The Royal New Zealand Air Force Black Falcons aerobatics team will be in formation action over Gisborne as part of a North Island mission this weekend.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force Black Falcons aerobatics team will be in formation action over Gisborne as part of a North Island mission this weekend.
Gisborne on Black Falcons flight path
The Royal New Zealand Air Force Black Falcons aerobatic team will be flying to Gisborne this weekend.
The team will depart the RNZAF Base Auckland at Whenuapai, and fly in formation over various North Island towns.
On Saturday morning, the six planes willfly along the western side of Northland to Kaitāia before returning to Whenuapai.
The team will refuel, then make an afternoon flight around the Coromandel Peninsula to Waihī and back to Whenuapai.
“We’ve often thought about such a series of sorties in addition to our displays and flypasts at specific events, which are the main elements of a Black Falcons season.”
The weather has played ball so far, with the annual grape harvest underway, and the vintage looks promising at present. Photo / Gisborne Wines Facebook
Grape expectations for Gisborne vintage
Fine weather in February and into March has helped the region’s grape harvest and the vintage is looking promising, says Gisborne Winegrowers chairman Mark Thompson.
Harvest started in February and is about 80% complete.
“Despite substantial rainfall in January, the better weather last month and through the early part of March provided good conditions for harvesting,” Thompson said.
“The fruit coming in shows a lot of promise, with good levels of ripeness and acid balance.
“With yield caps in place around the region, a lot of blocks have reasonably average yields, which in turn are showing a much better quality of fruit.”
Thompson, the chief winemaker at GisVin, pointed to two Gisborne Albarinos being named in the top five Albarino wines in Cuisine magazine’s latest tastings and a regional trophy for GisVin’s Nga Mihi 2025 Albarino.
“It is pleasing to see this new variety thriving in Gisborne’s maritime climate.”
The grape harvest continues into late April, when the late red wine varieties will be picked.
Flights from Gisborne Airport were not affected by ash cloud from Whakaari/White Island's volcanic activity on Thursday. This photo was taken by Earth Sciences NZ in September last year.
Cleared for take-off in Gisborne
The Whakaari/White Island volcanic ash that led to the cancellation of multiple flights out of Tauranga on Thursday did not affect Gisborne.
Air New Zealand cancelled 19 services in and out of Tauranga on Thursday morning due to the ash cloud impacting the flight path.
However, Gisborne Airport manager Murray Bell confirmed local flights were not affected by any ash.
“There have been no interruptions at Gisborne Airport today as a result of volcanic activity from Whakaari/White Island.”
Meanwhile, Air New Zealand chief safety and risk officer Nathan McGraw said the airline would reassess conditions and resume flying as soon as it was safe to operate in and out of Tauranga.
Disposal site good to go at Te Araroa
A dedicated disposal site at the Te Araroa transfer station is ready to receive material as the flood clean-up on the East Coast continues.
The site will accept silt and spoil, soil and clean fill, rock (clean fill) and detritus (flood debris).
The site will not accept general rubbish, plastics, steel or metals, treated or tanalised timber, household or commercial waste.
“Unacceptable material will be redirected to the transfer station for appropriate disposal,” Gisborne District Council said.
The site is located at Te Arawapia Rd (part of the transfer station landholding).
There will be supervised tipping under the direction of transfer station caretakers and Blackbee Contractors will attend weekly to distribute, level and compact the material.
The council said the site included environmental controls (silt fencing, wetland setbacks) to protect surrounding areas.
It will operate Tuesdays, 10am–noon; Thursdays, 3pm–5pm; Saturdays, 10am–noon; and Sundays, 10am–noon.
