Peter de Graaf is a reporter for the Northern Advocate
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Taumatamakuku strikes back: How one small Far North community made its roads safer
Locals fought for generations for footpaths and lower speeds without success. Until now.

Ōkaihau mums on a mission to reopen abandoned playcentre
Playcentre closed when the town had few kids. Now there are lots with nowhere to go.

Man facing more than 100 sex charges
Charges relate to two complainants, one of whom was underage.

Time traveller from the age of dinosaurs returns to Bay of Islands
Wētāpunga, the world’s second-biggest insect species, can weigh as much as a small bird.

Pedestrian critical after incident on SH12, Kaikohe
Driver swerved and crashed in attempt to avoid pedestrian, police say.

Homes left in the dark as ute demolishes power pole
Driver allegedly left Puketona crash scene before emergency services arrived.

Rugby legend shares tips with Northland club Whangaruru
The once-struggling club is now booming with new facilities and 'huge' player growth.

Seatbelt could have saved Takahue crash driver — police
Passer-by, St John medics and firefighters all attempted CPR but driver died at the scene.

Let there be light: Matariki festival returns to Oromahoe
Lantern trail, music, costumes, kai and crafts showcased at school fundraiser.

Matariki goes global: Northlanders join celebrations in Europe
Two days of festivities, activities planned as Dutch museum marks Matariki.

Pothole ends morning school bus run
Giant potholes highlight maintenance backlog caused by wet weather, deputy mayor says

‘Transformational’ business park opens, hundreds of jobs beckon Kaikohe
So far the park includes 10ha berry farm, two training institutes, and an ‘innovation hub’

Northland kids brave mud, hills in cross-country champs
More than 200 students aged 8-12 competed in the annual Far North event.

‘So much to be hopeful for’: Why Kaikohe’s future looks better now than for decades past
Social housing, indoor sports centre, hundreds of jobs on the horizon for struggling town.

‘It was time to show it a bit of love’: Mystery donor’s $100,000 gift for Paihia
New park features slide, waterfall, bbqs, gardens, upgraded loos and disabled beach access

Man, 52, in court charged with killing dialysis patient Linda Woods
Judge refused name suppression but accused can't be identified while decision is appealed.

Community group ‘surprised’ by consent for controversial Kerikeri social housing block
But Kāinga Ora seems to have taken some community concerns on board, group says.

Iwi, education leader Toa Faneva recognised for services to Māori
He credits his grandparents with instilling values of manaakitanga, tautoko and service.

Humble kaumātua's lifelong work for the environment, Māori and health honoured
The plight of the kukupa, or native pigeon, sparked Prime's life's work.

Kaikohe firefighter Geoff Mayall honoured for lifetime's service
The life member has held almost every role in the brigade since signing up in 1972.

Police release photos of shorts, shoes in hunt for dialysis patient's killer
The killer is believed to have fled barefoot and left his shoes at the scene.

Hunt for killer: Kaikohe dialysis patient attacked in home she shared with whānau
The killer is believed to have fled barefoot and left his shoes at the scene.

'Fighting for their lives': Killer ripped out dialysis patient's breathing tubes
“My daughters were there. They were the ones trying to fight him off.”

‘So proud’: Hokianga’s stand against harbour sewage praised
Commissioners to return for extra day of hearings before deciding on wastewater consent.

Manhunt: Police seek intruder who fled barefoot after elderly woman's death
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania, who lives nearby, describes incident as "incredibly tragic".

Kāinga Ora shrinks plans for controversial Kerikeri social housing
New plan will see 3-storey block reduced to 2 storeys with 8, not 12, apartments.

'It rips my heart out': Northland boarding house closure leaves 11 people homeless
Housing trust says it had no warning of closure; FNDC says it gave six days’ notice.

Arson suspected as home destroyed near Kaikohe
Owners about to start renovations with building materials, appliances already on site.

Rāwene man in court after alleged assaults at hospital
Rāwene Hospital patient described it as “like a scene out of a horror movie”.

Two dead after truck crash that closed SH10
Motorists urged to avoid the area; diversions are long and on rough roads.

World-leading robot plane venture takes off in Kerikeri
Venture fulfils a dream of bringing tech opportunities home for Northland youth.

Kerikeri social housing plans on hold, community group says
A redesign could be on the way for a controversial high-density social housing complex.

‘Here I can be myself’: Language Days a boost for deaf and hard-of-hearing children
Deaf get-togethers held fortnightly at Moerewa Scool for kids all over Northland.

Tenants check out, tourists check in
Concerns remain for Northland families left at mercy of tight rental market.

‘Transformational’ dam offers hope for Kaikohe’s future
Backers hope dam will do in the west what Kerikeri’s irrigation system did for the east.

'Ludicrous and unsafe': Gym owner says cops could have stopped arsonist
Kaikohe gym badly damaged in a suspected arson attack

Motorcyclist, motorist killed in grim weekend on Northland roads
State Highways 1, 11 closed for several hours while crashes investigated.

‘Right place, right time’ as yachtie rescued in Whangārei Harbour
Solo sailor got into difficulties off McLeod Bay around noon on Saturday.

‘They’re good fellas’: Boaties at centre of life-saving rescue drama thank Northland helicopter crew
Skipper urges other boaties to be prepared with the right gear, training and communication

Funding to tackle family, sexual violence “brilliant” but system needs to change
Initiatives aim to support kids and ease victims’ trauma from going through court system.

More funding for frontline cops, but programme to tackle repeat child offenders bypassed
Budget commits an extra $50.8m to maintain frontline police numbers.

‘It’s heartbreaking’: Ōtiria’s close call highlights spillway urgency
$7m project aims to restore streams' natural paths instead of flooding Ōtiria, Moerewa.

Pro wrestler-turned-comic artist Michel Mulipola heading to Northland
Michel Mulipola is known for his graphic novel Samoan Heroes and work for Marvel, Disney.

Sea rescue: Skipper operates on crewmate, guided by surgeon via FaceTime
Northland rescue chopper crew praised for skill, professionalism.

Hokianga residents take a stand against sewage plant plans saying they want their harbour water to be clean
Hearings into renewal of Kohukohu, Ōpononi treatment plant consents to last all this week.

Country rock fest returns to Bay of Islands
Last weekend’s festival was the 33rd organised by country music veteran Shirley May.

Dramatic rescue as chopper plucks elderly patient from boat 240km out at sea
Northland’s Sikorsky choppers are the only ones with a big enough range for ocean rescues.