Joint Council-Google project brings District to Google Street View
A project between Whakatāne District Council and Google has enabled virtual tours of some of the District's most popular and spectacular destinations via Google Street View.
The project was the first of its kind in New Zealand, with Google loaning a ‘Trekker’ to the Council to capture Street View imagery. People can now explore White Island with Google Street View alongside some of the world’s great wonders, including the Pyramids of Giza, the Grand Canyon, and Mt Everest.
Known to Māori as Whakaari, White Island is one of the world’s most accessible, continuously active marine volcanoes. The island’s awe inspiring landscape attracts sightseers from all over the world, fueling a tourism boom for Whakatāne, the ‘gateway to Whakaari’.
White Island is not the only local attraction to now feature on Google Street View. Armed with a Google Street View Trekker — an 18 kg, 15-camera backpack that takes high-quality 360-degree photos every 2.5 seconds — a team of local trekkers set out over summer to capture 35 kilometres of the Whakatāne District’s most iconic walks and landmarks. (A video of these local trekkers in action is available at the bottom of this page.)
Quintin Kerr standing on the saddle of Moutohorā (Whale Island) with the Google Street View TrekkerThe result is an immersive experience that will give prospective tourists a taste of what the Whakatāne District has to offer.
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Poll: Should we ditch daylight saving? 🕰️
First introduced in New Zealand in 1927 with the passing of the Summer Time Act, it's what we know as 'Daylight Saving' and this year it ends on the first Sunday in April.
While we do get to sleep in this time around, some people would like to scrap the clock tinkering for good.
And why? Some evidence suggests the time changes are bad for our health as they mess with sleep patterns leading to short-term fatigue and affecting mood. Meanwhile the hour change is frustrating for farmers and a nightmare for getting the littlies to sleep. But what's your take?
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41% Yes - get rid of the clock changes
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57.3% No, I enjoy it
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1.7% Other - I'll share below
Alan and Hazel Kerr share Senior New Zealander of the Year Award 2026
Dr Alan and Hazel Kerr describe themselves as ‘just ordinary old Kiwis’, despite being named as the 2026 Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealanders of the Year Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau.
The amazing couple prompted a standing ovation at a star-studded Auckland event which recognised their tireless efforts, with Alan travelling to and from Gaza and the West Bank 40 times to help children over 20 years, and Hazel travelling 20 times.
Click read more to find out more.
Poll: How important is the ability to book a doctor’s appointment online?
Hi Neighbours
Here at The Doctors we would love to hear how you prefer to book your doctor’s appointments. With busy schedules, different people find different methods easier.
For some, online booking is very convenient, you can make an appointment anytime without needing to wait on the phone. Others still prefer calling the clinic and speaking to a real person, especially if they have specific questions about their visit.
Your feedback helps us understand what works best for our patients and how we can improve access to care.
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40% I prefer booking online whenever possible
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23.8% Online booking is helpful but not essential
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33.1% I prefer calling the clinic
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3.2% I didn’t know online booking was available
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