2165 days ago

Northland takes two top awards

Annette Lambly-Robinson Reporter from Whangārei Leader

Helping bring a $445 million super fibre-optic submarine cable to Northland has earned the region's economic development agency a top honour in this year's Economic Development NZ Awards by winning Best Practice in Inward Investment.

The 15,000km super fibre-optic Hawaiki Cable project which connects New Zealand with Australia, mainland United States, Hawaii and the Pacific is expected to future-proof New Zealand's internet capacity for the next 25 years.

The cable landed at Mangawhai in February 2018, and was turned on in July.

Northland Inc's General Manager of investment and Infrastructure,Vaughan Cooper, said the initial contact with Hawaiki founder and chief executive Remi Galasso began in 2013 after a group of local businessmen learned the Hawaiki team was looking for a suitable landing site in New Zealand and contacted the agency.

"The cable is now operational, which means Northland now has a digital sector, we have underlying infrastructure to support it, we are creating a digital strategy, and we're underway.

Northland Inc also won the Best Practice in Sustainable Development Award for its Extension 350 project, a farmer-led farmer-focused programme aiming to transform farming practice in Northland.

The project started in November 2016, and over five years will involve 350 farmers throughout Northland.

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More messages from your neighbours
1 day ago

Six tips for improving security around your home

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.

2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.

3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.

4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.

5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.

6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property

Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.

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23 days ago
4 days ago

Walking your dog or your dog walking you in Tikipunga

Kristi Neighbourly Lead from Tikipunga

Here are two great places to take your pooch out and about in Tikipunga - Beasley Park and the Hatea River walk.

Beasley Park, Tikipunga
Beasley Park is a suburban park close to Beazley Crescent. It is a calm place to play off-leash with a good variety of shade, sun, slopes and flat spaces. It is a quiet neighbourhood park with an interesting central waterway to explore.

Hātea River Walk
The Hatea River walkway is a dog-friendly place for on-leash exploring, with a forested walkway passing through several parks and suburbs starting from Otuihau/Whangārei Falls in Tikipunga and leading all the way to the central city at Riverside (about 6 kilometres)
There are well-established pathways (your dog must stay on leash and stick to the paths). Expect lots of passing foot-traffic - including kids.
Take a picnic, a ball, or other park activities. You will need to take rubbish home with you.