Northland news in brief: Derelict Mangawhare wharf removed; Mangawhai Tavern Market this weekend

Mangawhare wharf has been removed by the Northland Regional Council.

A roughly 40-year-old wharf that had fallen into disrepair in the Kaipara has been removed by the Northland Regional Council on safety grounds. The Mangawhare wharf was built in the early 1980s and later declared abandoned by the Northland Regional Council, which was unable to locate an owner. The wharf - considered a health and safety concern - was not identified through Heritage NZ as a place of significance.

Market wares at Mangawhai

Get a dose of goodies this Saturday at the Mangawhai Tavern Market. It’s open from 8.30am to 1pm and people can check out the mixture of local vendors selling fresh flowers, farm-grown vegetables, arts and crafts, artisan bakery goods, furniture, clothing, candles, jewellery, crystals and more.

Shrek Rave all go

Shrek fans won’t want to miss Butter Factory’s R18 Shrek Rave Party this Saturday at 10pm. DJ Hemi Ruka will be pumping out well-known tunes from the Shrek movies. Prizes for best dressed are up for grabs.

Free contraception clinics

Te Whatu Ora is offering free contraception clinics Monday to Friday from 8am until 5pm at the Kensington Health Hub on Kensington Ave in Whangārei. The clinic offers contraception counselling as well as insertion and removal of a range of contraceptives. Book by visiting kensingtonhealth.nz/free-contraception-clinic/

Insights on menopause

Two Northland menopause experts are hosting a day-long course called Navigate Menopause Confidently: With Education, Support & Community. Kerikeri-based personal trainer Jackie Ashdown, a licensed menopause champion with Menopause Experts Group, and Catherine Taylor, a holistic skin therapist, aromatherapist and mind-body practitioner, will provide information on nutrition on hormonal health, how to get your skin looking its best and some psychology on the life transition. The course is on October 8 at Ora Ora Retreat, 28 Landing Rd, Kerikeri from 9.30am to 4pm and 20 per cent of the proceeds will go to the Bald Angels Charitable Trust. For details visit www.eventbrite.co.nz

Desexing clinic northbound

The SPCA’s new mobile desexing clinic is ready to hit the road in Northland. SPCA is encouraging pet owners in the Far North to sign up to have their cats and dogs desexed free of charge, as the charity prepares to target animal overpopulation in the region. The van, called Snippy, will be in Moerewa from September 11-14, Dargaville from September 18-21 and 25-28, Waimamaku from October 2-5, Rawene from October 9-12 and 16-19, Opononi from October 24-26, Ahipara from October 30 – November 2 and November 6–9, and Pukenui from November 13-16. Visit www.spca.nz for more information.