Young planters Jack Laird and Mia Kane at a previous Wairoa Stream planting day. PHOTO / PETER DE GRAAF
Young planters Jack Laird and Mia Kane at a previous Wairoa Stream planting day. PHOTO / PETER DE GRAAF
A weekly round-up of news snippets, events and oddities from the Bay of Islands and around the Mid North
Volunteers are needed this weekend for a planting project to transform a Kerikeri reserve which was until recently a weed-infested wasteland used as an illegal dumping ground.
For the past few years community groups Vision Kerikeri and Living Waters have been turning the banks of the Wairoa Stream, which starts at Mt Pokaka, flows under Cobham Rd and empties into Kerikeri River at the bottom of Pa Rd, into a public walkway and wildlife corridor.
The stream banks on either side of the Cobham Rd bridge have already been planted in native trees and shrubs, so this year's planting is focussed on a neglected reserve in Kerikeri's industrial area.
Rod Brown, of Vision Kerikeri, said clearing the weeds and rubbish along the stream banks near Sammaree Place had taken a huge effort.
Volunteers had removed six trailer-loads of waste including oil filters, tyres, beer bottles, plastic, parts of car bodies, lumps of concrete and a boat trailer. The area had been used as an illegal dumping ground, he said.
Northland Excavators had then contoured the bank for planting and created a flat walkway beside the stream. Gum and pine trees had also been removed.
Anyone who wants to lend a hand planting 1300 native trees should head to the Cobham Rd bridge at 9.30am on Sunday, June 21, then walk about 200m upstream towards Sammaree Place. Bring a spade and suitable footwear.
Planting will also be extended downstream of the bridge, beyond the 550m of riverbank already planted.
The Far North final of the Smokefreerockquest is being held at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri this Sunday, June 21.
Alyssa Graham is one of the young musicians who will compete in the Far North Smokefreerockquest this Sunday. PHOTO / PETER DE GRAAF
This year's contestants are Crucifix, 4K South, Amalgam (Kaitaia College); Adept, Mixed Melodies, Mystique, Purple Minded, Sophryan, Alyssa Graham, Bella Mason, Nicole Gleeson-Stokes, Cypress, Back 2 Back, Arrow Down, Guy Yarrall, JKYIT (Kerikeri High School); Elsa Meier (Springbank School); Te Rina, Fairy-Allen, Prime & Rudolph, Awhinatia (Whangaroa College).
Doors open at 7pm. Entry is $10 for students, $15 adults. Winners have a chance of going through to the national finals and winning scholarships.
Over the years the annual high school music contest has launched the careers of many of New Zealand's best known bands. The Northland (Whangarei/Kaipara) final takes place at Forum North on Saturday.
Photographer speaks
Renowned photographer Laurence Aberhart is giving a presentation at Kaan Zamaan Gallery on Kerikeri's Hobson Ave tomorrow about his exhibition Northland: Gone and Going.
Although Mr Aberhart lives in Russell it is his first comprehensive show in Northland. It features images of Northland churches, marae, cemeteries and Masonic lodges, taken with a 100-year-old camera using exposures ranging from seconds to hours.
A Matariki Festival for schools is being held at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds all this week. Ten schools with 915 children from as far away as Kaitaia will take part in activities such as kite making, flax weaving, storytelling and traditional Maori games.
Kite flying in particular is associated with Matariki or the Maori New Year, a time of harvest, replanting of crops and celebration.
... and for stargazers
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are also hosting stargazing evenings open to the public tonight and on Friday.
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are hosting Matariki-themed stargazing evenings tonight and Friday. PHOTO / STEPHEN CHADWIC
The evenings start at 6pm in Te Whare Runanga with a presentation about Matariki, a star cluster also known as Pleiades or the Seven Sisters, followed by stargazing and explanations of the connection between the stars and the designs in Te Whare Runanga.
Parking and the entrance is at The Hobson Memorial (behind the Treaty House). Entry by gold coin donation.
A new book about the Bay of Islands' turbulent past will be launched in Kerikeri this Friday, June 19.
Chasing the White Whale, by Russell man Lindsay Alexander, brings together 19 tales of shipwreck, murders, flagpoles, whaleships and the whalers who sailed them.
The book, published by Kororareka Press, is the result of seven years' research. Some of the stories, found in long-forgotten archives, are told for the first time in the book. It will be available at the launch for $30.
Mr Alexander has previously written two reference works on whaleships in northern New Zealand waters.
A Kerikeri woman missed out on a million dollars but still went home happy with a surprise $10,000 won in a lucky draw.
Christine Robinson (centre) with her winnings and Unichem staff. PHOTO / STEPHANIE SCHOLLUM
Christine Robinson was chosen at random from everyone in New Zealand who swiped a Living Rewards card in April. On June 5 she was invited back to Kerikeri's Unichem pharmacy to pick an envelope from a suitcase containing 99 cheques for $10,000 and one for $1,000,000.
Mrs Robinson didn't manage to defy the odds by picking out the biggie but was delighted with her $10,000 windfall.
Print workshops
The resident artist at No 1. Parnell Gallery in Rawene, Gabrielle Belz, is holding four days of print-making workshops starting this week.
The workshops cover mono print on June 18, relief print on June 19, and relief and dry point on June 22-23. Contact the gallery to register a place.
Bring a pencil, paper, apron or old shirt, and an idea to develop into prints.
Waihou Film Festival
Rawene's No 1. Parnell Gallery is also holding a Waihou Film Festival with short films about or inspired by Waihou: Tohunga, Rising Dust and Pumana. Producer, director and writer Marie Thompson will be present for a discussion afterwards.
The screenings are at 11.30am and 3.30pm this Sunday. Total viewing time is about 45 minutes. Gold coin entry fee.
Hip-hop dance show
DDF Dance is performing a hip-hop dance show with guests Diamond Divas at Kerikeri's Turner Centre Plaza on Friday. Doors open at 6pm, the show starts at 6.30pm. Tickets cost $8 or $20 per family.
Don't forget you can kickstart Rusty Benseman's football career by paying $5 to try to get a ball past him at Kerikeri Domain from 7.45-8.45am tomorrow. Anyone who succeeds gets a prize. Money raised will help get the goalie for the national under-16 side to games in Australia.
Win a tablet
Far North residents who take part in a survey about how they want the district to look in 2050 can win a tablet computer.
Anyone who takes part in the Our Voices Our Vision survey by June 28 goes into the draw to win one of two Samsung Tab A eight-inch, 16GB tablets or grocery vouchers worth $1000.
As of last week more than 500 people had taken part in the survey, which will help shape future decisions by the Far North District Council.
Do you have news or an upcoming event you'd like to see in this column? Send it to us, including your full contact details, to baynews@northernadvocate.co.nz.
