Rural West Whangarei, Maungakaramea

Wondering about something in your neighbourhood?

Wondering about something in your neighbourhood?

Whether it's a new building going up or a strange noise you keep hearing, ask your neighbours here.

85 days ago

Deirdre’s Cheese Puffs

Jane Mander Retirement Village

Deirdre loves cooking and enjoys teaching kids about food - something she does three times at week at the Busy Bees Kindergarten in Havelock North. We spoke to her while she whipped up a batch of cheese puffs in her townhouse at James Wattie Village.

Watch her journey of teaching, retirement … View more
Deirdre loves cooking and enjoys teaching kids about food - something she does three times at week at the Busy Bees Kindergarten in Havelock North. We spoke to her while she whipped up a batch of cheese puffs in her townhouse at James Wattie Village.

Watch her journey of teaching, retirement and still working. Plus, we’ve included the recipe to her cheese puffs which were gobbled up by our camera crew because they’re delicious!

Click read more for the full recipe.

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86 days ago

What's our best winter activities?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Yes, we love our backyards and think our town is pretty cool but what is there to do?

Summer, we can head to Matapouri to soak up the sun, but imagine you were writing a list for visitors/tourists and want to show them the best that your town can offer in winter. What would you suggest?

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87 days ago

Feel your best self at Ryman

The Team from Ryman Healthcare

Moving into a serviced apartment at Ryman means there’s less time spent cooking and cleaning, and more time for family and friends.

Feel safe and secure at a Ryman village, where beautiful gardens provide the backdrop for a host of on-site amenities.
Find out more

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88 days ago

What's your favourite rhubarb recipe?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

We're looking for delicious rhubarb recipes to feature in NZ Gardener. Send your family's favourite ways to enjoy this crop to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by August 31, 2024. Every published recipe wins a copy of the November issue of NZ Gardener.

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89 days ago

Refresh your home with Resene!

Resene

Get 20% off Resene’s huge range of 10L paints, wood stains, primers and sealers.

Plus buy 1 60-80 mL testpot get 1 free on testpots. Visit your local Resene ColorShop or reseller and get started on your decorating project.

Choose from the widest range of Eco Choice approved paints all made … View more
Get 20% off Resene’s huge range of 10L paints, wood stains, primers and sealers.

Plus buy 1 60-80 mL testpot get 1 free on testpots. Visit your local Resene ColorShop or reseller and get started on your decorating project.

Choose from the widest range of Eco Choice approved paints all made right here in New Zealand.
Find out more

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106 days ago

What's the best way to keep grocery shopping bills down?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

We are still feeling the pinch and the weekly shop is no different. So we are after your cost-saving tips please, neighbours!

What’s the best way you've found to cut down on your grocery bill? Share below (and hear tips from others!)

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92 days ago

Poll: Are the proposed youth military camps a good idea?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

To prevent further youth crime, the government has proposed stays at military-style camps for up to 12 months for young offenders. Do you think the camps will be successful in rehabilitating youth who commit crimes?

Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.

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Are the proposed youth military camps a good idea?
  • 71.1% Yes
    71.1% Complete
  • 28.1% No
    28.1% Complete
  • 0.8% Other - I'll share below
    0.8% Complete
1976 votes
117 days ago

Show us your winter craft or DIY projects

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

When we are stuck inside, it can be a time to get creative. And we think Neighbourly members are quite a creative bunch. So, let's fill the Neighbourly newsfeed with crafty creations from across the country.

Share a photo below of your craft projects, recent DIY, or your hobby. You may … View more
When we are stuck inside, it can be a time to get creative. And we think Neighbourly members are quite a creative bunch. So, let's fill the Neighbourly newsfeed with crafty creations from across the country.

Share a photo below of your craft projects, recent DIY, or your hobby. You may just inspire someone else!

92 days ago

LOVE TO DANCE | Applications open now!

Jane Mander Retirement Village

Win one of three $5,000 grants to support your community’s love of dance!

Whether it’s pre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapa haka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet – if you’re encouraging people of all ages and abilities to keep moving through dance, we want to hear … View more
Win one of three $5,000 grants to support your community’s love of dance!

Whether it’s pre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapa haka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet – if you’re encouraging people of all ages and abilities to keep moving through dance, we want to hear from you!

Know someone who could use our support? Click read more to apply!

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99 days ago

Future Development Strategy consultation

The Team from Whangarei District Council

Consultation is open on our draft Future Development Strategy, a roadmap for managing growth over the next 30 years.

Ever thought about city layout, housing types, protecting rural areas or future industries? Or even just wondered how you'd like Whangarei District to look when you're … View more
Consultation is open on our draft Future Development Strategy, a roadmap for managing growth over the next 30 years.

Ever thought about city layout, housing types, protecting rural areas or future industries? Or even just wondered how you'd like Whangarei District to look when you're 30 years older? This consultation is for you.

We're running three drop-in sessions to discuss the draft face-to-face:
💬 14 August 2024, 05:00 PM to 06:30 PM
Kamo High School Library, 1 Wilkinson Avenue, Te Kamo
💬 19 August 2024, 05:00 PM to 06:30 PM
Te Iwitahi (the civic building), 9 Rust Avenue
💬 22 August 2024, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Bream Bay Community Support Trust, 9 Takutai Place, Ruakākā

Or you can download the whole draft (or the summary), see the consultation schedule and have your say here:
www.wdc.govt.nz...

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95 days ago

Whau Valley Dam is completely full

The Team from Whangarei District Council

Despite lower-than-average rainfall so far in 2024, this reservoir of over 1.8 million cubic metres reached full capcity earlier this month.

The Whau Valley Dam is directly connected to our new Whau Valley Water Treatment Plant which supplies reservoirs throughout the Whangārei Supply Area. The… View more
Despite lower-than-average rainfall so far in 2024, this reservoir of over 1.8 million cubic metres reached full capcity earlier this month.

The Whau Valley Dam is directly connected to our new Whau Valley Water Treatment Plant which supplies reservoirs throughout the Whangārei Supply Area. The Bream Bay area is serviced by Wilson's Dam (also full).

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100 days ago

Road repairs

The Team from Whangarei District Council

Several of the 172 road sites sealed last summer have since lost patches of chip, causing problems for drivers, council and our contractors.

We are keeping the sites as safe as possible while the weather and temperatures improve enough for permanent repairs.

This includes weekly checks when… View more
Several of the 172 road sites sealed last summer have since lost patches of chip, causing problems for drivers, council and our contractors.

We are keeping the sites as safe as possible while the weather and temperatures improve enough for permanent repairs.

This includes weekly checks when contractors are sweeping or removing loose chip as required.

Some sites have continued to lose chip quite rapidly after a sweep. This can make it look like they have not been swept. We arrange re-sweeps when that happens.

We have put temporary traffic management in place for the high speed rural environments where this happened, with signs warning drivers of the hazard and announcing speed limits.

Under the terms of our contracts, the cost of this management and safety work, and the final permanent repairs, are being carried by the relevant contractors – not Council or the ratepayer.

We are investigating the reason for these failures so we can avoid these situations in future.

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95 days ago

HEATING COSTS ARE GETTING HIGHER

Jill Smith from Citizens Advice Bureau Far North (CAB)

STRUGGLING TO PAY YOUR POWER BILL?
Contact your energy provider as soon as possible. This is especially important if you are on a low income, or someone in the household has a health condition, is very young or very old, or is medically dependent on the mains power supply to your home.
Your … View more
STRUGGLING TO PAY YOUR POWER BILL?
Contact your energy provider as soon as possible. This is especially important if you are on a low income, or someone in the household has a health condition, is very young or very old, or is medically dependent on the mains power supply to your home.
Your energy provider may discuss your payment plan with you, suggest an alternative pricing plan, advise you of agencies who can help with budgeting or refer you to Work and Income (with your consent). If you are on a low income, you might be eligible for help with paying your bill.

To find out more, visit: www.cab.org.nz...

Give us a call on 09 407 9829 or 0800 367 222. Email us on farnorth@cab.org.nz. Visit us at 6 Cobham Rd., Procter Library Building, Kerikeri.

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96 days ago

Flare training exercise in Whangārei Harbour

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Police are advising the public of a flare training exercise being conducted in the Whangārei Harbour tomorrow night.

What you need to know:
- The practical distress signal exercise, in the Snake Bank area, will take place on Tuesday 13 August, between 7pm and 9pm.
- Residents and water users … View more
Police are advising the public of a flare training exercise being conducted in the Whangārei Harbour tomorrow night.

What you need to know:
- The practical distress signal exercise, in the Snake Bank area, will take place on Tuesday 13 August, between 7pm and 9pm.
- Residents and water users in the general area can expect to see several red and orange-coloured distress flares in the night sky at this time, including some smoke flares.
- Police ask that you please do not call emergency services if you see flares of this nature in the Snake Bank area between these times.
- The exercise is being conducted by Coastguard in conjunction with the Rescue Coordination Centre of Maritime New Zealand.

100 days ago

HAVE YOU BEEN SCAMMED?

Jill Smith from Citizens Advice Bureau Far North (CAB)

Scams are on the rise and ruining lives, with over a million households in New Zealand targeted by scammers in the past year. Scams are becoming more sophisticated and far reaching, anyone can be caught by them, and in New Zealand we don’t have enough protections for keeping people safe.
At … View more
Scams are on the rise and ruining lives, with over a million households in New Zealand targeted by scammers in the past year. Scams are becoming more sophisticated and far reaching, anyone can be caught by them, and in New Zealand we don’t have enough protections for keeping people safe.
At CAB, we regularly help members of the public with issues to do with scams. People come to us when they need help to know if something is a scam, or when they have been affected by a scam. We see the impacts scams can cause for their victims - the hardship and distress.
This is why we’re supporting the call for action to make New Zealanders safer from scams. Our friends at Consumer NZ are running a petition which asks for:

Banks to refund scam victims for authorised and unauthorised scam payments, unless the victim has been grossly negligent.
A national anti-scam framework requiring banks, telcos and digital platforms to take action to address scams and outlining their liability if they fail to meet their obligations.
A centralised anti-scam centre where relevant organisations work together to keep us safe.
If you would like to support this campaign by signing the Consumer NZ petition, you can do that here:

campaigns.consumer.org.nz...
To find out how you can protect yourself from scams and fraud, go to our CAB website at:

www.cab.org.nz...

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