Sunday night’s Far North finals of Smokefreerockquest 2015 were won in convincing fashion by Kerikeri High School band Back 2 Back. The contest veterans didn’t even miss a beat when singer Rachel Hall’s microphone failed mid-song. Rachel also won the best female musicianship prize while Elsa Meier of Springbank School won the solo/duo category. The night’s other big winner was Kerikeri deathcore band Purple Minded, claiming the people’s choice title and the award for best musicianship for guitarist Simon Halliday. Sixteen acts from as far away as Kaitaia took part in this year’s contest at the Turner Centre. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

More than 400 paddlers descended on Parua Bay on Saturday for the seventh annual Hoe Matariki Waka Ama Regatta. The 422 paddlers, made up of 49 crews and 40 individuals, took part in four races on Saturday to help celebrate Matariki - Maori New Year. Analatu McKay, one of the organisers, said the forecast heavy winds didn't reach the harbour so the 18km men's and women's races could be held. Ms McKay said a great day was had by all. Northern Advocate photographer John Stone went along to capture the excitement.

What was an illegal rubbish tip is returning to native bush thanks to the efforts of 40 volunteers who planted more than 1300 native shrubs and trees on Sunday. Community groups Vision Kerikeri and Living Waters are working to create a wildlife corridor and public walkway along the Wairoa Stream, which rises at Mt Pokaka, flows under Cobham Rd and empties into the Kerikeri River not far from the Stone Store. The volunteers, who came from as far away as Whangarei and included a group of sea scouts from Paihia and an MP, planted 140m of stream bank beside the Mill Lane industrial area, adding to the 630m already planted. About 50 species, including miro, matai, rimu, kohekohe, puriri, kowhai and karaka, were planted. Over previous weeks a massive effort was required to remove a vast quantity of car bodies, bottles, mattresses, oil filters and other waste which had been dumped down the bank over the years, then been overgrown by noxious weeds. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

The stars weren’t out but the sun shone to welcome Matariki at a special market day held at Whangarei’s Quarry Arts Centre. The Quarry partnered with the Te Kowhai Print Trust to put on Matariki: Make Markets on Saturday to lead into this year’s rising of star cluster known as Matariki. The reappearance of Matariki in the midwinter night sky symbolised renewal and was traditionally considered by Maori to be the new year. Photographer Michael Cunningham went along to the Quarry.

Take a virtual tour of Northland College, which hit national headlines last week for having "the worst classrooms in New Zealand". The good news is that repairs at the Kaikohe school are due to start any day now. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Fifteen teenagers from the Kawakawa-Moerewa area were put to the test on Saturday in a large-scale exercise involving a mock plane crash, finding people lost in the bush, cutting patients out of a car wreck, and dousing a fire. Participants in the Youth in Emergency Services exercise had spent the last six weekends with each of the emergency services, including Red Cross, police, the Fire Service, Rural Fire, and Civil Defence. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Fifteen teenagers from the Kawakawa-Moerewa area were put to the test on Saturday in a large-scale exercise involving a mock plane crash, finding people lost in the bush, cutting patients out of a car wreck, and dousing a fire. Participants in the Youth in Emergency Services exercise had spent the last six weekends with each of the emergency services, including Red Cross, police, the Fire Service, Rural Fire, and Civil Defence. The aim is to get youth more involved in their communities and encourage them to volunteer. The trainees, all aged 15-18, were delivered to the emergency scene, on the grounds of the Affco meatworks in Moerewa, by helicopter. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

An ambitious plan to restore the flora and fauna of the eastern Bay of Islands took another leap forward on Saturday with the release of 40 popokotea (whiteheads), a gregarious, noisy little bird absent from Northland for more than a century, and 40 tieke (saddlebacks), a rare and striking black-and-orange bird about the size of a tui. The birds were caught on Tiritiri Matangi in the Hauraki Gulf and transported to their new homes – Motuarohia Island for the popokotea, Moturua and Urupukapuka for the tieke – by helicopter. Waiting to welcome then were conservation workers, volunteers, schoolchildren, hapu members, three Members of Parliament and a couple of TV stars. The release was part of Project Island Song, which is a combined effort by community group Guardians of the Bay of Islands, Rawhiti hapu, the Department of Conservation, and island land owners. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Football fever hit Whangarei on Saturday when Myanmar took on the USA in the Fifa U20 World Cup at the Northland Events Centre. The Americans won 2-1 but Whangarei was also a winner with locals and visitors embracing the game and the pre-game entertainment in the central city. The colourful Brazilian Divas were a crowd favourite. Photographer John Stone was there too.

The strong arm of the law proved too much for the Taniwha on Sunday when Te Tai Tokerau Community Police beat Northland’s ITM Cup rugby team by just two seconds in Kawakawa’s Puff and Pull Carnival. In the school division Bay of Islands College reclaimed the title they lost to Kawakawa Primary in 2013. At the event, teams compete to pull a 28-tonne steam locomotive the length of Kawakawa’s main street in the shortest time. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

The strong arm of the law proved too much for the Taniwha on Sunday when Te Tai Tokerau Community Police beat Northland’s ITM Cup rugby team by just two seconds in Kawakawa’s Puff and Pull Carnival. In the school’s division Bay of Islands College reclaimed the title they lost to Kawakawa Primary last time the contest was staged in 2013. The unique event sees teams compete to see who can pull a 28-tonne steam locomotive the length of Kawakawa’s main street in the shortest time. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Country music fans from around the country descended on the Bay of Islands over the weekend for the 26th Country Rock Festival, headlined this year by Suzanne Prentice, Eddie Low and Brendan Dugan. More than 45 bands and solo artists played at eight venues in Paihia, Russell and Haruru Falls during the three-day event. The only name missing from this year’s programme was country legend and festival patron Dennis Marsh, who is making a good recovery at home from heart surgery. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Families came together at Whangarei Falls on Saturday for a day that was fun for both the young and the young at heart. The Te Otuihau Community Expo included sports activities, dance performances, a hangi, food stalls and bubble blowing. The event was planned to build on past community get-togethers such as the former Tiki Pride festival, organiser Kathryn McKenzie said. It also provided families with the opportunity to learn more about services and organisations in the community. Northern Advocate photographer Michael Cunningham went along and snapped these photos.

The 2015 netball season is fast approaching with grading games in full swing over the next few weeks. Northern Advocate photographer Tania Whyte took to the Whangarei Netball Centre sidelines at the weekend to capture the senior and college grading action.

City took on Tomarata in Bayleys Division 2 rugby on Saturday at Fishbone Park, Otangarei. Photographer Michael Cunningham snapped the action.

Waipu’s Caledonian Park was one of the places to be on Easter Saturday as hundreds flocked there for the annual Waipu Easter Carnival. The event was packed with fun for the whole family — there was plenty of entertainment, delicious food and bargains from the stalls. The motley Waipu Lawn Mower crew were out in force, along with local entertainers and new rides and carnival games. Northern Advocate photographer Tania Whyte went along to capture the fun.

Nineteen rafts of varying seaworthiness — ranging from bathtubs bolted together to streamlined vessels made from plastic pipes — took part in the Great Whangaroa Kiwi Can Raft Race on Saturday after a fortnight’s delay caused by Cyclone Pam. The annual race from Clansman’s Wharf to Whangaroa Marina is organised by education trust Kiwi Can with separate divisions for schools and community groups, though a band of pirates commandeered someone else’s raft rather than build their own. The always impressive setting was even more atmospheric this year with mist rising from the bush-clad hills as racing got underway. Participating schools were Bay of Islands International Academy, Hato Hohepa Te Kamura, Kaeo Primary, Kaingaroa, Mangonui, Oruaiti and Totara North. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Hundreds of people attended the formal opening of Whangarei’s relocated Cenotaph and new memorial wall to fallen soldiers on Saturday. The Laurie Hall Park war memorial — which includes the district's Cenotaph, relocated from Rose St — was formally opened with a ceremony in the park and will form the centrepiece of next month's Anzac Day 100th anniversary commemorations. ‘‘This is the culmination of years of planning and work by Whangarei District Council and the Returned Services Association, honouring those who have lost their lives serving this community, and creating a place of contemplation that should last centuries,'' said chairman of the Whangarei RSA Trust Archie Dixon. Northern Advocate photographer John Stone went along to the ceremony to capture these images ... Lest We Forget.

The Bay of Islands town of Paihia celebrated winning the Community of the Year award with a party at Horotutu, the waterfront park created by Focus Paihia volunteers. The title was part of the New Zealander of the Year Awards announced earlier this month. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

A fun day out with the family pet raised about $10,000 for the Whangarei SPCA. The Cause for Paws fundraiser held at Deloraine Cattery attracted an estimated 2000 people. Organiser Vanessa Wilson said it was a fantastic day with plenty of dogs descending on the cattery. The feline residents didn’t worry to much about the temporary canine invasion, with some of them soaking up the party atmosphere from the safety of their cage. There was all sorts of entertainment from a live band to agility tests for dogs and their owners.The fun day was followed by a charity dinner at the same venue. Photographer Michael Cunningham was there too.

It wasn’t just an event to raise funds for Cancer Society Northland. For many, the 24-hour Relay for Life on Saturday at ASB Stadium in Whangarei was a chance to show support to the survivors of cancer and to stand, walk and run, shoulder to shoulder, with those going through their own cancer battles. Northern Advocate photographer Tania Whyte kept pace and captured some of the action.

Mangawhai Village Market was one of the places to be on Saturday, with wonderful weather, plenty of bargains, and — that’s right — politicians on the campaign trail rumbling through. But before the politicians arrived it was all about the markets, and Northern Advocate photographer Tania Whyte got these photographs of the bargain hunters and store keepers.

A Kerikeri 13-year-old who judges said had the best voice in the competition has won this year’s Mid North talent quest. Alyssa Graham took out the top prize in Sunday’s contest, which was part of the ninth annual Be Free family day on Kerikeri Domain. Other performers at the day-long free concert included blues/rock band Late Night Meat Sandwich, Battle of the Bands winner Strangely Arousing, young thrash metal band Alien Weaponry from Waipu, and past talent quest winners Zoe King-Samuels of Moerewa and Te Rina Kahle of Waitaruke. Most of the contestants were part of the Be Free music and life-skills mentoring programme. Be Free was founded by former drug user Tony Harrison to support others fighting drug and alcohol addiction. Talent quest results: 1 Alyssa Graham; 2 Danielle Hookway and Reuben Topzand; 3 Lost for Words; 4 Tamati Te Wai and Rawiri Webb. Dance winner: Rosey Robb.

More than 100 hot rods, classic cars and motorbikes — from lovingly restored vintage cars to modern muscle cars — lined up in Kerikeri on Saturday for the Kurbside Rodders’ annual street meet. As well as a chance to look over each other’s vehicles the show featured a tyre-changing challenge, a junk hot rod contest for the kids, rock ‘n roll dancing, cheerleading demonstrations, and ear-shattering rev-ups. Rock band Late Night Meat Sandwich and an Elvis impersonator added to the entertainment. This year’s show was bigger than in previous years with the closed-off section of Kerikeri Rd no longer providing enough space, so car displays spilled onto the Rocksalt car park and along Cobham and Homestead roads. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

More than 2360 people laced up their runners and set off from Onerahi yesterday morning for the Beach 2 Basin Walk/Run event. Finishing at the Town Basin, the Chilltech Beach 2 Basin contestants competed in the 6.7km or the 10km tracks, with runners, walkers and pram walkers all taking part. Northern Advocate photographer Tania Whyte got quite a workout keeping up with the contestants.

Saturday’s Ocean and Orchard Festival on Kerikeri Domain featured dozens of stalls offering Northland food and wine, young Rotorua band Strangely Arousing as the headline act, lemon-sucking and oyster-shucking contests, and a wearable arts contest where the supreme award went to 9-year-old Jack Kinghan for an extraordinary costume made from recycled venetian blinds. Many festival-goers came up from Whangarei and made a weekend of it; one particularly enthusiastic group travels from Hamilton every year. Photos by Peter de Graaf.

Keen anglers competing in the 10th Century Batteries Beach and Boat fishing competition weren’t disappointed with plenty of fish being hooked, along with great prizes. Photographer Tania Whyte left her rod at home but took her camera to catch these photos.

Gunfights, cowboys, cheese-rolling contests, keg throwing and highway robbers extracting tolls from passing motorists - visitors to Waimamaku experienced all that and more when the South Hokianga town staged its 13th Wild West Festival on Saturday. Advocate photographer Peter de Graaf donned his stetson and spurs for a taste of the action.

Waitangi Day saw the launch of a new, double-hulled waka tangata ("people's waka") for the Bay of Islands. It was named Te Korowai (The Cloak).

Several MPS, both past and present got together with former MP Shane Jones for BBQ festivities. Peter de Graaf and Sandy Myhre were there.