Northland news in brief: Kiwi release in Whangārei; and containers from Northport to Auckland by train

Up to four kiwi will be taken from Matakohe/Limestone Island in Whangārei tomorrow and released at Tutukaka. Photo / File

Up to four more kiwi will be retrieved from their "holding pad" of Matakohe/Limestone Island tomorrow and released to join the national bird population at Tutukaka. Backyard Kiwi project manager Todd Hamilton said they were hoping to bring three to four kiwi over to the mainland for the planned whakawātea (release) at 11am. Held near the Onerahi Yacht Club, the free event offers the chance to see a kiwi up close while being educated. The kiwi will also be named. They will then join the population already living on the Tutukaka coast as part of a successful project of the last 15 years running alongside the equally successful Whangārei Heads project of 20 years. The last release in February involved bringing five kiwi from Matakohe/Limestone Island, which Hamilton dubs a "holding pad", and releasing them at Whangārei Heads.

Containers head south

Up to 150 containers will be taken by train from Northland to Auckland after they were unloaded at Northport. The Constantinos P docked at Northport on Thursday last week with 1160 containers, to ease congestion at Ports of Auckland, but due to the Easter weekend none were to be taken by truck to Auckland until Tuesday. KiwiRail executive general manager sales and commercial Alan Piper said the rail line from Whangārei to Auckland - closed late last month after two trucks derailed between Kaiwaka and Te Hana - had reopened on Tuesday. ''We expect to carry around 150 containers from Whangārei to Auckland,'' Piper said.

CAB volunteers sought

Citizens Advice Bureau Whangārei is looking for new volunteer interviewers with the savvy to find the answers to any imaginable question. Co-ordinator Moea Armstrong said the voluntary role was becoming increasingly demanding as clients arrived with complex and interlinked issues. Volunteers should call the bureau on 438 8046 or email whangarei@cab.org.nz to ask for an application form.

Jennifer Ward Lealand to speak

Doubtless Bay Business and Professional Women are inviting the community to dinner at the Mangonui Cruising Club, at Mill Bay, on April 14, where the guest speaker will be Jennifer Ward Lealand, a star of theatre, film, television and radio for more than 40 years.
In 2017 she was gifted the name Te Atamira (The Stage) by Sir Timoti Karetu and the late Dr Te Wharehuia Milroy, for her championing of te reo Māori throughout the performing arts community, and in 2019 she was named a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to theatre, film and television. She was named Kiwibank New Zealander of the year 2020. Tickets ($40 plus booking fee) for the event, starting at 6.30pm, are available at //events.humanitix.com/bpwdoubtlessbaydinner.

Correction

In Thursday's Bay News it was stated that DJ Mike Preece will be playing at the Turner Centre every Friday for six weeks. That's incorrect. He's playing every 4-6 weeks. His next three events will be on April 16, May 21 and June 25.