Northland news in brief

Northland is likely to get a small amount of rain around midday tomorrow. Photo / iStock

Brief spell of rain ahead

Northland is likely to get a small amount of rain around midday tomorrow when a deep low pressure system moves away from the country. But MetService said it would be just enough to wet the land rather than turn farms from brown to green. A large front the MetService called a "combination of significant weather features" with "explosive cyclogenesis" was forecast to move on to the lower South Island late yesterday then cross much of that island today, and the rest of the country on Thursday.

Crash victim in bad way

A woman involved in a car crash on a rural road three days ago remains in a serious condition. The 25-year-old was in a vehicle that crashed off the Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd about 4pm on Friday. When emergency services arrived the woman was found outside the vehicle but the windscreen remained intact. A male in the vehicle was not injured. The woman was flown to Auckland Hospital by the Northland Rescue Helicopter.

Taste of world in Kaitaia

Those who are interested in other cultures, but prefer not to travel, won't have to go any further than Kaitaia next month to indulge their passion for the exotic. This year's YoiFest will again feature traditional stories, music, dance, songs, folk games and food, at the Te Ahu Centre on the afternoon of Saturday, February 18. Visitors will have the opportunity to "dive into" other cultures, to try Indian and Irish dancing, to play Maori folk games, to dream into stories from far and nearby. They will also be invited to sing together in their own languages.

Waitangi Marae seeks helpers

Waitangi Marae is calling for volunteers to help as it prepares to host the nation once again next month. Marae chairman and Focus Paihia representative Ngati Kawa Taituha said volunteers who worked behind the scenes with tangata whenua would experience the atmosphere first-hand, and gain a rare insight into how the marae caters for the annual celebration. Cooks, kitchen hands, waiters, cleaners and general maintenance crews are needed, and the marae will gratefully accept donations of food, produce, materials and services. Preparations will begin on February 2 and continue until February 7. To volunteer contact Mr Taituha on n.taituha@hotmail.com or (020) 4022-9517.

NorthTec pop-up shop to open

NorthTec's town centre pop-up shop will open in Whangarei next week, for potential students to drop in and find out about study options for 2017. The temporary shop at 17-19 Rathbone St will operate for three weeks, from Monday to February 12. It will be open from Mondays to Fridays, 10am to 4pm (excluding Northland Anniversary Day and Waitangi Day), with information about all NorthTec programmes starting in semester one, which gets under way in February. Members of the public can browse the options available at all NorthTec's campuses throughout the region. Staff will be on hand to take enrolments and answer any queries. The shop will also be the venue for demonstrations by NorthTec's hospitality, science and horticulture tutors.