Far North news in brief: Lotto win, pool closed, trail detours and name released

A Lotto ticket sold in the Far North won its holder $500,000 in Saturday’s draw

One Lotto player has struck it lucky in the Far North with a $500,000 First Division winning ticket sold in the district for Saturday’s draw. A ticket sold at Four Square Houhora Wharf was one of two that split the $1 million First Division prize, with the other ticket, sold at New World Green Bay, also winning the $5 million Powerball First Division. The winning numbers were 2, 19, 27, 26, 14 and 23. The bonus ball was 7 and the Powerball was 3. Powerball will be worth $4m and Strike Four $700,000 in Wednesday night’s Lotto draw.

Name released

Police say the man who died following a motorcycle crash in Kaitāia on December 12 was Marcus Tepania, 31, of Kaitāia. Inquiries into the circumstances of the crash remain ongoing.

Pool off limits

Kaitāia Intermediate School says its pool is not open to the public. Since school finished, numerous tamariki have broken into the pool, causing damage and then not taking kindly to being asked to leave. Some of these children are as young as 6. The school is asking whānau to please ensure tamariki know the school pool is off limits 24/7.

Suspicious spots

The FMG Spot Check Roadie has helped identify more than 60 suspicious lesions in Northland, including 20 which were suspected melanomas. The programme, sponsored by FMG and run by Melanoma New Zealand, offers free skin cancer spot checks and melanoma education. Of the 191 Northlanders checked between August 2024 and July 2025, a third had suspicious lesions, the highest rate in the country. The FMG Spot Check Roadie will be back in Northland in February for the Northland Field Days.

Old4New

An initiative to help boaties upgrade their lifejackets has been transformed from one-day pop-up events to an in-store campaign at Hunting & Fishing stores. From January 1 to February 28, people who bring in an old or damaged lifejacket will get $20 to $30 off selected new Hutchwilco lifejackets. The initiative is run by Coastguard Tautiaki Moana, Hutchwilco, and Hunting & Fishing NZ.

Trail detours

Two detours of separate short sections of Pou Herenga Tai – Twin Coast Cycle Trail in the Far North have lifted in time for trail users to enjoy the popular tourist attraction throughout the summer holidays – one permanently.

In Kaikohe, track users have been diverted away from a 700m section of trail to avoid construction work on Kaikohe’s wastewater system. From January 5, the detour will be back in place for a further three months while works continue. Trail users can reconnect to the trail via a short detour through Kaikohe’s streets. In Kawakawa, riverbank deflection and culvert upgrade works along a short section of the trail have been completed by contractors for Northland Regional Council. The detour, which started in mid-November and ran from Johnson Park Reserve in the east and Station Road in the west, is now permanently lifted.