Far North news in brief: Food mission; club birthday and SH10 roadworks

Rawinia Le Noel (front) with members of the Horeke community at the opening of Te Patiki Café at Māngungu Mission, in the Far North.

Food mission

Those cycling the Pou Herenga Cycle Trail across the Far North have a fresh and tasty new menu to sample at the Māngungu Mission Cafe, in Horeke. Stunning scenery, picturesque heritage and now a café serving fresh food and drink to the weary rider – just some of the compelling reasons why people should follow the Pou Herenga Cycle Trail through to the end of the line, Heritage NZ, which is in charge of the mission, says. Cyclists arriving at Māngungu Mission – the Tohu Whenua cared for by HNZ at the Hokianga end of Northland’s iconic cycle trail – can now enjoy the tasty delights of Te Patiki Café onsite. Proprietor Rawinia Le Noel and her staff will be there to greet them at the café overlooking the stunning upper reaches of the Hokianga Harbour – and they have worked hard to prepare for their first full summer in business.

Gamefish birthday

Ahipara Gamefish Club is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an event on January 18. It was back in January 2006 that a few local fellas, instigated by Kev Griffiths, and lubricated with plenty of adult beverages, decided it was about time the Ahipara locals had their own dedicated weigh station. So Ahipara Gamefish Club was born. With 20 years since the club was founded what better way to celebrate than to return to where it all started at the weigh station for a good old fashioned club get-together. The event will be on January 18, at 32 Korora St, with guest of honour Kev Griffiths.

Summer reading

Far North District Libraries are running their annual summer reading programme, where tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau can start exploring now that the district’s libraries reopen. The programme continues to explore the hidden kingdoms of Te Hiku o te Ika, which were discovered last year during the extremely popular Ngā kaitiaki o te o, Defenders of the World programme. Titled Rukuhia Ngā Taiao, Kingdom explorers, digs deeper into two of the four kingdoms, Sky and Earth, with challenges and library programmes that everyone can do.

SH10 roadworks

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi contractors will do road rebuild works on a section of State Highway 10 at Oromāhoe from next week. From 7pm January 13 to 7pm January 16, SH10 will be closed between SH1/SH10 Pakaraka intersection and SH10/SH11 roundabout. From January 19 to January 30, SH10 will be closed during the day only from 7am – 7pm. The road will be fully open Saturday 24 to Monday 26 for Northland/Auckland Anniversary. Northbound traffic will detour via State Highway 1 (SH1), Old Bay Rd, and Te Ahu Ahu Rd, before rejoining SH10. Southbound traffic will use the same detour, in reverse, adding about five minutes to the journey.