Northland news in brief: Sausage competition for butchers and NorthTec campuses open

Bring on the snarlers - Northland butchers can put their best banger forward for the Great New Zealand Sausage Competition. Photo / File

Snarlers at the ready

Butchers from Cape Reinga to the Bluff should be fine-tuning their sausage recipes as entries are open for the 2019 Devro Great New Zealand Sausage Competition. The search for New Zealand's tastiest snarler will begin with a panel of 32 foodies, butchers and industry experts over a five-day sausage fest in September. The top 13 sausages, one from each category, then go to a final taste test for the Supreme Award. The humble bangers will be marked on their raw inner and outer visual appearance then, once cooked, on appearance, aroma, texture, composition and taste. Entries close on Friday 26, with the winning sausage announced at an Awards Dinner on Thursday October 17, in good time for Kiwis to celebrate National Sausage Day at Labour Weekend.

NorthTec open to view

Northlanders keen on tertiary education can visit NorthTec campuses this month to find out more. People can visit a campus, check out the facilities and talk to NorthTec's staff. If studying and gaining skills are on your to-do list for 2019 and beyond, you can take a look at what NorthTec has to offer. NorthTec's Whangārei Dyer St Campus is open today from 3pm-4.30pm and its Dargaville campus on Thursday June 13 from 2.30pm-3.30pm.
Visit www.northtec.ac.nzdiscover to learn more.

Viticulturists compete

The Auckland-Northland Young Viticulturist of the Year title will be up for grabs in Northland for the first time tomorrow, with Kerikeri's Jake Dromgool striving to retain the title and earn a place at the nationals in Hawke's Bay later in the year. The contest will take place at Kerikeri's Marsden Estate, beginning with a series of practical challenges. The winner will be announced at a dinner that evening.

Art space opens

Kaikohe's Te Pu o Te Wheke Community Gallery and Arts Trust will officially open new premises at 118 Broadway tomorrow evening from 6pm. The new space will cater for exhibitions, workshops and art classes, tomorrow's function including a talk by trust members about their plans, as well as kai and coffee. Te Pu o Te Wheke (The centre of the octopus, a reference to Kaikohe's location at the centre of the many arms of Ngāpuhi), was previously located across the road in temporary premises in a former hardware store.