Hurunui District , Amberley

40 days ago

What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

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.

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12 days ago

Hanmer flyride gets green light

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy

A proposed Hanmer Springs flyride has been given the go ahead by the Environment Court.

But there are still a few bumps in the road.

The Environment Court issued an interim decision on Friday to reject an appeal by The Friends of Conical Hill Incorporated, … View more
By David Hill, Local Democracy

A proposed Hanmer Springs flyride has been given the go ahead by the Environment Court.

But there are still a few bumps in the road.

The Environment Court issued an interim decision on Friday to reject an appeal by The Friends of Conical Hill Incorporated, three years after a Hurunui District Council appointed commissioner granted a resource consent.

The Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa had applied to install and operate a gravity-based recreation activity at Conical Hill Reserve.

Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said the council is relieved to finally get a decision.

‘‘It is good news. It has taken a long time to get here, but at least we’ve got a decision.

‘‘We will need to work through the viability of the project and then the council can consider what it does next.’’

Dobbie said staff would prepare a report to present to the council early in the new year.

The project received $2 million from the Government's ‘‘Shovel Ready’’ fund in 2020.

When first proposed, the attraction was expected to create 23 jobs and inject $4m into the local economy in its first five years of operation.

Submitters opposed to the flyride said it would have a visual impact on the recreation character, biodiversity and horse trails in the area.

Concerns were also raised about parking, traffic congestion, noise, along with the risk of fire, and devaluation of properties.

In her decision, Judge Lauren Semple said she was satisfied the effects of the proposal could be managed under the Hurunui District Plan and the National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity.

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16 days ago

What’s the most overrated Christmas tradition, in your opinion?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Neighbours, we are looking ahead to December 25th and it's always a busy time.

Each family does things a little different and we'd love to know where you stick to tradition and where you strongly differ. Perhaps there's a tradition that you think is just overrated! Share your … View more
Neighbours, we are looking ahead to December 25th and it's always a busy time.

Each family does things a little different and we'd love to know where you stick to tradition and where you strongly differ. Perhaps there's a tradition that you think is just overrated! Share your thoughts below.

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13 days ago

Ryman brings Christmas cheer

Charles Upham Retirement Village

Hundreds of Kiwi children will receive something special this Christmas thanks to Ryman Healthcare’s support of the Catalytic Foundation’s Christmas Shoebox Project.

Instead of giving individual gifts to residents, the idea was to redirect those funds to support struggling New Zealand … View more
Hundreds of Kiwi children will receive something special this Christmas thanks to Ryman Healthcare’s support of the Catalytic Foundation’s Christmas Shoebox Project.

Instead of giving individual gifts to residents, the idea was to redirect those funds to support struggling New Zealand families having to cut back on essentials.

Ryman residents were overwhelmingly in support of the idea, with many volunteering to help choose the gifts to fill over 1000 shoeboxes with thoughtful items.

Click read more for the full story.

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33 days ago

What's your favourite tomato recipe?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to … View moreKia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.

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13 days ago

Have you shown us your Christmas tree?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Less than a week left to enter this merry competition.

With lots of spot prizes to win (as well as the title of NZ's Merriest Home), it's worth getting out your camera phone and taking a picture of your festive abode!

Check out the Christmassy homes here.
Enter now

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19 days ago

Poll: Are quality products on the decline?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Gift-giving looks a lot different these days when you can pick up super-cheap goods made overseas. But do they last?

Do you have any old items like appliances, electronics or clothing that have stood the test of time? Share below!

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Are quality products on the decline?
  • 92.3% Yes
    92.3% Complete
  • 7.1% No
    7.1% Complete
  • 0.6% Other - I'll share below
    0.6% Complete
1721 votes
15 days ago

Raspberries Made Easy – Become a Home Raspberry Grower! 🌿 (Get several plants for $30)

Richard from Rangiora

Discover how simple it is to grow your own raspberries, even if you're new to gardening!

Pick up my free ‘How To Grow Raspberries’ guide with your purchase.

Why grow raspberries?
- Prolific fruiters: By following a few simple steps, raspberries will give you a big yield each … View more
Discover how simple it is to grow your own raspberries, even if you're new to gardening!

Pick up my free ‘How To Grow Raspberries’ guide with your purchase.

Why grow raspberries?
- Prolific fruiters: By following a few simple steps, raspberries will give you a big yield each season.

- Perfect for freezing: Stock up on raspberries for winter—no other fruit freezes as well.

- Effortless growing: They’re surprisingly low-maintenance when you follow a few simple steps (my free guide covers it all).

- Garden-friendly: Wondering if they’ll take over? They won’t! Just follow my free guide.

This sale includes a variety of plant bundles: Choose the best $30 deal for you.

- Get 2x $15 plants (plus 1 small bonus plant)

- Get 1x $20 and 1x $10 plant (plus 1 small bonus plant)

- Get 3x $10 plants (plus 1 small bonus plant)

- Get 7x $5 plants

- Or get a different combination.

Spend more and get a better deal.

All raspberries have been transplanted from existing Clutha, Heritage and Lewis varieties. They produce fantastic raspberries.
All plants are grown in top-quality soil.

Pick up in Rangiora.

With a $60+ purchase, I’ll deliver within a 30-minute drive of Rangiora (extra $10).

Get in touch, grab your plants, and the free guide and start your berry-growing journey!

NOTE:
I grow raspberries as well as strawberries, blueberries, thornless blackberries, apples, stone fruit, citrus, tomatoes and more. Raspberries are the easiest by far.

NOTE: We will need to exchange mobile numbers before pickup.

15 days ago

Buxus plants for sale

Richard from Rangiora

Buxus plants for sale - Minimum sale $30
19 plants left
$6-12 each, discounts for bulk purchases

Pick up in Rangiora.

About Buxus plants
Buxus (boxwood or box plant) is an evergreen shrub. It is slow-growing, and produces small dense foliage and thrives when trimmed. Buxom is commonly … View more
Buxus plants for sale - Minimum sale $30
19 plants left
$6-12 each, discounts for bulk purchases

Pick up in Rangiora.

About Buxus plants
Buxus (boxwood or box plant) is an evergreen shrub. It is slow-growing, and produces small dense foliage and thrives when trimmed. Buxom is commonly used for low hedging, it grows well in pots and is ideal for topiary.

NOTE: I also have raspberries, thornless blackberries, and pumpkins.

For an $80+ order I'm prepared to deliver to within 30 minutes of Rangiora (extra $10)

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15 days ago

🎄 Need a gift for the hard-to-buy-for?🎄

Mags4Gifts

Why not gift them a magazine subscription tailored to their interests? This Christmas, find the perfect gifts at Mags4Gifts! We're offering up to 30% off a wide range of magazines – there’s something for everyone in your whanau!

Whether you’re searching for a thoughtful secret Santa … View more
Why not gift them a magazine subscription tailored to their interests? This Christmas, find the perfect gifts at Mags4Gifts! We're offering up to 30% off a wide range of magazines – there’s something for everyone in your whanau!

Whether you’re searching for a thoughtful secret Santa gift or something special to put under the tree, we’ve got you covered with a great selection for all interests.

Don’t miss out – shop now at Mags4Gifts.com and enjoy the savings!
Find out more

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17 days ago

Online phishing scam

The Team from New Zealand Police

With Christmas fast approaching, Police are encouraging people to be aware of online phishing scams.
The holiday season can already be a stressful time, and the last thing you want is to lose large sums of money to a scam.
A phishing scam is an online scam, where the offender pretends to be a … View more
With Christmas fast approaching, Police are encouraging people to be aware of online phishing scams.
The holiday season can already be a stressful time, and the last thing you want is to lose large sums of money to a scam.
A phishing scam is an online scam, where the offender pretends to be a trustworthy person or organisation to try and get a victim’s personal information.
Police has received a number of phishing scam reports with offenders targeting people who are selling items or services online like Trade Me and Facebook Marketplace.
The offenders pretend to be an interested buyer, and urgently request to buy your product and arrange a courier pickup.
The victim receives a fake courier website link to complete a verification process asking for personal details, like bank account numbers, passwords, and phone numbers.
Once provided these details, the offender uses these to access a victim’s bank account, tricking the victim into proving any multifactor authentication code sent from the victim’s bank.
The money in the victim’s bank account is then taken by the offender once access is gained.
Police are urging members of the public to be cautious, especially when someone in person or online is asking you to give them money or your personal details like bank accounts and passwords.
Never comply with a request asking you to provide or ‘verify’ your online banking details.
Legitimate organisations will never ask you to do this.
If you are unsure if it is real, please contact your bank by the phone number on their official website or go to your nearest branch.
If you receive a courier website link from a potential buyer, this is likely a scam.
Please do not fill out the verification process.
Use the social media/trading platform’s reporting tools to report the scam and the user involved.
You can also make a report to Netsafe at report.netsafe.org.nz.
If you have handed over your online banking details, contact your bank immediately and suspend your account.
If you think you have been scammed (provided your banking details and/or suffered a loss), please gather as much information you can and make a report to Police online through 105.police.govt.nz or call 105.

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17 days ago

Festive foliage

The Team from Resene ColorShop Rangiora

Get creative by making a gorgeous leaf-printed tablecloth and gift your guests the perfect hand-painted decoration all painted in Resene testpot paint colours.

Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.

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18 days ago

Hanmer’s Soldiers’ Block restoration remains on track

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

Work remains on track for the opening of an iconic Hanmer Springs building, as local leaders eye up a future Weta Workshop exhibition for the site.

Hurunui Tourism product development manager Graeme Abbot says the restoration of the former … View more
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

Work remains on track for the opening of an iconic Hanmer Springs building, as local leaders eye up a future Weta Workshop exhibition for the site.

Hurunui Tourism product development manager Graeme Abbot says the restoration of the former Soldiers' Block in the Queen Mary Historic Reserve is progressing, ahead of its planned official opening on Anzac Day.

‘‘It will be a very important day for the town. That building has been sitting there since 2003 not being used, so to have it back in use is important for the town.’’

The Soldiers’ Block was opened in 1916 to rehabilitate soldiers returning from World War I, and was later used as a drug and alcohol treatment facility.

The site also has cultural significance for Ngāti Kurī.

When the building opens it will have a small historical display of information about the building’s past use, Abbot said.

Longer term plans are to create an interactive experience called ‘‘A Place of Light and Life’’ in partnership with Weta Workshop to tell the story of the site.

But it will require the community to raise a further $6 million.

Abbot said the newly formed Queen Mary Historic Reserve Charitable Trust Hanmer Springs has been working behind the scenes and plans to kick off its fundraising effort over the next few months.

‘‘We are excited by the challenge and the work we have done should set us up well.’’

Last week the Hurunui District Council voted to appoint mayor Marie Black as its nominee on the trust for a three-year term.

‘‘As a long-term resident of the Hurunui district, I'm incredibly passionate about this project and want to see it fostered and grow to be a really important part of our shared history,’’ she said.

Black recently visited Belgium on Remembrance Day with Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon and a delegation from the Rangiora and Amberley RSAs.

She said the visit gave her ‘‘great insight into what this project could potentially do for this district’’.

Black joins Abbot and Hanmer Springs locals Mark Inglis and Jason Fletcher as trustees.

Council chief strategy and community officer Judith Batchelor said Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura has been invited to appoint a trustee, while the trust deed allows for the appointment of three more trustees.

Batchelor said the trust was established to fundraise and provide input into the design of the interactive visitor experience.

The council has also agreed in principle to lease the Soldiers’ Block building to the trust to support the ongoing project.

The $3.6 million restoration project is being funded by a Lotteries grant, $1.5m from the Government’s Better Off funding, development contributions and a grant from the council’s Earthquake Prone Buildings Fund.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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21 days ago

Got Birds Nesting in our Gutters any suggestions?

Rae from Rangiora

I have contacted Gutter Solutions and he has said we need the whole house protected via the gutters and valleys as the birds will keep coming back as its there home, then he went onto say even there offspring will keep coming back time and time again. Yikes! Any suggestions please.
thank you

R
18 days ago

Carex comans

Raewyn from Rangiora

Frosted Curls. Lovely small NZ native grass. Arching silvery green foliage. Hardy, grows in most conditions. Height approx 30cm. Great for borders or rock gardens. 11cm pots $5 each. Cash on pickup, Rangiora by arrangement. Message me to arrange. Other perennials and natives available, see my … View moreFrosted Curls. Lovely small NZ native grass. Arching silvery green foliage. Hardy, grows in most conditions. Height approx 30cm. Great for borders or rock gardens. 11cm pots $5 each. Cash on pickup, Rangiora by arrangement. Message me to arrange. Other perennials and natives available, see my other listings. $5 to $10 each.

Price: $5

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