Don't panic! Siren testing this Sunday...
Northland’s six-monthly tsunami siren test will take place at the end of daylight saving on Sunday, 2 April.
The network of more than 200 outdoor tsunami sirens in coastal communities, from Te Hapua in the north to Mangawhai in the south and Ruawai in the west, is checked twice a year, coinciding with the start and finish of daylight saving.
Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group spokesperson Graeme MacDonald says "Everyone who spends time on the coast needs to know the natural warning signs of tsunami - a strong earthquake that is hard to stand up in or one that lasts longer than a minute, or out-of-the ordinary sea behaviour, such as sudden rise or fall and/or unusual noise."
What you need to know:
- The tsunami siren test will take place at the end of daylight saving on Sunday, 2 April.
- The sirens sound twice: firstly at 10am for 10 minutes and then again at 10.30am for 30 seconds, and will be monitored for any faults.
- Indoor sirens will be tested at the same time as the outdoor network. Test alerts will also be sent to users of the Red Cross Hazard app, which can be downloaded for free.
Northlanders can check out whether they live, work or play in a tsunami evacuation zone, and plan the quickest route to safety, using the interactive maps at: www.nrc.govt.nz...
To hear Northland’s outdoor and indoor tsunami sirens online visit: www.nrc.govt.nz...
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
Roading contractors have made a good start for the summer programme
The District’s road repair season is off to a good start, with a third of summer’s rehabilitation projects completed.
Infrastructure Chairman Simon Reid says sections of Russell Road (Whakapara), Marua and Snooks roads have already been renewed.
“This year, we have been closing roads and detouring traffic around some worksites to reduce the overall time spent on the repairs, so teams can move onto new jobs faster. It has already paid off, cutting weeks from the timeframes so far.”
Over the next three months, Fulton Hogan will complete two sections of Pipiwai Road (central and north), Tatton Road and Roydon Drive, while Downer will rehabilitate sections of Three Mile Bush Road South, Raumanga Valley Road and Flyger Road.
Seal extensions are also scheduled for sections of McLean Road (south) and Gray Road (north).
“We are currently working on Pipiwai Road, next to the Northland Golf Club, and the job should be completed early in December. We will then start preparing Three Mile Bush Road and Pipiwai Road, by Matarau Road.”
Councillor Reid says design work for the rest of the sites is almost complete, and the whole programme should be complete by March 2025 if the weather holds.
“When overnight temperatures have risen enough, we will start repairs to sites where gravel stripped off the seal after a sudden cold snap during last year’s construction season. We will report back on that in coming weeks. The contractors will cover the cost of those repairs."
📷 Shown here: Culvert replacement on Mangapai Road, with a temporary alternative route built to keep traffic off the work-site.