Northland news in brief: Fonterra worker’s artistic streak; duo arrested following robbery

Lui Peti shows off his work, which demonstrates the connection between Fonterra's Kauri site and Northland.

Fonterra Kauri worker Lui Peti has created a series of artworks to demonstrate the site’s strong connection to Northland. The cream process operator created three murals to reflect the community and environment around the site. He used popular Northland scenes - including Shipwreck Bay, Rainbow Falls and Elliot Bay - plus his two children to represent the next generation. The works are on display at Fonterra’s Kauri site.

Pair arrested over robbery

Police arrested two males following a robbery at a commercial address on Klinac Lane in Waipapa on Tuesday. Three men reportedly ran into the store and stole several items before fleeing in a vehicle later stopped by police as it headed south towards Whangārei. An 18-year-old man appeared in the Kaikohe District Court yesterday charged with theft over $1000. The third offender is yet to be found.

Kudos for Northland tourism

Northland’s tourism offerings have been praised in an international travel article. The Sydney Morning Herald’s Traveller section named Northland as one of the 22 most underrated destinations in the world. Other destinations highlighted include Montenegro, Cadiz in Spain, the Solomon Islands and New Zealand’s food offerings.

Mitimiti road one-lane

West Coast Rd near Mitimiti in the Hokianga is down to one lane with reduced speed limits while a major culvert is replaced over the next five weeks. The replacement is at the intersection with Wairoa Stream Rd. The existing and ageing culvert has corrosion and will be replaced with a 3.5m wide, 2.5m high, 19m long concrete box culvert. Stop/go traffic management will operate at the site Monday to Friday between 6.30am and 6pm, and on Saturdays from 7am to 1pm. Temporary traffic lights will control access at night for the duration of the project.

Silent disco at Quarry Arts Centre

The Quarry Arts Centre in Whangārei is hosting a silent disco this Friday. People will receive their own personal set of headphones and can flick through multiple streams played by live DJs. This will be an indoor and outdoor event. The family disco will be from 5.30pm until 7.30pm and the adults-only disco run from 8.30pm to 10.30pm. All headsets must be returned and the event is zero-waste. All funds will go towards Art Beat 2024. You can access tickets through the Quarry Arts Centre event page on Facebook.