Far North news in brief: A&P Show back; tree vandalised and bridge upgrade

The best of country life will be on display at the Kaikohe Agricultural & Pastoral show on Saturday, January 18.

A&P Show in Kaikohe

The Kaikohe Agricultural & Pastoral show on January 18 promises to be a fun-filled day for people of all ages and interests. There will be a wide variety of competitions, exhibits and stalls on show at the corner of State Highway 12 and Ngawha Springs Rd, Kaikohe from 8am to 5pm. Tickets will be available at the entrance. Visit www.ras.org.nz for more information.

Tree vandalised

The Kerikeri Community Charitable Trust is appealing for information after the community Christmas tree was vandalised. The trust said around 50% of the programmable lights were damaged recently. The community Christmas tree can be found by the library in the Kerikeri Domain during the festive season. Some community members had provided information about the incident, and the trust is waiting to review CCTV footage. Contact the trust via Facebook or visit kerikeriourtown.co.nz if you can help.

484 Band playing

The 484 Band will play a set of rock, funk and pop covers as part of an Anniversary weekend gig in the Far North. The band will play at Taipa Tavern from 7.30pm on January 25, with no cover charge.

New loos open

A brand-new toilet block opened at Windsor Landing in Kerikeri last week, offering a modern and accessible facility for locals and visitors. Located near the boat ramp, the new amenities opened on January 6, just in time for the busy summer season.

The facility, featuring a Permaloo DryVault system, is accessible for those with disabilities and open 24 hours a day. As part of the effort to maintain the area’s cleanliness and ensure it remains enjoyable for all, users are asked to take their rubbish with them after using the facilities.

The new toilet block was made possible thanks to funding from the Tourism Infrastructure Fund, which has supported several similar community projects across the region.

Bridge upgrade

Work has begun on a $1.1 million upgrade to the Quarry Rd bridge near Awanui. The work will take place in two phases. The first $500,000 phase of the work will allow for earthworks underneath a proposed 15m extension of the bridge – which will open an additional span – and support the wider Awanui River Flood Protection Scheme. The $600,000 second phase will involve construction of the bridge extension and associated works.

During the first phase of the work, one lane will be closed, with traffic management and reduced speed limits in place. Motorists should allow extra time if heading to Kaitāia Airport.

The Quarry Rad bridge was highlighted as a flooding “pinch point” following a storm in August 2020. The additional capacity created by the Quarry Rd works will add to the significant improvements the Awanui River Flood Protection Scheme already offers in terms of reducing the risk of flooding to adjacent properties and the Awanui township.