Northland news in brief: NZ Post to end Saturday rural delivery; StarJam raised over $165,000

NZ Post will no longer be delivering parcels and newspapers in rural areas on Saturdays as of June 29.

NZ Post will no longer deliver newspapers and parcels to rural addresses on Saturdays as of June 29, due to commercial viability. Deliveries will continue as normal during the week. Impacted customers will receive a written notification about the change from NZ Post. Customers who have newspapers delivered on Saturdays should contact their newspaper subscription services to make relevant arrangements.

Live Art for Oceans event this Saturday

A Live Art for Oceans event will be hosted on Saturday from 4pm at Phat House Brewery in Haruru. A silent art auction and live art will help fundraise for the Ocean Mind Project, dedicated to community education and coastal cleanup initiatives in the Bay of Islands. Free entry.

StarJam raises over $165,000 in a week

In just a week StarJam has raised more than $165,000 to keep its doors open. Faced with a shortfall in funding, the not-for-profit organisation launched emergency appeal “SOS - Save Our StarJam” on April 2 and it surpassed the $100,000 initial goal in a matter of days. StarJam has been running for 22 years and is dedicated to empowering young people facing challenges due to disability through music and dance.

New Zealand Young Farmers final this weekend

New Zealand Young Farmers Northern Region contestants will battle it out for a place at the Season 56 FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final on Saturday. The final regional competition will be held at the Mangakahia Sports and Community Complex from 5.30pm. Tickets are $65.

Keiran Davis wins NZ Builders Apprentice Challenge leg

Apprentice Keiran Davis, 23, won the Bay of Islands leg of the New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge. While apprentice Jayden Hudson-Owen, 18, claimed the title of Northland’s champion at the regional heats held in Whangārei. Both will compete in the national final of the ITM-sponsored event in Wellington in June.

Plant project breathes life into ecosystems

Craigmore Sustainables is embarking on native planting projects in Northland to breathe new life into degraded ecosystems. The team at Craigmore’s Ngatieke Forest in the Far North has established native “seed islands”. In time, the seeds will be dispersed by birds and wind. To date, 400sq m islands have been planted.

Channel Infrastructure joins Era

Energy Resources Aotearoa (Era) announced Channel Infrastructure has joined its membership ranks. Channel Infrastructure is New Zealand’s leading fuel infrastructure company, based at Marsden Point. Channel operates New Zealand’s largest fuel import terminal, supporting about 40 per cent of New Zealand’s transport fuel demand through its harbour and jetty infrastructure, extensive storage tanks and pipeline to Auckland.