A tunnel on the Twin Coast Cycle Trail. The trail is being extended to go from Russell to Ōkiato.
A tunnel on the Twin Coast Cycle Trail. The trail is being extended to go from Russell to Ōkiato.
Cycle trail to Russell planned
Far North District Council has announced that the Twin Coast Cycle Trail will be extended to link with Russell.
The Bay of Islands Walkways Trust (BOIWT) has proposed a new cycle trail to link the Twin Coast Cycle Trail with Russell via the vehicle ferryterminus at Ōkiato, 7km from Russell township.
The trail will traverse road reserve, Department of Conservation land, and council and private property.
A Memorandum of Understanding with BOIWT is being developed and will be vetted through the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board. It will outline the final route, as well as long-term operation and maintenance obligations.
BOIWT is compiling engineering and traffic management plans and the council's legal team is developing a volunteer agreement with the group. The aim is to begin work on the new trail late this summer.
Chairman of the trust, William Fuller, said over a number of years various groups of people have been working on the idea of a cycleway from Russell to Ōkiato.
"More recently the Bay of Islands Walkways Trust has been negotiating with the Far North District Council to progress this idea.
"The cycleway will be built in stages. Our trust has funds for the first stage which will start as soon as the Memorandum of Understanding is signed."
The aim is to begin work on the new trail late this summer. Shaun Clarke, CEO of Far North District Council, said the Twin Coast Cycle Trail has proven how popular cycling is for residents and visitors and the economic benefits the trail can provide.
Matthew Bell, resident organist, composer and music teacher at King's School, Remuera. He will be giving a recital on the Rodgers Inspire organ at the Turner Centre, Kerikeri.
Organ recital back on
The Bay of Islands Singers were to host an organ recital at the Turner Centre last November but the event was cancelled due to covid-19 restrictions, including Auckland being in lockdown.
Now, it's back on. Organ specialist Michael Bell is giving an inaugural recital on the new Rodgers Inspire organ which the Bay of Islands Singers recently acquired. The purchase was made possible by donations from choir members, supporters of the group and a bequest from the estate of Jane Berry.
President of Bay of Islands Singers, Sylvia Birch, said usually you would hear an organ recital sitting in an uncomfortable cathedral or church but in Kerikeri it's being brought to you from the comfort of the Turner Centre.
The Rodgers Inspire is a state-of-the-art 165-pipe organ with voices in four different styles, two keyboards, a 32-note pedalboard and 33 original voices.
Michael Bell is resident organist, composer and music teacher at King's School, Remuera, Auckland. He was director of music at St Matthew's in the City from 2002 until 2016.
For Kerikeri his recital will include works by Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Joplin and Widor.
Musical director of the Bay of Islands Singers, John Jackets, said it's a rare opportunity to hear what Mozart rightly called the "King of Instruments" on an organ worthy of the title.
The concert is at the Turner Centre on Sunday, February 27 at 2pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and free for those 18 years and under.
Volunteers from Kororāreka Marae and Heritage New Zealand excavate a small area of Long Beach/Oneroa in an attempt to find kōiwi (human remains) and reinter them in the local urupā.
Oneroa/Long Beach excavation underway
In an initiative led by Kororāreka Marae in Russell, a small part of the foreshore at Long Beach/Oneroa is being excavated. The objective is to remove koiwi (human remains) that are likely to be present and reinterred at an urupā in line with local tikanga.
Volunteers from the marae and from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga began digging on Monday and are likely to take 3-4 days to complete the task. The University of Auckland and the Far North District Council are providing support.
"This segment of the beach is prone to erosion from natural storm events and foot traffic," says Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland archaeologist Dr James Robinson, who will be directing the excavation.
"Over the past 18 months two koiwi pre-Christian burials have eroded out of this part of the Oneroa beach coastal reserve, with the possibility that further kōiwi could also yet be exposed."
Although the excavation area will be fenced off, people are also being asked to keep a respectful distance so the work can be completed as efficiently as possible.
"The excavation will take place at a small area on the beach, though people will be able to use the rest of the beach," says James Robinson.
Volunteers digging for kōiwi (human remains) at Oneroa/Long Beach. The excavations are expected to take around four days.
"This is a temporary inconvenience, and we're asking that people bear with us as we complete this work. Once we're finished the site will open to the public again."
Dr Robinson acknowledged that there is likely be interest in the outcome of the excavation – but said it would not be appropriate to talk about what might be discovered during the excavation itself.
"Once the excavation has been completed and reinterment has taken place, however, we should be in a better position to talk more about what we may find," he says.
RNZAF parachute training
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is planning military parachute training around Kerikeri and Kaikohe until March 11.
Parachuting will be done from a civilian aircraft and an Air Force Hercules and will include high- and low-level operations.
An Air Force spokesperson said the aircraft and parachutists would be seen overhead during training.
