Four Far North cyclists joined an elite group of two-wheeled aficionados who can claim to have cycled from the bottom of New Zealand to the top.

Complimentary ERO reports are not uncommon in the Far North, but Kids Kingdom at Awanui has achieved a benchmark that only one other institution in Northland has made.

Call of the wild

A Kiwi thing

A 21-year-old Cooper's Beach man was remanded in custody yesterday on charges arising from a shooting at Kohumaru, south of Mangonui, on Saturday.

An elderly Kaitaia couple were not home when an out-of-control car smashed into their bedroom on Sunday morning, to the relief of police and emergency services.

The driver of a small tour bus that was inundated by the tide on 90 Mile Beach last year has been cleared of fault.

Far North paddlers scored a number of top places and also secured unforgettable experiences at the 25th annual waka ama sprint nationals on Lake Karapiro last week.

Kaitaia GP Dr Lance O'Sullivan is one of three finalists for the 2014 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Award, which will be presented on February 26.

A Kaitaia police officer has labelled the two people who robbed the Korner Dairy, in Pukepoto Road Kaitaia, late on Monday afternoon as bold, brazen and stupid.

A working group established to find a solution to the Hokianga i-Site debacle is not convinced a Far North District Council decision to lease the visitor information centre to the local grocer can't be undone.

Tokerau Beach might have been paradise for some this summer but many locals weren't impressed to see the council reserve at the end of Ramp Road turned into a camping ground.

SO there he was, The Offsider, delivering more of his favourite and most interesting quotes he'd reported on or otherwise heard and seen during 2013 ...

Paihia woman Jo Henwood came close to setting a New Zealand record with a monster big-eye tuna on Saturday.

Worlds collide

A parallel universe

Firefighters from Kaitaia and Houhora had no chance of saving a small house at Kaimaumau from total destruction on Saturday evening.

Former Far North District councillor and Te Hiku Community Board chairman Dennis Bowman was not surprised to learn last week that Kaitaia woman Sharleen Edmonds was unhappy with the state of Kaitaia's walkways

Oruaiti fundraiserSome good golf and some not-so-good was the order of the day at the Oruaiti School's annual ambrose golf fundraising tournament

Having virtually travelled around the world by kite over the past six months, Ahipara man Les Bore should be able to dine out on stories of his adventures for some time.

the third and last of three whale rescue training sessions organised by Far North Whale Rescue, following good turnouts at Tapotupotu on Friday and Maitai Bay on Saturday.

Spot the difference

Three university students who have been granted scholarships to conduct research in the Kaitaia area over summer will present their findings at Kaitaia Hospital (Te Waka Hauora)

Kaitaia woman Sharleen Edmonds doesn't know whose job it is to maintain the between-streets walkways in Kaitaia, and she isn't waiting to find out.

The grandmother of a five-year-old Kaitaia girl who was critically injured in a crash in the Bay of Islands last week is seeking the "angel" who gave her granddaughter a chance of survival.

There were smiles all round at the Kerikeri Croquet Club recently after the faction learnt it had received a generous grant from Oxford Sports Trust.

Thursday last week was the 200th birthday of Captain William Butler, the man who built the home on what is now Butler Point, across the harbour from Mangonui.

He's about to begin pursuing a degree in architecture at Auckland University, but 18-year-old Stefan Burrows has already well and truly added his name to the list of talented Far North artists.