August 4 2026 KEEPING YOU ON THE ROAD
• Mechanical Repairs • Air Conditioning •Brake repairs • WOF’s With over 20 years of experience, we proudly serve the local area as members of the MTA, Automotive Solutions, and AA.
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Volunteering to preserve nature Plea for forest intervention Jan Beatty of Tangiterōria has raised serious questions about forestry planting on Kaipara farmland …
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p Citizen volunteer John Richards, the Northland Regional Council invasive plant buster Paul Ralph, and Team Vegetation’s Stephen Card stand in one of the last stands of native forest in the Dargaville township area, armed to remove noxious weeds. Volunteers pitch in on alternate Wednesdays to wage a battle against threats like woolly nightshade, Japanese spindle berry, Kahili Ginger and agapanthus. Jessie Wordley also assists with the scheme on behalf of the Kaipara District Council.
A green light for the north
Love in the mixture
u by Paul Campbell
Having seen and supported her mother fight cancer twice and discovering her baking passion from her grandmother, Michaela Morrison doesn’t just …
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A Celtic celebration Maungatūroto will rock to the sounds of Celtic music this August, as a winter tradition from Scotland comes to life in the heartland of Kaipara …
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The $3.649 billion Northland Expressway project linking Warkworth and Te Hana will be built by New Zealand’s biggest-ever public-private partnership. Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced the Crown signed a project agreement with the Northway consortium for the 26km, four-lane road, the first stage, including twin one-kilometre tunnels through Kraack Hill in the Dome Valley, 15 bridges, two underpasses and 12 wetland stormwater basins, and it’s been welcomed by the four Northland councils. Detailed design, site mobilisation and early construction works are expected to begin in the coming months. The Northland Regional Transport Committee chair Joe Carr said the announcement marks an important milestone for Northland and a major step toward improving safety and resilience on
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the region’s key transport corridor. Over its life, the benefits of the expressway are expected to include 145 fewer deaths and serious injuries, and travel-time savings of 7–10 minutes for each vehicle. “The committee has consistently advocated for safer, more reliable and more resilient transport connections between Northland and Auckland, and we’re pleased to see this project moving from planning into delivery.” The work will include a new 26-kilometre, four-lane expressway with grade-separated interchanges at Warkworth, Wellsford and Te Hana, Cr Carr says “is critical to the movement of people, freight and essential services.
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“Strong transport links are fundamental to Northland’s economic growth and prosperity. They support our businesses, connect our communities and help ensure goods can move efficiently to markets. “This project will improve resilience on one of the country’s most important transport corridors and provide greater confidence for Northland residents, visitors and freight operators.” However, public interest is still centred on solving the Brynderwyn bottleneck, while the New Zealand Transport Authority seeks to ensure the necessary land will be secured for future construction. ¢
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