Gisborne news digest: Paid lifeguard season ends with highest rescues

The paid surf lifeguards who patrolled the city beaches and in Tolaga Bay over the peak season had "an all time high" number of incidents to deal with. From left are Isabel Pott, Sean Grey and Nikau Rudge. Photo / Supplied

The paid surf lifeguard patrols on Gisborne’s beaches ended last Friday and Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s Thomas Dodds said it proved to be one of the most exciting and eventful summers for Gisborne.

Dodds is the club support lead for SLSNZ in Tairāwhiti and supervised the paid patrols.

“From beach closures to thousands of R&V festival goers, our guards were kept on their toes for the full six weeks.

“The overall beach numbers seemed lower than previous years; however, the number of incidents that our lifeguards have responded to was at an all-time high,” Dodds said.

“Our paid lifeguards dealt with six rescues, two assists to safety, six major first aids and 31 minor first aids.

“Our teams patrolling Midway, Waikanae, Wainui and Tolaga Bay beaches have excelled in every facet of lifesaving and I could not be prouder of them.

“Even though our paid guard season is over, we still urge people to know their limits and to swim at the safest parts of the beaches.”

The lifesaving clubs will continue to patrol weekends and public holidays through into March.

Pā Wars cancelled

The Ngāti Porou inter marae sports festival Pā Wars has been cancelled this year due to the impact of severe weather on the coast.

The event had earlier been postponed to February 7, on Waitangi weekend, at the start of the month due to heavy rain warnings.

A new statement was issued on the Pa Wars Facebook page this week.

“Tēnā koutou - due to the recent Tairāwhiti Weather Event, SH35 road closures and the need to prioritise whānau wellbeing during this time, the 2026 Ngati Porou Pā Wars that was postponed to Saturday 7th February 2026, is cancelled. Thank you for your understanding,” the post read.

Counterfeit cash warning from Kiwi cops

Police are urging vigilance when handling cash after reports across the country of the circulation of counterfeit $50 and $100 banknotes.

Members of the public, especially those working in retail or hospitality, should increase their knowledge of how to spot a fake banknote to avoid getting duped at the till, police advise.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand recommends the look-feel-tilt test to distinguish the official security features of a legitimate banknote.

“When looking through the holographic window, the edges of the window should look smooth, and you should see the bird’s silhouette, a map of New Zealand and a 3D feature showing the value of the banknote.

“When you run a finger across the words Reserve Bank of New Zealand Te Pūtea Matua, you should be able to feel raised ink on the denomination and the letters at the top.

“When tilting the note, a bright shining bar should roll across the bird’s silhouette on the front and the holographic window’s colours should shift and change, revealing fine details.“

”Anyone who finds a counterfeit note should report it to police as soon as possible," police said.

“Manufacturing counterfeit notes or knowingly passing them on is a serious offence.”