Latest from Gisborne

Stacking debris then clearing beaches

Wairoa’s beaches are slowly being returned to their pre-Cyclone Gabrielle state. Clearing of woody debris is being undertaken at Mohaka and Whakamahi beaches and more recently at Māhia with a focus on clearing the Mokotahi boat launching ramp and...

Kerala harvest festival, Onam, celebrated in GDC forecourt

Young girls wearing the traditional dress of Kerala, in southern India, performed on Saturday on the forecourt of the Gisborne District Council building in an event to mark Onam, the annual harvest festival from that part of the country. Other...

Fire at scrap metal yard under control

Firefighters made it in time to stop a potentially serious fire taking hold at a scrap metal yard in Banks Street in the industrial subdivision on Monday morning. Fire and Emergency NZ sent crews to the property at around 11.30am. “It was started...

Wind gusts up to 104kmh in the Whareratas

Anyone driving over the Wharerata Range between Gisborne and Wairoa will have been aware of the strong south-westerly winds of Monday and yesterday. Instruments in the Wharerata hills recorded gusts up to 104kmh on Monday, peaking around 11.30pm...

Australian firm defends contract with Kiwa Pools

An offshore company which controversially won a Gisborne learn-to-swim contract says it’s looking forward to getting to work. But an Australian-based Kiwi says the business has had a negative impact on her local pool near Brisbane, and worries...

Te Wharau School students get into character

Literary characters came to life at Te Wharau School recently as part of activities associated with Book Week. Children were encouraged to come to school dressed as a book character. “It was a fantastic success, showcasing the enthusiasm for...

Cycling for Heart Kids NZ

Jack Adams first realised he was a little bit different from other kids when he was at primary school in a small town in Norfolk, in the UK. He was born with an ulnar club hand, a rare congenital malformation, which consists of an underdeveloped or...

Triallists turn out for training day at Mangatoitoi Station

A sizeable number of sheep dog triallists turned out for a training day held on Mangatoitoi Station at Ngatapa last week. Guy Peacock from Hawke’s Bay, pictured here coaching Annabelle Hustler from Growing Future Farmers, demonstrated the heading...

Survey confirms gang ties to drug purchases

A study by Massey University shows Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay rank third highest region in the country for cannabis purchases from gang members, and seventh highest for the purchase of methamphetamine from gangs. The New Zealand Drugs Trends Survey...

Rolling maul proves a deadly weapon in win over Mid Canterbury

A solid showing from the men in sky blue made Kaupoi Kris Palmer’s 50th match a winning one on their home Whakarua Park in Ruatoria on Saturday. Enterprise Cars Ngāti Porou East Coast Kaupoi — as they did in their Lochore Cup final triumph...

Bay outfoxed but earn bonus

Poverty Bay are showing they are a force to be reckoned with in the 2023 Heartland Championship but had to settle for a bonus point loss in their Week 2 away clash on Saturday. Thames Valley earned their second win on the trot in beating Civil...

Extra-extra time decides Premier Grade champions: Whangara Old Girls 59 YMP 57

Whangara Old Girls hoisted the Jan Duncan Trophy for Gisborne Premier Grade netball supremacy on Saturday at the end of a cliffhanger grand final described as “one of the best”. There was pandemonium in the Gisborne YMCA when, after six minutes...

Warm farewell for Lynsey Bartlett after over 40 years of local service

Hauora Tairāwhiti has warmly farewelled Lynsey Bartlett who has worked in our local health services for over 40 years. Mrs Bartlett started as an intensive care unit nurse before moving into management. She was chief operating officer and general...

Smoke exposure

Some people in Tairāwhiti have been burning cyclone waste on their properties. And while most healthy people can tolerate small amounts of smoke exposure, smoke can affect vulnerable groups such as kids, the elderly, those who smoke cigarettes and...

End of an era

Amorning tea has been held to mark the last Aqua Fitness class being held at the Olympic Pools Complex. Ironically, the last class had to be cancelled because the pool’s temperature was not high enough, which was almost perfect timing for the new...

Tairāwhiti's Covid cases surpass 25000 mark

The total number of Covid-19 cases recorded in Tairāwhiti has broken the 25,000 mark since Covid was first discovered in the country in late February of 2020. Te Whatu Ora figures, up to one minute before midnight on Sunday, show 96 new cases had...

Slight delays on asphalt work as rain and cold take a toll

An estimated 30,000 square metres of asphalt has now been laid as crews continue the resurfacing of State Highway 2 north of Matawai. There have been a number of overnight closures on the stretch of SH2 between Matawai and the Waioeka Gorge as crews...

Rescue chopper busy collecting patients on the East Coast lately

A growing demand for service from the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter continued over the last week with a packed schedule of rescue missions. In the seven days from Monday, August 14 the team flew a total of eight missions, of which...