Colonial Knob, Porirua

It is almost the weekend!

It is almost the weekend!

List your pre-loved gems in Neighbourly Market.

1886 days ago

Is Whittaker's your dream job?

Reporter Community News

It’s every kid’s dream to work at a chocolate factory. Megan Sinclair, the new product development manager at Whittaker’s in Wellington, is living that dream – albeit without the chocolate rivers – designing flavours and roasting batches of beans in her little lab on the factory floor.
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It’s every kid’s dream to work at a chocolate factory. Megan Sinclair, the new product development manager at Whittaker’s in Wellington, is living that dream – albeit without the chocolate rivers – designing flavours and roasting batches of beans in her little lab on the factory floor.
Megan Sinclair, the new product development manager at Whittaker’s in Wellington, is living that dream – albeit without the chocolate rivers – designing flavours and roasting batches of beans in her little lab on the factory floor.
It’s called the micro-lab, and within its walls there are cupboards of flavours and scents, everything from cake batter to beetroot, a mini bean roaster, and a mixing machine called a melange.
In this, she can make 12 kilogram batches to test flavours, or 45kg batches in the one in the room next door; small quantities compared to the tonnes pumped out by the main factory on a daily basis.

1885 days ago

Wellington has the fastest growing property values in NZ

Reporter Community News

Wellington’s property values recorded the fastest growth out of the main centres in 2020, with prices rising as the capital’s housing stock plumbs the lowest level in decades.
Over the coming year, the average property price for Wellington would cross the $1 million mark, said Nicki … View more
Wellington’s property values recorded the fastest growth out of the main centres in 2020, with prices rising as the capital’s housing stock plumbs the lowest level in decades.
Over the coming year, the average property price for Wellington would cross the $1 million mark, said Nicki Cruickshank, a real estate agent with Tommy’s Wellington. “You can't really get a three-bedroom house in Wellington under $1m now, anyway.”
Porirua City experienced a 20.8 per cent annual growth in residential property values, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt cities both experienced 17.2 per cent growth, and Kāpiti Coast 18.3 per cent.

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1888 days ago

SPCA Pet of the Day: Meet Smokey

Reporter Community News

Smokey is a rehomed cat who is loving his new life with his happy new owner.
“He is really relaxed now, loves purring and is extremely happy, although is still on guard with unfamiliar noises. Smokey started off being quite afraid of most things, but now is a well-behaved cat who is newly … View more
Smokey is a rehomed cat who is loving his new life with his happy new owner.
“He is really relaxed now, loves purring and is extremely happy, although is still on guard with unfamiliar noises. Smokey started off being quite afraid of most things, but now is a well-behaved cat who is newly learning to use his scratching post, rather than a carpet! Smokey loves routine and "helps" people by sitting in their laps when they are trying to work or type. He has become an integral part of a piano teaching studio and loves both music and all the students.”

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1886 days ago

Is it safe to swim?

Reporter Community News

Summer is a great time to enjoy our coast and waterways, but it pays to check first to see if the water is safe to swim in.

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1886 days ago

No end in sight for Titahi Bay sewage pipe saga

Reporter Community News

Titahi Bay residents are bracing for another summer of polluted water that keeps them out of the surf, expecting more sewage overflows as the Porirua area’s infrastructure struggles to cope with the increasingly frequent heavy rains.
After a deluge, a slick of brown sludge – or worse – often … View more
Titahi Bay residents are bracing for another summer of polluted water that keeps them out of the surf, expecting more sewage overflows as the Porirua area’s infrastructure struggles to cope with the increasingly frequent heavy rains.
After a deluge, a slick of brown sludge – or worse – often appears on top of the water at Titahi Bay, the Wellington region’s most popular surf break.
Mayor Anita Baker said she was just as annoyed as residents about the problem. Baker, who has been mayor since 2019 and a city councillor since 2010, said Porirua’s infrastructure had suffered from under-investment for at least a decade.
“I’m totally committed to getting things fixed in the community, but it just comes down to how fast we can do it and how much money we have to spend,” she said.

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1886 days ago

The rare but impressive yellow pōhutukawa

Reporter Community News

Thank-you to everybody who came forward with tips on yellow pōhutukawa. There are certainly more in the region than many people realise.

1901 days ago

Summer City kicks off with a bang this New Year’s Eve

Seamus Boyer from Wellington City Council

Kia ora Pōneke!

Wellington City Council’s jam-packed Summer City programme kicks off this New Year’s Eve, and with events and activities happening all over the capital there’s something for everyone.

Check out all the info here: wellington.govt.nz...

#OurWellington #TōTātouPōneke … View more
Kia ora Pōneke!

Wellington City Council’s jam-packed Summer City programme kicks off this New Year’s Eve, and with events and activities happening all over the capital there’s something for everyone.

Check out all the info here: wellington.govt.nz...

#OurWellington #TōTātouPōneke #MeriKirihimete

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1889 days ago

Pets of the Day: Jack and Lily

Reporter Community News

A bonus this week, Jack the cat and Lily the Maltese Sydney Silkie cross.

Jack belongs to Catrina Nicholson.
"Jack is seven years old and we have had him for under two months now. I put out a post asking if anyone was trying to find a home for a cat they could no longer take care of. So we… View more
A bonus this week, Jack the cat and Lily the Maltese Sydney Silkie cross.

Jack belongs to Catrina Nicholson.
"Jack is seven years old and we have had him for under two months now. I put out a post asking if anyone was trying to find a home for a cat they could no longer take care of. So we had two on the day we went to see them. And we went for this boy Jack, settled in so fast."

Lily belongs to John and Virginia Francis, from Paraparaumu.
"Our Lily is a Maltese Sydney Silkie cross. At 17 months she is fully grown at 3kg. Loves meeting children and other small dogs."

If you want your pet featured, email us on yourpet@dompost.co.nz with a recent photo.

1891 days ago

The cat that came back

Reporter Community News

For 18 months, Nikki Guthardt’s thought her cat was probably dead. She’d even mourned over what she thought was his body.
But then, the cat came back.
Romeo the cat was last seen running out Guthardt’s​ front door not long after her family shifted to Upper Hutt in June last year.
Month … View more
For 18 months, Nikki Guthardt’s thought her cat was probably dead. She’d even mourned over what she thought was his body.
But then, the cat came back.
Romeo the cat was last seen running out Guthardt’s​ front door not long after her family shifted to Upper Hutt in June last year.
Month after month she posted about Romeo, asking people to keep en eye out for him on community pages and lost pet registers.

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1892 days ago

No room in the Auckland inn for triplets

Reporter Community News

They are known around the traps at Wellington Hospital as the three wise men, but Christmas Day triplets Elia​, Rumi​, and Sameer​ Alqudah were only born in the capital because there was no room at the Auckland inn.
The three boys – Elia and Rumi are identical twins while Sameer, or Sam, is… View more
They are known around the traps at Wellington Hospital as the three wise men, but Christmas Day triplets Elia​, Rumi​, and Sameer​ Alqudah were only born in the capital because there was no room at the Auckland inn.
The three boys – Elia and Rumi are identical twins while Sameer, or Sam, is their non-identical triplet – were delivered by Caesarean section in Wellington Hospital in that order at 11.49am, 11.50am, and 11.53am on Friday.
Their mother, Dina Wahid,​ can't praise the staff at Wellington Hospital enough.

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1890 days ago

Friday Feathered Friend

Reporter Community News

Happy New Year to everyone on Neighbourly. This week we feature Rosa Marie, who took her camera out on Christmas Day. You have got to love the picture of the pied stilt chick!

"Before the festivities began, it was a quick drive over the Pauahatanui Inlet to try and capture some Kingfishers on… View more
Happy New Year to everyone on Neighbourly. This week we feature Rosa Marie, who took her camera out on Christmas Day. You have got to love the picture of the pied stilt chick!

"Before the festivities began, it was a quick drive over the Pauahatanui Inlet to try and capture some Kingfishers on camera, but it turned out to be Pied Stilt kind of day as we couldn't see any Kingfishers. Most of these photos are taken from one of the hides! There were Pied Stilt chicks too so their parental concern was quite evident from lots of noisy flapping of wings at other birds when they got too close. They were quite grumpy with each other too!"

1899 days ago

Our mowing team is flat out!

Seamus Boyer from Wellington City Council

It's been a wet and warm few months which has been great for grass, but not so good for our mowing team, which has been busy trying to keep up with keeping it down.

The focus recently has been on busy sites like play areas, cemeteries and reserves, but despite our staff being a cut above the… View more
It's been a wet and warm few months which has been great for grass, but not so good for our mowing team, which has been busy trying to keep up with keeping it down.

The focus recently has been on busy sites like play areas, cemeteries and reserves, but despite our staff being a cut above the rest and working long hours straight through to the New Year, we may not get to mow and trim everywhere – so we ask for patience in the meantime, and to remember the grass is always greener!

For more info on our awesome mowing team, check out the story and video here: wellington.govt.nz...

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1892 days ago

Way Back Wednesday

Reporter Community News

Here is one for book lovers. Can anybody remember where this is?

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1893 days ago

Yellow pohutakawa

Reporter Community News

Hi Neighjbourly folk, I am doing a story on the various colours pohutukawa and rata come in.
If you have any pics or know where any yellow, orange or white variants are, I would love to hear from you.
nicholas.boyack@stuff.co.nz or 027 6420086

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1897 days ago

SPCA Happy Christmas Yarn

Reporter Community News

Meet Ralph! This sweet boy spent months in SPCA care waiting for a forever family, and just ahead of Christmas, his dream came true.
His new dad Roger shares how Ralph is settling in.

"On day one of our adoption trial, we drove home together and Ralph held my hand the whole trip home (how … View more
Meet Ralph! This sweet boy spent months in SPCA care waiting for a forever family, and just ahead of Christmas, his dream came true.
His new dad Roger shares how Ralph is settling in.

"On day one of our adoption trial, we drove home together and Ralph held my hand the whole trip home (how cute!).
That evening as we were heading to bed after sniffing everything in the house, he leapt onto our bed, burrowed under our blankets and dozed off. We hadn’t even turned off the lights! From that moment, we knew this was meant to be.
He is a sweetheart, he has opinions, he loves to cuddle on the couch, he likes rides, he likes walks, he likes our other dog, Bandos. Ralph may be deaf but that does not stop him from living his best life. We love Ralph and we wouldn’t change him for the world. He’s also well-loved by his new aunties, uncles, grandparents and great grandparents!
We are sorry that Ralph took a bit longer to find his new forever home but are happy that he found it with us."

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