Far North briefs: State of the Far North, high-speed chase, free Heritage New Zealand site entry

The 2026 State of the Far North – Te Taumata o Te Hiku o te Ika address will be held on February 26 at the Turner Centre. Photo / Peter de Graaf, RNZ

State of the Far North

The 2026 State of the Far North – Te Taumata o Te Hiku o te Ika address will be held on February 26 at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri. Invitations for the event have gone out to leaders across Te Ao Māori, business and politics and there is also an open invitation to members of the wider community to secure their tickets (visit the Far North District Council website) as part of the council’s annual district-wide engagement programme. Shifting Gears – The Road Ahead, the theme of this year’s address on Thursday February 26, will build on the success of the inaugural address by highlighting the progress made since the huge challenges faced by the council in 2024 after a series of devastating storms. The inaugural State of the Far North address in November 2024 was a first for local government in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Free entry

Five Northland heritage sites cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga will be open to the public for free on Waitangi Day. They are the Kerikeri Mission Station, Clendon House in Rāwene Māngungu Mission in Hōreke, Pompallier Mission in Kororāreka/Russell and Te Waimate Mission in Waimate North. The Northland sites are part of 18 nationwide taking part in the open day. While stocks last, visitors will also receive a free educational booklet outlining the history of He Whakaputanga (the Declaration of Independence), Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) and the women’s suffrage petition.

Twilight bowls

The Kaikohe Bowling Club’s twilight bowls will be starting back up on February 12 at 6pm and will run for six weeks. You can enter as teams of three or as an individual at $5 per person and the price includes a sausage sizzle and weekly prizes up for grabs. Bowls are available and some bowlers will be on hand to help show the ropes. Visit the Kaikohe Bowling Club’s Facebook page for more details.

High-speed chase

A Facebook Marketplace transaction gone wrong triggered a dramatic car chase in the Far North on Monday. Police were alerted to a chase on State Highway 10 where a man in his vehicle was reportedly pursued by three youths, aged from 16 to 19 years old, in a separate vehicle. The chase followed a dispute over a Facebook Marketplace transaction near Kāeo. Several units responded, and the pursuing vehicle was spiked near Taipa – almost 40km from Kāeo. “Units carried out an armed traffic stop, taking the three males in the vehicle into custody without further incident,” Far North Area investigations manager Detective Senior Sergeant Christan Fouhy said.

Dog parade

The Bully Breed Parade is back on February 22 at Barge Park in Whangārei. The family day out aims to celebrate all bulldog breeds, with classes for American bulldogs to rescue specials. The event starts at 9am, and there will be food trucks and photo shoots available. All dogs can enter. Check out Facebook for more information.