A man who murdered an Auckland man with a thistle grubber has been jailed for life with a non-parole period of 21 years.

House builders and buyers are creating a buzz on Whangarei's Tutukaka coast, as Aucklanders and expats have ramped up purchases of coastal property this year.

A teenager who collapsed and died at The Warehouse in Whangarei on Tuesday was the victim of a stabbing in Onerahi just over three weeks ago.

Police have issued a warning after reports of a man hiding in bushes taking photos of students at a Whangarei school.

A grieving father extended an olive branch of forgiveness to the man who killed his daughter and another driver during an emotional court address.

A Whangarei father has been arrested after police say he slapped his two-year-old daughter several times because she wouldn't shut up and kept demanding her bottle.

A Whangarei lunch bar and an office have been badly smoke-damaged after a deliberately-lit fire.

Police are investigating after a 17-year-old collapsed and died in a Whangarei store today.

A Whangarei school teacher dismissed for speaking out against what he called discriminatory comments by his catholic school principal is a keynote speaker at a national marriage equality conference.

A man has been arrested after allegedly firing a high-powered air rifle at passing vehicles on an isolated Whangarei road, with one car carrying a pregnant woman.

Northland's grim road toll continues after a woman was killed when a logging truck, trying to avoid another vehicle, rolled and crushed the car she was a passenger in.

A Whangarei man who led police on a high speed chase has found himself back in prison after he was also caught driving while over the legal alcohol limit.

Plans by the Northland DHB to privately fund an extension to Whangarei Hospital will only lead to taxpayers footing the bill if the deal sours, says Labour.

A Northland headmaster has written to John Key about his concerns over banning drug sniffer dogs from schools, saying it is "short-sighted nonsense".

A 17-year-old was "almost disembowelled'' when he was knifed by another teenager at a party in Whangarei yesterday, police say.

The mother of a young woman found dead near a Whangarei bridge says the family have been overwhelmed by support and compassion.

Inadequate training of crew in the use of navigation systems was one of several factors that grounded a navy barge in Whangarei on Waitangi Day, an inquiry finds.

Items used to manufacture methamphetamine were found inside a rubbish bin kept in a wardrobe in a home where two children were living, a court has been told.

New Zealand Navy Band members' personal possessions were stolen during a weekend break-in while the band was taking part in a military parade through Whangarei.