Photo: RNZ / Peter de GraafFisher said it was particularly unfair given Transpower's contractor had admitted fault by removing the nuts securing the pylon to its base on three out of four legs at once.He said NorthChamber had sought legal advice and was considering other avenues for compensation, such as by making a collective claim on behalf of its members."I don't think we're just going to leave it to insurers. It's something we're working on as a membership group and seeing what we can do."Earlier today, Consumer New Zealand chief executive Jon Duffy told Morning Report that households could seek compensation through the Consumer Guarantees Act.To do so, however, they need to have suffered a loss, and they had to approach their power retailer in the first instance.Those claims could then be passed on to Transpower.Businesses, however, could not make a claim under the Consumer Guarantees Act, and would likely to have to rely on insurance.Each insurance policy had its own terms and conditions.Most policies had exclusions for what was termed "acts of god" - such as the outages caused by Cyclone Gabrielle last year - but that did not cover human error, as was the case with the downed pylon.Duffy also pointed out that businesses would have to weigh up any insurance payout they received against the excess they would have to pay."So it's a tricky situation for businesses," he said.Fisher said the losses felt by households would be relatively small, given that most had power at least partially restored on Thursday evening.The biggest losses were suffered by major industrial power users, some of which were only able to return to full production this week.Hospitality businesses spoken to by RNZ reported losing thousands of dollars' worth of perishable stock such as dairy and meat.Even for households, the path to compensation is far from easy.The law requires households to approach their power retailer in the first instance, but Fisher said he had examined the terms and conditions of one major power supplier, which stated the company was not liable if it was not at fault.The fine print stated the claim could be passed on to another company - such as Transpower or its contractor - but that company would be liable only if it was a member of the Utilities Tribunal.Even if the power retailer was at fault, its maximum liability was $10,000, Fisher said.Last Friday, economics consultants Infometrics estimated the power cut could cost Northland a total of $60 million.This story was originally published by RNZ

No more exotic caulerpa has been found at north Auckland's Omaha Cove since a patch of the seaweed pest was destroyed.The patch of caulerpa, which measured roughly one square metre, was found on 7 June during regular surveillance of high-risk areas by dive contractors working for Auckland Council.Exotic caulerpa is an invasive species that spreads rapidly across the seabed, smothering native seaweeds and shellfish beds.It was the first time the marine pest had been found close to mainland Auckland, though there are known infestations at Aotea / Great Barrier Island, Ōmakiwi Cove in the Bay of Islands, and various locations in the Hauraki Gulf and off Coromandel Peninsula.The seaweed found at Omaha Cove, not far from Te Hāwere-a-Maki/Goat Island Marine Reserve, was confirmed as caulerpa by Niwa experts, then destroyed on 17 June by Auckland University divers who covered the patch and dosed it with chlorine.Liz Brooks, of Auckland Council, said the treatment had eliminated all viable exotic caulerpa in the patch.Further searches in Omaha Cove, Leigh Harbour and neighbouring areas had not revealed any further exotic caulerpa to date.Brooks said ongoing surveillance in the cove, along with monitoring of the treated patch, was planned.The council would continue to work with Ngāti Manuhiri, Auckland University's Leigh Marine Laboratory, and the local community to keep an eye out for caulerpa in the area.Divers use suction hoses to remove the treated caulerpa. Photo: Supplied/Nick ShearsMeanwhile, Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust chief executive Nicola MacDonald said the elimination was an example of a successful partnership between mana whenua and local government."Time is of the essence when dealing with caulerpa," MacDonald said."Our kaitiaki were in the water straight away to assess the severity of the issue and implement an immediate treatment plan in partnership with Te Kaunihera o Tamaki Mākaurau (Auckland Council) and University of Auckland Professor Dr Nick Shears."The caulerpa was confirmed as dead when the cover was removed from the patch on Tuesday, she said.MacDonald said although the patch was small, it was the first time a caulerpa infestation had been eliminated.It demonstrated the importance of a fast and aggressive response to achieving the settlement trust's aim of completely eradicating caulerpa from Te Moananui-ā-Toi/the Hauraki Gulf.The patch of caulerpa after chlorine treatment. Photo: Supplied/Nick Shears"We've seen what happens when it's left unchecked for too long, such as the infestation at Aotea Great Barrier Island discovered in 2021, and subsequent discoveries at Kawau Island, Waiheke Island, and Mokohinau Islands, which are proving incredibly tough to eradicate."Trust kaitiaki would continue to monitor the area, she said.Brooks said everyone could play a part in stopping the spread of exotic caulerpa by staying away from known infestations.Caulerpa brought up on anchors or hooks should be bagged and binned, while anyone who found the invasive seaweed on the beach should "pin, pic and phone" (note the location, take a photo, and report to the Ministry for Primary Industries on 0800 80 99 66 or online).This story was originally published by RNZ

A power pylon that fell last Thursday, cutting power to most of Northland was due to contractors removing too many nuts from bolts connecting the tower to a base plate, Transpower chief executive Alison Andrew says.This occurred during routine maintenance by Omexom on the transmission tower and its baseplate near Glorit, north of Auckland, but which was not to procedure, she said."Our view is that the specifications in procedures for this type of work were not followed. All the nuts securing the tower to the base plate on three legs have been removed, which caused the tower to lift off the base plate and fall."It is unprecedented and inconceivable that so many nuts were removed at once."The collapse cut power to 100,000 properties and was "completely unacceptable", the government said.Andrew said while Transpower was grateful no one was hurt, the failure to follow procedure had a significant impact on the people of Northland.An external party would conduct an independent investigation."The ongoing investigation will look at in much more detail what happened and why the correct procedures were not followed. We are committed to learning from this event and implementing any additional controls that may be identified," Andrew said.Transpower spent about $150 to 200 million a year maintaining towers across the country, she said."We would do about 200 base plate repairs, maintenance every year and we have not had an incident like this in living memory."All base plate work has stopped across the country, she said.Not normal procedureTranspower executive general manager grid delivery Mark Ryall said any work that was more than "removing one bolt" needed an engineering review. He said he was "confident" in the reviews so far.The base plate is where the tower steel connected into the tower foundations, he said."There's some bolts that come up through the foundations and at that point the base plate is the interface and it has nuts on top of that," he said.Maintenance work included keeping the base plate in good condition, ensuring that along with the bolts, there was no corrosion between the base plate and foundation, said Ryall.A recent audit done showed no issues, he said.Omexom NZ managing director Mornez Green said the company had "more than 25 years with experience working on and building transmission line powers with and for Transpower"."What happened last week was unprecedented. As part of routine maintenance base plate and the nuts securing the tower to the foundation were removed, cleaned and treated by Omexon staff. During this work, too many nuts were removed. And the tower fell over on its side. The fallen tower caused the power outage. Omexon promptly activated its emergency response to restore the power to what had become a very complex site."Transpower crews prepare to install a temporary pylon tower on 21 June, 2024, after another fell and cut power to thousands of Northland properties. Photo: TranspowerGreen confirmed removing all those nuts was not normal procedure.Andrew said the investigation needed to be fair and it was "far too early" to talk about discipline.The contracting crew doing the work on Thursday when the pylon fell was stood down immediately, but were still being paid, said Green.He confirmed there were normally three people working on a contracting team: a senior supervisor and two assistants.The leader was a qualified transmission line mechanic, and contractors went through an in-house training session and had to be deemed competent before they are allowed to do work, said Green.Omexom would be "open and transparent with all parties involved" in the investigations, he said.He personally apologised to "all people affected by this incident".WorkSafe was also investigating the incident.This story was originally published by RNZ

Mangawhai Shared Path updateDowner is working hard to get construction done through the winter period, in time to have the third phase of the shared path open for use when summer rolls round again. Please be kind to workers on site – their efforts keep the traffic flowing as smoothly as possible - and take care when travelling through the areas.There’s plenty happening across different areas:By the end of next week the Downer team working between Wood Street and Findlay Street will complete this section and move south, between Findlay and Awatea Street. There will be traffic management in this section including stop/go on Molesworth Drive and a road closure on Awatea Street (residents only will have access).The shared path team have also been working on the section along Molesworth Drive by ITM and MAZ (Mangawhai Community Park). From 1 July southbound traffic will be diverted around Moir Point Road/Seabreeze Road for approximately two-three weeks. The detour route adds only a couple of minutes to journeys, keeps traffic flowing and avoids a stop/go, and was identified as the best solution after consulting with many of the businesses in the area. Northbound traffic will continue to use Molesworth Drive. From 1 July there will also be stop/go for two weeks between Old Waipu Road and Mangawhai Central, in order to complete piling and associated works on the shared path.There's plenty happening on Mangawhai's Shared Path in coming weeks

There is a "huge infrastructure deficit" in Northland and recent failures were "just not fair" on the region, Northland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Darryn Fisher says.Thousands of households lost power on Thursday after a tower fell near Glorit.Transpower has reconnected one of the region's two 220-kilovolt circuits, propping it up with a temporary pylon. The other line remains trapped under a fallen tower.As a result, the risk of short power cuts was higher than usual, a Transpower spokesperson said.The power outages were the latest in a series of infrastructure failures, including major road closures after Cyclone Gabrielle, Fisher said on Morning Report.LISTEN ▶'We're in a huge infrastructure deficit here' - Northland Business Chamber head Darryn Fisher"It's still an ongoing concern. Our larger members and businesses are not going to be fully up and running at least until tomorrow."They were reconnected yesterday, but these operations are not just a 'flick the switch and you're back into full production mode'."I just went past the Fonterra factory there, actually. It's a foggy morning and [there's] no lights on, so we know it's an ongoing issue."There had been little communication from Transpower over the power outages, Fisher said."Very quiet over the weekend. I can only assume that they were fully consumed with trying to get things back on track."The Northland Business Chamber would be meeting with power providers and Northland MP Grant McCallum this morning, and having a "holistic conversation" about the region's infrastructure woes."We're really looking forward to hearing an update on what the cause of the issue is and how we can get some certainty in the future."This power issue has been the one that's brought things to light this week, but transport and infrastructure has got to be the number one."It's a pretty significant deficit we have in infrastructure here in Northland. It's not just power: the airports, internet connection, phone connection, roads - all those things combined."We're in a huge infrastructure deficit here in Northland and these issues just don't happen in other areas of New Zealand and quite frankly it just seems a little unfair on the region."On Friday, economics consultants Infometrics put the cost of outages in the region around $60 million.The full cost was yet to be tallied, Fisher said, but it was small- to medium-sized businesses who would bear the brunt, he said."Our members don't necessarily get into business for massive profits ... they want to fit their lifestyle [and] employ four to five other people in the community... so the motivations up here are slightly different, [and] that makes us slightly fragile."We feel the impacts of any increases in cost or downtime in infrastructure because these aren't massive, 50 percent-margin, profiteering-type businesses - they're community members - so those are the conversations I think we need to have."It was too soon to tell whether the outages would be the final straw for some business, Fisher said."Today and throughout this week we'll get a feel for how many, I'm sure there'd be some that were already feeling the pinch of being disconnected from our roads."But thankfully, we'll have those open this week, have a good Matariki weekend and that will certainly help."Morning Report approached Transpower for an interview but no one was available.LISTEN ▶ 'It's business as usual' - Northpower boss Andrew McLeod durationHowever, local lines company Northpower chief executive Andrew McLeod told Morning Report supply was "business as usual", they had "all the energy we need", and local networks were back to normal.Because the electricity was being transmitted through a single circuit, there was a higher risk of outages than normal, but each circuit could provide the load the region needed and it was "unlikely" there would be further power cuts this week, he said."I think for people at home and businesses, we will just get on with it and assume that Transpower will finish the work on time."Repairs to the other line were likely to be completed before next week, he said, and it was "not abnormal" to rely on a single line, particularly for regions "out on a spur" like Northland."That's a big, modern line. Pylons falling over [is] pretty unusual, but while the pylons are standing that's a very certifiable line for Northland. That's a fairly normal configuration ... and it can give us a fair amount of energy when we need it."McLeod would not be drawn on speculation that Transpower contractors had removed bolts from the pylon before it fell on Thursday, except to say that Northpower had helped with some of the repair work afterwards."Our focus has been on the repair. Clearly, we've asked them what's happened, what they'll be doing about it."Their message has been same to us... they'll want to investigate [the fallen pylon], they'll want to understand it... [to ensure it] doesn't occur again. That's fine with us. We really do want to understand what's happened and make sure we can rely on the Transpower service into the future."McLeod thanked households and businesses that had been affected by the power outages."It was an unusual situation. We had a lot of our large industrial companies down ... and the local communities had a fair amount of disruption ... they've had to manage energy through the evening and through the morning. They've been phenomenal at that."We realise it's just a big disruption, they just want to get on with their lives and know that power's reliable. They don't want to have to muck around too much ... just a big thank you for our community."Industrial users operating again(file image) Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-KingPower has been restored to Northland's biggest industrial users on Monday morning.Fonterra's dairy plants at Kauri and Maungaturoto, plus Golden Bay Cement and the Marusumi mill at Portland, were among the major industrial users that agreed to suspend operations during last week's region-wide power outage.Northpower spokesperson Rachel Wansbone said all four plants now had sufficient power to operate, though some would take time to ramp-up to full production.She said Fonterra took the opportunity to carry out maintenance at Kauri, north of Whangārei, while the plant was offline.Milk was trucked to Auckland while the two dairy factories were closed.Wansbone said the companies involved had been "amazingly supportive" in helping the region get through the weekend's precarious power situation.This story was originally published by RNZ

The bays and coastlines along the Hauraki Gulf are suffering for a variety of reasons - mainly over-fishing, climate change, and pollution. Beneath the draping Pōhutukawas and sapphire water is a growing environmental crisis. Dr Kelsey Miller, a research fel- low at the University of Auckland based at Leigh Marine laboratory (Goat Island), spent years studying the increase in kina populations. Kina are carpeting the seabed preventing seaweed growth. However the kina are not directly responsible for this eco- logical disaster. Due to overfishing natural predators such as snapper and cray fish, kina now overpopulate areas of the gulf. Maintaining a healthy forest floor is essential for marine life to thrive and to “limit the erosion of coastal land, produce oxygen and food, and sequester carbon” according to an article published by the University of Auckland (4 June 2024, Battle of the Barrens) detailing Dr Miller’s findings.Along with her colleagues, Dr Miller is bringing the issue to the attention of community, industry and policy makers. Last month local resident Adrian Roberts attended a community consultation about rewilding Matheson Bay. (Rewilding generally involves restoring a natural environment, whether above or below sea level, back to its uncultivated state.) The following pages feature Adrian’s notes from the meeting (abridged and paraphrased).Find out more to support this important initiative:www.tekohuroarewilding.org | facebook.com/tekohuroarewilding | https://tinyurl.com/tkprojectMatheson Bay Rewilding Initiativeby Adrian RobertsCommunity Consultation | 25 May 2024 Leigh HallThe day was broken into two parts:1. Introduction & Presentation (Frances Dickinson & Dr Kelsey Miller)2. Community Group Consultation ProcessIntroduction & PresentationThe Vision of the initiative is:Te Kohuroa (Matheson Bay) is a robust and thriving marine ecosystem that contributes to the mauri (life force) of the Te Moanui-a-Toi (The Hauraki Gulf).The Issues - The ProblemThe facts presented by the Rewilding Team and marine scientist Dr. Kelsey Miller were sobering:• The marine ecosystem in Matheson Bay is under massive ecological pressure.• Matheson Bay is a popular recreation space for residents and visitors all year round.• Increasing stress from over-fishing, pollution, sediment runoff and water pollution (surrounding land use and natural characteristics of the land, its hills and shape) have combined to push the marine ecosystem to a dangerous tipping point.• This situation is exacerbated by climate change as the water temperature increases.• Matheson Bay’s biodiversity is under imminent threat as our once prolific kelp forests succumb to the relentless destruction due to “kina barren” (The unchecked increase in the population of urchins that decimate kelp.)• The primary cause of kina barren is overfishing of predatory species (snapper & crayfish).The Solution & GoalsThe Rewilding Initiative seeks to work in partnership with Iwi, organisations and community to build a ground up approach to healing Matheson Bay’s marine ecosystem. The goal is an inclusive tikanga model that brings guardianship/kaitiakitanga by partnering with science and conservation groups to support restoration efforts, delivering a long term, locally orchestrated community programme that delivers a healthy biodiversity back to Matheson Bay.Community Consultation ProcessThe following questions were asked of each breakout group (responses are being collated):a. Challenges: For this project in this marine space? For the community?b. Underlying causes: From the perspective of Matheson Bay? Your perspective?c. Possible responses/solutions?d. Barriers as the project unfolds?SummaryOur Bay is under assault from both land and sea, amplified by the effects of climate change. On the present trajectory, Matheson Bay will exist as a small marine desert, conveniently situated between the healthy marine reserves of Tāwharanui and Goat Island. It will come as no surprise that the real power to make an immediate impact rests with the public.Land• Get involved in supporting plantings and regenerative efforts.• Sort out the health of your septic tanks and runoff.• Encourage and support upstream management that reduces sediment runoff entering waterways and bays.SeaLeave snapper & crays - take only enough for a feed, target other fin-fish species instead. Snapper and crays must be left in the water to control kina populations to maintain a healthy ecosystem.Follow the rewilding initiative and if you can support them, please do so: www.tekohuroarewilding.org

Warkworth RegionMonday 24th June - Fine, apart from areas of morning and evening cloud or fog. Light winds.Tuesday 25th June - Showers, becoming isolated with longer fine breaks in the morning. Southwesterlies, becoming fresh for a time in the afternoon and evening.Wednesday 26th - Morning cloud with the chance of a shower, then fine. Fresh southwesterlies, easing in the evening.Thursday 27th - Fine. Southerlies.Friday 28th - Partly cloudy with southwesterlies.Saturday 29th - Showers, clearing and becoming fine. Southwesterlies.Sunday 30th - Partly cloudy. Southwesterlies.Mangawhai RegionMonday 24th June - Morning cloud or fog, then fine. Cloud increasing this evening with a possible shower. Light winds.Tuesday 25th June - Showers, clearing to partly cloudy in the morning. Southwesterlies, becoming fresh for a time in the afternoon and evening.Wednesday 26th - Mainly fine, chance of a shower in the afternoon and evening. Fresh southwesterlies, easing in the evening.Thursday 27th - Fine. Southwesterlies.Friday 28th - Partly cloudy with southwesterlies.Saturday 29th - Showers, clearing and becoming fine. Southwesterlies.Sunday 30th - A few showers. Westerlies.

Early yesterday morning at 3:30am, a distress call came in from a vessel near the Hen and Chicken Islands taking on water, forcing the men onboard to abandon their boat. Coastguard Whangarei volunteers immediately launched 'Circa Rescue', with support from the New Zealand Police Eagle helicopter.By 4:38 am, the Eagle helicopter had located the men in the water, guiding 'Circa Rescue' to their position.All three were rescued and brought safely to Mangawhai Heads. Two were transported to Whangarei Hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, while the third was taken by road.We are immensely relieved and grateful that the men were wearing lifejackets, which gave them the best chance of survival.Huge thanks to our dedicated volunteers and everyone involved in the rescue efforts, including those on shore from Surf Life Saving New Zealand and the Mangawhai Fishing Club who opened their club for our crew, helping warm the patients, and providing hot food and drinks.

Transpower expects work to restore a key transmission line into Northland will resume Sunday morning after experiencing delays.A pylon fell near Glorit on Thursday, causing region-wide outages affecting thousands of residents.Transpower says it made good progress to raise a temporary tower on Friday, but was not able to transfer all of the conductor wire to it before the weather turned and it became dark."It is complex and challenging work and we have encountered delays that mean we weren't able to complete the work before it got dark and the weather deteriorated," general manager of grid delivery Mark Ryall said on Saturday."To ensure the crews can complete the work safely, the final works will be delayed until tomorrow morning."Lines companies Northpower, Vector and Top Energy have all encouraged customers to continue saving power.Transpower said crews were on track to meet Sunday's deadline and there was sufficient supply to meet the weekend demand. Further repairs on Sunday would ensure there was enough capacity to handle Monday morning's expected rise in demand."We thank Northland communities for their continued patience. I know it makes a big difference to our crews putting in the hard work on the ground," Ryall said.MetService said the forecast for the region was for early morning rain, easing to the odd shower and clearing up in the afternoon.The cause of the tower's collapse remained unknown.This story was originally published by RNZ

Finn BlackwellThe grounding of the only rail ferry in the Cook Strait demonstrates how fragile the inter-island connection is, Transporting New Zealand says.The Interislander ferry Aratere had been on a freight-only sailing on Friday when it suffered a steering failure and ran aground about 10pm.It was refloated on Saturday night and will to safe anchorage in Picton Harbour Sunday.Transporting NZ interim chief executive Dom Kalasih said the organisation needed assurances from the government that something would be done to provide a reliable service."The incident has really just demonstrated how fragile that link is," he said."We'll certainly be advocating hard for greater certainty from government as to what the plan is to make that link more reliable."Kalasih said there should not be significant long-term impacts to freight networks because of the Aratere running aground.KiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy ways freight is being carried on the Kaitaki, pictured, while Aratere is out of action. Photo: Supplied / KiwiRailKiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy said any delays to the freight network would depend on how long the Aratere was out of service."We're working right now with our customers of the rail freight, getting it onto (Aratere's sister ship) the Kaitaki, to be able to move it across the Cook Strait, which we do regularly," he said."When Aratere is in a wet-dock or a dry-dock, we'll move it through the other ships."In a statement, Reidy acknowledged the disruption the grounding had caused."We know this incident is extremely disruptive for our customers and appreciate their patience as we work with them to organise alternative arrangements," he said.But Maritime Union spokesperson Victor Billot said there could be significant hold-ups to freight with Aratere out of service, as Kaitaki was not rail-enabled."Any freight going across the Cook Strait, if it's rail-based, it has to get put on trucks, then taken onto the ferries, then taken off the trucks, then put back on the rail," he said."That's not an ideal situation in terms of double handling, and emissions and so forth, and the time it takes, and the cost."KiwiRail said it could not give a timeframe for the Aratere's return to service.It said the ferry would not operate until it had been released by Maritime New Zealand, which was investigating the grounding.This story was originally published by RNZ

The Interislander ferry Aratere won't be refloated until the morning after running aground just outside Picton.Were you on board? Email us at [email protected] general manager Duncan Roy said the vessel, with 47 people on board, departed Picton at 9.45pm Friday.It ran aground following a steering failure."It was a freight-only sailing with eight commercial vehicle drivers and 39 crew on board. There are no injuries and the vessel is watertight."Roy told RNZ the ferry was "secure" and he, along with KiwiRail's chief executive Peter Reidy, would be taking the first flight from Auckland to Picton in the morning.The plan was to refloat the ferry on the high tide, between 8am and 10am Saturday, he said.It would be assisted by harbour tugs, and he was confident they could do the job."They are the harbour tugs that we use when we are coming in in heavy winds in the harbour."It was too early to discuss what impact the grounding would have on the company's freight in the Cook Strait, he said."Right now I'm totally concentrated on our passengers on board and our crew on board - that is our main focus.Right now we're totally focussed on recovering our vessel but most importantly making sure our people are safe and sound."Roy said he understood other ships were still coming and going from the port.Low tide was expected in the area around 2.20am, according to MetService.The Aratere (shown by the circle in the centre of the image) ran aground on Friday night. Photo: Supplied/Marinetraffic.comPort Marlborough said the Harbourmaster was enforcing a 500-metre exclusion zone in the harbour and would be patrolling."We have mobilised our marine and pilotage teams, and the two Port Marlborough tugs which are on the water, on standby to assist as required."Port Marlborough is working closely with the Harbourmaster, ferry crew and relevant authorities to provide all necessary support and resources."Maritime New Zealand said in a statement that it would be investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred about 2.8km north of Picton.Nelson MP Rachel Boyack said it would have been a "pretty frightening" incident for those on board."I have heard that the Harbourmaster is on board doing checks but I'm trying to find out further information. Obviously it's a pretty concerning incident."Boyack said she had been advised everyone on board had been given a lifejacket.Marinetraffic.com showed the Aratere was near Pine Bay and not moving just after 11pm Friday. It was about half an hour out of Picton.The vessel's status was "aground", the website said.St John Ambulance said it was notified of the incident at 10.04pm."We ... are currently on scene with two ambulances, one first response unit, one manager and a Major Incident Support Team. There are no reports of injuries."Transport Minister Simeon Brown said in a social media post that he had been advised there was no indication of injuries, danger to life, or danger of oil polluting the marine environment."The vessel is watertight. Both KiwiRail and Maritime NZ are actively dealing with the situation."In January 2023, the Interislander ferry Kaitaki broke down in the Cook Strait and ended up drifting, resulting in a mayday call.Tug boats had to escort the ferry, which had 880 people on board, to Wellington.A report later found the breakdown was partly due to KiwiRail not replacing critical engine parts.Maritime NZ has since filed a charge against KiwiRail under the Health and Safety at Work Act in relation to the incident. The maximum penalty is $1.5 million.Earlier this year, all passenger sailings on the Interislander's Kaiarahi ferry were cancelled for several days due to a mechanical fault.Meanwhile, a project to build two new ferries and redevelop the ports was canned by the coalition government after spiralling costs meant it was no longer economically feasible to proceed.The project would still be $1.5 billion in the hole after 2050, documents revealed.

If you are a Leigh local, you will be familiar with the Korora (penguin) nesting boxes which dot our coastline. Some were kindly decorated a while back by local school kids and the Korora did seem to like them. Thanks guys! There is much community goodwill in Leighand people often ask how they can help with our conservation efforts.How you can help:• Be observant and communicate changes to our team.• The sticks placed in front of the box (pictured) are an important indicator to us that there may have been penguin activity. It is important not to touch them, please report if they have been trampled on.• Nearby sightings of possible penguin poo is a positive sign. Once spotted we can capture video recordings and monitor them more closely to determine numbers and activity.• We rely on the community to let us know if pest traps are in the right spot and whetherthey have moved. This vital information helps to stop predators from killing penguins.• Keep your dog on a lead along the coastal area is crucial. We all love our dogs but they arepredators too and if we can love them while intelligently managing their natural instincts, we are all winning.• Please let us know of any penguin sightings or if you hear penguins, they are very noisy wee things.Good news: We currently have several penguins back on land exploring their nests in preparation for next season. It is very exciting! We are hopeful for a much better season.A BIG event on our calendar is the Enviro Expo June 22 Warkworth Town Hall 9am - 3pm This exciting event facilitated by Restore Rodney East is a must event to attend.Meet numerous conservation groups displaying interactive exhibits with plenty of activities for children and adults. Come and enjoy the day and say hello to our team. We look forward to seeing you there!Mary Mangan on behalf of Leigh Penguin Project [email protected]

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 28 June 2024. Please note this Traffic Bulletin is updated every Friday. Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am. Traffic management may be in place before the advertised closure times for the mainline.         NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1) Southbound lanes between Orewa off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 24 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Orewa southbound on-ramp, 24 JuneMillwater southbound on-ramp, 24 JuneSouthbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 23 JuneSilverdale southbound on-ramp, 23 June CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ) Westbound lanes between Gladstone Road and Wellesley Street East on-ramp, 23 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am) SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1) Ellerslie-Panmure Highway northbound off-ramp, 23 JuneSouth Eastern Highway (SEART) southbound off-ramp, 23-26 JunePrinces Street southbound off-ramp, 23-26 JuneSouthbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 25-26 JuneSouthbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 23-24 JuneTakanini southbound on-ramp, 23-26 JunePapakura (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 23-26 JunePapakura (Diamond) southbound on-ramp, 23-24 JuneNorthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 23-26 JunePapakura (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 23-26 JunePapakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 23-26 JuneDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 23-26 JuneSH1 southbound to SH2 eastbound link, 23 & 25 JunePioneer Road northbound off-ramp, 21-29 June (24/7)Dragway Road northbound off-ramp, 24 & 26 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Hampton Downs off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 26 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Hampton Downs off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 26 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16) Southbound lanes between Waimauku Roundabout and Trigg Road, 23-27 June (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Trigg Road and Waimauku Roundabout, 23-27 June (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Brigham Creek Roundabout and Hobsonville Road on-ramp, 25 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am) UPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18) Westbound lanes between Albany Highway off-ramp and Tauhinu Road on-ramp, 26 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Albany Highway westbound on-ramp, 26 JuneEastbound lanes between Tauhinu Road off-ramp and Albany Highway on-ramp, 26 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Greenhithe Road eastbound on-ramp, 26 JuneTauhinu Road westbound on-ramp, 23 JuneSquadron Drive westbound off-ramp, 26 JuneWestbound lanes between Squadron Drive off-ramp and Hobsonville Road on-ramp, 25 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Brigham Creek Road westbound on-ramp, 25 JuneSH18 westbound to SH16 southbound link, 25 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am) SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20) Northbound lanes between Neilson Street off-ramp and Neilson Street on-ramp, 24 June (approx. 10:00pm to 00:00am)Neilson Street northbound off-ramp, 24 June (approx. 00:00am to 05:00am)Massey Road southbound off-ramp, 23-25 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Massey Road northbound off-ramp, 23-25 June (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am) 

Did you know we can list your Job ad on the app for just $39+gst?They can be found under our Community button then Jobs section.Included in the cost - the ad is up until the job is filled. Plus we push out to our audience of 27,000 users (last 12 months).Contact [email protected] with the following info: company name, logo, job title, job vacancy headline, job description, and contact details.

Warkworth / Auckland RegionFriday 21st June - Cloudy periods with isolated showers, clearing this afternoon to fine. Easterlies.Saturday 22nd June - Fine, but becoming cloudy late. Southeasterlies, turning northeasterly in the morning.Sunday 23rd June - Rain developing early. Fresh northerlies, easing late.Mangawhai / Northland RegionFriday 21st June - Showers, clearing at night. EasterliesSaturday 22nd June - Fine, but becoming cloudy in the evening. Northeasterlies.Sunday 23rd June - Rain. Fresh northerlies, easing in the evening.

A small group of Northlanders are waking up without power as Transpower scrambles to fix a big pylon that toppled over on Thursday.The fallen pylon cut power to nearly 100,000 properties. Power had been restored for all but 177 as of midnight Thursday, but blackouts were expected to continue throughout Friday.Transpower was urging everyone north of Warkworth to keep their electricity use to a minimum, especially during peak demand between 6am and 9am.Power would not be fully restored until Friday afternoon at the earliest.Most people in the north would also be shivering through cold showers. Lines companies Northpower and Top Energy said they had turned off the hot water for most households to stretch the limited supply as far as possible.At least one school, Kaitaia Primary, would be shut on Friday. It said in a Facebook post that was because the electricity supply "may not be reliable or permanent".The toppled pylon cut power to nearly 100,000 properties. Photo: Supplied / Kawakawa Electrical LtdMaintenance workers were at the tower when it fell, but Transpower said it was not yet known why it toppled.Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo said he was looking forward to an explanation."I think the big story that I've been informed so far is, no one's prepared to actually say ... officially what the cause was."Cocurullo said Northlanders were incredibly frustrated by ongoing infrastructure failures.State Highway 1 has been closed over the Brynderwyn hills for fourth months due to slips. Photo: Supplied/ NZTAThe pylon issue came ahead of the re-opening of State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn hills next week. The slip-prone highway has been closed for four months for major repairs.Further north, State Highway 1 at Mangamuka Gorge would not reopen until close to Christmas after being shut more than two years.Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said locals were "bloody fed up"."It's not good enough for us, for our business, for our economy and everything in between."Northlanders were resilient, but they should not have to be, Tepania said.Whangārei hairdresser Megan Edwards was also frustrated by the cuts, which brought her business to a "standstill".Northland seemed particularly vulnerable to power cuts and she was sick of it, she said.This story was originally published by RNZ

One Mahurangi Business Association Public Meeting, Town Hall, Warkworth On May 31, 2024, The Matakana Coast App posted a notification presenting the One Mahurangi Business Association's stance on Watercare's wastewater plans. To read the article written by OMBA Manager Murray Chapman, head here.Last night Wednesday 19th June 2024, the One Mahurangi Business Association held a public meeting at the Warkworth Town Hall to inform the business community about Watercare's upcoming plans. Murray Chapman, Bevan Morrison, and Dave Stott chaired the meeting. The Matakana Coast App was in attendance. Approximately 180 people attended.A critical point discussed was Watercare's intention to construct a wastewater pipeline through the main street of Warkworth via Elizabeth, Queen, and Baxter Streets, with the work due to start on August 24. This project is expected to shut down the main street for several months, significantly impacting local businesses and traffic flow.Murray Chapman, Manager of One Mahurangi Business Association, has been lobbying Watercare for the last three years to consider the impact on the CBD of Warkworth and how it will affect the town. Communication with Watercare has been less than satisfactory. The OMBA team understands that the work needs to be completed but insists that Watercare needs to be open to alternative solutions to mitigate the impact on the town.Watercare has been hard to deal with and seems to be primarily concerned with its budget. Their engagement with the community should have happened years ago. Many members of the public at the meeting expressed that they should have been informed about these plans much earlier, but it appears the Warkworth team was under significant constraints.There is a petition with 1,000 signatures opposing the work through the main street, but many more signatures are needed to create the necessary impact. The One Mahurangi Business Association is asking all who live, work, or use the town of Warkworth to sign this petition. The Association wants to avoid legal action but emphasizes the need for community support to push for reconsideration of the current plan.Time is running out, and many meeting attendees felt these issues should have been brainstormed years ago. Murray Chapman apologized for not highlighting this earlier. However, OMBA remains committed to finding a solution and urges the community to act quickly to make their voices heard.The outcome of the meeting was to take the following actions:Develop a media campaignWrite to editors of newspapersGet TVNZ involvedSend a letter to the CEO of WatercareOrganize demonstrationsSign and push the petition

Please see below Transpower's Media Release:NORTHLAND WITHOUT POWER AFTER FAULTNorthland is without power after a Transpower tower fell near Kumeu around 11am this morning.A Transpower service provider is on site to assess the damage and the expected return to service time.The tower fell while a second transmission circuit supplying these areas was out of service for scheduled maintenance. Transpower is assessing how long it will take to return that circuit to service.More details will be provided on Transpower’s website and Facebook page. Consumers should also check the websites of their retailers and local lines companies for up-to-date outage information."Please treat all lines as live and also remember to keep an eye on your vulnerable neighbours. If you require electricity for medical reasons, ring your health provider to confirm your emergency plan.We will update the situation when we can.