Kāpiti Monster Bookfair
The Big Book Box is back for its 20th birthday in the Coastlands Mall.
Made by Lion's craftsman Peter Mansfield, the box made its first appearance in 2001, as part of the Combined Lions Clubs of Kāpiti Monster Bookfair.
Project manager Peter Cresswell said the box has always been a very popular depository, so much so that it now needing a roster of 18 Lions to empty it twice daily for seven days a week.
"In our estimation more than a million book have been dropped into its slots over the last two decades. This in turn has enabled us to raise nearly three-quarters of a million dollars, the majority of which goes to needy worthwhile Kāpiti organisations."
The Lions Monster Bookfair will be held in the Waikanae Memorial Hall on the weekend of October 16 and 17. The Lions Clubs of Paraparaumu and Waikanae are asking the community to be as generous as they have been in the past and to go through their bookshelves and basements for surplus book, others will enjoy.
Drop-off points are at Raumati Beach (Coastal Mowers Ltd), Paraparauma Beach (180 Degrees Café) and Waikanae (Bohanna Motors and Picture Perfect Framing).
Anyone wanting larger quantities of books collected should contact Peter Cresswell on 904 2699 or Jim Hall on 04 298 5131.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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