Northland news in brief: IRB Beach Classic, JP charged and dotterel nesting season

The winner of the 90 Mile IRB Beach Classic will receive the much-sought-after kauri trophy. Photo / Surf Life Saving NZ

The country’s top inflatable rescue boat (IRB) crews head to the Far North on Saturday for one of the most challenging IRB races in the world: the 90 Mile IRB Beach Classic. The event, which has been running for 28 years, starts at Scott Point at the northern tip of the beach and finishes 92.6 kilometres away at Ahipara, with four checkpoints along the route. This year, 40 three-person crews will be competing, including a team from Australia. Far North Surf Rescue president Vicki Rehu said the best completion time has been two hours and 15 minutes.

Justice gets justice

A local Justice of the Peace appeared in the Whangārei District Court on Monday charged with unlawfully interferes with a motor vehicle. The Whangārei man has interim name suppression and has been offered a diversion by the police. He will reappear on October 30, when permanent name suppression will be argued.

Driving and dotterels

The Bream Bay Coastal Care Trust is reminding motorists to keep vehicles away from the wildlife refuge on the surf club’s side of Ruakākā River. The trust noted dotterels will soon be nesting in the area and trying to take chicks down to the wet sand to feed.

Witnesses wanted

Police are seeking witnesses to a two-vehicle crash that occurred on August 31 in Tikipunga. A 54-year-old motorcyclist died after a crash involving his Harley Davidson motorcycle and a grey-coloured Mazda 6 on Ngunguru Road, near the Sands Road intersection, shortly after 9am. Police are asking witnesses or who was anyone driving in the area prior to the crash who may have relevant dash camera footage to come forward and assist the ongoing investigation. To help, call police on 105 and quote file number 230831/6260.

Parks for park

A Far North park popular with nature lovers and dog walkers will extend its car parking facilities after a $15,000 boost from the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board, granted at a meeting last Thursday. The Friends of Roland’s Wood, a group that maintains the park in Kerikeri, is fundraising to meet the remaining costs of the upgrade, which include increasing parking by 10 spaces, some additional perimeter fencing, and the removal of three liquidambar trees at risk of encroaching on power lines. To find out more, visit the Friends of Roland’s Wood Charitable Trust’s Facebook page.

Matuku monitors

Kiwi Coast is celebrating the arrival of new acoustic monitors developed with Oceansense. The two-year project was completed just in time to trial during bittern (Matuku) breeding season, which started this week. The group previously used monitors from the Department of Conservation, but said they are now in short supply.