Northpower crews are in a helicopter flying the lines and repairing faults. This morning the crew headed towards Dargaville and found faults at Pukehuia. These photos were taken by Steve MacMillan. A reminder if you have a power outage to please contact your provider so faults are logged and are kept up to date. Here are a couple of contact details: Northpower (0800 10 40 40), Top Energy (0800 867 363).

The Butler Whanau of Moerewa have taken these photos this morning. They say the fire brigade, police, Civil Defense and Fulton Hogan are doing what they do best - "A massive thank you to guys". Here is what they saw

Photographer John Stone was one of the hundreds who gathered in stormy weather to say haere ra to a young Northland rugby player - four days after he died from a head injury he suffered while playing for his club. Mourners and vehicles lined up the road leading to the Otamatea Marae where a karakia was held before Jordan Kemp's body was taken to a nearby cemetery. Here is a gallery of photos.

The value of the marine reserves have been illustrated by a rare humpback whale being seen in the Reotahi reserve in Whangarei Harbour feeding on sprats. Whangarei orca expert Ingrid Visser said the whale was just the second humpback seen in Whangarei Harbour in living memory - the last was in October 2010 - and a sign that the Reotahi reserve was working by having more marine life around it to then attract larger marine life. Dr Visser took these amazing photos.

Ten talented bands and two solo performers took part in Smokefreerockquest held at Forum North on Friday night, with Co-Lab, from Whangarei Boys’ High School and Kamo High School, taking out first place. Alex Woods captured these images.

Northern Advocate photographer Tania Newman cast her artistic eye over Whangarei's East coast, with these dramatic results.

The Matariki Whanau Festival at the Whangarei Town Basin was an entertaining event with plenty of music, dance and food. Hundreds of people enjoyed the celebrations and one of them was photographer John Stone, who got these great shots.

Kerikeri/Moerewa R&B rock band Cypruss took out the top honours at Friday night’s Smokefreerockquest at Kerikeri’s Turner Centre. The nationwide contest for high school bands, solo artists and duos is now in its 26th year but Friday’s event was the first-ever Far North final. The top bands in each category now have a chance to compete in the national finals, a path followed by many of New Zealand’s top bands. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Kerikeri/Moerewa R&B rock band Cypruss took out top honours at Friday night’s Smokefreerockquest at Kerikeri’s Turner Centre. The nationwide contest for high school bands, solo artists and duos is now in its 26th year but Friday’s event was the first ever Far North final. The top bands in each category now have a chance to compete in the national finals, a path followed by many of New Zealand’s top bands. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Hundreds of people showed up to the grand opening of children’s shop Storytime’s new premises in Porowini Ave on Saturday. ‘‘It was amazing, we had such a good turnout — so many kids were doing activities,’’ said store manager Alicia Languasco. The business, which has been in Whangarei for 30 years, moved from the Strand Arcade. ‘‘It’s a nice, new fresh start in a vibrant part of the city,’’she said. Northern Advocate photographer Michael Cunningham was there.

Our photographers and readers captured the frost that was across most of Northland in sub-zero temperatures.

The Under-20 Football World Cup trophy was brought ashore at Waitangi at dawn today for a formal welcome marking its arrival in New Zealand ahead of next year's tournament. A mostly teenage waka crew brought the cup, and Kiwi footballing great Wynton Rufer, safely to land for a series of challenges and a powhiri at the Treaty Grounds' carved meeting house. The cup later travelled to Ohaeawai School, Kerikeri and Waipapa where members of the U-20 squad led hundreds of kids in football skills games. The tour continues in Whangarei on Tuesday. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Hundreds of people enjoyed the Waipu Easter Carnival which raised funds for the local primary school. Photographer John Stone was there to capture the fun times.

It looked spectacular with waves crashing over the waterfront, but today's storm turned out to be far less damaging - for Paihia anyway - than last month's Cyclone Lusi. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Here are a selection of entries in the Northern Advocate Summer - Love it Here photo competition. Readers sent in some fantastic shots that reflected the wonderful summer Northland has experienced. The winner will be announced on Saturday April 19.

Eight inmates at Ngawha Prison, guided by one outside tutor and one long-term prisoner, are turning their lives around by learning the art of whakairo (carving). Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Far Northerners bagged the two top prizes in the 2014 Captain Morgan 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza, with Kaitaia's Neil Sides pocketing $30,000 for the heaviest fish and Simon Job of Ngataki driving home in a Mitsubishi Triton ute worth $48,000. A downpour delayed the prizegiving but failed to dampen the festive mood. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Readers have been sending in their photos of Cyclone Lusi as it batters Northland. What's it like at your place. Send your photos to reporters@northernadvocate.co.nz

Personality, not pedigree, counted in Saturday’s Mutley Dog Show where prizes were awarded for everything from best fancy dress to shaggiest coat. The event, held at Kerikeri Domain, is a fundraiser for the Bay of Islands SPCA. The 75 competitors ranged in size from a pocket-sized miniature Maltese to a hulking 90kg Neapolitan mastiff. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Opua’s annual community regatta on Sunday featured the usual eccentric mix of dog swimming races, raft races and novelty kayak competitions as well as a market and food stalls. Funds raised go to Opua School and Opua Community Hall. The winner of the small dogs category was miniature fox terrier Jessie, owned by 13-year-old Brad Batterton of Opua, while the fastest big dog was Stefi, a Hungarian Vizsla cross owned by Hamish Anderson of Opua. A family team called Double Trouble won the raft race for the third year in a row. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

More than 2000 people squeezed into Kerikeri Domain on Saturday for the Ocean and Orchard Food and Wine Festival, an annual event showcasing the best of Northland food, wine and music. This year’s festival also featured cooking demonstrations, a couples’ cook-off, and a wearable arts contest offering a top prize of $1000. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

The Wild West met the wild Far North in the South Hokianga town of Waimamaku on Saturday. The 12th annual Wild West Festival featured cowboys, horses, cheese-rolling contests, wearable arts, fire demonstrations, and a shoot-out in which the town’s bad guys tried to free a prisoner and put the judge in the stocks – all of it on SH12 while the road was still open. Highway robbers extracted tolls from passing motorists with the proceeds going to Hokianga Health and other worthy causes. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

More than 200 people marched through Kaikohe today to protest the government’s decision to start fast-tracked Treaty settlement negotiations with Ngapuhi, New Zealand’s biggest iwi. The government says Tuhoronuku, a committee set up by the Ngapuhi runanga, has a mandate to negotiate on the tribe’s behalf – but many hapu are opposed to Tuhoronuku and believe they have not been listened to. Groups like Te Kotahitanga o Nga Hapu Ngapuhi want the Crown and iwi to go through the full Waitangi Tribunal process before talking about money, and question the hurry to settle.

In contrast to the pomp and politics of Waitangi Day, the people of the Hokianga marked the 174th anniversary of their signing of the Treaty with a low-key ceremony in the grounds of Mangungu Mission Station, near Horeke, yesterday. About 120 people, including kuia and kaumatua, children from Horeke and Rawene schools, and church representatives, turned out for a formal welcome and a salute from the crew of the waka Kaitoki as they paddled a mirror-calm Hokianga Harbour. Tau Kopa, a Ngai Tu elder and kaitiaki (guardian) of the great waka Ngatokimatawhaorua, said the Hokianga signing on February 12, 1840, was significant because many more chiefs signed than at Waitangi six days earlier. Mr Kopa put that down to strong support for the Treaty from west coast hapu and the area's large population at the time. About 70 signed at Mangungu compared to just over 40 at Waitangi. This year's commemorations are also significant because the Waitangi Tribunal will travel to Hokianga in April to hear local grievances in its ongoing Northland Inquiry. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

As well as the customary livestock, equestrian and indoor competitions, highlights of Saturday's 82nd Kaikohe Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Show included a working display of vintage tractors, free tours of the nearby Ngawha geothermal power plant and the biggest harness section north of Auckland. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Sixty-five kids took to Paihia wharf today to see who could catch the biggest, smallest and strangest fish as part of the town's Summer Festival. Pippiana Voakes, 9, of Paihia, landed the biggest, a 31cm mullet. All the fish were returned to swim another day.

Thirty teams of sand-sculptors of all ages braved fierce winds on Paihia Beach to take part in the annual sandcastle competition on Sunday. Entries ranged from traditional castles to giant jandals, pyramids, sharks, an octopus, the whale-rider Paikea, a crocodile and even a toilet. It was won by Paihia sisters Ruby and Riley McMurtry and Lily and Teah Hagen for a magic fairy based on a sketch by Lily, with brothers Cedric and Roland Vallet from Paris the runners-up for their sand spiral. The contest launched Paihia's eight-day Summer Festival featuring free daily activities for families. Tuesday's [January 7] events are traditional games on the Village Green from 10am and pavement drawing in the post office mall from 12.30pm; Wednesday features wearable arts at Paihia School's marae from 10am and an ''amazing race'' from 4pm at Horotutu Park. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Russell marked the festive season with a Santa parade – featuring princesses, pirates, Noddy, a dog impersonating a reindeer and the big man himself riding in a vintage fire engine – followed by a Christmas festival at the Duke of Marlborough Tavern on Saturday afternoon. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Up to 500 people turned out for the opening on Saturday night of a public park created by volunteers on the Paihia waterfront where there was once only an asphalt parking lot. A project by community group Focus Paihia, the new park is called Horotutu/Our Place. Photos by Peter de Graaf.