Northland news in brief: Chopper sparks interest; Far North residents urged to have their say

Helicopter over Western Hills Whangārei. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A helicopter spotted in the skies above Whangārei yesterday was spreading aggregate at the Coronation Scenic Reserve on Western Hills. As a result the reserve’s Selwyn Track was closed for the day and the Frank Holman Track is closed today. Advocate photographer Michael Cunningham caught the chopper in action early in the morning before the full moon - dubbed the ‘worm moon’ - had a chance to disappear. The term ‘worm moon’ is due to the moon’s proximity to the spring equinox which signals the emergence of earthworms in the northern hemisphere.

Have your say

Far North residents can have their say on how the district council allocates its spending for the next three years. The consultation period is for one month from March 26. The Long Term Plan 2024-27 usually looks 10 years ahead but back-to-back weather events in 2022 and 2023, including Cyclone Gabrielle, had a significant impact on the district’s infrastructure. Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said the current LTP should be treated as a ‘catch-up plan’ to enable the district to recover. Feedback can be submitted online via www.fndc.govt.nz or at the council’s Kaikohe, Kaitāia or Kerikeri service centres.

No paper tomorrow

There will be no Northern Advocate newspaper tomorrow due to Good Friday. However, to find all of your latest local news visit www.northernadvocate.co.nz.

Career expo

An expo for anyone considering career options in the retirement living and aged care sector will be held at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri on April 11. The expo, from 11am to 4pm, is part of an initiative launched last year by Northland organisations involved in education, training and healthcare, to recruit school leavers and tempt older people back into the workforce. No registration is required.

Top rescue

Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service (VLS) has won Northern Region bp Rescue of the Month after helping to save injured surfer Matthew Scott. Scott was knocked unconscious after hitting sand while surfing on the sandbar. He suffered a serious spinal injury. Surfers rushed to help Scott. They placed him on a surfboard and took him to a shallow part of the channel where off-duty lifeguards and other club members stabilised him in the water, transferred him from a surfboard to a spinal board, then placed him into an inflatable rescue boat and took him to shore. Scott’s family said he was progressing well in the spinal unit. A Givealittle page set up to help has raised more than $61,000.

Kina barrens

Fisheries New Zealand are seeking public feedback on ways to help combat the growing kina barrens in Northland. The first proposal suggests the inclusion of a new special permit to remove kina and long-spined sea urchins through targeted culling, harvest and translocation. The second considers increasing kina’s daily recreational catch limit from 50 to 150 for every fisher per day, although the two proposals aren’t considered a silver bullet to stop the growth of kina barrens. Submissions can be made online until May 3 and by 5pm by visiting: www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations