Northland news in brief: Flipped car keeps firefighters busy; and work to start on new Poutō wharf

Firefighters at the scene of yesterday's single-vehicle crash in Paraka, near Towai.

Callout to overturned car

A flipped car in Pakaraka kept Kaikohe volunteer firefighters busy on Thursday. The vehicle's single occupant escaped without injury after the car drifted off the road and overturned in a roadside trench shortly before 7.30am. Kaikohe chief fire officer Bill Hutchinson said the brigade had been busy recently responding to medical callouts and a blaze at Kaikohe's Z service station.

2022 start for wharf build
Construction work for the new Poutō wharf will begin in 2022. The work is part of Kaipara KickStart, an umbrella programme led by Kaipara District Council and funded by Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit. The construction
contract has been awarded to STF Group, specialists in marine infrastructure. Physical works for the wharf is planned to start in the first part of the year, once detailed design is complete. A community drop-in session will be held at the start of February 2022 to give those interested a chance to view the final design and speak with the project team about what the physical works will look like. You can read the final Feasibility Study and Programme Business Case that was approved and finalised in 2020 at kaipara.govt.nz/kickstart/kaipara-harbour-wharves

Fireworks set grass alight
Kaitaia volunteer firefighters have responded to their first fireworks-related callout of this year's Guy Fawkes season. The brigade was called to a small grass fire of around 10m by 3m, on Church St at 10.25pm on Wednesday. Chief fire officer Craig Rogers urged people to take extra care with this year's celebrations to avoid any emergencies. Even minor incidents put volunteers at risk as they had to leave their bubble amid alert level 3 to respond to callouts. Both Rogers and Kaikohe Fire Chief Bill Hutchinson said despite the recent rain, conditions remained dry and the risk of a fire was still very real.

New organisers for book fair

Life Education Trust Far North has taken over the annual Waipapa Rotary Book Fair, now in its 20th year. LETFN operates a mobile classroom that visits every primary school, intermediate school and kura kaupapa in Tai Tokerau each year. The book fair will be held at Kerikeri's Heritage Bypass Sports Complex from 9am to 6pm (November 5) and 9am to 2pm (November 6). Books are $3 each or $1 for children's books. Cash and eftpos are preferred payment options. For more information call 021 2629 459.

Market day at Kamo Club

A market day will be held in the Kamo Club carpark from 8am-12 noon on Saturday and will include crafts, plants, food, bric-a-brac and more. The club is in Meldrum St, Kamo.

City firm a Xero Awards finalist

Xero has announced the finalists of its prestigious Xero Awards, and Whangārei accounting and business advisory firm, Villa Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors, was recognised as a top-four finalist in the Xero Small Accounting Partner of the Year category.
The nomination and recognition as a finalist is extra special for the Villa team, who were also awarded finalist-status in the Small Accounting Partner of the Year category in 2019.
Villa was nominated for the Small Accounting Partner of the Year category, the nomination alone is a huge win for the small firm as nominees are shortlisted to a group of only four finalists.
To be nominated and shortlisted this year, Villa needed to show how the business values drive them and their clients to succeed.
Xero hopes to hold the awards evening in Auckland in late February.