St Michael's Church was built at Ngāwhā 150 years ago this year. Photo / supplied
St Michael's Church was built at Ngāwhā 150 years ago this year. Photo / supplied
St Michael's Church celebrates 150 years
The 150th anniversary of one of Northland's most historic churches will be marked on Sunday, March 28, with a full day of commemorations.
St Michael's Church was built by Māori in 1871 on the site of the 1845 Battle of Ōhaeawai, as a memorial to the many British who lost their lives in a heavy defeat for colonial forces.
The following year chief Heta Te Haara obtained permission to re-inter the soldiers' remains in the churchyard.
The church, a Category 1 historic place, is beside State Highway 12 at Ngāwhā, between Kaikohe and Ōhaeawai.
The commemorations will start at 8.30am with a wero and haka pōwhiri.
That will be followed by a church service, baptisms, historical kōrero, church consecration, a hakari (feast), kapa haka and cutting of a commemorative cake.
Heritage New Zealand wants a customer service superstar to host visitors and care for Ruatuna, the birthplace of former New Zealand Prime Minister Gordon Coates, near Matakohe.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is looking for a customer service superstar from the Kaipara to host visitors and care for Ruatuna, its property near Matakohe.
Nationally significant as the birthplace of former New Zealand Prime Minister Gordon Coates, Ruatuna also has important links with the development of stock breeding in New Zealand and for its wider significance to the Kaipara area.
After being cancelled last year due to the pandemic, the Whangārei Heads Art Trail is on again this Easter weekend.
The art trail on April 4 and 5 will feature the work of Whangārei Heads artists and some exciting new guests.
Expect to see textiles, prints, paintings, photographs, jewellery, ceramics, woodwork, sculpture, stone carving and glass. All of the work is original and all are made in Northland.
The map of the 14 venues and artist details are free to download from www.whangareiheadsartstrail.org.nz or they can be picked up from Tamaterau Hall, Parua Bay Community Centre, McLeod Bay Hall and Taurikura Hall.
Feel the chamber music beat
Trio Élan, a new ensemble made up of three of New Zealand's leading chamber musicians - violinist Donald Armstrong, saxophonist Simon Brew and pianist Sarah Watkins - plays in Whangārei tomorrow.
In a rare and exclusive programme which showcases the sounds of three wildly different instruments, audiences will be swept along by music from France, New Zealand, Argentina and the US.
The trio play at the Old Library Building Arts Centre, in Rust Ave, from 2.30pm. Tickets from whangareimusic.org.nz.
All that jazz in Onerahi
The Northern Jazz Society has lined up another concert for next month.
The society will host "The Little Band", with Bruce McKinnon, John Bell and Alan Thomas at Flames Hotel, Onerahi, from 2pm to 4.30pm on April 11. Admission is $10 for members and $15 for non-members.
Police are investigating the theft of multiple power tools from a Whangārei retail store on Thursday.
The thefts occurred on Commerce St at around 3.30pm. Officers were speaking with staff and witnesses to determine what occurred.
What Now comes to town
Popular kids' television show What Now is coming to Whangārei this weekend. Children can meet presenter Stella Maris as part of the Whangārei District Council's Family Fun Day on Saturday in Pohe Island, Riverside Dr, from 10am to 1pm.
Maris and the What Now crew will be in Tikipunga's Potters Park on Corks Rd on Sunday from 7.30am to 10am for lots of gunge-filled fun.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has revealed to MPs that this year's Budget will be on Thursday, May 20.
He revealed the date at the finance and expenditure committee this morning while he was talking about the Budget Policy Statement.
Little is known about what will be in the Budget at this stage though the Government has set aside a significant amount of money for its housing supply announcement.
