894 days ago

Woman breaches Auckland border, gets car stuck in endangered bird nesting site

Caroline Williams Reporter from Whangārei Leader

Kia ora neighbours. A woman who breached Auckland's Covid border ended up having to be rescued, after her vehicle got stuck in a sand dune at the nesting site of the country’s rarest endemic bird.

According to the Department of Conservation (DOC), the woman and her dog stayed overnight in the vehicle after it got stuck in sand at the Mangawhai wildlife refuge last weekend.

DOC manager Craig Deal said the police were called and DOC compliance officers will be following up with the woman, over her entering a wildlife refuge with a vehicle and a dog, both of which are prohibited and carry an $800 infringement notice.

The site is one of four tara iti (fairy tern) nesting sites located just north of Auckland, and protected by Northland Reserves Bylaws.

With a population of fewer than 40 birds, the birds have been near extinction since the 1980s and require a lot of human help to ensure their survival.

The attached video from the 2020 breeding season shows the steps taken to protect fairy tern eggs during a storm. (Video credit: Ricky Wilson/Stuff)

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2 days ago

Poll: Does the building consent process need to change?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

We definitely need homes that are fit to live in but there are often frustrations when it comes to getting consent to modify your own home.
Do you think changes need made to the current process for building consent? Share your thoughts below.

Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.

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Does the building consent process need to change?
  • 91.7% Yes
    91.7% Complete
  • 8% No
    8% Complete
  • 0.3% Other - I'll share below!
    0.3% Complete
903 votes
10 hours ago

Say goodbye to tyre waste

Tyrewise

About 40% of the 6.5 million tyres Kiwis use every year are recycled, repurposed, or used as tyre-derived fuel. But the rest end up in landfills, stockpiled or dumped.

The good news is now there’s an easy solution to all that tyre waste. It’s called Tyrewise and is New Zealand’s first national tyre recycling scheme.

Tyrewise ensures that tyres in Aotearoa New Zealand are recycled or repurposed properly, saving millions from going to the landfill.

Find out more about the scheme online.
Find out more

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16 hours ago

What's On: Hatea U3A

Sheila from Maunu

Over 55 with an interest in meeting like minded people to hear stimulating speakers and smaller interest groups? For further information contact Sheila 4597166. Come along and join us.
Hatea U3A
  • St John’s Golden Church