Rototuna North, Hamilton

Have a browse...

Have a browse...

Check out what your neighbours are selling (or giving away!) here.

116 days ago

Have you ever tried indoor bowls?

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

Last year, Pixie Blake thought indoor bowls was like ten-pin bowling.

Now the nine-year-old is Waikato’s youngest titleholder in the sport, after a victory alongside team mates who are several decades older.

Have you ever tried indoor bowls? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you … View more
Last year, Pixie Blake thought indoor bowls was like ten-pin bowling.

Now the nine-year-old is Waikato’s youngest titleholder in the sport, after a victory alongside team mates who are several decades older.

Have you ever tried indoor bowls? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).

Image
125 days ago

Poll: What are the living costs that are having the biggest (and perhaps surprising) impact on your wallet?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Butter, power bills, and those sneaky surcharges on your card ... it feels like everything’s creeping up in price lately. We’ve seen the headlines, but we want to hear it from you.

Overall, Most Kiwis say they’re ‘not prospering’. But, according to Retirement Commission data, some … View more
Butter, power bills, and those sneaky surcharges on your card ... it feels like everything’s creeping up in price lately. We’ve seen the headlines, but we want to hear it from you.

Overall, Most Kiwis say they’re ‘not prospering’. But, according to Retirement Commission data, some members of our community (women, Māori, and Pacific people) are experiencing worsening financial positions at elevated rates.

Stats NZ tells us that food prices have jumped 4.6% since this time last year, with meat and dairy doing most of the damage. This jump is hitting us all, but groceries are just one part of the picture.

When basic costs keep climbing, the old cost-saving tricks — like bulk-buying or stockpiling on sale — don’t always work. Who can afford to spend more upfront when every dollar already has a job?

We want to know: What costs have caught you off guard the most? What are the expenses that feel impossible to juggle right now?
Share your thoughts below!

Image
What are the living costs that are having the biggest (and perhaps surprising) impact on your wallet?
  • 43.5% Grocery bills
    43.5% Complete
  • 33% Utilities
    33% Complete
  • 1% Your treats (the ones that keep you human day to day, and are ESSENTIAL!)
    1% Complete
  • 0.1% Education
    0.1% Complete
  • 7.6% Healthcare
    7.6% Complete
  • 1.3% Travel (public transport/petrol)
    1.3% Complete
  • 7.9% Rent or mortgage
    7.9% Complete
  • 1.5% Social costs: birthday gifts and occasions
    1.5% Complete
  • 4.1% Other - share below!
    4.1% Complete
2582 votes
116 days ago

Last chance to enter!

Resene

Don't forget to enter a Bright Spot in your home, workplace or community for a chance to win one of ten amazing prizes! Whether it's a colourful fence, a mural in your office or a place in the community that makes you smile - we'd love to see it.

Share a Bright Spot today for a … View more
Don't forget to enter a Bright Spot in your home, workplace or community for a chance to win one of ten amazing prizes! Whether it's a colourful fence, a mural in your office or a place in the community that makes you smile - we'd love to see it.

Share a Bright Spot today for a chance to win one of ten prize packs worth $500.

And make sure you check out the entries so far too.
Enter now

Image
117 days ago

Historical Fiction Panel

Catherine from Pukete

Monty Soutar and Deborah Challinor talk with Tina Shaw about the power of historical fiction and how they make their stories come alive in our Hamilton Book Month Bringing the Past to Life panel this Friday night at Waikato Museum. The panel starts at 6.30pm with refreshments in the foyer from 6pm.… View moreMonty Soutar and Deborah Challinor talk with Tina Shaw about the power of historical fiction and how they make their stories come alive in our Hamilton Book Month Bringing the Past to Life panel this Friday night at Waikato Museum. The panel starts at 6.30pm with refreshments in the foyer from 6pm. Free event, all welcome with no need to register. Poppies Hamilton will have the authors' books for sale.

117 days ago

Ryman Village Open Days

The Team from Ryman Healthcare

Friday 15 August, and Saturday, 16 August, 10 am - 2 pm.

Come and experience the warmth of our Ryman village communities. We'd love to show you around.

Discover our lifestyle and care options, tour our show homes and explore our premium amenities.
Find out more

Image
117 days ago

Learning to swim at 29

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

Reporter Avina Vidyadharan is learning to swim - follow along to see how it goes.

Heels, hips, hands, and head—above water, and I am swimming. Sounds easy, right?
Well, try telling that to my 29-year-old limbs, which apparently missed the memo on how to do a very basic (Kiwi) thing.

Image
118 days ago

Women reshaping philanthropy

The Team from Momentum Waikato

Eleanor Cater of our peak body Community Foundations of Aotearoa NZ penned this engaging column below for The Post in Wellington, and then republished it on the CFANZ site.

"It’s a demographic shift where women will eventually become the main drivers and decision makers around family … View more
Eleanor Cater of our peak body Community Foundations of Aotearoa NZ penned this engaging column below for The Post in Wellington, and then republished it on the CFANZ site.

"It’s a demographic shift where women will eventually become the main drivers and decision makers around family wealth, transforming wealth management, including estate planning and philanthropy.

This has been coined the ‘horizontal wealth transfer’, a term somewhat patriarchal and simplistic in its nature as it doesn’t take into account women as co-owners of family wealth, non-nuclear families, or individual economic independence. Nevertheless, it’s a term that is sticking - and it’s easy to see why."

Image
118 days ago

New principal promises new direction for troubled Hamilton high school

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

The new principal of a beleaguered Hamilton high school is already making his mark, just a few weeks into the job.

Mangakōtukutuku College principal Jim Hay-Mackenzie, started on July 14 and is confident the school is heading in the right direction to become a “community school” - one where… View more
The new principal of a beleaguered Hamilton high school is already making his mark, just a few weeks into the job.

Mangakōtukutuku College principal Jim Hay-Mackenzie, started on July 14 and is confident the school is heading in the right direction to become a “community school” - one where students achieve at the same level as others in town.

Image
118 days ago

No bungee, just birds: What do you reckon about this plan?

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

Hamilton is embracing its identity as a rest and relaxation destination, and the city’s first fully fenced wildlife sanctuary is poised to become another jewel in the crown of that brand.

Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park will soon be enclosed by a predator-proof fence, creating a safe haven … View more
Hamilton is embracing its identity as a rest and relaxation destination, and the city’s first fully fenced wildlife sanctuary is poised to become another jewel in the crown of that brand.

Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park will soon be enclosed by a predator-proof fence, creating a safe haven for native birds, reptiles and invertebrates in the heart of the Te Kaaroro Nature Precinct.

What do you reckon about this plan? Tell us your reasons in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).

Image
129 days ago

Poll: No more card payment surcharges – but who should be covering the cost? 💸

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Government says it's scrapping those annoying card surcharges – and it’s happening next year.

Consumer NZ is stoked, saying these sneaky surcharges cost Kiwis around $65 million a year and should’ve been gone ages ago.

But not everyone’s convinced it’s a win. Labour and … View more
The Government says it's scrapping those annoying card surcharges – and it’s happening next year.

Consumer NZ is stoked, saying these sneaky surcharges cost Kiwis around $65 million a year and should’ve been gone ages ago.

But not everyone’s convinced it’s a win. Labour and Hospitality NZ are worried the costs won’t just disappear. Labour MP Arena Williams put it simply: there should not be surcharges for customers at all. But she points out that the Government’s plan does not deal with banks and merchants “who still scoop a big fee”.

Many of our community are rocked by the recent announcement. Retailers warn card surcharge ban could lead to higher prices - the unfortunatel reality is that small businesses are feeling the squeeze along with their customers. In comparison, large retailers pay significantly lower banking fees and ultimately have more leverage at the negotiation table.

💸 So someone still pays – but who?

We want to know: Who should be covering this cost?
Share your thoughts in the comments!

Image
No more card payment surcharges – but who should be covering the cost? 💸
  • 5.7% Retailers need to absorb the cost
    5.7% Complete
  • 88.7% The banks are the problem - the cost should not sit with consumers or retailers
    88.7% Complete
  • 4.2% I do not mind paying a surcharge - I just want everything to be transparent
    4.2% Complete
  • 1.4% It is more complicated - I will share below
    1.4% Complete
2839 votes
124 days ago

Poll: Do you like the idea of a fenced wildlife sanctuary on the edge of Hamilton?

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

Visitors to Hamilton Zoo will soon be able to pop across the road to Hamilton’s first fenced sanctuary.

Hamilton’s Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park is edging closer to becoming a fully fenced wildlife sanctuary, with funding for the predator-proof fence now just shy of its $3.3 million … View more
Visitors to Hamilton Zoo will soon be able to pop across the road to Hamilton’s first fenced sanctuary.

Hamilton’s Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park is edging closer to becoming a fully fenced wildlife sanctuary, with funding for the predator-proof fence now just shy of its $3.3 million target.

Do you like the idea of a fenced wildlife sanctuary on the edge of Hamilton? Tell us your reasons in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).

Image
Do you like the idea of a fenced wildlife sanctuary on the edge of Hamilton?
  • 74.4% Yes
    74.4% Complete
  • 7.7% No
    7.7% Complete
  • 17.9% Doesn't make a lot of difference to me.
    17.9% Complete
39 votes
124 days ago

Choice News Tuesday: Conservation win in the Kaituna

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

Thanks to a generous gift, 730 Hectares in Kaituna Valley are now protected for everyone to enjoy

Four incredible donors have come together to gift 730 hectares of land in the Kaituna Valley to the nation — a multimillion-dollar contribution that will benefit generations to come.

This land,… View more
Thanks to a generous gift, 730 Hectares in Kaituna Valley are now protected for everyone to enjoy

Four incredible donors have come together to gift 730 hectares of land in the Kaituna Valley to the nation — a multimillion-dollar contribution that will benefit generations to come.

This land, which has now been protected and opened to the public, forms part of a much larger conservation area — nearly 2,400 hectares stretching from sea level at Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, up to the Summit Walkway, and back down into the Kaituna Valley.

Once used for farming, the land has now been cleared of livestock, and pest control efforts are underway to help native plants and wildlife thrive. The goal? A richer, more diverse ecosystem that everyone can experience and be proud of.

This is a powerful example of how the actions of a few can have a huge impact. Thanks to their vision and generosity, a precious piece of our natural heritage is now protected.

Read more about the Massive win for conservation and recreation in the Kaituna.

We hope this news brings a smile!

Image
121 days ago

Applications for our Love to Dance grants are now open!

Linda Jones Retirement Village

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 have three $5000 Love to Dance grants up for grabs.

Click read more to nominate your … View more
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 have three $5000 Love to Dance grants up for grabs.

Click read more to nominate your community dance group.

Applications close 31 August 2025.

Image
121 days ago

Elevate Your Windows with Stylish Grid Shelves for Plants

The Team from Resene ColorShop Te Rapa

Transform regular casement windows into elegant grid-style options that double as pretty shelving – perfect for those small, sun-loving plants. Find out how to transform your windows with these easy step by step instructions.

Image
121 days ago

Get growing this spring – and get a FREE gift!

Mags4Gifts

Spring is just around the corner, and there’s no better time to get stuck into the garden.

Right now, when you subscribe to NZ Gardener for 1 or 2 years, you’ll receive a FREE Solo Hose End Sprayer, the perfect companion for spring prep.

The Solo 405-HE is a serious time-saver — just … View more
Spring is just around the corner, and there’s no better time to get stuck into the garden.

Right now, when you subscribe to NZ Gardener for 1 or 2 years, you’ll receive a FREE Solo Hose End Sprayer, the perfect companion for spring prep.

The Solo 405-HE is a serious time-saver — just connect, spray, and you’re done. No pumping, no premixing, no mess. It works with cost-saving concentrates like fertilisers, insecticides, herbicides and more, and covers large or small areas quickly with a smooth, sweeping spray. It fits most chemical bottles (with three thread options) or you can use the included canister.

Whether you’re nurturing veggies, taming weeds or boosting blooms, this sprayer makes the job quick, clean and easy.

Treat yourself to expert advice, seasonal inspiration – and a garden tool you’ll use all year long.

*T&Cs apply. Offer available to the first 300 people who subscribe for 1 or 2 years between August 4 – August 31, 2025.
Find out more

Image
Top