Northland news in brief: Steven George of Whangārei heads to excavator competition nationals

Northland excavator operator competition winner Steven George (right).

Whangārei man Steven George won the Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice Northland Regional Excavator Operator Competition on Saturday. The contest was held at the Barge Showgrounds as part of the Whangārei A & P Show. Competitors had to lift a “Hercules barbell” comprised of a pole with tyres at each; build a pyramid with concrete blocks and slam dunk a basketball through a manhole – all in an excavator. George’s win qualifies him for a place in the national finals at next year’s Central District Field Days in Feilding.

Scholarships call

Applications for Northland Regional Council’s Tū i te ora Scholarships are open. Six scholarships worth $4000 each are available to assist with study costs, plus paid full-time work experience with NRC from mid-November 2025 to mid-February 2026. Applications close on February 13. Visit scholarships.nrc.govt.nz for eligibility criteria and application forms.

Hūkerenui train-carriage fire

Three Northland fire crews were called to a blaze in an old railway carriage in the rural settlement of Hūkerenui at 5.45am on Monday. The carriage was abandoned but had previously been used as a shed, a Fire and Emergency NZ spokeswoman said. Crews from Hikurangi, Kamo and Whangārei attended the fire and left just after 7am.

Burning vehicle sparks callout

A vehicle was believed to have been deliberately set alight in Tikipunga overnight on Sunday. Firefighters spent about half an hour extinguishing the fire in the vehicle parked on the road near the corner of Tapper Cres and Otuhiwai Cres. Investigations are under way.

BB gun pellet hits pedestrian

Police are investigating after a pedestrian on Port Rd, Whangārei, was hit by a BB gun pellet fired from a passing vehicle on Monday morning. The pedestrian was not injured. Police are making inquiries into the vehicle and shooter.

Economic ranking dives

Northland has experienced a sharp drop in its ranking in this quarter’s ASB Regional Economic Scoreboard. The region fell to 13th place with weakness in the housing market considered a key factor in the shift. House prices dropping by 1.8% annually – one of the largest regional declines. ASB says the outlook for Northland is mixed over the coming quarters, but improvements in the dairy and meat sectors, coupled with lower interest rates, should bring a boost to the region.