Michelle McIlroy and her family love their northern Wairoa home, with the town’s showgrounds and Wairoa River behind them. The 56-year-old has lived there most of her life, and her family know the land well, including how it floods, such as this...
The Waikaremoana Great Walk will reopen in the new year on January 10 after being closed for nearly a year after Cyclone Gabrielle. An intensive work programme to repair severe damage sustained during the cyclone and previous severe weather events...
Concerns have been raised by a Gisborne district councillor about a perceived lack of scheduled meetings for the year ahead. On Thursday, councillors adopted their schedule for 2024 which proposed a six-weekly meeting cycle. The report prepared for...
The number of houses being built here is at a 10-year high but the region’s population is growing faster than government predictions, a new report shows. The region’s fourth housing stocktake report, compiled by Sense Partners for Manaaki...
Gisborne city high schools have named their top academic students. For Girls’ High the awarding of the dux honour came with a double difference, as twins Samara and Alani McLeod shared the title. Their results were so similar the school was unable...
Ratepayers here are in the gun for a potential $350-a-year rates increase, as Gisborne District Council considers an 11.4 percent hike. The strategic framework for the 2024-2027 Three Year Plan, including council’s priorities, was adopted at last...
Superb racing in the saloons and incident-packed competition in the Youth Ministocks 100 were highlights of another excellent Gisborne Speedway Club show on Saturday night. The 60-plus drivers in the youth ministocks gave it everything, and raced...
Hamish McKay is probably best known as one of the nation’s top sports journalists but he’s a real country lad at heart. The award-winning journo is the keynote speaker at the East Coast Farming Expo Property Brokers Evening Muster and event...
The final sheep sale of the year at the Matawhero Saleyards yesterday saw a total clearance of the 1300 store lambs sent for sale. Prices remained steady for the larger lambs, but there were a lot of small lambs, and there was limited demand for...
Luke Marks is a self-confessed entrepreneur and his colourful home reflects an equally colourful life. Loren Sirl talks to Luke, who has been a global surfer, actor, skateboard inventor, tomato grower and vegetarian chef. The friendly barista behind...
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has just published an ‘insights and observations’ report following his visits to regions and communities worst affected by the series of extreme weather events that ravaged the North Island at the start of this...
Indulge your sweet tooth with a delectable treat that perfectly balances chewy edges and soft centres with these easy and quick to bake M&M cookies. M&M cookies are not only a culinary triumph but also a time-saving wonder, coming together...
Learn simple tricks to keep your Christmas tree vibrant—whether it’s cut or potted—through easy watering, repotting, and care after the holidays. One of the most important Yuletide decisions families make is choosing what sort of Christmas...
Mike Yardley writes about his exploration of the Nydia Track in Pelorus Sound, conquering its advanced 27km circuit through ancient forests and serene bays for a unique off-the-beaten-path adventure. Whether it’s the Queen Charlotte Track or the...
2023 has been a year of immense challenges for this region and as it draws to an end people will be looking forward to a well-earned break — and hopefully summer weather finally, like the forecast for this weekend. Many have been buffeted by the...
Pauline E Tangiora While I cannot support what happened at Te Papa the other day, the museum board and CEO should be held responsible for not listening to the people over many years. For the public’s information, in September 1984 Dame Te...
Re: Rail benefits outweigh cost, December 13 letter. Niall, I don’t know what part of the country you come from but I think before you jump in with your opinion about the stuffed Gizzy to Napier rail link, you should come here to look at the...
Gwynne Dyer The poet Horace foreshadowed the COP28 climate summit by more than 2000 years when he wrote “Mountains will labour. What’s born? A ridiculous mouse!” A mouse that couldn’t bring itself to speak of “phasing out” fossil fuels...
Poverty Bay’s Jarrod Ormiston about to crack the willow in front of Northland wicketkeeper Ryan Parkes in a twenty20 game at the Emerging Rangatahi Northern Districts under-19 cricket tournament which concluded in Gisborne yesterday. Ormiston made...
What do cricket’s Luan Kloppers, Brett Sorrenson and Ryan Majstrovic have in common? The answer is that regional umpires coordinator Kloppers, Northern Districts pathway manager Sorrenson and Poverty Bay committee member Majstrovic could not be...
Poverty Bay Kayak Club paddlers made a big splash at their first regatta of the summer season, near Rotorua this month. Tikitapu 1 is an annual event that draws top New Zealand paddlers from a wide area. Tairāwhiti athletes won gold medals in...
A month after claiming World Rugby's biggest prize, All Black Ardie Savea has claimed the Player of the Year at Thursday's New Zealand Rugby Awards. It is the second time Savea has received the top honour, while he was also named the All Blacks...
The community has until December 30 to notify the district council of any residential land severely affected by Cyclone Gabrielle that is not already known to the council. Council sustainable futures director Joanna Noble said a cut-off date was...
An estimated 5852m3 of wood debris near the cyclone-destroyed Pauariki Bridge on the Hikuwai River 20km south of Tokomaru Bay is classified as high risk, says the Gisborne District Council. “Local contractor Parata Ltd is extracting the wood using...
by Katherine Klouwens, LeaderBrand As the bad weather never seems to end, everyone is over the rain, and we are in major need of some sunshine, and good food that makes you happy and improves your long-term mental health. So, why not eat yourself...
In line with its commitment to development and educational empowerment in te Tairāwhiti, Rua Bioscience has announced the recipients of the 2023 He Ara Atawhai – He kakano Undergraduate Scholarships. The scholarships, integral to the Ru...
The Tokomaru Bay Heritage Trust is once again raising money for its long-term efforts to restore the historic wharf. For the ninth year in a row, volunteers are selling calendars as the trust endeavours to raise more than $5 million. Volunteer John...
Eight new police patrol dog teams graduated this week from the New Zealand Police Dog Training Centre in Trentham and one of them will be patrolling Gisborne streets. Four police districts benefit from this newly graduated cohort — Northland...
A dawn blessing of six new waka has marked a reconnection of Mareikura Waka Ama Club with the community after its fleet was severely damaged in Cyclone Gabrielle. Training came to a halt for the pioneer waka ama club when Gabrielle wreaked havoc on...
Gisborne district councillors have spoken strongly in favour of boosting township upgrades at the expense of a shared path extension in the city. At a full council meeting on Thursday, a council staff update on Three Waters Better Off Funding...
Up-and-coming youngsters of the North Island speedway scene will be in action at Gisborne Speedway Club’s annual Youth Ministock 100 tomorrow. The night will conclude with a 26-car demolition derby and Santa will be doing the rounds on the track...
CANOEING Paddlers with Poverty Bay Kayak Club produced a string of outstanding results at their first regatta of the summer season at Lake Tikitapu this month. The regatta, an annual event, brought together clubs from a wide area to race in...
Gisborne surf lifesaving athletes Cory Taylor and Olivia Corrin begin their quest for Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series glory at Manly Beach in Sydney this weekend. Taylor and Corrin, who compete with Australian club Northcliffe and also with...
Gisborne will be represented this weekend in the gruelling Mount Monster long-distance “iron” surf lifesaving event at Mt Maunganui. Run by the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service, it entails a 12-kilometre ski leg, 5km run, 1.5km ocean swim and...