Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell has toured a Mangawhai street devastated by last Sunday's tornado, saying it is remarkable no one died given the scale of the damage.Mitchell, who also met emergency responders during Friday's visit, said the outcome would almost certainly have been worse if the twister had struck during the day."I think what saved us was the fact that it was 3am. If it had been during daylight hours, with the sort of missiles that we've seen and the velocity they were moving at, I think we would have lost people."Mitchell said he was thankful Tina Johnson, who was severely injured when she was sucked out of the top floor of her home on Old Waipu Road, was in a stable condition in hospital.The minister told Kaipara council leaders the government would help pay for the clean-up and emergency housing for displaced residents.It was not yet known, however, how much the government would contribute, or where the funding would come from - though the Ministry for the Environment was one possibility, Mitchell said.Kaipara mayor Craig Jepson was also surprised the tornado's toll had not been greater."I'm really thankful we didn't have any deaths. I find that actually quite miraculous. If it had been at 3pm when there's kids out in the streets, there would have been deaths all right."Jepson, who joined the minister during Friday's visit, said he was struck by the tornado's sheer power."I've been around a few storms in my life. I was up north for [Cyclone] Gabrielle. There was a major weather event in '81 when I was a young fellow up in Kerikeri. But I've never seen anything as ferocious ... I visited people who had concrete lids sucked out of their water tanks and they couldn't find where they'd gone."Half the clean-up is people clearing up debris from other people's properties. It just was scattered everywhere. The power of this event is the thing that's hit me the most."Jepson said he had been heartened by the community's response."One thing that really struck me on the morning was the huge number of volunteers that just poured into the streets and helped people they didn't even know. They mucked in and helped each other. It was a real testament to the closeness of this community." Some homes will be demolishedKaipara Civil Defence and Emergency Management controller John Burt said it was initially thought that 50 homes had been damaged, mostly on Moir Street and Old Waipu Road.He said 90 homes had now been assessed for storm damage.Of those, 26 had been white-stickered, which meant they had some damage but could be safely occupied, while nine had been yellow-stickered, which meant access was restricted.A few homes would have to be demolished, Burt said.Mangawhai's power network had been fully repaired but five homes were too damaged to be reconnected.Penny and Nick Berthoud show Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell around their tornado-damaged, yellow-stickered home. Photo: RNZ/Peter de GraafHomeowner feels traumatisedResidents visited by Mitchell on Old Waipu Road included Nick and Penny Berthoud, who illustrated the tornado's human cost.The couple had spent two years building their dream home and had lived in it for just a year.The power of the tornado had blown outdoor furniture - some of it so heavy it needed at least four people to lift - through the kitchen windows, while tiles from a neighbour's roof had turned into projectiles, puncturing the cladding and steel roof in dozens of places.Shards of glass were embedded in the kitchen wall and a pole from two properties away had pierced an external wall like a spear.Penny Berthoud told Mitchell that despite all the effort that had gone into building their home, she was unsure if she could live in it again."I don't know, if I'm brutally honest. After the trauma of what we've gone through, every inch of this house is a crash reminder."Nick Berthoud said they were woken up by strong winds and heavy rain shortly before the tornado hit."Then the wind and rain stopped for about five, ten seconds. I got this eerie feeling, then all of a sudden it was like a turbine starting up, like a plane taking off. Just hell broke loose. Glass flying, smashing, furniture going everywhere."Nick Berthoud said they took shelter in a walk-in wardrobe. Neither they nor their 15-year-old son were injured.Once the wind subsided he heard a sound he thought at first was their missing cat.He then realised it was his neighbour screaming from her carport roof, where she had landed after the tornado sucked her out of her bedroom."So I bolted out the door, jumped the fence, and found her," he said.Within 30 seconds he was joined by a group of neighbours searching the street for anyone who had been hurt.Juicy Media owner James Taylor shows Northland MP Grant McCallum, Kaipara mayor Craig Jepson and Mark Mitchell what's left of his business. Photo: RNZ/Peter de GraafMitchell also visited James Taylor, who had a business on Old Waipu Road where he designed websites, printed signs, and made vehicle graphics.When he arrived at the leased shed that morning, little more than the steel framing remained.All his equipment and stock had been destroyed or blown to who knows where."It was like a bomb had gone off all down the road. It was crazy.. But you've just got to find a way to stay positive, and come back, and don't let it beat you."Taylor said the emotion of losing his business had really only hit home on Friday.However, he had been buoyed by offers of help from the Mangawhai community, and was determined to rebuild his business.Mitchell said the tornado was different to the eight other emergencies he had been involved in since taking on the role a year ago."The thing with this one is the huge challenges it posed, because it was so sudden, no one could really anticipate it. There were power lines down. Access was very hard for first responders, and people were shell shocked. But there's always a big human cost associated with these events, and not just with the initial response, but in the recovery as well," he said.Mitchell said extreme weather events were likely to become increasingly frequent in future.This story was written by Peter de Graaf and originally posted on RNZ

Documents released under the Official Information Act reveal tensions between clinical staff, local managers and national health bosses over a proposal to close Dargaville Hospital due to a lack of doctors.While staff shortages are common at rural hospitals around the country, the situation at Dargaville reached crisis level in October when no doctor could be found to work the overnight shifts.A staff roster dated 1 October showed a doctor was available after-hours for just five of the 55 nights between 10 October and 1 December.Health NZ, however, said doctors stepped up at the last minute to fill most of those roster gaps.The alarm was raised on 9 September by Health NZ Te Tai Tokerau operations manager Alex Pimm, who warned no doctor would be on duty overnight from 6 October.His report proposed closing the inpatient ward from that date, due to a "lack of sustainable medical workforce" and "inherent clinical and patient safety and reputational risk".Most staff could be redeployed to Whangārei and Bay of Islands hospitals but a small number would be required at Dargaville to run outpatient services.Consultation would need to be fast, and "significant public and media interest" would have to be carefully managed.Had the closure gone ahead, Dargaville Hospital would have been downgraded to an outpatient clinic with daytime-only urgent care.The report caused an immediate kerfuffle, with a senior manager suggesting it should be pulled, or at least noted as a draft.The report, released under the OIA, was watermarked: "Draft for discussion - Not government policy".A revised report, dated 19 September, spelled out the efforts made to recruit medical staff, and six options ranging from no change at one end of the scale to complete closure at the other.The risks of the no-change option included patients deteriorating overnight and needing help that was not available; nurses feeling unsupported; patient harm; and more strikes by staff worried about health and safety.The preferred option was to switch to an "enhanced urgent care model", which would still mean closing the ward and moving overnight patients to Whangārei.On 2 October, Pimm emailed Chris Lowry, a senior manager at Health NZ, again explaining the situation and recommending Dargaville stop admitting new patients overnight.He also recommended the hospital "transition to not provide an inpatient service from 7 October" while continuing to provide urgent care and booked medical procedures during the day.Lowry emailed Health NZ chief executive Margie Apa, saying she believed Pimm's recommendations were appropriate.In the same email, she revealed the problem had escalated in the previous 24 hours due to a senior doctor going on long-term sick leave.Later that day, rumours of a possible closure started filtering into the public domain.A reporter emailed then-Health Minister Shane Reti, who contacted senior executives at Health NZ.Health NZ stated the rumours were wrong, closing Dargaville Hospital was not under consideration, and any suggestion otherwise was incorrect.The following morning, Apa demanded assurance from Northland health managers that every avenue for maintaining overnight service had been explored."Please instruct the team that they must action every option to maintain overnight cover until we are able to put in place a timeframe with community to consult on changes if they are required," she wrote.Tensions rose in the emails that followed Apa's apparent smackdown of the closure proposal.Northland chief medical officer Jennifer Walker - who had previously issued a stark warning about the risk of keeping the hospital open - expressed her surprise and reiterated her "very significant concerns about clinical safety for inpatients at Dargaville Hospital ... when we have no access to an on-site doctor".Responding to Apa's email, Pimm wrote: "There seems to be some suggestion that we have not been trying hard to find cover and keep the ward safely running. I hope I am misinterpreting things but I want to be very clear that the team and I have worked very hard to find medical/nurse practitioner cover."I understand, Margie, that you were advised on 15 August of the likely need to close the ward ... There comes a point where we have to recognise that we have reached the limit of our actions and need to make a decision."However, by 8 October, local managers appear to have accepted Health NZ's decision to keep the hospital open, despite misgivings.That day Pimm sent an email to staff, later leaked to RNZ, detailing how the hospital would function with no after-hours doctor.That included the use of telehealth, a low threshold for transferring patients to Whangārei, and assessing patients to make sure they were stable and unlikely to need overnight treatment.In an update provided to RNZ last week, Pimm said Health NZ was continuing to look at how it addressed long-standing workforce challenges to ensure community needs were prioritised.Health NZ was still working to fill vacancies at Dargaville Hospital, and reviewing how it could "continue to support the Kaipara community in a sustainable and safe way".Pimm said Health NZ would seek feedback on its plans later this year.An interim plan designed to keep the hospital functioning safely, making use of an on-call doctor when available and a telehealth service on other nights, is due to come into force this Saturday.This story was written by Peter de Graaf and origonally posted on RNZ

Exciting News for MAZ Visitors – New Playground Incoming!MAZ is excited to share some great news for its younger patrons – and a unique opportunity for parents!A brand-new playground is set to arrive in early March, replacing the much-loved plastic tower set that has served the community for over a decade. While the old structure has been a staple of the playground, it’s time to make way for something fresh and exciting.With the arrival of the new equipment, MAZ is seeking expressions of interest from individuals who would like to dismantle and take the old tower for private use.It’s important to note that, once dismantled, the structure is unlikely to comply with NZ playground safety standards for businesses or public play areas. However, it could make a fantastic addition to a private backyard, providing hours of fun and making the owner the envy of the neighbourhood.How to ApplyInterested individuals can contact MAZ via Facebook, providing their name and phone number. A team member will reach out to discuss the next steps.Key Information for Applicants:Removal of the play tower must adhere to health and safety practices and will be coordinated with MAZ and KDC.This is not a quick project – it will require careful planning and execution, as the dismantling will take place within a public playground. MAZ will assist throughout the process.The successful applicant must commit to removing the entire structure. Partial dismantling or selective removal is not permitted – the entire tower must go.Photo of the old playground looking to be rehomed.MAZ looks forward to introducing the community to the new playground and hopes this opportunity will excite anyone interested in giving the old tower a new home.As always MAZ is always looking for donations and sponsors so that equipment can be maintained, replaced and improved.If you would like to donate please head to their website.

30 January 2025: Piccadilly is recalling specific batches of Cape Herb & Spice brand Himalayan Pink Salt, Seasoned Salt, Salt & Pepper, and Sweet & Smoky BBQ as the products may contain foreign matter (plastic).Consumer adviceAffected products should not be consumed. There have been no reports of associated injury, however if you have consumed any of these products and have any concerns about your health, seek medical advice.Customers should return the products to their retailer for a full refund.Who to contactIf you have questions, contact Piccadilly:Phone: 09 972 0018Address: 39/A Westpoint Drive, Hobsonville, Auckland.

It's back to school time, and this usually means back to school photos.The start of the school year is often memorable, and many people like to mark the occasion by sharing images of their children on social media in school uniform and in front of either their home or school.Unfortunately, sometimes these images unintentionally share more than just a picture of a happy child – they can share personal details that might put information about you and your family in the wrong hands.While Police understand the importance of these milestones, parents and caregivers should remain cautious about the information that images posted on social media present and who can gain access to them.While it’s rare for NZ Police to receive reports about children being located through information shared online in photos or videos, we know from our international counterparts that it does happen.𝗔 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 Check there are no identifying features such as school uniforms and logos, school buildings or signs, and street signs. This applies if you are taking photos at home as well. If this is unavoidable, parents can edit and blur school logos and signs.Research and understand app settings, including privacy settings. Turning off location settings or setting profiles to private/friends only.Keeping your child’s personal information - including full name and age and what year they’re starting - private.Report any inappropriate or suspicious behaviour online.Be proactive with online safety to keep your child and their information safe as they head into a new school year.Recommended post:VS post with too much information:Resource by our friends at Australian Federal Police | ThinkUKnow Australia

Roll up, roll up, roll up! The Extravaganza Fair is coming to Mangawhai Domain – Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd February from 10am to 5pm!Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of New Zealand’s largest and most fabulous traveling festival! Get ready for a family-friendly day out like no other. Kids get in FREE, and adults just need a gold coin donation to enter this incredible community event packed with entertainment, creativity, and sustainability!Discover:Unique market stalls filled with arts, crafts, and treasures.Interactive games, prizes, and activities to keep the kids entertained. Be amazed by:The Ashton Family Circus – fun for the whole family!Jeremy Penguin – NZ’s #1 juggler.Mermaid Story Time and Living Statues.Burns the Dragon and Gypsta Tricksta Kids Show.Roaming performers and live music by Kieran Callaghan.Savour the flavours:From fresh, healthy eats to your classic fair indulgences – Havana coffee, fresh juices, and real fruit ice cream await!Did you know?The Extravaganza Fair runs entirely on solar power! Our fire-engine stage captures the sun’s energy, powering performances, cafés, and more. Even our mobile homes are solar-powered!We’re proud to be sustainable:No single-use plastics (we banned them before the law did!).Fill up your reusable bottles at our Free Water Station.Recycle warriors will be on-site helping us sort waste properly.Supporting tree-planting charities to aim for carbon neutrality.Relax in our retro-inspired sunshade lounges and hang-out zones. Spend the whole day soaking up the fun while the kids stay entertained and off their screens!Share your snaps, join the conversation, and find all event details on our Facebook page.Don’t miss this spectacular day of fun, entertainment, and sustainability! See you at Mangawhai Domain this Saturday and/or Sunday!For open mic details: [email protected] inquiries: Visit The Extravaganza Fair's website.

Organisers of the historic Paparoa A & P Show are hoping for some sunshine for the 148th event, set to be held at the Paparoa Showgrounds on State Highway 12 on Saturday, February 1, starting at 9am.In 2023, the show faced overcast skies and intermittent rain, while the previous year saw heavy downpours that drove many stallholders to pack up early. However, show secretary and indoor organiser Melinda Birt is optimistic this time around, calling it “third time lucky.”Attractions and ActivitiesAs one of the longest-running agricultural and pastoral shows in New Zealand, the Paparoa A & P Show offers a diverse lineup of attractions. From equestrian and Western riding with team roping to sheep shearing, wood chopping, and livestock competitions, there’s something for everyone. The local fire service will hold demonstrations, and the event promises a bustling array of trade stalls. This year for the first time there will be clay laser shooting!Indoor Exhibitions and HighlightsThe indoor exhibition will challenge judges with a variety of entries across categories such as fruit and vegetables, jams and preserves, baking, arts and crafts, photography, dahlias, and a children’s section. Birt welcomes as many entries as possible, saying, “It’s the more the merrier.”A New Attraction: Heritage VehiclesThis year introduces a vintage and classic car display, featuring over 50 vehicles from pre-1980, contributed by car clubs and local collectors. “It’s something different and new at the show this year,” says Birt, making it a treat for automotive enthusiasts.Fun for All AgesFor families and children, the show offers food trucks, free kids’ rides, including a bouncy castle, merry-go-round, and teacups, along with classic games like the gumboot throw and the increasingly popular 500-wheelbarrow race.BECOME A MEMBERNorth Kaipara Agricultural Association Membership Options:Family Membership• $25.00 for two adults and up to three children.Individual Membership• $10.00 per adult.Membership Benefits:• Free admission to the Paparoa A & P Show.• Complimentary set of Royal A&P Society (RAS) Members District Tickets, which allow free entry to other listed A&P Shows by surrendering the relevant coupon at the gate.• Quickly recover your subscription cost by attending multiple shows!Entry DetailsThe gates open at 9am, with the following entry fees:• Family pass: $25• Adults: $10• Children: $5 each (first two children; additional children and under-5s are free)• North Kaipara Agricultural Association members: FreeAll that’s left to ensure a perfect day is a bit of sunshine!https://paparoashow.org.nz/

Samantha Gee, Nelson Marlborough / Te Tauihu reporterExplainer: Mangawhai residents awoke early on Sunday morning to what appeared to be a tornado, that had ripped through the town and left a trail of destruction behind.MetService initially couldn't confirm whether it was a tornado or simply a series of strong wind gusts but has since said it was indeed, being a violent rotating column of air from a thunderstorm that we know as a tornado.What do we know about the storm that hit Mangawhai?MetService meteorologist Surprise Mhlongo said a low pressure system moving across Northland on Sunday had brought with it thunderstorms, lightning and strong wind gusts."After reviewing on the ground observations and other evidence, it looks like it was a tornado."Around 50 homes were damaged and some were destroyed in the seaside community, while trees were uprooted and power poles were snapped in half.Two people were taken to hospital in a serious condition, one woman was flown to Auckland Hospital with "lacerations and broken bones" after the top storey of the house she was in was destroyed.Many residents described feeling their homes shake and a loud roaring sound as the tornado bore down around 3am.At least nine homes have since been yellow stickered.NIWA meterologist Dr Richard Turner said it was "most likely a tornado" based on eyewitness events at the time, the path that it took and the damage it caused.He estimated the wind speed to be over 150 kilometres per hour (roughly 45 metres per second) and said footage of the destruction looked similar to that caused by a tornado in Ōakura, Taranaki in 2007, where the wind speeds were assessed at the same speed."Given what I saw in the videos, the house with its second storey pretty much missing and the powerline down and the general amount of debris thrown around."Alan Johnson's home, Old Waipu Rd, Mangawhai. Photo: Peter de Graaf / RNZTurner said the speed varied along the path of a tornado, which is why some homes suffered more damage than others.The lack of radar coverage in regional New Zealand made it harder to detect tornadoes."Here they are small scale, they are hard to see and they can often come out of relatively small systems that might not be picked up by radar and also might be under a heavy cloud shield on the satellite so it isn't easy to actually determine these things afterwards."What is a tornado?A tornado is a narrow, rotating column of air that extends down towards the ground from the base of a thunderstorm.File pic Photo: 123RFWarning signs include a long, continuous roar or rumble, or a fast approaching cloud of debris, which can be funnel shaped.Turner said in New Zealand, most tornadoes were associated with bands of thunderstorms embedded in a strong, unstable pre-frontal northwesterly flow.Local tornadoes were usually spawned from mesocyclones - spinning updrafts of air in such thunderstorms.They were usually around 20 to 100 metres in diameter, lasted for a couple of minutes, and travellled two to five kilometres during that time with wind speeds of between 115km/h and 180 km/h.Warning signs included hail or heavy rain followed by dead calm or a fast, intense wind shift; and large, dark, low-lying clouds.How is the intensity of a tornado measured?The Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale) is used to assign a tornado a rating based on its estimated wind speeds and related damage.Most New Zealand tornadoes are relatively small and have ratings of EFO to EF1, reaching speeds of between 105 and 180 km/h.On rare occasions EF2 (180 to 220 km/h) tornadoes have occurred in New Zealand.The country's deadliest tornado was rated EF3 (220-265 km/h) and ocurred on 25 August, 1948 in the Hamilton suburb of Frankton. Three people were killed, 80 injured and about 160 buildings destroyed or badly damaged and property damage at the time was estimated to be as high as £1,000,000 ($60 million).Turner said he estimated the Mangawhai event to be a very strong EF1 or low EF2, given the wind speed of around 150 km/h and the associated damage."Just judging by the damage and the fact power poles were knocked over, it takes a fair bit of wind to do that."It takes "a fair bit of wind" to knock over a power pole, Dr Richard Turner says. Photo: Peter de Graaf / RNZHow often do tornadoes occur in New Zealand?Around 10 moderate to strong tornado events are reported in New Zealand each year. They aren't as common or as destructive as those that occur over the plains of the United States, but even on a small scale as seen in Mangawhai, could cause damage, injury and even deaths.Tornado damage in Valley View Texas, after a tornado rolled through on 26 May, 2024. Photo: AP / Julio CortezTurner said they were likely to be more frequent than thought given many other tornadoes in remote rural areas went unreported.He said they were most likely to occur in Northland, Tauranga, Waikato, Taranaki, Horowhenua and the West Coast.A tornado in Auckland in December 2012 hit Hobsonville and Whenuapai, killing three builders and damaging almost 400 homes. It was estimated to have cost $8.7m in damage.In July 2007, a swarm of 12 or more tornadoes hit the Taranaki coast and caused widespread damage in the region.Ōakura, a town 12km southwest of New Plymouth was most affected. Roughly 50 houses suffered major damage, some of it irreparable, when two tornadoes ripped through the town.In 2016, a tornado in the Auckland suburb of Albany killed one person, sent cars airborne and did about $10m in damage over a 15km path.This story was originally published by RNZ

Police can confirm one person has died following the crash in Wellsford this morning.The crash occurred at around 8.20am on State Highway 1, involving a truck and vehicle.Sadly, the driver of the vehicle has died at the scene.The Serious Crash Unit has been examining the scene and diversions remain in place.We anticipate the road will likely reopen after lunchtime.Police continue to advise motorists to allow additional time to reach their destinations.

For most people one Great Walk is achievement enough, but runner Romain Groleau had bigger plans.Starting his journey on 28 December, Groleau ran all 10 Great Walks, crossing the finish line at 2am on Sunday.The 44-year-old covered the distance of over twelve marathons, raising money for the New Zealand Nature Fund.Originally from France but now living in Auckland with his wife and three children, Groleau told RNZ's Summer Times his body was holding up pretty well after his Herculean effort."I'm still a bit tired and recovering from the big effort and going back into the real world. I was a little bit disconnected for these nine days I was on the trail, so reconnecting and recovering."He completed the Rakiura, Hump Ridge, Milford, Routeburn, Kepler, Paparoa, Heaphy, Abel Tasman, Tongariro and Lake Waikaremoana in eight days and 16 hours.The weather was kind to him, he says."I had a little bit of rain on Milford and on Kepler, but we had a great weather window, and when we did Tongariro it was between rain and snow the period of time that we were running."Romain Groleau ticks off his fourth Great Walk Photo: Romain GroleauLack of sleep, he says, was the main challenge."You run the trail and then you travel to the next one, and you need to keep on schedule, I probably slept less than five hours a night."So that was tough. And then the logistics, getting from one trail to the next, some of them require quite a bit of travel because they're not close to each other."Groleau, who is vegan, had to ensure he had plenty of fuel onboard to keep going."Lots of sugar that would be coming from honey, from jam… but what I realised as well is, after five days, the body and the stomach wasn't really keen to take on more just sugar and sweet things."So, I moved on to prepared sandwiches, I'd stop at a bakery and buy specific sandwich that were vegetarian."Prior to the challenge, he got plenty of kilometres in the legs."I run every day, for the past five years, I haven't missed a single day of running. So that gets the mind and the brain as well in the mindset of not stopping and continuing and running all the time."And I would run about 4000kms a year in general. So that's a lot of volume, and I do a lot of races, like ultra-marathon races, which also helped me to prepare for this. This year I did four ultra-marathon races, and with training of about 80km a week."Romain Groleau's marathon effort will raise money for the New Zealand Nature Fund. Photo: Romain GroleauDespite the physical stamina needed to complete the 10 walks, he had moments when he was able to marvel at the scenery, he says."Tongariro, the last one I did, was very special. I did it with a friend and we had this magic weather window, where the weather was super clear. We had this very starry sky, and just stopping in the middle of the night, it was close to zero degree at the time, and just looking at this sky and seeing the millions of stars, it was a bit like time stopped for a second."This story was originally published by RNZ

Peter de GraffAllowing a company to apply for fast-tracked consent to mine sand off the Northland coast has galvanised opposition and brought previously disparate groups together, the plan's critics say.A proposal by McCallum Brothers Ltd to dredge for sand off Bream Bay, south of Whangārei, is one of 149 projects nationwide - and 11 in Northland - able to apply for resource consent through new fast-track legislation, instead of having to go through the often-laborious Resource Management Act process.Applications can be lodged from 7 February.The fast-track process does not allow for community consultation, but instead of discouraging opponents, Emma Hart said that had fired them up.Hart, a spokeswoman for Stop Sandmining in Bream Bay, said the fast-track legislation had brought people together in record time."It's a fast track, but we have responded equally as fast. There's been such a wave of opposition, and everyone from Whangārei Heads to Langs Beach and beyond are appalled at what this has the potential to do to our most valuable asset, which is our coast, and is the reason we all live here," she said.The decision would be made by an expert panel without community consultation, but Hart hoped the strength of opposition would persuade the panellists to hold public hearings.That would give opponents a chance to speak, or least submit evidence, she said.A sand-mining dredge in action off Pākiri Beach. Photo: Supplied"This has actually galvanised us into immediate action because we have a small window in which to voice and show and gather evidence against this proposal. There's nothing in this proposal for the good people of Bream Bay. There's no money, there's no jobs and we've got an Auckland company coming up with an Auckland vessel and taking away sand."Hart said opponents were planning a rally at Ruakākā Beach from 11:30am this Sunday 26th January.She expected hundreds of people, from many different groups, to take part, as well as MPs and hapū.More than 1000 people were signing a petition against the sand-mining proposal each week, she said.However, McCallum Brothers managing director Callum McCallum urged people to wait until they had the full facts before forming an opinion.The company had commissioned a raft of technical reports, from individual experts and reputable organisations such as Niwa, Cawthron Institute, MetService, and Tonkin and Taylor.Once complete, those reports would be available in full on the McCallum Brothers website.They would address cultural values, coastal processes, surf, seafloor ecology, marine mammals, birdlife, fisheries, acoustics, economics and more.Sunrise over Taranga Island, in the Hen and Chicken Islands off Bream Bay. Photo: SuppliedMcCallum confirmed the company intended to seek fast-track consent, and would lodge its application once the expert reports had been completed.He acknowledged the rally planned at Ruakākā on Sunday, and said the company had been consulting with a number of groups in Northland since the plan's inception.The company had also been engaging with the two main hapū in the area, Patuharakeke and Te Parawhau, and some individuals who had made direct contact."We'll be engaging with relevant local community groups once we've received our completed technical reports. We look forward to the opportunity to discuss our proposal with the local community, including how we can contribute and support the local community," said.Hart said her concerns about sand mining included the effect on endangered species, such as sea turtles and the fairy tern or tara iti, New Zealand's rarest shorebird.Removing sand would also leave Bream Bay's coastline - already "absolutely wrecked" during Cyclone Gabrielle - even more vulnerable to storm surges, rising sea levels, and coastal erosion, she said."If we say nothing we are allowing our most valuable assets to be taken away … We cannot allow the environment to be sold out to the highest bidder."Hart said the sand off Bream Bay was deposited thousands of years ago when the Waikato River flowed out on the east coast, so it would never be replenished.Sand mining opponents spell out SOS during a protest at Mangawhai Beach in 2022. Photo: Save Our Sand Mangawhai Pakiri/ Elevated MediaThere were viable alternatives to dredging beach sand, some just kilometres from the Bream Bay proposal, Hart said.They included a plans by a Kaipara company to invest heavily in a plant producing high-grade land sand.Technical reports had not identified any significant effects caused by the sand mining proposal, McCallum said."Where minor effects have been found, we've taken measures to reduce these further so our operation can be undertaken with as little effect as possible."He said Auckland had an acute shortage of locally sourced sand resulting in concrete plants running out of sand twice in 2024.Sand for the Auckland CBD was currently being transported by road from as far away as the Waikato, creating congestion and large volumes of CO2, he said.Meanwhile, local hapū Patuharakeke said it had been engaged by McCallum Brothers to produce a Cultural Impact Assessment (CIA) relating to the sand-mining proposal.Dave Milner, of Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board's Te Pou Taiao unit, said the hapū opposed in principle any mining in its rohe moana (coastal area).That message had been conveyed directly to McCallum Brothers, he said.Milner said the fast-track process, unlike the RMA, did not allow Patuharakeke to have a voice at council-level consent hearings or take legal action through the Environment Court.The sand-mining operation, if it goes ahead, will take place about 4km off Northland's Bream Bay. Photo: WikiCommonsThat left the CIA as the hapū's only way to have a say."Therefore, our intention is to use our CIA process to provide a robust foundation to convey the hapū view on this application. This process will also involve kōrero with our neighbouring hapū and iwi."Milner said hapū representatives would take part in the Ruakākā Beach rally, and would hold a pōwhiri from 10am to welcome iwi from outside the area.If the proposal goes ahead, 250,000 cubic metres of sand will be removed per year from an area of seabed about 4km offshore.The sand would be collected by a suction dredge then shipped to ports in Northland, Auckland and the Bay of Plenty.It differs from the company's sand mining operation at Pākiri Beach, about 50km to the south, in that the dredging at Pākiri occurred close to shore.Renewed consent for the Pākiri operation, which has also sparked strong opposition, was refused under the RMA process by independent commissioners for Auckland Council.McCallum Brothers challenged the decision in the Environment Court but lost, and was ordered to pay a record $500,000 in costs to a community group and a Pākiri resident.The company is now appealing the Environment Court ruling.The appeal is set down to start on 10 November in the High Court at Auckland.This story was originally published by RNZ

Warkworth / Rodney RegionTuesday 28th Jan - Partly cloudy with isolated morning showers north of the city. Southeasterlies turning northeasterly this morning.Wednesday 29th Jan - Mainly fine, chance of a shower in the afternoon. Northwesterlies, easing in the evening.Thursday 30th Jan - Partly cloudy, with the chance of a shower from morning. Light winds.Friday 31st Jan - Partly cloudy, with the chance of a shower. Northerlies developing.Saturday 1st Feb - Fine, then showers developing. Northerlies.Sunday 2nd Feb - A few showers. Southwesterlies.Mangawhai / Northland RegionTuesday 28th Jan - A fine morning, becoming partly cloudy with the chance of a shower about midday. Easterlies developing this morning.Wednesday 29th Jan - Fine, then a few showers developing in the morning. Northerlies, easing in the afternoon.Thursday 30th Jan - Partly cloudy, with a few showers developing in the afternoon. Light winds.Friday 31st Jan - Partly cloudy. Northerlies developing.Saturday 1st Feb - Cloudy, with rain developing. Northerlies.Sunday 2nd Feb - Showers. Southwesterlies.

UPDATED 5 pmThe women who was thrown from her second story bedroom during the tornado and landed on a small shed at her house, has been named as Tina Johnson. The update on her condition is good news! While she suffered a broken arm, cuts, bruises, and underwent surgery yesterday, with more surgeries expected her recovery so far has been good. Thank you to her neighbours and emergency assistance for helping her. No details as yet on the man who was also hurt and taken to hospital. Our prayers and healing energy to him and Tina for their full recovery.At least nine homes have been yellow stickered with Civil Defence expecting that number to rise.Update from Northpower at 4.30pmAs the team have been working to restore power today, we have discovered there is much more damage than we were aware of. Amongst other unexpected damage, a new transformer is required, and two additional poles have been cracked and require replacement. Overall, 14 poles have been repaired or replaced over the last two days.This additional work means we will not be able to restore power at the times advised earlier today, apologies to those affected.The new estimated restoration times are:Moir St / Leslie Place area: Restoration by 10.30pmOld Waipu Road: We will have all but 30 customers restored by midnight tonight.The remaining 30 customers in Old Waipu Road will be without power overnight due to the need to replace the transformer that feeds these connections. We will advise an estimate on restoration when we know more.Electricians will be on site testing the electrical safety of each building. If there is damage to your property or your service line, these properties will not be able to be re-livened until electrical repairs have made it is safe to do so. We will work with you if this is the case at your property.Northpower would like to extend a huge thank you to the community for the support given to our team working in the area, there have been staff working long hours and the support and patience shown by the community is much appreciated.A reminder to please treat all lines and equipment as live at all times, please call us on 0800 10 40 40 if you do find a line on the ground you think we may be unaware of.Up to date information on outages and estimated restoration times can be found on our website www.northpower.nzThe Mangawhai Golf Club team have opened their doors to the public and are offering hot showers, free wifi and refreshments until 7pm tonight for anyone without power (bring your own towel and toiletries).UPDATES Kaipara District CouncilUPDATED 10amCrews are still working to clear trees along the side of Molesworth Drive. If you can, we recommend using Cove Road to travel between the Village and the Heads while we are working along Molesworth. Be aware of hazards on the road and travel safely.Cordon remains in place at Old Waipu Road, where Northpower are continuing to do work. Rapid response teams are door knocking on this street today.Affected residents are encouraged to get in contact with their insurance providers. Council will be removing green waste from the tornado and items from berms in the most affected areas this week.The Mangawhai council office is open until 6pm and available for anyone wanting assistance or you can call 0800 727 059 / 09 439 7059.UPDATE Monday 27 January 8.35am from Kaipara District CouncilKaipara Civil Defence Emergency Management continues to respond to the impacts of the Mangawhai tornado. The cordon at Moir Street was lifted overnight, after Northpower restored services to most properties on the street. A cordon remains in place at Old Waipu Road, where Northpower crew continue to replace poles. Approximately 81 properties on Old WaipuRoad remain without power, where more than twenty poles were toppled. Kaipara Civil Defence Emergency Management Local Controller John Burt reiterated that movement needed to stay restricted to allow Northpower to do their work as quickly as possible.  “People’s safety is our first priority. We understand that people want to clean up and get back to normal life as quickly as possible, but until work is completed we need to treat all wires as live and allow Northpower to secure the area. The teams are working as hard as they can, and we expect to be able to move the cordon back to Kahu Drive late morning, with the cordon removed completely before the end of the day.”  The response to the tornado has been a multi-agency approach, involving Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Police, Northpower and other lifeline utilities. Since yesterday afternoon efforts have been led by Kaipara Civil Defence Emergency Management, made up of trained council staff and Civil Defence Emergency Management professionals. Rapid Response Teams including first responders and Civil Defence Emergency Management staff are going door to door this morning on Old Waipu Road, conducting welfare checks and supporting residents with anything they need. Council building inspectors carried out building assessments yesterday. To date, approximately 17 houses and buildings have been white stickered, and nine yellow. This number is expected to rise once assessments have been completed along Moir Street and side streets. Affected residents are encouraged to get in contact with their insurance providers in the first instance. Council will be removing tornado damaged green waste and items from berms in the most affected areas this week. The Mangawhai council office at Unit 6, The Hub is open until 6pm today and available for anyone wanting more information or welfare assistance. Alternatively people can call the council on 0800 727 059 / 09 439 7059.

Project Update – January 2024Tēnā koe and welcome to the Northland Corridor newsletterWe hope you have been enjoying the holiday season. The team had a great start to the year at our first stop for the Summer Roadshow for 2025 on 11 January, with beautiful blue skies and over 170 people stopping by to talk to us at the Mangawhai Tavern Market about our progress on the project. There are 2 more events in the Summer Roadshow coming up in Waipū and Paparoa, see below for details.In this edition of the newsletter, we have a short update on the progress being made on Ara Tūhono – Warkworth to Te Hana and an update from our partners for this section, Hōkai Nuku.Happy New Year from the team and best wishes for 2025.Summer RoadshowThanks to everyone who’s come out to talk to us so far. It’s been great to have so many people attend these events, and to hear the continued support for the Northland Corridor Roads of National Significance project to proceed at pace. You have questions around timeframes, and we will continue to provide information on these when we can.We’re back on the road this weekend at the Waipū Street Markets on Sunday 26 January from 9am – 2pm, then again at the Paparoa A&P Show on Saturday 1 February from 9am-4pm. We hope to see you there! What if I can’t make the roadshow?We know summer is a busy time, so if these dates and times don’t work for you and you’d like to talk to us, feel free to reply to this email or contact us on [email protected] Ecologist Team have been assessing this watercourse located in the Mahurangi Forest.Section 1 update: Ara Tūhono – Warkworth to Te HanaOur geotechnical team were back early from the holiday break and have been hard at work for the past couple of weeks. To date we have drilled 66 boreholes with another 30 in progress or scheduled between now and the end of January, 63 cone penetrations tests and 37 test pits. This means over 2060m of core samples have now been drilled. If they were to be laid end to end this would be the equivalent of about 20 rugby fields!Our project ecologists are underway with assessing the habitat and presence of indigenous wildlife such as birds, bats, lizards, frogs, and snails through Mahurangi Forest in the Dome Valley and other sites between Warkworth and Te Hana. They’re gathering baseline data and have begun wetland monitoring at the Kōurawhero wetland to ensure compliance with resource consent conditions. The team continues to work alongside the geotechnical team to check drilling sites and access tracks to reduce risk to wildlife.Hōkai Nuku have been assessing Mamaku Fern (Black Tree Fern), raupō (bull rush) wetland and bush block at Kōurawhero.Hōkai Nuku UpdateHōkai Nuku provides cultural advice to the project on the Ara Tūhono – Warkworth to Wellsford project. They have started baseline Ki Uta Ki Tai, cultural indicator assessments of awa (rivers and streams), wetlands and ngahere (forest and bush) throughout the project designation. They’ve been inspecting sites at Maeneene (north of Te Hana) and Kōurawhero (near Warkworth) looking at the current conditions including the types of awa system, water quality, vegetation types, noting if there is any life in the water and the surrounding vegetation. These assessments are part of the Hōkai Nuku strategic focus to actively protect and manage Nga Taonga Tuku Iho (treasure handed down). They monitor changes to these sites during and after construction to evaluate the effects of construction impacts on these areas and monitor their recovery. Section 2 & 3 update: Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway and Port Marsden Highway to WhangāreiThe team continue to look at options for the proposed route between Te Hana and Whangārei, including an alternative for the Brynderwyn Hills. We’ll be updating people on where we are by the end of the first quarter this year.See our frequently asked questions for more information and, if you have further questions, feel free to contact us on [email protected] more information on the Northland Corridor, please visit nzta.govt.nz/projects/connecting-northland or contact us at [email protected] your travel over the coming holiday weekendsWe’ll stop planned maintenance and operations works on the state highway during the 2 holiday weekends coming up to minimise disruption to people’s journeys.For Auckland/Northland Anniversary weekend works will stop:12pm Friday 24 January - midnight Monday 27 January For Waitangi weekend works will stop:12pm 5 February – midnight Sunday 9 FebruaryIt’s a good idea to plan ahead to avoid the busiest times for traffic. For the latest travel updates and journey times, check our website before you travel: https://journeys.nzta.govt.nz/

UPDATE 7pmUpdate from KDC:Molesworth Drive and a section of Moir Street is now open to traffic. Please only travel in this area if you need to. Moir Street between Insley Street and Kagan Avenue/Mangawhai Domain remains closed with an active police cordon in place, as does Old Waipu Road.Emergency services are still working in these areas. Please remember to treat any powerlines as live, and do not touch, cut or move them. Kaipara Council will have an update on both of those areas in the morning.If you are within the cordoned areas and require welfare assistance, please call 0800 727 059 / 09 439 7059. The welfare team will support you with anything you need.Update from Northpower:Apologies all – things are more complex than first thought, a change to our estimated restoration to the below new times:Moir St area: approx midnight. Old Waipu Rd area – End of Day tomorrow (approx 5 pm).Please note if you are affected by this outage that the above estimated restoration times are for the Northpower main lines. If you have damage on the line from the network to your property this will take longer as our crews turn their attention to these service lines following restoration of the main lines.Please do NOT cut any service lines away, this is only going to make the job longer. Remember – treat all lines and equipment as LIVE at all times.Please note – FIBRE is out in the wider Mangawahai area, only the village has been restored at this stage. Teams are working on this and we estimate fibre restoration around 9pm. If fibre is not up and running at your place after 9pm please call your retailer.Additional photosTrees uprooted by the church in the village.Fibreglass insulation flown across the street from a roof cavity.UPDATE 5pmA message from Kaipara District Council:MULTIPLE LIVE HAZARDS. DO NOT TOUCH, MOVE OR CUT POWER LINESIf you are on Old Waipu Road or Moir Street in the Mangawhai Village area - please do not cut, move or touch power lines - treat all lines as live.The emergency services teams are working as fast as they can to restore power and clear the roads and footpaths to make them safe for access. People tampering with the lines, cutting or moving them is slowing down their work and efforts to restore services.If you are within the cordoned area and need welfare assistance, call 0800 727 059 / 09 439 7059. The team will support you.The Mangawhai council office at Unit 6, The Hub is open from 2pm and available for anyone within the cordon wanting more information or welfare assistance.For those who remain without power, toilets can be flushed using a bucket of water sourced from your water tanks. Keep the door closed as much as possible on refrigerators and freezers, and consider eating food that can spoil easily first – such as bread and meat, first, and eating canned food last.UPDATE: 1 pm20 power poles have fallen in the Village.The power outage map is reduced to just a small area in the village now.Civil Defence is urging people to stay at home, as there are many active hazards with downed power lines in the village area. If you live inside the cordoned area (posted further below), please stay in place and do not walk or cycle within the area. Treat all powerlines as live. If you live outside the affected area, please don’t enter the cordon. Space is needed for emergency services to do their job and secure the area.A massive thank you to the emergency services near and far that have helped so far with the tornado event:Maungaturoto Fire ServiceMangawhai Fire ServiceKaiwaka Fire ServicePaparoa Fire ServiceWaipu Fire ServiceWellsford Fire ServiceWarkworth Fire ServiceRuakaka Fire ServiceWhangarei Fire ServiceWhangarei Incident Response UnitsPapatoetoe Fire ServiceNZ PoliceSt JohnsWestpac HelicopterMany other local authorities including Northpower, KDC, Northland Civil Defence team and the countless locals that have offered their services, homes, food and help!What an amazing community we have!𝐊𝐈𝐀 𝐊𝐀𝐇𝐀 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐢 !!Mangawhai Beach School has sustained quite a bit of damage to their grounds and covered field. Classrooms as fine with no damage reported.Photo credit / Hayden WoodwardPhoto credit: Neisha VootUPDATE 11.30amCames Road is now clear, the Fonterra truck has been removed. Please drive slowly and considerately if using Cames Rd as a detour. The road is sign posted as a no trucks over a certain weight. The traffic is busy and is turning the gravel road into mud.UPDATE 10.53amPower to Lang's Beach residents has now been restored. Power to some parts of Mangawhai is still being worked on with extensive damage to power poles.UPDATE 10.40amHere is an update from Kaipara District Council:• There is currently a cordon in place around the Mangawhai Village area, where the tornado has caused the most damage. See the map below for the cordoned area.• There are many still without power and a number of powerlines down in the area.• Those inside the cordoned area – please stay in place and do not walk or cycle in the cordoned area. Please treat all powerlines as live.• If you don’t live in the affected area, please do not enter the cordon – we need the emergency services to do their job and secure the area. We will update you as soon as we have more information and it is safe to come and go.• We are working to set up a welfare centre for those who have been affected and will have more details of that soon.• Once the area is secured, our rapid response building teams will be coming in and carrying out assessments on properties, planned for later this afternoon.• Kaipara District Council have stood up an Emergency Operations Centre are working closely with FENZ, Northpower, Police and other agencies.IMAGE: Cordoned area in place in Mangawhai Village.UPDATE 10amParts of Mangawhai Village now have their power restored. Still some parts of Mangawhai and Lang's without power.If anyone needs anything urgently from the Mangawhai pharmacy. Please pm them on FB or email [email protected] and they will do their best to help. Otherwise they are open at 10am-2pm today.Builders and digger drivers and roofers are offering their services often for free. If you need assistant in Mangawhai you can find their details on the local FB pages.Lions Club Sandsational event postponed until tomorrow Monday 27th.Molesworth drive is closed south of Central. May also be closed in the village.Avoid Cames road as a go through there is currently a Fonterra truck stuck and blocking the way through.New World Mangawhai is OPEN.Photo update from Molesworth Drive and surrounds. Trees and debris currently being removed. Photo credit: Claire LowPhoto credit: Cam SlaterIn the early hours of this morning (Sunday, 26 January), a tornado swept through Mangawhai, causing widespread destruction and leaving residents in shock. Emergency services have been working hard to address the damage, which includes downed trees, lifted roofs, power outages, and impassable roads.Emergency ResponseHato Hone St John transported two individuals in serious condition—one by helicopter to Auckland Hospital and the other by ambulance to North Shore Hospital. Four ambulances were dispatched to the scene, while Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) deployed crews from seven brigades to respond to 16 emergency calls."Our initial response prioritised life safety," said Wipari Henwood, FENZ Northland District Manager. "Firefighters extricated two patients and handed them into the care of St John. We are now systematically checking homes for further damage."A specialist drone team has been deployed from Auckland to assist with damage assessments.Significant Damage Across MangawhaiOne of the most notable incidents occurred at Mangawhai Park, where a massive tree was brought down, ripping up water pipes in the process. Elsewhere, several houses lost their roofs, windows were blown in, and fallen trees caused damage to homes and roads.FENZ reported that most calls originated from Molesworth Drive and Old Waipū Road, with additional reports from Langs Beach and Ruakākā. Emergency services continue to clear debris and secure the area.Widespread Power OutagesNorthpower’s electricity and fibre network sustained severe damage, with outages reported across Mangawhai Village, Mangawhai Heads, Langs Beach, and Waipū. Power was lost shortly before 3:00am, and Northpower has warned residents to prepare for extended outages as crews assess and repair the damage."We have a widespread outage affecting our network due to a tornado damaging property and power lines in the wider Mangawhai area," Northpower stated. Residents are advised to treat all power lines as live and check Northpower’s website for updates and estimated restoration times.Please check the Northpower website for more information on outages and restoration times https://northpower.nz/outages/Roads Blocked and Cordons in PlaceMany roads in and around Mangawhai Village remain blocked by fallen trees and debris, including sections of Moir Street and Molesworth Drive. Emergency services have urged residents to stay off the roads to allow their teams to respond efficiently.Coordinated Response EffortsFENZ, Police, Hato Hone St John, and Civil Defence Northland are working together to manage the ongoing response. A systematic inspection of properties is underway, and emergency crews are addressing calls for help relating to property damage, blocked roads, and power outages.Key Safety Advice for ResidentsAuthorities urge residents to:Treat all power lines as live.Avoid the impacted area and stay off roads to allow emergency services to work.Assess property damage only during daylight and with caution.As emergency services continue their work, the full extent of the tornado’s impact is still being assessed. Residents are encouraged to stay updated through official channels and to prioritise safety during this challenging time.Kia Kaha Mangawhai.

Mangawhai residents have been left in shock after a tornado tore through the Northland community at about 3am this morning.The damaged caused cut power to almost 5000 homes overnight, and about 1000 are still without an electricity supply.Two people have been taken to hospital in a serious condition, one was airlifted to Auckland hospital while the other was driven to North Shore hospital.Mangawhai resident Matthew Taylor said Mangawhai was pulling together."There's been various people offering accommodation, food, coffees, whatnot, from various other places."We've had a lot of messages ourselves come through."And yeah, I think just small towns, they sort of all get together when things like this happen, which is really cool."I think Mangawhai will be back to normal pretty soon."Moir Street, where a woman had her car crushed by a 138 year old oak tree that was felled by the tornado. Photo: RNZ / Peter de GraafThe tornado will be responsible for many car insurance claims. Photo: RNZ / Peter de GraafJulie Wall said she was not going to do too much as she was still without power, but would come back tomorrow with some rubbish bags and see if she could clear some of the debris left behind. Photo: RNZ / Peter de GraafAbout 5000 residents were left without power as the tornado brought down a number of power lines. Photo: RNZ / Peter de GraafNorthpower are continuing to work to return power to the 1000 homes still left without electricity. Photo: RNZ / Peter de GraafResidents race to get tarps over houses that lost their roofs in the tornado in Mangawhai, 26 January 2025. Photo: Peter de Graaf / RNZAlan Johnson with what was left of his home after the Mangawhai storm, 26 January 2025. Photo: Peter de Graaf / RNZGarage door blown out, Old Waipu Road, Mangawhai, 26 January 2025. Photo: Peter de Graaf / RNZA destroyed business premises on Old Waipu Road, Mangawhai. Photo: Peter de Graaf / RNZA broken power pole in Mangawhai, after a storm ripped through the town, 26 January 2025. Photo: Peter de Graaf / RNZCorrugated iron and duvets in a tree following a storm in Mangawhai, 26 January 2025. Photo: Peter de Graaf / RNZThis story was originally published by RNZ

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, 31 January 2025. 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, 27 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Orewa southbound on-ramp, 27 JanuaryMillwater southbound on-ramp, 27 JanuaryNorthbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Orewa on-ramp, 27 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Silverdale northbound on-ramp, 27 JanuaryNorthbound lanes between Northcote Road off-ramp and Constellation Drive on-ramp, 27 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Tristram Avenue northbound on-ramp, 27 January (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Northcote Road northbound on-ramp, 27 January (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Tristram Avenue off-ramp and Northcote Road on-ramp, 27-30 January (approx 10:00pm to 5:00am)Tristram Avenue southbound on-ramp, 27-30 JanuaryNorthbound lanes between Onewa Road off-ramp and Northcote Road on-ramp, 28 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Esmonde Road (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 28 JanuaryEsmonde Road (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 28 JanuaryOnewa Road northbound on-ramp, 28 JanuaryOnewa Road northbound on-ramp, 29 JanuaryStafford Road northbound off-ramp, 29-30 JanuaryCurran Street northbound on-ramp, 29-30 JanuarySOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 27 January (approx 10:00pm to 5:00am)Drury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 27 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 28-30 JanuaryDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 28-30 JanuarySouthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Ramarama on-ramp, 29-30 JanuaryDrury/SH22 southbound on-ramp, 29-30 JanuaryBombay northbound on-ramp, 27-30 JanuaryBombay northbound off-ramp, 27-30 JanuaryPokeno northbound off-ramp, 28 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Southbound lanes between Waimauku roundabout and Trigg Road, 28 January (approx 8:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Trigg Road and Waimauku roundabout, 28 January (approx 8:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Access Road and Taupaki Road roundabout, 28 JanuaryNorthbound lanes between Taupaki Road roundabout and Access Road, 28 JanuarySOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Southbound lanes between Maioro Street off-ramp and Neilson Street on-ramp, 30 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Maioro Street southbound on-ramp, 30 JanuaryDominion Road southbound on-ramp, 30 JanuaryHillsborough Road southbound on-ramp, 30 JanuaryQueenstown Road southbound on-ramp, 30 JanuaryNorthbound lanes between Neilson Street off-ramp and Maioro Street on-ramp, 29 January (approx. 10:30pm to 5:00am)Dominion Road northbound on-ramp, 29 JanuaryHillsborough Road northbound on-ramp, 29 JanuaryNeilson Street northbound on-ramp, 29 JanuaryNorthbound lanes between Queenstown Road off-ramp and Dominion Road on-ramp, 27-28 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Hillsborough Road northbound on-ramp, 27-28 JanuaryNeilson Street northbound off-ramp, 28 JanuaryRimu Road northbound on-ramp, 28 January

The Founding of the ClubThe Mahurangi Cruising Club was formed in 1988. The story goes that a small group of friends, sitting around on a beach in the Mahurangi Harbour, decided to create a home for disaffected sailors who did not want to belong to a proper yacht club. Rather, what was needed was something less formal, very inclusive, and definitely without a clubhouse, with all the complications and costs that property entails.A committee was thought to be essential, though—one that had a lot of fancy titles, could organise a programme of events, and compete for lots of lovely trophies. A very large tree stump outside the heritage Scott House at Scott’s Landing on the Mahurangi Peninsula was claimed as the new club HQ, and the vision of the club was formalised as: "Encouraging the ownership, use, and restoration of classic wooden boats."The Mahurangi RegattaOn Anniversary Weekend of 1990, the new club held its first classic yacht race in the Mahurangi Regatta. This was the perfect fit for the traditional spirit of the new club, as the regatta, brought back to life a decade earlier by the Friends of the Mahurangi group, was modelled on the old Mahurangi Settlers Regatta. This regatta had been held annually in the harbour from the late nineteenth century until the outbreak of the Second World War.The race, at first rather small and gathered together by personal invitation, soon grew and has continued to grow, attracting a large number of visitors to the harbour every Anniversary Weekend. Over a hundred boats now take part in the racing, and upwards of 600 boats anchor in the Mahurangi to enjoy what is now recognised as the southern hemisphere’s largest meet of classic wooden boats—yachts of all sizes as well as classic launches.Typically, trailer boats can be launched for the Mahurangi Regatta from Sullivans Bay. However, due to storm damage, the ramp at Sullivans Bay is currently closed. Instead, trailer boats will need to be launched from Wenderholm or Opahi Bay. While the traditional beach picnic organised by Mahurangi Action at Sullivans Bay will be a more low-key affair this year, it will still feature the much-loved children’s races.The prizegiving and dance at Scott’s Landing remain on the schedule, promising to conclude the day with a memorable celebration on the final long weekend of summer.For those wanting to see the regatta in action head to the Mahurangi peninsula.While the regatta race remains the club’s premiere event, there are also club races held around Kawau Bay at Easter and again in early spring. The club was keen to see, and welcome into the regatta, newly built replicas of the old Mahurangi punt—tenders that were used around the harbour as early as 1860.In 2009, following a major reconstruction project supported by members of the club, the trading scow Jane Gifford was re-launched. The Jane is now permanently berthed in the Warkworth river basin and provides excursions in and around her old sailing grounds in the Mahurangi Harbour. She has a regular outing at the regatta, acting as the Club Start/Finish Boat.A Change of HQIn 2010, the club was dealt a blow when its club HQ and sometime trophy cabinet was destroyed in a covert operation by Parks Management. The stump was cleared away, and committee members spent some months meandering haplessly from pub to pub in search of a suitable venue for meetings. At last, two club members offered their magnificent shed in Warkworth as a base. Admiralty House on Bertram Street now provides the club, its trophies, and other odds and sods, with a permanent home.For more information you can check out their website https://mahurangicruisingclub.org/

FRIDAY 24th JanuaryMahurangi Regatta Weekend 2025 from Friday until Monday.Rodders Beach Festival from Friday to SundayAuckland Anniversary: Matakana Friday Night Market - Last Friday of the MonthFriday Night Live Music - Andy RichterSATURDAY 25th JanuarySpring Fete - This Saturday in LeighDjs in the row @ Brick BayBrooke Lane Vineyard’s Last Saturday Club Live Music This Saturday @ Warkworth HotelLive on the lawn @ Farmers DaughterErana Watts & M.A.D. Live @ The Tahi Bar & Kitchen Rock, Soul and R&B - Classics At The CoveThe Occasionals Live at the Mangawhai TavernPARK RD & Foley @ The Leigh Sawmill CafeSUNDAY 26th JanuarySnells Beach Community Market - Last Sunday of the MonthGoat Island Safari SwimPuhoi Village Market - Last Sunday In January - 9am to 1pmAuckland Anniversary: Matakana Sunday Market @ The Matakana Country Park Sandsational 2025Waipu Street MarketEstuary Cafe & Bar Presents A Family Fun Day This Sunday!Sandy Bannar-Martin at The Puhoi Pub Hotel & Stables Levi Lights On @ The Tahi Bar + KitchenLorenzo Hazelwood Live at The Tahi Bar & KitchenMONDAY 27th JanuaryThe Mantics at The Puhoi PubClick for a full list of Events