Giving something back to Awanui

Brenda Dos Santos, Danielle Rodrigues, Salanieta Salu, Makareta Babale, Kalesi Navuem, Tevaine Apikau and Emily Thaggard, ready for all-comers at their chicken curry stall. PICTURE/FRANCIS MALLEY

It's many a long year since Awanui was a bustling port town, and centre of the very Far North's dairy processing industry, but the community's sense of identity has never been stronger, thanks in no small part to the annual Awanui Day celebration.

"At the end of the day, the town looks after us and you have to give something back. It's the place where we want to be," organising spokesman Bill Subritzky said.

A LITTLE SLOWER: Many rode motorbikes, but Tasha Kupa and Indy Dykins settled for a more sedated mode of transport courtesy of Max the Shetland pony. PICTURE/FRANCIS MALLEY

Saturday's celebration confirmed that the event is rapidly becoming a major annual attraction, not only within Awanui but further afield. Crowds flocked to the town on a glorious spring day, the big attraction for many being the several hundred high-performance motorcycles that once again lined the main street.

THEY'RE OFF: A three-wheeler leads the way north for Saturday's Treble T run to Cape Reinga. PICTURE/LEE GAMBLE

It was the 18th Treble T run, first staged in 1998, and the fourth or fifth time it had been combined with Awanui Day, Mr Subritzky saying the two events naturally complemented each other.

The turnout, which he estimated at somewhere between 260 and 280 bikes, was on par with previous years, he said, but the street carnival itself was much bigger and more spread out than in the past.

He had also heard a number of riders saying that the 2015 Treble T had reset the benchmark for poker runs (involving five stops on the way back from Cape Reinga, where each rider picked up a card with the best hand at the end of the ride winning a significant cash prize).

Many of the visiting riders had told him they were overwhelmed with the hospitality, food to die for and the friendly locals.

Food, incidentally, played a big part in the festivities once again, while other attractions included music, museum displays and a top town-type competition.