Cooking demonstrations, fish filleting and mussel opening competitions are part of the fun at the Tauranga Moana Seafood Festival.

Six people have died in five separate Labour Weekend accidents in Wanganui, Southland, Canterbury, Hawke's Bay and the Waikato.

Hobbiton has put Matamata on the map, but with production of The Hobbit shifting overseas, the town's future as a tourist hub is in jeopardy.

Police investigating the discovery of two human placentas in a creek bed in the Waikato say the mother and children are safe and well.

Police investigating the discovery of two babies' placentas near Raglan in the Waikato are awaiting the results of forensic analysis.