In New Zealand's original seat of power, Winston Aldworth finds a pub to celebrate.

Winston Aldworth checks into a property with postcard views of prime New Zealand scenery.

A 22-metre long blue whale washed up on a private Far North beach has excited a marine mammal expert but also sparked a health warning as the giant sea creature decomposes.

Police have arrested three young men following a number of burglaries in the Kerikeri region over the past couple of weeks.

The two people who died, Vernon Lawrence-Samuels and Ryan Wikaira, both 23, had been at rugby training before the accident.

On the way out to Moturua Island, our guide pointed out a spectacular mansion on the sprawling hillsides of Russell.

The completion of a settlement of major Treaty of Waitangi claims is in the balance after a hui was held to resolve issues over its management.

Jane Jeffries discovers the places that say 'yes' to dogs.

A Tauranga family has been reunited with their beloved cat 16 months after it went missing.

A financial adviser with clients in the Waikato and the Bay of Plenty has pleaded guilty in the Tauranga District Court to a $1.4 million fraud.

The Eagles Nest spills across 75 acres of a peninsula looking down on the Bay of Islands along the way to Tapeka Pt.

Five walks that highlight the historic significance of Waitangi and nearby areas

Guided trip up Waitangi Estuary is a great introduction to kayaking, says Donna McIntyre.

Going walkabout is a great way to experience the winterless north, says Donna McIntyre.

INCREDIBLE PHOTOS: Woman saves two-metre-long sevengill shark after it became stranded while fleeing hungry orcas.

Another slice of Kiwi coastal paradise could be headed for the open market after the Department of Conservation turned down the chance to buy it.

An upstream river paddle is fun and games on a budget for all the family, writes Rob Cox.

Catherine Smith discovers a vibrant dining scene in the gastronomic capital of Northland.

A vehicle has been seized because its owner had gathered more than 600 cockles - 12 times the legal limit for the Auckland and Coromandel areas.

Up to $10,000 of taxpayers' money was spent on a rescue in Northland over the weekend for a group of Aucklanders "who were not in real danger", police say.

More than 500 people gathered on a hilltop in the Bay of Islands yesterday to celebrate the bicentenary of Pakeha settlement in New Zealand.

A great boys' trip up north is about golf and sleep not babes and beach for family man Rob Cox.

Elisabeth Easther visited Russell for a sneak preview of the Bay of Islands Walking Weekend and found a wealth of wanders on offer.

The lovely Bay of Islands has something for all, writes Penny Lewis.

A bottlenose dolphin thought to have lost its calf has adopted a baby of another species.

The sky is the limit as a Northland town turns on the charm for a winter festival, writes Elisabeth Easther.

Rachel Grunwell finds plenty to keep her busy on a weekend in Russell.

Danielle Wright discovers clubs happy to welcome you in out of the cold.