Motutapu Island rāhui extended until elusive stoat caught
A rāhui over Motutapu Island is set to continue indefinitely, while an elusive stoat continues to wreak havoc with the island’s wildlife.
The pest-free island was placed under rāhui (ban) for 30 days by iwi Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki on May 18 as the Department of Conservation worked to curb a stoat outbreak – the fourth since May 2020.
Just two stoats have been caught since then, DOC incursion response advisor Claire Warren said.
No stoats have been captured since the rāhui commenced, Warren said, however genetic analysis of stoat faeces confirmed the presence of one male stoat on the island.
Ferry services to Rangitoto Island are not affected by the rāhui, however campsite bookings for the Motutapu Island campsite are unavailable.
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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 ⬇️
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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82.3% Yes
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15.2% No
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2.6% Other - I'll share below